 |
Diesel Rogers Dining with Diesel www.sunlive.co.nz |
How long is a piece of string? Do chocolate fish swim? Why doesn't a trailer follow a movie?
These questions and more, we should be asking the council along with the most important one, when is The Strand reclamation going to be started? The way I see it Wills and Kate will be celebrating their golden wedding anniversary before we get to see some changes.
In a recent SunLive poll, some readers wanted to see a hydroslide installed on The Strand waterfront.
Here in Diesel land, to take things a step further, here is my take on things:
Every twolegger seems to think they have the answer to The Strand's rough edge. Well ask a Labrador.
Attracting families
Why not do something to bring families back into town by grassing the entire asphalt area, putting up a commercial hydroslide into the harbour using reticulated (had to Goggle that word) sea water, plant trees, erect seats and benches, install an outdoor chess area, a volleyball court, and any other thing that will attract families to the area. Children all love to look at trains, use the railway lines as a feature, and install overbridges so they can all watch the trains passing underneath; and if a few drunken hoons want to jump on them late at night, place strategic mini trampolines to help them.
These ideas are from a Labrador's mindset and the way I see it, The Strand will benefit by having a family atmosphere as the drinking and eating establishments will all of a sudden have to start cleaning up their act and start catering for decent folk having some family fun – not getting trolleyed.
Shopping and eating
It will be a natural progression, the more families that are attracted, the more children having fun, the more parents that are happy and they will be shopping and eating as a consequence, so the entire CBD will profit.
Now how I will benefit is the more children that are around, the more likelihood there will be easy pickings for the cunning ‘Chocolate Crusader', as what child will be able to resist feeding me.
Tauranga has something special and it's time for the elected council to use some of that grey matter between their ears and do something different.
The future is with our little ones, and families need to have fun, so let's reclaim The Strand from being a boozer's dumping zone to family and dog friendly.
Now talk about friendly, my good mate Johnny the Aussie butcher boy has it down to a fine art. He knows how to make me happy and as all his customers will attest too, you cannot beat Johnny's meat. There's still time to get your Christmas ham and stock up with all the goodies to go on the barbecue over the break. Bring it on, I am waiting patiently, and I can only take so much as it is not really my nature to be patient when there is food around.
Beer glazed Ham
Ingredients
1 fully cooked ham
1 cup beer
1 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp flour
1 tsp mustard powder
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
Extra beer
Method
Place ham uncovered in a roasting pan. Pour one cup beer over the ham and bake at 180C for one hour; baste with drippings every 15 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the brown sugar, flour, mustard powder and red wine vinegar. Mix in enough beer to make a smooth paste. Remove ham from oven and score fat diagonally in a criss-cross fashion. Stud with whole cloves and spread with the beer glaze. Roast for 30-45 minutes longer, or until well glazed and cooked through. The internal temperature of a fully cooked ham should be 60C.
Alrighty my good people, I have had my rant about The Strand. As you twoleggers do not really listen to me, it is up to you as ratepayers to voice your thoughts, but the only thing I ask for is get it done soon as I would like to see it in my lifetime.
That's all from me, so take care out there and remember if your Christmas tree is looking lush, it's because I've already watered it.