Bruce Middleton writes: "Last week's storm brought down this 80-year- old, 30m-tall gum tree in Grey Lynn Park. Obligingly, the tree did little damage when it fell, and now lies on a ridge above the main playing field. All weekend, the trunk was crawling with neighbourhood children on their new adventure playground. Rather than spending thousands of dollars to remove the trunk, wouldn't it be great if Auckland Council tidied it up a bit and left it there? Kids would play on it, picnics would be held against it and sports-field spectators would sit on it. The trunk would be a reminder of both Grey Lynn's heritage and the great storm of 2014."
Horseback riding link to trousers
For years, our ancestors draped themselves in tunics and robes until someone decided they were tired of having the wind up their skirts. So, what made two-legged trousers popular? Mental Floss.com explains: A recent archaeological discovery in Xinjiang, China, unearthed two pairs of well-preserved woollen pants estimated to be around 3000 years old - the oldest ever discovered. This time period corresponds with the rise of "mobile pastoralism" in Central Asia - nomads began moving their herds across the land on horseback. Tunics and robes weren't conducive to long, bumpy rides - and battles - so these ancient people created pants and it is related to the new epoch of horseback riding, mounted warfare and greater mobility.
'Love is' comics innocent products of their time
A reader writes: "Regarding yesterday's item, the 'Love is' comics were devised by LA-based Aucklander Kim Casali. They started as cute drawings expressing her love to her boyfriend in the late 1960s. They belong to the 'in-love' stage of a relationship where sentiment trumps all other considerations. They were products of their time, and are not meant to be evaluated through the eyes of a different generation. Let them be appreciated for the simple message they were intended to be. The 1970 movie Love Story had a line 'love is never having to say you're sorry', a notion since debunked by marriage counsellors. Casali tweaked that into her most famous cartoon 'love is being able to say you're sorry'."
"In Pt Chevalier, we like to keep our clouds nice and orderly," writes Tim of this listing in a real estate email.
