Sideswipe: June 19: Patent pending

Bathroom lock in the Dunsandel Store. Photo / Supplied

The Dunsandel Store is a quirky cafe in Canterbury famous for good food and a great sense of humour, as proved by the "patent pending" lock in the bathroom.

Young people today ...

Granddad Barry Eastwood took £1000 out of the bank to pay for his car insurance but then he tripped and fell and the cash blew out of his hand. Barry said: "The money went flying in the air and I saw all these young lads grabbing the notes and I thought, 'I've got no chance here'. But they brought it all back to me - I couldn't believe it! ... I ended up with all the money back bar £20." (Source: Mail online)

Talking tui says hello

"The wolf-whistling tui reminds me of a recent stay in a bach in Mangawhai," writes Maureen Sudlow. "I was in the garden when I heard a voice say, 'Hello'. I looked all around but no one was there. The second time I heard it, I noticed a tui in a nearby tree, so I said 'Hello'. Sure enough the tui replied. I have to assume that previous residents had put a bit of time into teaching it."

Help me to help the homeless

The real homeless of Auckland city: Dean and Gina are a young couple living in a station wagon after being evicted from their rental accommodation in central Auckland. She worked in sales but was made redundant. He lost his job as a builder after the small firm he was working for folded. He was owed a month's wages and four weeks' holiday pay, none of which he received. After paying their rent and other bills, they had $40 to buy food and petrol. They managed to survive until Gina became sick and needed to visit the doctor regularly. At the same time the car failed a warrant. Work and Income refused to help as their needs were not considered essential, and so they used their rent money to pay for the doctor and service the car. To help people like Dean and Gina, I am sleeping rough in the Auckland CBD on June 28 as part of the Lifewise Big Sleepout. Please sponsor me (no amount too small - or too big) here.