2024 flaxes its muscle

What's that old aphorism for something being better than nothing? That it is better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick? Well, let me tell you, that expression is pointless: everything is better than getting a poke in the eye with a sharp stick, and I have just had the extremely pointed experience to prove it.

- Greg Dixon

Barely a couple of weeks into the year, it appears that 2024 has already got it in for me with the occurrence of what can only be described as the most freakish accident of my apparently accident-prone life.

It happened while I was taking care of business outside - and no, I don't mean the septic tank is full again and we're back to using the Thunder Box in the second-best woodshed.

The "business" was our 16 cubic metres of firewood that we acquired before the new year from John up the road.

Most of it is lying in three great piles out near the tractor shed in a spot which, with El Niño finally delivering Wairarapa its first hot summer in three years, is currently getting more afternoon sun than Saudi Arabia. However, a few days of gentle rain and high winds just before New Year's Eve sent me rushing out to cover our precious seasoning firewood - it set us back $1500 with tarpaulins.