Botanical Gardens, Moa (extinct bird)

This morning Alison & I went to the Botanical Gardens. As usual, it was absolutely gorgeous. So many different trees & a big rose garden. There was a pond with ducks. We walked to the art center. Saw some art. Then to LeCafe' for a bagel with cream cheese & salmon spread. Walked to the museum. It was very nicely done. Saw a display on Moa's, a bird similar to the peacock, that doesn't fly. When the Maori people arrived on the island, over a thousand years ago, they feasted on this bird until it became extinct. This was a big lesson for the Maori that they have passed from generation to generation. I think they have a promise to their people that it won't happen again & it backs a lot of environmental arguments since the Europeans arrived.

We stopped at the store & got home at about 5pm. Jack was having a BBQ for his workmates. About 20 people showed. I got to talking to one guy named Dennis. He reminded me of Dan Netz, a guy I used to work with. He's from the US but has lived in NZ for 20 years. He's a professor of philosophy at the Canterbury University & loves to argue with New Zealanders & their politics. Evidently he's famous by his website on the Internet.

It was nice to hear the other side of the coin. He said that New Zealanders shouldn't be talking when it comes to the war in Iraq & Afghanistan, & how smug they are. He had answers to just about any political prose New Zealander’s might give. I gave him a lot of what I'd been hearing & he had answers to all those. Alison had him as a professor when she was going to college. She'd disagree with him sometimes, but to save starting a debate in class everyday, she'd save most of them for after class.

When the party was almost over, I started feeling awful. I thought, Jack! I've got food poisoning after all, darn it! I didn't join the small crowd that stayed to watch the "Very Merry Muppet Movie". I went to my room & tried to lie down. The air mattress was a little flat so I blew it up tighter. I started feeling better before even laying down. I think I must've eaten too much & an awful lot of dairy products which hurts & gurgles inside.

I slept real well. I think this was the night I accidentally locked Alison out. I closed the door all the way but didn't know that it locked it. She had to wake Jack up to get another key. I didn't even hear her come in.