Caravans and some heavier campers are continuing to experience braking problems in mountainous regions. Overheating drums are a significant concern for owners as they strive to improve their braking.I am writing from Timaru, New Zealand, where my wife and I stayed with local marriage celebrants, Dave and Linda Moore.Friends of the family, Brent, own a Jayco caravan that they have owned for three years. "It a beautiful caravan and one I have travelled...

Installing bearing buddies on your caravan can have unintended consequences such as destroying your braking system. A correctly adjusted brake drum should stop your rig quickly. However, some circumstances can lead to accidents.Caravan and Camper owners love to install the latest, time-saving equipment. Owners self install bearing buddies thinking they are using time-saving devices; however, the reverse is true.The photo above is a Dexter backing plate that...

Congratulations to our winners of the MyGolf deliverer of the year award, Susanne Cullen and John Collins!The joint winners have shown great dedication and passion towards teaching the great game to junior golfers, through fun-based learning and basic skill development.John Collins, MyGolf deliverer at Brookwater Golf and Country Club south-west of Brisbane, has been teaching junior golf at the facility for the past three years.John began the MyGolf program...

Most people when they think of rehab or addiction treatment think of residential inpatient Drug and Alcohol rehabilitation programs.  At ASV, we understand that residential rehab programs are not for everyone. We offer evidenced based Drug, Alcohol and other Drug rehabilitation & recovery support options delivered in the privacy and safety of people’s own homes. These addiction treatment packages provide people seeking support...

Guidelines and Codes have been established to ensure that all items built, such as buildings and furniture, adhere to a minimum safety standards. The codes are designed to protect public health, safety and general welfare as they relate to buildings and structures being built and occupied.The National Construction codes (NCC) sets out mandatory installation methods for all aspects of construction.Learning about these codes and regulations can help you and...

On New Years eve many people make a resolution, yet while it is a common tradition some reports claim only 8% of these resolutions are ever kept. Yet, whilst it is easy to get caught up in the frivolities of the occasion, the new year provides a great opportunity to plan the year ahead.We plan, with insurance for our cars, our house and often our life. We organise wills, superannuation and financial planning. Although pre-planning your funeral is probably...

Last month I wrote about environmental options within the funeral service. This week I came across possibly one of the most sensible environmental options available and its been right in front of us all the time!Coffin manufacturing has changed a great deal over the past century, I remember my grandfather making coffins from solid timber and without modern manufacturing techniques had to use hot water in order to bend the shoulders into coffins. Paper laminates,...

The funeral was only 20 minutes away from commencing and my new colleague turned to me and asks, "are you nervous because I am". I turned to her and said, "no,  I'm OK", I lied.I met Fred's  (not his real name) family almost a week before, he was terminally ill and had a young family. Fred was in his last days of life. His family had somewhat come to terms with this and were quietly calm in talking about him. Naturally,...

Food has often played a significant role in funerals and services associated around death. In modern Australia, the choice of food venue and drinks plays a vital role in funeral planning for many. Whilst our more secular society may be gravitating to alternate funeral venues, traditionalist also considers refreshments to be an important part of the funeral ritual.Many church funerals often concluded with tea and coffee in the church hall following the formal...

Who is your funeral director? Where do they come from? What is their expertise? What does the future hold for the industry and people who work in it?In previous blogs, I have written about my experience and what led me into the funeral industry. In this blog, I look at some of the changes in the industry in recent decades, giving you insight into who your funeral director might be and how they got into the industry.There wouldn't be a day go by someone...

If I were to ask you to transport a box approximately 6 foot in length 18 inches high and 18 inches wide in your station wagon, you would quickly discover it probably doesn't fit, and you would need to source a different mode of transport. The box, as described, is a standard size coffin in the Australian Funeral Industry and yes the Australian Funeral Industry still uses station wagons, but with a twist?The Australian hearse is typically built...

When choosing where to have a funeral your choices have now grown.Restaurants, bars, reception centres, wineries, gardens, sports clubs, private homes the choices are now only limited by your imagination.Funerals have always traditionally been held in churches however as society becomes more secular it would appear that many are putting great thought into the meaning and relevance of the funeral and naturally where it should be held. Since the 1960s funeral...

Passed, Passed on, Passed Away, At Peace, At Rest, Dead, Die, Died, Killed, Gone to a better place, meet one's maker. There is an extensive range of words to describe one's death, some are used to soften the realities of death, others used in a more jocular context.While funerals and funeral directors deal with the practical aspects of the disposition (burial/cremation) of the deceased. The traditional religious funeral ceremony is usually read from...