16 replies to this topic

[full auto 45]

Here are eight pictures of Murray's place in NZ. I'm sure we will all want to try and help him get away from a small little island in the South Pacific. Enjoy! Other will be up in a bit.

Murray's House

house 2

Guest House

Lounge

Mountain View

Sea View 1

Sea View 2

The Study

[Lancer]

Almost heavvvvven...........New Zealand

[Sgt]

Murray--
I never, ever want to hear you complain about anything. You have such a fantastic place and I love the picture of the grandma toting Thompson. Thanks for sharing.

[21 smoker]

WOW!!!...and I thought I had it good in Florida....man, the grass really is greener some place else...great pics,great place....maybe someday we could have a Thompson shoot waaaayyyyyy out west!

[Norm]

Murray,

I want that painting in the study (above the fireplace.)

A Quaker with a Thompson- now that's art!

Norm

[hawksnest]

PhilOhio: You mean that is not Dillenger's mother? Ok, Im just kidding. Nice place Murray!

[Murray]

Thanks Guys,
Yes, I suppose it is a "bit of a shack in the bush" as my mother once called it , but its ours.

Jan and I built the whole complex ourselves, that is with our own four hands (two each). I designed the buildings and we constructed then.
The cottage (guest house) took about 3 months and the main house about a year to build.

We lived in the cottage while we built the main house which is octaginal.
We did everything ourselves including electricity, drainage, plumbing, gas, telephone, satelite TV, water supply paths, road fences, etc. you name it, we did it.
There is no services what so ever other than telephone on the Island.
No electricity or water or sewer or drainage etc so we make our own electricity from the Sun, from wind and we also have a micro hydro system we built that produces electricity from a stream close by.
You can see some of the solar electic panels on one photo on the roof and you can see the wind generator on the tower behind the house on another photo. Even the dehumidifier in the Thompson bunker is powered by renewable electricity.

We cook on both a wood stove and a gas stove and a microwave and a barbeque. The wood stove heats the water in winter and we use gas (LPG) in the summer. You can see the smoke from the wood stove on one of the photos. It is the middle of winter here now.

We grow a lot of our own food by Hydrophonics.

Yes, that is Whistler Mother, the famous American painting Icon, with a nice 1921AC. I bought it from a Thompson collector in Pheniox. He prints them. See me at the TCA show or the SAR show and I will give you the details.
Read about it in Tracie Hills book page 388 "Home to mother"

See you all soon
kind wishes
Murray and Jan.

P.S. Thank you Mike for posting the photos, you did well.

[timkel]

Pics look great!
How are the NZ firearms laws?
Do they allow full auto? Importation of firearms?
Is the US dollar strong there?
Is it good place to retire coming from US?

[Murray]

Timkel,
Firearms laws are good, only major difference is that all restricted arms such as revolvers, pistol, sub-machine guns, machine guns and military style assault rifles (ie: AK 47's) must be registered. Has been since 1930's.
Full auto is allowed, major difference is that we just cannot take em out side and shoot them. Has to be on a range.
Full auto imports are allowed only to serious collectors.
Our laws are a million times better than Canada, Australia and UK.
One US dollar is worth NZ $1.58,
A lot of Americans are buying land here and retiring here. You can have duel citizenship here.
Kind regards

[timkel]

QUOTE (Murray @ Jul 6 2004, 03:35 PM)

Timkel, Firearms laws are good, only major difference is that all restricted arms such as revolvers, pistol, sub-machine guns, machine guns and military style assault rifles (ie: AK 47's) must be registered. Has been since 1930's. Full auto is allowed, major difference is that we just cannot take em out side and shoot them. Has to be on a range. Full auto imports are allowed only to serious collectors. Our laws are a million times better than Canada, Australia and UK. One US dollar is worth NZ $1.58, A lot of Americans are buying land here and retiring here. You can have duel citizenship here. Kind regards

Thanks for the info.
Sounds like a great place to live.
But not being able to shoot on my own property is a deal killer for me.

You have a beautiful home.
More like paradise.

[Sig]

Murray
What if I just rented a cot in your Thompson bunker?
I promise not to drool toooo much on all those Thompson's.
What if I promise to clean the Tommy's for the rent of the cot?
michael

[Murray]

Michael,
You are welcome any time,
In fact you are all welcome anytime,
See ya at Fairfax
regards
Murray

[The1930sRust]

QUOTE (Murray @ Jul 6 2004, 02:06 PM)

Yes, that is Whistler Mother, the famous American painting Icon, with a nice 1921AC. I bought it from a Thompson collector in Pheniox. He prints them.

Murray:

Please post here too!

[JimFromFL]

Be honest.

How many times have you emptied a drum or two from the balcony into the lake down there??

[Arthur Fliegenheimer]

Murray,
What is the quarantine period for dogs coming from abroad?

[Grey Crow]

Please Murray,

What collection could even be considered near complete without a painting like that.

Ah, Whistler's Mother with a 21, just like Grandma watchin over the still.

Oops, I hope there ain't any revenuers on the board!

[TD.]

Murray - Have I ever mentioned I was up for adoption