New Year's Eve 2020...

 

The last day of 2020 and looking forward to the new year ahead. Tonight, my family is gathering together at my parents' house to usher in the new year in prayer and a late supper.

This is a special time when many families and friends come together to party or enjoy each other's company and reminisce of the past year's events and also to consider what might lie ahead.

I already have some plans for several things happening in the new year but as they say, we make the plans but pray to God for blessings upon it.

So far this season, it's been really good to be with my parents as they would usually be in Samoa as we had been hoping to be but with the border closures lots of families have visited them and it's been a time when we have been able to catch up and share about what's been happening in our lives.

I'm so thankful for today and pray for comfort for those who are needing support and comfort, especially victims and families of beloved ones who have been struck by the COVID-19 virus. Praying that there will be hope on the horizon and the dawn of a new year for all...

Trifle season...

 

This season in NZ, as we enjoy our summer Boxing Day shopping sprees, Beach BBQs, family gatherings seemingly COVID free our prayers and thoughts go to families and friends in Europe and the Americas where the COVID-19 pandemic is increasing.

In today's news, hospitals in California and trying to make ethical decisions through panels to consider who is able to get hospital treatment and those who won't due to not having enough capacity to be able to support everyone.

This is heart-wrenching for families and loved ones as we have family and friends in California i.e. Los Angelos and San Francisco and hope and pray that they are goinSg to be well.

In Europe with the new strain of COVID, it is alarming that the new symptoms spread even faster with super-spreading events being a big concern especially around this Christmas and New Year time of celebrations.

So as we in NZ enjoy are relative freedom, we hope and pray against this also happening in NZ. We have definitely been blessed and encourage more people to pray for those in places around the world who are experiencing this first hand. May God protect us and bring hope to affected areas...

Exciting news and a new year ahead...

 

It's been a neat Christmas season to spend with my family and especially together with my parents as we're all unable to visit Samoa at this time with border closures from COVID-19.

However, a neat surprise was finding out that in a recent NCEA (National Certificate of Educational Achievement) Level 1 Samoan 2020 Examination paper, it referred to one of the books or stories that I had retold or written a couple of years ago called Fale Samoa. 

The actual question itself was regarding the different parts of the construction of a traditional Samoan house and in the footnotes (as shown above) it references the book and my maiden name with my beloved as the translator.

This is a neat confirmation for me to continue the work that I've done so far since 2015, as this year I decided to take a break from self-publishing books in supporting our local church's Samoan Early childhood centre and a short break from my PhD studies with the onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic in NZ and indeed all over the world but now it's time to get back to work.

As we count down the last few days of 2020, I'm thankful to God for another amazing year that has happened and look forward to the new year ahead and what it will bring. I trust that you all had a very merry Christmas and now look forward to another amazing year ahead, no matter what it brings...

Seniors' Christmas giving...

 

Today has been a blessed day for me as my parents wanted to go to visit some of the seniors in our church with special food parcels.

All of the seniors were in their late 70s - early 80s and it was such a blessing in sharing in their joy of remembering some of the old days and reflecting on where they are now in their senior years.

It reminded me that you don't need to be rich or it's not about making a name for yourself but it's about having a generous heart to give no matter what you have.

What I knew they appreciated the most was the time that we were able to spend with them. Not only in being able to talk and share in the memories but also in the laughter in remembering some of the special memories that they shared together.

It made me realize that this season was not one that we are meant to spend alone or be isolated away from family and friends but one that we share especially with the elderly or seniors in our lives. I know that I was especially blessed because I saw the example of my parents still caring for others even in their senior years. Something that I will remember for a very long time...

The week before Christmas...

 

It has definitely been one busy last-minute flurry of the last week before Christmas with so much to do in celebrating this end of year.

It started on Friday night in picking up our eldest from AUT (University) Southern Campus with her announcement that she has been accepted as an academic navigator whilst on 2 weeks training for the 2021 intake of the 5 weeks Uni-Prep classes and mentoring that the University offers for first-year ex-high school graduates.

So we had a small family dinner celebration complete with a cake for the awesome efforts that she's put into her first year at Law school with great results despite the COVID-19 lockdowns and concerns that those had brought.

The next day, I took our middle child to an end of year break up lunch celebration with our Samoan ECE Early childhood education centre staff and board to the SkyCity Fortuna Buffet Restaurant which was a lovely time.

There's still so much to do with last-minute Christmas shopping lists and the Christmas menu as well as Boxing day and New Years' celebrations. In knowing this, I'm so thankful for the blessings that we have had this year despite this unprecedented year of the COVID-19 Pandemic. So much to be thankful for...

Fanau (children's) day at our A'oga...

 

Yesterday, I had an excellent experience with our A'oga (Early childhood school) Fanau (children's) day break up and graduation with their families. The day was M.C.'d (Master of ceremonies) by the team leader of the teachers in the Samoan language and was enjoyed by all.

The day started with the children playing in the outdoor area i.e. bouncy castle and toys. They were then ushered with their families into the Aoga for the opening prayer with our local minister.

The graduation of the children moving on to Primary school commenced with gift-giving that also continued through each of the years and then I gave my short speech as chairperson followed by gifts for the Minister and teachers.

It was also neat to have my parents there who wanted to support as foundation members of the church and my dad gave a short speech and his gifts of monies for the Aoga and lei necklaces for the children and the minister that I was able to distribute on his behalf. 

Afterwards, lunch followed and I also bought a large cake for dessert that was enjoyed by all with the beautiful sun in the backdrop made for a very pleasant day. Our middle daughter shared her art talents with some face painting that the children enjoyed and I joined her to  makeup a lion and spiderman something I've always wanted to do.

The day ended in prayer with the Minister leaving and the children playing on the bouncy castle, laughing and talking with each other and all had a wonderful time together. I think we even be having some new children joining us in the new year.

Definitely a neat experience and looking forward to supporting the education of our next generations with many more neat plans for our Aoga, children and their families to flourish in the new year with new ideas. A real blessing from God...

Class dinner experience at 'Wildfire' Restaurant on Quay Street...

 

As it's the time of the season for work break up parties and end of year lunches and dinners, I had the privilege of attending an end of year dinner at Wildfire Restaurant at the Waterfront with my class.

They had the option of an 'all you can eat' buffet type dinner experience around different meats being taken to the table and opting for whichever you wanted or the ala carte menu whereby you just choose whichever meal/s you prefer from the menu and we opted for the latter.

Most on our table decided to go for the various burgers but I decided to order the salmon and for the dessert a creme brulee which was served with a biscotti. The meal/s were certainly delicious and we also had the opportunity of dining next to the waterfront and could see the boats moored just outside the Maritime Museum which was opposite the Restaurant.

A highly recommended dining experience especially if you're in town and like the buffet-styled 'all you can eat' meats option although I still preferred choosing your own menu which worked out for our group and dining with the water lapping just a few metres from the dining table. 

Afterwards, we walked around the waterfront and had a look at the changes that have been made to accommodate for the Americas cup regatta that is soon to begin with much hype in the media and international attention that will focus on Auckland, the city of sails, for the next few weeks...

The Post Office Public House Cafe & Bar lunch out...

 

Today, I had the privilege of going out for a Christmas office break-up lunch with an amazing group of ladies. What I like about these ladies are that they're fun, they're sassy and they're very knowledgeable about things Maori and other indigenous concepts.

We went to a local cafe/bar called 'The Post Office' which is a very interesting cafe concept as the theme was used throughout with stamps on the walls and a menu that looked like a letter.

And they used enamel cups, teapots and plates that had me laughing as it nostalgically reminded me of when I was little and we would go to Samoa and were often given enamel cups and plates to use.

These we also used when camping as they didn't break easily although when chipped you could see the dark foundation. So it was neat to see.

The menu was quite nice as pictured and we went for a variety of different plates with me opting for chicken steaks with fries, salad and waffles which was quite interesting and some pink lemonade which was also a first for me.

Afterwards, we enjoyed participating in a 'naughty santa' rather than 'secret santa' where everyone brings along a $15 - $20 gift and then sits in a circle where the first person opens a random gift followed by the next person. 

If they prefer or would like the first person's gift then they can 'steal' it. I was the first to open and my gift of scented soaps got stolen and replaced with some nice face products that I decided to keep to pass on for other gifts. It was quite a neat way of ending the lunch as I couldn't even fit in a dessert.

Next year we're looking forward to possibly having homemade gifts to share and I already have a few ideas for that too as I love home crafting as well as enjoy going creative and trying different things too. And tomorrow I have another outing to go on but more on that tomorrow...

'Mary did you know?' Christmas song...

 

Today, I listened to a neat rendition of "Mary did you know?" which is a contemplative contemporary Christmas song sung by Michael English in the 1990s. Lots of different artists have since sung their own arrangements with my favourite being the Pentatonix that I've featured before.

This year, I thought to share Carrie Underwood's interpretation of the song which has a storyline about some of the questions that one might have asked Mary if she was aware of what was to become of her baby son who had been born.

It's an almost sad Christmas song in that it points to amazing miracles that Jesus made but then for those who know how the Easter story ends that I guess if heaven is seen as the ultimate end then it is a happy ending after all.

If you do get a chance, why not check out the lyrics of this song this Christmas...

Life Church's "The Good News Show"...

 

Yesterday, I went with my family to watch a live Christmas show called "The Good New show" that was held at Life Church's City campus. 

We've been attending the Christmas shows for the last few years and it's a neat time for the family to come together and to take friends or a guest or two to experience the excitement of a live performance.

It definitely beats watching TV or even the movies or Netflix as the action is happening right in front of you that you have to suspend your disbelief to remember that there are actors in front of you on a stage.

We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and especially with the live singing that intermittently sang Christmas carols to remind us of the reason for the season. It was definitely worth viewing and driving into town to watch although parking is always horrendous.

The audience was full to capacity and with so many people coming together for sound, lighting, acting, singing etc. we were in for a treat. Hopefully all will be well next year as I know that they will be looking for some impressive people to fill the gap.

Ia manuia ma ia fiafia...

"Inspiring the future Aotearoa"...

 

Today, I've virtually volunteered to become a role model for "Inspiring the future Aotearoa" a Tertiary Education commission initiative.

It's a new initiative which is really interesting and it provides a space for local students, whose schools have opted into the programme, to engage with local community people who work in various vocations, bringing different perspectives and life experiences to share with local youth.

It's an exciting venture as I've seen this on a small scale with careers' days in schools and expo's that only a select number of students can travel to but never on a national scale as is seen on the website  https://www.inspiringthefuture.org.nz/ 

So if there are any people out there who don't mind volunteering their time for a worthy cause and being able to give back to their communities, this is something definitely worth checking out. Another neat thing about it is that you also get the opportunity to support our youth, inspire their studies and make the future a better place through your contribution...

Mama's Music box movie...

 Here's a first Pasifika Christmas movie that I'll be checking out these holidays and it's called "Mama's Music box" hitting the screen's this week by the same director as "Hibiscus and Ruthless", "Three wise cousins" and "Take home pay" starring Tofiga.

In fact, whilst doing a wee bit of research on the background of the movie, I read on https://www.thecoconet.tv/coco-talanoa/blog/pacific-island-xmas-film-mamas-music-box/ that they gave themselves a challenge of 30 days to produce the feature film from scratch!

Now, that's pretty genius and demanding to be able to do that and then have it showing in Cinemas the following month! Wow! as I've featured writer/director Stallone Vaiaoga-Ioasa's earlier movies in review on this blog and have been pretty impressed by him and his producer/sister, Abba Rose's effort's to bring their creative efforts to a public paying audience.

It also goes to show that there is a lot of Pasifika talent out there, not only in producing, writing, shooting, directing etc. the movie but also in the talented cast of actors and support crew to make this movie come to fruition in such a short time.

Suffice to say that as soon as I watch it, I'll be writing a review and looking forward to a few laughs that sometimes only Pasifika people can understand and a great storyline with a lot of action. Catching it in Manukau cinemas this weekend...

Mama's donuts in Mangere...

I'm not a huge fan of donuts but don't mind them for the odd special occasion but I do know many family members and friends who enjoy: Dunkin' Donuts or Krispy Kreme and the lots that are in local bakeries and treats shops.

Last weekend, I visited the Mangere Markets with a friend and my youngest sis asked me to check out to see if Mamas donuts from Botany had a stall there as she wanted to taste them.

Well of course, that got me interested and when I found the stall at the Mangere markets, I asked for which one/s were the most popular and true to form it was the one (pictured here) that had the koko Samoa powder that packed a punch.

What was also interesting was that the stallholders appeared to be Asian and spoke about "they" meaning the patrons that liked the koko Samoa and caramel like donut but not referring to themselves

So I would definitely recommend this donut for all those Koko Samoa lovers out their and would encourage 'mamas donuts' to consider having a Samoan crew out there to sell those donuts as there was some interest but not enough when the stallholders themselves don't look too interested in them...

 

Maui's hook - doco' movie...

 

This weekend is the last weekend of classes for myself and my students. It's certainly been a tough year with two lockdowns and uncertainty about travelling overseas in the near future but time has continued and now we find ourselves at the end of another year.

One of the activities we had this weekend was to show a sobering NZ movie called "Maui's hook" (2018). It's a documentary with some traditional Maori motifs and beliefs weaved into the story about 5 grieving families' healing and spiritual journey from Whanganui to Cape Reinga.

I couldn't quite figure out the 'hook's' symbolism until I read an article about the movie and it discussed the hook representing the route of the families' bus ride to the traditional spiritual place of Cape Reinga where Maori spiritual beliefs of the dead would return to.

Much like the Samoan beliefs of old in Falealupo on the northwesternmost coast of where the souls of chiefs would ascend to upon their death. This was the belief that their souls would then descent to Pulotu to the afterworld.

In fact, as I've blogged about a couple of times before, this was an interesting belief that is shared throughout the Pacific eg. Hawaii, Rarotonga, etc. where areas geographical areas were designated usually towards a Northwesternly point where spirits of the dearly departed would ascent to.

The movie itself included some touching stories of 5 families who had lost loved ones to suicide and the guilt, anger, questions and learnings that they had together in learning to deal with that grief. The journey they make is spiritual, physical and emotional.

A movie definitely worth watching if your family has dealt with grief relating to suicide and the healing journey of releasing or letting go of some of the debilitating emotions that families have had to deal with at Cape Reinga and learning to live beyond the grief...

Fun day at the Pools...

 

Today, my beloved and middle daughter accompanied our youngest to the pools with her syndicate classes. I didn't do the 15-minute walk to the pools as I had work to do but it was good to have two other helpers from our family to support the syndicate as, without parent/caregiver helpers, they wouldn't be able to go without that teacher/helper to child ratio.

It was neat to see the teachers chillaxing although some had to cook the BBQ and organise the children which is something that we parents were able to have a rest from and it was neat to see the children enjoying themselves and having fun in the pools.

We also realized that it had been several months since being in the pools as we had had our youngest's 9th birthday party there in March and have only just ventured back today due to the uncertainty of possible community transmission/s through the COVID-19 pandemic.

They also had a mini prizegiving to those who would not be getting prizes at the main prizegiving next week. Our youngest scored a prize as we had also been very careful in not sending her straight back after the two earlier lockdowns until we were certain that all was well.

All in all, they enjoyed their swim, the sausage sizzle, the ice blocks and then the long walk home with the end of year festivities only beginning...

Punialavaa - Beautiful Samoan song...

 

This evening as my beloved was serenading me with various songs, he sang this song and I was reminded of this beautiful song that my parents would listen to on a cassette tape (1970s - 1980s) when I was quite young by the group called 'Punialavaa'. 

The lyrics and tune are quite lovely as a beautiful love song about offering oneself to another. There has been another reformed band from the same family who have re-recorded the song a few decades later but I still enjoy this original song.

As the original band had quite a distinct sound. Something to listen to on a quiet evening when everyone has gone to sleep and you are with your beloved. Much like what I enjoyed tonight. Listen and enjoy...

Intellectual Property and Copyright...

 

I've had some very interesting conversations in the last week and it's been around Intellectual Property otherwise known as I.P. and copyright.

What I'd like to say as a self-publisher to many indigenous peoples out there who want to get published is to be very careful of 'sharks' or people out there who will take your I.P. and copyright and make it their's.

What do I mean by that? (I'm glad you asked). When indigenous writers, artists, musicians etc. are wanting to share their stories, music, artwork with the world they really need to be careful of whom they are choosing to represent them be that a publisher, an agent, a representative of some sort.

One of the things that I would suggest would be to check if you are able to keep the copyright to your work if you are publishing be it manuscript or music score etc.

The reason why this is important is that many are so busy being happy that they are being published etc. but they don't realise that the big companies and even small ones will not only publish your book but they will also own the copyright to that work and can print as many copies as they want. 

So that if you don't already have a contract in place then they are able to make as many copies as they wish to sell and are supposed to give you the royalties on any extra copies that they might sell. The problem then becomes that when you don't own the copyright to your book then you have no say over what happens to it.

In effect, you have sold that copyright to the agent, or publisher and effectively may have even sold the Intellectual property in that it becomes theirs. That's why it's really important for indigenous writers, artists etc. to carefully consider for what is best for their works for the future.

I've learnt as a self-published author that when I work in collaboration with other writers that the best way of working with them for them to keep the copyright to their own books therefore in the credits, in the front of the book, I would ensure that it stipulates that the copyright belongs to the authors.

In doing so, that means that the credit is given to them and the Intellectual property belongs to them and not to me as the publisher. People beware! there are sharks out there who parade themselves as helpers to indigenous peoples but then take your works and own the copyright and the Intellectual property. 

Please be vigilant in your precious indigenous works...

Photo credits: "Tekoteko" carving by Naufahu Veehala (Tongan). Te Wananga o Aoteaoroa 'Toi' exhibition Nov. 2020 at Mangere Campus.

Birthday shout-outs and thanks...

 

A big shout out to my Dad (and Mum) who wanted to shout my sister and I on our birthdays last weekend (although I tried to dissuade him) then decided to enjoy the time together.

Here we are at a local favourite restaurant i.e. Mongolian BBQ with buffet salads, sushi, soups, mains and pancake and ice cream for dessert with my parents and my family on one side and my sister's on the other. 

What was funny was that I was again reminded that we were born one day apart as I'm born a day before her i.e. 25th November but she's older than me by a year born 26th November a year earlier and that I used to say that we were twins for a day.

What's even more interesting is that our elder daughters are born one day apart with my daughter born on 26th September and my niece is born on 27th September. Now, what's the probability of that within a statistic equation (don't ask me as I quit on maths decades ago, although once one of my fave subjects in high school).

It was a great time to be together and catch up. There were other family members who couldn't make it for various reasons but I certainly did enjoy each other's company and looking forward to another time that we could do this again...

THE FOOTPRINT OF MOSO retold and illustrated by Helen Tau'au Filisi...

It was a very busy week, last week, with Anniversary and birthday celebrations in my family as well as finishing lots of marking and end of year results as our year comes to a close as the Wananga (Indigenous Maori place of higher learning).

Whilst working on some digital media files, I came across this YouTube clip of two very talented Pasifika young females who are sharing their singing and music talents under the channel name "Loopy Tunes Preschool music" via social media.

In this particular clip, they are sharing one of my fave illustrated books in the story of Moso that was told to me when I was very young at around 7 years old when my parents first took our family to Samoa to visit.

The particular story has a sacred site in Falealupo, the village of my maternal great, great and great grandmother's that I visited as a 7-year-old and have had subsequent visits, including my Master's research fieldwork and in 2015, I took my children to visit the site. It has definitely changed within those 40 years.

I'm so glad to see the story being shared with many other children from around the world as it is a special story that I hold dear to my heart from the village that my namesake grandmother Eleni or "Helen" came from.

A big shout out and a big thank you or "Malo au pito" and "Faafetai tele lava" with many blessings and all the best for your future endeavours and well wishes coming your way. Keep up the neat action songs and the good Pasifika humour...

One day Maori & Indigenous arts exhibition...

This weekend has been another full-on weekend with classes, paperwork to mark and a Maori and Indigenous arts exhibition to attend that had some beautiful symbolic pieces on display that had me considering taking up the craft sometime soon in the not too distant future.

Above is one of the exhibits by one of the ladies whom I've known for several years, first as a Social worker student from which she graduated from a few years ago and currently as a weaving artist who's also a crocheter, like me.

She took up weaving as a way of gaining this amazing skill to pass onto her children and down the line which is something that I want to do. And now she has woven some amazing baskets each with a story behind it in relating to the patterns and also the very design.

That's what I like about Maori and Indigenous Arts in that it encourages the artist to look beyond the piece that they are creating and into what the importance or significance of the piece is and what it means to the creator but also to the person who will be receiving the gift.

It's one of those important skills that I think many of our youth and my generation have not been passed the knowledge or skill of how to do it. My mother and her generation were weavers but in not having pandanus readily available nor the knowledge of how to weave many of our generation have not learned this skilled gift.

But better late than never...

$5 + $5 movie special/s...

 

This has been one busy week with so much to do and catch up on with Christmas coming just around the corner.

Christmas parties and outings are being planned with the end of year family parties and entertainment being planned too.

Here's another $5 special for avid moviegoers who especially have children who are keen to get out of the house and to experience the fun of being in front of a big screen (especially if it's cold and rainy outside).

This new movie release looks like another Australian animated effort very much like the "100% Wolf" movie that I took mine to last week and which I would have gone to this week but instead am very busy at work with so much marking etc. to do.

But again maybe I'll catch it later and I might even be surprised by the storyline of the movie and its comment on contemporary society. You just never know...

NCEA External exams begin today...

 

NCEA National Certificate of Education Achievement exams starts today. This is a week later than anticipated earlier in the year as with the COVID-19 lockdowns it was to give an extra week for students to study before the exams.

So all the best to all our teenagers out there who are engaging in these external exams especially during this unprecedented year of breaks during the academic year.

Our middle child enters her first level on the National grid and we wish her the best for her first exam starting on Friday with Maths which happened to have been one of my favourite subjects growing up but not hers.

Art is another subject that three other members of my family have taken up and succeeded very well at it, having pioneered it myself those many years ago. 

The neat thing about Art is that you only need to produce art on boards which then gets assessed without an exam. Quite contrary to popular thinking, art can be taken by academic students as often it's seen for students who aren't academically inclined but I've encouraged those who can excel in this and other academic subjects to take and succeed in it. 

Our eldest who has just completed her first year in law school testifies to that too. It's another way of creatively thinking outside the window of academia whereby it's another language, much like Maths, that allows you to creatively consider solutions or resolutions from other perspectives - it's a gift that not everyone can understand.

However, there has been some leniency with students not having to gain the expected 80 credits in the first year nor 50 credits to achieve subject endorsements but I doubt that the marking will have any leniency as the standards that will be expected to be the same no matter what.

So all the best for our teens out there, welcome to the world of adulthood whereby you are often judged by your CV and the academic qualifications that you do or do not have. But not to worry as there are still many who look beyond those papers to see the real person inside - however, not matter what, give it your best!...

"100% Wolf" movie trailer...

 

This weekend, I decided to take our youngest to the movies for a treat because I missed out on taking her to a family Wedding reception that we had both been looking forward to. Note to self: Next time make sure that you check the actual date on the invitation instead of assuming it's on a Saturday but that's another story.

So we watched an Australian made movie called "100% Wolf" and it was quite interesting in being so used to watching animated movies with American voices or accents but hearing the Australia accent was neat.

It also had some quirky parts in it which I'm sure had to do with the quirky Australian sense of humour which is a little different from NZ humour but suffice to say that there was plenty of action and lots of dog jokes and plenty of laughter.

In fact, it's a treat because this week only it's $5 per session with a $5 drink and popcorn treat (although you can add ice cream for another $4 if you want). So we made it a day and had a laugh throughout the whole movie if you can understand Aussie humour...

Stay home from Auckland CBD today...

 

Just in case you missed the news, there's been a COVID-19 community transmission case confirmed as of yesterday with a note for everyone to stay away from Auckland CBD whilst an investigation is underway to trace how an individual who works and lives there became sick with the virus.

That means that those who work in the Auckland CBD have been encouraged to work from home, or to wear a face mask if they have to go in. To social distance and also stay home and/or get a test if symptomatic.

I'm so glad that our eldest has finished her exams and now at home and working out South whilst now during the Uni holidays are underway as she would have been in the Auckland CBD for Uni. That goes for most Auckland CBD Uni students.

Hopefully, they will be able to trace the origin as there is a possibility of considering Alert levels changing depending on the information that surfaces. So wearing masks, social distancing, staying away from Auckland CBD and using our the COVID-19 tracing App has been encouraged to continue.

Watch the space!

Mochi - Japanese rice cake...

Today, I had my first taste of a mochi which our youngest has been wanting to try for the longest time. It is a Japanese rice cake that is made from japonica glutinous rice.

It was an interesting taste in that it also came with a centre of your choice i.e. chocolate, strawberry, blueberry etc. to me it's an acquired taste because I didn't know what it would taste like but now having tried it, I think takes a little getting used to.

We found it at the Manukau Mall in a Sushi shop and thought to give the different flavours a go but when we all tried it, it was definitely a little different from what we are used to.

In fact, it's a little hard to describe and I'd even venture to say that you've got to give it a go to know what it's all about. Unless, of course, you are gluten-free, and then it wouldn't be a good idea.

Our youngest didn't want to continue eating hers and as she had an extra I suggested to her to check if any of her friends at school, (who is allowed and is not gluten-free) would like to give it a go or to even see what the inside looks like. As you never know until you try...

 

TWOA and Aoga collab on Monday 23rd November...

This week I'm promoting a collab that my work and our Aoga (Samoan Early childhood centre) in encouraging our communities to check out the various courses that Te Wānanga o Aotearoa have on offer for their consideration.

The COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns has hit many of our parishioners' jobs hard with some losing jobs, or being repatriated into other areas, with some now having to retrain or compete with many others to find jobs.

That's why we decided to bring TWOA to our church community to see what is on offer that might be helpful to consider for study options for the new year so that people can enrol online as individuals or as a group and ask questions or get clarification on any courses that they might be interested in.

It's definitely not easy to go back to studying if you have been out of it for so long but it can also offer new choices for the new year. What is quite exciting is that there are fees free courses that you can study from home with a kaiako (tutor) coming to visit to see that you're still on track.

There are fees free campus based courses that are at our Mangere campus (just down the road from the church) that many can join with the option of morning, evening and weekend classes much like the Indigenous Research (Rangahau) course that I run.

There are also the options of the Police Prep, Bachelor of Teaching and Social Work, the Masters in Applied Indigenous Knowledge (fees apply for those courses) as well as learning Te Reo Maori and Tikanga (Maori & Indigenous cultural protocols and customs), Admin & computing which are still fees free courses.

Never a dull moment...

 

Reflecting on students and their lives...

This weekend has been quite relaxing after a heavy last couple of weeks at the Samoan Early childhood Aoga (school) but that's a whole other story.

I slept over at the noho space in our Indigenous Maori Wānanga (place of higher learning) and caught up with quite a few past students whom I'd taught both at high school and at Wānanga level.

The saddest thing was to find out that one of the senior Elders whom I'd taught a couple of years ago had passed away during the COVID-19 period of lockdowns. 

I am so glad that I was able to encourage him to write in one of our community books as he had a military background and had gone on a couple of tours overseas whilst in the NZ army.

I also caught up with some of my students who were now completing or had completed their Master's journey. It's been such a privilege to have had the teaching experience to be able to support them on their journeys. I thank God for being there for them as they have so much to offer as Indigenous principled practitioners in what they have to say and do in their communities and wish them well.

I still can't believe how fast this year has flown past and I'm even looking ahead and forward to Christmas. So the relaxing has begun, even though there is still a lot of paperwork but still not a lot to fret about. 

Except of course for who wins the USA elections...

Guy Fawkes night...

"Remember, remember, the 5th of November." That was a chant that I learned as a child growing up around Guy Fawkes night. In fact, this year I decided to give it a rest as it had been raining overnight and throughout the day but our youngest still wanted to make a special day so our eldest decided to do a last minute dash to the shops to buy some.

However, when we went to The Warehouse, the family packs had already gone and only the singles or more expensive packs were left so we decided to go to the local gas station where a temporary shop sold family packs where we got this one pictured.

It was interesting to see lots of families also following suit as it pretty soon started getting busy with a longish queue. Our youngest walked out very happy and said "thank you" to our eldest.

We decided to wait for my beloved to return home before he and our youngest set off the fireworks with one of our neighbours and across the road letting off the really loud and brighter ones. 

I really don't believe in burning away a lot of money on fireworks but our eldest said to see it as a happy experience that they would remember looking back. It was so nice to see that she could see the benefits of giving that experience to our youngest as we had for her those many years ago growing up.

It was also neat that some of our youngest's neighbouring friends also came to visit and watch in the dark of night and my eldest and I sat at the back of our hatchback and enjoyed the screams and laughter as the children enjoy watching them light off the fireworks.

Pretty soon it was also finished and time to go home. We all said "goodbye" to the neighbours and I could see the happy smiles on my children's faces and realized that it was complete for another year, although some of the neighbours were still letting theirs' off. 

But I was glad to get back inside from the cold and the smoke as well as to have some steamed pudding and custard that my mum and passed to us for our dessert - yum. So happily our youngest went to sleep, still hearing the crackle of the fireworks in the night time sky but safe and sound in bed awaiting the year ahead...

 

A canvas in the making...

 

This is the foyer of the 3 in 1 Early childhood centres that our Samoa Aoga (Early childhood centre) is located in.

I have big plans for it. So this is the before photo and over time I'll post an after photo. Interestingly enough it's a shared front reception area for the 3 language nests of the: Cook Islands, Niue and Samoan.

I'm thinking big colourful flowers such as the hibiscus and large green tropical leaves and perhaps a few other tropical plants that you might find in the Pacific.

This was thanks to an idea from a Ministry of Education representative whom I talked yesterday who gave me the idea to consider it as a large canvas to fill as these features have been there for quite a long time.

And I'm hoping to take advantage of the artistic license that I might be allowed if the other 2 Early childhood centres don't mind as it's a bit drab at the moment although they did do the best that they could with the resources that were available at the time.

Watch this space!...

Chillaxing and Painting...

 

Last weekend, whilst I was supposed to be chillaxing at home, I ended up painting and relaxing at our local church's Samoan Early Childhood Aoga (school).

That was with of the educators and board members just getting some last-minute things ready for some special guests that will be arriving during the week (but that's another story).

What I find so relaxing about painting is that you can be multitasking (as we women do) by having a conversation and painting at the same time, punctuated with the occasional joke and laughter (especially if you're Samoan).

I especially liked the colour scheme which one of our board members came back with and this colour palette is very appealing and uplifting when taking into account what it looked like before. We also had family members support in the painting with my beloved and middle child.

Now we can look back with pride at the outcome and it's just so amazing what a fresh coat of paint can do to a playground. We also brought some new toys for the children and just brought back some good old memories about when I was a kid and the laughter and fun we had with our favourite toys. Now to have a test run with the children of the Aoga...

Toloa Framework and song...

 This weekend, as well as having some R&R (rest and relaxation), I'm also catching up on some much-needed work that I'm a little behind in my studies and I've been particularly interested in the Samoa proverbial saying or alaga upu "E lele le toloa ae ma'au lava i le vai" which if literally translated it means - the toloa (duck) flies but always returns to the water.

Last year when our family travelled to Samoa, our girls would have a Samoan songs playlist that we would listen to in the car especially when travelling to Apia and back which is sometimes like a 45 minute car ride depending on traffic and weather. One of the songs that we would listen to a lot was a song that has the proverbial saying in its lyrics.

In my studies, I'm particularly interested in the experiences of diaspora Samoans regarding measina (treasures) a Samoa and also in the Samoan Early childhood centre that I'm on the board of we are also looking at developing a 'toloa framework' which looks deeply into the proverbial saying and taking a metaphorical understanding of what that lessons we learn from ancient wisdom of old that is expressed in proverbial sayings.

That's where I'll stop as there is a lot more to unpack but suffice to say that this song begins to discuss this important alaga upu regarding Samoa as a nation. Still I get nostalgic and miss the times that my family could easily cross the Pacific Oceanic ditch and look forward to a time that we can do it again but in the meantime, I'll just enjoy the music and dream...

Labour Day rest...

This labour weekend I'm taking it easy, although I do have some errands to run as it's all about having a rest from the usual "labour" that we have. In fact, according to some historical information New Zealand was one of the first countries to celebrate this day back in 1840 when an 8 hour day for work was negotiated and people celebrated this annually with parades.

Nowadays, it's all about the Labour day sales that are hardcore promoted with many rushing to stores to buy up before the item is sold out. I'll definitely not be doing that but perhaps instead will get some painting on for some more series like the one above that I gifted a friend yesterday on her 50th birthday.

The painting series gift was part of a gift hamper that I delivered to her that included a live plant i.e. gerbera, a bottle of non-alcoholic bubbly (who needs the hangover), a bottle of nostalgic perfume, Favourite chocolates, a couple of my fave books and a card.

This definitely beats buying out a hamper from a store during the labour day sales that don't always personalize what the receiver would like. Plus it's a whole lot of fun putting it together and dropping it off to the unsuspecting person.

So this labour weekend will be well deserved with so many of my projects beginning to wind up before winding down and with only two more months before Christmas shopping and all the needed rest that that season will bring...
 

Tomorrow poll close for NZ voting...

 

Less than 24 hours now to go before the close of elections. This year was the first year that I decided to go early and take the opportunity to vote early and then also with my parents.

It was also the first time that one of my children were of age to be able to vote and since we do talk politics at home with differing views on who we support and which party we vote for, it's neat to be able to listen to the other perspectives and agree or disagree without going into a fully-fledged war.

This was also the first time that we've had two important referendum topics to consider voting on and there have been some important discussions had over the differing views and beliefs that family members have had over the end of life and the cannabis debate.

This pic I took was at the polling booth before I voting and what was so interesting was that despite all the talk that was going on with the media about the varying debates going on between parties, I'm one of those voters who exercises my vote having watched, listened, considered the political landscape and who I was going to vote on long before going to the voting booth.

So it only becomes a tick box exercise for me as all the considerations had been done months and years before. But I'm also aware that there are many who aren't sure and not always interested in the political discussions that go on for us as a nation and that's fine too but difficult when you choose not to vote as that allows others (the majority) to define what that looks like.

It's been an interesting journey since growing into understanding the voting process and the background of NZ politics but also empowering in no longer allowing 'others' i.e. the majority to lay claims so that their voice is loudest. 

In being aware of what's going on allows us to share knowledge with those around us but then to ultimately allow them to make decisions for themselves. This time tomorrow we will know where NZ is steering. May the journey go well...

New Pamphlet for our Samoan Early childhood centre...

 

One of the neat things about being on the board of our local church's Aoga Fa'ata'ita'i Samoa PIC Mangere (Samoan bilingual Early Childhood centre) is having the opportunity to be a part of encouraging next generations to be at least bilingual i.e. to speak and/or understand Samoan and English or even multi-lingual adding te reo Maori etc.

As a bonus I get the opportunity to share in the design of the new pictured pamphlets (pictured here) that will now be shared and distributed to our local communities through postal drops, social media and advertising in shop windows etc.

I count it a blessing to be a part of this movement in encouraging our children to participate in passing on to them important Samoan language skills and cultural knowledge to ensure that at the very least, they are proud to be Samoans in whatever form that takes.

So if you are interested in wanting to find out more information about our A'oga, please contact through and information provided and would be happy to answer any questions you might have. As our next generations are worth it...

"The Secret Garden" movie review...

 School is back for the last term of the year and during the holidays, last week, my family and I were able to watch a movie together as a family. It was the above movie which was interesting having watched it an earlier version of it.

It stars Collin Firth, who's acted on so many classic English movies, however, in this one it didn't really interest me as much as it was shot with quite dark scenes (I suppose to show what it might have been like in those days near the moors) and although it significantly changes to brighter scenes in the garden it just didn't seem to have the same brilliance as the former version.

We also watched it having missed Samoan White Sunday or Lotu Tamaiti which was last week Sunday i.e. the second Sunday of October whereby children and teens (and sometimes adults) recite bible verses, act in plays, and sing biblical songs or dance and all finishing in with a big feast.

Although some churches went ahead and prepared during lockdown level 2, our church decided to cancel it for this year and will await next year to see if all is well to continue with this tradition. It was interesting to see that quite a few shops had white clothing for sale on their displays but probably fewer churches participated this year.

Oh well, looking forward to what next year brings and movies that are a lot more brighter...

Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi - Manukau campus...

This Saturday, I'm spending time with my tauira (students) at Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi in Manukau with other Tikanga (Maori protocols) and Te Reo (Maori language) students and their kaiako (teachers).

It's a real privilege to be here because we were welcomed onto the campus with a traditional (contemporary) powhiri or Maori welcome ceremony and it was good for some of my non-Maori students to experience this important Maori ceremony.

As well as that, we had a very important guest speaker: Rereata Mahika speak about many different matauranga (Maori knowledge) of some ancient Maori knowledge and wisdom of old and the morning's session was on 'taiao' or the environment. 

 What's really interesting is that I studied for year through high school and then 5 years at Uni to receive a Master's degree in Geography (Human and Physical) and the interesting was that the information that I learned in this short time (and the times that I've listened to him earlier) are mind-blowing.

The reason why is, is that in days of old our tipuna/tu'ua (ancestors) were keen observers of the land, seas, winds, birds etc. and we are now only learning about how amazing their keen observations were in being able to survive without the mod-cons (modern conveniences that we take for granted today) i.e. that of WiFi, internet, social media, Zoom, Skype etc.

What we as indigenous researchers are learning is that what we are only now re-discovering is only the tip of the iceberg. It's been an exciting journey to take my students on and I know that everyone who is attending these classes are leaving that much more aware of how our ancestors were able to manoeuvre back then.

But it's inspiring to know that that DNA is still in our genes that we only need to pray, believe and begin to rediscover what we are quietly capable of despite or in spite of our Western education and knowledge.

I'm leaving even more inspired to know that although there is much more to learn that I've started on this pathway and that I'm sure it will lead my students also in knowledge that when you have a better understanding of our real history that nothing can take away that amazing history that we come from. 

Now to put it all in practice for next generations...  

Sports watch for fitness...

 

Thanks to my lil' sis, I finally have a digital watch that is slim line black and actually works i.e. has the time, pedometer (steps), date, also takes heart rate, sleep cycle, other sports counters and also finds my mobile phone.

This is after having purchased a couple of earlier watches online and then when trying to download the App, something would always go work but now, no worries.

It's part of a work initiative that encourages employees to get into teams of 5 and register them on a website. We then are given these watches and can earn points for all sorts of physical activities as well as other non-sports activities.

We also get a diary so that we can write down our goals, activities and how we're going and it's pretty good when you see how your team is developing in their points towards an end goal.

The challenge is only for a couple of months and then it's over but there are many challenges that one can take and at the end of the challenge there is a free Tshirt up for grabs for those who have finished selected challenges.

Overall a neat way to get fit, or stay fit as a team through these challenges but then to also commit to continuing the fitness after the competition finishes...

New release for Stan Walker - "Bigger"...

 One of my all-time fave NZ male song artists is Stan Walker. Yesterday, I shared his newly released (July 2020) waiata (song) with my class on our weekly Zoom. What's neat about it is that there is an English version (which I'm sharing today) and also a Maori version both of which I shared with my class.

I also like the fact that he draws inspiration for his songs from his indigenous Maori roots and even his music video includes his whanau (family), his Marae (communal meeting house) and includes his pepeha (cultural connection to tribal affiliations including physical features i.e. mountains, waterways, tribe etc.)

I'm encouraged by singer/songwriters such as Stan Walker who are proud of their cultural roots and include them for next generations to also learn from. I remember hearing him recently on a Maori radio station (i.e. MaiFM 88.6) answering the question from the host as to whether he claimed to be an Australian or a New Zealander as both nations claimed him.

He staunchly replied that he was Maori which was both a statement and a joke and he had he host and I laughing because that would have been my answer to the host as well. I like the fact that we as Pacific people and Maori people have that sense of humour to answer important questions in such a way that we can laugh about it but still answer the important question/s.

In this video, he shares his pepeha and the includes the Marae that he belongs to with the next generation of children both highly symbolic but also a reality in that if we don't share these important places of connection or our turangawaewae (place of standing - as a homely sense of belonging) with our children then they won't be able to share it with theirs.

Good on ya mate! both as an Australian, New Zealander, and especially as Maori. In being an inspiration for the next generational indigenous peoples. I hope upcoming rangatahi (youth) will take a cue from you to always be proud of their cultural connections, their faith, their families and the fact that we should connect to our places of belonging and look after them as kaitiaki (guardians)...

Happy 18th Birthday to our eldest...

 

A BIG Happy 18th Birthday to our eldest who is now a legal bonafide adult as of yesterday when we, as a family, took time out to celebrate together.

We gave our historical celebratory dinner out a miss with the risk of catching any local COVID19 community transmissions and instead had dinner together at my parents, her grandparents' home.

One of the special presents that I wanted to make for her was a quilt that had some 20 square panels that took me until 3am to complete (although I had started sewing the panels together earlier).

It's similar to the idea of a Cook Islands 'tivaevae' where a large bedspread is given away on a special occasion (having been worked on by a group of women) but for me it's without the embroidery and other women helping but machine sewn instead which is a lot faster and able to complete in record time.

It's a pattern that I developed in my 20s when I made some baby quilts to give away and I also made a single bedspread of me (and I still have it in storage). My mum also made me one using the same pattern and I still have it today and am able to show my children.

I've already started the next one for our middle child and had some leftover material for special occasions clothing such as my wedding dress (white satin), the COVID masks that I've recently made, as well as the materials that I've had in storage.

The birthday gift was much appreciated and is now a bedspread used with its many colours and offset by the lovely indigo blues colour that ties it all together (can't help that arty side of me). And now looking forward to Christmas which is only some three months away... 

Vote compass for this year's elections...

  A couple of days ago, I tried answering questions on the Vote compass website of https://votecompass.tvnz.co.nz to see which parties my answers aligned with. Interestingly enough it aligned mostly with the (Indigenous) Maori, Labour and Opportunities Party although I may not necessarily be voting for any of those parties.

I'd definitely encourage voters to give this website a go because it asks around 30+ questions (maybe more) on a variety of social issues, current political debates and hot topics that really make you think about which way you would vote on such issues.

I was also particularly interested in the sway of my answers that featured me as a more progressive, social voter leaning more towards the left although I would have seen myself far different as conservative in some respects and definitely progressive and interested in social and conscience issues.

I'd even encourage you to invite other family members and friends to answer the same questions to see the difference because some very interesting conversations can come out of the results that might reveal some interesting insights.

All in all, a very insightful questionnaire with only three more weeks until the voting will be counted...

May the best leader win...

Tonight, I watched the Leaders' debate between Jacinda Ardern (leader for the Labour Party and the current Prime Minister in government) and the Judith Collins (leader of the opposition and the National Party).

It's been really interesting to see two women Party leaders going head to head and talking about the issues and solutions from their perspectives and their party's.

What's also been very interesting is seeing the strengths of each leader i.e. our Prime Minister and the current projects that her Labour-led government are currently working on and the leader of the opposition has had a long history of being in politics and is able to draw from that history.

Watching it won't change the way I vote but it was good to hear about the different plans that each party has afoot in rebuilding the economy during the COVID pandemic in these times of a global recession and considerations for leading the country towards a future of hope and sustainability.

Definitely interesting to listen and may the best leader win when the country goes to the polls on Saturday 17th October which is less than a month away...

Spring cleaning - tidying with Marie Kondo...

 Now that Spring is well on its way, I've started some Spring cleaning and especially after watching a Netflix series of Tidying up using the Marie Kondo method. I had heard about her book a couple of years ago as a best selling author and wondered what all the fuss was about and now having watched the series, I have a better understanding.

What I like about her method is that it allows space for the participants in each programme to face their fears, feelings or issues about tidying or de-cluttering and she actually has a method to discarding or repurposing things by asking the interesting question about whether each item "sparks joy" in you.

Another really neat aspect of her method is thanking the house before she starts on a project and allowing for the participants to understand that there is a spiritual aspect to her tidying project. It also allows for appreciation as she encourages participants to thank the items of clothing, shoes etc. that are being discarded.

There are actually several sections and great tips to help one go about organizing spaces and also most importantly about discarding and decluttering spaces. I've found it especially inspirational because as I see individuals change their lifestyle habits in tidying it becomes life-changing for them and breathes new life into lives.

I'm definitely going to be changing my organizing habits (and have already started) using her methods and it's already made a big difference. Now to start my children on the same ideas that will declutter space, start a folding system within their bedroom draws by watching the first programme.

Let the games begin...

'Mulan' the remaking of the Disney movie...

Last night my family had a movie night together and we watched the pre-screening of the remake of the Disney movie 'Mulan' that is due to be released on Disney plus channel on 4 December. In order to pay to watch the pre-leased movie, it's around $40.00 and can be watched multiple times.

I heard that a lot of the scenes were shot in NZ and directed by a NZ director as well during 2018 - 2019. The movie differs a lot to the original musical although it does feature some of the original music in the background for those movie buffs out there.

Disney Mulan enthusiasts might be somewhat disappointed as the storyline veers away from the original in many parts but the basic storyline is kept with a young woman entering a male-only military training camp disguised as a male, only to later to reveal herself as a highly acclaimed warrior woman bringing honour to the name of her family.

I think the highlight for me at the movie night was the cinnamon & coconut buns that my younger sister made with homebaked pizza and the Smores ('Some-more' which is oven baked marshmallows and chocolate in a biscuit sandwich if you don't have an open fire). Family time together at my parents house in enjoying each other's company over an interesting movie during this Alert level 2.5 lockdown time...

My Avator by our youngest...

Here's an avatar that our youngest made for me which I thought looked pretty good. I think it depicts me as a working mom in a pants suit complete with mask that I always try and wear when I'm going out of the house.

With blue (especially indigo blue) being my favourite colour and I guess that's a mobile phone in my hand complete with a complementing scarf. 

My complexion and eye colour are similar and I think it depicts me more in my 30s with having more hair and of the same colour too.

I think she put a lot of thought into it and I'm so happy with the effort that she took, even to the extent of the hair which I also wear in a bun oftentimes although not on top of my head.

Anyway, so neat to encourage the artist adventures of our children and I'm an advocate for encouraging them to explore their different giftings and talent as you never know how good you are until to give it several goes...

Master KG Global dance hit...

 

This song called "Jerusalema" by South African artist Master KG which was released neat the end of last year has become a global hit with a dance challenge that has got groups all over the world dancing despite the effects of COVID-19 in many countries. 

What's so beautiful to me is the lovely melody and the danceability of the music. I'm still trying to understand the lyrics but it brings a smile in watching global communities all over the world unite over a song in an indigenous language that few of those dancing would even know.

I've even seen local teachers and medical groups dance to the music and then post it up on their social media accounts which brings lots of comments, smiles to so many faces and stops reminding of the difficult situation that the world is in.

I'm looking forward to more songs from Master KG as in an interview that he recently attended, he  promised that there is much more to come...

A beautiful tribute for Father's Day...

 

A big shout out to another sister Lita, of whom my parents brought up as their own and she surprised our dad on Father's day with this amazing picture of her husband Joe and their children together, my family and lil' sister Maria and our parents at large.

Such a beautiful tribute and so well appreciated and now hanging in pride of place at our parents' home on the living room wall.

Lita has been such a blessing as she's visited, brought over her children, supported and shopped for our parents whilst they've been in lockdown in NZ in waiting for a time when they can once again travel back to Samoa freely.

But at this time all we can do is prayerfully wait and still have hope that one day soon, that day will arrive. In the meantime, this gift reminds us of how important our families are and how God brings people together to make a positive difference in our families' lives.

So lots of hugs and kisses to Lita and her family, and her eldest Mariana of whom our parents also looked after as a lil' youngin' and she still likes to visit and sleepover with them when not working part-time or studying at Uni - a real blessing to the family.

May God richly bless you Lita and your family for so many things that you do for our parents as I know that they appreciate the many blessings that you give them (even when they say not to, in wanting for you to watch over your family too). Ia faamanuia le Atua i mea uma e te faia (may God bless everything that you do...)

Spring appreciation is in the air...

Today is the second official day of Spring in the Gregorian calender but we all know that Spring naturally occurred earlier on in the last month with this pic taken early August evidencing the onset of Spring in our front garden.

Spring happens to be my favourite season of the year (see earlier blogs) because not only does it signal the warmer months coming but it's also the season of my birth and our eldest's.

I particularly love how in nature winter dormant trees and flowers start bursting into blossoms starting with our pink magnolia tree, daffodils are in full bloom with our pink cherry blossom tree soon to burst out in song nearer to the end of the season.

Spring is also a great time to start planting (if you haven't already anticipated the start of Spring) and it's also known as the time of "spring cleaning" for all those who aren't already busy with so much going on.

It's also a healthy reminder that despite the global COVID pandemic that the world is presently coping with - it doesn't stop the seasons from continuing with nature still running it's course and that "we've got this" by living beyond the fear and the uncertainty of the time and focusing on what is and what we can do to keep ourselves and our families safe.

So God bless to all those essential workers who are out there working in hospitals, supermarkets, with food stuffs, delivery services, teachers and students, maintenance crew, builders, services for vulnerable people, food banks etc. you all deserve a bunch of flowers and more for working beyond yourselves and making this world a better place this Spring...
 

Showing appreciation to Doctors and Nurses...

Yesterday, spent a good part of the morning looking for flowers and bouquets which was very difficult to find under alert level 3 with most florists closed and those stores who were open weren't stocking any live flowers or plants at all.

These were due to some instructions that I'd been given by my dad to pick up some flowers as a token of his appreciate to the nurses and doctors who had kindly looked after him whilst he was in hospital for a short operation.

He was discharged yesterday and now taking it easy at home with some R and R. Anyway, my lil' sister and I ended up making up a bouquet ourselves and picking up some live plants and a 'Favourites' chocolate tin.

As under level 3 there is only one nominated visitor per patient, my sister was the one who was able to share my dad's thanks as well as ours as a family for the loving and caring support of our father during his time away at the hospital. 

 My sister said that they were so happy that they even ripped into the chocolate tin and had a ball choosing their 'Favourite'. This was a beautiful gesture on behalf of my father as I know that many nurses often work long and late hours away from their families and this is something that I want to do if ever I go to the hospital.

May God bless them in the good works that they do for others and may many more show their appreciation for the blessings and support that they are for many...