Sunday, February 14, 2010
Rene
Well very lucky for us after heading towards samoa and doubling back on itself cyclone rene has managed to miss us. We got some pretty erratic and heavy rain. A bit of wind which was stronger on the south coast and up the hill. We frantically moved as many boxes of books as we could inside but had to leave the big heavy ones on the deck. Unfortunately for tonga its now heading straight for them and intensifying. It doesnt rain but it pours in the pacific. . .
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Cyclone warning
There is a cyclone warning out for tonight. Night classes have been cancelled and people sent home. Seems a bit weird though as its all quiet on the western front at the moment. Not even a breath of wind out there. Hope all the boxes on the deck survive the night. Better get out there and put away loose objects i suppose just in case things get a bit wild in the night. This one is called rene. Nesha went past a couple of weeks ago and it got a bit windy so hope only that bad this time too.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Bagels Bagels
For Christmas we received a Bagel cook book so decided, as bagels are not commonplace in Samoa, to have a go at making some for ourselves. We had great fun with the yeast watching it bubble then watching the dough rise. Rolling the dough into sausages and making them into rings was fun and then we had to boil them in a pot before finishing off in the oven.
Yummy. We had them topped with salmon, cottage cheese, cucumber and gherkins or cottage cheese, oranges and beetroot (yes home made beetroot too). All filling suggestions also in the book.
Back to the country kitchen now folks! More bagels to be made......
207 boxes and counting
207 boxes of books donated by generous libraries throughout New Zealand have arrived in Samoa and are now sitting on our verrandah waiting to be sorted! Yes what a big job. What's more I had only several hours notice to get a truck big enough to carry over 200 boxes and some boys lined up to help load them on and off the truck. Luckily for me I work at USP and have a very understanding Campus Director who answered my plea for help.
It took us 2 hours in the blazing sun ... actually I stand corrected, I was in the shade while the boys worked in the blazing sun ... to load the boxes onto the truck and off load them onto our verrandah. It took 1 1/2 loads to get them all. My job was to lift the smaller boxes and supply cool drinks and lunch afterwards!
We are now sorting through. Have separated those donated by LIANZA and Auckland University that are to go to a school affected by the tsunami and have pulled out those addressed to Samusu Primary School. There are a huge numer of boxes that have come via Hedley and Beca Group. They are all now getting sorted into children's fiction and non-fiction, young adult novels, reference, adult fiction and non-fiction and journals/magazines. As there are so many this year (compared to last year when there were only 40ish boxes) there is not much room to move and sorting has to be a bit quicker. It is very hard not to get side tracked looking at every book you take out or marvel at the titles you recognise from when you were a child!
After sorting the next job will be to identify worthy schools and organise how to deliver them.
Thank you everyone in NZ who contributed, Judy who collected the books, Mainfreight for getting them to Auckland and Jenners for the shipping to Samoa. This is the second time we have done this and it is proving to be very valuable. I have even been contacted by someone in the USA today who would like to work with me to send books from there. The wonders of the internet and online newspaper articles!
It took us 2 hours in the blazing sun ... actually I stand corrected, I was in the shade while the boys worked in the blazing sun ... to load the boxes onto the truck and off load them onto our verrandah. It took 1 1/2 loads to get them all. My job was to lift the smaller boxes and supply cool drinks and lunch afterwards!
We are now sorting through. Have separated those donated by LIANZA and Auckland University that are to go to a school affected by the tsunami and have pulled out those addressed to Samusu Primary School. There are a huge numer of boxes that have come via Hedley and Beca Group. They are all now getting sorted into children's fiction and non-fiction, young adult novels, reference, adult fiction and non-fiction and journals/magazines. As there are so many this year (compared to last year when there were only 40ish boxes) there is not much room to move and sorting has to be a bit quicker. It is very hard not to get side tracked looking at every book you take out or marvel at the titles you recognise from when you were a child!
After sorting the next job will be to identify worthy schools and organise how to deliver them.
Thank you everyone in NZ who contributed, Judy who collected the books, Mainfreight for getting them to Auckland and Jenners for the shipping to Samoa. This is the second time we have done this and it is proving to be very valuable. I have even been contacted by someone in the USA today who would like to work with me to send books from there. The wonders of the internet and online newspaper articles!
Father Christmas's Holiday Destination
Do you know where Father Christmas goes when he is off duty? Yes you are right! Samoa.
I swear I have seen him walking around the streets. Bushy grey beard and hair. Dressed in a simple red lava lava.
I hope he enjoys relaxing under a palm with a cool drink in hand before he has to head back to the cold of the North Pole to prepare for the next Christmas.
I swear I have seen him walking around the streets. Bushy grey beard and hair. Dressed in a simple red lava lava.
I hope he enjoys relaxing under a palm with a cool drink in hand before he has to head back to the cold of the North Pole to prepare for the next Christmas.
Machete
What would you do if you came across a person in the street weilding a machete???
Run?
Call the cops?
Be very worried?
Just wondered because it seems to be a very natural thing to do around here. People walk around all the time carrying their machete's or slashers without anyone batting an eyelid. Sometimes children as young as 8 or 9 can be seen with them. I am very glad there are no "Machete Attack's" reported in the paper or on the news. This must mean they actually get used for what they are intended for - cutting the grass or chopping down the coconuts. Phew.
Run?
Call the cops?
Be very worried?
Just wondered because it seems to be a very natural thing to do around here. People walk around all the time carrying their machete's or slashers without anyone batting an eyelid. Sometimes children as young as 8 or 9 can be seen with them. I am very glad there are no "Machete Attack's" reported in the paper or on the news. This must mean they actually get used for what they are intended for - cutting the grass or chopping down the coconuts. Phew.
Molly Missile
What it is to live in a house where at any time, unannounced, a furry missile comes launching at your legs and attaches to your ankles, hanging on for grim death with pin needle claws and teeth to aid the situation!
Yes this is what it is like to live with Molly the Missile Cat!!
Actually she is now about 7 weeks old and appears to have reached that stage where she can run around the house so fast we have no chance of catching her. She has a good little routine going. Eat, play, play, play, flop, drop, sleep then do it all again! Lovely personality. Snuggles in behind your ear while purring away and looks so lovely when asleep.
This is why you will understand how hard it is to give her up today to Louise from netball who promises she will take very good care of her. Molly is off to become Molly the Mouse Catching Cat. We will miss her ............
Yes this is what it is like to live with Molly the Missile Cat!!
Actually she is now about 7 weeks old and appears to have reached that stage where she can run around the house so fast we have no chance of catching her. She has a good little routine going. Eat, play, play, play, flop, drop, sleep then do it all again! Lovely personality. Snuggles in behind your ear while purring away and looks so lovely when asleep.
This is why you will understand how hard it is to give her up today to Louise from netball who promises she will take very good care of her. Molly is off to become Molly the Mouse Catching Cat. We will miss her ............
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