Where librarians sleep during natural disasters!

Hi all

Well the warning is now over. The wave was thankufully not too big, about 50cm here. Did not stop the panic and fear though after last year. Am watching what is going on in NZ also.

We have discovered the library is quite a comfortable place to hang out during a disaster. I have couches that can fold down so we managed a bit of sleep!! Had chucked a bit of food into the chilly bin on the way out the door so had the Accountnat and her partner in for toast and tea for breakfast. Managed to tune in the radio on the mobile and also practice with the dynamo wind up radio we bought from Kathmandu for these purposes. Adam was glued to the computer screen monitoring reports and news stories.

Time to head home now and round up the dogs. Phew that one is over. Boy we have had some natural disasters around this place lately!

Tsunami Warning

Awoken at 3.00amish this morning with loud tooting of a car horn and someone calling out my name. It was Silia from work letting us know of a tsunami warning. Soon learnt a big earthquake off the coast of Chile meant a wave heading our way and this time on the Apia side though due to affect all of Samoa. We have a bit of warning time this time as it's not due to hit until 9.00am. The heart is racing. Images of the last tsunami are in my head. Everything could be wiped out soon. We have chucked a few things in the car and evacuated to USP up the hill leaving the gate at home open in the hope the dogs will run up if necessary. So thankful also for the other friends who called round or rang or texted us to make sure we knew. Now we play the waiting game and keep an eye on the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre http://www.prh.noaa.gov/ptwc/?region=1 for updates. Back in touch soon. Adam and Ang x

Nz here we come

We are off to nz for our friends wedding. It is very hot here today. The cyclone has passed the sky is again blue the sea looks lovely and the air is as humid as while all the moisture of the last few days drys up. We had one of the calmest trips to the airport ever. At least not fearing for our lives this time! No hair raising overtaking manouvers. The view out the taxi window was lovely. Samoa really is a beautiful place. Reminds us why we are really here. As usual the airport is filthy. Cant find a clean place to sit. Trip to the toilet not much better but hey there was toilet paper and liquid soap so ill take it! A security man appeared from somewhere to help with the bags. This was a first. Gave him a few tala for his trouble. Bet he gets paid a pittance. Bet he also knows which palagis to target for the tips! Well must be time to peruse the meagre offerings in the shop. That said i usually find something to spend my money on!

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. . .

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.

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!

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.

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.

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 ............

Dog Collars

Dog collars I say. What's so special about them? Well they are foreign and alien objects to Samoan dogs that is for sure! Something to be extremely wary about!! After talking to Adam's sister over Christmas on Skype we figured it was time to try and train our 2 Samoan dogs a bit, starting with them getting used to wearing dog collars. With a collar we figure we have something to grab them by and if we get that far, something to tie them up with!

Old Man was of course absolutely no problem. Sat there and let us put his collar on and didn't bat an eyelid. He is a pretty laid back fellow. Always estatic to see us as he comes lolling up with his tongue hanging out and head on one side. Lucky on the other hand is another kettle of fish. I thought this was going to be a major achievement to get anywhere near her with the collar.

Anyway Adam agreed to what he called my "softly softly approach" so I began a weeks intensive training in "what is this collar thing"?, "see the collar does not bite if it is near you", "see the collar does not stop you eating your dinner if it is on the ground next to your bowl", "see I can still pat you with one hand while I have said collar in the other". She was still a bit jumpy every time she saw the collar come out however managed to stay with me when I had it in hand. By the end of the week I figured it was now or never so, yes big meanie, I attacked dog with collar while she was eating her dinner. Job done!! Easier than I thought. Got it clipped on before she knew it and she didn't really even react to it. It is still on and she does not seem bothered so now we have 2 flash dogs running around with 2 blue (of course) collars on!!

Next is to master the art of giving the dog a bath, teaching them to jump up into the boot of the car on their own (incase we need a vet check or have to run from another tsunami) and perhaps a few more commands to be obeyed such as "come" and "stay". We seem to have "sit" and "tummy" (to be tickled) down pat. I notice the fun things have been achieved first!

Mania

I drove down town last week and I feared for my life - honestly!! My Grandad used to say that NZers were the worst drivers ever and if you can drive in NZ then you can drive anywhere in the world. I think maybe he had not visited Samoa! What with the rain and the pot holes (as quick as they fill them they open up again), the general state of the roads, no traffic markings and road rules that appear to be optional - you run the gauntlet for sure! You have to try and miss the people ambling across the road, watch out for cars pulling out into the flow and pushing in, watch for cars stopping in the middle of the road to let others in, stopping (again in the middle of the road) to talk to their mates ..... the list goes on. You sure need your wits about you at all times. No wandering mind or watching the sights. Eyes straight ahead and paying attention thank you. Lets not even mention the left hand drive vehicles with limited driver vision or the major road works which will be great when they are done but in the mean time add to the general state of confusion.

Got home with no dings in the car. Much to be thankful for!! Glad I don't have to deal with that daily maddness. And I moved to Samoa for the quiet life!