We are currently hearing similar news from several quarters, especially the far north and Gisborne. I'm particularly interested in Gisborne, having had connections there during much of my life. Currently my interests are the citrus orchardists, with flooded land, fruit unpicked, and highways needed for distribution washed away or flooded. And someone stole a whole lot of diesel fuel from the workmen who were there to reconnect the destroyed roads. There are many isolated families and settlements up the coast from Gisborne. It's incredible how much rain can fall in a few hours, and '500-year floods' can occur twice in a season.
A short day today. Only a few people in the evacuation centre and so a chaplain from Sydney managed by herself. Tomorrow will be another day off for me, but after a day of moderate rain the night is bringing heavy rain again. This will be hard on the nerves for a lot of people.
Thinking of you Latchkey Kid, and those to whom you minister.
I have exhausted myself cutting down elderberry trees again today. If it were just elderberries it wouldn't be so bad, but there are ivy, convolvulus and a climbing jasmine in the mix as well, so it's hard work. Added to this there is an old and beautiful magnolia growing next door that I want to avoid poisoning because it makes kitchen chores like washing the dishes much more enjoyable. The good news is that the magnolia has sprouted new growth since the elderberry trees aren't blocking its light, so the neighbour is happy too.
I can report the fine health of Jugular, AdamPater and Rexory after a most enjoyable lunch on Monday in Perth.
mr curly
It being a cold, wet day here, I've been digging into posts on the old Ship. You, mr curly, were the last poster on the Life Downunder thread before the great change.
It being a cold, wet day here, I've been digging into posts on the old Ship. You, mr curly, were the last poster on the Life Downunder thread before the great change.
On the subject of children: my lastborn flew in from Blighty ( where she lives and works) for a flying visit( she suspects that her ageing Mum is not under proper care and control) and we are off to lunch shortly with her siblings and their respective partners.
It’s cool & cloudy today but rain has stopped for now, so we’ll mosey down to Potts Point ( about 2 km away) for a nice and suitably liquid lunch.
Praying for Lismore and other flooded areas. My sister's niece and nephew spent some time in a non-flood affected part of Queensland with their grandparents to get a break from the traumatic events and recovery in Lismore. Now the whole family is staying in an apartment in Byron Bay that thankfully wasn't flooded. They own a house in Lismore that they rent out and are renting their farm. The apartment belongs to the owners of the farm and is their holiday home and they are kindly letting them stay there.
The children's school has been destroyed and condemned so all the children will be in portables at another local school. The son wants to be a farmer and is OK with the new school but the daughter is going to try for a scholarship to a private school as she is more academic and the new school is not and doesn't meet her educational needs.
My brother-in-law feels pretty down about not being able to help much apart from contributing to their fund raising page. He grew up there too so knows lots of people who are affected.
Thanks LKK for all you do and praying for you and your wife too.
I've just read through the last two pages. Up north and LKK in particular are in my prayers. IIRC, there is a fair bit of hidden poverty up in that part of the country.
Well the border with Australia opened this morning. Some happy Kiwis finally coming home for Whitakers Peanut Slabs and Pavs - though one taste challenged woman mentioned fejoas, which a friend once compared unfavourably with mothballs (for those who don't know them they are also known as pineapple guava are egg shaped and fruit heavily, so much so that I think their collective description should be an embarrassment of fejoas ).
Apart from the returnees there will doubtless be some Australian nationals visiting. Welcome, enjoy yourselves, and take care in the great outdoors, its scenic, but it can be fatal. Sorry, but you can't kidnap our PM and we are not willing to swap either (shudder).
Well the border with Australia opened this morning. Some happy Kiwis finally coming home for Whitakers Peanut Slabs and Pavs - though one taste challenged woman mentioned fejoas, which a friend once compared unfavourably with mothballs (for those who don't know them they are also known as pineapple guava are egg shaped and fruit heavily, so much so that I think their collective description should be an embarrassment of fejoas ).
Apart from the returnees there will doubtless be some Australian nationals visiting. Welcome, enjoy yourselves, and take care in the great outdoors, its scenic, but it can be fatal. Sorry, but you can't kidnap our PM and we are not willing to swap either (shudder).
We have feijoas growing in our garden which my husband loves to eat with a teaspoon. However, I find them unpleasant in texture in my mouth. I think you either love or hate them. I think it is the same for Whittaker's chocolate which I don't like at all - it is very gritty in texture.
Incidentally I have no desire to kidnap your PM or any PM .
Have a Happy Easter.
Good to hear of festivals coming back. Enjoy yourself Sojurner.
Rhubarb, I take your point about Whittakers chocolate - I know its not to everyone's taste, but these were people talking about what they had missed from home, and probably remembering through Rose tinted spectacles. I was amazed to discover several years ago that Whittakers had over the years consistently polled highest in a poll about NZ's most trusted brands.
The East Coast of the North Island is yet again inundated with water with a newly replaced bridge being washed away and power cut to homes overnight. The small settlement where I spent a year teaching is also badly affected.
Meanwhile walking tracks around Mt Ruapehu have been closed as the volcanic alert level there has risen.
There have also been changes announced in Covid restrictions, with an easing in the wearing of masks in certain situations. I later listened to a Doctor of Public Health discuss these on the radio and decided that although I do find them a challenge (especially in conjunction with hearing aids) masks do provide an extra level of protection I would be stupid to ignore, especially coming into winter. I know the decision varies from person to person depending on medical vulnerabilities etc, but this is the one I feel comfortable with.
Rhubarb, I take your point about Whittakers chocolate - I know its not to everyone's taste, but these were people talking about what they had missed from home, and probably remembering through Rose tinted spectacles. I was amazed to discover several years ago that Whittakers had over the years consistently polled highest in a poll about NZ's most trusted brands.
I would eat no other — 62% or 72% cocoa, (but see below).
Sad that when casual friends give you a small gift, it's usually Rose's or some form of milk chocolate. One neighbour gave me a packet of her favourite Lindor: white with white centres, the sickliest sweets I've ever come across. But the next neighbour gave me a block of Trade Aid chocolate, very dark with some crunchy ingredient; I know where I can buy it now. I emailed my thanks — she and I know our common tastes now. But I prefer to give a little packet of plain shortbread biscuits or something like that.
The other aspect about Whittakers that I had forgotten until I read up about it is that it is ethically traded.
I was dismayed though when my favourite cafe at the library started stocking it though. It required added willpower not to buy it. Fortunately they swapped it for those revolting gummy snakes which seem to appeal to young children, but have no attraction at all for me.
I went into town yesterday. There were people all over the place. The Government change in the "traffic light system" ( which determines the level of restriction/freedom of movement, mask wearing etc) has made a huge impact. Retailers and especially cafes are hoping for a bumper Easter - I wish them well, I'm staying home, apart from the neighbourhood Easter egg hunt which is being organised by the same woman who organised the Nativity play. There will also be a produce exchange. Not having any this year I was wracking my brains and decided my spare aloe vera plantwould be appropriate. Next year I plan to be more organised. I am propagating mini roses to sell at the community library open day so will do some extra.
Spouse & I attended yesterday and despite it being a quagmire had a great old time. First time live performances ( for me anyway) by Hoodoo Gurus & Midnight Oil. Queues for buses back to Byron pretty horrific but no worse than Sydney Airport. We are heading back shortly, with 2 newly purchased folding chairs: both of us too old to stand for 8 hours!!
@Sojourner You will probably be too tired, or it's not convenient, or enticing, but there is a dawn service up at the Byron Lighthouse at 6 am tomorrow lead by Bangalow UCA.
Sunrise is at 6:10 am. Car parking is at 9J6M+2W Byron Bay, New South Wales on google maps.
The fair trade chocolate our church sells from time to time is Bennetto. It comes from New Zealand.
Our church for several years has got a regular order of coffee, tea and drinking chocolate from the Trade Aid shop in Christchurch, which included what we use at church. The couple who've done it for some time have finally stopped, partly because it wasn't economic but I think too that the wife was finding it too much. With three young kids (One still pre-school), a full-time teaching job, and since Covid struck no nanny (she is French and had had a series of au pairs (that doesn't look right!) from France) I'm not surprised. For me it's back to Dilmah.
But I'm a bit dismayed that supermarkets have little or no Fair Trade lines apart from bananas. Once upon a time we had a Fair Trade week when there were FT labels on numerous displays.
On another topic — three of us organised a Tenebrae service on Thursday. We took a script from the Internet that used Matthew's gospel, persuaded a good number to read and sent out texts, lined up our candles, and our leader organised the gradual dimming of lights brilliantly. Our script included a strepitus — a terrifying loud noise when Jesus breathed his last and there was the earthquake and tombs opening etc — a gong played loudly and continuously that gave a real shock. I didn't have that when I organised Tenebrae about 20 years ago! I hope we'll do it again next year.
Hope you do; the strepitus is a wonderfully fitting end to Tenebrae. The services in the RC rite were suppressed in the 1950s and have only resurfaced in the past 25 or so years; love Tenebrae, sung or said
It's a good thing you didn't try to get there. When I got to the upper car park at 5:45 there was already a queue of cars that were turning back. The lower car park also was full, so I used the car park almost at sea level. Starting to walk I found I wasn't fit enough to make the walk up, so being frustrated I returned home.
This is the first time in six years I haven't been able to make it. Perhaps the numbers this year is because there are no Covid restrictions. Maybe next year I should aim to arrive by 5:15 am.
A good attendance, about 130, at our main Eucharist today. To put that in context, the regular numbers at the 10 am service, before the new rector was appointed, were around the 115 -120 mark, after 15 to 20 at 7 am and 65-70 at 8. Recently there have been around 20 at 8, 35-40 in person at 10 with a bit fewer than that online. The 7 am was abolished some time ago.
Hope you do; the strepitus is a wonderfully fitting end to Tenebrae. The services in the RC rite were suppressed in the 1950s and have only resurfaced in the past 25 or so years; love Tenebrae, sung or said
It's little known in our Presbyterian congregation, and the other two stuck to calling it Service of Shadows because they assumed that people wouldn't know what Tenebrae was. However we got several emails next day expressing gratitude for and being deeply moved by the service, including from the small group who'd been invited to come from a neighbouring parish who are currently unsure when they'll be back in their church that's being renovated, so they're not doing anything adventurous.
We found two detailed services on line and chose St Matthew's Passion, maybe next year they'll opt for St John's.
Being in COVID confinement until yesterday morning, we spent Good Friday with the St John Passion. Today I attended the sunrise service at our country church, which commenced at 6.00am. Just half a dozen of us seated around a fire basket for quiet prayer and readings as the mist drifted around us and kookaburras and other birdlife joined in the dawn chorus. Mrs BA played for the 10am Eucharist with 32 in church, almost three times our weekly attendance in these straitened times. As in past years, I baked koulourakia [Greek Easter biscuits] for the Great Vigil in town and for the 10am in the country.
I was up at 4 am to start making Hefezopf, a German Easter bread, for our German next-door neighbours. Their 12 year old daughter responded by giving us sour dough hot cross buns she had made.
Today is a day to rest, maybe do some landcare, and prepare myself to return to the Disaster Recovery Centre tomorrow.
Just a Service of the Shadows (first time for a person from a non-liturgical tradition where only Christmas, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday were calendar celebrations) and an Easter Sunday Service for me this year.
Last year's Easter Day service fell flat with no Alleluias, so our brilliant pianist played all. the great Easter hymns before and after. This year we managed to supply our minister with a wish list and the singing was Great, alleluias and all!
(We think he's immature (at 40) and probably not in the right calling. When he discovered that many of his congregation were Progressive in theology, including most of the octogenarians, and he had no idea what that was, he took fright and resigned.)
Incidentally our Worship Group organised the Palm Sunday service, with tree fern arches, and lots of colourful stuff for everyone to wave, while Jesus rode up the aisle on his motorbike followed by kids on scooters and things.
Spouse & I attended yesterday and despite it being a quagmire had a great old time. First time live performances ( for me anyway) by Hoodoo Gurus & Midnight Oil. Queues for buses back to Byron pretty horrific but no worse than Sydney Airport. We are heading back shortly, with 2 newly purchased folding chairs: both of us too old to stand for 8 hours!!
I really should pay more attention! I was there from Thursday night to Monday morning, camping on site. It's all a bit overwhelming - so many choices and great music. While there were some challenges with campsites (they'd run out of dry ones by the time we arrived and waited 3 hours), it was a lot of fun.
All my group wore masks when mixing with the crowds, and have come home covid-free. Others I know who were there have not been so lucky.
Re COVID: so far so good. Was also masked, washed hands obsessively & hoped for the best. Received 3 pings to advised that attendees who checked in on Good Friday, Easter Sunday & Easter Monday had come down with COVID; no surprises given idiotic behaviour by many ( no madks, packed in like sardines) and the fact that BB and Mullumbimby is very much antivaxxer country.
It has been a glorious day here, just enough little clouds in the sky to provide interest, cool enough to walk comfortably, and lots of good coffee to be drunk.
We had our regular flu jabs this afternoon. Our doctors did a deal with a local school, just a short walk away from the shopping centre. The school provided a large room, the doctors lined up at desks along a wall, and a couple of support staff sat at a table by the door. We walked in, were marked off, and without any delay we went to one of the doctors. Shoulders exposed, needle given (neither of us could feel it), shoulders covered and out went. Normally, I'd much rather that a nurse gave the injection, they being trained to do that painlessly, but the doctors who gave us ours did an excellent job. The clinic was only for 65+, so no need for money to change hands.
Now have the fire lit for a bbq dinner to round the day off.
Love the comment about nurses being better jabbers than doctors😜. I’ve met a few patients who’ve refused to let me either jab or draw blood on the grounds that “ nurses do it better” only to go back & collect blood after nurse ( 25 years younger than me) has failed twice. I just smile behind the madk and say nothing.
Comments
I have been told to stay home until further communication from the Disaster Recovery Chaplaincy Network.
I have exhausted myself cutting down elderberry trees again today. If it were just elderberries it wouldn't be so bad, but there are ivy, convolvulus and a climbing jasmine in the mix as well, so it's hard work. Added to this there is an old and beautiful magnolia growing next door that I want to avoid poisoning because it makes kitchen chores like washing the dishes much more enjoyable. The good news is that the magnolia has sprouted new growth since the elderberry trees aren't blocking its light, so the neighbour is happy too.
mr curly
How are the Bluesfest prospects? Byron Bay was surprised by floods this week.
First & last time we went in 2018 it bucketed down but did not stop the show ( mind you no floods).
Was glad of gumboots.
It being a cold, wet day here, I've been digging into posts on the old Ship. You, mr curly, were the last poster on the Life Downunder thread before the great change.
Tickets purchased so assuming it’s a goer.
mr curly
A claim to fame I was unaware of!
It’s cool & cloudy today but rain has stopped for now, so we’ll mosey down to Potts Point ( about 2 km away) for a nice and suitably liquid lunch.
The children's school has been destroyed and condemned so all the children will be in portables at another local school. The son wants to be a farmer and is OK with the new school but the daughter is going to try for a scholarship to a private school as she is more academic and the new school is not and doesn't meet her educational needs.
My brother-in-law feels pretty down about not being able to help much apart from contributing to their fund raising page. He grew up there too so knows lots of people who are affected.
Thanks LKK for all you do and praying for you and your wife too.
Apart from the returnees there will doubtless be some Australian nationals visiting. Welcome, enjoy yourselves, and take care in the great outdoors, its scenic, but it can be fatal. Sorry, but you can't kidnap our PM and we are not willing to swap either (shudder).
We have feijoas growing in our garden which my husband loves to eat with a teaspoon. However, I find them unpleasant in texture in my mouth. I think you either love or hate them. I think it is the same for Whittaker's chocolate which I don't like at all - it is very gritty in texture.
Incidentally I have no desire to kidnap your PM or any PM .
Have a Happy Easter.
Rhubarb, I take your point about Whittakers chocolate - I know its not to everyone's taste, but these were people talking about what they had missed from home, and probably remembering through Rose tinted spectacles. I was amazed to discover several years ago that Whittakers had over the years consistently polled highest in a poll about NZ's most trusted brands.
The East Coast of the North Island is yet again inundated with water with a newly replaced bridge being washed away and power cut to homes overnight. The small settlement where I spent a year teaching is also badly affected.
Meanwhile walking tracks around Mt Ruapehu have been closed as the volcanic alert level there has risen.
There have also been changes announced in Covid restrictions, with an easing in the wearing of masks in certain situations. I later listened to a Doctor of Public Health discuss these on the radio and decided that although I do find them a challenge (especially in conjunction with hearing aids) masks do provide an extra level of protection I would be stupid to ignore, especially coming into winter. I know the decision varies from person to person depending on medical vulnerabilities etc, but this is the one I feel comfortable with.
Sad that when casual friends give you a small gift, it's usually Rose's or some form of milk chocolate. One neighbour gave me a packet of her favourite Lindor: white with white centres, the sickliest sweets I've ever come across. But the next neighbour gave me a block of Trade Aid chocolate, very dark with some crunchy ingredient; I know where I can buy it now. I emailed my thanks — she and I know our common tastes now. But I prefer to give a little packet of plain shortbread biscuits or something like that.
I was dismayed though when my favourite cafe at the library started stocking it though. It required added willpower not to buy it. Fortunately they swapped it for those revolting gummy snakes which seem to appeal to young children, but have no attraction at all for me.
I went into town yesterday. There were people all over the place. The Government change in the "traffic light system" ( which determines the level of restriction/freedom of movement, mask wearing etc) has made a huge impact. Retailers and especially cafes are hoping for a bumper Easter - I wish them well, I'm staying home, apart from the neighbourhood Easter egg hunt which is being organised by the same woman who organised the Nativity play. There will also be a produce exchange. Not having any this year I was wracking my brains and decided my spare aloe vera plantwould be appropriate. Next year I plan to be more organised. I am propagating mini roses to sell at the community library open day so will do some extra.
We are having our usual Bluesfest weather, but the rain is not so heavy to severely detract from the experience. I hope @mr curley is enjoying it.
Sunrise is at 6:10 am. Car parking is at 9J6M+2W Byron Bay, New South Wales on google maps.
I will be there.
But I'm a bit dismayed that supermarkets have little or no Fair Trade lines apart from bananas. Once upon a time we had a Fair Trade week when there were FT labels on numerous displays.
LKK apologies for brief message and thanks for invite to dawn Easter service: am staying south of BB & carless. Will be there in spirit.
This is the first time in six years I haven't been able to make it. Perhaps the numbers this year is because there are no Covid restrictions. Maybe next year I should aim to arrive by 5:15 am.
We found two detailed services on line and chose St Matthew's Passion, maybe next year they'll opt for St John's.
We used to have to do the 6 a.m. service in Newfoundland, but it really didn't come naturally to a couple of night-owls like us.
If I never have to do it again, it'll be too soon!
Today is a day to rest, maybe do some landcare, and prepare myself to return to the Disaster Recovery Centre tomorrow.
Just a Service of the Shadows (first time for a person from a non-liturgical tradition where only Christmas, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday were calendar celebrations) and an Easter Sunday Service for me this year.
Thanks and can you pass our best wishes back to her.
(We think he's immature (at 40) and probably not in the right calling. When he discovered that many of his congregation were Progressive in theology, including most of the octogenarians, and he had no idea what that was, he took fright and resigned.)
Incidentally our Worship Group organised the Palm Sunday service, with tree fern arches, and lots of colourful stuff for everyone to wave, while Jesus rode up the aisle on his motorbike followed by kids on scooters and things.
I really should pay more attention! I was there from Thursday night to Monday morning, camping on site. It's all a bit overwhelming - so many choices and great music. While there were some challenges with campsites (they'd run out of dry ones by the time we arrived and waited 3 hours), it was a lot of fun.
All my group wore masks when mixing with the crowds, and have come home covid-free. Others I know who were there have not been so lucky.
mr curly
We had our regular flu jabs this afternoon. Our doctors did a deal with a local school, just a short walk away from the shopping centre. The school provided a large room, the doctors lined up at desks along a wall, and a couple of support staff sat at a table by the door. We walked in, were marked off, and without any delay we went to one of the doctors. Shoulders exposed, needle given (neither of us could feel it), shoulders covered and out went. Normally, I'd much rather that a nurse gave the injection, they being trained to do that painlessly, but the doctors who gave us ours did an excellent job. The clinic was only for 65+, so no need for money to change hands.
Now have the fire lit for a bbq dinner to round the day off.