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As a deaf person who can not hear any sound in the middle of the night to the early hour of the morning…

I normally use my special vibrating pager alarm clock under the pillow which attached to the clock at the bedside table. Now I would not need the vibrated alarm clock regularly. WHY?

As you see we have got three dogs – the young pup is nearly eight months old. Nova is the name and she love waking me up every morning in her unusual ways of getting attention to a deaf owner. When she was barely a baby pup and she did not realised that I can not hear her barking in the middle of the nights – let alone my partner has to do it. Then she hear the loud buzzing and high pitch sounding coming out of my hearing aids when I put my hearing aids on or to take off before going to bed. She has found a way of waking me up for I can not find a picture to show you. It is similar to the photo above from the website I found.

What actually Nova do every night to the early hour of the morning? She use thumping on me just like jumping, licking my face, gently paw on my face or to press her nose to my face to check if I am really awake, stroking my blanket as if she was pulling the blanket away from me even to walk over me from foot to right shoulder where I do get constant pain from my neck, shoulder to right elbow for many years. She knew her routine time pattern for toilets, meal times, or stranger lurking out there.

If you are wondering about two other dogs – one dog is a senior aged of nearly twelve years old and the middle black dog who she is nearly four years old. They are well behaved and they press their noses to my face. Often Jazz the middle one, would use her paw to pull down the blankets from the top of my shoulders.

Imagine me getting up three or two times in the middle of the night to the early hour of the morning. I would become a bad mood if I do not have a proper sleep or have increasing pain on the right side. Then I would let my boss know that I am home resting. Usually my partner do this BUT not at the moment due to his double hernia surgeries and during the Lockdown from the start of Level Four and it is my turn. I am grateful that my partner help me and support me during the day even when I am working from home. Currently nearly two weeks since his surgeries, I am full on to do the jobs around home such as collecting firewoods, let the dogs out for runs around the fields, prepare meals for all of us including dogs, washing etc and working from home. I am also grateful that my second workplace let me have a month leave instead of two week leaves since I met the persons (I am supporting)‘s case manager last week.

Dogs give us pleasure of funs, mischiefs, sense of humours if they behave strangely or different ways they do, give us comfort and cuddles in bed or on the sofa.

There has been a lot of talk about Universal Design in New Zealand, unfortunately, not to many designers, property developers, architectural house designers and Building designers were not aware of the Universal Design for all People with disabilities including older adults. The other problem is a high cost to installed for every people BUT ended up not accessible design to meet the price they can afford. Any people with a disability adapted, add special equipment or to remove their home layout design to make more accessible home at their own cost or by the funding under the Ministry of Health/ACC (Accident Compensation Corporation) they sourced.
A question to ask you… Do you have any idea and look out there is everyone are the same which can function themselves in many ways of doing activities and working? Have you thought about people/children with disAbilities can’t do function the same way as you? What about your grandparents, even great grandparents?

We were lucky to found a home with several custom equipment like handrails, low steps, heating, easy to look out through the windows and the driveway already there for us. Because of my deafness and age within another 5-10 years or more, it is essential to meet our needs. It saved us the cost to install the equipment or ramp when one of us get older and finding it difficult to access or manage thing around the home. We have got three dogs to keep an eye on me as working/pet dogs in the vast property.

Back in 1997, Ronald Mace led the team in the North Carolina State University to a working group which were architects, product designers, engineers and environmental design researchers. The working group created and developed the seven principles in Universal Design in 1997.
The purpose of the Principles is to guide the design of environments, products and communications.

But first of all before I typed what are the seven principles in the Universal Deigns.

I want to give you an idea of how people with disabilities manage in their own life even myself in society anywhere in the world.

Imagine a block of apartments with a lift/no lift – the size of one apartment is smaller than an ordinary house of two bedrooms. The bathroom, including the toilet, is small than average size, the kitchen is a ‘u shape’ layout narrow. When a wheelchair user rent an apartment but this person missed out the ground floor because everyone is there already. then this wheelchair person has to go up in the next level if there is any lift available. The wheelchair user found it is difficult to manoeuvre around the kitchen, the bathroom otherwise to go forward and backward without turning around as in 360o. Or having a shower in the cramped bathroom, there is no space to get out/get on the wheelchair. If there is a fire happening in the next floor up, the wheelchair user is unable to get out if the neighbours do not realise a wheelchair user is living in the same apartment.

What about any Deaf people? It is okay to live there, BUT there is no flashing light system in the apartment and the flashing light system come in with a doorbell, fire alarm, break in security, baby crying, a phone ringing, and security gate entrance from the car park. As well no visual contact like the security system when someone is visiting a deaf person via television screen or a small screen by the door as an intercom.

Today I went to one of the buildings in Frankton, and I discovered this building was not a friendly accessible for refugee people with disAbilities (wheelchair users, anyone finding it difficult to walk up stair/downstairs). There was no lift due to the size of the old building. The other problem was the lack of car parks for staff even for the people with disAbilities and their mobility car park holders. I spoke to someone who was in the same building, and the response was it was cheaper rent. Still, they did not think about any refugee people who may have disAbilities or finding it difficult to walk the stairs. Sigh! Other barriers from the landlord who owned the old building. 

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Oh, we would like to visit the Chatham Islands one day, and anyone wants to learn the experience of people living there, what life was like in the pre-1860s.

Why would the deaf blogger/researcher want to learn the experience of living there? Mm, the researcher is in the middle of doing researching one particular woman who travelled from Scotland via London and Queensland to Canterbury and Otago before the 1900s. For some, reason, Ms Mitchell chose to travel to the Chatham Islands and got married to a German chap was looking for a bride through newspaper advertising. This woman knows a few people through her brother who was a minister, involved with the church in Queensland, Australia and Charteris Bay, Canterbury.

The researcher was reading one of the diaries, and the diary was fascinated life by a young man – Mr Spencer. He lived in the island for one year because his contract expired and the life was very harsh due to lack of foods, meats and the weather conditions. This Spencer man came from a Spencer family who came out from London, the UK to Christchurch, New Zealand.

How does the connection between Ms Mitchell and the Spencer family back in London, the UK? Ms Mitchell was a servant to the Spencer family according to the census record in 1861 in London, UK. There is also a connection to Scotland and a Mrs E Spencer came from Scotland where Ms D Mitchell came from Scotland.

The Chatham Islands bear rugged landscape, and several small islands are surrounding the main two inlet islands which inhabited.
The Chatham Islands is a 920 sq km, also called Rēkohu (by Moriori) and Wharekauri (by Māori), and Pitt Island is a 7.7 sq km, also called Rangihaute (by Moriori) and Rangiāuria (by Māori).

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Jack the frost came in the early hour of this morning. Brr what a chilly rude waking us up as it was -1.5oC in the morning!

Our dogs huddled together except our older dog – Joseph slept on the other side of the bed. Wondering why my ass were partially cold for the blankets and duvet was only resting on top of the bed due to dogs hogging blankets to themselves.

Checking the time for our dogs go out for their daily runs and off they took off through the open door and chilling airs crept in. Just in the nick of time before the children and a couple teenagers were walking down the private road then across the main State Highway Road where they waited for their school buses. There is a special rule for all school buses as we are in Level Two now. The buses carried limit number of students per 2 metres/1metre spacing inside the bus.

Walking around the house in my dressing gown and pondering where to start for I am currently working from home in Level Two. Texts alerted in my work mobile from the Deaf Persons and their requests were when the bank are opening, what is QR barcode tracking and contact tracking? Mm, time to make a video and off to change into ordinary clothes before entering the home office. Blast, the home office was cold, sigh as it was time to turn the heater on.

Young mischief pup – Nova running around with her favourite toy and barking at poor Joseph as he was sleeping in his dad’s chair until he growled back to Nova as to hushed her to be quiet.

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Hours had passed as I was working in the home office until the beautiful sunshine came out at last.. Stepping outside in the courtyard and sat down in the chair to enjoy the warmth and comfort of sun ray as vitamin D played an important role for health. Watching the bees dancing over the shrubs in the garden and what a sight to see them buzzing over the lavender shrubs. Pleasure and enjoyed for the moment of time… The sun going down sooner and it was time to go back inside before mad hours start…. Until Nova decide to pick out the firewood to chew…. Oh bother her!

Nearly time to stop working for another day and let start making a heating fire for it gonna be a cold freezing night. Let the sleeping dogs lie on the sofas as it is their favourite places while Nova munchies a piece of fire wood! My partner – Rusty makes the fire for heating the house while I check final emails and reading newspapers in the office. Rusty yelled out “Mummm”, did you buy Lotto?” My replied was “Yes I am going to get one through online.”. Sooner gonna make the tea – Satay Chicken with rice tonight.

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While waiting for the repair job at one of the people I know who will be able to fix the problem.

Standing outside abide by the lockdown rule – 2 metres from the door of the house yesterday.

Admiring the colour leaves on many trees – brown, orange, yellow, fade green and burst red colours.

You may hear the wind and other strange noises in the video for I can hear a bit through vibrating echo sound of the wind.

All I can see the leaves on the branches bending forward and backward for I know which way the wind were blowing.

There were so many fallen leaves on the ground for many people clean up the leaves by rakes or even mow over just like my partner who mowed the fallen leaves on the ground. Bear not!  It is good for the soil as composting – did you know that?

 

One thing that took my mind off was having the tooth extracted and had a nasty pain for I can not ask for a glass of water from the person I know. I had the tooth extracted done before I started working yesterday. What a way to start having a toothache during the lockdown!

 

Sitting out in the sunshine – waiting for a moment when the lockdown ends!

The Prime Minister – Jacinda Ardern announced from next week Monday 27th at 11:59pm, the Level four drop down to Level 3. It is the reality of not knowing how far we are improving, and the number of Covid19 cases is slowing up by 1445 in New Zealand. Today there was one death which added to 13. The data can be found on the website here – Ministry of Health

As you can see that in Waikato, there are two significant clusters which are from Matamata – Hospitality Venue and between Eureka and Cambridge – Matangi (Aged residential care facility). There are no increasing cases of Covid19 around Waikato since I stopped travelling to Matamata three weeks ago. I made the decision through self determine whether I will be carrying the ‘community transmittal’ or not. I chose not to visit and arranged one of the nurse for I know, who lives near Matamata. Four days ago, the elderly man who linked to the Matamata clusters passed away, and he was linked to the hospitality venue that happened on the night of the lockdown. The number of significant clusters can be found here – Covid19 Health Govt.

I continue to work from home, and there is so much to sort through for the people with disabilities and D/deaf people’s need. There is one problem which has been not resolved, was the Deaf man finding challenging to connect his mobile (Android) to the broadband provider. My work Ipad (Apple) worked well BUT why Android mobile does not work well. We were told that there is no need to pay for the contracts, no need for the landline and it is good to use $5.00 of 30Gb for anyone who is on benefits, seniors and people with disabilities. I made two trips to visit him under essential services and tried my best to resolve the problem, however, from my last visit, I took my work Ipad (Apple), and it worked fine. I MUST find another option for this Deaf man and his mobile android. He can not afford to get any computer/Ipad under Apple technology. Is there anyone who may have a spare Apple laptop/Ipad that will help him within the Deaf community?

I received a friendly email from my manager, and she confirmed that the funding will pay to me for my work from home. That new was an excellent result and lighten my burden of working hours here. I often try to switch my mind off away from all the media and crisis, so I can do things around the home and in the garden. My partner has been very supportive, and he often noticed that I have been working long hours during the day, not at night. However, there is a piece of good news for us – my partner received a call yesterday, and I will have to shift from ‘working from home’ to home role sometimes in the next couple days or next week.

We are entering eighteen days of the lockdown due to COVID 19. The lockdown date was on the 25th of April at midnight.

Today it is an Easter Sunday, and I am enjoying the break from home business, for I am an essential worker under three organisations. I did have a good break on Good Friday the day after my birthday, and I was working on my birthday day.

There are so many things to do around home and in the garden BUT can not decide where to start. Today the weather is becoming an ‘early winter’ because there is a storm coming tonight or tomorrow.

Books to read, tidying up the office, cleaning out the pantry even cupboards, throw out old wear clothes, re-arrange the furniture or to do vegetable seedlings and plant cuttings and keep in the greenhouse over the Winter season and the list go on.

What up with my partner and our three dogs so far?

MM, my partner, did some carpentry in the garage for the last few weeks, did house cleaning, bringing the washing in, and cooking while I was working. Watching any programmes on the television does not convey any exciting for it was plenty of old rerun programmes and we got tired of it. My partner gets fed up with rubbish programmes and kept flicking through all channels. Yes, we do have DVDs but can not be bothered either. Our dogs knew something strange for we are home all the times and they love to prank or ask us to let them out for more runs around the fields. Our dogs notice peculiar sounds and increasing more wild rabbits for they love to chase and try to catch it. Our older dog – Joseph is getting old and resorting himself to a quiet space as he is reaching 11 years old.

Today Joseph found a perfect place to have a nap – on a bed which he did this regularly while we are out. My hubby was going to have a rest after his carpentry and found Jospeh taking over the bed. SO he ended up sleeping on the sofa along with two young dogs. Yep, taking all the space on one long piece of the four-seater sofa.

How much longer do we have a lockdown? I know it is dangerous for everyone who may do foolish to creep outside the bubble or have breach the rule in New Zealand if anyone ignores the lockdown.

These photos were from Te Ara Sallies

When the Great Depression Years started, and where was the first place that causes the problem of financials?

The Great Depression started on September 4th, 1929, in the USA, and it was the result of the stock prices fall quickly. Then on October 29th, 1929, the share markets became crash throughout the world, and it was formerly known as the Black Tuesday. Many countries, including New Zealand, were severely affected from 1930s to 1932 because we, New Zealand, sent many farm exports such as butter, milk, sheep, frozen meats, timbers.

Then there was a Great Recession from 2007-2009, and the result was from the bursting house bubble in the United States between 2005 to 2006 and the financial crisis from one country to another country between 2007 to 2009.  Many businesses forced to closed down the company, house prices from high to low, closing down several banks, and several companies went bankrupt.

I recalled this Great Recession when I was a bank officer/data entry operator and continue to work there until I choose to resign by reaching 20 years of banking experience. Why did I choose to quit at the bank? The manager and HR would not give me a higher level, such as manager or supervisor due to my disability – deaf for they know I was very excellent worker for all departments with four to five human errors within 20 years. I recalled my ex-work colleagues made more human errors and unable to reach the deadline to completed the workloads. Of course, yes, it was discriminated against in my banking experience.

Now today, with the COVID-19, we are facing lockdown in our country along with other countries and some of the businesses such as supermarkets, petrol stations, bus transport, social services, continuing to work for everyone. It is called essential services. The kind of companies as construction works, Sawmills, schools, veterinary are not under essential services. Many of the workers under non-essential services will stay home and able to receive the help of finances during the lockdown, such as wages.  The unemployment rate has gone up, no exports to other countries, the economy fall even share market tumbling down.

I am working as a deaf specialised worker for the D/deaf/Hard of Hearing people and people with disabilities in Waikato while my partner is not working. We prepared for our mortgage/loans to holiday periods by our bank, which had approved, and we are living under my only income.

Have you done the holiday period time for your mortgage or loans?

Have you applied for the help of finances through WINZ?

If not, THEN better to do.

Are we going to recession or not?

Time will tell………

Never stop working within days or two days around the city of Hamilton.

I have been receiving several shopping lists from the Deaf/deaf with other disabilities through faxes and through Viber video conference along with photo attachment at our home.

Waiting at one of the Countdowns Shopping Centre, I was waiting in a short queue and admiring the beautiful sunny early hour of the morning. I realised several trees – changing of colours into Autumn already. Yep, Autumn is a sign of the season now.

I was grabbing one glove for handing packets, fruits, and vegetables after entering the building while a pen and shopping lists with names of the persons I am supporting, on the other hand.

Smooth and walk around by ticking off the request lists of fruits, vegetables, and items.

Arrived at the checkout, I put every product onto the slider and packed it into the shopping bags. I paid and walked back to my car.

It is a safe way of handling products and delivering to every person I met, and I dropped off at their doorsteps. It is to prevent from COVID-19 spreading around, and OH, I drive with the two windows down in the front to allow fresh air circulate the car.

It is my routine works under the essential services. Sometimes it is a hassle or quiet time to see how many people waiting in the queue when I drive to the supermarket before entering the car park. The times’ changes on depending on how people come in to do the shopping.