Life in Eureka

What a melancholy afternoon in Eureka, Waikato!

Regarding the families who have lost their loved ones, we, local neighbours, emergency staff, and Police, worked hard to do our best to assist on the road.

I was out working and had one physio appointment in the city of Hamilton yesterday morning (1/2/2022). After my physio, I popped to New World to get my partner’s basic grocery and lotto tickets. Heading home along the State Highway 26, from Newstead, the traffic of the cars pass too quickly and overtake for some reason. Every day, it had been like this I went to work or came home from work for a while. But yesterday it was different, and I got home at last. I made a late lunch after 1.30pm and let our dogs out for their run. I went into my home office and was just about to sit down while looking outside; Jazz, the dog, came back with a concerned look, and I heard a thunderous bang and crashed out there. I looked outside from the field while calling our young dog to come home. Oh shit, a serious cars accident at the intersection.

I called our dogs to come back inside, grabbed my mobile phone, which had emergency text direct to 111TEXT (Emergency Services) and put on my gumboots. Out of the door, and close the door to prevent our dogs escaped from the house.

Prior arrived at the accident site by foot walking, my neighbour was standing at the driver’s side where another local woman was talking calming to the injured mother who was the driver. I noticed the male person presumed a partner or a husband of the injured mother trying to hold the head, and I called out not to move the mother’s head. I spoke to the woman aware I have First Aid and Health and Safety Representative skills. There was unexpectedly to see the young baby, approximately 2-3 months old and unresponsive, in the baby car seat in the back seat. Not many words to say except whisper quietly to my neighbour. A black car that flipped side up and burned away into flame. The workers of the transport trucks from the other side of the road put out the ignited flame by the fire extinguisher.

I walked around the accident site to check everything in order while motorists made mobile calls to the emergency services and other businesses or friends. Mind you, I am a deaf owner who lives near this accident site. I returned to the car, a young family, until emergency service arrived. Polices arrived first, followed by ambulances and fire engines and reported to them. My neighbour and I waited at the spot where our rural mailboxes are next to the field owned by us. I am not keen to type more details here. We witnessed everything from the start to the end. We are still trying to work out how the three cars accident happened, and we did not see the accident happen. The local woman and her husband were travelling behind these cars. They witnessed the accident. The transporter truck from the other side noticed too. It happened quickly.

The road was blocked for several hours, and I texted my partner about this accident. I suggest he come home on the back road from Ruakura, where he works at the Waikato Expressway Motorway. I went back home and continued eating late lunch and drinking my cold coffee. I texted my sister, mother, two bosses and of course, my partner.

My partner came home early via the back road and cuddled me, knowing I was okay and in disbelief over the accident. Then I got an email from the Police centre saying two people died, leaving two other people moderately injured and one person injured.

I did not sleep much that night and the morning came, I decided to stay home. Three local neighbours texted me about having the blessing at the accident site in the morning. I texted my fourth neighbour about this. We talked about the accident, so we recapped the previous afternoon. Then the blessing took place and placed flowers at the accident site. Except for the fourth neighbour, we walked back to one neighbour’s house for a cuppa.

Currently, there are several speed signs set up at the main State Highway road 26 and the road where we are living. We are trying to get back to our regular routine, and the memory of this accident will remain permanently in my mind, the neighbours’ minds.

Too many young drivers/young generations choose to ignore the speed, overtake or pass the car at the bend intersection, failing to slow down. Yes, other young people behave the same when driving along the State Highway road. We, local people, will be calling for a local area meeting and discuss with the MPs, our local councillor, Waikato District Council staff, Police and the Land Transport New Zealand Authority staff about the plan to reduce the speed.

There are two articles printed in the Waikato Times. See the link as follow here. Note in the second article that a first man arrived at the site, mentioned, “He said maize obscured the view of people coming around the corner from Morrinsville and turning into Hinton Rd.” He did not live here long, as he said four years. My partner and I have lived for more than 6 years, along with our neighbours. It may not cause by the maize obscured the view. We assumed the speed factor made the severe impact of damage to all cars and failed to watch the oncoming vehicle by slowing down if anyone could not see. We do not have the answer for this accident, only the survivors, Police and Traffic Accident Investigation team will tell.

Our dogs are great comfort and company and they stay beside me by checking me in my home office and around the garden. Our dogs are loyals to us.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/300508124/three-people-killed-in-two-serious-crashes-in-waikato?rm=a

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/300508461/man-first-on-the-scene-of-a-doublefatal-crash-found-a-baby-but-no-pulse

Bracing for another hottest summer without rain 2022

“Be Sure Not To Fizzle When The Summer Starts To Sizzle”

Travelling home in Eureka or to work in the City of Hamilton through the daily commute. I love looking at and admiring the wonder of landscape in the rural. I realised and recalled the past years – green to brown colour of the lands and the lack of rain even showers throughout Summertime. What a brunt harsh reminder of the longest drought this year – 2022!

The Greater Auckland city borrows our Waikato River despite their pleas to use it for the last two years. Yes, undoubtedly, the people of the Greater Aucklander facing their own problems by using too much water, not enough to conserve water through daily lives, and the lack of education to new residents from other countries or cities. Their other main problems are the lack of planning, e.g. reservoirs, the lack of finances to build plenty of reservoirs outside the suburbs, and the fast-growing population due to unexpected growth and inability to keep updated population growth. Yes, Auckland Council is in shambles and in the economic crisis through Lockdown and hard times losing businesses.

“A change in the weather is sufficient to recreate the world and ourselves.”- Marcel Proust, ‘The Guermantes Way’, 1920.

Waikato is approximately two hours-one hour and thirty minutes by car travel from Greater Auckland. Our regional is farming for businesses, horticulture, and agriculture. The Waikato River runs from an ancient lake (Lake Huka) in the centre of the North Island to Port Waikato, located outside the Auckland boundary. See the map where the Waikato River (Owned by the Waikato-Tainui) runs.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waikato_River#/media/File:Waikato.png

See the quote from Wikipedias about our Waikato and the River here.

“After widescale droughts in 1994, the use of the Waikato River to supply drinking water for Auckland was first considered. In July 2002, a water treatment plant was opened at Tuakau which was expanded in 2021 after major droughts in 2020.[31]“ “the deed of settlement signed by the Crown and Waikato-Tainui in August 2008 settled the raupatu claim to the Waikato River, although other claims for land blocks and harbours are still outstanding. Waikato-Tainui now have joint management of the River with the Waikato Regional Council.”

Our surrounding area is a wide range from farmings to orchards and the hive of businesses such as Fonterra, farms such as cows, emus, and orchards such as blueberries, strawberries, apples, apricots and many parks, the walkway by the River. I took several photos of our surrounding farmlands and mountain ranges where there are many colours of brownish and a few plots of lands which green for cows to eat and hays.

“Here comes the sun, and I say it’s all right.”- The Beatles, ‘Here Comes The Sun’.

Our neighbourly have been talking about conserving water through rain tanks, limiting watering the gardens every year. We regularly check in the water storage tank, which feeds from the largest reservoirs linked to the Waikato River. Please note we do pay water rates through the Regional Council. Also, to make large water ponds like this one. This pond is about 10 meters by 10 meters, and 3 meters deep is ideal. The water ponds should be at least 6 feet deep but no more than 12 to 15 feet deep. The pond should have an inlet and an outlet (as shown in the picture) lined with rock to prevent erosion. The water level should have a control mechanism, such as a sleeved standpipe fitted with a cut-off valve at the bottom. See the photo here.

Do you know or are aware that the food prices have shot up very high? Many people live in poverty homes with low incomes or are homeless, and they cannot buy food on the tables for their families. We grow vegetables in the garden for our meals or give vegetables and fruits to the FoodBanks. We sell produces to other people on the roadsides to pay the mortgage, rates, and household bills. We visit our local supermarket, and sometimes we go to Pak n Save in the city of Hamilton for our basic groceries.

Yes, there has been a comprehensive claim of Global weather warming over many years. Does anyone have learnt this or not? Does anyone notice our Waikato farmlands and the Waikato River is low?

The first short, brief shower was last Thursday during our family friend’s funeral. It lasted approximately 5-10 minutes, and Waikato people received water just under 5mm of rainfall. The last time we have had rain was 12mm on December 28th 2021. Did we receive heavy rain through Autumn and Winter? Nope! Let’s see – we received rain from May 2021 to the current date; January 22nd was 713mm. That was not precisely the heaviest rain so far, like in the past we used to have an opulence rain from Autumn to Spring, but not now. The Summer heat has gone up to 31oC-32oC in Waikato for the last three years.

Celebration our Resolution!

“New year—a new chapter, new verse, or just the same old story? Ultimately we write it. The choice is ours.”

May the Lord keep you in the palm of His hand, and never close His fist too tight!

Happy New Year – Athbhliain faoi mhaise duit

One of our earliest resolutions back in 2015 was to have the old second house wholly gone, and finally, we have nailed this resolution on the last day of 2021. Yes, it took us a long time to do this job by tearing, pulling down the house by two of us. What was left was the concrete porch and part of the fireplace base.

First, we thought about what to do with the old second home and is it impossible to turn it into a bed and breakfast business or use a part of the house into a studio as my office. We had a look at the plan and the finances for our long term. In the end, we decided to pull down. There is a bed and breakfast business across the main road from us, and I learnt they charge nearly $200.00 a night for one bedroom along with rules such as no animals like the dog in their property.

My partner keeps the good woods such as mahogany, rimu and oak and the rest of the woods goes into the barn to store as firewoods. The good woods will turn into something like a frame, replacing the rotted wood in our house, toys, outdoor chairs.

We thought about using heavy machinery such as tractors, bulldozers and paying someone as a demolition team. What is the point of spending a lot of money hiring or paying someone with extra labour and hours of using the machinery? We have the skills of labouring and using the pieces of equipment and tools, and we went ahead to do this job. Hip hip, hooray!

Our works and course led us away from this project over COVID-19, Lockdowns between 2020 and 2021, bad weather through many seasons, garden jobs such as tree fellings and health issues, and two surgeries. We are grateful to have entirely and made away with the final garden project except for a battle with wild rabbits. What is next to come?? Who knows? There is a never-ending idea or something to do around our home here, for we love this place and enjoy our time away from the city of Hamilton.

Mmm, entering the new Year 2022 made us no different in our lives by living each day and night.

Note – you may notice the first two aerial photos of our current property. There were three houses in the first photo and in the second photo left two houses standing until we bought. In the earliest days, the property belongs to one of the families, including my late great granduncle’s wife – Joy Hinton’s granduncle, his wife and children. It was a farmer’s owner, and the men used the first original house, which we pulled down as a farmhand house, while the young family used the second house where we live now. The family member sold to Hooper’s family, and they ran a business as Eureka Transport around the 1920s in Hooper Road until no room to run the depot as they took the contract from Horotiu. The depot grew in Hinton Road in 1949. This business was to cart fat cattle to Horotiu and back to Eureka. One of the family members of Eureka was Charles (Bill) Edwards, who married Minny Hooper and took charge of the business by 1949. Unfortunately, Eureka Transport Business which you see in the aerial photo, was sold, and the company folded a few years later. We have no idea what happened to the third house, which sat in the field we owned a sizeable vast land.

The unusual and creative bird nest in the rural life

One day, two young children walked down the private road, passing our home to the rural mailboxes. The children’s names are Victoria and Charley, and they live with their parents – a father as a farmhand worker and a mother as a housewife/part-time worker across the road from us. Charley said, ‘Cor blimey’ when they opened the mailbox door flap and found a mess of straw flattened down. Victoria said, ‘ what on earth is that?’

Let run back and tell mum and dad; off they ran home, passing me in the car arrived home in our driveway. I wonder what the children running back in such a hurry. That is not usual for them to run back quickly.

The next few days by, I was outside doing the pruning deadhead roses near the rural mailboxes. Victoria waved in front of me, for she knew I was deaf. Charley was saying something and pointing at their bright red rural mailbox. Mm, I began to chuckle by knowing it would happen every year. I realised they were not living here for a long time as they and their parents moved recently. I went over via the gate of our driveway and walked up to our mailboxes. Charley and Victoria were afraid to open the flap of the mailbox. I placidly to them by carefully opening the flap door to disturb any baby birds inside the mailbox. Ahh, yes, definitely three tiny baby birds are hugging together quietly.

Charley and Victoria peeped to look at the baby birds quietly. Ohh, cor blimey, awe came out from their voices. I assure them and remind them to check daily when their dad comes home from farming.

Day by day, Charley and Victoria love peeping to see the baby birds growing, BUT one day Charley came to see me when I came home from work. Where are the baby birds now? What happening? Did the wrong people take them away? I found it was amusing to see Charley worry about the baby birds, and it repurchased my childhood memory. Victoria came along in a hurry to see what the fuss was about and felt sad that there were no baby birds in the nest. Oh, Charley, they grow big – remember them when you and Victoria watched every day, and now they flew out from the nest as they were strong enough to fly out to explore over many farms.

Mind you, Charley and Victoria, there will be another birds nest next year sitting in the same bright red mailbox. Victoria told Charley, Better tell mum not to move and sweep the grass bits, straw bits and rubbish papers out of their mail box. Charley said, ‘well dad said it is nusiance and bird nests taking over everywhere.’ I chuckled at them quietly and assured them that we have plenty of bird nests in our many tall trees and make loud noises where our dogs hear them. If you look up high and spies carefully where the hidden nests shelter between branches where mother birds fly in. Thank you, Jean, and off Charley and Victoria went home peacefully by knowing the baby birds are adults now.

No matter life are small or big in the world as Christmas approaching

One morning Jean watched the programme – Breakfast News, and there was a discussion about people facing financial, entering in the poverty stage, finding it challenging to meet the end with food as Christmas is coming. Readers are not alone, and there are many families with children, families with a disabled child, and a young couple who have the same problems.

The director of the workplace where Jean work emailed about preparing food parcels and Christmas meals for the homeless people, families, reformed gangs/ex-prisoners and low-income families as Christmas is nearing before our workplace close for a holiday. In Hamilton, New Zealand, people live in Level 3-stage 2 due to Delta variants lockdown, and there is uncertainty if our workplace is open to them to enjoy Christmas meals.

“So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.” – Matthew 6:2

There are broad beans, cabbage, silverbeets and herbs growing in the vegetable garden here. These vegetables will give away to anyone who seeks foods on their table and shares with their children every year. One elderly deaf with CP (Cerebral Palsy) and speech impaired said he gives me half of the vegetable seedlings prices when Jean buys or grow in the garden as a gift and a few vegetables and fruits for vegetables and fruits and other D/deaf people and people with disability. Jean has been growing vegetables and fruits and gave them away to this elderly deaf CP chap, to the Food Parcel Centres, and we keep partially to ourselves here over many years.

“Christmas is the season of joy, of gift-giving, and of families united.”

The first crops grew by a disabled man and us.

Many Christain, like Jean, know about Jesus the Lord, the Holy Spirit and the Son. Jean knows many non-Christain, atheist people, and of course, people who buy toys and technology for their children, have their family around for the day, not going to the church instead of thinking about Jesus. Jean noticed many young people struggling to buy Christmas presents no matter how much the toys and technology cost them a bomb of prices to pay based on what the children love to get. Yes, of course, the average families struggling as well. These people feel too embarrassed to ask for help, feel shame, and do not want their lives exposed to other family/friends they know and do not know where to ask for help.

The message of Christmas is that where there is hope, love, light and life, the plan and purpose of God will reach.

“Peace on earth will come to stay when we live Christmas every day.” “He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree.”

We are not the only country facing despair with financial loss, the high price of food, housing shortage, the loss of employment in business and many other issues. Every other country is faring worst than us here, especially in the third countries like Sudan, Ethiopia, Afghanistan. Indeed many people forgot about them and are keen to look in the other direction away from the Third countries. Every aid worker, Doctors without the Borders, Red Cross workers, and World Vision workers work through toil day and night by making indigenous people and children’s lives better in the villages.

Luke 1: 46-55 “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.”

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Time waiting and waiting!

Has anyone experienced a long waiting for the essential item or technology like a mobile during Level 3 from Wiri, NZ Post Depot, Auckland?

Perhaps yes! I am one of you people as well. Why that?

My work mobile was no more extended function and unable reboot on Saturday evening over the Labour Weekend. It was the battery defected. I live in a rural area outside Hamilton City, and of course, we are in Level 3. The Spark NZ is closed in Westfield, Hamilton, due to restricted paperwork and no click and collect available for me to pick up last week. Last Tuesday, my partner rang Spark NZ, and they recommended to do online and send to me within 3-5 days. I ordered the choice of my new work mobile to replace the old work mobile urgently and hoping it will be delivered by last Saturday (30th October).

Sadly the new replaced mobile did not come, and I was using the tracking number through NZ Post. On 31st October, my ordered new mobile was processed through, and it said it would be delivered yesterday plus another day which is an extra day for the rural delivery today. There was no parcel in the rural mailbox today. I left a couple messages to NZ Post through Messanger, and they replied there has been lengthy processing with huge boxes and blah, blah and of course blah. I left a message to Spark NZ, and they were disappointed to hear about the delay of delivery to our home here. They told me if I don’t have my new replaced mobile by this Friday and give them a message to contact NZ Post in Wiri, Auckland.

Over a week, I lost communication with D/deaf people, disabled people, agencies’ staff, and two workplaces. All I have the communication is email, BUT not all people do not have email. I know it is not helping me as a deaf essential worker for the D/deaf people, disabled people, and other people I am assisting/referring to.

Guess what? In Waikato from tonight, we are going to the new Level 3.2, which means anyone can pop in the retail park. Oh, bother! It was the wrong timing, and I wish it should have done that last week. No, the reality is there is still an increase of Delta cases around Waikato, Kings County and Waipa.

Today I was put off from working at home because I had no idea if there were any texts for me to get in touch with them and feeling frustrated. On the other side, this morning, I received a friendly email along with the certificate I studied at the start of this year. It was from the Commonwealth Disabled People’s Forum in London. This email cheered me up a bit, and I turned to garden work while waiting for the new replaced work mobile.

Our long weekend!!

This Labour Weekend was shocking, disheartening, and frustrating for everyone in Eureka, partially Newstead and Tauwhare. Everyone, including dairy farmers who collect data numbers from cow tags during milking hours, was unable to use WIFI, broadband internet and landline – copper lines over 48 hours today. This incident happened on a Saturday at 2.25 pm without warning and cut everyone off from contacting or using the internet by watching Netflix, playing internet games and social media. I could not work from home during Level 3 to keep in touch with D/deaf people, disabled people and email reports out. Using my work mobile was no help because of the Gb size and data Gb to check on social media, work, and personal email accounts. I was able to text the people I am supporting from my work mobile because I have a job to do for Sunday afternoon.

Spark NZ and Chorus NZ were not helping because Spark NZ gave everyone a 20Gb data promise, and the lack of communication from Chorus was not very helpful. First, the Chorus staff said there was a malfunction at the local where there is a cable line station last Saturday evening. They promised us to hope to hopefully restore within 24 hours, which is due yesterday afternoon. Time past Sunday afternoon, I got home from working as a deaf essential specialised worker for a Deaf CP elderly man for his grocery. Nothing happened as the Chorus team promised. They failed to deliver the restoration to everyone here. I used my work mobile to check email accounts, Chorus outages and Facebook. I came across several comments in our local community that one person was missing Netflix, and she does not know how to use the standard television programme. I told my partner about this comment, and we found it hard to believe this person does not use ordinary television other than Netflix channels. Many of my neighbours were finding frustrated and posted comments on the Facebook local page.

Then my work mobile was unable to use overnight because it would not shut down or reboot without warning. I was planning to clear cache from internet history and delete photos and videos. I could not send out or receive texts from my work mobile, and I was annoyed with this.

I used my partner’s mobile to check our email account, the Chorus outage, and a quick look at the NZ Herald. Nothing is exciting apart from too much news about COVID-19 and cases increasing in Greater Auckland, two new cases in Waikato.

Today is Monday; my partner rang Chorus staff and told me that Chorus staff found the problem with the copper lines. The copper lines will restore today… Mm, I’m afraid I have to disagree with them. My work mobile is not working at all. The next step is we are waiting for the Spark NZ hour and ring them if the shops are opening during Level 3 in Chartwell or in other areas where it is Level 2 is open or not. Why? My work mobile needs to be sorted out or need replacing for me to continue to work through Level 3 with the disabled people and D/deaf people through every level as a deaf essential specialised worker. The weather was not great as we have been partially unable to do the gardening and outdoor works during the wet miserable weather for the last three days. The hours I worked for one and a half only during Level 3, I went out to Hamilton city for the Deaf CP elderly man, and the weather was cloudy yesterday (Sunday). This morning came at 945am, and my partner rang Spark NZ to check any shops open on public holidays. Not one in Chartwell Westfield Mall, only in Cambridge, but it requires booking and going in to sort out my work mobile today or tomorrow. It is not helping because there is an appointment for one Deaf Somalian lady to visit her new GP and the interpreter. I need to test out a reminder text from my mobile if I found the interpreter’s contact detail from the invoice I put in the file. The main problem is to have a video chat – Viber with this Deaf Somalian lady. I cannot use my mobile because it is prepaid, and it had not been top up the cost to use data over WIFI/Mobile Data.

Did we have a great weekend? The answer was a big NO, and we are finding it frustrating along with our neighbours. We pay for the landline as we have got a fax machine to communicate with D/deaf elderly people who do not have their internet and mobiles and ADSL broadband line nearly $190.00 a month. Yes, that is a lot of money for the broadband – 120Gb, out of our incomes. Nothing will be cheaper, and having a fibre line will cost too much money to spend on. But almost every household have got fibre line, and it weakens and reduces the capability of speeds in the rural area. It is not helping us at all.

Good news, at last, copper landline and wifi internet are back on more than 48 hours of waiting through a whole public holiday weekend! The time is 3 pm Monday 25th October 2021.

The lives of people are better or struggling as the world is changing.

Life harmonises through the pace of our daily lives here. We, Waikato people, are going through Level 3 from Level 2 by joining the Greater Auckland since Monday 4th October. Dated: 8th October – informing you that an update about the Northland area is moving up to Level 3 from Level 2 because two women from Auckland are carrying the virus and refusing to work with MOH (Ministry of Health) and Police. These women had not been cooperating with contact tracers.

Why that? Recently a small number of the family went down to Waikato, including Raglan from Auckland. It appeared one of the family members did not have a vaccination jab nearly two weeks ago. Now there has been a talk about the gang of Hamilton visited someone in Auckland, and one of the gang members used the letter permit through the border. I am not interested in these topics because many people lead their lives in different activities, works, frustrated to escape from Greater Auckland and boredom in their household. I stick with the Lord above, and I have true faith in Him through my life as I am a deaf Christian person.

“When we meet real tragedy in life, we can react in two ways–either by losing hope and falling into self-destructive habits, or by using the challenge to find our inner strength.”
― Dalai Lama XIV

There are many global warmings around the countries, increasing crimes, violence bringing more wars, increasing protest marches against vaccination, bush fires, droughts, and the beautiful sights of the La Pama volcano eruption in Canary Island. Technology changes a lot faster for everyone; even most people fall victim to hackers, scams, money laundering, and many other barriers for disabled people and D/deaf people while more sophisticated and flexible use of technology. We genuinely don’t know what is around the corner. I see more worry, more depression, but some positive changes in our daily lives when I am working out there as a deaf essential specialised worker.

We also can suffer the calamities of past eras, like the economic meltdown of the Great Depression. Now, the 1918 flu pandemic is a sudden spectre in our lives. From 1918 to 1920, it was a most extended flu pandemic, and it was called the Spanish Flu, which knows as The Greatest Influenza epidemic. In the timeline, there were four different waves of virus sweep through people’s lives between 1918 and 1920. The virus strain was A (H1N1) pandemic similar to the 2009 influenza A virus subtype H1N1 (A/H1N1) is a subtype – swine flu. In New Zealand, the flu killed an estimated 6,400 Pakeha (or “New Zealanders primarily of European descent”) and 2,500 indigenous Maori in six weeks, with Māori dying at eight times the rate of Pakeha.[203][204] during the second wave of a new strain in October 1918. https://nzhistory.govt.nz/influenza-pandemic-reaches-peak-mortality

There are many disabled people facing hardship, barriers getting through services, technology, the lack of home helps carers, and many other issues in the community today. Many D/deaf people are finding it challenging to communicate in their daily lives out in the community.

The history of the new virus strain is repeating today.

Looking at the current of the water flowing down the river remind me of the river of life. The channel of the flowing water runs smoothly in one direction. While the other track of the flowing water runs wildly or roaring down. What about the calm of the day into a violent storm? These kinds of weather and the river of life make sense in our daily lives. Every morning, we wake up to find another day to keep moving through the day to night – no matter nothing will stop us from doing things except if there is a Level Four, and we will find something to catch up around the home and our property to make up for the lost time.

I don’t know how long the virus of the pandemic will last or going to end. Everyone keeps asking me daily – how much longer? When it will end? I don’t have the answer, but I keep saying, “stay positive, stay strong, keep moving forward and safe.”

Times are challenging for a lot of people at the moment – including our members. But we know that our members also do unique and beautiful things with the time given to them. And that’s always worth celebrating.

Kia kaha, e nga hoa. ❤️

“Every day, think as you wake up, today I am fortunate to be alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it. I am going to use all my energies to develop myself, to expand my heart out to others; to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all beings. I am going to have kind thoughts towards others, I am not going to get angry or think badly about others. I am going to benefit others as much as I can.”
― The Dalai Lama

Equations of Life through Lockdown in New Zealand

“People like us, we think differently, don’t we? We are different. We do all the things that others do. But when it comes down to it, we don’t need anyone else. We’re happy doing what we do and having obligation interferes with that. And sometimes I think we don’t even need ourselves. What’s most important is to find out whether we’re right or not.”

― Simon Morden, Equations of Life

Waking up in the morning today as the weather is not so nice to bring the sunshine yet. We are amid the lockdown for the second time in New Zealand. Why? Recently there was a new variant, COVID19, officially called Delta COVID, in greater Auckland early this year.

Many people’s lives have burdens by the guidelines of Level 4 and are forced to close many businesses, work, and follow restricted rules in public Hospitals, Polices, Fire departments, and the list goes on. The most significant impact of the loss is financial, getting food suppliers to deliver to each household, especially elderly people’s homes and disabled people in Greater Auckland regions. Many essential workers are working from home, in the hospitals, Fire Departments, Police, in the Resthomes, and the list goes on while others are not ‘essential’ workers stay home with their children and try to find something to do home.

The most significant impact is the social services such as Budgeting and Food Parcel services. They are seeking out more foods coming in so the team can continue to deliver to the people who can not come to supermarkets in the Greater Auckland regions.

While the rest of New Zealand are in Level 2, they are doing well except for the lack of awareness where many disabled people and several elderly people can not wear cover masks in public. Several outcries were harassed and bullied by other people, telling them that disabled people must wear masks or not come to the supermarket. Many D/deaf people face difficulty lip-reading or seeing other people’s facial expressions with a cover mask. Also, the lack of awareness in NZSL (New Zealand Sign Language) in public shops, supermarkets and pharmacies. It has been a constant battle between D/deaf people and people in public places through communication.

The DPAs (Disabled People Assembly), DPOs (Disabled People Organisation) and Deaf Aotearoa have not done much action. This year, MOH and DPAs have exemption cards to allow anyone who has difficulty breathing, health condition even D/deaf can not wear the mask. It is not really working because there are still messages such as disabled people have been hurt, harassed or bullied by other people in public shops. DPAs asked the journalists to write an article and printed it in the media to spread around. Not everyone has read the article. I have been in touch and inform the staff at the high level in Waikato Hospital. They ARE looking at the option of wearing a clear transparent mask to meet their financial budget, staff training and ordering the number of clear mask boxes annually. They have a transparent shield that works well if any nurses can remove their cover mask in their comfort zone.

The hospital and the mask manufacturing are working on a clear/transparent mask when anyone wears glasses to prevent fogging up the cover. I ordered two masks from the company which I am happy to pay for this. In many companies and the mask manufacture business in New Zealand, I suggest you consider making one available in New Zealand.

The next step was to start teaching people in public about wearing masks and the ability to communicate with any D/deaf people through sign language, gestures, and writing down or using mobile notes. I give you an example of yesterday activity in Chartwell Westfield Mall with an elderly Deaf with disabilities man while I am a deaf essential worker.

I took a deaf elderly man – Henry (not real name), to the bank while he was not wearing a mask, and I wore a mask until I removed my mask for him to lip read me. Henry was using the shopping trolley for his support balance. The staff knew us well. Prior arrived at the desk to make a cash withdrawal, one staff where we were standing was not know to us, but the other staff stand next to this staff spoke and explained we were deaf. This staff removed the mask, and we lip read. This staff made the cash withdrawal processing and used gestures while wearing the mask. The people who came inside the same room overheard while I was working and communicating with Henry. These people realised how important for D/deaf people and the need to lip read/gestures/write down anywhere we go. Two people said they never thought about this or met any Deaf people before, which is different from Hard of Hearing elderly people.

After leaving the bank, we walked to the next shop as I wore a mask, and Henry did not. We approached one queue line at the entrance of the Books Shop. Henry does not want to wait in a queue. I walked along the side of the people who stayed and saw one of the staff at the counter, for she knew Henry and me. I wore a badge of my workplace and my first name on my lovely jersey. She let us in and explained that I am a deaf essential worker for Henry. Surprised that these people who waited in the queue accepted us to walk through and continue doing a quick shop around the Books Shop. Then the next shop was the Money Exchanges, a Fijian Indian chap who had his own cultural perspective. I explained to him that we are deaf and the need to lip read or gestures. He politely accepted for we are Deaf and a new experience for this staff. He used gestures and exchanged Henry’s NZ notes for UK pounds plus a little note to say, please, 50cents required.

Henry and I walked on to the Pharmacy to get a bottle of showering cream while Henry walked on to the supermarket. I told Henry to wait at the entrance of the supermarket. Before arriving at the entrance of the supermarket, where is Henry? I asked the staff who keep the ‘counter number crushing’ hand device of the people inside the supermarket. I told this staff I am deaf and have you see a deaf elderly man with a grey jacket. This staff said by pointing toward inside the supermarket but asking about using mobile COVID tracker. I told this staff that Henry hated mobile, but I have one with me wherever I go and make a note for his niece, and of course, I said Henry is deaf. The staff was surprised for not knowing Henry is Deaf because he did not tell this staff. This staff let me in until I found Henry with the mask on poorly fitting. I recorrect his mask fitting properly, so he was comfortable with it.

Henry and I did not have any lousy drama, no received abuse words, people who saw us and they were respectful to us by learning how to value we Deaf people need to lip read, sign language, gestures even write down.

Next week something exciting and to share more stories. It will be an International Week of Deaf People, and there are different themes each day.

Spring Time – September 2021

Admiring late winter flowers are out while bees dance from one flower to another to collect pollen on a beautiful sunny day.

It is time for Spring to come sooner and later. Birds such as fantail birds swooping down the cherry flowers for nectar and up in the air.

How bless the sunny day bring joy and brighten up the gloomy cold winter!

Our dogs love running and chasing odd cars with trailers, tractors, heavy farming harvesters, hay balers machinery that goes past our property and of course, the joggers. Oh, what fun to see our dogs chasing them around the field. Surely their running days will give them exercise daily when mum is home while dad is at work during the day.

Oh, what a way to see many cows on our neighbour’s farmland as it was their time every Spring time rotation to another most extensive farmland. Being cautious by our young dog inspecting cows grazing grass on the neighbour’s property.

How cunning are the rabbits! Dogs love to hunt them down by chasing around the fields and gardens but always fail to catch any rabbits. Where are the rabbits popping up from nowhere so far, for we know there are baby rabbits and adult rabbits out there.

Ah, oh, what lives do we have in our home and gardens that bring us joy, laughter, tears, and, of course, gratitude?

Surely for one thing is the bugger weak wifi reception out here since Spark NZ upgrade fibre line – 5G since Christmas 2020. It is not really helping us and our neighbourly around here as we lives in the rural country. It is life.