What a crisp morning to start the day of lockdown 4 again!

Friday – Day Three (20/8/2021)
Yep, we are bracing for the second time around the battle – between human and Delta Variant strains from COVID19. This time it is a huge battle to fight back by going through Lockdown for the second time round in New Zealand.

Our lives are just ordinary daily lives such as cleaning, working from home, gardening, doing woodwork, resting, even reading books while our dogs run and rest out in the courtyard or on mum and dad’s bed. There is nothing good programme to watch as there are too many reruns programmes and old programmes which are no use for us to watch again. But we like to watch two or four channels – House Restoration, Escape to the Chateau DIY, gardening programmes, and The Repair Shop’s popular programme.

A Day out to work during Lockdown Four – 20/8/2021

Sunday – Day Five
What a fantastic way to relax and wind down on a beautiful day today!
I have been sitting out in the sunshine while dogs basking in the warmth of sunlight on them. My partner humming away, making something in the double garage. No social media or to watch t.v. so far, just reading the book I am trying to finish, and finally, I finished reading the book by lunchtime.

Future Girl by Asphyxia

The night came, a text chimed, and it was from a Deaf elderly man who asked me, “Hi Jean, please let me when all shop open let me know then mobile ok Er.” Oh sigh, this chap is very stubborn and still can not understand the severe virus, Level Four, and does not follow any update about banks and shops. Last year, he did not ask for help through me until he had a mild heart attack and was fitted with a pacemaker during the Lockdown 2. Before the Lockdown, I asked the Deaf elderly people and disabled people, including him and his Deaf wife, that I am there to help, assist, and deliver any groceries as a deaf essential worker. He had the overdue bills for three months of Lockdown until his Deaf wife asked me to do the online banking to pay their bills and, of course, cash as reimbursed to my account for them at last. Mm, tonight I texted several clear messages back to him, “Banks closed, shops closed. Supermarkets and Four Squares are open BUT strict rules and wear masks and use EFTPOS card only. Level Four mean closed.”

Monday – Day Six
Woke up to find a chilly, frosty morning and wishing the sun would come out sooner than later. Clicking, tapping, typing and slurping coffee in the home office as the noise of the ride-on mower went past the home office. The sun shining through the long narrow window at last and looking at the clock just after sending off the message. Mumbling, annoying the wifi while using ethereal cable still playing up and gonna have a break to do roses pruning.
Lunch arrives, and having a break while flicking through T.V. channels. Oh, bland and nothing fancy to watch. Time to check messages, video messages. Yeps, several letters to sort out.

Rolling on to 4pm, it is time for the breaking news about lowering the Level Four to Three or not from tomorrow night. Dang! Nope, and better safe than sorry. Auckland cases rise, and many new locations increased, and in Wellington, cases slowly increased.

The result is we remain in Level Four until Friday 27th while Auckland remains until Tuesday 31st. Better to stay safe, isolated from any family members from outside Auckland/in a different suburbs or friends.

https://beyondtheshopdoor.com/2020/05/06/36-of-the-best-inspirational-quotes-for-strength-in-hard-times/

Farewell Des….

What a way to start off to read the newspaper in the early morning! I was saddened to read the death notice in the newspaper, for we lost a Christian chap on the 30th of July, and he was a close tie with his Christian faith and the parish of Hamilton East St John’s Methodist. He knew our family and grandparents for many years in Hamilton East and was involved with the Methodist Conference New Zealand. He was a trustee of the funding organisation, and he was generous gave us the funding to Hamilton Deaf Christian Fellowship and the community over the years.

Neville and Des Jack – https://houseremoval.co.nz/About+Us.html?id=AcaSkxbtWFLN5aw&mv_pc=s

His name was Des (Desmond) Jack, and born and raised in Hamilton East. His father, brother and grandfather came from construction/builders and, of course, house removal back in 1896 in Hamilton East, New Zealand. From the start around 1904, Des’s grandfather George Jack was involved with the planning to build a church by selling a part of the land, which was 1/4 acres of the section plus a 90ft. frontage of Wellington Street, Hamilton East. The committee, including the chairperson – Rev. Blamires, agreed over the planning and went ahead until the final payment was on the 5th of April 1910. The committee decided to set up the first “Trust” as St John’s Methodist Parish/Church on the 9th of May in 1910. George Jack played a significant role in St John’s Methodist Parish, the committee and, of course, his business as House Transit Removal for many years. George had a son called Vic and two grandsons – Des and Neville, who also involved with St John’s church over many years. Then we have a William (Bill) Young – a builder who came along and joined St John’s Church and the team in established growth of the church building.

Jack Transit House Removal before 1905

St John’s Parish in 1920s

Our late father – Raymond, was a builder under William (Bill) Young of Hamilton East and him, along with his two brothers, except one brother, went to church. Our late grandmother – Hilda (Biddy), was the parishioner and involved with the Women Leagues until her death. I remember going to St John’s church and joining the Women Leagues group every school holiday and often during the Sundays when our mother (a young widow) needs a break from four children. The meeting of the other parishioners is how I came to know Des and his wife Dale and Neville Jack when my sister and I were very young, and my parents got married at St John’s Parish. Des was an excellent mentor to my sister during her teenage, for our father died in 1970. Later, Des received the Queens Service Medal for the community works and Paul Harris fellow.

Today St John’s Church is no longer there and replaced with a brand new building that met the Earthquake Standard Act Codes in 2016. Neville Jack was on the committee for this planning building a church.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/75808623/re-build-on-methodist-church-in-hamilton-east-underway

Farewell, Des; thank you for your kind gifts, wisdom and for being there to support the community and us.

Here is a quote for you as you gave up the battle of your health into the grand old age to be with your wife – Dale, parents and grandparents in heaven.

“I have come home at last! This is my real country! I belong here. This is the land I have been looking for all my life, though I never knew it till now…Come further up, come further in!” 
― C.S. Lewis, The Last Battle

“We never know how God will answer our prayers, but we can expect that He will get us involved in His plan for the answer. If we are true intercessors, we must be ready to take part in God’s work on behalf of the people for whom we pray.” 
― Corrie ten Boom

Wind down and take a breather from work!

Peter (Rusty – my hearing partner) and my sister said I deserved a proper holiday break from social service. This quote was just right for us, who works under MCA (M. Social Services in Hamilton) last weekend. Big Thank you to the funding board for having us a weekend break in Coromandel, North Island.

Apart from the long winding road, the staff picked other staff from Hamilton en route to our home via Coromandel. It was a cloudy afternoon, and at the last minute of haste, one guy to drop off an item house before I left. Two cars filled with staff arrived simultaneously, with one guy in a separate car at the gate while our dogs barked loudly. Oh boy, what a rush off afternoon!

The scar mark in the farming land showed from the heavy flooding in the Pinnacles mountains in Coromandel Forest Park on September 10 2019, and July 23 2017. Arriving before Tairua for a quick loo break at Kopu as the staff request and breather before heading the longest winding road along State Highway 25a and 25 up the mountain peaks. Between Kopu and Tairua routes, the mountainsides showed brunt marked from the flooded landslips that closed the main State Highway 25 and 25a on July 23 2017. This flooding and landslips repurchased my memories. Rusty called out to do the evacuation job by clearing approximately 50 metres wide and blocking both lanes, cutting local people and tourists. The work took many days to reopen the roads.

Finally, we reached Tairua and walked around to do exercise. We resume travelling, passing Pumpkin Hill, Whenuakite, by turning right toward Purangi and arriving at Cooks Beach to continue as the night drawing when we arrived at Flaxmill Lodge.

Closer to the place we will be staying at Flaxmill as afternoon fading.

Ah, bliss and how peaceful and excellent a place to spend a holiday break at Flaxmill Lodge. Before we all head out to Whitianga from the Ferry Landing, which takes under 8 minutes ferry ride, rest at last. We walked around and found a place to have dinner meal during the Friday busy night.

From the Ferry Landing to Whitianga

Mmm, Where is Flaxmill Bay? Peaceful, seaside campground and accommodation set within landscaped grounds at Flaxmill Bay on the east coast of the Coromandel Peninsula. A short walk/ferry ride to Whitianga, walking distance to Cooks Beach or a short drive to Cathedral Cove and Hot Water Beach. It is accessible for disabled people/children and other people to use this Flaxmill Accommodation and camping ground.

Flaxmill Bay, Coromandel, New Zealand. https://www.flaxmillbay.co.nz/about-us/

My God is my rock in Whom I take refuge. Psalms 18:2

Quote of the Day

“Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening (seeing/watching) when you would rather have talked (sign language/lip reading). Mark Twain”

Flaxmill Accommodation Lodge – Staff Breaks

Ahh, Here come Sunday this morning; it is the last day of staff’s retreat weekend as we face going back to our homes today.

Did everyone here enjoy a short relaxing and wind down over this weekend? Indeed we all did and thoroughly washed our thoughts and stress away.

What did I do while basking in the glorious sunshine yesterday? Here are the video clips…

Weekend away from home

“When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive -to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.” – Marcus Aurelius

Spending time away from home of Eureka and work in Waikato this weekend – What a great way to start off on a journey to wind down and take a breather off my mind along with our work colleagues in Coromandel! Just six of us under Methodist City Action – Hamilton Methodist Social Service. What a laptop here with me?? A pen and notebook would be good, but I need some assistance to improve my writing and collect new words.

Staying at Flaxmill Lodge, Mercury Bay near Cooks Beach, NZ

How bliss the sunshine shining here through the window from the mountain and giving warmth and light! For I know the Lord is with us always and count our blessing today.

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” – Jeremiah 17:7-8

How strange to be away from my partner, our three dogs and our home for such a long time! It is a different time when my partner was in the hospital for his new hip replacement early this year. How blissful to sleep in the large bed without a partner, two dogs sleeping on the bed and Joseph the older sleeping on the floor. This means no shuffling, bumping, pulling blankets side by side, even dogs taking our space.

“And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” – 2 Corinthians 9:8

The sun rose above the mountain and keep shining on the ground, giving more warmth sunshine, for it was 3oC in the early hour of this morning. Walking around the lounge and found this book I came across. It is worth reading this book.

Looking forward to the rest of the day coming before we head back to our home in Eureka and their homes in Hamilton City tomorrow morning.

“Dōgen states that the eternal Buddha-mind or enlightenment is found in everything from tiles to oceans to mountains to stones.
David Edward Shaner, The Bodymind Experience in Japanese Buddhism

Enlightenment is found within the mind, not outside it in various worldly phenomena. It is found in wisdom, not ignorance, in virtue and purity, not evil and pollution.
“William Bodri, Socrates and the Enlightenment Path”

Understanding in the Christian Leadership role

Is there any way to understand the role of a Christian Leadership in the church, group and training college?

Ann (nom de plume) came across one video by the Deaf woman of Hamilton, hoping to establish a Deaf Christain camp and a team in 2022. In the video, she signed about Christain Leadership and signed about studying the course through Christain College. Mm, Ann thought, how can any Deaf person understand and lead the excellent leadership role to their Deaf parishioners in the church? It is a big challenge to become a good leadership role to all interest by the Deaf Christain persons. 

Can any Deaf Christain people move away from the ‘toxic’ area from the Deaf community? We do not have the answer, let alone and pray, if they realise and understand what was going on out there?  

When a person creates an idea to lead the group, it must work together as a team, not be pushed around or ordering someone to do the work for anyone. The other tool is to find someone to mentor the person and the team to become a good leader. One person must remember to limit the highly speaking and creating the idea, or problem solving because that person will become too enthusiastic and forget about any Deaf Christain people’s chance or choice to speak up. This person is the result of too inferior leadership role at the table or in the church. 

Irrespective of how anyone defines a leader, he or she can prove to be a difference-maker between success and failure. A good leader has a futuristic vision and knows how to turn his ideas into real-world success stories. It is essential for anyone as ‘a leaders know the way, goes the way and shows the way.”  

Let us see the excellent leadership role, qualities and principles, examples of teaching, and leading other church or youth groups that separate good leaders from bad ones. 

Let see what the principles of becoming or gain the learning to improve are. 

  1. Love
  2. Modesty
  3. Self-development
  4. Motivation
  5. Correction
  6. Integrity
  7. Follower of God’s Will

https://churchleaders.com/outreach-missions/outreach-missions-articles/324807-the-5-marks-of-a-great-christian-leader.html/2

https://online.campbellsville.edu/ministry/christian-leadership-principles/

Here are ten characteristics to consider.

  1. A Leader Must Have a Profound Sense of God’s Call
  2. A Leader Must Grow in Their Relationship with God
  3. A Leader Must Be Compassionate 
  4. A Leader Must Be Passionate 
  5. A Leader Must Be Visionary 
  6. A Leader Must Become Entrepreneurial
  7. A Leader Must Be Contextual 
  8. A Leader Must Be a Planner 
  9. A Leader Must Be a Lifelong Learner 
  10. A Leader Must Be a Delegator and Empowerer of Others

Peter walk toward Jesus on a stormy sea forecast the dilemma of Christians in future centuries. Stormy change often leaves believers seasick as the gospel shrugs off the shackles of one historical period after another on its journey to the outer limits of recorded time and beyond.

Today’s Christian leaders face upheaval as time roars into the 21st century. They must walk with Him and obey Him on a raging sea of social, economic, moral, cultural, and technological change unprecedented in human history. Like Peter, they must decide which is more vital—their faith in God or their fear of the future. Simon Peter climbed out of the boat, believing he could follow Jesus’ command to walk on water. However, anchored by his limited view of the possible, his faith faltered, and he sank. Church leaders on a mission today must also step out in faith from their anchored past to answer Jesus’ command to communicate His unchanging message in a mighty roaring sea of change.” 

Here is another example of making an outstanding leadership by a different author. 

  1. Great leaders lead
  2. Great leaders model
  3. Great leaders pray
  4. Great leaders learn
  5. Great leaders love

Ann began wondering how the other churches can learn more from the Deaf Christain people and other disabled people in their churches. She realised it is different to lead the churches by the disabled, even Deaf people, for example, communicate in sign language, braille Bibles. Today, many new technologies make disabled people and Deaf people’s lives better than before as there were so many barriers that restricted Deaf people/disabled people. There are more tools to develop a better course for any Deaf people or Deaf with disabilities people to study “The leadership role”. Yes, there is one problem: financial to provide excellent tools like computer, laptop, literacy resources plus in NZSL versions, Bible study in NZSL and Easy to Read versions. Many Christain people seek funding, receive bequests donations, fundraising to help disabled Christain people, even to Deaf Christain people. 

Here are other simple tools for leadership qualities are: –

  1. Honesty and integrity
  2. Confidence
  3. Inspire Others
  4. Commitment and Passion
  5. Good Communicator
  6. Decision-Making Capabilities
  7. Accountability
  8. Delegation and Empowerment
  9. Creativity and Innovation
  10. Empathy
  11. Resilience
  12. Emotional Intelligence
  13. Humility
  14. Transparency
  15. Vision and Purpose

https://blog.taskque.com/characteristics-good-leaders/

There are plenty more ideas for becoming a good leadership person than a bad one. 

Great Stewardship

In Christian organisations, God calls us to be good stewards of all our resources, especially the people we have entrusted. Leadership is about enabling those people to achieve their full potential, not only to achieve but exceed their goals in God’s Kingdom service. Developing leadership excellence leads to the fulfilment of individual and organisational potential.

Growing Christ-centred leaders is an investment in excellent stewardship.

Great Outcomes

People who have expertise and skill in an organisation’s technical and operational aspects natural rise to leadership positions. Nevertheless, leadership is about much more, requiring an additional, new and different skill set.

Authentic leadership, modelled on Christ, is not about position, it is about the role, and it emerges from a Christ-like servant heart that understands how to enable others to be the best they can be in God’s service. This leadership skill set is the critical factor that allows leaders, the people they lead and their organisation to achieve excellent outcomes.

Growing Christ-centred leaders is an investment in achieving excellent outcomes.

Great Reputation

Alas, it is sadly all too easy to come across Christian organisations with a reputation for not reflecting the character of Christ as they ought. The culture of any organisation built on the character and style of its leaders. Leaders become nurtured and grown to lead in a way modelled on Jesus create a vital and vigorous organisation that enjoys a reputation for being Christ-like.

A good reputation is essential; not only does it honour God, but it correlates with effectiveness, high productivity, easy recruitment and low staff churn.

Growing Christ-centred leaders is an investment in the witness of an excellent, God honouring reputation.

A Christ-focused organisation

The quality and character of its leaders define the quality and character of an organisation. There are two possibilities as to the source of this character: the world or Christ.

Leadership styles based on secular models, which is the default unless specific steps take, will lead to an organisation with a worldly character. Leadership styles that emerge from obedience to Christ’s teaching and reflect his nature will be distinctly Christ-like. As with every aspect of the Christian walk developing Christ-likeness takes prayerful effort. If becoming more Christ-like alone is not enough, such a character will significantly enhance an organisation’s reputation amongst its peers.

A highly committed and engaged staff

Study upon study shows that the best performing organisations enjoy the highest levels of staff commitment, the lowest levels of toxic attitudes, and very high staff satisfaction levels. They show that this results only from the highest leadership quality focused on enabling others to achieve their best. Leadership born from a character-centred on Christ’s Servant heart is a leadership style of the highest quality.

Creativity and vigour

Organisations with the highest quality of leadership and a staff who delight in achieving their best are vibrant and vigorous. They are creative and innovative, as they find better and more effective ways of working and using their resources. They excel in resolving complex issues and challenges which would otherwise limit achievement.

Growing high-quality people

Christ-centred servant leaders are concerned with enabling those they lead to achieve their full potential in Kingdom service. Consequently, they invest in the quality of their people by growing their skills, experience, confidence, and wisdom. Studies show that high-quality people with high levels of staff satisfaction lead directly to the highest quality outcomes for the organisation.

Extending organisational capacity

The high levels of commitment, job satisfaction, vigour, creativity, and quality that emerge under exemplary leadership enable organisations to work smarter and more efficiently, finding more effective ways of using often limited money and resources. As a result, they will increase their organisation’s capacity because they can achieve more with the limited resources available.

Highly effective performance

As a direct result of exemplary Servant leadership, exhibiting a character-centred on Christ’s Servant heart, an organisation will not only reflect Christ’s character more brightly, but it will be highly effective and able to achieve more. Studies show that similar organisations massively outperform their peers on key staff, operational, and financial measures.

Growing the Servant Heart

Growing the Servant Heart is a leadership development curriculum designed to help anyone do just that. Rooted in the Bible and practical experience, it seeks to draw out and apply the leadership principles taught and modelled by Jesus.

http://christian-leadership.org/christian-leadership-skills-9-reasons-why-they-are-worth-the-effort/

All humans tall and little, all things bright and beautiful.

Hūtia te rito o te harakeke, kei hea te kōmako e ko?

Kī mai ki au, He aha te mea nui?

Māku e kī atu. He tangata, he tangata, he tangata.

Take the heart from the flax bush and where would the bellbird sing?

Ask what is the greatest thing?

I will tell you. It is people, people, people.

https://tikitouringnz.blogspot.com/2013/12/spoonbills-other-birds.html

People are everyone – children, babies, adults, teenagers, disabled people and children and D/deaf people and children as one whole universal people.

What people who are deaf with a disability or multi disabilities, people with mental illness, elderly persons?
This group of people/children with multi disabilities, along with D/deaf are human like us.

Mm, what I am trying to work out by putting a piece of advice or details about us to you – readers? Do you realise there are more than 1 billion disabled people in the world? This result came from the WHO (World Health Organisation), and yes, it is an updated result. Perhaps you did not see anyone with disability/disabilities in your area, street, park even anywhere you did not see anyone with disability/disabilities in your area, street, park even anywhere you work in the building.

If you do not know much about us – disabled people, even D/deaf people well, or a little bit of understanding-you may have a family member who has a disability.
Please consider learning from us; otherwise, you will be fantastic to see or realise we do have the skill, ability to do in a different way of communicating, activity and the ability to understand you.
Yes, I know that people are often afraid, unsure how to communicate, or unsure how to get involved with us. But, the worst of all, we disabled people, D/deaf people and D/deaf people with disabilities, are often left out or forgot that we are there in the same room without chatting or include us in your meeting.

In New Zealand, we – disabled people, D/deaf people and deaf with other disabilities people facing many house crisis, shortage of financial income, bleak of finding a job and no friendly accessible everywhere. We are not the only human facing huge problems; everyone else looking for a place with a roof over the head faces a shortage of houses. We – disabled people, are at the bottom of the list than anyone else able to gain a home with a roof, find a job, or earn a little income for their children.

Stop thinking of the planning design, infrastructure first and start listening to us on what we need with a friendly, accessible environment and homes with a roof over our head. I could challenge high profile players like property developers, property investors, architects, Maori Trustees of the Boards, Rental management Brokers/investments, and other people like the MPs, Council Staff. A tool called ‘Universal Design” logged and implemented into the Building Act Law in Ireland. The device called the “Rethinking” project because they may not know about us, instead of bickering over the high-cost infrastructure to install in the ground, even inside the house. The rethinking tool is ideal for making everyone change their attitudes, learning about us, their behaviours, and perhaps overall, challenge implementing the law through the Government. Check out this website http://universaldesign.ie.

We are human like you, and we have the gift of wisdom, leadership, teaching and experience from birth/after accidents to pass on to the next generation as we learnt from the previous generations.

Twenty-seven years ago

The year 1997, between August and early October, was the highlight for me as I was travelling from one country to other several countries. So why am I writing this blog about 1997? First, I read the NZ Herald and came across the article about the Royal Family that caused my eye. The article was about the opening of Princess Diana’s Memorial Garden and to mark the 60th Years of her age.

I decided to have another holiday break back in 1996, made the plan, contacted several cousins and friends in the UK, Europe, and Canada, and checked the airfare and accommodation prices in Ireland. I booked the date and month from August to early October 1997 and paid everything in advance plus my work leave. Everything was okay leading up to the 29th of August; my mother heard the tragedy over the radio while my youngest brother saw the breaking news on television. I was out visiting a friend and unaware of the breaking news until I got home. My mother said a violent car crash in Paris, France, where Princess Diana was killed and her partner. There may be some delays with the flights and funeral that spoiled my holiday plans. But, I said to my mother, “nothing will stop me from going on a long holiday.”

Off, I went on a holiday, and my first stopover was London, UK, because a young lady was living there for the first time from New Zealand. She was working as a service coordinator for the Deaf Community in Hamilton, New Zealand. Tania was the name of this young lady. Before arriving at Heathrow, UK, the air hostess said there would be a slight delay in landing due to heavy air traffic. So I was in the aeroplane and the other passengers and staff for about 30 minutes in the air. Obviously, the reason why there were so many high-profile people coming to Princess Diana’s funeral.

We landed at Heathrow Airport, and I made my way to the Bed and Breakfast hotel with Tania, who met me at the airport. I showed Tania around London as sightseeing. Ohh, what strong perfume floating everywhere we walked around London, and we passed the Kensington Palace. We saw massive rows to rows of flowers, bouquets of flowers, wreaths and many messages lying on the ground toward Buckingham Palace. We stopped briefly to look at everyone who paid respect and to mourn the loss of Princess Diana. Then, we walked away from this to the other side – Mayfair, Soho, and back to Chelsea, where I was staying. A couple days later, I took a train to Nottingham to see my cousin and his family on my late father’s mother’s side family. I was not bothering about the Royal family and staff preparing the funeral and enormous crowds in London. Still, I am glad to be out of London.

We did not watch the Royal family on TV or read the papers because we were travelling around Notts and Warwickshire before catching a flight to Vancouver, Canada. I flew to Vancouver and stayed there for several days before heading out to Edmonton, where I stayed with my mother’s new friends. They took me to visited the Deaf School called Alberta School for the Deaf (ASD), where I met several D/deaf children and the principal. They also showed me around Edmonton for several days.

I returned to the UK via Heathrow and took a rental car to Wales. I stayed in several bed and breakfast hotels and Patrick’s sister and her family’s place and drove around Wales. Before making my way to Warwickshire – Solihull, I caught up and stayed with my cousin and her family for a few nights. There was nothing to talk about the funeral and afterwards over Prince William and Harry. I took a flight to Ireland from Birmingham Airport, and the flight was delayed due to a mechanical fault. The air hostess gave me a new seat in the business class – oh wow! The flight to Dublin was quicker than I thought.

Croeso I Gymru – Welcome to Wales

In the morning, I finally read the newspaper in the hotel lobby after breakfast. I saw there were severe fuss and drama over the royal family, the press, the partner’s family in the media. This was how I remember the media, the blame by the partner’s family, heartbreaking stories and the result of the violent car accident. But from that day, I completed my tour around Ireland and flew back to Birmingham, UK. I hired another rental car and Cambridgeshire – St Ives, where she got a little fella under 2 years old. I was completely forgotten about Princess Diana’s death, media and the drama of the Royal Family. I finished off my holiday in the UK before heading home to Hamilton via Auckland, New Zealand early October.

Oh, that was a long time ago – twenty-seven years since Princess Diana’s violent death.

Jack Frost came as winter kick in

June 24th 2021, waking up in the early hours of this morning – blimey freezing as we walked on the floor, and my partner lets the dogs out for a run.

our home in the very early hour of the morning

Young Nova, the dog, walked on tipping paw each time she walked on the grassy and Nova came back as soon as cuddling up to my legs. Sheer, Joseph, and Jazz came back and begged for dog treats as soon they walked up to the pantry door.

Yep, Jack Frost banged on the first day of the frost session this month. Unfortunately, the temperature record was -2.8C – ouch, while the King Country area received -3.5C. Wondering if blueberries shrubs are okay through overnight or not! Blimey as I recorded in the gardener magazine while checking the weather forecast from the iPad.

Made lunch for dad for I call him as he is my hearing partner while he gets ready for his work. Our dogs munching their favourite dog treats while I drink a cup of coffee. Oh, dear! It was time for dad to leave for work on the freezing cold morning.

Dogs and I followed dad out in the sunroom, checking his movement. We are still working on installing another spotlight in the carport facing the gate of the road. Watching dad leave for work as dogs ran back to one of the doors, for they knew a large dog biscuits bag stashed away. Oh sigh! I want to go back to bed and have a proper sleep, for I did not sleep well overnight. Went into the room where there is a large dog biscuits bag and grabbed several Tux biscuits as it was there favourite snacks.

Checking the clock and sigh, the boys caught their school bus on the opposite side of the road. Went back to sleep for another half an hour before getting up to catch up on emails, preparing meals and let our dogs out for another long run. Sun came out peeping through the window! Cor blimey, it is still freezing morning, and what shall I have for breakfast. Sleeping away until another disturbing and Jazz barking at the regular walking along the road. Time to get up for our dogs played with me on the bed. Mm. Ahh, why not a porridge on my own, for dad was not here with me through winter during the week.

Indeed why not, and let make one so I can share with our dogs!

homemade porridge is a great way to start off for breakfast.

Why men do not turn over any roast vegetables?

One day, something struck my mind when I watched my partner – Rusty preparing roast tea – roast chicken with potatoes, kumara and pumpkins. I asked him if he has turned over the vegetables and his responses were nope. Why not? He said I don’t really have to turn over, just leave there until ready. Oh crap, and never mind! I said to Rusty.

Hungry For More: Simple Roast Chicken with roasted vegetables

Our oven is getting very old and barely cook the top only, not the bottom or fan bake with the broken bottom element. I think, and we know the mice or rat been at the back of the oven for many years. We just bought a new fridge-freezer as our old one lasted 28 years several weeks ago. We do have an excellent medium fan bake oven – not a large one. I bought a medium fan bake oven several years ago, and I used to place it on the bench, which is brilliant and quick to cook. I asked Rusty why does he not use this portable fan bake oven. Nope, can not be bothered to take it out of the cupboard! Sigh!

I noticed some of my friend’s husbands do the same things like can not be bothered to turn over, leaving a mess etc.

This picture was taken late afternoon when I got home from work as a specialised community worker for one Deaf with CP (Cerebral Palsy) and speech impaired elderly chap. Rusty was preparing a lovely roast chicken with roast vegetable tonight. He made banana and chocolate chips muffins this morning as he told me.

Hey, about this one? Can man cook a meal or not? Can they follow the instruction or not? I seldom know most men can cook differently from women where else by not reading the instruction. My Rusty does not really follow the instruction, just taking the ingredient out of the cupboard and work out instead of doing the correct measurement. I noticed rather odd for quite a long time – why does he put hot water into the butter, so the butter melt? A couple years ago we bought a microwave as we don’t have one in the last 15 years or more. Rusty saw me putting the butter to melt in the microwave for under 1 minute and put in the wet ingredient when I made a coffee cake. He goes, ohhhh and is that how I do when I am making.

One Deaf with CP and speech impaired elderly chap and everywhere we go out to do his grocery, paying the bills, shopping and lunch. He continuously checks his watch as his habits from his late parents. For example, we must have lunch at 12noon, an afternoon tea at 3pm, and arrive to pick him up on time. He can tell how long we have been travelling from Hamilton to Raglan or to Cambridge.

The reality that men prefer to stick in one path direction by leaving women goes all over the places, moves/shift further outward from one path. Just like men are from Mars, women are from Venus.

Oh well, what do you think?

Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus - John Gray ...