my thoughts and photos

weekend reflection, 7th day of Lunar new year.

2012-01-28T03:00:00.001-08:00

I made 60 Siew mais, tiny morsels of pork and prawn dumplings for the Mt Albert Baptist church celebration. You can see the reflection in the stainless steel platter.

The Chinese/Lunar New year is celebrated for 15 days. Today is the seventh day. It is known as Rénrì (人日) or everyone's birthday), the day when everyone grows one year older. In West Malaysia and Singapore, Yu Sheng raw slivers of fish is mixed with various pickles and nuts. As they toss the salad, they raise the salad high with their chopsticks and say auspicious words.

When I was growing up, we always went to my Uncle Kok fei's house to celebrate his birthday. There was no mention of the Renri. I didn't know of this day until I went to Singapore.

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ABC: Letter B for Jean Batten.

2012-01-25T00:44:00.000-08:00

Jean Batten was a record setting female explorer and pioneer aviator who left her mark in aviation history.

A memorial and the Auckland International airport dedicated to Jean Batten.

That's me, trying to walk/fly in Jean's foot steps in a bi-plane , a tiger moth.

Jean Batten - Pioneer Pilot, New Zealand's number one daughter.

Adventurous, glamorous and daring, pilot Jean Batten's record-breaking flights between 1933 and 1937 made her possibly the most famous New Zealander of the decade. In October 1937, aged 28, Batten made her final long distance flight, from Australia to England in 5 days 18 hours. The flight set a solo record for pilots of either sex.

Batten's highly publicised long distance flights earned her international celebrity

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yellow mellow: Tunnel

2012-01-23T14:14:00.000-08:00

There is a lot of yellow inside this tunnel. A fairly new tunnel joining to the north of Auckland, and is a pay as you use tunnel

http://mellowyellowmonday.blogspot.com/

Photohunt: Bliss

2012-01-21T15:29:00.000-08:00

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You can't see the bliss my son is feeling after getting up on the surf sail board for the first time, after umpteen times of falling in the water, especially when his fellow student is still falling.

windsurfing in Pt Chevalier at Raymond Reserve. Coached by e Pete Smith WNZ Master Instructor.http://www.aucklandwindsurfing.co.nz/

weekend reflection: Lunar/Chinese New Year

2012-01-17T23:54:00.001-08:00

You can see the reflection of the shop front on my car.

I have been reflecting this year. Traditionally, Chinese New Year is a time of reunion with family, of traditions. I have not celebrated this day for personal reasons. Twenty four years ago, on the second day of the Chinese New Year, my mum died from a terrible accident. She was only 60, and she died in the year of the dragon, which is this year. Then 18 years later, my dad died on her anniversary. I left home in 1975, and it is not that I have morphed into a non Chinese. This is the first year I am telling people why when you come to my house, it is not decorated with red and gold.

However, having written my book about the death of my son Andrew, I feel some sort of a release. I can move on.

Two days ago, I had to service my car, the workshop told me it would take one and half hours. I went for a long walk under our beautiful summer sun. Despite my wide brim hat, I was getting sun burnt on my shoulder. When I got back, they told me it would take another hour. I wasn't going to walk again, I went into this unpretentious Chinese eatery.

It was 2.30pm, there was only one client. I chose a bowl of Chinese white fungus Nashi pear dessert. It was served warm and refreshing. I sat there reading a book. The waitress left me alone as she could tell I didn't want to me disturbed. One hour had passed, the workshop had not rung me. I told the waitress I am going to check on my car, she said, "Come back if it is not fixed."

It still was not fixed, I went to the Asian grocery next door and bought a few items. I went back to the eatery. I was very hot by then. The waitress quietly came and brought a glass of Chinese tea.

That is what I thought the spirit of what Chinese New Year is, of hospitality.

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ABC: A for Artist with a cause.

2012-01-17T07:04:00.000-08:00

Oliver's Hope and Despair:

Artist's interpretation: Despair for the poor girl, Isabella and all those who think we deprive the orang utans of their livelihood. Sadness for Malaysians to see the people in power bulldozing through our forest indiscriminately to enrich themselves without social responsibilities.

Hope for the millions of labourers and small holders who depend on oil palm for their livelihood.

In the final analysis:
This world is not about making money.
It is about creating wealth so that we can live in harmony with nature.

Despite all of this, this world is still a beautiful place
Love conquers all
Love your ones that are still around
Appreciate the nature surrounding you
Feel the breeze,wind, snow and rain wherever you are

"Do not be afraid to die but be very afraid your life has not begun"

Oliver, when I knew him as a university student in 1978 in Auckland New Zealand

http://ollieartgallery.blogspot.com/

I haven't seen Oliver for more than 30 years. When we met at Facebook, he told me that he was involved in replanting of oil palm trees. I was very happy.

Oliver: Oil Palm - My sleeping partners and I bought the oil palm plantation 6 years ago when I was still in the bank. The oil palm trees were about 22 yrs old. I knew nothing about oil palm then. But one thing I know was after I retire from the bank as a manager. I want to do something that is back to nature. Opportunity came. We bought the land then everything just fell into place. I retired 6 months ago from the bank. My oil palm plantation was approved for replanting in October last year. Now I am learning to replant.

Because of the haze, nowadays the government doesn't permit burn the felled oil palm trees anymore. The leaves and trunk are left to rot and is a good source of fertiliser for the young plants. A great way to recycle.

I consider myself just a smallholder. Most of the works are contracted out to 2 Indonesian workers except for transportation of fruits which is done by local Malaysians. I just help to supervise and oversee the whole process. Not a big company, a small holding.

In New Zealand, kids are told the Indonesian and Malaysian jungles are cleared to make way for oil palm, and this means the orang utans are driven out of their homes and if nothing is done, the orang utans will become extinct.

The effect of such oil palm news shocked and impacted my nine-year-old student, Isabella Wilson who, after visiting the zoo, went home and cleared her mother's pantry of all products containing the oil.

"I stopped buying shapes, noodles and Tim Tams. Tim tams were my ultimate favourite, so it was very hard to give those up," she says.

Inspired, Isabella also gave a speech to her schoolmates at Pt Chevalier Primary.

"We have the power to stop this mindless killing. Stop buying products that contain palm oil. Demand manufacturers to use other sources of vegetable oil, or palm oil that has not been harvested in Indonesia and Malaysia," she said.

Isabella has learnt one lesson: standing up for what you believe in, can cost, but it can be worth it.

Television 3, Campbell live came to school, to interview Isabella. My school kids were very excited that TV came to our school.

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With the "Don't use palm oil" culture in one camp in New Zealand, and having grown up in Borneo where the controversy is all about. In 2009, I went to Borneo, I had this issue in my head. I wanted to see how much of this is true.

Admittedly, I was only at the north tip of Sarawak/Borneo. The sky was hazy, visibility was low. But it was also the season of the traditional slash and burn season of the natives. The environmentalists claim that slash and burn would not result in such a big scale haze. So bad was the haze in Malaysia that they scaled down the National Day Celebration.

This would be Despair as painted by Oliver. Oliver is now replanting the trees on old plantations, there is no need to cut down the jungle. If more people would replant the trees, there is hope. How appropriate, Oliver.

I didn't know that Oliver painted when we were in Auckland. I asked him when he started, and here is his reply:

You ask " When did I start Painting?" Way back in Form one when I was 13, I quess. I remembered I use to paint almost everyday when I was in Form 4 , 5 and also had an art exhibition in school. My media is Batik mainly and sold a couple of my paintings then. then after Form 5, I didnt go for further study abroad but stayed home for a year to accompany my sister and care for my mum. During that time I also painted a lot. When I was in New Zealand I still painted. I love to go to the National Art gallery near Auckland University. Sometimes I just sit there hours looking at the paintings. I also liked to go to the NZ National Library and flip through all those paintings by the great Artist. It has always been part of me, to help me to release my emotions I guess.

Oliver is currently actively involved in Save Malaysia Stop Lynas campaign.

http://annkschin.blogspot.com/2012/01/save-world-artist-oliver-wong-dancing.html

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mellow Yellow: Chinese Seafood restaurant

2012-01-16T22:50:00.001-08:00

For Christmas, we had our lunch at Newmarket, and had tiny morsels called DimSum.

http://mellowyellowmonday.blogspot.com/

Scenic Sunday: Surfing in Omaha

2012-01-15T03:10:00.001-08:00

My son enrolled for a surf lesson. At the first lesson, it was cold and rainy. Today, the weather was beautiful.

One of the items on my bucket list is to surf, LOL. That's what my son wants me to do. I went as far as talking to the surf instructor Simon. I had done posts on him and his coaching, and I told him that many of you enjoyed looking at the photos. We have become friends.

Surfaris Surf School & Surf Tours, described by YHA NZ as 'A truly unforgettable experience' is a respected surf company operating across Northland offering surf lessons and surf tours to tourists and New Zealanders. The Surfaris all-inclusive surf tours travel to remote locations in search of good times and fun waves. We promote surf lessons, surf tours, school & holiday camps, corporate team building, women's surf retreats, family surf days, beach education, surf culture and adventure. Learning to surf is a great discipline that feeds the mind, body and soul so why not give it a go! Standing for the first time is a memory to last that will have you smiling from ear to ear. Surfaris is committed to sustainability and take steps at all times to ensure we take nothing but experience from the environment.
Surfaris">
Surfaris is internationally accredited and we've helped many people of all ages experience the thrill of surfing.

http://scenicsunday.blogspot.com/

PhotoHunt theme 'Circular'.

2012-01-13T18:32:00.000-08:00

I am told not to rest on my laurels, I tell new friends I ran the marathon in 2005, (albeit 10 kilometers) once I finished that gruelsome run in Singapore, I have not seriously run another lap. It's hard to pick it up. My running partner is in USA, and she suggested that she encourages me over the internet. I have become old and put on weight and lack the discipline. and I have the bane that plague women who had multiple pregnancies. In short, my son says he won't go on the Amazing Race partnering me, because I need too many toilet stops.

The PhotoHunt theme for the week is 'Circular'.

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weekend reflection: Car parrk.

2012-01-13T11:05:00.000-08:00

I went to New Market and snapped this photo. It was raining and the sky was dull.

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ABC Wed: Z for Zumba

2012-01-09T19:20:00.001-08:00

This sign is 5 minutes from my house, but I am too embarrassed to join them, me with my flabby tummy. So I took the top three photos from the TV.

Zumba is a Latin dance -inspired fitness program created by dancer and choreographer Alberto "Beto" Perez in Colombia during the 1990s.

Zumba involves dance and aerobic elements. Zumba's choreography incorporates hip-hop, soca, samba, salsa, merengue, mambo, martial arts, and some Bollywood and belly dance moves. Squats and lunges are also included.

Zumba became very popular in New Zealand, and gyms and even church halls were offering Zumba sessions. They have infomercial on TV and I have never actually watch. Me being more interested in my finger exercise with my computer. But this morning, I remember it is letter Z this week, and last month, I saw a sign and took a photo in anticipation for this week's challenge.

My friend Megan told me that she has the CDs that she could do Zumba with. May be I could do that. and have the body one can only dream off.

httphttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.com/

Mellow Yellow Monday : People and businesses with a soft spot for animals

2012-01-09T03:36:00.000-08:00

I was at a cafe at Omaha beach. Outside at the Alfredo dining, near the columns, were bowls of water for dogs. Good job, cafe proprietor.

Judith was my neighbour in NTU, in Singapore. She was the founder of Cat Cafe and invited me to be one of the founding members. Though she had left for UK, she is still very involve with Cat Cafe.
"We're still right here in Wootton Wawen, a village of about 1200 people in Warwickshire, near Birmingham, in the British W. Midlands. I continue to be involved with animal welfare in my helping role for the NTU Cat Management Network and as a supporter here in the UK of the Avon Valley Cat Rescue, where I periodically clean cages and help with fund-raising activities such as their bazaars. I will be taking on the running of our local public library here, together with 58 other volunteers, now that the county government has decided to close the local branch of the county library system and turn it over to a community enterprise (ours.)"
What a wonderful woman!

Today, she circulated this email:
A cat caregiver has asked for help on Facebook to recover someone's lost pet. Poster is attached. If you stay in Bedok North or have friends/family there, please watch for this kitty and forward the poster to your contacts.

Judith for
NTU Cat Management Network

Not much yellow in this photo, I needed a TV for this story.

I normally don't do advertisements for companies, but I make an exception for Harvey Norman, in appreciation for their generousity. Beside, it is a very yellow photo.
Help us support the SPCA & Win!

Harvey Norman Whangarei and Mediaworks have joined forces to help out homeless animals and the Whangarei SPCA
http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

From January 10th until the 14th, any donation of tinned puppy or kitten food brought into Harvey Norman Whangarei, located at 5 Gumdigger Place, will be donated to the Whangarei SPCA. Every tin dropped in to Harvey Norman by Saturday 14th will put you into the draw to win an amazing 47 inch LG television, with 3D, full HD and Internet capabilities.

http://mellowyellowmonday.blogspot.com/

whistlestop photohunt: Bling

2012-01-07T19:19:00.001-08:00

At a shopping mall on the Gold Coast, I found this light intriguing. It was like chains of bling bling hanging down.

I snap this bling moblie phone holder without the owner knowing. It could be one of my nieces when I stayed in my brother's house in Australia.

The Saturday PhotoHunt : Bling
http://whistlestopphotohunt.blogspot.com/

Weekend reflection/Thursday Theme Song: Once Upon A Lily Pad

2012-01-06T02:02:00.000-08:00

http://youtu.be/z5cWXzN-f28

Once Upon a Lily Pad

1. This is the Life

We live in a wonderland

Down where the lily pads grow

Mud puddles and lots of sand

It’s the only place we know

This is the life, this is the life

Oh, this is the life for me

This is the life, this is the life

Oh, this is the life for m

2.

Way down by the water’s edge

That’s where we all like to be

Splish, splashing and playing games

Oh, this life is for me

This is the life, this is the life

Oh, this is the life for me

This is the life, this is the life

Oh, this is the life for me

Where in this whole wide world

Could you have so much fun?

Waking up to a brand new day

And playing in the morning sun!

We live in a wonderland

Down where the lily pads grow

Mud puddles and lots of sand

It’s the only place we know

This is the life, this is the life

Oh, this is the life for me

This is the life, this is the life

Oh, this is the life for me

http://thursdaythemesong.blogspot.com/
http://hootin--anni.blogspot.com/

Lily pad photos taken in the Tropical "Winter Gardens" at the Auckland Domain. You see the reflection of the glass roof or the metal frame in the water.

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ABC WED: Y for yeanling

2012-01-04T01:18:00.000-08:00

In New Zealand, we have a lot of sheep and their babies. I always thought a baby sheep is called a lamb, but when I came to New Zealand, a lamb is not just a New Born. The meat of a sheep in its first year is lamb; that of a juvenile sheep older than 1 year is hogget; and the meat of an adult sheep is mutton. In doing this post, I learn that an unusual name for a young lamb is a yeanling. We learn something new everyday.

The first Sheep were landed in New Zealand by Captain Cook in 1773. The Sheep population grew to 70.3 million in 1982 but has now declined to 43.1 million due to declining profits compared to other types of farming.

That represents 12 sheep for every person in New Zealand. Lambing is usually in Spring, sometimes the yeanlings decide to come earlier, and then there is a cold snap, and it is tragic to see the farmers losing the babies.

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Ruby Red/rednesday: Car Clubs

2012-01-03T11:43:00.001-08:00

I am not a car hobbyist. There are people who are and there are car clubs. My friend and her husband are. They drive to all the towns in New Zealand and chill. Excuse the pun, the day I saw these at Omaha, it was really chilly. The whole family is there, children and babies. After they bbq, they had coffee at the cafe I was having a cappuccino and trying to keep warm.

They were there a long time, and I wonder what they were talking about.

Holden is an Australian car,

http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com

http://www.suelovescherries.blogspot.com/

mellow yellow Monday: Big road construction machines

2012-01-02T14:53:00.001-08:00

I have always loved big machines, and most of these machines are yellow. Do you know why?

http://mellowyellowmonday.blogspot.com/

Saturday PhotoHunt :gather

2011-12-31T02:47:00.000-08:00

Students gathering plums from my plentiful tree.

My sis E came to visit me in New Zealand from Borneo. We went to Western Springs and saw a chest nut tree.

a : pick, harvest
b : to pick up or amass as if by harvesting

I actually love to gather than consume them, especially in this case of the plums from my tree. I live the kids in the neighbourhood to gather my plums, because my teeth or rather my gums can't stand the fruit

The bottom photos: my sis Elizabeth and I gathering chestnuts at Western Springs.

The Saturday PhotoHunt December 31st ~ Gather
http://whistlestopphotohunt.blogspot.com/

Weekend Reflection: Playing on the beach in the rain.

2011-12-30T11:43:00.001-08:00

New Zealand is basically two islands. We are surrounded by the ocean and we succeed in our sporting achievement. When you look at this photo and see a brave heart family, you will understand why. It was bitterly cold, the wind was blasting, and the rain was pelting. Here was a pair of parents at the beach, letting their kids play, occasionally swim in the waves. No wonder Kiwi kids are so tough.

New Zealand won consecutively the America's Cup in 1995 and 2000. In doing this, we became the first team from a country outside the United States to successfully win and then defend the America's Cup. Next year, it will be America's cup again. A friend's husband is involved in designing one of the boats.

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Kenya Missions of Hope

2011-12-30T01:57:00.000-08:00

Mama Linet with her children and the charcoal she is now selling.
Photo credits: Jonah, Missions of Hope

For 16 years, when I was living in Singapore as a faculty wife, together with a group of women, I raised funds for the Deaf of Kenya.

This year, I found fellow blogger JOYFUL: http://snapthatpenny.blogspot.com/ and am glad she shares the same passion for Kenya.

This is from Joyful's post.

This blog is about savouring the good and small things in life and being thankful for what I have. I am retired now and trying to do my part to live simply and frugally.

My friend visited Mama Linet on December 12, 2011 to take her some support I sent to try and help her get on her feet. Some of you remember me writing about Mama Linet before. She is the young mother with the little girl named Linet who has a cleft palate.

I came to know of Mama Linet through my friend Jonah. He found this little family while on a medical mission. On that mission he learned about the little girl Linet who was rapidly losing weight and could not eat. He felt led to help her get some medical attention and the right food to help her get stronger. He was so gratified and excited when the little girl stopped losing weight and started to get healthier. Now the little girl is thriving, running around, playing and drawing. She still needs cleft palate surgery and hopefully she will be able to get it some day.

In the meantime, we also wanted to help this mother try to provide for her family since times are very hard in Kenya with runaway inflation and poor maize prices. Initially, the young mom thought she would like to try and start a beauty salon. After she thought about it some more, she decided to start a charcoal business instead. I do hope and pray that she will make a success of it for the future of herself and her children.

My friend also visited some Internally Displaced People (IDP) in early December. He returned to see them on December 24, 2011, to take food. I wrote about this in my last two posts in case you are interested in reading more about this. It will bless you so much to see that someone's Christmas was brightened.

Jonah has visited the IDP Camp whenever he can to try to encourage the people and bring them hope. He tries to take blankets and mosquito nets whenever he can purchase them. These IDPs are Kenyans and they were displaced about 4 years ago from their homes. They lost everything and escaped with their lives after the ugly violence that erupted soon after the last national election in Kenya.

We know that most people will never get a chance to go and visit these places.
We want to show you the conditions the people live in so you can determine whether you can share whatever you have to help these people.

Even a little goes a long way but we don't want anyone to give what they cannot afford. We only want you to give if you have enough food and if you are thankful for what you have.
We want you to give if you feel blessed enough to help someone else and have faith that your future needs will be met.

If you can help, you can do http://www.kenyamissionsofhope.org/

Sign the petition:Stop Mercer County, KY school from abusing autistic children.

2011-12-28T11:25:00.000-08:00

When therapists have their ideas of helping their patients, who is there to monitor that it is the right treatment? I remember a woman who died when they put her inside a bag to simulate her birth process?
Change.org is an online advocacy platform that empowers anyone, anywhere to start, join, and win campaigns for social change. Millions of people sign petitions on Change.org each month on thousands of issues, winning campaigns every day to advance change locally and globally.
I am part of the Change.Org and I believe in justice. The causes are:
Animals
Criminal Justice
Economic Justice
Education
Environment
Gay Rights
Health
Human Rights
Human Trafficking
Immigrant Rights
Sustainable Food
Women's Rights

Dear Ann,

When Sandra Baker was called to pick up her 9-year-old autistic son, Chris, from his Mercer County, Kentucky school, she was stunned by what she found: She says that Chris's teacher had stuffed him in a gym bag and left him in the hallway as punishment.

"When I walked in," Sandra told CBS News, "I went down his hallway, and I saw this big green bag laying in the floor beside the [teacher's] aide, and I saw it moving."

Then Sandra heard a voice come from inside the bag: “Momma, is that you?”

Sandra demanded her son be released immediately, but allegedly the bag was tied so tightly the teacher's aide struggled to open it. When Chris finally got out, his mom says he was sweaty and uncommunicative.

Lydia Brown, a freshman at Georgetown University, is autistic, too. When she heard about Chris's ordeal at school , she started a petition on Change.org demanding the Mercer County school district discipline the teacher who put Chris in the bag and require its teachers to complete training on interacting with autistic children. Click here to sign Lydia's petition now.

At a meeting with school officials last week, Sandra learned this wasn't the first time Chis had been stuffed in the duffel bag as punishment. The teachers allegedly referred to the duffel as a “therapy bag,” but lacking even basic training for working with autistic children, were unable to explain how confining Chris to a drawstring bag constituted “therapy” of any kind.

Here’s the worst part: after her meeting, Sandra says she rec eived no guarantee that this kind of abuse wouldn’t happen again -- either to Chris or to other students in Mercer County schools.

That’s just not acceptable to Sandra, or to the 12,000 people who’ve already signed Lydia’s petition on Change.org. Lydia is hoping to deliver the petition to the Mercer County school board at their next meeting. The school board won’t be able to ignore this issue when they see the thousands of people angry about Chris’s treatment and calling for changes.

Please sign Lydia’s petition to get Mercer County schools to fire Chris’s teacher, and to get the school district to require its staff to complete comprehensive training on i nteracting with autistic children.

Thanks for being a change-maker,

- Katie and the Change.org team

http://www.change.org/petitions/end-abuse-of-autistic-students-in-mercer-county-kentucky?utm_medium=email&alert_id=fTVYPJTgIK_JNEKxWVxer&utm_source=action_alert

Why This Is Important

(Updated and corrected version)

In Mercer County, Kentucky, nine year old Chris Baker, an Autistic student, was told by his special education aide to climb inside a bag intended for therapeutic purposes as a punishment to "control his autistic behavior" on 14 December 2011. He was placed in the bag with the drawstring tightened and left in the hallway in the school. When his mother, Sandra Baker, was called to the school to get her son, she demanded that he be removed from the bag right away. The teacher struggled to undo the drawstring, and Chris emerged sweaty and non-communicative. According to the teacher, this had been done several times over the last year, but Sandra didn't know until this latest incident. While she met with state officials on Monday 19 December 2011 before a possible meeting with school officials, there is no guarantee that those meetings will prevent this kind of abuse from happening again -- either to Chris or to other students.

If you think it's wrong to tell an Autistic child to climb inside a bag not intended as an instrument of confinement and tighten it with a drawstring, which could potentially have led to serious injury or death, as punishment, then please sign this petition. This is wrong. This is abuse. It needs to stop.

Update, 27 Dec. 2011: I have received a few messages expressing concern about why the petition does not solely call for the firing the teacher responsible.

While I personally believe that the teacher more than deserves to be fired, the demand stipulates that if she not be fired (which it does request explicitly -- asking that the teacher "be dismissed from position") then she be required to complete extensive education regarding respectful treatment of Autistic students. I do not harbor any illusions that the people who are naturally malicious-minded and inclined to abuse will truly benefit or amend their ways from any amount of education; however, in the event the county Board of Education refuses to fire her, it would be better than simply allowing her to keep her job and stay in the same position where she already is now, maintaining the status quo.

I firmly believe that the majority of teachers are people with good or decent intentions who genuinely want to support their students and not abuse them; the kind of education demanded in the second and third provisions of the petition ought to provide these people with a better foundation and toolkit for interacting appropriately and respectfully with Autistic students and students with other disabilities. I would much rather focus on what good can be gained of a horrific and disgusting situation than the good that cannot be gained from it, and that is what I hope to accomplish with this petition.

In response to concerns about misinformation or conflicting information about the type of bag used, it was an Abilitations BagOBalls (not a duffel bag, or a gym ball bag, or a netted bag), which is intended to be used for occupational therapy, specifically sensory integration therapy through application of deep pressure; however, the teacher who told Chris to get inside the bag was NOT a trained clinician using the bag in a therapeutic setting in a manner so that he would have been free to leave of his own initiative. It was instead used inappropriately as a restraint and a punishment, not as a therapy.

- Lydia

ABC Wednesday: X for Xmas

2011-12-27T11:50:00.000-08:00

This is Christmas/Xmas Down Under, in New Zealand, not a speck of snow, because it is summer here.

Christmas in the Park is popular in New Zealand as we are having summer. Kids and adults dress up.

No thick costume for Santa, he is wearing our tanktop or singlet, our farmer's uniform, (usually black) in his black gum boots and rides a quad bike.)

The community comes out in droves, free music, freebies. TV Celebs.

Guess the number of candy canes and win a prize.

children loves it being in a trailer cage.

traditional Christmas plant.

New Zealand Xmas tree, this Pohutukawa tree is crimson red at this time.

a Poem that explains why the candy cane is eaten during Xmas.

"Xmas" is an abbreviation of Christmas found particularly in print, based on the initial letter chi (Χ) in Greek Khrīstos (Χριστός), "Christ", though numerous style guides discourage its use;[24] it has precedent in Middle English Χρ̄es masse (where "Χρ̄" is an abbreviation for Χριστός).[23]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmashttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

I write Xmas a lot especially these days when we use the email and Facebook a lot. I also sign off with XXX.

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Ruby red/rednesday: Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked (2011)

2011-12-26T01:39:00.000-08:00

My students are excited with this movie. They were chirping away what they were going to do this summer holiday. We are going to the movies and watch Alvin.

No wonder, the city buses are advertising and this bus is seen going towards the playground at Coyle's park.

The Chipmunks and The Chipettes (three female counterparts to the Chipmunks) go on a cruise trip with the Chipmunks' owner/manager/father figure, Dave Seville. During the cruise, the 'Munks and 'Ettes turn the ship into their personal playground, causing trouble and running amuck as they will. Eventually, their chaotic behavior gets them ship wrecked on the Isles of Scilly, 20th Century Fox Distribution

http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com

http://www.suelovescherries.blogspot.com/

Yellow Mellow: Surfaris Surf School & Surf Tours

2011-12-25T13:47:00.000-08:00

My 15 year old was so happy with Simon the instructor that he wants to go back for more lessons. http://www.surfaris.co.nz/

Surfaris Surf School & Surf Tours, described by YHA NZ as 'A truly unforgettable experience' is a respected surf company operating across Northland offering surf lessons and surf tours to tourists and New Zealanders. The Surfaris all-inclusive surf tours travel to remote locations in search of good times and fun waves. We promote surf lessons, surf tours, school & holiday camps, corporate team building, women's surf retreats, family surf days, beach education, surf culture and adventure. Learning to surf is a great discipline that feeds the mind, body and soul so why not give it a go! Standing for the first time is a memory to last that will have you smiling from ear to ear. Surfaris is committed to sustainability and take steps at all times to ensure we take nothing but experience from the environment.

Surfaris is internationally accredited and we've helped many people of allhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif ages experience the thrill of surfing. You can visit them on their facebook.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Surfaris-Surf-School-Tours/166284389637

http://mellowyellowmonday.blogspot.com/

whistlestopphotohunt/sunday scans: Surprise

2011-12-24T00:08:00.000-08:00

The year was 1979.
We were students are the Auckland University.
We decided to host a surprise Christmas party.
Everyone was to bring a present.
As it was a surprise party,
the shops were closed,
We told our friends
just come with what you can.
Before we opened the present,
We had to feel, smell to guess what we got.
This friend had no idea what he was given.
When he teared away the wrapping,
We all laughed, he got a frozen chicken.
It was indeed a surprise.

Student days!!!!! Life was full of surprises.

http://whistlestopphotohunt.blogspot.com/http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

previously photohunt.

http://sundayscans.blogspot.com/

Al http://alsphotographyblog.blogspot.com/.

Weekend Reflection: Thailand

2011-12-22T16:37:00.000-08:00

My cousin Ambrose went to Thailand and took this lovely photo. Thank you Ambrose for reminding me of my own holiday in Bangkok more than 10 years ago.

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Thursday Theme Song: Oh Christmas tree

2011-12-21T14:44:00.001-08:00

By coincidence, the last two houses I lived in, there were 4 pines trees in the garden. One year, my daughter suggested we decorated one of the trees. It was fantastic. We had strangers coming to the front door and commented that the tree made them happy.

I love decorating Christmas trees. The tradition went back to when I was a little baby. Dad had gone to England and came home with this tradition. There are lots of memories. One year, the wind blew the tree down, and all the baubles broke. Another year. mum grew her own Norfolk pine. She brought the tree in, together with a nest with eggs or was it nestlings. Dad ordered her to take the tree back downstairs to the garden. Mum removed the nest and tied it to another tree. What happened after, I can't remember, or did I block out that memory.

Now, I have one special decoration for each member of the family.

Merry Christmas every one!

Peace to mankind.

Oh Christmas tree,
Oh Christmas tree,
With faithful leaves unchanging,
Oh Christmas tree,
Oh Christmas tree, with faithful leaves unchanging
Not only green, in summer’s heat,
But also winter’s snow and sleet Oh Christmas tree,
Oh Christmas tree, with faithful leaves unchanging
Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree,
Of all the trees most lovely
Oh Christmas tree,
oh Christmas tree,
Of all the trees most lovely
Each year you bring to me delight,
Gleaming in the Christmas night
Oh Christmas tree,
Oh Christmas tree,
Of all the trees most lovely

http://youtu.be/J4Hv9YmhGpw

http://thursdaythemesong.blogspot.com/
http://hootin--anni.blogspot.com/

ABC Wednesday: waves, water, wetsuits and W.W.W.

2011-12-20T02:04:00.001-08:00

Schools out, and it is our summer holiday.
It is anything but hot.
The last ten days in New Zealand can be termed aptly as WET! WET! WET!
My 15 year old had been dreaming about surfing.
We enrolled him for a surf lesson.
We drove to Omaha to catch the waves.
It was cold and rainy. While he was warm and snug in his wet suit, I was shivering and dripping wet with a tourist from Germany.

Surfaris Surf School & Surf Tours, described by YHA NZ as 'A truly unforgettable experience' is a respected surf company operating across Northland offering surf lessons and surf tours to tourists and New Zealanders. The Surfaris all-inclusive surf tours travel to remote locations in search of good times and fun waves. We promote surf lessons, surf tours, school & holiday camps, corporate team http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifbuilding, women's surf retreats, family surf days, beach education, surf culture and adventure. Learning to surf is a great discipline that feeds the mind, body and soul so why not give it a go! Standing for the first time is a memory to last that will have you smiling from ear to ear. Surfaris is committed to sustainability and take steps at all times to ensure we take nothing but experience from the environment.

Surfaris is internationally accredited and we've helped many people of all ages experience the thrill of surfing.

The World Wide Web (or the proper World-Wide Web; abbreviated as WWW or W3,[2] and commonly known as the Web) is a system of interlinked hypertext documents accessed via the Internet. With a web browser, one can view web pages that may contain text, images, videos, and other multimedia and navigate between them via hyperlinks. In New Zealand, when you listen to the TV or radio, W.W.W. sounds like DUB DUB DUB.

httphttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.com/

mellow yellow/ruby red/rednesday: Surfing school.

2011-12-19T12:37:00.001-08:00

From the home made beach in a city apartment in Singapore, my 15 year old has graduated to wanting to surf in the deep wide ocean.

We enrolled him for a surf lesson. It was cold and rainy. While he was warm and snug in his wet suit, I was shivering and dripping wet with a tourist from Germany.

Surfaris Surf School & Surf Tours, described by YHA NZ as 'A truly unforgettable experience' is a respected surf company operating across Northland offering surf lessons and surf tours to tourists and New Zealanders. The Surfaris all-inclusive surf tours travel to remote locations in search of good times and fun waves. We promote surf lessons, surf tours, school & holiday camps, corporate team http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifbuilding, women's surf retreats, family surf days, beach education, surf culture and adventure. Learning to surf is a great discipline that feeds the mind, body and soul so why not give it a go! Standing for the first time is a memory to last that will have you smiling from ear to ear. Surfaris is committed to sustainability and take steps at all times to ensure we take nothing but experience from the environment.

Surfaris is internationally accredited and we've helped many people of all ages experience the thrill of surfing.

http://mellowyellowmonday.blogspot.com/

http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com

http://www.suelovescherries.blogspot.com/

Joy

2011-12-16T22:34:00.000-08:00

You can see the joy on S's face when his little friend Ken comes to play at our sand pit. My husband made one of the best sandpits in Singapore from pristine white Australian sand. Our son had his own beach in urban Singapore. It was always very popular with the kids in NTU.

http://whistlestopphotohunt.blogspot.com/http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

previously photohunt.

http://sundayscans.blogspot.com/

Al http://alsphotographyblog.blogspot.com/.

Auckland Town hall, 100 years old.

2011-12-14T15:50:00.000-08:00

http://www.the-edge.co.nz/aucklandtownhall.aspx
Auckland Town Hall is a prominent civic landmark of neo-Baroque style. Taking pride of place on Queen Street in Auckland’s CBD, it was specifically designed by Melbourne architects JJ and EJ Clark to fit the wedge-shaped piece of land acquired for it. Protected as a Category A heritage building, it was opened in 1911 by Baron Islington, New Zealand’s Governor General at the time. From 1994-1997 the building was fully restored, allowing the addition of modern amenities and re-estabhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.giflishing the building’s standing as a multi-functional venue and world class performance hall.

Constructed from Oamaru limestone, this historic five-storey building with its distinctive clock tower, has many special features including kauri floors, decorative pressed metal ceilings and plasterwork, stained glass windows, cast iron balustrades, porcelain and glazed ceramic tiling, and hand blown chandeliers.

Such an ornate building, though Auckland is very young relatively, we have a beautiful building. Its interior was extensively restored from 1994-1997http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif for NZ$ 33 million, partially because the unreinforced masrony structure did not meet earthquake standards, especially as a gathering place. Sinclair Knight Merz pioneered various techniques to reinforce the structure without substantially changing the heritage character of the building.[3] The exterior has recently (2007) undergone some restoration work as well.[1][ The water engineer happens to work for this company.

Auckland Town hall at night.

Our Town hall has a renovated organ. They plan to have organ tours. This is a speciment of the organs.

Great Hall
The centrepiece of Auckland Town Hall is the Great Hall, seating up to 1,529 people in theatre-style on three levels, and featuring a 17 metre (approximately 60 foot) stud and permanent concert platform.

Considered to have one of the finest acoustics in the world, this is Auckland’s premier venue for fine music and orchestral performances as well as being a popular choice for rock concerts.

Housed in the Great Hall, the Auckland Town Hall Organ also dates from 1911 and is the largest musical instrument in New Zealand. The organ has recently been restored to its former Romantic-era status and was unveiled to the public in March 2010. The organ required a major rebuild due to the extensive remodelling it underwent in 1969-70 during the Organ Reform Movement, giving it the then-fashionable Baroque sound.

When you have slogged three, four, six, ten years. Don't you think you deserve an elaborate ceremony like this? The water engineer getting his PhD.

***Inside the Auckland Town Hall***

This was my capping/graduation/convocation with Mark. I walked from the campus at Princess Street, down Victoria Street, walked up the stairs into the Great Hall. Then I never saw him again. I wonder where he is now.

My reflection for this week is two profound ideas. I just learn that some Town fathers wanted to demolish this building. Luckily there was some wise people who opposed to this move. Imagine this grand old lady was gone? What a great loss it would be.

The other is some people advocate that you don't need to succeed in life without an education. I beg to differ. Education has served my family very well. My grand grand dad had a SIEW CAI, and equivalent of a university degree more than 100 years ago in China. The family had instilled in us the value of education. Yes, we may not be rich financially, but we have a wealth of experience.

http:http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif//weekendreflection.blogspot.com

ABC Wednesday: V for voting, victorious, vision and vortex Football

2011-12-12T11:25:00.000-08:00

David Shearer, a high-ranking United Nations official, the Labour Party's candidate was victorious in the by-election in the parliamentary seat of Mt Albert left vacant by Helen Clark who left to work in the United nations. In the national general election in November this year, he was victorious in the same seat. Yesterday, he was victorious in winning in his bid to become the leader of the Labour party. Mr Shearer was voted as by caucus in a secret ballot, and become the leader of the opposition party.

I am not a member of any political party, but I support the under dog, the poor working class. In my university days, I worked in factories in the long summer break. That has influenced my thinking. I believe Shearer is a man of vision and will lead the Labour party and become the Prime Minister after the next election.

This photo was taken during the by election just before he was voted into parliament in a by-election. Shearer was standing outside my school entrance as I was going home. His supporter gave me his red flyer. I did a double take, and went back to take his photo. He was most obliging and thanked me. Of course he doesn't know that I am doing a post about him.

Shearer is an aid worker who has spent much of the past two decades in the world's worst war zones: Somalia, Rwanda, Liberia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Lebanon and now Iraq.

Herald files show a number of close calls, such as surviving an armed hold-up by bandits in Mogadishu to being on the ground in Belgrade while it was being bombed.

Mr Shearer and his wife, Anuschka Meyer, were the Herald's New Zealanders of the Year in 1992. That year, they ran one of the biggest aid camps in Somalia during the civil war.

He is currently the deputy special representative of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon in Iraq.

His role includes acting as envoy for the UN Development Programme

Nerf Pocket Vortex Football of just known as the vortex ball in New Zealand.
The Pocket Vortex Football means lots of far-flying fun around the office! This pocket-sized football is easy to throw and catch, and its stabilizing fins provide for distance and accuracy. The football is made of dense foam, but it's still soft enough to minimize the damage of errant throws (something only your co-workers are guilty of, of course). Get this Nerf Street Zone football for your office fun and games!

My friends tell me, "someday you will get into trouble the way you flash you camera out."

In deed sometimes, I had security guards tell me I have to leave. Sometimes they ask why I am taking the photos. But most times , my models were quite happy and obliging to pose for me.

This was the second time I saw grown men playing a small rugby shaped ball which makes a whistling sound. It attracted my attention and I whipped out my camera from my holiday cabin in Waitomo caves. But I didn't feel brave enough to take their photos openly. My first attempt failed.

This is the second, you can see the initial attempt was done in secret, the photos didn't turn out good, so I went and asked them,

"What ball is this?"
"It's a vortex?'
"Vortex what? I have never seen them on TV?"
"It's fun."
"May I take a photo of you.
"Sure!" and he posed for me.

The rest of the group, some guys and some girls with guitars, they enjoyed my interuption.

I came home and google it, it is very cheap US$1.99, not too late to buy it to stock up you Christmas stocking. You can play it any where, snow or sand.
Approximately 6.5" long x 2" diameter, dense foam.

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yellow /ruby/rednesday: bouncy castle

2011-12-12T02:51:00.001-08:00

I have never been on a bouncy castle,
cos I was born in a wrong generation,
cos I was born in a wrong continent,
when I watched Jack Nicholson on a waterbed in About Schmidt,
I never want to go on a bouncy castle.

http://mellowyellowmonday.blogspot.com/

http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com

http://www.suelovescherries.blogspot.com/

http://whistlestopphotohunt.blogspot.com/: Lights

2011-12-10T08:23:00.000-08:00

This photo is from my achives, it was too dull and foggy to venture outdoors today.

You don't see the wind, you don't hear the howling. I am inside my house, looking at the trees and power lines dancing to the beat of the wind.

It is officially summer, but you wouldn't guess it given the weather that's expected over the next week or so.

Dreary days, strong gusty winds and patches of cloud have been predicted for the coming week.

MetService has even issued a Severe Weather Watch warning for a burst of heavy rain northwest of Nelson from this morning through to early afternoon.

Weather Watch chief analyst Philip Duncan said the country was in for "a very, very wet week".

"Basically we've got the subtropics coming down to visit us this week, so it's going to be warm, wet and humid in the North Island and probably a mixture of cloudy and wet days in the south."

Photos taken when I was with my family on the Gold Coast in Australia. How I wish I am in sunny Australia.

http://whistlestopphotohunt.blogspot.com/http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

previously photohunt.

Weerkend Reflections: Life lessons

2011-12-09T13:47:00.001-08:00

http://www.potatoes.co.nz/chefs/know-seasonal.php

http://annkschin.blogspot.com/2008/11/nadine-chapter-one.html

http://annkschin.blogspot.com/2008/11/nadine-chapter-fourteen.html

This is a reflection post of a different kind, but because being a teacher and a co leader of a conmunity group, I reckon I can use this as a life lesson and not continue to hold grudge against thme. The issue is what do you do when people consistently take advantage of you? Do you forgive and forget?

Having lived past half a century and three continents, it is inevitable that that people do take adavantage of you. I am listing just two.

Today, I was opening a plastic bag of potatoes , and what did I see. On a tag was the name Nadine. It jolted my memory. Nadine is a fictional name I gave to the heroine of the first story I wrote. She had done everything what you would call a neighbor from hell, like borrowing money, borrowing stuff, your time and not returning them. I stopped any contact with her when I moved house.

Another person was similar, she had a far better job than me and much better financially, She did what Nadine did but on a bigger scale. I even wrote an affidavit for her to take to the court. She avoided me as though I had the plague. Sadly she became a friend no more. One day, a friend told me she met someone I knew. I asked her and she mentioned the name. She still regarded me as a friend.

Should I have continued to be their friends? My other friends told me I would remain their victims because I didn't know how to say," Sorry, I can't."

Have you encountered such people? What would you have done?

By: Observing the Sounds of the World

My fellow bereaved mum Ellen posted this on her Facebook. It seems to be the perfect advice to my post. I asked if she and I have ESP.

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everything goes with potatoes.co.nz

POTATO KNOW HOW
Seasonal changes and potato types
Potato texture changes throughout the year. As the season progresses a potato changes e.g. an Ilam Hardy early in the season (October) is quite waxy. As the Ilam Hardy gets older it is a good all-purpose potato, whilst towards the end of the season when a lot more of the natural sugars have converted to starch, it tends to be floury! Not all potatoes show such a range of characteristics.
Weather, climate and soil have a dramatic effect on the cooking performance of a potato e.g. a Southland grown Nadine may be very waxy whilst a Pukekohe grown Nadine may be only slightly waxy. Flavour is also influenced.
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Sponsorship Needed ~

2011-12-08T15:14:00.000-08:00

http://snapthatpenny.blogspot.com/2011/12/sponsorship-needed-please-pray.html

Fellow blogger Joyful in Canada shares a passion in Kenya with me. For 16 years, my friends, spouses of the faculties in Nanyang Technological University raised funds for the Deaf in Kenya. http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

Foodsale was one of the few meaningful things I have done in my life. During my sixteen years in Singapore as a faculty wife, my group of Biblestudy women friends who lived on the campus of Nanyang Technological University wanted to do something useful with our hands.

We decided to support the deaf children in Kenya, under the umbrella of the Deaf Ministry International. We liaised with Nevil Murr, and supported Joe in Kenya in his school for deaf children. We called ourselves Foodsale ladies.

We started with a big cookout and baking in our various houses. Our invitation went out to other ladies on campus. We had a two fold objective, support the deaf in Kenya and also a fellowship on Campus. This proved very successful Soon we had the support outside our box, non Christian ladies and Hindu ladies and men.

As I had the gift of the gab both with my mouth and my fingers, soon I was approaching many new people inviting by mouth and by email. My greatest satisfaction was to see the other ladies outside the committee donate not only by their food but pay for the food they buy.

When the SARS epidemic came to Singapore, there was a "lock-down" almost nationwide with school closures, we held an eFoodsale. Kay, our leader reckoned that people would not come to buy, so we go to them. D and G helped us design a website, and we did a roving business. The work was humongous. We took orders and delivered them. It was so hectic.

I enjoy gardening and used to give away my plants. When I was leaving Singapore, a friend suggested I should sell them since I have spent so much time and money on them. A bright idea came up, I would sell my plants and gave the proceeds to Foodsale.

My friends asked me if I missed Singapore, I tell them no. But I miss all my friends I made in Singapore, especially the Foodsale committee. I have so much nice reminscence and learned so much skills from making Malaysian curry puffs, Nepalese Mao Mao, Japanese sushis, Vietnamese rice paper rolls to Indian Samosas. Finally, I had made friends from all over the world.

***This girl in this photograph is Maureen, she is a very smart student. Quentine is another smart student***

Please read below for Joyful's cause.

Missions of Hope enrolled Kipngeno in university in Kisii Town, Kenya where he is majoring in pharmaceutical studies. Kipnegeno waited years after graduating from high school to be able to start university. Several times we thought we had a donor for him. Several times our hopes, but more importantly, Kipngeno's hopes, were dashed because the would-be donors never followed through.

Kipngeno kept busy on the farm while he waited for his time to start university studies.
In September 2011, we took a leap of faith and enrolled Kipngeno in school and have managed to help him through 4 months of student housing and all needs associated with living in a new town and going to university.

The term finishes at the end of December and we are appealing for someone who feels led to help Kipngeno, to come forward.
Are you the one that can help him?
You would be changing a life for the greater good if you can help.

Jonah pays a visit to Kipngeno. Jonah is on far left, Kipngeno on the far right with his lab coat and stethoscope, a friend of his in the middle. Can you imagine how excited Kipngeno must be?

Once Kipngeno finishes his education he will also be added to the ranks of the medical profession. Kenya is greatly in need of medical personnel.

According to Oxfam, there were only 14 doctors for every 100,000 people in Kenya in 2006.
There is a critical shortage of doctors and specialists in Kenya.
Food for thought.

You can help publicize this need by using the share buttons below.
You will never know how one simple act can change someone's life.
If you can help or know someone who can help, financially, then please contact me here. kerichojoy@gmail.com

ABC Wed: U for university, Sunday scans

2011-12-06T03:02:00.000-08:00

In Sarawak, there was and still has a tradition of placing congratulatory messages to parents and graduates who complete their universities studies or even weddings. I see this notice for the first time in more than 35 years. An ex flat mate Ning put this on facebook. The first name was my Dad, the DEO aka Divisional Education Officer, the second was mine. The third was Ning's, the fourth was Ting's Dad and Ting who became my flat mate when I came to New Zealand, and the last, a teacher on her engagement. This message was placed by the Staff of Kai Chung school where Ning, Ting and I taught.

All my adult life, I am involved with universities. First as a student, and later as faculty wife. A friend said, I will never be rich. In a sense, she is right, monetarily, we are not rich, but I am rich in the vast experience I have had. There was a time when I had friends from all over the world, and with them, I did a charity that raised money for the deaf in Kenya for 16 years and for a life saving operation for a pair of Siamese/conjoined twins from Nepal. These are experiences that money can't buy.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

Reader Rainfield commented that Chinese word meaning snow as in my other blog http://annsnowchin.blogspot.com/2011/12/scenic-sunday-fund-raiser-at-pt.html

Snow is my given name, it is pronounced as SUET in my Cantonese pronounciation, and XUE in Mandarin. I did not know it is also a surname.
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http://sundayscans.blogspot.com/

Al http://alsphotographyblog.blogspot.com/.

Pt Chevalier School Fund raiser.

2011-12-05T00:41:00.000-08:00

http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

These stall/ bright red and yellow tent stood out for a mile. I was naturally attracted to it to post for these memes.

For more photos ans stories please click at my other blog http://annsnowchin.blogspot.com/2011/12/scenic-sunday-fund-raiser-at-pt.html

http://mellowyellowmonday.blogspot.com/

http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com

http://www.suelovescherries.blogspot.com/

Photohunt: Ripped

2011-12-03T04:03:00.000-08:00

This appears to be the prefered fashion of both old and young, male and female.

Sam wants to wear his jeans this way. his dad is not happy. I told him, you should see the kids in my school.

Kiwi kids like to run around with no shoes, not even jandals. In winter, some of them don't feel cold, and wear just a T-shirt. They are not allowed to wear hoodies with their hoods up.

http://tnchicks.wordpress.com

weekend reflection: House

2011-12-02T16:06:00.001-08:00

This house looks small, but the asking price was over a million dollars. My friends had previously looked at it and asked if I wanted to buy it. I went to have a look, and found it has a strange reflection. I wonder if it has the kind of glass that you can't look in.

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ABC Wednesday: T for Toast and Toastmaster Mr. Ting Ming Siong

2011-11-28T23:42:00.001-08:00

In 1991, when i was living in Singapore, I was very surprised and proud that a man from my home town Sibu, Mr. Ting Ming Siong held a Guiness World Record. I read with pride that he held the record for being a best man for the most number of times.

That Christmas, I returned to Sibu to visit my relatives. My aunts treated me to a restaurant at the See Hua Daily News factory at Sungai Antu. Lo and behold, who did I see seated at the next table? I asked my aunt if he was who I thought he was. My aunt said yes, and asked how I knew. I told her I read it in the Newspaper in Singapore.

I asked my aunt why he was so popular. She said he is very eloquent in his speech. He was not just a bestman, people requested his services as a Toastmaster and his toasts.

I went to congratulate him and asked if I could have a photo with him and his lovely wife and family. He was very happy to oblige and that the news paper in Singapore published an article about him.

Last evening, I made a new Facebook friend orignally from my home town, but now workinging in Miri. Christopher Gan is a Wedding Planner at Grand Palace Hotel, Miri. His friend commented that he must have organised so many weddings that he could be in the guiness records, I asked Christipher if he knew about this Best man.

Christopher said yes, and told me that Mr. Ting runs a coffee shop called Delta Cafe in Sibu. He sent me a photo of that important document.

Thank you Christopher for the Coffee Shop photos and his own with the chef.

Here's another of my bucket list ticked. To be photographed with a famous person, a Guiness World Book record holder. It pays to be shameless and ask to have a photo taken with famous people.

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Kiwiana Christmas

2011-11-27T00:59:00.000-08:00

I just got back from the Mt Albert Baptist Church Annual Christmas at Rocket Park. Tired but happy. My students and I must have given out 3000 goodie bags.

Santa came and he had stripped his thick suit for a singlet because it is so hot here. He also shaved off his beard either because of the heat or he heard that in New Zealand, men shave their beard for the movember cause for men's cancer. Along the way, he went to Germany and picked up a pretty helper, Anja Blaske. The elves were happy and couldn't wait to get out of santa's trailer. I suspected the reindeers went on strike because of the heat, and santa had to borrow a farmer's quad bike.

All very entertaining, James.

My students say, it is not Santa, It is his son. I could the kids to compare a traditional santa and a Kiwi/New zealand santa. Can you spot the difference?

http://mellowyellowmonday.blogspot.com/

http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com

http://www.suelovescherries.blogspot.com/

Photohunt: Handwritten

2011-11-26T17:34:00.001-08:00

I teach English as a second langauge to adult immigrant students as well as primary school children. I use a lot of plans which I print out for the students. But I hand write on the white board.

This lesson was on The Mooncake festival. I had no intention of recording this lesson. If I had known my students had wanted to photograph this, I would have done it neatly. At the end of the lesson, a student from Taiwan asked if she could take a photo. LOL

http://tnchicks.wordpress.com

weekend reflection: During the rain.

2011-11-25T12:15:00.001-08:00

The storm leaves a thin film of water at the asphalt playground of Pt Chevalier school. It made perfect reflection photos. I was walking with my students and saw their reflections. I got them to model for me, but sorry I can't show you their faces. Privacy rules.

http://annsnowchin.blogspot.com/2011/11/skywatch-friday-rain-rain-go-away.html

http:http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif//weekendreflection.blogspot.com

ABC Wednesday: S for socks and square

2011-11-21T04:04:00.000-08:00

My beautiful and talented Olivia on the Gold Coast of Australia turns old socks into cute stuffed toys.

According to her mum, Helen: Olivia has started a new hobby business making sock toys. She uses odd socks that lost the other one. Her friends like the dolls and asked her to make them some. She is selling them for $2.00. So far she had sold 4 and there are more orders.
Thomas saw an opportunity and sold his to Daddy for $4.00. Phil complained that his was not very detailed and Thomas told him that his was different from Olivia's shop. Scammed again!!
I hope Olivia can continue to sell at school.

Way to go, Olivia. Olivia is only 9.

St Marco Square

My Cousin Bart Ngieng is the Travel Manager with Wah Tung Travel Service Sdn Bhd. in Kuching, Sarawak Malaysia. www.wahtung.travel

httphttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.com/

mellow yellow, ruby red, rednesday :seats

2011-11-19T15:54:00.000-08:00

http://mellowyellowmonday.blogspot.com/

http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com

http://www.suelovescherries.blogspot.com/

My cousin Ambrose snapped this in Malaysia. I joked with him $1 seat, and 50 cents seat. When I am hungry, I am not fussy where or what I sit on.

photohunt:wet/rain

2011-11-19T03:58:00.000-08:00

http://tnchicks.wordpress.com

Photohunt: wet/rain

My cousin Ambrose visited Thailand. How wet can you get? Living on top of the water.

Reader's Digest Story Contest

2011-11-18T16:26:00.000-08:00

Dear all,

Voting ended on November 15th. I did not expect to win as I entered really late, on October 20th. But it was a great exercise. I wanted to bring exposure to baby Loss Awareness and bereaved parents.

I joined the International Catergory, and a quick counting showed I garnered enough votes to rank 4th out of 800 entries. The TV New Zealand You tube clip had more than 400 hits, compared to the other clips that were aired that day.

Thank you to all who voted, and those who rallied for me.

Thanks,

Ann

When I was young, I always read the Readers' Digest and marvel at the bravery of the mothers who struggled with sick children. When I had Andrew in the hospital, and accepted the doctors' advice that the kindest option was to let nature take it's course. When Andrew didn't die when the doctor predicted, I struggled with myself and spoke to the doctor about those mothers I read in the Readers' Digest, and I wanted to be these mothers, Dr James said that Andrew was different.

Today, I found out that Readers' Digest was inviting people to submit their stories. I am submitting mine for media exposure. But if you like to vote for me, it is appreciated.

"Diary of a bereaved mother"
My journey of having a baby who died and now I am the self appointed spokes-person for bereaved parents. My story is from my heart and will resonate with anyone who has had the misfortune to give birth to a child who has struggled to live. Synopsis: Your baby is dying. Andrew did not die that night as predicted by the doctor, he didn't die after 3 days, 10 days and finally he died at 55 days. Friends did not know whether to congratulate or commiserate us. He was declared dead after his first at 40 days, but he bounced back. That was more excruciating than his actual death. After Andrew, what have I done? Have I become a better person? There are many of the things I am most proud of. I spearheaded raising funds to separate a pair of Siamese twins from Nepal in Singapore. For 16 years, I raised funds for the Deafhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif Children in Kenya. I did the publicity, marketing, cooking and selling. I volunteer at teaching new immigrants.
http://www.youtube.com/asiadownunder#p/c/C9FEF73B56807B22/3/IZk9w-uywAs
Vote up!

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weekend reflection:Blast from the past.

2011-11-18T15:43:00.001-08:00

Mr. Lee You Han and the students of Form 1B , Kai Chung school, 1974

I went to Crystal mountain and took these Jade turtles.

http://weekendreflection.blogspot.comhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

http://sundayscans.blogspot.com/
1974 photos, it needed to be scanned.

This is a tribute to Mr. Lee You Han, my form six form mate in Methodist school Sibu, and my colleague in Kai Chung School. He was the first person I knew when I arrived in the school in April. He and Mr. Chieng had been teaching there since January. We went out to the same eating place for our lunches. He took care of me.

A fellow blogger showed a photo of a upside down turtle. It reminded me of Mr. Lee because of this incident.

Your turtle, did you flip it over? Your photo reminded me of a time when I was a young teacher. A student gave me a terrapin. As I was on my way to my next class, I flipped it over on my teacher's desk, and left. When I came back, it was gone. I was upset with myself. My Colleague Mr. Lee who sat at the desk in front of me said I was so stupid when I asked if he had taken my terrapin. He said, of course, the terrapin will flip over and crawl away.

Would he survive the fall of one meter from my desk? I looked around and couldn't find it.

Recently, I found some of those students and colleagues on Facebook. They told me Mr. Lee had died. yuks, only in his fifties. We used to have class photos taken, and this was Form 1B, and I taught them all.

May be the students will find Mr. Chieng.

Save the world,: Save the battery chicken

2011-11-16T20:04:00.000-08:00

Photo by Rachel Yang.

A free ranged mother hen.

http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com/

When I was young, we lived in suburbia, Mum and Dad always kept some chicken and ducks. We had mostly free ranged ducks and chicken. But we also had about twenty caged hens for laying eggs. So I know about battery chicken and animal cruelty. Chickens have weird personality. If one chick gets pecked, the others will peck her too.

On Sunday, I watched a program on TV. There is a group of SAFE activists going round the country to expose egg farmers. There are some "bad" eggs among the farmers.

My friend Rachel Yang snapped this photo at Spencer Hotel in Takapuna in Auckland. Rachel is my facebook friend. We both belong to the Auckland University Chinese Alumni.

The National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (NAWAC) in February released a draft welfare code for hens which would phase out the use of existing cages for the nation's 2.88 million battery hens, which each lay about 25 dozen eggs a year.

New "enriched cages", which feature a nest box, perch and a scratch pad, have been proposed.

The proposed colony systems would require 750cu cm per bird. A piece of A4 paper is equivalent to 623sq cm.

Would you pay a lot more for a free ranged egg?

ABC Wed: R for roller coaster

2011-11-15T00:28:00.001-08:00

httphttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.com/

My cousin Bart's Baltic cruise. Roller Coaster at Stockholm. The next item on my bucket list.

If you are interested, Bart's the travel manager of http://www.wahtung.travel/

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Mediterranean Cruise

2011-11-13T19:12:00.000-08:00

My Cousin Bart Ngieng on holiday on a cruise. http://www.wahtung.travel/

http://mellowyellowmonday.blogspot.com/

http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com

http://www.suelovescherries.blogspot.com/

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photo hunt: 2 helicopters & 2 cruise liners

2011-11-12T08:15:00.000-08:00

http://tnchicks.wordpress.com

My husband went to Papua New Guinea for work, and he flew in helicopters a lot.

My Cousin Bart Ngieng is the Travel Manager with Wah Tung Travel Service Sdn Bhd. in Kuching, Sarawak Malaysia. www.wahtung.travel

He took his wife and my aunt and uncle to a cruise to Europe. Ka pai , paki paki Bart for being a good husband and son. Ka pai means good job and paki paki means clap clap in New Zealand.

Bart tells me it is "Pacific Primcess cruise ship, together with Silversea anchored off Sorrento, Italy. How cool is that?

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Weekend Reflection:

2011-11-11T01:55:00.000-08:00

This post is about if you are passionate about an issue, do something about it.

The first issue is my personal appeal. I am the self appointed spokes person for bereaved parents, For every 1000 babies born in New Zealand, eight will be stillborn. One in four pregnancies ends in miscarriage. Nearly 600 babies are stillborn or die within 28 days of birth in New Zealand every year. 4 days left to vote for this cause. I am trying to make more awareness of the plight of this poor group of people.

So please, vote for my story. There are only 4 days left. one vote per day per IP address.

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We are having our general election in a few weeks. The Greenpeace is making a stand against deep sea drilling.
The run aground tanker Rena off our coast reminded us all how damaging an oil spill can be, and how ill-prepared NZ is to cope with even a small spill - let alone a disaster like the Gulf of Mexico Deepwater Horizon blowout.

As the toxic oil washed ashore we heard Prime Minister John Key claim that there is no connection between the Rena spill and his Government's plans for risky deep sea oil drilling.

But clearly, if the deep sea drilling goes ahead and there is an accident, there would be many similarities. Oil in the water, oil on the beaches, dead and dying sea birds, poisoned seafood and huge expense to the taxpayer. Just like the Rena only on a much more devastating scale.

We can provide posters or signs and can help with installation. We can do various sized signs for grass verges, front gardens, houses, fences or walls, and we have weather-proof posters or print your own posters.

http://weekendreflection.blogspot.com

ABC Wednesday: Q for Queen Street

2011-11-08T15:45:00.000-08:00

httphttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.com/

Queen Street is the most famous Street in CBD, Auckland.

Most peaceful marches and victory parades in Auckland start at Queen Elizabeth Square because of it's strategic location. This square is an entry to the Britomart Transport Centre and the start of Queen Street. It is in the vicinity of the Ferry Terminal. This transitory paved area features a Kauri forest and a fire boulder water feature. Otherwise, it is a square in the downtown where people sit and have their lunches. In our very own The Apprentice, one team chose this location to sell their sausages and won.

The marches proceed up the main street, Queen street. They finish at Myers park. Myers Park is a narrow park in central Auckland, New Zealand, running parallel to the upper part of Queen Street. It is characterised by steep, grassed slopes and canopied with a mixture of large exotic and native trees, including an alley of large palm trees. Benches and artwork (including a heritage marble copy of Michelangelo's sitting Moses statue) line the paths connecting to Queen Street, K Road, Grey's Avenue and Aotea Square.

Here the tired marchers sit or lie on the grass to listen to speeches and have BBQs.

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yellow mellow/ruby red/rednesday Playground equipment.

2011-11-07T11:08:00.001-08:00

I am showing you this rope mountain which must be 5 storeys high. I went less than 1/3 and I had to give up.

This is at Coyle's park which is near to my school. Compare this to the eagles nest that was newly installed in the school.

Children start playing cricket at an early age.

http://mellowyellowmonday.blogspot.com/

http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com

http://www.suelovescherries.blogspot.com/

Our school has a new challenging equipment. It is called the eagle's nest and is very high. The money is raised by the PTA, and the seniors take turns to play on it. The kids love it.

LOL, I must clarify and should have written seniors of a primary school. the juniors are very jealous.

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Photohunt/save the world:Light

2011-11-05T23:52:00.000-07:00

http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com/

I

http://tnchicks.wordpress.com

These beautiful lights at the Gold Coast Park are powered by solar energy.

The lights changes color, and I was very impressed that they were powered by solar power.

If only more buildings were powered by solar, we won't have so much pollution and shortage of fossil fuel.

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Weekend Reflection: Drunken driving

2011-11-04T08:39:00.001-07:00

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Last 10 days to vote.

Photos courtesy New Zealand Herald.

This post is one of reflection. I wrote this article many years ago.

Common mistakes of a newly licensed driver

In many countries, the legal age to drive is as young as 16. In New Zealand, where I live, it is 15. Statistically, the young drivers have more accidents and there are more deaths than older experienced drivers. So now, the law is changed and the young person holds a learner's license.

It is apparent that they make many common mistakes. They think they are invincible and flout traffic codes. More often, boys make more mistakes because of their testosterone and wanting to speed and drive recklessly. Girls too make mistake, they are easily distracted especially if she is driving a group of girl friends, and they giggle, laugh, sing and tease other drivers on the roads. Other mistakes include alcohol, drugs, inexperience and talk or text on cell phone. Often, the condition of the car is old and run down because the parents cannot afford to buy a good car for them.

The drunk driver in this news article was drunk, disqualified 3 times. He wasn't a young driver. He is 38. In any case, he was dangerous and should never be on the road.

This morning, a mother buries her son.
She is no random mother I read in the newspaper.
She is the mother of 4 of my students.
She is someone I talk to.
She is burying her first born.
Sanele was 17.
Sanele was killed by a drunken driver.

This month is Andrew's anniversary month.
I had Andrew for 55 days.
Teevao had Sanele for 6207 days.
I understand Teevao's grief.

I saw Sanele's sister Faith.
She came to school just one day.
I hugged her tightly.
I didn't have to say anything.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10763549

'I don't want him to die' - anguish at Cup teen's death
By Anna Leask
5:30 AM Thursday Nov 3, 2011

Teevao Pauli sits next to the body of her son Sanele at their home in Pt Chevalier. Photo / Steven McNicholl

The parents of a teenage boy killed on his way home from celebrating the All Blacks' World Cup win wanted him to stay at home that night.

But Sanele Pauli, 17, was so desperate to be part of the festivities that he pleaded with his mother for a week until she let him go.

Now Teevao Pauli must say goodbye to her boy for ever - and is left wondering if he would still be alive if she had not changed her mind just hours before kick-off.

Sanele was on his way home in the early hours of Labour Day and had just stepped off a bus with his brothers when a car hit him in Great North Rd, Pt Chevalier.

He was 500m from home. The Herald revealed last week that the man driving the car was a disqualified driver with three previous drink-driving convictions.

The 38-year-old had a breath-alcohol level of 512mcg - the limit in 400mcg. Police allege he was also speeding.

Mrs Pauli was sitting waiting for her boys to come home.

"The whole week Sanele was asking me. I said, 'No, I don't want you to go," she said. "But I could tell that he really wanted to."

Mrs Pauli eventually agreed to drop Sanele and his brothers Tapu, 15, and Sefo, 14, in Queen St.

"Sanele was so excited. He was the last one to get out of the car. He turned and said, 'Thanks mum,' and I knew he was so happy."

Tapu had a cellphone to call home if they needed a lift, or text if they were taking a bus.

"I stayed up, sitting and waiting for their call. Tapu called me and I heard him crying ... 'Mum, mum, come ... Sanele got hit by a car and he's not breathing'."

Mrs Pauli woke her husband, File, and they rushed to the scene.

"I was crying, I was just begging, 'God, please, God, please, I don't want him to die.'

"When I got there I saw him lying on the road on his own. I asked the policeman, 'Why are you not helping him?' He just comforted us and said, 'I'm sorry, we couldn't do anything. He's already gone.'

"I asked if I could go and hold him and say goodbye, but they couldn't let me. My boys were saying, 'Sorry, mum.' They were blaming themselves for what happened, especially Tapu."

Sanele was crossing the road with Tapu when he was hit. Tapu told his mother he saw the car coming towards them. He was between the car and his brother.

"Sefo got off the bus and ran across the road. Sanele and Tapu stayed on longer to say goodbye to their cousins. When the bus left, they crossed the road. Tapu didn't know if Sanele saw the car. He said it happened so fast. He stopped, he was right there, he was looking at the car ... then he heard the noise of the car hitting Sanele."

Mrs Pauli said the boys were taking their brother's death very hard.

His younger sisters Celyn, 15, and twins Faith and Hope, 7, were also devastated.

"The police tried to explain about the driver but I didn't want to know. Nothing's going to bring my son back. I'm still just trying to focus on my boy. I haven't thought about the driver yet."

Sanele's body has been at home with his family this week. His funeral is on Saturday.

He would have graduated from Avondale College this month and had enrolled in a mechanics course at Unitec. Mrs Pauli said Sanele was a "daddy's boy" and wanted to be a mechanic like his father.

"He was his father's right-hand man. His father relied on him to help with the cars. I'm just asking myself, how do I say goodbye to him when I bury him? How will I accept that? I know I will never see him again."

Mrs Pauli said that if she could say one last thing to her boy, it would be "Go in peace".

"We're praying that he's going to be in heaven. I know he's going to be a good angel - our guardian angel."

http://weekendreflection.blogspot.com

ABC Wednesday: P for prison.

2011-11-01T21:50:00.000-07:00

photo courtesy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Eden_Prisons

httphttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.com/

You may wonder what these girls are doing?

They are "visiting" the Auckland Mt Eden prison. Behind the stone wall is our prison. Separating them are the railway tracks and the mini train station and the fence. The girls hang around the fence and talk to their inmate friends.

We were stuck in a traffic jam and watched the girls for a long time. We were surprised that no guard came to stop them. My friend said, one could easily toss a tennis ball into the jail compounds. God knows what they could conceal in the tennis ball.

The original prison was a military stockade built in 1856. It became the city's main prison when the old city gaol (corner of Queen and Victoria streets) was demolished in 1865. The stone wall and the foundations were completed in 1872, the building proper was commenced in 1882 and finished in 1917.

This old prison was replaced by a private run prison. Last month, a prisoner escaped. Couple of years ago, this same prisoner escaped from the old castle using bedsheets. What a laugh.

'Houdini' escapes Mt Eden prison - again
By NZ Herald staff
6:50 AM Monday Oct 10, 2011

A man with a history of escaping has broken free from Mt Eden Prison in Auckland this morning - the second time he has escaped the maximum security prison.

Two prisoners are said to have broken into a service way, allowing Aaron Forden to exit the prison early this morning.

Forden is known as 'Houdini' for his numerous disappearing acts, including a 2008 escape from Mt Eden Prison.

He is described as a European, 30 years old, 175cm tall and of medium build. He has short reddish coloured hair. He was wearing a grey coloured sweat shirt and pants.

In his 2008 Mt Eden escape Forden used ropes and bed linen to make a rope and climb from a tower at Auckland's Mt Eden prison over a wall to freedom.

The dangling rope was spotted by a staff member and a member of the public walking past the prison early in the morning.

He managed to avoid police for three days but was captured after a dramatic high-speed police pursuit in which Forden crashed his stolen car into stationary vehicles.

Earlier this year, Forden spent eight weeks on the run, after failing to appear in court for breaching bail conditions relating to a charge of wounding with intent.

While on the run he was accused of a two-month crime spree, and was charged with ramming patrol cars, burgling homes and stealing cars, after he was caught in a Kaitaia bar in May.

In June he went on the run again after escaping from Whangarei District Court before he was captured again in the Auckland suburb of Ponsonby in October.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/auckland-region/news/article.cfm?l_id=117&objectid=10757960

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Yellow Monday/ruby red/rednesday: Eagle's nest

2011-10-31T20:35:00.001-07:00

http://mellowyellowmonday.blogspot.com/

http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com

http://www.suelovescherries.blogspot.com/

Our school has a new challenging equipment. It is called the eagle's nest and is very high. The money is raised by the PTA, and the seniors take turns to play on it. The kids love it.

LOL, I must clarify and should have written seniors of a primary school. the juniors are very jealous.

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Photohunt: Broken

2011-10-30T20:53:00.001-07:00

http://tnchicks.wordpress.com

The earthquake on February 22 in Christchurch broke many Historic Buildings. I went to Christchurch in August and took this photos. My heart bled.

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Weekend reflection: Traffic mirror

2011-10-28T14:36:00.001-07:00

http://weekendreflection.blogspot.com

The
road down to the beach is quite steep, and cars with their boats have to be careful when they turn the bend.

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ABC Wedbesday, O for onion

2011-10-25T17:08:00.001-07:00

httphttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.com/

Do you like white or red onion?

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God defend New Zealand

2011-10-23T16:29:00.001-07:00

http://mellowyellowmonday.blogspot.com/

http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com

http://www.suelovescherries.blogspot.com/

English verse: "God Defend New Zealand"
God of Nations at Thy feet,
In the bonds of love we meet,
Hear our voices, we entreat,
God defend our free land.
Guard Pacific's triple star
From the shafts of strife and war,
Make her praises heard afar,
God defend New Zealand.

Māori verse: "Aotearoa"
E Ihowā Atua,
O ngā iwi mātou rā
Āta whakarangona;
Me aroha noa
Kia hua ko te pai;
Kia tau tō atawhai;
Manaakitia mai
Aotearoa

http://youtu.be/mhCgcZ0efAA
http://youtu.be/jmZR92G7CkM

From Sept 9, the Rugby World Cup was played in New Zealand. there were a lot of support by the people, different suburbs don colours of the countries that came to play. Cars flew flags. This car had a lot of flags. This house even painted their own the Coat of Arms of New Zealand. We won by a narrow margin of 1.

The All Blacks won last night against the French, after 24 years at their home ground.

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Thursday Theme Song: The Haka/photohunt: High

2011-10-21T15:04:00.001-07:00

This is a chant rather than a song. We are at the end of the Rugby World Cup and we expect the New Zealand Team, the All Blacks to win. If you have watched the tournament, you see the Pacific Island countries doing it too before the beginning of their game. It can be quite intimidating, yet entertaining. When it comes to the Haka, the world outside Oceania is infatuated on everything about it.

School kids do the chant at school. The boys in my school are very proud they do the Kapa Haka.

Here an ex teacher Mr Emerson Nikora teaching the students with his youtube.

http://youtu.be/FHWH5SA5zwg

http://youtu.be/kmWuNYCsuo4

Photohunt: October 22: High
http://tnchicks.wordpress.com
These boys were doing the Haka high up tha Auckland Sky Tower.They walk around the outside perimeter with SkyWalk. At 328 metres, the Sky Tower is the tallest man-made structure in New Zealand and offers breathtaking views for up to 80 kilometres in every direction.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMRGk0W4vVY

Flash Mob Haka performing on the SkyWalk at Sky City Auckland, New Zealand.

It involves scary faces, lots of thigh-slapping and loud chanting.

But there is so much history behind the war dance.

Here's the words to the traditional haka performed by the mighty All Blacks.

Ringa pakia
(Slap the hands against the thighs)
Uma tiraha
(Puff out the chest)
Turi whatia
(Bend the knees)
Hope whai ake
(Let the hip follow)
Waewae takahia kia kino
(Stamp the feet as hard as you can)
Ka mate! Ka mate!
(It is death!, It is death!)
Ka ora! Ka ora!
(It is life!, It is life!)
Ka mate! Ka mate!
(It is death! It is death!)
Ka ora! Ka ora!
(It is life! It is life!)
Tenei Te Tangata Puhuru huru
(This is the hairy man)
Nana nei tiki mai
(Who fetched the sun)
Whakawhiti te ra
(And caused to shine again)
A upa ne ka up ane
(One upward step, another upward step)
Upane, Kaupane
(An upward step)
Whiti te ra
(The sun shines!)

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http://thursdaythemesong.blogspot.com/

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weekend reflection: Wide windows

2011-10-20T04:26:00.000-07:00

http://weekendreflection.blogspot.com

This house by the beach has windows stretching across the whole wall probably to get a good view of the sea. It also provides reflection from the outside.

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Readers' Digest Contest

2011-10-19T13:40:00.001-07:00

When I was young, I always read the Readers' Digest and marvel at the bravery of the mothers who struggled with sick children. When I had Andrew in the hospital, and accepted the doctors' advice that the kindest option was to let nature take it's course. When Andrew didn't die when the doctor predicted, I struggled with myself and spoke to the doctor about those mothers I read in the Readers' Digest, and I wanted to be these mothers, Dr James said that Andrew was different.

Today, I found out that Readers' Digest was inviting people to submit their stories. I am submitting mine for media exposure. But if you like to vote for me, it is appreciated.

"Diary of a bereaved mother"
My journey of having a baby who died and now I am the self appointed spokes-person for bereaved parents. My story is from my heart and will resonate with anyone who has had the misfortune to give birth to a child who has struggled to live. Synopsis: Your baby is dying. Andrew did not die that night as predicted by the doctor, he didn't die after 3 days, 10 days and finally he died at 55 days. Friends did not know whether to congratulate or commiserate us. He was declared dead after his first at 40 days, but he bounced back. That was more excruciating than his actual death. After Andrew, what have I done? Have I become a better person? There are many of the things I am most proud of. I spearheaded raising funds to separate a pair of Siamese twins from Nepal in Singapore. For 16 years, I raised funds for the Deaf Children in Kenya. I did the publicity, marketing, cooking and selling. I volunteer at teaching new immigrants.
http://www.youtube.com/asiadownunder#p/c/C9FEF73B56807B22/3/IZk9w-uywAs
Vote up!

http://apps.facebook.com/yourlifecontest/content/diary-bereaved-mother

ABC Wednesday: Letter N

2011-10-18T01:19:00.000-07:00

Nanyang means South Seas. In the old days, South East Asia was known to the Chinese as South Seas.

These Chinese structures are icons, and for a long time, Malaysian are not allowed to visit China. Coming to these Yunnan Garden served to kill two birds with one stone. They were in the university they funded, and they got a feel of China. I felt the same too, as I am 4th generations removed from China, and this is the closest I been to China.
Today, in Singapore, they have NTU, Nanyang Technological University. It was originally privately raised by the Chinese people of South East Asia, including my grand parents. When I was growing up in Borneo, my grand parents and parents donated to build the Chinese University outside China. I was told that many of our Chinese ancestors owned a brick. We teased our grand dad if they gave him a number and the coordinates of his brick.

The Nanyang university of Singapore transitioned from a Chinese University to an ultra modern one funded by the Government.

When the Water Engineer went to teach in the University in 1990, it became NTI and then NTU, a fully fledged university. To date, of all the children in the Chan clan, only my daughter D attended the university. I spent sixteen of my adult years here, and the best thing is I made many friends from all over the world.

httphttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.com/

Blog Action Day 2011: Food

2011-10-16T14:32:00.000-07:00

Do you buy beautiful, glossy vegetables? Do you know what make them attractive?

http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com

My school's kids join the environmental club. The teacher in charge Kieren teaches them to be green. Here is their worm farm "cafe". Food scraps from the classrooms and the staff room are collected daily to feed the worms. In return the worms produce yummy tea for the plants. This tea is organic fertiliser for the vegetables and fruit trees tended by the children.

Our school, Pt Chevelier school is in collaboration with WWF. All the children are allowed to harvest the crops whether or not if they have any input in the growing.

Pt Chevalier school has an organic garden. An old wheelbarrow is recycled to become a herb garden and rain is collected in the water tank. We are sponsored by the WWF, but this also mean that our crops can't be sold. Children are encouraged to harvest the vegetables when they are ready.

Food/vegetable grow organically, and brought to share during sales for Christchurch Earthquake victims.

These feijoas are not big like the supermarket ones, but the kids who brong them to the sale guarantee that no sprays been used on the fruit tree.

In Borneo, Singapore and Malaysia we call the deep purple ,long slim version of eggplant brinjal. I learnt it is also called aubergine. Since coming to New Zealand, and visiting the Auckland Winter Garden in the Domian, I found out that they come in various shapes and sizes and colour as well.

It is a spongy vegetable with lots of little seeds. You can make a casserole, bake, grill
in a curry, sautée and even a dip.

The best eggplants are firm and shiny with unbroken skin. Smaller eggplants also tend to be less bitter. Freshness is important, the skin gets wrinkled if you store them for very long.

Some times, you get worms in them. My aunty tells us that she will deliberately buy brinjals infested with worms. This gives her confidence that the brinjal is grown organically without the harmful pesticide. She added that she rather cut away the wormy part than to eat a beautiful brinjal full of hidden poison. My parents used to grow brinjal and they said it is the hardest vegetable to grow, and we had to go to the plant and catch the wriggly worms.

#About Blog Action Day is an annual event that unites the world’s bloggers in posting about the same issue on the same day. Our aim is to raise awareness and trigger a global discussion around an important issue that impacts us all.

For 2011, our Blog Action Day coincides with World Food Day, so our topic of discussion for this year will be food. Take the first step now and sign-up your blog to Blog Action Day and then look at our suggested topics for some food flavoured inspiration to discuss.
Our Goal

First and last, the purpose of Blog Action Day is to create a discussion. We ask bloggers to take a single day out of their schedule and focus it on an important issue.

By doing so on the same day, the blogging community effectively changes the conversation on the web and focuses audiences around the globe on that issue. Our hope is that out of this discussion naturally flow ideas, advice, plans, and action.

weekend reflection: Candle

2011-10-15T12:54:00.000-07:00

http://weekendreflection.blogspot.com

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day is a day of remembrance for pregnancy loss and infant death which includes but is not limited to miscarriage, stillbirth, SIDS, or the death of a newborn. It is observed annually in the United States and Canada and, in recent years, in the United Kingdom,[citation needed] on October 15.

The Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Movement began in the United States On October 25, 1988 when former American President Ronald Reagan designated the month of October 1988 as Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month.

The day is observed with remembrance ceremonies and candle-lighting vigils, concluding with the International Wave of Light, a worldwide lighting of candles at 7:00 p.m.

Baby Loss Awareness (NZ)
Candles were lit tonight, for all the little babies that we've loved and lost. Those who never made it to birth, those who were born asleep, for those who never left the hospital to come home, and for those who came home, but they couldn't stay. We love each and every single one of you, you won't ever be forgotten, and you will always be loved and missed. Fly high, precious little angel babies.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Baby-Loss-Awareness-NZ/136142316404505

I didn't lit my candle, because my candle for Andrew is lit everyday in my heart.

I was part of a documentary for the Baby Loss Awareness Week: Oct 9th to 15th. This was aired on National TV on Sunday Oct 9th.

http://weekendreflection.blogspot.com
W

Diary of a bereaved mother.

2011-10-12T15:13:00.000-07:00

I was part of a documentary for the Baby Loss Awareness Week: Oct 9th to 15th. This was showed on National TV on Sunday.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sands-Auckland-Central/112396652171998

Some bereaved mothers and dads went to a park by the beach and released balloons.

Thanks Scriptor Senex, I always feel empathy from fellow bereaved parents and those grandparents and those close friends.

You did a great job, how long ago did your son die? We never fully get over our loss, don't we. Though this year, I am philosophical about not having Andrew. I tell myself, he made me a writer because he died. Otherwise, I will just be a amateur writer.

Many husbands including mine belong to stiff upper lip group, the category that we should accept and move on. I wrote in my book how I wished he continued to attend the Sands meetings.

I go to the Sands meetings, and more women attend the meetings than men. Those men who attend, they are very good.The meetings are not just for their wives but for themselves too.

ABC Wednesday: Letter M

2011-10-11T13:48:00.001-07:00

httphttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.com/

Letter M for Mobile Pizza oven and a New Zealand Money plant.

This oven is taken to big festivals when people can have piping hot pizzas.

My friend told me to place a plant at the front door. This plant was already at the front door when I moved to it. The yellow color looks as though the leaves are made of gold.

mellow yellow/ruby red/rednesday:Tea for one

2011-10-09T21:51:00.001-07:00

http://mellowyellowmonday.blogspot.com/

http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com

http://www.suelovescherries.blogspot.com/

I was once given this Chinese Tea glass. I didn't dare to use it because I thought the hot water would break the glass and it would be too hot to handle.

When I was packing my stuff I had never used and still in it's box, I had a close examination. I found it was like two glasses like a thermos, and when you pour hot water, the outer layer doesn't touch the hot water.

I decided to use it. There is a sieve like thing that goes on top so that when you drink the tea, you don't get the tea leaves to your mouth.

Scenic Sunday: Gold Coast Australia

2011-10-09T15:55:00.001-07:00

href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_nScWyFpFyOY/Sy1ToJrHAzI/AAAAAAAAIrc/OYJqhFF47B8/s1600-h/scenic+sunday.jpg">
http://scenicsunday.blogspot.com/

Summer's round the corner. Last night, the Australia rugby team beat the South Africa Spring boks to qualify for the semi final.

Weekend reflection: At Half moon bay marina

2011-10-08T02:33:00.001-07:00

http://weekendreflection.blogspot.com

A reflection of the ferry at the Marina.

ABC WEdnesday: Letter L

2011-10-04T22:53:00.000-07:00

In most landed properties in Auckland, there are fruiting lemon trees.

Lucky Bamboo or ribbon bamboo.

http://www.tootsietime.com/
The Chinese call this bamboo, Goddess of Mercy Bamboo. Worhippers do what you do, leave them in a vase, and the bamboo will be a permanent fixture. The worshippers believe that she is a vegetarian, so they offer plants and flowers and fruits as an offering. (I should post a photo taken from my sister in law's house.)

http://annkschin.blogspot.com/2008/12/sanderianaribbon-plant.html

When I was in Singapore, it was very artistic to use just cuttings without leaves and put them in a vase as a decor. In time, the new shoot grow. I experimented with this and the photo is the result. I also grew a lot of then in the gardening club allotment. I plant them for fun.

httphttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.com/

weekend reflection: Pt Chevalier Beach

2011-09-30T19:38:00.001-07:00

http://weekendreflection.blogspot.com
We moved to this suburb, and the beach is 5 minutes away. The water is still very cold. It was low tide when we went, and you could walk 50 meters out to sea. I snapped the reflection of the lone person braving the cold.

ABC WEdnesday: K for Kiwi

2011-09-29T13:13:00.000-07:00

httphttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.com/

The Kiwi, the iconic bird of New Zealand. It doesn't fly, it stays in the dark, but the New Zealanders have affectionately called themselves Kiwis.

Roger is right, it is not a real Kiwi. I bought it for my students. Real Kiwis are protected and I can't keep one in my classroom.

At one stage, people were considered Kiwis who were born in New Zealand. Now, they use it as a NZ citizen. I teach immigrant kids, and I get a lot of arguments ," You are not a Kiwi."

Save the world, mellow yellow, ruby red, rednesday: The green truck

2011-09-19T04:30:00.001-07:00

http://mellowyellowmonday.blogspot.com/

http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com

http://www.suelovescherries.blogspot.com/

http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com/

This truck is colored red and yellow but is called a green truck. It comes and collects paper and cardboard for recycling. My kind of truck. Most people just recycle without wantting to be paid.

But now for incentives for my school, they pay the school some money. My school has gone a step further, we encourage parents to bring their paper from home. I have seen parents lugging their old newspaper and cardboard. What a fantastic idea.

weekend reflection: The customer is always right

2011-09-16T07:05:00.001-07:00

http://weekendreflection.blogspot.com

In 1908 César Ritz (1850-1918), the celebrated French hotelier is credited with saying 'Le client n'a jamais tort' - 'The customer is never wrong'. That's not the phrase that people now remember, but it can hardly be said to be any different in meaning to 'the customer is always right'.

In the 1970s, I went to universities in Canada and New Zealand. My then management lecturers stressed the importance of "The customer is always right." Even if he wasn't, you still treated him with tact.

That is part of my work philosophy. However, this is not the case with many. Recently, I was victim to a civil servant and her office who behaved as though they were the civil BOSS and they were not there to serve in their appointed capacity. They were rude and arrogant and ignorant. After visits to the office, telephone call and flurries of email, I was so frustrated that I wrote to the man in the highest office. Only then, I got the matter resolved and an apology. They could have saved themselves a lot of trouble if only they were more diligent and humble. In fact, if they had persisted in their attitude, I was prepared to write to the highest office of the land. This reflected how angry I was.

Have you encountered similar aggravating situations?

Photos show a little reflection on the window of the Old Arts Building of the Auckland University. I spent many a winter shivering in the cold because it was very cold.

yellow mellow, ruby red, rednesday

2011-09-11T21:40:00.001-07:00

http://mellowyellowmonday.blogspot.com/

http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com

http://www.suelovescherries.blogspot.com/

I went out for lunch to celebrate a friend's birthday. I thought the juice bottle was rather cute. I don't waste things. I took it back to my class room.

Lunch time order baskets for school kids.

weekend reflection: Bugis, Singapore

2011-09-10T22:32:00.000-07:00

http://weekendreflection.blogspot.com

In a tourist part of Singapore.

ABC WEdnesday: Letter H for Gift of Hope

2011-09-04T19:58:00.000-07:00

I am the proud owner of this jute eco shopping bag.

httphttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.com/

http://mtalbertbaptist.blogspot.com/
http://www.vimeo.com/26556171
The saying: Give a person a fish, he has a meal for a day. Teach him to fish, he has fish for the rest of his life. My church, Mt Albert Baptist Church is helping some hill people in Thailand.

We sell products made by these people, and the profits are returned to helping the hills people and giving them hope.

Our Potential Approach
1. The ministry would benefit from a short-term trip of people with particular skill sets, or people helping from back in Auckland in various ways:
- produce videos
- photography
- web help
- skilled trades people

2. Promoting and Selling Lai Mai Coffee as a way to support this ministry.

3. Promotion of the jewelry made through Rahab.

Monday Yellow, Ruby red,Rednesday: Dr Fen Moy

2011-09-04T18:54:00.000-07:00

This is Dr Fen Moy. Her husband is Dr Jonathan Moy. Here they were with their 5 year old twins Hannah and Daniel outside my church. They are relatively new to my church, Mt Albert Baptist Church, In Auckland. Like me, Fen came from Malaysia to study in New Zealand and chose to remain in this lovely country to live.

Two Wednesdays ago, I saw a notice similar to this one below at the church office when I went to do photocopying for my ESOL Class. I used the notice as an opportunity to teach my adult ESOL students, terms like donation, volunteering. My lesson paid off, a student came the next week with two pairs of sunglasses. I am sure Fen was asking for reading glasses, so I asked her, she said she could use them.Some one in India will look fashionable and be in Bollywood.

I admire Fen. She is leaving her two children. Ka Pai to her , and to Jonathan who is home to hold the fort.

Request for Old Glasses

Please donate your old spectacles/glasses! Dr Fen Moy is joining a 2 week short-term medical mission going to India to provide primary health care to the poor, in March 2012. They will be visiting a rural area near Hyderabad (in the state of Andhra Pradesh). The team is associated with the Christian Medical Fellowship and the trip has been organised in conjunction with a local church in Hyderabad (Sion Fellowship Ministries) as part of their outreach to the community.

A similar mission last year found that the most common problems were related to eyesight – over 500 cases. Many of these problems were easily correctible by glasses. Hence, we are looking for donations of old glasses – 100s of pairs.

Please drop off unneeded glasses at Mt Albert Baptist Church, either in the foyer on Sundays, or at the church office. Thank you for your support!

● Fen is an emergency medicine specialist at Auckland City Hospital and attends MABC with her husband and 5 yr-old twins.

http://mellowyellowmonday.blogspot.com/

http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com

http://www.suelovescherries.blogspot.com/

weekend reflection: Father's day.

2011-09-03T21:26:00.000-07:00

It is Fathers' Day today in New Zealand. We have two very special guests speaking - Andrew Thorburn, the CEO of Bank of New Zealand, and Timo Tagaloa, ex Rugby Sevens Player. Gravity kids enjoyed some game-time with Timo.

When I told Timo I teach ESOL to Samoan and Tongan kids, and we are studying rugby, he signed a special card for me. I am going to be very popular with my kids tomorrow. The dads were treated to a free BBQ sausage sizzle.

Our Senior pastor Jonathan Dove introducing Andrew Thorburn,,

Timo Tagaloa brought rugby shirts of various teams and famous players. Timo is involved with the Athletes in action.http://www.athletesinaction.org.nz/

My niece sang this song for her dad.

I am a very proud aunty. This is Emily Chan, my brother Charles and sis-in-law Karen's baby daughter. Yes, no matter whether you are 23 , or you are 2, you are always your parents' baby, especially if you are the youngest child in the family.

Emily plays the guitar, piano and sings. She writes all her own songs and had recorded her music. Her music style is alternative/indie rock. Here she sings this aged old Chinese song for her Dad this father's day. http://ann-mythoughtsandphotos.blogspot.com/2010/09/thursday-theme-song-moms-best_08.html

Download Emily Chan - Mum's The Best .

This is Emily's song: Mum's the best. Click on the link to listen to her lovely voice.

http://weekendreflection.blogspot.com

For reflection, if you look carefully, Dad Jeff is cooking his sausages, you can see the reflection of the winter trees in the window. The Dad of my family cleaned his car and mine, and I immortalized it with this photo.

2011-09-01T23:11:00.001-07:00

http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

http://skyley.blogspot.com/

1st day of spring but nothing to sing about. It was cloudy and forcast is snow in some parts of New Zealand. But if you look carefully, there is a rainbow, a promise of good weather?

ABC Wednesday: Letter G for ground control

2011-08-29T02:31:00.000-07:00

httphttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.com/

I flew to earthquake ravaged Christchurch on Friday late afternoon. The day was still light for me to photograph the ground control tower at the Auckland domestic airport.

Thanks to the hard work to these ground controllers, we can feel confident to step into a plane. I recall not so long ago, some idiot took his son to work and let the kid handle the controls.

Scenic Sunday: Campbell Aero Classics

2011-08-28T03:49:00.000-07:00

href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_nScWyFpFyOY/Sy1ToJrHAzI/AAAAAAAAIrc/OYJqhFF47B8/s1600-h/scenic+sunday.jpg">
http://scenicsunday.blogspot.com/

Today, I had the best ever holiday I had, apart from the Black Water Rafting I did about 12 years ago at Waitomoto caves.

I went flying, I don't mean flying in a commercial jumbo plane or Fokker friendship. I flew in a tiger moth. Yes, I mean tiger moth.

I went to Christchurch to visit my old friends. They took me to Loburn, to visit Ivan and Sandy Campbell. We were all excited as we drove to North Canterbury to Loburn Abbey airfield, as we knew we were going to fly in this special plane. Our oldest "pilot" today was Mrs. Chew, aged 81. Paki Paki.

Thoughts of Jean batten conjured in my head. Ivan and Sandra make their own planes and are the creators of the World's only Class leather hard shell flying helmet. Ivan gave us flights and I am so grateful for their generousity.

We all had a marvelous time, looking at the picturesque snow laden mountains, the paddocks, the horses, the sheep and the cows.

http://www.campbellaeroclassics.com

Sandra's hospitality extended to teaching us play croquet. Croquet has a special place in my heart. I was 20 months when Dad left us in Borneo to study in London. Croquet always brings me more memories as my dad played croquet in London in the 1950s. As a teen, I saw pictures fo women dressed in long dresses playing croquet, and wondered why dad played croquet. It was only when I was an adult when I asked him why he played a ladies game. He said it wasn't, it required precision. And yesterday, I found out when I played with my friends. It was not only reminisces with this Chew Family but with my Dad.

After all the thrills and spills, Sandra treated us to a beautiful lunch which we sat outside in a wonderful sunny winter afternoon.

ABC WEdnesday:Fern

2011-08-23T01:46:00.000-07:00

httphttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.com/

When I was a faculty wife in Singapore, I lived on the campus, and was the secretary of the gardening club. When I left, I left behind a legacy of greens and trees. Here is a fern garden I left behind.

yellow mellow Monday/ruby red/rednesday

2011-08-22T11:21:00.000-07:00

At the Easter Show, my oldest daughter had fun driving.

http://mellowyellowmonday.blogspot.com/

http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com

http://www.suelovescherries.blogspot.com/

A

photohunt: drink Chinese green tea

2011-08-19T04:21:00.000-07:00

http://tnchicks.wordpress.com/

My favourite cuppa: Chinese green tea served in tiny bowl like cups. You can't fill the tea to the brim because it will be too hot to hold the handleless cups.

weekend reflection: Disney land

2011-08-19T04:15:00.000-07:00

http://weekendreflection.blogspot.com

Many years ago, we went to Disney land on LA. The girls had great fun. We had fun too.

Thursday Theme Song/ABC Wednesday: E for Emergency

2011-08-15T14:33:00.000-07:00

I have been teaching safety and use this song. I had to change 911 to 111 as this is our emergency numbers in New Zealand.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVObBXma7bM

This is the SONG ONLY version about dialing 9-1-1 intended to teach 3 major concepts. It directs children to dial 9-1-1 if they're in trouble AND they're alone, tells them to give their name, address, and problem, and informs them of the 3 kinds of help they can expect (ambulance, fire truck, police). Grancie48's Channel

http://hootin--anni.blogspot.com/

httphttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.com/

111 emergency numbers Song,

If there is trouble and you are alone,
Call for help on your telephone.

111 111
pick up the phone and dial 111
111 are the numbers
you push on the telephone.

Save a life with these numbers,
Someone else or your own.

Give your name,
Give your address too.
And then tell what is troubling you.

111 111
pick up the phone and dial 111
111 are the numbers
you push on the telephone.

Save a life with these numbers,
Someone else or your own.

Ambulance and fire trucks too,
And police can come to help you.

111 111
pick up the phone and dial 111
pick up the phone and dial 111

If there's serious trouble and it's dangerous,
And there's no one there to help you out,
Just pick up the phone and dial 911,
That's what this is all about!

911 . . . can get the firemen.
911 . . . can get police.
911 . . . can get the ambulance.
911 . . . only for emergencies!

If there's serious trouble and it's dangerous,
And there's no one there to help you out,
Just pick up the phone and dial 911,http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
That's what this is all about!

911 . . . can get the firemen.
911 . . . can get police.
911 . . . can get the ambulance.
911 . . . only for emergencies!
911
911

CALL!
http://www.songsforteaching.com/intellitunes/911emergencies.htm

Photohunt: 1

2011-08-12T18:31:00.000-07:00

When I was young, my Chinese Grand dad used to say A1 Top Size when we had done something awesome, we took it to mean number 1.

This week's photohunt challenge is 1, This story of Charlie is A1 Top Size in my book.

http://youtu.be/OHrxLfwAdsk

http://tnchicks.wordpress.com/

I first posted this story in my book blog. I think it is appropriate it to post it here so more people can read it.

http://www.designgivesback.com/2011/08/welcome-to-miracle-makeover-reveal-charlies-room-video-august-12-18-leave-comments-and-design-gives-.html#comments

My fellow blogger and bereaved mother Marydon has lots in common with me. We both lost our sons. Today, she did a post and invited me to comment.

Mary featured on ~ Charlie Grady aka Charlie Santa ~
www.designgivesback.com I invite you to check this out to watch this incredible and awesome boy.

We are sharing the story of a little boy who is probably a lot like your son, grandson or nephew; he loves cars, trucks & trains. Charlie loves riding his bicycle, also. He is different than most 8 yr. olds in two ways: he has brain tumors & he leads a toy drive to help kids in chemotherapy to have happier holidays. "Charlie Santa" was founded when he was just five & in his first round of chemotherapy. This is one of the reasons he was chosen to be an ambassador for kids with Neurofibromatosis Type 1, & a recipient of a Miracle Makeover.

I have another friend Linda, who is wearing the same shoes as Charlies' mum. Shoes that are too small and pinching her feet causing great pain in their heart.

Designgives back is not screened in New Zealand, but what a great job they are doing,

In my book, I wrote a poem about shoes.

I modify it here,

The hole in the heart is bigger than life,
The hole never mends.
My child has cancer.
Life is never the same again.
Only a fellow mum who has a child with cancer,
will understand another mum's pain
For she wears the same pair of shoes,
For she feels the pinching at the toes.

weekend reflection: Coconut trees in the pool

2011-08-12T03:59:00.000-07:00

http://weekendreflection.blogspot.com

In a luxurious service apartment in Papua New Guinea, guests can cool off at the pool.

ABC Wednesday/Thursday theme song: D for ducks

2011-08-09T04:09:00.001-07:00

http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

httphttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.com/

http://youtu.be/0LEYwoooVfw
Elmo had four ducks (quack quack quack quack)
four birds of a feather (quack quack quack quack)
to waddle with (quack quack quack quack)
and quack together. (quack quack quack quack)
But then one day… one swam away
Oh gosh oh gee… Elmo just had three.

Elmo had three ducks (quack quack quack)
three birds of a feather (quack quack quack)
to waddle with (quack quack quack)
and quack together (quack quack quack)
But then one day… one went achoo!
And off he flew… so Elmo just had two.

Elmo had two ducks (quack quack)
two birds of a feather (quack quack)
to waddle with (quack quack)
and quack together. (quack quack)
But then one day… one had to run
to get some sun… then Elmo just had one.

Elmo had one duck (quack)
one bird of a feather (quack)
to waddle with (quack)
and quack together. (quack)
But then one day… it spun and spun
and got so dizzy… Elmo now had none.

Elmo had no ducks… not even a feather
to waddle with… and quack together.
But then one day… Elmo heard a QUACK!
Oh gosh oh gee… Elmo’s ducks came back!

hootin--anni has a new meme.
IT'S ALL ABOUT MY NEW MEME THAT I HOPE SOME WILL FEEL LIKE JOINING IN ON THE CHALLENGE AND THE FUN [at least I hope the weekly challenge will be fun!]. It's loosely based on song lyrics [recorded songs since the beginning of time to today] and associating them with photos of yours...as I've done in the http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifpast...If you click on the link above, it'll take you to the Meme's Homepage for rules and buttons. There will be a Mr. Linky Widget for each individual week also. Do consider joining me sometime. Hope to see it flourish in time.
http://hootin--anni.blogspot.com/

yellow mellow monday/ruby red/rednesday: Giant slide

2011-08-07T23:18:00.001-07:00

http://mellowyellowmonday.blogspot.com/

http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com

http://www.suelovescherries.blogspot.com/

Australia is known as the big continent to New Zealanders. Everything is big. Here, my daughter overcomed her fear and went up and down the slide which was very high.