Can this be done without having a shower too?(Relle's photo)
fly swatter
Orange in the backyard
Aunty, what the heck are you teaching my child?
Relle took this image, luv it!
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Yay...photos can be uploaded...very scruffily
10 reasons why we love it here
1. Fresh strawberries (and oranges, apples, kiwifruit, veges)
2. Lots of great friends
3. Meat is affordable
4. Not as busy as other places
5. Free or heavily subsidized children's medication
6. Lots of things to do for children
7. Everyone minds their own business (aside from our faikakala friends who are ready inviting us for coffee just to pry into our and ours lives (-:
8. Close to both coasts; Raglan and Mount/TRG for the beach
9. Close to Ruapehu for skiing n Taupo.
10. Because its not Auckland. Pugi (:(actually, because for the money we saved to buy our house, we'd have just afforded half a garage in Mangere, so there!)
Not long to go before before WLG to see MJ and co...yay!!!!!
hmmm,still can't post pics, damn it!!!
2. Lots of great friends
3. Meat is affordable
4. Not as busy as other places
5. Free or heavily subsidized children's medication
6. Lots of things to do for children
7. Everyone minds their own business (aside from our faikakala friends who are ready inviting us for coffee just to pry into our and ours lives (-:
8. Close to both coasts; Raglan and Mount/TRG for the beach
9. Close to Ruapehu for skiing n Taupo.
10. Because its not Auckland. Pugi (:(actually, because for the money we saved to buy our house, we'd have just afforded half a garage in Mangere, so there!)
Not long to go before before WLG to see MJ and co...yay!!!!!
hmmm,still can't post pics, damn it!!!
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
The Animal Farm
Some time last week, I couldn't get MM to sleep.
And it was 11pm on a week night.
I read her 3 books, but she was hyper and bouncing all over
5 more books and I was beginning to skip pages and make things up But she was still buzzing
So I yelled at her, sent her to her bed, switched off the light. Shut the door.
"Bwaaaaahhhhh, Daddyyy, Papa....Mommy hurt me....bwahhhhh"
Frenchy comes running and when I told him she was making things up she really turned on the waterworks AND the amplified cries.
Her sobs were like "you abusive woman you, you turned my father against me!"
Anyhow, she won this battle, MM=1 Momma = 0
I took her to the guest room (her Aunty's room, she calls it) and told her if she went to sleep, we will go to the Farm the following week. She quietly but happily gathered her blanket, walked to her room, and asked me to 'get out of my room please"
...Why didn't I think of this at 8pm?
ANyhow, that promise has been getting her to sleep early every night..."we will see the horses and the cows in the morning".
I took the day off today and went with her to daycare.
All 15 of her 2 year old mates were all ready with hats, sunblock and tons of excitement to get to the farm.
The highlight of course was the Bus ride, not the farm.
Funny how 2 year old's operate...one shrieks with excitement and 14 others follow suit.
One cries and the rest force tears too.
The first part of the visit was a trailer ride - MM loved it, she hopped on the second trip without me....there I was waiting excitedly for her and she completely ignored me. little miopi!
The farmer took us to see and feed the ducks - kids loved this...MM was over the moon about feeding the ducks, chickens and goats straight out of her bare wee hands!!!
She also helped throw the hay for the cows, and she did enquire about the cow's "boobies"..."Why she got 4 boobies?"
When we got back on the bus- she exclaimed "that was lots of fun aye!"
I dropped her back at daycare and went to work from 1-5pm...picked her up after work and reminded her to tell Frenchy all about her day at the Farm. She did, she said "Papa, I was on the bus today!"
And it was 11pm on a week night.
I read her 3 books, but she was hyper and bouncing all over
5 more books and I was beginning to skip pages and make things up But she was still buzzing
So I yelled at her, sent her to her bed, switched off the light. Shut the door.
"Bwaaaaahhhhh, Daddyyy, Papa....Mommy hurt me....bwahhhhh"
Frenchy comes running and when I told him she was making things up she really turned on the waterworks AND the amplified cries.
Her sobs were like "you abusive woman you, you turned my father against me!"
Anyhow, she won this battle, MM=1 Momma = 0
I took her to the guest room (her Aunty's room, she calls it) and told her if she went to sleep, we will go to the Farm the following week. She quietly but happily gathered her blanket, walked to her room, and asked me to 'get out of my room please"
...Why didn't I think of this at 8pm?
ANyhow, that promise has been getting her to sleep early every night..."we will see the horses and the cows in the morning".
I took the day off today and went with her to daycare.
All 15 of her 2 year old mates were all ready with hats, sunblock and tons of excitement to get to the farm.
The highlight of course was the Bus ride, not the farm.
Funny how 2 year old's operate...one shrieks with excitement and 14 others follow suit.
One cries and the rest force tears too.
The first part of the visit was a trailer ride - MM loved it, she hopped on the second trip without me....there I was waiting excitedly for her and she completely ignored me. little miopi!
The farmer took us to see and feed the ducks - kids loved this...MM was over the moon about feeding the ducks, chickens and goats straight out of her bare wee hands!!!
She also helped throw the hay for the cows, and she did enquire about the cow's "boobies"..."Why she got 4 boobies?"
When we got back on the bus- she exclaimed "that was lots of fun aye!"
I dropped her back at daycare and went to work from 1-5pm...picked her up after work and reminded her to tell Frenchy all about her day at the Farm. She did, she said "Papa, I was on the bus today!"
Sunday, November 22, 2009
This week in the days of our lives....aue!
There was a time in moi life where I was desperate to find employment, having just migrated to the land of milk and honey and the long white cloud.
And I was illegal for a while, so the jobs were sort of paid under the table....but it sustained my needs at the time.
This is why I will always be a avid supporter and advocate for the bar and food industry,...all because when I needed it most, they allowed me to work, irrespective of my immigration status(:
I worked in a bar/restaurant washing dishes, making coffee and serving pissed patrons,...this was cushy option compared to apple or strawberry picking with the Tongan cuzzies and the Brazilian 'holiday' makers.
And I did this in a shit ol' town which rains almost always and everyone is pasty and so very conservative.
Yeah, love farks your mind up like that
I left the sunshine and my family for this
I wish I left the bloody faalavelaves behind but nope, jobless or not, we still have to give....
...oka, i forgot what my point was about....damn it, i'm getting old!
I forgot what the topic of my discussion is.... ah well....
Oh, thats right,...if i forget stuff, i can just make up stuff:
What happened Last week that makes it memorable or even forgetable?
****
AIlole passed away, Rest In Peace Ailole - she is the last of the ladies of our family in Safua....she is married into the family but has become a fixture in our growing up.
- SHe will be missed for her singing during the New Year service
- She was always happy to see us when we came home(with $ hahaha).
-
I loved going to gatai and updating her about what was happening...she was always an avid listener and very frank!
- She used to oke the kids a lot
- And was a hoarder, even at her old age, she knew exactly which apa fafago was missing and who ate the fasi puaa in the fridge.
- She was a midwife when she was young, so heaps of people in our village and district are called Ailole, just like Aunty Fonima- whose name lives on in Tokelau because she was a nurse/midwife
- Ailole was married to Vaasiliifiti Sene, who was a quiet and hard working man.
- AIlole did all the talking and all the reporting.
I am sad that she has passed, becuase she represented the last of the oldies who I have so much respect and love for.
They were the strength of our family.
Now that she has passed, there are only a few remaining that I can confidently look up to and have admiration for, people like Lalotoa and Soo and Sene in Gataivai and ummmm ummmm ......you get my drift.
Just to make it clear: Ailole = married Vaasili Sene, whose sister is Savali.
Savali married Futu from Gataivai, their daughter is Faleasiu, whose daughter is my mother. whose daughter is me. so my generation is Vaasili Sene's grandchildren, who are not born yet....we were born too soon I think...or Vaasili Sene was born very late.
***************************************
What else...
-the Tuilaepa debacle has been 'slightly solved' but my low opinion of him remains.
-Mother dearest emailed; she has patched relations (on behalf of the Taualeo'o and Leilua) with the Sagone side last week, so it looks like there will be no dramas there.
Viia le Ali'i.
-Although the above matter is good news, it becomes another farken faalavelave because we must officially asi the village next week and the oratory lingo those clowns understand is 'faasacurrency'.
-Which brings me to ask, poo fea isi Leilua ma Kaualeoo lea e lauasa solo i le lalolagi ae le o aku e fai se lakou sao i le guu.
- Transliterated for the non-"English" speakers "Where are the Taualeoos and Leiluas all over the world,gallivanting around with their Samowen 'tribal' titles without contributing to their village matters?...magaia le fiafia e faasalala solo igoa makai ae leiloa western union le mogokaga i sachic.
-We're going to Wellington in 2 more weeks to see the Omani delegation, we can't wait!!!!
-Mother dearest is coming over for Christmas....well, MJH is trying to arrange this with her...it is impossible to get my mother to rest for 7 days and agree to travel dates. Making rocks dance is easier.
- CJ was in the paper about her Oxford trip. We are so happy for her becuase she soooooo deserves it and this is proof that you dont need a degree to make great things happen...like she said in the article...father dearest would have been so proud he'd have 3 whiskeys for her.
so.....on behalf of my father, i'll have 4 for you CJ.
malo fa'aea aiga, who knows, you might hook up some Lord something....chooohooo!
And then we'll call you Duchess of Savaii...ouch! fai mai le koeaiga Fagamalo, " u have lifted me onto a slanted rock!!!"
And I was illegal for a while, so the jobs were sort of paid under the table....but it sustained my needs at the time.
This is why I will always be a avid supporter and advocate for the bar and food industry,...all because when I needed it most, they allowed me to work, irrespective of my immigration status(:
I worked in a bar/restaurant washing dishes, making coffee and serving pissed patrons,...this was cushy option compared to apple or strawberry picking with the Tongan cuzzies and the Brazilian 'holiday' makers.
And I did this in a shit ol' town which rains almost always and everyone is pasty and so very conservative.
Yeah, love farks your mind up like that
I left the sunshine and my family for this
I wish I left the bloody faalavelaves behind but nope, jobless or not, we still have to give....
...oka, i forgot what my point was about....damn it, i'm getting old!
I forgot what the topic of my discussion is.... ah well....
Oh, thats right,...if i forget stuff, i can just make up stuff:
What happened Last week that makes it memorable or even forgetable?
****
AIlole passed away, Rest In Peace Ailole - she is the last of the ladies of our family in Safua....she is married into the family but has become a fixture in our growing up.
- SHe will be missed for her singing during the New Year service
- She was always happy to see us when we came home
- She used to oke the kids a lot
- And was a hoarder, even at her old age, she knew exactly which apa fafago was missing and who ate the fasi puaa in the fridge.
- She was a midwife when she was young, so heaps of people in our village and district are called Ailole, just like Aunty Fonima- whose name lives on in Tokelau because she was a nurse/midwife
- Ailole was married to Vaasiliifiti Sene, who was a quiet and hard working man.
- AIlole did all the talking and all the reporting.
I am sad that she has passed, becuase she represented the last of the oldies who I have so much respect and love for.
They were the strength of our family.
Now that she has passed, there are only a few remaining that I can confidently look up to and have admiration for, people like Lalotoa and Soo and Sene in Gataivai and ummmm ummmm ......you get my drift.
Just to make it clear: Ailole = married Vaasili Sene, whose sister is Savali.
Savali married Futu from Gataivai, their daughter is Faleasiu, whose daughter is my mother. whose daughter is me. so my generation is Vaasili Sene's grandchildren, who are not born yet....we were born too soon I think...or Vaasili Sene was born very late.
***************************************
What else...
-the Tuilaepa debacle has been 'slightly solved' but my low opinion of him remains.
-Mother dearest emailed; she has patched relations (on behalf of the Taualeo'o and Leilua) with the Sagone side last week, so it looks like there will be no dramas there.
Viia le Ali'i.
-Although the above matter is good news, it becomes another farken faalavelave because we must officially asi the village next week and the oratory lingo those clowns understand is 'faasacurrency'.
-Which brings me to ask, poo fea isi Leilua ma Kaualeoo lea e lauasa solo i le lalolagi ae le o aku e fai se lakou sao i le guu.
- Transliterated for the non-"English" speakers "Where are the Taualeoos and Leiluas all over the world,
-We're going to Wellington in 2 more weeks to see the Omani delegation, we can't wait!!!!
-Mother dearest is coming over for Christmas....well, MJH is trying to arrange this with her...it is impossible to get my mother to rest for 7 days and agree to travel dates. Making rocks dance is easier.
- CJ was in the paper about her Oxford trip. We are so happy for her becuase she soooooo deserves it and this is proof that you dont need a degree to make great things happen...like she said in the article...father dearest would have been so proud he'd have 3 whiskeys for her.
so.....on behalf of my father, i'll have 4 for you CJ.
malo fa'aea aiga, who knows, you might hook up some Lord something....chooohooo!
And then we'll call you Duchess of Savaii...ouch! fai mai le koeaiga Fagamalo, " u have lifted me onto a slanted rock!!!"
Monday, November 16, 2009
To the very beautiful girl
To the very beautiful girl who has be blessed unexpectedly, much to the outrage of some short-sighted people.
I hope that you know that you are so very special to so many,
and they are the very people that matter to you and yours, so stop
and smile (:
They matter even more when the dust has settled and the au faikakalas coconut wireless have found another young soul to bark at
If everything seem so overwhelming and against you now,
just think, ...there will be a political fallout tomorrow, a car accident next week and another ribbon cutting ceremony that will dominate the headlines.
Meanwhile life goes on and you are needed so so so much in this world.
Look on the bright side, you came forward with your situation.
Who knows how many others would have 'dealt' with the problem differently?
Focus on what is important in life right now, the rest of the rifraf can pacrack on, like one great man once said "kukuu ai pea le vale e fasa fasa a make" transliterated "live and let live(-:"
Stay positive and strong and hopeful. That is my prayer.(when I come round to saying a prayer this month)
Amene ma alleluia.
I hope that you know that you are so very special to so many,
and they are the very people that matter to you and yours, so stop
and smile (:
They matter even more when the dust has settled and the au faikakalas coconut wireless have found another young soul to bark at
If everything seem so overwhelming and against you now,
just think, ...there will be a political fallout tomorrow, a car accident next week and another ribbon cutting ceremony that will dominate the headlines.
Meanwhile life goes on and you are needed so so so much in this world.
Look on the bright side, you came forward with your situation.
Who knows how many others would have 'dealt' with the problem differently?
Focus on what is important in life right now, the rest of the rifraf can pacrack on, like one great man once said "kukuu ai pea le vale e fasa fasa a make" transliterated "live and let live(-:"
Stay positive and strong and hopeful. That is my prayer.
Amene ma alleluia.
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