Apparently, according to Lucy, it is National blog posting month... I'm assuming this is in the UK. I, however, am not in the UK so have every excuse not to post daily for the duration of this month ;) November also happens to be Movember... sigh, roll on December!
November also happens to start with my Granny Dunford's birthday. As my cousin Robin reminded us via facebook she would've been 100 this year. It seems a little hard to get my head around the fact that various uncles and aunts are now as old as my earliest memories of Granny, in fact if I sat down and did my sums properly I'd probably figure out that Dad is too... but for his sake as well as mine I won't dwell on that thought too long!
I still miss my Granny even though it is over 18yrs since she died. Each time I sew anything I think of her. Each time I bake anything without a recipe I think of her. (Admittedly though it is usually muffins or drop scones/scotch pancakes/pikelets/whatever you call them rather than a Victoria Sponge cake which probably requires far less skill!). And on the rare occassions when I smell bacon being cooked in the morning I am instantly transported back to waking up at The Pitching with the brook tinkling away outside the bedroom window, the church bells ringing and Kath coming round calling out 'coooeee' as she reached the door...
Thanks Robin for sharing some photos I'd not seen before (or at least don't remember!) and triggering off a whole heap more memories. It's also nice to be reminded again just how special she was to my cousins too, I must do my bit and scan in the few photos I have of her to upload too. It's a lovely way to share our memories of her as well as the pictures.
Happy hundreth Granny.
Monday, November 02, 2009
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
residency
well at long last I have recieved confirmation that my application for residency has been approved! This doesn't mean I've actually got it yet, I'm still waiting for the letter, to send my passport off (along with yet more dosh) and get it back with the appropriate bit of paper stuck in it.
Now all I have to do is wait another 5 yrs and I can apply for Citizenship! What's the difference between being a permanent resident and a citizen? Well according to NZ Insider it is this...
Legal Permanent Residents of New Zealand (with valid Permanent Resident Visas/Permits) have the same rights and privileges as NZ citizens with the following notable exceptions:
a) They can not travel on a NZ passport (citizenship is required for a NZ passport).
b) They can not run for Parliament.
c) They can not represent NZ in international sports events (such as the Olympics).
As I've always intended to leave standing for Parliament to the likes of Mark and Alex, and Miss Stass long ago relagated me to the ranks of the no hoper 'jongos' when it came to P.E. that leaves the lure of a passport. Far from essential I admit but who knows what life will bring and why it might prove useful.
But in the meantime I can now look forward to being able to qualify for KiwiSaver (national pension scheme), being able to get a credit card with Kiwi Bank (as psis who I bank with here don't do one and I have had no desire to prop up the Australian banking community who control just about all the rest of the banks here), having a vote for the first time in 4yrs and hopefully an end to the suggestions of marrying a Kiwi to be able to stay here beyond my current visa! Oh and being able to officially be charged local rates at the Drs surgery rather than that being dependant upon the kindness of my GPs heart and his ability to sweet talk the practice manager...
Now all I have to do is wait another 5 yrs and I can apply for Citizenship! What's the difference between being a permanent resident and a citizen? Well according to NZ Insider it is this...
Legal Permanent Residents of New Zealand (with valid Permanent Resident Visas/Permits) have the same rights and privileges as NZ citizens with the following notable exceptions:
a) They can not travel on a NZ passport (citizenship is required for a NZ passport).
b) They can not run for Parliament.
c) They can not represent NZ in international sports events (such as the Olympics).
As I've always intended to leave standing for Parliament to the likes of Mark and Alex, and Miss Stass long ago relagated me to the ranks of the no hoper 'jongos' when it came to P.E. that leaves the lure of a passport. Far from essential I admit but who knows what life will bring and why it might prove useful.
But in the meantime I can now look forward to being able to qualify for KiwiSaver (national pension scheme), being able to get a credit card with Kiwi Bank (as psis who I bank with here don't do one and I have had no desire to prop up the Australian banking community who control just about all the rest of the banks here), having a vote for the first time in 4yrs and hopefully an end to the suggestions of marrying a Kiwi to be able to stay here beyond my current visa! Oh and being able to officially be charged local rates at the Drs surgery rather than that being dependant upon the kindness of my GPs heart and his ability to sweet talk the practice manager...
Thursday, September 10, 2009
does anyone recognise this song?
Back around Easter 1989 I was given a compilation tape (remember those?). The sound quality was a bit dodgy but having seen the state of the ghetto blaster it was recorded on it wasn't that bad really! And what's more the track listing was (and still is!) fantastic and led to me spending years collecting the various tracks on cd so I could recreate the well worn and much loved compilation in a more durable format.
However I remained completely stuck on one track. Partly because Gavin didn't know what it was called or who recorded it! He told me at the time he'd got it on a compliation from Jack Kelly and he called it 'The Leaving Song' which was apparently about as much info as Jack had provided.
Over the years I've played to to various people but to no avail. The vocal sound is a bit Nick Drake-ish, with acoustic guitar and a saxaphone solo. Google hasn't come up with anything when I've put the lyrics in (shame on you Pete!).
So, 20yrs on I'm back to picking people's memories and hoping someone recognises the lyrics - I'm afraid my limited grasp of technology doesn't enable me to somehow copy the crackly tape into a digital format to play on here...
‘The Leaving Song’
You pull (put?) a face as the train pulls away.
My heart’s running on
But my feet seem to stay.
Night’s closing in
I don’t want to sleep.
My heart’s running on
And my love’s running deep.
And there’s nothing to see
And I’m turning away.
But the train’s still in view
So I’m turning to stay.
Forcing a smile in that lonely place
I’m guessing because I left my cigarettes in your case.
Blood’s running thick
My blood’s running free
But no-one gives a damn because
There’s no-one to see.
I’m hurting inside
And I’m hurting the world.
My temper’s quick
I feel so sick
Because I’ve lost the pearl
My fingers curled around
It’s stupid because
I know my anger’s wrong.
It’s stupid because
I know you won’t be long.
But still I miss you
More than everything else.
I suppose more than anything
I am angry with myself.
(sax solo then repeat last two ‘verses’)
However I remained completely stuck on one track. Partly because Gavin didn't know what it was called or who recorded it! He told me at the time he'd got it on a compliation from Jack Kelly and he called it 'The Leaving Song' which was apparently about as much info as Jack had provided.
Over the years I've played to to various people but to no avail. The vocal sound is a bit Nick Drake-ish, with acoustic guitar and a saxaphone solo. Google hasn't come up with anything when I've put the lyrics in (shame on you Pete!).
So, 20yrs on I'm back to picking people's memories and hoping someone recognises the lyrics - I'm afraid my limited grasp of technology doesn't enable me to somehow copy the crackly tape into a digital format to play on here...
‘The Leaving Song’
You pull (put?) a face as the train pulls away.
My heart’s running on
But my feet seem to stay.
Night’s closing in
I don’t want to sleep.
My heart’s running on
And my love’s running deep.
And there’s nothing to see
And I’m turning away.
But the train’s still in view
So I’m turning to stay.
Forcing a smile in that lonely place
I’m guessing because I left my cigarettes in your case.
Blood’s running thick
My blood’s running free
But no-one gives a damn because
There’s no-one to see.
I’m hurting inside
And I’m hurting the world.
My temper’s quick
I feel so sick
Because I’ve lost the pearl
My fingers curled around
It’s stupid because
I know my anger’s wrong.
It’s stupid because
I know you won’t be long.
But still I miss you
More than everything else.
I suppose more than anything
I am angry with myself.
(sax solo then repeat last two ‘verses’)
Monday, August 10, 2009
change?
yes I know, it's been a while... again! Well what with being sick (again/still) and away, having too much to write about and not enough time and then plenty of time and not enough energy, somehow blogging took second place to snappy little facebook status updates which are much more manageable! Because so many people are on facebook these days I forget that there are those who don't get to see those updates and that I have to fill them in by other means, sorry Mum & Dad....
Anyways where was I away to? Well Wellington for (Quaker) Yearly Meeting and some catching up with F/friends for a few days. How did it go? Well nothing like as momentous as Britain YM which managed to hit the headlines a short while later that is for sure, in fact reflecting on our YM in the light of BYM I felt that we had a long way to go.... the big issue of the day for us wasn't same sex marriages but climate change. In one of the reports from Britain YM someone referred to the recent decision being the culmination of 22 years of work, discussion and seeking spiritual guidance. Quaker decision making has never been noted for it's speed (it took 100 years to make their minds up about abolishing slavery!) but as some people are getting increasingly frantic about explaining, we simply don't have 100 years to sort this one out, and probably not even twenty two. Now I'm no expert by any stretch of the imagination and I know that there is also talk about the amount of sunspot activity that is affecting climate change in a big way, but regardless of that, we can't ignore that as a species we aren't looking after Papatuanuku, Mother Earth and it is all going to get a lot worse, for whatever reason.
What can we do corporately as Friends? Well a rather tame letter was sent to our PM pointing out the carbon footprint of war and preparing for war (military exercises) and the need to engage fully in the Copenhagen talks. Some headway was made about the right use of money and the fact that true socially responsible investment may mean low/zero returns for us rather than supporting unethical practices and that this goes beyond boycotting the usual suspects of tobacco and the arms trades and looking hard at the environmental impact of Fonterra and the like. Some Friends have expressed a wish to set targets for reducing power consumption within the MM by 15% but that is aimed at those MMs with property, others have suggested cutting travel and the need for it - combining Summer Gathering and YM (more likley to work consecutively than combined methinks) or holding YM every 2 years or through regional video links rather than entirely face to to face.
But what can I do? Well the biggest part of my life that is unsustainable is my work environment, sure we have recycling but the waste of water, paints and other resources is fairly horrific most days. But have I the energy to take it on board on top of everything else that needs addressed? Probably not, but I don't think I've got much choice really do I?
Anyways where was I away to? Well Wellington for (Quaker) Yearly Meeting and some catching up with F/friends for a few days. How did it go? Well nothing like as momentous as Britain YM which managed to hit the headlines a short while later that is for sure, in fact reflecting on our YM in the light of BYM I felt that we had a long way to go.... the big issue of the day for us wasn't same sex marriages but climate change. In one of the reports from Britain YM someone referred to the recent decision being the culmination of 22 years of work, discussion and seeking spiritual guidance. Quaker decision making has never been noted for it's speed (it took 100 years to make their minds up about abolishing slavery!) but as some people are getting increasingly frantic about explaining, we simply don't have 100 years to sort this one out, and probably not even twenty two. Now I'm no expert by any stretch of the imagination and I know that there is also talk about the amount of sunspot activity that is affecting climate change in a big way, but regardless of that, we can't ignore that as a species we aren't looking after Papatuanuku, Mother Earth and it is all going to get a lot worse, for whatever reason.
What can we do corporately as Friends? Well a rather tame letter was sent to our PM pointing out the carbon footprint of war and preparing for war (military exercises) and the need to engage fully in the Copenhagen talks. Some headway was made about the right use of money and the fact that true socially responsible investment may mean low/zero returns for us rather than supporting unethical practices and that this goes beyond boycotting the usual suspects of tobacco and the arms trades and looking hard at the environmental impact of Fonterra and the like. Some Friends have expressed a wish to set targets for reducing power consumption within the MM by 15% but that is aimed at those MMs with property, others have suggested cutting travel and the need for it - combining Summer Gathering and YM (more likley to work consecutively than combined methinks) or holding YM every 2 years or through regional video links rather than entirely face to to face.
But what can I do? Well the biggest part of my life that is unsustainable is my work environment, sure we have recycling but the waste of water, paints and other resources is fairly horrific most days. But have I the energy to take it on board on top of everything else that needs addressed? Probably not, but I don't think I've got much choice really do I?
Monday, June 22, 2009
sick and tired
Well I seem to spend more time feeling sick than not at the moment, what with a virus in my eustachian tubes (in my ears for the less anatomically minded!), a lengthy dose of bronchitis and now seasonal flu the last few months have felt like something of an uphill battle. "Why do you think you keep getting sick?" asked my boss when I rang in today to say that I wasn't sure going in tomorrow was a great idea.
Why indeed? I've not been this sick this often since I worked in residential care... and before that in day care... hmmm, maybe I spy a pattern here? Lots of people in a relatively small space all day, many of whom have health issues and/or are more vulnerable to whatever is going around. I spend a hefty chunk of my day wiping noses (and bottoms if it comes to that), cuddling snotty nosed kids and sitting in a warm confined space with them whilst they fall asleep. We teach them that it is good to share, but some things are best kept to yourself!
But what annoys me is the pressure that there is to go back to work as soon as you are vertical again. Especially when I read the Ministry of Health guidelines that state no matter what type of influenza you have, H1N1 or seasonal, you should be off for 7 days and/or until you have 24hrs free of symptoms. It would have made far more sense to take the week off and get properly better in the first place than struggle back to work after a couple of days and then end up off sick again by the end of the week. But I only get 5 days paid sick leave a year, which got used up when I had the virus, so now I'm eating into my not exactly extensive annual leave and am being made to feel guilty for being off sick. I now appreciate, in a way that I never really did when I had it, just how good the sick pay conditions are in the UK!!!
It felt decidedly wrong to be sitting in a staff meeting on Friday where we discussed extensive cleaning regimes to keep down the risk of infection and excluding children for x number of days who had been overseas when there I was coughing and sneezing! I was probably the biggest infection risk we had. Admittedly I would have already gone home had a lift been available sooner, but I had to ask if I could go I didn't get sent home!
Anyways, time I went and made another hot honey & lemon drink. At least the universe provides lemons, limes, grapefruit and oranges in season when I need them most and I live where they grow in the garden =)
Why indeed? I've not been this sick this often since I worked in residential care... and before that in day care... hmmm, maybe I spy a pattern here? Lots of people in a relatively small space all day, many of whom have health issues and/or are more vulnerable to whatever is going around. I spend a hefty chunk of my day wiping noses (and bottoms if it comes to that), cuddling snotty nosed kids and sitting in a warm confined space with them whilst they fall asleep. We teach them that it is good to share, but some things are best kept to yourself!
But what annoys me is the pressure that there is to go back to work as soon as you are vertical again. Especially when I read the Ministry of Health guidelines that state no matter what type of influenza you have, H1N1 or seasonal, you should be off for 7 days and/or until you have 24hrs free of symptoms. It would have made far more sense to take the week off and get properly better in the first place than struggle back to work after a couple of days and then end up off sick again by the end of the week. But I only get 5 days paid sick leave a year, which got used up when I had the virus, so now I'm eating into my not exactly extensive annual leave and am being made to feel guilty for being off sick. I now appreciate, in a way that I never really did when I had it, just how good the sick pay conditions are in the UK!!!
It felt decidedly wrong to be sitting in a staff meeting on Friday where we discussed extensive cleaning regimes to keep down the risk of infection and excluding children for x number of days who had been overseas when there I was coughing and sneezing! I was probably the biggest infection risk we had. Admittedly I would have already gone home had a lift been available sooner, but I had to ask if I could go I didn't get sent home!
Anyways, time I went and made another hot honey & lemon drink. At least the universe provides lemons, limes, grapefruit and oranges in season when I need them most and I live where they grow in the garden =)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)