Monday, August 16, 2010

Transition

Its surreal cleaning up the yard and throwing out a whole lot of rubbish that has been gathering since we moved into this new home in 2007. It was August 26, 2007 when we moved into on new home 'Buckland Palace' as it was so appropriately named by our son-in-law Afi Lama. I remember that weekend well. It was saturday evening after Sabbath that we attempted to move in. The problems is that our real estate broker had gone away for the weekend and forgot to notify us and the then tenants how we were going to take possession of the property.

Once we finally gained possession of the key we moved as much as we could on Saturday night. The old rental at Tui Road had served us well for over a decade and moving into our own home was a tremendous feeling. Well the thought of moving out looms closely as Alice and I prepare to migrate to Australia.

In making the move we have had a list of things to do before we depart and clearing up the rubbish around the property was one of those. Actually in July the inorganic rubbish was collected for Mangere but somehow we missed out on receiving the flyer notifying us and therefore missed out on the collection...

So having planned to remove all our unwanted junk on a specific weekend I made sure we had use of the church trailer and filled it to the brim with garbage - old beds, frames, plastic, wooden pallets, old carpet pieces, buckets, fragments of toys and a whole heap of other bits and pieces. Fortunately Alice's cousin ensured that we were able to dump it all for free - cheers Cuzzie!

Sorting out my library was a task that I was putting off because there are so many books that I'd love to keep and take with me. However the whole process has be cathartic for me and Alice as we rid ourselves of a myriad of possessions that we have no further need of. Its like a clean sweep, wiping the slate clean and starting all over again, which it is really.

We are goingt omiss our daughters who remain in New Zealand and our precious grand-son, whom we would love to take with us. I suppose its a consolation that we get to spend time with the rest of our grandchildren and daughters whom we have been apart from for several years now.

I'm looking forward to the move and so is Alice. We're quite excited actually. We have no jobs, no money, and very few possessions that we will take with us but a strong faith in God and a belief that he will provide - Jehovah Jireh!

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Rainy Days & Rainy Nights

The weather in Auckland is a popular talking point for locals. We have a saying, "Auckland is where can experience all four seasons in one day!". However during the winter there's just one thing that you experience - RAIN!

It seems like July and August are the two months of the year that it rains continuously in Auckland. Day and night, day after day, weeks roll in to months of ugly wet cold weather.

The front lawn has reached saturation point and with nowhere else to go the water logged soil becomes a bog! No where else is this phenomenon experienced but Auckland, City of Sails, New Zealand. I hate the rain in New Zealand. At least in the tropics when it buckets down the rain is a tepid welcoming comfort - here today gone the next.

Funny thing is that it never seems to rain in the right place here in New Zealand. Farmers suffering from drought in the South Island and the North Island gets the torrential downpours. Reservoirs running low in the ranges and its rains elsewhere.

What is there to like about the rain? Can't mow the lawn when it's raining - now there's a plus! Can't hang the washing when it's raining - minus! Get to chill in the fale and watch movies - good for one day and longer and I go stir crazy! The grass looks greener after it rains, and the airs always refreshing after it rains...

Oh well sounds like it's stopped raining outside...maybe I'll go out and play...not at 11:40pm at night...rain rain go away come again after I've left for sunny Queensland!

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Dog Day Afternoon...

It's always enriching when people come into your life and bless you, but when its a dog that's really different.

I remember growing up our family had a pet dog - Sandy! She was a great dog, friendly, loving, playful and a great companion for us kids. I don't ever remember having to pick up dog poop around the yard and that's probably due to the fact that our family had a 'plantation' in the back yard - a taro plantation at that! Dad turned the back yard into his slice of paradise, minus the beach front view and the tropical warmth of Lano, Savaii where he grew up.

So I guess Sandy's place to poop was the plantation and nitrogen for the lawns - no wonder our gardens were always fruitful!

Anyhow the dog that Alice got for our grandson Kavell just left and who would have thought it would have been such a sad occasion. To see him loaded up on the back of the truck and to bid him farewell seemed like a straightforward exercise, it was! But after he left the thoughts flooded in of the wonderful dog he was and the great times I had with him. So much that I cried with the memories cascading through my mind...Anyone who has owned a dog and spent loving times with them will know the experience. What a wussy!

One member of our family has just departed. I know he will be going to a better place. Somewhere he can run freely and have a companion - his new owner has a 4 acre fully fenced property and a golden retriever. So Yankee will be well looked after! No more being chained up all day and having to entertain himself by barking at the birds eating from his food bowl and bathing in his water bowl.

Now I know what Alice went through that morning she said goodbye to our other dog Smoocha the cuddly Bichon Frize who now has a happy home with our niece and her family.

Well when your pet is really part of your family them's the breaks!

Monday, August 2, 2010

Intrepid Reporter

Well I've been prompted by all my fans to continue my writing and so I have decided I should continue to blog more to meet the demand - thanks Sis!

My journey on these shores is about to come to an end. Finally the time has come to venture to new pastures, not greener shores, but definitely a warmer climate. I hear the crashing of waves on the shore and the crackling of bangers on the barby.

There's no place like home...there's no place like home...there's no place like home...*clicking my heals together* Home is where the heart is and for me that's not a place over the rainbow, its a place where rainbow's come from. I believe the words from that gospel melody, "This world is not my home, I'm just a passing through..."

And on earth my heart will be torn between two locations Auckland, where i was born and raised and the Gold Coast where I am destined to be domiciled shortly. My children and grandchildren are the apple of my eye and to have them in one place would be perfect, but for now that's a dream to be realised somewhere over the rainbow!

Peace and prosperity to you see you in dreamtime!