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Monday, October 31, 2011

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



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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Sunday, October 30, 2011

Photohunt: Broken




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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Vote for my story, you can vote once a day. Voting finishes on November 15th. Thanks.

Friday, October 28, 2011

Weekend reflection: Traffic mirror









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.


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

Vote for my story, you may vote once a day, voting finishes in Nov 15th.

Sunday, October 23, 2011

God defend New Zealand




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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Friday, October 21, 2011

Thursday Theme Song: The Haka/photohunt: High

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!)

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




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Thursday, October 20, 2011

weekend reflection: Wide windows



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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Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Readers' Digest Contest


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

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

ABC Wednesday: Letter N



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/

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Blog Action Day 2011: Food

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.

Saturday, October 15, 2011

weekend reflection: Candle




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

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Diary of a bereaved mother.



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.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

ABC Wednesday: Letter M



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.

Sunday, October 9, 2011

mellow yellow/ruby red/rednesday:Tea for one







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.