Part of the Cystic Fibrosis Christmas Tree display at wellington Airport
It’s now Monday December 4th, 2023. Kia ora!
Yesterday morning I went to church. It felt quite adventurous after Saturday night’s Messiah, but it was the first Sunday of Advent, and so a special occasion. It’s lovely to see the Christmas decorations up, and it was lovely to hear the organ playing almost all the hymns. The sermon was good, too, relating Jesus Christ’s coming to earth as a baby (“and the word became flesh, and dwelt among us”, John 1: 14) to our hope for Christs’ Second Coming to earth. While the text from Mark’s Gospel (13: 24-37) is pretty scary, the text from 1 Corinthians 1: 1-9 reassures us (“you are not lacking in any spiritual gift”) that we have all we need to get through whatever lean and difficult times may come for us. The symbol for the first Sunday of Advent is Hope, and it seemed very appropriate.
The weekly Covid 19 report was published today.
Covid-19 cases have dropped since last week, but there were still 20 further deaths attributed to the virus, according to Ministry of Health figures.
There have been 6656 new cases of Covid-19 reported in New Zealand over the week to Sunday, and 20 further deaths attributed to the virus. Of the new cases, 1131 were probable cases and 3553 were reinfections. There were 332 cases in hospital and one in intensive care. The seven-day rolling average of new cases was 951 per day. Measurements of Covid 19 in wastewater are causing concern.
Last week, Te Whatu Ora reported 6814 new cases and 27 deaths, including a child aged under 10.
Our son from the UK and his wife came to morning tea. We stayed at home because a tradesman was due to come, but he did not turn up. We went up the road to the café for lunch. On Tuesday they were to fly south to Queenstown.
On Tuesday morning I went to bible study. We did not read the set text, which was from the beginning of Mark’s Gospel, and does not describe Jesus’ birth. Instead we read I Thessalonians chapter 5.
Afterwards I caught a bus into town, expecting to go to a 1 pm movie, but Lighthouse Theatre must have changed their schedule (or perhaps I read it wrongly!) I was really hungry by this time, so I had lunch at Kaffee Eis. I had to sit in a draught, but the food was delicious, especially a lemon slice with whipped cream on the side.
Afterwards I went to Rebel sports shop in the old James Smith Building, seeking to check out Christmas presents for two of my grandchildren, from their comprehensive lists. It was bewildering, though – there are many Nike school bags, and I now l know what a “bucket hat” is! It may be easier to give them vouchers (to redeem at the Boxing Day sales!), although it would be nice to give an actual present. Then I checked our Unity Books, and looked for suitable books for my daughter, but I couldn’t find anything really suitable.
Then I went to Whitcoulls and Farmers, where I bought some small necessities, before catching a bus home.
It’s now Wednesday December 6.
This morning I got up early to go to hymn singing. We sang O Holy Night, but the organist has found a lower key version of it. While it goes high at the end, I found it difficult to sing so low!
Then it was the final for the year of our Te Reo class. It was lovely, of course: we looked at place names, checking out the meanings of the various prefixes and suffixes. Afterwards I caught a bus into town, and bought some capri pants from Farmers, before catching a bus home.
The new coalition government is upsetting many people, already. Winston Peters is calling the press “morons”, but surely you want them on your side? There were big protests by Māori yesterday in the main centres: Luxon said that he didn’t know what they were protesting about! Then he claimed, in a very Trump-like way, that Māori would be better of under this government that they were under Labour; meanwhile the new government is seeking to dismantle everything that Labour did. It just makes me so sad: Labour tried to do so much for Māori, but succeed in annoying many people, and, of course, not doing enough for Māori. Meanwhile Minister of Finance Nicola Willis is negotiating to not pay public servants more if they know Te Reo Māori. Surely it makes sense for anyone in a public-facing job, or drafting public policy, to be familiar with Te Reo Māori?
It’s now Thursday. I went to my Thursday singing as usual, and we gave a small concert. For once, it was fine and sunny there in Khandallah, and the conductor stood her keyboard in front of the singers, so we could see when to come in.
On Friday afternoon we bought some birthday presents for our daughter – in Johnsonville! I was relieved about that.
It’s now Sunday December 10th.
The weather was beautiful on Friday, but it turned unpleasant over the weekend, getting windy and wet and a bit cooler. So wearing summer clothes will have to wait a few days longer. On Saturday we had Covid immunisations – again! The Pfizer one, again. Apart from a sore arm, I don’t really have any negative effects. Afterwards we went grocery shopping.
Today was to be the Khandallah Fair, and the church was to be involved in this. There was a Christmas Pageant, which I haven’t seen before. The planned fair was moved with the stalls going into the Khandallah Town Hall, and some activities moving to the church. I really needed to speak to the organist about the Christmas Eve carol service, and a friend had kindly given me a lift, so it was a busy time. JD had given me some change (which I was going to spend at the Fair), but then he wanted some back, so I didn’t have much left! I bought a jar of grapefruit marmalade however.
On Monday we were due to go out, but JD had an appointment, so we did not go. On Tuesday morning I went to Bible Study. This time we were reading some of the verses from John’s Gospel chapter 1, about John the Baptist prefiguring the advent of Christ: his semi-miraculous birth came a few months before that of Jesus. Afterwards some of us had coffee together, and a friend drove me home.
Wednesday was going to be a very busy day, with the final hymn singing session for the year, coffee afterwards, followed by a movie and Christmas lunch at the Khandallah Town Hall. I was looking forward to both of them. However our son from the UK wanted to spend some time with us (what a treat!), so I had to cancel planned activities. Hymn singing remained, and our son was going to meet us for lunch, but of course he had a busy day (!), so he wanted to meet us in town for morning tea.
Accordingly JD and I got up and showered early, and he drove me to hymn singing. I invited him to listen to us (and admire), but he had to go and get petrol. Some singers were late, and we ended up with 15 of us in addition to the organist. We had a lovely singing session, and then I left (with apologies), to meet JD and drive into town. We got there, and found a carpark, and guess what our son was late! But I found a good table at Smith the Grocer Café, and we had a delicious morning tea. Afterwards we went to Noel Leeming and bought a kindle for me (they had a special deal, and I’ve been wanting one for some time). I have to admit I’m still struggling with buying stuff to read on it, but I have created an account, and found how to charge it. Then we had lunch at Kaizen Café in Porirua.
Meanwhile there have been various negotiations and arrangements for our upcoming trip to Hawkes Bay.
Today (Thursday December 14th) we had our final Thursday morning singing session for the year. It was lovely, although I had woken up with a headache. But I took a Covid test, and it was negative, and I’m not sneezing or coughing, so I went. We had a catered lunch afterwards, and this was very enjoyable, although a friend of mine was unwell. But although at least two people stayed away sick, there was a good turnout.
Afterwards I caught a bus to Johnsonville, and then a bus home.
The war in Israel continues, with serious bombardment in Gaza by the Israeli Defence Force. Meanwhile, it has transpired that not only did Netanyahu know about Hamas’ plans to attack Israel well in advance, he’s been giving money and fuel to Hamas! Many are saying the two-state solution (i.e. Israel and Palestine agreeing to share disputed territory) is dead, and the PLA (Palestinian Liberation Authority) is corrupt! Yes, indeed, but surely Netanyahu is corrupt too! The world, and President Biden, are decrying Israel’s attacks on Gaza, but they’re continuing, brutally, none the less. Where are the Palestinians in Gaza to go? Where is safe? And, of course, the humanitarian situation is terrible. Meanwhile, President Zelensky of Ukraine has gone to the US to plead for more funds, and Republicans are saying No. I cannot remove the underlines, for some annoying reason.
I am nervous about our upcoming trip to Hawkes Bay, but hopefully I will be rested and organised and I will rise to the occasion. It will be lovely to see our daughter again.
Here in New Zealand, the coalition government is in a spot of bother, I think. There are a number of changes proposed before Christmas, and Winston Peters continues to make waves. The mayor of Wellington, Tory Whanau, is in a spot of bother for her drinking making waves. Will there be enough water in Wellington this summer? We hope so. It’d be nice to have summer too! Yesterday I wore a long-sleeved blouse, and it was quite cold. Today it’s warmer and I dared to wear summer clothes! But although it gets warm/hot in the afternoons, it still gets cold at night.
On Christmas Eve there will be a carol service at my church, and on Christmas Day I am to do a reading.
That’s it for now. Busy-ness is interspersed with quiet periods, thankfully, where I wonder what I should be doing, instead of taking it easy. Slava Ukraini! Ngā mihi nui.
Classic Barbarian 