Today is Monday December 14^th. Kia ora katoa.

We are rushing – walking – striding- towards Christmas, whatever Christmas means to us all in this strange year. There’s no rush. Here in New Zealand, we are truly grateful to be able to “do stuff”. But hey, there’s not much rush to “do it”. I am thankful that this usually very commercial occasion seems to me a great deal more down-market and low-key this year. Many of us are thankful just to be alive, to have a kind and gracious government, re-elected, and not to have our loved ones die from Covid 19.

Last Monday we drove back from Napier, where my daughter had her 30^th birthday on the Sunday. Our brief trip to Napier was very enjoyable.  One of my sons and his family came too, and stayed not far from us. The weather was fine and warm, but not too hot. My daughter played games with her three-year old nephew. On Sunday, a group of 15 of us had lunch at a pub in Ahuriri. We had a separate room upstairs, it was decorated, and they looked after us really well. The birthday cake, a chocolate cake, was beautiful. That evening, we took our daughter to the Paradise Play at the Clive Hall, an annual event. This was very moving and enjoyable. It was nice to go again, although I missed the Christmas Market they usually have at this time of year.

On Tuesday I had an eye-brow shaping, on Wednesday I went to hymn singing (Joy to the World, In the Bleak Midwinter – it was wet and overcast, though not cold), and then went into the CBD and bought a copy of Tableland by Ray Salisbury from Unity Books. More on that in another blog.

On Thursday morning we had singing, and we sang outside the Khandallah Town Hall – not Christmas carols but songs like Hine e Hine, Chanson D’Amour, Moon River, and Waterloo. We had a lovely receptive audience who listened and clapped, including Fiona and Penny from the Community Centre Office.

On Friday we had our final art group meeting for the year. The day started out fine and warm, but it became very windy, so the plan to sketch outside was abandoned, and instead we watched  a very interesting DVD about Picasso, mainly about the influences on his work, and how some paintings built up. I especially liked a painting about bull-fighting. For many paintings my reaction was that he should have stopped, and stopped fiddling with them. Many of his figures started out as one form, and became something else altogether. This DVD featured pictures of him painting, so we could see how he built up a painting.

On Saturday I made a vegan, gluten-free Christmas cake.

One highlight of the week was attending a performance of Handel’s Messiah at the Michael Fowler Centre.  This was wonderful, and a crowded performance, with many wheelchairs and walkers there.  It was slightly spoiled for me by two things – a lot of coughing, and the woman behind us, who, during Part One, insisted on singing along to the Choruses, just slightly behind them.  I thought about crying babies on aeroplanes, and decided this was not that annoying, and I wouldn’t let it spoil things for me.

We had been given programmes, and the musical score for the Hallelujah Chorus, and we were invited not just to stand for this, but to sing along too. This was going to be my big moment, but for the lady behind us, it was hers. She sang very loudly, in a slightly out of tune alto. I had to leave it to her.

The soprano soloist’s singing of I Know that my Redeemer Liveth was truly wonderful. The whole performance was wonderful, quite intimate, and very enjoyable. The Tudor Consort made wonderful sounds. The wonderful Gemma New, the conductor, seemed to have boundless energy and draw the best out of everyone, be they singer or player in this great work.

On Sunday we went to see the Frances Hodgkins exhibition at Victoria University’s Adam Art Gallery.  There were lots of wonderful paintings, on three levels. There were wide staircases, but a handrail on only one side; and this on different sides of the two long staircases. There was a lift, but we weren’t encouraged to use it. The university, in its wisdom, has made this place really difficult to move around. This is just so frustrating. Anyone would be badly injured by falling down the stairs, and this is the university, for goodness’ sake! It was the last day for the exhibition, and despite the access issues, it was well worth seeing. I had not known it was on here, after we missed seeing it in Auckland last year.

After this we had a very enjoyable family afternoon tea and gave the children their Christmas presents.

This coming week are my last singing sessions for 2020, and then we drive to Napier to spend Christmas with my daughter. Meanwhile, I am trying to finish a library book, Betrayal in Berlin, by Steve Vogel, which is due back.

I did finish reading Marilynne Robinson’s Jack. What a frustrating love story! Jack, a ne’er-do-well, and Della, a beautiful and talented black woman fall in love. She is a schoolteacher, her father is a bishop, and her family strongly urge her to break off the relationship. It is against the law for them to marry. Della is at risk of losing her school-teaching job if she is associated with Jack. The book is written from Jack’s perspective, and seems very effective; it rings true, although I don’t know what a guy’s perspective would be. He has no prospects, no property, no regular job, not even a place to live. It’s suggested that he earlier got a girl (“white trash”) pregnant, and his family took over raising the child, who later got ill and died. Perhaps I have some of these details wrong. The book ends with Della pregnant, and Della and Jack together. They love each other, there is much grace in this relationship, and yet what prospects can they (and their child) have, but to be outcasts in that society in which they find themselves? There are no good answers here. Perhaps the US has come some way since those post-WW2 days.

Meanwhile, in the US, despite there being so many clever people, everything seems to be in tatters. The coronavirus has killed almost 300,000 people (today’s official figure is 299,000): they have the equivalent of a 9/11 some days in terms of deaths. Thus far, the Senate has failed to vote a relief package. People, desperately hungry, are stealing food to survive. There are long lines at food banks, although one wonders how people can afford gas to run their cars. Despite the desperate poverty of the Great Depression of the 1930’s (that Great Depression, not the GFC), people are not really geared up for this kind of crisis, in a country where footpaths are rare.

Trump is still fighting the results of the presidential election, although we heard on Friday with great relief that the US Supreme Court rejected a bid from the Texas Attorney-General to overturn the election. While this was, like previous legal cases, a desperately silly attempt to change the outcome, many Republican AGs and some senators signed on to it, signing their names, not just offering verbal support.  This has been truly scary, a terrifying effort to subvert democracy and disenfranchise certain voters.

The good news is that the FDA has approved the Pfizer vaccine for use, but Trump’s White House turned down an offer for an option on extra doses. The upshot of this is that quite apart from the distribution issues, there won’t be enough of the vaccine to go around. The rest of the world just wonders, and continues to wonder. This wouldn’t matter quite so much if we didn’t have loved ones there, apart from the fact that the US has a great effect on the rest of the world. One would have thought that Biden winning the election would be enough. But, sadly, it’s not. The Electoral College is due to vote on the US president on December 14, i.e. today, when it comes around in the US. There is some complicated factor that there could be further shenanigans, but one hopes that Biden is elected by the Electoral College, and safely inaugurated as President on January 20. After that, it doesn’t matter nearly so much what happens.  At some point, we can cast a further sign of relief. Oh, and there are the Georgia run-off elections on January 5^th.

It has to be truly alarming that the government of one of the biggest countries in the world, that country having a large sense of entitlement, is in such disarray, with its democratic “norms” in tatters; and what about the Black Lives Matter protests and George Floyd’s death at the hands of police?  Did this count for anything?  Why did more people vote for Trump than in 2016? Why did Republicans politicians do so well? Why do so many care about the unborn, yet advocate death for their political opponents? After birth, human life seems to have little, if any, value there.

Since many are reflecting back on 2020, and all its challenges, that changed our lives everywhere, in ways we did not anticipate…my analogy is that it’s like being at war, with fear and restrictions. In our bubble her, thankfully, we have been kept safe.

While I realise it has been very hard for many folk, and continues to be really difficult in places like the UK and the US, it has been a circuit-breaker for me personally, and I still wonder at the turnaround for me that the Covid 19 restrictions have brought about.  I try to understand others’ frustration, and there have been some frustrations for me, but, by and large, I have been fine. I could be an invalid; could stay in bed without feeling guilty; the weather was kind; most of us were well; it was great to have some things not happen; despite dire stories in the news media, the local economy seems to be booming; after all, some businesses will go to the wall, if they weren’t meant to be; and it’s a big relief to have a huge reduction in overseas travel. The lessening of advertising for cruise trips, and stories about gut health, have been greatly welcome. We have enjoyed some wonderful music and books; we have also enjoyed (and continue to enjoy) wonderful concerts at greatly reduced ticket prices, with programmes being given to us for free. One can go to these live performances with no greater fear than normal, of catching something. I doubt that really ill people would go to concerts. While we wouldn’t want to go back to our strict lockdown, here, it was amazing in August how stores reacted by putting up QR codes, and taking remedial actions to keep everyone safe. The wearing of masks on public transport was mandated, and so everyone complied. When the mandate was lifted, the masks stayed off too. Most, if not all of us here have benefitted from slowing down.  Ngā mihi.

Today is Sunday November 29^th. Kia ora!

Today I am writing about a house that featured in some of my earliest memories. Two of my cousins have confirmed that it featured in theirs, too, so I know I am not making this up. This lovely place, where some of my family lived, has engendered true memories that live on today. I also remember the hymn singing making me cry (true), and the Queen’s visit in 1953-54, or perhaps I’ve conjured up memories of that. I recall queueing up in Tinakori Road for a long time, and having the royal car pointed out to me in the distance; we weren’t nearly close enough to see her, and I was disappointed to learn that she wasn’t wearing a crown – that  was just for ceremonial occasions, and she was just an ordinarily dressed, rather small woman. Nevertheless, New Zealanders, like Australians, turned out in droves to be part of the adoring crowd.

Much later I again saw her drive past, quite close, and was disappointed at how small, pale, and ordinary-looking she was. I was told that she was going to walk up the drive to the Mary Potter Hospice and perhaps speak to some of us, nevertheless, she wisely stayed in her car and drive past us.

But back to Tasman Street in Nelson, where my grandparents, Roger and Ethel Salisbury, lived for a time. Their daughter, my mother had grown up on a farm at Ngatimoti, or Pokororo. She used both names. After all their five children had grown up, my maternal grandparents left the farm and moved to Nelson, living I think in somewhere else before moving to Tasman Street.

My maternal grandfather (Papa) was Roger Lister Salisbury, the sixth child of John Park Salisbury (1833 – 1893). John Park Salisbury married Clara Agnes Deck in 1860, and they had eight children, including two daughters.

John Park Salisbury was born in Dudley, Worcestershire, England, and was educated as a lawyer. I thought the family lived in Lancaster for a time, but I can’t find a record of this. He came to Australia, then New Zealand, and prospected for gold, as well as being a missionary. He was a great walker, once walking from Motueka to Nelson.

One of his sons, Roger Lister, married my grandmother, Ethel Griffin, when he was forty and she twenty-five years old. They lived on a farm where they baked their own bread, churned their own butter, grew their own vegetables, and Papa killed a sheep when they needed meat. They had five children, but there were people to help, too. They were largely self-sufficient. My mother had two wishes: one, that I’d had brothers, and two, that I’d been raised on a farm. She was a country-girl at heart, and longed for peace, quiet, and deserted places where we would have picnics (often at stony beaches).

I remember visiting Nana and Papa at the house on Tasman Street, where they lived downstairs, and two aunts (who never married), lived upstairs.  By this time Papa was quite blind. He had glaucoma, which hadn’t been treated properly. He died in the early 1950’s, and I wasn’t allowed to go to his funeral. After his death, the house was sold, and my Nana moved to Wellington; the aunts bought another very nice house in Nelson, although not nearly as large and gracious as this one.

The house at Tasman Street was quite magical. I remember visiting there with my mother, after crossing Cook Strait on the old Tamahine. It was always called the old Tamahine, in those days when despite Nelson being so close, domestic flying was rare.  The house was large and gracious, although I remember it being quite dark inside. Upstairs was a large sitting room, and an organ, which I attempted to play, fiddling with the stops (I couldn’t reach the pedals). The grown-ups graciously allowed me to do this.

Outside, there was a large garden. I remember the hen house, and the stream running at the bottom of the garden.  The Queens Gardens is a lovely spot, still at the other end of Tasman Street; they are adjoined by the Suter Gallery, a lovely Gallery with a very nice café.

Wednesday December 2^nd.

Back to the here and now. In New Zealand we are celebrating family birthdays as we experience Advent and the lead up to Christmas. Thank goodness it is a bit more low-key this year. Here we can celebrate Christmas, but in much of the world it will be a muted affair. Later this week we go to Hawkes Bay for my daughter’s birthday. On Sunday evening they have the Paradise Play. One wonders how they will do it this year, given that overseas volunteers have not been able to come here in this pandemic year. I am quite happy for things to be low-key.

My Tai chi has finished for the year; other things are winding down. There is still heavy rain here sometimes: after severe flooding in Napier, there was severe rain and some flooding in Plimmerton, causing SH1 to be closed for a time, and some disruption to public transport.  The weather varies in extreme ways: most days it rains; sometimes it is very windy; sometimes the sun comes out and it’s really hot; sometimes we have it all in one day. The weather remains unpredictable, although a hot summer is predicted. I hope it doesn’t get too hot, we’re not cut out for it here; most houses don’t have air-conditioning, and it can be very hard to turn the oven on in the heat. My kitchen is not well-ventilated.

In Monday’s newspaper there was an apology, to Māori, for racism in reporting over the years.  I think this is quite remarkable. Full credit to Te Upoko-O-Te-Ika (The Dom Post) for this move.

Overseas, the Covid 19 crisis in the US just gets worse and worse. Hospitals are full; people are scared; meanwhile, Trump tries to hold on to the job of President, which he is patently not doing.  Biden and Harris now get the President’s Daily Brief (the PDB); how interesting it would be to be a fly on the wall for that!

This morning it was reported in the Guardian (and US papers) that Attorney General William Barr said there was no evidence of wide-spread fraud in the recent election. Earlier this week Scott Atlas resigned.  I feel as though the message, that Joe Biden is going to be president, is getting through. Trump’s denunciation of Brian Kemp and Doug Ducey (Republican State Governors of Georgia and Arizona, respectively), his former besties, has got to be a humiliating and crazy move, but hey, it has happened, later rather than sooner, after the governors actually stood up for democratic principles. The craziness and the conspiracies continue, but Biden continues too, with his ever-growing team of thoughtful, intelligent, well-educated people.

That’s it for now. Ngā mihi.

Today is Tuesday November 24^th. Kia ora katoa.

It is several days since I last blogged. It has been quite a busy time, but I have been feeling quite anxious, too, for various reasons.  I guess my main concerns have been the worsening coronavirus pandemic overseas (we continue to live here in what I hope is not a fool’s paradise!), and the stalemate over the US Presidential election. Apparently today it has been announced that Biden is the “apparent winner” of the election, and the transition is to begin formally (I would say “to formally begin”, but that would be a split infinitive: something I can’t bring myself to do!)

I have been to my usual activities: Tai Chi, hymn singing, and my regular Thursday morning singing. I have been to Queensgate Shopping Centre, and immediately wondered why – it’s noisy, busy and chaotic. The reason I go there is they have a rather nice H & M Store there. I was interested that all but one of the counters was cash-free; I wanted to pay by cash, so I had to wait for the one counter that would handle my purchase.

Last week got very busy. On Thursday, I enjoyed having lunch with some friends. On Thursday evening there was an impromptu meeting with some Hohepa folk.  This was welcome, but it was in Kilbirnie. Nevertheless, we went, and I enjoyed it. On Friday my cleaner came (necessitating a tidy-up first!), and two cousins came for afternoon tea (one of them was down from Auckland). On Saturday afternoon there was a birthday party out in Te Marua (an event which had its own challenges); on Sunday we went to see the film “Secret Impressionists”, and shared savoury and sweet pancakes afterwards.  The paintings were just wonderful. Some are privately owned, and I had seen none of them in real life. It struck me how Renoir painted beautiful and happy women; Monet didn’t paint any women; Berthe Morisot was a wonderful female artist; and I don’t know of any paintings by Picasso of happy women.

This morning we had to leave extra early. I was shocked to read a death notice in the newspaper of someone I used to know quite well. Evidently he died of cancer although I didn’t know he had been unwell.  I want to send flowers, but evidently the family home I last knew has been sold. I have to admit I feel quite unsettled by this. The funeral is to be on Thursday morning, so I will have to miss singing that day. I feel I should definitely go to the funeral. Perhaps I can leave a card with the Funeral Director tomorrow.

This morning I went to Tai Chi, my second-to-last class for the year. Four of us are to have lunch together next week, after the last class.  I will then look forward to Summer Tai Chi at the Aotea Lagoon, weather permitting.

Tomorrow I am looking forward to catching up with a friend. On Saturday one of my grandchildren has a birthday party.

Overseas, the Covid 19 statistics continue to be nightmarish.  The US is affected all over now; in the UK, a four-week lock down has been imposed, with a three-tier system to follow, which seems incomprehensible. The good news is that some vaccines (three, at this stage), look promising, heralding an escape from this potentially dangerous situation. While here in New Zealand we are able to go to cafes, churches, concerts, and cinemas; play sport, and live pretty much as normal, but without overseas travel, even to and from Australia.

It is now Friday. The weather is quite warm, although quite windy too. Yesterday we went to the funeral of an acquaintance of ours. Sadly, although there were wonderful tributes, there were no hymns or prayers.  It rained throughout.

In the US, the presidential transition is underway, with amazingly steady, thoughtful, intelligent, well-educated people being appointed. There has been little, if any, pushback to these appointments. America (well, some Americans, and the rest of the world) exhales a sigh of relief – there is something to be thankful for, this Thanksgiving. I feel we are edging towards Biden’s inauguration as President on January 20^th, but there are still several days to go till then, and there’s still some apprehension, despite the so-far laughable legal efforts to cast doubt on some votes.

What is it with Thanksgiving?  What a strange celebration, with dried up turkey, far too much sugar, and suggestions for starters, soups, and desserts. Then there are the queues at airports. Dr Fauci suggested skipping Thanksgiving this year: someone said, if you celebrate this year, you may be facing empty chairs next year.  They have the perfect excuse not to make a big deal out of this.

Then there’s all the money spent, on food, travel, followed by Black Friday sales and hard on its heels, Christmas.  There was lots of money given to various election campaigns. Yet millions are in poverty, there are long queues at foodbanks, the water and air quality is just awful, and public health is not great. How come there is lots of money for some things, and none for others? The other night I watched “Hillbilly Elegy” on Netflix. Apparently after JD’s grandmother died, they found 19 handguns at her home.  How come buying guns is even a priority? The film is hard to watch at times, but I had read the book and wanted to see what they did with it. I’d have to say that in my judgment, it’s a good film, enhanced by the amazing performances of Glenn Close and Amy Adams.

I am reading Jack, by Marilynne Robinson, and Kyle Harper’s The Fate of Rome.  That book has a lot of statistics!  But it’s interesting how it takes climate change and disease into account as being big culprits in the roman Empire’s downfall. That’s it for now. Ngā mihi.

Today is Sunday November 15^th. Kia ora katoa. Kia kaha!

My tears of joy, when I heard a week ago that Biden had won the presidential election in the US have turned to tears of frustration and despair.

Why am I upset again? Trump is refusing to concede to Joe Biden, and the coronavirus pandemic is worse than ever.  Trump does nothing about it, but meanwhile Biden has set up a coronavirus taskforce, named Ron Klain as his chief of staff, and has many fine people in mind to do the many jobs that he will appoint people to do. Biden has been gracious, and has spoken well. Every time I hear him, he goes up in my estimation. There is great relief that he has worked in the White House before; that he’s been a Senator; that he knows his way around, despite his age, and that unlike Trump, he is actually good at making deals. For a 78 year old, he seems to have plenty of energy.  I hear only good things about him. I sincerely hope that he stays well, and alive.

Many overseas leaders have congratulated him on winning the presidential election, and now being “president-elect”, but few republican politicians have. As Joe Biden said, memorably, it is an “embarrassment” that the US is in this situation, that the transition can’t forge ahead in the way it would like to.

Trump’s lawsuits are failing, and yet he has millions of supporters, who echo his claim that the election was somehow rigged, or stolen from him. Biden received many more votes. There are fears of a literal coup breaking out, while a metaphorical one is underway.  It occurs to me that if he (Trump) really loved his country so much, he would take steps to prevent so many of its people getting ill and dying.  It’s ironic that steps being taken now to manage it, such as mask mandates, shelter-in-place orders, and closing of certain facilities, seem to be much more readily accepted than previously. I am hearing no more silly talk of ones’ “freedoms”.

Back here, it has been quite a busy week again. It has been cold and windy, although it is very warm today.  My Tai chi class on Tuesday was very pleasant, although it was raining outside; I sang hymns on Wednesday morning, and confess I did not know any of the tunes! On Wednesday afternoon I got my hair cut, and on Thursday morning I had singing. On Friday we had our art session, and I painted people dancing in the streets, with the US Capitol in the background.  There was great rejoicing, but no MAGA caps, no American flags, and no guns: just pure joy, tempered by relief.  After painting we went to a café. Although I didn’t feel great beforehand, I enjoyed it once I was there.

Overshadowing all this has been severe flooding in Napier. We received messages from Hohepa and from our daughter’s house to say that they’re all right: this time, Clive has been spared the flooding that it sometimes gets. The Napier CBD was badly hit, and suburbs like Pirimai, Marewa, and Onekawa: the New World there (where I often shop) was badly flooded. So we feel for all the people there. Two Hohepa community houses had to be evacuated. Still, there is Hohepa land up in Poraiti, and households are easier to evacuate than Hohepa Clive.  I am reminded, again, that much of Napier is below sea-level. This problem is likely to get worse as sea-level is predicted to rise.

I have been doing some reading lately. I reserved several  books at the Library, and after waiting for several weeks, they have mostly come in at once, day after day. I have read Erik Larson’s The Splendid and the Vile, and quite enjoyed reading it; I am now reading Marilynne Robinson’s Jack. I have read two reviews of Jack, and, while nothing much happens, it is a good read.  The library allowed me to renew it, and I am taking it slowly.

I also have on the go Dan Carlin’s The End is Always Near. I find his material on nuclear power frustrating, but his ancient history less so.  It’s interesting that this book was published in 2019 before coronavirus took hold of our lives: he says, that could never happen, thanks to modern medicine, but it just did. Although we are somewhat insulated here in New Zealand, it continues to affect our lives, and those of our loved ones.

I have Kyle Harper’s The Fate of Rome to read: I listened to a very interesting podcast featuring this author; I also have a Cold War spy story, Steve Vogel’s Betrayal in Berlin (not started yet, it just looked interesting at Unity Books).

Superseding all these, I am reading Anne Enright’s Actress, her book about her actress mother. I picked this up yesterday, and needless to say, I am engrossed in it. It’s always good to have several intriguing books on the go!

The Dom Post have put up their prices again. We’ve been through the “this is a luxury we can’t afford” argument, settling it with I really enjoy the puzzles, and I need to read the obituaries. It’s very important to know when friends and acquaintances pass away, as happens more and more frequently now.  It’s cheaper to get the Dom Post delivered, than to buy it at the shop. But the errors in journalism are so annoying – the headlines, to grab attention, the undue emphasis on individual emotional struggles – “heartbreak” is a much overused word.  At least they have stopped talking about “Covid refugees” (many of those returning – New Zealanders – have plenty of money and are buying houses sight unseen); there was talk about Napier houses being “inhabitable”, when clearly “uninhabitable” was meant. This has now been changed.  There has been some good investigative journalism, too. Well done, Dom Post. I suspect the new editor, Anna Fifield, is making a difference.The paper has shrunk, too, as many things have been let go: movie listings, TV film reviews, much of the previous stuff.  Nevertheless, I should like to give the new editor a go, and continue to support the newspaper.

It has been a concern last week (and continuing into this week) that the internet, and many of the applications I use, are running really slowly, if at all. Last Tuesday I could not send email messages to my daughter’s house in Napier. Calendar has been having issues; Stitcher which I use to listen to podcasts is not working properly. Everything takes ages to load. Chrome works sometimes better than others, sometimes not at all.  Some podcasts run for a while and then stop, and simply won’t go again. I liked using Stitcher, which shows how far into the podcast you are, but I don’t use it anymore.  This also causes frustration.

Meanwhile, the agony continues, as to when and how Trump will leave the White House, and when the transition will formally begin. Thank goodness there is lots of experience in Biden’s team as to how things should run, especially matters relating to national security. So much of the rest of the world’s security depends on this.

That’s it for now. Nga mihi.

Today is Sunday November 8^th. Kia ora katoa.

“Unto thee we give thanks, O God”, Ps 75.

Well, what a week it has been. The US presidential election was held last Wednesday (our time), but Tuesday November 3^rd in the US. I listened to endless podcasts. The polls were uniformly good for Joe Biden and the Democrats; they received huge money in donations, appearing to out-raise Republicans. Several states were thought to be competitive: Florida, Texas, North Carolina; Michigan and Wisconsin were predicted to go Democrat again; the Dems were poised to take control of the Senate: it was thought that some senators were so toxic – Mitch McConnell, Susan Collins, Ted Cruz, Linsey Graham and others – that they would be easily defeated by their democratic opponents. Obama campaigned for Biden, and what a joy it was to hear him speak again. There were photos of Biden’s socially responsible rallies, as opposed to Trump’s reckless rallies where few masks were seen, and lie after lie was told.

Some were fearful, seeing Trump out stoking fear of socialism (tell me, how is the US military funded? If that’s not socialistic, I don’t know what is), and demonising the Democrats, who would come for your guns, destroy God, destroy your “great” country. How can it be great when so many people are in poverty, and don’t have access to medical treatment, or even running water in some cases? Where there is deep, ingrained racialism; where there is far more concern for the unborn than for the living; I could go on and on.

Others were advising Democrats to relax and enjoy it, seeing they were going to romp to victory.  There were fears that Trump would not leave the White House, if/when defeated; there were big fears of violence, on the part of disappointed Democratic supporters, and vigilante-style Trump supporters, who were certain that Trump would win.  The huge lines of people waiting to do early voting were very inspiring. Although Trump tried to (and succeeded in) interfering with the US Postal Service, many people seemed to try very hard to cast a valid vote, and have it received and counted, although there were different rules in each state. There were many websites advising people what they should do.  It’s said there was a record turnout, but I have not been able to find out what percentage of eligible voters participated.

I had signed up with the UK’s Guardian to get alerts on my phone every time a result came through (i.e. a state was called for one of the contestants). The results started to come through on Wednesday. Trump took Texas and Florida early on, and few Senate seats were flipped; democrats lost some seats in the House of Representatives (Congress), although they maintained their majority. But it was evident that that supposed “blue wave” was a mirage, although Trump was evidently incensed when Fox News called Arizona for Biden.  I watched some news sites on Youtube, but the disappointment was only too real. I stuck with my Guardian reporting, which paralleled one of the two big US papers, I think the New York Times.  For days, they gave Biden 264 electoral college votes, as against Trump’s 214 (the target being 270).

For (what seemed) a long time – several days – we were in limbo, or purgatory, depending on which metaphor you prefer. In several swing states there was a fine margin between the two candidates: Georgia, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and North Colorado, as mail-in votes were counted. It became apparent that Biden was in the lead, and that his lead was increasing, although none of these states was called for what seemed like a long time.

Many of us were in a state of despair. I listened to people from the Lincoln Project talking about a car going very fast, and then braking suddenly; of feeling sick. For myself, I didn’t want to watch my favourite programmes or listen to my favourite podcasts; I couldn’t be distracted by any of my usually effective diversions. I felt totally discombobulated by this frustrating and unexpected result.  Biden’s success seemed so near, and yet so far. Mitch had not been ditched, or Trump dumped (yet). The major new networks were, rightly, wary of calling any results too soon.  Somehow news anchors kept their strength up, despite frustration, lack of sleep, and not knowing when announcements would be made.

I felt flummoxed, obsessed; I don’t live in the US, but Trump’s presidency has affected the whole world. Another four years of him as US President is unthinkable, but then it was unthinkable in 2016, too. Who would have thought he would withdraw the US from the Paris Climate Accord? Almost withdraw from NATO? Be so unkind, nasty, and generally useless at his job? Some of my and my friends’ loved ones live in the US.

Meanwhile, Trump made some really scary speeches, from the East Wing in the White House, and at a Press Conference he held there. It became apparent though, that people wanted every vote to be counted; and that this situation is totally unlike the Bush v. Gore one in the 2,000 election. Lawsuits are coming – raised by Giuliani, of all people, supported by Corey Lewandowsky. And where is Bill Barr, by the way? If Biden is president, he will be able to appoint the Attorney General.   With the predicted run-off election of the two Senate seats in Georgia, the Democrats have a chance to regain control of the Senate.

This morning the presidency was announced for Joe Biden. I woke early andgot an alert on my phone – the Guardian had  Biden at 276 electoral college votes, while Trump was still at 214. Apparently the news stations joined in announcing Joe Biden as President-elect. He won Nevada; the other results I could not find, although there is to be a recount in Georgia.

So, after all that, there is great joy in the US and in my house. Biden has been announced as elected president!

Some of the reactions so far have been as follows:

• Acknowledgement of Stacy Abrams’ role in getting out the vote in Georgia, despite being pipped at the post for Governor of the state.
• The gathering of people in Black Lives Matter Plaza outside the White House.
• Chris Wallace smiling as he announced the result.
• Van Jones’s tears of relief and joy on CNN.
• Cars honking, people dancing.
• Trump went to play golf. On his return, his motorcade was jeered, respectfully.
• News screens showed people rejoicing across America.
• Trump’s lawsuits are not thought to have much merit, or be likely to change the result; one wanted to “stop counting”, another to “Keep counting”. It was evident what the purpose was in either case.
• Trump’s makeup and hair look just awful.

Although it is shocking that there was so much support for Trump, it’s evident that Biden not only won the popular vote, but the majority of electoral college votes, too. Many of us still fear some dark derring-do on the part of – who, exactly? Trump has his enablers, but they seem to be peeling off.  The greatest reaction is one of relief, and joy. Relief is a very strong emotion. There will certainly be many challenges ahead for the Biden-Harris team, but at least they will be in charge. As AOC, said, if you protest, they won’t shoot you; they probably won’t even tear-gas you, either.

Now we can get back to worrying about real issues, like managing the coronavirus epidemic, so that many fewer people get ill and die; making changes to the way we live to preserve the planet, if possible; to rebuild some infrastructure; replacing water pipes; improving the air quality; the list goes on and on. One hopes there won’t be any grave threats soon, but at least, one hopes, many things will be “back to normal”.  The very real threat posed by climate change will be recognised. Posts will be staffed. There will be less corruption and scandal. One hopes the government and the police will be “kinder”, that there will be less overt racism, and less anger. No one is so naïve as to imagine that the problems will be solved overnight, but there will be hope again, and the hope of some justice. Perhaps even Preet Bharara will be employed again, as a US Attorney. There are certainly many intelligent and capable qualified people around to be given senior roles.

There have been so many disappointments, over the past four years: the efforts to get rid of the Affordable Care Act; the abandoning of resolutions that helped to ensure a cleaner environment and cleaner air. After all, we all breathe the same air, no matter how much money you have. Also upsetting has been Trump’s embrace and emboldening of cruel dictators, his insulting of US allies, and his intense cruelty to immigrants and refugees.  Perhaps his worst and most upsetting defect has been his complete inability to manage the coronavirus, in any sense. Over the past few days the US has continued to have record-breaking numbers of new infections. Over 238,000 people have died from it, and he says “It is what it is”. When he contracted it, there was blessed relief for a couple of days, but he bounced back, wilder than ever, having received a “cocktail” of drugs for it – drugs and treatment that are out of reach for most Americans. He fails to show any empathy for those who have lost loved ones, or even for sick friends, like Chris Christie.

That’s it for now. We hope for better things in future. Ngā mihi.

Today is Sunday November 1^st. Kia ora katoa. Kia kaha!

It has been an interesting week. One of my highlights was going to a Bach concert last night, given by members of the NZSO.

This was an interesting excursion. The concert was to be held at the Alan Gibbs Centre at Wellington College. I had rarely been to Wellington College, despite being an old girl of Wellington Girls’ College; I had been to its neighbour, Wellington East Girls’ College several times. We went early so as to get a carpark.  We were able to park quite near; many others had come early, too. It was extremely windy. While we were looking for a carpark I saw the Sir Ron Brierly Turf notice. I was surprised that this hadn’t been removed, given the serous allegations against him.

The performing arts hall was very nice, with plenty of seating laid out. We got a free programme, and sat quite near the front, in the middle: what would have been good seats at the MFC.  There were raised seats at the back, but these were a long way away from the stage and the performers: I expected the music (mostly chamber music) to be quite intimate. There was quite a long interval, but there seemed to be no refreshments.

As the Hall filled up, it was evident that many people knew each other. We knew no one! I had seen the concert advertised, and wanted to go. It was not widely advertised. I really like the music of J.S. Bach; Deidre Irons was due to play a concerto by C.P.E. Bach on the Fortepiano; and they were to play the Orchestral Suite No. 3 with its Air on the G String. Huge attractions!

In the event, there were announcements before most items. The music was beautiful, but there was something strange about the acoustics. The sound was odd, even strident at times, dare I say it. I will be interested to see if this concert is reviewed in Monday’s Dominion Post. I really enjoyed the French Horn player: I know those instruments are really difficult to play. He certainly succeeded, playing Bach’s The Art of Fugue. I enjoyed his comments beforehand, too.

The Orchestral Suite was beautiful, of course, but it was played very fast and loudly, much faster than any of my recordings. There was quite a jazzy effect. The balance of the sound did not seem quite right. As I say, I hesitate to quibble, but I can, so I shall!

Afterwards we came out where the wind had dropped a bit but it was very cold. We made our way back to the car, and slowly drove down the drive, now dual-carriage. Someone was coming up – perhaps an Uber driver.  I checked on my phone that New World in Thorndon was still open: it stays open till 11 pm.

When we got there, there were some staff larking around dressed up for Halloween. The store was strangely empty – perhaps because many people were watching the All Blacks play rugby against the Wallabies in Sydney.

Raspberries are back! We bought some raspberries, doughnuts, and fresh bread – basic essentials really; then went home and had coffee and doughnuts while I played Bach’s beautiful Violin Concerto in E Major before I went to bed.

It was to be an interesting week, with the US presidential election due on November 3^rd (Wednesday, our time).  I shall blog about that separately.

I enjoyed going to Tai Chi, meeting my cousin for lunch at a very nice café that I  hadn’t been to before; hymn singing on Wednesday morning; singing again on Thursday, meeting an old friend in the afternoon, having my cleaner come on Friday (spoiler alert: I do quite a bit of tidying up before he comes), and later that day visiting one of my sons and his delightful family.

On Saturday JD and I went to the film Rams, at Pauatahanui. It is an Australian film, starring our very own Sam Neill.  This movie was not on my list of special films to see, but we needed something to distract ourselves from the US election results.  It turned out to be quite a “good” movie. The farmer’s despair initially when they were forced to give up their sheep because of disease, and the lack of empathy from bureaucracy was well conveyed. 

I was especially moved by the severity of the bush fire, the way many came together to fight it, headed by a woman, and the sense of darkness and difficulty breathing that was so well conveyed. When there is an emergency, the basics are the most important – savings lives, whether they be human or animal. And yes, they did rake the leaves, and we saw a dead wallaby.

When we got home, Biden’s lead in the vote-counting had increased, but he had still not been announced President-elect.

That’s it for now. Ngā mihi.

Today is Thursday October 29^th. Kia ora katoa.

Here we are still rejoicing at Jacinda Ardern’s success in our recent election.  Our minds turn to other things, such as why isn’t there a rush worldwide to this kind of kindness?  The main concern, however, is the US Election, due to take place on 3 November. We all,  along with many Americans, look at Biden’s rather good standing in the polls, along with early voting, against ongoing dirty tactics by Republicans that look alarmingly like all kinds of attempts to suppress the vote; then, having voted, and overcome all kinds of difficulties in so doing,  to have your vote counted.  It should not be so difficult, to exercise your democratic right to vote, and have your vote counted, and to respect the result.

In New Zealand, we are still on a high. There have been no Coalition announcements yet. There’s no rush.

Another matter I must consider is how we should spend out 50^th Wedding Anniversary, which comes up next year.  I should send out a “Save the Date” message, perhaps, and issue formal invitations later. We could use gelli prints to design the invitations. I could plan a party. I should like to plan a party. It would be nice to have a party, to celebrate, to perhaps receive some presents: perhaps I could compile a register. After all, although we have lots of things, there are things you run out of, that need replacing.  Many things do not last for ever.

But exactly what are we celebrating? I should like to have a romantic occasion; I should like to make a speech, but it could be a challenge to find appropriate things to say. JD’s relations from Australia have signalled that they would come; it’s sad that after several failed marriages, two true loves have sadly passed away (cancer). The Trans-Tasman travel bubble (both ways) should be open by the time of our anniversary.

We have evaded serious (and not so serious) illness; there is much to celebrate, including five wonderful children and six beautiful grandchildren (so far).  But there is enormous room for improvement, particularly in terms of relationships. Surely one wants to maintain good relationships – with one’s Faith, with one’s family, and with one’s friends.  And I am not where I should like to be, where I aimed to be, well before now.  I realise that plans can be futile, but it’s still good to have a plan A and a plan B, and revise, or abandon them, as circumstances change. There is a bottom line, even if that keeps moving. One has to be prepared to “let go” of many things one would like to happen: however during the lockdown here, I was glad of my large house, my piano and my collection of books. So I’m conflicted.

Coming back to the party, I try to think of a good venue: such a place should be easy to reach, have plenty of parking and seating; nice food; nice restrooms, and perhaps a dance floor or some nice background music. I can certainly arrange a good party, but it would be nice to have some help, and a budget.  It would be nice to have nice food, and plenty to drink, including tea and coffee.  Decorations, too, and a cake. One needs to decide whether to do lunch, dinner, or afternoon tea. It should be enjoyable, and not a burden. The more we spend on a party, the further away are my main objectives. 

On Monday JD played golf with a friend. This was somewhat anxiety-filled. I was concerned that our friend would love to play golf with JD; it was enormously difficult to get JD to go on this trip, so it was quite an achievement to have it happen. I used to know what was going on at the golf club, when we received hard copy newsletters, and an annual printed report, but it’s all online now, and needless to say JD doesn’t know how to log in. I am not a member, so I can’t. He had promised to find out what the dining arrangements are, so that we four can go and have lunch there.

The outing also brought up some difficult memories for me, but I pushed those aside. For JD, it exorcised some memories. So, although it infuriated me on some levels, there was a measure of success.  In my view, membership of this golf club is something JD should let go of. In my view, he should look forward, to what we need now. The people who hurt him when he was younger have now passed away, for the most part.  I wish my friend was still alive, and I could discuss these things with her.

This past week I have tried to think of things to be happy about.  My grandchildren in the US have Kiwi passports. That is huge. The Khandallah Town Hall now has a sliding front door. In the past, you had to open a heavy door, and step onto a narrow ledge outside – always a challenge.  The sun came out as I took several bus trips this week; it is weird driving around Newlands, Woodridge and Paparangi: I have so many mixed memories of these places.  I have used cognitive therapy many times, forcing myself to contemplate things that are rewarding, that bring me peace and happiness. I distract myself by playing a great deal of music in my head.  I find that if I have memorised the opening notes, I can continue, and play the whole piece, although movements of concertos flummox me sometimes.  A good book is a great distraction, although sometimes it is hard for me to read.

The mainly US-based podcasts I listen to regularly are filled with horror about the coming US election. It feels like a great relief to have ours out of the way, and the Labour won big time; that here, at least, we have a Prime Minister we can be proud of.  The US anchors and journalists are displaying varying degrees of nervousness and fear, as indeed I am. Who can blame us? It’s hard to be at peace about the outcome.  It’s heartening, though, that there is a huge amount of early voting, and the encouragement to vote is given at every turn. US citizens want to have their say, and good on them for that.  Meanwhile, we watch and wait.

The novel coronavirus continues to wreak havoc in most places overseas. Australia seems to have brought their latest outbreak under control, but in the UK another month-long lockdown has been announced, and in the US they just keep having huge numbers of infections (90,000 odd), each day. Now over 230,000 Americans have died.  I am sure everyone, not just Trump, has had enough of this; unfortunately, it won’t go away just yet, perhaps not ever. 

That’s it for now. Ngā mihi.

Today is Monday October 19^th. Kia ora katoa.

We are on a bit of a roll, here. Labour won the election, (I had a wee dram to celebrate), and the All Blacks won their match against the Wallabies on Sunday afternoon. Well done, Aotearoa!

Last Saturday was Election Day. In previous days, Judith Collins had made two verbal gaffes, saying that overweight people should take responsibility for their weight (this did not go down well, and the Crusher is not exactly sylph-like herself); and she had a go at the greenies in Tasmania. Really, who cares? Perhaps she was trying to prepare folks for her party’s dismal loss, revealed on Election Night.  A poll had come out a few days earlier suggesting that National and Act could form a coalition government overriding a potential Labour/Greens coalition.  This scared many of us, but we need not have worried, as it turned out.

Election Day It was a wet day, unlike the previous fine and sunny day. JD and I, having already voted, went to the Tawa Spring Fair, only it was wet and not at all spring-like. It was distinguished by the absence of any signs for voting booths, although I had checked beforehand that there were four.

The café where we had a lovely lunch was very busy indeed; thankfully, we got a small table, which I sat at while JD ordered.  Afterwards, we went home to await the election results, from 7 pm, when the polls closed.

The results came through much faster than I remember previously: perhaps because of early voting, meaning counting could begin earlier; and New Zealanders seem to have got the hang of tactical voting. In many cases, the electorate winner and the party vote proportions were quite different.

Surprises on the night? Well, there were a few;

• The proportion of votes to parties stayed fairly consistent throughout the evening, with Labour having 49-50%, National 25 – 30%, the Greens up to 8% and Act slightly higher, up to just under 10%.
• It became apparent fairly early in the evening that Labour would have enough seats to govern without forming a coalition, should they wish to;
• Many National seats, long held by National, went to Labour candidates; Gerry Brownlee lost his electoral seat in Ilam, and Nick Smith in Nelson; Dr Shane Reti  lost his National seat; Lawrence Yule lost the Tukituki seat. Apparently Brownlee and Smith will remain as list MPs, despite their electorates voting against them in droves.
• Greg O’Connor, having a very slim majority over Brett Hudson last election, had a huge majority this time;
• NZ First dipped out sadly, not getting anywhere near the 5% needed to field a member of parliament; Tracy Martin, a good candidate and Minister for Children in the previous government, did surprisingly poorly in the Ohariu Electorate, for which she was standing. Why was she with NZ First, one wonders?
• Shane Jones, another former NZ First  MP, did very poorly.
• Winston Peters did surprisingly poorly. I love to dislike him immensely, but he did give us the last Labour – led government, and the Super Gold Card, for which many of us are truly grateful. He is 75 years old, after all.– a mere chicken where many American politicians are concerned.
• Chloe Swarbrick (Greens) won Auckland Central;
• The Advance NZ Party (Freedoms, fraud and conspiracy theories) got only 19,000 votes;
• The Act party gained considerable support, more than the Greens;
• Jacinda Ardern’s fiancé Clarke Gayford brought out a tray of barbecued food for journalists waiting outside their Sandringham home.

There were marked differences between National and Labour Party headquarters and celebrations; the National one was necessarily very bland and evidently poorly attended; Labour had booked out the Auckland Town Hall, which was probably a little large for them (anyone for parking in Central Auckland on a Saturday night?), and although it was decked out a bit like the Michael Fowler Centre in Wellington for the Labour Party rally, the setting was muted.  I was very impressed when Jacinda came on and spoke in Māori initially, and then the screen behind her was lit in a soft blue, not glaring red, despite the sea of red that was the election result. She spoke graciously, as ever. 

National MPs were for the most part gracious in conceding defeat in their electorate seats; the numbers of list MPs will be determined by special votes being counted. No one claimed the election had been rigged, or stolen, or unfair. So far as I know, voters were welcomed, not intimidated. I admit being not quite correct here: Advance NZ claimed it was rigged.

There were two referenda to be voted on, too: one to legalise cannabis, and the other to legalise euthanasia for the terminally ill. Thankfully those results don’t come in till later.

New Zealanders have voted overwhelmingly for kindness and care, and respected many overseas views that Jacinda, along with her team, Ashley Bloomfield, Grant Robertson, Chris Hipkins and others, have been quite magnificent, in ensuring that everyone in New Zealand should have enough to eat and be able to access medical care should they need it. The borders remain closed, and entry barred to non-New Zealanders, unless there are exceptional circumstances (e.g. film making, fishing). Everyone seems to be coping. The cities and small towns seem busy, although technically NZ is in a recession. Children are in school, sport is being played, domestic flights are full. Let’s hold is there for a bit.

This is a remarkable result for Labour, in that even under MMP, they have won outright and don’t have to govern in coalition.

It is now Monday 26 October, and I continue to bask in this glory. It has struck me during the past week that failure tends to far outweigh success, but this success should be savoured for a few days, at least.

Media commentary has been constructive, for the most part.  Labour has significant hard work ahead, but there’s no doubt being expressed about their competence; there has been much reasoned and realistic discussion about National’s downfall, and Act’s success. This latter has surprised me: they didn’t really campaign south of Auckland – there seemed to be a multitude of far-right, conservative parties; David Seymour didn’t run many advertisements, but he seemed to pop up on my mobile phone all the time in the days running up to the election.

Last week I had a dental check on Monday, I enjoyed Tai Chi (restarting for term 4) on Tuesday, hymn singing on Wednesday, choir singing on Thursday, and on Friday a friend and I lunched together at Prefab, which was super busy. Don’t all these people have jobs, my friend wondered. Afterwards, we wandered around Moore Wilson’s, before catching a bus back to Johnsonville.

That evening JD and I went to the opening of a Watercolour Exhibition; on Saturday evening, we went to a beautiful concert at the Michael Fowler Centre, and then we saw the Three Tenors movie.  I’m also reading “The Splendid and the Vile”, by Erik Larson: a very interesting read.

That’s it for now. I’ll save the news from overseas for another time. Nga mihi.

Today is Tuesday October 13^th. Kia ora katoa.

This morning I got up earlier than usual.  My Tai Chi class was restarting for Term 4. Although no reminder had been sent out, several of us were there, including some new folk. The tutors (the lead tutor is away for 2 weeks) were very gentle with us. It is great to be back, and feel all my aches and pains disappear.

After my class, I caught the train into Wellington. At Wellington Railway Station, there was a big information board, saying which trains were due to leave and on which platform. How nice! This used to be a bit of a mystery. I then caught a bus to Kelburn Parade, stopping at Victoria University. There was a sign out on the footpath indicating that a voting booth was present. I went to the Milk and Honey Café (it’s still there), to have lunch. I was asked for my name and extension, but had to advise that I’m not on the staff. Still, I had a nice lunch. The young man who served me asked if things had changed much. I said that the place had become much more civilised in many ways; that I was first at Victoria University in the 1970’s, a wild time; and then again in the noughties. 

I think the University is much improved. In the Hub, there is a sign inviting people to vote on any of the three campuses. There was all that fuss over the name change (why, one wonders?); the ridiculous real estate buying spree, disestablishment of the former Teacher’s Training College in Karori, and the fact that many staff are unhappy working there, as evinced in a recent Stuff article. I guess that like any organisation, they will have their ups and downs, but I confess that sometimes I am ashamed to be an alumna.

After lunch I went through to the Hub, where Jacinda Ardern was due to appear. There were crowds of people there, all keen to see our Prime Minister. Again, I was amazed how well-behaved and considerate everyone was. The Finance Minister, Grant Robertson, introduced Ms Ardern; Chris Hipkins and other Labour candidates were there too. She spoke very well, I thought, even better than on Sunday. Afterwards, people crowded to have their photo taken with her, and get her autograph. I was in this crowd, but did not feel in any way frightened or threatened.  Then she left, and I caught three buses home.

Note Wednesday October 14: a journalist writing for the Dompost said that Jacinda Ardern had campaigned before a “shrieking students rally” at the University. I was appalled to read this. The “students”, a mixture of ages, were very well-behaved; I’m sure the appreciative crowd included staff and mature students, as well as odd folk like myself. Ms Ardern’s speech was very well received; there was no opposition to what she said from any of the folk I saw. I do find this sensationalism quite disturbing. It’s untrue, and totally misleading.

There have been comments about Labour’s Rally on Sunday; that the setting was like a rock concert (I beg to disagree, the crowd were far too well behaved!); one journalist commented on its Orwellian tones. Wrong again, I think: I remember at the time thinking of North Korea military parades, May Day parades, and Trump’s recent flag travesty at the White House (Oh, that was the Republican Convention); but I felt grateful that I was here, and not in any of those places; not afraid for my life, or of Covid 19; this government, while not perfect by any means, has earned my trust, and I see no reason not to trust them.

Almost everywhere else, the coronavirus numbers are creeping up again, with a vengeance. One gets the feeling that any goodwill has dissipated: most stimulus money has well and truly run out; some idiots on the right are concerned for their so-called freedoms; Boris Johnson is introducing a three-tier system in England, which is not popular, especially for the “hot spots”. Again, we’re so grateful to be here, safe and well in Aotearoa; where I can go to campaign events without putting my life at risk. I doubt if Jacinda would get away with it now, but that strict four-week lockdown was very effective in getting the virus here under control, and I have not spoken to anyone who regrets it. So where in the world would you rather be?

When we had the scare with the Auckland community cluster, I was amazed how fast everyone, people and organisations, sprang into action, with signs, QR codes, registers, and rules for our safety. Kiwis are basically sensible people. Last Friday, we could have gone to a concert with the NZSO; we chose not to (it was a busy week), but there’s another one coming up soon. On Sunday, JD could have gone to the rugby with his grandson; he elected not to, but he could have. How fortunate we are to live here, and have been so well looked after, and be able to make these choices.

In the US, hearings have begun for Trump’s nominee for the Supreme Court, Amy Coney Barrett. While it is very upsetting that this move to replace Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is happening with indecent haste, I found Democrats’ opening statements (Amy Klobuchar, Richard Blumenthal, Cory Booker) that I listened to very moving, focussing as they did on the benefits to their constituents of the Affordable Care Act, which some Republicans are trying to have ruled unconstitutional.

This discussion will be continued. Ngā mihi.

Today is Sunday October 11^th. Kia ora katoa. It is now less than one week to Election Day in New Zealand/Aotearoa.

There are three main topics for today: the current US situation, and two firsts for me.

A lot has happened in the US and the news just keeps coming. There was a Vice-presidential debate between Mike Pence and Kamala Harris, during which Pence behaved in a very Trump-like fashion, not answering questions, telling lies, and repeatedly interrupting Harris. She bore this with a smile.  Infections continue to spread from the White House, including that of Stephen Miller. Most of the Joint Chiefs of Staff are isolating. Mitch McConnell won’t go to the White House, because their infection-control measures are so deficient. But the thing that gets me most upset is that Trump is raving about a drug call Regeneron, which is made from the cells of an aborted foetus. This is the man who supports a ban on legal abortion, and who belongs to a party which banned stem cell research. The hypocrisy here, and the fact he’s not being called out for it, just astounds me. It saddens me. Along with everything else he’s done….and of course a friend of his heads up the firm that produces Regeneron. Goodness knows, I don’t like abortion, but if someone elects to have one, for whatever reason, it should be a medically safe procedure. It is going to happen, anyway. It strikes me that if men were more prepared to assist women in supporting unwanted children, the need for abortion would be greatly reduced. I know there are many wrongs here. Just saying, though.

Then there is the ghastly situation of potential violence in America. 13 men were arrested recently for plotting to kidnap, and possibly kill, Gretchen Whitmer, the Governor of Michigan. Trump has accused her of not being grateful, never mind that they were the criminals in this case, plotting against an elected official!  Polls for the coming election give Biden an overwhelming lead in double digits in some states, but questions remain as to which votes will be cast, which counted, and then there’s the Electoral College. No one knows what will happen; the tension is enormous. It was such a relief to have  Trump “out of action” for a few days, although he continued to dominate the news.

Yesterday we went to a book launch. A friend of ours had published a book. Included in its contents was a story about a mutual friend, and a relation of JD’s, so we were very interested to see what she would say. The book is called A Love Quilt: Later Faith Patches.  It was nice to be there, and to see several old friends. The format was half an hour of drinks, nibbles and chatting, before we sat down for speeches from a woman Minister, a lay preacher who published the book, and the author, Trish McBride, herself. Then we were welcome to buy copies of the book and get them signed.

The next day I went to the Labour Party Rally in the Michael Fowler Centre in Wellington. JD printed my ticket, and dropped me off there, but did not come himself. I rationalised going before I went: I’d never been to a party rally before; Labour had governed well, and I hope will continue to do so; and that was my priority for the day.

I’m so pleased I went. On arrival, my handbag was checked, and my ticket scanned. The ground floor of the MFC was about 90% full. The crowd was very well behaved.  I was very impressed by how well-organised the whole event was. There was recorded music playing to the waiting crowd. There were great decorations, befitting the occasion, and creating a sombre yet upbeat mood.

The Māori welcome was spine-tingling. The whole hall was in darkness, and then a Māori woman in a stunning cloak welcomed us from upstairs, with the spotlight on her, and the hall remaining in darkness. I felt ashamed of my minimal knowledge of Te Reo, but I could make out “Haere mai” and “aroha”. She was joined in a karakia by another woman.

After this moving beginning, Oscar Kightly was MC for the rest of the ceremony. He enjoyed saying “Talofa!” (he is Samoan). There was more great live music before the Honourable Grant Murray Robertson came on to speak. He is very witty! He made jokes about the Bledisloe Cup rugby game, to be held at the Cake Tin at 4 pm this afternoon.  He spoke well for a few minutes before introducing Jacinda Ardern.

She received a standing ovation, both before and after her speech. She spoke very well, as she does, although I don’t think I learnt anything new. There was a lot said about climate change, and child poverty. She asked us to project forward to 2030, a wise move.  Afterwards, people filed out, in an orderly manner. This is Wellington, after all! There was Labour Party merch on sale, and you could have your photo taken with a cardboard cut-out of Jacinda. I nearly bought a T-shirt for $25, then realised that the election is only a few days away, and there are few places where I’d feel comfortable wearing the T-shirt. Why is that, I wonder? I’m glad I went.

During the week, I tuned in to an IHC Election Special, which I found really frustrating. On Wednesday, I went to a Meet the Candidates meeting in the Khandallah Town Hall. This I found frustrating too, in fact, I left well before it had finished, in order to catch the 2:50 pm train back to Johnsonville. It was well-attended, and I realised I would not be able to ask my questions. I remembered again that while I have time to go to these things now, they can be as frustrating as ever.

This afternoon, as I mentioned earlier, there’s the first Bledisloe Cup match between the All Blacks and Australia’s Wallabies, under two new coaches: Ian Foster, and Dave Rennie. It’s really hard to find out, but apparently the Australians have had to train in quarantine, implying that they really have quarantined (I saw no mention of their arrival, or where they stayed).  Fans from Australia have been unable to come, as well. The All Blacks’ Tour of Australia has been re-jigged so that they can come back here and quarantine before Christmas Day. That’s really important to some folk, while most said hey, they get really well-paid, the quarantine rules shouldn’t be broken for them.

So, now that we’ve breathed a sigh of relief that yes, we can play international rugby at a local stadium, and people can buy tickets and attend in person, we/they can get back to the really important questions of how much beer can you drink before, during and after the game; what difference will it make with Beauden Barrett’s not playing; and how good/awful/useless is the new coach? Oh, and how good/bad/indifferent is the referee?  Talkback radio will have something other than politics to scream about.  On our way into the Rally, we saw several rugby fans making their way to the Stadium, already looking pretty pre-loaded. They’ll need something to warm them up when they get there! It’s a cold, windy place. How nice to be able to do this again. Where in the world would you rather be? (Outcome: a draw, and the AB’s played badly, from the Stuff commentary).

Tonight I watched SNL (Saturday Night Live) on Youtube, fresh from the US. The President’s use of Regeneron (made from stem cells) was finally  commented on, to the effect that when a someone gets your daughter pregnant, the Regeneron produced from the consequent aborted foetus will cure Republicans who are so against abortion.   Or something along those lines. Anyways, it’s total hypocrisy, again, and disregard for human life.

That’s it for now. Nga mihi.