Blog Feed: My views of New Zealand

Blog Feed: thoughts on a culture that shouldn't be so different, but is.

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Changing environments can change a lot

Published on 2012-05-25 19:26:00

I have blogged about the differences I have found between NZ and the US many times. You can click on 'cultural differences' in my label cloud on the side to read them at your leisure. Sometimes, I'm torn between thinking the NZ government is good or bad with its decisions about health and the environment in general. But, I'm sure they mean well. Before I moved to NZ, I smoked. Mostly just out of boredom, I think. There were no thoughts of 'You have to have a cigarette. Now. Go. Light up. NOW!' [..] > read more

old habits die hard

Published on 2012-05-22 20:31:00

Until this week, the weather has been quite > read more

Never thought of it like this!

Published on 2012-05-16 17:59:00

At least, we're on the green side of the grass! > read more

I can comment on Chrome again!!

Published on 2012-05-12 07:23:00

I really like using my Chrome browser but, for many weeks (or it seems like it, anyway) was having some problems commenting on embedded forms. The blogger help forum has been changed around, so I couldn't really find any help there. I did, however, find that those using IE8/9 were having the same problem, but that didn't apply to me *sigh* So, I downloaded Firefox (my second choice of browsers) and would copy/paste the comment forms from Chrome to Firefox for those few (or not so few, actually!) [..] > read more

supermoon in monochrome

Published on 2012-05-11 00:40:00

> read more

supermoon

Published on 2012-05-06 08:47:00

Photos by Hubby and me of the Super Moon on May 6th. > read more

what I learned at the zoo

Published on 2012-05-03 18:23:00

At Pouakai Zoo, outside New Plymouth, there are three white Bengal tigers. We learned a lot from their keeper while we spoke at feeding time. As beautiful as they are with their white and black coats and glimmering blue eyes, we discovered that they are purposefully inbred to get that way. Sadly, their organs are severely damaged from inbreeding. They have to be fed often to keep their weight on, even though they will eat anything that is fed to them. Their beautiful eyes are crossed and badly [..] > read more

And the light went on

Published on 2012-04-27 19:04:00

A few weeks ago, as I was, once again, wondering why the door wasn't closed as I had requested on numerous occasions, I had an epiphany. You see, in the perfect world inside my head, all the interior doors in the house would be left open for ventilation and heat flow and the door to the outside would be closed to keep out flies and other unwanted creatures that didn't fit through the cat flap (or turn the handle and walk in uninvited). But, alas, it seems that the very opposite is my reality. [..] > read more

Rerun

Published on 2012-04-19 18:10:00

My last post reminded me of this one that I thought I'd share-again. I've been in New Zealand for 19 months now and I'm still surprised at the differences. I was just thinking about the first time I was at a public thermal pool. It was outside of Auckland, in July--cold as can be--and a new experience on my second day in the country. My first reaction was excitement for a new experience combined with a bit of sensory confusion. > read more

Tarawhata Hot Mineral Baths

Published on 2012-04-14 18:46:00

For my birthday last week and his next month, Hubby got us coupons for several dips in the Hot Pools. It's soooo relaxing to sit for 30 minutes in a private spa pool filled with as-hot-as-you-like mineral water! There are many such places in New Zealand that use the natural waters that bubble underground as theraputic waters--like Teddy Roosevelt used back in the day. Here are some facts I found about the place we go to in New Plymouth. The Historical Tarawhata Hot Mineral Baths were exploi [..] > read more

Some things cannot be un-seen

Published on 2012-04-09 07:10:00

Today, I saw something that I wish I could un-see. We have a channel that is dedicated to programs in the Maori (indigenous people's) language. As we scrolled this evening through the few free channels that we have, I noticed on the Maori channel that it said 'Mr Ed'. Considering that Kiwis abbreviate everything I didn't think much about it the instant I saw it. A few seconds later, Wilbur and his horse came to mind and I had to back up to make sure that the show wasn't what my brain was tryin [..] > read more

I spoke too soon

Published on 2012-04-03 17:44:00

I was thrilled for a day or two that Blogger fixed my comments problem, but I spoke too soon. I am still having problems with non-pop-up comment pages. I copy and paste the comment page url into Firefox for now and it works ok. But it's just not the same! Hurry up and fix it, Blogger! I paid good money....oh, wait....no I didn't! I like Blogger much better than Wordpress because it's much simpler to use for photos, so I will do what I have to do until it's all 'Otay!' again! > read more

They should have paid attention!

Published on 2012-03-31 17:23:00

On Saturday, we went to the 75th anniversary of the NZ Air Force at Ohakea Air Force Base. > read more

Hooray!!

Published on 2012-03-26 05:53:00

I can make comments with Chrome again! Yay! I downloaded and was using Firefox when I wanted to comment on a blog post that didn't use the pop-up page, but I do love my Chrome and it was like I was cheating big time. Thanks, blogger. I knew you'd come through! > read more

rerun 03/09

Published on 2012-03-24 23:05:00

I have learned many interesting points and many new uses for words since I was in Kansas. > read more

forgiving

Published on 2012-03-18 20:25:00

For other quotes and scriptures, click here. > read more

Peeks into my blog posts

Published on 2012-03-14 18:46:00

I was looking for past posts about a subject I will address later and realized that some of my posts have had lots of visits. Out of curiosity, I scrolled through all of my posts and found some very interesting stats. I'm happy to say that my several posts about NZ trivia got a combined looksy of about 500. The Hawera Push-Bike Pub Crawl got a lot of attention with about 640 clicks on two posts about it. Not surprising, my posts about the 'are kiwis rude?' debate have garnered over 1000 views [..] > read more

Hubby's timing..

Published on 2012-03-07 17:38:00

After a surprise visit to the hot pools in New Plymouth for a wondrously relaxing hour, Hubby drove along the water's edge so I could take some photos of the gorgeous sky. Here's one shot. You can click here for more sunset shots on my photo blog. Yes, timing IS everything! > read more

Flatto peaches and how curiosity killed the cat!

Published on 2012-03-05 16:59:00

I never saw Flatto brand peaches until I got here. The are, indeed, flat, but also delicious! I had finished baking some cookies and, for whatever reason, left the oven door open. A while later, Wheelie was inside the oven but I didn't get the camera fast enough.So, now you know how it could happen! > read more

Sorry, bloggy friends...(2)

Published on 2012-03-03 21:38:00

It seems that I can only comment if the comment form is a pop up. Those embedded at the bottom of the blog page will not publish my comments. Weird. I hope it's remedied soon! > read more

Sorry, bloggy friends...

Published on 2012-03-02 16:56:00

I am not able to comment on many blogs at the moment, so please know that, if you left a comment on any of my blogs, I have visited you!! I hope this is resolved soon. > read more

Can't be done in NZ

Published on 2012-02-27 04:28:00

There is a new reality tv show from Australia starting soon called 'MasterChef Junior'. Like all the reality shows, there can only be one young winner. I'm not sure that I agree that kids should be subject to such things. But I do know one thing. That program would never work in NZ. In NZ, you are taught from the get-go that everybody is a winner. Everybody gets recognition. What we used to call 'graduation' (that was only for your last year in school) is called 'prizegiving' because, you guess [..] > read more

Recipe update

Published on 2012-02-22 18:56:00

I have found a different Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing recipe and have made changes in my recipe posted here. YUM!! http://bettysnzblog.blogspot.co.nz/2009/09/cream-cheese-icing.html *Edit* I noticed later that this recipe has had over 200 views! > read more

Grace's version of Charades

Published on 2012-02-19 16:07:00

I blogged earlier that Grace loves to sleep on my shoulder (click here for that post and photo). But only when I'm on the computer. It sure makes it hard to type with both hands when a large part of my torso is used as a prop for a full-grown cat and I'm slouched at an angle away from the keyboard, but being the sucker that I am, I accommodate her most of the time. Sadly, I'm the only one with that special touch, much to the dismay of us all. I assume it's because I'm here all the time and am m [..] > read more

Baldrick's Big Day Out

Published on 2012-02-13 14:46:00

Living in Stratford, with obvious connections to Shakespeare (he lived in Stratford upon Avon, I live in Stratford upon Patea), we have occasional days to go medieval. Last Saturday was one of those days with "Baldrick's Big Day Out at the park. There were wenches... and maidens.... and knights! Oh, my! And a very tall guy named Stumpy. Click here for more photos. > read more

mystery solved!

Published on 2012-02-07 16:59:00

A couple of weeks ago, I posted about our little container garden (click here for that post) and how pleased I was with its growth. As I went around the house taking photos to upload, I noticed this pot where we had planted some mystery bulbs. Since they looked a bit sad, I was wondering if we had carried the bulbs around too long for them to grow properly. Or maybe they didn't get quite enough water, since the pot was under the eaves. Obviously, we did get a bit of growth, which [..] > read more

about people

Published on 2012-02-03 05:12:00

When I first started blogging, I described myself as being 'older than dirt' and my new family had quite a few good laughs about it.The fact of the matter is, I've been around the block a few times and I've learned a few things about human nature. I'm certainly not a psychologist, but some things about people don't need a degree to be figured out--like the fact that we all see things based on our past experiences. Sometimes, the negative stuff others have had to deal with makes your words [..] > read more

rerun 5/08

Published on 2012-01-28 04:48:00

It's weird living in a wee country that you lose a day of your life getting to. You find that you have taken most everything around you for granted. Like television. In Kansas, I knew that the shows I saw were relatively new. I always figure the American shows we get here to be those that didn't make it very well--you know, the ones that TVNZ can buy cheap, after all, this is a small country with a small budget for EVERYthing. So, I was surprised to find that "Legend of the Seeker" is only a ye [..] > read more

the start of a new garden

Published on 2012-01-22 21:20:00

We have been at the new house for about three months now and the bulbs and seeds that we brought with us have become very happy indeed! I thought I'd share our container garden with you. They have dahlias, impatiens, carnations and the train that Hubby made has begonias. The other plants, I have no idea of names, but I bet you can help me out! > read more

new addition!

Published on 2012-01-20 00:27:00

We have a new addition to the family. It was by default, but nevertheless, she's here. Let me introduce you to Wheelie! (Because she's wheelie stinky when she farts!) She was thrust upon Otterboy by a local personage last week when he stopped to pet her on his way to town. We put up a 'found' poster but got no response so she's now part of our family. She has wasted no time making herself at home. > read more

Who'da thunk?

Published on 2012-01-19 16:57:00

There's so much in this huge world to see that I will never see with my own eyes. Who'da thought 40 years ago that I would be able to visit Siberia or see inside a cell or into outer space?! I am grateful for those that bother to share their world with me. That's why I like to share my photos with those that will never make it to NZ. And for those that set up memes to help me share them without any fuss, a big thank you. Of course, I find some of the places I visit in the blog world a bit like [..] > read more

My personal stats

Published on 2012-01-16 18:26:00

I love to check my feedjit and stats occasionally just to see how folks end up on my blog. I am happy to announce that there has not been one search for 'rude kiwis' or 'are kiwis rude' for about five days now! There have been about 12 searches that ended up at my 'pay it forward' post. And there were a few visits from a blog that I have never heard of before, which is a bit disconcerting. Several Kiwis checked out my post about the memorial to the homeless lady. There were quite a few visit [..] > read more

Back to the grindstone

Published on 2012-01-08 17:00:00

Over the holidays, Otterboy is in the 6-week break between school years and Hubby took 2 weeks off work. Since I don't really get a day off (...a woman's work is never done, you know!) I requested a week of no dishes and got it! That was a heavenly week, let me tell ya. And the dishes were done without complaining or reminding each night. I have the best guys! Otterboy and Maniac (his best bud) are pretty much inseparable these days and it's good they have each other to help with the entertainm [..] > read more

Everything I need to know, I learned from Noah's Ark

Published on 2012-01-02 17:58:00

ONE: Don't miss the boat. Be flexible enough to see what's going on around you. TWO: Remember that we are all in the same boat, so be kind. THREE: Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark. FOUR: Stay fit. When you're 60 years old, someone may ask you to do something really big. FIVE: Don't listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done. SIX: Build your future on high ground even if it doesn't make sense to others. SEVEN: For safety's sake, tr [..] > read more

Five years, already?

Published on 2011-07-05 01:08:00

I woke up this morning to Hubby saying 'Happy Anniversary' in my ear. When the fuzzies left my brain, I realized that it's the anniversary of my arrival in New Zealand. Yes, 5 years ago today, at 5:30 am, I got off the plane in Auckland and saw Hubby > read more

How heavy is a glass of water?

Published on 2011-06-30 01:22:00

The young lady confidently walked around the room while leading and explaining stress management to an audience. She raised a glass of water, and everyone knew she was going to ask the ultimate question, 'half empty or half full?' But, sh > read more

Rerun 8/08

Published on 2011-06-21 06:37:00

I wrote quite a few lines before my blog got the benefit of actual readers and followers, so I thought I'd repost some things that you might find interesting.This is a post from August of 2008. Keep in mind that it's winter in our neck of the hemisph > read more

French Silk

Published on 2011-06-16 22:26:00

I haven't tried to make French Silk in years, but I thought I'd give it a try for my chocoholic son. Being that I don't ever remember to buy pie crusts, I just serve it in a bowl like a mousse dessert. It takes a lot of mixing but was a smashing succ > read more

Land agents and hot water-take 2

Published on 2011-06-13 16:14:00

Last October I wrote this post about the trials of trying to get hot water over the weekend. As it turned out, we decided to let the landlord know about the lack of help from his agent and he was as shocked as we were. A few days later, I got a > read more

Baked tacos

Published on 2011-06-09 20:18:00

Otterboy doesn't care for plain flour tortillas, although the rest of us do. When we make tacos for a meal, he eats all the fixings without eating the shells. When I was single, I would sometimes fry one at a time and they were really good, but I can > read more

white kiwi

Published on 2011-06-01 18:52:00

White kiwi makes move to life outdoorsSHABNAM DASTGHEIB MIKE HEYDONWHITE DELIGHT: Manukura, a rare white kiwi chick, hatched at Pukaha Mount Bruce.The white kiwi chick hatched in Wairarapa may be destined for a life in advocacy, having already attrac > read more

1898 Mailbox is retiring

Published on 2011-05-25 17:57:00

It's the last post for this PenfoldJARED SMITH JARED SMITHBOXING ON: NZ Post Hawera postie Mia Aarts and South Taranaki District Council's John Sargeant with the Penfold hexagonal letterbox that is being retired.It has stood tall since the late 1800s > read more

L and P - World famous in New Zealand

Published on 2011-05-24 20:04:00

Otterboy wanted an L&P on our road trip the other day, but all we could find was L&P Dry. I was proud that he decided to 'try it one time' (something he has learned lately). He was reading the label out loud to us as we rode and I thought it > read more

NZ telly

Published on 2011-05-20 01:18:00

So you think you have nothing to watch in the evening? Be glad you don't live here! These are the American shows I can get at the moment. Keep in mind they are not always shown in order nor are they totally up-to-date and they can disappear any > read more

The times, they are achanging???

Published on 2011-05-17 03:20:00

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blame

Published on 2011-05-16 22:34:00

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thoughts

Published on 2011-05-13 23:26:00

I don't get how people act crazy when a FREE service goes offline for a bit. If I paid for Blogger, I think I would have a right to complain, but I think they did an excellent job of explaining what happened and I don't plan to jump ship any time soo > read more

Happy Mother's Day!

Published on 2011-05-07 16:51:00

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Happy birthday, Otterboy!

Published on 2011-05-01 22:01:00

Otterboy turned 15 this weekend. Since he and his bestie, Maniac, are sooo into wrestling, Hubby built a wrestling ring to put around the cake--he's so clever! Happy birthday, kiddo. > read more

Monument for part-time homeless lady...only in NZ

Published on 2011-04-30 20:54:00

Once seen, never forgottenJONATHAN MARSHALL SuppliedMargaret HoffmanSince swinging 60s it's provided refuge for vagrants, beggars and an assorted cast of stiletto- wearing sex workers.For Aucklanders, young and old, Karangahape Rd has long been the > read more

Teen Challenge founder killed in traffic accident

Published on 2011-04-29 09:06:00

One of the greatest evangelists of our time has gone to be with the Lord. Published Wednesday, April 27, 2011 8:30 PM David Wilkerson David Wilkerson — founder ofTeen Challenge which has its South Carolina headquarters in Georgetown County — h > read more

Kinda makes you go, 'Hmmmm...'

Published on 2011-04-25 05:32:00

Sadly, computers do what you program them to do, not what you want them to! Pak 'n Scram tests moralityDAVE BURGESS About 24 people cruised the aisles at Hamilton's Mill Street 'Pak 'n Save' store on Good Friday morning after a computer glitch inc > read more

Classic Carson with Jack Webb

Published on 2011-04-22 18:44:00

I got this in an email and thought I'd share it with you. YouTube - Johnny Carson and Jack Webb by alexjonesnowondailymotion > read more

Who has the power?

Published on 2011-04-17 22:23:00

I'm the type of person who finds logic very comforting. I need to know all the 'why's before I can truly understand the whole picture. For example, back in the dark ages when I went to college, my biology teacher couldn't tell me 'why' a cell decides > read more

Law of the Garbage Truck

Published on 2011-04-10 14:37:00

One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car b > read more

It's birthday time!

Published on 2011-04-06 18:48:00

My birthday is in a few days, but with Hubby's schedule and Otterboy only being with us every other week, we usually schedule such celebrations on the last day when we all are at the house. I got a cake baked by the wonderful Otterboy on Tuesday--cho > read more

This is true love

Published on 2011-04-03 18:34:00

It was a busy morning, about 8:30, when an elderlygentleman in his 80's arrived to have stitches removed from his thumb. He said he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00 am. I took his vital signs and had him take a > read more

looking back

Published on 2011-03-28 16:46:00

I started this blog about a year before I found my way around blogland, long before you wonderfully followers and readers found me. There were a few interesting things you might have missed, so I thought I'd pull up a few highlights. This was a > read more

settling in

Published on 2011-03-22 17:09:00

It seems that I have settled into my new homeland quite well. After all, it's been almost 5 years since I started on this new journey. My new life has taught me many new things. Kids can always melt your heart, no matter where you live. It's pretty > read more

Christchurch memorial service

Published on 2011-03-18 08:58:00

There was a memorial service for the city of Christchurch today. I don't usually watch this kind of tv program, but this one was really moving. Here's what the local paper had to say about it. They came in their thousands, the family, friends > read more

A little help, please

Published on 2011-03-14 23:50:00

This guy and several of his siblings are climbing all over one wall of our house to find a place to become a chrysalis to hang out on the side of the house. I think it might be for a white butterfly, but that's just a guess. Does anybody else have a > read more

thought on this and that

Published on 2011-03-11 03:34:00

Why do I have to enter a code on my tv to watch adult shows but anybody with my remote can upgrade or change my service without the code? And why does the high school still make the students make title pages for reports? They did that in grade schoo > read more

NZ telly

Published on 2011-03-07 23:41:00

There aren't many TV shows or movies that are produced in NZ. Oviously, there are not the resources available to produce shows like there are in the US. I am rather picky about what I watch and a few new series don't appeal to me. I have, though, wat > read more

Who would you like to talk to?

Published on 2011-03-06 04:43:00

I don't know how many times I've been asked this question: "If you could talk to any historical person for one hour, who would you choose?" I'm sure my answer depended on my mood at the time because I really don't have one particular historical fig > read more

Hrumph!

Published on 2011-03-01 17:50:00

Otterboy made fun of my ringtone the other day. It's the Mighty Mouse theme song.... Here I come to save the day!! When did I get that old?? > read more

Sometimes, no words are necessary

Published on 2011-02-26 17:46:00

A member of the church, who previously had been attending services regularly, stopped going. After a few weeks, the preacher decided to visit him. It was a chilly evening when the pastor found the man at home, alone, sitting before a blazing f > read more

Kiwis pulling together

Published on 2011-02-23 22:18:00

Hubby showed me this link on trademe (NZ version of ebay) that lists help for the earthquake victims. Christchurch earthquake support link As of this posting, there are 1172 emergency accommodations listed for those who have lost their home > read more

Another earthquake

Published on 2011-02-21 20:20:00

It was in Christchurch again--the same place as last year. This one seems to have done damage to different parts of the city and is quite devastating. I am in the north island, so was not involved. Pleass pray for those that were. > read more

Old-fashioned Hay Day

Published on 2011-02-21 17:28:00

Being a city girl, I really didn't know what to expect at the 'Hay Day' in Tariki last weekend. I was surprised and amazed at the old equipment and vehicles that were still running like new! Grindstone for sharpening blades This is a 'pit saw' for, > read more

Proof

Published on 2011-02-20 18:53:00

...that New Zealand has a low crime rate!! > read more

Kiwano

Published on 2011-02-17 15:31:00

Something happened to me when I moved to New Zealand. I don't know when it happened, but it happened. I became much more curious and adventurous. Maybe it's because I had someone to experience things with. Maybe it's because there are so many things > read more

My husband is a dirty, rotten, stinking liar

Published on 2011-02-14 02:33:00

Today is Valentine's Day in our part of the world. Hubby told me last week that he wanted to take me for fish and chips on the beach and I thought that was very sweet. It was not your 'run of the mill' Valentine's dinner and he knows I like the beach > read more

Introducing.....

Published on 2011-02-12 17:49:00

...Gracie, formerly of the Hawera SPCA. A couple of weeks ago, her picture was in the Hawera paper as a new arrival at the SPCA and I told Hubby I wanted her. I never thought I'd actually get her! She's about 2 years old and was given to the > read more

Hubby's been at it again!

Published on 2011-02-10 13:36:00

This is Hubby's latest creation that he sold on trademe. It's a friesian mailbox bought by a dairy farmer. > read more

Are Kiwis rude?

Published on 2011-02-06 15:37:00

This is a question that I have been trying to answer since I arrived in New Zealand four and a half years ago. (You can click the 'rude kiwis' label to read my earlier posts on the subject) For those who haven't followed the whole story, here's a q > read more

The last leg of our holiday

Published on 2011-02-03 18:03:00

The last morning of our trip, the kids got to go fishing one last time. We dropped Hubby's Mum off at the train station to visit her sister in Christchurch and we headed to the ferry terminal. Hubby took these photos while I napped. I enj > read more

various photos from our holiday

Published on 2011-02-02 06:09:00

We rented a 'cabin' (it was an actual house that was as big as ours back home!) for 5 days that had this fella and one of his siblings (or him again) inside every day! This kid was just happily digging his little heart out on the beach. When I inquir > read more

Farewell Spit

Published on 2011-01-31 05:25:00

Click map for larger view to follow our virtual holiday tour. Farewell Spit is a scenic reserve and bird sanctuary. The only way to get to the end to see this lighthouse, without a special permit, is by tour bus. A Maori carving is > read more

Pupu Springs

Published on 2011-01-30 13:54:00

Click map for larger view to follow our virtual holiday tour. Waikoropupu Springs is the clearest water I have ever seen. It's of significance to the Maori people with the following legend: Waikoropupu is the legendary home of the fem > read more

Touch the Sea, Mapua

Published on 2011-01-28 22:59:00

I can't find a website for this small-but-great aquarium, but it was a lot of fun for everybody. You can touch many of the creatures of the sea, including a huge manta ray, huge eels, baby sharks, many fish, starfish, anemones. These baby rays wer > read more

Great holiday, as usual!

Published on 2011-01-27 21:39:00

We had a really great holiday, as we always do. Hubby is the best planner in New Zealand and we were all amazed at the great things and places he found. Hubby's Mum (HM) came in from England and we picked her up at the airport in New Plymouth on Tu > read more

I'm back from holiday!

Published on 2011-01-26 18:11:00

We had a great time and, of course, I took a jillion pictures! Here's a little video that was you might enjoy while I get my photos and thoughts in order...not to mention catching up on some sleep! > read more

TV ads

Published on 2011-01-15 17:10:00

I was looking on YouTube for the New Zealand version of the Aqua Lazer (steam mop) ad. Apparently, the company thinks the ad they show us in New Zealand is too demeaning and condescending to even have it out there for the world to see. First they sh > read more

Life lesson--things are not always as they seem

Published on 2011-01-12 23:40:00

In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king's' wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. &nbs > read more

Life lesson--everybody is important

Published on 2011-01-10 23:40:00

During my second month of college, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions until I read the last one:"What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?"Surely this was s > read more

Pay it forward

Published on 2011-01-07 20:16:00

I was taking some 'me' time, clicking on blog hop sites and ended up at The Lungos blog. I found this fabulous idea (that she had stolen borrowed from another blogger who had stolen borrowed it from another blogger--isn't blogland great!?!)) of > read more

My favorite nameless flower

Published on 2011-01-03 13:54:00

I picked up this flower from a garden center a couple of years ago because it was suppose to be able to withstand drought. I have been trying to find out what it is ever since. In the meantime, I call her Gracie. If you know what she is, please let m > read more

How time flies!

Published on 2011-01-02 02:45:00

I just realized that I had a bloggiversary in December. My very first, tentative post was in December 2007. I truly started my blog so I didn't have to bug people 'back home' with email updates. I wanted a place where they could catch up w > read more



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