Christmas Red

Our Christmas tree - the NZ pohutukawa - is in flower, decorations are starting to appear around town, people are haunting the toyshops, must be nearly Christmas.

Today I visited a place that always reminds me of Christmas. The colour is just the right shade of red, however the image may not be everyone's idea of the festive season.

Like it or not, the holiday season can be one of unexpected events, not always pleasant. It is a time when the NZ Blood Service is often desperate to ensure they have adequate blood supplies over the holiday season to cover all eventualities.

The New Zealand Blood Service is the body primarily responsible for blood donation and related services in New Zealand. It is thought that around 80% of New Zealanders would need some type of blood donation in their lifetime but only 3% of New Zealanders donate.

Today I gave my 25th donation of blood. Well actually it is more than that, but it is the 25th since their records have been computerised. I was showered with gifts - an umbrella with NZ Blood Service written all over it, a pen, a key ring, and a lapel pin!

Giving blood is not painless, it often hurts a little and I am sometimes left with a small bruise. And it takes about 40 minutes out of my day.

But a blood transfusion once saved the life of a member of my family. And may save your life one day.

.......And of course the flowers

........the scenery

Cook Islands - the food

Cook Islands - the people

Cook Island holiday - the colour!

You know its summer here when................

The tree ferns show their summer green















The flax is in flower
















And jandals in all the new seasons colours appear in the shops

Dads told to stay away from delivery room

4:00AM Monday Oct 19, 2009
NZ Herald


"For many men, attending the birth of a child is a momentous and emotional occasion. However, one of the world's leading obstetricians says the father's presence can lead to his partner needing a caesarean delivery, and even to marriage break-ups and mental illness.

Michel Odent, a childbirth specialist, also believes the labour can be longer, more painful and more complicated because the mother senses his anxiety and becomes nervous.

Babies' arrivals in the world would be more straightforward if women were left alone with only a midwife to help them, as they used to be, Odent will tell the Royal College of Midwives' annual conference in Manchester, England, next month."

etc etc

The rest of this article is here

How ridiculous! When I read this article I was speechless.

To deny the Father the opportunity to be present at the birth of their child is unthinkable. And to credit the presence of the father as a reason for a caesarean delivery defies logic.

Chatham Islands revisited.

It is nearly a year ago that I was lucky to be able to visit the Chatham Islands. For more information about the islands, and more photos visit here and here and here

Samoa Tsunami

Our sympathy to our Samoan and Tongan neighbours.

Read more about the earthquake and tsunami here.

And updates at the NZ Herald site here.