Tuesday 29 May 2012

Chummy


Introducing our new puppy....Chummy!! He is a black camp dog, 6 weeks old and cute. He is very well behaved and the boys adore him, Sam won't leave him alone. He was very quiet last night and tonight I think too exhausted to even sit upright!!!!!!


just had a bath, full of ticks.....looking for frontline online!!

a few more photos...


Jack and Sam having giggles in bed, I am trying to read to them......aaargh


Someone crept in to say good morning, a bigger person thought it would be funny to wake me with the flash!!!


Ummm, someone found my talcum powder...............I was laughing so much there was no way I could tell him off!!



Sam loves stripping off and jumping in the bath to help Meei clean it!!!! Weird.

We have had so much rain over the last few days that my vegie garden has dissolved in a puff of powdery mildew and not sure if it is to do with the weather but I have weevils in EVERYTHING!!! JJ bought a 25kg bag of flour, chock a block full of weevils in every life stage - yuk, even sifting doen't help much, so extra protien for us for a while!! At least the  flour is stored in the freezer so they are dead!! Tonight cooking rice I noticed a few adult weevils so the rice has gone straight into the freezer too!!! Bluurgh......If my chooks don't lay eggs I'll be right cranky as I watch everything fall apart around me, so much for being self sufficient.

Right as it has taken hours to download photos (in amongst talking to Mum!!) I am now thoroughly ready for bed so goodnight my lovelies

xoxoxoxoxox

Saturday 26 May 2012

Oooops, sorry I haven't been around!!!!

Sorry for my rudeness! I haven't felt like being online for the last few weeks! Some put it down to   being depressed after Mum went home, some to the alignmment of the stars! I am not sure what but I know the computer has held no interest for me the last few weeks so I haven't even bothered!! Today out of necessity for Mastercard bills and Nursing registration I have ventured forth and found no joy on logging on to Face Book but to msny emails to deal with, thank goodness most was junk!!!!

So I think, what have I done since my last post......worthy of writing about!

The 3rd house on the compound has changed hands again, a new AUSaid single chap who will be with us for the next two years. Mark is keen to help with the chooks, the pool, use the gym and enjoy the cudoos of the compound!

The Australian High Comisioner and his wife have left the island and we await the new couple who will arrive in early June.

Last year a couple began a Saturday morning reading group at the national library for the kids. Well due to posting etc, the position to continue running this program is free, so I have volunteered to be the co-ordinator until we leave. Jack and I went to our first reading session today. It was so lovely to see the kids and Meei (my house keeper ) bought her boys and nieces along. We will try to go along most Saturdays.

Meei has agreed to come and wirk for me full time. This means I will be able to use her to look after Sam while I home school Jack and also have a break from both boys. I thought I might do some voluntary work at the Betio Health Clinic or Hospital. I am no longer a registered Nurse but am, I am sure a welcome pair f eatra hands for more mundane aspects of nursing, as there is an huge shortage of nurses here in Kiribati.

Work has begun on extending the fence line done to te high water mark and should be complted before the end of the financial year, but as this is Kirbati and island time preveales, who knows when it will actually be complete!

The MSA from the Marshall Island is a very old friend of JJ's. George bought his patrol boat over to Kiribati as a good will gesture and the two boats sailed on a joint patrol. JJ and George had a fabulous weekend. They attended a Botaki (party) for Saturday lunch, rolled home incredibly drunk, made it as far as the bar, then recliners and there they laid until the next morning!!! Only to get up the next morning and do it all again!!! I think both had a wonderful visit, if nothing of their work with the patrol boats!!

The chooks continue to thrive, no one has seen such fat chooks on this island. They are so well fed, I don't think they'll would even leave (they better lay eggs or I'll be VERY grumpy!!!) Next door's bitch has had another litter of pups and one has taken our eye!! JJ has a budget for a guard dog for the compound and after due consideration we have decided to 'babosi' the pup. Babosi is a term the i-Kiribati use when they want something from another person. You 'babosi' it and they hand it over. Since dogs are really of no consequence here I have no problem to babosi the pup, who will no doubt live a fine life here compared to what it will have next door. It will duely be desexed and become the compounds dog, but no doubt Jack and Sam will lay to claim ownership, just as they have done with the chooks. After the fence has been extended we are considering having a pig, what a menagerie we shall have!!

right well I am going to sign off and go to bed, night all and I won't be away so long again. so till next time......

Thursday 10 May 2012

Camping!!!!

Jack and I decided to put up the tent yesterday afternoon for some thing to do. Jack then decided a sleep over would be perfect, just like he had done with Campbell and Callum in Darwin (just our tent was outside and quite exposed!!)

So Jack and I lugged matresses and linen out and at the appointed time said goodnight and headed out to our camp. We hunted hermit crabs and found 14, we turned off our touches and looked at the stars, we read a few story books by lamplight, then we snuggled down in our beds to sleep. However the weather was against us and it blew up a storm!! The wind woke me at 10pm, the whole tent was shuddering, all of a sudden it BUCKETED down and my feet were wet!! I scurried around a sleeping Jack to pack up and rush everything to cover. I then carried Jack (who wouldn't wake up, no matter how hard I shook him!!) into his own bed and finished securing the tent, as I was sure it must be blown away!! I returned home and changed out of my sopping clothes, JJ woke, mocked me for our foolhardy idea and rolled back over to snoring and sleep!!!

Jack woke this morning and with hands on hips demanded to know why he had not woken in his tent!!!!!.....................yes we WILL camp again JJ!!!!!! (It just might mean that my dear little tent I purchased 20 odd years ago will be pitched undercover of the verandah!!!)

Wednesday 9 May 2012

Mum & Jills' visit

It seems so long ago now and I have been so slack with updating, my apologies. It has been extremely busy, the island way!! Mum & Jills' visit went all to quicly, we achieved so much in our short time and I think both Jill & Mum enoyed their time here.

Of course the day of arrival was all excitement as not only Mum & Jill were arriving but JJ was coming home too!! Unpacking was great fun, loads of exciting deliveries from Oz, it was quite over whelming!! The boys were in their element with all the attention from the new arrivals.

We spent loads of time at the pool, swimming ,chilling out and I even managed to throw together a very 'tropical' G & T!!!!!!

We attended ANZAC day, drove up the island to show them the local sites and of course grocery shopped on the way!!


Jill spoilt me rotten by cooking a good many nights and it was I admit bliss not to have to cook or plan a menu!!

I was so thoroughly spoilt for my birthday. Jill & Mum decorated the lounge with banners and balloons and I got so many presents it was insane. Mum & Jill wouldn't let me lift a figer all day, it was bliss. JJ surprised me with a massive cake and dinner of a pork roast with all the trimmings was sensational.



We went up to Captain's Bar on the Friday for a drink, I think Mum & Jill were determined to find something other than beer to drink!! They were told there was white wine but it hadn't been chilled, there were spirits but no mixers so beer it was!! (I think Jill was quite horrified when the next round was plonked down in front of her, then the next....). Needless to say we stayed only for one drink then made a beeline home for a cold G&T and chilled wine!!

It was nice to relax and have some help and company too. The time went all to quickly. It was so marvellous to have them both here, perfect house guests.

I hope it heralds the begining of many visitors to our island home of Kiribati!!!


Visit to Obar


Obar Island, our destination for the night!! It took us 2 hours to travel across the lagoon, into the Pacific and into Abaiang's Lagoon to arrive (all in a little open dinghy with a 40 hp!!)



Lunch!!! Tuna caught on the long line - yummo!!



Mum in her bure, a thatched hut of Pandanus, set right on the waters edge. Comfy beds and no mozzies!! Bliss


My afternoon siesta was in the hammock, my magazine lay unread, I was too distracted by the view!


We spent a lazy afternoon swimming and relaxing, chatting and just doing what childless people do!!



Sunset over the neighbouring island, again right on the waters edge we enjoyed a lovely dinner of chicken & rice.
A warm night with not much breeze so all passed a restless night in our bures (but the beds were comfy!)

An early morning swim whilst our lovely ladies prepared a yummy brekky of eggs, breadfruit patties & chips and toast. All good and a first for Mum & Jill to eat Breadfruit! Breadfruit is grown throughout the Pacific and caused the mutiny on the Bounty!! It was originally used to feed the black birders slaves throughout the Pacific.

We headed of to the neighbouring little atoll so the men could climb the coconut palm so again Mum & Jill could have a first experience of 'moimoto', green coconut, my favorite as it is so refreshing.


a perfect, perfect day to go serching for moimoto!!!! Oh & a lovely swim too!!


Mum & Jill borrowed the i-kiribati chaps hats, the water was so crystal clear and warm too.

All too soon it was time to head back to Betio. We were already an hour late but it was so easy to be running on island time withh such beautiful surrounds

Ti Bo

Friday 4 May 2012

ANZAC day

yes, yes I am a little late, blame Mum!!!!!

As usual anywhere in the expat world anything associated with Australia seems to be bigger when you are away. Throw the NZ guys into the mix and it is huge.

Dawn service was conducted at the Coast Watchers in Betio over looking the sea. JJ was the Australian Defence representative and lay a wreath. Jack was also invited to lay a wreath on behalf of the children of the ANZACs, he lay it with Tia, the NZHC 1st secretary's daughter, it bought more than a lump in my throat!! It was a very proud moment.


The Police Brass band played and although our dear bugle player found the last post a little difficult, it was the most beautiful sound we had heard!!



We moved to the Maneaba at the NZHC to enjoy a lovely gunfire breakfast of all foods imaginable. The best would have been the bacon imported from NZ, real tasting bacon, not the type imported from Fiji where the pigs are feed copra and the meat has a terrible gamey taste!!

It was all wrapped up by mid morning, time to head back to our pool for a cool off and a lazy day spent by all due to our early morning start.