It's a hot nor wester on Show Day, the day that's cancelled by Covid, even though cases are still up north. Would Auckland stop if all cases were down here? I somehow doubt it. But letting us do what we want may provoke even more rebellion. There are so many dissenting voices, the virus is disrupting peoples' reason. Do they really want to risk this disease? I don't but I would like more freedom, considering we are Covid free. Hmm.
There were 22,794 first and second vaccine doses administered yesterday, made up of 6,285 first doses and 16,509 second doses. To date, 90% of New Zealanders have had their first dose and 80% are fully vaccinated.
There are 201 community cases in the community today:
- 181 in Auckland
- 15 in Waikato
- 4 in Northland
- 1 in Taranaki
Local mayors are appealing for their people to get vaccinated and Maori are asking for data on their people to support their efforts but the Ministry of Health are refusing.
I'm a Word festival volunteer and ushering people into relatively space in The Piano. But the poetry session at the Foundation cafe in the main library is a people jam. So many words as poet after poet gets up to spout forth. Exhausting. I'm hung over after the Dux football club 40th celebrations the night before, just managing to get out of bed in time. Ridiculously early after a binge with hardened, hangman bingers who don't need any excuse at the best of times. Reliable, I stick it out.
Old friends, Vinnie and Lizzie, come for lunch on Sunday. I first worked at Papanui High School in Vince's job. Doing relief while he went back to the States to farewell his mom. There for 5 weeks, I was back full time the next year, 1998, and I haven't left since. Longest I've stayed in any job but single mother with a mortgage will do it.
We're getting into relaxed mode, especially senior students who have finished assessment. Some soldier on but others, well they haven't been working for a while and they don't need any more credits. I give myself a lesson off and join them. Front left in Frances- I flatted with her parents in London. My boyfriend at the time was good mates. Funnily enough, they all went to Papanui High School. Small world. Never burn your bridges, NZ and especially Christchurch is too small.
The velvet curtains get rehung by an expert. I have to leave them open for 48 hours to settle. I missed them while they were away.
Concoction of the week, Elderflower champagne. I have to burp it for a few days to stop it exploding.
Whanau pictures. Rob's kids, Sean, a week older than Kahu, and Alex stay on their drive back to Auckland, lock down city. They've been studying at Otago Uni in Dunedin. We drink an old concoction of mine I unearthed the other day, Cherry brandy with manuka honey. I foraged the cherries from behind the Clyde dam about five years ago. We drink it with tonic- the honey comes through on the palette. Delicious. It had been sitting in the old garage all that time. Glad I kept it. I give Alex her mum's 18 year old AFS photo she wanted to throw out, but I squirreled away. It has intrinsic value for those who come after. And I unearth an old photo of us, I think I was 12, Nic 13 and Robin 10. Days long gone but the photo keeps them alive. Sean gets an old $1 note, found in Lionel's bedside drawer and last in circulation in 1990.
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