Dated 22nd Nov 2010
Two years ago around this time I woke up from a nap just
like I did this evening but I was soooo homesick I wondered why. We had just come
to NZ that time and settling down to our routine here. My husband had gone away
for business and wouldn’t be back for another 8 weeks and I was on my own. It
was a Saturday evening as well and by that following Monday I got the
information from my elder sister that my Mom had fallen very ill that day (Saturday)
and had to be hospitalized the following day, Sunday. Then I understood why I
had suddenly felt so homesick. My Mom was longing for her children. Later that
week she was diagnosed to have colon cancer and ten months later, she passed
away. :(
Sometimes I wonder what life would be like even just one
year down the road and sometimes I wonder what I was doing a year ago. I never
thought that my life would make its twists and turns like it did, all these
years. When I was a newly-married bride in 1988-89 I was studying Japanese with
other foreign students and/or their spouses (I was among the spouses category)
at my husband’s university, Tokyo University. A teacher of ours, who was
Japanese of course, was so proud and happy for her daughter to have the opportunity to be an exchange student in a
city called Auckland. She showed us in the map where Auckland was and she was
so excited about it. I knew mentally where Auckland was but I never thought
that 20 years down the road I would be
living here as well. It’s funny because I feel NZ is very much just like Japan.
The latter is isolated, to a certain extent, culturally from the rest of the
world while NZ, also to a certain extent, is isolated geographically from the
rest of humankind. About a year after that, when we were living in Tsukuba, a city
just outside Tokyo, where my husband was a post-doctoral fellow at the Japanese
Public Works Research Institute, we got acquainted with another post-doctoral
fellow named Greg, and he was from Christchurch. It was from Greg that we
learned that the Kiwi fruit and the Kiwi bird were named after the Kiwis, the
New Zealanders, not the other way around. Before that we have never heard of a
people called Kiwis, only Kiwi fruit and Kiwi bird. :-)
year down the road and sometimes I wonder what I was doing a year ago. I never
thought that my life would make its twists and turns like it did, all these
years. When I was a newly-married bride in 1988-89 I was studying Japanese with
other foreign students and/or their spouses (I was among the spouses category)
at my husband’s university, Tokyo University. A teacher of ours, who was
Japanese of course, was so proud and happy for her daughter to have the opportunity to be an exchange student in a
city called Auckland. She showed us in the map where Auckland was and she was
so excited about it. I knew mentally where Auckland was but I never thought
that 20 years down the road I would be
living here as well. It’s funny because I feel NZ is very much just like Japan.
The latter is isolated, to a certain extent, culturally from the rest of the
world while NZ, also to a certain extent, is isolated geographically from the
rest of humankind. About a year after that, when we were living in Tsukuba, a city
just outside Tokyo, where my husband was a post-doctoral fellow at the Japanese
Public Works Research Institute, we got acquainted with another post-doctoral
fellow named Greg, and he was from Christchurch. It was from Greg that we
learned that the Kiwi fruit and the Kiwi bird were named after the Kiwis, the
New Zealanders, not the other way around. Before that we have never heard of a
people called Kiwis, only Kiwi fruit and Kiwi bird. :-)
Someday, I’ll be wondering what I was doing around this time
in 2010! So, I thought, maybe I should write a detailed account of what a
typical day is for me, at this point in my life.
in 2010! So, I thought, maybe I should write a detailed account of what a
typical day is for me, at this point in my life.
Well, yesterday, Friday, I was awakened by my daughter, as
usual. She always wakes up at the first glimmer of daylight, no matter what
time she slept the night before, and that also means she wakes up ahead of me,
all the time. She got up, pulled down my blanket and said, “Mommy, it’s time
for you to wake up!” “Oh, you wake up too early, Joche,” I moaned, pulling up
my blanket again. She insisted that I wake up and tries to pull down my blanket
again. So I said, “Give me five minutes, Joche,” That usually keeps her quiet
for a while but 10-15 minutes later she would pester me again and her chatter
for the day begins: “Today I have what?” “School,” I moaned. “Yaaay!! I go to
school where?” Silence. “I go to Bruce McLa____?” “Bruce McLaren.” “Today I
have what? “School.” “Yaaay!!” etc. And the autistic “conversation” goes
on, punctuated by my, “(Daughte), stop!”
“Say?” “Just stop it.” “Say?” Silence.
“Say?” Silence. (louder now) “Say?” … “Do you want a smack?” “Nooo, don’t!” “Silence, at least for a few
minutes, and then it starts all over again until we get to school.
usual. She always wakes up at the first glimmer of daylight, no matter what
time she slept the night before, and that also means she wakes up ahead of me,
all the time. She got up, pulled down my blanket and said, “Mommy, it’s time
for you to wake up!” “Oh, you wake up too early, Joche,” I moaned, pulling up
my blanket again. She insisted that I wake up and tries to pull down my blanket
again. So I said, “Give me five minutes, Joche,” That usually keeps her quiet
for a while but 10-15 minutes later she would pester me again and her chatter
for the day begins: “Today I have what?” “School,” I moaned. “Yaaay!! I go to
school where?” Silence. “I go to Bruce McLa____?” “Bruce McLaren.” “Today I
have what? “School.” “Yaaay!!” etc. And the autistic “conversation” goes
on, punctuated by my, “(Daughte), stop!”
“Say?” “Just stop it.” “Say?” Silence.
“Say?” Silence. (louder now) “Say?” … “Do you want a smack?” “Nooo, don’t!” “Silence, at least for a few
minutes, and then it starts all over again until we get to school.
After I sent her to school I came back and realized on my
way home that I forgot to go to her school’s office to check for myself if
somebody had turned in her school jacket which she lost on Wednesday. So I
resolved to do that when I pick her up after school. I thought losing her
school uniform jacket means that would be one item less for me to think about –
to sell or to give away. But the day before, Thursday, her teacher gave me a
“replacement” jacket for her and it was one size smaller and quite stained. I
washed it that night and it wasn’t quite dry yesterday morning and so I made
her wear her own jumper. Her teacher wasn’t happy with that and daughter herself immediately took it off and kept it in her bag
when she got to school. Oooops. :(
way home that I forgot to go to her school’s office to check for myself if
somebody had turned in her school jacket which she lost on Wednesday. So I
resolved to do that when I pick her up after school. I thought losing her
school uniform jacket means that would be one item less for me to think about –
to sell or to give away. But the day before, Thursday, her teacher gave me a
“replacement” jacket for her and it was one size smaller and quite stained. I
washed it that night and it wasn’t quite dry yesterday morning and so I made
her wear her own jumper. Her teacher wasn’t happy with that and daughter herself immediately took it off and kept it in her bag
when she got to school. Oooops. :(
The other night (Thursday night) I actually prayed that we would
find her jacket again. I have retrieved lost items before when I prayed and I
thought, this should be no exception. But I know that in terms of probability,
chances are, it won’t get returned. I remember younger son’s jumper which he lost also
around this time last year when it was getting warmer. He took it off and
dumped it on top of his bag because he was feeling too warm in it while he
played in school. After they finished playing his jumper was gone. Although it
was properly labelled with his name, and I had inquired at their school’s
office, that jumper was never found again. And then there’s the case of my older
daughter’s bag which she checked in at her school’s library. The CCTV
actually recorded the group of girls who took it and although they were
eventually pressured to return all its contents, the cash, her cell phone’s sim
card and the bag itself were never returned. That case was reported to the
police. And then there’s the case of my cap which I threw into the trolley with
my shopping in Pak n Save. By the time I checked out my shopping, it was gone,
though it had a name on it. I left my contact details with their Information
service just in case somebody "picked it up" and returned it but that hat was
never heard of again. So, as far as our NZ experience on lost items was concerned,
the odds of finding younger daughter’s jacket again were just against it.
find her jacket again. I have retrieved lost items before when I prayed and I
thought, this should be no exception. But I know that in terms of probability,
chances are, it won’t get returned. I remember younger son’s jumper which he lost also
around this time last year when it was getting warmer. He took it off and
dumped it on top of his bag because he was feeling too warm in it while he
played in school. After they finished playing his jumper was gone. Although it
was properly labelled with his name, and I had inquired at their school’s
office, that jumper was never found again. And then there’s the case of my older
daughter’s bag which she checked in at her school’s library. The CCTV
actually recorded the group of girls who took it and although they were
eventually pressured to return all its contents, the cash, her cell phone’s sim
card and the bag itself were never returned. That case was reported to the
police. And then there’s the case of my cap which I threw into the trolley with
my shopping in Pak n Save. By the time I checked out my shopping, it was gone,
though it had a name on it. I left my contact details with their Information
service just in case somebody "picked it up" and returned it but that hat was
never heard of again. So, as far as our NZ experience on lost items was concerned,
the odds of finding younger daughter’s jacket again were just against it.
Anyway, I went back home and had my breakfast while I
checked and answered emails, mostly related to our moving activities. I did our
laundry and then it was time to pick up my older daughter. She was having exams yesterday
and she finished early – 12:30pm. By the time we got back I had a few minutes
to start cooking lunch and had a few minutes for a quick nap, or I will fall
asleep while driving. When I looked at the clock I figured I would have twenty
minutes of snoozing time. But ten minutes into my catnap I was awakened by my
daughter’s cries of, “Oh my God, … Oh no… Mommy!!... the nurse!!...” She
sounded so distressed I couldn’t help but wake up and then she really started
sobbing. “Mommy, that nurse, the nice one, named Jane…” (we had talked about
her being so nice before and we remember her so well because she’s my
daughter’s namesake and she had a very British accent), “the one at City Med
who gave the jabs to Daddy and Jed and to me as well, she died!!! She was
cycling on the road and a lorry hit her!!” (You may like to check 19th
Nov., Friday’s headline story about the British nurse working at City Med on
Albert St.) “But she was so nice!!!” Then slowly, recovering from my slumber, I
remembered her sweet smiling face. I thought she was too nice for a nurse, too
pleasant, like transported from another planet. She was the one who took my
blood pressure, weight, etc. but the nurse who gave me my jab was different one. I do remember my husband and son saying how good that “Jane” nurse
was because one of the two jabs she gave them was supposed to really hurt but
when they had it, they thought, “Was that it? It didn’t hurt at all!” She’s
really good at her job. I remember mine was administered by another nurse and
that really hurt. :( She was the very first medical person who “handled”
us in our series of tests related to our Medical Exam that day, and she made
the experience, unexpectedly, a pleasant one. My daughter was so
distraught over the news… and I thought, what if I’m the mother of this young
woman (she was 27). I would be thinking, “My daughter went so far away on a
working holiday and suddenly I get the news that she’s gone – an accident!" How
tragic. :( O.o
She must be inconsolable. To be honest, I think there are too many of this type of road accidents here in NZ - accidents related to people doing sports on very busy roads. I think people should avoid public roads, especially busy ones, when doing sports. Public roads and sports just don't mix. But then again, I am just a "transplant" in this country. I really don't understand how people here think. But what a great loss of such a beautiful and talented person. Nurses / people like Jane are difficult to come by in this planet. Our family mourn the loss of her. When my older daughter told my older son about "nurse Jane" he said, "She won't be able to do my Med Exam then." :( It was time for us to go to pick my younger daughter up, so, I told
older daughter I had to leave and she better come with me or she will feel worse without
anyone to talk with if she stayed home. So, that’s what she did.
checked and answered emails, mostly related to our moving activities. I did our
laundry and then it was time to pick up my older daughter. She was having exams yesterday
and she finished early – 12:30pm. By the time we got back I had a few minutes
to start cooking lunch and had a few minutes for a quick nap, or I will fall
asleep while driving. When I looked at the clock I figured I would have twenty
minutes of snoozing time. But ten minutes into my catnap I was awakened by my
daughter’s cries of, “Oh my God, … Oh no… Mommy!!... the nurse!!...” She
sounded so distressed I couldn’t help but wake up and then she really started
sobbing. “Mommy, that nurse, the nice one, named Jane…” (we had talked about
her being so nice before and we remember her so well because she’s my
daughter’s namesake and she had a very British accent), “the one at City Med
who gave the jabs to Daddy and Jed and to me as well, she died!!! She was
cycling on the road and a lorry hit her!!” (You may like to check 19th
Nov., Friday’s headline story about the British nurse working at City Med on
Albert St.) “But she was so nice!!!” Then slowly, recovering from my slumber, I
remembered her sweet smiling face. I thought she was too nice for a nurse, too
pleasant, like transported from another planet. She was the one who took my
blood pressure, weight, etc. but the nurse who gave me my jab was different one. I do remember my husband and son saying how good that “Jane” nurse
was because one of the two jabs she gave them was supposed to really hurt but
when they had it, they thought, “Was that it? It didn’t hurt at all!” She’s
really good at her job. I remember mine was administered by another nurse and
that really hurt. :( She was the very first medical person who “handled”
us in our series of tests related to our Medical Exam that day, and she made
the experience, unexpectedly, a pleasant one. My daughter was so
distraught over the news… and I thought, what if I’m the mother of this young
woman (she was 27). I would be thinking, “My daughter went so far away on a
working holiday and suddenly I get the news that she’s gone – an accident!" How
tragic. :( O.o
She must be inconsolable. To be honest, I think there are too many of this type of road accidents here in NZ - accidents related to people doing sports on very busy roads. I think people should avoid public roads, especially busy ones, when doing sports. Public roads and sports just don't mix. But then again, I am just a "transplant" in this country. I really don't understand how people here think. But what a great loss of such a beautiful and talented person. Nurses / people like Jane are difficult to come by in this planet. Our family mourn the loss of her. When my older daughter told my older son about "nurse Jane" he said, "She won't be able to do my Med Exam then." :( It was time for us to go to pick my younger daughter up, so, I told
older daughter I had to leave and she better come with me or she will feel worse without
anyone to talk with if she stayed home. So, that’s what she did.
-------------------------------------------0------------------------------------------------0------------
Friends grieve for 'wonderful' nurse
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10688578
White roses for our wonderful Nurse Jane. God bless her soul.
-----------------------------------------0-------------------------------------------------0---------------
When we picked younger daughter up from school her teacher said the jacket still
has not been found. I told her that I had washed the replacement jacket and it didn’t
dry up in time in the morning but I will make sure she wears it on Monday. But
this time I remembered to pass by the school office and they allowed us to go
through all the “found” items they stored in a bin. There were so many of those
jumpers, some quite old, like they’ve been there for ages without anyone
claiming them, and a few didn’t even have names. Finally, we got to the bottom
of the pile and I told older daughter, “I don’t think we’d find it. This last one looks
really old.” But alas, to our amazement, the last jacket at the bottom of the
pile turned out to be hers!! I couldn’t quite believe it but older daughter said,
“Mommy, it says “(younger daughter's name)” – she meant the tag which I myself had written on the
brand label. Then I thought, “Wow, God answered my prayers… though I’m really
bad. He hasn’t forgotten me.” :-) It was indeed the coolest thing ever, in ages. God
touched my heart again. I know I don’t deserve it. :-) God is sooo good. :-)
has not been found. I told her that I had washed the replacement jacket and it didn’t
dry up in time in the morning but I will make sure she wears it on Monday. But
this time I remembered to pass by the school office and they allowed us to go
through all the “found” items they stored in a bin. There were so many of those
jumpers, some quite old, like they’ve been there for ages without anyone
claiming them, and a few didn’t even have names. Finally, we got to the bottom
of the pile and I told older daughter, “I don’t think we’d find it. This last one looks
really old.” But alas, to our amazement, the last jacket at the bottom of the
pile turned out to be hers!! I couldn’t quite believe it but older daughter said,
“Mommy, it says “(younger daughter's name)” – she meant the tag which I myself had written on the
brand label. Then I thought, “Wow, God answered my prayers… though I’m really
bad. He hasn’t forgotten me.” :-) It was indeed the coolest thing ever, in ages. God
touched my heart again. I know I don’t deserve it. :-) God is sooo good. :-)
We had lunch when we got home and younger daughter had a long nap. She
slept so long and so deep that we couldn’t wake her up for our Friday night
outing. So, we left her behind with her brother. Older daughter had to do some
shopping for small presents to take back to her friends in Malaysia for their
holiday end of this month. I ended up sitting somewhere in the Mall alone,
until she finished, and the shops had almost closed. She had a quick McDonald’s
dinner (I already had mine at home) and we had a long talk – just a mother and
daughter bonding time together. It’s funny because we had watched Pocahontas 2
the night before and she realized that she liked the love story of Pocahontas
and John Rolfe. (I knew she was identifying herself there because her first
love didn’t turn out well. Another answered prayer! :-) ) She said she knows why many girls like John Smith
more than John Rolfe… that sequel story was a shocker for young girls like her.
Well, she was much younger when she first saw that movie. She said because the
original movie developed the Pocahontas–John Smith love story so well, it was
disappointing that she ended up marrying somebody else – John Rolfe. But then,
that is actually accurate, historically. It’s just a reality of life! She said,
“John Smith turned out to be a jerk!” :( We talked more about
love stories and marriage and I asked her if she wants to read the blog I wrote
on advice for a lasting marriage (“Soul-Mate or Soul-Grate, 1st Oct
2010), and she blurted out: “But I don’t want YOUR kind of marriage, Mommy!
It’s baaadddd! It’s one of my biggest fears…!!” :-D >.< bwahahaaa and bwahahaaa some
more. I know, I know, I should be the last person to give advice on that, so,
oh well, we had the best laughs that night, in ages! At least this time the
Friday night ended in laughter. The two Fridays previous to this were crying
sessions!!! :(
slept so long and so deep that we couldn’t wake her up for our Friday night
outing. So, we left her behind with her brother. Older daughter had to do some
shopping for small presents to take back to her friends in Malaysia for their
holiday end of this month. I ended up sitting somewhere in the Mall alone,
until she finished, and the shops had almost closed. She had a quick McDonald’s
dinner (I already had mine at home) and we had a long talk – just a mother and
daughter bonding time together. It’s funny because we had watched Pocahontas 2
the night before and she realized that she liked the love story of Pocahontas
and John Rolfe. (I knew she was identifying herself there because her first
love didn’t turn out well. Another answered prayer! :-) ) She said she knows why many girls like John Smith
more than John Rolfe… that sequel story was a shocker for young girls like her.
Well, she was much younger when she first saw that movie. She said because the
original movie developed the Pocahontas–John Smith love story so well, it was
disappointing that she ended up marrying somebody else – John Rolfe. But then,
that is actually accurate, historically. It’s just a reality of life! She said,
“John Smith turned out to be a jerk!” :( We talked more about
love stories and marriage and I asked her if she wants to read the blog I wrote
on advice for a lasting marriage (“Soul-Mate or Soul-Grate, 1st Oct
2010), and she blurted out: “But I don’t want YOUR kind of marriage, Mommy!
It’s baaadddd! It’s one of my biggest fears…!!” :-D >.< bwahahaaa and bwahahaaa some
more. I know, I know, I should be the last person to give advice on that, so,
oh well, we had the best laughs that night, in ages! At least this time the
Friday night ended in laughter. The two Fridays previous to this were crying
sessions!!! :(
Disney's Pocahontas and John Rolfe in Pocahontas 2.
So, yes, that’s the typical day of my life nowadays, and you
ask what’s “famous” about me then? Nothing. I’m just pretending to be one!
Bwahahaa!!!:-D :-D
ask what’s “famous” about me then? Nothing. I’m just pretending to be one!
Bwahahaa!!!:-D :-D
-----------------
Note: This new MySpace is really bad. I can't even put links in this blog anymore... : ( : ( How primitive it has become.
And the fonts! I can see the my fonts are varied as I set them while editing, but once the blog gets published all the text are in the same font!! Bugger.
(Gripe, ...and gripe some more.) ~.~ O.o
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