Sunday stills: Amethyst

Sunday Stills, the next challenge: Shiney Things
Posted in Sunday Stills, Sunday Stills Challenge of the Week with tags photo challenge, Sunday Stills on September 4, 2011 by Ed

So lets see what ya’ll can find thats bright and shiney. Sunlight is a must for this challenge or at least a good light source..:-)

http://sundaystills.wordpress.com/

When I was little, our family was given a shiney Amethyst by our maternal grand dad. We were so happy thinking we were the proud owner of a diamond. Bling! bling! bling!

It was very big and fitted in the palm of our hand. One day, our uncle's family came to visit. Out came our diamond and boasting how our grand dad went prospecting in the mountains and found lots of diamonds.

Before we could realise it, this little cousin grabbed the diamond out of our hands and threw it to the bush at the back of our house. There was a creek swollen with flood water. Everyone including both sets of parents went to look for it. But Alasm was in vain.

We cried, the cousin got a scolding. Then came the bigger disappointment. Mum said it wasn't a a diamond. It was a false diamond. An Amethyst I know today. There are a lot of amethyst here in New Zealand, when I see them, I can still see the shot put arm movement of my cousin.

save the world: Teach the children to save.

Meet Marisiale Tunoka. He is the ASB Auckland savings bank Getwise presenter. He came to Pt Chevalier School to teach our students how to save money. I sat in one of his sessions with my students, and was highly educated and entertained. Now I need to find some money to save.

Bola Marisiale, which is Hello in Fiji where his ancestors come from.
When i asked him about his job, this is what he said," I teach kids to be good with their money. I help them find ways that are helpful, practical and fun. I have an awesome job!!!"

The kids loved it. He even entertained them with a song. You didn't think a money man is so interesting and funny.

Too much debt has been incurred and that is why the world is in financial trouble. After this, hopefully the kids will save their money and save the world. Perhaps they will go home and teach their parents not to spend beyond their means.


http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com/

FSO: Grand parents day

In 1986, I went with my older daughter to visit my parents on the Gold Coast in Australia.

My children's paternal grandma with my son.

My grandma, she is 101 years old. This photo was 20 years ago when she visited me in Singapore. She wears a traditional Chinese Sam Foo/suit pants.


These are my New Zealand parents, Ken and Lois Thornton. They didn't have children of their own, but they were marvelous to Asian students studying in Auckland. They also adopted two children from China.

My maternal grandma, in her traditional Chinese garb, Her style was different from my paternal grandma's. Her fisherman pants were black or navy blue. Just before this photo was taken, all her life, she wore her hair in a bun. Here, she had her hair permed.




http://mytownshootout.blogspot.com/

http://mytownmrlinky.blogspot.com/

The impetus for a National Grandparents Day originated with Marian McQuade, a housewife in Fayette County, West Virginia. Her primary motivation was to champion the cause of lonely elderly in nursing homes. She also hoped to persuade grandchildren to tap the wisdom and heritage their grandparents could provide. President Jimmy Carter, in 1978, proclaimed that National Grandparents Day would be celebrated every year on the first Sunday after Labor Day. When is Grandparents Day?
In 2011, Grandparents Day falls on Sept. 11th

to read more about Grandparents Day click here........

My brilliant nephew: Jacob Chan

The cool and handsome one, he's my nephew.







My brother Joseph's son Jacob is going to compete in the State (Queensland, Australia) Championship in October.

He and his team beat all the top schools yesterday. He got two medals. One for winning and one for being the best player in the championship team.

Jacob you are awesome! if you were in New Zealand, your teacher will tell you to Paki Paki your back. (Paki Paki means clap.)

If you think this story is familiar , you are right. You read about him before.

http://annkschin.blogspot.com/2009/11/jacob-chan-nature-verses-nurture.html

Take your children on environmental holidays

http://asoutherndaydreamer.blogspot.com

http://waterywednesday.blogspot.com/

http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com/



http://ourworldtuesdaymeme.blogspot.com/I took my son on a boat ride in the Singapore zoo. It went on the Reservoir and we were given a lesson on endangered animals and their poaching for their skins.

Sunday Still: Potluck: Christchurch

http://sundaystills.wordpress.com/

Today, September 4 is the first anniversary of the Christchurch's first quake. It was not as powerful as the February 22nd, in that nobody died.
However the powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake smashed buildings, cracked roads and twisted rail lines around the New Zealand city of Christchurch. It also revealed that Christchurch sat on a new 11-foot wide fault line in the earth's surface which was ripped.
Last week end, I visited friends, and Jenny drove me out to the fringes where the public was allowed it go. It was somber.
Christchurch was a beautiful garden city. Very English and you may be forgiven if you thought you were in England. I first went there in 1978 when my brother Charles and Sis in law Karen took me there. We went punting in the Avon river. You can't do it any more.
Listen to Bruce Springsteen's song.
http://annsnowchin.blogspot.com/2011/08/thursday-theme-song-my-city-of-ruin.html

This post is for all the Canterbians and also to the 9/11 victims in USA. I am a bereaved mum, and I feel for all the mums whose arms are empty.

Addition:

The quake ruined some graves. The police tapes were to stop people from going to these graves. Yes, Ginny, you are right, the quake even prevented people from visiting their loved ones, and today being father's day, that would be more felt.

I went to the biggest cemetery in Christchurch, the Waimari cemetery.

FSO: Human Labour

An ice-cream vendor gives up his holiday and pays off. He did a roariing business.




Camera personnel during the festival.



The Zero waste preachers are out at work during our Waitangi Day. It is the passion of these workers to spend a holiday collecting and sorting rubbish.






href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk77bQexWXOEqq4wSeNG0_D5mSxKf-X-II8U6x4RluYJjHzTDw0iHNdczfcakp5u3YOMOpAWH3Htl4cQ942xikG8CmPmxT4YiGxssCiNqb0fbiG69A5OUeiMP6AMmSHt3u-OvexZCGIywS/s1600/sept11+006.jpg">
My School's property manager, Justin's One day of my life at Pt Chevalier School, New Zealand



http://mytownshootout.blogspot.com/

http://mytownmrlinky.blogspot.com/


The theme for September 2 is Human Labor. City workers, store clerks, libraries, street cleaners, window washers, police, fireman, artist. I think you get the idea. Show us the laborers of your town that make it what it is today and keep it going on a daily basis. Show us the common, unique or off the beaten path laborers.

HAPPY SHOOTING!!

Posted by Doreen