I couldn’t be at the hikoi in person but I am there in spirit. Even got the T-shirt.

A person wearing a face mask is seated and receiving an IV infusion in a medical setting.
A person (me) is sitting in the Kenepuru Medical Day Ward getting a blood transfusion. He is wearing a medical mask and a black T-shirt with the words ‘Toitū te Tiriti’ on the front.

Hīkoi getting underway

It looks like a huge crowd of people heading into Wellington to join the hīkoi. Lots of people from Pukerua Bay who were also involved in Sunday’s action.

Our children who are in London are at the New Zealand High Commission.

Unfortunately, I can’t go because I need to get a blood transfusion at Kenepuru Hospital.

The little boy next door is very excited that Kate is taking his sign in the hīkoi.

If David Seymour actually has a secret plot to help create a movement that supports the Treaty of Waitangi as the foundation of our nation and acknowledges the particular rights of Māori under the treaty, and is using his Treaty Principles Bill as a smokescreen for it, he’s doing a darned fine job. It must be so clever that no one has noticed what he’s up to. Sarcasm

Just watched the shuttle bus that runs between Kenepuru and Wellington hospitals pull up at Kenepuru park. Not a single person wearing a mask!

I’m in the waiting room for the Kenepuru day ward and blood collection clinic. I think we are best described by an old expression of my father’s, ‘The old, the sick, the halt and the lame’. I seem to be in several of the categories.

Pukerua Bay still high after yesterday's action supporting Te Tititi hīkoi

Everyone in Pukerua Bay who turned out to support the Hīkoi mō Te Tiriti yesterday is still on a buzz this morning. The next move is to get organised for tomorrow’s protest at Parliament. A gathering place is being organised - probably the Backbencher pub before heading onto Parliament grounds for what is intended to be a peaceful protest. Hope to see only locals there if you can make it!

Pukerua Bay supports Hīkoi Mō Te Tiriti

We got a very good turnout in Pukerua Bay in support of the hikoi supporting the Treaty of Waitangi.

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Fourteen free community newspapers being shut down

It’s very disappointing to read that the media company NZME is closing its 14 local newspapers in the North Island, with a loss of around 30 jobs.

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Thousands turn out to support Hīkoi mō te Tiriti (March for the Treaty of Waitangi)

Thousands of people have turned up to join the nationwide Toitū Te Tiriti hikoi (March) in Auckland.

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Government bars journalist from abuse apology at Parliament

This is a disgraceful attempt by the Government to prevent an experienced journalist, Aaron Smale, who has led much of the reporting on the Abuse in State Care scandal, from attending a press conference on Tuesday when the Government will issue a formal apology in Parliament to the survivors. The excuse given was that his questioning of the Prime Minister at a previous press conference about this was too “persistent and forceful…with suggestions it was rude and police at the event had been watching the reporter.”

The Government needs to answer firm questioning on this. If the PM feels uncomfortable, and I acknowledge this all happened years before he came on the political scene and it will be uncomfortable for him, that’s too bad. He represents the state and needs to account for its actions.

Government bars journalist from abuse apology at Parliament

Our dog tried to squeeze through the fence to visit the neighbours. Sadly for her, she has a fat tummy and got only part of the way through!

A dog is nestled among lush green foliage and branches.
A dog is stuck in a fence and nestled among lush green foliage and branches.

Solar power savings

We just got our first full month’s power bill using a combination of solar and grid power. It is only 42 per cent of the same month’s bill from last year. That’s the sort of result we were hoping for. I know it will take a long time to pay back the solar installation cost, but with the job market the way it is, cash flow is more of an issue for us at the moment, and these savings will contribute to that.

Perfect timing by Kate. She arrived home barely minutes before a heavy shower of rain.

Endorsing parties in a general election

It’s interesting to watch from the other side of the world the meltdown in US progressive circles about the Washington Post’s decision not to endorse one of the presidential candidates in the current election. I assume this is because it has been common for big papers to do so in past elections.

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Nashville Babylon on RNZ National is rocking tonight. It’s always a good listen, and there’s a lot of blues and RnB on the programme tonight.

Getting great help from health providers

CW: Medical discussion, pain, drugs

We had a visit from the Mary Potter Occupational Therapist on Thursday, which was very successful. I had a very sore back for the past few days, and by last Wednesday it had got too much for me. So I got on the phone to the hospice, my GP and specialist haematologist to get them into action. And get into action they did.

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Make the most of the blue skies

As I look out the window to a very average, gloomy, ‘rain in the forecast’ day, while reading posts from Fediverse friends who have nothing but blue sky, I say “Good for you.” Make the most of it and have fun. I hope it stays for the weekend.

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Aotearoa songbook

I’ve been rediscovering the delights of Concert FM. This afternoon, Bryan Crump’s interview was about the Aotearoa Songbook volume 1. Twenty two waiata packaged as a teaching resource with heaps of information about the waiata, the composer, lyrics, music charts, etc.

Great stuff.

The Aotearoa Songbook

Morena. Another beautiful day in Porirua. Let’s make the most of it.

Kate baked a lemon loaf to feed the hordes at an event yesterday. Sadly, it’s bit dry, so we’ve some left. We can’t let it go off – that would be a waste. What’s a boy to do? Hmm.