musings from da bush...

Dang it,
Finally get both my girls down for an afternoon nap AT the SAME time...and the darned computer wont hook up to the internet, so I'm faikakala/blog deprived today, and have had to resort to typing this blog on a word document (oh my lord) and saving it for an upload later (if it is lucky!!)

Life. Where has it gone?? one minute I was a rebellious teenager doing my thang on the Magretas dance-floor, having snuck out with my bestest cuzzin (folks are at some aglow meeting or something!) and the next I'm outrageously deprived of any time for myself, and insanely trying to divide what time I do have between family (two daughters) and Business..whoops, yea and the husband!lol! But he gets the last 10 minutes only of my day, especially when “hun did you remember to get my __from town that I asked” “what??no”.... “did you fix that leak I told you about this morning?” “when ??no” DID YOU DARN WELL DO ANYTHING I ASKED??...uhmm..cough...no..eh, forget it. What was I hoping would really happen?? that he would bow down to my every command and do all the things I asked??reality check- learn to do the plumbing and do it yourself if you want anything to get done ....so there. Resolution to the ongoing men are from mars women are from Venus, fiasco. Just do it yourself and who gives a hoot that men are from the inferior and insignificant mars, venus is actually a multitude of many parallel universes, and therefor woman are great at multitasking and taking on oh so many more roles then one ever would have light-heartedly expected, while trying to do the 'butterfly' move real 'low' on the margretas dance floor to impress some 'guy' 15yrs ago!!! Am I completely losing the plot yet??

ANYWAYS. Whats new and whats happening in the good ol bush here in Sa??? well...the elections are coming up. Once upon a time I couldn't give a hoot about elections. First, I was an ignorant teenager, and knew only what I heard people around me say, albeit a lot of here-say and hogwash I have to admit now, looking back. Then , I was in uni in NZ and annoyed at how the electorate office always managed to track me down like some fugitive bombarding me with letters to 'enroll to vote'!! At the time, this came across to me as just another assignment amongst all my uni assignments that I couldn't be arsed doing..i.e look up those running, read their campaigns etc...eh...and I wasn't really a NZ'er, I was just there for school and would so be gone soon enough anyway. Now, I find myself helping with the ongoing capade of carting people to the enrollment office to get registered. Now I could write a whole lengthy blog on this alone...but, eh...why rant?? In a nutshell my thoughts are

why cant people get themselves to the registry office?? seems to me that those who 'claim' they have no form of transportation are the same people I see 'ki'eki'e pasi-ing' during the week. Then, what is even more amusing is, as the bunch of people cram into my vehicle I later find out that 30% of them have already registered, they just came for the ride!!
has anyone realized the the so called bribery that(some) politicians are accused of doing to their voters, happens the other way around?? yup almost a year in advance, the requests come...i know this because people consider me and my husband running candidates just because our rely is running, and so the requests of airfare, loans, $$ to buy a car and the most outrageous one of all “to build him a house” are tirelessly refused by us, (even if we wanted to help the genuine requests, we do not have the $$$$) Seems to me that Samoans are developing a culture of elections = free rides, handouts and and opportunity to get something for nothing.

The one thing that really gets to me about our people (at times) is this idea that it is OK, to ask to get something for nothing. And that something is not just $20 bus fare, its $100 pocket money for a malaga, its for the airfare itself, its for a small loan, a fa'alavelave, a car that wants to be bought and a house...a grand almighty house....I don't think even the PM himself would be able to afford giving someone a house....i mean SERIOUSLY??
ah, I cant even be arsed being annoyed with this anymore. Just smile and nod (side to side nod meaning – NO)

Meanwhile, back in the Bush in the middle of the treasured islands of the pacific, I am making siamu popo. I thought it would be hard, but it aint. Its very flexible and no real measurements, if its too thin add this if its too thick more of the other, with only 2 main ingredients its difficult to get wrong often! The main thing is I LOVE IT, so am over the moon, that breakfast lunch and dinner I can eat it, on toast on masi on home made scones...fabuloso! Jam?? whats that again?? oh..unless its my own other venture of mango jam, also another hit but a tad more difficult to get the consistency right.
Anyways, that's all for now folks...do take care and keep your blogs updated!Fa laia!