Author: Fee Writes

Fee Writes

The Latest Residence.

I have been in this home for exactly one week and four days … bit remiss of me not to let you all know.

So what’s it like? Let me first introduce you to Puddy Girl (pronunciation as in pudding).

Puddy Girl is a Burma.
Puddy Girl is very little.
Puddy Girl is very fluffy.
Puddy Girl is very old.
Puddy Girl rules the house.

O.k. enough of the “See Spot Run” type of writing, I know you’re a well educated and intelligent reader.

She was fine the first day, then, once she realised that mum was not home, she got a bit huffy. Of course, not when the food was about….oh no, that’s when she really cozied up. But once the tummy was full, she would just give me the evil stare and be very stand-offish until it was time to eat again.

This little kitty has her own cat door, which she is perfectly capable of using. However, it seemed to tickle her sense of power to go and sit by the sliding door, start meowing and turn and stare at me. Softy that I am when it comes to cats, I’d jump to attention and go open the door. With that she’d saunter out about three steps (well, let’s say four to cover all of her paws), stop, sit for few seconds with her tail across the slide rail, then get up and come back inside.

Just over a week later and at night there was a break through. She jumped up on my knee, settled down and went to sleep while I watched TV. Score one for the cat sitter!

So I’m back in the Pyes Pa area of Tauranga city. It is the older part, rather than the newer sub-division of the last home in the same suburb. The streets are tree-lined, the property has a well established garden, wonderful herbs, even veggies that I’m able to harvest along with a very old apple tree. I think I may have to make an apple crumble one night!!!! I’ve discovered an awesome ice-cream made from coconut milk rather than dairy. It’s called Little Island and it’s the best dairy alternative yet. As you can see, there’s a nice selection

And speaking of all things yum. Our own N.Z. company, Whittakers, has brought out the most delish chocolate ever!!!!! This is the Doris Plum and Almond one that Nigella has been advertising on TV – and, I’ll admit, she’s spot on with how yum it is. Good on Whittakers AND… it’s vegan!

Only one other change to report. I’ve picked up the reins as co-ordinator for SAFE again, only this time I have a lovely lady sharing the role. This is making it a whole lot easier and already we’re booked to have a stall at one of the Saturday markets.

As we all know, it’s now winter. Damn!

Oh, and Puddy Girl has decided not to set the china dog onto me after all … we’re quite good friends now.

Fee Writes

Here’s Something That Might Tweak Your Thought Process..

I follow a woman on twitter called Pamela Geller. More from the point of her insanity and her ridiculous vlogs. Which demonstrates to me how the other half think.

She’s an American political activist and very outspoken about the Islamization of America. Her hatred is pretty far out there … a bit like Sarah Palin in her heyday, (who seems to be having a comeback now that the Donald is welding some power …. more entertainment for me).

But Pamela wrote something I was quite surprised at. You see, the lovely Dali Lama came out the other day talking about refugees:

“When we look into the face of every single refugee, especially the children and women, we can feel their suffering,”

said the Tibetan spiritual leader, who has himself lived in exile for over half a century.

“A human being who is a bit more fortunate has the duty to help them. On the other hand, there are too many now,”

he said, according to the German translation of the interview in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

“Europe, for example Germany, cannot become an Arab country,”

Source: RedState

His idea is that we should look after them only until they are able to return to their country and help rebuild it. This is an idea that I, too, believe is the way to go. From my understanding, no true refugees ever wants to leave their homeland … let’s face it – would you? And, I’m sure you’d want to “go home” to reclaim your country as soon as you could.

As for Pamela Geller – well, being the Islam hater that she is, she jumped on what the Dali Lama had said. Most of what she wrote was just agreeing with him and dissing others e.g. The Pope. However, she did write one sentence that pretty much summed up the ongoing ebbing and flowing of cultures:

“It is an obvious, practically mathematical argument to say that if you continue to import people from one country into another country, and that the people from the other country do not adapt to the new country but bring with them the ways and language and culture of their old country, that the new country will eventually become the new geographic location for what is in essence the other country. This is not a complicated idea, despite my ridiculous sentence.”

Source: PamelaGellar

Perhaps this is the way of the future? Perhaps New Zealand will morph into a hybrid of Asian and Pacific and a completely new culture will emerge?
Perhaps Europe will meld into a combined Christian/Islamic culture?
Or perhaps the dominant culture will win as in the case of the English over the American Indians, to name just one.

Remember that old song about the “Melting Pot” ?? It was about colour and religions, well now, perhaps we can sing it again with the idea of cultures????

It will be a shame to see cultures die out, but it’s happened before –
The Incas and the Aztecs, the ancients Romans and ancient Greeks. The Persians, the Mayan, the Druids and going right back to the beginning – the Mesopotamian Civilisation.

It won’t happen in my lifetime and not even in your lifetime, dear reader, but it will happen …. of course that’s if there is a living, breathing planet and we haven’t killed it first.

Would like to know your thoughts if you’re game enough to express them in the comments below

p.s. In case you’re wondering … I also follow John Oliver, The Young Turks, NZ The Daily Blog along with others…all via social media.

Fee Writes

Environment | Rants

What Do You Put Your Energy Into?

I know I say that I am “vegan”, but in actual fact, I’m more vegetarian than a vegan.

But if I say that then the assumption is that I eat dairy and eggs. By definition, a vegetarian only eats plant foods, no animal products at all. Think about it – the word itself should give you a clue – vege-tarian …. vege as in vegetables – I don’t see “dairy” or “egg” anywhere in that word at all.

The problem is that the food industry has cosied up to the corporations and have indoctrinated the public into believing that a vegetarian is someone who eats plant foods, dairy products and eggs, hence the animal food industry still is able to make money from this ever-growing portion of the public.

Even the medical fraternity is on board with this, by declaring that one must have dairy in order to get the right supply of calcium – Doctors, who have never had a decent lesson in nutrition at all.

The word “vegan” is taken from the first three and last two letters of the word vegetarian. Being vegan is a lifestyle. One that is totally devoid of animal products. For example not wearing leather.

So even though I say I am vegan, my reason for eating a plant-based diet is first and foremost, the environment. Yes, I abhor animal exploitation in any form and I do choose products I know to have no animal content nor have they been tested on animals.

But, because my number one reason is the environment, I do recycle. Which means I do visit op-shops (thrift stores for my American friends), and I do purchase leather items. The reason is that leather is one of the hardest things to break down, and then, when it does, it is so full of chemicals that it contaminates the ground.

This is where I come into odds with Vegans. Vegans don’t wear leather at all as their argument is, (and I have to concede they have a point), it doesn’t matter if you have recycled it, wearing it still says to the world that you condone the use of leather.

What a quandary. But in a round-about way, this brings me to the title of this post. If you try and take on too much … it just messes with your head! Well, it does with mine. So out of all the BIG issues – environment, animal welfare, poverty, world hunger, world peace etc etc etc
I have chosen the Environment. My reason? Simple logic – if we don’t have an environment, we don’t have anything else.

I’ve just spent 5 weeks in the home at Papamoa and in that time I only needed to put the rubbish out once which was on the last day…and even then the bag was not full. The home I was in had a compost (in fact had both normal and worm farm types), had the recycle buckets for glass, plastic, paper and cans and the rest went into the council bag to be put out on the curb.

I’m also very realistic. I am fully aware that here in N.Z. our recycling efforts (paper, plastic, glass etc), are just a token gesture, most of the stuff goes to landfill or gets shipped offshore. We actually have a poor record of encouraging the recycling industry. But that is something I really don’t have control over. What I do have control of is what I can personally do for the environment.

Like:

I re-use plastic bags (like bread bags) as often as I can … these odd plastic bags come with me to the supermarket and I put the fruit/veggies into them rather than get a new one.
The bags for nuts I’ve recycled so many times it’s hard to find the space to write the number on as there are so many numbers now crossed out.
Naturally, I have the canvas/jute reusable bags. Lucky for me I bought several of them in America, they’re big and sturdy and go through the wash like a pro.
I compost where I can, use a garbage disposal unit (the one in a sink) or boil up my peelings which I freeze to use as stock/soup.

I don’t like to label myself an Environmentalist, nor a “Greenie” – I think those titles are reserved for the more wealthy who are able to go the whole hog, and the only reason I say I’m a vegan is so my food choice is understood in this warped society. I just live the best way I know how and try to “do my bit” for the environment that I am currently living in.

What do you put your energy into?

2021 Update

I now classify myself as vegan, although the environment is uppermost. My health has put me on a whole food plant-based way of eating. I do some activism with Anonymous for the Voiceless group. You can find more information about all things Vegan and Plant-based at my resource website: Gold Card Vegan

Fee Writes

Quick Post | Random

On The Move

Today is “Exit Day”. I’m off from the Papamoa Burbs and heading back to my digs for a week.

It’s been nice here … handy to Fashion Island, which I did visit a couple of times – handy to the motorway which meant easy access to work, the city, the Mount and anywhere else I fancied going.

What have I done here? Written a bit more of my book and done some sketches. Met the cool guys next door and spent a lovely evening on the wine with them.

And, apart from that and the odd outing, it’s been a fairly quiet 5 weeks, but then I didn’t expect much else.

I’ll leave you with the sketches:

GirlInCafe — Girl in Cafe – done in 40 minutes

BackStage — Back Stage – An old quick sketch I’d done when I was in the theatre that needed a bit of work

Fee Writes

Environment | Random | Rants

A Snapshot Look At Me?

Here’s a repertoire of what makes me frown or smile:

What gets me pissed off:

The incredible abuse we do to the environment – well that’s just ongoing.
The blatant sidestepping of the government so issues don’t have to be addressed.
The fact that something else comes along to take the short attention span of the media and the public away from something else.
The TPP – which currently seems to lie dormant in the minds of the majority due to the fact we’ve got the Panama Papers to keep us busy … my view? The stopping of the TPP is more important.

What saddens me:

The terror, the hatred, the pain that innocent people around this world face because of the incessant greed both for wealth and power of a few.
The destruction our species has done and continues to do to this stunningly beautiful and kind planet.

What makes me proud:

My children as they are all exceptional adults who care about others, never judge and care about animals and the environment
The work that is done by people for the underdogs of this world – both human and non-human.
Those who actually give a damn about the world.
My friends/family who succeed on their chosen path – more so if I’ve lent a helping hand.

What makes me laugh:

The calamity that is happening to the Republican party now that it seems like The Don is all they’ve got.
The jostling and the playing of games our politicians do – pretty much regardless of which party they’re from.
Most of the Gifs and Memes on FaceBook – now they’re clever
Cats
And pretty much anything – I seem to find amusement in the oddest places and the smallest thing = I just love to laugh.

And if you don’t know where this is – it’s the check in area for AirNZ Auckland Airport where I’d like to be right now

What I love:

Having a coffee with a friend or friends/family – and it doesn’t necessarily have to be coffee!
Muck around on the internet or my computer.
Making graphics (see all images on this blog) – one day I’ll get into Gifs!
Airports – means I’m either going somewhere or coming home!
So let’s put travel in this category.

Obviously, there’s lots more, but that will give you a bit of a look into my world…. perhaps I’ve had one glass of wine too many!

Author: Fee Writes

The Latest Residence.

I have been in this home for exactly one week and four days … bit remiss of me not to let you all know.

Here’s Something That Might Tweak Your Thought Process..

I follow a woman on twitter called Pamela Geller. More from the point of her insanity and her ridiculous vlogs. Which demonstrates to me how the other half think.

What Do You Put Your Energy Into?

I know I say that I am “vegan”, but in actual fact, I’m more vegetarian than a vegan.

On The Move

Today is “Exit Day”. I’m off from the Papamoa Burbs and heading back to my digs for a week.

A Snapshot Look At Me?

Here’s a repertoire of what makes me frown or smile:

Search

About Me

Categories

DROP ME A LINE

A Trusted Site