And just like that, she walked away from the safety and shelter of us - and into the beckoning adventure of university life. I went to take Little Daughter, our third child, to get settled in to her first year at university in a country far...
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We are irresponsible, selfish parents. This is never more fully hammered into my brain than when I’m preparing to leave my children and fly halfway around the world. Not for work that will earn us money to put food on the table (for the children.)...
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Full disclosure - I hate snakes. I'm terrified of snakes. They are at the very top of the list of Things I Wish Were Never Created. (A list which includes mosquitos, centipedes, brain parasites that live on lettuce salad, and Celine Dion's song 'My Heart...
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Once upon a time, there was a very clever (and stunningly beautiful) woman called Lani. One morning she woke up with a pesky itch on the side of her neck. It could have been a mosquito bite? Or a pimple? Either way, it was irritating...
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I have a love-hate relationship with school holidays. I love them because it means I can sleep late, I don’t have to freak out over getting kids to school on time, and I can eat all the lunch box treats. But I also hate school holidays...
Read More"I came out to my mother and she had that disappointed/staunch look on her face. She said lots of things, like, ‘Oh no! you’re a lesbian?, I expected kids from you!, you can get diseases!, when did this happen?, why are you like this?, is...
Read MoreBella - I want a baby. But I don't want a husband. Or a boyfriend. Me - Don't worry. There's ways you can get around that. Let's chat. Her Dad (horrified) - YOU DON'T WANT A BABY! YOU'RE ONLY EIGHT YEARS OLD!! Obviously we have different parenting styles...
Read MoreThe Hot Man got a dinner invite from a visiting steel supplier rep from NZ. "He invited my wife to come too," he said. Eavesdropper Bella jumped in, "Did he invite me too?" "No," I said. "Why would he? He doesnt even know you." I never get...
Read MoreI'm honored to have Phineas Hartson as a guest on this blog in the first of a new series of guest-posts from (what the palagi would call) our 'LGBTI' Pasifika community. This is an #OwnVoices series. I first 'met' Phineas via her powerful and honest writing online as...
Read MoreBella is devoted to insect repellent and refuses to leave the house without it. Today I found out why. - Because she wants to have a baby. (Don't worry if you cant see the connection. I couldn't see it either. We are only mere mortals...
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