We relished the quietness of our few of night’s mooring near Bettisfield, watching the spectacular sunsets once again. Having intended not to venture into Wales, it seems we were living right ‘on the edge’ of the England/Wales border!!

I don’t think we broke any ‘rules’ though, I believe you’re allowed to travel five miles?

Family Fun Then Back to Blakemere

Lisa returned to Colemere on Thursday, after which Rob dropped off his car with us so we could all drive to their house for an afternoon and evening of fun and frivolity in the back garden. It’s so heavenly to spend time with them again. This week especially has been sublime, as we enjoyed a mini-heatwave. Glorious. I managed to block out some time away from my Ad-Extra work to enjoy it.

On Friday evening we ventured further along the Llangollen canal and moored in one of our favourite spots adjacent to Blakemere. We were last here in late October 2019.

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Boat Produce Update

The tomatoes are coming along nicely now! In fact, I ate my first one for lunch on Friday, and the second one today. Delicious 😋

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A Drenching At Ellesmere

Unfortunately, the mini-heatwave broke yesterday, when I met Lisa and the boys again. This time at The Mere at Ellesmere. Barry and Kim meanwhile moved the boat to the facilities near Ellesmere, as we needed a pump-out and water fill-up. We’re now moored on the Ellesmere Arm, close to Tesco. Yay!

We knew the forecast was for sunshine AND showers – light ones were predicted. However just as Lisa parked up, the sky opened and a deluge fell. I’d already been by the Mere for about an hour, enjoying bursts of sunshine. Fortunately, I brought a waterproof and could shelter under a tree. It didn’t quite stop the drips though. Not at all pleasant. Barry got a soaking too.

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While I’d been sat waiting for Lisa to arrive, I watched a young family with a ‘Puggle‘ dog, allow said dog to get really close to the swan family above. Understandably both swan parents reared up hissing and flapping their majestic wings at the dog. The children, who were around 10-12 years, and their parents, found this most amusing. Seriously, what are people like? And then they’ll have the audacity to say that swans are ferocious. Damn them I say!! What a dreadful example to set 🙁

COVID-19 Symptom Study Update

We’re continuing to report ‘no symptoms’ daily, and doing our best to keep away from people apart from those closest to us. It’s seven weeks today till our scheduled flight to Auckland via Hong Kong, and we’re determined to keep safe and well before we fly. According to the Symptom Study website, the daily cases of COVID-19 in the UK currently has gone down to 2,341 – I do find that difficult to believe.

Sadly it seems the National Party in New Zealand continues to do their best to discredit all the amazing work of the current Labour government, in the run-up to the September election. Considering all the incredible leadership shown by Jacinda from the Christchurch Mosque shootings, the White Island volcanic eruption, to eradicating COVID-19 from the country, I fail to see how anybody can criticise them. But they are, and they will, for political gain. I guess that’s just what politicians do? It has to be time to change this stupidity.

Magnify The Happiness Metric

I find it abhorrent that in the 21st-century people and politicians still use such childish methods to ‘sway the vote’, with seemingly no thoughts whatsoever of what’s best for the population. I remember when I began my journey into midwifery leadership, in the mid-1990s, having a brilliant mentor. One of the things that have always stuck in my mind is the 20-60-20 principle. Twenty per cent of people will be for you, twenty per cent will be against you. Whatever you do these twenty per cent are your staunch followers and have faith in you. The other sixty per cent can be persuaded either way, depending on the strength and believability of the information given.

Now if that information was honest and accurate, which side of the fence would you be moving towards? Anyone not voting for Jacinda, in my humble opinion, is putting money before people.

It Is The People

I’ve frequently shared this Maori proverb, and have no hesitation doing so again. My plea is for the wold to always remember this. It’s so very true now as it always has been and always will be …

He aha te mea nui o te ao?
What is the most important thing in the world?
He tangata, he tangata, he tangata
It is the people, it is the people, it is the people.

Please people, don’t let them brainwash you into focussing solely on the GDP, New Zealand were some of the world leaders last year to move towards a change to the ‘Happiness Factor’:

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is the latest leader to adopt the Happiness Index metric, announcing a new budget that focused on improving the prosperity of local communities. Ardern hoped that it would: “(lay) the foundation for not just one well-being budget, but a different approach for government decision-making altogether.” As part of the budget, there will be an increase of NZ$200 million (US$131 million) in services aimed at helping victims of domestic and sexual violence as well as housing programs for the nation’s homeless population. Described as a “game-changing event” by London School of Economics Dr Richard Layard, New Zealand’s budget has set a new standard for progressive policy “no other major country that has so explicitly adopted well-being as its objective.”

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesellsmoor/2019/07/11/new-zealand-ditches-gdp-for-happiness-and-wellbeing/

Stick with THIS revolutionary way forward kiwis, and you never know the rest of the world may even follow.

Other interesting links worth reading:

• https://econreview.berkeley.edu/beyond-gdp-economics-and-happiness/

• https://ourworldindata.org/happiness-and-life-satisfaction