I GOT THIS GUT FEELING ... SHE READ MY MIND

I APOLOGISE for not keeping my word on posting the poems … I will try to fix that up.

A few things have occupied my mind over the past few weeks – including polishing the novel/novella I am working on, trying to renew my passport, working 10 hours daily, thinking about other responsibilities with two other organisations I am a member of, etc.

Today (as on two other days in the last three weeks), I waited on a line for about three hours to lodge an application for the renewal of my passport.

While waiting, I read something in the newspaper about the problems that secondary school students in Port Moresby and Lae (the two cities in PNG) are facing – drinking, causing nuisance, fighting, etc.

A particular report caught my attention; it is of a teenage girl who went out with her friends for a night two weeks ago – and was killed.

That bothered me.

Why should teenage girls go out at night with friends to places that are dangerous?

When I arrived back at the office, I thought about the incident and wanted to do my own research into the death (and possibly come up with something/literature to help others - the teenagers in school, as well as the parents).

At about 1.30pm, I thought about a handywoman we have here (I will call her Yan). I just had this funny feeling that she may know something about the killing.

(I did not know why I thought of Yan - but I did. I must also make the point that in the media report, nothing was mentioned about where the girl lived or where she was originally from.)

Now here is the interesting thing.

Thirsty minutes later, Yan came over to see the other male colleague, who is seated on the opposite side of my desk, and told him that she was going to attend the funeral of the girl who was killed two weeks ago.

When Yan was done talking, I called her over and told her about my “gut feeling” – about the possibility of her knowing something about the death of the girl.

She smiled and said: “After the funeral service, I will come and tell you what happened.”

About a minute after Yan left for her desk, I realised that I should have asked her for a photo of the dead girl.

“Anyway, I will ask her when she returns from the funeral service,” I thought and went back to work.

Three minutes later, in passing out to attend the funeral service, Yan dropped by at my desk and left the funeral programme on my desk and said: “You may want a copy of this.”

I looked at the cover of the programme and saw the face of a beautiful teenage girl. (It was as if Yan was reading my mind today.)

While looking at the face of the high school girl on the funeral programme, I was bogged by this question: “Why did she have to die?”

I may inform you more on this later.

Take care.  

ANOTHER WEEKEND ... EASTER WEEKEND

ANOTHER weekend is coming up.

It is special for Christians because it is Easter and they will be celebrating the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

En francais, c’est Joyeuses Pâques.

The Christian holiday starts on April 18 and ends on April 21.

Please forgive me for not posting regularly because I am working on polishing a novelette.

It is something I started in 2010, left it and am trying to finalise it in the next couple of weeks.

After that I will look for a way to publish it – even self-publishing it.

I will give you more details a bit later.

May you all have a nice restful long weekend.

Bon week-end.  

IT'S RAINING ... EFFECTS OF CYCLONE ITA

WE have been experiencing rain lately and yesterday evening and today it was heavy.

Those are effects of Cyclone Ita which is passing through the Solomon Islands (to the east), and going through the southern part of PNG, before heading towards the northern part of Australia.

We have been told by the media that lives have been lost (23 died as of yesterday) in the Solomons, many more are missing and 9,000 are homeless.

It looks like the islands in PNG’s Milne Bay province, like Rossel and Sudest Islands further south of the mainland, would be affected.

The National reported that Rossel and Sudest are directly in the path of the cyclone.

Weather forecaster Kwekweini Maiwori said Cyclone Ita was rated a Category 3 cyclone.

 Photo: It's raining outside ... effects of Cyclone Ita.

On the whole, most of PNG does not experience cyclones, however, during the rainy season (which is also the cyclone period) many people are affected by floods and landslides, while roads and bridges can be swept away.

I was preparing to come to work today (I start after midday) and heard the head teachers from the school nearby announcing over the PA system to students that they should come to school tomorrow (Friday).

In other words, they were also closing up early today. (They usually end classes at 2.00pm.)

That decision was wise because at about 1.00pm the drizzle that was pouring developed into a heavy downpour.

After the downpour slowed down a bit, I came out to the main road at 2.30pm. The road was empty of the students from that school.

Funnily, some children (about 10-15 years old, and without school uniforms) were enjoying the rain as they ran down the sidewalk, joking and laughing.

Another group was doing the same and moving in the opposite direction.

(Children in the remote areas of PNG would be affected by heavy a heavy downpour much more when you think about the streams or rivers they have to cross and the slippery tracks they have to struggle along to get home!)

When I came to the service (gas) station to get on the bus, the place was filled with people, and many were children in school uniform, making their way home – many of them soaked wet from the rain.

It looks like we are heading for a wet weekend.

(Those who are living in the southern part of PNG, Solomon Islands and northern part of Australia, and are reading this, do take care!)

LATE REPORTS: Reports are coming in from other parts of PNG of heavy rainfall being experienced and floods are destroying food crops and roads!

 

A NEW WEEK AND THOUGHTS ON PEANUTS ...

A NEW week starts tomorrow.

On Saturday, while on my way back from buying groceries, I bought two bundles of peanuts (bundles shown in the photo) from a young girl selling them by the roadside.

They were boiled.

I usually bought fresh ones.

I like them.

People can sell them as fresh, dried, roasted or boiled.

Photo: The bundles of yummy boiled peanuts I that bought. 

I ate one of the cooked bundles I bought on Saturday afternoon while walking home.

I saved the other one in the refrigerator and brought it with me to work today.

It was yummy when I ate it.

You should try it some time.

You could boil your own and store them in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours.

People in Morobe, the Highlands and Sepik areas grow a lot of peanuts.

There is potential in Papua New Guinea to create its own peanut industry (e.g. peanut butter, peanut oil and salted nuts).

It is hoped that in the future the national government could fund such an industry in the country.   

Well, I hope you all have a nice week.

Cheers.

ANOTHER WEEK-END COMING UP ...

I JUST want to say, take care this weekend.

Remain safe and healthy and see you next week.

I will post two poems on Sunday.

Cheers.

Bon week-end