tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76501307035843090382024-03-14T03:40:51.464+13:00Courtney SchaferCourtney Schaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00593975028655479293noreply@blogger.comBlogger268125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650130703584309038.post-4391053337221535922023-12-31T22:39:00.000+13:002023-12-31T22:39:51.283+13:00The better half of 2023<p>2023 has been a rough year for the world, from wars to extreme weather events. Yet for me, the latter half of the year has certainly been a better experience than the first. It's been such a relief to have a relatively clean bill of health. I know some women really struggle with anxiety in the aftermath of treatment, worrying about recurrence. That hasn't been my experience--perhaps because I've always been good at procrastination. I've been able to shove off worries to the future. Probably I'll be a mess when it's time for a follow-up scan, but until then, I've been able to throw myself headlong into enjoying adventures again.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYvc4dj3ez3o-jgiNimLJH5ujHKEI4LLKVP1V9FiHvrnKNSC-9kiRqVWbFKJNDKY6KFdHq7k_apa_XUTIWTIKwU5hl-CbSkb9C5IsHF71_u4asZdyZqZJYS8SwudvZ20eLd7PXpTA66ZKDsjF4gXpx7C9aP0L4Dx_MjwkEdRdyrvR6JwPOC2EYnHnwEeY/s4032/PXL_20230908_222920086.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYvc4dj3ez3o-jgiNimLJH5ujHKEI4LLKVP1V9FiHvrnKNSC-9kiRqVWbFKJNDKY6KFdHq7k_apa_XUTIWTIKwU5hl-CbSkb9C5IsHF71_u4asZdyZqZJYS8SwudvZ20eLd7PXpTA66ZKDsjF4gXpx7C9aP0L4Dx_MjwkEdRdyrvR6JwPOC2EYnHnwEeY/s320/PXL_20230908_222920086.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the summit of Treble Cone. NZ did not have a great ski season this year, but I enjoyed the heck out of the mountain anyway. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVQ-utZ3Tl-r0gmQuyGQf7XqfvY4-j5bc36zeAOceMgnFVs4QezN_8WFH9VHeeQXuwCbfFAEh9vHrm_Cm7RuqmA0T7PtVill3M9P6XHbJ_-2KA6ebEkmwsp2XtCu8FDVDyKBzzRiONgfLZrXBkAVueP4CIWd-2C0cyYPn0XedIXvijqem6mql01jPuGic/s3264/PXL_20230830_013331115.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVQ-utZ3Tl-r0gmQuyGQf7XqfvY4-j5bc36zeAOceMgnFVs4QezN_8WFH9VHeeQXuwCbfFAEh9vHrm_Cm7RuqmA0T7PtVill3M9P6XHbJ_-2KA6ebEkmwsp2XtCu8FDVDyKBzzRiONgfLZrXBkAVueP4CIWd-2C0cyYPn0XedIXvijqem6mql01jPuGic/s320/PXL_20230830_013331115.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Revisiting Nugget Point in the Catlins</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5xJUHTUwkjApUnch7A8o2J10IX_6VuEesopWKGvuTAXwk_sVFcxlO8keLzECjj3_7fN5WJJYxIf64SkqobsiMY_6IEk-YkEnvfGIttYHgSG4aOC1H01H9-68j7KpTYihpO4sZgimCIUhoAh5g2FGmK6NUqEsQjFn76szlIJPrM0FjLfANYcxEzWUw80Q/s4032/PXL_20230828_221305696.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5xJUHTUwkjApUnch7A8o2J10IX_6VuEesopWKGvuTAXwk_sVFcxlO8keLzECjj3_7fN5WJJYxIf64SkqobsiMY_6IEk-YkEnvfGIttYHgSG4aOC1H01H9-68j7KpTYihpO4sZgimCIUhoAh5g2FGmK6NUqEsQjFn76szlIJPrM0FjLfANYcxEzWUw80Q/s320/PXL_20230828_221305696.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walking a wintry beach near Toko Mouth</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfDDxQLcIjPI-OCQdWch-a8WQJ6jWPWJQVyO6SIJPxJkX_FWMpl94ac-p9p6Q5wch8oZfJmdo6tnE6hfxf4jo3C3P09rSU7PJvI2SpwDBFkjf-nDiuGER3yxCci-1C7jcM0MTmJlq60QmABu0AjRXHVAYrHUtvKNTNXAL-Z3_TI1fOZg3yuCkZZHRr-Yk/s4032/PXL_20230831_185621589.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfDDxQLcIjPI-OCQdWch-a8WQJ6jWPWJQVyO6SIJPxJkX_FWMpl94ac-p9p6Q5wch8oZfJmdo6tnE6hfxf4jo3C3P09rSU7PJvI2SpwDBFkjf-nDiuGER3yxCci-1C7jcM0MTmJlq60QmABu0AjRXHVAYrHUtvKNTNXAL-Z3_TI1fOZg3yuCkZZHRr-Yk/s320/PXL_20230831_185621589.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Glorious coastal sunrise</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXlbEj21bValQek5-ia78-KH5KJrKIrgJVRWkZZkKdrGTBaaSGd10u6KHutPpyeDG_z633aMy6We5PdwjBBwhPQhsfd32BFBZ10WDCKRN_T-OzrlWX8Xfw31avGscPAIPCYsPBmDjYysHv0I_rXGzW2Bh-NFZwiiD2RRF4biuwB24VddAjmYmED-iZCFw/s4624/PXL_20231115_214948221.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3472" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXlbEj21bValQek5-ia78-KH5KJrKIrgJVRWkZZkKdrGTBaaSGd10u6KHutPpyeDG_z633aMy6We5PdwjBBwhPQhsfd32BFBZ10WDCKRN_T-OzrlWX8Xfw31avGscPAIPCYsPBmDjYysHv0I_rXGzW2Bh-NFZwiiD2RRF4biuwB24VddAjmYmED-iZCFw/s320/PXL_20231115_214948221.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of Lake Wanaka from Roys Peak<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUDmlffj5UQC7fXkZpv7Sbiltfpvb_4xEckfmYi9FtIb5d0jrnDtChDK6GBdYtJNzNx7nuWz2y3H517o9CtFSNREyyyMMSyVNpsmhe4Fed-b8F8IT59Ct32CtFX2mQGKqlzxV-Wo9T9nldUCbb4oVWxzbSTEE278ZJMPxhTSMYFtYmzzMdMkyDcyGwLyg/s4624/PXL_20231115_231022949.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3472" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUDmlffj5UQC7fXkZpv7Sbiltfpvb_4xEckfmYi9FtIb5d0jrnDtChDK6GBdYtJNzNx7nuWz2y3H517o9CtFSNREyyyMMSyVNpsmhe4Fed-b8F8IT59Ct32CtFX2mQGKqlzxV-Wo9T9nldUCbb4oVWxzbSTEE278ZJMPxhTSMYFtYmzzMdMkyDcyGwLyg/s320/PXL_20231115_231022949.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mt. Alpha and the Skyline track</td></tr></tbody></table><p>It's also been great to spend some quality time with family, starting with a trip back to the U.S. to see my mother and brother (plus meet my new sister-in-law for the first time, since I wasn't able to make my brother's wedding due to the pandemic). Boy, I could write an entire post about the weird reverse culture shock of visiting the U.S. after 4 years away. Suffice it to say that it was a surreal experience, and confirmed that there's not much I miss. But I do miss my family, so it was lovely to see them again after so long apart. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRJsxYk1GMYkaY69VexLvElXq6PZB7cI5XWIDnsTu1FjCw2ME3Myzbt7oaxrhyDj5awvn9BceQ-pVzR439uUGGWbolVXyQkZWl5TVNuPruXXocm55vNNGwAIDwjzTbU2YY_PE_jGQckwzY2ATzRV0e3FKXV5a0gMQmB3YjhNM8d5JU-w0QQL9h4lJQpwg/s4032/PXL_20231010_201524309.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRJsxYk1GMYkaY69VexLvElXq6PZB7cI5XWIDnsTu1FjCw2ME3Myzbt7oaxrhyDj5awvn9BceQ-pVzR439uUGGWbolVXyQkZWl5TVNuPruXXocm55vNNGwAIDwjzTbU2YY_PE_jGQckwzY2ATzRV0e3FKXV5a0gMQmB3YjhNM8d5JU-w0QQL9h4lJQpwg/s320/PXL_20231010_201524309.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hiking with my brother near Harpers Ferry in West Virginia</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpYbmGLqF3q4i3PEm5OPZfmWIyzkEB62vuoDfEIoWNQ8LdLBX1ckwVWHcoEgympdKOE3MffIpbmdgP3ZLaAQeFm8ko17ByTj06bqhj1gchgG_U5w-XvRZZ4RpZHQPy2QyxPvsTwDsLOzqzhYAU6tTskhlyUf5bmd2vY_UwEmg44Yt7CRzF5mTO1pqtD5w/s2049/PXL_20231001_160559053~2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1380" data-original-width="2049" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpYbmGLqF3q4i3PEm5OPZfmWIyzkEB62vuoDfEIoWNQ8LdLBX1ckwVWHcoEgympdKOE3MffIpbmdgP3ZLaAQeFm8ko17ByTj06bqhj1gchgG_U5w-XvRZZ4RpZHQPy2QyxPvsTwDsLOzqzhYAU6tTskhlyUf5bmd2vY_UwEmg44Yt7CRzF5mTO1pqtD5w/s320/PXL_20231001_160559053~2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The kiddo and I hanging out with my mom</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>My husband's mother, father, and sister came over from Australia to visit us, and that was wonderful too. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid4tGwPFLHfApe8zV81zdTXcdpemF35nkdqE_CcRlQQpYnrmCXgy9UDQHgQ0Fx4B5UKwnOXIUFzqNGwQczqRSNfzJU1oIof1RwNzjR0O-hZmIQlw-vm7dpODlr2MMytbvCAmyrWTDHX5vezZoY4UNRTZRgvwJ6PA_0Qp9uvIgC6KgFSSulJxl65m0PHo8/s4624/PXL_20231215_045014225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3472" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid4tGwPFLHfApe8zV81zdTXcdpemF35nkdqE_CcRlQQpYnrmCXgy9UDQHgQ0Fx4B5UKwnOXIUFzqNGwQczqRSNfzJU1oIof1RwNzjR0O-hZmIQlw-vm7dpODlr2MMytbvCAmyrWTDHX5vezZoY4UNRTZRgvwJ6PA_0Qp9uvIgC6KgFSSulJxl65m0PHo8/s320/PXL_20231215_045014225.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Family dinner at a local restaurant</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Best of all, I got to take my Aussie sister-in-law hiking in one of my favorite areas of New Zealand, Aoraki Mt. Cook National Park. No matter how many times I visit Aoraki, I can't get over the mountain's beauty.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl0qrz95_Hp3QmkvBvPBur6cLxTlfZpMAcTRJsuBke7YItBDBIE6zcKPT75mzibvDZh5xMwD_NEaTnqD9sJY6V6FXriWqzNx7oXtvBwtQsKrrXsuuGHpHPzV91Hq2lbTLfnxad1BfFvUEFWyzmVTMABhc7GpfvcSGuCryGhY8rlxsMECvaw1RIsfOzadA/s4624/PXL_20231213_235614076.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3472" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl0qrz95_Hp3QmkvBvPBur6cLxTlfZpMAcTRJsuBke7YItBDBIE6zcKPT75mzibvDZh5xMwD_NEaTnqD9sJY6V6FXriWqzNx7oXtvBwtQsKrrXsuuGHpHPzV91Hq2lbTLfnxad1BfFvUEFWyzmVTMABhc7GpfvcSGuCryGhY8rlxsMECvaw1RIsfOzadA/s320/PXL_20231213_235614076.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ideogram cloud over Aoraki</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_vZkQe1V8IRAkmZ-t7eb1o_sk_jFCyotOyNGSQh3daEuqwt8DW_SHOGQpW0ybV57X730j6MNloFH4fiFpnEV4cdQbiwQjbCNR0HCM6mlslQ8bYwqy4W1GNTgrxhohJFk-kVkhVbEULTC9Q7PNBHZxxXgneAi4hSusaJ6qFWoAZGO9RgYK8kHQ8zP2euA/s4624/PXL_20231214_080709485.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3472" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_vZkQe1V8IRAkmZ-t7eb1o_sk_jFCyotOyNGSQh3daEuqwt8DW_SHOGQpW0ybV57X730j6MNloFH4fiFpnEV4cdQbiwQjbCNR0HCM6mlslQ8bYwqy4W1GNTgrxhohJFk-kVkhVbEULTC9Q7PNBHZxxXgneAi4hSusaJ6qFWoAZGO9RgYK8kHQ8zP2euA/s320/PXL_20231214_080709485.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aoraki at sunset</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi37FzsploOo0ErXUKQN6IWwKBdiaWRyJM_KKp8-U1PHTzJeRsxhUQvi138mcP5zVva5iT1HGRBaN5ESKaGmcvkt3rhQTtSxLLWp3no92hPDfeeoyTc9wW0_O3G-RLutFdncxBUD9HeWvWocUo_adA1qACU7tyXrNBaVUXuEL-Tn6FQa2OMQjSqJVQ5dUY/s4624/PXL_20231214_015831824.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3472" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi37FzsploOo0ErXUKQN6IWwKBdiaWRyJM_KKp8-U1PHTzJeRsxhUQvi138mcP5zVva5iT1HGRBaN5ESKaGmcvkt3rhQTtSxLLWp3no92hPDfeeoyTc9wW0_O3G-RLutFdncxBUD9HeWvWocUo_adA1qACU7tyXrNBaVUXuEL-Tn6FQa2OMQjSqJVQ5dUY/s320/PXL_20231214_015831824.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nothing like the blue of a glacial lake</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlpFTbqfKcwA-1soMY1jjLzjIfudUKCwRsi_WugF9-k7EDAoXRQlno6dClekb1ErHhnfbrcN0eYclLA68K1GJrEYxTRiJiKNYo0P_9Ueecz_bVYNPigyu47N2BMMZsWIoHczvJwnh-5ofumKEpTigdspVLKKTHlQDezUw0_1TsjUZPTgqFDYngbsFDTwA/s4624/PXL_20231214_062516233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3472" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlpFTbqfKcwA-1soMY1jjLzjIfudUKCwRsi_WugF9-k7EDAoXRQlno6dClekb1ErHhnfbrcN0eYclLA68K1GJrEYxTRiJiKNYo0P_9Ueecz_bVYNPigyu47N2BMMZsWIoHczvJwnh-5ofumKEpTigdspVLKKTHlQDezUw0_1TsjUZPTgqFDYngbsFDTwA/s320/PXL_20231214_062516233.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My sister-in-law on the trail to Red Tarns</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>We've also enjoyed plenty of family fun closer to home, in the local rivers and lakes.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg7TROUQTehnnS37_7TpL0l0-iPNCdNIPzaVtbXHBxnf51rKCuj8pHPmHhfufjxU-YMPop2w-StXNsxdE6fLHc2q4tFLRA89zH0slCfunql0kH-z6ZTqFPTLINGFcbBjSayU62X84KfnmveCoASXEaxyIjxCdERfThwc1Ovu6w3BqgWMLkxfBUq8HU0Ck/s4624/PXL_20231231_002927313.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3472" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg7TROUQTehnnS37_7TpL0l0-iPNCdNIPzaVtbXHBxnf51rKCuj8pHPmHhfufjxU-YMPop2w-StXNsxdE6fLHc2q4tFLRA89zH0slCfunql0kH-z6ZTqFPTLINGFcbBjSayU62X84KfnmveCoASXEaxyIjxCdERfThwc1Ovu6w3BqgWMLkxfBUq8HU0Ck/s320/PXL_20231231_002927313.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Playing in Lake Hawea's waves on a windy day</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1hW-_5PCM2iTR9LatqPTAeFws7ZDrVwzrUwwH88KULWtfGy0zOG-I0erBFUzfDMKvo7EGw8CYDfNc2pRuKWL8Z1n7_6rjSo76rTJdjWHZoYiDFNTDNtLsNirj4z7nDXXE8eG3rFah9_lYKIgaeo9vtbfN0Wiix8lBYbZ-kIeF47PzrFfGBuOrSTcDWOc/s4032/PXL_20231227_003533539.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="4032" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1hW-_5PCM2iTR9LatqPTAeFws7ZDrVwzrUwwH88KULWtfGy0zOG-I0erBFUzfDMKvo7EGw8CYDfNc2pRuKWL8Z1n7_6rjSo76rTJdjWHZoYiDFNTDNtLsNirj4z7nDXXE8eG3rFah9_lYKIgaeo9vtbfN0Wiix8lBYbZ-kIeF47PzrFfGBuOrSTcDWOc/s320/PXL_20231227_003533539.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tubing on Lake Hawea</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLOC5Ku3bZ9KDFwMe_TJLvWk8XXLFetUMX928NQEIbRQddXai3wSyty4EgjnC92P71OAzojCo4j9vGPMSC8OSMdjCTvjALHK0MKOCKb_oyyK2v4QYZd6JYcE9ygTOFTLgnfNIREdH-7dZeZODDKPgYA5abzShYQElfgv8HJQM3LfGwXLhyphenhyphens1rw8rC6veE/s4032/PXL_20231029_010954369.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="4032" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLOC5Ku3bZ9KDFwMe_TJLvWk8XXLFetUMX928NQEIbRQddXai3wSyty4EgjnC92P71OAzojCo4j9vGPMSC8OSMdjCTvjALHK0MKOCKb_oyyK2v4QYZd6JYcE9ygTOFTLgnfNIREdH-7dZeZODDKPgYA5abzShYQElfgv8HJQM3LfGwXLhyphenhyphens1rw8rC6veE/s320/PXL_20231029_010954369.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bodyboarding in the Hawea River</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRBM2sUf9N1eDavdWAnq4P5cJKdlrD1CfDt7ualunZtdtfX98zBBUUmrniL3MnRYcLOTP10oa4Jwb229T_VCyQbeCg4dEjatdCmrZ_eR9EFdPgoj9KFBkzgQ_FPlqclyeL7o-A3KonGKiuCK8PtHqBsMU1_DIFj3wfmkgTvPrhkwGtw0CASgpcngHzngw/s4624/PXL_20231222_232748856.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3472" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRBM2sUf9N1eDavdWAnq4P5cJKdlrD1CfDt7ualunZtdtfX98zBBUUmrniL3MnRYcLOTP10oa4Jwb229T_VCyQbeCg4dEjatdCmrZ_eR9EFdPgoj9KFBkzgQ_FPlqclyeL7o-A3KonGKiuCK8PtHqBsMU1_DIFj3wfmkgTvPrhkwGtw0CASgpcngHzngw/s320/PXL_20231222_232748856.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A local guy built a surf wave machine on his farm, and holds occasional open sessions for the community. Now there's a good use of Kiwi ingenuity!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>All this adventuring and playing outdoors does have one downside. I haven't been doing much writing. I've got the professional edit in hand for the Cara story, <i>The White Serpent</i>, and I just need to sit down and push through the last changes. I think maybe in a way I've been scared to finally finish it, because then I'll need to publish it, and after everything I went through to get out the third book in the original trilogy, I associate publishing with stress. The last thing I've wanted in these past months is anything stressful, I suppose! But I think it's time to push past that ambivalence and get this story out into the world, in case there's anyone who'll enjoy reading it. So that can be one goal for 2024.</div><div><br /></div><div>I do have other goals. One big one has to do with my day job. I have said farewell to my role at Narrative Muse, after accepting an offer to be Head of Data Science for a new Research and Innovation Hub over at MetService, New Zealand's major weather forecaster. I hope to help them improve their forecasting with machine learning and AI, especially for extreme weather events. As the climate changes, New Zealand will be particularly vulnerable to heavy rainfall events and high winds, and it'll be vital to predict dangerous weather in time to save lives. Prediction here is pretty challenging due to limited data and convoluted topography, but it's a challenge I'm eager to tackle. (I still wish Narrative Muse the best, though! I loved my time there and I still 100% believe in what they're trying to do with content-based recommendation. They've got a great team and a good foundation, so I hope they'll be tremendously successful.) </div><div><br /></div><div>So yeah, I have lots of plans for 2024. But I'm also trying to embrace flexibility and resilience, because you never know how life will go. I do know that regardless, I want to savor the good things. The world may be a mess, but there is still love here, and kindness, and quiet moments in the sunshine. May we all enjoy as much as we can of those. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgni1fTBPRLakz6KeOIuP_0Hmf61Bk57OSE8KeXjWK-k0McdOVmeJmGn92QNAzyPOxxWFPpbRh1EAUxiqNTklc3KLqZjKCQm_Wfco-2eEgH20UQ5PkhzCJlEgqH1ksqq2Ldqe2-LuycTyTmeidiK1AstSyNtQCU-VKcipd7y4oIQBT1h-MFpWWrOswAe8w/s4624/PXL_20231021_233523115.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="3472" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgni1fTBPRLakz6KeOIuP_0Hmf61Bk57OSE8KeXjWK-k0McdOVmeJmGn92QNAzyPOxxWFPpbRh1EAUxiqNTklc3KLqZjKCQm_Wfco-2eEgH20UQ5PkhzCJlEgqH1ksqq2Ldqe2-LuycTyTmeidiK1AstSyNtQCU-VKcipd7y4oIQBT1h-MFpWWrOswAe8w/s320/PXL_20231021_233523115.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Courtney Schaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00593975028655479293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650130703584309038.post-89090722327203077982023-07-30T15:43:00.002+12:002023-07-30T15:43:37.674+12:00State of the Schafer: Starting a new chapter<p>More happy news to share! I am all done with treatment and have a clean bill of health. The results of the DCISionRT test done on my samples from surgery came back saying my risk of recurrence was very low and radiation would make no difference. Whew! That meant I got to avoid radiation, which was quite a relief. No more worries over risks of heart and lung damage, plus I didn't have to temporarily move to Dunedin or Christchurch. (Radiation has to be done every day for many days, and the nearest center is 4 hours away from where we live, so the logistics were a bit daunting.) </p><p>Back when my initial biopsy was performed in February, the nurse assured me that "all this" would likely just be a "blip in your rearview mirror" by July. I don't know if <i>blip</i> is quite the right word, but I am definitely delighted to be done with everything medical and back to more or less normal life. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh038Iux-13Q1GNWMk6VWMrNM2-pbSnIMvR6YpQyJ53sf0Iu8jbjzWnKmKXkjMrI1dtsZA91S2YYgt6KGsb3tmL37KVoDlGMh4EJEiA2fYcf1FJQ5yEK4ts9mo9QqmSIoQZFvtQXdT__ty4Aeswcx7X_gZrIYFS_ZOgtY4muJhopntFlNC9FJFa8dRPhVI/s3264/PXL_20230722_003111205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh038Iux-13Q1GNWMk6VWMrNM2-pbSnIMvR6YpQyJ53sf0Iu8jbjzWnKmKXkjMrI1dtsZA91S2YYgt6KGsb3tmL37KVoDlGMh4EJEiA2fYcf1FJQ5yEK4ts9mo9QqmSIoQZFvtQXdT__ty4Aeswcx7X_gZrIYFS_ZOgtY4muJhopntFlNC9FJFa8dRPhVI/s320/PXL_20230722_003111205.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First ski day of the season!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>This isn't the only big milestone I'm celebrating. Last week, my husband and son and I all officially became citizens of Aotearoa New Zealand. Now I truly get to call New Zealand home! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8WY2a3ZuhGPSukyLBkadWqBUTzUfpyuDDCfa-CyxgGW4r6LZisDAWtjg8mmnQMGXtUd9ih740IoN2j8ZJkfkG9JVhrc07v0mWWPsFkiHtnLeLzR2UHLYUO-BrhGUqOZ4el5WC03d8JcdrHJCtIOlDGgyrkmJ5jryg3LHwO_nu_z1Ae1XCv_mjxqKVvYU/s3000/SV%20Citizen%20Ceremony%20%20-%2039%20of%20106.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8WY2a3ZuhGPSukyLBkadWqBUTzUfpyuDDCfa-CyxgGW4r6LZisDAWtjg8mmnQMGXtUd9ih740IoN2j8ZJkfkG9JVhrc07v0mWWPsFkiHtnLeLzR2UHLYUO-BrhGUqOZ4el5WC03d8JcdrHJCtIOlDGgyrkmJ5jryg3LHwO_nu_z1Ae1XCv_mjxqKVvYU/s320/SV%20Citizen%20Ceremony%20%20-%2039%20of%20106.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the citizenship ceremony presided over by the local mayor, we came onto the stage in groups of 10 to receive our official citizenship certificates and a native plant. The ceremony invitation said we were encouraged to wear attire from our birth country. My Aussie husband joked he should wear an Akubra hat. Even so, he couldn't have outdone the Scottish guy in kilt and gumboots.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibBxMrYhhbxBCBSEmws2wqkWLPRt1HNwMR8O5f6qlrHTmGWUrUwzIT-Svrj92LljD7PXwWzPNrslsaQwNBFfURFHvgonPqoAqsfkSrzF_H1YsSgiZr8esnJb4Z_5eupZTd8-HQvnkCumIdi8epvohYSiNVGVRJ2J2LpBhe6XQJalmToKqnvLtZMOyDcUI/s3264/PXL_20230720_015056739.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibBxMrYhhbxBCBSEmws2wqkWLPRt1HNwMR8O5f6qlrHTmGWUrUwzIT-Svrj92LljD7PXwWzPNrslsaQwNBFfURFHvgonPqoAqsfkSrzF_H1YsSgiZr8esnJb4Z_5eupZTd8-HQvnkCumIdi8epvohYSiNVGVRJ2J2LpBhe6XQJalmToKqnvLtZMOyDcUI/s320/PXL_20230720_015056739.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy new citizens!</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixssoiqVm2jCZN3eCvMS3McgqrwjVWd0KXmP_n5FvtEseWGJ8sUnsARNAzRatbY110LLBS8ZvEh0J6hO9iOUq7knEzzasGyGZnSYcTvM4FAUz0YERn8Sa6W9HwJ2dLftE4Il2wf5NEYjYijl2Kes_JrsrTcK2ueERCqywDyTwdQRGnLBNUyi130t487HY/s3646/SV%20Citizen%20Ceremony%20%20-%20106%20of%20106.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1645" data-original-width="3646" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixssoiqVm2jCZN3eCvMS3McgqrwjVWd0KXmP_n5FvtEseWGJ8sUnsARNAzRatbY110LLBS8ZvEh0J6hO9iOUq7knEzzasGyGZnSYcTvM4FAUz0YERn8Sa6W9HwJ2dLftE4Il2wf5NEYjYijl2Kes_JrsrTcK2ueERCqywDyTwdQRGnLBNUyi130t487HY/s320/SV%20Citizen%20Ceremony%20%20-%20106%20of%20106.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All 100 new citizens celebrating together. </td></tr></tbody></table><p>I do retain my U.S. citizenship, as both NZ and the US are fine with dual citizenship. (The U.S does not care what oaths you might swear to other countries--you'll stay a U.S. citizen and continue paying U.S. taxes unless you pay big bucks to officially renounce. On the upside, staying a citizen also means you still get to vote in U.S. elections, which I certainly plan to do.) But I love New Zealand so much that I am delighted to be more than just a resident, now. I hope I can give plenty back to my new country. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpSWTbXh0m7ti0SZ66AuhkxxtkqxwwgojasJxIljEh30Eu4c_G6jgzh-acVwX9D2sRgA_RIlROp049Z07c9yRGJi0cyOR6kIk8NyBf05-bwj_TZgleBLDbyM09iJijAeP_S-lZhvuZBggRw_zjCqA5O-8sxXgR-zm7Kynw6pO0rp_2qIB2MZycuKUPDR0/s1047/julyski1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="785" data-original-width="1047" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpSWTbXh0m7ti0SZ66AuhkxxtkqxwwgojasJxIljEh30Eu4c_G6jgzh-acVwX9D2sRgA_RIlROp049Z07c9yRGJi0cyOR6kIk8NyBf05-bwj_TZgleBLDbyM09iJijAeP_S-lZhvuZBggRw_zjCqA5O-8sxXgR-zm7Kynw6pO0rp_2qIB2MZycuKUPDR0/s320/julyski1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'll never get over NZ's beauty</td></tr></tbody></table><p>So! Onward to a new chapter of life, which hopefully will include a lot more writing as well as a return to fun mountain adventures. I've got edits in hand for the Cara story, <i>The White Serpent</i>--thanks to the ever-awesome Mazarkis Williams for the keen editorial eye. No major changes are needed, just some smaller fixes, so hopefully those won't take me too long.</p><p>And hey, in the meantime, if you're looking for something great to read, check out Martha Wells and Ursula Vernon (a.k.a. T. Kingfisher). They are both incredibly talented authors whose work I adore, and both are now facing their own battles with breast cancer (see <a href="https://marthawells.dreamwidth.org/621645.html">here</a> and <a href="https://www.patreon.com/posts/excitement-bad-84764717">here</a>). </p><p>Martha Wells's latest release <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61885085-witch-king">Witch King</a></i> was one of the books that kept me sane during the agonizing wait for my results after my 2nd surgery. If you love fantasy adventures with interwoven timelines, complex cultures, lots of magic, and great friendships, I highly recommend the read. Or if you're into SF and haven't yet tried her highly-acclaimed <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/190165394-all-systems-red">Murderbot</a> series, you're definitely missing out. </p><p>As for Ursula Vernon, when I was waiting for results on the DCISionRT test, I re-read <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58514633-a-wizard-s-guide-to-defensive-baking" target="_blank">The Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking</a></i>, because it had just the sort of wit and warmth and empathy that I needed. My absolute favorites of her work are probably <i>Summer in Orcus</i> (so imaginative!) and <i>Swordheart</i> (so funny!), but honestly, every one of her many, many novels are delightful. </p><p>I want to do a longer post about more of the books that proved to be excellent and enjoyable distractions while I was in treatment, but between work, my final pass on <i>The White Serpent</i>, and my delight in returning to the mountains, I dare not make promises about finding time. We shall see...</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8VYidZzTKaQv80LFQCFU-tg3N4ph7DvTX3MYqp2UX3a5X1BBCbBPPzb_z-g4GaDMkC3ElkR5wRhzkjvVmZc-w0Nb9-tV6ltX7BWa-IZWQbat-pS_Uc41fAhGQu9UoejHSndbcPYybcvPz3R3TLyrfPT8DMzP2z4bs1KNut22ur1rBVjObfc84QdBY7fk/s4032/PXL_20230720_043718849.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8VYidZzTKaQv80LFQCFU-tg3N4ph7DvTX3MYqp2UX3a5X1BBCbBPPzb_z-g4GaDMkC3ElkR5wRhzkjvVmZc-w0Nb9-tV6ltX7BWa-IZWQbat-pS_Uc41fAhGQu9UoejHSndbcPYybcvPz3R3TLyrfPT8DMzP2z4bs1KNut22ur1rBVjObfc84QdBY7fk/s320/PXL_20230720_043718849.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Comet is as excited for a new chapter as I am</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><br /></div>Courtney Schaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00593975028655479293noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650130703584309038.post-10623505008793517132023-05-30T13:54:00.000+12:002023-05-30T13:54:16.928+12:00State of the Schafer: Celebrating good news<p>Got some very good news last week: the pathology report for the tissue excised in my 2nd surgery came back clean, no evidence of cancerous or abnormal cells. WHEW. It was such a relief, it honestly took a little while to sink in. It wasn't until many hours later that I shed a few happy tears. I think I've been so braced against the possibility of bad news, I had all the emotional walls up high and tight. </p><p>But now I can relax a little. No more surgeries! Chemo officially off the table! That is very good news indeed. I may still need radiation treatment--my surgeon will be discussing my case at a tumor board meeting tomorrow, plus he'll have my cancerous tissue from the first surgery sent off to an overseas lab for a special test that examines the cell characteristics and estimates risk of recurrence with and without radiation. </p><p>Most women who have excision/lumpectomy surgery do go for radiation, but in my case, the cancerous area was deep in my left breast, close to my chest wall, which means an increased risk of heart and lung damage from radiation treatment. So, I will need to weigh the risks: potential damage to heart and lungs vs. risk of cancer recurrence. Having a really good estimate of that recurrence risk will be a big help in deciding, so hooray for modern medicine. (The test my surgeon has ordered is an example of AI used for good, in fact. My personal risk based on my tissue characteristics will be estimated by a model trained for accuracy on medical datasets. Note the part about "trained for accuracy"...as opposed to "trained to sound like a human", like ChatGPT. There's a tremendous difference there.) </p><p>So....still a bit of waiting and uncertainty to go, but with far less worry and stress. That's a win in my book! Especially because now I can start planning to get out in the mountains again. The recovery from the 2nd surgery has been faster and easier than the recovery from the first, so I'm raring to go. Even if I do have radiation, it wouldn't happen until a month or more from now, because they'd want the tissue to be completely healed from surgery. That means I've got 4-6 weeks with nothing medical planned, woo hoo! It's not quite ski season yet, but the mountains are still looking mighty fine. Time to enjoy them.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLq1n3wbqzUq7Hf5ZytUYEgwc1p0Ol89GWSu1KeA7AywRGPlF_LkxpTDXxphvOyY5In3xE3vnbjqY13i5KLix86FMHs0_jPCg9bMv5OBRmFhUBaQE72TAu4-GKnMzKyu7UwGbSdHq5wNQpOh-D6X7Afb1SFwPUzbOWKShXSC7U_Oim0utp_1-d-DIu/s4032/PXL_20230524_040808010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLq1n3wbqzUq7Hf5ZytUYEgwc1p0Ol89GWSu1KeA7AywRGPlF_LkxpTDXxphvOyY5In3xE3vnbjqY13i5KLix86FMHs0_jPCg9bMv5OBRmFhUBaQE72TAu4-GKnMzKyu7UwGbSdHq5wNQpOh-D6X7Afb1SFwPUzbOWKShXSC7U_Oim0utp_1-d-DIu/s320/PXL_20230524_040808010.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the Mt Iron trail overlooking Wanaka</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPYxjwNFaRE-HpebxIkHNVcjpS-mazU1bKM2KnxS47JJaEST1q3ruBK-mf6xAQHCmUfYiP59jMy121W4P0ZUvmNwVnfI4nfAWz7QyxYrhZKcspfmQyRZ7nEy_Hi4yR2CpAqTfqN1uiS6filE-dP0piYlS1L-1Jwd2Y91bxbmiaWfkatCwdcZ-Wr_wd/s4032/PXL_20230510_212425525.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPYxjwNFaRE-HpebxIkHNVcjpS-mazU1bKM2KnxS47JJaEST1q3ruBK-mf6xAQHCmUfYiP59jMy121W4P0ZUvmNwVnfI4nfAWz7QyxYrhZKcspfmQyRZ7nEy_Hi4yR2CpAqTfqN1uiS6filE-dP0piYlS1L-1Jwd2Y91bxbmiaWfkatCwdcZ-Wr_wd/s320/PXL_20230510_212425525.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lake Hawea, with Mt. Maude behind</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Courtney Schaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00593975028655479293noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650130703584309038.post-42810151200816275222023-05-13T16:28:00.000+12:002023-05-13T16:28:38.125+12:00State of the Schafer: Back Under the KnifeThis Wednesday I'll be having surgery again. Sadly, multiple surgeries aren't unusual for women diagnosed with pre-invasive breast cancer. Something like 25% of women having excision/lumpectomy surgery have to go back for a second time. Some ladies have to go back even more. Pre-invasive cancer is sneaky; it doesn't show up well on imagery, nor does the tissue look different to the naked eye. It takes a pathologist with a microscope to examine tissue at the cellular level and know if the margins are clean or not. <div><br /></div><div>My surgeon isn't happy with one of my margins. I too would like to minimize my chance of cancerous cells remaining and growing into something far more difficult to treat. So! Back into the operating room I go. I'm not thrilled about the prospect, but at least this time the surgeon only needs to take a little bit more, so it's a faster and less involved surgery. I'm hoping that means the healing will also be a bit faster, but on the other hand, the surgeon will be re-opening the original incision, which means re-injuring the half-healed tissue, so I'm not sure. </div><div><br /></div><div>I think the hardest part will be the wait for the new pathology report. It's possible that yet more DCIS (the pre-invasive cancer) could be found in the newly excised tissue, in which case, I might face yet another surgery, or even a mastectomy. I'm obviously hoping for the more happy outcome, in which the tissue is all clean and I'll be free to move on to the next phase of treatment, which involves decisions about radiation therapy. But until I get that pathology report, all the outcomes are still on the table, and that uncertainty is far harder than the actual surgery and recovery, at least for me. </div><div><br /></div><div>That said, the recovery is still kinda annoying. I was just starting to be able to hike and everything again! Oh well. I can still look at the pretty mountains, even if I have to wait a while longer to play in them. Some early snows have come to the high peaks, which always makes them extra beautiful (and makes me dream of skiing...fingers crossed I'll get some days in this winter.) </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh1GI5nEwYYWyf7wDdp_heOwUhwmmS7N0KqD7DwtKaw7lNyJJ1PSnZ_Yxrg9qsVmfLIg4xtIi_UYmEpxoMts1Lt5luoF4twZqWXc6_CQ8JG2UZ5RuzkTZ1rOFeT4K8I14uffzcZLSj3aGWXUZXkCuaP_xEnUBi4LRf4kQhWVDIAZJjqUD6FaVgY7n7/s3858/PXL_20230510_212429704.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2130" data-original-width="3858" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh1GI5nEwYYWyf7wDdp_heOwUhwmmS7N0KqD7DwtKaw7lNyJJ1PSnZ_Yxrg9qsVmfLIg4xtIi_UYmEpxoMts1Lt5luoF4twZqWXc6_CQ8JG2UZ5RuzkTZ1rOFeT4K8I14uffzcZLSj3aGWXUZXkCuaP_xEnUBi4LRf4kQhWVDIAZJjqUD6FaVgY7n7/s320/PXL_20230510_212429704.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Took these pics the other day while walking Comet. Winter is coming!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsGRXzVJRUUwixoQkikCB0rVQhFU2_0PrH0qeyApz2NWp0xz01sbRQthmh4xU8LrDlv3O-mm_bXAQHyJ94Wxfv0sgUWDd8XlUq-kAvvLPeFa-uV7FqvAgyrgnF6h3OXNGmso63e_-zVTmrPL2Ve0FMF8IFP3khUq-V_rczSSNEOTF_IftcqWUyb9qe/s4032/PXL_20230510_212601174.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsGRXzVJRUUwixoQkikCB0rVQhFU2_0PrH0qeyApz2NWp0xz01sbRQthmh4xU8LrDlv3O-mm_bXAQHyJ94Wxfv0sgUWDd8XlUq-kAvvLPeFa-uV7FqvAgyrgnF6h3OXNGmso63e_-zVTmrPL2Ve0FMF8IFP3khUq-V_rczSSNEOTF_IftcqWUyb9qe/s320/PXL_20230510_212601174.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>Anyway, once the surgery is done, I'm going to be looking for some great distractions to keep my mind off the waiting while I recover. Maybe I'll re-read Dunnett's Lymond series (my fav books of all time!), although those need a lot of concentration. Maybe I'll re-read some Diana Wynne Jones and Patricia McKillip. If anybody's got really fun absorbing books or shows to recommend, please get in touch. <br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Courtney Schaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00593975028655479293noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650130703584309038.post-27498506287651021052023-04-30T16:44:00.000+12:002023-04-30T16:44:17.121+12:00State of the Schafer: On the Mend<p>Welp, my excision surgery for my stage 0 breast cancer was on the 19th, and I'm healing well. As of today, my energy has returned, the soreness is minimal, and I'm even able to sleep on that side again. (A huge help to me, as I'm the sort of sleeper who turns from side to side during the night. Post-surgery, that led to a lot of waking up going "Ow!", despite attempts to brace myself with pillows.) I was definitely glad I took two weeks off work, so I didn't have to worry about trying to be productive. I've spent my recovery time snuggling with my dog and reading and catching up on TV shows that friends have been telling me to watch. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZUiZoNFc_DyZ8aetIhRKrw-RtGa5w6ZSOovXSQ6cCKTuL_6qvuTmsMUhNiLZ1LvCacf7U1HlUuHP11SsdMuISZAvjH_KGqsPyOp_KhkXb8C-etpgdrQjYdpqewCRZ0y0XjZd5BfUQoilpuSzGHTqJTV-hOZ7LTkoKsPZR3wQCVgXWfvd6yGTwPOZm/s4032/PXL_20230430_040430304.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZUiZoNFc_DyZ8aetIhRKrw-RtGa5w6ZSOovXSQ6cCKTuL_6qvuTmsMUhNiLZ1LvCacf7U1HlUuHP11SsdMuISZAvjH_KGqsPyOp_KhkXb8C-etpgdrQjYdpqewCRZ0y0XjZd5BfUQoilpuSzGHTqJTV-hOZ7LTkoKsPZR3wQCVgXWfvd6yGTwPOZm/s320/PXL_20230430_040430304.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Comet's been great about keeping me company during recovery</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVMT4TmjYPZjSfzK4_OQDmY0NQ7BO4rMojGXu3K_ZwVruVcvdJYx2zpo9zQeMY0cLwOjmcbtjahoVa4PZN01YWrSTuxSOxUfcNUYdtCJZYBUBKroIlJMV0oqzfIIJIFcHsZeTURL3KlU3I-W0j4tDnyY8q0ez04_7gwoZ7RB6DSSTLkQAhX9kpq0SJ/s4032/PXL_20230424_223602716.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVMT4TmjYPZjSfzK4_OQDmY0NQ7BO4rMojGXu3K_ZwVruVcvdJYx2zpo9zQeMY0cLwOjmcbtjahoVa4PZN01YWrSTuxSOxUfcNUYdtCJZYBUBKroIlJMV0oqzfIIJIFcHsZeTURL3KlU3I-W0j4tDnyY8q0ez04_7gwoZ7RB6DSSTLkQAhX9kpq0SJ/s320/PXL_20230424_223602716.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><p>The highlights of my TV binging would include <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10986410/" target="_blank">Ted Lasso</a>--which, yes, is as heartwarming as everyone says. I resisted until now because I didn't want to pay for yet another streaming service (and Apple, to boot, I am not fond of Apple in general). But I'm kinda glad I waited, because it means now I've got 3 seasons of Lasso to enjoy, hooray! Another favorite distraction has been the new show <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5822112/" target="_blank">Rabbit Hole</a>, which is kind of like a cracked-out mash-up of 24 and Person of Interest. Kiefer Sutherland stars, and you know, I can happily watch Kiefer play spy characters all day. Although, what I like best is that the show has way more of a sense of humor than I expected, and never takes itself too seriously. Good times.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiREMNTJizufAkta-fKsyyrmauSiPlgJgpdubhKao8XWLAjykvJwNUS-shWfU2g98uH2zBTMtT3v08JtOuNkjspObGDRjy-wyou9EIlvZueJzsKRMVmVeQuBZOvv_ZVS7OVw_oXVSSrBGqjuo_NNoF-HGkH7fzKKAF7xL5I9oNsdNS69NLfb8aK2llS/s3264/PXL_20230427_035617932.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiREMNTJizufAkta-fKsyyrmauSiPlgJgpdubhKao8XWLAjykvJwNUS-shWfU2g98uH2zBTMtT3v08JtOuNkjspObGDRjy-wyou9EIlvZueJzsKRMVmVeQuBZOvv_ZVS7OVw_oXVSSrBGqjuo_NNoF-HGkH7fzKKAF7xL5I9oNsdNS69NLfb8aK2llS/s320/PXL_20230427_035617932.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Speaking of kind people, my awesome co-workers sent me flowers, and a gift card to a shop that imports American foods and snacks. Jiffy corn muffin mix and Kraft mac-n-cheese, here I come.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>On the reading front, I turned to some old favorites: Dorothy Sayers's <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/42773-lord-peter-wimsey" target="_blank">Peter Wimsey mystery novels</a>. It's always fun to read the whole series in order and see the build-up to the masterpiece of character work that is <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/93575.Gaudy_Night" target="_blank">Gaudy Night</a>. I also re-read Rachel Aaron's urban fantasy <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/128485-heartstrikers">Heartstriker series</a>, I think because watching Ted Lasso and his superpower of kindness made me want to read about similarly good-hearted characters--and Julius Heartstriker, Nice Dragon Extraordinaire, fits that mold quite well. I also re-read my own books, haha--in part because I wrote them for my own taste and so I thoroughly enjoy them, and also because I plan to do some work on the drafts of a Lena story and a Ruslan story., so it's good to immerse myself in the Shattered Sigil world again. I'd love to finish those drafts up while the Cara story, <i>The White Serpent</i>, is off with an editor. </p><p>I'm returning to the day job tomorrow, which is good because I'll need some distraction. Today I heard from my surgeon about my pathology results (where a pathologist examined the tissue removed during the surgery). The good news: no higher stage invasive cancer found, phew! The bad news: more pre-invasive cancer was found than expected, so I may need to have a second surgery to take more tissue. Later this week, the surgeon is meeting with the pathologist and the "tumor board" (a group of doctors) to further discuss the results and make a decision about a second surgery.</p><p>As you might imagine, I am not thrilled about the possibility of going under the knife again. But as cancer goes, this is still pretty low-key. No invasive cancer found means no chemo needed, which is a huge relief, so I plan to focus on that. Or actually, just focus on work and writing and family fun, until I get further word from the surgeon. Onward...</p><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtaxs7bA50104XC62VHgiTh6y5OpFnPigoMCumxBlnF7KliRrQHUn0oXPy7AG5VOdfjaQYgL_5OchQ-EG952b4q3v9bs5bNRDlf2o_hLee9GuQFrrj5HhmOunjbBYRolNAGlojKbJtTYSs0d6tDuuQs7aRG1iw0-id2bPKbBJt2HuEDOPavgIDBx_M/s4032/PXL_20230418_210738505.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtaxs7bA50104XC62VHgiTh6y5OpFnPigoMCumxBlnF7KliRrQHUn0oXPy7AG5VOdfjaQYgL_5OchQ-EG952b4q3v9bs5bNRDlf2o_hLee9GuQFrrj5HhmOunjbBYRolNAGlojKbJtTYSs0d6tDuuQs7aRG1iw0-id2bPKbBJt2HuEDOPavgIDBx_M/s320/PXL_20230418_210738505.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Glorious autumn day in Queenstown</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Courtney Schaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00593975028655479293noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650130703584309038.post-19476960380595038762023-04-18T12:14:00.000+12:002023-04-18T12:14:00.082+12:00Get your screenings, friends<p>"Hey, did you hear back about your mammogram yet?" my husband asked me. It was mid-February, the height of New Zealand summer, and we were having a spaghetti date night at long-time Wanaka icon The Cow. (You might think a restaurant named The Cow would be all about steaks, instead of featuring only spaghetti and pizza. But no, the name comes from the original Queenstown location being built in a stone barn. The menu may be limited, but the spaghetti is pretty darn tasty.) </p><p>"Nah. They'll text me if the results are clear. Last time it took a week or two." Even as I spoke, a niggling thought popped up. Hadn't it already been two weeks since my mammogram? Was it a bad sign if I hadn't heard anything yet? Well, but I'd heard everywhere was short-staffed since the height of the pandemic. Probably the screening people were just backlogged. With that, I dismissed worry. Our conversation moved to other, more fun topics.</p><p>But a few days later, when I got a call from a kind-voiced woman explaining that she was a nurse calling from BreastScreen Otago, my stomach sank. </p><p>"Your mammogram picked up a small area of concern," she said. "A cluster of tiny calcifications. The cause could be benign, but we'll need to call you back in for further imaging."</p><p>I'd been called back once before, on my very first mammogram, back when I was living in the US. "Your breast tissue is very dense," was what they had said back then. "That's common in younger women, but it makes it hard to identify problems. We need to do some more imaging."</p><p>That call had come right after I'd buckled my toddler into his car seat, after a fun morning at a museum in Denver playing with a bunch of cool hands-on science exhibits. When I hung up and slid into the driver's seat, I looked in the rear view mirror to see my son already tilted against the side of his car seat, fast asleep. At the sight of his small face, a pang of visceral terror hit me. A friend of mine had recently been diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer off her very first mammogram. My own first mammogram was earlier than normal, because my mother had breast cancer in middle age. She'd survived, but only after several painful and difficult rounds of chemo.</p><p><i>Please, no,</i> was all I could think. <i>Not while my son is so young. </i></p><p>That time, I was fortunate. My further imaging came back clean. I continued to have yearly mammograms in the US, which then shifted to every other year after we moved to New Zealand, since that's the standard interval here for the free breast screening program. </p><p>I'd never been called back again. Until now. And nobody had talked about calcifications before. I pored over the information sheet the nurse emailed to me. <i>Calcifications are common,</i> it said. <i>Most aren't due to cancer. When breast cancer cells are detected because of micro-calcification, they tend to be either ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) – pre-invasive cancerous changes in the milk ducts of the breast – or small early breast cancers that have not yet spread.</i></p><p>Hanging up this time, I didn't feel terror. Only a kind of heavy resignation. My mother had been diagnosed when she was only a couple years older than I am now. But her cancer was not caught that early. Driving to Queenstown for my imaging appointment, I clung to the idea of "early" and "small." </p><p>That proved true. After further imaging, a stereotactic biopsy, and an MRI, I've been diagnosed with DCIS, a.k.a. "stage 0" not-yet-invasive cancer. Baby cancer, the doctors tell me. Cancer on easy mode. 98% survival rate. No chemo needed, just excision surgery and perhaps a course of radiation. Assuming we don't identify any lurking invasive component when we analyze the tissue removed in your surgery. </p><p><i>Assuming</i> is a word that leaves a lot of room for worry. Uncertainty is always a challenge to handle, at least for an engineer like me. At least I won't have long to wait for answers. My excision surgery is tomorrow. If you're reading this, cross your fingers for me. </p><p>And get your screenings. One of the reasons I decided to talk about this publicly was because it's helped me so much to know about friends who went through the same experience. 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed sometime during their life, the statistics say. In New Zealand alone, 9 women are diagnosed every day. And the ages are skewing younger. Both my doctor in the US and my doctor here in New Zealand mentioned that they're seeing far more breast cancer in 40s and even 30s, compared to when they began their practice. Perhaps due to better screening, perhaps due to something environmental, but the point is--don't put off that mammogram or ultrasound. If your mother or other female relatives had breast cancer, ask for screenings starting 10 years before their age of diagnosis, rather than waiting for the official age recommendation. The earlier an abnormality is found, the easier the treatment. </p>Courtney Schaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00593975028655479293noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650130703584309038.post-61771293321771596612023-02-05T11:43:00.002+13:002023-02-05T11:43:40.308+13:00State of the Schafer: Still Not Dead<p> Right, well. It's been long enough this time that I've been getting the occasional email from a reader wondering if everything is okay, so I figured I'd better confirm that yes, I'm fine. Still very busy with my job at Narrative Muse (which I'm still loving), and still writing (very slowly), but if I'm honest, being busy isn't really why I haven't been posting or interacting much on social media in the last year. Not to get too heavy, but I feel like the COVID era has destroyed any hope I had in humanity. If people can't come together against an infectious disease that kills and disables, what chance does the world have against the far more difficult and insidious challenge of climate change? Far more likely that we will just keep right on accelerating toward a terrible future. </p><p>I don't want to talk about big issues online when I have little that's hopeful or useful to contribute, and it's hard to talk about anything these days without veering into big issue territory (witness this post!). So mostly I just stay silent online--or avoid social media altogether and spend time outside. There's still beauty in the world, and it won't be here forever, and I'd like to appreciate it while I can. </p><p>On a day to day level, though, all is good at Casa Schafer, which I know we're very fortunate in being able to say. For anyone interested in what we've been up to, I can catch you up in pictures, and maybe share a little beauty that way. Let's see, the last time I posted here was May 2022, so let's start in just afterward...</p><p><b>June 2022:</b> This was a pretty quiet month, because the kiddo caught COVID from school and we were isolating with him. (My husband and I wore N95 masks while caring for him, and thankfully avoided getting sick.) The kiddo had a miserable few days and then took about two weeks to fully recover his energy. He was particularly annoyed that while he was ill, we had snow all the way down to lake level (rare in Hawea). What a bummer to miss out on playing in backyard snow with Comet! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyK5ImZXHkjF-hLXZ_UMEz3LJm9OtDN0e7ec9iG9TjandYVf4-k00FTCoD8DI4z8CPY6fcTh4QkHWS2fYvTPDIkIK_VPIGh97XyNeP99pOckhmiAvl91fQo9zqQewC-YQxu2btFO6qGyN0yiFDKChEEzrFfgdsp4Q3Le6MEc5vx-rTcdvwrA8ozrJd/s1622/June2022a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1216" data-original-width="1622" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyK5ImZXHkjF-hLXZ_UMEz3LJm9OtDN0e7ec9iG9TjandYVf4-k00FTCoD8DI4z8CPY6fcTh4QkHWS2fYvTPDIkIK_VPIGh97XyNeP99pOckhmiAvl91fQo9zqQewC-YQxu2btFO6qGyN0yiFDKChEEzrFfgdsp4Q3Le6MEc5vx-rTcdvwrA8ozrJd/s320/June2022a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiqNL6OEZ9CoIqrWsZj2jn0o07cCYHWjXeTwy_rohEOkI6IWmJXfBfbjC6OTmm2agzKgpKYuplydxzCVysXth75A54SVx6vQcxgiXo9DSHkX2n2ItaUbnp38ISQpqUSj5MreuT_rvqlHERP7aYY8dwKO9XmzD-K17KQjVatfYJdxA9f1XLY8HcAgUQ/s4032/Jun2022a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiqNL6OEZ9CoIqrWsZj2jn0o07cCYHWjXeTwy_rohEOkI6IWmJXfBfbjC6OTmm2agzKgpKYuplydxzCVysXth75A54SVx6vQcxgiXo9DSHkX2n2ItaUbnp38ISQpqUSj5MreuT_rvqlHERP7aYY8dwKO9XmzD-K17KQjVatfYJdxA9f1XLY8HcAgUQ/s320/Jun2022a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><b>July 2022:</b> With the kiddo recovered and NZ's borders fully open, we traveled to Sydney to see our Aussie family for the first time since the pandemic began. It was really lovely to be together again, and a bit of an eerie experience to see some of the changes wrought in the Sydney by the pandemic. (The international terminal, for example, was still something of a ghost town. Hardly anything was open past security, which was quite a difference from the plethora of shops and restaurants I recalled.) </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6K1tKjeRSfsjs0WLAfiKMkcdjiijJi3OmTLyIMIAy6fIDh7PLTEpZPSdCfnar99MiZWPPmF9IQ2XODu5qKzcP8hfmswwemLjLlsrBD3fvYZmvwp8goJMYh2Huz4B_l136dvXtNMid9TbpqgHse10Tr1lZQRjgv1818Y9rUnokvvkt6rTDFPwP4wGT/s1622/July2022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1216" data-original-width="1622" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6K1tKjeRSfsjs0WLAfiKMkcdjiijJi3OmTLyIMIAy6fIDh7PLTEpZPSdCfnar99MiZWPPmF9IQ2XODu5qKzcP8hfmswwemLjLlsrBD3fvYZmvwp8goJMYh2Huz4B_l136dvXtNMid9TbpqgHse10Tr1lZQRjgv1818Y9rUnokvvkt6rTDFPwP4wGT/s320/July2022.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our first view of Sydney in years</td></tr></tbody></table><p><b>August 2022:</b> Despite avoiding COVID on our Australia trip, my husband and I finally succumbed after he returned home from a work trip. He was 3 weeks past his 4th shot, at the absolute peak of protection the vaccine could provide him, which was a very good thing as he's in a higher risk category. He had mild symptoms but took a long time to feel 100% recovered. Happily he did finally get back to normal, unlike so many of our friends who ended up as long haulers. I was more like the kiddo--a few miserable days, then some lingering fatigue that cleared up after a week or two. Plus I too missed out on great snow--while I was ill, our local ski fields had some epic powder days. Alas! </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguTQ5yQBzsl0Y2Mxq4FfTRcNR2UhSz5sg2wfq-lgGg8YwaMtMLxWtC6aw36dB4N-cFx6KL5vmwb1LadUKLbKb5Ydwt2_b_QDlnu5yhVJQq0U4TO_wINN6BELNf1tQy5utUl7qdLIISb1XaI6ni5Ud0YBPTQo0kPXSXj62j-AS-rzjwi59qHQMnnFJC/s3264/PXL_20220802_053118341.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguTQ5yQBzsl0Y2Mxq4FfTRcNR2UhSz5sg2wfq-lgGg8YwaMtMLxWtC6aw36dB4N-cFx6KL5vmwb1LadUKLbKb5Ydwt2_b_QDlnu5yhVJQq0U4TO_wINN6BELNf1tQy5utUl7qdLIISb1XaI6ni5Ud0YBPTQo0kPXSXj62j-AS-rzjwi59qHQMnnFJC/s320/PXL_20220802_053118341.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Comforted by Comet in my time of COVID. (Though actually after the first day of me being sick, the pupster decided hanging out in bed was pretty boring.)</td></tr></tbody></table><p><b>September 2022:</b> Feeling very fortunate to have recovered, I returned to the ski slopes. Thanks to a nice deep base from all the early season snow, the skiing remained good into the spring. Getting in some time in the montains lifted my mood in a way nothing else does! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfRTaUag-4U381TYZybcjgCHGJOAg-XCJL8I0g8GbzU66ucR7xmySDz1EVBlJZx5kcS11BTCtJdwNCaseve17dcPYoDfwNxcvIwHU1LMND8abG1kkX6coiTMIXiJhL9cDG8hI39_oflyz1P8LcveGHqduAUPQQM53wmpdxuUbhd1AqvZG3bYCxGfap/s1622/August2022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1216" data-original-width="1622" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfRTaUag-4U381TYZybcjgCHGJOAg-XCJL8I0g8GbzU66ucR7xmySDz1EVBlJZx5kcS11BTCtJdwNCaseve17dcPYoDfwNxcvIwHU1LMND8abG1kkX6coiTMIXiJhL9cDG8hI39_oflyz1P8LcveGHqduAUPQQM53wmpdxuUbhd1AqvZG3bYCxGfap/s320/August2022.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixAtDI6bbwbdU5THGr1isVGEhWqaP0YIUEG7Hg_VnoNeFXG_GxhXAlDiWfoATeD6ArnfWQF-hI1aMSL-xcQbFAtYKcephJiBU_THcsu3VcCxlphPIA99qyfTql-dqro6TtndM6YFXGUK1hujA8TebptR9YczGKjcFZ4EF3p7P_wODNp1P9cpwbNKsp/s1622/Sep2022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1216" data-original-width="1622" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixAtDI6bbwbdU5THGr1isVGEhWqaP0YIUEG7Hg_VnoNeFXG_GxhXAlDiWfoATeD6ArnfWQF-hI1aMSL-xcQbFAtYKcephJiBU_THcsu3VcCxlphPIA99qyfTql-dqro6TtndM6YFXGUK1hujA8TebptR9YczGKjcFZ4EF3p7P_wODNp1P9cpwbNKsp/s320/Sep2022.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Springtime view across the Matukituki Valley</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: left;">October 2022: </b><span style="text-align: left;">The pupster turned 2 years old--officially an adult! He still has enough energy to power a small country, though. Happily, as you can see from the photo, he does now sometimes chill out. (So long as I have provided him with a solid hour of rabbit hunting beforehand, that is!) </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVY_i74B6ipORU_OOHEdlsmNXujtyLOJ5xGmjOPuZJ324dpKVUT8CJXI3PB8ejDxiOvn0GXcqagoFFf41MKO7iubNvZXjAFfTWHtJBAUqc0W8V9DS8gJNJ9nYjkgvd6Qef6XkolGyEmqPXipXswSIYw-FSrDhhOjquLiLgxr_2T2RZl42eOdXcV6pd/s1622/Oct2022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1216" data-original-width="1622" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVY_i74B6ipORU_OOHEdlsmNXujtyLOJ5xGmjOPuZJ324dpKVUT8CJXI3PB8ejDxiOvn0GXcqagoFFf41MKO7iubNvZXjAFfTWHtJBAUqc0W8V9DS8gJNJ9nYjkgvd6Qef6XkolGyEmqPXipXswSIYw-FSrDhhOjquLiLgxr_2T2RZl42eOdXcV6pd/s320/Oct2022.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><b>November 2022: </b>Hawea enjoyed a glorious start to spring. Rhododendrons aren't native to NZ, but lots of people grow them in their gardens, and the floral display seemed extra spectacular this year. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJSnW2st-0KjUhHH5ZCsWGAmFGBff12a0MhP8UUaWQpRoruCL5PneEesI6aD3F1GvoxWypLB5H6Plg-J8Rhg6jtplF_0vvL6T8yl-LXu9rFSC0y7RFxkB7Ctv9OOxUlj3Xgtq8f5bjzlM5i8MmJ6A34xMOcLu8sR_pwkH22Jvxfui9LWjSgymqG5QV/s1622/Nov2022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1216" data-original-width="1622" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJSnW2st-0KjUhHH5ZCsWGAmFGBff12a0MhP8UUaWQpRoruCL5PneEesI6aD3F1GvoxWypLB5H6Plg-J8Rhg6jtplF_0vvL6T8yl-LXu9rFSC0y7RFxkB7Ctv9OOxUlj3Xgtq8f5bjzlM5i8MmJ6A34xMOcLu8sR_pwkH22Jvxfui9LWjSgymqG5QV/s320/Nov2022.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><b>December 2022: </b>This month was meant to be all about family. First, our Aussie relatives came over to Hawea for a visit, and when they headed home, we headed off to North America to meet up with my family for a wintry Christmas. Or at least, that was the plan. Snowmageddon hit Vancouver, our flight was cancelled, we scrambled to piece together new flights and still managed to make it to our first intended destination of Victoria. My family got stranded while connecting through Toronto, and had to spend Christmas there. Due to minimal availability and maximal prices on any open seats, we weren't able to meet up at all, which I felt pretty sad about. Yet there remained lots to enjoy about our first ever trip to British Columbia and Washington's Cascades. The Christmas lights were epic, especially in Victoria's Butchart Gardens, and the town of Leavenworth, WA. Tree skiing is something we don't have in NZ, so we delighted in skiing glades at Stevens Pass in Washington and Whistler in Canada. Some of our Colorado friends were able to join us in Whistler, and it was wonderful to hang out with them again.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm0YENOGs18EReeyhpkY4nYoGz4rVXaIlKWXJZvUn4BuBrl8lJBjcc44LGM09jgWFiya1RLyXuAYSaGKLXyPWpV5UhpR1-sNvaW4mlfa43SgJhIrk5vMj9Bgv-RBeaHT-upNbJX8Fr0-THk_qHlkBLsgEdnfm40HG9CFXi_7_41kSvAerqpRi-Ibmr/s4032/Dec2022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm0YENOGs18EReeyhpkY4nYoGz4rVXaIlKWXJZvUn4BuBrl8lJBjcc44LGM09jgWFiya1RLyXuAYSaGKLXyPWpV5UhpR1-sNvaW4mlfa43SgJhIrk5vMj9Bgv-RBeaHT-upNbJX8Fr0-THk_qHlkBLsgEdnfm40HG9CFXi_7_41kSvAerqpRi-Ibmr/s320/Dec2022.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lights at Victoria's Butchart Gardens</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEito-CZoNatTmjP0snsP9ESslS1XHNbZqtQ85K8rvT3GJkdCVbkw31Z2iZ4kF104UVcxqZBwoi8qqr4zXz3vo3j3GfwiyQ9vW8xjuTqj4fpyTTziEih8Bfsd-ywZvCVJDpoNSgHOz1R_cAAeZrJOe1GA8H9tP6LIsn261ioM0snaQjNhm87M_nDVgky/s4032/PXL_20221230_013226269.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEito-CZoNatTmjP0snsP9ESslS1XHNbZqtQ85K8rvT3GJkdCVbkw31Z2iZ4kF104UVcxqZBwoi8qqr4zXz3vo3j3GfwiyQ9vW8xjuTqj4fpyTTziEih8Bfsd-ywZvCVJDpoNSgHOz1R_cAAeZrJOe1GA8H9tP6LIsn261ioM0snaQjNhm87M_nDVgky/s320/PXL_20221230_013226269.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leavenworth, WA</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip0CTbZAvKn50VsSYTUrz0RWeTzLNwmc7pymXRLF_SIbNyUmbNL0fIoxE1nLMWEH-UePwbVfMPTsejismoMx9j3Yu5xLs93AcxOCAylJ0KSDNmjRUUg9aqCQKiMuSEEtFVQyWklmgKnl-2sMSxKHlGOukiqnIQtv09WGkbdal5q8HhXxQPmEvXmmFT/s2547/PXL_20221231_233626981.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2494" data-original-width="2547" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip0CTbZAvKn50VsSYTUrz0RWeTzLNwmc7pymXRLF_SIbNyUmbNL0fIoxE1nLMWEH-UePwbVfMPTsejismoMx9j3Yu5xLs93AcxOCAylJ0KSDNmjRUUg9aqCQKiMuSEEtFVQyWklmgKnl-2sMSxKHlGOukiqnIQtv09WGkbdal5q8HhXxQPmEvXmmFT/s320/PXL_20221231_233626981.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The kiddo and I enjoying powder in Stevens Pass trees. (And yes, the kiddo is taller than I am now.)</td></tr></tbody></table><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4aD34xVrhLu5amu6BQWuJE3hETg7mGa7wmXp0TKDcff6lUby-VEPAgc40FGnN2OCqsFOjc6EAusMzsHC67GckoGsW50Lu5ooghlFv4lKCkdAPqmeuyczCaq0vbph-oOVWoQ_C5jLD46D7dJrQZXpdFFLCJQ26EFekDYRu9Gn7mLGyAe_WSLGkf7-G/s4032/PXL_20230106_023841566.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4aD34xVrhLu5amu6BQWuJE3hETg7mGa7wmXp0TKDcff6lUby-VEPAgc40FGnN2OCqsFOjc6EAusMzsHC67GckoGsW50Lu5ooghlFv4lKCkdAPqmeuyczCaq0vbph-oOVWoQ_C5jLD46D7dJrQZXpdFFLCJQ26EFekDYRu9Gn7mLGyAe_WSLGkf7-G/s320/PXL_20230106_023841566.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dinner with friends at Whistler</td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><b>January 2023:</b> It's definitely an odd experience to return from the dead of winter into the heart of summer! The Auckland area of NZ has been hit very hard with flooding and heavy rain, but down south in Hawea, it's been hot and dry. A good excuse to head to the uncrowded beaches of NZ's southern coast...my quest to learn to surf continues, with plenty of wipeouts. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQJtq6WtEy82tGnTYthh5l9t4rwdhklrLAYVjY3NVTITSvJTexsQQMrH2bMaXAjEITJ6W7SuvZJBpwehDVKbxI_njxykiTkX4LPjNSPQhBiTeqz_W1gYShbu8B1akxhJJcJU1VLfZW399gd5I1VaD7S2Eaa_88ohll0H2pSfcjJTSgn2-XXip8k2HE/s4032/PXL_20230203_212215702.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQJtq6WtEy82tGnTYthh5l9t4rwdhklrLAYVjY3NVTITSvJTexsQQMrH2bMaXAjEITJ6W7SuvZJBpwehDVKbxI_njxykiTkX4LPjNSPQhBiTeqz_W1gYShbu8B1akxhJJcJU1VLfZW399gd5I1VaD7S2Eaa_88ohll0H2pSfcjJTSgn2-XXip8k2HE/s320/PXL_20230203_212215702.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our fav surf spot, Colac Bay</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Like most things on social media, this quickie recap leaves a whole lot out. What about writing, some of you might ask (assuming anyone's actually stopping by this blog, after all this time, ha!). After receiving comments from beta readers on <b>The White Serpent</b> (the Cara story), I did some more revision on it. I'm about to finish up this 2nd revision, at which point it'll go off for a paid edit pass. I'm still working on the Lena and Ruslan stories and <b>The Dreaming Sea</b>. The writing has to fit in and around the day job and household tasks, so my pace remains that of an arthritic snail, but I do keep inching along. </p><p>In past years, I've agonized over how to write faster. For 2023, I've decided to chill out about it. I'd rather have fun with writing than turn it into a source of stress. I guess that's my theme for the year ahead. More chill, more mindfulness, more treasuring of small joys. We'll see what lies ahead. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMHNJwLDzf7n3SBYeuu751lS-o6bbnzBU66h64EeveEpmfZVd2rDFS1gCj6Y_eIDEm0xdegnpzfy6x-y4DNRdKBSyfZXCEKS2hRAEnd1BTI3cHBoDfLYa7VnfR1sK1fBN0RL66x-_yJUM4Rc1d5q4-zRTwfSQ69vyfc2RxIGMNYS9XpFzulOLbtYSa/s4032/PXL_20230116_045504134.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMHNJwLDzf7n3SBYeuu751lS-o6bbnzBU66h64EeveEpmfZVd2rDFS1gCj6Y_eIDEm0xdegnpzfy6x-y4DNRdKBSyfZXCEKS2hRAEnd1BTI3cHBoDfLYa7VnfR1sK1fBN0RL66x-_yJUM4Rc1d5q4-zRTwfSQ69vyfc2RxIGMNYS9XpFzulOLbtYSa/s320/PXL_20230116_045504134.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Summer colors</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p>Courtney Schaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00593975028655479293noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650130703584309038.post-23837782528461386392022-05-22T14:21:00.005+12:002022-05-22T14:21:58.754+12:00State of the Schafer: Breaking Silence (Again)<p>I've been pretty silent on the internet the last few months, not just here but on social media as well. That is mostly because I've been very busy! In March, I started a full-time remote job as the lead data scientist and algorithm designer for a New Zealand start-up called <a href="https://matchmaker.narrativemuse.co/" target="_blank">Narrative Muse</a>. The company's mission is to help people discover books, movies, and TV shows by or about women and gender-diverse folks. They've developed a recommendation engine called "Matchmaker" which is based solely on the content of books and movies, not sales or rankings or number of reviews or anything else driven by the amount of money spent on publicity. </p><p>This is hugely exciting to me, because I've long been aware of how many excellent books <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/4i8bf2/diversity_in_your_reading_choices_why_it_matters/d2wjnal/" target="_blank">slip through the cracks and never reach the readers who'll love them</a>. I've written posts over on r/Fantasy about the hidden biases and echo chambers of publishing, and I've tried to <a href="https://ladybusiness.dreamwidth.org/tag/projects:+readers+of+the+lost+arc" target="_blank">draw attention where and when I could to books that deserve more love</a>. But that felt like building sandcastles constantly washed away by the tide. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ1dqU25ng7GhP4mbNWU-E9GPfqtRU7EFXfbKvlhHvW91OAC-KI0frkVCENiWacO8_XflJEhpCORRNy8VHfbaWmjU-sskTk3zKyFg5eBpKn-tAvkjRzE9soSFVROM99qPvqLlQq2XsHBhXPQOXOvc1WQRo49C5E-vV4PypWKtW10Iz8LYSu3qZjimK/s4032/PXL_20220417_224217964.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ1dqU25ng7GhP4mbNWU-E9GPfqtRU7EFXfbKvlhHvW91OAC-KI0frkVCENiWacO8_XflJEhpCORRNy8VHfbaWmjU-sskTk3zKyFg5eBpKn-tAvkjRzE9soSFVROM99qPvqLlQq2XsHBhXPQOXOvc1WQRo49C5E-vV4PypWKtW10Iz8LYSu3qZjimK/s320/PXL_20220417_224217964.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maybe the trick is to build from rocks, not sand. </td></tr></tbody></table><p>I'd been thinking for a while that a better way to address the root issues would be to develop content-based recommendation systems--and lo and behold, Narrative Muse has built one! And I get to upgrade and expand their algorithm and apply all my technical engineering skills toward helping people find new authors to love (and movies, and TV shows)! Woo hoo! I love my job, y'all. My co-workers are likewise passionate about the company mission, and fun to work with, and it's just a really neat environment. </p><p>(If what Narrative Muse is doing sounds cool to you, then come join the fun! The algorithm depends (for now) on human curation of book and movie content, and we're seeking <a href="https://curators.narrativemuse.co/" target="_blank">more folks to join the curator community.</a> We're also seeking someone with full stack developer experience for a Head of Technology position, so software engineering friends, go <a href="https://apply.workable.com/narrative-muse/j/EEFF00BCC1/" target="_blank">check out the job description</a>.)</p><p>If you want to see what recs the Matchmaker will give you, <a href="https://matchmaker.narrativemuse.co/" target="_blank">go sign up and check out the platform</a>--it's free to use. And let me know your thoughts! Over the next months, I'll be working on a big update of the "taste" questions and the algorithm, so I'm all ears for more feedback on what needs improving. </p><p>It's definitely been an adjustment to work full time again. Fitting work and parenting and dog-exercising and chores into a day is a challenge in and of itself, let alone trying to squeeze in writing and skating and other hobbies. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilp3Teodx6_0-ruVhrgsBb7DC53c5c-iob3-lWJ7chH34bUdkf03f-DDPHlhtvsod4nPjboyh7z7tdcfJLJ1fgGFrY0dyOuYLNaMBHC7aohFW7iT5OqWGFjwyErCfRmN6tJYYt4MfJdUL8LOeXpkloqMdOHxjroGFy_wAs2RYdbrxP5kv3nI1okvtp/s4032/PXL_20220522_020112249.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilp3Teodx6_0-ruVhrgsBb7DC53c5c-iob3-lWJ7chH34bUdkf03f-DDPHlhtvsod4nPjboyh7z7tdcfJLJ1fgGFrY0dyOuYLNaMBHC7aohFW7iT5OqWGFjwyErCfRmN6tJYYt4MfJdUL8LOeXpkloqMdOHxjroGFy_wAs2RYdbrxP5kv3nI1okvtp/s320/PXL_20220522_020112249.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If the pupster gets a full hour of off-lead exercise, then he snoozes while I work. For a while. Then we repeat the process again. </td></tr></tbody></table><p>Yet the scant free time isn't all bad. Weirdly, I find I'm more productive now with writing than I was before. I guess when I know I have very little time, I am more motivated to make the most of it. At the same time as I started my job, I also started a Wednesday night "write club" for SpecFicNZ members, where we get together on Wed night via Zoom and chat, then write for an hour, and chat again. That helps make sure I get some writing time in the thick of the work week. </p><p>So, more good news: I've completed the draft of <b>The White Serpent</b>, a.k.a. the Cara novella, which, um, is no longer a novella but a short novel at 60,000 words. (Yikes! Longest "short story" ever.) I'm tweaking a few things about the ending and then it'll go off to beta readers while I work on the Lena and Ruslan stories that I hope will accompany it. Then it'll be back to <b>The Dreaming Sea</b>, which I hope will be better for the time spent percolating in my subconscious. </p><p>I want to keep up my writing momentum, plus it's skating season and will soon be ski season, so I expect I'll remain pretty quiet online. I'd like to keep sharing all my New Zealand scenery pics somewhere where friends can see them, though. Twitter no longer seems like a good place for that, so I'm thinking I'll fire up my <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mtnskater7/" target="_blank">long-neglected Instagram account</a> and see how that goes. If you want to de-stress with mountain and puppy pics, I'm happy to provide. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbTyq6ChYQerIaBH0iSMMi-LO16MlNbFVFCljtWv8R0cO7ud2OqHVzDd7pJE9DvdH60q67Nj1KMr2QyNP4YRnbNJPACbBerspv9st9S00hIwh1YXVQZNSFidkAghQ62IbBydDke57jZPQ7wN66QawvWo3tEhaQRN3kEjkTAYV5yzPuTDK4d9lbZvgH/s4032/PXL_20220511_021435678.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbTyq6ChYQerIaBH0iSMMi-LO16MlNbFVFCljtWv8R0cO7ud2OqHVzDd7pJE9DvdH60q67Nj1KMr2QyNP4YRnbNJPACbBerspv9st9S00hIwh1YXVQZNSFidkAghQ62IbBydDke57jZPQ7wN66QawvWo3tEhaQRN3kEjkTAYV5yzPuTDK4d9lbZvgH/s320/PXL_20220511_021435678.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Autumn brings calm, clear days</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p>Courtney Schaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00593975028655479293noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650130703584309038.post-36598734512779746072022-01-25T16:41:00.002+13:002022-01-25T16:41:35.838+13:00State of the Schafer: Summer Adventures<p>I was going to write a proper "2021 in review" post, but I kept putting it off because I am so, SO close to finally completing the revised draft of <b>The White Serpent</b>. This is the Cara novella, except right now it's more like a short novel at 52,000 words, yikes. Maybe since Cara never got a POV in the Shattered Sigil trilogy, my subconscious wanted to be sure she got a solid chance to shine! </p><p>I haven't been neglecting brand new novel <b>The Dreaming Sea</b>, either; I'm chugging along at 500 words per day on that draft, even as I fix up the last few scenes of <b>The White Serpent</b>. Yet as time is flying and it's nearly the end of January, I figured I'd better stop waiting to catch up on the blog. </p><p>I have to say, the end of 2021 didn't go like I thought it would. When I <a href="http://courtney-schafer.blogspot.com/2021/10/state-of-schafer-milestones.html" target="_blank">last posted in October</a>, the Delta variant of COVID had finally popped up in the South Island, and I was braced for it to spread.</p><p>Yet it didn't. Amazing what high vaccination rates can do! Many areas in NZ reached over 95% double-vaxxed for the 12+ population, and that seemed to stop Delta cold. Our local area hasn't seen a single case. (Our last recorded case of COVID was way back in April 2020.) Even in Auckland, the heart of the outbreak, cases never really took off. Numbers plateaued around 100 a day, and then slowly decreased to teens and even single-digits. People began to wonder if we'd accidentally eliminate COVID again, though everyone knew such a fortunate state wouldn't last, given the planned reopening of the borders.</p><p>Then came Omicron. After watching supply chains struggle and hospitals get swamped overseas, even in highly vaccinated areas like New South Wales in Australia, it seems certain that NZ has a rough few weeks in store. Yes, Omicron is milder than Delta, and vaccinated people have a very small risk of hospitalization and death. But when everyone gets sick at once, NZ is too small of a country to easily absorb huge disruptions to staffing and supply chains. </p><p>On a personal level, our family has done what we can to prepare. My husband and I both got our booster shots, our son is double-vaxxed, and we've got the food and supplies we need if we're all sick and needing to isolate, or if the supermarkets struggle. It helps to know <a href="https://www.1news.co.nz/2022/01/23/ardern-outlines-phased-approach-to-omicron-strategy/" target="_blank">NZ's government has a plan</a>, and they'll continue acting on the best scientific advice. </p><p>Yet I'm sure I'm not the only one feeling a little nervous, as the wave begins to break. I am deeply grateful, however, that NZ held out as long it has. 2021 finished off for my son and husband and I with a glorious summer. We savored gorgeous days at the lake and on the trails; if the pandemic has taught us anything, it's never to take adventures for granted. Seize the day while you can. </p><p>So that's what we did. I finally climbed Corner Peak, monarch of Lake Hawea, whose majesty I had been eyeing ever since we moved here in 2017. I mean, just look at it:</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi3VA7oMGiT1jw07WlaDRtz3NiXW8_H1GAvitZjK40zZMSz-e7OcNXH6hF2EscTqttjbJF8sLyTPDOHDg-AaA_3urQbjpxq3Z3ziugGAOFE8P95ulo5GUjK5J0QZWNNZOd7tqF5GEiWcCbW1qIiCWYxdtZz6R36yIaJIj0-rsXVQiKxw9Xjd-xL63rK=s2982" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2420" data-original-width="2982" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi3VA7oMGiT1jw07WlaDRtz3NiXW8_H1GAvitZjK40zZMSz-e7OcNXH6hF2EscTqttjbJF8sLyTPDOHDg-AaA_3urQbjpxq3Z3ziugGAOFE8P95ulo5GUjK5J0QZWNNZOd7tqF5GEiWcCbW1qIiCWYxdtZz6R36yIaJIj0-rsXVQiKxw9Xjd-xL63rK=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Corner Peak looming over Lake Hawea on a calm winter's day</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The climb is hella steep, 1,683m in only 7.75km--that's 5,521ft in 4.8 miles, for any Americans. Locals had told me it's best to do the peak with someone who's climbed it before, as finding the right route is important, and even the right route has some "sketchy bits." </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj_1apjTpBOAdFd-UPrcsglLnJnusF_sK_rSZ86my0J0cY8wprBAuZ6Bh7HXknZvqIwTz2i5hKYUe4BKfTEXGWuA7zW07D85AlHa4hv0xYwF7xs6iIcdBXm5cF5KjSb8Y4JPbxfvbu1DleUfBUBF61spvKxhj_xDHRZ_XtDaP-jb5WvhiDuSPVsd6oW=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj_1apjTpBOAdFd-UPrcsglLnJnusF_sK_rSZ86my0J0cY8wprBAuZ6Bh7HXknZvqIwTz2i5hKYUe4BKfTEXGWuA7zW07D85AlHa4hv0xYwF7xs6iIcdBXm5cF5KjSb8Y4JPbxfvbu1DleUfBUBF61spvKxhj_xDHRZ_XtDaP-jb5WvhiDuSPVsd6oW=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Department of Conservation has helpfully placed a warning sign at the beginning of the route.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Given the Kiwi talent for understatement, I wasn't sure just what "sketchy" might mean. I had visions of peak routes I've seen in the Sierra that are deceptively labeled "third class" (meaning no rope or technical climbing gear is required), when in truth, as a gobsmacked friend once announced, "That isn't third class, that's DEATH CLASS."</p><p>So, I dutifully waited until I could join some experienced trampers on a trip up the mountain. Routefinding is indeed key, but turns out the sketchy bits are brief and not bad at all. Nowhere near death class, thank goodness. More the sort of thing where you mutter either a little prayer or a curse under your breath as you negotiate a tricky step. ("Please, please, no earthquakes right now.") </p><p>I'll have to do a proper trip report some day to show off all the awesome scenery from the climb, but for now, I'll just say the views from the summit were absolutely worth the effort.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjnL09w8nzXEpL4zdEPzYxO4fIsIk2_-Oo_h6NjjHAft6dZLO2QbvCHiIIUtSvmaPaynBXOASKbRhs3h4S5Ua9M1T_A5_jO7-zs4voW0W9TtQ_bOK9IpGz3vpMSrT81aHEHe8ygWaLDeJxjaUD6tk6cMfHAtqVaduyI3YdSURwy5UP9Iu__PVzWpAgX=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjnL09w8nzXEpL4zdEPzYxO4fIsIk2_-Oo_h6NjjHAft6dZLO2QbvCHiIIUtSvmaPaynBXOASKbRhs3h4S5Ua9M1T_A5_jO7-zs4voW0W9TtQ_bOK9IpGz3vpMSrT81aHEHe8ygWaLDeJxjaUD6tk6cMfHAtqVaduyI3YdSURwy5UP9Iu__PVzWpAgX=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking up the Hunter Valley from Corner Peak's summit</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>The next adventure was a family trip on the Milford Track, on which we enjoyed a very rare blessing: clear skies and sunshine for the entire 4-day trek. Fiordland is known for mist and rain; I'd heard of people doing the Milford multiple times before ever getting a clear view of the stunning peaks surrounding Mackinnon Pass. I'm so glad we lucked into great weather, because just look at these:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEisLI-EutcCCpqbK0E-p0aSIfTYkTVYECPszOT0ArXh0FuJl3RUew-t_D1W9q6eqteCqPFmCi2SAjhswPTpuUWN891P0G7XJSahCvUiiXcwjBFnsjFAn5d3unwsA78u8NDxtLANfXma9CTPo-1V62jRw8zKyfodUv-rEX6coP0cl2xAgtbCEWsFyqV6=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEisLI-EutcCCpqbK0E-p0aSIfTYkTVYECPszOT0ArXh0FuJl3RUew-t_D1W9q6eqteCqPFmCi2SAjhswPTpuUWN891P0G7XJSahCvUiiXcwjBFnsjFAn5d3unwsA78u8NDxtLANfXma9CTPo-1V62jRw8zKyfodUv-rEX6coP0cl2xAgtbCEWsFyqV6=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgfftUFoxfdC85957b_LiMQxy5SAMSfnPNHP9maM5owAxCB76oMzyL4zD7zhd3UZisSDfmklJunQvqX954wSUYtHSYDWD2D647iJXDpg5oMJwZOWJy76HfvBPk2Or27Z4WpdPTpS21NXIDasbFHZf7AUC-a4WHcqgdxAzuDQEL3W99YEMprtWR6LusT=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgfftUFoxfdC85957b_LiMQxy5SAMSfnPNHP9maM5owAxCB76oMzyL4zD7zhd3UZisSDfmklJunQvqX954wSUYtHSYDWD2D647iJXDpg5oMJwZOWJy76HfvBPk2Or27Z4WpdPTpS21NXIDasbFHZf7AUC-a4WHcqgdxAzuDQEL3W99YEMprtWR6LusT=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi0LrSvfsXWqmsacLzAr3Hh9-RWbeYnBsV5fklRcBaNdMsHrBMH26td71tuc1BM5ja2tibHfFYL4ML48Ls_7Ly6UNzKWxw_ctJNsuw4Ihspgvaw3kDGw4Zx9sIxn3zNb3eEY5dK9lRs_B4nvqEQ64I4hY9a0uzQaLG3aoRUUcavQZAI6-3BvYvlLJQL=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi0LrSvfsXWqmsacLzAr3Hh9-RWbeYnBsV5fklRcBaNdMsHrBMH26td71tuc1BM5ja2tibHfFYL4ML48Ls_7Ly6UNzKWxw_ctJNsuw4Ihspgvaw3kDGw4Zx9sIxn3zNb3eEY5dK9lRs_B4nvqEQ64I4hY9a0uzQaLG3aoRUUcavQZAI6-3BvYvlLJQL=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhm7fiN210Rs9kIVOefrMlbp4l-bpodLhivqizId_ZyStt4yJvQDlQpy5NhP0MCrazaArHclNtKUHKkcq2H_5PQ7helFDLi8WnGdJ23ko3YliMoEEqazWTMShUHjIBKYyonMqhPQnAHtDlFMnbVt9OHr4822tcbOPA-htO2XiA43oue31cd_JrizOn9=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhm7fiN210Rs9kIVOefrMlbp4l-bpodLhivqizId_ZyStt4yJvQDlQpy5NhP0MCrazaArHclNtKUHKkcq2H_5PQ7helFDLi8WnGdJ23ko3YliMoEEqazWTMShUHjIBKYyonMqhPQnAHtDlFMnbVt9OHr4822tcbOPA-htO2XiA43oue31cd_JrizOn9=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">The waterfalls were also incredible, but again, I'd best save more pics for a proper trip report (lest this post grow to be even longer than </span><b style="text-align: left;">The White Serpent</b><span style="text-align: left;">!). Okay, but I have to show one sneak peak:</span></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgt8CyA-tglBUqrasevS1jVKjXhl5MM0veT08S22kslF2S7ZflYwKDAdhvUzCwbyVTRM8pv2c7tZIpKLzOhBzecXB6as9YLFXsHcz7ZrhkMWj_cro21m46j9av-YdTc4JZ0O_vpXXBlc796BMEAyiJxLfHPVILO_BCVVdWl8gXiri6fhsFePAFQYwHW=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgt8CyA-tglBUqrasevS1jVKjXhl5MM0veT08S22kslF2S7ZflYwKDAdhvUzCwbyVTRM8pv2c7tZIpKLzOhBzecXB6as9YLFXsHcz7ZrhkMWj_cro21m46j9av-YdTc4JZ0O_vpXXBlc796BMEAyiJxLfHPVILO_BCVVdWl8gXiri6fhsFePAFQYwHW=s320" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cooling off at Sutherland Falls</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>We didn't just stick to adventures in the mountains, though. NZ's beaches are also beautiful, so just before Christmas, we took a road trip up the South Island's wild West Coast, soaking in plenty of ocean scenery along the way.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEje0eqgRIeXN_0N4LyASLQOpWDbrAT9kFU-E3fanBs-wTLyaPmX9uGedIJ6KBEnkc2eWf0ld7mkGzZ6ftR1qm6de6-QhxNRAJuKGAOy4ZjryEnkVoO_8jpvawCZgZAzHtIocJjBFErfvGAID2-CvKjG2gWCczRFvLVEDWcDGrTtfMeb3039BTwcrE46=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEje0eqgRIeXN_0N4LyASLQOpWDbrAT9kFU-E3fanBs-wTLyaPmX9uGedIJ6KBEnkc2eWf0ld7mkGzZ6ftR1qm6de6-QhxNRAJuKGAOy4ZjryEnkVoO_8jpvawCZgZAzHtIocJjBFErfvGAID2-CvKjG2gWCczRFvLVEDWcDGrTtfMeb3039BTwcrE46=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shipwreck Beach, near Haast</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiy35AOybxYKf3jfhXp6dRv0fgbMVuiSrb7ALM-52X5nKyuAqGRctlu5z98BOpCTnxo2F7m98cA4gFZBPN0_M-ZROxd2T-PkXAt40oj_d9LXRuP5TxLd908ZsdL6EnyoaBLhDAOGmdWCaaej2YyUaWpya7pcwWJXmvWS7yGQLlpTRqry95XmrYYpFOD=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiy35AOybxYKf3jfhXp6dRv0fgbMVuiSrb7ALM-52X5nKyuAqGRctlu5z98BOpCTnxo2F7m98cA4gFZBPN0_M-ZROxd2T-PkXAt40oj_d9LXRuP5TxLd908ZsdL6EnyoaBLhDAOGmdWCaaej2YyUaWpya7pcwWJXmvWS7yGQLlpTRqry95XmrYYpFOD=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beach near Punakaiki</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhcXlwbu0pT7fJEnmNAgqAOaQs8hDzu0vnS67yIQkZGwNsotn84R_j9SGBESmWrHOcA33PndUVhJt-OCootAv1MyjG28gPeRQq3pkVIrz2LOgNAmqFce4h8bhSsjxqru6NZNgSMvNUn0pN5n6IEp6g6JqfGJ4aSyWeq_8PcIO1J62Pt47g8EaVdNB4G=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhcXlwbu0pT7fJEnmNAgqAOaQs8hDzu0vnS67yIQkZGwNsotn84R_j9SGBESmWrHOcA33PndUVhJt-OCootAv1MyjG28gPeRQq3pkVIrz2LOgNAmqFce4h8bhSsjxqru6NZNgSMvNUn0pN5n6IEp6g6JqfGJ4aSyWeq_8PcIO1J62Pt47g8EaVdNB4G=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sea stacks at Motukiekie</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div>The adventures continued in January, when we headed down to Riverton on NZ's southern coast, and I tried surfing for the first time. I had done plenty of boogie boarding and general playing in the waves in my younger years, but never real stand-up surfing. Oh goodness, it's so much fun. Hello, new hobby! </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZffAfCi8L318rIIr1RdeJQm2UbJvQZmLGxx2FOxu9bwzbF7uXhyg47Bgv9VeaO8UnYNMx4Pu5ZubSI3SUX9CLMtCFvBTI9BGKhUj847TvgeJ1I_w4GBobKDZPYgWTWckh2gpuasBHnSZuYpHPnIAWQkITmL74IxLDFTIwWdpK5SlDhyojQW5my0Q-=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZffAfCi8L318rIIr1RdeJQm2UbJvQZmLGxx2FOxu9bwzbF7uXhyg47Bgv9VeaO8UnYNMx4Pu5ZubSI3SUX9CLMtCFvBTI9BGKhUj847TvgeJ1I_w4GBobKDZPYgWTWckh2gpuasBHnSZuYpHPnIAWQkITmL74IxLDFTIwWdpK5SlDhyojQW5my0Q-=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Surfing at Monkey Island beach. Small waves and soft sand made it perfect for beginners like us.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Granted, the closest beach is a 3 hour drive away from where we live, so I don't know if I'll ever get good enough to ride serious waves. That's okay, I'll have fun trying, whenever we next head to the coast. In the meantime, at least we can cool off from summer heat in Hawea's lake. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhN1O1fHSO14c6WitMFjBJ_tkyP091AJa2698CetO2q76CFR3r8q4A3PIy4Dw9SGtdkGa_C1QV9hEGlst7QKUbzc9iWU1re8PZck_vvPhLB9V7KUGWVpAFlB76mcHlMOeWo-fcze8ZyczENomr-Ph-bd8z3k5WWs2xXxyYAftoKSV3uOc24ag_CuIO=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhN1O1fHSO14c6WitMFjBJ_tkyP091AJa2698CetO2q76CFR3r8q4A3PIy4Dw9SGtdkGa_C1QV9hEGlst7QKUbzc9iWU1re8PZck_vvPhLB9V7KUGWVpAFlB76mcHlMOeWo-fcze8ZyczENomr-Ph-bd8z3k5WWs2xXxyYAftoKSV3uOc24ag_CuIO=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nothing like glacial lakewater on a hot summer day</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div>The pupster's accomplishment for the summer is that he's finally learned to chill out a lot more in between daily walks and playtime, which sure makes it easier for me to work and write!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh9af_EcUJP0b26BdCCzaQ1guxVtrzo-w9nrG2NY_P_QkwArny5j8ZAazCknYDy49HeIzWc_RgnDtxK6qZo7FYvjQHKobiSeMRuURLbC674D7MJSYwsu5EzD72I3sP7R5fXcGtFZUxbArzc1wm4uHIJXcvJjA5Zmq8qwu3DHvKiBqHS4cKzebnfEVRA=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh9af_EcUJP0b26BdCCzaQ1guxVtrzo-w9nrG2NY_P_QkwArny5j8ZAazCknYDy49HeIzWc_RgnDtxK6qZo7FYvjQHKobiSeMRuURLbC674D7MJSYwsu5EzD72I3sP7R5fXcGtFZUxbArzc1wm4uHIJXcvJjA5Zmq8qwu3DHvKiBqHS4cKzebnfEVRA=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Don't worry, he still gets plenty of cuddles:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgh14ftEOk_58QX-VfJKD16NHPyOxO9u2UMnSkNwUZ7IJb8S97Ou7pY9-CCQOwabDhWY_P8xRETu0xAf5HAOhW2jc6Mx-md9bBtEGr3nkyvy9K4oVfbiIgNFFdl6Cv-YgOMP2WzqpkY3tNTIi9zUhYwqtQScCEZ2IchB8GD5B-dWQ1xmRxi5p0kDTkp=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgh14ftEOk_58QX-VfJKD16NHPyOxO9u2UMnSkNwUZ7IJb8S97Ou7pY9-CCQOwabDhWY_P8xRETu0xAf5HAOhW2jc6Mx-md9bBtEGr3nkyvy9K4oVfbiIgNFFdl6Cv-YgOMP2WzqpkY3tNTIi9zUhYwqtQScCEZ2IchB8GD5B-dWQ1xmRxi5p0kDTkp=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">My son heads back to school next week, which always feels like summer's end, even if there's still another month of hot weather. 2022 looks to have plenty of challenges in store, but at least I can face them knowing I've had a good start. I'm lucky in that, I know. For everyone who's not starting the year off well, my heart goes out to you. My main goal for 2022 is to find ways I can help make the world a little better, whether on a personal or professional level. Maybe that sounds facile, especially in the face of the sheer scope and size of the problems looming over us all. Yet I cling to the belief that every act of kindness matters, especially in difficult times. I don't know if humanity can reach a brighter future, but I still want to strive for one.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiaatIso5pDiiC6saOmKl2j1dxhgZ_b9XwY7dDoiCoIUTtxum9Xej4O82UVA_E4NnHvXRR6_zWY6Drj4Y8WOf4CjryfRJxkR07UxFEGGbSnpFlJkVC44n3J_axe3cp2GHH7YcGt5VkvZvNsr1aPUaoIRXKUQ77NW8DQYej-3uwjzVwRNd5_IOfX2r0P=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiaatIso5pDiiC6saOmKl2j1dxhgZ_b9XwY7dDoiCoIUTtxum9Xej4O82UVA_E4NnHvXRR6_zWY6Drj4Y8WOf4CjryfRJxkR07UxFEGGbSnpFlJkVC44n3J_axe3cp2GHH7YcGt5VkvZvNsr1aPUaoIRXKUQ77NW8DQYej-3uwjzVwRNd5_IOfX2r0P=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wishing for the dawn of a better year for everyone.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></div></div>Courtney Schaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00593975028655479293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650130703584309038.post-19459210856501297652021-10-23T14:26:00.002+13:002021-10-23T14:37:09.559+13:00State of the Schafer: MilestonesIt's spring in NZ, and boy is it a gorgeous one. Usually in spring, Hawea is ferociously windy, but this October we've enjoyed a lot of calm sunny days. Perfect for walking the pup and enjoying other outdoor fun.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aGjuVefHDDg/YXNhUFHwJMI/AAAAAAAAVL0/wWqirMzHDZUoGD7OB2ofKPvwN7ys-lnGACPcBGAsYHg/s3264/PXL_20211006_221934094.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aGjuVefHDDg/YXNhUFHwJMI/AAAAAAAAVL0/wWqirMzHDZUoGD7OB2ofKPvwN7ys-lnGACPcBGAsYHg/s320/PXL_20211006_221934094.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hiking with the kiddo</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5dVM4naKDYs/YXNhjP32geI/AAAAAAAAVL4/RAiPHMbNmYY5JU8gP4_IpsFdZ9dkTrSFgCPcBGAsYHg/s4032/PXL_20211001_232938849.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5dVM4naKDYs/YXNhjP32geI/AAAAAAAAVL4/RAiPHMbNmYY5JU8gP4_IpsFdZ9dkTrSFgCPcBGAsYHg/s320/PXL_20211001_232938849.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spring skiing</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NtqFrvP0IYw/YXNhv5asQAI/AAAAAAAAVMA/D42vbmev1Lw7XcLbx6G4PnEXYFt6VsslACPcBGAsYHg/s4032/PXL_20211001_035159137.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NtqFrvP0IYw/YXNhv5asQAI/AAAAAAAAVMA/D42vbmev1Lw7XcLbx6G4PnEXYFt6VsslACPcBGAsYHg/s320/PXL_20211001_035159137.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Perfectly still day at the lake</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fTKylCVahYY/YXNh5BeoGhI/AAAAAAAAVME/FCAYX4PjqnYqv2LfGJ-NQEYLUR5O8_frgCPcBGAsYHg/s4032/PXL_20211021_215831004.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fTKylCVahYY/YXNh5BeoGhI/AAAAAAAAVME/FCAYX4PjqnYqv2LfGJ-NQEYLUR5O8_frgCPcBGAsYHg/s320/PXL_20211021_215831004.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue-green waters of the Clutha River</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QH19Ejzx6ZY/YXNleIJETdI/AAAAAAAAVMw/PMA87DJdFMw-SkwK22GlVIOUiNPYA6tsQCPcBGAsYHg/s4032/PXL_20211016_020848316.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QH19Ejzx6ZY/YXNleIJETdI/AAAAAAAAVMw/PMA87DJdFMw-SkwK22GlVIOUiNPYA6tsQCPcBGAsYHg/s320/PXL_20211016_020848316.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Family walk</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X53ss37ie7I/YXNiHC0AVYI/AAAAAAAAVMI/CW182MUjjn0f14uiL-zCVhndrNLhkjCyQCPcBGAsYHg/s4032/PXL_20211017_024358148.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X53ss37ie7I/YXNiHC0AVYI/AAAAAAAAVMI/CW182MUjjn0f14uiL-zCVhndrNLhkjCyQCPcBGAsYHg/s320/PXL_20211017_024358148.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bluebells by the trail</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><div>Speaking of the pupster, he's officially passed his first birthday. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u_BK1Szqsrc/YXNiYKdWfbI/AAAAAAAAVMQ/uMJm8oI7N7sVzwmDlMIbrqk0j37Yooc1wCPcBGAsYHg/s4032/PXL_20211019_035959753.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u_BK1Szqsrc/YXNiYKdWfbI/AAAAAAAAVMQ/uMJm8oI7N7sVzwmDlMIbrqk0j37Yooc1wCPcBGAsYHg/s320/PXL_20211019_035959753.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One year old! Hard to believe.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>We're still dealing with various adolescent behaviors, particularly a surge of alert barking. ("What's this? The neighbors are working in their garden? I must warn everyone! BORK BORK BORK!") But oh goodness, it's so much easier than the crocodile landshark teething puppy stage. Spoodles are seriously high energy dogs, so he still needs two long walks per day, but after each walk, he's happy to chill for a few hours. I'm finally making real progress in writing again, woo! </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8KoY4ggg5EM/YXNiijdLbiI/AAAAAAAAVMU/5lRAUp4l-lYtm_lDYa8g7au3ZEVYUjg9wCPcBGAsYHg/s4032/PXL_20211022_005007888.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8KoY4ggg5EM/YXNiijdLbiI/AAAAAAAAVMU/5lRAUp4l-lYtm_lDYa8g7au3ZEVYUjg9wCPcBGAsYHg/s320/PXL_20211022_005007888.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Writing while the puppy naps</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>(<b>Mini writing update</b>: four more scenes to go in my revision of <b>The White Serpent</b>, the Cara novella. They are tricky scenes though…the end of a story often takes the longest for me to write, because it’s so important to get the character arc and sense of resolution to feel right.) </div><div><br /></div><div>On the same day the pupster turned 1, we achieved another family milestone: my son got his 2nd Pfizer dose, which means all of us (the humans, anyway!) are now fully vaccinated against COVID. I’m deeply relieved, as the virus has begun leaking out of Auckland. Lockdowns only work if people obey the rules, and unfortunately the virus managed to spread into segments of the community (drug dealers, gangs) who don’t care about rules. But Auckland’s long weeks in L4 and L3 lockdown haven’t been in vain; it’s given everyone in NZ more time to get vaccinated. That’s especially important for those like my kiddo who were only recently eligible. </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/454133/covid-19-community-case-reported-in-the-south-island-with-positive-test-in-blenheim" target="_blank">Today, the South Island reported its first case, up in Blenheim.</a> This is the first community case of COVID on the South Island in well over a year, but we all know it won’t be the last. I am so glad that NZ will now be facing Delta with decent vaccination rates. In our local district, I believe we’re currently at 95% of people over 12 with their first dose, and 78% with their second (with that number rising fast). </div><div><br /></div><div>I suppose now NZ’s South Island will be a living laboratory: one of the few places in the world where Delta will hit a population with no prior exposure to COVID and therefore no native immunity at all, only vaccine-generated immunity. As I understand it, the Pfizer vaccine is not tremendously effective against symptomatic infection with Delta, especially after a few months, but it does remain extremely effective at preventing hospitalization and death. So, case numbers here may skyrocket, but hospital numbers should remain low, which is vital given that the South Island (and NZ in general) doesn’t have much hospital capacity. </div><div><br /></div><div>NZ has only had <a href="https://covid19.who.int/region/wpro/country/nz" target="_blank">28 deaths so far from COVID since the start of the pandemic</a>. Boy do I hope that number stays low. The government is pushing hard for a target of 90+% of all eligible people in all areas of NZ to be fully vaxxed, offering the carrot of no more lockdowns and (eventually) border reopening. I hope we can reach 90% everywhere; I hope it’s enough. Nothing to do now but wait and see. </div></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C19uKSM_1FU/YXNkJIMPb4I/AAAAAAAAVMg/80iCk3MtIJwFrMJLV4s8pk8NYy9wEbM-gCPcBGAsYHg/s4032/PXL_20210926_213334826.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C19uKSM_1FU/YXNkJIMPb4I/AAAAAAAAVMg/80iCk3MtIJwFrMJLV4s8pk8NYy9wEbM-gCPcBGAsYHg/s320/PXL_20210926_213334826.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wish I could be as relaxed about the future as the pupster</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div>Courtney Schaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00593975028655479293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650130703584309038.post-16793893206485225352021-09-29T12:53:00.006+13:002021-09-29T13:21:55.574+13:00Catching up<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div> Welp, I've set a new record for silence on the
blog, and it's mostly thanks to this adorable little demon:<p></p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JXqmmEnudTk/YVOWKdV9xSI/AAAAAAAAU00/IqGa34vKWjU0NUxFV81aVI19fzLhAZvdACLcBGAsYHQ/s828/received_264687825454141.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="621" data-original-width="828" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JXqmmEnudTk/YVOWKdV9xSI/AAAAAAAAU00/IqGa34vKWjU0NUxFV81aVI19fzLhAZvdACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/received_264687825454141.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Comet's mischievous grin and love of muddy paws captured in a pic by Yvonne of Queensberry Dogs</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">Comet is almost a year old now, and becoming a very
good dog, but that's required a LOT of time and training. (He's very high
energy, not keen on being alone, and loves to eat things he shouldn't. Good
thing he's so cute and loves to cuddle!)</p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iKH7KocZKYA/YVOZAkMlTMI/AAAAAAAAU08/xpnEexlGybIRqd-1CmCTSzZVB9p6jcAKwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/PXL_20210906_085006334.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iKH7KocZKYA/YVOZAkMlTMI/AAAAAAAAU08/xpnEexlGybIRqd-1CmCTSzZVB9p6jcAKwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/PXL_20210906_085006334.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Favorite nap position</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YYO7ZrDYdBg/YVOZAhy4MyI/AAAAAAAAU1A/i1sYZt3BEvUUl3iMRy9unBT9Y_ECVD2ZwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/PXL_20210908_204144968.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YYO7ZrDYdBg/YVOZAhy4MyI/AAAAAAAAU1A/i1sYZt3BEvUUl3iMRy9unBT9Y_ECVD2ZwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/PXL_20210908_204144968.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Perfect pillow mode: engaged</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">Adolescent puppies certainly keep you humble. Just
the other morning, I was out for an off-trail, off-leash walk with him, feeling
all smugly self-congratulatory on how well he's responding to his recall
command. As I strolled along enjoying the spring sunshine, Comet abruptly dove
into a bush. A mother duck flapped out of the spiky foliage, leaving behind a
chorus of frantic cheeping.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Me: <i>Oh no, he's found a duck nest!</i> (This
has never happened before. Most ducks aren't so dumb as to build their nests in
an area frequented by dogs and far from any water.) <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">I yelled his recall command, but Comet was far,
FAR too excited to listen. A horde of ducklings burst out of the bush, waddling
at high speed and cheeping at the top of their little lungs. Squeak toys that
move!!! Comet could not believe his luck. He bounced around chasing ducklings
in an ecstasy of joy, ignoring every treat I offered and tricks I tried to
entice him away. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">When I gave up and grabbed for him, that only added
to the game. He was dodging me, panicked ducklings running everywhere, while I tried not to stomp on them while snatching for my lightning-fast juvenile delinquent. The whole circus went on for a
seemingly endless interval before I managed to grab the trailing lead on Comet's harness and drag him away. To my great relief, all the ducklings appeared
unharmed--Comet wasn't trying to eat them, just play with them. But obviously
we've still got a ways to go before his recall is duckling-proof.</span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZKlys-9w2fI/YVOa7nDxS-I/AAAAAAAAU1M/MWeh_6cvRx8qbSRgkPLBdJjZFr1c3MgNwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/PXL_20210804_023228131%2B%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZKlys-9w2fI/YVOa7nDxS-I/AAAAAAAAU1M/MWeh_6cvRx8qbSRgkPLBdJjZFr1c3MgNwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/PXL_20210804_023228131%2B%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Working on his hiking skills (note my boot placed firmly on the trailing lead, ha)</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">This year hasn't been All Puppy All the Time, even
if it sometimes feels like it. In April, my son had his final operation
relating to last year's broken arms. The surgeon removed the titanium rods,
everything went well, and after another 6-week recovery period, I'm delighted to report the kiddo is fully healed and
100% back to normal. He’s got some impressive scars, but otherwise you’d never
know he suffered such an awful injury. Thank goodness for modern medicine, and
all the doctors and nurses and physiotherapists who took such good care of him.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Vnp5zlEQr6s/YVOqa6NX88I/AAAAAAAAU3s/2BjE0DfaKIcs1ZZiYjfZIu78hkBGtWbKgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/PXL_20210429_080409613.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Vnp5zlEQr6s/YVOqa6NX88I/AAAAAAAAU3s/2BjE0DfaKIcs1ZZiYjfZIu78hkBGtWbKgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/PXL_20210429_080409613.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Recovering after surgery</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JiSC50YBjRM/YVOdgSiu7LI/AAAAAAAAU1g/IkITSPvksDIgdcvsGJGfzPTvrpjMHKuCQCPcBGAYYCw/s2048/PXL_20210823_214838569.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JiSC50YBjRM/YVOdgSiu7LI/AAAAAAAAU1g/IkITSPvksDIgdcvsGJGfzPTvrpjMHKuCQCPcBGAYYCw/s320/PXL_20210823_214838569.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now he's back running around without a care</td></tr></tbody></table><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">After watching what the kiddo went through—and knowing
the outcome might not have been so good, were he adult and not so readily able
to heal—I was reminded all over again of how precious good health is, and how
important it is to enjoy active adventures while I can. I’m in my 40s;
hopefully I still have several decades of activity left, but you just never
know. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">So, I took a break from puppy chasing to hike
the Kepler Track with my husband. The Kepler is one of New Zealand's
"Great Walks" (which are indeed great!). It’s a 4-day, 3-night tramp
through the Fiordland wilderness near Te Anau. The scenery is varied and spectacular,
from Lothlorien-style beech forests to rocky alpine views (plus a cool cave to
explore!).</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H3MYfvI46x8/YVOft2fCh2I/AAAAAAAAU1k/w6KslLT96eA7k2D24DA3nE1kTUCsRf3EACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/PXL_20210407_185335906.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H3MYfvI46x8/YVOft2fCh2I/AAAAAAAAU1k/w6KslLT96eA7k2D24DA3nE1kTUCsRf3EACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/PXL_20210407_185335906.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tussock highlands over Lake Te Anau</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H7TnN8KX4RM/YVOfuA_cRsI/AAAAAAAAU1o/qL-BHSY5Q1YSpuaZ9d3oNBKl9RL1zFY4ACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/PXL_20210407_221821263.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H7TnN8KX4RM/YVOfuA_cRsI/AAAAAAAAU1o/qL-BHSY5Q1YSpuaZ9d3oNBKl9RL1zFY4ACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/PXL_20210407_221821263.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alpine crossing</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j4nnbhqmF2o/YVOfuDrmzVI/AAAAAAAAU1s/zctPoVtiDkwZFKOTlxzu7k2hXui5hmNOACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/PXL_20210408_212038746.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j4nnbhqmF2o/YVOfuDrmzVI/AAAAAAAAU1s/zctPoVtiDkwZFKOTlxzu7k2hXui5hmNOACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/PXL_20210408_212038746.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Forested valleys</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q3-Cz0cFD6c/YVOfvqNqhHI/AAAAAAAAU1w/neHa-fW5BQUkZuFVSzrwWNwtZidkg9okwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/PXL_20210408_222944965.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q3-Cz0cFD6c/YVOfvqNqhHI/AAAAAAAAU1w/neHa-fW5BQUkZuFVSzrwWNwtZidkg9okwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/PXL_20210408_222944965.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The trail goes ever on and on</td></tr></tbody></table></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">Kepler Track trampers stay in Department of Conservation
huts with toilets and kitchens and bunks, so not exactly roughing it. I admit I
have mixed feelings about NZ's love affair with backcountry huts. The huts are certainly nice in bad weather, and the social aspect is fun. But it's hard on light
sleepers like myself--even with earplugs, the snoring can be deafening--and
sometimes I miss the solitude and flexibility of tent camping. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-votgDBvP2hc/YVOg9dwT56I/AAAAAAAAU2E/E5DmuRJr5ZAtTRZPaPX_w8V7NSw1B_ZWQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/PXL_20210408_035215742.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-votgDBvP2hc/YVOg9dwT56I/AAAAAAAAU2E/E5DmuRJr5ZAtTRZPaPX_w8V7NSw1B_ZWQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/PXL_20210408_035215742.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Iris Burn Hut (as you can see, it's pretty fancy for a "hut")</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Oh6zUdQgcV4/YVOhNWLxzLI/AAAAAAAAU2M/0TbyMRgR_TwvYd3Gz7wGmjTDnwX0uhDmgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/PXL_20210407_053410822.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Oh6zUdQgcV4/YVOhNWLxzLI/AAAAAAAAU2M/0TbyMRgR_TwvYd3Gz7wGmjTDnwX0uhDmgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/PXL_20210407_053410822.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Common room in Luxmore Hut</td></tr></tbody></table><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">That said, we
enjoyed the Kepler so much that we decided to do two more of the Great Walk
trails as a family this summer. I managed to book spots on NZ’s most famous and
popular trip, the Milford Track, and for our second adventure, the Routeburn Track.
I did the Routeburn with my husband many years ago on our first ever trip to NZ,
long before our son was born, and loved it. We’re looking forward to sharing the
experience with our kiddo.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">In more local adventures, I made a couple trips
to Aoraki Mt. Cook National Park, which is only two hours away and one of my
favorite areas of New Zealand. I mean, just look!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FK8wsDzjlA4/YVOisHCQxqI/AAAAAAAAU2U/ZRIqZH25oYgSfdDc4PmwGFcGGajUBSlzACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/PXL_20210222_041134696.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FK8wsDzjlA4/YVOisHCQxqI/AAAAAAAAU2U/ZRIqZH25oYgSfdDc4PmwGFcGGajUBSlzACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/PXL_20210222_041134696.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mighty Aoraki</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jomiRShka3k/YVOi9L63bdI/AAAAAAAAU2c/rOfaWLMGM40PPmweibw_dW9I0QMIhXXIgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2735/IMG_1078.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1149" data-original-width="2735" height="134" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jomiRShka3k/YVOi9L63bdI/AAAAAAAAU2c/rOfaWLMGM40PPmweibw_dW9I0QMIhXXIgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_1078.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Along the route to Mueller Hut</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oYaK8w2tQuI/YVOjVmH6-jI/AAAAAAAAU2k/efJyW2NzOskBsMH-gEKUgikCBncuvNkIgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/PXL_20210813_010451937.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oYaK8w2tQuI/YVOjVmH6-jI/AAAAAAAAU2k/efJyW2NzOskBsMH-gEKUgikCBncuvNkIgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/PXL_20210813_010451937.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lake Tasman</td></tr></tbody></table><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">We also visited some new spots, like Moeraki on
the southeast coast, where bizarrely round boulders lie scattered like marbles
on the beach.</p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Cx7T_s79VOE/YVOkJTj6rNI/AAAAAAAAU2s/EexjdsMgYucYa0KJkCzrEAXIJIb-SiZ4gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/PXL_20210917_004935325.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Cx7T_s79VOE/YVOkJTj6rNI/AAAAAAAAU2s/EexjdsMgYucYa0KJkCzrEAXIJIb-SiZ4gCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/PXL_20210917_004935325.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4v-eh3tfUXE/YVOkJr2kGmI/AAAAAAAAU2w/VSR2WH1co4EnlrqQkdUxUmo9b85N4oZUwCPcBGAYYCw/s2048/PXL_20210917_004106537.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4v-eh3tfUXE/YVOkJr2kGmI/AAAAAAAAU2w/VSR2WH1co4EnlrqQkdUxUmo9b85N4oZUwCPcBGAYYCw/s320/PXL_20210917_004106537.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HahMbt7yHPs/YVOkJ6aawuI/AAAAAAAAU20/ujGWCE5GAwgRaM17-timoksoeinv6ZkpACPcBGAYYCw/s2048/PXL_20210917_004348607.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HahMbt7yHPs/YVOkJ6aawuI/AAAAAAAAU20/ujGWCE5GAwgRaM17-timoksoeinv6ZkpACPcBGAYYCw/s320/PXL_20210917_004348607.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">Plus I returned to competitive skating, which was
fun but required a lot of special exercises for my aging back to keep it from
breaking down. Getting older sucks.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sYmXHpzMQGU/YVOklG7tlrI/AAAAAAAAU3E/vdBAWiFJZnwDtZ-KY-fjPCdqffoKoQm1gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/PXL_20210815_005204149.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sYmXHpzMQGU/YVOklG7tlrI/AAAAAAAAU3E/vdBAWiFJZnwDtZ-KY-fjPCdqffoKoQm1gCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/PXL_20210815_005204149.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gold medal in Adult Gold Lades II at the South Island Champs in Christchurch. This would be more impressive if there had been anyone else in my category. But I scored a personal best for the year, so hooray for that!</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">What about writing, you may ask? Yes, I am still working
on <b>The White Serpent</b> (the Cara novella) and <b>The Dreaming Sea</b> (the completely
new novel). Progress has been slow, but now the puppy is finally learning to chill out while I’m on the computer, I
hope my writing pace will increase. Assuming I can tear myself away from the
internet, which has become a bit harder since COVID returned to NZ in August.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">For those not aware, ever since NZ's original
lockdown ended last June, the South Island has been COVID-free and living life
without any restrictions or masking or anything. That felt very weird
sometimes, looking at scenes from overseas. Like we were living in some alternate reality, compared to everyone else. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Our fortunate existence did come with a cost. All
this time, NZ’s borders have remained closed to everyone but returning citizens
and permanent residents, who must quarantine for 2 weeks upon arrival. At first
everyone was concerned about the economic cost of long-term border closure, as tourism
is a big chunk of NZ business. Yet after NZ's original lockdown in March & April
last year, the economy rebounded surprisingly well. Kiwis like to travel, and
with international travel off limits, instead everyone jumped into campervans
and traveled domestically.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8Vm8oWQADfw/YVOl-3HBvlI/AAAAAAAAU3M/HJzuaQ_KJt4mqPyAiGpH11eQD5mL7FHxgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/PXL_20201113_233113622.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8Vm8oWQADfw/YVOl-3HBvlI/AAAAAAAAU3M/HJzuaQ_KJt4mqPyAiGpH11eQD5mL7FHxgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/PXL_20201113_233113622.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crowds at the yearly cardboard boat race in Wanaka</td></tr></tbody></table></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">We live in an area heavily dependent on tourism,
and what we’ve seen is that restaurants and businesses catering to families
have done very well. (The ski areas have had some of their highest traffic in
years! So much for my dreams of untracked powder, heh.) Higher-end outfits like
heli-ski operators are struggling, as are bars who catered to the young single
backpacker crowd, but the overall impact is far less than I would have guessed.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Yet quarantine systems are never perfect, and after
watching Australia struggle with super contagious Delta, we all knew the risk
of a new outbreak in NZ was rising fast. NZ's government was hoping to get
everyone vaccinated before Delta could leak into the community, but alas, we didn’t
quite make it. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">(NZ's rollout of the vaccine has been slower than
other countries, because the government waited until one vaccine (Pfizer) made
it through the full MedSafe approval process before ordering. This caution wasn’t
unwarranted; Australia didn't wait, gambled big on AstraZeneca, and when the
news of blood clots came out, their rollout plan hit a huge roadblock. But a
wait to order did mean a wait for shipments; large quantities of the vaccine
didn't arrive in NZ until mid-year. Border workers went first, then people with
health conditions, then everyone else by age groups. The first case of Delta
was detected in the community on 17 August 2021, when NZ was about halfway
through the age group rollout.)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Happily, the government was prepared. The instant
that first Delta case got detected, all of NZ locked down into Level 4, our strictest
level. Everything closes except supermarkets and medical facilities, while the
government provides financial support so people can afford to stay home. But
could even a strict lockdown still work, given Delta's contagiousness? I was
far from the only one anxiously refreshing news sites on my phone and watching the daily COVID briefings.</span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Aeqj8exzm60/YVOos-GeRnI/AAAAAAAAU3k/hecwhRR94L0KlGYudUs91u73SC6b6dXCACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/PXL_20210817_221143314.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Aeqj8exzm60/YVOos-GeRnI/AAAAAAAAU3k/hecwhRR94L0KlGYudUs91u73SC6b6dXCACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/PXL_20210817_221143314.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanks goodness for gorgeous weather during Second Lockdown. When not supervising the kiddo's remote schooling, I spent a lot of time walking the puppy in vain hopes of getting his energy out. Deprived of his usual doggy playdates and off-lead walks, Comet was climbing the walls.</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">To my huge relief, after two weeks of level 4, the case numbers in
Auckland peaked and diminished, and the virus did not spread beyond the North
Island. NZ began easing out of lockdown again. At the moment, Auckland is in Level 3 (takeaway food & other contact-less business allowed) and the rest of us are in Level 2, in which everything
is open but indoor venues have capacity limits and masks are required inside. Auckland is still getting anywhere from 8 to 40 new cases every day; I suspect Level 3 won't be enough to achieve full elimination again. Assuming L3 is enough to keep the virus from spreading beyond Auckland, I'd guess the rest of us will stay in Level 2 until the population reaches a high vaccination percentage. The plan is
to complete vaccination of everyone over 12 by the end of the year, after which
point the government intends to stage a slow re-opening of the border. Fingers crossed.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">I talked back in January about how hard I found
it to have hope for the future of humanity. I still struggle with this.
Yet it’s helped me to see NZ pull together as a community throughout this
pandemic. It IS possible to have a government that cares about the health and
welfare of its citizens, and for the citizens to have faith in the government’s
decisions. (One huge help to the trust, IMHO, is clarity in communication. The govt
has been excellent about saying, “Here is the current data. Here is what the
scientists tell us. Here are the decisions we’ve made based on that scientific
advice, and why we have made them. Here is our goal, and here’s the support we’ll
provide so together we can reach it.”)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AenHLV_iuf0/YVOoU0DR3uI/AAAAAAAAU3c/b-eLIB5G6IQP46tR5xXrlI0c2yYlMSM6ACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/PXL_20210713_195720770.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AenHLV_iuf0/YVOoU0DR3uI/AAAAAAAAU3c/b-eLIB5G6IQP46tR5xXrlI0c2yYlMSM6ACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/PXL_20210713_195720770.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">If only climate change could be tackled so
easily. Or even entrenched economic issues like runaway housing markets and
long-neglected infrastructure. But I am still grateful for the reminder that
humans can unite to achieve good things, not just tear each other apart.</span> </p></span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div>Courtney Schaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00593975028655479293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650130703584309038.post-51663389099846994792021-01-20T17:40:00.005+13:002021-01-20T17:40:59.560+13:00State of the Schafer: 2020 in Review<p style="text-align: left;">I started a “2020 in review” post right as
January began, but then came the assault on the US Capitol on January 6<sup>th</sup>,
and I just…stalled out. Whenever I think of the situation in the US, I’m
swamped by such a mix of anger and sorrow that finding words feels nearly
impossible. I mean, thank God that Biden won the election and tomorrow will
take over the Presidency. But so many Americans still believe Trump’s lies,
even without a shred of actual evidence behind them, even when the lies lead to
violence and insurrection and deaths. “You can’t reason someone out of a
position they didn’t reason themselves into,” as the saying goes. But then how do you fix the problem?</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">It's hard to see how the country can survive this, in
the long term. “This” meaning a divide not just between political views, but on
the very nature of truth and reality. Trump is not the cause, he is only the
symptom. When he is gone, the siren song of tribalism and delusion that blinded
his followers will remain. How do you reach people so caught in delusion they refuse
to acknowledge evidence and facts? Who believe absolutely in a leader despite his
constant contradictions of his own words? Who are willing to reverse positions on a dime without a hint of cognitive dissonance? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">I don’t know. I try to focus on the good: not
every Republican was willing to follow Trump off the cliff. <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2021/01/how-close-did-us-come-successful-coup/617709/" target="_blank">Some few officials, like Aaron Van Langevelde in Michigan, and Brad Raffensperger in Georgia, stood up to enormous pressure from their own party and President, and refused to falsify evidence and support lies. </a>Even Mike Pence, silent through so many of
Trump’s abuses of office, finally hit a line he wouldn’t cross. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">I wish I could feel more relieved. But if all
that stands between the US and a violent collapse into authoritarianism is the
honor and character of a few Republicans…that’s terrifying. While some
conservative writers are <a href="https://www.nationalreview.com/2021/01/a-final-assessment-of-the-trump-presidency-and-the-path-forward" target="_blank">at least honest in their appraisal of the damage</a>, I
haven’t seen any sign that the Republican party as a whole intends to do
anything but keep plowing down the same ruinous path. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">So yeah, I find hope hard to come by. Especially
with the looming specter of ever harder times ahead, as the world struggles to
deal with ever more costly impacts of pandemic and climate change. I believe
Biden has good intentions, but he ran on a promise of trying to restore the way things were before. America as it was before is exactly what gave us Trump in the first place. I
fear Biden won’t have the courage or political support to enact the sweeping
reforms needed to stop corruption, combat the erosion of truth and spread of conspiracy theories and racism,
and dismantle the outsize influence of lobbyists and corporate money on US politics. And that will be bad for all the world, not just the US. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Maybe my inability to see a path forward is a
failure of my imagination. I remain enough of an optimist to hope that is true. New Zealand's election did give me some hope that not every country is doomed to follow America's ever-more-partisan path. Here, when the more conservative National party began to dabble in Trumpian disinformation and "blood sport" politics, they were soundly rejected by voters. For now, anyway. New Zealand is not immune to the problem of social media amplifying untruths and conspiracy theories. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">But anyway. My doom and gloom could be the result of exhaustion</span>...2020 was a strange and difficult year, even here where good leadership spared us most of the ravages of COVID. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">I looked back at last January's post about my goals for 2020 and didn't know whether to laugh or cry. I didn't finish my drafts. I
didn't compete in figure skating. I didn't complete my book recommendation
algorithm. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Instead, I was there for my son when he needed
me. First to help with his remote learning and keep him sane during the claustrophobic weeks
of NZ's strict lockdown in March and April, and then later during the much
longer and painful recovery from his trampolining accident. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">I couldn't be
happier to report that he's pretty much back to normal now. He’s water
skiing and climbing and having a blast. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ADY0CxaJFpA/YAeoqFOpIMI/AAAAAAAARN8/woU7eVn_Y1MtYb9yXnvjzoQQ-DcgdQzawCPcBGAsYHg/s4032/PXL_20210115_205724552.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ADY0CxaJFpA/YAeoqFOpIMI/AAAAAAAARN8/woU7eVn_Y1MtYb9yXnvjzoQQ-DcgdQzawCPcBGAsYHg/s320/PXL_20210115_205724552.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look, Mom, no hands needed! </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ppJtOGKuzTM/YAeo-RATJfI/AAAAAAAAROE/mEWTTkQyiv4dijOI9w-LaOK_rTOJjlHwgCPcBGAsYHg/s4032/PXL_20210113_221811231.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ppJtOGKuzTM/YAeo-RATJfI/AAAAAAAAROE/mEWTTkQyiv4dijOI9w-LaOK_rTOJjlHwgCPcBGAsYHg/s320/PXL_20210113_221811231.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The best method of physical therapy</td></tr></tbody></table></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: left;">The final surgery to remove the titanium from his right arm still looms at some as-yet-unspecified time in the next few months, but in the meantime he's able to run and play and enjoy his summer school holidays, and that's been wonderful to see.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: left;">I did achieve one of my old goals: I started engineering consulting work, taking on a
project related to the analysis of climate change, looking at high-resolution
calculation of ice volume change in Greenland glaciers using synthetic aperture
radar (SAR) data. That was just the kind of work I'd been hoping to find, so definitely a high point for the year.</p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: left;"><span lang="EN">Thanks to New Zealand's success at
eliminating and controlling COVID, we were still able to get out and explore
some beautiful new-to-us areas of the country. Nature is such a balm for the
soul, and boy does New Zealand have a lot of balm to offer.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XX9ZJShplNI/YAerN1CC-OI/AAAAAAAAROc/fHf-tu_eEmYo2ZtzhLKSwJqrvnA6yXdpACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_20200119_095429.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XX9ZJShplNI/YAerN1CC-OI/AAAAAAAAROc/fHf-tu_eEmYo2ZtzhLKSwJqrvnA6yXdpACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_20200119_095429.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hiking in Mt Aspiring National Park</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gOBslOCvLPw/YAer09BewKI/AAAAAAAAROs/2ZMipmxzW2Y2Im3GooxZTzyI5NHqKzC5QCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_20200531_112241.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gOBslOCvLPw/YAer09BewKI/AAAAAAAAROs/2ZMipmxzW2Y2Im3GooxZTzyI5NHqKzC5QCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_20200531_112241.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nugget Point in the Catlins</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ygNs-gv6FQc/YAesCW6HmaI/AAAAAAAAROw/whQrgzWQRI4eE0FonauYqVu7qvnBWzMegCPcBGAsYHg/s4030/PXL_20201020_195716658.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3022" data-original-width="4030" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ygNs-gv6FQc/YAesCW6HmaI/AAAAAAAAROw/whQrgzWQRI4eE0FonauYqVu7qvnBWzMegCPcBGAsYHg/s320/PXL_20201020_195716658.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rhododendrons in bloom (they're not native to NZ, but they sure do make for pretty walking)</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: left;">Last but not least, in early December, I fulfilled
a long-held dream of my son's: we got a family dog. My son has wanted a puppy
for years, but the timing never seemed quite right, until now. A backhanded
gift of the pandemic: we knew we wouldn't be traveling overseas to see family
anytime soon, so during my son's summer holiday in Dec/Jan, we'd finally have
the time to devote to raising and training a puppy. If you haven't already seen the new addition to our family on my twitter and Facebook feeds, meet Comet:</p><div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9AbNrsw4leg/YAes6ejGK4I/AAAAAAAARPA/Mh-l93K4g7EQJ9h_5hobus2SKsZ7doILgCPcBGAsYHg/s4032/PXL_20201230_012218556.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9AbNrsw4leg/YAes6ejGK4I/AAAAAAAARPA/Mh-l93K4g7EQJ9h_5hobus2SKsZ7doILgCPcBGAsYHg/s320/PXL_20201230_012218556.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Why Comet? He's white, he's fast, he's got a tail.</td></tr></tbody></table></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">Comet is adorable and loving and cuddly...and also
exhausting and time-consuming and a hell of a lot of work, as all puppies are. It really is like
having a baby again. A highly mobile baby with crocodile teeth and the urgent
desire to eat everything that could kill him. (We have already had several
emergency vet visits due to him snarfling up unfortunate objects hidden in the grass
before we could stop him.) I won't lie, there have been sleepless nights and occasional tears and a lot of stressing over naps and crate training. But my son’s joyful laughter when he plays with Comet makes all
the work worthwhile, and I’m certainly partial to puppy snuggles.
(Comet loves to cuddle in my lap when he’s finally tired enough to sit still. Hooray for cuddly puppies!)</p><o:p></o:p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rE6ZRycaeaM/YAetKfMCwII/AAAAAAAARPM/FdcUBuWiv5ADERc32-SUcyPeSJleNx25QCPcBGAsYHg/s4032/PXL_20210104_011158466.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rE6ZRycaeaM/YAetKfMCwII/AAAAAAAARPM/FdcUBuWiv5ADERc32-SUcyPeSJleNx25QCPcBGAsYHg/s320/PXL_20210104_011158466.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A boy and his dog</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_Eh-T8s-qqo/YAetVAL-FuI/AAAAAAAARPQ/DZQENnmfSCk4LMRsuk1Eo6szRfDexEtdQCPcBGAsYHg/s4032/PXL_20210101_175444475.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_Eh-T8s-qqo/YAetVAL-FuI/AAAAAAAARPQ/DZQENnmfSCk4LMRsuk1Eo6szRfDexEtdQCPcBGAsYHg/s320/PXL_20210101_175444475.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view of my lap these days</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">So what about 2021? I am too sleep deprived from
puppy parenting to have any deep thoughts or high expectations. I would very much
like to finish my drafts. That's the part of the past year that feels like an
abject failure, even knowing all the reasons for it. <b>The White Serpent </b>(Cara
novella) is at least close to done. <b>The Dreaming Sea</b>...isn't, but there's no point in
stressing over how far there is to go. I'd rather do my best to enjoy the
journey.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
<span lang="EN" style="line-height: 107%;">I was
going to share some of the books and other entertainment that helped keep me
sane throughout the past year, since I suspect we’ll all need sanity-savers for quite a
while yet. But this post is long enough already, and the puppy will soon wake from
his nap. I'll have to share those another day. In the meantime, I’ll close with
the wish that all of you can find moments of peace and joy and comfort this year, in whatever
ways speak to you best.</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6SAdP5MZQ0c/YAetiyHUKqI/AAAAAAAARPU/zjWCDCM8O58FGNFEoxkb4gLdqegOhEu3gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_20200521_074056.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1386" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6SAdP5MZQ0c/YAetiyHUKqI/AAAAAAAARPU/zjWCDCM8O58FGNFEoxkb4gLdqegOhEu3gCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_20200521_074056.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><span lang="EN" style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></p></div><br />Courtney Schaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00593975028655479293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650130703584309038.post-11165489217617210602020-10-14T15:35:00.000+13:002020-10-14T15:35:41.451+13:00All Good Things<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">September was certainly a long, difficult month,
with the kiddo needing 24/7 care while his broken arms healed, but I’m
delighted to have some cheery news to share this time.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: inherit;">First and biggest, the kiddo is now cast free!
The doctors have been very pleased with his progress. His bones are healing
well, and now he’s out of casts and bandages, he’s been regaining his range of
motion. Regaining his strength and fine motor control will take longer, but he’s
doing physical therapy twice a week and improving every day, which is wonderful
to see. Kids’ ability to heal truly is amazing. (I sure wish we kept that
ability as adults!) </span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V6bizwJME9w/X4ZbSZA8DKI/AAAAAAAAPo0/8r5MzSBoM4URlsf-2doQDnOD_JQ1_qIBgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/PXL_20200925_042029814.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V6bizwJME9w/X4ZbSZA8DKI/AAAAAAAAPo0/8r5MzSBoM4URlsf-2doQDnOD_JQ1_qIBgCLcBGAsYHQ/w320-h240/PXL_20200925_042029814.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hooray for hands!</td></tr></tbody></table></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">He’s not back to fully normal life quite yet. No
sports or running or biking allowed for 6 more weeks, lest he fall and damage
his still-healing bones, and in a few months he'll need to get the titanium rods removed from his right arm. Currently he is able to swim and kayak and do easy
hikes, hooray!</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jkIaTsCZCmQ/X4ZbfqMiJlI/AAAAAAAAPo4/HQuadGzxvPAX3pgJCN3RbYEB9oi9tsk2wCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/PXL_20200926_060027911.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jkIaTsCZCmQ/X4ZbfqMiJlI/AAAAAAAAPo4/HQuadGzxvPAX3pgJCN3RbYEB9oi9tsk2wCLcBGAsYHQ/w320-h240/PXL_20200926_060027911.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enjoying an evening stroll alongside Otago Harbour</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-klcbIPD9iJA/X4ZgZTDkx1I/AAAAAAAAPpU/pjqGTN7YGuY6WFEqNRKMeoAhLQRz8iyGQCPcBGAsYHg/s4032/PXL_20200925_215959657.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-klcbIPD9iJA/X4ZgZTDkx1I/AAAAAAAAPpU/pjqGTN7YGuY6WFEqNRKMeoAhLQRz8iyGQCPcBGAsYHg/s320/PXL_20200925_215959657.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of Dunedin from Signal Hill<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kOnEDdkUT_o/X4ZfgT2FlxI/AAAAAAAAPpI/u5re9IvHbbI58STNd2oiDaMkzg-rvfY7gCPcBGAsYHg/s4032/PXL_20200925_221709207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kOnEDdkUT_o/X4ZfgT2FlxI/AAAAAAAAPpI/u5re9IvHbbI58STNd2oiDaMkzg-rvfY7gCPcBGAsYHg/s320/PXL_20200925_221709207.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Learning some science at the Otago Museum</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">On Monday, when Term 4 of the NZ’s school year
began, he returned to school full time, which means I finally have time again
for both working and writing. It’s been great to dig back into my drafts. I’m
doing some revision/editing on the Shattered Sigil short stories, and pushing
farther forward on <i>The Dreaming Sea. </i>Okay, and also doing some hiking outside in the glorious spring weather...</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S6KYHO0cwHM/X4Zg2Vk_NwI/AAAAAAAAPpc/lZNM-y1hxP0rsfyn46Z2z-er2Lwf-yg5QCPcBGAsYHg/s4032/PXL_20201009_023611667.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S6KYHO0cwHM/X4Zg2Vk_NwI/AAAAAAAAPpc/lZNM-y1hxP0rsfyn46Z2z-er2Lwf-yg5QCPcBGAsYHg/s320/PXL_20201009_023611667.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enjoying a local track alongside the Clutha River</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-joiELORukdg/X4ZhVMcgKRI/AAAAAAAAPpk/gFHlJXr5jS4xoHYsY5EWump61qXq9uS-QCPcBGAsYHg/s4032/PXL_20200925_030140388.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-joiELORukdg/X4ZhVMcgKRI/AAAAAAAAPpk/gFHlJXr5jS4xoHYsY5EWump61qXq9uS-QCPcBGAsYHg/s320/PXL_20200925_030140388.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spring in New Zealand means lots of blooming rhododendrons (seen here at Dunedin Botanic Gardens)<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">The second chunk of good news I’m celebrating is not
just specific to my own little family. New Zealand is once more COVID free! In
case you didn’t hear, right about the time my son broke his arms, the virus
escaped the managed isolation facilities for Kiwis returning from overseas and
got into the community again in Auckland. This wasn’t a wholly unexpected
event; the government had been warning everyone that flare-ups are inevitable,
even as they worked to ramp up testing and tracing capabilities.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN">But then came the real test. NZ eliminated the
virus before with a super strict country-wide lockdown and a large amount of government
financial support to make sure people could afford to stay home and businesses
afford to close. Could we eliminate COVID again with only a limited, less strict single-city lockdown combined with rapid testing, tracing, and isolating?
Had the government done enough to prepare during the precious months of
normality the first lockdown bought us?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN">The answer is yes. As I write this, community
transmission within NZ is back to zero, Auckland is no longer in lockdown, and we’re
all back to “Level 1” normal. Everything open, no distancing, no masks required
(though strict border controls remain, as before: nobody is allowed into NZ except
returning citizens and residents). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN">Looking at the horrifying death tolls overseas,
life as normal feels more of a gift than ever. Yet it isn’t a gift, it’s the
result of hard work, on the part of both government and the people. PM Jacinda
Ardern and her government have followed the advice of scientists and public
health experts. They put people’s lives, not short-term economic gain, as
their highest priority; and in response, the majority of Kiwis have done all
they could to follow the rules and keep each other safe. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN">It’s been interesting to see the economic results
of that. Yes, the economy contracted sharply during NZ’s first lockdown. But when
normality returns, it brings a big bounce-back. People are happiest going out
to eat, traveling, shopping when there is no COVID to catch. <a href="https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/prefu-shows-economy-doing-better-forecast">NZ’s economy is now doing better than forecast</a>, and <a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/remarkable-return-of-business-confidence-anz/MIE5GHA5DIIX4LA6A67RRAPYHE/">business confidence has undergone a "remarkable" positive turnaround.</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN">NZ’s success has come from going “hard and early”—doing
short, sharp lockdowns at the first sign of community transmission. That strategy
is no longer possible for countries who have allowed COVID to run rampant. (Oh
America, my heart breaks thinking of you.) The more of a foothold COVID gains,
the longer restrictions must remain in place to get control of infections, as
<a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-10-14/will-victoria-hit-its-next-target-on-the-roadmap-to-reopening/12761584">Melbourne’s recent struggle in Australia has unfortunately shown. </a>Yet Melbourne’s numbers also show that control IS possible, even with high infection
rates beforehand. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN">I feel such frustration and fury whenever I think
about the utter incompetence of the US response. As <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMe2029812">the scathing analysis by the usually apolitical New England Journal of Medicine says</a>, “The magnitude of
the failure is astonishing.” But that brings me to the final good news that I’m
celebrating: at last, <b>at last,</b> the US presidential election is almost here, bringing
the possibility of change.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN">I don’t love Biden. But by God, I’ve voted for
him, and if you are American, I hope you will too. Even in the case where Biden
wins and the Democrats also take both House and Senate, <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/10/collapsing-levels-trust-are-devastating-america/616581/">the stark divisions polarizing
the US and the lack of public trust won't be easy to fix.</a> Yet as is true for
the larger, even more daunting problem of climate change, it is never too late
to take actions that will save lives and reduce damage.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: inherit;">NZ is also going through an election right now. Here, you
don’t have to be a citizen to vote; residents and permanent residents are also allowed.
(Not just allowed! Required to register.) Today I cast my very first ballot in
my adopted country, and I feel pretty darn happy about that. PM Jacinda Ardern
has done a terrific job handling COVID, and I hope she gets to continue. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But as NZ is a parliamentary democracy, you don’t
vote for the PM. <a href="https://elections.nz/democracy-in-nz/what-is-new-zealands-system-of-government/what-is-mmp/">Under NZ’s MMP system, you get two votes: an “electorate”vote, where you vote for a person to represent your local area, and a “partyvote” that helps choose how many seats in Parliament each party will have</a>.
Usually, no party gets enough votes to govern alone, and they must form a coalition
with other parties to gain a majority. Last election, a small party called NZ
First ended up as “kingmaker” because their choice of coalition partner would determine
which of the two major parties had enough seats to rule. NZ First is on the conservative
side, yet they chose to form a coalition with Labour party and the Green Party,
which meant Labour’s leader Jacinda Ardern became PM (and thank God for that!).
<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This time, Labour is coming into NZ’s election carrying
huge popularity, since many Kiwis are as happy as I am with Jacinda’s track
record on COVID and other crises. Labour may even win enough seats to rule
alone…but personally I hope they’ll still need the help of the Greens, who
always push their coalition partners to address climate change issues. For that
reason, my party vote went to Green, not Labour, despite how much I like
Jacinda Ardern. It feels both weird and good to know a small-party vote isn’t
wasted here.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span lang="EN" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">With both my US and NZ ballots submitted, all I can do is pray that the country of my birth will join my adopted country on a better path. Maybe there's only a slim hope of that, but after the last four years--and especially the last few months!--it
feels good to have any hope at all. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span lang="EN" style="line-height: 107%;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xNzh99PY_7I/X4Zhzf_PMrI/AAAAAAAAPps/BDfE7yvvnnU5kLDv3hnRpv6PXHNpl_K8wCPcBGAsYHg/s4032/PXL_20200926_214331771.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xNzh99PY_7I/X4Zhzf_PMrI/AAAAAAAAPps/BDfE7yvvnnU5kLDv3hnRpv6PXHNpl_K8wCPcBGAsYHg/s320/PXL_20200926_214331771.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hoping for a wave<br /></td></tr></tbody></table></span></p></div>Courtney Schaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00593975028655479293noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650130703584309038.post-47151795659109905332020-08-28T19:20:00.003+12:002020-08-29T08:06:41.383+12:00Trials and tribulations<p>August has not been a good month at Casa Schafer.
Two weeks ago, my son had a bad fall at trampoline practice and broke both his
arms, the right one very badly.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN">Trampolining is his passion. He's been taking
classes with a coach for a few years now, and last year he began competing.
Ever since NZ came out of our original lockdown, he's been training 3 times a
week, preparing to compete again. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN">On that fateful Friday two weeks ago, he was practicing a move
known as a crash dive ball-out. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7XOSQKqy9A">The idea is to extend straight out like Superman into a dive toward the trampoline, then at the last minute tuck over to land on your back before doing a flip.</a> The trick went wrong for him mid-dive,
and he wasn't able to tuck over. He plummeted down face-first and threw out his
arms in reflex. The coach yanked the crash mat under him, but only had time to
get it partway. His left arm hit the cushioned mat. The left forearm bones broke, in a straightforward fracture. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN">The right arm hit the tramp. Olympic-style tramps
have a lot of spring tension to send a gymnast sky-high. That same
spring tension means the surface is very stiff. Falling from a great height
onto a locked arm was like driving his arm straight into concrete. The forearm
bones snapped with tremendous force. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN">If you're wondering what that does to an arm,
it's not pretty. Think horrible, unnatural angles and bloody bones protruding from the skin. The sight will haunt my nightmares for a long time to come.
But he was lucky. Circulation to his hand and fingers was not compromised. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN">The pain was bad, though. Our area is very rural, so it took the ambulance 45 minutes to arrive. I wasn't there for
the accident; I'd arranged for another parent to do pick-up duty that evening.
I was cooking dinner, happily considering weekend plans, when I got the call
that every parent dreads: <i>Your son is badly hurt. I've called the ambulance,
but you should come. </i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN">I got there long before the ambulance. Yet I
couldn't go to my son; he was lying on the trampoline, covered by some spare
hoodies, the coach at his side. She warned me that any motion of the trampoline
(as from me stepping on it) would significantly increase his pain. All I could
do was help distract him by talking, and pray for the paramedics to hurry up. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN">Thank goodness, when they did arrive, they took
great care of him. He was choppered to the nearest major hospital, 270 km away
in Dunedin. I was able to ride with him in the helicopter. My husband
frantically packed some bags and drove to meet us, at "bat out of
hell" speed, thankfully without crashing. At the hospital, the trauma team
set my son's arms, and scheduled him for surgery first thing in the morning. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN">The 4 hours he spent in surgery was the longest wait of my life. Happily, the work to repair his arms went well, and he's
expected to make a full recovery. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ET-DreqLW3o/X0iq0vSfXdI/AAAAAAAAPKw/1gJIphxX83IaRvst2NbUjVbHuCuQlnSagCPcBGAYYCw/s2048/IMG_20200816_153901%2B%25281%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="410" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ET-DreqLW3o/X0iq0vSfXdI/AAAAAAAAPKw/1gJIphxX83IaRvst2NbUjVbHuCuQlnSagCPcBGAYYCw/w307-h410/IMG_20200816_153901%2B%25281%2529.jpg" width="307" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Post surgery, working on his left-fingered gaming skills in hospital. The children's ward rooms in Dunedin are pretty sweet. PlayStation, TV, bed for a parent, la-z-boy armchair, the works. It doesn't help much in the middle of the night when your child is in pain, but thankfully the nurses are also awesome.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN"><br />The road will be long. His left arm is in a full cast--he can move his fingers pretty readily, but due to the rigidity of the cast, can't do much with the arm. The right arm has temporary titanium rods holding the bones in place, so it doesn't need a cast. But that arm and hand are still terribly sore while the damaged muscles and displaced nerves heal. His fingers can all move, but they're very weak. He'll need physical therapy once his arm recovers enough to use.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN">At least he's out of the hospital. But with both
arms out of commission, he can't do much for himself. Eating, drinking,
bathing, toileting, all of it needs assistance. I'm home schooling him until he
has the use of at least one hand again. This is helped by his school having
prepared for a potential new lockdown. (The South Island of New Zealand so far remains in Level 2 after the recent virus resurgence in Auckland. Level 2 means everything open, but with social distancing measures in place, and ready to lock down if needed.) Most of his weekly class materials are
available online, so I can help him follow right along with the coursework. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN">This kind of home teaching takes way more of my
time than ordinary remote learning does, since I have to click on things for
him, turn pages for him, fill out his answers on worksheets, etc. I joke that
it's hands-on home schooling where I am the hands. I'm very fortunate that
we're in a position where I can put my contracting work on hold for a little
while, and that my husband also works from home. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN">I'm also incredibly grateful for New Zealand's
health system. Injuries from accidents are 100% covered for anyone, whether NZ residents like us or tourists, by the government's accident compensation scheme, or ACC. My son's helicopter ride, his surgery, his 5 days in the children's ward,
his follow-up visits and x-rays and prescriptions, all the specialists and therapists who attended him in the hospital, all of it comes at no cost to us. The ACC people even called me up to ask how they can help financially with travel
expenses for our stays in Dunedin, or any special devices my son might need for
school, that kind of thing. The lady was so kind and helpful I just about
cried. I wish every parent with an injured child could simply focus on their
recovery without worrying over how much it will cost. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN">(For comparison, 11 years ago in Colorado when I had my son via C-section, I had to pay about $6,000 in deductible and co-pays for my surgery and 5-day hospital stay. This was with the top level of health insurance from an excellent employer. And no helicopter ride.) </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN">Our local community has also been wonderful.
Friends and fellow trampoline club parents have made meals for us and sent
gifts and cards and offered all kinds of help in cheering up my son and
keeping him company during his recovery. I can't thank them enough. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN">Even with all the help and support, it's still a
tough road for the kiddo to walk. (At least he can walk! We strap up his arms in slings and go out for a little longer walk every day.) </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IDyTiXIOIyg/X0ivfqYq3nI/AAAAAAAAPLI/kC-iQQI5J1cwUFUAFOJg4zk7E7N6as7MgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_20200822_130132b.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1239" height="410" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IDyTiXIOIyg/X0ivfqYq3nI/AAAAAAAAPLI/kC-iQQI5J1cwUFUAFOJg4zk7E7N6as7MgCLcBGAsYHQ/w248-h410/IMG_20200822_130132b.jpg" width="248" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On a walk. The pained expression is because his right arm still hurts when bent in a sling. It gets better by the day, though.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">We don't know how fast he will
recover; all we can do is take it day by day. We do a lot of board games, and family movies, and gentle cuddles. Whoever you are, wherever you are, if you've got the full use of your hands, take a moment to revel
in all you can do with them. We take so much for granted. I feel like I never will again. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7QghtgUrk9g/X0iq2WwzxgI/AAAAAAAAPK0/Z1fDO-wsIeoL4W7rZ9pjsrXBOkqYV_0-gCPcBGAYYCw/s2048/IMG_20200824_181829.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="307" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7QghtgUrk9g/X0iq2WwzxgI/AAAAAAAAPK0/Z1fDO-wsIeoL4W7rZ9pjsrXBOkqYV_0-gCPcBGAYYCw/w410-h307/IMG_20200824_181829.jpg" width="410" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Courtney Schaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00593975028655479293noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650130703584309038.post-10057078039312263142020-07-24T10:27:00.002+12:002020-07-24T10:33:48.140+12:00CoNZealand/WorldCon scheduleI've been meaning to write about what it's like to live in the wonderful yet weird zone of Level 1, a.k.a. total freedom from COVID. New Zealand achieved the holy grail that I hardly dared dream of back in lockdown: complete elimination of the virus within the borders. We're enjoying life as more-or-less normal, with schools and restaurants and ski areas and bars all open, no masks or distancing required, albeit with a lot fewer tourists and a lot more uncertainty over the future. But I know how fortunate we are here. It's a bizarre and almost guilty feeling to watch the news and see what troubles others are facing.<br />
<br />
Who knows how long NZ's blessedly virus-free status will last? The borders remain closed to all but returning citizens and permanent residents, who must complete a 14-day mandatory quarantine under Ministry of Health supervision. Yet one slip-up in quarantine procedures could lead to a disastrous new outbreak like the one <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-03-17/coronavirus-cases-data-reveals-how-covid-19-spreads-in-australia/12060704?nw=0">Australia is currently struggling to contain</a>. I'm glad the NZ government <a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/421237/covid-19-response-pm-jacinda-ardern-outlines-what-s-next">has a plan for how they'll stamp out new flare-ups</a> (hooray for competent leadership!), but as Kiwis <a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/covid-19/420729/covid-19-testing-rates-drop-people-can-fall-into-a-bit-of-complacency">get complacent and testing rates fall</a>, I worry NZ won't be able to detect viral spread before it snowballs.<br />
<br />
I can't control the future, but I can seize the day while it's here. We've been exploring and enjoying as much as we can. The first 3-day weekend after lockdown ended, we headed down to the <a href="https://www.catlins.org.nz/">Catlins</a>, an area on NZ's wild and rugged southern coast full of gorgeous waterfalls and sea cliffs and wildlife.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BgDsPba1_Xg/XxoJk6Z3EMI/AAAAAAAAOxY/L3eSgMkZhHwa3BUimyggDMUo42vIMfn_QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_20200531_112241.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BgDsPba1_Xg/XxoJk6Z3EMI/AAAAAAAAOxY/L3eSgMkZhHwa3BUimyggDMUo42vIMfn_QCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/IMG_20200531_112241.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nugget Point</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QOYig-g96FI/XxoJvrLqgwI/AAAAAAAAOxc/kMfncK6p3g87wHwhoXKPQbT1G5ye4UongCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_20200530_102819.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QOYig-g96FI/XxoJvrLqgwI/AAAAAAAAOxc/kMfncK6p3g87wHwhoXKPQbT1G5ye4UongCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/IMG_20200530_102819.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Purakaunui Falls</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Then for my son's 2-week July holidays, we headed to the "north of the south": <a href="https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/nelson-tasman/places/abel-tasman-national-park/">Abel Tasman National Park</a> and the <a href="https://marlboroughnz.com/the-marlborough-sounds/">Marlborough Sounds</a>, for some glorious winter sunshine and plenty of kayaking, boating, and trekking.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w0QC5xNBKMk/XxoKvKKROZI/AAAAAAAAOxo/LkhS5v7XC7ghCsHJO88jNPpNRznzKLrjgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_20200710_115455.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w0QC5xNBKMk/XxoKvKKROZI/AAAAAAAAOxo/LkhS5v7XC7ghCsHJO88jNPpNRznzKLrjgCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/IMG_20200710_115455.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Abel Tasman NP (I can never get over the color of the water!)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u9iqZSqhH-A/XxoK6uC8_2I/AAAAAAAAOxs/6vU0497i6ecKWOhpqvow88WToMYyTKw8ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_20200710_123530.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u9iqZSqhH-A/XxoK6uC8_2I/AAAAAAAAOxs/6vU0497i6ecKWOhpqvow88WToMYyTKw8ACLcBGAsYHQ/s400/IMG_20200710_123530.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Split Apple Rock</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z9dlcDCOoy0/XxoLGCQAEJI/AAAAAAAAOx0/sltDt7AxUm8aHd9s5WB1fjp3EXIY3P7EQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_20200712_102141.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z9dlcDCOoy0/XxoLGCQAEJI/AAAAAAAAOx0/sltDt7AxUm8aHd9s5WB1fjp3EXIY3P7EQCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/IMG_20200712_102141.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kenepuru Sound</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The fun's not over yet: next week, I head to Wellington, which is where the <a href="https://conzealand.nz/">78th World Science Fiction Convention, a.k.a. ConZealand</a>, was originally supposed to take place. The convention is all virtual/online now, but since my Air NZ flights to Wellington weren't cancelled, I decided to still use them and turn the Wellington trip into a kind of writing retreat. (I'm so close to finally finishing the infamous Cara novella, <b><i>The White Serpent</i></b>!) Plus it'll be fun to get together with some of the Wellington-area SFF folks.<br />
<br />
I'm interested to see how well ConZealand will work as a virtual convention. I know the conrunners have put a ton of work into making it happen, and I know from friends who attended the SFWA Nebula con that online cons can still be a really fun experience. So, I'm excited to try it out, and if you too are attending, I hope to see you there! Here's my schedule:<br />
<br />
<b><a href="https://sites.grenadine.co/sites/conzealand/en/conzealand/schedule/788/Can%20Living%20in%20a%20Small%20Space%20on%20Earth%20Prepare%20You%20for%20Living%20in%20Space?">Panel: Can Living in a Small Space on Earth Prepare You for Living in Space? </a></b><br />
29 Jul 2020, Wednesday 16:00 - 16:50 New Zealand Time, Programme Room 3<br />
<br />
Could you live in a self-contained space that must supply food, water, and protection from a hostile environment for days and weeks at a time? Some people have done this on sea, others on land. Can these experiences help us survive in space or on another planet? How can off-earth living spaces be engineered based on what we learn from building and living in small spaces here?<br />
<br />
Katrina Archer (M), M. Darusha Wehm, Courtney Schafer, David D. Levine<br />
<br />
<b><a href="https://sites.grenadine.co/sites/conzealand/en/conzealand/schedule/228/Juggling%20for%20Writers:%20Making%20Progress%20When%20You've%20Got%20a%20Million%20Responsibilities">Panel: Juggling for Writers: Making Progress When You've Got a Million Responsibilities </a></b><br />
30 Jul 2020, Thursday 16:00 - 16:50 New Zealand Time, Programme Room 4<br />
<br />
In addition to writing, many authors work a day job and/or have child or elder care responsibilities. Tips and tricks from people who have been there, and are there, on balancing multiple roles and finding your balance.<br />
<br />
(Note: I'm moderating this one, and boy am I interested in hearing what the panelists have to say, since this is definitely something I've struggled with in the last years!)<br />
<br />
Erin Wilcox, Jen Zink, Courtney Schafer (M), Holly Black, Sam Hawke<br />
<br />
<b><a href="https://sites.grenadine.co/sites/conzealand/en/conzealand/schedule/933/Access%20to%20Space">Panel: Access to Space </a></b><br />
31 Jul 2020, Friday 16:00 - 16:50 New Zealand Time, Programme Room 1<br />
<br />
It's hard to go into space ... but it's getting easier. With reusable boosters, increasingly capable robots, better space suits and now the first steps toward asteroid mining, is the tomorrow of yesterday's sf finally just around the corner?<br />
<br />
Courtney Schafer, Bill Higgins, Dr. L. Suzanne Casement (M), Dave Taylor, Dr Stephen Dedman<br />
<br />
<a href="https://sites.grenadine.co/sites/conzealand/en/conzealand/schedule/530/SpecFicNZ%20Get%20To%20Know%20Us"><b>Meetup: SpecFicNZ Get to Know Us</b></a><br />
31 Jul 2020, Friday 19:00-19:50 New Zealand Time<br />
<br />
Are you a Kiwi or Pasifika writer interested in meeting other SFF writers from the region? SpecFicNZ is the association for creators, writers and editors of speculative fiction (science fiction, fantasy and horror) in or from New Zealand. If you're not yet a member, come find out what resources and opportunities we have to offer. If you're already a member, come hang out with friends both old and new.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://sites.grenadine.co/sites/conzealand/en/conzealand/schedule/1958/Reading:%20Courtney%20Schafer"><b>Reading: Courtney Schafer</b> </a><br />
2 Aug 2020, Sunday 11:00 - 11:25 New Zealand Time, Reading Room 1<br />
<br />
If you've been wondering what the heck I've been up to writing-wise these last few years, now's your chance to find out. I plan to read a short bit from <i><b>The White Serpent </b></i>(the Cara novella) and another short bit from my brand-new fantasy novel, <i><b>The Dreaming Sea. </b></i><br />
<br />
Anyway, hope to see some of you next week at CoNZealand, and if you want to do some virtual travel by looking at more pics of our NZ adventures, I've been posting some on <a href="https://twitter.com/cischafer/status/1284245328594481152">Twitter</a>.Courtney Schaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00593975028655479293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650130703584309038.post-49525408863832429872020-05-09T16:57:00.003+12:002020-05-09T16:57:32.141+12:00Life in Level 3On April 28th, NZ moved down to <a href="https://covid19.govt.nz/alert-system/alert-level-3/">Alert Level 3</a>. Businesses are allowed to open, if they can maintain social distancing of employees and do contact-less delivery to customers. Schools are open only for those children whose parents must return to work and have no one else to care for them. (My son, like most of his classmates, remains at home doing remote learning.) Travel within our local region is allowed, as are "small" expansions of household bubbles to include nearby relatives. (We don't have any relatives nearby, sadly, so our bubble remains the same.)<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uPgRYKUfTs8/XrY0x9X9H6I/AAAAAAAANiU/DGb558otONcOi4CcJx9On68qCRN7GgMSACPcBGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_20200429_142006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uPgRYKUfTs8/XrY0x9X9H6I/AAAAAAAANiU/DGb558otONcOi4CcJx9On68qCRN7GgMSACPcBGAYYCw/s400/IMG_20200429_142006.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At least we can take our very small bubble to a very big lake</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Everyone's excited we now have the option of eating take-away food ("take-away" is the Kiwi term for take-out). On day 1 of Level 3, the <a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12327839">queues in the cities for fast food drive-throughs were apparently epic.</a> Wanaka doesn't have any drive-throughs, but plenty of local restaurants opened for contact-less take-away. We decided to make Fridays a take-away dinner night, to support local businesses and give me a night off cooking (yay!).<br />
<br />
Sadly, our first Friday wasn't quite the success I'd hoped. At my son's request, we ordered from his favorite burger place in Wanaka...but turns out that the 20 minute drive back to Hawea is long enough for the burgers to cool down and get less appetizing. Mine was okay--it had balsamic mushrooms and feta, which I'll happily eat at any temperature. But my husband didn't like his, and my son said sadly, "This isn't as good as I remember."<br />
<br />
Ah well! Other attempts have gone better. When I went to Wanaka for groceries, my son begged me to stop by <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.co.nz/ShowUserReviews-g612500-d2571514-r279647929-Yohei-Wanaka_Otago_Region_South_Island.html">Yohei Sushi</a> and pick up some tuna onigiri. Onigiri is one of my son's favorite snacks ever: it's a <a href="https://www.justonecookbook.com/onigiri-rice-balls/">triangle of pressed, salted rice with a ball of filling inside (tuna, in this case)</a>. Seriously, the kiddo says he likes tuna onigiri even better than ice cream. <i>What.</i> I mean, I like them too, but I wouldn't go that far. Anyway, onigiri travels just fine. When I brought home a big bag, the kiddo fell upon those tuna triangles like a starving wolf and declared himself in seventh heaven.<br />
<br />
My own "seventh heaven" moment came when I checked with our local Department of Conservation and discovered that mountain trails are open for hiking in Level 3, so long as you can pass other hikers with 2m distance and you keep your hike to 3 hours or less. We promptly raced out to enjoy a family outing on the upper <a href="https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/otago/places/hawea-conservation-park/things-to-do/timaru-river-track/">Timaru River track</a> ("track" is what Kiwis call trails). Oh my goodness, it was so nice to go walking somewhere different than our local lakeshore trail. I'm still staying away from my favorite "advanced" hikes, because those trails are steep and tricky enough it'd be near impossible to pass anyone at 2m distance. But it's lovely to have the chance for proper dayhiking again.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EfInQascl0c/XrY0x_d1okI/AAAAAAAANiU/aTXwG-fIF-0lS9hOEuFVFrqFnhfw1fQ5ACPcBGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_20200428_132746.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EfInQascl0c/XrY0x_d1okI/AAAAAAAANiU/aTXwG-fIF-0lS9hOEuFVFrqFnhfw1fQ5ACPcBGAYYCw/s400/IMG_20200428_132746.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Family hike, hooray!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xX-MgWh7aVQ/XrY0x9aiHvI/AAAAAAAANiU/2SB53178okYPhzfqYe9G2AFx89wyWXK3QCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_20200428_132516.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xX-MgWh7aVQ/XrY0x9aiHvI/AAAAAAAANiU/2SB53178okYPhzfqYe9G2AFx89wyWXK3QCPcBGAYYCw/s400/IMG_20200428_132516.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The upper river track is an old 4WD road, so very easy to keep 2m away while passing. (Not that you have to pass often...as you can see, there aren't exactly crowds.) The lower river track, in case you are wondering, goes along the creekbed and involves a lot of wading. The day was pretty chilly for getting wet in a glacial stream, so we kept to the nice dry upper track.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The best news is that <a href="https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-current-situation/covid-19-current-cases">daily new cases of COVID-19 have remained in the low single digits, and recently we've even had a few days with zero new cases</a>. NZ's government has used the weeks of Level 4 & 3 lockdown well; they've enormously ramped up testing, contact tracing, and all the apparatus of public health required to stay on top of the virus.<br />
<br />
(That last part is what the US seems to be completely neglecting, to my astonishment and deep sorrow. The purpose of a lockdown is not to stay in stasis for ages until a vaccine is ready. It's to give a country the time needed to build up their public health system to the point any viral spread can be swiftly detected and controlled. Maybe some individual US states are doing this--I hope some are!-- but at the federal level, all I see is idiots throwing up their hands and saying, "Welp, this is all just too hard. Time to give up the fight and get back to work. It's sad that over 100,000 Americans will die, but gosh, there's no way to prevent it." While they ignore all the countries like Germany and South Korea and Taiwan and Australia and New Zealand proving that there IS a way, and no, you don't have to completely destroy your economy to manage it.)<br />
<br />
Anyway. On Monday, the government decides if NZ will take another step out of lockdown, down to Level 2. For me, Level 2 is the holy grail, because SCHOOLS RE-OPEN, hallelujah! After so many weeks of homeschooling and entertaining and providing all the kiddo's in-person social interaction, I can't even imagine what it'll be like to have weekdays to myself again.<br />
<br />
I need that time more than ever, because I recently returned to engineering work. This year, one of my goals was to find some way I could use my engineering/aerospace skills to contribute toward addressing climate change. To my delight, the opportunity came up to do some work on a science grant using radar data to evaluate changes in Greenland glaciers. I've started the work, and I'm really excited about it, but gosh, it sure will be easier to fit into the day if the kiddo is back in school.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jhI2sqd78nY/XrY0x8-HUHI/AAAAAAAANiU/kiAK7r0hzHACXuSEizPMXC9hmxKCagJpQCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_20200508_120859.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jhI2sqd78nY/XrY0x8-HUHI/AAAAAAAANiU/kiAK7r0hzHACXuSEizPMXC9hmxKCagJpQCPcBGAYYCw/s400/IMG_20200508_120859.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Physical education for the day: a bike ride along the lakeshore trail. The kiddo tells me this is not as fun as schoolyard cricket.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Ha, and it will also be easier to fit in writing, though I'm not waiting for Level 2 for that. I'm still plugging along despite the current challenges. My daily goal is 500 words or one hour, whichever comes first. That isn't much, I know. I heave a sigh when I look at other authors tweeting, "I've written 7,000 words today!" But, eyes on my own paper. Even 500 measly words a day adds up to a full book in less than a year. The trick is to keep going. (Just keep swimming, just keep swimming...)<br />
<br />
Did anybody else ever watch the 80s PBS educational drawing show called <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgLeSe8pN3s">Secret City</a>? As a kid I loved it. The host, Commander Mark, was obviously a big science fiction fan. Each episode, he'd teach you to draw something cool by working on a new bit of this <a href="https://markkistler.com/2018/12/help-find-home-mural/">huge mural with aliens and temples and spaceships and fantastical plants and creatures.</a> The best part was that Mark had so much <i>fun</i> when he drew; his love for drawing and comics and art just blazed through the screen. I was looking for something arty to do with the kiddo, since art would've been one of his subjects this term, and discovered that <a href="https://markkistler.com/">Mark Kistler, a.k.a. Commander Mark, has been making "how to draw" TV shows and books all these decades since, and continues to teach kids to draw today via web lessons</a>. He hasn't lost an ounce of his old enthusiasm and joy, either. During COVID-19, he's offering <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/MarkKistler">free webcast lessons every day at noon CST</a>. How cool is that? Also, if you've got Amazon Prime, you can watch his <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Koala-Family-Cockatoo/dp/B077BMKJBN">Imagination Station episodes</a>.<br />
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<u><b>Reading Corner:</b></u> my recent reading has mostly been various scientific papers and other technical non-fiction, as I come up to speed for my consulting project. (At bedtime, the kiddo and I are now reading Rick Riordan's <b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28187.The_Lightning_Thief">Percy Jackson</a></b> series, which he is hugely enjoying.) When I return to adult fiction, I've got two new-ish releases waiting for me on the Kindle:<br />
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<b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43155726-the-girl-and-the-stars">The Girl and the Stars</a></b>, Mark Lawrence. I've been impressed by pretty much everything I've read from Lawrence so far, thanks to his excellent prose and memorable characters. This is the start of a new series set in the same world as his previous Book of the Ancestor trilogy. (You don't have to read the prior series first, though I have.) Reviews have been great, so I'm eager to dive in. Besides, a story set on an ice world seems just the thing to read as NZ heads into winter.<br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52381770-network-effect"><b>Network Effect</b></a>, Martha Wells. The first full length Murderbot novel! If you haven't read the preceding novellas, you are so missing out. Especially if you like stories about prickly, wary, sarcastic introverts with good hearts who slowly learn trust and build friendships, even as they outsmart clever enemies. This kind of SF is my comfort food. Perfect reading in the midst of a pandemic.<br />
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<br />Courtney Schaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00593975028655479293noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650130703584309038.post-41082678035971021072020-04-19T12:38:00.000+12:002020-04-19T12:38:22.096+12:00Life In Isolation, Report #3Only a few days left of the original 4-week lockdown! Wednesday is the end date. Tomorrow (Monday) the government will make a decision as to what happens after that. Will we stay at Level 4 for longer, or drop down to Level 3? New case numbers have declined from a high of 89 per day early in the lockdown, to a low of 8 two days ago. (It went back up a little yesterday to 13 new cases, but all 13 were directly linked to prior cases and not community spread, so that's still good news.) The past few days, the Ministry of Health ordered random sample testing at supermarkets around the country, to check if they're missing any silent community spread from asymptomatic carriers. So far all that testing has come back negative, which is the best news of all.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A glimpse of hope</td></tr>
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NZ's lockdown is clearly working. We really might be able to eliminate the virus within the country. So do we extend the Level 4 restrictions a bit longer to try and get new cases all the way down to zero? Or loosen up a little to Level 3, in which some businesses can re-open, and trust in comprehensive testing and contact tracing to continue controlling the spread? The PM and her cabinet have waited for the last minute to make an official decision because they want to see and evaluate the very latest data--a precaution I applaud. (I have been so impressed by NZ's handling of the crisis. Let's hear it for competent, compassionate, science-based government!)<br />
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For us personally, it won't make too much of a difference to our daily lives if we go to Level 3. Schools won't open to anyone but the children of essential workers unable to arrange other childcare, so the kiddo will still be at home, needing my help with his schooling. His break finished up after Easter, which was a gray rainy day but at least we managed an egg hunt in our backyard.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Easter egg dying station</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The result of our labors. After the egg hunt, I made them into deviled eggs, but accidentally put in too much mustard. Google informed me it's possible to solve a mustard problem by adding some brown sugar. This actually worked. So it's not just the kiddo who's learning things in lockdown! </td></tr>
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School at home is going fine, the kiddo is enjoying the lack of uniforms and long bus rides and he's learning plenty. (Thanks to our online Japanese lessons, now both he and I know how to ask politely for English tea or green tea at a Japanese teahouse. Sadly, I do not like any type of tea. I will have to find out if there's some other Japanese drink I might like instead.)<br />
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Home schooling does make it awfully hard for me to get much else done during the day. The kiddo won't be going back to school until Level 2, and God knows when that'll be, so I just have to make my peace with the new normal.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Practical maths: using decimal measurements to make gluten-free cinnamon sugar baked donuts. Except I don't have a donut pan. Google claimed we could use a muffin pan and put little balls of crumpled up baking paper in the center of each tin to make the result donut-shaped. This was a lie. They did not come out looking anything like donuts. More like weird little cake things with jagged gaps in the middle.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still tasty, though, especially with some salted caramel ice cream covering the chasm in the middle.</td></tr>
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If we go to Level 3, everyone's still supposed to stay home and in their "bubble" if at all possible, i.e. no socializing in person. ("No playdates?" wails the kiddo, bereft.) Restaurants will remain closed. Drive-throughs are allowed to open, but our little town doesn't have any of those. (The nearest McDonalds is an hour away in Queenstown!) Maybe we'd be able to get take-away fish & chips from the local cafe, which would actually be exciting, since it's been ages since I last ate a meal I didn't have to make.<br />
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Businesses will be allowed to open if they can sell products online with contact-less delivery, which means we could maybe order more stain for our house. (We've run out, and we still have lots and lots of staining left to go, ugh.) No motorized or open-water hobbies allowed, meaning no boating or kayaking on the lake, but we'd be allowed to go swimming or fishing from shore, and maybe hiking on a real trail, woo hoooooo! We're heading into winter now, and the weather's getting iffy, but I'll take any mountain exercise opportunities I can get. (Oh goodness I am hoping we get to Level 2 by ski season, though!) <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Woke up this morning to lovely lavender and rose light, with fresh snow on the mountains. </td></tr>
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Anyway, life goes on. I'm still trying for an hour of writing every day, and still saving my sanity with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nvlxn0EnmbM">Revolution Yoga</a>. But I still struggle with worries about the world's future, and anger at people who still refuse to take the virus seriously. <br />
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When I read accounts from doctors in COVID-swamped ERs (like <a href="https://slate.com/technology/2020/04/nyc-emergency-log-coronavirus.html">this one</a>, and <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/medicine/comments/fv070e/3_more_days_of_inpatient_care_in_new_york_1113/">this one</a>), I often wish our news wasn't so sanitized. I know they're not filming much in affected hospitals because of privacy and safety reasons. Yet I feel like all of us who are healthy should witness the truth of the lives lost. We don't see the patients gasping desperately for air, dying of viral-damaged lungs and hearts and kidneys, so it's easy to dismiss the deaths as dry statistics. A comment I saw on twitter really struck me: imagine if we had a zombie outbreak, but we never get to see the zombies, only healthy people talking about them. That's what it's like now. We see the global death toll steadily rising, but we don't see the dying. Only doctors and nurses do, and it's <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/medicine/comments/g0ovry/one_day_of_care_in_new_york/">shattering them</a>. Also <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/medicinememorial/">killing them</a>, even as many are asked to work without proper protective equipment. Calling them heroes does nothing to make up for that.<br />
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So yeah, when it's a cloudy freezing miserable day and we're all stuck in the house together getting snappish and mopey, I read <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/medicine/">r/medicine </a>and<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Residency/"> r/residency</a> and <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/nursing/">r/nursing</a> to get a stark reminder of the reasons for the rules. If staying in Level 4 longer ensures NZ's doctors and nurses never have to fight such battles, I am all for it.<br />
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<b>Reading report: </b>I finished <b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Weave-Lightning-Corry-L-Lee-ebook/dp/B083ZR2L3S">Weave the Lightning</a></b>, which lived up to my hopes. The magic system is quite intricate and complex, which I enjoyed but (fair warning!) might put off some readers. I took Russian all through high school and university, so I enjoyed the Russia-inspired feel of the secondary world, and the circus setting gave me fond memories of HBO's Carnivale. As will surprise nobody who's read my own books, I particularly enjoyed the two main characters' gradual transition from suspicion/animosity to tentative respect/friendship and eventually to a deeper relationship. I often feel like YA novels rush the character relationships, but <i>Weave the Lightning</i> does not, hooray. The story does end on a fairly cliffhangery note, but of course I don't mind that either--I look forward to seeing what happens in the next book.<br />
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I haven't yet decided what to read next. At bedtime, the kiddo and I are together reading one of my long-time favorites, Patricia McKillip's Cygnet duology. We're on the 2nd book now, <b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00H87RO7A">The Cygnet and the Firebird</a></b>, which I love best of the two, and it's so cool that the kiddo is loving it also. Oooh, this part of parenthood is the best. Wish I could go back to my younger stressed-out, sleep-deprived self during the difficult screaming baby days, and assure her that everything will be okay, the kiddo will be fine and the coming joys will more than make up for the exhaustion and tears. Alas for my lack of a time machine. Instead I shall soak up every instant of joy I can, to save against future challenges. <br />
<br />Courtney Schaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00593975028655479293noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650130703584309038.post-83919203956657172102020-04-05T16:55:00.002+12:002020-04-05T16:55:38.700+12:00Life in Isolation, Report #2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We're now in week 2 of lockdown. In another few days, we should be able to see if the restrictions are making a strong difference in viral transmission. It's already been heartening to see that even with greatly increased testing, numbers of new cases are rising linearly rather than exponentially. 36,209 tests have been run to date; NZ is currently at 1039 cases, with only 1 death so far.<br />
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The low death rate is likely because the majority of NZ's cases are linked to overseas travel, and travelers tend to be younger and healthier. If the virus makes it into a more vulnerable demographic, the death rate can go up quite fast. If we're very lucky, the lockdown will have been put into effect early enough to prevent that from happening. But all we can do is wait and see. Every day at 1pm the <a href="https://www.health.govt.nz/news-media/news-items/covid-19-media-update-5-april">Ministry of Health holds a live press conference discussing new cases</a>. I don't watch every single day, but if I'm near a computer at 1pm, I do rush to go see. (Holding my breath, hoping for low numbers).<br />
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It's not always easy to adjust to life in level 4. This past week, the weather was absolutely gorgeous--warm, sunny, and calm. My son told me about a million times how much he wished we could swim in the lake. (We can't; no swimming or watersports allowed.) I gazed longingly at the local peaks, thinking of how perfect the weather is for hiking them. (Tramping isn't allowed either.) My husband likewise heaved many a sigh, grumbling that it's just not fair for the wind to stop NOW, why couldn't it be like this back when we were allowed to go boating?<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tantalizing autumn weather--look at that, not a cloud in the sky, nor any wind to blow you off the ridges!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He can't go swimming, but at least he can still skip stones</td></tr>
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I realize we're still very fortunate, though. We know families with spouses stuck in different countries; and others who were halfway through moving, who're now living in campervans or sheds. We're doing just fine, we're in our own home, we're all healthy, and at least we can still walk and bike for exercise. And since my son's school moved their 2-week fall break forward, he's spared from schoolwork for the time being. (Right when my homeschool routine was working so well! Oh well, I'll put it back into practice soon enough. The school break ends on April 15th, and then it's back to work.)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Such a hard life. I mean, somebody's got to eat all the grapes from our greenhouse grapevine.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breaking out the tried and true alternatives to screen time.</td></tr>
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We did put the excellent weather to some good use. For ages now we've been working on staining our house. A very slow project, since it's hard work and involves a lot of ropes and ladders for the upper sections, and honestly when the weather is good we are all too quick to go hiking or biking or boating instead.<br />
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Ha, but not now. With no more excuses left, we've been tackling the sun-facing north wall of our home. (Even after almost 3 years living in the southern hemisphere, it still throws me on occasion that the north face has all the sun exposure, while the south face is shadowed and cold.) The north wall has a hell of a lot of pine weatherboard to stain, and the panels have been, well, weathered pretty badly by the ferocious sun. (There's not much ozone layer above NZ.) As my sore arms can attest, this means it takes huge amounts of stain to cover and seal the wood, urgh. The worst part is that when I finally get a section done and want to celebrate, I realize I'll have to do it alllllll over again for the second coat.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KRWykdkeP6E/XolZwqaWeGI/AAAAAAAANO8/l95XuqhjkYMzTtZJWHqYuKkoo9A80HrnwCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_20200405_125322.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KRWykdkeP6E/XolZwqaWeGI/AAAAAAAANO8/l95XuqhjkYMzTtZJWHqYuKkoo9A80HrnwCPcBGAYYCw/s400/IMG_20200405_125322.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The North Face. May look a lot less impressive than Everest's, but man, if we ever finish getting multiple coats of stain onto all that wood, I will feel almost as much accomplishment as if I'd climbed some Himalayan peak.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IW4Y2ym5lEw/XolZwtUPHgI/AAAAAAAANO8/rIUYpVoHd_YypF0pAY-uSE2x7c19zSV-gCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_20200405_103536.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IW4Y2ym5lEw/XolZwtUPHgI/AAAAAAAANO8/rIUYpVoHd_YypF0pAY-uSE2x7c19zSV-gCPcBGAYYCw/s400/IMG_20200405_103536.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This morning's work. </td></tr>
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Our fruit trees have been going to town, which is great but also a little bit sad because we can't share the fruit with neighbors and friends. (No food sharing allowed in lockdown!) I refuse to let the bounty go to waste, though. As I'm still new to everything about gardening, I spent ages slicing and freezing our lovely red peaches before I happened to stumble across a webpage that informed me stonefruit can be frozen whole. My God, why didn't anyone tell me? Soooo much easier to just wash 'em, dry 'em, and dump them in a freezer bag.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is only the smallest selection of our vast number of peaches. They look grayish because they are "black boy" peaches, which are purple-gray on the exterior, bright red on the interior. I think "red peach" is a better name, so that's what I call 'em. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready for freezing. The intense red is the natural color. The flavor is different than normal peaches, a lot more tart when fresh, but mellows into this rich, complex, super deliciousness when cooked. I don't like cooked peaches ordinarily, but I love these.</td></tr>
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All the Kiwis do tons of canning and jam-making and preserving, but my husband can't eat sugary jams/preserves, my son doesn't like them, and it feels like a daunting amount of work, anyway. For now, I'm sticking to freezing and baking.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I made gluten-free red peach muffins! Very tasty. Sadly it turned out the kiddo does not like any type of cooked peach, even in muffins. Oh darn, guess I have to eat them all, to spare my husband from sugar.</td></tr>
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If you're wondering how writing is going, well, I'm writing where and when I can. Much like the house staining, progress is slow, but even slow progress adds up in the end, I hope. It is definitely nice to have the mental escape from worrying over the virus and the long-term global consequences thereof. Writing requires so much concentration for me that it leaves no room for anything else. That is a blessing in stressful times, no question. May we all find such relief.<br />
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Speaking of absorbing escapes, I finished Sangu Mandanna's <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/43258307"><b>A House of Rage and Sorrow</b></a>, and I'm delighted to say the further adventures and difficulties of her characters kept me just as entertained as <b>A Spark of White Fire</b>. This one is a darker book but no less engaging. I stayed up late after putting the kiddo to bed so I could devour it all in one go. I think the third novel comes out later this year; I've already got it pre-ordered.<br />
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In the meantime, I'm excited to dive into <b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Weave-Lightning-Corry-L-Lee-ebook/dp/B083ZR2L3S">Weave the Lightning</a></b>, by Corry L. Lee. Storm magic and a Russian-inspired world sound like exactly my jam. This is her debut novel, it has just released, and oh gosh, my heart goes out to her and every other author debuting in pandemic times. Getting the word out about your brand new book was hard enough before, but now? Eeeeek. Maybe it's not huge in the scheme of things, but all of the things we miss and lose due to this virus still matter. So hey, if you're looking for entertainment in your isolation, be sure and check out recent releases, especially debuts. They'll need extra help not to sink below the readership radar. <br />
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Courtney Schaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00593975028655479293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650130703584309038.post-39536195307652554802020-03-28T13:45:00.001+13:002020-03-28T13:45:58.939+13:00Life in Isolation, Report #1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Welp, we're on day 3 of national lockdown. NZ is up to 451 cases. The majority of them are still associated with overseas travel, but a few "clusters" of transmission have happened within NZ. One such cluster was an international cattle conference that took place in Queenstown 2 weeks ago; several infected people from the conference then attended Wanaka's agricultural & pastoral show, one of the biggest local events of the year, which had a crowd of 40,000. (Doh!)<br />
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So far only a dozen people are in hospital, but that's certain to change. The government's best modeling indicates we'll reach several thousand cases in the next week or two. After that, if the lockdown is working to stop community transmission, we'll hopefully start seeing a decrease.<br />
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Boy do we all hope for that. This has led to some community arguments over what is and isn't allowed in lockdown. What is the definition of "going out for exercise" in a town full of climbers, marathon runners, mountaineers, and other outdoor enthusiasts? The local coast guard has asked people not to kayak and boat on the lake, to spare volunteers from having to mount rescues in case of trouble. But what about mountain biking the multitude of trails accessed from town? Or driving to more remote but still "local" trailheads? Or surfing the <a href="https://www.lakewanaka.co.nz/things-to-do/adventure/kayak-sup-and-wakeboard/hawea-wave/">Hawea wave</a>? The debate rages in local Facebook groups, with some arguing we should all stick to neighborhood walks, others insisting mental health is important, and so long as distancing is kept, other activities should be fair game.<br />
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Our household is playing it safe and keeping to short walks down to the lakeshore. Well, plus a lot of time bouncing on our backyard trampoline, and occasional games in the empty lot next door.<br />
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For my own sanity, I worked out a daily school schedule for my son, and we've settled into a reasonable routine.<br />
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We get up, have breakfast, I shower and do a 20-30min yoga workout using free youtube videos. (I just finished "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXU591OYOHA&list=PLui6Eyny-UzwxbWCWDbTzEwsZnnROBTIL&index=1">30 days of Yoga with Adriene</a>", which I really liked, so now I'm on to another 31-day set of her videos called <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLui6Eyny-Uzzl1q-GskVUZp6Fk8nIr9rK">Revolution.</a> I can't recommend these enough. Adriene is a terrific instructor, very practical/pragmatic with a nice sense of humor, and she's great at explaining different options for beginner/intermediate/expert in each pose. For me it's been a total sanity saver.)<br />
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9am: My husband heads into his home office for work. (His company has always worked remotely, so his routine hasn't really changed!) For me and the kiddo, the "school day" starts. From 9-10, my son works on a range of activities assigned by his classroom teacher. His school has done a spectacular job of setting up tons of online learning, for which I am tremendously grateful. While the kiddo works, I write.<br />
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10am: Free time, with the caveat of no screens. I play with him if he wants.<br />
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11am: The kiddo does another block of schoolwork, and I work on my algorithm project.<br />
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12pm: Lunchtime! And chores.<br />
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1pm: Music lesson: I'm teaching him piano, since that's the instrument I play best. I wish I had been smart enough to buy some beginner piano books before the lockdown, but oh well. Instead I print off beginner exercises and music I find online.<br />
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1:30pm: Japanese lesson! The kiddo and I decided to learn Japanese together, in hopes we can visit Japan someday post-pandemic. Our Kiwi friends tell us the powder and tree skiing there are epic. We're using <a href="https://www.rocketlanguages.com/japanese/premium">Rocket Japanese</a>, which I like so far. We have a lot of fun trying to beat each other's scores on the various games & quizzes.<br />
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2pm: "Physical education"...aka, get active for an hour. We trampoline, practice cricket bowling, run sprints, dance to music, whatever the kiddo wants to do that is active.<br />
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3pm: School day is done, now the kiddo gets screen time. He plays video games and Skypes with his friends or watches favorite shows. I catch up on news, email friends, do more chores (we are still trying to stain the outside of the house!).<br />
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530pm: My husband's usually done with work, so we make dinner and then go for a family walk to the lake, or watch a movie together, or something family-oriented.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Evening on the lakeshore</td></tr>
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All good so far, but the lockdown is yet young. I keep thinking about how hard it must be for parents of very young children or rebellious teenagers, especially if both parents are also trying to work from home. It's been a touch exhausting trying to keep my energetic 11 year old from climbing the walls, and replacing all his in-person social interaction; yet I know I'm lucky compared to so many others. Hugs to everyone out there struggling to make it through another day.<br />
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This will all be worth it if NZ can stop this virus. In my dreams, the lockdown works and thousands of lives are saved. Domestic restrictions get lifted after a month or so, and within NZ we can return to socializing and domestic travel and tramping/climbing/kayaking/etc, even if our borders have to stay closed to stop new cases. This is perhaps too optimistic a dream, but hey. Hope is a nice thing to have.<br />
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In the meantime, for anyone looking for distraction, I've got books to recommend. I've been re-reading Sangu Mandanna's <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Spark-White-Fire-Celestial-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B0788C19TT/"><b>A Spark of White Fire</b></a>, an <a href="https://courtney-schafer.blogspot.com/2019/05/state-of-schafer-vol-6.html">engaging YA space opera that I've mentioned here before</a>, in preparation for reading the sequel, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PT9HSKZ/"><b>A House of Rage and Sorrow</b></a>. The first book definitely holds up the second time through; I'm just as captivated as I was before, and really looking forward to seeing how the story continues. If you want to escape the world for a while, definitely try this SF adventure with sentient space ships and difficult family relationships plus magic and meddling gods.<br />
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<br />Courtney Schaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00593975028655479293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650130703584309038.post-514029311032652162020-03-24T13:00:00.000+13:002020-03-24T13:00:11.700+13:00Heading into LockdownOver the weekend, COVID-19 case numbers in NZ increased to 102, and the first dreaded signs of community transmission appeared in Auckland and Wairarapa. To my huge relief, the government was swift to act. In an address to the nation yesterday, <a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/412403/all-of-new-zealand-must-prepare-to-go-in-self-isolation-now-prime-minister">PM Jacinda Ardern raised the nation's immediate alert level to 3, with the understanding that over the next 48 hours the country will prepare to go into full level 4 lockdown</a> (as of midnight Wednesday, NZ time).<br />
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Lockdown means all schools closed, all businesses closed except for health services, pharmacies, supermarkets, supply chain, police & vital govt services. We are all to stay home, no travel outside local area, no contact with anyone outside our households. If we go outside we must maintain 2m distance from anyone else. If needed, this will be enforced by police & military. The g<a href="https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/govt-takes-significant-economic-decisions-nz-readies-alert-level-4-covid-19-fight">overnment will prohibit rent increases and evictions, work with banks to provide mortgage relief, and ensure basic income for all Kiwis</a>. We will remain in lockdown for at least 4 weeks.<br />
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This is absolutely New Zealand's best and only hope of preventing the swamping of the health system and the resultant huge numbers of deaths. Will it work? Oh goodness I hope so, but only time will tell.<br />
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It's a little chaotic right now, as people rush to prepare. Despite the calls to "shop normally", supermarkets in bigger cities are apparently madhouses. Tourists who haven't yet left the country may not be able to get out in time, as many flights are cancelled. Kiwis who'd been traveling in different areas of the country are racing to get home, a process complicated by the ferries between North and South Islands having limited space.<br />
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But everyone agrees this is necessary. My eyes welled up when I saw the <a href="https://www.national.org.nz/increased_measures_supported_by_national">statement of support from NZ's main opposing political party</a>, the more conservative National party. They have <a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12319085">suspended all campaigning</a> and expressed full confidence in the PM's actions, despite the severe economic consequences of a full lockdown. “We support any measures that will protect the health and safety of New Zealanders...we will work in a supportive and constructive way with the Government in the interests of bringing New Zealand through this crisis together."<br />
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Those of you in America will understand why I nearly wept upon reading that. Just...I can't even imagine seeing a similar headline in the US, and that both terrifies me and breaks my heart. The deep divisions of American society are about to quite literally kill people. Especially the "alternate reality" bubble that so many Americans have complacently built around themselves; the one in which the president is super-competent and the virus over-blown. I want to scream when I think of the months wasted, the insistent denials of the virus's severity, the eagerness to prioritize profit over people's lives, so that even now, too many people don't take self-isolation seriously.<br />
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I keep thinking of the line from HBO's Chernobyl miniseries, "Every lie we tell incurs a debt to the truth; sooner or later, that debt is paid."<br />
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In America, the debt is coming due. I fear it will cost far more lives than Chernobyl.<br />
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Yet I cling to hope. Regardless of government, each of us has some power to affect the virus's spread. When my husband and son and I went for a walk last night, we and the other families we saw called cheerful greetings from a good long distance and conscientiously steered well clear of each other. I've been messaging the parents of my son's friends to set up virtual playtime options. Local Facebook groups are filled with people offering whatever help is needed for those alone or requiring shopping assistance. All this is in no way unique to New Zealand, I am sure. Our actions are our own best hope, regardless of country.<br />
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So to everyone out there, wherever you live, I pray you stay healthy and safe. And please, so long as the virus is not contained, stay isolated<i>.</i><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w-O4w31KKRE/XnlNHhdX7UI/AAAAAAAANEc/GDVA9pGXXY0VM8_YgPtsNZ0kGYuReqBxgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_20200323_165846.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w-O4w31KKRE/XnlNHhdX7UI/AAAAAAAANEc/GDVA9pGXXY0VM8_YgPtsNZ0kGYuReqBxgCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/IMG_20200323_165846.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's okay to go outside if there's nobody else around</td></tr>
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<br />Courtney Schaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00593975028655479293noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650130703584309038.post-44999787871223973962020-03-21T16:26:00.000+13:002020-03-21T16:26:15.778+13:00Alert Level 2In the 2 days since my last post, NZ is up to 52 cases of COVID-19. Two of them aren't related to overseas travel: we now have the dreaded first sign of community spread. NZ's PM addressed the nation today to <a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/412280/live-prime-minister-jacinda-ardern-gives-address-to-nation-on-the-covid-19-response">unveil a 4-level alert system</a>; we're currently at level 2. This means schools stay open, but every adult who can work remotely should start doing so. We're asked to stop all non-essential domestic travel, and those people in high risk groups (elderly, immunocompromised, underlying conditions), should limit contacts by staying at home.<div>
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As I watched the PM's announcement, my son was downstairs playing with a friend. Another little friend is supposed to come over tomorrow, and I already agonize: should I cancel that? It's probably safest to do so. Yet so long as my son's school remains open, he's exposed to some risk anyway, and this may be one of his last chances to enjoy ordinary playtime. I don't think we have long before the alert level rises and we all go into true isolation, for who knows how long. </div>
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Looking at social media posts from friends all around the world, I can't help but recall the parts in Stephen King's masterwork of viral apocalypse <i>The Stand</i> where characters mourn the world that was. All the simple conveniences of life, but most of all the shared rituals of community, from baseball games and summer fireworks to crowded movie theaters. We're not anywhere near as bad off as survivors in <i>The Stand</i>, of course. Our favorite acts of community aren't forever gone for us, just gone for a while. We still have the internet to keep us together and build new rituals of connection despite physical isolation. But it's still a time to mourn, because when we come out of this crucible, the whole world will be different in ways we're not yet sure of. </div>
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PM Jacinda Ardern finished her speech to the nation by calling on people to "be strong; be kind." Oh, how I hope we can live up to that. (For my part, I'm registering with the <a href="http://www.volunteeringcentral.org.nz/">local volunteer network</a> which will organize help for local community members.) </div>
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In the meantime, if you're stuck at home and looking for a read that celebrates kindness and friendship in difficult times, I've got a rec for you:</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6uaJxQxYCao/XnWHij7M99I/AAAAAAAANCw/NIQ9nyAxWdYEJFI281226SboX0xkBLZIgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/emmabullfinder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="307" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6uaJxQxYCao/XnWHij7M99I/AAAAAAAANCw/NIQ9nyAxWdYEJFI281226SboX0xkBLZIgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/emmabullfinder.jpg" width="206" /></a></div>
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Emma Bull's <b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/70585.Finder">Finder</a></b> is old-school elfpunk urban fantasy, a murder mystery set in a town straddling the magical border between human and elven lands. The protagonist, Orient, is a human runaway with a psychic knack for finding things. His best friend is an elven woman named Tick Tick who's a talented mechanic. When Orient is forced into helping the local police solve a string of murders, Tick Tick and his other friends aren't going to let him face trouble alone. Bull's typical excellence with character work makes the story really shine. <b>Fair warning</b>, it does involve a deadly plague and contains a heartbreaking death scene, so if you don't want that reminder of reality in your reads right now, keep it for another time. Me, I plan to curl up with it tonight. </div>
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Courtney Schaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00593975028655479293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650130703584309038.post-91903344657541571392020-03-19T17:15:00.002+13:002020-03-19T17:15:57.924+13:00Calm before the stormI just read over the <a href="http://courtney-schafer.blogspot.com/2019/12/state-of-schafer-2019-in-review-picture.html">last post I made here</a>, way back at the beginning of the year, and wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry. So much for my attempted optimism about 2020, eh? A few days after Jan 1, I remember reading a <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-50984025">BBC article about a new virus hospitalizing people in China</a>. It was easy to dismiss beneath the deluge of terrible news about the bushfires in Australia, and the threat of war between the U.S. and Iran. I remember thinking, <i>Oh gosh, what now--as if we need a plague on top of everything else!</i> But even at worst, I assumed a "plague" meant something like SARS or H1N1. Sad for everyone affected, but society as a whole would plow on as normal.<br />
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Ha. Well. Here we are, in the kind of epidemic straight out of a disaster movie. New Zealand is not so badly affected yet. (Yet.) Our first confirmed case wasn't until Feb 28, and on Mar 14, when we still had only 6 cases, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern ordered that everyone, residents and visitors alike, arriving into New Zealand has to self-isolate for 14 days. It's getting a lot harder to reach NZ at all, with <a href="https://www.odt.co.nz/star-news/star-business/air-nz-cut-international-capacity-85">Air NZ cutting way back on flights</a>, and <a href="https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/world/qantas-stops-all-international-flights-stands-down-20-000-staff">Qantas cancelling overseas operations entirely</a>.<br />
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Today, March 19th, <a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/412132/coronavirus-update-eight-further-cases-of-covid-19-in-new-zealand">NZ is up to 28 cases</a>, all of them still associated with overseas travel. No evidence yet of community spread...although I worry that is because NZ is only now rolling out more widespread testing. Until a few days ago, to get tested you needed to have both symptoms and a history of overseas travel (or close contact with someone who'd traveled from overseas). Given COVID-19's long incubation, slow progression of symptoms even in critical cases, and penchant for silent spreading in a community, I feared NZ's Ministry of Health was too complacent in their assumptions.<br />
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I guess we'll soon see. Aside from my qualms about their testing policy, I think Ardern and her government are doing a pretty damn spectacular job of handling the situation. They've been clear and honest from the start about the level of threat, the precautions people should take, and the expected impacts to the country. More importantly, they haven't been afraid to take action, even when the economic cost is stark. NZ's economy, particularly on the South Island, is heavily dependent on tourism. The 14-day self-isolation rule for incoming travelers essentially killed that entire sector. But as Ardern said, "<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-51885983">I make no apologies</a>"; she's putting the health and lives of New Zealanders as her highest priority.<br />
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Immediately after the order, the government rolled out a <a href="https://www.beehive.govt.nz/feature/covid-19-economic-response-package">massive economic response package worth 4% of the GDP</a>, providing wage subsidies, tax relief, and other measures to protect Kiwi jobs and help those who are unemployed or retired. I've also been hugely relieved to see the government has been working hard all this time to secure ventilators and prepare hospitals for the expected rise in cases. Thank God for competent government. It makes me mad and sad and horrified all at the same time that the US government, given just as much warning, <a href="https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/03/coronavirus-surge-hospitals-trump-beds-respirators-ventilators-fema-cdc.html">has done almost nothing to prepare</a>.<br />
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But I know for NZ the true test is yet to come. It's been surreal watching posts from friends in the US and Europe and Australia: the rising dismay, the empty store shelves, the lost jobs, the lockdown orders. Right now, in Wanaka life continues more or less as normal, except with a lot fewer tourists. Schools and businesses and restaurants are all open. When I passed our neighborhood cafe this morning, all the tables were full. There was a brief run on toilet paper and paper towels a few days ago, when one COVID-19 case was diagnosed in nearby Queenstown. But when I went shopping today, the Wanaka supermarket was once again well stocked:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QsI0SS05MkA/XnLt8vt8xpI/AAAAAAAANBw/qHtB3znbF6oSLPO8n8UROft-2quW9UuzQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_20200319_083622.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QsI0SS05MkA/XnLt8vt8xpI/AAAAAAAANBw/qHtB3znbF6oSLPO8n8UROft-2quW9UuzQCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/IMG_20200319_083622.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at all that precious white gold! Complete with discreet little signs saying customers are limited to buying 3 packs.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zFDcSoFtRTQ/XnLt5LXimGI/AAAAAAAANBs/wPXYLqwTdRsQC_EHXeiT2K9F7mbvI31DQCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_20200319_083136.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zFDcSoFtRTQ/XnLt5LXimGI/AAAAAAAANBs/wPXYLqwTdRsQC_EHXeiT2K9F7mbvI31DQCEwYBhgL/s400/IMG_20200319_083136.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plenty of meat to go around. Only thing you can't find is hand sanitizer.</td></tr>
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I know this happy state of affairs won't last. When my son came home from school today, he told me they spent much of the day preparing for remote learning in the event of a shutdown. The rumor mill claims the PM is poised to initiate a full lockdown at the first sign of community spread, or maybe even before. I'm guessing that's when the panic shoppers will truly panic.<br />
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On a personal level, we're about as ready as we can be. NZ is earthquake country, so we'd long since started building up a stash of nonperishable food and supplies. We bought a chest freezer, and ever since the first reports of total lockdown came out of China back in January, I've been buying a little bit extra every time I go to the store. My husband already works remotely, as do I, so no change there. My son is old enough he'll be pretty easy to homeschool and entertain; my heart goes out to parents stuck in their homes indefinitely with toddlers. Talk about the seventh circle of hell.<br />
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Preparations don't help anxiety, though. I've got plenty of family and friends in high risk groups. I worry about who will survive, and what our future will look like, as countries struggle to manage the long-term impacts. I hope desperately for a treatment or vaccine that will halt the pandemic and spare the world from the worst effects. I'm trying to continue progress on my writing and other projects, and not spend half my day refreshing news sites. (Boy is that hard, when the news comes in fast and furious).<br />
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Right now in Wanaka it feels like that last eerie calm before the storm. Best wishes to all of you overseas who are already feeling the impact; may we all come out the other side.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VE2OeY54m-0/XnLxHOHaWHI/AAAAAAAANCA/qo5uM88XDpgvEvkbGvBEdFS03-rN3AYFgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_20200312_085511.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VE2OeY54m-0/XnLxHOHaWHI/AAAAAAAANCA/qo5uM88XDpgvEvkbGvBEdFS03-rN3AYFgCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/IMG_20200312_085511.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My son enjoying some calm on his school camp last week in the Catlins (part of the rugged, remote southern coast of NZ)</td></tr>
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<br />Courtney Schaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00593975028655479293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650130703584309038.post-59362487808268799162020-01-01T17:00:00.001+13:002020-01-01T17:00:14.627+13:00State of the Schafer: 2019 in Review (Picture Edition)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Happy New Year, everyone. We just got back from spending Christmas with family in Sydney, Australia, where thanks to the worst bushfire season in living memory, the sky mostly looked like this:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fi15ajrgJvM/XgvIyCY68xI/AAAAAAAAMNo/y6ZFZAZzcxs4rIZ3YbNc9NNmG8vdD7JXgCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_20191221_171723.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fi15ajrgJvM/XgvIyCY68xI/AAAAAAAAMNo/y6ZFZAZzcxs4rIZ3YbNc9NNmG8vdD7JXgCEwYBhgL/s400/IMG_20191221_171723.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My little cell phone camera doesn't do the eerie colors justice. The sky was orange, the sun crimson.</td></tr>
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We were lucky during our visit. Our arrival before Christmas coincided with a cool front that pushed smoke away from Sydney and allowed firefighters in the Blue Mountains the chance for vital defensive work. But the day we left, on New Years Eve, conditions worsened again as high winds fanned the flames. <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/extraordinary-2019-ends-with-deadliest-day-of-the-worst-fire-season-20191231-p53nw0.html">Homes are burning, people have died, thousands are stuck without power or safe exit routes</a>--and the only thing capable of stopping the fires for good is heavy rain, which forecasters say likely won't arrive until February.<br />
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<i>But Australia has always had fires in summer</i>, some people protest. Yes, they have. <a href="https://www.vox.com/2019/12/30/21039298/40-celsius-australia-fires-2019-heatwave-climate-change">But thanks to the changing climate, this year's fire season is far longer, hotter, and drier than in years past.</a> Nor are controlled burns the solution--as <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-12-20/hazard-reduction-burns-bushfires/11817336">this well-researched article explains, the situation is complicated</a>. Plus, during extreme heat and wind, the amount of available fuel makes only a small difference to a fire's intensity; the primary driver is weather.<br />
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Even 2000km away in New Zealand, we're feeling the effects. I woke up this morning to a sky so yellowy-orange I thought for a second we were still back in Sydney. Nope. It's just Australian smoke <a href="https://twitter.com/MetService/status/1212156134083063808">pouring across the Tasman Sea to blanket us</a>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xmle1q_vTZg/XgvIof1_6SI/AAAAAAAAMNk/T-Bl5pwLteIah-Dur4BzUBCOCVXyqigWgCEwYBhgL/s1600/00100dPORTRAIT_00100_BURST20200101101618220_COVER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xmle1q_vTZg/XgvIof1_6SI/AAAAAAAAMNk/T-Bl5pwLteIah-Dur4BzUBCOCVXyqigWgCEwYBhgL/s400/00100dPORTRAIT_00100_BURST20200101101618220_COVER.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from our house this morning. Again, the camera doesn't do the color justice.</td></tr>
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Nor is this the only sign of changing climate we've faced here in NZ. While Australia is predicted to get hotter and drier, NZ's South Island is predicted to get warmer and wetter. We had a taste of what that might be like this spring, with epic amounts of rain leading to flooding that <a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/405092/weather-chaos-tourists-stranded-on-west-coast-for-days">destroyed bridges and roads</a> and briefly <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/118034898/heavy-rain-slips-and-floodwaters-close-key-roads-and-cut-south-island-in-half">cut off the entire lower half of the South Island from the rest of the country</a>. We're okay here in Hawea, where the town is on a hill well above lake level, but Wanaka isn't so lucky. <div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o-LL4OfMTgk/Xgv0PdICWRI/AAAAAAAAMN8/KSB477QIC8Qy332sM5TiAlEyr1phRwp0QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_20191207_120446.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1238" data-original-width="1600" height="308" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o-LL4OfMTgk/Xgv0PdICWRI/AAAAAAAAMN8/KSB477QIC8Qy332sM5TiAlEyr1phRwp0QCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/IMG_20191207_120446.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flooding in Wanaka in early December</td></tr>
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At least the government in New Zealand is trying hard to <a href="https://www.mfe.govt.nz/sites/default/files/media/Climate%20Change/adapting-to-climate-change-stocktake-tag-report.pdf">anticipate climate impacts and address them</a>, as well as reduce the country's emissions, with <a href="https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/07-11-2019/119-of-120-mps-just-voted-to-pass-nzs-historic-zero-carbon-bill-into-law-heres-the-best-of-what-they-said/">all political parties coming together to vote for the Zero Carbon bill despite disagreements.</a> </div>
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The most depressing part about the Australian fires is that this terrible season isn't a surprise; scientists have been sounding alarm bells for years. But the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-50888786">Australian government, like the current US government, has prioritized short term economic gain over everything else</a>. Even now, the prime minister insists he won't change policies. The New South Wales government has at least <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-50932729">agreed to compensate volunteer firefighters for their loss of earnings</a> while fighting fires in dangerous conditions for weeks on end with no finish yet in sight. Hopefully other regions of Australia will follow that lead.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On a larger scale, I guess paying the cost is all we can do, if governments continue refusing to address the root cause. But governments are put in power by people, and I hope with all my heart that in 2020 more people will understand the stakes we face and vote accordingly. <a href="https://climate.nasa.gov/faq/16/is-it-too-late-to-prevent-climate-change/">It's too late to stop the climate from changing, but it's not too late to limit the worst effects.</a><br />
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Perhaps it's both the blessing and the curse of humanity that we're so good at focusing on the here and now. There is always light amid the darkness, and savoring the small joys of everyday life is what keeps hope alive.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LndpfH0H3l8/Xgv68Pu__0I/AAAAAAAAMOI/qriAEK1oR3sZD4LgJGbxd3H7ZjBUpucsQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_20191221_203348.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LndpfH0H3l8/Xgv68Pu__0I/AAAAAAAAMOI/qriAEK1oR3sZD4LgJGbxd3H7ZjBUpucsQCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/IMG_20191221_203348.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The fires and smoke didn't stop my in-laws from throwing a lovely Christmas party</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-124Hfbqyi-8/XgwXeqX1voI/AAAAAAAAMQA/b5Y82D3eoHMhOZz-U97X1isMZFqomVKTgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_20191223_145549_1%2B%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-124Hfbqyi-8/XgwXeqX1voI/AAAAAAAAMQA/b5Y82D3eoHMhOZz-U97X1isMZFqomVKTgCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/IMG_20191223_145549_1%2B%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Having a great lunch with my husband</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BQF4bC4l5Ow/XgwMhqAvkQI/AAAAAAAAMPo/dPberPujcp0I1RYEv6BzFUsh9xYRCqRBACEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_20191229_152650.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BQF4bC4l5Ow/XgwMhqAvkQI/AAAAAAAAMPo/dPberPujcp0I1RYEv6BzFUsh9xYRCqRBACEwYBhgL/s400/IMG_20191229_152650.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With the help of my sister-in-law and one of our nieces, we solved the Wizard's Quest escape room at Escape Hunt in Sydney. </td></tr>
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Looking back over 2019, despite all the horrifying developments in world politics and climate, I have a lot of good memories to savor. We visited a bunch of cool places in New Zealand I hadn't seen before, like the wild southern shores:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_SZYEdFqIL4/XMZOBtVaB2I/AAAAAAAAH3Q/oqHv7q9iIdgwZ-LGZe4RweUsWAaC9RT5gCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_20190427_133812.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_SZYEdFqIL4/XMZOBtVaB2I/AAAAAAAAH3Q/oqHv7q9iIdgwZ-LGZe4RweUsWAaC9RT5gCPcBGAYYCw/s400/IMG_20190427_133812.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Windswept bluff near Gemstone Beach</td></tr>
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and the busy, beautiful city of Wellington (SFF fans and authors, you definitely want to come down here for <a href="https://conzealand.nz/">WorldCon in August</a>!):<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tYLp8m0Xihg/Xgv-K0M_JpI/AAAAAAAAMOU/ycM6OkhqbdATLyTiIJ1IKfbXODjiTrjxQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_20190214_141308.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tYLp8m0Xihg/Xgv-K0M_JpI/AAAAAAAAMOU/ycM6OkhqbdATLyTiIJ1IKfbXODjiTrjxQCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/IMG_20190214_141308.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wellington is gorgeous on a sunny day</td></tr>
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Plus we visited the cozy homes of Hobbiton in Matamata:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OVniD0BKljI/Xgu_8Pslz7I/AAAAAAAAMME/ylDtrtn4xtYOQdU9xCTkcACagUZklU24wCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/Jul2019_Hobbiton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OVniD0BKljI/Xgu_8Pslz7I/AAAAAAAAMME/ylDtrtn4xtYOQdU9xCTkcACagUZklU24wCPcBGAYYCw/s400/Jul2019_Hobbiton.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I would totally live here if I were a hobbit</td></tr>
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and Rotorua's steaming geothermal field:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sgL7I9brorA/Xgu_8sRxf0I/AAAAAAAAMME/HIve2_WyL54EQSZVbMLl__I79m0uGMfkgCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/Jun2019_Rotorua.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sgL7I9brorA/Xgu_8sRxf0I/AAAAAAAAMME/HIve2_WyL54EQSZVbMLl__I79m0uGMfkgCPcBGAYYCw/s400/Jun2019_Rotorua.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't wander off the trail</td></tr>
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and the lovely alpine scenery near Glenorchy and Kinloch:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gsGvMTfvQ_A/Xgu_89wtHmI/AAAAAAAAMME/c9nUTrSMuFoUE3yJSOAFS_D665y4MNFcwCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/March2019_Kinloch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gsGvMTfvQ_A/Xgu_89wtHmI/AAAAAAAAMME/c9nUTrSMuFoUE3yJSOAFS_D665y4MNFcwCPcBGAYYCw/s400/March2019_Kinloch.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from Kinloch, at the head of Lake Wakatipu</td></tr>
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not to mention the incredible Milford Sound in Fiordland:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ITulWsXMTAM/Xgu_5LTfelI/AAAAAAAAML0/HWAtga46JUgJ_Khr5XyXy2bgk6hBNklZQCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/Dec2019_Milford.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1340" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ITulWsXMTAM/Xgu_5LTfelI/AAAAAAAAML0/HWAtga46JUgJ_Khr5XyXy2bgk6hBNklZQCPcBGAYYCw/s400/Dec2019_Milford.jpg" width="335" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mitre Peak in Milford Sound</td></tr>
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In late September, I took my son to visit family and friends in the US, where we saw Hogwarts Castle:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fLQG8mW1f6M/XgvIo3eDnxI/AAAAAAAAMNU/mdKneUf_TLULU-T6eLBLwzfkNCDvwoFjQCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_20190927_112036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fLQG8mW1f6M/XgvIo3eDnxI/AAAAAAAAMNU/mdKneUf_TLULU-T6eLBLwzfkNCDvwoFjQCEwYBhgL/s400/IMG_20190927_112036.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My son loved all the Harry Potter stuff at Universal Orlando (and yeah, I did too)</td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: center;">We played in a really cool water park (Universal's Volcano Bay):</span><br /><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nq8kIsfYcJw/XgvIoD3YISI/AAAAAAAAMNU/379MiqyvmNsrmHQcaZM6AJyA-7El54gJACEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_20190926_144659.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1446" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nq8kIsfYcJw/XgvIoD3YISI/AAAAAAAAMNU/379MiqyvmNsrmHQcaZM6AJyA-7El54gJACEwYBhgL/s400/IMG_20190926_144659.jpg" width="361" /></a></div>
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Plus took a cruise in the Caribbean with my mom and brother:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xf1yQZif1nM/Xgu__2G7ePI/AAAAAAAAMMI/v4yGmKMwxs4H6XqJP6BKYTH_1JpUu0LawCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/Sep2019_cruise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xf1yQZif1nM/Xgu__2G7ePI/AAAAAAAAMMI/v4yGmKMwxs4H6XqJP6BKYTH_1JpUu0LawCPcBGAYYCw/s400/Sep2019_cruise.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I realize I need to plant about a million trees to make up for the environmental impact of this...or better yet, contribute to the development of a <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/11/061104090409.htm">planetary sunshade</a>. I think we're unfortunately past the point at which lifestyle changes are enough to make a difference. It's technology that will have to save us.</td></tr>
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While in the US, we visited familiar, much-beloved haunts:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HBHuVFgX_QM/XgvIqRQ0piI/AAAAAAAAMNs/krsLBQ5lFqQR07XfUd6usrlU13gvzrpywCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_20191013_093050.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="1600" height="156" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HBHuVFgX_QM/XgvIqRQ0piI/AAAAAAAAMNs/krsLBQ5lFqQR07XfUd6usrlU13gvzrpywCEwYBhgL/s400/IMG_20191013_093050.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boulder, Colorado...I do miss the Flatirons!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5dh31aTO1eY/Xgu_-pc2MHI/AAAAAAAAMME/e7DbdNohKAggAggy9jzoTZuKcRP-GPHtgCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/Oct2019_FieryFurnace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5dh31aTO1eY/Xgu_-pc2MHI/AAAAAAAAMME/e7DbdNohKAggAggy9jzoTZuKcRP-GPHtgCPcBGAYYCw/s400/Oct2019_FieryFurnace.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wandering the Fiery Furnace in Arches National Park</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sNGeej7k8Ck/XgwH3wTNGqI/AAAAAAAAMPI/mC-YWUgL-aU_o2DBiinkMBkBVLK_t8R8gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/00000PORTRAIT_00000_BURST20191015182711503.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sNGeej7k8Ck/XgwH3wTNGqI/AAAAAAAAMPI/mC-YWUgL-aU_o2DBiinkMBkBVLK_t8R8gCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/00000PORTRAIT_00000_BURST20191015182711503.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Delicate Arch at sunset</td></tr>
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And also enjoyed some new adventures:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-erAWHmPDPOw/XgvIsHKJGUI/AAAAAAAAMNY/06Yiw9dPGmwpGr76BEk5QEHEb_HNtITPgCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_20191014_103444.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-erAWHmPDPOw/XgvIsHKJGUI/AAAAAAAAMNY/06Yiw9dPGmwpGr76BEk5QEHEb_HNtITPgCEwYBhgL/s400/IMG_20191014_103444.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The kiddo on a long rappel on the Rock of Ages route near Moab</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--C3Hs2ISIV4/XgvIt1ga8GI/AAAAAAAAMNc/33XXaFRkBOkVpQyv8G5o0_7tSCiO31sXgCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_20191014_112841.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--C3Hs2ISIV4/XgvIt1ga8GI/AAAAAAAAMNc/33XXaFRkBOkVpQyv8G5o0_7tSCiO31sXgCEwYBhgL/s400/IMG_20191014_112841.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our guide helps him negotiate a downclimb in the slot section</td></tr>
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Back in New Zealand, we spent plenty of days enjoying Lake Hawea, just steps from our front door.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aPYGQ5Y-lJ0/Xgu_-IADINI/AAAAAAAAML8/TR_srTjtx2US-hGGEbA--c2sC6e_lTurQCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/Nov2019_lakeshore.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aPYGQ5Y-lJ0/Xgu_-IADINI/AAAAAAAAML8/TR_srTjtx2US-hGGEbA--c2sC6e_lTurQCPcBGAYYCw/s400/Nov2019_lakeshore.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lake Hawea's beach is rocky rather than sandy, but the rocks sure are pretty</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q9dYzEnIVDQ/XgvIueyZ0wI/AAAAAAAAMNo/_rINgJynbNMF3b35YPq_en1EJA3mc36QwCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_20191118_091928.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q9dYzEnIVDQ/XgvIueyZ0wI/AAAAAAAAMNo/_rINgJynbNMF3b35YPq_en1EJA3mc36QwCEwYBhgL/s400/IMG_20191118_091928.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I never get tired of the view from the lakeshore walking track</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DKCMpI-Y0Ts/XgwSGsxvnjI/AAAAAAAAMP0/rJhPu9q17-gGiKZAiwggDCe4Xw3f2mZfQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_20191125_165005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DKCMpI-Y0Ts/XgwSGsxvnjI/AAAAAAAAMP0/rJhPu9q17-gGiKZAiwggDCe4Xw3f2mZfQCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/IMG_20191125_165005.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The very best way to see the lake</td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: center;">Although the ski season came very late this year (more reason to hate climate change, arrrgh), I still enjoyed some great ski days.</span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cLm03rj1Lfw/XXMhtGcX22I/AAAAAAAAI8Y/vOxYdHHK2AAj6lEOmmxeRzhRdUzuWv7KACPcBGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_20190804_113836.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cLm03rj1Lfw/XXMhtGcX22I/AAAAAAAAI8Y/vOxYdHHK2AAj6lEOmmxeRzhRdUzuWv7KACPcBGAYYCw/s400/IMG_20190804_113836.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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So did my son, who's good enough now to ski the infamous Motatapu Chutes with panache.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y_7RLFzamZk/XgwCo9gZGEI/AAAAAAAAMO0/QeVartv2eaU-aWGM-KSysb-6_nTtNT_PgCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_20190915_125228.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y_7RLFzamZk/XgwCo9gZGEI/AAAAAAAAMO0/QeVartv2eaU-aWGM-KSysb-6_nTtNT_PgCEwYBhgL/s400/IMG_20190915_125228.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Celebrating a successful ski of a very steep chute</td></tr>
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He also took up trampolining, and competed for the very first time, which is pretty darn cool. He's excited to progress further in 2020.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yNtAwVZ0oTQ/XgwEAsAxecI/AAAAAAAAMO8/FWvzJOHGA98fwBM053uu6FrJfkHp-v13QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_20190125_164235.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yNtAwVZ0oTQ/XgwEAsAxecI/AAAAAAAAMO8/FWvzJOHGA98fwBM053uu6FrJfkHp-v13QCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/IMG_20190125_164235.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I, meanwhile, returned to figure skating--a lot more cautiously than I'd like, thanks to my aging back, but I've been delighted to find I can still jump and spin. I'm training for my first competition in over ten years, eeek! (The <a href="https://www.nzmg.com/">NZ Masters Games in Dunedin in February of 2020</a>.)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yn19UgkJgmE/XLqjy4fZmkI/AAAAAAAAHwI/cLXHHSR8BV86QK6FOaWcyUmimTojQN9cQCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_20190416_130401.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1474" data-original-width="1600" height="292" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yn19UgkJgmE/XLqjy4fZmkI/AAAAAAAAHwI/cLXHHSR8BV86QK6FOaWcyUmimTojQN9cQCPcBGAYYCw/s320/IMG_20190416_130401.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blurry pic, I know, but hey. It's hard taking pictures in a dimly lit rink.</td></tr>
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<i>But Courtney, what about writing?</i> you may ask, assuming anybody's still reading this extremely long post. <i>Where's your next book?</i> </div>
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All I can say is that I'm still working on it. Or rather, working on them, plural. I've still got <i>The White Serpent </i>novella and short stories in the works--<b>Tales from Ninavel</b>, I'm thinking I'll call the collection as a whole. Plus, I'm still plugging along on my new fantasy adventure, <b>The Dreaming Sea</b>. </div>
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I'm bummed that I didn't publish anything in 2019, but I also don't want to put out anything less than the best I can write. I ran into a couple roadblocks toward the end of the year, on both projects, and realized that I need to correct course, which means revising and rewriting. But I've got a path forward, and I mean to use it. I may not be a fast writer, but I get there in the end. I definitely will attend WorldCon/CoNZealand in Wellington in August, so readers and fellow SFF fans, I hope to see you there. </div>
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What else is ahead for me in 2020? Oh, I've got a few goals:</div>
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1) FINISH MY DRAFTS. FINISH MY DRAFTS. FINISH MY DRAFTS.</div>
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Really, that's the biggest one. But okay, I've got a few more plans and dreams:</div>
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2) Compete in Adult Gold figure skating at NZ Nationals, assuming my back holds out</div>
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3) Complete a coding project I've been working on: a fantasy book recommendation algorithm that uses book content/theme/style rather than sales information to produce results </div>
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4) Formally open a consulting company here in NZ for my algorithm work</div>
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5) Find ways to contribute to climate change solutions</div>
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6) Keep exploring NZ's amazing landscapes with my son and husband</div>
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So, yeah. Busy year ahead. But exciting, too. Best wishes to all of you in 2020--let's hope this year becomes the start of a better future for everyone.</div>
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Courtney Schaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00593975028655479293noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650130703584309038.post-81626603877501887522019-09-07T15:33:00.000+12:002019-09-07T15:33:01.229+12:00State of the Schafer: How is it September already?Man, it's been an awful winter for viruses down here in NZ. My son's been sick 4 times, and I'm currently fighting off my own 2nd round of a cold. Plus, this week I had to get a booster MMR vaccine, as there's a <a href="https://www.health.govt.nz/your-health/conditions-and-treatments/diseases-and-illnesses/measles/2019-measles-outbreak-information">pretty nasty measles outbreak going on in Auckland</a> with almost 900 cases. Auckland is on the North Island, pretty far from our home in Hawea, but I'll be flying through the Auckland airport on my way to visit US family and friends in a few weeks. I don't have my childhood medical records, which means I can't prove I've had 2 doses of the MMR. Better safe than sorry, in my view (and the doctor's).<br />
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So anyway, what with all the sore throats and high fevers and headaches (not to mention some chipped teeth, bruised heels, and injured ligaments), feels like we've been living at the local medical centre. Thank goodness medical care for kids under 14 is completely free in NZ. All the doctor visits haven't exactly made for terrific productivity, though, on the writing front or anywhere else. Well, okay, if I'm honest, part of that lack is because on the rare occasions when everybody's healthy, we've prioritized hitting the ski slopes before the snow vanishes again. Gotta take care of our mental health too, right?<br />
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<b><u>Writing Progress:</u></b><br />
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I'm reeeeeeeally trying to get a complete draft of <b>The White Serpent </b>done before my big US trip in a few weeks. Will I make it? Only time will tell. I'm currently fighting through a particularly tricky setup to the climax scene, with a few more to go after that.<br />
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<b><u>Skating Update:</u></b><br />
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I'm still playing it safe with my back, which means no sit spins or double jumps. Mostly I'm working on that darn step sequence for my program, which involves a lot of turns known as counters. My precious, we hatesssss them...but arrrrgh, with enough practice, surely I can get my footwork to look decent. I hope. I am just not a naturally graceful skater, so it's hard. On the up side, my back is doing well enough I can safely practice layback spins. I've got a long way to go to regain full back flexibility, but hey. Baby steps:<br />
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I'm thinking if the sit spin continues to be dangerous for my back, then I may switch my main combo spin in my program from camel/sit/back sit to camel/layback/back camel. (A "back" spin means you change feet and spin on your non-dominant foot.) The trick to get a good transition from layback to back camel, which is something I haven't ever worked on before. That makes it interesting, and keeps me from feeling too sad about not doing sit spins. (The sit was always my favorite and best spin.)<br />
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<b><u>New Zealand Life:</u></b><br />
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During the winter term, the local schools run a program where for six Fridays, the kids all go up the mountain for ski lessons. Parents get discount tickets for the day, and are supposed to be on hand to supervise children during their lunch break. Best school program ever, far as I'm concerned. I've certainly made the most of the ski time.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy after hauling my skis up to Treble Cone's summit ridge</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mmmm, fresh powder</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walking the ridge</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More fresh lines in the Motatapu Chutes</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of my favorite chutes to ski</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The long walk out of the Motatapu back to the lift </td></tr>
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I also did a little volunteering for this year's <a href="https://www.wintergamesnz.kiwi/">NZ Winter Games</a>, since a friend of mine runs the cross-country events and asked me to help out. I'd never been to the local dedicated cross country area before, so it was neat to check that out and watch all the elite international athletes power through their races. Snow Farm is apparently the one groomed cross country ski area in all of NZ, although of course people do tons of backcountry hut trips and other off-piste x-c skiing all throughout NZ's mountains. I still want to get more into backcountry, but I think I'll leave the x-c racing to those fitter and more masochistic than I am. It sure looked tiring.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snow Farm's meticulously groomed cross country ski trails</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Upon finishing their race, elite skiers collapse exhausted in the snow</td></tr>
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<b><u>Reading Corner:</u></b><br />
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I just finished Tad Williams's <b>The Witchwood Crown</b> and <b>Empire of Grass</b>, the first two installments in his <i>Last King of Osten Ard</i> series. This is the follow-on to his <i>Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn</i> trilogy, which in my view is one of the great classics of epic fantasy. I first read the MS&T trilogy as a teenager and adored every word of it. Some might complain of slow pacing and over-description, but to me, the leisurely build-up, deep introspection, and detailed settings helped make both world and characters feel rich and real in a way few other fantasy series have matched.<br />
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Despite having a good experience with the interval novella Williams released in 2017 (<i>The Heart of What Was Lost), </i>I still worried the new books, returning to beloved characters like Simon and Miriamele and Binabik after so many years, might not match the magic of the originals. It's true that as a more experienced reader I spot more flaws and frustrations. (My goodness, but Williams does love for characters to spend tons of pages wandering lost through forests and caves. And while he does his usual terrific job of writing realistic women of a variety of ages and roles, in the new series he goes frustratingly old-school in choices of plotline for some of them...which is to say, slavery, abuse, and sexual assault.)<br />
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Yet as a reader I don't care, because the magic remains, at least for me. As soon as I started, I sank right into Osten Ard and never wanted the story to stop. This is why I didn't read the new books right away, although I've been snapping them up upon release. I was trying to hold out until the third one comes out next year. But in the end I just couldn't. And now I have to wait. Arrrrgh.<br />
<br />Courtney Schaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00593975028655479293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650130703584309038.post-40185402480856387412019-08-02T12:25:00.001+12:002019-08-02T12:25:25.671+12:00State of the Schafer: Starting Up Again<div>
Okay, due to horrible flu viruses and travel and school holidays and various busy-ness, it's been a while. Real confession time, I've also been avoiding the blog because I keep wanting to post big long serious posts about politics and the inexorably changing climate and the desperate need for action. But the time and effort it takes me to create a nuanced, thoughtful, well-researched, persuasive post can perhaps be better spent in getting away from the keyboard to real-world actions, like calling representatives and volunteering with local groups. </div>
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These little State of the Schafer updates are meant to be mostly for me and close family and friends, a way of keeping track of personal things in my life. I decided to stick to that, for now, although if you catch me in person, I'd be happy to discuss at length more serious matters.<br />
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<b><u>Writing Progress:</u></b><br />
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I've reached the point in <b>The White Serpent</b> (the Cara novella) where I'm counting down scenes to the end. Seven more to go, woo! The draft currently stands at 31,291 words. I expect it'll end up around 50K. Often the words come faster and faster for me toward the end of a story, but I've learned the hard way never to count on any story coming easy. Each one is difficult in different ways; for me, that's part of why writing is such an addictive pursuit. The challenge keeps changing. Anyway, I shall forge onward.<br />
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<b><u>Skating Update:</u></b><br />
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After so easily regaining my axel, I got all excited and started practicing double jumps. That might have been a bit premature. My back got iffy again, so I've had to stop the doubles, and take a break from sit spins, which are the most risky move for my lumbar spine. I won't lie, it's frustrating. Sometimes getting older sucks. More targeted core work may fix up my back enough to handle the doubles, or at least properly low sit spins, but I guess there's no guarantee.<br />
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Thankfully, other spins, single jumps, and axels seem fine for my back, as does footwork...and goodness knows I could use some practice on that. I've always loved jumping and spinning best, which means I tend to spend all my practice time on the fun showy stuff and neglect the finicky, more tedious things like choctaws and rockers and brackets. But a complex step sequence is a vital component of a competitive program, and my coach just finished choreographing mine, so now I have no excuse not to practice it. I still have hopes of competing later this year (I don't need doubles for that).<br />
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<b><u>New Zealand Life:</u></b><br />
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During my son's school holidays, we went up to Auckland to renew his U.S. passport. To make the trip a bit more fun, we headed out to Hobbiton, which none of us had visited before. My son, who shares my love of Lord of the Rings, was quite excited to see the hobbit homes "just like in the movies!" I was a little worried he'd be disappointed in the experience, since the homes are exterior sets only, you can't go inside them (there's nothing in there!), and you're supposed to look but not touch.<br />
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But all three of us really enjoyed it. The set designers' attention to detail is just amazing, and the tour guide had a ton of funny and interesting stories about the movie filming to share. It was an overcast, sometimes rainy day, which made all the beautiful greenery seem particularly verdant. It truly does look like Bilbo and Frodo might pop around a corner to say hello at any moment. Behold:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even in the dead of winter, Hobbiton has plenty of flowers</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The kiddo is now too tall to be a hobbit! More than full foot taller than average hobbit height. Goodness, how the time flies.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I loved all the greenery. I think they should make a Hobbiton where the homes aren't just exteriors, but full-on houses...how cool would it be to stay a weekend in a hobbit home?</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bag End, with door invitingly cracked open.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bench where Bilbo and Gandalf meet</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'd live in this one</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sam's house</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View across the lake to the Green Dragon Inn</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Green Dragon. You can go inside this one, and have drinks and lunch. My son loved the buffet; they did a great job of marking gluten-free choices and had tons of things he could eat.</td></tr>
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Anyway, the whole Hobbiton experience made me want to do a LotR movie marathon and re-read the book yet again. New Zealand sure knows how to do tourist attractions.<br />
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In other news, after a horrendously dry start to the winter, snow has finally arrived. This is a huge relief to everyone in town, since the conditions at the ski areas were the worst in a decade. But now at last the powder is accumulating up high, and I'm super psyched to finally enjoy some steep and deep turns.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snow at last at Treble Cone</td></tr>
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Courtney Schaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00593975028655479293noreply@blogger.com4