Brothers Visit

20.11.01

ALVIN AND BEV’S UPDATE

I was sitting in my car outside the Medium Secure Unit in South London eating my lunch. The gym at the Bracton Centre was the venue for a four day training course on de-escalation and patient handling. I was contemplating two things. The first being the height of the sun at midday. I raise my biro up at arms length to measure the distance of sun and the horizon and was amazed to find the distance was less than the biro’s length. This revelation prompted me to investigate this further. My atlas was my source of reference. By placing England transposed to where New Zealand is in the southern hemisphere, on its correct latitude, my revelation was that I needed to place London where the Campbell Islands are in the Southern Ocean, South of Stewart Island about 200 miles. This then places Scotland way down near the Antarctica. This bit of research now helps me understand the difference in the daylight hours as it now is getting dark at 4.30 pm and not light till 8.00 am. We still have five weeks to the shortest day.

The second thing I was contemplating was my pain in the chest. SCIP Training involves working in teams of threes or more to manage patients when their minds are not able to function in a normal mode. The practices involve restraint, without using any holds which could cause pain or injury. The reason for this change in thinking is to endeavour to better maintain the therapeutic relationship which could be put in jeopardy if power and control is used inappropriately. One of the holds we had been training to extract ourselves form is a bear hug from the rear. Now this may take a bit of imagination but I’ll try to explain. Take a big Nigerian male about six foot six weighing 16 stone working as my training buddy. He approaches me from the rear and wraps his arms around me pinning my arms to my body. The first thing I should consider is he friendly or do I want him not to do this to me . if my request to, let go, fails then I move to my next stage which is to gain a good stance by spreading my legs thus lowering myself. Then I lean forward this taking my Nigerian giant off balance and placing pressure on his hold. I then puff up my chest to increase my leverage and endeavour to assist prising grip apart, by finding a weak link in his hand grip. All going well up until I try to wedge my fingers up his. I felt and heard and distinct pop under my right nipple. I call a halt to the cuddle. I don’t think I broke a rib but I have definitely moved the cartilage that joins the sternum to the rib. I have used pain killers to get off to sleep as it is tender when I roll on my right side.

My brother Garry and Christine Steel arrive here next week and I’m looking forward to spending time with them. I dialed up my niece Louise Bradley who is also over here in North London. Arranging a Rendezvous and get together. Garry and Christine had spent a couple of weeks catching up with our relatives in California and Florida. Departing Florida to New York about the same time as the most recent plane American Airline Crash there. This security alert put their travel plans into turmoil being diverted to Chicago before being allowed to fly back to JFK Airport at New York four hours later. Their visit to NY was very memorable as they were able to go up the Empire State and view across to where the twin towers used to be. They found they were not able to climb up the Statue of Liberty due to Osman Bin Ladin but able to walk all about New York city outside the exclusion zone from ground zero.

Once here we visited the sites of London again. Louise met us at Waterloo Station prior to our visit to the London Eye which helped them orientate to the City. Christine is an old hand at moving about in London and showed me some new places she had visited previously. Harrods is fully decked out with the Xmas stocks and kept us entertained for a while.

The next day the All Blacks were playing Ireland at Landsdown Park, Dublin. Louise arranged for us to meet up in Hendon North London at her local Irish Pub. We traveled North by the tube and to our surprise, Peter Teen of Hokitika Vintage spotted us outside the Tube Station. He seen Garry initially and was unsure about his perceptions, but when he spotted me there also he said “Christ Olson’s everywhere”. It was great catching up with him again. He was unaware we were coming up to watch the footy. We met about 20 Kiwis at the pub that afternoon, mostly from the Coast but several from Southland and few from the North Island.. Moynihan, Growcotts, Dee Monks. Angela Walls, Jack Stewart, Jimmie Teen, Louise Bradley, Peter Teen, Christine Steels and the Olson boys to name a few. The Irish gave us a challenge in the first half, keeping the anxiety levels up and the beers flowing. The second half was as we all expected and the desired result was achieved. The big screen is a great way to watch sport. The Aussies won league and Garry’ soccer Team Arsenal achieved a draw. I enjoyed my afternoon at the pub leaving with smelly clothing and sore red eyes from the cigarette smoke.

Just south of London about 50 miles is the famous Leeds Castle. Garry, Christine and I had a day down their poking about a bit of British history. Garry and Christine have now moved on to have a week in Ireland with the famous Wiscock, a suspected IRA criminal.

I wonder what will happen next.

Anton Oliver

My turn to Cook

RYE

29.10.01

ALVIN AND BEV’S UPDATE

Its my turn to cook tonight. Bev is at lectures at Kings College University. I think she has only two more that she must attend before the end of her Midwifery Adaptation Course. When we were settling down to sleep last night, she mentioned that she had a craving for meat. I took this to mean the edible type and filed into my memory until I could do the shopping today. Since we have been in the UK, we both have avoided re meat (Mad Cow Syndrome), our basic meats have been chicken, turkey, along with a vast array of fish. It has not been hard to avoid red meat, at the local markets there is generally a hop or stall selling off cuts from sheep or cows. The condition in which is is sold is sometimes beyond belief.

About thirty years ago I worked at Andrews Brothers Butchery in Hokitika. I was taught basic butchery and my job as junior was keeping a clean work environment. The old white pine blocks that the meat was broken down into saleable chunks were often impacted with fat and blood. My job at the end of the day was to use an abrasive brush to remove all traces of the meat juice right back to pristine wood. You may remember the old butchers blocks were often worn away on one side due to the rasping of the junior. I don’t think they employ juniors over here. The butcher shops are often small outlets. The breaking down of meat is done in the back of an old van and the floors of the shops have sawdust to assist in the soaking up of the blood and fat. Often scrawny chickens are strung up by their heads and feet still intact. Pig trotters are to the fore, which must be a delicacy for the local African population. Poorly washed tripe is also on sale to add to the revolting scene. Legs of low quality lamb are advertised as New Zealand lamb. To me it looks more like goat meat, very lean and without the quality control identification stamp we are used to in NZ. The price is sometimes higher that English lamb, offered for sale alongside, as if to reinforce the genuineness of the false product.

Anyway back to my meal tonight I went to TESCOS a big supermarket chain. They are the retail outlets for a lot of New Zealand product. I bought a half leg of lamb for £3.69 which is about $11.00 NZ. I’ll roast some sweet potatoes (not the same as kumara) spuds and butternut and accompany that with some spinach and carrots. A lot of food is pre prepared here. Just slip it in the micro wave and wait. We tend to cook meals on our days off and resort to the quick options when we are on shifts. It is great to smell the leg of lamb cooking and Bev will be in for a shock when she gets home tonight.

Yesterday we were both off and decided to have some country therapy. I had detected a noise of emanating from the rear of the Volvo, which I though was coming from a faulty rear wheel bearing. I took this up to the local garage to have it diagnosed because I didn’t want to be left on the side of the M25 with a broken down vehicle. The mechanic thought the problem was a crook diff, which should continue to be crook, not terminal, for sometime, so we set off for Kent, and the South Coast. I have been driving and bullying my way around traffic here for about one month. My confidence growing as I clock up the miles. The main motorway between London and Dover is called the M20. Once on this, we kept up with the flow of traffic reaching speeds of 80 mph in some places.

Bev had a crash course on navigation to direct us to a South Coast Port town of Rye. On a recent visit to Hastings we had been told that Rye had maintained a medieval history with half timbered buildings, winding cobbled streets and old churches and fortifications. The town is popular with tourists and was up to our expectation. A number of the old shops have been converted into teashops to cater for the hungry visitors and the strict building codes maintains the old nature of the town.

Antique shops do a great trade. Given that it was raining we poked about in several of these. Organised day trip tours from the continent include Rye as a destination because of its character and antiques. Even on a bleak a rainy day it was charming and peaceful. We will return in the spring.

We hoozled along the South Coast to find a stylized image of a man holding two poles, one of several mysterious figures cut onto the chalk hillside. It was getting towards dark about 3.30 pm and a shower of rain had just passed so we didn’t bother climbing up to the site. I pointed the Volvo for home up the A23 to connect with the M25 then back home. This was a simple plan that soon came unstuck, rain, mist, darkness and speed and a lot of twists and turns stuffed up my navigator and myself. We arrived home much later that we intended.

I wonder what will happen next

Alvin

Milwall Football

21.10.01

ALVIN AND BEV’S UPDATE

My adrenaline is still flowing, I can hear the sound of the police helicopter overhead watching the crowd dissipate and providing an eye in the sky for police operations. It is now two hours since I left the Millwall Football Stadium. I have this weekend off and planned a weekend of rest and relaxation. Last week was very hectic. It was my plan to recuperate and get base camp stocked and tidy.

Being in close proximity to the stadium, car parking in this area is a premium prior to a game. The streets are decked out with no parking signs and the main gate to our complex is shut. This means I could not get out, by car, if I wanted to. I thought that I cant beat them so I may as well join them. I had a quick feed and cuppa and joined the throngs heading for the ticket booths. I really didn’t know the set up and the seating arrangements so I thought I’d get in the middle somewhere in the west stand.

I was surprised to see Mounted Police outside the gate. The horses were well protected with plastic visors to protect their eyes. Their legs were also protected from the knees to the hoof. The coppers on top had special helmets with a strong visor that could be pulled down. In the saddle in front of their legs there is a leather bag containing fire arms and truncheons. Each police officer had radio communication and presented an impressive sight. Once I had taken all this in I stood back and observed the very high police presence both uniformed and non uniformed. I think the club must also have a very high degree of security which is well organised and presents a high profile with their hi-vis jackets.

Being about an hour before the game I thought I ‘d head on in to the stadium, grabbing a coffee an chips and a Millwall Official Match Day Magazine.

Today’s game was against Nottingham Forest a team two places higher on the league division. My seat was in a great position and was easily found. Two rows back from the fence about twenty meters from the half way mark and the tunnel. I was full of anticipation as I read the Magazine an swilled my coffee. I thought that the crowd was going to be small as there were a lot of seats around me unfilled with about 20 minutes to kick off. I was wrong. Soon a swag of pissed people arrived all dressed in the Millwall Football Supporters Colours. I was soon surrounded by ardent Millwall fans.

The east stadium is kept especially for the visitors supporters and fans. Initially it was only a quarter full, even after kick off it was only half full. Within 20 minutes of the game though it was full. Singing and barracking broke out as the Millwall team scored first. This provoked a response from the Nottingham supporters with well rehearsed chants and songs.

We are Millwall, We are Millwall, We are Millwall. No one loves us and we don’t care etc etc. the atmosphere was charge and tensions running high. The score see sawed all day and the tension ratcheted up as the visitors went 3 to 2 up. I was taken by an idiot sitting in front of me. He was pumped full of adrenalin and offering advice to everyone that would listen. Full voice amplified by channelling it through the rolled up magazine. To watch his behaviour was as interesting as the game. In the final minute in injury time Millwall popped in the back of the net, equalising the game 3 all.

Crowd numbers where announce as about 20,000 all pushing and shoving trying to get out the gate all the same time. I held back to let the majority of them move ahead. Only when I reached the outside of the stadium did I get an appreciation of the police presence. There was a line of fifty police with riot shields standing in a wall separating the visitors and the Millwall fans. Behind the line of police where six mounted police with even more protection on the officers and horses than I previously described. I struck up a conversation with a bloke and asked if this was normal police presence. He looked at me as though I was from another planet but did take his time to explain some of the history of the “Den” and past riots that have occurred here. The high police presence is a major proactive initiative to endeavour to keep trouble to a minimum. I think I have wetted my appetite for soccer and will go to a premier division game in the ear future. In the past I have only watched amateurs playing and the skill level today was impressive.

We have had a sad week with the passing of Nana the matriarch of our family. Bev went back to New Zealand to be with the family. Prior to my departure I had said goodbye to Nana. She had said she would hang on until I come home again for a visit in April 2002. this wasn’t to be. I will miss her. She was a special person. Len passed away twelve months ago so my mood has been down a bit with all the reflections going on in my mind.

All the best to everyone..

I wonder what will happen next.

Alvin

England Manager

New Job

16.09.01

ALVIN AND BEV’S UPDATE

There has been some major changes since our last update. I have completed my time at the Nursing Centre for Elderly Mentally Ill and look forward to a new position at Queen Mary Hospital Woolwich in a weeks time.

Bev commenced her maternity adaptation course to gain midwifery registration. She has had one week thrown in the deep end of a very stressed workplace. She may write more about that when she reflects back after completing her course requirements.

We have been linking in with our two children to reassure them we are OK and the following extract is a part of Bev’s letter to her Mum which we share with you.

No we are not relishing the thought of war.

If I ran the world the word would not be used.

They could bash the Afghan people who are already dead as one sensible woman said on TV here.

In your life you saw 2 world wars but there is no possibility of a third because the planet would not survive.

I was relieved to see the PLO leader giving blood to the USA

What a great message. His own people can not misrepresent that act.

I think its brilliant.

America must stop baying for war.

Intelligence is all they can use effectively

The unpopular view is that the USA must also look at their big bully behaviour.

Pakistan is in a no win situation as sanctions would have made them destitute, if they don’t cooperate with USA.

Afghan refugees will flood in there, they already have a million of them.

So they will suffer that way too.

The Taliban were the result of Russia bashing them up for years and they have lost their fear of dying as Imran Khan says here on TV.

My thoughts are that we are all on the same planet as if we all have to inhabit the same refugee camp- namely our world.

This is certainly the picture here in London.

Will we ever forget about land ownership and share the worlds resources?

Peace equals no poverty.

I think Britain is close to this although most British Whites wish it was otherwise. This is a melting pot of nations. Especially London.

Forget race. Forget nationality sovereign

I really think NZ will be Asian when our kids grow up.

Perhaps the second World War nearly made it happen sooner.

It’s a good thing that so many countries are talking moderation and the futility of military strikes.

Russia is refusing to use soil to facilitate military strikes on Afghanistan.

How amazing TV is being able to see in our home the boys making the decisions and having to justify their actions.

Lets hope for moderation in what will happen next.

Alvin and Bev