A discussion that got a little out-of-hand at my book club prompted me to think about how we make decisions regarding ‘conventional’ and ‘alternative medical’ practices. I should note here that book club discussions getting out-of-hand are not really the norm. Book clubs seem to largely comprise of women and groups of women generally doContinue reading “Evidence or experience?”
Author Archives: janecshearer
Roller Coaster ride
I am not a great fan of roller coasters, probably because I get motion sick. It might also be because I like a degree of skill to be associated with my terror. My early memory of a rollercoaster type experiences was at the local A&P show where Mum put my brother and me on aContinue reading “Roller Coaster ride”
Vaccine races
Vaccines are coming up to the top of everyone’s minds again as we contemplate the length of the COVID-19 road ahead – it’s starting to feel more like a marathon than a sprint. As long as people are getting widely infected and sick as a result, COVID-19 will be a big issue. Our treatments forContinue reading “Vaccine races”
Where’s the humanity?
If you were hoping for a run-down on vaccines you will have to wait a little while longer as I am going to take this opportunity to tell you about our water woes. I mentioned earlier how we employed a water diviner to ‘tell us’ where we should drill for water. I have been askedContinue reading “Where’s the humanity?”
Circles or spirals?
I am feeling like we have headed back around a loop, with the return to Level 3 Alert in Auckland and Level 2 Alert across the country. We have seen in other countries how the reinstitution of lockdowns initiates the same sorts of behaviours as the first time they happened…buying up of toilet paper, generalContinue reading “Circles or spirals?”
Damn…
When dawn broke this morning I wished I hadn’t looked at my phone as I plugged it in last night. If I had just ignored the screen I could have woken up ignorant of New Zealand’s descent back down the COVID-19 Alert Levels (and had a better sleep too). I was all full of ideasContinue reading “Damn…”
Contrasts
Sitting in a café in Sumner, Christchurch, reminds me how much I like contrasts. Sumner and Gibbston are quite different in a considerable number of ways. In Gibbston at present there is snow on the mountains (if a rather thin cover for mid winter) while in Christchurch yesterday the sun and warm air felt likeContinue reading “Contrasts”
Are We Nearly There Yet?
Who has memories of being in the car on the journey to the long awaited holiday destination? ‘Are we nearly there yet’ is the phrase that might have resulted in your parents’ temper boiling over. And it might be the phrase that results in your temper boiling over if you currently have children of yourContinue reading “Are We Nearly There Yet?”
Am I a grown-up yet?
Recently I went to someone’s house in Dalefield, near Queenstown, and found myself wondering whether that house was a real grown-up house and I hadn’t realised that our house wasn’t a ‘proper’ one. I realise that this feeling might seem quite ridiculous to someone who has visited our house, which I would admit is prettyContinue reading “Am I a grown-up yet?”
Goodbye Loki
We sent daughter Sarah pictures of Loki every day during lockdown, it helped both us and her. Sarah is a student in Cambridge, United Kingdom, so having her own cat is not an option at present as pets are a long term commitment (her lockdown was several weeks longer than ours too). Occasionally Sarah harboursContinue reading “Goodbye Loki”