Man vs Bull

Often in Samoa water spouts from the ground, due to the shallow laid pipes in the hard volcanic ground.
  

On Sunday we returned home to find a baby bull had stood on our water pipe and we had our own mini water spout.  It just happens that the Domestic Surf God is excellent at fixing broken pipes. Otherwise our usual 5 tala bill might have doubled!

Once repaired the baby bull continued to tempt fate by venturing towards the now curing pipe.

There was only one option, relocate the bull.

Domestic Surf God bravely unattached the bull from the broken banana tree, which was allowing the bull to cause havoc.

Upon the realisation that he was freed, the bull took off for greener pastures with Domestic Surf God in Tow!

Thankfully when he reached the greener grass he simply stopped and all was well again in Hollywood Boulevade. 

The Bull was tied off and luckily we didn't have to face the Samoan farmer to explain how we lost his Baby Bull.

Furnished with Love

The 17th Wedding Anniversary has the modern theme of Furniture as a gift.  Living overseas furniture is not a priority, but I did manage to meet a master carver named Moses and he created this for us.

We planned to escape to Savaii, but it was not to be, so we headed over the mountain, into the mist and over to the South Side of Upolu.

The mountains of Upolu are high, cool and wet and mould grows on the power lines.

On the South Side of the island we stayed at BRoss' place at Salamumu.  

Where the lava met the sea and hardened into licorice coloured patterns of swirls and squares.  The lava rock provides treasure above and below the ocean.

Just off the rocks is a paradise of coral and brightly coloured fish.

 Baked on the rocks are the shed exoskeleton of crabs.

Out of the lava rock, grows a butterfly attracting tree.

BRoss has a few new additions to the family, Salt, the kitten was born the last time we visited and his beautiful girl came about a month later.

We both agreed this was a good Anniversary, we may not remember which one it was, but we will remember the beautiful snorkelling and good company.

It's a Dance Party at My Haunted House!

The month of September falls right between our two boys' birthdays, so this year we celebrated together with a Haunted House Dance Party.

I made some creepy treats

And the Domestic Surf God missed out on a day of all time Surf to create the most amazing Haunted House.  He couldn't have done it without two excellent friends; Bird Girl and Ozzie and they all put in a huge day and night's effort to scare the bejeepers out of little kiddies.  Here is the surf god with the shrunken heads carved by bird girl.

This is the line up to get in DSG is somewhere behind the Madding Crowd telling creepy tales of the dead.

The Count obligingly chased kiddies whilst wearing platform boots.

Smiley always has lots of fun with the Count.

The Big kids did a great job at scaring the party goers.

No wonder the Dead Man is drinking, he spent all day constructing a House to Haunt.

The face painting Vamp is not only a hot shot face painter, but a wiz with fake web.  

Having her face painted is one of Lily's girl's, the girls had never been to a child's birthday party before. 

Party goers got into the swing of things.

Sweet treats bought at the new Aussie Sweet shop down town.

The Surf God and Ozzie constructed a coffin

We had a Mummy Wrap

Smiley organised his own Werewolf costume.

Bunny tore round the house all night.

And this lovely couple will be celebrating 17years of Marriage this coming weekend.

The haunted House was transformed into a Dance Party and then into a Cinema. The last party goers left at the Witching Hour.

Thanks to Moller Images for the photos.

I Can Sing A Rainbow

For my friend Annie 

Who finds rainbows, because she always looks up.

March of the Teuila

The beginning of September heralds the Teuila Festival in Samoa.

The Teuila is the National Flower, it looks like a ginger flower and I am embarrassed to admit that I am not sure if it is a ginger or not.  

Regardless it is a beautiful flower, though not one we can decorate the house with as it induces hayfever fever!

One might assume the festival celebrates the end of the dry season and what is essentially a tropical winter.

Alas it is intended to attract tourists, nothing more.

My boys and I happened to catch the opening March. 

The little fellas were home from school, and I had to pop down town to send our failure to vote, please explain or be fined letters to AEC.  Accidentally we became almost the sole audience for the opening March, I would guess there were approximately 40 other people there to witness the event. 

Marching is very popular in Samoa and the March was headed by the ever popular Samoan Police band, a daily group of popular marchers.

Apart from providing an excellent Marching Band, the  Police also control traffic in the mornings and their Colonial past still echo in the white gloves.

I am not sure who each group represented as many banners were in Samoan, it was raining and I was attempting to keep my little ones dry, while taking photos with my little point and shoot.

These were the most animated Marchers.

These two Darlings represented the Senior Samoan Citizens from Australia and boisterously started an Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi, upon seeing us!  How did they know where we were from?  Unfortunately I have never enjoyed the Oi Oi Oi chant, still I admired the ladies marching in the rain, nice that one brought her lunch.

These marching beauties are vying for the coveted role of Miss Samoa. The one with the crown is the current reigning Lovely One.

Traditionally there is a Miss Fa Fa Fini Pageant during Teuila, unfortunately this year it was held during Independence, just before I got back from Australia. 

Of course not all these ladies are Fa Fa Fini's.

These lovelies were a stand out in the March.

Let the Festivities begin!