Police taking a break during the protest at Parliament, Wellington. Photo / NZME
Police taking a break during the protest at Parliament, Wellington. Photo / NZME
To our New Zealand Police Force — you are awesome.
I've watched you over the last few weeks in Wellington, standing at ease, although I bet a million bucks you weren't at ease, as your fellow Kiwis hurled abuse at you, filmed your every move, and moved into your "personalspace" with no masks on, cellphones inches from your face.
Some of you have been pushed and shoved, called names and threatened.
Things reached an all-time low on Monday when human faeces was reportedly hurled at you.
I can't imagine how you feel, I can't imagine how you switch off when your shift is done and I can't imagine how your friends and family feel when they see you being treated like that while you are at work.
You amazing men and women are the very people that the protesters will call when they go home and something bad happens to them.
So, thank you New Zealand Police, not just the ones in Wellington but those all around the country who put on their uniform every day and do their utmost to protect us. Next time you see a police officer tell them they are awesome. I'm sure they could do with some nice words at the moment.
And finally on this subject, please genuine protesters who have been calling for peace and calm from the beginning, go home now. There is no way you can control the behaviour of people who are determined to cause trouble and they don't care who gets hurt along the way.
Right, on to a much sweeter topic than the protest.
Where has all the brown sugar gone?
Mr Neat was all set to make his second batch of tomato sauce on the weekend and the only thing we needed was brown sugar.
I went to a supermarket — none. Another shopper was looking for some too. She said to me "Why is there no brown sugar? I bet they will have some at the dairies. That's what I'm going to do."
Oh, I thought, that's a good idea. I hope she had more luck than me. Two Four Squares and two dairies later I gave up .
Linda Hall is assistant editor at Hawke's Bay Today.
Lucky for me I found someone who had a packet in their pantry.
I happened to be talking to someone yesterday in the supermarket trade so I asked him where all the brown sugar had got to.
He said it was a supply issue and that Chelsea recalled all its brown sugar before Christmas (now that I think of it, I can remember those signs) and it wiped out stocks.
He said Christmas wouldn't have helped with people making desserts and they (Chelsea) just hadn't been able to keep up.
Just goes to show how one little glitch can disrupt supply trains.
I'm sure it won't be long before it's back. In the meantime, Mr Google tells me it's simple to substitute brown sugar with white sugar and honey or molasses or maple syrup.
The sauce got made and it's delicious.
Linda Hall is assistant editor at Hawke's Bay Today
