By the domain edge

The main issues from yesterday flowed through to today. Fortunately, there were not any other urgent matters and I was largely able to get on with tidying up emails and stuff before my three day weekend. Mid morning I went to the inpatient unit where Kai Atawhai staff (the cultural workers for Maori patients) were hosting a Powhiri to welcome new staff members. My new assistant was invited to attend and I went to support her.

Somewhat unexpectedly, I was invited to introduce myself near the end of the ceremony. Initially, I thought that I was being formally welcomed, which I had not been when I started 16 months ago. However, rather than being last of the "new staff", I was the first of the older staff. Because the closest mountain to where I was born and spent the first decade of my life was Te Aroha, I mentioned that in my introduction. That resulted in one of the Kai Atawhai staff feeling a link as she was from the town of Te Aroha at the base of the mountain. It was a really nice and welcoming ceremony.

On my way back up the hill from the inpatient unit to the main hospital block, I saw some blackbirds seeking food in amongst the leaves under the trees along the boundary between the Auckland Domain and the Auckland Hospital. My preference (and that of S) was this front on view of a female blackbird.

Peer Review tonight was pleasant and useful.