My 3 boys and I

Using my Imagination In Play

my3boysandi — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 01:02:26 +0000

clicking on the photo will enlarge it

fishing off the side off the wharf (bed), reeling the fish in, fishing with a hat on, fishing

He thought of this game all by himself

we have never taken him fishing

He took 2 broken toys and made a new toy out of them

Week In Review

my3boysandi — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 06:04:15 +0000

A quiet day

I helped My Home Schooler make this

Mr Wonderful took Our Little Man with him on a job. My Home Schooler went and did his paper runs and I went for a ride on my bike for 1/2 an hour then took the washing off the line and blogged

Dropped My Home Schooler off at the movies then picked him again with Our Little Man whom thought the movie theatre was a cool place and he didnt even see any movies

quiet morning

Dee came over and took My Home Schooler back to hers for a couple of hours

Went for another bike ride took some of the recycles to the recycling centre

Was home 10 minutes when My Home Schooler texted to say he needed my help. Off I tore but by the time I got there hed sorted out his problem.

I found this recipe the other day at my lovly friends Hays blog. Tonight i cooked it minus the cheese. The Little Man had eaten it for lunch And Plus some cooked mixed vegetables. Remember how I told you the other I was a meat and 3 vege cook. Well this makes a complete meal with a few frozen mixed veges thrown in.

Mr Wonderful took My Home Schooler scroll sawing. My Little Man and I watched Coronation Street on Tv and snacked out on pop pops (Our Little Mans word for popcorn)

This afternoon Our Little Man and I biked over to Dees. She gets me to download her photos from her camera. I took her camera back to her. Had a couple of coffees and showed her picnik which I enjoy using. Our Little Man played with her kids. They have some neat but inexpensive toys.

a very quiet day it was cold and rainy

Exploring whats down the plug hole

Paper run I zoomed around and then came home and cooked bacon and eggs for breakfast

cleaned my house

sorted out what songs we will have for playgroup music time next term

went shopping with My 3 boys

did some prep for Monday and home schooling

Church

finished sorting out music for playgroup on Tuesday

hung some washing on the clothes line - it was raining yesterday and I have SO MUCH!!! Thankfully today is a beautiful day for washing

spent the rest of the afternoon listening to music and singing - aint you pleased you couldnt hear me LOL

smorgasbord of this and that

my3boysandi — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 20:58:21 +0000

I was looking at some photos and came across this one taken in the Hawkes Bay in 1982. There is a place called Splash Planet. This place has water slides, tube rides, pools, racing cars, bumper boats, mini golf and lots more. My sister is up there beside me. I am scared. I have never liked heights.

I was reading The Bean Bag. Sarah was showing us her fab fashion sense and hair dos from the 80’s. I thought Id share too

Lastly I got an award this week

thanks Amy. The deal is that I have to nominate 7 other blogs too - it’s really really hard to choose

My Home

my3boysandi — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 00:58:22 +0000

Holding your mouse over the slide show will reveal the writing Ive put there

We have an average sized 3 bedroom house. It is 3 years old. We have lived here since 1st December 2007. Before that we lived in another part of the Hawkes Bay in a house that the landlord didnt look after.

New Zealand and My Home Part 5

my3boysandi — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 02:08:19 +0000

The Great 1931 Earthquake

On Tuesday February 3rd 1931 New Zealands greatest natural disaster struck Hawkes Bay. At 10.47am when people were going about thier usual Tuesday morning business, an earthquake of magnitude Richter 7.8 struck. The ground heaved upwards. Raising 2230 hectares to sea level, swayed and then, 30 seconds later, there was a downward movement and violent shaking. This terrifying experience lasted for two and a half minutes. The centre of Napier was almost totally destroyed. Fires quickly broke out. In chemist shops there were gas burners that were kept on permanently to seal prescriptions. They ripped though the city destroying 11 blocks of the central city. Eventually they died out. These fires burnt for 36 hours. Fires also began in Hastings, however they were able to be put out more quickly.

People that could fled outside. Some were hit by pieces of falling stonework. Buildings collapsed, trapping others. Damage in Hastings was also devastating, although the fires were contained. Wairoa and the smaller towns to the south as far as Dannevirke were affected. There were 258 deaths, 162 in Napier, 93 in Hastings and 3 in Wairoa along with many injuries.. Twelve nurses were killed when the newly built Nurses’ Home in Napier collapsed. Seventeen people died in a department store in Hastings. Fifteen people died in an old peoples home near Taradale.

Thankfully the navy ship HMS Veronica was docked in Napier harbour when the quake hit. The ship radioed Auckland for help. Help came quickly in the form of two more navy ships. These ships carried extra men, doctors and nurses from Auckland Hospital, and supplies. This was the only way New Zealand learnt what had taken place. All other communications were down. Sailors went into the city to join the rescue effort. With the aid of the Red Cross, New Zealand Defence Forces and the Salvation Army a food depot, many dressing stations and a camp were set up around the city, in parks. The camps provided food and water (which has brought in by lorries) and a place to stay. Many people were too afraid to reenter their homes for days. Some stayed at the camps, others stayed on the beach, while others slept in their backyards. Palmerston North offered places to stay too.

Within days an organization called the Earthquake Relief Committee was formed. They accessed the damage to houses, had them repaired and urged the home owners to return to their houses. The money came from a New Zealand wide appeal. In all 3,229 houses had to be repaired or rebuilt.

The sailors also set about restoring the water supply. Serious sickness was prevented by good medical care and when people were forbidden to flush their toilets. The sewers had to be reconnected. They had to bury their waste. Until a service began to take it away. While this was all this was happening there were about 150 aftershocks in the 24 hours after the main shock. Over the next two weeks, there would be 525 such aftershocks.

Within 3 weeks businesses and retail shopping began to operate again. The Government gave a loan to them. A couple of make shift shopping centres were set up. The rebuilding of Napier and Hastings was costly. However, the benefit was two modern cities. As the land had been raised (in the earthquake) there was now the land to do so.

wonderful (if you can call it that) photos are here - do take a look

New Zealand and My Home Part 4

my3boysandi — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 03:58:36 +0000

Where I am Now

The Hawkes Bay

Throughout the years the Hawkes Bay has changed a lot. This was mostly caused by the 1931 earthquake. This earthquake caused the largest loss of life and most extensive damage of any quake in New Zealand’s recorded history. More about that tomorrow though.

Maori arrived in the Hawkes Bay. They settled in the river valleys and along the coast where food was plentiful. They arrived by canoe, travelling down the coast from the north. They lived well here. By the sixteenth century there was a large tribe living here.

Captain James Cook and his crew upon the Endeavour discovered the Hawke’s Bay in October 1769. He named the bay after Sir Edward Hawke, First Lord of the Admiralty.

Whalers and flax traders arrived in the early 1800s, and a few Europeans came and went. The first permanent resident was Austrian botanist and nurseryman Frederick Sturm. He set up a plant nursery here in 1865.

In June 1840, the Treaty of Waitangi arrived in Hawkes Bay for signing.

In 1844 the missionary William Colenso. Who was also a botanist, printer and politician, arrived to establish his mission station at Waitangi, south of Napier. Today one of the high schools in Napier is named after Mr Colenso.

The first grape vines were brought and grown in the Bay in 1851. They were for French Catholic missionaries. Today there are 229 vineyards in the Hawkes Bay. Our area of New Zealand is responsible for some of the best wine in New Zealand.

In 1848 James Northwood and Henry Tiffen leased 50,000 acres of land for grazing sheep. One of the areas they set this farm up was where Mr Wonderful was born and raised until they moved into one of the twin cities of the Hawkes Bay. In 1849 Henrys brother Fred herded 3000 sheep up to this farm from Wellington.

Donald McLean was able to gain much land in the area. He was able to work closely alongside the Maori peoples to gain this land. He was made Land Commissioner to prevent uncontrolled purchasing and leasing of Maori land. In 1863 he was elected Superintendent of the Hawke’s Bay Province. From 1866 to 1876 he virtually ran the province. Due to being well respected in the area and his knowledge about the way Maori people did things lead to him being the Government Agent on the East Coast in 1868. Over the years till a month before his death he was also Native Minister and Defence Minister.

By the 1870s, grand homesteads were being built for farmers. There they were able to where live in the manner to which they were use to. They probably were able to afford these grand houses because of the great farming that could be had in this country.

Most of the new settlers however, were more of the working class people. They were arriving in great numbers. They were taking jobs on sheep-stations and settling in the towns which were being established

clicking on the map should give you a more closer look

The Hawkes Bay has 2 major cities.

Napier the port city in the Hawkes Bay was named after Sir Charles Napier, the hero of the Battle of Meeanee in the Indian province of Scinde. Early Napier consisted of an oblong mass of hills almost entirely surrounded by water. The town flourished and became a well established commercial centre with a growing port, servicing a wide area. And Hastings - named after , India’s first Governor-General.

Sir Charles Napier and Warren Hastings

The British Army came to Napier in 1858 as both local Maori and settlers were concerned about fighting between Maori chiefs.

In 1858 Hawkes Bay gained independence from Wellington Province2, and until the abolition of provincial government in 1876 was governed by the Hawkes Bay Provincial Council from its building at the foot of Shakespeare Road in Napier.

I feel that the Hawkes Bay in someways is still isolated from other parts of the North Island. I havent traveled very far in the last 3.5 years. To go north one has a few options but we tend to go along the Napier Taupo road. In the early days this was worst though. The Ruahine and Kaweka ranges formed a barrier to the west. Horse drawn coach services were available but the journey to Taupo took two full days. It now only takes a matter of hours.

Travel to Wellington became much easier after railway construction started in Napier in 1872, reaching Hastings in 1874 and Takapau in 1877. It wasnt until 1887 that Woodville was reached, and the line was connected to Palmerston North via the difficult Manawatu Gorge in 1891. The northern line was not commenced until 1912 but did no reach Gisborne until 1942.

A hydro electric power station that is still functioning today was built in 1892. John Chambers built it at Mokapeka Station. (page 4 and 5 of this document) This power station is probably the oldest operational one in the world.

1912 saw the first cars in the Bay. There were also swimming baths, theatres, parks, electric lighting systems being built in Napier and Hastings, and a tram service in Napier.

Of course the area also had older important places already like a hospital and many schools.

Info sourced mainly from here

New Zealand and My Home Part 3

my3boysandi — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 22:44:27 +0000

Christchurch and Back Again

We visited these places. We went on the tram.

A beautiful city really. I couldnt see that at the time I was in an abusive relationship. My Home Schooler was born here. Christchurch is in the South Island of New Zealand. It is known as the garden city of New Zealand. One of the places I remember well is Ferrymead I have always loved historical places so this place was right up my alley.

Christchurch city is located midway down the East Coast of the South Island, just north of Banks Peninsula.

Christchurch is the South Island’s largest city. Christchurch is a flat city. It has a population of just under 360,000. I liked the weather better here than Auckland. The average Summer temperature is 17″C (62.6″F) in Winter its mostly 9″C(48.2″F). Auckland has a higher humidity level than Christchurch. The cold is also different its much easier to take. It snowed once in the suburbs when I lived there. We woke up my daughter (who wasnt impressed it was late at night LOL) to have a look. Its not everyday that I as a New Zealander have experienced snow in my back yard. In fact that might have been the only time. Some New Zealanders particularly South Islanders do experience this every winter. Not me though

We went to Lyttleton a few times. One of the family lived there. Getting there was interesting. You had to go through a tunnel. It was a port town so there were boats to see upon exiting the tunnel.

Another place that I discovered years before living there. One of my aunties lived in Christchurch when I was a girl. When I was 10 years old I went on my first airplane flight alone. While I was staying with her on this holiday we went to Orana Wildlife Park. When we went we went through the lion park part of this wonderful zoo. Things have changed over the years. As you will see by clicking on the link.

These are some of photos from that holiday in 1980

When my Home Schooler was a year old we escaped to a Womens Refuge and came home to Auckland.

We lived in Auckland for another 7 years. Again in Mt Wellington. I was a Christian solo mum. When my son was 5 I home schooled my daughter for 2.5 years. Then I went to Auckland College of Education and got my bachelor of teaching early childhood.

New Zealand and My Home Part 2

my3boysandi — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 22:38:47 +0000

I have lived in 2 of New Zealand’s major cities.

Auckland

I was born 38 year ago in the city of Auckland. Auckland is called the city of sails and quite rightfully so. As I told you yesterday one is able to get to the sea within hours and this is particularly so if you live in Auckland.

Auckland is a sprawling city reaching from Wellsford (we use to have access to a holiday house near here when I was a child) to the Bombay Hills.

I was born in National Womans Hospital and grew up in Mt Wellington.

Mt Wellington is in East Auckland. Auckland has active 50 volcanoes. They have never blown up in my life time though. Mt Wellington has under gone many changes since I was a girl. There is a huge mall there now.

Auckland has 2 outer Islands that people can stay on. Both can be reached easily by ferry. I use to have a friend whom lived on Waiheke Island. It is the 3rd most populated island after the North and South Islands. It is a beautiful Island. The other is Great Barrier Island. This Island is more for trampers and the adventurous. There is one other island that I wish to highlight. This is a dormant volcano. Although people cant stay here (without special permission) it is a great place for a day trip. Rangitoto Island can be seen from many places within Auckland.

Auckland is a melting pot to many different cultures and countries in the world. Over the years it has attracted people from European countries such as Hungary, Holland and Yugoslavia. Today, Auckland is the world’s largest Polynesian city. Around 63% of its residents are of European descent, 11% are Maori, 13% are of Pacific Island descent and there is a growing Asian population of around 12%. In the city centre, Auckland’s growing popularity as an international education destination has seen an explosion of ethnic restaurants and shops. (http://www.aucklandnz.com/VisitorInformation/StoryofAuckland/ArticleDisplay.aspx?Section=Story&SubGroup=Style_of_Life)

Auckland is a busy city teaming with many restaurants, wineries, theatres, shops, shops and more shops. A casino, a zoo and many other interesting places. It is home to Sky City, Auckland Museum, Auckland Domain and Wintergardens, Albert and Cornwall parks, Parnell Rose Garden, Auckland Botanical Gardens, and the National Maritime Museum.

North, South, East and West of Auckland city itself there are vast areas sandy beaches, parks, walkways, lush rainforests, rolling green rural landscapes, lakes, waterfalls and country villages.

I was a Plunket baby. In those days the mother was visited much more than she is today and you would also go to the clinic and they would make sure baby was growing up well.

When I was born my father was an electrician and they were provided a house to live in. I have seen the land it was once on its quite grassy now. It was a little cottage. Probably only 2 bedrooms as we had to move when my sister was born. It was right next to some power line towers. At least one of the towers was on our section.

Next door to us lived a friend of Mum’s. From what I gather this lady got German Measles when Mum was pregnant with me. I could have been born like Muzz whose mother did get it when she was pregnant with him. Muzz has an 80% hearing loss and is blind in one eye. Anyway Mum was fortunate she didnt get it and I was born without any medical conditions. Anyway this lady had a little boy called Guy and Guy and I use to play with each other all the time.

Here we are I was 7 months old.

When I was a child I lived in a house on the corner of a highway and a side street. We had a large backyard where I use to love playing but more about that later. My father collected cactus so outside the lounge window was a homemade glasshouse full of cactus. I would have a smaller glasshouse beside it in later childhood years. We had a 3 bedroom wooden house. I had my own bedroom. It wasnt very big but it was mine. In later years we would enlarge it and I would get a full length mirror on my wardrobe door.

Before the house extension the kitchen had black and white lino squares which I use try to walk on without touching the lines. On the corner of the sink bench was a rubber stopper which dad put there to prevent us kids getting hurt when and if we got near the sharp edge of the bench. We also had a large built in porch. It was like a room and was very handy in the winter time. I remember fainting there once when I was sick.

We also had a rumpus room by the garage. This is where I would play for many long hours at being a radio DJ. I was allowed to decorate the room with my posters, I had a small table on which sat my radio/cassette player. This is where I would read my girly magazines and drool over the likes of Michael J Fox, John Stamos and Tom Cruise.

Going back to the large backyard we had I use to spend many long summer hours climbing the climbing tree. Or playing that I was a warrior with a pretend spear. We (my sister and I) were also expected to help wash the family car. We also helped picking up the hedge clippings until I finally managed to convince my parents that they irritated my sinuses. Then I was allowed to stay inside while my sister had continue helping dad.

It was a special treat we felt to be allowed to ride our bikes up and down our road. My parents had a rule (which I apply to my own children to this day) that we werent allowed outside the gate. So to be able to ride our bikes (sometimes make believe horses) outside the gate and down as far as the school entrance was a real privilege.

If you would like to read more about my childhood memories read my other posts in this blog.

When I was 17 I wanted to go flatting but got my own caravan instead. It was parked on my parents back yard. I was pretty much self sufficient there. I LOVED my little home. I cooked my own meals. Studied - I liked English so much that I went back and did a night class in English. Entertained friends. By day I worked in a plant nursery. Getting plants ready to send to the shops which would sell them. When I was 19 I met my first husband.

When I was 20 we moved to Onehunga (another suburb in Auckland). We lived in a old but nice house. I remember the rooms were big!!! I had my (estranged) daughter there.

We found things hard. We moved back to Mt Wellington. I separated from her father when she was 1 years old. For a while I lived with my parents then I found a nice little flat nearby.

Tomorrow I will write about the 2nd major town I lived in called Christchurch. This is where My Home Schooler was born.

New Zealand and My Home - Part 1

my3boysandi — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 06:24:19 +0000

I was asked by one of my bloggie friends to write about this topic

New Zealand

Aotearoa (Maori name) meaning The Land of the Long White Cloud.

I have lived here all my life. In fact I have never traveled out of New Zealand. They (not sure who - it was an ad if my memory serves me right) reckoned you should see your own country before going over seas. I can say I have done that. As a child my family would go on holidays. Also when I was 17 I went with St Johns Ambulance Cadets of which I belonged and toured most of the South Island in campervans. It was a whirlwind trip and I would advice travelers to take much longer.

Speaking of traveling unlike some of my readers we road users here in New Zealand drive on the left side of the road.

Although I am not a sporty person New Zealand is a rugby playing country. It is our national sport. Our New Zealand is called The All Blacks.

clicking on the picture above will take you to more info about the All Blacks

If you came to New Zealand I doubt there would be many homes where The Edmonds Cookbook wouldnt be part of the kitchen cook book library. New Zealand woman like to cook and some men are quite good at it too.

While we are talking about food. Chocolate is dear to my heart and New Zealand makes a marshmallow covered in chocolate fish. The traditional pudding is the Pav(lova) which is sometimes accompanied by Ice cream made here in New Zealand at Tip Top. Tip Top is situated in Auckland and they have ice cream factory tours of which My Home Schooler and I have been on.

Dinner is the main meal of the day here in New Zealand. We like a lot of New Zealanders try to have this evening meal around the table together. Although we sometimes vary our dinners most consist of meat accompnied by Watties Tomato sauce, potato, carrots and peas.

This may or may not be followed by pudding. Some families finish their meal with fruit maybe kiwifruit. While kiwifruit is a Chinese fruit New Zealanders have selectively bred it and it has become an egg-sized fruit with green or gold flesh.

Although New Zealanders have many and varied jobs. Due to the good land and favorable weather conditions New Zealand is known as the worlds biggest farm. There are in fact 10 sheep per person here in New Zealand. We export a lot of our sheep meat. Our sheep also yield excellent wool. This is shorn twice a year and we have a special way to shear our sheep which has been copied throughout the world. As we are a farming nation we of course have farmers whom wear gumboots. As do a lot of other New Zealanders particularly in the winter time.

As well as sheep we also farm a lot of cattle. We have millions of cattle. Our cattle are able to feed on grass all year round. We export 90-95% of all milk produced. As well as farming in the traditional sense we also have lots of orchards.

We grow a large variety of different fruits such as avocados, feijoas, kiwifruit, tamarillos and passionfruit in Northland and the Bay of Plenty. In Auckland, the Waikato, the Hawke’s Bay, Marlborough, Nelson, Canterbury, Otago and Southland we produce apricots, peaches, plums, nectarines, cherries and berryfruits - blackcurrants, boysenberries, raspberries and strawberries.

Citrus is grown commercially mainly in Northland and the Bay of Plenty. Apples and pears for export are grown mainly in the Hawke’s Bay and Nelson regions. (http://www.aatravel.co.nz/about-newzealand/editorial.php?pagename=farming)

You may have noticed in the All Blacks picture above the Silver Fern. We have forests in which they grow. I think one of the reasons New Zealand is so picturesque is because we have been able to hold on to some of our native forests.

Our native and becoming extinct bird once flourished in these forests too. We are actually nicknamed after this special bird. The kiwi.

As well as the forests and farms New Zealand is a island or set of islands (3) in the Pacific Ocean. New Zealand is made up of the North island, the South Island and Stewart Island. Thus you are never more than a couple of hours away from the sea. In fact all the major cities are on the coast line. New Zealand has its Summer in December to February and is quite common then to see people wearing jandals then and maybe sipping on a L&P. This is a New Zealand soft drink. New Zealand summers are beautiful with the temperatures ranging from 20 to 25 degrees C (68 to 76 degrees F) depending on where one lives.

While we are talking about the weather the winter isnt too bad either. New Zealand has its Winter between June to August. Some parts of New Zealand dont even see snow. The lowest temperature is 1 degrees C up to 7 degrees C (34 to 45 degress F) again depending on where one is.

To understand more about New Zealands weather go here.

I shall endeavor to write more tomorrow

Week In Review

my3boysandi — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 05:53:49 +0000

Our Little Man is interested in bandages ever since he was a patient for his daddy for the 21st birthday party we went to

Took Our Little to the doctors today. He has a slight eye infection.

home schooled

Mr Wonderful took Our Little Man back to his dads till Wednesday

met My Home Schooler and we did his permanent paper run - he doesnt like it - maybe because he had already done the relieving run too - maybe because its new

I LOVED it felt pumped when I got home - good exercise

while Im enjoying My Home Schoolers paper run Im not enjoying his attitude I think he is finding 2 runs too much but I have told him I could do it for him and he doesnt want me too

He doesnt me to get paid for it

The boys (Mr Wonderful and Our Little Man) came home today

An hour before I was meant to meet My Home Schooler for his run Dee came over which was nice. Cut her sons hair.

Today the paper run was so much better. I grabbed some mandarins on my way out the door and gave them peeled to My Home Schooler along the way. It worked he was so much nicer to me.

Spent some time after home schooling today singing praises to God. I enjoy singing. We had finished today on a bible theme you may visit if you would like.

paper run Im getting fit and My Home Schooler is getting familiar with the new run

Im a soppy old thing. We have been reading through the Little House on The Prairie books. We are up to On the Banks of Plum Creek. Grasshoppers had come and eaten all the wheat. The wheat that the Ingalls were depending on. They lost everything. As I read it to My Home Schooler I cried. My Home Schooler hugged me, Our Little Man gave me some of the mandarins he had been eating. I finished the chapter. My Home Schooler went to do some of his writing (his idea). He is a good creative writer and Mr Wonderful (whom Im not sure realized what had happened) gave me a cup of coffee. Bless my 3 boys.

We decided some days ago that I would do My Home Schoolers run on a Saturday morning and be paid for it. He is still doing the relieving job and we knew he wouldnt be able to do both by 8am. So up we both got up at 6.30 am. 15 minutes later I headed off to do one and My Home Schooler headed off to do the other. It was a bit windy and my eyes and nose watered but all was good. I watched a lady delivering pamphlets to the same roads I was delivering too. I probably was watching her more than I realized as I wondered whether I had forgotten to deliver one of the papers to a distinctive house that makes you notice it. I got to the end of that road and doubled back. I had delivered it. I got home 10 minutes before My Home Schooler and made our traditional Sunday morning breakfast. Yes its Saturday My Home Schooler requested I make it today and I can tell you I had built up an appetite too.

After breakfast and a little time on the computer I clean the house.

This afternoon I filed My Home Schoolers work for the last 2 terms before that it was just in boxes

Tonight we watched 2 dvds and ate chips and popcorn an enjoyable evening

I went to a church at the same place where the play group we go to is held. I know some of the people there. I met with a dear friend there and it was nice sitting beside her in church. I was also greeted with a big hug from the pastor. He is married to the lady I run play group with. What a wonderful welcome. I use to go to this church when I first came to the Bay and I think I will be going back when Im not doing creche or My Home Schooler doesnt have communion to help with at our usual church. I can ride my bike or walk to the playgroup/church easily. It was a beautiful day for walking too. Dee popped in first thing this morning and gave My Home Schooler a cell phone she doesnt need anymore. So she gave me a lift there.

I have also been prompted to read John and Peters gospels.