Nothing More Valuable Than Reward
Giving nurses and other hospital staff a one-off bonus payment of $10 (before tax) for all the hard slog, long hours, stress and extra work they put in so far during the Omicron part of the Covid pandemic seems less than generous. In fact I would say it is a sick joke for staff associated with the hospitals in the Wellington region.
Better than handing out a pen someone said. I don't know about that.
But hey, not far behind is the allowances some Government department staff are getting whenever they are forced/compelled to, or volunteer to, work from home. Added to their pay packet is 78 cents per day per stay at home.
So staying at home means use of power (and in winter add to this heating), food including cups of coffee and tea, wear and tear of own office type equipment including computer and printer. Savings are in the form of travel but if one buys a monthly train ticket for instance, there is little in the way of travel savings.
Who devised the princely sum of 78 cents a day allowance as commendably fair is anybody's guess. But don't blame it this time on Australia.
Worst Xmas ever?
There's a a lot of planning that goes into Christmas day and sometimes things just don't go to plan. But it can be a good thing - a family mishap or hilarious memory that you can laugh about in Christmases to come.
Whether you burnt the dinner or were stranded at an airport...
Share your Christmas mishaps below!
Suellen’s sweet Christmas tradition
The festive season is always a great excuse to indulge your sweet tooth, and this time of year poses the perfect opportunity to bring a real showstopper to the Christmas table.
For Suellen’s family, that showstopper is Croquembouche, an impressive tower of cream puffs bound together with spun sugar that is popular at weddings in France and Italy.
What began as a birthday treat at a local French café has become a cherished Christmas tradition for Suellen and her 17-year-old twin granddaughters, Ellie and Sadie. Every year, the trio gather in Suellen’s apartment at William Sanders Village to cook this festive dessert - a holiday highlight they all treasure.
Click read more for the recipe.