As a retailer in the CBD, I'd like to say thank you to Rotorua Lakes District Council for establishing the Rotorua Farmers Market on Sunday mornings.
For a month now people have been re-discovering our city on a Sunday and are obviously enjoying the experience.
The market has a range of fresh produce and more seasonal vegetables are appearing as they become available. Best of all perhaps, local shops are also enjoying more customers.
Important too, I think, is that this market maintain it's point-of-difference from the Thursday night market.
The one should not become a continuation of the other. In the meantime, the Farmers Market is proving to be a winner for all concerned.
MIKE BYRNE
Rotorua
What is Christmas really about
As we slide helplessly downhill towards Christmas, hoping desperately (but mistakenly) that our credit cards will give us purchase on the deadly incline of debt that we all seem to be descending, many of us ask the question "What's it all about?".
Well I'm not absolutely certain that I know what it's all about, but it is true that Christmas is about Jesus coming to forgive us for the bad things we have done and to offer us salvation and life eternal (in case you hadn't heard, Christmas isn't actually about Santa).
So, to the hard question. "Can I be forgiven for doing X?".
Before you throw yourself off the bridge, know that Jesus is prepared to forgive you, even if the society we live in isn't.
You have to ask Him though.
GJ PHILIP
Rotorua