Bits and Pieces

Big news from the UK is that Eric's sister Alex has married Dave in Mauritius. We have a lovely photo take on the beach and look forward to hearing all about it. (I'll put piccie on when I get their permission). Many congratulations guys. Eric and I always planned an exotic wedding, in bermuda shorts and outrageous shirts (well Eric and Stan anyway) at Victoria Falls. The earlier than planned arrival of H put paid to that and we finally got there with me 7 months pregnant and a 10 month old baby in tow!!

The human neighbours have moved in so we will be seeing lots of changes across the paddocks in the coming months. Ian popped round today to say the contractor will be in tomorrow and did we need anything doing? We will possibly get the stream dug out between 2 of the back paddocks, it has needed doing for ages, along with a heap of other things around here.

Hamilton gardends at the weekend again. The sustainable living talks were not very interesting, aimed more at getting city folk to think about the stuff we are already doing to the nth degree, composting, gowing veg, recycling etc. The Art Festival was very good with lots of stalls. The girls also wanted to go to a childrens pantomine performed in the English garden. It was aimed at very young kids but the jokes and acting were so bad it was actually very funny! We then had a picnic whilst listening to a fantastic blues duo on the lakeside. H and I loved it, Eric didn't (he has very little soul when it comes to music) and Alice thought it was OK. Actually I am quite impressed with the range of music H likes. She is really a child of the 70's I think liking Mike Oldfield, The Carpenters (whom we all love to hate and I defy any of you not to admit to singing along with the dearly departed Karen!!), Kate Bush etc and she is very into Westside Story at the moment. Mom and Daddy bought her the dvd and script for Xmas. Needless to say she knows all the parts now. She was delighted to find out that this will be the first movie they are going to study at school in moving imagery. I don't envy her teacher!!

I am only doing a few hours work today. I have ongoing problems with my back this year and this morning it was an enormous struggle to get up. I then had to hang onto the walls to walk, and had a gait similar to someone who had had a stroke. And the pain was terrible. I have been putting off going to the physio but have got quite a fright now and made an appointment for tomorrow. Thank heavens for brufen which has made it possible for me to at least move around. Without it I would have had to stay in bed all day.

Well I must go and stretch.

Oh I took these photos after seeing Mrs Tiggy ambling up the drive outside the dining room.

Homework and Hamilton

Harriette had a piece of homework today. Read The Chimney Sweep by William Blake and answer 3 questions.
Q.2. Explain, using specific examples, how the tone of the poem changes (Hint.....it changes from a sombre, sad tone to one that is much more hopeful.)!!!!! I have 2 questions. If that was a hint, what was an answer? And, does the English teacher have a different definition of the word 'hint' to me?!?!?!?!? Oh well, it gave Eric and I a laugh.

I have been a very poor blogger of late. No. I am not going to apologise, or make excuses.

I have just returned from Auckland after a couple of good days training. I usually return very stressed, and desparate for some peace and quiet, but for some reason this time has been more relaxed. I also did a teaching session, teaching new (and old) facilitators how to teach a particular topic. It went even better than I thought and I had brilliantly positive feedback on the evaluations, and, 5 people came up to me and said how much they enjoyed the session. One even said I was a natural in front of a class, had I always been that way, or did I learn it. I just said I am good a talking! It might sound like I'm blowing my own trumpet but what the hell. It does a girl good to have her self esteem given a lift once in awhile.

We have been going into Hamilton for a few events at the Hamilton Gardens Summer Festival. I get the programme each year, list want I want to attend, then actually go to nothing! I was determined it would be different this year, and chivvied along by Harriette, we have managed a few events. The first evening they had a Mardi Gras with heaps of activites on different stages dotted around the place. There was also a dance performance on that I was keen to see. It was not what I expected, being performed with almost no music, but I enjoyed it none the less. Alice was impressed, H was bored! The following day, we went through to see Mom and Daddy in Paeroa then into Hamilton to see 'Much Ado About Nothing' performed on the lakeside. It was excellent but we could not see, or hear very well! Thinking it was being performed on the stage we parked ourselves with an excellent view, but.. it was performed at 2 o'clock to the stage and between them and us were a row of people seated on chairs (we were on rugs!). I would definately go again but arrive earlier, and be more careful about where we sat! The performance, when we could see, was very good, and so funny. This weekend, we plan to go in for the Right Bank Arts Day and the sustainable living talks.

Some Piccies, and New Neighbours

Random early morning piccies. Well not quite, I took them 'cos it was such a gorgeous morning!





And last week I took this from a viewing platform between Taumaranui and Turangi. I actually went round 360 degrees with the camera but getting that onto blog is way past my capabilities! The volcano looking mountain is Ngaruhoe, or it may be Tongariro, not sure about that (!) and the snow topped one Ruapehu.



And these are our new neighbours!









The humans move in next week but these handsome creatures arrived last weekend. Far more interesting than sheep to look out on wouldn't you say.

First Day At New Schools