Celebratory Weekends.

Not quite 4 weddings and a funeral, bit we have certainly done our share of celebrating over the past few weekends. First of all it was Selwyn's Retirement in Rotorua. Duncan had known Sel since St Kentigen days, and John Watt had worked with him for 25 years so we felt we should go. I was sitting next to Sel and said "So have you got your speech prepared?" and he replied "Yes, I've got something organised - but I'm not sure that they're going to do speeches" There was a bit of a break after dessert, but nothing happened, then the teas and coffees were being prepared. A couple of people came to say Goodbye and I thought, "We can't have this." And so I leapt to my feet and proclaimed myself MC for the night. I knew that John and Duncan wanted to speak, then the Tony Bland who was Sel's partner in Visique, and when I called for any more, his sweet little receptionist Kara, got up and made a short heart felt speech. Finally Selwyn relished his opportunity to make his retirement speech, then I proposed a toast and the party continued.

The following Tuesday it was a prewedding party for Julia Gretton. I was asked to do the games and I tactfully declined - but no-one else would, so as I has many long hours on the tractor getting the netting off I managed to come up with something - which seemed to be enjoyed by all.

Thursday was our school graduation, and as usual I was MC and Chief reader out of names.

Friday Duncan went for his long premarathon run - 3 hours 35mins and I followed him around with water and encouraging words. In the afternoon we took Julia and Steve's present around and stayed for a drink.

I played golf on Saturday morning, then we got our gladrags on for the wedding.

The service was at the Matawhero Historic Church and was very moving.
Paul and Dawn were proud parents! Steve is in the airforce, and he is the stepson of Jo Kendall who I used to tramp with, until she had a stroke. We then went into town, to the area in front of where Dawn and Paul live which has been turned into a walkway. Then the suprise!!I think you can just see it - the steam train came and picked us up and took us to the wedding venue at the function room at the Tatapouri Fishing Club. A great night's eating, drinking and dancing was had by all. Back on Sunday for a BBQ at Grettons. The newly weds are honeymooning on Stewart Island - weather permitting having a night in one of the Teepee's there!

That night it was Robyn Arthur's 60th birthday (another of the tramping girls). She has 5 brothers who have all done extremely well for themselves, but by past experience often talk about themsleves when giving speeches, so she asked her 3 sisters to make the speech. At the last moment they said they didn't think they could, so I gave a speech, along with her son.

So much for my New Year's Resolution not to offer to organise things.

Off on a tramp (yes I organised this) on Thursday, so lets hope the weather remains fine until we have made it around Banks Peninsula.

Me and My Old Man

Well here he is, 60 years old. I bought him a book with the unfortunate by-line: The Reluctant Hero - when dying is the easy option. A bit reluctant for this birthday, but after a productive morning in the garden, and a spectacular round of golf in the afternoon with the veterans he had perked upuqite a bit. He played a round in 80, 5 below his handicap. So off we went to dinner at the Marina, and after a long survey of the wine list we began with a half bottle of Pol Roger.The meal was spectacular. Duncan had the duck, and we shared a bottle of Milltons Clos de St Anne Chardonnay.

We indicated to the waitress that we wouldn't need dessert, but she showed up a few minutes later with a small scoop of icecream, a candle, and a Happy Birthday message on the plate. It was a superb ending to a lovely evening.

Next day Duncan's staff turned it on with a chocolate mud cake, and Moet champagne, and the suggestion that he was good for another 10 years. More cards and good wishes came in, and to top it off today when he played golf he won the jackpot - $170 by getting two two's. He played 4 under his handicap. He's talking of having a party - now he knows that being 60 is quite fun!

Winners and winers

Harvest has begun!! We took the gewurz off on Wednesday, and decided that because of the small bunch size and the green undeveloped berries that we would do a machine harvest. I think it came off very well, but very low tonnage and the winery were not happy with the brix levels. So the rest of harvesting is on hold. The spray protection has run out, so we are very vulnerable. But not a lot we can do this year.

On a brighter note here is Duncan and his golfing mates winning the Bull Cup. It is one of the few that he had not won at Poverty Bay, so he was very pleased.

Busy days and restless nights with a severe headcold and cough. Hope you are all well.

The 04 Team takes up the R4L challenge

This weekend was the Relay for life fundraiser for the Cancer Society - and as some of you were kind enough to sponsor us, here is a report on proceedings. The person who suggested it was Olwyn - she's on the phone (or by the cone) in the pictures. After several gruelling years of treatment she is now cancer free! She is a survivor, and only the curly hair - which she did not have before, is there to remind us!


There was a huge storm brewing this weekend - not rain, a storm, so when you least expect it - eg when all the team was on the track doing lap 1 it hosed down for a few minutes leaving us all very wet! So we spent quite a bit of time hunkered down in our very antiquated tent - but having a centre pole was good and tall and able to accommodate the 17 of us.

We were on a roster which we only vaguely stuck too. I did 25 laps (10km) the first day, and about 10 laps (4km) today. Duncan did a few walking laps on the Saturday, and then did 2 hours from 6.30am to 8.30am while the rest of us had a cooked breakfast. Olwyn's two children and their husband/wife and her husband did most of the night shift. We snuck home for a few hours kip. I am full of a head cold, and was starting to fade.

Well of course O was for Olwyn, or 0=zero, no more cancer, or O for orange which was our charming team colour. I made the team bibs, which glowed quite a bit which was very handy for spotting our team coming around in the gloom. You can see Graeme holding the baton aloft which we kept on the track for 24hours! They had a stage with some good music and some ceremonies such as candle lighting for loved ones taken by cancer. These candles were put in a large paper bag with sand in the bottom. The top was then rolled over - and despite the rain and wind in the night we found 2 of ours still going in the morning. Then there was a balloon release

Fortunately they dont have another one for another 3 years, so we can all rest up.

Its an uphill battle

This week we went on a school trip. It was to Cook's Cove where Captain Cook took on water, first encountered Maori, and chopped down some trees for the spars of his ships. Its up at Tolaga Bay, just an hour away. The kids went by bus, which is pretty new for them. The walk is only about 3 km, but very uphill, down dale. There was much cheering as they saw that I had made it!! it was fine all day in Gisborne, but as soon as we arrived a misty rain came an lasted all day. the kids were not going to be denied a swim however and the boys stripped down to their bare tops while the girls were in more cumbersome get-ups and they swam in two separate groups.

I headed back quite early, which was just s well as the ground became very slippery as it was mainly clay, and by the time 40 kids had made their way back it was like a luge ride.

Here's me an Alice at the Hole in the Wall. Yes tramping in the skirt.

VC Teaching

Some of you wonder what I am talking about when I say that I am teaching on VC this year. So I've taken some pictures to hopefully enlighten you. My room is long and thin so 2 of my Gisborne girls sit behind me and one next to me. This is not ideal - some of the other VC rooms allow you all to sit in a row. On the other side is the document camera which I use for putting notes up.

Here is a split screen, with our campus on one side and Canterbury on the other. I also teach Taranaki and Southland. The mic is just in front of the door and the campuses can talk to me, but often mute it so I dont hear what they are saying.

The VC is in a cupboard. I understand that it stops the bad TV vibes leaking out. Ours are not connected to the TV, but you can play videos, DVDs and hook up a computer - but only those that are approved.

So really it is like reading the 6 o'clock news. I have to be careful what I wear or it can be mighty distracting when I wear my bright purple top.

Three Score Years

This year we have a round of 60th birthday's. Here we are at Dawn's down at the winery just down the road. Then we have Duncan, and then Robyn - in the picture also, and Sue follows in April as well. All these old friends!! Still, Dawn and Robyn had to wait for me while we went over Kaiti Hill in our training for our trampin April - just 35km around Bank's peninsula. After this lunch for the girls, Duncan and I headed off for Ohiwa where the weather wasn't quite so bad as it was here and missed the spectacle of 15 polo ponies breaking out of the back paddock, racing round our property and onto the road. They had been spooked by the lightening and thunder and broke down the back fence where we join the racecourse.

Back at school and in the settling in phase. Doing four classes this year - double what I did last year.