On the home stretch to the FAT MAN COMETH!

We have our last fundraiser tonight KAPA HAKA, whilst performing on Sunday19th for Taupo promo shop till u drop xmas day, A guy booked the kapa kids for a private function ($400 thank you very much!!!) a birthday party we getting ready at 6pm (inked up "moko" etc) and dressed rehearse then onto the party for an 8pm show!! HOW COOL is that (tiring but cool), I worked today from 9am until WELL I'm still going I am finishing at 5pm (nothing like being flogged right up to the day!) I have cleaned 2 houses and then done 9 loads of washing today 3 OF my own, and 6 of SOMEONE ELSES!!!! 2 towels, 1 clothes, 2 sheets and 1 miscellaneous.whilst they are on holiday I guess I am NOT! have to feed cats and water lawns etc! oh yay for me...

I honestly thought I wouldn't hold out until today BUT I have managed JUST! I made $400 on 2 sales this week alone so that boosted the holiday coffers,I am off to do a little of my own ironing AND A FAIR chunk of someone elses ironing, hang out the last load of sheets ! THANK GOD they wont take long to dry, and THEN I can relax tomorrow and xmas day, the only DIRTY clothes and things are what we are wearing ! I may at this stage wear them for 3 days so AS NOT too do anymore washing!!!! lol the food is bought we have 2 extras for xmas day.

MY JASON is coming here (his family have abandoned him AGAIN and he was having xmas alone THEY MAKE ME WANT TO MURDER I SWEAR!!) and I'm ok with him coming here but when you have brothers, Aunties Uncles, in your own town where you are WHY can't any of them invite him over!! (his parents are off tripping down south for 4 MONTHS!!!! they have no responsibilities or conscience or duty of care! he is their son WTF is wrong with these people!)

Vent over for now, but my christmas cheer took a denting when I got the text last night to say "I'm alone for xmas what are you doing?" and of course then I had 60 questions why haven't he family his family asked me over around or INCLUDED him!!!! and they wonder why he has SEVERE mental illness issues THEY FARKIN CAUSE IT!!!! ok enough! Then I stopped cause I realised I could be making it worse BY pointing out HOW MANY of HIS BLOOD FAMILY don't think of him!

I have only bought presents for Samuel and the 2 kiddies I look after nobody else FIRST time ever! feels strange but as I said to my friend where we are going for xmas its about friends your "family" extended( as in my case) and or otherwise and good food good company, and at least we have a house to live in and a job.

To be Thankful

A few things I am thankful for is my gorgeous SON, his kindness, his humour, his unconditional love, his brilliance, his handsomeness, his helpfulness, his spirit, MY friends whom always ask after Jason first and then me (because that's how it should be), I am capable of a normal existence in between moments of chaos. I am thankful of my good health, I am amazed at how I give to others readily and freely, also involving myself in all manner of committee and school based events and thankful I have a job that allows some flexibility to be able to do so,I am thankful that I have friends who appreciate all I do for them, and they immediately jump to my defense when needed,I am thankful my circle of friends whom defend my privacy to the hilt!! in regards to family! My friends ROCK. I am thankful of my elderly neighbours whom regard Samuel as a grandson! I am thankful my son has a nice group of friends long may that last!

Some things I wish

I wish I was more patient, I wish I was more forgiving (Family), I wish sometimes I wasn't so darned hardnosed, I wish I was in a position to offer more volunteer hours at school, I wish sometimes there were more hours in the day.

I hope everyone has a nice xmas and a relaxing time enjoying friends and families company however your family unit is made up....

Ciao
Blondie1 and Son.

Just call me SANTA..........

Cause surely SANTA hasn't ever been this busy!!!!

Just so I haven’t forgotten everyone was our programme of events from the last few weeks until school ENDS, which is DEC 10^th (oh to be back at school) End of year activities and prizegivings and exams it has just been one big BLUR!!!! I hope everyone is well staying out of trouble and looking forward to relaxing at XMAS like I am!!! AND please please do RAIN DANCES as it is so hot and dry it’s terrible.

We have been so DAMNED busy with kapa haka and karate its insane WE have won the right to hold the karate NATIONALS next year and we are fundraising every 2^nd Saturday to raise $18000!!! The kapa haka we had Friday 26^{th November} (pre cycle race) we fed 100 people entertained danced sang and then had to clean up got home 11pm!!! thought I would email through our next 3 weeks of timetable we have kapa haka swimming FRIDAY 19^th, at Jump Jam all day sat 20^th November from 8am until 7pm!!!!

NEXT week is Cycle challenge (nov 27^th) and all that week we have kapa haka tues/wed/thrus/fri night is WELCOMING cyclists onto school and performance then SAT morning we have karate BBQ organised for fundraising and also a RAFFLE going at Pak n Save Sunday and then the next week is Activites week at school for all Year 9 and he has practices karate kapa haka and swimming everyday afterschool right up until SCHOOL ENDS so we are flat out next weekend too, following week we are at school Tues/wed/thurs with kapa haka as FRI night 3^rd December is MARAE stay over as we have to be at Mount Tauhara for Contact Energy (600 GUESTS!!!! Including Iwi groups etc) official powhiri and welcome and entertainment party!! IT WAS 10 HOURS of on and off performing and eating!! Have all day gig Saturday then Sunday is Karate again fundraiser, Week of Dec 6^th is final week of school and we have junior prizegiving kapa haka 3 nights then swimming then Karate BBQ we aren’t free until December 18^th and even then that weekend we have Karate fundraiser on!!! A garage sale at my place IT is 80% set up NOW as of December 16th.

We then have the garage sale 18th december next fundraising is selling amazing "Thundersticks" (random light sticks like lightsabers!) at the New Years Eve concert and at THE STAN WALKER and ANIKA MOA concert Whoop Whoop oh and DJ Rumble will be there and Ivy Lies!!! WE then have A HUGE HANGI fundraiser at End of January and between then I WILL BE ON HOLIDAY I swear!!!!!!

I have kept up with all me gardenign etc and house cleaning (spring/summer huck out!) so IT MAKES me relax as if I see jobs to do I get up instead of relaxing! DAM IT!

Swimming stops in the week of December 17^th being last lesson, then Samuel will go back to 2 nights of karate until school starts again on February 3^rd, then its FULL on as they have a huge KAPA HAKA competition in Rotorua in March so will be practising 3 nights a week for that again and the saturday's as well for it.(and chuck in swimming as well and its BUSY central all over.


Samuel did really well in Year 9 exams got a lot of Excellence in Maths English Science Social Studies, a few achieved with merit, and 2 achieved so he was pleased with that.Also got a principals MERIT award and National recognition awards for Karate.

I got photos of course and SOMETIME I will load them.

I don't know about you guys BUT this year is busier than ever, and we got our tree up 2 weeks ago, but I fear xmas will be very lean for us and our extended friends, it has been a horrid year really finances wise HERE'S hoping 2011 is mucho better.

I hope all of you have relaxing enjoyable holidays with friends and family AND some of you are even getting married!!!!!!!

Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year!!!

Ciao

Far out November already....

last few weeks been absolutely flat out with kapa haka(KH) and karate, kapa haka performed at the schools 50th Jubilee we were there from 8.30am until 3.30pm helped set up 600 seats the kitchen seats and tables the outdoor seats and tables then helped dish up the hangi for 500, then did UNTOLD DISHES!!!!!! whilst the group performed for 2 hours!!!! then helped pack it all away whilst the jubilee group went to photos and afternoon tea and mingling then of course the dinner which other entertainment was used. as people were seated they performed in time sets of 25 mins then break 5 - 10 mins then back into it as each different set of 100 came through, the Pacific Island groups performed later in day and then in the late afternoon the school orchestra too so entertainment was on offer all day. Long day but highly successful.

The KH group has been practicing for 3 days during week and 2 hrs on a Sunday or Saturday arvo as we just competed in a Hauraki meet held in Waihi, GOSH the performances JUST blew me away 1000's of people everywhere and singing galore. GOT up at 4.30am left 5.30am got home 9.30pm!!!!!!!!!! Yesterday Samuel and I DID NOT move off the couches! we were stuffed.

I have some pics BUT not the ones I want to put on never mind!Samuel is second from right!and the 3 girls are the senior members they are 16yr olds, SOME of the other schools MAN their boys/men were scary as!!!! and the girls/women JUST beautiful.The group has 15 girls and 12 boys BUT some of the boys didn't either A: have permission to go or B: had the I can't be bothered to go (touch rugby and sports takes precedence!).The boys wear black g strings and their backsides are decorated and black inked accordingly! (not a job for the fainthearted!).

ALSO the school kapa haka group GETS NO acknowledgement or merits for their performances and or work throughout the year!! HOW STUPID is that they the Te Reo classes ( the classes in their official capacity get merits etc) but they are EXPECTED to do ALL powhiri welcome ,wero and challenges and perform at schools discretion but give them acknowledgement and distinction ERRR NO, and it is a lot like this through out other schools THIS was touched on by ORGANISERS of the 2 most recent competitions we have been too of late, A SHAME really a BIG SHAME! but indicitive of current mood towards encouraging Maori to be Maori.(and I NOW remember what shied me away from my culture over 30 years ago, the backlash is still prevalent however it was so nice to see such enthusiastic performances and pride I even ran into a couple I haven't seen for 10 years!!!).

That being said Samuel is continuing to take Maori and Japanese next year BUT only after a SCHOOL head meeting 3 heads and the principal and me, I argued that Kapa Haka is performing arts and cultural (ie drama and music components), and Te Reo class is the language literature component, and japanese will be vital for his karate and where he wants to head later with his karate, travel etc he will pick up Spanish again next year in his spare time the school argued that the MOE has to know WHY this student (and others) aren't taking drama or music I said kapa haka is performance drama acting singing etc etc and is cultural heritage too, perserving waiata and legends etc his Te Reo teacher and Japanese teacher all supported his request very strongly so that helped too. They finally agreed and I know that there are not 1 but 3 other students are taking 2 languages 1 other girl does Maori/Japanese and another student does French/Japanese.

Samuel has just had an interview with Tpo District Council with the Asthma Funding programme for Asthmatics "Swim For Life" our co coordinator here in Tpo district secured $100K of funding for swim programmes( to roll out to all schools in our district) and the Asthma foundation put in a substantial amount of funding for children/students who had Asthma and needed SWIM LESSONS, we applied beginning of this year and Samuel couldn't swim 10m without huffing and blowing and or stopping, (has never had swim lessons) they and the coordinator is looking at presenting Maori/PI swim programmes to encourage more attendance and are using Samuels story as their Guinea Pig poster Boy, he had to do a write up and they Council and coordinator were blown away by his writing! THEY hope it will bring more people to apply for the funding which is under used!

They KH group are hard out this week and next, 4 day practices for another competition on Nov 13th the group has been asked to powhiri and perform at a CONTACT ENERGY launch at Mt Tauhara Dec 4th WHERE we will be bused to a location and the group has A WOW FACTOR performance for the Kaumatua and guests in the guise of an out style haka and true AMBUSH will be spine tingling stuff thats for real, they have to perform at Senior prizegiving Nov 10th and then another competition then Junior prizegiving, then final assembly!!!!! THEN that's it for the year! phew!!!!! Samuel is down to one night a week karate whilst this is all on and then when school finishes will go back to 2 nights a week karate I will get a 3 month swimming pool card for over summer so he can keep up his swimming and stay on track. BUT I am looking forward to no school as this last month is CRAZY!They the KH group might also be doing 3 day busking over xmas to fundraise for early year competiton in Rotorua. (thats a HUGE competition)

I do hope everyone is keeping busy and only 56 ish sleeps until xmas! eeeekkkkkkkkk

Ciao
Sharon

I love the holidays....................

Samuel and I have slept in every day until 9am ish one day until 10am (but very late night) as 2 of the week nights he had friends stay over, we have played upwords,scrable and crib, in the first week when weather was cruddy, this week we have been out in the sunshine gardening early morning until 1045 11am ish when it is getting too darn bright/hot (dare I say that), I have caught up on all my jobs pulling beds out and furniture and vacuuming under everything will do edges tomorrow and thurs mow lawns thursday wash sheets and air blankets so all caught up pre going back to school TERM 4 OMG!!! as Sunday we have KAPA HAKA practice all day.

Samuels school finish on Dec 10th they have approx 8 weeks schooling left BUT 1 week is strike interrupted, 1 week is year 9 activities week so in effect only 6 weeks of school then 6 weeks holiday!!! gawd give me school any day! I have been working on my pre tan tan all this week in the sun too, nice

Samuel karate club has just secured from Wellington and Auckland THE RIGHT to hold next NATIONALS Aug 2011 (I know right before the RWC) but we are thrilled we have raised so far $2000 and need to raise another $15000 in 11 months very doable and if we succeed and do well Takahashi may very well say Taupo Nationals ALL the time it makes sense there are Wellington people Auckland people Whanganui people and New Plymouth people Turangi and Taupo we are the most central place.

I love this weather and have scrubbed me BBQ and got it all ready for the onslaught of summer YAY YAY YAY.

Hope everyone is having nice holidays too.

Ciao

Kapa Haka Festival was great....

On Wed 15th? I think yip of september the TNT(Taupo Nui a Tia) Kapa Haka performed to raptuous applause!!!! the boys did a "Poi" stint and my son got to perform doublehand poi tricks and single handed poi tricks (he was the only one) and the crowd went wild I will have some amazing photos soon I hope of his get up he looked like a true blue Maori Owwwwww. The other boys did just single poi single hand tricks they had a ball we sold 600 hangis on first day sunny on second DAY hail rain and wind NOOOOOIIIIIIICCCEEEE! not.they are now in training for Wairakei performance A big affair, and next years Te Arawa festival!!!! BIG HUGE DEAL!!!!!

Tomorrow is my babies birthday he will be 14 yrs old!!!he is set to head to Sports Awards and its semi formal got our tickets today as he is nominated and I do hope he receives something ON HIS BIRTHDAY would be soooooo cooool he feels bummed he has to attend school at night on his birthday but the lure of food and nibbles has him leaning towards its ok !!

I don't need to speak of the FOUL WEATHER!!! but it is cold wet windy and rainy and I am over it over it!!!! my house resembles Wing Wah's laundry 24/7 now!!!! (except today it was sunny ish!).

I got my son a mini mini speaker "Divoom" to run his MP3 off and it is the dinkiest thing he is charging it upa s I type so he can use it tomorrow on his birthday, it runs his cellphone music through the speaker and a notebook, pcp, gaming devices, ipod's so pretty darn handy!! 2 people I showed today went and bought one each I thought WOW thats pretty impressive not bad sound considering.....

He is getting music vouchers, t shirts, smellies, games, PS2 stuff and other items that I know of so far so all in all he should have a nice birthday we are having his favourite dinner spag n meatballs, and garlic bread and chocolate cake for pudding then straight off to Awards.

Labour weekend is a big event here for Karate and did I say Samuel has improved out of sight one of the senior black belts said to me a few weeks ago he is getting stronger and faster and striking harder (he bloodied the seniors face and HAD blood on Gi to show me!!! nooooiiiiiiccce!)

I hope everyone is keeping sane and ahead of their washing piles!!!!!!!

Ciao

And another weekend bites the dust!

A huge week swimming,karate,kapa haka, rugby organising(wind up do), and then Friday Saturday Sunday cooking for 24 people dinnerx2, Brekkiex2,lunchx2, I made lasagne, casserole cooked sausages and french toast with bubble n squeak! and DIDI a small mountain of dishes THE KIDS help though and not alot of sleep was had.

It was cold and the practises were long and involved, but alot was achieved, and now for the polishing the boys found out they have to wear "maru" g strings under the bum flaps THAT was hilarious....

When we got home we unpacked the CAR from blankets, clothes mattresses and food, AND did 2 loads washing, I had a karate meeting to attend then I came home and vaccummed cleaned bathroom toilet and kitchen Samuel vaccumed) we then fell down into chairs exhausted (cornbeef in crockpot) had mashed potatoe and pumpkin and veges!

We are now both heading to bed and I BET I snore heaps!!!!

Ciao

I have this coming week off (fingers crossed) and I will be at school Monday, Tuesday organising Rugby folder for our Thursday night POTLUCK dinner YAY (organised by me), Wednesday at school Thursday cooking dishes for the potluck dinner I am going to do a crockpot of chilli mince and one of curried sausages AND a pot of RICE.

I hope the weather holds out for the week

2 DAYS in a row sunshine UNBELIEVABLE

We have sure had some rain, and although rugby has finished doing your shopping/chores/business around town makes for miserable times when its raining!!!

Samuel has been hard out practicing for Kapa Haka he is thoroughly enjoying Te Aha Maori Classes and Te Reo, and they had planned a weekend Wananga(meeting/hui) August 26th (night of) all day 27th-29th!!! YOU eat sleep and breathe Kapa Haka I put my name down as kitchen bitch!!!!

YIP you guessed it get to school Friday arvo to pick up Samuel as per usual (school just finds out A RAVE is on that Friday of the Wananga) and hastily moves weekend meeting forward to yip the weekend just gone on 2 hours notice! I have been cooking dinner breakfast lunch supper morning/arvo tea for 20 people and will do it all again on the 3rd sep-5th sep!!! the last "RAVE" that happened and the students were at Marae practicing etc, a head count revealed EXTRA BODIES!!!! haha so never again the Maori Teachers said its too hard too contain 20 students let alone the hanger ons!!! lol

I did my famous chilli mince A HUGE HIT, in the crockpot of course, AND my equally famous butter chicken these are dead simple and I just add noodles to one and rice to the other NOT HARD. Lunches were baked stuffed potatoes as I wanted the kids to have complex carbs as they rehearsed Fri until 1am sat morn and then rehearsed Sat sat night until 12.30am Sunday I did cheese on toast for supper and soup (once again in the crockpot! pumpkin soup homemade) I had 3 crockpots 1 was mine 2 on loan!!

I did cooked brekkie both mornings sausage bacon french toast and grilled toms with spag and baked beans mixed. And made savoury scones muffins and me yummy Chocolate cake (Black forest with cream!)

Now amazingly several of the students had never had chilli mince OR butter chicken and they loved it I put the usual into me chilli but this time I added rissoles cut into quarters and mince onion garlic toms spag tinned and tom puree along with grated carrot grated courgette chilli beans mushrooms Now several of the students came back for seconds and I said to them AT the END what was in it you should have seen their faces priceless I got "ohhhhhhh I don't like carrot/garlic/mushroom onion BUT I could not taste it in that your the BOMB WHAEA"(pronounced "fire" means mother), I made homemade butter chicken sauce and they loved it yet when asked what was in it you know curry spices coconut milk chilli they were amazed (what do they eat at home!) Samuel was laughing he was like gee you guys I am spoilt! and yet for us it is just a matter of assembling and letting the crockpot do all the work, I did easy peasy stuffed apples with sultanas and cinnamon and brown sugar for pudding one night and bread and butter pudding the next night easy stuff really.

The next meeting I am doing stuffed potatoes for lunch corn fritters for another lunch they are having roast pork one night and roast chicken the next night and the usual cooked brekkie. But a request has been put in for bread and butter pudding and the chocolate cake surprise surprise!I must say though not much sleep went on and they were tired I WILL remember to take ear plugs next time OR sleep in my car with the seats folded down like I normally do where it is peaceful and quiet!I can fit JUST a king single mattress in the back of my station wagon is VERY handy.

We got home around lunchtime emptied car (which was a disgrace) showered did 2 loads washing got them dry miraculously and had lovely chicken chasseur with mashed carrot and parsnip garlic mashed peas with fresh mint and butterfly potatoes! I did however manage a nana nap in that time too and do some grocery shopping. Had an amazing sleep NO WONDER! and am back on deck today.

I hope others have had productive weekends and been doing my SHARE of relaxing!

Ciao

A fantastic weekend despite the RAIN..........

4 hours in the RAIN at RUGBY wet heavy cold rain AND mud for AFRICA!!!!!!


It was the highlight game of the season our boys lost BUT they lost with style integrity and PURE MANA!!! the haka at the end of the game was UNBELIEVABLE!! one that stopped the whole crowd and the supporters AND the 1st XV teams and supporters arriving for next game! The coach of the other team was in awe of the TEAM and their spirit he spoke to them and encouraged them to GO FORWARD and build on what ALOT of other teams dont have HUGE HEART!!!! I was so proud of them AND to show it they DUMPED the entire water bin over me and I got a team hug and chant and "WE LOVES YOU MRS MASON"!!! I cried and thank god I had spare clothes (right down to socks shoes and undies ) the 2 rotten coaches rung in their apologies AND I WAS it again BUT I am pleased it was me.......

Karate was great long tiring but great SAMUEL secured two 3rd placings a commendation so in all had a thoroughly enjoyable weekend HOWEVER as of last night I had lost it big time I cried and threw myself into bed weeping and so dog tired I cried myself to sleep!!! AM a bit jaded today and battle wary, but know another good nights sleep and I will be right. After driving to karate thurs night friday night up early sat morning in the cold wet and rain all day saturday it felt like and then driving to karate sat and turning around and doing it again Sunday I was wiped out!!!!!!!!

And now it is sort of relaxing time I just have to organise a rugby end of season lunch/dinner and thats it.

I hope everyone got through the wet n wild weather ok.

Ciao

Karate Rugby Karate Rugby Karate Rugby

We are nearing the end of Rugby season for our team (they have played their hearts out), BUT they have had no COACH for 4 weeks and it has showed NO one person would put there hand up and coach these boys 2 dads did but one works shift work another could only do every other thurs and not tues AND NEITHER of them could front on a SAT, (one cant drive for gods sake!) then no one would turn up THEN one QUIT because he wanted FULL AUTONOMY (some players are brilliant one has already been poached for RBHS Rugby Academy) 4 are in the King Country Rugby Development side and there are 5 - 7 players who have MEAN skills (my new bestest word!) the rest have GREAT SKILLS but need guidance and commitment and their SKILLS BASE built up!. I am desperately trying to secure FUNDING and COACHES for next season BUT dont know why the schools dont DO MORE these are some of the naughty boys YES ADMITTEDLY but they DEFINITELY need strong leadership, continuity, boundaries, and a person who has Mana and Respect (alot of parents want me too step up) BUT I have this thing where AT 13/14/15 yr olds THEY NEED MALES there not a mum/female/organiser (which I am brilliant at) coaching I dont know ALOT of teams refer to me AS THE COACH because they havent seen the OTHER MEN ever on a saturday and YES the boys cetainly listen to me thats for sure THERES no mucking around WHEN Mother of the Brothers is there (their team haka has BROTHERS featured very strongly in it! hence my nickname).

I am in awe of these boys they are a ramshackle lot with drive and determination BUT their commitment levels and stickability need working on AND A PASSION for the game only comes from a strong switched on coach! Who can keep them focused and on track.

Now I do realise that it is a HUGE commitment to say yes yes I will coach the team BUT if you as a person say you are going to do it WHY then would these men NOT COMMIT to it THEY (we ) all knew the time frame of the season it was clearly marked out and FORMS were given out outlining grades times and length of season, THESE boys will flounder IF left and drift away AND YES some will definitely be in more trouble (and already are) if NO ONE SCOOPS them up and sorts them! (I soooooooo want to Blindside some of these boys the "fixer" in me is very maternal towards some of these boys...

Then there is Karate! Karate over 4 days 3 hrs last night 3hrs tonight 5 hrs tomorrow and 8hrs Sunday (competition day NZ NATIONALS!) Rugby will be finished AS of tomorrow 12noon and then ONCE this weekends over we are taking a chill pill for a week or two. Karate is great for Samuel and can be and probably will get him places (ie tournaments and travel etc) Samuel just completed his Year 9 Speech and is in the finals (once again last year he got 2nd by 1/2 a point in Yr 8) his speech was on Karate something he is clearly passionate about and IT SHOWS, he is growing before my eyes HIS new Gi that was purchased by his Sensei 1 week before AUSTRALIA trip is creeping up already (too short) thats been just on a MONTH! He now wants to add a bit more height so he can play 2nd row in rugby a s a FRONT lineout jumper!!! (yup get him!).

So it looks like my years of Rugby and or Karate aren't ending any time soon!! Oh joy maybe a coaching seminar HAS my name on it! AND that said A NEW JOB as I now want to at least put my hat in IF ASKED (which means afternoons twice a week and Sat off in Rugby season!) OR some kind person will sponsor the team (they even had to play in 2nd hand uniforms that weren't the best and most of the team shorts were A: too small B:or ripped from previous teams!) my thinking is if you treat a team shabbily and poorly and with little regard WHAT can you expect back THIS GROUP of boys will go through the grades together until school finishes I PRAY something changes soon!!! (I am very protective of these boys and defend them too the hilt when I have had too THE PRINCIPAL and I have already had words STRONG WORDS), some of their family situations and circumstances ARENT great and don't make for pretty reading at all! they are a collective group and a big group and most are all friends(15 of the 24) and knock around together WE ARE trying to steer them into Waka Ama and Kapa Haka to give them Whanau and togetherness and a sense of family and belonging I have also put my hat in for HELPING with Waka Ama and Kapa Haka. Which I am thrilled about (I know both the Te Reo Maori teachers and they are thrilled I am there too!)

It is a vicious day out COLD SUPERWINDY and miserable YAY we get too stand in it tomorrow for RUGBY!

After this weekend I will definitely WORK on some PHOTOS!!!!

I hope everyone has a nice weekend.

Ciao

Well survived the COMEDOWN of excitement..

of the Australian trip BUT only just!!! ONE very full of himself LAD and he has grown another 4 cm in like a month HE is towering over alot of people and played his FIRST ever EVER position in rugby as 2nd row in the lineout AND made every jump and every pass WAS even more so full of his own importance! eeeekkkkk (I am growing a monster!)

I will try hard to post some pictures soon of aussie BUT I am having problems resizing photos and downsizing grrrrr it is doing my head in, not much else to report Samuel is hard in training for the NZ National CHAMPIONSHIPS in AUG 13th - 15th!!! Iam hoping he A: goes up a dan(from 1st to 2nd) B: does well and improves on his last efforts to feel MORE important( oh yay) C: gets choosen fulltime for the NZ team!! or is strongly indicated for the TEAM Takahashi Shihan is here for the Nationals and is here in NZ Samuel will get the luxury of another 5 days training ACTUALLY I will post his KARATE REPORT he did on the trip for the NZ Magazine Karate Kicks Butt!!! (lol nah I dont know what it is called I'm just being silly!)


Queensland Trip Report 2010

Well for 7 weeks now I have been fundraising, and after writing countless letters, organising sausage sizzles and walking around Taupo selling raffle tickets I have finally raised enough money to head over to Australia. And it should have been easy but no I went and fractured my toe, which meant no Karate, Rugby, Rugby practice or school sports even for 7 weeks. And I only got medical clearance to leave 2 weeks before competition day. Right away I got set packing my bags. Togs, clothes, sunnies jandals camera, ah oh yea and my Karate Gear. Then there were the phone calls and e mails to Grant Stove organising the finer details (poor Grant mum is such a worrywart).

On the day of the flight I am not nervous at all, and as the plane taxis down the runway, lift-off! We are on our way! Heading through Brisbane customs (must not laugh… at accent) and then we head out into the wonderful world of… Motorway? Yep 5 hours on a plane then another 4 ½ hours driving, past places like Gin Gin and Gympie and Moojimbia and I thought that NZ place names were strange. We finally made it to Childers and had met our host family we were just starting to relax when I get told that I had to get my Gi on. What!? We have training today?

Another 4 long days of training with Takahashi Shihan ensue. Which include blood, sweat and breaking sticks. Learning new Kata, improving old Kata going over and over basics and improving Kumite skill. And the BUNGEE CORDS who bought the bungee cords? They were just wonderful! Added tension to your arms just to make the hard training harder. But it was worth it, I have come home more STRONGA! FASTA! MORE TWISTO! Ah yes very good.

Saturday competition day already? First of all the Kyu grades battle it out in Kata and Kumite. Working up to brown belts then team Kata then finally it’s the black belts turn. I had to do Heian Nidan as my knockout Kata. Not my favourite but I still tried. And with my Kumite I thought I would do better than I did but oh well I will just get them next time. The finals done everyone was lined up Australia one side NZ on the other, the all important haka begins TARINGA WHAKARONGO! TARINGA WHAKARONGO! KIA MO! HI! Oh yea those Aussies were scared. The fighting was intense a blood nose, sore bones, bad bruises and a hospital bound person. Knock em down! NZ win TEST MATCHES 5-4 woohoo.

After the competition we get our good clothes on and head to the Isis club. A great end to an amazing week. Good food, good company and lots of dancing. There was a lively band playing old schools songs and a game of ball rush going on outside on the field. The last day was an early start and after saying goodbye to our host families it’s another 41/2 hour trip back to Brisbane airport. But the trip was made more enjoyable with techno music blasting from our phones we were a mobile rave! The music reverberating in the minds of the slightly hung over Sensei’s, a few laps around the airport shops it’s finally time to board our plane, it was great fun in Australia and I had an awesome time but it is wonderful to be heading back home. As the plane is coming in to land the captain announces its 3 degrees down in NZ. 3 degrees! Yep we are back home. Thanks to Grant and Mark for organising a great trip. and to anyone considering heading away on these trips, do! It is a fantastic opportunity

Samuel Mason, Taupo

And a kiwi has landed!!

Yay got one very excited tired boy home... HE HAD AN ABSOLUTE BLAST!

Although he was tired he yakked all the way home!! I didn't recognise him when he came out his hair was spiked up and he had FRIGGIN DJ Dane Rumble shades on FUNNY!

I left Taupo at 9.45pm MET a lady on the way at Cambridge to drop off 38 Animorph books she bought off me through Trade Me (like EBAY), arrived Airport 11.40pm flight arrived 15 minutes past midnight EARLY! and only had to wait 10 mins.

We just got in car and drove, we stopped Tokoroa for MCDONALDS as Samuel hadn't eaten since 6pm and WAS STARVING we ate on the side of the road by the MOBIL garage (TOKOROA!) it was flippin freezing DEW and ICY grass all the way we are going to be in for a boomer frost.(we were in the car though).

Got back at 3.15am Samuel had quick shower to freshen up and wash hair he felt stinky and yuck, emptied training bag whilst he was in shower, then tackled the small suitcase 2 small loads washing one on now and I'm waiting till it finishes 10 mins time to put next load on(and we are done!) and well he's in bed now tucked up I had turned electric blankets onto 2 before I left and had oil heater timed to come on at 2am to take chill off air (although I have a nightstore I had seen that we are going to be -3 !).

Strangely I am not tired funny that but I am in pyjamas and I am heading to bed probably wont drop off straight away but bet I will be tired later on today IF I don't sleep! I do however have to go to work at 3pm.(must remember to set alarm!).

Thanks to everyone who helped in getting my son over there and thanks for the well wishes ONE HAPPY MUMMY now son is home!

EVERYONE have a good day whilst I'm sleeping!

Ciao

Traveling home again................

Samuel is on his way home they are leaving Childers 2pm after morning training and their flight leaves 9pm.

I spoke to him this morning he sounded fine a bit bummed HE LUCKED out in the kata and kumite fight rounds (knocked out in first rounds) not KO knocked out just eliminated. BUT in the all important NZ Australia test matches he WON his bout!!! IN FACT NZ won the entire test match match ups!!!

The boy at training he has been beating frequently over last 6 months he blardy lost too, HIS words I sucked BADLY!

He did however factor into that conversation the night before he had had fish n chips for dinner AND at midnight was helicopter vomitting and managed to redecorate the entire toilet!!!! (blurk) I spoke to the billet mother and she don't worry he was fine after we got him to the shower and cleaned up and back into bed etc, he said he felt weak though so never mind A WEEK of training and then intense fighting has probably taken its toll poor little bugger.


At least now he knows what is involved and what to expect he said his words "There was black eyes blood noses and A ZONED out before he hit the mat fella!!! was intense mum intense!

I have missed him terribly only text him 6 times rung twice SO I think I didn't do too badly in the scheme of things .

He has a CD of pictures to bring home with him so that will be cool when I get them loaded I will have a photo display up.

I am off to have a nana nap now as house is warm and I am tired I worked this morning only 4 hours in an emergency WAS not happy being woken up I can tell you!

Enjoy rest of the weekend.. my cellphone and landline will be off over the next 24 hours (due to coverage and SLEEPING) so IF anyone is trying to ring THEY wont get me!

Ciao

Rang Samuel and A PHOTO at last...

IF you click on the photo you get an idea of how TALL my son is getting he is nearly 14 the other boy at FAR LEFT is 15 and Samuel nearly reaches the DAD at the BACK !!!! I also hoped to send him away with his old Gi to wear so to save his NEW Gi for competition days Sat/Sun in 2 weeks his old Gi has gone from fitting to NOT FITTING too short in legs and arms, but he took it so he had a spare anyhoo.DUHHHHHHHHHHHH I forgot I had already put this up (gee I must be tired!)

I managed to get billet information we weren't supplied with any before they left, the billet parents have family in New Plymouth and she the mother knows Taupo well (she was thrilled with the mountain and lake scene coasters she could name all the mountains and that impressed Samuel). She has a 13 yr old boy too and older children 19 and 21. SAMUEL is having a ball training is relatively easy he says, AND THE BILLET parents have a PET SNAKE!!!!!! they get to hold it tonight when the DAD is back from his job (works in the mines).

He is managing his contacts ok, woke up yesterday came out in shorts and singlet and the host mother was like OMG its freezing he said why whats the temperature she says 10 degrees he said "heck it was -5 at our place last week and -3 and -2!!" he said its warm but not stinking hot so that's good.

The billet family are in charge of the canteen and food at the tournament so SAMUEL is in pig heaven!! they also had Wii, PS3, and a pool he will be sad to leave me thinks!

I said I would ring on Saturday night once the first day of tournament rounds is done.....

So I can relax a lot now it peed me off that our NZ guys couldn't or didn't supply billet information when I asked last week I mean your child traveling overseas and you don't know to who or exactly where they were going to be based!

I am still in me pj's YAY

Ciao.

Got a text yay

Heard form le said child he text me late last night a long text flight ok trip up ok food ok im ok (lol) and bits inbetween.

Mary H he has his own cellphone I acquired one through friends (for him to keep) before the Aussie trip so at the very least I could ring him.

Had a good sleep after the Monday night debacle! Just only got up 30 mins ago as I work int he afternoons 2-6pm Tues/Wed/Thurs got spoilt for dinner at my friends house Roast Pork! all the trimmings.

Am off to town son too mooch.

If I could warm up!!!

Have a good day.

Ciao

One kiwi off to KICK AUSSIE BUTT!!!

Well I am back home in Taupo, we drove up to Cambridge (10mins or so from Hamilton Airport) stayed at Cambridge Motor Camp arrived 8pm by the time we unpacked made beds (you had to take own linen only $50 for the two of us) in the same CABIN NEVER AGAIN, gawd my son is a restless noisy arse sleeper rustling scratching farting snoring sheesh!!!! I was awake at 12.30 pm 2.20am 4am up at 4.50am at Airport 5.30am!!!!!!!! and just as well shyte it was busy people everywhere. Had breakfast there well something light anyhow. Took 2 photos and said our goodbyes I cried a little (choked back the sobs I am such a friggin booby when it comes to my son!).Traffic was awesome on way up and back was worried last night though as there WAS alot of FOG on the way there and THE SENSEI drove up from Turangi 3.15am this morning he said there was alot of FOG too!

Arrived back in Taupo 8.30am AND HOW IN THE HELL does one manage to make ONE WHOLE LOAD of washing overnight!!! I forgot to take a towel and had to dry myself with my PYJAMAS (ohhhhh yuck!) I then washed sons pyjamas too and the sheet I took that covered the windscreen incase of frost! (was none but it rained a little!) emptied car of sheets blankets (small oil heater that we took to make the cabin cosy!) and dressing gowns Large bag of washing! and am airing car out.

So with that I am now off for a nana nap once washing is finished I am SHATTERED completely shattered!

Sun is out and I am blardy going to bed again!!

Have a great day.

Ciao

SUNNY DAY and 2 more sleeps.....

Samuel had a sleep over Friday night 5 teenage boys SLEEP over was not an appropriate word for it more like talk and giggle fest!!!! 3am finally when I said please settle down you have 5 mins then I am seperating everyone and ONE will have to sleep in my ROOM!

We all awoke around 9.30am and had a HUGE cooked breakfast and boys went home around 1.30pm... WATCHED the All Blacks last night YAY (wish Piri had stayed on and N OT USELESS TITS Cowan!!!)

Got last minute doctors things (liquid nebules for the PORTABLE nebuliser) and dispensation letter for that medication.

Samuel received his team shirt they are "Silver fists!!" He looked great and a club photo was taken with both the boys going and their club mates.Only about half the club were at training on Thursday night.

I have a measley amount of washing done to put into the suitcase jeans and shorty pyjama pants things (got those at the warehouse $2!!! got more underwear!! for the trip $2.47 a pair!!!)

It is 2 more sleeps and today we will pack car we are staying at a Cambridge Motor Park (just have to take our own blankets), and its only 15 mins from Airport.

Might do some gardening today IT IS a beautiful sunny day and NO FROST even!!!!

Enjoy the last day of school holidays ........

The MOST amazing thing happened today.....

Samuel and I have been parked outside Countdown Pak n Save throughout the holidays selling raffle tickets for his up and coming TRIP in just 6 MORE SLEEPS.

As you do you speak to loads of people and chitter chatter well I do the most chitter chatter, anyhoo a lady comes over says"Oh hi to Samuel nice to see you" she asks me about him and I speel off int the whole history AS YOU DO, she says how nice it was to have a young man speak to businesses himself and selling like he did HER and HER husband were very impressed with him, they bought around 10 tickets one day last week. SHE then went onto to say she would buy some more SHE did she bought 5 more..............................................................................................


BUT ON LEAVING she shook my hand and put into it $200 in $20 notes and said "I know how hard it is to fundraise and you must be so proud of your young man this is for him!!!", I knew it was more than $100 I could feel the weight of the bills, I WAITED until she got in her car and I unrolled the bills $200 BLARDY DOLLARS I was blown away Samuel when she left gave her a BIG HUG and towered over her and said how grateful he was, he beamed she patted his shoulder and was beaming herself I BLARDY CRIED didn't I I am such a BOOBY at times.

We also whilst there sold 85 tickets and got around another $15 in just donations!!! people are so damned generous and it blows me away.We are selling again tomorrow and then that is it for us until FRIDAY and then feet up over the weekend.

WE have all necessary medications forms clothes shoes toiletries and TRAVEL cabin bag. SAMUELS karate Dojo instructor SHOUTED him a BRAND NEW Gi to travel with so that was so kind I have washed it twice it UNSTIFFEN it and had his DOJO badge sewn onto it so we are ready to go now.

We have been experiencing HUGE FROSTS -5 twice this week, followed by -3 frosts 2 of those and tomorrw only -1 whoop whoop and boy the payoffs are STUNNINGLY sunny days almost SUNBATHING weather!!! haha NOT.

I get to pay forward my good fortune tomorrow to another person whom will be unsuspecting of it but will guess its me, THE sooner you pay forward the better it is for everyone.

Chill out everyone NO pun intended.

Ciao

The BIG CHILL..........

The biggest frost this winter has arrived AND I was out in it at 7am dropping a language student off at SKI SHOP for SKI TRIP!, then straight to school to drop Samuel off for the "Manu Korero Trip" which meant up at 6.15am and in the shower AND MY GOD it was freezing WHY didn't I shower and wash my hair last night and blow dry it then WHY!!!!

Samuel house colour day was a blast, HIS outfit got a prize (chocolate bars), his friends loved it most off the Rugby team (Maori boys and PI boys) loved the HAT!! Teachers said where were the GIRLS!!!! and one man at the petrol station SAID PIMPS need big as glasses with BLING so that's what I am looking for today glasses to add to the DRESS up box.

That is after I have hung out 3 loads washing (where does it come from) well dress up stuff, swimming stuff yesterday JELLY wrestling clothes and a set of sheets and I am one of those people whom wash colours separately and white things together and towels and sheets separately.

I am now doing more ironing then have a rugby meeting at school, I have chicken legs and thighs in onion rosemary sauce in crockpot and have SQUEEGEED (wipe blade) all our windows in the house THEY were running a river this morning and they seriously needed clearing that is the pits! Consequently I have every window AT the other end of the house open clearing night air from the rooms and drying rest of windows off THE lounge door is shut tight and when I went down the other end of the house HOLY CRACKERS the cold air is shall I say "it takes ya breath away!!".

Right I have spare time so ironing it is, and a hot cuppa tea (now that is unusual for me you know its cold when I'm drinking hot drinks!)

I hope everyone is as warm as I want to be!!!

Ciao

CLEARANCE whoop whoop..........

Houston we have clearance. Yesterday the sports ortho doctor gave Samuel clearance to go to Aussie, he is NOW over the moon he was quite down in the dumps I had realized he was anxious and worried but seeing him yesterday he must have been secretly holding a lot back (at least he can do that because he was quite a different lad last night).

AND on an unrelated note MY SON was 168cm in FEB they were weighed and measured yesterday at LIFESKILLS with proper doctors sliding measuring tape he is 179cm!!!!! he has grown 11cm in 4 months!! (holy fark he is shooting up way past his friends now I saw the 4 of them on the weekend and he is way above the others!) and 59kg!

SO Aussie $ were obtained $450NZD for $350 NZD eeekkk that's with handling fee I might add, insurance paid for, seminar paid for,Aussie internal travel paid for, TICKET GOT, all he has to pay for is Departure tax!!! YAY.Medical forms obtained to cover traveling meds, and copies of medical clearance has to be taken, ALSO had forgotten that in International sport competitons BANNED substances come into play and VENTOLIN is one of them so a dispensation letter was got for that!!! personal first aid kits got, and they needed VINYL sparring punch mitts WHY? I hear you ask because the normal cloth mitts soak up too much blood and the spectators find that gross!!!! (go figure the vinyl ones are easy wipe!!!! noiiiiccccceeeee)

I will get the billets present next week IT is our FAMOUS Lake Taupo shot looking across the lake towards the snow mountains (on coasters!), these are my most favourite gifts, some on here have had them Jaxx I got a big picture of that scene (she loved that scene), Chris got coasters cause she LOVES the cold ha ha (NOT!), you can get lovely scenes and even fishing and boating scenes the other boy is getting his billets a glass koru.

Today is Start of "SPIRIT" week at school and my son well lets just say its right up his alley! Today is house colours day tomorrow "T" day and Friday famous dead person!! He is ALL RED today and tomorrow unfortunately is representing school at a Manu Korero competition (Maori debating and speech and has to wear his uniform) he is guttered because he wanted to GET out the MR T outfit you all remember that one don't you?I will post a picture of todays EFFORTS!!!!! The bottom of the pants has faux fur and the collar bottom of sleeves has huge faux fur and the bottom of the jacket is 1/3 faux fur I scored that entire outfit for $12!!!!! (a bargain!) The photo is Samuel and his mad as just as crazy friend!! They looked superb (his friend is BLUE house if you hadn't guessed already!) CLICK on the pic to get the FULL appreciation of how DAM bright the outfit is it is also velveteen the other material and is shinyish!

I am just ironing and hanging out washing today IF IT EVER warms up!!!!! Oh and heading to bank to pay for travel insurance and blue punch mitts (he has red BUT they needed both colours as they would either be fighting in a red corner or blue corner depending on opponents colours!)

Have a good day

Ciao

End of a WET WEEK....

Tomorrow ends a thoroughly wet and nasty cold week (frosts, winds, RAIN HUGE RAIN!) ohhh and Rugby yay go the Maori!!! ohhhh and more rugby Saturday night! GO the AB's .... not too mention Under 14 Rugby yay ! Go our team!

In answer to Anonymous questions yes we got a $88 refund on sausages took a lot of working out on their part but not how I explained it there was 22 bags at 4kg per bag we were quoted $3.99 per kg they charged $4.99 per kg simple really 22x4 = $88 overcharged took them awhile to get that figure BECAUSE each bag weighed different some had more than 4kg some had less (it was shall I say hair-pulling) material SO I JUST said look average it out because they only priced and stickered one bag and scanned multiple bags yay see. After 10 mins we all agreed on $88.

Samuel is hard out selling raffle tickets $1 tickets to WIN $708 worth of jewelery and we have sold 350 tickets so far he is selling all over the holidays and with only 25 days left to go IS BESIDE himself......

I do hope everyone is staying relatively warm!

Ciao

Fully into RUGBY

I drive my friends and family insane in RUGBY season I am an addict and an avid follower of all things RUGBY!!!

But I do draw the line at driving 3 hours to a UNDER 14 game and changing warming up TO HAVE NO BLARDY team arrive to play us THEY DEFAULTED (yes I am yelling) game scheduled for 11.30am they arrive with 13 players and had to default due to A: lack of numbers AND B: also they did not have NZRFU and BOP corresponding paperwork (ie team draws and identikit NZRU photos)! We played them any way in a friendly (we had one of our boys sent off YES in a friendly and they beat us 30-20!!) had they had they right amount of players and paperwork they would have had a WIN!

It is disappointing that Coaches and Team Managers aren't pulling finger and abiding by the rugby rules! I arrived at carpark at 7am with 45 HOT out of the oven sausage rolls for the trip (they were devoured int he carpark before we left!) ONE delicious bacon and egg pie gone before Rotorua, 12 bananas and 12 muesli bars gone before Whakatane!!! 3 x 2litres of water that was just the 11 in the van I drove over, there was a small people mover with 6 boys they dam near ate the same amount!!! and a car load of others.

IT was a thoroughly neat day we were all very tired and glad to be home, this Saturday we the team are only traveling to Rotorua! THANK GOD!

Our language student Chen has finally gone home we will miss him and Chris H made the most beautiful card for him and he thought it was "too beautiful" he said!! He may be BACK in mid July which I thought was even funnier.(he may come back to us until end of year or next February when University starts I suppose because he sat his Entrance exam 2 weeks ago.

We have had some mean as rain and wind and HUGE FROSTS! but today is only 9 degrees and sun is out my clothesline I hope doesn't snap IT IS CHOCCAFULL!

Hope everyone is having a great day.

Ciao

It has taken nearly...

all week to recover from Fri/Sat/Sun and then MONDAY marathon hell clean!!!! I feel I am nearly back to 100% firing on all cylinders!!

WE have been swamped with rain and DEAR GOD I hope it doesn't rain tomorrow for RUGBY!(watching it is cool watching it in the rain is not cool!)

I am off to do some quick cleaning then into town to get son. GET all the rugby stuff sorted for tomorrow DRINK ORANGES WATER BLANKETS wet weather gear etc injury stuff and then REST!!!! Having yummy shepherds pie with mashed potatoe on top.

EDIT most of water and oranges done cleaning half done!!! off to finish rest now I AM OVER CLEANING this week I TELL YA!

Hope everyone has a nice weeekend (stay dry where you can)

Ciao

No rest for the WICKED...........

I have decided I must be WICKED for the whole entire WORLD!!!!!!!!!! then cause have I rested Errrrrrr NOOOOOOOOOOOO.....

I didn't reset my alarm and off it went at 6.30am AFTER the BIGGEST EVER weather RAIN BOMB hit our area I swear to god I thought the roof was gonna CAVE IN it was UNBELIEVEABLY HEAVY!!!!!! that was at 5am!!!! and it woke me up it was thrashing onto the windows I woke with a start so did the cat!!!!!

SO there I am awake at 5am but went back to sleep then ALARM went off at 6.30am SO up I got RAIN PISSING DOWN i had brekkie got dressed THREW me famous spaghetti and meatball/rissoles into crockpot for tonights tea AS I ARENT COOKING or chopping anything else and WENT BLARDY grocery shopping at 6.55am !!!!!!! I was the only stupid MAD person in that supermarket I then went and got petrol and then went to pak n save as they open at 8am I FORGOT FRIGGIN dishwash! (dont ya hate that)....

I was home by 8.05am and I STARTED!!!!!!!Rubbish day here for me (how exciting BUT it is when you have normally only half a rubbish bag) and I had today 3 rubbish bags (BBQ rubbish) and I walked it down in RAIN!!!! ONE VERY FULL recycling bin AND 12 large boxes that the SAUSAGES came in (hellers) and SHYTE they are nice sausages too..... I get that all done get back to house WHERE ARE MY CAR KEYS oh poopy bugger snot bollocks I then tromped through three bags of rubbish and a bin TO NO AVAIL!!!!!!!!!! I unpacked groceries from car AND LOOKED in there a gazillion times went back to the rubbish again NOPE!!!!!!!! and thought to hell with it I was so wound up and shitty and WET BY THEN I didn't care if the DAMNED keys were in the rubbish or not!

So I then unpacked groceries inside and kept looking for keys WENT to bathroom 3 times NOPE not in the bathroom cupboards where I had been!, not in my bedroom where I had been, NOT in the pantry where I had been BY NOW I WAS livid!! but I still kept unpacking and looking, and TELL ME WHY you keep RELOOKING over the places you have already looked in!

I then had to put away night befores dishes that had been washed and I CLEANED benches, MY HOUSE was a PIGSTY!!!!!! literally I thought I am sooooo tired BUT this has to be done (Samuel had not long been up) he put away and cleared surfaces ahead of me and also DID HIS LUNCHBOX up for tomorrow folded our CHINESE LAUNDRY washing off the clothes horse, SO I started I wiped benches windowsills fridge microwave, kitchen cupboard doors, I then dusted (wet wiped), CLEANED light switches wiped doors door frames, (I knew my period was soon) and guessed it would come today or tomorrow BECAUSE I get the mean hell bitch CLEAN FREAK going on and go like a whirlwind!!!!I then thought why is MY GEORGE FOREMAN grill crooked and THER UNDER THE GEORGE FOREMAN was my friggin CARKEYS I dodnt remember putting them there AND HOW I missed the when I was wiping benches I will never know!!!!! ( although I moved everything else to wipe under it I DID NOT move that)........ THAT all took 3 HOURS!!!!!!!!! and it was only 11am!!! WTF

Samuel in that time had vaccummed and wet wiped the skirting boards and vaccummed edges, and tackled GARAGE as it was pissing down last night when we finished we just pushed trailer into garage, we unloaded sorted and repacked car with my every day normal car things, ( a camp chair umbrella sun umbrella jumper leads soft chilly bin bags etc you know all the usual things some books to go to Salvation Army shop a top too, some bread trays to drop back to pak n save, so MY unpacked clean car IS PACKED TO HILT again!!!!!

ALL that took too 1pm we have had ham and tomatoe and cheese and spaghetti toastie sammies I have IRONED 4 days worth of ironing only took 40 mins!!! (but that was only cause I was tired!) I was starting to FLAG (as you can imagine!)....... I finished at 2pm I AM officially over it and glad I have done a mean as super clean I am deliriously tired have a sore base of my neck though across shoulders, I need a jolly good massage!!! (I may use hot wheat bag actually) I HAVE NOT BEEN WALKING but dont care!!!

I am going to the movies at 4.10pm to see BLIND SIDE and I am going to practice escapism for a couple of hours I will enjoy my dinner I plan to be in bed at a resonable time though......

IF you made it through to the end of my exhausting POST go LAY DOWN NOW!!!!

Ciao

We are tired as BUT we managed GREAT.......

Friday and Saturdays BBQ's were great FINE frosty cold as, TODAY RAINY BLUSTERY WINDY and BLARDY AWFUL!!!!!!!! but we have 25 sausages left out of 1300 and 2 loaves of bread THATS IT!!!!!

We have packed the car 3 times TO THE GUNNELS unpacked 3 times and then CLEANED UP 3 times we are BBQ OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We had so much fun though and it is always nice to hang with my son AS TIRED as we were we work well together as A WELL OILED team...... He is as fussy and methodical as me and quite the trooper!

His 4 friends helped us and WITHOUT them we couldn't have done it at all...........

We have cleaned up and done dishes and sorted and packed away we both showered and washed HAIR cause shyte onions and sausages stink AND we are ALL CLEAN again....

WE HAVE NOOOOOOOOOOOOO plans for tomorrow NOT ONE (although housework must be done and wash floors) truly I have 70 loaves of BREADCRUMBS and tromped through shit on my floors!!!!!!!!!!! I thought there is no WAY IN hell im cleaning up until its all over rover...... I will potter through that slowly and I have to do GROCERY shopping tomorrow BLURRRRRKKKKKKKKK I am going to do it EARLY AS so I can not be in traffic and public arena BECAUSE traffic and town will be hectic........

I hope everyone has enjoyed themselves over the long weekend and IF it isn't raining tomorrow A WALK BECKONS for me A LONG ONE to blow out some cobwebs!!!!!

Ciao

SAUASAGES SAUSAGES BREAD BREAD ONIONS ONIONS

HOLY cow sausage sizzles are well underway and we have 1200 sausages 68 loaves of bread and 25 kilos onions AND MAN we stink of onions and sausages..........

WOKE to frost and bitter cold temperature yesterday but fine day AND where the BBQ are situated at TAUPO warehouse you are in shade ALL DAY it was however a good day and we all had FUN, we are now off to do it all over again we have sore feet sore backs our hands stink of onions YES we use gloves (but being the organised person the onions have been pre cut the bread is already servietted up and ready to go THE sauce bottles are FULL!!!!!!!! (we use drink bottle squirty ones).

We have tables stools to sit on if required tongs a plenty GLOVES and Countdown (yes we went from Woolworths to Countdown this week), has stored the sausages until we need them THAT is great.

HOWEVER they quoted me $3.99 kilo for precook each bag $16.20 get there and its $4.99 and now the bags are $20.90, $120 more than we budgeted ALSO THE BREAD lady didnt order our 68 loaves of bread!!!!!!!!! there was none for us and NOT enough for us to purchase so we have had to race around getting bread!!!!!!!!!!! THE MANAGER of countdown and I are having a meeting on Tuesday and the lady that quoted and wrote us down for $3.99 sausages (as I had it written down as per kilo and the bag price too) isnt back until Tuesday hopefully we get our $120 back as goodwill, and the fact that I had to spend $150 on bread at another supermarket (and miss out on the onecard points on that!), oh well we press on.

STAY warm drive safe and have a nice day

Ciao.

Pray HARD.....

Just over 2 weeks ago whilst at karate Samuel injured his right little toe( a green belt 4 belts lower than him) did an arm block right block WRONG BLARDY ARM came down at right angles to his toes outstretched he was fully extended and she A LADY of 45yrs age managed to fracture his toe. We went to the doctor when it happened,he was understandably guttered and we are now playing a MAJOR WAITING GAME!

We went back to the doctor this morning and he says NO RUGBY for at least 3 more weeks potentially 4 weeks so thats 6-7 weeks no rugby!!!!!, no karate for at least 10 days to 2 weeeks which means a total of 4 weeks off karate AND WE CANT get clearance to go on AUSSIE TRIP for at least 4 more WEEKS!!!!!!!!!!!!! which makes it 6 weeks mark!!!!! (with only then 19 days until trip HE MAY not get clearance!) and thats what concerns me IF he is carrying an injury HE MAY very well DO MORE DAMAGE whilst away and possibly FAVOUR that injury and foot/side and do damage anyways OR heaven forbid get hit again in that spot AND FRIGGIN FAINT from the pain!!!! (as ya do when ya stub ya toe anyhow IMAGINE a fractured toe, LITTLE toe at that!) because they have a lot of jumping and landing on ball of foot outside edge of foot and kicking off tiptoe stances!!!!! and of course the MERE FACT you are expected to kick into objects bags and BODIES when competing!!!!!!

Thanks CHRIS H for listening and thank god I didn't howl I nearly did and there is something so gutteral about a heart wrenching sob!

I have one very upset munchkin it didn't help that when we are both upset we only have to look at each other AND BAWL our eyes out SO no eye contact at docotors walking to car he was slumped over head down then dropping one sorry self to school and NO EYE contact at school office I WANTED TO SCOOP him up and cuddle him to me.

SO I got on the phone to my witchy brew lady ( my naturopath) and WHY in the hell I didn't think of it before Arnica Symphytum LIQUID for internal injuries and severe trauma I blardy used the cream form when I MUNTED my foot leg and calf in a horrible freak accident! and he can take some calcium and heres hoping that in the next 4 weeks we/he makes a GREAT recovery. THE body language and look on his poor face was heartbreaking the TRIP is all but paid for and I have thought EVEN if he went and didnt compete but trained as training is 4 hours a day 2 hr sessions twice daily he would still get GREAT EXPOSURE! and if he didnt get to compete WHERE it is full contact chest and groin protectors it is no holds barred so thats way more physical.

I am getting ASL (Arnica Symphytum Liquid) soon and he can have some at school lunchtime today I have rung ahead he has to meet me and then this arvo and before bed IT IS 4- 5 times daily then back to 3 times in 3 weeks and then twice daily 1-2 weeks after that so FINGERS CROSSED and pray hard I know he is fit and strong and healthy but please let him be right.

It is raining and miserable cold and disgusting enough to match my demeanor I am trying hard to think positive and be positive I have to ring CHAIRMAN of KARATE tonight as forms are due this week to be faxed and completed and sent on!!!! FINGERS and any delicate TOES you can muster!!! please cross!!!!

A worried mummy

Ciao

Holy cow WHO took the WARMTH AWAY!

Jesus its freezing today!

I re read yesterdays post I SHOULD point out THE COLLECTIVE we is not me (I am not going ) for me to go it is another $1300 NZD ($480 flight $90 taxes $200 travel and $88AUD PER NIGHT for accommodation as I am not member I have to pay accommodation) and that amount doesnt take into consideration INSURANCE or SPENDING money so there is another $600NZD at least! so at nearly $2000 I definitely wont be going!

I woosed out this morning I had 2 meetings with RUGBY coach of all teams at college and principal and by the time that finished IT is raining HARD and icy rain sleety yucky cold RAIN! MAYBE I should walk undercover in town and only get partially wet.!!!!

I have yummy meatballs in crockpot with pasta sauce ready for Spaghetti tonight and vege platter!!!

I am now in BBQ prep mode and will get into town to organise more stuff after lunch and then hopefully tomorrow relax a little !

Stay warm infact stay inside!

Ciao

Karate updates....

THANKS to Samuel's amazing effort in selling $600 worth lego stuff and AMAZING buyers from trade me (some of them over the moon to get lego) and generous buyers (ChrisH and family), we were halfway there.....

Lake Taupo Sports Advisory Council agreed to $200 cheque (then we get a phoencall it is UPPED to $500!!!!!!!!)

This afternoon Lakeland Lions has put in $300 so all in all we have THE MONEY for Samuel to go HE IS SOOOOO DARNED excited and I am so proud of his efforts towards going.

It will go fast the 7 weeks and I am meeting with the HEAD Sensei this saturday to fill in forms we will be at doctors to get medical clearance and letters for INHALERS and medication he will be taking with him too, have had bags checked for appropriate size (cabin one) went to Airport and put it in the measuring device!, have had towels embroided and bag WITH sponsors LOGO (organised today) have got the permits and prices for the BBQ (sausage and onions and bread and all that stuff) have BBQ booked for Queens Bday Fri/Sat/Sun that will be club BBQ to go towards Samuel the other boy and the Instructor from Taupo so thats all good.

Next week around WED rest of the money will be paid to CLUB for Samuels fees and competition and travel (when in Aussie cause they still have 300kms to travel once landed), then just have to purchase mouthguard and gloves and punch mitts. (my Employer is getting that so thats good too!)

YAY we nearly ready to go infact we probably could go NEXT WEEK at this rate!

Well now that I havent walked for nearly 2 weeks I am raring to go and get back into it! (yes int he rain too!)

Hope everyone is staying WARM and DRY!

Ciao

Happy Birthday to me...

I have had a lovely day and THANKS to all the well wishers **42** today, I spent the whole of last night camped out at MHJ getting $1 jewellery for fundraising and YIP ($700RRP later) we spent a whole $2!!!!! 17 hours camped out and with every blanket in the house there AND even chairs and a lazyboy and the trailer we were sorted.

I spent the rest of the day CLEANING out car blankets clothes food shoes uniforms beds pillows etc and then showered did 2 loads of washing and then ate and then SHOPPED (grocery) then worked THEN homemade pizzas for dinner, THEN THEN THEN we went and met Chris Stew Brylee Griffin Teddy and Coco WOW COCO is so damned cute TEDDY liked us once the barking stopped (2 mins flat), Samuel and kids had fun, WE YAKKED (not long enough) I GOT a bootiful card THE PINK LADY BOOBY ONE!!!!!!! and it is lovely, thanks Chris the other cards very very nice.

HAD beautiful chocolate mud cake and cream, diet coke and THEN we had to head home!!

Everywhere i went today I told people it was me birthday and I had a nice day !!!!! VERY TIRED only 5 -6 hours sleep last night so off to bed now .

Ciao

Sales Sales Sales.....

It is exciting when you sell things and my son even more so. I get home yesterday and 4 more sets of lego SOLD, Chris H thanks (Samuel was blown away) Griffin will be excited as hell I'm SURE!!! so the running toal is up to just over $600 I was awake at 5am stressing about whether we will infact get there, OUR applications to hold 2 BBQ's on Queens Birthday weekend have been accepted so we have one at our local Warehouse and one at Whitcoulls NOW I Know for a fact that if it rains in Taupo you are BUSY BUSY and TOWN is hectic! so fingers crossed WE are having MONDAY of Queens Birthday off AS A REST DAY we will both be knackered!.

All in all we are doing as much as we can and thats all I can do. I also was up filling 8x2litre RUGBY water bottles as spares and CUTTING 9 oranges into segments! have packed car (last night) with the follwoing TARPAULIN, large wollen blanket, waterproof blanket, chairs and a 4 step FOLD OUT GAZEBO!!! CAUSE its raining and cold and yuck! waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa WINTER sports just gotta love them!oh and me trusty sunbrella YOU can fit loads of people under a sunumbrella.

IN RUGBY season I wear proper hunting and fishing gear TOPS mainly and of course trousers to keep warm and generally have 5 layers on and run around with a large sun umbrella!!! (yip to keep the rain off me I hate poncy little umbrellas THEY are hopeless! I need a big grunty GALE PROOF umbrella!

Well better wake me boy he NEEDS at least 30 - 40mins to relax AS HE does his contacts!!!! (patience is not our best trait !) we have to be at SCHOOL at 8.15am! eeeeeeek after me telling RUGBY TEAM off about being late IT had BETTER NOT ME!

UPDATE rain held off BUT we used all the water for injuries and drinking used the FROZEN water packs for A BLACK EYE and shoulder injury USED the woollen blanket twice for INJURY stops and one of me fold out chairs, ORANGES ALL GONE CHUR cool eh!

Have a dry warm weekend!

Ciao

Slowly does it......

Missed out at LTYASC (youth advisory sports council), but have forms from lions, kiwanis and waiting to get a call from baytrust. SAMUEL sold more of his lego last night for $75 so he has $160 from that and have sold Narania books for $100 so we are nearing $500 THE college principal needs letters and will present to the board next week (phew lucky) and FINGERS crossed $200 there!! I am going to email right now the CHAIRMAN in Wellington and plead for some funding and if he can put it too the committee and they vote on it see what happens.

Have guy from Youthtown here in taupo he knows me well PUSHING along for Samuels cause so HOPEFULLY we may have something there boy its tiring talking to and ringing places and retrieving forms!!! I have been running around like a mad thing most forms being fastposted so we wait some more. It is gathering some momentum and I so hope he can go!

Aside from all that I am busy with Rugby and work and form filling out and listing stuff on Trademe NZ website (version of Ebay). Worked lasy night until MIDNIGHT am very fragile and tired AM going for a huge walk ont he weekend to blow out some cobwebs and think!!!!!!!!

Hope everyone is having a good week so far.

UPDATE 10 mins after listing STARWARS and SPIDERMAN lego sets they sold on Buy Now (knew they were too cheap darn it!!!!) oh well there is another $60....... I had emailed previous lego buyers too let them know NEW listings and voila TOO LATE they are gone!!! (Samuel will be thrilled!!!)

Ciao

Well the wheels of industry doth

turn ever so slowly I have application forms BUT some have to go to head offices etc and well it could be 7 - 10 days have spoken to the College Principal and am awaiting his decision (sounds favourable but who knows)waiting for Waikato Sports House to call back and have all the paperwork we need and letters and presentation folders sorted so NOW we WAIT, am waiting to hear from Youthtown AKLD office have forms in to get permission to hold BBQ's and we wait!!!! Have 2 more people to see about permission for BBQ's and then thats it. It is all a waiting game. AND this is what I am fearful off that in the waiting we may miss the deadline for the finances to be paid (oh well I am positively hopeful).

I even went as far as too my bank BUT I am a solo parent and although I have worked for the same people for the last 6 years I dont work ENOUGH hours, (shakes head) I have no DEBTS no HP no creditors. (and we wait), but alas my income doesnt support the amount we would need. AND I sure as hell aren't going to a loan shark NO MATTER WHAT (I am just throwing that in there I am desperate BUT NOT that desperate!)

ON an amazing note Samuel sold his first lego sets got $55 and the paid him $85 so we have nearly $400 we are nearly 1/3 of the way there....... and there are sooooo many watchers on all his trade me auctions so that is super cool (fingers crossed).

Ciao

The LONG awaited news......

3 Weeks ago Samuel was asked if he wanted to go to Australia with the NZ team as an individual not in the team though THEY said they would send details I waited 10 days I hounded our Karate Dojo master, whom in turn rang appropriate member, finally stuff arrives AND heres the rub: NZ TEAM was selected last July (Samuel just missed out then as he had only had his black belt one month), BUT as it so happens he has been training against a NZ JUNIOR TEAM member and whipping his butt!!! He was extended an invitation NZ TEAM have known since November that there would be an Aussie trip and have made funding applications to Youth Advisory Councils etc and had most of their trip subsidised (then club will top up NZ TEAM members only!!!!!) WE (me and Samuel by ourselves have to come up with $1300!!!in less than 7 weeks I am DEFLATED)

I dont have that sort of money and he IS DESPERATE to go I feel useless and helpless as a parent that I cant afford it, BUT we have listed alot of stuff on TradeMe and have just missed out by 3 weeks in the Lake Taupo Sports Youth funding (which pees me off), HIS dojo master is so keen for him to go, as he said tonight he stands a GREAT chance a securing a place and some medals!! I said well maybe the club should pay half (he said they can't), ITS like they are dangling the carrot and now we will run out of time!!! THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS are next year and THERE is talk the NZ TEAM will be bolstered by performances at this Australian event.(I didnt tell Samuel that part)

I have an appointment with the college principal to see if the college will fund some of his trip, and hopefully I can put some money towards it I have a measley $300 IF I could sell my soul I would! My budget is extremely tight and I need a small miracle if he is too go, we have to wait for OFFICIAL letterhead to have a letter to allow us to hold a Queens birthday weekend BBQ at Warehouse (on the sun/mon) and one in town on the saturday if WE dont hurry someone else will beat us to it!!! these places need to know what and who you are fundraising for I understand that I do.

I am not going I cant afford two of us to go AS MUCH AS I WANT TOO, I am off to think, and try not too stress, Samuel spent all weekend arranging his karate folder and papers and has 1 other folder with achievements merit excellence and SPEECHES made his most recent top marks papers from maths science etc, and the letters outlining costs and events and where the TRIP IS etc, and lastly his own CV letter about his goals and achievements to date he spoke to YOUTHTOWN today and we have to send a letter to AUCKLAND Youthtown on official letterhead which I wont get until after THIS SATURDAY so that will leave less than 65 days to raise the money!

HE is selling his much prized lego sets, books, and star wars stuff WHICH HE IS VERY reluctant to let go but he knows it all helps.

Cross all your fingers and toes we are going to need it.

Ciao

WE have given up waiting AND GETTING annoyed

NEVER MIND hopefully soon WE will have news!

Have been super busy working doing extra days Teacher Aide days and now am Manager for our U14 Rugby team IT HAS 27 13/14 yr old BOYS!!!! (they soooooooooo need managing).

Walking is going great ALTHOUGH very cold am only doing 7km - 10km walks and trying for a long walk every 2nd weekend NOW that rugby is upon us!


Have purchased heaps of DRESS UP costumes for sons SCHOOL SPIRIT WEEK have a kings costume, a sailor costume, super moustaches a chinese sanpan hat thingy and a SUPER COOL red chinese kimono cotton black edged jacket!

Got some contact lenses for Samuel for rugby and he wore them to school yesterday THINKS IT IS AWESOME!!! $210 (consult fitting and lenses 95 pairs of lenses) so thats a good deal I think.


THE FROSTS have arrived big time yesterday very fresh, THIS MORNING bitter tomorrow morning UGLY BITTER I bet!!!!!

Well I am off to warm up and walk now that the freezer outside is starting to thaw and try to get some washing dry when it warms upand the sun gets around on my line!.

Ciao

NO NEWS YET......

nadda. zip. nuffin.

Ciao

Finally end of week TGFT....

I have worked 44 hours I normally only do 25!!!! 30 MAX! I got to lay in though until 8am and didn't start work today until 11am finsihed 3pm thats all good I walked before work nothing strenuous today I am not walking tomorrow or sunday I am RESTING!!!! I have VERY VERY BIG NEWS!!!

But alas I can't say until Monday or Tuesday of next week could even be later thatn that I HOPE NOT cause tis exciting!!!

IF it is sunny tomorrow or sunday I am laying in the sun ALL DAY well at least 40 mins EACH SIDE!!

I am going to read YES I AM I am going to lay in YES I AM I am going to have a relaxing weekend (might squeeze in some V8 watching too!).

Have a lovely weekend everybody.

Ciao

Yikes I am busy busy busy YES!

Sorry I am so busy RUNNING around after kittens I am out the door generally before 7.30am for a couple of hours then back in afternoon and then once dinner is done and dusted back out to the kittens again!! (blardy things) thay are cute though! In between all that I have been gardening and washing usual stuff BUT NO blardy sunbathing darn it all. CANT do it at the place where I work as tradesmen are there (they are working around my comings and goings GIBSTOPPERS).

I have managed 3 walks only in the last week but hey thats better than none.

Jackie Auckland maybe I was walking so darn fast all ya saw was a BLUR!

No seriously I do most of my walking around a 2.3km lap block by my home.So if I am doing a 10km it is 4 laps then the 1km lap at end taking me just over 10km and I work it out like that, IF I do really long walks I walk ONE WAY and organise someone to get me at the end like 14km,16km,18km etc.

Have been known to be dropped off at Wairakei SH1 9km North out of Taupo and then walk to 3 MILE bay 6km out of Taupo heading South SH1.

Just a short note washing is finished and IM out the door to kittens.

Ciao

Im a JINX..........

I must have jinxed the weather it pissed down all Tuesday afternoon and through last night WE DEFINATELY need the rain thats for sure BUT have awoken to sunny skies BUT very cold.

Went for a walk early was very CRISP!!!!!! makes you walk a bit faster I'm sure.

Over Easter I forgot to say I got given a few eggs AND I REGIFTED them to others (so A: I wouldnt eat them and B: I only like the marshmallow ones (pinky, pineapple lump and that range of flavoured ones from cadbury and pascall) I thought a good idea of mine thats for sure (means we or I DONT OVEREAT on the EGGS!!!)

AM heading into town to BRAVE the hordes yesterday traffic atrocious! town madhouse getting to BANK near impossible FINDING a park even NOT HAPPENING oh well will bite the bullet and go PLEASE PARKING FAIRIES be nice!!!

***UPDATE*** was only in town for 90 mins have so far this morning WALKED done 2 loads washing, grocery shopping (forgot friggin dishwashing liquid I HATE THAT wasn't on list and I had made a mental note too!) paid 3 bills parked in town and walked to where we could YAY. Only place had too wait was POST OFFICE paid for 3 trademe trades (like EBAY) groceries away and dont start work until 1pm so all in all a good morning. UMM too cold to sunbathe BUT got some good sunbathing in over Easter might brave the breeze (which I need it too be breezy to dry the washing!) but makes sunbathing NOT CUTEY.

Have a great day whatever it is you are doing.

Ciao

Glorious 4 days off.........

I have done sweet fanny annie, walked sunbathed and READ and didn't leave the house over the entire EASTER weekend until today at lunchtime TRAFFIC not too bad BUT IDIOT drivers HIGH!!!!!!

Went out to Taupo Motorsport Track to watch a friend race spent a couple of hours out there and have just come home, we are having a BBQ tonight YAY, had opur Roast Chicken the other night then next NIGHT ROAST LAMB with allllllll the trimmings last night sweet n sour homemade sauce and homemade meatballs with rice blardy beautiful....

Have only had 2 marshmallow easter eggs the PINKY ONES they is my favourite!!!!!!! and a small handful of mini easter eggs candy covered shell ones HAVE had lovely lay ins until 8am!!! which in fact is 9am!!!!!!!! (daylight savings finished here 2 nights ago so WE wind clocks one hour back!!!)

Am at work tomorrow and all week then family is away for 5 - 7 days and I AM ON little kitten DUTY!!!!!! they are super cute BUT super naughty!!! (brother and sister!!) they get seperation anxiety IM SURE!!! I can at least let them out in the morning and jolly them along and then they get shut in at night for there own safety!! ( I will take day trip to Rotorua though I told them I am not hanging around all day for kittens!!).

The weather has been glorious just glorious long my it continue into next week too.

I hope everyone has had a lovely Easter and have been relaxing and enjoying family time.

Ciao

Yay 4 days off........

Finally four days off in a row WHOOP WHOOP...... The weather brilliant BUT friggin COLD MORNINGS (like frost n fog), walking brilliant, food brilliant (like still eating lol) no seriously food very good, 10 hours at work yesterday because not working today or Monday (so I get flogged ).

I got up at 6.30am walked 10km then we into the housework have done all the usual including windowsills and edges, 2 loads washing even wiped out the microwave done 2 cutlery draws and one (THE KITCHEN JUNK DRAW), pantry tidied and the plastic cupboard YOU all know the one the one where EVERYTHING imaginable gets jammed in thru the week the lunchboxes drink bottles and then on Saturdays we normally tidy it, but its a day early, school shoes out airing in sun sneakers out airing in sun,school bags out in sun, IM gonna be out in SUN very shortly!!!!!!!!!!! sunbathing.

Lawns mowed WED and groceries sorted SHIT we were on to it this year no mucking around WE were in and out like troopers!!!!!! DIDNT even forget anything so that is even better I made delicious fish pie last night smoked fish fillets and smoked fish tinned and the marinara mix that you buy from supermarket FRESH mixed in with white parsley sauce homemade and topped with mashed potatoes and served with peas AND GARLIC BREAD!!!!!!!!! being last night was COLD IT was hearty and warming!!!!!

We are having Roast chicken and veges tonight AND I have peeled all the veges and made the platter and got everything ready SO I am now in relax holiday day mode!!!!!!! easter eggs all sorted and wrapped up in cellophane etc. Tomorrow night I have sweet and sour sausage meatballs and rice with bok choy (my friend and I have planned all the easter meals as for the first time in 5 years she has 3 days off at Easter!!!).

Son had an awesome week got First exam results back Excellence in Social Studies, TOP MATHS SCORE YR 9, Excellence in Science. HE HAS excelled and I was so thrilled for him he is applying his time accordingly and I said to him it pays in the end and you are retaining the information obviously. He spends approx 45 mins to 90 mins on homework each night and on weekends me and him do revision questions and pop quizzes. ( shit as the questions get harder I sure as hell wont be passing them!)

His sports is really coming along now too Karate is now into FULL contact sparring so I needed to get PADDED punch glove mitts not full boxing gloves and he is LIKE WHOOP WHOOP finally contact!!!!!!, Rugby he has to train for a 3KM time trial so he has run home 3x this week in 2.3km 14mins UP A HUGE HILL, second day to my work 2.7km 12 mins (no hill), and this morning 3.3km totally flat 15mins (one stop for his asthma)he probably set out too early as air temperature was very COLD, so he is aiming to run everyday thru holidays as their time trial is first week back IF the time set by coach isn't achieved they are cut! Also school has their cross country end of April and he wants to do well their HE did really well in school athletics and made it into all of his running events to finals AND FOR HIM thats a huge achievement.

It is lovely to be home and I am glad all me jobs sorted I am now going to sunbathe and relax.

HAVE an EGGciting EASTER!!!!!

Ciao

Hurry up Daylight savings........

IT is blardy DARK and cold now when I am walking AND I DONT LIKE IT!!!!!

Only another 8km I am getting in extra JUST in case of rain because I am determined NOT too get wet and cold and miserable AT the beginning of the season!!! (Autumn/Winter).

Forgot vital ingredients for spag meatballs so into town straight after walk WHILST grocery shopping SUCH cheap meat and bargins I decided TO SHOP today instead of tomorrow PROBABLY WISE CHOICE, got home whacked crockpot on high CAUSE normally its on at like 7am didnt get it on until 11am!!!! LAST late Tuesday night YAY Ia m a bit over late nights if YA HADN'T guessed!!!

Apart from that had yummy ham and egg lettuce burritos with tomatoe and carrot and NOW heading into shower BEFORE work starts have teacher Aide work tomorrow so that was another reason for a double up of walking ......... and groceries so in hindsight I have saved myself less stress alround..

My neighbour NEARLY lit her fire 2 nights ago and last night I TELL ya we will be lucky to make it thru the next 7 days without the fire I reckon!!!!!

Hope yall doing something nice today.

Ciao

Just a plodder...

Only walked 8km this morning was nice though I HAVE NO JOBS TODAY no LISTS and nadda happening WHAT A FIRST for me eh!

Sunny again and I am going to sunbathe again, lounge around and generally do sweet fanny annie.

Have roast chicken for diner sorted (veges all peeled) green veges all cut I do a platter of everything and just blast it in the microwave with parsley margarine and black pepper for 4 - 6 mins and voila green vege medley done.

I could be gardening I could be doing housework BUT I AREN'T going to ... I have no inclination to do that today for some reason (Friday I did the sheets and change bed thing so I am caught up with washing and ironing etc).

With Easter just looming I will do some gardening over Easter and mow lawns maybe tues/wed and DO our grocery shopping WED so we don't have to venture into TOWN!!!! (I hate Taupo at long weekends and EASTER) it is bedlam WHAT I do love is just mooching in town knowing I don't have to do SPECIFIC jobs in town with the THOUSANDS of others, I can even WALK into town and get picked up as everyone will be here for the racing and I will have people around to at the very least pick me up should I need to.

WE are all looking forward to Easter and the break in ROUTINES will be nice AND the fact school holidays are then starting it is even better YAY no getting up early no rushing no RUNNING around to rugby/badminton/swimming (karate however goes all year round and the only days off is xmas and easter!!).

Samuel rugby coach is organising practices for holidays so that should be interesting ..... hope it all fits in with our plans and my work etc, sure it will. Oh and NO MORE LATE night working YAY!!!!!! Thats even blardy better.

Have a nice day.

Ciao

Walking walking walking....

I walked on Thursday I walked this morning EARLY like 5.30am early I couldn't sleep I walked 12 kms then went back into bed to warm up (well LAY down) and have just surfaced WAS very FRESH this morning BUT the sun is out and it will warm up SO I will lay in the sun probably. Havent heard from up the line, I TEXT'D Jason yesterday evening Howz it going are you settling in ok keeping busy blah blah blah GET BACK "yes" very helpful not! Oh well he is pottering around today fixing someones oven, and says its a hell of a lot warmer over in the BAY lucky bugger.

Have worked walked and whinged all week, have had some restless nights sleeps but managed to have better sleeps last 2 nights (because I put AN EXTRA blanket on the bed AS I think I was cold! I know I was cold!). Or maybe because of the following indiscretion!

Forgot to say when I went to the movies I had a very SMALL one scoop icecream made them find the smallest, AND I SUFFERED for 2 days HEADACHE, INCREDIBLY SORE TUMMY, BLOATED, ABSOLUTELY FOUL WIND (sorry TMI), and no toilet for 2 days then A RESULTING MESS on 3rd day blurrrrrrrrrrrrrk, was a silly mistake and I knew I would pay for it BUT hells bells come on, for 3 afternoons wed, thurs, fri I felt gross and really had no energy and CONTEMPLATED every day going home early and just wanting to LAY down and rest! TODAY I feel mucho better no tummy ache no headache no bloating and suprise surprise no WIND!

WILL walk again tomorrow and then into 10 - 12km walks next week am going to walk every 2nd day and STEP it up a bit and walk 2 SUPER long walks over Easter seen as extra people will be here to act as PICKER uppers If I need to be. And on Easter Monday when everyone is out the RACE TRACK (car) I am going tp walk approx 16km a 11km walk loop from my place then approx 5km walk out to track not sure on that exact distance to track from town BUT its close to that when they drive it I will get someone to measure distance out there and adjust my end accordingly.

And when I arrive at the track there will be hot chocolate and HOT FOOD there for me to carbo load on (oh and my scrummy protein biscuits!!!)...

I am off to have poached eggs and tomatoes on toast.


Have a nice weekend whatever you are doing.....

Ciao