A few pictures of me son!

The first photo is of the girls!!!! They start off all smiley and twirling then this is their HAKA build up face!!!

The next photo is some of the group at the motel getting ready, Samuel in forefront.

The next is some of the boys , and last is Samuel Aniwa and Reuben Samuel on left!!!!

the group tally is around 35 - 38 max is 60 people.

More photos to come...

Ciao Blondie

Kapa Haka all done and dusted.....

After 6 months of hard core practicing and 6 weeks of 5 days a week practices, the day arrives, but to re cap. Wednesday I shopped for 45 people for Thrusday night dinner (mince pasta n vege) bread n butter pudding. I worked all day Thursday just so I could have Friday off,
I worked 8am til 5.30pm then headed to Marae and started. 2 other mums helped me we got dinner sorted and started on the lunches, cut up cucumber and tomatoes grated carrots and cheese boiled eggs for eggy mash, cut ham slices to fit pre buttered 100 buns and re bagged, then pre packed apple mandarins mufins, and peanut slabs and bottled water. Only thing to do was add the buns.

Finished at 11.30pm, headed home 50 people slept at the marae I DIDNT!! Got up 4.30am arrived 4.45am and started brekkie me and 1 other mum, porridge for 45, spag baked beans and left over mince and pasta all mixed in with cut precooked sausages and HOT MILKY MILO and MADE up all the buns for lunch and WRAPPED them before ANYONE GOT UP!!!!!! temperature -2!!!! woke others 5.30am Iwas told too do that though (brekkie nearly ready), all asleep most snoring!!! no movement went back 5.45am flicked lights on and said all CHEERY "wakey wakey" not MISS popular that's for sure. Filled 2 HUGE SINKS brekkie and dishes and clean up over in 40 mins flat

Brekkie down bus driver arrived 7am they left 8am!! After much checklists and doublechecking gear etc.

I stayed at school had long HOT shower in the peace and quiet changed and waited for Powhiri (welcome of B.O.T) meeting to finish then Te Reo teacher and I headed off.

The DAY was superb bare bodies ta moko (inked tatto) feather piu piu (flax skirts) and loads of haka,chanting.poi,singing it was awesome!!!! The group looked amazing and were pumped up that's for sure.

Spent 3 hours in conference room area getting everyone ready, hair, make up. moisturising, lips legs backs, kakahu (costumes) and then warm ups and practice.

Edit to stage THERE on and for 22 mins coming on they were so loud the blew the speakers one boy ripped his G String (worn under marau similar shape to scottish sporon) one boys rakau stick cracked the stage floor, THE LIGHTING flickered on and off momentarily they sang their hearts out AND WON 1st in Whai Korero (speech) came 4th overall. finished 7pm had dinner home 9.30pm unpacked bus tidied gear said goodbyes home 11pm TOO BED!!!!!

Next major competition is the Hauraki in September and Tuwharetoa festival in October. But they will have other little performances to do.


HUGE day loads of happy kids DID jack nothing today Samuel had no work no rugby no jobs!!!! It was bliss.

Samuel is also in the Manu Korero Speech Finals (Maori Speech ) at the Natinal competition end of June, and he has been chosen to travel to Japan in April 2012. HE IS excited already............

NOW its hard out karate training YAY.....

I went mooching today got myself a belt at the warehouse that I tried on 6 weeks ago could only get it too 1st hole TODAY it's on 4th hole!!!!!

FANTASTIC!

I hope everyone has a relaxing Sunday.....

Ciao
Blondie

Are we getting winter yet?

Heck it's been mild and rainy and humid and a few frosts but where is winter!!!!

I have bought some gorgeous black leather knee high boots in my favourite brand KUMFS and extra wide fit and calves $489 down to $139 (trade me) only worn twice AND they are beautiful SCORE bought a GORGEOUS coat from farmers white and black print $150 down to $50 double score got me some fancy nancy knee high patterened stockings for my NEW boots and NEW Mary Jane shoes I love them (like I used to wear to high school the flats with ankle strap in black leather), I LOVE IT I am in shopping heaven again and it is just FAB. AND I'm still saving money!!!!!!!!!!!

Samuel is 2 weeks away from KAPA HAKA competition and it is ALL ON, Patu (hand held mere), Rakau (stick),Poi,Haka the group is huge and we have been there Mon Wed Thurs 3 hour practises after school and Sat over night until sunday every week for the last 4 weeks WE have all day practice tomorrow and two PRE competition performances this week coming FULLY kitted up (ink tattoo etc and cultural costumes etc).

Rugby is full steam ahead and although yesterday was wet and miserable and cold it was fun Samuel has worked every saturday (sushi not open on Sundays now over winter) but is open all this weekend he has to squeeze in practice and karate as well, this week BUT no karate or rugby next week as TUTORS want NO INJURIES last competition had 4 broken arms on stage.


I am having another day off work so I can go to the KAPA HAKA competition which is Fri Sat Sun June 16th onwards crowds of 3000-5000 expected so thats full on then and we will all be tired as!!!

Have had this whole weekend off AND IT has been great!!!

AND as a little footnote I have lost 7kg in 8weeks!!!!! sleep no stress no bills and well it makes life easier.

I do hope eveyone else has had a nice weekend.

Ciao
Blondie

Thank goodness the weekend is over........

That was a mammoth weekend shopped for the 50 people, cooked 1 dinner 2 breakfasts, 1 lunch and oodles and oodles of dishes, I slept at home though.

Staurday family I work for are away and I had been left a list of jobs to do!!!!! niiiiiiiicccccccceeee
NOT. Picked up Samuel 8.30am dropped at rugby did 2 hours work, watched Rugby GREAT game despite a narrow loss, picked up Samuel he went to work i went to Marae and helped woth food and dishes, Samuel arrived back at 4pm, I helped served up dinner then WENT out for dinner to my FAV place it was scrummy. Kids finished up SAT night at midnight got to sleep around 1am not too bad.

Headed to work for 2 hours early this morning Sunday went to Marae did brekkie dishes went home did 3 loads washing, went back to Marae got Samuel spent 1 hour at storage shed sorted and condensed took load to dump.came home picked in said washing FOLDED and IRONED!!!! now sitting on me BUM I have earned my rest, we popped our dinner in the crockpot early this morning corned beef and we are all set!!!

I do this all again next weekend as another KAPA HAKA noho( practice etc).

Ciao
Blondie

And the rugby season commenceth!!!!

YAY rugby is here we are playing pre grading divisional matches. Looking forward to being graded in the premier grade again. Cold rainy and just what a rugby season needs, Samuel didn't make the noumea team but they are still hardout fundraising as a team towards it.

Have a kapa haka wananga ( practices) from Friday today 4pm until Sunday 4pm its MY BIRTHDAY today and I'm cooking at the marae today have to shop for 50 people that's 2 dinner 2 breakfasts 2 lunches and supper morning tea and afternoon tea last time 3 trolley's $600 this time probably $800-900 WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA that's a lot of trolley's!!!! And being a bargin shopper we get good bang for our buck.

I'm having dinner at the marae with the kids tongiht slack i have to cook me own birthday dinner and share it about 50 others!!!!! and then home tonight, tomorrow is kapa, then rugby 10am, then Samuel working then kapa haka then I'm going out for dinner to my favourite place BBQ MASTER it is divine such a cool place. I have to work anyhoo and I'm being floggged there anyhoo what's more Mahi!. (work)

Seen as the kids will be at the marae Sunday morning I am sleeping in and with ALL the frosts we have been having just as well!!! TIS freezing! a heap of snow on the mountains.

ciao
blondie

Did I say saving ? i should have said SPENDING

Its been an awful few weeks weather wise winds storms powercut TAUPO only, tornado, which brings me tomy post.....

My life is a whirlwind of JOB, JOBS at home list of JOBS to check off I am a chronic list maker but achieve nearly everything on that list everyday. ( a new list starts everyday too WHERE do these jobs come from?).

I have been lucky I am the proud proud new owner of a laptop!! believe me this is huge for me Jason transferred over all my stuff from desktop to laptop then it arrived home and I had just to connect to wireless broadband (wonderful SO friggin fast) YAY.

I am typing this in bed ! It is so cool Samuel Jaspa (cat) and I have settled in great Sue is not so stressed and we are saving WELL I'm spending laptop, 5 new pairs pants 3 tops 2 NEW BRAS long overdue new undies, bio oil chondrotin capsules (the mega big pottles!)flax pills (like fish oil same benefits mine was primarily 20 years ago for psoriasis but it does hair nails skin etc), face cream hand cream heel cream, Samuels magnesium capsules for lung function in asthmatics, shoes, walking socks, new handbag new clothes for Samuel curtains for my room, these are ALL things long long overdue and IT IS such a pleasure and thrill to be able to spend money on myself albeit mostly medicinal, I am sleeping better, and am alot more relaxed.

I have even started walking again and thats exciting for me all the things I bought were heavily discounted and if not on special, so I was thrilled with that too.

I have been to Rotorua twice shopping, and Tauranga yesterday to see an old friend of the family ( has just had major stroke 78) they were lucky they nearly lost their Dad 5 days ago so I wanted to go and see the family and Father, I was able to take beautiful Taupo books (as they lived her over 40 years) the family loved them and father, the mere fact I had money to do so and have petrol money to get there and worry was to me a relief and I for the first time felt humbled by the mere thoguht it was such a small gesture. Financial things matter they can be small things that bother you but the release of the last 4 weeks for me has been a tonic of sorts.

Samuel is busy as ever working karate kapa haka fundraising for rugby sevens trip to Noumea WHOOP WHOOP, his first term report was stunningly great OF course the impetus was do well then you can purchase a PS3 he had been saving SOOOOOOO hard so PS3 2 controllers, warranty 3 games and $900 later he is the proud owner of what he wanted! now he is saving for sevens trip and karate trips(should they arise). and he is very frugle with his money too so that is a relief he knows the money is hard earned and therefore not to be thrown away...

Something else I have started up again my weekly envelopes I used to save $10 a week for Samuel birthday, xmas food, xmas travel, clothes money vet bill so that it eased everything along a little, well I have saved over $300 towards these things in the last month on top of all my spending so I am on top of things again and it feels liberating. My weekly budget is now only with groceries utilities and saving envelopes $290 it feels like xmas every week to me I had made a list of all the things I needed to catch up on LIKE the pills clothes shoes socks undies etc etc and finally yesterday I did that, I am now saving to update my 16 yr old car which has done 271,000km and is a true workhorse of a station wagon!!!!!! I dont want a new car certainly can't afford that but just to update, so that's me. After 8 years of struggle I have arrived.

Ciao

Well Happy Easter everyone..................

I am finally shifted and settled, I moved one house down (just down the driveway!!), my friend last September had a operation on her foot it never healed and she worked on her feet all day 9 - 10 hours she couldn't cope the work changed her shifts to the WORST hours and in effect pushed her out.

She was seriously struggling and with rates and living it was becoming evident she could lose her home, so I gave notice and we condensed 2 houses into one well 2 1/2 actually A HUGE SHIFT, I sold nearly everything I own in fact I DID SELL everything and just took a bed and 3 sets draws and clothes thats it!!!!

So in a house we have 5 cats a dog 2 fish and 3 adults (50+, 43(in may) and nearly 15!!) phew this easter there is actually 5 adults and all the animals (one son came home for the weekend and his girlfriend) so my friend has gone from no one to a FULL HOUSE!!!

I am saving already no rent and we are sharing phone power and food costs, for the first time in 9 years I can actually relax a little.

I know of 4 other families condensing and amalgamating this month alone things and times are geting tough, finances are always tight for families and at the very least a juggling act.

Alot of my friends have said why sell? things I certainly have no attachment to material things NEVER have and since I CAN"T be in my family home NOTHING absolutely NOTHING means anything to me anymore.....

The move was easy peasy weather wise I had 2 huge garage sales, and sold 2 things privately and 1 item through (trademe like ebay)........ I will at some stage get some clothes I need a few things not much.

I do however have some things in storage Samuel's baby things and precious memories of my Dad.

I have had a relaxing day yesterday watching movies nodding off, and chilling FIRST TIME in months, I am relaxing again today I ALSO took 10 DAYS OFF WORK (I know shocking eh!!!!) first time in 6 years I TOOK time off although I cleaned packed moved and hucked out cupboards etc, (when my family that I work for are away I take holidays when they take holidays), so all in all I feel great, I will be back online seriously from next Saturday probably!

Once I get the laptop sorted IT'S ready to go I just have to pick it up from IT guy!!!

I hope everyone is eating drinking and relaxing....

Ciao