Satisfaction...

Londonkind were back in town tonight, so we took a stroll down to the viaduct for dinner. Although it's not quite the hopping venue it was when the America's Cup was "ours", it's still pretty busy.
Apart from the joy of spending a few short more hours in the company of good friends (and I love the way we are just able to pick up again from wherever it was we last left off 5 or 6 years ago), it was a pleasant surprise to be ably waited on by an ex-student of my last school. He has just qualified as a chef, he says, and is finishing off the Hospitality diploma. He was a student of "character", and it is a joy to see him grow into such a nice young man.
Finished with the special guided tour under the bridge and looking back across at the city lights...

Rugby week....

It's been a great rugby week. Not that I'm a fangirl or anything - not half! First the news of the 2011 rugby world cup being allocated here, though it'll be a case of taking out a mortgage to buy tickets, and then the lovely win over England in the early hours of this morning. And no, my dedication doesn't extend to getting up at 3.30am to listen (since free-to-air isn't an option, and I'm too cheap to have Sky).

And then, to move on to other good news, this morning I read that U2 are going to be playing just down the road on March 17. Yay! St Paddy's day was never as good as this before! Another mortgage, probably. I'll be able to pay that one off just in time for the rugby.

On the home front, lovely to have London visitors. I took Helen and her mum on an outing to Piha yesterday afternoon. We did a wee bush walk, and strolled along the beach. It was gorgeous and hot! So good to see them :):)

Logical intelligence...... below average

Sigh... and I like to think of myself as quite logical. Just shows how deluded it's possible to be. (I couldn't work out the sequence question. blegh.)
Another nonsense online quiz-type thingy thing

Your IQ Is 120

Your Logical Intelligence is Below Average Your Verbal Intelligence is Genius Your Mathematical Intelligence is Exceptional Your General Knowledge is Exceptional

A Quick and Dirty IQ Test

Rosey tinted glasses....

I discovered, today, after driving 25 mins across the city, that I'd put an event in my diary a week too soon. Ah well. My friend and I decided instead to head for the Parnell Rose Festival, but were easily diverted by the weekly French Market. YUM!!! After a jolly good shop (and having bought some honey and walnut bread, and exceedingly yummy aioli and chutney), we finally headed for the Rose Gardens. You can see that there were plenty of lovely blooming roses. I was amused, also by the cultural mix. On the one hand we had the morris dancers, on the other, the flamenco dancers. There were Devonshire teas to be had, or carved Nativity sets and Christmas decorations from the lovely woman from Bethlehem (mostly NZ woods, although her husband still loves to work in olive). We always have a wee chat, whenever I see her - I have visited her brother-in-law's shop in Bethlehem. When I first met her, about 10 years ago, I was not long back from there, and had been given an olivewood kiwi by a friend. Meeting her solved the puzzle I'd been mulling over - how it was that someone from Bethlehem was carving kiwis.
Today felt like summer is upon us. I'll not be surprised to discover a bit of sunburn, which I wasn't anticipating at all.

dreaming...

Hahahahaha!!! One of them told me today that he'd dreamt about the mountain in my book, last night. We had a big combined morning tea with them all this morning, and the hall was full of tears. That letting go and moving on thing is hard anytime, but when you're fraught with the thought of upcoming exams, and it's the close of not just a whole chapter, but a book, it's that much worse. The sudden shock that they are being turfed out, that it'll never be the same. Every year I see them suddenly wake up to it, and even the hardest of them seem to suddenly turn into big softies!

Stephen, over at Greenflame, talked about songs that define the moment. They played one of those songs today at morning tea. Cat Stevens' "Old Schoolyard"... I'd just been telling one of my leavers about my last day in 7th form, how we'd had a ceremonial sofa burning (that's another story), and then gone down to the local park with a tapedeck, and the Cat Stevens album, and made us a memory, on the swings and roundabouts and seesaws and so on. Not two minutes later, it came over the soundtrack to the morning. It was one of those moments! I was really amused - they'd put together a whole bunch of feel-good tracks, so much more pleasant than the nasty stuff they played at the Grad dinner.

...you're off to Great Places!

Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So... get on your way!
And they were off! Another year, another crew, another great bunch of young adults making their way in the world.
We've had good laughs this year, and they wrote lovely things in their card. It's always good to be reminded that even when you think you've done a crap job, mostly it's gone ok.
What really DID warm my heart today, was an unsolicited comment passed on from my previous school...
Cut and paste from an email I received today:

Out of the blue, RL says... "what was the name of the science teacher I had in Y10??" I supply your name, and he says "yeah. I think she was the best teacher I ever had."

Aint that sweet? It's always so much nicer when it's completely unexpected!

Snap Crackle Pop..

I don't remember another Guy Fawkes night that was sooooo full of it! It feels like some of them are coming right in my windows! Went outside to watch, and am convinced I can see a place actually burning away right across the valley, and I did hear sirens a while ago. Honey came out to investigate with me, and really didn't seem at all intimidated by the crashes and bangs, but when I came inside, she RACED!!!!! She was so "I'm not going to be left out here without you mummy"!!! It's all just an endless series of little explosions. So cool. I have no other sounds playing, so it's really the theme tune for the evening.

I was going to a fireworks party tonight, but in the end, was just too tired. It's been a very draining week. Yesterday was both David's funeral in the afternoon, and our Year 13 students' Graduation Dinner in the evening. Both were celebratory, but in quite different ways. The funeral service was of course tempered with loss. The priest pointed out that it wasn't yet 2 years since David had been standing in that very spot, speaking about one of the lads killed in the massive car accident that had sent shockwaves through the school and community. And that it was a great testament to David how many current and ex-students had come to farewell him in turn - hundreds were there. The words that were shared about his life were in themselves filled with life, and I think David would have been delighted. The haka the boys from the 1st XV performed in his honour at the end of the service was an absolute show stopper. It was filled with more emotion and passion than I've seen in an All Black haka in quite some time. (although the test tonight may be the exception to that rule, of course) It was awe-inspiring, and rousing, and while I don't work there anymore, I still know quite a few of the boys, and felt sooo proud of them.

Grad dinner was a hoot. It seems very American, to me, to be handing each student a certificate of graduation from high school. They were a very raucous bunch. The "most likely to...." awards were the funniest of the night, and they didn't stint on them. My year 13's had given me a gorgeous pendant and a card on Thursday, which had me smiling over the good memories of the year. I hate saying goodbye to the leavers, but it's such a necessary part of their journey, that I like to make it a bit special, but humorous at the same time. I have a copy of Oh The Places You'll Go by Dr Seuss that I read them on the last day. I hope they all turn up like good little campers on Monday!!!!!

And today, my friend was up from Dunedin, and had organised a brunch out in West Auckland. Yum (shame about the service). I used the opportunity to get to a plant nursery out there and purchase a chinese pistachio sapling. I've wondered for ages what this tree was that I just love in the autumn. There was one outside my window in the first place I lived in Auckland. It will grow quite a bit bigger than I expected, so that'll be interesting. It won't happen overnight, though.

RIP David

Well, David died this afternoon. It's horrid, even when you're expecting something, that it hits quite hard. It's 11 years tomorrow since my Dad died, so I guess there's some feelings hanging around about that too. Tomorrow is the first November 1st since 1994 that has been a Melbourne Cup day. Isn't it silly the little details that stick in your mind. It was a horse called "Jeune" that won that year. (which I just translated on babelfish and it means "young person". If I'd ever studied French I'd have known that!)

11pm tonight....

(clicking on it gives a pic with better resolution)

Men are from Mars....

This week Mars is the closest it will be for the next 13 years.
Last night I made a gif for my class today, of tonight's stars. I realised on the way home tonight that it's about an hour out, cos I forgot about daylight saving, but such is life. Mars is soooooo red when it rises, not till about 10pm. So, adjusting for time, this is the view from Pakuranga, from about 8pm tonight. Each shift is 1 hour. (click to see "readable" size)



Went to visit my friend David at the hospice tonight on the way home. We think it may only be a matter of days now. He didn't have the energy to talk, so we just sat (or lay, in his case). I can hardly believe how much determination and courage it took him, only a week ago, to get on his feet and do his farewell speech. Today, he said the burden was overwhelming, and his mind was racing with all that he yet wanted to say and do, but had no energy for. He is so thankful to be pain-free. Small mercies, eh? I was glad to have time to chat with his wife and kids on their way in for the evening. She in particular is stoically "muddling through" (her words). It's a strange kind of limbo.

Labour Weekend

Goodness me. It says my last post was early September. Shocking!

I have been inspired to post by this article, about "Kumara the hot potato in UK"


Having just enjoyed a roast leg of lamb, with accompanying spud, pumpkin and kumara, it seemed appropriate. I'm horrified by how much they are selling for over there, when they are sooooo accessible and soooooo reasonably cheap here.
I was inspired to go looking for kumara recipes.

It's Labour Weekend here again, where we supposedly celebrate the great achievement of the trade unions, of the 8 hour working day. Gosh, I've heard of it, but what is it? Still, at least we get this glorious sunny day off.

Yesterday, I joined with some other graceway-ites to take our turn to read in the bible podcast. I read a few chapters in Zechariah and Malachi, and then my friend Marti got the transition into Matthew and the genealogy! I was delighted to then have a great chunk of the Sermon on the Mount as my final reading. After Marti had gone, Christine arrived, and told us that she'd taken her friend to church earlier in the morning. The person on "reading the text" didn't turn up, so, the minister, Jodie, turned on the podcast, and it was Marti, reading from the first chapters of Matthew. After this weekend, it will then be available, in chunks, for downloading.

Mark is in the middle of a series titled "generous orthodoxy", at Graceway at the mo. Last week he talked about evangelicalism, and this week was social justice. So, rather than talk about it, we went down to the complex where Mark and Bridget are going to be moving soon, so that they can foster more children at once, and worked on preparing the walls of their unit ready for painting. It was lovely to sit round in the sun afterwards and chat over the BBQ.

It's been a hard week, too. I went back to my previous school for a couple of hours on Thursday, so that I could be there to farewell and thank a dear friend. He has been battling cancer for a long time now, and has been told he probably only has 2-4 weeks left. He was so brave and determined. He managed to stand, to speak, and to laugh at times. It was good that he had opportunity to hear and treasure the kind words and appreciation that so often is only spoken at funerals. The school are going to have a mufti day this week, as a fundraiser, so that his wife and 2 children (under 10) will be able to do something special when he is gone from them. He goes into the Hospice this week.

Sugar??

Several times today I've been asked if I'd had too much sugar in my coffee this morning. It's not even like I had lots of sleep last night. Could it be that I can see an end to some of the horrendous workload of the last year+??? I dunno, but today was a good day.

I've been playing with the html a wee bit too... found that cute quotes site - no idea what they're gonna be like, but am willing to give it a good shot. I like the one for today - "the first duty of love is to listen" - so if they're all like that, well, it'll be interesting!

A week and a half ago I flew to Wellington (yes, again) for a birthday party (yes, again) - my great aunt's 100th. I also met my 3 week old great niece while I was down there. Imagine that. One day I'll be able to say to her (one day, soon, hopefully the poor tot will have a NAME!!!) "on September 2nd 2005, I gave both you and your 100-year-old great great great aunt a hug and a kiss".





This is what a telegram from the queen looks like:




and this is the great aunt's great great great niece and moi

2 in one week

Based on my recent record, this would have to be a miracle.
I'm avoiding marking exams at the moment, although I have one lot half completed, and another are threatening me from the sofa.

Speaking of the sofa...
My big discovery of the day was this:
I have a cat (no, that's not the discovery).
My cat likes to sit on me.
When I won't cooperate (or go conveniently - to her - to sleep) she likes to sit on furniture near me.
My gorgeous blue sofa collects cat hair like it was worth a fortune.

(that's the photo from when I bought them on Trademe)
I've tried vacuuming it, but it sticks like glue (or, at the very least, cat hair)
So, sometime during the week, I had a brainwave. I thought of the bath glovey things I have, that are like wearing a scrubbing brush on your hand, like this
And I thought that it might work really well against the cat hair.
And do you know what??
I was right. It was brilliant:):)
While I listened to and watched the memorial service for David Lange this morning on the tele, I managed to get most of the evidence of Honey off the sofas. Yay!

Yeah, yeah......

Still chuckling at Pete's comment in the last post....I think I woke up the neighbours!
I can take a hint.
Yes, I'm still alive! Haven't felt much like making the effort, sometimes it seems like there's not much happening, and yet, when I look back, I know I've done heaps.
The students are preparing for mock exams starting tomorrow, so it's been full-on getting them ready. (and the students too). At least I only had 2 year levels to organise this year, but I got them back from the printer yest afternoon, and discovered I had forgotten to put the number required on one year level, and so back they go to print some more. I'm glad I didn't discover THAT on the morning of the exam!!!

Oh, and Jupiter is still a feature, yes.... "During August Venus and Jupiter will present an interesting view in the evening sky as the two draw closer and closer together. By the end of the month, they will only be a couple of degrees apart." from RASNZ and here's a northern hemisphere link.

Actually, one of the things I did last week was to set the alarm and get up to watch the shuttle land, on NASA tv on the internet. It was exceptionally cool to hear the conversation between Houston and the Discovery, and I really did feel for them the night previously, when they were put off twice. Eileen Collins managed to not sound too stressed or disappointed, but I bet she was wishing she was home already! Someone at work had told me when to look in the sky to see the 2 of them (Discovery attached to the ISS) going overhead, a few days before, so I was out in the garden in the freezing cold, watching the right point in the sky at the right time. It was amazing - to think how fast they were travelling, to see them, and to go inside and see what was happening, live, on tv. WOW.

Nora - I'm turning into an astronomical-geek. My year 11's have opted to do astronomy for their final module, so *warning*.. it could get worse before it gets better!!!!!

Occultation of Jupiter

I didn't know that was what it was called, but it happened on Thursday night. Jupiter (the tiny dot)was seen to move behind the moon from the dark side. It reappeared on schedule about an hour later.

I tried out all sorts of combinations of settings on my camera, and this was the best result. I was pleased with it, anyway!

PS..

I came 4th= in the rugby picks competition. Feel VERY pleased with that. The top 4 were all women - the guys on staff didn't get a look-in! I'm sure they'll say that was because they were far too busy playing to spend time thinking about their picks.

Not much..

..to post about at the mo. It's all work work work.
That may change next weekend, of course. The big party arrives. All us family members with our round birthdays & a big get-together in Wellington. We've done quite well in the last year or two for getting together in one place. The intervals between events are getting smaller. Sometime between now and then I must find a. a memento of my favourite decade (what on EARTH am I going to take???) and b. a bunch of photos for a montage - eek!! Oh, and WHAT to wear????? I feel quite special, as a number of friends are making quite an effort - 2 flying with me from Auckland, and one coming from Dunedin, along with those who are more local to the party venue.

20 years

How can you compare this:

"Twenty years"

with this:

"Twenty years"??

Take a quiz...

Found this quiz on Darren's and Pete's blogs...
I'm highly amused! Imagine being as fundamentalist as you are existentialist??!!!!

You scored as Cultural Creative. Cultural Creatives are probably the newest group to enter this realm. You are a modern thinker who tends to shy away from organized religion but still feels as if there is something greater than ourselves. You are very spiritual, even if you are not religious. Life has a meaning outside of the rational. Cultural Creative 88% Idealist 44% Romanticist 44% Postmodernist 38% Existentialist 31% Fundamentalist 31% Modernist 13% Materialist 6% What is Your World View? (updated) created with QuizFarm.com

Pentecost.....

It's amazing how sometimes everything knits together to give a bigger picture sometimes. This weekend seems to have had a theme - but it's only in looking back over it that I can see it.
It started with Hot Air Ballooning (at last!!!) at the crack of dawn on Saturday morning. The balloon depends entirely on the wind currents, and it is the skill of the operator, causing it to rise or lower to catch the wind going in the desirable direction, which causes the balloon to have any direction at all.

Then, this morning, I drove a close friend out to the airport, to travel to England to live for a while. When she ticked the "leaving the country permanently" box, I cried, and again when she went through the gates. I will miss her a lot - we have had much common ground in our family histories, and shared a lot of hard times. The mastery of flight, and utilising the aerodynamics and lift and all that stuff, means she's now nearly in KL, and probably more than ready to hit the bed in her hotel.

And tonight we celebrated Pentecost. The imagery people often have is the flames, but I think of the rushing wind. During the course of the prayer stations, I thought of a poem I met in my youth, by Ulrich Shaffer, from Into your Light. I don't think I am remembering it correctly or completely, but here goes:

"I am persuaded by the dandelion
to take the wings of the updrift
to fly
to parachute into enemy territory
to fall to the ground
to be trampled on
to die
and so
to give birth to a whole generation of flyers."

from yesterday morning: