What a great way to start 2013. Despite what the dateline might say, it is indeed 8.15pm on January 1st 2013.
After a fabulous evening out with family yesterday, enjoying a marvellous meal at The spice guru restaurant, we have had a restful day today.
We walked on the beach with our dog, and even had a paddle in the shallows (only the warm water, please!) while the brisk breeze blew away a few cobwebs.
After a lunch I will admit to a bit of a snooze, followed by a highly entertaining game of Trivial Pursuit - the first one for our sons, who loved it (but would like some more up-to-date questions), especially the hilarious clues provided by the grandparents to number 2 son! They must have been good, because he did win!
Friends who own an art gallery down the road popped round at tea time. Husband has done some photography work for them, particularly of the teapots created by the gentleman concerned, and as a thankyou for his work in 2012 presented us with a wonderful Japanese inspired teapot and bowl set that he had made. It is simple and elegant, and we feel deeply privileged to have such generous friends. It is a testament to the good things that return to you when you concentrate on doing good things for others.
I have such a good feeling about 2013 - it seems to be full of promise and potential. We've already got an email which offers the possibility of a renewed connection for work... bring it on, I say!
Monday, December 31, 2012
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Happy New Year!
Just getting ready to go out for meal with the family - our in-laws are visiting us from the UK and we're celebrating the turn of the year in style.
2012 has had its moments... some good, some challenging.... but I have the feeling that 2013 is going to be fabulous. So many exciting things are heading our way, and we are going to take everything this year has to offer us!!
Wherever you are, and whomever you share this evening with, I wish you the very best for the New Year. May you find what you seek and enjoy what you have. Wishing you a year that's full of love and laughter, hugs and happiness. xxx
2012 has had its moments... some good, some challenging.... but I have the feeling that 2013 is going to be fabulous. So many exciting things are heading our way, and we are going to take everything this year has to offer us!!
Wherever you are, and whomever you share this evening with, I wish you the very best for the New Year. May you find what you seek and enjoy what you have. Wishing you a year that's full of love and laughter, hugs and happiness. xxx
Friday, December 28, 2012
Jigsaws
Just had a great day doing a jigsaw puzzle with second son. It was one of those "Where's Stig?" jigsaws - lots of details and things to make you laugh, and we thoroughly enjoyed working on it together.
I think jigsaw puzzles are great. They really make you pay attention to details, observe carefully and hold images in your head - all good habits to have. This one was 1000 pieces, and we did manage it in one day, but the last one we did took 3 days - there's a real element of persistence in doing something complicated like this.
I took some of the old jigsaws that second son had grown out of into my classroom recently - the children (between 9 and 13 years old) were on the whole quite stumped by them once they got over 50 pieces. I couldn't find a single one who ever did anything like it at home. They had very few strategies to approach the puzzle (none of them thought about doing the straight edges first, or collecting all the pieces of an obvious feature), and if they couldn't do it in a few minutes were very reluctant to keep going.
I think I'll be taking more puzzles into school with me - what a fun way to train your brain!
I think jigsaw puzzles are great. They really make you pay attention to details, observe carefully and hold images in your head - all good habits to have. This one was 1000 pieces, and we did manage it in one day, but the last one we did took 3 days - there's a real element of persistence in doing something complicated like this.
I took some of the old jigsaws that second son had grown out of into my classroom recently - the children (between 9 and 13 years old) were on the whole quite stumped by them once they got over 50 pieces. I couldn't find a single one who ever did anything like it at home. They had very few strategies to approach the puzzle (none of them thought about doing the straight edges first, or collecting all the pieces of an obvious feature), and if they couldn't do it in a few minutes were very reluctant to keep going.
I think I'll be taking more puzzles into school with me - what a fun way to train your brain!
Thursday, December 27, 2012
An unexpected journey... there and back and there...
Cape used to fullest effect yesterday.
What began as an ordinary day out at the local jetsprint racing - a brilliant day of racing and much fun had by all - turned into a day of to-ing and fro-ing.
Trip 1. 8am: deposit photographer husband at the jetsprint venue. Return home via laundrette (washing machine is broken) where 3 loads of washing enable me to clear lots of junk from my email inbox.
Trip 2. 11.30am: Deliver in-laws (visiting us from UK) and second son to jetsprint venue. Watch a couple of hours of racing, visit our friends in the pit area during the lunch break.
Trip 3. 2.30pm : second son is tired and mosquito bitten. Take him home and return to the jetsprints.
Trip 4. 5.30pm: take in-laws home at the end of the racing.
Trip 5. 6.00pm: return to the jetsprints to collect photographer husband. Prize-giving still going on, so slightly delayed return home. Finally get home at 7.45pm.
Thankfully my iPod was fully charged, so I had plenty of great driving songs to listen to. The jetsprint track is about 25km from home so I clocked up a few miles!
Does make you feel grateful, though. I'm grateful to have a car and money for the petrol to allow us to go out. I'm grateful that we have some local people with enough get-up-and-go to organise and run fantastic race meetings. I'm grateful that although there were a few thrills and spills, nobody got hurt racing. I'm grateful for the organisers repaying a favour we had done for them - we got complimentary tickets as a thankyou for the work I did proofreading the programme for them, and the photos that hubby contributed to the programme.
What a great day. :)
What began as an ordinary day out at the local jetsprint racing - a brilliant day of racing and much fun had by all - turned into a day of to-ing and fro-ing.
Trip 1. 8am: deposit photographer husband at the jetsprint venue. Return home via laundrette (washing machine is broken) where 3 loads of washing enable me to clear lots of junk from my email inbox.
Trip 2. 11.30am: Deliver in-laws (visiting us from UK) and second son to jetsprint venue. Watch a couple of hours of racing, visit our friends in the pit area during the lunch break.
Trip 3. 2.30pm : second son is tired and mosquito bitten. Take him home and return to the jetsprints.
Trip 4. 5.30pm: take in-laws home at the end of the racing.
Trip 5. 6.00pm: return to the jetsprints to collect photographer husband. Prize-giving still going on, so slightly delayed return home. Finally get home at 7.45pm.
Thankfully my iPod was fully charged, so I had plenty of great driving songs to listen to. The jetsprint track is about 25km from home so I clocked up a few miles!
Does make you feel grateful, though. I'm grateful to have a car and money for the petrol to allow us to go out. I'm grateful that we have some local people with enough get-up-and-go to organise and run fantastic race meetings. I'm grateful that although there were a few thrills and spills, nobody got hurt racing. I'm grateful for the organisers repaying a favour we had done for them - we got complimentary tickets as a thankyou for the work I did proofreading the programme for them, and the photos that hubby contributed to the programme.
What a great day. :)
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Reports of my death have been exaggerated!
Holy heck! It's been soooo long since I rambled and burbled my way through a post. I've been far too busy being super to do any writing!
But I'm back now, with a vengence, so you have been warned!
Brief catch-up on the last 2 years..... started and finished a Certificate in Small Business Management at evening class; started a business (Willow Education) specialising in staff training; was made the DP in a school that doubled its roll since I joined it; trained as a teacher of Accelerated Learning in Maths; worked in my husband's photography business doing planning, paperwork and generally being a photographer's assistant;saw one son through his NCEA Level 1 exams and the other out of primary school into intermediate education. Got a dog, ran a photography exhibition, created a series of workshops on behaviour management for the NZEI teachers' union and assorted stuff like that.
In the pipeline for 2013....
more blog posts (promise!)
a Certificate in Applied Business Growth (more evening classes)
the first paper of my Masters' degree in Education (specialising in maths for children with particular issues)
a second series of workshops for the NZEI
a series of workshops for Willow Education entitled "Keep Calm and Carry on Teaching"
possibly a book to accompany the "Keep Calm" workshops
more work for Inshot Photography including planning another exhibition for early this year
first son to do NCEA level 2 this year
second son to move into his final year of intermediate education
oh, and the outside of the house needs painting!
So, plenty to be getting on with there, then! Will keep you posted!
But I'm back now, with a vengence, so you have been warned!
Brief catch-up on the last 2 years..... started and finished a Certificate in Small Business Management at evening class; started a business (Willow Education) specialising in staff training; was made the DP in a school that doubled its roll since I joined it; trained as a teacher of Accelerated Learning in Maths; worked in my husband's photography business doing planning, paperwork and generally being a photographer's assistant;saw one son through his NCEA Level 1 exams and the other out of primary school into intermediate education. Got a dog, ran a photography exhibition, created a series of workshops on behaviour management for the NZEI teachers' union and assorted stuff like that.
In the pipeline for 2013....
more blog posts (promise!)
a Certificate in Applied Business Growth (more evening classes)
the first paper of my Masters' degree in Education (specialising in maths for children with particular issues)
a second series of workshops for the NZEI
a series of workshops for Willow Education entitled "Keep Calm and Carry on Teaching"
possibly a book to accompany the "Keep Calm" workshops
more work for Inshot Photography including planning another exhibition for early this year
first son to do NCEA level 2 this year
second son to move into his final year of intermediate education
oh, and the outside of the house needs painting!
So, plenty to be getting on with there, then! Will keep you posted!
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