Well that's it for me! I have sat through 2 prizegivings this week, the seniors on Monday night and then the juniors yesterday. I joined the rest of the staff in farewelling various colleagues who are moving on. I was thanked for being the Year 9 Dean. Today after a lovely lie-in and a mosey round the garden, I wandered into school at midday to tie up some loose ends. I cleared out my office and handed the key to my successor. And that is it until next year. I need a break and to remind myself who my family is.
The boys and Chantelle have to carry on until next week, because for some reason primaries have longer terms than secondaries. I get to have the house to myself, which is blissful especially as Stuart and Patrick are going through a music stage at the moment. Stuart is dithering between guitars and harmonicas. Patrick is showing some promise in the woodwind section and has been practising mary had a little lamb on a very cheapo Wharehouse recorder. Such was his enthusiasm that we splashed out on a $10 upgrade tonight. They go to school at 8am ...
Some pictures above, with more to follow. Firstly Captain Stuart on board the SS Matty. As well as being a pleasure craft, his boat has proved its worth as a work boat when we had to repair the irrigaton system to the veggy garden. Then there is the eating of the first peach from our tree - the one that Margaret and Ian bought us when they were over. It was soft and juicy and divine and we hope to have a bigger crop next year. The boy watching Paddy eat is Reuben and though it does not look like it, he had some peach as well!
The other pics are of the Christmas parade which was held last weekend through town. The boys had helped make the float, but Stuart and Patrick were both ill and could not go on it in the end. Eric was a shepherd with his sheep. The other float is of some pupils from Chantelle's school. Maori women often used to have facial tattoos on the chin like these girls - theirs are not permanent.
