Heading into Winter

We have had another week of mostly excellent weather.
I went to a course last Friday at an amazing garden in Kerikeri called Wharepuke. It was a science course on Unit Standards for Y11 pupils who find science difficult. It is always a bit of a hard decision whether or not to go on courses. It is obviously a good way to upskill, but if the training is not up to much, it is a lot of effort to leave work behind. The classes tend to not work as well with a relief teacher and some of them can take out their annoyance that you are not there on your room. Back in good old Blackpool, teachers were reluctant to take time off for being sick, because their rooms would be stripped by the time they came back. That was a school where relief teachers were reluctant to work. You had to be canny to go and relieve there.

Anyway the course was worthwhile and I learnt lots of things that will advantage my pupils. It was good to link up with other "local" science teachers and to agree to share resources. Plus the garden was an amazing setting, stuffed full of huge sub-tropical palms and other plants. Mum would love it and I will have to take you there when you come over again.

It was also a good way to start off the weekend especially as it was already a 4-day week. We did the Saturday morning soccer away to Pompallier. First half we were shooting all the time at their goal. in the second, they came back strong. The coach must have given them a rocket up the proverbial at half-time. The game ended up a 2-2 draw. Paddy was all over the place and did not pass to his team-mates.

The rest of Saturday was spent working on the block. I got the boys to help put in a pole where an addition to the sheep race will go. We want to be able to get them up the hill and shut in more easily than is possible at the moment. It will take a while to complete the latest additions but should be worth it. The sheep are being inspected daily for signs of belly enlargement. We are fairly convinced that the 3 white sheep are carrying lambs, but it is harder to tell with the Pitt Islands as they are more petite. In a way I hope that young Nippy is not pregnant because she is nobbut a hogget (a 1 year old ewe) and she might experience difficulty in her first labour, and guess who is the mid-wife? I would rather cut my teeth on some experienced old girls first. I am starting to wish that I had paid more attention in Will and Sheilas lambing shed in Suffolk. I can't believe that I worked there for a whole week once at lambing time and did not get to see a live birth.

On Sunday work called me in and I spent 3 hours writing reports on my seniors. Half the staff were also in printing off reports and getting things ready. Once that was done I cycled home and found Eric in the mood for a trip out. Stuart was out building a dog-kennel and Paddy was playing with his mate. So we nipped up to Unahi Wharf, 20 minute away, just to see what was happening. Without having consulted the papers we had hit a good tide and the kahawai were biting. I got a decent one and Eric had enough bites to keep him amused. I like Unahi wharf - it is one of the quieter ones around and the view is good. We counted over 100 spoonbills in the macrocarpa trees waiting for the tide to drop.

This week has been long and end of termish. As it gets darker in the mornings, getting out of bed has never been harder. I reckon I have written enough for now and will do another update later. You might even get some photos.

Ka kite ano (Maori for cul8r!)