Holidays

In the first week I went to the Social Sciences Conference . Most of my time was spent promoting GIS However I did go on a field trip to Ripapa Island. This was really interesting. I forgot to take my camera so there are only the photos on the website.

50 Geocaches

In the April school holidays Grandma's A team began geocaching. Our first cache was nearby about 5 minutes walk from home. Since then the team of Charles, Christopher and Grandma has found 21 caches in our local area. Charles and Christopher found 28 more ( plus two they located but could write in log due to muggles) in South Africa. We have place one cache of our own which has been visited five times. Our own cache is called Tana's Track. It is near several other caches in the Wainuiomata River recreation area, including the oldest still active cache in New Zealand.

In South Africa Charles and Christopher place a travel bug in the TB hotel (Palm Tree TB Rest Stop in Polowane). So far it has not been moved.

One of our favorite caches in near Opiki Palmerston North . Check out this interesting website about the bridge.


To celebrate our 50 finds or places we have bought a 50 geocoin which we will start on a journey from the first cache ( Hezka Prochazka) we found.

Check our photo log in the side bar

To quote from Charles speech ( for which he gained a disticntion in the NZ Speech Board exams) " There are thousands of geocaches all over the world. Thousands of people enjoy geocaching. I (We) find it fun. You could join the fun and look for "treasure" too."

July Holidays in Wellington

First time in three years I have not been overseas in July and with Charles and Christopher (and their parents) away in South Africa there has been no geocaching - though it has been too wet anyway. I am planning to go and check our cache but so far there has not been a break in the rain and gloom.

It was briefly fine on Saturday morning (there was a bright glare in the sky for a few hours) when we pruned the rest of the fruit trees. I also managed to plant a lemon and 20 strawberry plants - it was only light drizzle.

It is very quiet but I have had an enormous tidy up at school; papers will now sit on the desk rather than a heap. Hope it improves my teaching!

Other than school preparation I am working through the indoor chores list. So far other than little tasks like mending and getting bed bolts (wrong size have to swap) for spare bed I have painted the back bathroom. The colour is called Hutt River - probably the colour the River is at present!

Another task these holidays is to buy a new car. This was unplanned. On 25 June I was going to a Meeting at Eagle Technology regarding GIS in Schools when the traffic suddenly slowed. I stooped but the person behind me failed to stop. A big thump followed. This concertinaed my boot and pushed me into the car in front. - only popped their bumper but the towbar pushed in my radiator. I was fortunately not hurt - a bit shaken up. The Ambulance arrived - person behind me went off - she was walking - checking out her back. The Police arrived. I got a ride with one of the police to my meeting and was only 30 minutes late. I have been wondering where I would park my car. The Porirua City Tow Company Yard had not been on my list!

More geocaching

It was supposed to be wet today but it was beautiful so after some shopping off we went to look for two caches, One in the Catchpole Valley and one at the coast near the mouth of the Wainuiomata River. Both finds were straight forward though we had to watch for the muggles (non-geocachers). But all was well we retreived and replaced without being seen. We then had fun climbing the rocks and watching the sea.

Geocaching

Charles, Christopher and I have got hooked into geocaching. I had thought about it for a while then decided it would be fun for this holidays; gives our regular walks some more interest. Though I am pleased that the interest in the bush and imaginative games continues (sorry video is on the side I will have the camera landscape next time) and are not lost in the technology. So far we have found two caches within easy walking distance of home -places we have been a number of times before. We now have an idea of where we would like to put our own cache suitable for kids.

Saturday walk

Wonderful autumn day today. We made the most of it by going for a walk up the Wainuiomata River - we did the Gum loop walk with a bit of an add - on. A picnic lunch by a stream and time to play.

Easter break

Term 1 is almost over and it is definitely end of term at school. The Year 12 and 13's have their ball tonight - so guess how much focus there has been this week.

I seem to have colds for a fair bit of the time this term so it has taken a whileto really feel on top on my game - now that the term is ending! This has also been field trip term and we had our usual trips. L1 Geography to visit various firms to interview them about Geography in the workplace, year 10 to Martinborough to explore the changes that have occurred there and L3 Geography had their two days in the Hutt River. The weather was great for all the trips which makes difference and the river was not running too high - a little higher than some years as there had been rain over the weekend. The only casualty was two tape measures that that over stretched and broke the plastic knob that holds them to their handle.

I have been appointed manager of our auditioned choir - Seraphim. This is the choir that I travelled to Europe with in 2007. I am enjoying the organisation and relating to students out of the classroom.

Otherwise I spend alot of my time school patrol. This year we look a crossing on Waterloo and Knights Road. Both roads are busy - the new building that is occurring at Chilton is affecting both roads. The wise parents are picking their students up on Knights Road rather than fact the congestion on Waterloo Road.

I have been taking Charles to golf and then doing my shopping before returning to collect him. A couple of Sunday ago we then went into Wellington to see the Monet exhibition at Te Papa. Charles had fun making his own collage Monet. We both enjoyed the exhibition. After lunch at Te Papa we went to the Passchedaele exhibition at the National War Memorial. Our museum crawl was completed by a visit to the Petone Settlers Museum to see the Griffins Exhibition. The factory has just closed.

Re-launching at Days Bay

15 Jan Octopus

The holidays are really over

Christine, Richard, Liam Madeline and Izabel are returning to Canada after five weeks with us so although we have been back at school, with hot weather, Waitangi Day and visitors the holiday mode is still close. However the weather is now cold and with folk going back to Canada the term and work are really underway - though we have the Athletic Sports this week and I have a half day field trip. I also hope the weather warms up a bit for the rest of February and March.

One project that has been worked on over the holidays is the Optimist. We had sanded the outside and removed most of the varnish but the project had stalled. Murray Richard and Josh put in the hard work and the boat has been re-epoxyed, painted and varnished. A new tiller has been made and the flotation re-packaged and re-secured. A new centre board is still to be made. Some of the decorative art has been applied. Hopefully Liam will get a sail tomorrow morning before they fly out in the afternoon. We want to get tape to put the number back on the sail and the name has to be painted on.

Real summer

I 'm not sure why but it has seemed like a summer as I remember from childhood - maybe getting older!! I actually think its because we've just enjoyed local things . Swimming in the river, flying kites, lunch in the forest park - all low key and no great expense. And we've biked. Christopher can go on Alley Cat now. Currently he doesn't pedal but hopefully he will. Charles suggested he should pedal the response was "Grandma is pedalling" !!! Today's expedition was to the library and Strand play ground. Followed by lunch in Ruth's front garden. Just returned from a swim in the river - biked there and back.