Camp Quality!

Hi everyone,

Well, after an action packed six days, Tim and I returned from Camp Quality today.

I don't really know where to begin in terms of describing what it was like being on camp. I can only sum it up by saying that it was both fun and hard work.

We had a tightly packed schedule that gave the campers (and us!) an opportunity to do everything from horse riding to go on a four wheel drive ride through the hills of Masterton, to attend the Wings over Wairarapa airshow.

And who could forget the dorm decorating (our theme was 'power princess'), the boys trying to sneak into the girls dorms at night, the endless swims in the school pool, the lolly scrambles (both from the air), and the breakfasts, lunches and dinners that nearly all appeared to contain chips on the menu!

It was intense, but it was definitely worthwhile and I'll probably volunteer again next year.

Now for some pictures:

January so far

January 7th - back to work in a month's time (actually less than that - scary thought!)

Thoughts on January so far:

Long lazy afternoons reading, watching 'Buffy: The vampire slayer', listening to the sound of the adolescent Tui as they practice their song.

Making dinner for Tim's parents (Italian, with real pasta and real sauce), playing Texas hold 'em with Damian.

Watching the front garden finally start to come together, replanting roses, repairing irrigation (thanks, Tim!)

Working out at the gym lots, and nearly fainting with exhaustion at times, working on the garden, working at my writing, not doing much in the way of real 'work' :)

And what is to come? Camp Quality in ten days time, Norfolk Island in just over three weeks.

Will their be time to do everything?

Happy 2009!

The first day of the new year. From where I am sitting, the sun is streaming in through the window and the day outside is windy. It is the first day of 2009.

Happy New Year's, everybody!

I am still a little tired from last night, which consisted of going around to Lisa's house (she's my lovely team leader) and staying up to the small hours linking arms and singing 'auld lang syne'. It was a bit of a modern take on an old classic, with Tim playing Bass and Terence (Lisa's husband) on guitar. Lisa, being the teacher that she is, had actually written out all the verses on paper, and stuck them up on the wall, with the original spelling, of course. Some of them caused a bit of merriment as we were singing - the following verse, for example:

And we’ll tak a right gude-willy waught

At that point in the evening, singing about a right good 'willy wart' seemed rather amusing!

I've since looked it up on wikipedia (where else?) and have discovered the following translation:

Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind ?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and old times since ?

CHORUS:

For auld lang syne, my dear,

for auld lang syne,

we'll take a cup of kindness yet,

for auld lang syne.

And surely you’ll buy your pint cup !
And surely I’ll buy mine !
And we'll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

CHORUS

We two have run about the slopes,
and picked the daisies fine ;
But we’ve wandered many a weary foot,
since auld lang syne.

CHORUS

We two have paddled in the stream,
from morning sun till dine^† ;
But seas between us broad have roared
since auld lang syne.

CHORUS

And there’s a hand my trusty friend !
And give us a hand o’ thine !
And we’ll take a right good-will draught,
for auld lang syne.

Anyway, what I like about the poem is the meaning behind it all - putting aside the 'willie warts' and other such things. It seems appropriate to remember all the good times that have passed between people - and to know that although their may be distance between us, there will still be times in the future when we can meet again and be connected once again - and reminis on days gone by.

2008 was an interesting year for me - and I think it was probably the best year yet. I'm finding that the older I get, the more confident I feel, the more at ease I feel with my place in the world. Who knows what 2009 will bring? I'm hoping more of the same, and that some more surprises will happen along the way.

Happy new years and may it bring the best for you, too.

Well, it's been ages, hasn't it?

Gosh, it has been a rather long time since I posted anything in here.

Actually, I was reminded of this blog by James when we met up with James and Kath (and Amy) yesterday. Kath spied my tattoo - and asked me how long I had had it for, and James said that readers of my blog had known about it for quite some time. So that got me thinking, what have my legions of dedicated fans been doing in my absence? how have they been coping without their weekly blog posts? I ended up feeling so guilty about it that I decided so post. So here I am.

I've been pretty busy recently - making - of all things, ugly dolls. If you don't know what ugly dolls are, then click here because I can't be bothered writing out a long-winded explanation:

http://uglydolls.com/

Anyway, I decided, for some insane reason, to make one for each member of my family. So in teh weeks leading up to Christmas, I have spent my evenings hunched over like an old Nana, with a needle in my hand and scraps of fabric all over the place. God, our house is beginning to represent the aftermath of a 'stitch and bitch' group session. Crikey. But the results were good, and I've actually passed on the craze to a few other people (mainly family members as they are as mad as I am.) and of course I've chalked up a list of people to make ugly dolls for. I just can't say no. (sigh)

Another cool thing I've done recently - I went on a 'mini-break' to Akaroa, and went to 'The Giant's House'. It's the house and garden of local artist Josie Martin, and it was full of insanely amazing mosaic sculptures. From the mosaic grand piano on the front lawn complete with stereo soundstystem to numerous water features and mosaics of all shapes and sizes, creating a crazy Dr. Suess like effect. It was definitely worth visiting, and I thorougly recommend it to those of you who may soon be heading down that way.....
In other news - Tim and I are now both on holiday, which is lovely. But it also means that we've got to get up off our backsides and actually start doing all these 'odd jobs' that we've been saving up for this very point in time. Like completely renovate our front garden...... I think we might be taking a trip to Mitre 10 tomorrow (our second home.)

If you're in a mood to treat yourself, you can't go past these!

Carrot and Sultana mini cakes

These are simply the most delicious little things I've baked in a long time (possibly ever). Hmm.... perhaps being on a diet has something to do with it, lol!

They are yummy and moist and just...... divine!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sultanas
2 large grated carrots
1 1/4 cups plain flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp mixed spice
3 eggs
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup olive oil

Method:

Turn the oven on to 180 degrees Celsius. Mix the sultanas and carrot together.

Sift together the flour, salt, baking soda and spices in a separate bowl.

In a large bowl, thoroughly beat together the eggs, sugars, and oil. Stir the mixed carrots, and sultanas into the egg mixture until thoroughly combined, then fold in the dry ingredients, mixing no more than necessary.

Spoon the mixture into Muffin pans (silicon bake ware is best for this -trust me) then bake for around 15 mins in the oven.

Eat warm with ice-cream or yoghurt :) - so yummy it could be used as a dessert!

BTW, you may find yourself eating more than one, they are that good!

I never got over it, I just got used to it.

One of the hardest things about getting over someone is that time when you realise that you have got used to being without them. When all that is left is just a dull, hollow acceptance inside that you will never see them again. Life goes on, of course, and things change, and you change too, yet part of you still aches to be with them again.

I've had a pretty shattering day at work (is that even an expression, oh who cares!). Two new admissions to take care of, school and parents to ring. One of my 'new admissions' managed to hack into blocked websites on my laptop, god knows how she did it - she's going to be an interesting "challenge" for the next few weeks.

I'm really hanging out to get some more boys in my class. At the moment, I have a pretty skewed gender balance as there is only one boy, and six girls! and girls can be so so tiring. Boys I find are more straightforward.

Pizza for dinner tonight, we're having Ali over and she's bringing home-made Pizza dough. Then it's off to the gym we go for our first personal training session with Matt. Exciting.

God, this post is like verbal diarrhoea! bleh!

Debbie and Nick's wedding, and my own geekiness.

Hello there all three (two?) blog readers.

I've been out at a wedding today - friends of ours, Debbie and Nick. We stayed for the ceremony part, and then came home. As usual, I ended up playing on my computer (no surprises there) and with the gimp.

Here is a picture of the happy couple :D