Rowena's prizegiving

Another significant event this month was Rowena's school prize giving. Significant because she came away with an armful - an embarrassment of riches, but we can cope!

The WEGC prize giving is before exams. Katie's school prize giving is after exams, as is Jonnie and Rachel's school one I think.

Rowena is pictured here with her two cups (nice photo of her isn't it).

One cup is for junior public speaking I think, and the other is a new award for "participation in year 10" - we think that might mean joining a lot of things!

She also got book prizes for English, Science and (um ... I'll have to ask her).

During the evening she played the harp and violin in orchestra (at different times...), and sang in Multi Choir. We were proud as, as you can imagine.

(And if anyone isn't familiar with the phrase 'proud as', you should probably watch the YouTube video "beached whale".)

November has been a busy month. Surprising really, as all my study and the extra research/report writing were finished by early in October. I think it was busy family-wise really.


The first important event in November is Elanor's birthday. Oh, and Uncle Michael's (pictured). They share a birthday. Elanor's birthday fell on a Saturday this year, and we all went out to the ballet (Don Quixote) afterwards - that's Grandad's birthday present to all of us each year.

We had cake after the ballet. Sophie is ready, poised with the cake forks!

The next day was Grandad's birthday. As it was one with a zero on the end, he had a party, so we all trouped over to Featherston for lunch, with a number of his friends from way back. It had been not so nice weather on the Saturday, and very windy, but the Sunday was glorious - sunny, warm, calm. The place was a large private house in the countryside with large gardens. A lovely day. Thanks Grandad!

I'm going to blog November shortly, but must just put up one photo from October.

Each year our church runs a "Crazy Colour Party" on 31 October. As the girls get older they go from attending the party, to helping run the games for it. You are supposed to dress your craziest, and most colourful. Here's how Elanor and Katie went this year.


Katie was stoked when she found those tights in my drawer. I haven't worn them any time recently - but I used to. I found her excess of mirth (ie, ROTFL) a bit offensive.

The tartan shoes were mine as well until she nicked them. I think they cost $2 in a bargin bin - too good to leave. She wears them on 'normal' days too, and her friends say they are 'awesome'. I think that's meant as a compliment.

The yellow tutu was Katie's. She is in yellow house at school, and she wanted me to make it for her one year for sports day. Every year she and her friends wear an odd assortment of yellow clothing - and it is a different theme each year.

The tutu had a second 'outing' recently. Sophie wore it in the Santa Parade, as a clown.

Hello, hello - is anybody there??

Hi there.

Apologies to my regular reader (there used to be 3 of you, but I imagine I have lost one or two...).

It appears to be over 2 months since I posted. Oops. Must have been spending too much time in the sandpit... or something.

If I do a flurry of posts now, do you think I can pretend that I have posted faithfully all this time?

End of Birthday Season

Well, we have got to the end of birthday season with the little kids. Cara, Grace, Isla and Eva have all turned three now.

Eva's was the last, and her birthday cake was a bit delayed, but we finally got to sing happy birthday, and she blew out the candles. (Isla offered to help, but it wasn't needed this year.)

We also had to have balloons because, well, it's just not a birthday without balloons. (Obviously!) Whoever invented the balloon did a great service to the world, because what else can you have so much fun with for 10c?

(oops - after that I hope they don't turn out to be terribly bad for the planet...)

Mind you, the next birthday season starts soon. Sadie, Elanor, me, ...

Spring into Spring Fashions

Actually, this isn't a fashion post. The title is a reference to a quote from the Terry Prachett book "Truckers", which Elanor and I have been reading. (It's about the life and times of 4" high nomes who live in a department story. And, yes, I spelt 'nomes' correctly!)

But it does feel 'spring-like' outside today. After a very wet Winter (with a few good days sprinkled through it), it is very welcome indeed to think that Spring/Summer is coming.

We have even had one or two sunny days in the sandpit at playgroup. (Although not all Grace's sand castles turn out.)

One downside of being in September is that it is that much closer to the dead line for my last assignment for the year. Oh yes, I still have those to think about!

I'm supposed to be working on the proposal for my thesis (which I'm planning on doing next year).

Rainy night in the sandpit

Well, not in the sandpit, thank goodness, but certainly some of the best (most) rain I've seen for a while.

We have been watching the waves run down the footpath outside the house. (It's after bedtime, but the girls have given up on bed and are watching the show.)

Had a huge hailstorm, which Sophie said made the road white right across. The hail on the top of the waves made it look like whitecaps down the footpath.

Lightning and Thunder also, of course.

Then some of them watched as a car slipped and crashed into our neighbour's car, which was parked on the street outside our house. Bern went out to talk to the guy. I phoned the neighbour and got him up to the street. (They live down a cul-de-sac.) The guy was apologetic - could hardly be anything else with all the witnesses (and number plate written down).

(It has been our car affected like this in the past - but our car was parked a bit high up to be hit tonight, and was protected by neighbour's car in any case. The guy would have wrapped him self round the power pole, which probably wouldn't have had as much 'give' in it!)

Glad Bern hadn't gone to bed yet.

Challenge quilts

Sophie and I have had a busy week (apart from all the normal things). Yesterday we had to submit the quilts for the Challenge for this year's quilter's guild exhibition.

The challenge was to interpret a playing card in a quilt of a given size. Each person who wanted to do the challenge was dealt 4 cards from a deck, and they had to choose one of them on the spot.

This was repeated until the deck was used up, although I think the guild issued more than a full deck of cards.

Here, in no particular order, is Sophie's quilt, and mine.

You can tell what the card was because we had to put the number and suit in the usual place for a playing card.

I saw a few other ones when we went in to drop the quilts off, and it's going to be a stunning exhibition.

This is only one small part of the exhibition, as there are also general quilts, which are judged under a whole range of categories, such as best use of colour, best appliqué, and so on.

Sophie and I both have another quilt to exhibit.

The exhibition opens on September 4 or 5, and will probably run for 10 days or so. I'll post the whereabouts closer to the time.

Sophie and Elanor Ice Skating

Sophie and Elanor have spent a few days in Christchurch with Nana and Poppa.

They don't get to go ice skating very often (we don't often go down there in Winter), but it's always good fun.


It was their first time flying without a parent (and our first time sending an unaccompanied minor on the plane). Note to self: arrive early (there's paperwork) and make sure the person picking them up has photo ID.

Blocks Workshop

Well, I've been busy all day today.

It was the day of the Rainbow in my Head workshop day, which is run in Wellington every two years. Over 700 people turn up for a keynote speaker and a choice of about 75 workshop. (They get three choices over the day.)

I bet you'll never guess what the workshop I ran was on.

Oh yes, you're right - Block Play!

The workshop was in the after-lunch slot, and had 23 participants, which is many more than I would usually have, so a wee conceptual challenge. However, it turned out very well indeed.

I invited the participants to choose some blocks at the start (some of the smaller ones), and build as we were talking. Then, if they were tired and tuned out they would get something out of it anyway.

In the second part I got them in groups of 3 and they built large structures, inspired by photos of both commonplace and crazy architecture which I had got from various sources.

(I suppose you could say that something like the Beehive is both commonplace (around here, anyway) and crazy...)

At a couple of points I had them reflecting on the process, and all sorts of discussion about providing for children's learning in centres all through.

Anyway, it all went very well, and I sold a few books into the bargain.

I didn't get to any other workshops myself, because (you'll never believe this...) I was sell at the Publications stand!

Inspired to build - book cover

I've just found a .gif file of the cover of my book - so here it is!

(Can't upload the words - sorry.)

Book Launch

Man-oh-man it has been a busy month!

Blogging has been rather pushed to the side during the month of May. Two big essays (both handed in during the last week of May - yay!), and the final running backwards and forwards with the design of my book to keep track of.

But, here's the result (assuming you don't want to read the essays...!) - me signing copies after the book-launch at Playcentre Conference in Auckland on 30 May.

It was wonderful to finally get to the podium with my book before an appreciative crowd - and at least part of that had to do with being at the finish line of the "May Marathon."

The book was very well received, and the stall sold out of the 300 copies they had brought to the event. I signed copies for my life. We had blocks on every table at the conference during the launch, and people were encouraged to build a construction. Block building, by adults and the children present, became a quiet side-theme for the ensuing two days.