A poetical post

If you are looking for hard core information and facts about the life and times of the Konings family in Timaru, please come back next week. Today, I want to wax lyrical about some small but significant sights. The weeping cherry tree outside our lounge window is breaking into pink blossom,hour by hour increasing in size and vividness. A white magnolia down our drive is smothered in blossoms. There are daffodils everywhere and I am keeping a watching brief on the tulips under the cherry tree, also about to burst into bloom.
The plum trees all over Timaru are also covered in blossom; the old timers say it is the heaviest they have seen for years! The first blush of crocuses have disappeared, but the violets sparkle from their green bed, little explosions of colour in the dappled shade. The camellia outside our dining room window is a rich and glorious pink.
There are still trees that are stark and bare, corners of the garden that are drab and spare. I know there will be more cold weather to come, maybe even more frosts. But today is warm, filled with the hope and promise of spring. It is good to be alive.

Snow Camp

We've just returned from Tekapo, the youth group Snow Trip. Zak stayed an extra night in Timaru so he could play soccer and came up with a parent who had a child who was really keen to come after Saturday sport.
Hannah has taken to ski-ing! We were at Dobson, and she's moved off the learners slopes onto the pommer lift (for those of you who know!).
The weekend went really well, we had a small group but joined up with Geraldine, which made life interesting. And we've also checked out the hot pools in Tekapo, very relaxing.
I'm off to Dunedin for the Calvin Conference, back Tuesday night.

Funny things that happened this week

Hannah and Janine both have art in the local art museum (Aigontee?) on Wai-iti Road. Hannah didn't even know, Chris found hers while looking for Janine's which we did know about. Both were selected from their respective classes, and form part of a collection from most of the local schools. Hannah has made a mermaid, and I think it is rather lovely. Janine's one is a cubist effort.

I hadn't even been in, and Hannah and I were nearly locked in because we were lost in looking. There are four Goldie's on display at the moment, although it is difficult to explain to an eight year old just why he is so important. She just wanted to know why the subjects all looked so sad. The art museum is free, and has a wonderful lawn out the back that you can picnic on; they even provide tarpaulins! The museum used to be a grand old home, so even the building itself is worth lingering in. There are dress-ups too, although away being cleaned the day we were there. What a treasure!

Hannah had her friend Lily over for a sleep over which was lovely, and Chris and Katarina went to Tekapo for the weekend on the Going Somewhere camp. Zach lost his soccer seven-nil, but came away with player of the day!

My little socialites

Hannah was out with one friend, Alia, on Friday night and had Shannon to stay on Saturday. Zach went to stay at Jason's house on Saturday, and Jason is Shannon's big brother. Their elder brother Matt has started coming to youth group too, and he helped with the fundraiser on Saturday and the Church Forum on Sunday. All the younger children came to church on Sunday, which helped as our numbers were way down with lots of people away. The elders warned us that August was a time that many were away, and they were right! However, we also had a Korean family who have moved in just across the road come, and some other visitors as well. Good stuff.

Soccer went well for Hannahm who had to rush from her recorder lesson to Pleasant Point, but the team came away with another win which was good. They are now playing as a team, passing to one another for example. Zach's team continue to be hammered week by week, but they remain positive and their playing continues to improve.

August

The last week has been much warmer, thanks to a nor'westerly wind pattern; even the ice at the bottom of Centennial Park where the sun never reaches has finally melted. It isn't spring, there is more chill to come, but we are enjoying the respite.

Hannah played at Geraldine this week, and I had the best cup of coffee ever at "The Top Paddock," which I think is maybe under new management. Hannah's team won 5-1, and continue to improve each week. Zach's team lost again, and just need a little more focus in their game.

Katarina, Janine and I went to see the latest Harry Potter movie on Saturday, and were pretty disappointed with the ending; Dumbledore dies and Harry is so moved by grief he notices the view from the top of the tower. You what? Eh?

Chris ran the first session of "Going Somewhere" in South Canterbury, a youth leadership program. The evening went well, and is pretty exciting.