Marvellous March

Chris is in Dunedin this week on a block course.
Janine has signed up to play croquet, which is awesome! She even gets to travel away to tournaments out of town. I'm not even sure how it can be classified as a real sport, but there you go!
Katarina had three friends over on Sunday and we taught them how to play poker. She has a cold at the moment, so a bit miserable.
I took my third funeral on Friday.
Zachary and Hannah are home early from school today as it is teacher interviews. Zach has an conflict - he wants to play footsall (a sort of indoor soccer) but it clashes with orchestra. Sports star or rock star - too close to call!
Hannah is enjoying reading chapter books. Cute
And I've made a dozen jars of jam from the manse plum tree. Plus mowed the lawns (son and husband didn't quite get to that job last weekend, what with the Garage Sale and all). And the washing. And the dishes. Ahhh.

Fabulous February

First music lessons this week - flute for Hannah and clarinet for Zach. They are pretty excited.
Hopefully this is a sort of normal week as Chris is off to Dunedin for a block course next week and then I am helping with Gleniti school camp with the Year 5's and 6's the week after.
This week looks to be hot and dry again, which is nice for children biking and walking to school, but not so good for the garden. I've managed to rescue lots of plums from the birds, and made plum jam, Chris's favourite!!!

Far out February

The post is late because I took a funeral on Monday, which I would normally have off. And I took my first Ash Wednesday service on, oddly enough, Wednesday.

I was stung by a wasp on the way to school this morning, just behind my ear. This time last year I was stung four or five times over several weeks by the wasps living in our compost heap, before the nice bee keeper came and sprayed the nest. I am quite glad that my head has not swelled to the same proportions my arms did last year.

Everyone else seems to be well.

Wine and food and other cultural bits

Timaru is a great wee city; this weekend the Hospice ran the annual Wine and Food Festival, complete with bands, food tasting, wine tasting, art and craft and all held in the lovely Botanic Gardens. Lots of people, gorgeous day, good times!
This weekend, the 'Whirlygig Troupe' also put on one of their outdoor Shakespeare plays, 'The Taming of the Shrew'. This year they managed to get funding for a sound system which made the whole thing so easy to watch. All four children came down with me after church, and while it was pretty chilly, especially after the fab day before, the rain held off and we all enjoyed ourselves.
The children survived their first week of school, and Zach and Hannah are finally getting some pool time.

Back to the routine

I picked Katarina and Janine up from Christchurch this morning, an early start for all of us! The children are all back to school today, and pleased to see their friends obviously.
It is a bit creaky getting back to work, seems like there is an awful lot to do!