The passage of time in Wellington and elsewhere
Yesterday was officially Joseph’s last day at school. There was a special Mass, also to celebrate All Saint’s Day. There was the presentation of the ‘Leaver’s Tie”, speeches and beautiful singing. It was a lovely event and again reminded me of the important aspects of school life. A positive experience.
At the end, The Year 13s and the rest exchanged the Haka. So New Zealand.
Joe has been doing the Gateway programme this year, that involved work experience with a local plumber. So yesterday there was an evening ceremony to celebrate the boys achievements. Next step is Whiteria to do his pre-plumbing course.
Joseph went to the St. Patrick’s Year 13 ball at the weekend-held at Te Papa. He dressed up well in his new suit and tie and smart shoes.
A good looking lad. Not sure when the suit will come out again.
So we are back from holiday.
The first stage was the cricket camp at Hastings, our third attendance. Joe stayed in camp, while we enjoyed the luxury of a motel with a pool. The cricket went reasonably well for Joe, though not really with the bat. He bowled well in a couple of games out of the five, and picked up two wickets in one game, and again was on a hat-trick! He did not get much of a bat, other than when he was put in at number 3 when the team responsibilities were mixed up. He did not enjoy the experience, and hung around, and played and missed, for a low score.
The team only won a single match, but were competitive in 4 of the 5 games. There were some impressive players on view in some of these teams, though the same could be said of Joe’s team, as four went onto represent Wellington the following week, and of those three made it to the full Wellington rep team that played last weekend against Canterbury.
After cricket we moved onto a new venue for us-Lake Waikaremoana, though the trip involved the horribly winding road after Napier, and then an interesting road from Wairoa, which is 62Km long, of which 25Km is unsealed. The family ‘mobile was not the ideal vehicle for the journey. The campsite was busy, full of fishermen and boaty types. Both “bogans” , and affluent JAFFAs, we decided. Probably they were estate agents, and had arrogance and bad manners oozing from their skin, as they tried to take over the facilities with no regard for anyone else.
We did a few brief walks, which is what one does there if one does not have a boat. The more serious types walk around the lake, but that takes a few days, and does not suit little legs.
Then it was onto Porongahau. The campsite was quiet, we were one of the few there for the first four days. The weather was great, warm, and sunshine though with plenty of opportunity to be burnt. The boys took to the sea and surfed, though dad did demonstrate he is still the dude with the body board. The men went off to the local golf course, paid the $10 into the honesty box and played a few holes, with the three clubs between us, one of which a scaled down 9 iron for Isaac. Everyone enjoyed their swings, and limited success.
The night sky was great with absence of “light pollution”.
Some runs were done, with Sara achieving greater distances. The achilles tendonitis is still a limiting factor.
On the Friday the place suddenly “filled out”. Hardly busy but we still felt invaded. Saturday was the return journey, everyone crammed into the car with all the gear again. The fishing rod was ever present, but not used.
Eleanor joined our party a day late as she went to a gig to see the Arctic Monkeys. Maybe she will find time to describe it for the blog if she can find time to put fingers to keyboard.
Hello- Eleanor here.
Last weekend i participated in a speech competition, the oshea sheild.
Its heaps of catholic schools that meet up and compete to win the sheild. Oratory, Religious Drama, Impromptu, Religious Questions, Scripture Reading and Junior Prepared- which i did.
My school didn’t win, but the weekend was absolutely amazing! Lots of boy schools, lots of interesting convos and so much fun.
The best event was either impromptu or drama- but all were very impressive.
I didn’t win my event, my brother school did. But apparently i was very good.(:
I was soooooooo tired at the end, but was allowed a sleep in on monday!
I cant wait to it again in 7th form.
Best bit of the weekend?
Getting a badge!!!!!!!!
Birthday boy today.
Very excited this morning about being the focus of attention and the presents to come his way. So far, a new basketball as he has just started playing, a magic set to confuse us with, The Amazing Race board game following on from watching the tv show, and lovely cash courtesy of Uncle Mike and Auntie Tina.
Of course Mum produced a fine made cake-yum.
So, a funny old weekend.
Joe’s rugby cancelled as it poured down overnight. Super 14 final ruined as a game and spectator event by the all enveloping fog, which of course would not have happened if it had been due to play in Wellington.
A Sunday trip to the club followed by Confirmation session for EQ.
Then parents did their gardening stint to spruce up the place, and felt all the better for it afterwards. This was followed by a walk at Oriental Bay and a “well earned pint”.
Middle class bliss?
Back to the knee then.
Saw the bone doctor yesterday and arthroscopy booked for June 29th as long as ACC approve. ACC?-essentially an alternative health and support service if your problems are accident related. I did mine intially sailing, then a whole ot worse when I went running and knee went “squeeelch!”
I certianly cannot run at monment and even walking is limiting, and pain at night…….
So a bit of repair to the ageing body.
The most worrying bit of seeing the man yesterday was how he noted the muscle wasting around my knee that I was not aware of.
Sara’s biggest concern was that I was not wearing my best pants.
Rugby was not rained off this weekend, so trip to Ian Galloway Park to see the U-11s do their stuff, which in the first half was not upto scratch. This was noted by the coach
at his half-time team talk ” as individuals your are playing well, but as a team you are crap”-no punches pulled then. And yes they were crap; poor tackling, too many “lone rangers” and trying to run around the other team, rather than straight. A better “second 40” (actually 25 minutes), saw two tries to our one, better team work and commitment.
Lots of shouting from sideline involved the usual “tackle”, “run straight” and “keep up with the ball”.
Joe apparently suffered some “stomping”. Someone stood on his achilles in a ruck.
A good Saturday morning.
Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me…………..
I bet the postman(woman actually) is dreading taking all those parcels and cards to our house today.
Goodies so far-Arctic Monkeys CD, U2 collection CD, a book “The Silk Riders” about a trip by an NZ economist and his mates who drove BMW bikes tracing the route of Marco Polo to China, and a pair of Bart and Homer slippers.
Can’t say fairer than that.