Saturday

If you are reading this - I will put the blurb to go with it tomorrow. It's too late now - it's past bedtime.

Goodnight

Friday

What a day !!!

Hannah had swimming at 1.30. I was there to help in the pool (4th time this week).

Hannah has progressed from not putting her head under water 2 weeks ago to swimming now. Her teacher called out to me to say to watch Hannah. There is Hannah SWIMMING. On her tummy, face in the water, kicking and using her arms to swim. It's been amazing progress - although she was ready to put her head under - had been putting her face into the water but not totally under. Now she is confident to got right under and pick things up off the bottom etc etc.

After school Hannah went off to her friend Jack's to play. I picked her up at 4.30 and then it was off to the Kindy Trikeathon. I had been asked if I would take photo's as the teachers want to use them in the children's profiles. Last year they only managed to get photo's of about 20 kids as they were busy organising the races etc.

Derek had dropped off our barbecue and baking in the morning. Then he was back straight after work to cook sausages one handed. They had sausages, hamburgers drinks and baking for sale.

Lots of little kids - lots of decorated trikes, bikes, rideon toys and scooters. Lots of tinsel. Kids had a ball. Races in their age groups. Teachers even had a scooter race. All participants got a "medal" and a prize.

It was lots of fun. I took lots and lots and lots of photo's and surprisingly they all turned out - none were blurry which was what I was scared of and was why I took so many.

Monday

Hospital ring Derek at work at lunch time and ask him to come into fracture clinic. Apparently there is something broken in his hand and they plaster it. Now in plaster and a sling.



Athletics Club Night. Stuart had a headache so didn't participate but Hannah did everything.

They had the littlies starting to learn to throw. They had torpedoes to throw - like a javelin and also water filled balls which they were learning to throw like shotput.

Hannah's 75m race - look at the tongue - must make you go faster.

After this race she ran in a 100m race.

Athletics

The Mid Valley Althletics team members travelled to Masterton in style. No one could miss their arrival. They were the only team with a bus and who could miss this big yellow bus??

Stuart competed in the 800m, the long jump and the shotput.

He tells us his total distance for the shot put was 1.88m. That is over three throws.

Apparently his first throw was about five metres but he steps out in front of the white line and not behind so was disqualified.

His second throw he threw to the side and so was disqualified.

His third throw was counted - at 1.88m. Not a good throw.

He seems quite happy with his day.

The Club Captain commented on the fact that Mid Valley had the greatest number of competitors - more than some of the bigger clubs. Mid Valley also got some good results.

Stuart was happy as he got given rolls for lunch - even though he had 5 rolls of his own, and bananas, museli bars and biscuits.

He's keen to go to Paraparaumu in two weeks time so it can't have been too bad.

And more wrists

Today Derek was going with Hannah and Stuart to the Athletics interclub at Masterton. Both Stuart and Hannah were tired yesterday so they got to go to bed early and Derek sneaked off to Speedway.

It was finally the opening night for Wellington. The rain had been spitting on and off all afternoon but it was still on.

He set off at 6pm and we were all in bed when he came home at 10.30pm saying he had a sore wrist.

Apparently he was helping Neville back off the trailor with his stockcar - there were lots of people around and he was directing Neville when to come off the trailor so no one got run over. Neville was off the trailor and Derek had turned and was walking away when Neville turned the wheel to go off on an angle rather than straight out, which put his front bumper further to the side, and which then caught Derek behind the knee.

Derek fell down but got up pretty quickly - didn't want to be run over by a 1700kg stockcar!!! His hand was a bit sore but he put ice on it and cantinued to help Neville during the night. When it came time to take the bonnet off and he couldn't pull the pins out, he realised it must be something a bit more serious.

At the end of racing he came home -had trouble getting his keys out of his pocket as the sore hand was his right hand, and also had trouble changing gear in the car.

He called in to say he was off to the hospital. I said I'd see him in about 4 hours ..... he was back within less than 1 hour. The nurse looked at it, put it into a cardboard splint, put a triangular bandage on it and told him he could go home and come back at 8.30am for an xray or he could stay until 8.30am.

Derek didn't get much sleep. It had become more and more painful. He even tired sleeping in the lazyboy after a while but that didn't help either.

This morning we were up at 6.30am getting Stuart ready for Interclub. Had to be at the Avalon Rugby Club by 8am. Eventually the bus arrived about 8.15 - a huge brand new Stage Coach bus. Very nice indeed.

They offered to take Hannah with them too. Quite happy to look after her for the day - would have been ok as Stuart would have been able to keep an eye on her as well, and he had enough lunch with him to feed her and a few others too. However we didn't have her uniform with us and they were about to drive off at that stage.

Off to the hospital we go and sit and wait and wait and wait. Eventually after 2 hours we see a Dr. Off to xray and then back to the waiting room. And wait a little bit more.

The Dr say's there's nothing broken. It looks like soft tissue damage and swelling. It should go down in a week or so and the pain should ease off after a couple of days. Take panadol and neuofen every 4 hours ..... If it's still sore at the end of the week go and see your GP.

So now we are home again and Derek is trying to have a sleep as he didn't get much last night.

At least it wasn't Stuart this time .... but I think we must qualify for a discount at the hospital or at least a shorter waiting time next time !!!!

School Biathalon

Hannah was so excited about her Biathalon.

So much so that when we went to the market and the supermarket this morning she was wearing her helmet in the van - even though the biathalon was two hours away.

Eventually it was time to go. We get to school and there are heaps of kids signing in and putting their bikes into the bike holding area.

Finally it was time for the first race - the 5 year olds. Hannah and Dad take her bike down to the bike change station and then Hannah comes back to the start finish line.

They are given an explaination opf where they are supposed to be running to, and finally they are off. In the photo above Hannah is in the pink top on the right. Jack it right behind her. Hannah still had the fluffy halo she put on her helmet for last years Christmas Parade - she has refused to take it off all year.

Arriving at the bike transfer station there was Dad waiting to help her onto her bike and give her a gentle push off. Hannah rode well but didn't really race until near the end of the biking leg.

Then it was off the bike and another run. This is getting serious business now

And around the final corner - on the straight run to the finish line. Time enough for a grin and a check to see who is around.

Once the race is finished the kids all get a drink and then go to collect their prize packs. An amazing collection of bits and pieces. Cap from Toyota, a drinki bottle, a swim bag, a plastic bracelet, a box full of lollies and a named certificate.

Hannah's friend Kenzie was there watching her big brother race but didn't compete herself.

Once all the races were completed, there was prizegiving. There were good prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd. Then came the spot prizes. At almost the end of the spot prizes Hannah's name was called. She won a book with a CD in it. The story is Cinderella.

Thank you to all of you who have sponsored Hannah - she has raised $95 for the school. The money is being used to add another section onto their play equipment.

Lower Hutt Zone Senior Cub Camp

Last weekend, 72 senior Cubs and 22 Leaders from the Lower Hutt Zone, descended on Brookfield for a Senior Cub Camp. I had been one of the two organising this camp but Elizabeth had done most of it. I had missed the final meeting as Stuart was at the hospital with his broken wrist.

On the Friday of camp I received a phone call from Elizabeth at midday saying she was ill and wouldn't make. Panic stations - I couldn't get there until Derek was home for Stuart and Hannah, plus I didn't really know what or who was doing what but we got there. Cubs were mixed into eight activity groups consisting of Cubs from each of the packs present. While there was resistance initially, very soon, lots of new friends were made.

Friday night was spent erecting tents and wide games and Saturday was spent doing activity bases.

The theme of the camp was One World, One Promise and so we had an International theme. England – making pancakes, tossing pancakes, skipping, catapults, Japan – sumo wrestling, Malta – first aid, Pacific – moko’s, making lei’s, haka’s,South American – making dream catchers, Switzerland – a chocolate trail, as well as the flying fox and canoes.

Derek, Stuart and Hannah came over to visit on Saturday afternoon. They weren't going to stay long and had no change of clothes but Stuart soon persuaded us to let him go canoeing (in his boxers and tee shirt) and Hannah went off to do the Chocolate Trail. This is a walk around all the "spots" of Brookfield. At each stop you are given a piece of chocolate and a speil about that "place". Unfortunately (??) Hannah already know about a lot of the spots and could tell Marie all about it !!! Once she had finished the Chocolate Trail she went off with the Cubs (who she didn't know) to make Dream Catchers. Derek eventually went off to help her. I joined them just before the next change of bases and ended up making one too. Very simple but effective. All who made them enjoyed it - I was surprised that the boys enjoyed them as much as they did.

Stuart had a great time canoeing - and even managed to keep dry. From there he went to the flying fox. This is a new double flying fox that has been in operation for only a couple of months. It is really long but they have designed it to start on a mound of dirt so the whole distance you are not really that far from the ground. It certainly got a good work out over the weekend.

Derek, Stuart and Hannah left before tea to go to stockcars which was having a fireworks night, however it ended up being cancelled.

The rain held off until our most successful campfire, where we were joined by Silverpine Group Family Camp. The campfire circle was full and we were led by Ian Smith. It was a fabulous campfire where we learnt a few new songs and lots of old ones.

During the night it was wet and windy, and the rain continued until lunchtime. The Wainui Leader was woken by his Cubs at 4am saying the tent had ripped. The tent was fine but we think they were worried about the wind.

Sunday was busy with Cubs Own inside, reflection on what being a Cub means to me, learning a South American dance and then the wet weather activities were unpacked. The Cubs enjoyed making whizzers, naught’s and crosses, snakes and ladders rockets and making bubbles. This was followed by a tower building competition. Newpaper and one roll of cellotape. The leader’s tower was an example of engineering excellence – only an engineer would think to add cross braces for extra stability.

The rain cleared enough to participate in a Brookfield good turn; putting mulch around the trees which have been planted at the base of the new flying fox.

Altogether it was a great weekend, in which both Cubs and Leaders made new friends and had a lot of fun.

Budgies

After athletics we all got in the car. We were past Upper Hutt before either of the kids asked where we were going.

We were going to Kaitoke to look at budgies. Derek had found the phone number of a girl who had advertised budgies for sale. As it turns out we had bought budgies from her 6 or 7 years ago.

We ended up getting all 9 she had for sale - and paid the price we could have got 2 for from Animates.

We brought them home in little cages, and as it was dark when we got home, we left them in there for the night but inside the aivery. Hannah was awake early wanting to let them out. Stuart wasn't far behind her as he wanted to let Sharn out (one had been called Sharn and Stuart's friend is Sharn)

They came out quite quickly and were sitting happily on branches when we left them.

As soon as Hannah arrived home from school she was wanting to go and see "her" birds. Not just to look at them from the outside of the aivery but to get inside the aivery !!!!

Athletics Day

Althlectics Day finally arrives. There was to have been a Fun Day a couple of Sunday's ago but it was postponed due to the track being too wet.Monday was fine and warm. Great excitement - particularly from Hannah who had been counting down the days .....About 80 - 100 kids from pre-school to 16 were there. They were split into 4 age groups and taken off to do different activities.

First of all were warm up exercises

The littlies had sack races. Lots of fun.

Running the 800m is a long way - especially when you get the stitch within the first 300m

Stuart doing his standing long jump ..... and having a rest

The little ones had a moon hopper race. Hannah looses her hat but still enjoys it. Look at the grin.

Hannah's off and running - sprinting to the finishline - look both feet are off the ground at the same time !!!

Stuart running the 75m sprint. Putting his all into it

Completing the Bird Aviary

We have had a part completed bird aviary for some time. All the bits (more or less) but never quite got it done - busy or wet weekends don't help.

One of Hannah's teachers has doves which have had babies. She has been talking to the class about the babies and Hannah told her we had an aviary with no birds in it. Tracy offered us her two baby doves.

So today was the day to complete the aviary. Paul came to visit and ended up staying most of the day helping.

Derek and Paul put the plastic cladding on the sides and roof, attached the second door, hung branches for perches, and a clip on the inside of the door.

A trip to the pet shop for seed, seed bowl and water bowl, but they had no budgies for sale.

Barbara checked on the progress every now and then.

Hannah decided that she had to make some things for the birds with wood nails and rope. It was a very serious business.

Fireworks Spectacular

Last night we went to the Firework Spectacular in Upper Hutt. It was very cold. Before we left Mum and Dad told me and Stuart to take warm clothes. I decided to take two baby blankets but didn’t want to wear my swandry. Mum and Dad made me wear it.
We we got to the park Dad took me for a play in the playground before we went into to the park. When we came back to the car Dad's nose was frozen even though he had his big swandry on.
We had a picnic tea at the park and then I decided that I was cold and tired. I got grumpyy cos my baby blankets weren't big enough to cover me up. In the end Dad put Mum's swandry over me too and gave me the picnic backpack to put my head on. I had a little rest but not a sleep, then Dad came back with some glowsticks for us. Glasses for me and Stuart and a stick one for Mum.

The glasses were too big for my little nose so in the end Dad had those glasses and I got Mum's stick - that was lots more fun as I could twirl it around. Stuart wasn't impressed with his glasses- he thought they were geeky. Stuart went for a walk and talked to some kids from his school.

The fireworks were really really good. They lasted 15 mins and were huge. Really pretty. The ones I liked best were the little red ones that gently floated down - they looked like red fairys flying.
It was very late when we got home.
Today I have been helping Dad in the garden. I have filled up a pot with compost so we can plant some plants in it but it has started to rain a little bit now.

Ok I know ....

Ok I know it's over a year since I posted.

Lets see if I can be better this time