Baseball bats at Dawn

A wee bit short on sleep today - but not as short as some up in Inveroy, I should think.

Shannon woke up this morning and said she wanted to boogie all day! However, we didn't manage more than a game of baseball. We did managed it without a fight, and over a sustained period of time too. I haven't played properly since a child. Sadly, rain or midges, or other pressing issues would have iether driven us inside, or never allowed it to start. Megs friend Hannah, and Max boosted our numbers to give us good teams. Only the adults actually cheated. Though the girls were a force to be reckoned with.

A Guid New Year to All

Our very best wishes across the world to all our friends and family - hope 2009 is a good year for everyone.

Happy Hogmany

Spook put a lot of hours into the poo factory today. There are a lot of people here and the machines are groaning. I don't think it's 40,000 people, but the machines do.

I did some light cleaning today and I did noticed that there is a little heavier usage going on.!

Spook and I nipped over to Pete's holiday home on the other side of town tonight (he lives in Dunedin). I had a couple of drams and Spook drove as he was still thinking in terms of poo overflow. We left Robbi and Roddy with the family AGAIN. I think we could have included Pete and his family in a good Hogmany celebration, but they would have to have come over to ours. We got back as soon as we could and wrapped up for a trip up to the nearby war memorial to watch the fireworks and bring in the New Year (it had been raining heavily earlier, but was reasonably warmish). It was nice, but not emotional the way it sometimes feels at home. I will be having a wee dram at 1pm on the 1st January, which is surely the true New Year. We checked out the stars, and there's a bit milky way going on up there and Roddy tried to draw out the Southern Star with his torch.

We got home and cleared the decks for dancing. The Sinclair children had not had the pleasure of a ceilidh and showed themselves to be naturals. We had a ball, and it's a shame the Kiwis couldn't join us in our own village hall.

You go faster with a determined look.

Spook persuaded me to do the 35k Classic, rather than the 20k Sport. There was an option to turn off at the 'sport' junction if I was tired, but I elected to continue. This pleased me and made me feel like a proper Kiwi Athlete. 15k extra didn't seem too much more - it's not as if it was miles! Bannockburn is quite a barren, but beautiful place. It also has a lot of steep, gravel, hill roads. Lot's and lot's. All of which didn't really appear in any significant way until after the 'sports' option turn-off. What's bloody classic about THAT? It was certainly the most challenging bike race I've done, but very enjoyable with the chance to get WAY off road. The smell of Thyme was amazing. That would seem to be what they have instead of heather. And I've now worked out that 15k is actually much, much more than 15 miles. Probably equal to about 20 miles. Yup, 'bout that, I think. Took me 2hrs and 23 minutes of non-stop effort to do the whole thing anyway. Spook was a wee bit quicker than that.

Ibeza of the Southern Hemisphere

We've been living a lovely quiet wee life here at the top of the street. We ventured down to the shore mid afternoon and found the beautiful people had arrived. Lot's of babes in bikinis and dudes on jet skis, and driving big V8 engine cars - throbbing music, and the lake alive with every kind of boat. I'm not quite sure when they arrived. It was all peaceful down there on Christmas day. There have been Hoons (Kiwi N.E.D.S) revving up big engines late at night, and the odd late night reveller passing by, but this felt like we had been transported to the Med. Health and Safety does not seem to feature. It was pretty scary to see the traffic on the water criss-crossing and the jet skis coming too close to shore.
And the party animals seem to be all around our quiet glade. I think we will have to batton down the hatches and wait til it all passes. Feeling very middle-aged, but needing to combat it. Have sorted through some music and have found a Strip The Willow and a Canadian Barn Dance and will clear the room on Hogmany (or Mahogany, as BJ calls it). I'll need to get the whisky in. I think we could beat them at their own game yet.
Tomorrow Spook and I are going to take the opportunity of having The Sinclairs here, and do a bike race together at Bannockburn. As usual, shockingly untrained, but may as well give it a shot.

11 down to 9

Joe and Liam headed North to Christchurch today, on the 1st leg of their journey to the North Island. We discovered the only thing Joe wears that are not sponsored are his undies, so we decided that we could sponsor him in that department. (Having hung up his smalls on a couple of occasions, I wondered if he had been Down-hilling on his butt). We hope they are a safe, but fast pair. We furnished Liam with some nut-free chocolate spread as I felt he was missing out on something nice in life due to an inconvenient allergy. We will miss them, and look forward to seeing them next year.

I went for a run round Mt Iron for the 1st time in about 3 weeks. It is not wise to leave it so long as it was hard work, even without the turkey and christmas pudding!

We all walked round together later in the day.

Having been used to 11 in the household, we invited over Spooks colleague, who is here to support him at the plant, just to fill up a bit of the space at the dinner table.

Munro's against Sinclairs

I did a wee bit of professional cleaning this morning and Spook and Roddy took some more poo samples over the hill. Robbi held the fort. Meg nervously ate 4 peanut butter sandwiches as she waited to see if her bid on Trade Me (NZ E-Bay), for an I-Pod was successful. It was, but if she gets addicted and eats like that whenever she's nervous, she's going to become huge. Then she put a Nintendo game on Trade Me that she doesn't want and has been checking every 5 minutes. Interest in that is going well so she is roaming the house looking for other things to sell. She was not available for the tennis tournament this afternoon. (But she and Shannon did help Robbi with the sushi making in between trading).
Spook and Hamish against Roddy and I. We managed to win without actually scoring any points, which was really funny. I perfected the 'Ready' postion and looked the part whilst missing anything they managed to get back over the net. Hamish is very good but was serioulsy disadvantaged by Spooks Shinty whack and the mobile phone which kept ringing with poo issues. Cameron and Roddy then played Spook and Finn with the Munros just coming out on top. Hamish meanwhile shot aces past me endlessly and I occassionally returned a few shots when my raquet got in the way of the ball by mistake. We both laughed a lot and it was fun enjoying his company as an adult, and having such a different relationship from what we had when he was an 8yr old, 5 years ago. He balanced the Munro win with a Sinclair massacre.
After dinner, the mixed batch of a household, which still includes Joe and Liam, watched a movie and I brushed Shannons tangled hair which hasn't been cut since she left Braeroy as a 3 year old. It took the whole movie to do it. When we were finished, I held up the ends of hair and said, "That's the same bits we knew in Scotland!"

Boxing Day

Apparently it's Boxing Day, but we haven't gone to anyone's for dinner, or eaten any turkey sandwiches and it's been pleasantly warm. I also had promised my neighbours I'd water their poly-tunnels today so that they could stay on with their family in Gore, rather than rushing home. When I went to bed last night I'd forgotten to write a note to remind myself, but decided that as soon as I turned the kettle on, I would remember to water the tunnels after I'd watered myself. Aye - different country, same woman.

At mid-day, as I was relaxing in the warm, drying sunshine, Robbi said, "So what time are you watering the tunnels?" I grabbed her and threw her in the car, petrified that the wonderful, trusting neighbours would turn up and discover that my niceness is just a front! If Robbi hadn't reminded me, I WOULD have remembered, but it would likely have been at 3am and I would have been out there with a head torch. Which would have been too late, as Pat and Kieth checked the tunnels on their way home and she phoned to say how delighted she was and what a good job we'd done of it. To think that 3 months of neighbourly nurturing nearly dried up in the sun. I will keep post-its by the bed from now on.

Merry Christmas

The Munros and The Sinclairs have had a lovely Christmas with Joe and Liam. Not much chance of getting homesick just now, with such a strong representative from home. Can hardly believe we are so far from home. The day has been fantastically relaxed with everyone easily occupied and nobody having to make much effort. The day included some poo samples to Queenstown, some good food (venison shot by Roddy and wild pig by a friend), skateboarding, cycling, baseball, swimming, and Roddy, Robbi, Spook and I must have spent about an hour sitting in our new tent, chatting about memories from home. Have managed to get the 5 exhausted children to bed, who have been awake since 5am and are now going to sit down and watch Still Game. How very Scottish.

Christmas Eve

The day was hot, but clouds have gathered and it might rain tomorrow. The curtains are drawn and there are 5 children plus Joe and Liam (back over the hill) watching Mr Beans Holiday.

The Sinclairs arrived and 5 years just disappeared. We had been invited for nibbles at the neighbours (not ones that we knew) so went over with Robbi and Roddy, leaving Joe and Liam child-minding. Robbi and I came home when we noticed the boys had driven off, and we thought maybe the children were fighting, but turned out they had taken the boys to the dirt jumps. Happy boys.
Robbi and I checked out Joe and Liams new acommodation at Dr Susies, as she had said that she was off surfing, her door was open and the boys could have the spare room. So nice that they wont be sleeping on the floor - especially as Meg moved all the christmas presents onto their spot the minute they left the last time.
Cant believe it's Christmas Eve. Hamish says it hasn't really felt like Christmas since they left Scotland. I'm glad it's not just me that thinks that. The children have all gelled reallly well and are very contented.

To Rose of Sharon (Shaeron)

I hear your voice in my ears
As I wipe away tears.
I see you stand on the table
And tell us we're able.
"You can all make a difference.
So, just choose your distance."

May the strength that you give
To those who still live,
Help keep them warm
As they come through the storm,
Because out of the gloom
There's this bright golden bloom
Of a Rose,
With no thorn.

Happy Birthday

Much love to Dad, and to Robbi.

Unfortunately Robbi and Roddy have managed to get within 100km of us, having travelled 700. But Robbi has a miserable migraine and they have had to stop for the night. They will be a lovely Christmas Eve gift when they get here.

We said good bye to The Gibsons today and went over the hill with Michaela and Max. It was right back into the comfort zone for Finn. I think, probably the first signs of being genuinely and happily engrossed in his life here. As a foursome, they were great together, and there wasn't a cross word between any of them. They did some christmas shopping and then have been up and down to the lakeside since we got home.

While they were wandering around Queenstown together, I bought The Otago Daily news and found a cafe offering a coffee and muffin for £2. Called McCafe! I settled down to read the paper. I always like to see if Wanaka features in The Regions and sure enough, the main picture featured some people at the Wharf on Lake Wanaka. It was an article about how we have had the highest rainfall in December since 1999. The people on the Wharf were, Kier Gibson, Max, Finn and myself. Meg tells me that her leg is in the picture. I start to wonder how small this town really is!!!!

And as we all enjoy this lovely life, Spook clocked up a 13 hour day at his post today. When we leave here, I expect nothing less than a statue of Spook by Lake Wanaka, clutching a plunger. Similar to the nice one of Mr Rees in Queenstown with his sheep.

Barbies, toe-dipping and fresh snow.

The snowy mountains are the view up at the poo works after the latest snow fall.

This is as far into the water as the boys got, while I was around. It was a hot day, but the water wasn't hot. This is Max, Finn and Kier Gibson. And I haven't a clue what Dougie and Spook are laughing at. Dougies shorts, probably. We have 6 kids sleeping upstairs tonight. 2 Kiwis, 2 misplaced Scots and 2 travelling Scots. They are all very happy. Joe and Liam have headed back over to Queenstown, for a couple of days - who can blame them?

The South Highlands

Always liked that Highland hospitality thing that went on in The Munro Household. Everyone calling in for a cup of tea and not needing to knock. We probably didn't realise that it happened in our house too, until we were leaving and how much we had liked sharing it.
So it's feeling good to have Joe and Liam becoming part of the house-hold. Last night I tucked Meg into bed and she said she missed Finn being in the room, but it was ok because the boys were next door. We were all just about ready to fall asleep when a yowling started up outside. I recognised it straight away as cats squaring up to each other, but it's a pretty ghostly sound. We heard the boys moving around upstairs and it wasn't long before Meg came down and jumped into bed with us. ~She thought it was a baby crying. I told her what it was. Upstairs we heard the boys balcony door open, and then this tender voice (Liam) call out into the dark night "Are you alright?" Spook and I started giggling, and Meg ran up to tell them what it was. She found the boys fully dressed and about to go out and rescue what/whoever it was. They were quite relieved not to be caring for abandoned babies, but I loved it that they were heroic enough to try.
Karen and Dougie arrived this afternoon en famille. The boys went down to the lake to swim with the children after tea, along with Megs friend Michaela. Finn has still refused to come home, but I'll go and get him and Max tomorrow morning and we will all go out and have an adventure. (without Spook who has been dealing with big pooy issues all day, but has still managed to find time to go to the pub with Dougie). A re-arrangement of bedding has moved the boys to the living room and put Dougie and Karen in the balcony room, where we can rest-assured that, should the cats come back, Dougie will have a different method of dealing with them.

Winter

Woke up to 10 degrees and rain - the kind of rain that goes on all day and night. We opened the curtains and then shut them again, put on the christmas tree lights, the fairy lights and lit the fire. We snuggled up and decided to have a day of winter. Spook had to go to work on and off all day, and the children and I read books in the morning. Finn then got invited to Max's and isn't coming home, but Meg is having a sleep-over free weekend for the first time since we arrived. Joe and Liam came back over the hill from a couple of nights in Queenstown and arrived just in time to catch the showing of Casino Royale, rented to supplement our Bond appetite of the other night.
Spook came in from a late visit to the poo works and says there is fresh snow on the hill. Tomorrow is the longest day!!!! Reports say 25 degrees tomorrow. I may have cabin fever if I do another day of fireside and TV.
The Gibson/McInnes's are coming tomorrow for a sleep-over.
I am going to put my electric balnket on.

Scots Wha Hae!

I like to think I'm coping and integrating quite well, but when Karen McInnes from Fort William phoned at 1pm today to say they were going to be "45 mins away over the hill, sorry about the short notice and would be nice to see you," etc, ....I was straight on the phone to Spook and we were over the hill almost before he could wash the poo off. It was lovely to see herself, Dougie and the effervescent Rosa and sleepy Kier. We went out for dinner in Arrowtown and it reminded me how much of an act I must put on a lot of the time, when it's ALWAYS new people. So less than 3 months down the line, we were soaking up our own Scottish culture - breathing it in, in big sooky breaths. Obviously Spook manged to inhale some beer too.
The children were just as excited as us and Meg's sentences even went down at the end a few times. It must be pretty tiring for them too, when everything and everyone is new. hurrah for The Gibson/McInnes's

A Terrible Thing Happened

These Santas hang around Wanaka, doing the best they can to make everyone feel Christmassy. Some very bad people have been pinching them. Thankfully the local Bobby wandered out the police station for a breath of fresh air in time to see two boys from Alexandra shiny up the pole and the chimney and drive off with two of them. They went to court this week and have lost their license for 3 months for using their car for criminal purposes and the Santas are back in position. Sadly, one of them is still missing, so it'll be all hands on deck till the culprit is found.

Photos from the 17th Dec

Finn's year 6 doing the Haka. Finn doing the pump track. Mo doing her interpretation of the 'ready' position. Don't think this is what the coach meant.

Sunshine and woes.

Finns graduation was fairly drawn out as there are 85 students moving on to Mount Aspiring College. He's fairly non-comittal about a 2nd summer holiday. Think we are only emotionally primed to get excited about one. Meg came with me to the RDA group and had a shot on one of the horses so was pretty pleased with that. She's nipped out on a fair well sleep-over.
The rest of the family went for a fairly disasterous game of tennis. Think we were all tired and too long since I've had a lesson (always rains on my day). We did have fun watching Finn on the 'pump' circuit. The wee bike is bizarrely giving him confidence to go up and stand his ground, even when there are big guys up there.
Huge set back for me when I called in to see what hours might be forth coming at the school in February, to be told that her budget has changed and there will be no hours for me, but she has me on her register. The wind went right out my sails and I dragged my teddy home. I followed this upset by parking beautifully (parallel parked) outside the paper shop, in a 30 minute waiting zone. 5 minutes later I found a man sticking a parking ticket on my window. I was facing up the wrong way. You are not allowed to cross the road. You can only park in the direction your are facing. The English girl that I paid my fine to me, told me that this also applies to parking outside my house. $40 fine.
Sun was shinning. Joe and Liam gone to Queenstown to hang out with Dudes.

Rain AGAIN

Poor Joe and Liam. This is just like a traditional July in Scotland. The kids break up for school, and the rain starts. It's chucking it down but is 16 degrees. The boys invited Finn back to the Dirt Jump Park again today and all three had a competiton on the 'pump' circuit to see who was fastest. Finn wasn't far behind them and they all did it on the tiny kids bike. Finn bumped into quite a few of his friends there, and I think he's seeing now, that they just turn up and it's ok. After tea, Finn asked Liam if he wanted to got to the skate park. It was pouring outside and I allowed Liam to give Finn the honest answer! Undeterred, Finn took the wee bike to the park himself - safe in the knowledge that no-one else would be there. He came home soaked to the knickers, but very happy. He's allowed to take it to school tomorrow. It's his last day and Meg and I are going to see him graduate.
The builders clean finished today and I'm now on an extended holiday until the 40,000 start to leave and give me a bit of cleaning up to do. I'm fine with that. I'm delighted I'll be able to spend the time with the children.

Tonight we all went out to see the Bond movie at the Cinema Paradiso. Joe and Liam had thought it might have ambience but be of poor picture/sound quality. I'd forgotten how good it was! Quality all around and the folks having their coffee orders and pizzas brought to their seats, is always going to be a surprise in any cinema. I didn't mind coming out into the darkness and the warm rain. Do hope it clears up for the boys tomorrow.

Time to Move on

It's Monday, so that means it's raining. Back to the appartments and finally the builders are beginning to smile and talk back. I have continued on with friendly chat, despite little response, but find it difficult not to talk to someone else who's in the same room! I don't know why they've suddenly come round (maybe because there's only two days left of this project). However, the friendliness went too far, when I went to enquire where the portaloo had gone. He said "no 1's or no 2's?".... I hesitated. He said if it's no 2's you'll have to go over there but no 1's fine in here. I blushed and said I would be fine here, and started to walk away. He shouted after me "Do you want some toilet paper?" Erm.....yer fine, said I, starting to run. But oh no, he came running after me with a pack of 4. At the door to the toilet, another builder insisted in showing which button to press for flush. And when I was in there, I heard him saying to another builder. "She's just having a wizz". I came out of the toilet wishing I hadn't been so bloody friendly. And a wee bit later in the day, I caught myself spontaneously crack a lewd joke, which made a builder laugh heartily. I need to move to another job, before I take to hanging my trousers low on my hips and exposing large areas of safety pants.

Joe and Liam are here from Fort William on their 3 month tour of NZ. It's been nice to see them and Finns done a wee bit hanging out, man.

A warming day

We got up at 6.45am to get to Queenstown for 8.20am in order to be ready for a 9am start. Turned out registration opened at 9am, event started for the 5 year olds at 11am, with ours competeing after 12 noon!!!! AS is the becoming the case, we had a lovely social day, with lots of people we have come to know. Michaela's wee brother Max was there with his team of Finn's school mates. Ollie and Janet were there with their children, who were doing the triathlon as individuals. Vicky's Dad had brought the boys team down (his son Jack in the team) and Michaela's mum, Kate, had brought Meg and Vickys' friends to shop in the Metropolous. So all the children were very happily occupied as we waited for the age groups from 5 to 13 to complete their challenges. Spook had met Chris, Vicky's Dad at yesterdays event as he was in a kayak, looking after his safety! We watched how Kiwi Triathletes are formed, with kids getting out of the water and onto bikes just relieved of their stabalisers! Good camaraderie between the boys team and the girls. All children gaining podium places for their events, including Ollie and Janets children and Spook having to adjust to the fact that he was the only ahtlete not to get on the podium this weekend. (The girls and Finn were the only mixed team - pretty chuffed with that, they were too.)

Tri Stars

Tri man nearly drowns but duathlete a star.

Well - that was fun! A great wee event with all the good craic and 'have a go' heriosm that No Fuss likes to encourage. Ollie said he hadn't swum for years, but managed a good attempt at the crawl, with a wee bit of running when the steam ran out. Spook did too much crawling at the start and looked like he might expire. He saw Ollie stand up and try to run and tried to follow suit, but his feet wouldn't touch the bottom and he remembered Ollie was tall. How knackered were THEY that they thought it might be easier to run! Spook came out well last but with a look of happy determination on his face. We duathletes had to wait (very patiently) for the last swimmer before we could cycle off. It was a great track round the bay, with a bit of climbing but nothing techinical. 15km. I got the edge on Ollies wife Janet, as I'm more familiar with the bike, but she's fitter and came in just behind me before shooting off at a fast run while I gasped and dragged my legs along at a wee jog. There were 5 duathletes and when I went past the hobbling man I knew I was in for a 2nd place. Until the 12 year old boy ran lightly past at the halfway point with a big smile on his face! The run was over 7km and included some really lovely single track that any Lochaber athlete would enjoy. Thankfully the 12 year old boy was not a woman, so I still secured the 2nd (and last) place in my category. Spook managed a very creditable 4th. Not on the podium like myself, but he did try very hard.

Photos display Podium place ladies, Spook (finally) out the water. And Spook going in with tall Ollie.

Over to the children now. Vicki is staying the night tonight and they can do some team bonding before we go over the hill to Queenstown for they're turn.

Sounds in the Night

There are many sounds in the night. I love the sounds of the frogs - have never seen one, but we are definately surrounded by them. It's a hot country sound, though they ribet on cold nights too. Some time through the night they stop and there's a period of silence before the dawn chorous around 5am. Quite different from home, but just as lovely, if it weren't for the hour. Last night our slumber was disturbed by the Air Raid Siren. I sleepily wondered how long I had to get my gas mask and leg it to the shelter, and then fell asleep again. Spook thought his laptop, which he had left at work in it's bag, had not shut down properly and had caught fire. He didn't go back to sleep quite so quick. The Air Raid Siren is the fire alarm for the towns retained Firemen. It gets turned off when the first one gets there, and I guess they were all pretty damned sleepy last night!!! They do now have bleepers, but don't always get a signal, so they keep the siren. Reminds me of the Clyde ship builders going on their tea break. We could hear the siren accross the River.

Triathlons for everyone

Felt fine today, and back to the appartments.
Meg had her last day of school today. Lots of tears as Kate and Ebony, whom she walks to school with most days, are leaving to go elsewhere. In order to celebrate/commiserate this sad situation, Meg has gone on a sleep-over. She needed a lift to this one and Finn needed a lift to football. All walking and cycling is now cancelled, it would seem, as we have a car.
Good news on the excercise front is that Spook will do his 1st Triathlon and I'm doing a duathlon tomorrow. No training has been done other than a walk to town for a Friday glass of wine and to meet Finn after football. Meg invited Finn to be part of her team in a Triathlon in Queenstown on Sunday. Vicky is swimming, Meg is cycling and they needed a runner. Finn reluctantly agreed and now discovers that his mates have a team in and he is horrified to think they'll give him a showing up. Finn will just have to run faster and prove otherwise. Spook and I should be able to go down and support them.
Hair cut - fairly short.
Tomatoes home and have nine lovely plants potted up and lined up outside the house. Also some runner beans and some basil mint - whatever that is. Things grow so well here, so will I get some tomatoes, I wonder. Just a few flowers at this stage.
Finn busy on his Christmas project. He has to do a presentation on a Scottish Christmas. So far, it would seem that we have Christmas in a castle and eat Haggis. He is to take in traditional food and asked me to make a haggis. Thankfully I found a tin of shortbread in Queenstown with a picture of Urquhart Castle and a box with Kilchurn Castle. That will save me gutting a sheep.

Bluaarp

Woke with a ferocious headache, got up and vomitted 3 times. Spook had left for work, so I phoned Mary, and the children sent me back to bed. Some evil Kiwi bug that I'm not resistent to. By the time Spook came home to clean up for his meeting at 10.30am I was at least not nauseous, and was able to register the stricken look on his face. It was three hours of the clock ticking before he was back. I wasn't sure what was happening, but was beginning to wonder if they were booking us on to the first boat out of town. He came home after 1.30pm looking 10 years younger, still in a job and had conducted himself well - again, the ten years experience of poo stood him in good stead, despite zero experience of presenting in the Council Chambers!
Headache eased by early afternoon and I will be well enough to face appartment no 5 tomorrow.
The cleaning does get in the way of the social life. Tennis on hold, and See-amm's mum waiting for me to have a day off so we can go up Mount Roy. And my tomato plants come home tomorrow, having been carefully nurtured by Pat and Kieth who are waiting to get hold of me so that they can coach me on how to keep them alive, and hopefully yield some produce to go with my lettuce.
Hair cut time tomorrow for me, so that tells me we've been here a while now. Sometimes it feels very normal to be here and sometimes there is an over-whelming sense of being too far from home. I remember the excitement, very clearly, living in Inveroy as a tree planter. Work was really hard during the week, and at the weekend I'd suddenly get so excited to think that I actually LIVED in this place. I've never had that feeling here, and I don't expect to. This is the adventure, but Lochaber is the life.

Dancing Queen

The night of Finns play finally arrived. Spook had a lot of work to do to prepare for being the only Company representative at the Council meeting tomorrow - specifically meeting to discuss his project. So he was less than excited at having to go to the play.

2 hours of Never Never Land and it was fantastic. Even Spook loved it!!!!!!!! His emotional block on stage musicals may have lifted. Finn's class were tree people and they did a long dance at which they were all foot perfect. They looked like they were really enjoying it. There have been days of rehearsals and it paid off. Next stop for Finn has to be the Haka.

Last performance tomorrow night and I'll be taking Finn and See-am out for a drink to celebrate afterwards.

Spook back to swot up on his knowledge of the plant workings. Cant quite imagine him sitting in the Council Chambers, being the main focus of attention. Not what he was expecting, but everyone else is out of town. Maybe he should wear his kilt for confidence.

Scrubadubdub

24 degrees in the shade after a cool start and boiling in the sun. Back to the million pound complex and on to appartment number 4. Notice the builder hadn't turned the channel back to rock and don't know whether that's because they have become addicted to their horoscopes, or they enjoy Dire Straits, Simple Minds and whoever sings Gene-Genie, OR they don't know how to turn it back. Knee pads a big success, though they have a hard outer shell that might be good for break-dancing, and I look like an old skateboarder.

Spook had a tough day at the office today - was making perfect 'cake' and then the machine broke down. I've often had the perfect cake go wrong at the last moment so I am able to empathise.

We bought the Subaru and went for an evening drive. This place is at it's best in the evening sunlight. Am able to appreciate it more as time goes on and I feel more settled. And now that I have a vehicle bigger than a bike, I can bring bigger things home from the Dump.

Have the day off cleaning tomorrow so that I can volunteer with the riding for the disabled, but didn't know until the last moment so haven't actually volunteered yet. Must also finish the Christmas shopping. I don't think I can handle more Santa Claus's cooking up a sausage sizzle outside the shops on a Saturday to drum up business. Not whilst wearing flip-flops, anyway.

This town is so lovely and sleepy just now, I don't know how we'll cope with the explosion of people.

Just like Home

It's been raining all day today and was cold to boot. 11 degrees just now, and probably about 13 degrees during the day. We went over the hill to Queenstown as the tennis lessons were cancelled, and we had to do a wee bit Christmas shopping. On the way home, we did not pass or meet another car over 53kms. Lots of dead possums though.
Despite fast developing housemaids knee, and Spook working a lot of hours in the name of poo, it still feels like a holiday when we all get in the car and go somewhere together. Still cant get used to being free everynight.
Pete was glad to hear that Spook is negotiating to buy a car - a Suberu Legacy. This reassures him that he might stay. He took a big risk pushing to get Spook over here, and he needs him to stay for the two years. But he's still panicking about all the women who give up and want to go home. He says that a colleague who was working on the project for a year came with his partner and she couldn't find a job the whole time she was here. Obviously never ran the guantlet of the two lovely ladies in the Job Agency! I tell Mary that she rescued me from the dog pound, and I'm still wagging my tail and being faithful. Will be buying knee pads tomorrow, mind you.
Meanwhile, have put my electric blanket on, and would be lighting the wood-burning stove if we had one. Like that cosy feeling. I'm sure it wont last though and suspect that the sun will shine again tomorrow.

Separate Sundays

We all did our own things today, not by design. Finn was out anyway, Meg was having a long lie and I was on the phone home. So Spook headed off alone to the bike clubs ride and barbecue. He was pretty much gone until about 3.30pm and had a good day. Fair woke him up, having been lying awake most of the night pondering poo, and was a bit sleepy by breakfast time. He was out with Ollie, who he'd met at the Gut-buster last weekend and he bonded over the fact that they both have fairly exotic American mountain bikes. His daughter has a mini pink Marin, like Meg's and son has a Kona like Finns ~(Well nearly). I would only have bonded if all the bikes had been blue. But there you go, we're all different.
Meg went off to see Kate (who I thought was leaving to Dunedien a week after week got here, but it's not til January). Kate jumped out a plane yesterday and unfortunatley we missed the call to go and witness it as we were out. I cant imagine standing watching my wee girl fall out a plane way up in the sky. NO WAY.
I went for a cycle with Michaela and Max's Mum Kate, round to Dublin Bay. She and her colleagues are entered into a small duathlon next Sunday, so she wanted a wee training run. I might do that and leave Spook to his own sprint triathlon on the same day. Ollie is thinking of doing that too, and his wife the duathlon. The small town feel is developing as we begin to meet the same people at events...just like home!

Helwick Glade

Happy Saturday

Finn's group were meeting at the skateboard park this morning instead of during the week. He headed off himself and then met ourselves, Meg and Smithy for an iced drink in town afterwards. He was then happily shorn and headed back to the park where he met Michaela's wee brother, Max. A quick transfer to the bike and he's off on his first sleep-over, to Max's house. Result.

Spook cycled up to work for a couple of hours (home at half past midnight, last night), Meg chilled out, and I spent the afternoon drawing. 25 degrees and time for our 2nd barbie. Spook and I took a turn around the town, reminding ourselves of those couples who walk along The Blhar in Fort William, of a sunny evening. ~This is what you can do when most evenings are free. Very nice.

Happy Friday

After 3 days of million pound cleans, it was a relief to return to our wee house in the glade. All builders listen to 'builders rock' on the radio. The pain of this is intensified when they are working outside and the radio - and us - are inside. Builders are meant to be gone before we come in, but timescales run out and it's everyone together to get it done in time. We will have to go in and polish everything up once they've gone before hand-over next Friday. Meanwhile, I shall have to e-mail my brother to ascertain the correct etiquette between builder and cleaning wifie. We vacuumed round their feet, scraped paint from under their finger nails, polished the fresh silicone out from under the bathroom mirror (specifically me), and final insult, changed the station on his radio (he'd been gone for ages and I thought he'd moved on, but was just out for lunch). He was coping okay with hearing his horoscope, and getting some good ideas for Christmas presents for his wife (local radio), but when Ronan Keating started crooning love songs in his ear, the strain began to show. So, good it's Friday.
Not so good for Spook who's still at work, nipped home for a quick bite to eat and expects to finish at 11pm. New poo spinner been put in at work today and has to be run for 4 hours to test it. Fitter wishing to be on the 10am plane out of Queenstown tomorrow. Got his schedule a bit wrong today, so hence the late night.
Meg staying home this weekend, but has Smithy staying over to wean her back into a weekend at home. She has her hair cut short and Finn will be under the knife tomorrow.

Southern Summer

Finn cut a lonely figure as he headed to school this morning. It rained and rained most of the day. Meg had her end of year prize giving tonight. Lot's of the classes did a performance of some sort, but the most moving of all was 21 boys performing The Haka with a pride and passion that shook the hall and made the hairs stand up on the back of my neck. Magnificent. She's gone from a good school to a good school. Can't ask for better than that. Can't wait for Finn to learn!!
Weather is still a little cool, (14 degrees) and the lake is very high. The creek that runs through the town and down our road was in a muddy torrent. It's usually so clear, you can watch the trout basking in the sun.

Clean Christmas

I was cleaning an appartment today that is for sale for about 2.6 millions dollars if anyones interested. Lake view and sauna. The back view is onto a brick wall. No ma cup o' tea. Have got two more to clean. Sigh. The novelty could wear off pretty quick.
Our local B&Q kinda shop, called Mitre 10 was open late tonight so we went to do a little Christmas shopping. Before you knew it there was a fibre optic Christmas tree in the living room. And it's only the 3rd of December. I've gone into shock. Maybe I'll get away with no tinsel.
While you are enjoying a lovely seasonal frost, we are anticipating 'a strong, moist nothwest airstream' bringing heavy rain. The children have managed back and forth from school so far with only one light dooking. The weather here seems to be changing over the years, though only about 50% of people think there's a global warming issue. Despite New Zealands fresh and healthy image, it's in the top 10 with it's carbon foot print.
This quiet wee town of about 6500 people is allegedly to swell to about 40,000 over Christmas and New Year. I do hope Mary doesn't want me to clean up after that lot.

Points of Interest

• 1st day of Spring is the 1st of September
• 1st day of Summer is 1st of December (this is note worthy to me as I had no idea where we were on the seasonal calendar).
• Meg's voice goes up at the end of every sentence and has done so since the first week of school. Her vowel sounds are still satisfyingly flat.
• Finn's hair is totally out of control. Will get cut at the weekend no matter what.
• It was stated in the 'Opinion' page of the daily paper that male violence stems from equality with woman gone too far. It is no wonder that men lash out when woman have taken their jobs.
• Ruby Island went on fire again at the weekend and we needn't have bothered pulling out all those Lupins and strimming for 3 hours.
• I cycled up to the Poo Factory today with Spooks mobile phone and can confirm that the poo smells exactly the same as Fort Williams.
• Yesterdays tennis serve was a fluke. I discovered today that I can't serve at all - unless you get 6 chances.
• Christmas decorations look silly in the warm sunshine.

Tennis, steak and poo.

Finn came home from tennis tonight, very pleased that his serve hit the spot everytime. I went off to my lesson, knowing that I barely ever get the ball over the net with my serve. Everything went wrong. Too much to think about. Hand postition, leg position, which foot moves forward for a front lob, different one for a back hand lob, don't swing the racquet back, keep your eye on the ball, follow through your shots...................I just wanted to go home. I either missed the ball or hit it with any bit of the racquet other than the strings. Was getting embarrassing. Then he decided it was time for a doubles match. (So we have to count as well?). I won my every serve and we won two games in a row. Ok so none of us could manage more than a 3 shot rally, but it was good fun. I'm off work tomorrow (I've worked 9 days since we got here, so I need a wee rest) and Margaret and I will have a game tomorrow morning.
Came home in time to have dinner with the family and Spooks workmate Dylan, who is here to commission the plant. He and Spook have been working closely and sharing some pretty nasty hands on work. He's an engineer employed to design it, not scrape poo off the sides of the machine., but they've impressed each other with their willingness to get on with it. A real nice guy and not just because he brought me a small bottle of Milford New Zealand Whisky.

Bonsoir

Meg came home long enough for us to take this picture of Tall Megan, Hannah (Smithy) our Megan and Michaela.

Then she came out with us for dinner with the owner of this heroic wee car and other 2cv owners. The couple bought the car a month ago, but only picked it up last week. They were given a DVD of the 3 month trip from London to New Zealand it had completed in 2006. The lady said she might not have bought it if she'd seen where it had been. Nice story and nice Kiwi/French night.

Good News

These guys were good - clip in pedals and everything. But they still didn't beat our Spook. Thank goodness.

The Camera Lies

One of these photos was from the start of the race and one at the very end. There was 4hrs and 40 minutes of sheer torture in between and a weary Spook. The torture involved 2 climbs of more than an hour each, crossing the highest public road in NZ - 1300m in the Nevis Valley.
On the plus side, we met his running pal Janet, and her husband Ollie (he was 40 minutes quicker) and exchanged numbers as he's keen to have a training buddy. Has to be better than last weeks training buddies.
Finn was eagerly awaiting his fathers arrival as we were not eating until he got there. Every cyclist over the hill he would say 'That's him'. He did this for over an hour. Eventually he said 'I have no father - I'm so ashamed'.
I exchanged numbers with one of my waitressing buddies from the Best of Xmas show, who did the race in 5hrs 10mins. She works in Rehabilitation and is interested in my background and possible work with people who have suffered brain injuries. Would have to be a great job to win me away from cleaning with Mary. Would the coffee be any good?

A Fine Week

We all had a good week. Meg actually had a wonderful one. Camp was loads of fun. One night under canvas and one in a bivouac she created herself. She was with her whole class and they cooked over a fire and made up plays, kayaked, swam, tramped and had a big adventure.
Spook had an excellent training week, coming in at 3am. This made for a very pleasant and relaxed day today, which included breakfast on the airport patio. He's having an evening of rest now, to prepare himself for the event tomorrow.
I've had a wonderful week of eventful cleaning, from a wee brown batch (holiday home), to a rambling farmstead with 7 large bedrooms + insuites, a lap pool, gym, outdoor pool and spa, tennis courts (didn't have to vacuum those, thank goodness), and lot's in between. Mary supplied Julia and I with coffee at crucial moments and we all had a really entertaining week.
Finn has enjoyed a balance of friendship and home and some very nice peace and quiet as an only child. This state continues, as despite being tired when she came home, and deciding not to go to Michaela's birthday sleepover tomorrow (why not have a birthday non-sleepover as a change?) she is now staying for 2 nights. The winning point from Michaela when we bumped into her and said she couldn't make it, was the promise of a tow round the lake in the float thing on the back of her Dad's boat. The choice between getting up early to go with us to Dad's event, or the boat, seemed to be quite an easy one for her. It was nice to see her anyway and we had a lovely wee trip down town for a milkshake sitting out in the sun and catching up.

Training Night 2

Hard day on the old vacuum cleaner today. Got a lot of satisfaction from turning the builders yard into a show home. Took me one and a half hours just to polish up the bathroom! We arrived yesterday to find about 20 men whizzing about the place doing last minute jobs on the landscaping. Mary has another employee called Juliette. She's a design student from Christchurch. Very pretty. We heard today that there was a near disaster when the digger drive nearly drove through the house trying to get a better look at her. There was a lot of modern day Builders Bum out there. Skinny young hips trying to hold onto trousers suspended on lower buttocks. No flesh, just a lot of pants. And not Calvin Klein iether. Don't think Juliette even noticed them.
Spook came home just in time for a shower and out for pre-dinner beer. I met lot's of the names I hear him speaking about, and dinner was on the Company. His immediate Boss, Steve, jumped out an aeroplane in his lunch break - they could see the wee figure falling through the air. $300 for 17 minutes. I got a years family tennis membership for less than that. I enjoyed a couple of drams and then brought my young and bored son home for bed. Spook still out training. Should do well in the apres race event on Saturday.

Training Night

Spook came home from work and we had a quick coffee before heading over to pick up Finn from Sam's house. We met Shannon just going out the door for a night out, so we negotiated with her Husband Steve, to find Finn.
They are taking a year out from a hectic life working in New York and living an hour outside it. They arrived in July and are set to leave in June. Steve invited us in for a beer. Spook was just having a quick one as he was going to get some more serious cycling in. After 2 hours, 4 beers and lot's of laughter (another American couple had called in), we thought we should get Finn home and fed. At this point Finn was just disappearing into the hot tub, so we agreed to go home and feed ourselves and then come back to take Finn home. I went back for him and got talking again, while Finn played snooker and table tennis in the games room. I got him home at 9.50pm,. having meant to get him home at 6pm. Spook didn't do any cycling, but did rise to the challenge of showing the Americans that he thought it probably WAS possible to cycle up that hill that they said was impossible. Sam lives in this house www.wanakalakehouse.co.nz No wonder Finn didn't want to come home.

Bleedin' Finn

Weather cleared up and Meg all packed to go 'bush'.
I got Finn to buy two tickets for the school panto on Thursday at which I have volunteered to help with make-up, as a good way to get to know all his wee pals. I refused dinner with Pete and Boss-man Steve on account of this, and 2hrs of solid scrubbing earned enough money for the tickets - $15 each. I was out at an orientation evening tonight, for Finns year going to Mount Aspiring College and went along with his American pal See-am (Sam)'s Mum Shannon. She informs me that THEIR panto is not until the 11th of December. If I hadn't mentioned it to her, I would have painted 100 small faces from primary 3 and 4 and Spook would have sat through a whole performance by kids he's never heard of, and his work pals would be out having a lovely time without him. I'm not really sure where Finn would have been. He had said to me that he was a bit worried that he'd not seen the wee kids performances and didn't quite know how it was all going to fit together. Well Finn...........it's NOT going to fit together.
Spook has a cycling event on Saturday from Garston to Bannockburn through the Nevis Valley - a distance of 75km. It's called the Bannockburn Gutbuster. I assume it's in New Zealand.

Trouble Ahead

We bought this 2nd board at a garage sale down the road, from a guy wearing a very serious looking neck brace. He assured us he hadn't fallen off the board. He fell during the Tour of Southland bike race, broke a few vertebrae and suffered a bit of swelling on his spine. No wonder he let the board go for £4. As long as they don't add it in as a discipline in a triathlon, there's still hope for Spook.

Knitting Skills Next

I was in big trouble with Finn tonight as twice I promised to buy wool and twice forgot. He needed it for school tomorrow, in the form of a long pleat, which will go together with everyone elses to make some kind of Maori 'thing'.
I reassured him that our neighbours would definately have some. He was surprised that I should choose Dr Suzy first, as he saw Coleen or Pat as more likely knitters. Suzy's partner, Whitney, is a Mountain Guide and Beech...well, skateboarding king of Wanaka. But I just thought, start at the top of the street and work our way down.
Whitney was in his shed and said no, he didn't knit. But........(result!)....Beech crochets!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Suzy appeared and said she'd go raid Beechs room. Whitney said they didn't know whether to be pleased or worried. It is not unusual to find a bunch of skateboarding teenagers sitting in the living room crocheting and discussing colours. And sure enough, pinned to Beechs bedroom wall, next to his extensive skateboard dude hat collection, was about 9 multi-coloured crochetted headbands. Finn's eyes were agog! It's enough to master the skateboard, build up the confidence to get down the park - but how on earth was he going to learn this new thing. He came home clutching a ball of white wool, with Suzy and I dragging over a long and far too high 'rail' for doing tricks and, Whitney carrying a ramp. Suzy said she'd see Finn in the plaster room at the surgery before too long. I suppose I'll need to rake through the dump for a crochet hook next.
Meg says things are calm at school and the hormonal wave is over. But a northerly flow has replaced it, sweeping humid subtropical air over us and giving us very heavy, rain with temperatures of about 65F. Must have been the change that caused all the girls to fall out. As long as the rain and the tempers are well cleared by Wednesday as Meg heads up Lake Hawea for 2 nights of camping and tramping.

That's Ma Boy!

Swam about 1km and really enjoyed it. A lady swimmer said that she had lost the cyclist member of her team for the Wanaka Challenge on the 17th January. She's asked someone else to do it, but if he says no, would Spook do it? He confidently said Yes, but came home and looked at the route. Would need to be out on the bike a LOT more often, for a lot longer. 112miles. Add in the Wanka Winds and........

Bleedin' Eck

You can't have about 20 friends, all part of different groups and not have fall outs eventually. Meg had been invited to another sleepover and with our encouragement chose not to go. She found out today, that she's in trouble for spending too much time with one group, not enough with another and a wee bit name calling seems to have gone on. We came home to find her tucked up in her bed with her computer in the middle of the day, for comfort. She said there had been a bit of a bust up in the street in front of the neighbours with different factions of the girls. I can only hope it doesn't reach the crime pages of The Messenger next week. So far the main crime has been drink driving, bust ups in the pub and a drive by shooting - with a paint ball gun.
We gave in to the sleep-over thing when her friend Megan, a girl we really liked from last weeks group, asked her to stay. She lives on the nearest thing to a croft we've found and we had a cuppa with her Mum and Dad. They knew that our Meg had had a bit of hassle and I think that's why their Meg had asked her out. Our Meg reckons she can handle it with some honesty about wanting to see everyone, but with Camp coming up this week and 2 days in the middle of nowhere, it would be good to get it resolved. OOOooooooooooo girls!
Spook came to The Aspiring Runners with me as he'd done a hard cycle ride in the morning and was tired. Ran with Mary and Janet and enjoyed the chat. I puffed and panted about 500 yards behind, but consoled myself it was good for him to meet some women. There are quite a lot of women in his life at home and I wouldn't want to be the only one here representing the female species. He really enjoyed it. Which is more than can be said for me as I collapsed at his feet at the end of the run. Turns out Mary used to be in the British Orienteering Team.
Spook pondering going for a swim in Lake tomorrow as he heard on the run that the less elite of the swimmers are meeting at 9am tomorrow. I wonder what excuse he'll come up with this time....

Duck Poo

Finn's skateboarding was interrupted by these babes. Mummy duck did a big poo in the middle of his arena. It was ok though as he put Megs shoe on top of it so that he wouldn't skate over it.

Art Therapy

So I came home and found a wee flower in the garden that grows wild at home and drew it and now I feel fine.

Steve, Spooks Boss is apparently taking us all out for dinner next week. I suspect he's been told to check up on The Wife.

Dammit, I need that job!!!

Went on an introductory course to Art Therapy today, got home sick and cried. Everyone legged it out the door before they had to try putting any new found skill into action!! Now I have a whole new species to avoid up the High Street as well as the Travel Agents.
Spook met an unusually open Kiwi who said that he'd brought his family to Wanaka for a better life, away from the Cities and the North Island. He asked Spook 'If I asked you out for a pint, would you come? And do you think we could chat about all sorts of things? And would that be satisfying enough for you - I mean, you wouldn't need to come round for coffee, or anything?'
Spook laughed and said yes, of course. The man said that his wife desperately looked for meaningful friendships with other woman immediately and when it didn't happen she became very unhappy. He was so busy working and building their dream house, he never noticed. She went back to the city and left him with the three children!
And Pete tells him of several stories when people gave up everything in Britain and went home after two weeks!!!! And it was always THE WOMEN.
Welcome to Paradise. For men.

Stepford Wife Life Over

Ah well, just as I adjust to tennis in the morning and a virtuous life of volunteering at garden parties (served up tea in the neighbours garden to a visiting group of enthusiasts from Perth - not the Scottish one), it is coming to an end with the promise of hard graft next week. I also waitressed at the local 'Best of Xmas concert' tonight and the caterer makes a donation to the school. Met a lady who moved here from New York in July. I know her son is in Finns class because he insists on calling him See-am. We were sharing notes on the mild trauma of living with the reality of decisions we made voluntarily, and exchanged numbers. She was disappointed that I would be working all next week - just as I find someone I could meet for coffee. (Great coffee shops and no-one for a good blether). Serving up mince pies on a balmy, beautiful evening, is all wrong. And some guy on stage singing 'Mistletoe and Wine'. Honest to goodness!!!
Spook had his first tough day at work with Counsellors arriving and things not going to plan. Had to draw upon his 10 years experience to smooth (and clear) the waters and Pete (who offered him the job in March), really got to see why he's hired him!! A good friendship has developed there, I think.
Meg came home from school via the supermarket, having bought herself a savoury bun so that she wouldn't have to eat last nights catch.
Finn telling me about life in the playground where no-one tells tales. He said two girls skooshed him in the eye with water when he came out the class. He cornered them in the cloakroom and got them back. And when a girl has the ball, it's really easy to get it off her as you just run at her, growling, and she squeals and drops it. But then she's just as likely to slap him on the face with her flip-flop! He says it's great - he would never have got past the first skoosh without someone clyping. This is good living, by his way of it.

Not this Week

Spook was a wee tad late home from work tonight. Just enough to take the edge of his enthusiasm for racing. So now we have just enough time to get him on a low fat diet before next week.

He and the children went fishing instead. Meg knows how to dress for the occasion. Finn still thinks skimming stones and fishing are complementary sports. They came home with a 3lb Brown Trout.

Racers Edge

Spook called in to the above named shop the other day and firmly established that the serious boys meet at 6pm Wednesday nights. The man he spoke to would make our leanest Fort William cyclists look obese. There is a loose plan that he will get home sharp tonight so that he can join them...................unless he can find some poo-ee excuse not to. He may just feel a little worse about this than I did over the tennis lessons.

Join the Club

Margaret and I had great fun playing tennis this morning. Well matched but she had the edge on me as she's a good badiminton player. The children both wanted to go tonight so we dragged Spook along and joined the club - £100 for the year. We can play anytime there's a court free and Finn checked out that we could even play at midnight. I showed Spook what I could do and he took great pleasure in using a few shinty maneouvres against me, to great effect. One or two more lessons required and then I'll sort the smug Highlander out. Megs hand/eye co-ordination has definitley improved and her baseball swipe lessened. She's a noisy player, like her mother, with lot's of squealing, and really enjoys it.
Checked out flight prices home and will book something by the end of the week. (I'm coming home towards the end of January for two weeks to catch up with family - can't wait). 3 travel agents, all friendly people. I found my self darting sneakily between them to get comparative prices. Two are straight across the road from each other, so I told the first girl that I would need to check prices across the road too. She said (her sons in Meg's class), bring the quote back to me and I'll see if I can match it. And when the really nice girl across the road who happened to be called Megan, offered me a better deal I'm embarrassed to say that I went home and changed my clothes so that she wouldn't recognise me when I took her quote back to the first girl. Ran sweating back down the road and dived into the first shop, left her a copy to ponder and raced back up the road in time to get Finns skateboard to school for his lesson.
 An elaborate display which demonstrates that I just need a job.

Sweeeet!

The children have become very close since coming here.

New Pancake Maker

As a working mum, I'll be expecting even more help around the place.

Queen Clean

Decided to start the week with a better attitude. Did a little light housework and was out on the run to Mt Iron by 9.20am. Didn't feel any better than it did before, but that's running for you - it's the aftermath that feels great - scones and coffee!
However, no time for that as the lovely ladies at the job agency invited me to take on another cleaning job (3rd days work in 6 weeks, I really felt I had to say yes). So shower, pancake, banana, water, picked up the time sheet on the bike and was at the job (just out of town) within 30 mins of call. Immediately hit it off with the woman who has her own cleaning company, and had called the agency in desperation to get help today. She had already decided that if she didn't like what they sent THIS time, she was sending me straight back. Before I'd even started cleaning she'd offered me a job, working with her until mid January. I cautioned that she might want to see the results of my efforts. We identified with each other on a lot of levels - helped that we are the same age and have a similar out look.. Both of us as interested in each other and lot's to say. Decided that it was not the job, but who you work with that makes life good sometimes, and agreed to take it on. After seeing my superb cleaning prowess, she asked me if I'd be willing to supervise a team, eventually.  Accepts that I need to be flexible over the holidays. She has 13 and 15 yr old children so understands. See! I CAN do it.
Topped off with Finn and I's tennis lessons tonight and my ladies are a great group. Margaret and I arranged to have a wee practice game tomorrow. Got to get that serve sorted.
Spook out cycling with Pete, the man who offered him the job in the first place, back in February.
Finn got invite to a football party on Saturday, he and a pal the only 2 boys invited! Interesting.
Everyone happy.

Friday's visit to the recycling Centre (Dump)

The job I can't have.

Michaela and Meg working out.

Ruby Island

Best way to deal with noisy teenagers is to join them. We had a really pleasant night sitting round the table sharing girl talk. I miss Megs friends from home, so this was nice. The men folk came home from their fishing trip well after dark with tales of spooky places and no fish. Apart from a Crocodile Dundee character who waved a couple of large trout in their faces. They tried to go where he had been, but suffered an attack of the sand flies and had to beat a retreat. The fishing is not going well, but they had a great wee adventure. They joined us round the table and Finn got in on a round of Chinese Whispers. The idea for this stemmed from an incident last Thursday when Kate's dad got shot in the leg by a nail gun and by the end of the day he'd been shot in the head by a rifle and was dead. Kate was sitting round the table with us and thought it was funny - now.

Dragged everybody out of bed this morning to go on a trip to clean up Ruby Island. I'd read it in The Messenger and thought it would be a nice family thing to do and wouldn't cost any money. Everyone was up for it and we deposited all the extra girls at their respective homes. It was dull and a bit damp, but not cold. It turned out to be a gardening trip which they do regularly to maintain the island with it's native species and root out all the aliens. Finn and Meg were fine for about half an hour as they had large cutting implements. Finn enjoyed cutting off the heads of everything within his reach, but did not like being directed into jaggy places for specific items. Meg kept telling him off for cutting things in an indiscriminate manner. Spook strimmed the island for 3 hours and I stayed well out of his way, pulling out Lupins and avoiding his eye. It was a long time before we got the promised sausage sizzle as payment. Finn found a sheltered spot out of the wind and Meg pulled her hood over her eyes in that 'don't talk to me' way that teenagers do.
Spook said it was the most community minded thing he's had to do since the Scouts. Finn and Meg have never stayed in Cubs or Brownies long enough to do anything community minded. Half of Fort William have come out and put the No Fuss tent up and down in a voluntary capacity, so I'm sure they'll be glad to know that Spook did his bit on the island. It's a tiny and pretty place, but it has to be said, we probably wont be back as volunteers (children and Spook ARE still talking to me, but only just,) and we don't actually have a boat, so should be able to stay clear.
Spook can choose next weeks family activity.

Tick tock

Sitting listening to the wonderful sound of the clock. Meg has just gone back to the lake with todays choice of friends. One has been taken away by her mother as, after two nights with Meg, she is now a little tired. So a new group arrived this evening for tea. One I now know well, and the other two I've never seen or heard off before today. There would seem to be a never ending supply of 13yr old girls here. This particular group are very noisy.
Finns social life continues to be quite quiet. He loves the social life at school, but doesn't seem to seek further friendship out of school. It was very breezy down the shore today so whilst Megs group turned up, there was no-one there that Finn knew. His group planned the trip in the heat of Friday, and Finn only went today as I went with him (after our little tennis game). Despite it being too cold for Finns friends, he swam and then melted into his bedroom in a sweaty mess, to emerge some time later with a blistered finger. He couldn't work out how it had happened until we'd explored all options and came up with a friction burn from rubbing the screen on his Nintendo DS too hard! He only wants to see Thomas out of school, but a few more friends might save the pads on his fingers.
Spook and he have gone fishing now and...........oh god, I can hear the girls coming back already. They're probably only half way up the street, but I can hear them.
I cycled round the loch to meet the Aspiring runners. Fantastic 20 minute cycle along the lakeside track, past patches of turquoise water and amazing houses. Mary (Forfar) turned up because she'd said she would, despite having a sore head, so that was sweet of her. We ran together (2 x 54yr old men today). She's 40 and arrived a year ago so we shared a lot of those 1st experiences. My feelings were tainted by my rasping lungs and aching legs, but Mary didn't seem to notice. It was just a wee 45 min jog for her. She exchanged numbers with me and seemed very genuine in her wish to meet up again.
(Meg has just confessed to me that she's tired. Putting a very brave face on it, but needing me to step in with a curfew reasonably early - it's going to be fun getting them all up and out so that the Munro family can go and help clean up Ruby Island tomorrow - one of the Aspiring Runners told me it was a good day out and a great way to meet people.)

Hot

Frazer, our good buddy, called Spook on Skype last night. It was nice to see him. I felt quite fond and asked him if he missed me.
'God, no!...I read your blog - I feel like I'm living with you!'.
So maybe I need to get out more and have less of the domestic stuff.  But it's a really ordinary life. Except that it's hot. Finn came home in melt down from school. 29 degrees - and headed straight to join friends at the lake. Meg was in the lake after school yesterday. And Finn is going back at mid-day tomorrow. Problem is, that might be ALL they do. Meg scowled her way through golf and declared she wasn't going back. (none of her friends there). Neither went to football as it was too hot. Instead of wanting a lift because it's cold and wet, they want a lift because it's hot.
I made lovely date scones and no-one ate them because it was too hot and they don't like dates (so I ate them.)
Met a Scottish lady at the golf who's lived here for a year and they plan to commute to their farm in Forfar once a year. Her husband has gone home for 3 months to get the summer work done and then stays here the rest of the year. She goes home for 3 weeks in October.
 Anyway, she's going to the Aspiring Runners tomorrow, so I might give it another shot - unless it's too hot.

An inch and a Half

Wow! Bought a skirt in Queenstown last night as it's warming up here and I have a very limited warm weather wardrobe. Skirts are just for that occasional hot weather period that occurs at home. Here, it's a necessity for comfort. I was twirling around in front of the mirror in the new skirt and could see changes, no matter what way I looked. Pounced on the tape measure in the kitchen drawer to discover that the changes stemmed from an inch and a half extra round my waist! Bleedin' eck! That's all those pancakes, scones and one run up Mt Iron. I've perfected the making of them, but not how to resist them. It's a pity you don't burn calories typing on a keyboard. And I haven't really started on all the coffee and cakes that I was planning. 6 weeks in, I may have to redress the balance a little. A wee bit more running, a tad more cycling, and THEN the coffee and cakes............or maybe a bigger sized skirt.