Designer Dahling.

Miss Moneypenny got her specs today.She had some difficulty remembering the designer label when telling her friends about them. 'God Dior........no Religion Dior.........eh Hindu Dior......oh that's it, Christian Dior!' She has gone to bed early because

1. she can see better to read her book
2. her brother has gone to Twizel and she has bagged his double bed and needs to get as much time in there as possible as he's only away one night and he told her that she was not to sleep there.

In honour of his trip to the High Country, she bought us all a takeaway pizza. He get's one whenever he goes to Sam's house, so she figured it was ok to save money by making the gesture while he was gone. It really was a treat. Finn was lucky to get away on the trip as he, John and Sam got big trouble from the teacher for flicking each other with t-towels during break time. He said that she was unreasonably upset about it. This probably backs up the story that he told me 2 days ago about how his class was the best. He said that the boys and girls all hung out together, unlike in other class's and that it was quite like a family. So I suppose he's to take the good with the bad - just like in families. I can suffer from unreasonable upsetness too.

I did some work this morning and then Spook did a driveby to pick me up and we got a few runs in on the snowboards. I took a different hat, as they wouldn't let me on the tow on a snowboard with the cute blue one. It was very windy again, but curiously warm out of the wind. Sometimes we were hurled along by it until we could get off the brow of the hill. With Spooks advice, I managed to improve a little and it was even fun - probably what snowboarding is meant to be about, instead of the tortuous and exhausting business I make of it.

The word of the week has to be 'stoked' as I had to use it to explain myself today. We gave a lift to an 18yr old redheaded boy. He has just moved to live in Wanaka after years of having to travel there from the North Island. I said that he must be really chuffed about that. He had no idea what I meant until I changed it to 'really stoked'.

I told him about Finn hating 'Hug a Ginger Day'. This boy said that he used to hate it too, but now he loves being different and says that he get's free burgers and sweets and all sorts of things on Hug a Ginger day. We also gave a lift to a 57yr old Slovakian, who started snowboarding when he was 47. He regards it as a bit of a science and says he will give me some hints if I meet him up there. He has 'ridden' 30 days of the season so far, and is here until the end of the season. Spook has given lifts to the same people on more than one occassion. And as soon as he says where he is from, it is quickly established that they have also had a lift from his wife. The small town syndrome that we like.

grateful for:

a really good week for time with Spook.

not having to cook the tea - thanks Meggie!

The photos are from Spooks regular run from his work and the sunrise over the mountains at Hawea. The Poo Factory Plain, never fails to impress.