Friends

 CHRIS!!!

 Oh but wait, I lied.  There were 3 pictures of me, and my elbow...

 My darling Taunja... and her look alike SWEET AS CAN BE daughter, Sofia

 And the nicest teenage boys I've ever met - please, someone clone then...  Gideon and Nathaniel

Oh and look how lucky, Chuck even made it into a photo!  Note to self: tell Megane to WARN people before she takes photos, and AIM the camera at them occasionally.

Chloe and Meg

I warned you girls...  :)  Anyone that can live in THIS can live with the shame of it being exposed!

I'm so loved...

So, a couple of months ago Megane and I went to America for a couple of weeks.  I am just now working on printing out the photos from her camera, and guess what - she has THOUSANDS of photos - and 2 of me.  Two, and an elbow.  This is how I know I am so deeply loved...  she takes pictures of me when I am contemplating death by heat exhaustion...  THERE ARE MORE PICTURES OF HER NEW CONVERSE SHOES THAN OF ME!  And they are POSED!  I guess it just goes to prove my theroy - when you are weak they sense it and go for the jugular.

Geotech drilling - they are doing it NOW

So, some pegs appeared on the neighbours front lawn a few days ago, and today they turned up, spent an hour making loud noises and then packed up.  I went and had a chat with them (not that they wanted to tell me anything at all), and it turns out that they could "only drill down 12 metres because it is too soft."  Too soft for what?  How far did they want to drill?  What does this mean?  They told me they need to go 20 metres, but they have other places they can drill in the area.  THAT tells me nothing.  Bugger.                                                                                                                                             

They turned up with this big silver truck, unloaded the machinery, drilled, packed up and left.  Here's the photographic evidence.  I dare say this is the last we will hear of it for MONTHS.

9/11 2012

As usual Dad was the MC at the 9/11 Commemoration down at the Fire Fighter Reserve.  If you have been to Christchurch then I will probably have dragged you by the memorial statue made from Twin Towers steel and told you all about how it came to be here.  it is in front of Central Fire Station on Kilmore Street (however, watch this space, in The Rebuild the fire station is going to be over by the brewery on Moorehouse Ave I think).  In any case, we attend every year.  Out of respect for fire fighters all over the world, and also for those whose lives have been lost in the line of duty.  This year I had to get the kids out of school, as you can see.  They had announced hail and rain for late in the morning so we were all prepared to be wet and miserable by the end of it, but the weather held out thankfully.  

And we all thought of Patricia Thornton and all she had contributed over the years...

 The two Murray's before school.

 Dad speaking...

Nana Chris was there!  We love Nana Chris and hardly ever see her.  Jack and Tom we were thinking of you and wanted you to have this picture xxx

Meet Lachie...

Meet Lachie, Lucy's dog pencil case, come best friend.  They go everywhere together, and she makes him talk and move like a puppet.  Who knew she had this kind of talent?  Anyway, one day Lachie hid from Lucy when it was time to go to school and then 10 minutes later reappeared begging to come to school with me!!  As you will see, he had a great day at school.  I wish you could see the pictures of him playing with my students...  Lucy loved seeing what he got up to that day :)

 Yes, I take a suitcase to work.  I have THAT MUCH stuff to lug around!!! 

 Lachie trying to climb up to get the stamps on my desk...

 Lachie teaching French on VC...  This is him barking into the microphone.  His French is pretty good considering...

And typing!  That dog wanted in on all the action so I let him plan a lesson or two...