Easter/ ANZAC Weekend

Hampden War Memorial Hall

Dunedin 

Cenotaph

Unfortunately ANZAC day falls this year on Easter Monday. This means that we are getting only one day off. Over in Aussie the government has declared a 5 fay weekend rather than the 4 day that we get.  There is a lot of bitchin and whining on this side of the Tasman. It would be nice to have another day but financially we need to have the school up to full capacity over the school holidays.  For us school holidays are a time when we can double our turnover so that is good for the business and for the local teachers who can pick up some more coin. Right now we are up in Hampden at my Mum's house. The girls are off riding horses, Mari is upstairs practicing the violin and Nanna is slaving away in the kitchen preparing lunch.  Joanne (my older sister) has been n Hampden for the last week looking after our kids and visiting my mum.  It has worked out really well for us in Dunedin because we have been child-free for a while. The kids are coming back to Dunedin with us tomorrow afternoon after the ANZAC service in the Hampden hall. (it looks like it will be too rainy to have it at the Hampden memorial.  This will be the first ANZAC day that the kids and I have not attended and Dawn Service at the Cenotaph in Dunedin

Angry Next Door Business

We have a pile of short term students in for the holidays. Unfortunately, this means an increase in the amount of noise around the school. Unfortunately the Urgent Doctors who share the floor with us like to have a quiet work environment.  Our noisy school makes them a bit angry. On the other side of the coin we have to put up with noisy patients with screaming babies and lost morons asking if our school is the place to get their broken bones fixed up.  Unfortunately there are times when we are noisy and the basic answer to complaints from the Urgent Doctors is "Fuck Off beeeatch!" I think live and let live is a much overlooked principle.

An International staff.

I just realised that I am one of two  Kiwi teachers on staff. Two were born and raised in Aussie and we have two Yanks. Rather a strange situation for a language school in NZ. Our two front staff are Kiwis though.  We are also a rather fruitful school. Two of the staff are pregnant. One due to pop last Sunday.

The strange case of the upside down phoro

Here is a photo of my Light Infantry which are ready to be flocked and coated with PVA. In all of my picture viewing software everything is the right way around.  In blogger it is upside down.  Stranger and stranger...

The Party is Over!

Sleepovers are never to be attempted lightly. Having to deal with the children of other families can be very trying. Case in point Ella, Victoria's buddy in glucose intolerant, can't have dairy and generally complains about having a sore tummy at bedtime. Add three other nine year olds to the mix - all trying to be doctors and you have the recipe for a disturbing night.

 On the bright side I did manage to paint my soldiers during the weekend and they are looking just lovely.

My new books

My growing collection! I recently added 5 new titles.

We are looking for a high school for Josephine. We are trying for Columba because of its good reputation and its great pass rates. Unfortunately we will have to harvest our children's kidneys to pay for it (if Josie is accepted-since it is tough to get in to Dunedin semi-private schools).

A comparison between Dunedin and Auckland weather in 2010.

Perhaps a reason for the lack of population on this island... 

Auckland

Dunedin

Victoria turns Nine

The upcoming weekend is unfortunately going to be full of 9 year olds eating KFC and running around the house. Victoria is having a sleepover for her party and that means a weekend of noise and sugar rushes. Over the past week I haven't done much in the way of painting because I really wasn't that interested.

My elder brother (who lives in Singpore)  had a stroke in his brain-stem a few days ago but remarkably survived. According to the doctors a stroke in the brain stem is 90% fatal.  He has recovered really well and is suffering from a small speech impairment coupled with a loss of balance.  It seems that the blockage or tear(?) cleared quickly but there is a 4 week waiting period where this could happen again.  I skyped my bro last night and he said he was bored and wanted to get back to work.  Both of my brothers have really stressful (yet well paying) jobs but Peter is the one who really hasn't been that health-focused. Maybe this will be a wake-up call for him.  He might have to think about moving back to NZ for the sake of his health.  It would be good having him back after living for so long in Singapore.