Time keeping at Swimming Sports!

Wonders will never cease - I have just attended my first complete swimming sports (9am -1pm, so not too bad) and I was a time keeper. First of all there was a revolution with some of the boys going walk about because it was too cold to swim (30o, but there was a cool breeze, and it was overcaste LOL). However, with some coercian, most got involved and in the end one of the boys swam every race except the first one that he had missed. Every time someone swam, they got a point for their house and it was great to see the whole school get in behind some of the ones who by grace and by God, managed to get to the end of their races. One boy in the underwater race (you swim underwater as far as you can go), swam across four lanes and still managed to come second.

The best part of the day was Br using two bits of ply wood as the starting 'gun'. Apparently, you are not allowed to use starting pistols here anymore at school sports - something to do with anti-terrorism - PC stuff gone mad!!!!!
I loved the No 8 wire attitude of improvisation and the wood worked, LOL.

My time keeping went all right, it meant I had to pay attention to what was happening in the pool all the time and it was interesting who lined up in my lane. Some were students I get along with all right and some were ones I have had the biggest run-ins with - go figure. The other funny thing is the ones who duck swimming - we have had one girl who started her campaign a week ago, first of all waking me up in the middle of the night saying she had been sick, the next day saying she had a sore throat etc etc and today she had a temp!!! (she said)- so much the same as any school sports day indeed.

Didn't finish duty last night until 10.30pm and by the time I had a bit of a handover it was 11pm when I walked home. After my last attempt in the pitch black, I took a torch and am not sure if that was more successful - I found myself walking in a semi circle onto the oval and then as I straightened up between the trees on each side of the road, I was sure I could hear scritching in the branches. I half heartedly shone the torch into the leaves (gum trees) but wasn't to sure if I wanted to really see what might be in there. Couldn't see anything and carried on until I noticed a cricket wicket in front of me and thought that was a strange thing to have in the middle of the road, only to find I had completely walked past my place and was almost on the next door neighbour lawn. I may take the stronger of the two torches next time LOL. For those playing at home - we had 5mls rain in that downpour the other night.

Got home and decided I was tired enough to go straight to bed so after a shower to wash off all the insect repellent I had slathered over myself to walk home, I leapt into bed and had the best sleep in ages. I had the air con and the ceiling fan at warp speed so it was cool enough to sleep with my duvet on and it was perfect. (I know it sounds weird but that's what the kids do - have the temp as low as possible and have several layers of clothing on plus duvets to sleep!!) Left it to the last minute to get up this morning to fully enjoy the whole experience.

Am just waiting for assembly now to hear which house won the day and then will wander back home to think about cooking something for dinner that will use up all of my veg etc before coming home. (six more sleeps). Might be going into Geraldton tomorrow for a quick trip with the workmate but its not definate yet.

Spoke to the boss yesterday - I may have the ute by the time I get back from holiday which is just about right in WA time LOL. He also asked me if I would go to Melbourne for a boarding school conference (Hmmmm, let me think) and then I nearly fell off my chair when he asked if if I had ever thought of going to Africa !!!! It would seem that there is a Christian Bros set up over there and a chance to go and be part of it for a period of time!! My first thoughts were - insects, injections, disease, iccky things, and civil war in most places - but what the heck - will do a bit more exploringing exactly where, what and how and go from there. Can my life get any more different LOL?).

Yesterday in phase two of my unpacking, I set up the DVD and video and watched a DVD on the underground city which is beneath Istanbul - fascinating - and part of 'House' that Mum had done for me. Will continue with the rest when I go home.

It's Palm Sunday Mass tomorrow night ( I hope you are all suitably impressed by how up on the Church calander I am these days). It would seem that the Catholic Church still follows it, and at school here they still do the colours of the church seasons in their vestments etc, what is more, the students get told each week what week it is and what the colours represent). It is very reminescent of the Anglican services I attended as a child in Waiuku and then at Auckland Dio as a student.

Time for assembly so had better go and find out the placings for the houses.
Cheers Lynn