It's been a busy second week.

OMG, it is a week since I last wrote a post and where did it go????? Yes to those who were wondering, the old connection thing had not been the best last week. I am needing to check with somebody re how my computer is linking into wireless because I think I have dropped my main provider and seem to be picking up on others frequencies ..... or it could be me at my technilogical best, lol.

I have also had trouble talking to people on skype, it has been like talking to people through a tin can with lots of echo but hoorah, tonight I managed a perfectly good interchange with a friend in Waiuku (wave to Viv, lol).

Last week seemed to pass in a blur - it was the second week of school and we have had quite a bit of movement in numbers attending, with some of the students getting used to the new processes and protocols or not, which has led to some of them taking time out to think about how they might want to continue here (or not). At the moment we have only 5 girls at school and on Wednesday the WM leaves with 3 of them on an Outward Bound course for 10 days. I feel I've only really hit my stride this week getting some sense of order about the place. I have springcleaned the filing cabinet and our two first aid boxes today, updating everything in them, re-stocking and getting rid of meds past their use by date.

I was meant to have had last weekend off but ended up working Sunday as the WM, the WMH and several others studied, and passed their bronze medallion life saving badges over the last three days. The WM insisted I have Saturday off for my birthday which ended up being a very quiet day but lovely. The day started with a call from a friend in England at 8am and mid morning, I went to Geraldton with the Italians who took me out to lunch which was very nice indeed. Before we went to lunch we went to a place similar to a Bond and Bond at home, to look at some electrical goods and OMG found these massage thingies you can put over a chair while you are being rolled and thumped by the pad you sit on and against. I hopped on first and it was bliss, good firm massaging up and down my spine. Like Goldilocks I though I would try the next one which vibrated and thrummed up and down, and finally tried one that felt very like some sweedish brunhilde was working on my body. By now, himself was seated in the first chair, and I swear it was a toss between purring and dribbling to watch as the chair did its work. Not to be outdone, herself hopped on one and as we swapped, oooood and ahhhhhhd with the rollers finding all the right spots, we all decided WE WANT ONE!!!! Unfortunately by now we were running short of time so decided we would need to try them all again before we made the decision on which one was going to be the best. For anyone wanting a fun morning out shopping, I urge you to hunt around and try one yourself. I have been meaning to go on line to search out in NZ where you can buy them to compare prices etc.

For lunch we went to the Camel Bar where we had been for pizza the week before and had another terrific meal. As it was Himself's birthday today we were having a double celebration. Herself ordered oysters Kilpatrick for us as a starter - baked, thank heavens! I have only eaten cooked oysters before, usually deep fried in batter, in oyster vol au vents or smoked oysters out of a tin. I was a little apprehensive but these were beautiful - oysters in a shell with mozzarella cheese, finely sliced spinach, diced bacon and capscicums I think, grilled with parmesan cheese on top - yum. I had squid rings next, (calamari for the discerning), and was expecting 1/2 doz crumbed types such I would expect at home. Instead I received a huge plate of over a dozen rings, lightly, crisply battered, with a greek salad and tartare sauce - double yum. A bit more shopping and then it was back here and later on dinner up at the WM's. We were all knackered after our respective days efforts so did not have a late night and went home after watching a spectacular lightening show all around the horizon and a brief torrential downpour. Got home to read my emails, check facebook, answer ph messages, and managed to talk to Mum and Kay on skype which was great.

Was in Gton yesterday again because of basketball and have worked today as well. Yesterday began with a call from No 2 son and wife who had been at a wedding the day before and it was great to hear from them. I do love that my birthday has continued today as well. Tonight a good amount of the staff gathered for an impromptu pot luck dinner after the students had been fed for the Feb birthdays and what a great night it was. We had Happy birthday sung twice, two different cakes so am feeling a trifle spoiled right now.

Earlier today, I became the possesor of a new(old) fridge. The icebox in my current fridge has thrown a fit and took two days to freeze some food, then completely iced up and then looks as though things may have thawed again - not sure what, anyway, I have inherited a fridge that you could use as a high rise building, from one of the houses not being used anymore. This fridge is HUGE so will be able to store things much better if I only get to do a grocery shop every so often. The last fridge was not keeping vegies very well so hope this one does the trick though I am buying mainly fruit at the moment. I am totally enjoying fruit like I haven't done since I was a child. White fleshed nectarines, honey dew melons,mangos water melons, peaches and grapes are all very reasonable so am feasting indeed. Watermelons were down to $1.45k on Saturday, nectarines and peaches $3.95k and grapes $4.95k from memory. It's too hot to eat a lot, so apart from fruit and water am down to one main meal a day which means some of the kilos gained back in NZ are melting away, heh, heh.

Not sure whether I have mentioned it before, but the landscape is so different this year to the same time last year. It has been fascinating driving past the grain bins at Mullewa when the train has been in and watching the grain pouring into the carriages. I counted 60+ carriages on one train the other day. One grain bin is nearly emptied with another three to go that I can see. Have not seen much wild life - there have been two ex kangaroos on the side of the road, only joeys by the size of them, and I saw my first blue tongued lizard walking across the road on Sunday morning. The birds are still plentiful and the WMH has the imprint of the dust out of a pigeon's wings and body, left on the windscreen - such was the impact when it flew into it. The girls gave me grief on Sunday as I was driving along, then hit the brakes at the same time going no,no,no,no,no as a flock of green budgies flew at us while I was driving the van. I did mention, they were perfectly safe as there wasn't a car in sight 10k before or after us on the road.

We have had 6ml of rain in the past week which has been enough to help settle the dust. One of the Brs said tonight he was pleased to get the rain as the lightening storm was happening as it could have started a fire otherwise with lightening strike on very dry wheat paddocks and scrub. Having been so busy last week I have not seen much more re the fire's in Victoria. Millions of dollars have been raised since and I know several sport's fixtures donated their takings to the cause, plus took collections at the grounds. It was interesting to go into a dress shop in Gton on Sat to see they were having a sale - 20% off most items and they were donating that 20% to the victims.

Am needing to sign off and get some sleep - have an early morning to make sure the girls are packed for camp tomorrow morning so they can be checked off and any last minute things can be sorted.

Mum, Kay, Viv, J&J, Hein and Laura, thanks for your comments - always great to hear from you.