A lot can happen in 24 hours.

Was about to settle down at the computer the day before yesterday with the pretence of starting some work when the WM and WMH came home from town and said we were off to look at tents as Rangers was having a half price sale. Woohoo, several magic words all in the same sentence, - Rangers - (camping mecca, lol), and half price sale!!!!! We did a quick perusal of some tents and gazebo type things downstairs and then went upstairs to where some serious tents were displayed. It was a bit like Goldilocks and the three bears,- this one is too big, this one is too small, this one is better quality, this one has more features such as a porch, lol, this one is too low, until finally, THIS one is just right. We had the best sales person I think I have ever come across so am giving a big plug for Jools who could do stand up comedy if she ever gives up her day job. When she was describing the highlights of various tents she talked about the "row factor", as in how long it took or how many rows a couple or family could have in putting the tent up that they purchased, lol. In fact she was such a good sales person we came away with two tents. The main one purchased will sleep 6 extremely close family members or good friends, has an enclosed porch or small room at the front, is tall enough to stand in and will cope with 3,000 mil of rain before being adversely affected.(up there with Noahs Ark in these here parts, laughing lots, as the ave rain fall here would be lucky to hit 1,000 mils in a couple of years). I pointed out that whilst they could all fit in said tent, that the girls are getting older and probably wanting more space or handy to have extra space when a bit of separation is a good thing, when our eyes lit on another tent which though smaller, also had a porch area to put bags etc or to be able to access tent without shoes or wet clothes. It transpired that both the tents Bronwyn and Gerard wanted were the last two of their kind in the shop - naturally - and the place was starting to get busy. As Jools had given us a fair bit of her time we asked if it would help if we took the tents down for her while she attended to a couple of other poeple wanting service and she said go for it. She then she knocked another $50 off the half price for the big tent because of the dust etc from being a shop display item and because we helped her out. When she found out we were ex Tardun folk, nothing was too much trouble :):). So, by the time we left, we had two tents worth $1000 all up for $450. You just don't get much better than that! As soon as the kids got home from school the big tent was put up on the back lawn, and I use the word lawn advisedly, as there was only enough room to put up the tent without the fly. One of the best features about the big tent is that the poles are colour co-ordinated with the edging aroung which sleeve they have to go into. Truely an advantage when you are camping with the slightly bewildered, lol. It was so easy to put up the row factor was zero so a very good tent.

Watched David Letterman later in the night interviewing Kirsty Alley who is yet on another diet but had a very funny segment from her new show as she is tring out the Wii fit DVD to exercise and could totally relate to the scene, laughing lots. She yells at the computer generated voice as it very perkily tells her what to do next or that she has failed to reach the desired outcome of the exercise she is trying to do. Hmmmm.

So, .... woke up yesterday morning and all was good with the world and not a hint of how the day would progress. Childer all got off to school and B & G took off out to Tardun as the truck was out there to load all the rest of the stuff from school for the new learning centre in town. I had decided to stay here and had planned on a day of paper work and chores. Oh the plans of mice and men .......... I was multi-tasking, trying to attract the attention of a friend on facebook, eating some rock melon for breakfast and shuffling papers ready to start work when I felt one of my bottom teeth move distinctly forwards, then flicking it with my tongue - as you do, move distinctly backwards, then a with more checking out, forwards and backwards again, another bite of melon and hey presto tooth fell completely out in mouth, luckily able to be flicked into my hand before swallowing the rest of the melon with tooth lol. There was no blood, no pain, just this tooth lying in my hand ........ was thinking if I was an eskimo and no longer able to eat whale blubber with lost teeth, would be put out on ice for polar bears to polish off - ( I know, strange thoughts run through my head when trying to tackle new situations and in minor shock, laughing lots). As there was no response from facebook friend (in all of 30 seconds) I thought - probably in post shock mode, that I would put some washing on. I had the Wii fit thingie all set to go to have a quick work on that as well so was dressed appropriately - longish shorts and sleeveless tshirt, bare feet (not fit for the naked eye outside the confines of the house and surrounds, laughing lots) so closed the back door to keep the flies out, threw washing in machine and hung out the previous load, watered the plants and went to go back inside when hello, the door would not open. I jiggled it (sliding door) and tried to see if it would lift off tracks and with a horrible sinking sensation realised I was completely locked out of the house. What to do, what to do. The front door had been unlocked but since coming to town the WM has mentioned numerous times that the front door must be locked at all times, and after a friend popped round earlier to drop off a bag (with the door then unlocked,) I had hastened to close it properly after she left. Every window is double glazing and has shark type screens across them plus insect screens - all firmly screwed to the walls with the minutest of phillips screws that were mostly rusted at that. Now, I would have been fine and just settled back until the troops returned, except my mission for the day other than completing my own work, was to pick up one of the girls from where she was doing a community project at 3pm - no keys, so no driving anywhere. No phone, no numbers, no nothing. Funnily enough had only been discussing a similar situation two weeks ago with a friend of B & G's who was visiting when she told of shutting herself outside of the house in a towel only just before hopping into the shower - so saints be praised, I was a layer of clothing away from that, laughing more. With trepidation, I decided the only thing for it was to try and raise the troops out at Tardun so walked next door to ask if I could possibly use their phone. Good oh ....the woman who answered the door looked like your stereotypical greek/italian grandmother and barely spoke any English. I explained I had locked myself out and had no way of contacting my friends and somehow by God and goodluck, she decided I did not look like your average home invader, and she let me use the phone. I managed to raise Janette in the office at Tardun as she had gone in for the day to do some work also, and she got Gerard who naturally laughed at my predicament, suggested I try the windows (read back earlier) and that all he could do was to send Bronwyn back in with keys (an hour and a half away). I profusely thanked the next door neighbour and went back to await rescue. What to do, what to do. My load of washing had finished so hung that one out, got the dry stuff off the line and FOLDED it into the basket. Then put packaging from basketball hoop bought the night before into the garage with other cardboard rubbish, put toys etc away and swept back yard. Put the next load of washing on, cleaned the laundry, hung that load out and then it was all done. Hmmmmm thought there must be a book somewhere to read, so back into the garage and hey presto, there was a pile of educational theory books in a box. Oh well, when needs must, lol. Bypassed the psychology of education tome and picked on an Australian sociology of education book (having read something similar when doing uni papers and social work diploma at home). It was a bit of a walk down memory lane and I was surprised how many familar names from education and sociology theory days were mentioned in the book. Was a quarter of the way through the book (was seated on outside chair and feet up on another) and felt a bit peckish as it was about 2pm and only had eaten melon (and now remembering tooth all over again) for breakfast. LUCKILY there is an outside fridge and upon investigation, apart from beer (did not touch) there was one last mandarin, and in the freezer a few icy poles (frozen cordial sticks in plastic) left. Picked an orange icy pole and apart from the horrendous sweetness and violent food colouring in the shade of neon orange, it quenched my thirst. I was extremely greatful that the temps were a nice mild 30 something instead of the 40+ of the week before otherwise may have expired lol. Water in, water out. Was thinking OMG, may have to water out, in wide open spaces when I realised (earlier thought before imbibing I might add) again, saints be praised, there was an outside convenience in the laundry so woohoo, all bases covered. The friend who called round earlier that morning shot round the back of the house with a coke for me (diet) just before 3pm, with food parcel of fruit and biscuits then had to dash to pick up daughter of the household from community project and her own son from school. Another 3/4 hour went by, more washing folded, lol when whoosh, the sliding door opened and eldest daughter of the house was there with her own key having walked home with the others from school. Saved!!!!!!! B& G arrived back about 4.30pm to sparkling backyard, slightly gummy and stressed house guest and all doors open once again.


To top the day off, was the news of yet another Hollywood Great from yesteryear passing away. Fess Parker who was both Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone way back when - I loved those programs as a child and we spent hours and hours recreating cowboys and indian adventures before it became un PC to do so. I was sooooooo envious when brother Dean got a Winchester repeating rifle that shot caps (do they still make things like that) for Christmas. Dad got so much nagging, he made a rifle out of a plank of wood that shot rubber bands which was a good attempt to make things even but really did not hold a candle to a gun you could move the trigger to repeat shoot with the smell of gunpowder coming off the caps woohoo. RIP Fess Parker.



Now if you are old enough you can probably still remember these lyrics but just for fun found the verse of each song:



Davy Crockett:

Born on a mountain top in Tenessee,

Greenest state in the land of the free,

Raised in the woods so's he knew every tree,

Killed him a b'ar when he was only three.

Davy, Davy Crockett, King of the wild frontier.



Daniel Boone:

Daniel Boone was a man

Yes a big man

With an eye like an eagle

And tall as a mountain was he.

Who didnt want a coonskin hat like DB and DC back then before fur became un PC too, lol. So have no idea how the weekend will unfold but will not forget (or be allowed to forget lol) today in a hurry. Have a good weekend.

Fries, fries and fries

Another posting - surprise, surprise or should I say would you like fries with that, as per Kay's comment on my last posting. I have now completed three nights training in my new job and have a whole new respect for those working in the fast food industry. After a training video the first night, second night was straight into, you guessed it, making fries, lol. Now when I last worked in the dairy in Waiuku, I could do hamburgers (the best in town I might add) but was considered too young (14 yrs) to use the deep fryer - oh where did those years go, laughing lots.

So, there is not a lot of space wasted out back, barely room for two extremely friendly people to pass each other in the aisle it is that tight a squeeze, which is interesting working with oil at a heat that would melt the flesh off your bones if you fell in the fryer. Got shown how to put fries (I called them chips at one stage, but no, they are fries, lol) into the different sized bags/cartons and they have a very interesting shaped shovel type thing to do so. Then it came to actually cooking them, which is all automatic but does involve pressing buttons, lifting and shaking baskets half way through cooking, then lifting to drain, then putting them in the tray to put into their respective packaging. The chip dispenser resembles a fridge (which it is) and is also automated so when you put a basket underneath it, the required amount of fries fall into the basket. Now you would think this is all pretty basic, but omg then the speed factor gets built in and it is all go when busy. I had perseperation dripping off my face (avoided the fries, lol) and the shift just flew by. Mon, Tues and Wed nights are considered slow nights but it was St Patricks day yesterday and there was some more than busy bouts on Tues so never got further than doing fries that night.

I need to go back a bit. I am wearing a uniform which is not a problem but omg there are very prescribed ways of wearing it. Hair has to be off the face, - not a problem - except mine is neither short nor long at the moment so had to wear my cap with enough clips to keep the average steel mill in work for the next wee while, in fact, had to clip cap to head. You are not meant to wear your cap out in public but had to the first night so my hair could stay in place. Luckily by last night, I found out they supplied hair nets so reminescent of days gone by, seeing my grandmother put her hair in one of these spider web type contraptions, I shoved all my hair into one and hey presto, comfortable and not a hair in sight. I have never been a cap wearing person as they do nothing for me, so challenge number one. The next challenge was wearing a belt, (laughing lots here). OMG, I have not worn a belt since the early 80's when wearing two at once was fashionable or wearing one that draped itself several times round, (when my waist was the size of my thigh now, laughing tears ). In retrospect I must have been positively annorexic, laughing lots again. Not only do I have to wear a belt, but the shirt must be TUCKED IN!!! Cruel and unnatural punishment indeed. I am not sure if I can remember that far back when I have worn something tucked in - I am having a flash back to my very first day at school (5yrs), checked shirt and shorts ?????. Hmmmmm. FORTUNATELY, the shirt is of decent proportions so one can tuck it in (a mere 1/2" lol) and leave it drape somewhat over the waistband of one's black pants. The uniform is black pants, black and grey aircell type shirt, black hat, black shoes and black sox. Let me tell you, they check to see you are wearing the right coloured sox and that you are wearing your belt and no inappropriate makeup of jewellery allowed. Lucky wearing black is not a problem for me. Last night got "great appearance" written on check list so woohoo. You get a warning if not appropriately turned out. You are not allowed to wear uniform uncovered in public either and have to have a jacket on or another shirt over your work shirt before you step out the back, - this is to signify you are not on the job yet so people are not expecting service from you. (hope you are impressed by my work knowledge already).

Last night went straight into doing fries but got pulled off doing them to learn drinks, deserts and sundaes. Who knew there were so many sizes, so many drinks/deserts/and variations on how to have them. Ice goes to so far (marked)on the cups, right sized lids for right sized containers (logical I know but not all beside each other just for fun). One squirt of topping for one size, two for the next, UNLESS, someone asks for something different. Cones are fun, so many twirls and a half - my first one looked like a drunken sailor , second one resembled something that could go over the counter. OMG, and just when things had gone in one ear and straight out the other in a whirlwind blur, hello, there was the till. This is where I gained a whole new respect for the crew that operate them too. They resemble somthing like the flight deck of the average 747, with every permutation of order you could imagine and then some. I will absolutely love any customer who wants an ordinary burger, ordinary meal combination, ordinary anything, with no extras, or no deletions from how anything is made eg blah blah without cheese, etc. They will get the 4,000 watt smile while the rest will get the 1000 watt gritted teeth behind smile, lol. Thank heavens the average public (up till Monday that meant me) has no idea of what they can ask for, heh heh. Also, I will never dither about what I want to order again, or change my mind half way through, laughing lots. You have no idea the fancy finger work on the till that takes, as you jump from screen to screen. I had to serve some actual customers, luckily with the trainer asking most of the questions, as we got caught with it being so busy. I fumbled through hitting most of the right buttons, luckily no problem with the actual money side of things, thanks to former lives in retail and working in the Post Office when you could actually bank there. Just as I was going to have to tackle more out front there was a call from the fries area and I was needed back there - thank you, thank you - which was great, except or some reason I was not at one with the fryer, possibly due to the speed we were working at. In fact instead of pressing the button after lifting the fries to drain, I in fact turned the fryer off. Strike one, but luckily it was only for about a minute till I realised when the next lot of buttons would not work. Somehow, the buttons were not working properly when I pressed them numerous times when putting the fries on, so it was by guess and by god that several batches were cooked. Anyhoo, despite that, had several well dones said to me by store manager (even though it was Gerard, but he takes no prisoners over standards at work, lol) and was told later that another manager had commented on my positive work ethic so all is good. Next week will be mainly front counter work so back to till, drinks, sundaes etc. Drive in is a whole other world and is the busiest place in the store, so will have to wait and see when I get to that stage how it all goes. Am lucky that fries sounds the same in NZ and Ozzie language, lol as if it was "will you have chips with that" I would be given to much grief and would have to learn how to speak like an aussie to be understood.

The biggest challenge of all is that until coming to Oz, I had never frequented this franchaise except to get the odd meal for the grandson in Wellington. I was a Chinese takeaways or a KFC kinda girl and have cannot remember the last time I had a takeaway burger. So, in the main, I had no idea what they were talking about last night with the names of burgers etc and then I had no idea what they looked like and which was which as it was cooked and packaged out the back. Have decided to bring a menu home to familarise myself with the goods. I suggest to any of you out there, do pick up a menu next time you visit said stores so you too can learn what you want and speak succinctly and at speed when you next place your order, :):):).

Am about to arise and greet the brand new day now it is time for morning tea instead of breakfast lol, and need to get stuck into the books today as essay dates are coming closer.

I've got news !

At long last I have rejoined the ranks of the employed. Before you get too excited, it is only casual but a start, and at one of the worlds most recognised takeaway franchaises - think W turned the other way around, lol ( policy means I shall not mention the name out loud). I am in training this week, Mon, Tues and Wed, same next week then full shift that Sat and Sun - woohoo. I now join Bronwyn, Gerard, Brianna and now Emily who is training with me who will be working there. B & G used to be managers of said operation back in NSW and each are doing a couple of shifts a week while the Flexi-learning Centre set up is happening. It is all a bit crazy with comings and goings, with school, and sport in the mix as well but all good. Last night we got to watch a training video and answer questions - I got the whole lot right :):):) and we got our uniform - I am wearing that tonight and no cameras allowed lol. Tonight we get taught how to do fries woohoo. Tomorrow I think it is learning the till.

This is about the 8th attempt to write an update so am going to hop around a bit as I do a catch up. I received yesterday a thank you but no thank you from the local Tafe re a position I applied for back in early January. I emailed the Qld job re college counsellor position but have received no reply so am thinking that is a goneburger as well. However, moving in mysterious ways, I answered an ad in the local paper last week for work with the child protection dept in town for a residential care position. I attended an information session on Thursday as they are doing a group intake of staff and got the job application forms which need to be lodged by next Monday. Part of the process is another Police check that the dept does, even though I already have one, the dept does their own, allegedly more thorough one, lol, not quite hair follicles and blood samples for DNA testing but not far behind. The job is working with children who are yet to be placed in foster care because of behavioural difficulties and or being too traumatised to cope in a family situation with ages from babies to right through to teens. Not for the faint hearted listening to what we may expect, but not a great deal of difference to the last lot I looked after so will wait and see how that unfolds. The woman who took the session gave an example of language and behaviour as in - if you cannot cope with being called black/white, fat/old/ugly/and being sworn at, the job is not for you. Also discipline and expectations are a lot different to working with your usual variety of kids - she said that they have one boy who has taken a year to get to a place where he might be ready to look at being fostered before the end of the year. An example of the above is she said is that a child may say " I want a glass of f****ing water" to which the reply would be, that's fine but maybe next time you might remember a please at the end of the question!!! Had to laugh at that one. This is not a live in postion and shift work so will see how it all goes.

In between applying for jobs I have been doing the readings for my study and need to crack on and start writing my first essay. I am thinking I may just get all my stuff from storage and put it either here or at Phil's as both have extra storage space, as all my resources are in my belongings. It would seem that for this year, I will remain in Geraldton one way or another.

On the socialising front, we had Hayden's 10th birthday last week which entailed 20 people for dinner and a 5k leg of pork that did not die in vain :):):). It was a lovely dinner and Hayden was very pleased with all his gifts. We had gone out the day before (without Hayden) to the pet shop to get an aquarium and two fish from the local pet shop. What an education that was. Outside there were numerous birds and pets awaiting sale. I was amazed to see that over here you have to have a license to own some types of birds as I drifted around the cages looking at what was for sale. Zebra finches are ok but there was another sort of finch that required a license as do many of the parrot type species. I am told the licenses are not cheap and have to be renewed on a regular basis. Could you be bothered unless you were a breeder, I asked myself. There were a few cute puppies and kittens and then there were ferrets - $30 each and did they stink. As it was 40+ temperatures that day, most looked as though they were dead as they lay on their backs, sleeping. Did not feel any urge to possess one of them. Next went inside to where the fish were for sale and OMG, there were flippin snakes in there for sale as well. Once again you need a license and wait for it - it costs between $900 and $1000+ to buy a python of whichever variety you chose!!!!!!! There was also a frill-necked lizard - sleeping so the frill was not up - also $1000 in round figures and a license required. The pythons were all longer than a metre and about as thick as two largish fingers, so thinking they were no way near full size. It was interesting to just look and watch them move about their cages, watching tongues flicking out testing the air, and seeing how they coiled and uncoiled around wooden branches, pipes etc in their cages. It looked as though one had eaten a mouse recently as you could see the bulge in its body. It was all a very Harry Potter at the zoo moment, lol. You were not allowed to tap the glass as you would be ejected from the pet shop and or fined but it was interesting as I moved backwards and forwards in front of one snake, that it moved in a similar movement - can I add snake whisperer to my CV - laughing lots. Anyway, after much deliberation, aquarium and two fish were bought, smuggled into the house and the other kids set it up in preparation for the birthday the following day. The instructions did say, let water settle for 4 - 5 days before adding fish ...... it was more like 10 mins and lo and behold, before the birthday day was out, one of the fish was swimming on its side in the aquarium, and was close to the bottom of it by the day after that. Fish number one, disposed of down the loo. The second fish made a valient attempt to survive by being perky one extra day before also starting to swim on its side so withing two days that too went the way of the first one. Bronwyn has since steralised all bits of the aquarium, filled it with water and we await the arrival of two new occupants.

One of the hits of the birthday was a gift that Phil and I bought for Hayden which was a dinosaur egg ..... you put it in a bucket of water and over the next three days it hatched as it grew in the "egg" and beyond. Hayden had the bucket on the kitchen servery and everyone got involved in checking how much it grew each time they looked. I took a series of photos over that time so not quite time lapse photography but you get an idea. I am not sure what the 'dinosaur' is made of but once out of water, it has shrunk considerably and will grow once again when immersed in water. I had missed Chris's bday in Jan and found a CSI finger print kit for him which has proved hours of fun too. Last weekend there was CSI scene tape around the table outside that has our surviving vege plants on, and the kids were out with proper finger print dusting powder and an unltra violet light that showed the finger prints up as part of their investigation. There is finger print ink as well and we have yet to be all documented, lol.

Have had folk back in NZ tell me how hot it is as temps have soared to 28o. Two weeks ago, we had temps up to 46o which was so hot that my bare feet burned on the concrete as I tried to hang out the washing. Co-inciding with this was an electrical storm out Mullewa/Tardun way with another 20hr power cut with numerous bush fires started in several places from lightening strikes, with a fire at Eneabba down from Dongara that closed the Brand Highway as firemen fought to get it under control. We shot up to the Sydney memorial lookout to see the sunset that was shocking pink due to all the smoke in the atmosphere and quite spectacular over the harbour. In a rush of blood to the head earlier that week, we had got compost/soil from the dump to fill up a garden to plant vegetables in, as well as some plants. Unfortunately it took a couple of days to sort everything out and by then, during the hottest day, I noticed that the plants were verging on being dehydrated to dry offerings. I managed to water and rescue most of them though because of the continued high temperatures I have planted them in containers which we can keep in the shade and move about until the temps drop somewhat later in the month (when you would normally plant anyway, laughing ). It has not rained here since I have been back though it did drop one or two spits on Saturday on the way to the Mingenew races.

So, on Saturday Jude's daughter in law had a horse running in the Mingenew races - think a town the size of Patumahoe shop wise though they have a huge Elders store there. It was the 120th annual race meeting and the first time I remember going to the races ever though I have been to a point to point at Karaka and a steeplechase type event at Paeroa over 30yrs ago (very hazy memories of both now, lol). Honestly, the sights you see when you haven't got a gun, lol. The crowd went from haute couture in their dresses and suits, to teeshirt, stubbies and jandles (thongs to the aussi contingent - omg I am becoming bi-lingual, laughing lots) and everything inbetween. I love the whole stilletto shoe thing on grass - always good for a laugh seeing folk teeter totter as they navigate, their heels sinking as they try to walk. Big was also in - in fact I almost felt svelt - laughing lots. I went down for the afternoon with Phil and he and Jude had several bets with a bookie on site, then a few at the TAB also on site. I threw a couple of dollars into the mix for the last races and two horses I picked placed but Phil had done trifectors so as we only got two at a time placing we did not collect on those. The last race we backed three horses for win or place and Lord Oscar, bless his fleet little hooves, came in 1st and we collected the princely sum of $14 woohoo. Not a Sir Tristram or Zabeel bred horse in place, lol so picked my horses by their names, - Johnny Cash and Wild Wild West. The race track was the only green part to the field and surrounding sports area. The golf course consisted of dirt with what looked like circles where sump oil had been dumped which I am picking maybe where the holes were - did not investigate closer. Luckily, the afternoon was not too hot as there was a lot of cloud cover with a few spits of water as mentioned before, though hot enough for a few cold beers not to go amiss as we watched the proceedings. Had to be only a few as it transpired none of us had had anything to eat since brunch type breakfasts so by 5.30pm when the races were finishing, I was ready to eat a horse and chase the rider, as was Phil and Jude. We decided to follow Jude back to Dongara which was 30mins away and went to the Tavern for dinner. I went there once before with Jude the weekend of the camp draft and was not disappointed this time either. To stop chewing hands to the wrists I ordered a plate of Turkish bread and dips to dull the hunger pangs and then had a mango and avocado salad with a topping of salt and pepper calamari. Now, I thought they would put a few rings on top of a reasonable salad, but OMG there must have been upwards of 20 - 30 calamari rings on top of my salad which was just divine. Jude and Phil, both feeling a trifle more carniverous, chose steak and it looked perfect as well. It was worth the wait and nice to sit looking out to see the sun setting over the sea which was across the road from the Tavern. Dongara is only 45 mins max from Geraldton and not the 1hour 30mins trip back to Tardun that I was used to - a plus at the end of the day.

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These were the winners of the best dressed. Above a couple of the winning horses.

For Christmas the family here bought for themselves a Wii set up, with attendant games and bits to play the games with. It is like playing virtual sport with some of them and have had a go at 10 pin bowling and tennis before. As part of the package, they got the Wii Fitness DVD and fitness board to go with it so have had some fun having a go on that. I will not go into BMI and weight, suffice to say, there was not maniacal laughter coming from the machine, but not far behind. A lot of the fitness is about balance and posture so that was my first failure lol. It would appear that I am out of alignment which means I am likely to be prone to tripping and falls. Now , who saw that coming, hmmmmm. So moving on to actually doing some of exercises - you log yourself into what in effect is a computer program run through your tv, make up a picture of yourself and then weigh in and do basic testing to see where you are at. You can then track any improvement through the activities - or not - as the case may be. It would appear that in the four yoga poses I have tried (with both feet on the ground at all times - I am doing ok and that is my best scoring and at a reasonably high level - those years of doing yoga in the 80's have paid off lol. Aerobics was the next one I tried that involved stepping onto the board in rhythm to the little person on the tv screen in a basic on, off, right, left foot routine - easy enough you would think and not at any great speed. Well the left brain right brain was not in sync with the feet and the first time I was all over the place and again in fits of laughter. It has taken me three weeks to get the first part right and when I did the advanced routine of lifting a foot off the board and kicking it, OMG just a whole nother bit of bother with more misses than hits but that was a piece of cake compared to doing the slalem snow boarding, slamlem skiing and the downhill ski jump. Never the less it provided some hilarity all the way round topped off by me doing the hula hoop segment. Hmmmm enough said. I did ok at that surprisingly enough (or not as a child of the 50's) but OMG the sight again as one has to swivel hips at speed then lurch sideways on one foot to "catch" a hoop as it is thrown to you in virtual world. I have to say, I have improved in most of the things I attempted and even passed some of the rest in some of the games believe it or not. The one that I am unsurpassed in is the zarzen segment which I discovered on Sunday which involves sitting on the Wii board cross legged and staying absolutely still while watching a candle burn on the tv screen, while the candle moves about the screen as if it was on a boat. I guess it is the zen of it all one is trying to achieve. The boys were blown away when I did the whole 180 seconds of absolute stillness while staying in the zone for balance - woohoo. Little did they realise I have practised doing nothing for years, (laughing too much).

As part of employment in most jobs relating to children over here you have to have a Senior First Aid certificate so I am booked in to do mine on 23/24 March. I will officially be able to do CPR again, do bandaging and hopefully know how to cope with things peculiarly Australian - posionous snake bites and spider bites (don't know for sure if they are covered however). As I do not do blood and icky bits these two days will be a bit of a challenge but as the last time I had to put someone in a sling involved opening a book with the picture of someone in same and trying to co-ordinate the whole procedure in mirror image, most of you shall be able to rest easy once I pass this certificate that your health and welfare in my general vicinity will be taken care of, lol - I will have 111 or 000 for the Aussies on speed dial.

I have booked tickets to come back to NZ in April, leaving here Easter Monday arriving Ak Tuesday morning and leaving NZ Sat 24th arriving back in Gero in the afternoon - to and from here to Perth by bus. Once again there will be hours of waiting between flights to and fro but will have my computer and be armed with a good book.

By now most of you will need a cuppa tea and a lie down - laughing lots so will sign off and watch this space for more tales from the world of work.