How can it be that time already?

The 'family photographer' as my friend Lisa calls me, did not capture the perfect shot of this perfect little girl today... It was Jaime's first school visit and she was not that enamoured with having a lens in her face. Too much other stuff going on! Maybe there will be a better photo opportunity at her 5th birthday celebrations over the weekend...
However the day does make me reflect on how time passes by all too quickly. Nearly 5 years old, Jaime Lyn. How on earth did that happen?

Drumming up support

While I did not get to see much of it, the visiting Drumming show (the name fails me - perhaps a blog-reading staff ,member will let me know) at school today seemed pretty amazing. And if the school girl groupies were anything to go by, the impression I received in the short time I was in the hall was confirmed by the signed hands and scraps of paper that were thrust under my nose whilst I was on duty...






Oh, a few staff fans too... he was pretty easy on the eye, but it was the Michael jackson set that impressed one fair maiden...

Adendum: see Dylan Elise (thnx Karein) play

Well Run

Our  school's first off-site full on Athletics event today. Well run on all counts; organisationally, and in the manner in which the children competed.

While all of us had our parts to play, the children featured here are daughters of staff members who were key in making the day the success it was. Lucky they let me blog them! (I played around with shutter speed today and was pleased with the amount of photos that were well focussed).

Perfect weather too - not too hot, not too cold, no wind and the right amount of cloud cover.

Tick, tick, tick...

The end of year at a school is always super frantic, and with an eight week fourth term, it seems even busier than usual. I really have had very little time to think that, in a couple of weeks, my daily routine will change considerably. Small reminders are creeping in, as plans for 2012 are made that I am not a 'real' part of, and reminders to pay course fees come through my inbox.
Add to that a lovely, funny, thoughtful surprise delivered to me at work today by a special person, which leaves little doubt that things are about to change for me...
Recently I had jokingly said that when other staff go on leave, it's always been to have a baby, and they get a Baby Shower, but there was nothing called a Study Shower if you go on study leave. So a certain someone made me a Study Shower Basket, full of all sorts of goodies, each with their own personal message and reason for inclusion, to get me through the year. There are lots of nibbly niceties, and a number of stationery items, the latter of which strangely excite me more than the food!
I almost had a little cry when I received it - a bit of a combo of the gesture and the reality!

Obsessed?

I think I might be a tad obsessed with two things; the pohutukawa tree (this about my fourth pohutukawa post) and lately, iPhone's Camera+ HD preset.
Nice to see the first of our native Christmas tree opening up anyway!

Farewell afternoon walks...

... until next autumn, I suspect.
There comes a time each summer cusp, when the huffs and puffs of my dogs tell me that walks need to move till the after dinner slot.
Today, even though I held off till after 4, it was my Hugo (aka Mr Huffy Puffy) who by sound illustration, announced it was too hot. This in spite of his recent summer clip.
All three sought the cool solace of the tiles in front of the door, where they lay for 20 minutes to cool off.
Me? I just downed an icy cider and waited till they recovered :)

A Vote of Thanks

I had planned my blog post earlier in the day as I reflected on the election campaign.
 I've done a lot of thinking about the campaign over the past few weeks, most of it with a grumpy face, as I have found the whole process quite annoying and even condescending in parts.

I know politicians have roles to play during this time - which in my view should be predominately to promote policy, however it inevitably will involve bagging the policy (and people, sadly) of the other parties. I get that. I accept that. The role that has riled me the most though, is that of the media. Yes, yes, they have a job to do too, but it all just p@%$ed me off this year. So much so that I watched no leaders' debates and changed channels when tired stories turned up on the news bulletin after bulletin.

So much time is given to highlighting the flaws and faux pas of the people and parties. As a glass-half-full person, it just grates on me. And so much of what we are fed is irrelevant in the big picture.

But to the point of this post...
We must remember absolutely lucky we are...
a) to be living in this day and age
and
b) in this democratic country of ours,
and therefore have the opportunity to actually have a say in how our country is run.

For that, I for one, am thankful

And the photo ... I had planned that also, and it did not look like this! Once inside the polling area, I decided that my big DSLR, which I had nestled in my handbag, would be difficult to use surreptitiously... so I settle for snapping the sign...