Quoting Brooke Fraser

There's something in the water in Wattle Downs. Well, maybe there is. Or was. Or is from time to time.

Like about 5 years ago, because we have enrolled/are enrolling an unprecedented number of new entrants this term! That, coupled with a this new subdivision opening up within view of the school, will no doubt bring another significant roll increase for us over the next year or so. 

Let's hope no one else on staff gets pregnant then! Because we have had 1 or 2, sometimes 3, babies born to staff members each year since opening in 2006. Baby shower for one this week, and another going on parental leave at the end of next term. Stop drinking the water girls! Or maybe even stop looking at it!

Sterling Silver in more than just name

Big day today - I am knackered!Two dog shows this weekend with Stirling (and showed 2 bitches for Mignon) plus our club's AGM and a regular committee meeting, all in the summer's heat.

At the AGM Stirling - aka Du Maurier Sterling Silver - won the 'Ribbon Parade Dog of the Year'. Sounds auspicious, and I am very happy to have won it with him. Doesn't carry quite as much kudos as Champ show winnings etc though, but we are working on that!

For anyone interested I will explain the pecking order of showing opportunities in the Dog world here in NZ.

At the top level are Championship shows. A dog (and owner) must be registered with the NZ Kennel club to enter. Champ shows occur as both breed specialty (in my case Cavalier KCS) or All Breeds.

At an All Breeds show there are 7 groups - Gundog, Hound, Terrier etc, with my group being Toy.
For each breed in each group, exhibitors enter the appropriate class with each dog or bitch, usually according to age in the early years (Baby puppy, Puppy, Junior, Intermediate) then in NZ Bred or Open categories.
First all the dogs in each class are judged, and each class-winning dog goes in a line up for the 'DCC', or Dog Challenge Certificate. The second placed dog gets what is called RDCC (Reserve)
This is then repeated for the bitches of the breed.
When a dog (or bitch) wins 8 CCs he/she becomes a Champion.
After the BCC (Bitch Challenge Certificate) is awarded, the Best dog and bitch are up for the Best of Breed (BOB). The BOB competes with the BOBs from every other Toy breed at the end of group judging. A reserve Best of Breed is also awarded.

Next all the class winners (Dog vs Bitch) go head to head to see who wins each class of breed. These winners also compete against the other breeds to see who wins each class of group.
Finally all the group winners go up against each other (7 - one from each group - to determine BIS - Best in Show. You know the movie. Class winners also compete for Puppy in Show, Junior in show etc.

A breed specialty Champ show, of which our club holds 2 per year, is the same but no other breeds to go against obviously. Wins at these shows are revered as entries are usually high, and a specialty Cavalier judge is appointed. There are also a number of 'stakes' classes to compete in e.g. best dog head, best movement etc.

Open shows also exist and operate in the same way, but no CCs are awarded. Neuters (e.g. Hugo) can enter most Open shows, all Ribbon parades, and some specialty breed shows (our Tiki CKCS club allows entries for neuters) Neuters cannot be entered in an All Breeds show. Reilly does not get entered in them either, as he is a bit nervous and not 'marked' correctly.

Ribbon Parades are opportunities for those who show less seriously, those with pets and those with young up and coming dogs to take part in a 'show'. Good training ground for novices, both dogs and owners. Again no CCs on offer, and in fact Champions cannot enter. The Stakes classes are often more 'fun' oriented, and it's more about having a go. That said, winning is also part of the fun! The winner at these days is called 'Best on Parade'.

So, across 2010, Stirling accrued the most Ribbon Parade points for a dog, and hence was the Ribbon Parade Cavalier Dog of the Year. And a shiny Silver cup to prove it.

I am itching to get my first CC with him though. I got the bitch CC with Stirling's half sister yesterday (Du Maurier Silver Spangle) but it will be sweeter when I get one with him!  We have had 4 or 5 Reserve DCCs, the most notable being today. A large entry of 32 as it coincided with the AGM. This was about 1/4 of all the Toys entered. We beat out some lovely Cavaliers, and also got Junior of Breed. By the time it came to group judging however, he had had enough and was as flat as in the ring.

So he might not have any CCs towards being a champion yet, but he IS the Ribbon Parade Cavalier Dog of the year for the Tiki club!

PS The other cup is the Ribbon Parade 'Tenacity Cup'. Dogs who only enter at Tiki shows (no all breeds) can vie for the Tenacity Cup. Hugo won it in '08, Reilly in '09 and Hugo again in '10. Think I will let someone else have a go in '11, though my house will miss it!

I Love Afghans!

The quintessential chocolate biscuit? Residents of Afghanistan?

No, my penchant is for this glorious canine, the Afghan Hound. Watching them breeze around the ring is enchanting, not that I would want to groom one! I have enough trouble with my cavaliers...

Snapped!

Conference dinner last night, and as a pre-curser and between entertainment, a slideshow from photos taken across the time there was projected on the large front screens. From time to time a parochial group would let out a 'wahoo' or similar when someone at their table appeared in a shot.
Near the end of the show were shots from the Day 2 keynote. I will admit to being less than inspired during the lecture, probably because my interest was, as still is, largely with the Christchurch community. Although I had a page open for notes, I was largely on the news sites and Twitter.
I knew as soon as these photos -  of 'someone's computer screen' - came up in the slideshow, that they were of my computer... I recognised the parts of the my screen saver photos poking out from behind the window where I was viewing these images of the quake, when I was supposed to be engaged with the keynote speaker. Sorry Sylvia.
Needless to say there was no 'wahoo' from our table, but a bit of giggling did ensue.

There was a bit of giggling around other observations made that evening, also involving people being 'snapped' but we won't go there...

This morning as we were leaving, I snapped this pic of our final eating out venue for the conference. I can't recall being at so many different eateries in the course of 3 days for quite some time. This one was very quaint, and we have decided that if we return next year, this might be our accommodation venue of choice too. If only it were in our budget.

You know you're back in the Bay when...

Second day at Learning @Schools, being held across several venues in Rotorua, but largely here at the Energy Events Centre. Alongside the learning, this conference is all about networking, and making connections.

After 5 years of relative anonymity in Auckland I had two 'small world' moments today.
The first came with having retained the same 'memorable' surname all my life. Fothergill is not often forgotten, especially when you hail from a rural community.

Seems a woman I met today has reviled the Fothergill name since childhood! We had mutual family friends, and apparently we once provided her family with a pet lamb (she said 'baby sheep'), which was returned to us on the farm once fully grown. Her family was then informed by the mutual friends that we had eaten their pet sheep! Bloody carnivorous farmers, we have driven this poor woman to vegetarianism! I doubt that we DID eat the pet, and imagine the mutual friends would have facilitated this 'urban myth'.  But I will check with my family, who knows?

The second came with geography - she was from Whakatane, I was from Matata, her relatives lived in Otamarakau, I went to school there, did I know so-and-so, did she know so-and-so....

Not the explicit sort of networking that we are meant to be facilitating here, but kinda nice all the same. It's good to be back in the BOP. I miss my 'hood!

Ironically 'Seismic'

Blogging again today from Rotorua, following the first day of the Learning@Schools Conference. A sombre start to the day as the team from Christchurch based Core Education, who run the conference, acknowledged the devastation in the Mainland. And while we were all focussed on the learning today, I know I was not the only one who was constantly flitting between media sources, getting updates on the situation in Christchurch. You can do that at an ICT based conference. Generally a 'lurker' on Twitter, today I found my voice, and also thrived on the instantaneous information available. I have to admit to feeling very emotional about the whole situation, needing to be careful not to tear up as new information or accounts were shared. This account particularly touched me.

But we are here in Rotorua for a purpose, and emotions aside, there were some interesting concepts explored today. I won't share them in this forum, but will enjoying sharing my learning with staff when the conference is over and I return to school. I know the learning that will occur over these three days will be meaningful and useful, and will influence my work and challenge my thinking for quite some time to come.

But like all significant events that become etched in our memories and psyches, in reality it is likely that what I will remember most about L@S 2011 is that this is where I was when a disaster of seismic proportions unfolded.

These photos were taken at a gathering of our ICT cluster. We had pre-arranged last week to meet at this bar, ironically named "Seismic". Who was to know that this meeting place would be paralleled with the worst disaster in our country's living memory.

Kia Kaha Christchurch

My intentions were to blog about our less than auspicious digs in Rotorua, where we are for the Learning @ Schools conference, but I am sorry, I cannot post anything except these shots of the TV coverage etc of the quake.
I am devastated for all the victims/families/residents. Words fail me for a change.
Kia kaha Christchurch, my thoughts are with you.

The Curse of Robert Lewis

I had quite a simple holiday project, really - buy some photo blocks (I got mine from Onblocks), choose some favourite photos, mount them and start a photo wall.
It's amazing the barriers one can put up for oneself... I would go in to them, but needless to say an array of equipment -  blocks, photos, cutting board, stanley knife, protectant, isoporpyl, command strips, measuring tape etc - had inhabited my kitchen table since late December because of said barriers - and a large amount of holiday procrastination.
The job would get done in parts, as small impediments would crop up. Some in actuality, some in my mind. Like not having the right sized print, or wondering if these photos were really good enough to be on a wall... somehow seemed different to being in a frame in the tele.
Yesterday, I finally tackled the task of getting the actual blocks on to the actual wall. And this is when the curse of Robert Lewis kicked in.
Some of my known readers will remember Robert as an ex teaching colleague of mine. It is because of him that I have an absolute fixation about things on the wall being straight. Though his classroom displays were even more precisely arranged than mine, I did get teased for measuring the wall and cutting the paper to fit before starting my artwork with the kids, long after I worked with Robert. I have also been know to take down entire displays if they did not meet my own standards, and start over. How would I cope with doing a wall in my own house?

Quite well actually. Of course I measured before I hung the first one, but them my eye kicked in and if there are a few not-quite-perfect ones, they aren't too obvious. Chilling out in my old age maybe. Or finally getting the hang of Excellence versus Perfection. Or beauty in the eye of the beholder. All part of my continuing journey to realise it's OK to be OK at something, as opposed to having to be awesome, if it makes you feel good. Don't mind what every other bugger might think.
When I walk down my hallway, I am pleased. With my wall and with myself.

Requited Love

Freddy the foxy-cross has a little bit to learn about love.

• Two neutered dogs do not a love match make. 
• When you try to get it on (literally) with another and get a growling, your advances are not welcome.
• Persistence does not beat resistance.

But at least your human Dad loves you. And from this photo I am picking you love him too.

Payback...

"Who did that? You think I did that?"

Hmm, yes, another dog-themed post, sorry!

Bath day today, in preparation of a 3 day stay at Hotel Majurey whilst I am away at Conference next week. Reilly is kind of OK with baths, as he loves the hairdryer so looks forward to that end of it, I think. (Don't laugh, yes they DO get the hairdryer treatment).

Hugo on the other hand, shows an aversion to every aspect of the bath routine, sulking as things are set up, conveniently disappearing when the tap starts and looking very p!$$&@ of with me afterwards.
Today I washed him first so he had less time to sulk. Gave him a quick towel dry and let him do mad dog running etc outside while Reilly had his turn.

When I'd done with Reilly and we went outside I found Hugo had decimated one of the few plants I have in my garden. I am sure he did it just to peeve me. Dog payback. Grrrrr.

Who me?

Love Hurts

"He's just a dog."

Tell that to someone loves their dogs like the kids they never had.
And try not to feel helpless when their little body is wracked by giant coughs throughout the night.
Thank goodness for early morning appointments with my vet Jim, and for drugs.

And last but most definitely not least, thank goodness for the people in your life who understand when a dog is not just a dog. You all know who you are and I am eternally grateful.

FYI those folk,  Reilly is much improved and is about to join me for a little sleep on the couch. After his dinner and drugs.

A humble pic of my vet's little practice, and a short clip of what Reilly sounded like throughout the night and into this morning. Not nice.

Scary

Took this pic with the iPhone today - arrived at Kauri Point Reserve on the usual dog walk, and 2 tractors were screaming around doing their thing. This one was much bigger than my Dad's old Massey Ferguson was! It was a bit scary for the owner of little dogs... so I almost didn't let the boys off leash as cavs aren't renowned for their road/traffic sense, but fortunately we were able to keep to the perimeter and keep safe :)

My Special Valentine

So... this may have arrived today, not Monday, but this little card made me feel as special as any traditional Valentine's card would have.
Big thanks to Alex, and his Mum Rebecca, for making a girl's day!
xxx

That's My Boy

He is just a bit cute, my Reilly.

And ... (quoting Forrest Gump)

... That's all I've got to say about that.

Live Life!

I trust I will be forgiven for posting a photo today which was actually taken a year ago come ANZAC Day. It's some of our Tiki Cavalier KCS Club members during last year's annual Walk in the Park last year.
Seated at the far left front is Elaine Maisey, whose funeral I attended today.
While they are sad occasions, and Elaine's truly was, as the Big C took her rapidly from her diagnosis late last year, but they are also an opportunity to learn more about, in this case, a respected acquaintance.

I knew Elaine worked tirelessly for our club, and had done so for many years; 20+ years of continuous service, as it turned out. I knew she'd been a teacher and that she was devout in her Christian beliefs.
What became apparent during the service, was that the same energy, time, commitment and love with which she gave to her dogs and the Tiki Club, she gave to every facet of her life.
Talk about a woman who packed a lot of stuff in to every moment of her 74 years. Puts me to shame. So I am glad that I have decided to make more of my own opportunities this year. When I slack off a bit, I'll think of Elaine, a lady who know how to give of her life, and live life. She will be sure to inspire.

Hugo LOVES Babies!

Today on our newly established get together at the Botanic Gardens, Joshua woke during our coffee break and Katie decided to introduce him to his first dog.
"Pick me" said Hugo - he has always made a beeline for babies, and being a gentle soul is a far better first canine acquaintance than his energetic brother.
First Joshua got the sniff treatment, then a lick on the leg, before Hugo surprised us all and decided to get a closer sniff!
Joshua took it all in his stride though, and did not freak out as he would have had license to do with a lunge like that!

The Sun's Gone Down

Here's a series of shots - some dodgy I'll admit - of the sunflower that bloomed and died. As they do.
Started off doing daily snaps, then it got a bit boring waiting for it to die... Plus I was no longer at home between 8 and 9 when I began taking the shots back in January.
The idea was there though!

A Late Bloomer

A lone Pohutukawa at Kauri Point Reserve here in Wattle Downs is still flowering in the middle of February!
I know that when they flower early we are to expect a long, hot summer. Perhaps this is a sign that it will continue for some time yet. That's fine, so long as the humidity stays away!
Personally, I prefer spring.

Closing thought.
'Kauri' Point in 'Wattle' Downs is covered in 'Pohutukawa'. Go figure.

Baby, baby, baby OH like....

Isn't is amazing that even when you have a stack of stuff to do, a baby can make you drop it all and spend time with them?
This little guy, Alex, had all of us at work wrapped around his little finger within minutes. Even at his tender age he knows some good flirting moves and has some amazing comedic touches. He also has the most intriguing eyes you have ever seen on a baby. And no, it's not just because I have caught my own reflection in them in this shot.
Loved seeing you both at school today Rebecca, please come again soon!

The Spikus Horribilus

We don't like this tree, which I have to admit that I cannot name. Well actually, I can. I call it Spikus Horribilus.

Nice, cooler afternoon, so took the boys to the Botanic gardens and decided to go to the leash-off area via a different route, as I knew they had extended the area a wee bit, and am still not keen to let Reilly off from whence he escapes.

Let them off at the sign that said I could (following the rules, just like always) and within 2 mins I see Reilly completely entangled in spiky shrapnel.

He had run under this tree. The Spikus Horribilus.

The fallen foliage was through his belly, his feathers (legs) his leathers (ears) his tail...
I had to try and pry it off him there and then as it would have become so entangled I would have had to get him clipped to get rid of it, had he kept running. Plus it would have hurt!
Fortunately I have a wee cloth in my camera bag as it was so prickly I could not pull it bare handed.

This is some of what I extracted from him. The longest piece (which I removed first and threw - into Hugo's ear - sheesh) was longer than his body, so it give some context to how much stuff he collected.

So I think we'll take our chances with the normal route in future!

Am I Strong Enough?

I ordered some el-cheapo dumbells to help with the health and fitness regime, which arrived at work today. Haven't had a chance to use them yet - my time this evening was spent elsewhere.

I ventured out to join the Manukau Photographic Society. Can't say I met any kindred spirits there; I will reserve my own judgement about whether or not the group will meet my learning needs for a little while yet. But the process was interesting. Submit your photos, have them critiqued by an external judge. I quite liked hearing what she had to say. Some of the photos were amazing, others - OK.

But to make the most of any opportunity that exists, I will have to submit photo for critique - eek. Now, some of these folk are S-E-R-I-O-U-S  photographers; how does one compete?
Am I strong enough to submit to this forum as a beginner learner?
I guess I have till this time next month to find out.
Have to work on getting stronger in more ways than one aye.

Trying to Beat the Heat

Not an especially inspiring photo or topic today... Just reflecting on why it took me till this stage of an extra-balmy summer to get the Exceed Doors man (that's his van) around to fix french door latch that wouldn't open. Having the ability to fling both doors open has had an immediate impact on the air flow in the living area.

Not so upstairs though. Just came up to make my post and am contemplating sleeping down in the spare room tonight... it is just so hot! Plus, despite leaving it till what I thought was a respectable hour to walk the boys, it was our hottest one of the summer. They're still recovering and I'm off for a cold shower!

Sunday Funday

I seem to have turned a corner in the past couple of days and am actually feeling like I might be able to achieve some stuff and leave behind the groundhog days that had become too regular. Sometimes you get too bogged down in perceived reality that it can seem too hard to make changes. Maybe by writing it down for all and sundry to see, I might actually make more of the opportunities there are out there instead of letting the world pass me by.

That's not to say that routine is a bad thing. Today, for example, I met Katie and Paul at the jewel in the crown of Manurewa, the Botanic Gardens. Our respective 'children' enjoyed the walk and surroundings, (well, Joshua slept through it all, but peacefully!) and a trim mocha at the end of it capped of a simple but satisfying outing. So we decided that a get together on a Sunday should become a regular thing.
I have always had wonderful friends and family here in Auckland, but to have someone dear to me so accessible again (as in living 10 mins away) is a treat.
And I intend to make the most of it.
Roll on Sunday Funday.

Here's Paul with my boys. They LOVED him! (And Reilly was a good boy today :D)

A Complimentary Haircut

Anybody else get overly excited about a trip to the hairdressers? Given that I travel into Mt Eden from down south for mine, it really is a trip, and it really is worth it.
Of course it helps to have a fantastic hairdresser, as my Jo is. (She owns the salon pictured below). Because she's so bloody good, I had to book all my appointments till December today!
The others in the salon also help to create the atmosphere that I look forward to. Not that I am very good at matching the names to the faces - so many pretty young blondes that they are a bit interchangeable for me!
I love that someone brings me a coffee. I get to read magazines without guilt, albeit whilst looking like a weirdo with all the foils in. And then of course there is the head massage...

Best of all I love leaving the salon feeling good about myself, which is a feeling I have been lacking a bit lately. It lasts for a few days too, as I inevitably get a bit of positive feedback from friends on the new 'do. A compliment never goes unappreciated with me.

Which reminds me... today when I entered the salon, I was also greeted with a compliment (about the blue shoes!) It actually happens every time I go, and I am vaguely suspicious that it's a little routine. I must remember to listen out when others come in to see if they get the same treatment.
Not that I would mind if it was a little contrived. We could all try giving a compliment to those we greet, even if we do have to magic one up.

Oh and as a footnote, I have to agree with how the team at Exile market themselves - this from their website:

Exile’s philosophy is to “Take extra special care with customer service, and make sure the client will walk out with fabulous hair after a relaxing time out of their busy lifestyles”. Exile staff cares about the customers - where they have been and their life experiences.

Walking Through the Rain Barrier

Some people have a low pain threshold; I have a low rain threshold. I don't like getting caught in it and I certainly don't choose to go out in it. Any threat of rain, and the daily dog walk is shelved.
It has a lot to do with hair. My own for a start - it goes flat and kinky all at once. Then there's the rain pain caused by wet dog hair - especially on low-riding, long-haired, inside-dwelling varieties like my Hugo and Reilly.
So my after work plan today was to bundle the boys in the car, whip out and replenish the dog food supplies, and move on to a walk at the Botanic Gardens. It had been misty and a wee bit drizzly all day, but something even I could cope with - and had to, on playground duty at work.
But as we got into the car, the mist became constant drizzle. By the time we were done with the dog food and en route to the Botanic Gardens in was off with the intermittent and on to the regular windscreen wiper speed.
If we proceeded to the gardens, surely we would all melt!
But as the picture shows above, we did make it. I did not give in to the exercise excuse. I walked through the rain barrier. And true to the law of Murphy, which ordinarily would have had me high-tail it home in this situation, it actually stopped raining for the time we were there. The boys were most pleased with me, and even surrendered willingly to a rub down when we got home.
As for my own hair? I will definitely have to give it some serious attention to repair it in time for the  hairdressers tomorrow!

"Stop patting the dog, Dorothy, and do some exercise!"

Let me confess to how the post-work afternoon hours for me went today. It was muggy as, and second-day-back fatigue had set in. Before I knew it, the quick relax on the couch had become a Nana nap - in the sitting position - of about 30 mins. Once awake, I did not feel refreshed, quite the opposite. Certainly did not feel like walking the boys, as planned. I did the cheat's option, threw them in the car and drove them to the reserve.

Talk about make a person feel guilty and inadequate. A group of people, not too dissimilar in age and fitness level to me, were being put through their paces by a pert, young female trainer. The dogs and I were  heading in their general direction, though still some 10m away from the group. Then they were all sent to run to a cone that we had just reached. I felt bad for getting in the way of their exercise, and could tell they were all 'feeling it'. I think my dogs - and an exuberant extra spaniel puppy who had joined the fray - were a welcome distraction.

One lady suggested to me "Yes we are all mad!" and I replied that I was actually envious. And I meant it - it is so hard for me to motivate myself these days, especially when the tangible motivation is meant to be this archaic exercise machine that has been gathering dust in the spare room for the past year. I moved it back into my bedroom tonight, as I have officially rejoined the dub-dub-club and am trying to make some commitments to myself re upping the exercise.

So when I wake in the morning, I will replay as a mantra, the voice of the trainer at the reserve today, directed at one poor woman who dared to greet the spaniel puppy. "Stop patting the dog, Dorothy, and do some exercise!" Maybe that will get me up and on me bike. No more exercise excuses. No more patting the dog.

New Challenges

New year back at school, and new challenges for our senior students, via the 'Gurkha Extreme' that has been recently (painfully) installed.

For the record, the pic to the right has been posted with the permission of the child's parent - thanks Mel and Caitlyn :) Pretty sure the identities of those above are intact.

Another personal challenge, and one which often coincides with a new school year, is to get myself back in check health and fitness wise. I wouldn't have the proverbial s#%* show in h@!! of getting anywhere near completing some of the component of this circuit.

But then I am not a senior student. Just closing in on being a senior - period. Only 1 person older than me on our teaching staff! Reality bites. Ouch.

car-CHING!

I love the MSF-mobile, it's been a damn fine car. My third Mazda, and all of them have been little beauties.   Almost five years we've been together now, the Mazda 3 and I, though I am contemplating an upgrade, simply because I need a more practical dog mover.
However until the time that we do part, I will continue to keep her well looked after. Really, she hasn't cost me much at all - I always advocate proactive, regular servicing, and this has seemed to keep all other repairs at bay thus far.
However even regular 'maintenance' can be costly, and this month the car has chewed threw quite a bit of dolleros. Petrol price rises aside, we've had ...
Registration - $186 (Yes, only paid 6 months)
6 month Service Check - $410
Four new tyres - $611
and *small voice* 2 speed camera tickets. Do the crime, pay the fine. Got reminders for them today, despite paying last week.

I will mention though, that I got the tickets on the same day, in the same place, doing the exact same speed - 20 mins apart. How's that for bad luck?
Sorry little car, it was my fault not yours. Well maybe you can take a wee bit of the blame, because we all know that red cars go faster. That's why I want a blue one next time :)