B's Birthday

So the big fella had another birthday this week and so we rented out a little home theatre that a man here runs as a charitable facility, and invited some friends to come and enjoy Bryce's love of The Italian Job movie (the old version, of course). Everybody received goody bags and a little car to use and make noises with during the car scenes. Great fun!!
Also, I have finished marking! I am thrilled! It was pretty full-on for the last few days, even doing 180 papers on Wednesday night just to keep up with quota. Yikes. I am happy not to be reading any more about genetics and microorganisms!!
Bryce and I are going away for Christmas to the farm (his cousins) to help shear sheep, race down a river on rafts and experience another NZ Christmas. After that, we are heading up to Rotorua for 4 days to play in the MTB park. We go to Rotovegas occasionally but it is never to just ride, always for some other reason and we try to fit a ride in. Well, not this time. We are going to explore the park and enjoy it! Then my cousin Jen arrives, we head across to Kapiti Island bird sanctuary on the 4th, my birthday on the 5th and then I leave for Japan on the 7th. I am going to try to and write a bit more on here during my trip. I am sure I will have some stories. I heard Japan is a BIT different to Canada and New Zealand; Yeah, right.

The estate

Most recent pic of the house. Our neighbours have chopped down these beautifully old trees to give their house some more light (to be fair, they really had a very dark backyard) but it has exposed some of our private little homestead. So we took some pics before the chop occurred. You couldn't tell from this pic though.

Rod and Sonia's wedding

We went to Rod and Sonia's wedding a few weeks ago and it was great fun. They got married in a little church out in the country and then the reception was in a marquee in their backyard, which is also out on a bit of land. Great day, pretty good weather (considering what we have been having lately), great dancing and good friends. Fun was had by all, including the dog Tui, who was the ring bearer!
Congratulations guys!

too long

been too long since I've posted anything. Been super busy, as it always is at the end of the school year. At least the weather is beginning to look like summer. I had my last night off last night until Christmas (because I start marking today) and so Bryce and I had a couple of Coronas out on the back deck, with sunset, and a BBQ, and some Toffee Pops to finish it off. Lovely night!

So we have just over one week of school left, and the kids are getting prety hairy already. It'll be good to see this year finish as being a Dean has been a rewarding but very difficult year as well. I have accepted the job again for next year, and get to continue working alongside my partner Fiona who is a fantastic worker, so I'm thrilled.

I am heavily reading at night my Lonely PLanet book about Japan, trying to get prepared for the trip in January. Bit nervous as it turns out I will have a bit of free time most days and nights when the students are with their homestays. I have learned Watashi wai Candace des (which I think means my name is Candace). Who knows? I think I will just find some women in the park and learn how to play mah-jong.

Off to the first of several meetings today (one even goes from 1:30 -9:30)!

Max is the man....with legwarmers?

Here is Max, my nephew. Love the legwarmers!

Hawaii.......awesome

So here are some pics from the trip. My bigger email I sent out had all of these attached to it but the file was too big to keep these connected to it. Anyway, you'll see the Queen's bath up above with me in the middle. It was a bit chilly in there as it was freshwater, but it was so hot in the day it didn't matter. 2 pics of the lava fields; one with Bryce crouching beside a NO PARKING sign which did not get fully covered by the lava. A nice woman gave Bryce a lei to give to me, so I am sporting that on the beach by the rocks and trees. One pic is of the Kona airport; all outdoor gates! And of course, a sunset picture from Hapuna Beach (rated one of the best in the world). I personally like less populated beaches myself. Great trip; great memories!

Cute pic from World MTB Champs

I am sitting in my office, sick. Waiting for Friday to come and whisk me away on a jet to Hawaii. I am marking exams, typing up all the incidents that occurred in the last week of term (there were 48), and trying to successfully use every last tissue in the box. Bryce has left to Vegas already and the lucky dog got first class service on the long haul to San Fran.
Funny story happened to me as I have been planning our trip to the Hawaiian Tropics. I did not know what hedonism meant (not the "real term" anyway) and had almost booked Bryce and I into this funky, eco-friendly tenty plantation B & B called Hedonisia Hotel or something like that. I thought it looked cool and definitely fit into our budget. Little did my naive self know that there were probably more "extra activities" involved in the B& B than I was aware of. Needless to say, once I explained the place to Robyn (my wise friend) who informed me of my lack of dictionary skills, and we will be staying elsewhere that night. He he

Riding this past weekend on Whirinaki Forest

Went for a ride we had read about in the Whirinaki forest, 3 hour drive from Napier, 45 minutes from Rotorua. Beautiful scenery, great track, lots of climbs, but fun downhill too.
Enjoy!

Two amazing ladies...

First off, Amy! Amy is amazing because her birthday is Friday Sept. 1st and she will be a big bad 29! So much older than me......







Second, Robyn! Robyn has just completed her first (but will it be her last?) IRONMAN!! Amazing! 15 hours and 24 minutes of physical endurance and craziness has helped Robyn move up even higher in my admiration! Well done chick!! So proud of you.

Cute niece

Hey! Check out Abby with a shirt on that Tim and Kristie gave her.....too cool

I am doing well. Have a huge bruise on my knee from bailing over the handlebars on a MTBike mission on Sunday in Rotorua. I will try to get a picture of it when I can.....you people that know me well and have been treated to pictures of my bruises before would be well impressed!

I'm tired...

Too many students, too much work, too many reports to fill out and incidents to write up.....Can't wait till my next holiday!
Here's the family, minus Tim, Kristie and Kathy, Bryce ....and now Baby Max too!

Back in NZ

Its cold here. Not Canada cold, but cold, like "slippers-wearing, jacket and scarf, tiles in the shower are painful" cold. Ah well, at least my shoulders are tanned enough to remind me of summer. I am definitely a summer chick.
Check out the lovely ladies from our girls night last week.
I think it looks like a picture from Canada's next top model, with all the black tops. Not sure why it looks like I am 8 months pregnant. I assure you, my top was just "flooshy" and I am not giving birth next month!

Its so hot....

No pictures yet to add on from this great trip home, but will get them on soon after I get back to NZ. The weather here is amazing though. I had forgotten how humid it can be in a Canadian summer. Amy, Jill, Laura, Mel and I sat around on Amy's patio and had a BBQ the other night and it was so nice. Light out still until about 10ish. We were just chatting and then all of a sudden the smell of "skunk" arrived and then got stronger very quickly. As it was all dark around us, we coudn't tell exactly where the little guy was so we all ran inside for fear of getting sprayed. Mel told us that her sister once got sprayed by a skunk and she stunk for a long time (a month, was it?). She had to have baths in tomato juice and throw out the clothes she was wearing that night. So glad that didn't happen the other night. Imagine me sitting on the plane beside some poor soul for 12 hours, stinking like skunk!!

The Girls back home

I am in Canmore hanging out with Robyn and Lo-lo and having a great time. Gorgeous scenery. I will have to connect my photos on here when I get back. I can't get over how close we are to these mammoth hills. Just awe-inspiring every day. Imagine living here!!
So tomorrow I fly out and off to Toronto to spend over a week at home. REally looking forward to being there. Here is a picture Robyn had from the girls annual Christmas party this past year. I was not there but always attend in spirit. We have so many of these stair pictures now...very cool. See some of you guys soon!!

My niece Abby

Here she is!!

Abigail Joanne Knight

I don't have a picture of her yet (I have taken lots, just no way to connect to the computer), but my niece has finally decided to come out and play!! She was overdue only about 4 days, but she was worth the wait!
So cute, so small, except for long long toes. She has tons of dark hair too, which is so soft it feels like a kittens hair. Kathy (my sister-in-law) was a trooper, considering the anaesthetist did not turn up. Still can't imagine the pain it must be...... yikes.
I have had the enjoyment of babysitting Asher (my almost 2 yr-old nephew) while everyone was at the hospital and Im still learning to speak HIS language. His words do cross over to English the odd time. A few "wow's" and the usual "mommy and daddy". He has yet to learn the difference between "car"s and anything else that moves in the road, but hey, it took me years to discover there was a difference between those car things (except the colour, of course!!)
Will get a picture up here soon.
The "being in Canada" portion of this trip has been great so far. Already caught up with so much family (two 20+ "family people" parties in two nights)! Great to spend time with Mom and Dad too.

Mom and Dad

Here is a picture Bryce took yesterday at my parents house. Very weird for him to be there and not me, but at least I get to be there in a few weeks!!
Looking forward to it so much!!

Duathlon

Raced in a duathlon on the weekend. 2 km run, 10 km cycle and then another 2 km run. 47:59 it took me, which I think is faster than I have done before, but not quite as fast as I know I could go. Its part of a series over the winter, so I will try my luck again at another race in a few weeks.
Why is it that whenever someone takes a picture of you running, it never looks as hard out as you feel you are going at the time?

24 Hour MTB Race

Bryce and 4 others rode in a 24 hour MTB race last weekend. Lots of fun, VERY cold, for New Zealand anyway, and long hours staying awake. I had a moment of passing out/sleeping when waiting for the next rider to get back.
Funny picture of Bryce having a "shower" out of a pail, after one of his laps.

B and I

Thought I would add in a pic we got taken of us at a friends wedding a few weekends ago.

As you can see, we had a great day and both of us (B a little more than me) got some extra sun on our faces. Haven't seen a day like that since. Must be the winter we are about to head into. Booked my ticket to Canada for July today! Will be seeing everyone very soon!

Lovely Weta

Bryce found a weta (big bug, like a cricket, but with longer legs, and oh....so gross!) in his bike glove the other day. Had to take a picture. Bryce freaked out: Imagine reaching into your glove and feeling this...

Eddie the cat, was eyeing it up. Nice feast for her, I suppose.

The girls...

Here's a pretty shot of my team. This is a picture of them at the Regionals. They came 2nd. May be why they're smiling so much!

No Mans Land

One of my friends took this picture somewhere over in Europe.

BUSY BUSY BUSY

Been hassled by everyone to update this so here goes. Had a great Frisbee golf game yesterday and actually pulled off 2 birdies, and got a par overall for the second 9 holes!! Whoo hoo!
I've been away with 20 students down in Christchurch at the Volleyball Nationals and had a bad case of vomiting and diarrhea rip through alot of the team. I, luckily, kept clear of it, but it was bad to a point that I had a hard time getting enough girls to fill the court! Crazy week!

oops...

Hey guys, Had a great weekend at a Beach Volleyball Tournament with some students. The day was fabulous and although I covered myself in sunscreen.....I missed some spots. Check out the mistake.....

It about time!

I have not been able to add anything for a while, but decided it was important to keep updating this. Just had a chance to see some pic's from Tim's wedding which were nice to see. Can't wait to see the video.
Doing some beach volleyball training with some of the girls from school, mosaicing a table, doing school work and trying to become an official resident of NZ. Thats pretty much what I've been up to. After the cycle tour, anyway!