Rushing through the week

Have to get used to being on our own again - the days are a lot busier now with all regular activities being back to normal, and minus two extra domestic workers in the house :)  I had a violin lesson at 7.30 on Tuesday eve but with cooking, cleaning and doing homework with the boys I barely had time to squeeze in a practice.  At 8.30 Liz and Graham called in after their two and a half weeks in the States.  We were thrilled to catch up with them and get a run-down of the trip - and who doesn't love an exciting box of pressies including a lot of interesting tracts for distribution!

 Wednesday was another whole day at work (since I didn't work Monday I'm doing four full days this week); at 4.30 the boys had their first violin and recorder lessons for the year.  We've switched Aaron to recorder this year so he can learn to read music, while Caleb is continuing with the violin.  Had to whip around the house doing a quick clean before and after their lessons as we had bible study in our home this evening.

Meanwhile, my parents arrived back in Joburg safely after their 40+ hour journey across continents.  We praise the Lord for their safe-keeping and that they were well enough to fly here and back and be with us.  It hurts to be separated again but we do have some wonderful memories to savour. 

Thursday the boys had swimming at 9 am so needed dropping off at the pool early.  I was in a quiet school for the first hour or so!  Popped in at the Camerons during lunchtime to return some holiday items; good to have a quick catch up and hello.  Got home around 4 after running a few errands after school; gave Nick a haircut, made tea, and at 7.30 pm did the grocery shopping.  Phew!

This is where we part ways

We thought we'd get an early start on the day and spend some time in Christchurch today before my parents flew home - their flight was departing at 16.55 so we had a few hours together.  One of the things to see in Christchurch, as awful as it sounds, is earthquake damage.  We didn't really know quite where to go to see things firsthand, but I had in mind that it would be interesting to see Lyttleton Harbour.  It was getting to lunchtime though, so I navigated us to a Dominoes near the area using my iPhone app.  Turns out the Dominoes was the only business open in a small shopping complex after some major quakes had ripped open tarmac and shaken foundations.  A huge pile of silt was still lying nearby (a product of the liquefaction) and there were fissures big enough to stand in where the carpark had pulled away from the concrete foundations of the walkways.  It was depressing!  Mom expected to see tumbleweed blowing across what felt like a ghost town.  We guessed that the only reason that the pizza shop was still open and functioning was to service the many workmen milling about in bright orange vests, working on pipes - either to repair things or get things ready for flattening, we weren't sure. 

 Took our pizzas and drove about 1 km to the beach overlooking the New Brighton Pier where Nick found a parking directly in front of the boardwalk and ocean - quite a pleasant spot to enjoy the rain and wind from the safety of a car!  We left Mom in the car and took a walk along the pier but it was thoroughly unpleasant and altogether Not Nice.  We hurried back and had a brief look around the library before driving the half hour back to the airport. 

 It took less than five minutes for Mom and Dad to check in - there were no queues and hardly anyone about at 2 in the afternoon!  Bizarre.  Then there followed an hour or two of waiting at the airport - we couldn't bear to simply leave the folks sitting there on their own while we went back to an empty house, so put off the inevitable goodbyes as long as possible.   

At some point in the day I started panicking about whether I'd said all the important things needing saying, like how much I love my parents and appreciate their Godly example and influence - sometimes these things get left until funerals to voice, but how sad that the recipients of such lovely tributes don't get to hear it themselves!  But no, I think we covered all the ground with plenty of snippets of serious conversation between all the teasing and laughter which was more characteristic of our times around the dinner table.  It's been a pleasure having you here, Mom and Dad - we love you and will miss you terribly!

Took the boys to Hallensteins at Hornby for some retail therapy - they were needing a few wardrobe fillers and the Dress Smart in Christchurch is one of the best places to go if you're looking for bargains and clearance items!  It provided a short-term distraction anyway to the sadness of the afternoon.

Starting on the goodbyes

Nick started his brand new series on Romans this morning with a BANG!  His enthusiasm for the book was evident and we are looking forward to getting into this very meaty and well-seasoned epistle.  You can listen to the sermon on the MRBC website (click on the link on the right hand side of the page to get there).  Dad surprised us all by waving his arm madly in the air while Nick was leading the service, to ask if he could just say a few words.  His heartfelt thanks to the congregation for their love and hospitality were nearly dry-eyed but just not quite! 

I had a slow-cooker roast and veggies going during the morning so lunch was ready in a jiffy when we arrived home at 12.30.  Nick and I popped out to {omit name of shop} for black doris plums, custard and ice-cream (a-la Danielle); I wanted to do a video clip of our self-checkout thingie but got told off by a shop assistant who came marching over and in her nicest confrontational manner asked if I had permission to be using a camera in the shop - I was mortified!  Anyway, enjoyed the rest of the afternoon at home; I ran a slideshow of the 1,160 holiday photos I'll be sending to SA on DVD. 
After the pm service we joined the Phillipses at the Botha's home for a last supper of pancakes.  Watched a bit of an Afrikaans gospel DVD which was pretty amazing.  Mom said she couldn't have thought of a better way to spend their last night in NZ!  I concur.  I think we may have been a bit mopey if we'd been hanging around our house.

A most pleasant point

Dad was keen to revisit Pleasant Point particularly with a view to showing the boys the Model T Ford Railcar.  It was thus our first stop for Saturday morning, after mucking about at home for a while, playing some violin and guitar duets and taking a family photo.  Had a good look around the little railcar; the stationmaster was quite happy for us to get inside it.  Took ourselves to Legends for our tenzees - the most amazing little restaurant with vintage decor and mismatched chairs and the most interesting knick-knacks.  Walked past the taxidermist across the road as well but that was pretty awful really unless you happen to like the idea of stuffed preserved animals.  I asked Nick if we could take a drive through Pleasant Point (gesturing appropriately with head bobbings); our drive brought us out at a regular garage sale which we've been to before.  Picked up a few books.  Home for a late lunch and afternoon at home.  At 6 pm we had a tea arrangement with the Kempfs - church folk have been so accommodating and hospitable!  Had a lovely evening with delicious cooking, some dutch blitz and live music thrown in.  We were all much amused at their new dishwasher ("it's the best cold water can do"). 

At 6 pm we had a tea arrangement with the Kempfs - church folk have been so accommodating and hospitable!  Had a lovely evening with delicious cooking, some dutch blitz and live music thrown in.  We were all much amused at their new dishwasher ("it's the best cold water can do").

I was having some difficulty with my iPhone 3Gs video camera not working - just when I really needed it, it froze!  Apparently this is a known issue with many complaints; did some googling and found this handy article which solved the problem, so if you're reading the blog and have an issue, try this:  http://support.apple.com/kb/TS3804.

Steak and cheese to chicken and rice

Had a fabulous morning at work - got so excited about finishing a section of financial stuff that I nearly posted it to the accountant without stamps!  Mom spotted my near faux-pas on our way to town.  Dad's strong hints at his enjoyment of Subway had turned into more direct remarks at the neeeeeeeed to have another sub before it was too late, so when I got home from school I reckoned I was about ready for a delicious take-away.  I think the craving is now satisfied!  Wandered up the main street in town because Dad had been wanting some photos, seeing how Timaru is so pretty with its hanging flowers and rose gardens and all. 

Collected the boys from school (I applied stamps to the envelope), went to the Warehouse quickly for some spray varnish to finish off the Paua shells and bring out their colour.  At 6.30 we were at Andreas and Danielle's house for tea - a delicious meal of chicken drummies roasted in mayo and apricot jam sauce, with broccoli and cauliflower in cheese sauce and rice and cute carrots with their little stems still attached - Danielle, I love your cooking flair and style!  Pudding was apparently a-la Lynn...open a tin of fruit and serve it with ice-cream and custard :)  Can't go wrong there.  Had a really great evening together over the Bible and the iPod and some tunes, around the table and Danielle's boudoir.  It started raining and had turned pretty cold during the evening - we anticipate the next few days will be similar.

Scarborough Beach

While some of us were working and at school, others of us were being whisked off to Pleasant Point by Joan and John for a custard slice!  Pleasant Point is a small country town 19kms inland from Timaru, famous for its little heritage railway.  They all had a jolly good time.  Early afternoon when I was home from work we went on an outing to the in-use Timaru Railway Station.  It didn't inspire a desire to travel anywhere by train - somewhat shabby and dirty; in keeping with the worst picture one would have of dodgy train stations! 

Popped in at the i-Site and examined the statue of Captain Henry Cain, mayor of Timaru in 1860 and later poisoned by his son-in-law!  Did a bit of shopping and walking about town.  Had to collect the boys from the pool at 3 pm but we arrived super early so could see both boys swimming.  I didn't recognize Caleb at first, swimming freestyle in the deep-end with quite some style.  Went directly home after swimming so I could get a chicken pie in the oven; also steamed the last of the purple cauliflower along with yellow cauli and broccoli - it was a colourful plate of food!  (For the record, steaming is a better way to go with these ridiculously tinted veggies - they maintained their deep shades). 

After tea we drove down to Scarborough Beach, a few kms south of Timaru - with my parents leaving in a few days, we don't want to let things simply wind down; there are still things to see and do, and since it was a calm and non-cold evening, it was perfect to do a beach excursion.  Scarborough Beach is particularly lovely if you enjoy beach-combing and treasure-hunting - today we were particularly looking for Paua shells for Mom and Dad to take back with them.  I also collected treasures by way of photographs - I love to bring them out and look at them again and again.  We were especially blessed to happen across a lone juvenile Shag who eyed me with much interest but apparently no fear - we seemed to edge nearer to each other until he was within reach although that hooked beak looked like it might have been dangerous.  Caleb and Mom waited near our starting point, not venturing far as the tide was high and we weren't sure if it was coming or going.  The rest of us went far in our exploring, finding five or six big shells.  The skies were gently clouded over; the sea was rough and the air heavy with salt-water spray.  I came away deeply satisfied with the expedition.  There is something soothing about the pounding of waves on a rocky shore and the joyful noise they make as they pull little pebbles back into the tide with them, followed by a sudden drop in the noise during a lull in big waves.  You want to take a deep breath and run and shout and sit quietly and gather yourself. 

We finished the evening with ice-creams at Burger King.  It was already past the boys' bedtime so we figured an extra half-hour and a sugar rush couldn't do much harm!

Fudged canary job

Wednesday: in which we nearly lost the school pet, Joseph the canary who might turn out to be a Sandy the Female Canary if he doesn't start singing soon, when the cage was opened to put in a mirror and seed bells.  The bird made a dash for it; fortunately the outside doors were shut and we closed the hall doors before it found a way in there!  Had to procure a butterfly net to catch the little thing before it shed all its cute orange feathers in fright.

Mom and Dad spent a quiet day at home, largely missing us, and making a batch of fudge which didn't exactly work out - I and my NZ butter are vindicated!  I was more sorry for Dad's sake than relieved for my own at my inability to produce proper confectionary.  It's still highly edible though for any Timaruvians who want to sample a bit! 

Scatterlings of Africa

After the very relaxed long-weekend, it was sooooo tough to get up early again and go to work - I confess that as much as I love my job, just for this week I'd rather be at home!  Had a good day though especially as I got to see a bit of Caleb at a cricket practice - the first of the season. 

At lunch time I popped back home to collect Mom and Dad and deliver them to Kurt and Shirley Kempf for lunch (I mean, to share lunch with them).  By all accounts they had a very interesting and enjoyable afternoon, with an excursion around the Kempf farm with its miniature pony, rabbits, and 70 varieties of fruits and vegetables! 

We had a tea engagement with Mark and Pam Cvitanich, along with Mark Jnr, Kath, Tayla and Brad - a fabulous gathering of lovely people over much animated conversation and a beautiful roast.