The boys enter the PC-age

Yesterday morning while we were busy with school, the washing machine started its spin cycle and made a dreadful noise, like there were rocks bouncing around in it. I got a fright and called Nick (my knee-jerk reaction) to have a look. Caleb, in his fright, dashed to the back door as he though the washing machine was going to burst into flame or explode. A few minutes later, when the noise subsided and the boys came to the kitchen doorway, Aaron noticed that Caleb’s lips were blue – indeed, his face was ashen and his lips were a lovely shade of light mauve. Poor boy had had a huge shock – an after-effect of the rockfall is that loud, unexpected noises are more traumatic than they would normally be! We saw nothing amiss in the machine, so perhaps it was just that some buckles on skirts and jeans were making a noise against the drum.

Steve and Maureen have given us a computer! It’s fairly old, an upright tower with screen, printer, mouse, keyboard etc, with Windows 98. We are allocating it to the boys so they can learn computer skills – it’s such a blessing! Nick collected it yesterday afternoon, and they have also given us a stand/desk, so the whole thing is free-standing and not in the way. The boys are very excited about it too, so computer lessons will be integrated into our school day.
Today was a great day – I bought tomatoes and onions!! Nick had an early morning as I dropped him at Steve’s place shortly before 8, where he was going to spend the morning clearing more rubble. The boys and I came back here and started school, finishing around 11.20, then we drove to town. I needed a few bready items, so we went to the Star for those lest they should sell out quickly, before going up to the church for Nick. He was working with Steve, Teddy and Trevor to clear out the schoolroom, and they made good progress on the church as well. Nick was nearly ready for lunch, so we waited in the windy church a short while, and then went to Sally’s. After lunch I did the rest of my list things – collected post, where I collected a parcel (wooohooo!!) and also a wedding invitation to a wedding that happened on the same day (I knew about it – was just really touched that they actually sent us an invitation, and amazed at its timing!), waited in a throng of people crowding around the Grower’s Co-op in the market to buy onions, bought fish in the market too, etc. I got a lot of things I hadn’t been able to buy in some time so was very happy about that. In the afternoon I scrapped, and then it was the usual pizza for supper but the pineapple I had in a container in the fridge had gone mouldy and the pizza just wasn’t the same without it!

And um...Nick likes to have some fun when he shaves down from a beard to skin...very obligingly stood still while I took a photo. I was nearly convulsing with laughter...