End of T1W1

Thursday and Friday of Term 1, Week 1 passed by in a flash.  I have a lot of catching up to do still and things needing doing for the new year, but I'm sure by the end of the term I will be wonderfully up-to-date, just in time to fall behind again.  Had a day of about 90% frustration and 40% annoyance on Thursday, as I admitted to Mrs Rentoul - as she pointed out, the worst part is that I couldn't even marry those two figures properly to get a decent day :)  My vexations are mostly thanks to...ahem...our new payroll system in which I have lost all confidence, after starting out as a loyal supporter in August.  I'm not alone though...Novopay has made news headlines as being at a critical point, and apparently will take another 18-24 months to get up to proper functioning level.  Oh, the joys that await.
Friday afternoon we took a quick trip to the beach to soak up a bit more sun before getting our pizza and watching an episode or two of Bear Grylls, which we are enjoying other than anything to do with eating - although the boys stare, gape-mouthed, at Bear's culinary habits and find great delight in his consumptions of snakes, snails, undigested bear poo and maggots.
At 9 am this morning we were picked up by Andreas and Danielle (alas, Betta couldn't make it as she was under the weather) for a breakfast at The Stables.  Although this charming restaurant is actually right on the outskirts of Timaru, in 3 years this was our first visit.  We have been missing out on wonderful things!!  Had a marvellous breakfast; the boys had been promised coffee by Betta so coffee they got (although we sneakily ordered decaf).  Vreeslik baie dankie, die Bothas!  We thoroughly enjoyed the time with Andreas and Danielle.

Back down to earth, we tidied the house, had a late lunch, and then Nick and the boys took the kayak to the bay.  I stayed home and caught up on myself, glad for an empty house.
At 6.33 pm our Balderdash and pudding guests became officially late, but all was forgiven...the Kempfs and Gregorys shared apple pie and ice-cream with us, and an excellent game of Balderdash with some very clever definitions.  Who ever would have thought of "anything shaped like the letter H" as something?  I forget, but it was either Graham or the correct one.  Nick nearly won the game after keeping a strong lead most of the time, but was overtaken at the very last.