Thursday and Friday are really a bit of a blur.
I was still in recovery.
Taking things pretty quietly.

Thursday I set everyone going on what needed to be done and then I headed off to bed just after 10am.
I slept/dozed until Anson popped his head in the door at 1pm to see what they could do for lunch.
I had left Nathan & Yari in charge of lunch, dinner and sweeping floors so to wake and find nothing had been done made me pretty upset.
But Anson had come in and taken them to do possum traps while they were still playing 'Risk' so I guess it was a bit of a set of circumstances.
Plus we were all very tired.
So, we got on with making lunch and let that lot go for the day.

I took some photos of Mahalia's foot while the bandage was off.
Pretty impressive bruise.
We have been testing her toe reflexes etc and have decided there is no need to rush her out for xrays at this point.
She has been hopping about and not weight bearing but now after 5 days is beginning to, so hopefully it won't be long before she is all back to normal again.



Shanni & Melinda planted out a heap of vege seedlings.
Shanni had them growing in seed trays on the windowsill of my craft area and they were about to climb out the windows!!
After they had finished that Melinda helped Mahalia & Azzan make masks.


The Akkerman family who were staying in The Cottage left after breakfast on Friday.
Shanni had really enjoyed Leah's company so she was sad to see them go.

On Friday I was trying to get to have an afternoon rest but it just never happened.
Life just got in the way

The mailboat arrived as we were finishing lunch.
Our new wwoofer Siu To Koo from Hong Kong arrived on the boat.
'Call me Toad' was his introduction.
As we have a French guy arriving soon you can just imagine the comments from my males

David & Jenny, our new Waterfall Bay caretakers came over to get some things and I had to go through bookings with them.
Shanni also had a heap of vege seedlings for them too as she had run out of room in our garden.

I spent a major part of the afternoon trying to find Azzan's leggings.
He was performing on Sat and I had to get all his kit together.
I knew that I had put his dance gear in the wash on Wednesday and I had found his muscle shirt in a pile of his town clothes.
But those elusive leggings were no where to be found.
I searched high and low.
I got the girls to go through their clothes, went through all of my washing.
I went and re-cleaned the car - even after I had asked others to do it I still found things in there, like Azzan's black town shoes - duh!
Then finally, just as I was about to call some shops in town to see where I could get some from Nathan walked in with them.
They somehow had gotten mixed up with his clothes.
Goodness knows how.
Needless to say - it had been Nathan helping Melinda with the washing - I will say no more

Anson took Melinda out mustering and came home to get his gun.
They had seen some deer up the hill.
He took Yari, Melinda & Toad and headed back up the hill while the rest of us ate dinner.
Anson got one so was very happy.




Saturday, Tim and I were up around 5am.
We were taking two vehicles to town as the Terrano needed a wof.
Tim left ahead of me in my Safari so he could change a tyre on the trailer and load up some sheep.
I tried to get away before 6am but my passengers were proving to be a bit slow to move.
I got all the boys on board andn then sat and twiddled my thumbs for 10 mins waiting for Melinda.
Nathan finally went and got her and we were away.
We soon caught up with Tim and he let us past,
The road was really dusty so not too much fun sitting behind him.

The boys watched 'Around the World in 80 Days' most of the way out.
I am going to have to watch it cuz judging from the giggles and burst of laughter coming from the back seat it sounded hilarious.

We stopped at Rai for the obligatory breakfast pies and then headed over the Wangamoa's to drop Melinda off at her new wwoof host.
She is going to spend a few days making mud brinks.

I zipped into the city centre to grab some Starbucks for us all.
Azzan was not feeling great.
He was worried cuz he was feeling so tired and he had to dance.
So I was trying to get him to strip off hot clothes, drink more and eat food.
He finally had a Pineapple FruJu iceblock and felt better.

We met Tim at Tahunanui.
Left the Terrano there.
Then zoomed back to Atawhai to pick up his Safari.
He took Nathan & Yari out to Richmond.
Nathan spent the morning at Taekwondo and Yari's Mum came to collect him.
I took Azzan straight to Annesbrook so we could get ready.
I had to apply stage make up to his cute wee face.
He was in his element as soon as his dancing friends started arriving.
He gets on well with them all and they seem to seek him out which is lovely.
Another mother and I were delegated to putting the NZ flag tattooes onto their arms and getting them all ready.
I took a group photo before heading into the auditorium to watch the show with Tim.
Just in case you can't find him Azzan is back left
.

I am having no joy at all in uploading movies on xanga so you can watch the morning dance
 here on youtube.com

After the show we headed off to Richmond to find Nathan.
He had lost his phone so was at the library communicating with Sunni in Auckland on the computer there and then she was texting me!
Great eh!!
Anyway, we found his phone on the floor of Tim's Safari.
Picked up sausages from David & Sasha's freezer, got Nathan.
Said good-bye to Tim who was heading off to do other jobs before going home.

The boys and I zipped into the video hire place and picked up a movie to watch on the way home.
Then Azzan was starving hungry so we got him some Maccas.
Arranged to meet Seb in the city at Morrison St cafe for lunch.
We spent a lovely hour or so eating and talking with him.
It was so good to spend some time with him.
I hope his work is going to pick up soon as it is rather disconcerting for him not knowing when he is coming or going on the boat.

Then it was time to begin heading back to Annesbrook for the evening performance.
Nathan came this time.
You can see Azzan's 2nd dance here.
The whole show was great.
From the wee teeny tiny tots to the dance instructors.
They all got in there and had a great time and we all enjoyed in heaps.

After the show had finished Nathan & I talked with the performing arts co-ordinator and sussed out that next year Nathan & Azzan could dance on the same days.
And as well as that Nathan could still fit in his Taekwondo.
So it is looking good for Nate to learn Hip Hop like he wanted to.

We then got fish & chips for Nathan, chinese take aways for Azzan - I ate bits from both.
Then we headed home.
As we were coming up the Wangamoas a police car came zooming past with lights blazing.
That happened a week ago too - I was beginning to wonder what was going on.
maybe they were late home for dinner
Then up the hill a bit further I was coming around a corner and bright red car with lights blazing and sirens going passed a car coming towards me and nearly put me off the road.
It was obviously a plain clothes police car.
It was right on a corner and I hadn't seen it coming.
Man! Did it give me a fright.
I had to pull over and take 5.

We listened to the news a bit later on and heard there had been a fatal shooting in Nelson so I would imagine that was where they were heading.
But I still think there was no need to drive so jolly dangerously getting there.
Almost had another fatality on the way!

The wind was really strong as we got closer to home.
In several places it was swirling the dust so hard that I couldn't see to drive and had to do a quick stop and wait till it had blown over.
Both boys were sound asleep when I got to the gate so I had to wake Nate to open the gates.
He was rather staggery but the wind quickly woke him!!

We got home at 10pm and found Tim still putting the girls to bed.
So we unloaded and got Azzan straight into bed too.
I had a spa to unwind and then crashed into my bed too.
It was a good day

Monday morning I was up with the birds.
I hung out 3 loads of washing and then went for a walk before anyone else surfaced.
I spent the morning trying to activate the troops into unpacking and getting the house into order.
It was Hadas' 8th birthday.
She had never been on a farm before so that is why they wanted to be here.
Alan was a great help to Tim.
He fixed the sleep out water supply nearly as soon as he arrived!
Shiri and Hadas worked in the vege garden with Shanni.
Aviv was happy to be anywhere helping.
He was particularly pleased to go off and do 'boy' things with Anson & Nathan.

After lunch I was totally shattered so went to bed and slept for several hours.
I woke at 5pm and staggered out looking and feeling like a total zombie and got dinner activated.

Shanni had made a b'day cake for Hadas.

Mahalia & Hadas became good friends while they were here.


A home school family from the North Island arrived in the afternoon to stay in The Cottage for the week.
They have 7.5 children.
Anson reckoned there was at least 15 kids poured out of the van when he was helping to unload!!

After dinner Steffan & Jant came to say hullo.
We didn't socialize for too long as I was heading back to town the next morning.


Tuesday

Nathan, Azzan & I were up and gone by 6am.
I was really tired and the drive out was quite a struggle.
Got to Rai Valley and had a few moments there to rest myself and my eyes while Nathan got pies.
When we got to to Nelson I could barely walk.
My hips had totally packed it in.
Haven't had too much trouble with the bursitis lately so it was a real pain - in more ways than one.
I soon limbered up.
Got a frappacino and headed off out to music lessons.
Nathan went to the library while Azzan had his first.
Then Azzan and I did a quick drop off, I got my home school declaration signed at the council office and then sat and read stories to Zani while we waited for Nate.

We zipped into Nelson,
Whizzed through the Tahunanui drive through - both boys were being total heathens and wanted Macca's for lunch.
As I was in a hurry I succumbed

I dropped Nathan at sewing lessons.
Tried to locate our new wwoofer but couldn't find her so zipped up to drop Azzan at the Winnington's while I had an hours massage.
Man! Did I ever need it today.
Marta recognised very quickly that my adrenal system was in overload and paid close attention to my liver function areas.
I felt a whole lot better afterwards

I picked up Azzan, he had been having a great time with the girls.
I found him dressed in a mini kilt wearing scarves dancing around the new deck.
He had also had his first recorder lesson from Katherine.

We drove back to see if we could find Melinda.
Success this time.
Loaded her on board and went off to get some lunch as we were all starving.
Then it was 3pm and time to go get Nathan.
He had begun his jacket.
It is all cut out ready to sew next week.
He reckons he is going to be the totally best dressed dude around!

From there it we wended our way via Tahunanui to pick up parcels at the motel and on to dancing.
We were early so had time to pick up tickets for the 'dance 365' production.
Left Azzan there at 4pm.
Chrissy arrived so we loaded Yari and his gear in and went to Richmond.
Joined up with the video hire shop there as it will be more convenient.
The boys walked up to Taekwondo.
Melinda and I had an hour to peacefully gather up a trolley full of groceries.
Then it was off pick up the big boys.
Nathan was commenting that Tania, the instructor must get really frustrated with some of her pupils.
He is only a white belt and not been going long whereas the others are yellow and blue belts and are just not getting it together.
Yari said 'But you are the only one who listens Nathan.'
Good to hear!

Over to Annesbrook to get Azzan.
They had been having dress rehersals so it was much later than usual.
There were wee poppets swarming everywhere.
Found Azzan and got a great report from the dance co-ordinator.
She told me that she was most impressed at how fast he was picking it all up and how good he was doing.
That's my boy

We ate chicken sandwiches made in the backseat by Nathan, as we drove.
The boys watched 'Journey to the Centre of the Earth' in the back seat and we listened to the sound track of 'Once' in the front.
Nathan got a bit frustrated cuz we kept turning our favourite track up full!

I noticed as we got closer to home that the oil pressure was going down.
I was a bit concerned so kept an eye on it.
As we came along Admiralty Bay I stopped and flagged down a young guy who was on his way home from hunting.
He checked it out for me but we couldn't see what to do.
It was a bit hard though cuz it was dark and we couldn't read the words on the various fuel caps on the engine.
So he took me up the road to his place where he got cell phone reception.
I used his phone to call home and spoke to Anson.

We checked the dipstick again when we got back and it was reading a bit better .
By this time a couple of older fellas had come by and offered to drive along behind us to make sure we got home okay.
Normally there is no traffic at all when I am driving at that time of night so the 3 men were real God sends.

We got home at 10pm.
Everyone was in bed.
So we quickly unloaded the necessary things and thankfully sank in to bed too.

Tim & I went to Starbucks and had a drink and a chat.
Enjoying some time together in peace.
Then we went to find the venue.
Got a little lost  but eventually found it.

We chatted over nibbles and drinks while waiting for the bridal party to return from their photo session.

We spent a great evening meeting and greeting folk, listening to some fun speeches and songs.
Amy's bro Tommy was MC and did a great job.
He has a wicked sense of humour

David and Samuel sang this song which they rehashed from the original Garner Wayne song 'Love in a Fowl House.'
Terence's father is a chicken farmer in Alberta with around15,000 chickens.
Hence the song!!
Chicken Courtship song - Kiwi style!
You HAVE to watch it - it is brilliant!

The two fathers also sang 'Sunrise Sunset' together.

I love this photo I took of Amy towards the end of the evening.


Her dress was so lovely - even with her charming shoes


There was dancing out on the deck later on to the tuneful melodies of Amy's Uncle and Aunt playing Irish music.


We finally got back to the house just on midnight.
It was a great day.
Congratulations Amy & Terence.
Hope you are enjoying a restful honeymoon now before flitting off to Alberta for your 2nd wedding