Christmas Lights

When we moved here seven years ago, we put put one strand of lights in the tree outside. The following year we added a few more and one or two of our neighbours had a few strands of lights too. Slowly the light show has grown to become one of the best in Wellington - so the eople walking and driving around tell me!

I took some photos but it's not easy to show the full effect ...........

Happy Christmas

Yes, I know it's two days late but the wishes are there.

We had a lovely day - Adrian got his calendar (that he really liked), some CDs, some chocolate from the boys, a huge pack of chewing gum, and some chilli bites. Ross had already got his Phoenix cap, but he also got some Bonus Bonds, a PS2 game, and some chocolate. Colin got a PSP game, and the third Golden Compass book. They got lots of shared presents - badminton set, Twister ball game and some Dodge balls. I got my Wishblade, some new undies and some CB dies and embossing folders.

We went to my friend Sharyn for the day and had a lovely lunch - lots of salads, ham, turkey, roast beef and some boerewors. Dessert was superb - Christmas pudding, meringue and stawberries and cream, brandy snaps filled with caramel cream (very rich and decadent) and fresh fruit.

Yesterday we hit the sales and bought some more lights and a new Christmas tree. Colin also bought a cell phone and Ross bought a PS2 game with the money that they got. I'm thinking about a little pink phone or a CB bag - which should it be??

I must confess that on Sunday I hated my WB but I am liking it more and more. Lots to learn so if anyone out there is a new (or old) WB user, I'm compiling a helpful hints list and will happily share with you - just email me (in my profile)

I was also one of the lucky winners in the Fiskateers draw!

Another new post

Work is over for the year and so I was able to start the Christmas shopping. I spent Monday with Bronwyn creating calendars. This one is for A's Christmas present so hopefully he won't come looking here!


On Tuesday it should have been the Intermediate picnic but it rained so the picnic was postoned to Wednesday and it rained even harder. To tell the truth, I was not sorry as I was able to complete all the Christmas shopping and grocery shopping.

I made these chocolate trees for the teachers' presents and they were suitably impressed. The trees were about 25cm high and were fiddly to do but looked sooo impressive.
The boys went to a school disco on Wednesday night and we went to dinner at Rushes in Pautahanui. The setting is beautiful, the food was delicious but the service was second class and totally lacked finesse. Now that's fine at Denny's but not when you're paying a lot of money.



Thursday night we were out for dinner again, this time at Denny's for Colin's birthday. His birthday was actually on Wednesday but we went out on Thursday because of the disco.
Friday the boys and I cleaned the house (a job that doesn't really happen in early December because I'm so busy). They also started putting up the Christmas tree but got cross with each other and the tree so that was the end of that! Hopefully it will either be put up or away today. It really doesn't feel much like Christmas at all except outside where our cul-de-sac has its customary abundance of Christmas lights out. It is so wonderful with all the people coming to look and last night I was outside talking to some of them.

We also won tickets to see the preview of The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep last Sunday. Fabulous movie but I do admit to crying in it. It was filmed in Scotland and New Zealand and we met the younger Angus at the movies too. His scene with his on-screen dad was filmed at Titahi Bay beach which is very close to us.

I have today started playing with my Christmas present - a WishBlade - it is a cutting machine that attaches to my laptop which means I can cut in any font I have on my laptop. I wish I could go to a class to use it as I learn better that way than reading tutorials.

Well, I suppose that's enough of an update for now.

Soccer

Last Friday I took the boys to the Beckham practice which they decided was rather boring but they were very pleased that they had gone! I had to agree that it was boring though. There were about 15,000 school children at the practice and when Becks did walk out it looked as though he was very surprised to see so many children there. However, they had to watch the Phoenix - LA Galaxy match on TV.

Tonight the boys were ball boys at the Phoenix game and they had a wonderful time. This meant that each child got an adult ticket so Adrian and I went to see the game as well as having a parking ticket for the Stadium parking - cool! I took four boys in with me and they talked all the way there, but coming home they were babbling with excitement! They had a wonderful time - got sandwiches, drinks, hot-dogs, and signatures on their clothes (which we are not ever allowed to wash again), and signatures on programmes.

While we were waiting for one of the friends to get his sleeping bag etc for a sleep over, The Breeze had a phone-in competition for four tickets to the new Narnia movie and I won them! So we are off to see the next instalment next Sunday morning. The boys are very pleased indeed.

A much better day

After I dropped Colin at his swimming lesson (5.30pm) I went to visit my other Year 10 class who are at camp. Well, my faith is restored! They were so pleased to see me. “Hullo, Miss”, “Hullo Miss”, from all round when they heard my voice. A couple of the girls were talking to me and telling how glad they are that I am their teacher and they really hoped I would be their teacher next year. One of them told me that she had heard that I am very grumpy and mean – “but you’re not Miss – you’re great”. But she did agree that I’m strict and that I have standards. One of the boys kept calling me to watch him doing a forward flip on the trampoline – just like my own kids do – “watch me, mom, watch me”. His mother is dying of cancer and I often get the feeling that he appreciates it when I call him “Michael, my angel” and show that I care about his well-being. I mentioned that some of the other class had been mean to me – “Tell us who Miss, we’ll beat them up”. Can you hear that I feel better? I’m so glad that I spent under an hour with them. And then earlier today, one of the Year 11s that I taught last year, came to me to ask me if ours was one of the houses all lit up – “it looks fantastic, Miss” he said. So yes – a great day today – thanks for all the hugs and well wishes – they paid off.

I got a letter of apology from M and his parents - they have taken his phone from him so I suppose that's better than nothing

Adrian's birthday

Yesterday was Adrian's birthday and we went on the dinner cruise on the Wellesley round Wellington Harbour. It was a perfect evening and the harbour was like glass (except when the boat hit the bow wave from the ferry). The meal was good - the kids and the birthday boy loved it so that's what counts.

On the way out

Eating dinner

On the way back with the fountain in the background

Bullying

A couple of years back, Colin was bullied quite seriously by another boy at his primary school and we took a big stand against what was happening. He was so upset, that he didn't want to go to school.

Well, Tuesday it was my turn. I received a horrible text at 12.45am on Sunday morning and then during Monday another four from the same number and a sixth from a second telephone number. I contacted Telecom Abuse Line and the sender of five texts was then sent a text telling him/her to stop immediately or his/her phone would be disconnected.

I thought that I was fine on Tuesday morning, but I got to school and a black cloud descended and I just fell to pieces. The wonderful 2IC at work stepped in and showed was a fantastic PI she is! She called out one girl (K) and got the name of two boys involved (M & C). The 2IC got C's phoned and asked permission to look at his contacts where she found the two matching numbers - one belonging to M-boy and the other to K-girl. K admitted her part in the bullying

K's parents were called in last night and she is stood down from school for two days and when she returns she will be in the withdrawal until the end of term. The boys are a bit harder to pin down: M is accusing C of using M's phone to send the texts and C is emphatically denying it. Both boys are in the withdrawal room until the end of term so won't be seeing any of them again. I am not sorry.

It appears that one child in the class looked up our number in the telephone directory, phoned our land line and, as many people do, our voice mail had my cell phone number on it. These "darlings" wrote it down and over the weekend decided that it was time to target me.

I do feel angry and violated and I feel like the victim. Initially I wanted to change all our telephone numbers and go unlisted. For now, I will change my cell phone number and see how things go regarding the ladn line. My husband is loathe to change anything as he feels that that gives these little ***** the power. I need to change my cell phone number for my own personal self worth. If you had my old number and want my new number, please email me.

This is NOT what I need at this time of the year - I am to busy to find the time to get a new phone number and change the number at all the necessary places. As a result, I will go into school for an hour tomorrow and then come home to sort this mess out.