Today .....

I am the mother of teenagers!

Unfortunately the planned birthday party didn't work out very well. The plan was for the guests to arrive yesterday at 1.30pm when we would go to H2O (swimming pool). Back home for a bbq and a sleepover.

All was going well until I got home from the hairdresser at midday to find Colin wheezing and coughing and asking me to take him to the doctor. I phoned the GP and the earliest they could see us was 2.30pm so off to A&M we went where we waited... and waited .... and waited. I realised that we would not be home by 1.30pm and managed to get hold of one of the guests to ask him to come later. We finally saw the doctor around 2pm, got some Prednizone and were home by 2.30pm. Colin said that he really didn't feel like going to the pool so the boys just stayed at home and played PS2 and watched a movie. They wanted a real fire so that they could roast marshmallows; but the wind was so strong that I had to sit outside in the smoke watching for any sparks. Adrian got home and took over and we ate about 7pm.

Granny bought an ice cream cake from Wendy's which was nice but not worth the money spent. Had to put and "9" and four other candles on it. They finally went to sleep about 10.30pm and slept until just after 9am. I made them crepes for breakfast and by the time they were ready to go it was after 11.30am.

Colin was a bit disappointed as his birthday had not gone to plan but what he did have enjoyed.

I took two guests home and here comes my gripe: one barely said thanks and the other didn't even grunt at me as he got out the car! Not a "thanks for the party", "thanks for bringing me home" nothing! I was seething and I have decided that in future I will make them say thank you. Why should I be the one to get angry at these kids for fear of hurting their poor sensitive souls?

Anyway, Colin has taken to his bed - not such a nice place for his 13th birthday but he also has a brand new book to read so he's not too unhappy.

(PS Why won't bl***y blogger keep the paragraph spacing??)

The end is in sight!

On the work front, that is! I have even had time to visit a few blogs AND leave some comments. I'll catch up next week.

We bought some more lights on Saturday and put them up on Sunday. Interesting talking to people outside who notice each and every new one that goes up - they must visit our street fairly regularly. We're trying to get a charity brass band (eg Sallies) to come and play next Wednesday but so far no go. Anyone who can send someone our way, please let me know so we can organise it.

I was so pleased to see that Raewyn has asked for an extension at the SBO Christmas competition as maybe I'll get my little house done too.

My Dad's birthday last night was lovely. We went to Mungavin Blues and had a really yummy meal. He enjoyed himself too and it was nice to see him enjoying himself. I forgot to take my camera! I really like my big camera but sometimes think a little pocket one would be better so I am eyeing the Olympus FE20 but I'm also eyeing the Making Memories Slice so I'll have to count my dollars to see what I can afford.

Anyway, off to get things prepared for the next birthday party!

Today

I am soooo tired! I haven't got much work left to do though and I can really see the light at the end of the tunnel. We were late getting up today so I had to give Colin a note for school! I should be working, but I'm reading blogs and writing this lol!

We are off out to dinner tonight for my Dad's 85th birthday tonight and then on Friday I will be the mother of two teenage boys! Eek - where did that time go? The party is on Thursday (and I haven't made any invitations yet!); I think we will be making phone calls later.

I was just reading Meek's blog and feeling as though I needed a day on a deserted island! Everyone's Christmas planning is sounding so good - I have a present for Adrian, a present for Jacob (a young man of 17 months who is joining ua along with his parents on Christmas Day), a present for my Dad and that is it! There isn't even any Christmas food in the house ... and I don't have too much for the birthday party on Thursday either. I will have to go to the shops today and then start the serios shopping on Sunday.

Anyway, must get in the shower and then back to my desk.

Junior Prizegiving

Yesterday was the final Dean's Assembly where the first prizes in subjects were given out and today was prizegiving where the first in class prizes were given out.

I was very proud of Ross' achievements: first place in ICT and a Distinction certificate from the Australiasian ICT exam

And I am still very busy - I'll have time to buy things for Christmas, sort out Christmas Day and catch up on other people's lives after 20th December!

School Trips

I have just spent two full days on trips with Year 9s and came home exhausted both days. First day we took 52 to rock climbing, lunch next to the river, and then to H2O a big swimming complex. At rock climbing, I caught sticking their fingers up the charity lollie dispensers. Some had no interest in climbing whatsoever and just wanted the radio turned up loudly. On to the river and they weren't too bad. Then to the pool where six decided that they weren't swimming .. but three then went wandering off outside the pool complex. Coming back, the bus driver took the scenic route: for those of you who are local - across Haywards Hill, then immediately into Whitby and through the suburbs, through Ascot Park and into Porirua next to Pak 'n' Save then back to school. For those of you not local - a car trip of 30 minutes became a bus trip of nearly and hour as we wended our way through the suburbs rather than directly on the motorway!


But we weren't done yet - we had to herd them all into the hall as the previous day a lot of damage had been done to Paintball! ARGH! The perpetrator was discovered and banned from the rest of the trips (and more).


Second day we took slightly less than 52 to Karori Wildlife Sanctuary and then on to movies. Some of them had no interest whatsoever regarding the birds and other wildlife. One made the most inane comments that eventually I told him that we were best friends and he had to walk/stand next to me all the time ... and if he wanted to make a comment, he could tell me first and I'd tell him if it was okay.


Now it sounds like they're all ratbags whereas in reality most of them are great; it's the 1% or 2% that spoil the outings for everyone.


As a result I am very far behind in my work and ill have to try to catch up this weekend and do some house work - the boys will be helping out.


Here are a couple of photos of some Tuis

And can you see the Tuatara?

Christmas is coming!

And some of our lights are up outside. The boys will put more up in the evenings and I think by the weekend all of ours will up. Hopefully the neighbours will put theirs up this weekend too.

I had people asking me today when all our lights will be up!

Home made gifts

Just reading Penny's blog on what she did last year and then an email from her sayig she doesn't have time this as she did last year. I understand as I am in the same situation.

Last year I made these Chocolate Christmas Trees (scroll most of the way down the page) which were a bit fiddly to do, but looked wonderful and tasted even better. I will probably make some more this year because they are the kind of thing that can be made in bulk.

The boys are saving for a PS3 so that's easy but I still like to get them little bits and pieces. The rest of the people who may or may not be coming? I'll make it up when I get confirmation that they will be here!

SBO Big Sale

There's a big sale over at SBO - go to Christmas Sale

It will be really nice to meet up with many of you at Senz next year and as soon as the Christmas season is over, I will think about making a Senz counter thingy!

ETA - Good idea, Trace!

Senz 2009

From the Senz website ...... SENZ 09 is to be held at the Auckland ASB Showgrounds Greenlane from the 17-19th July (that's the last weekend of the winter school holidays)

I am so excited about this as my SIL Jenny and niece Kylie are planning on coming from South Africa on a girl's scrapping holiday!

Instead of an Advent Calendar I think I need a Senz calendar!

Making Memories albums

I have recently changed all my albums from post-bound to 3-Ring as I don't scrap in order and I love the freedom of the 3-Ring albums. Anyway, SBO has 20% off ALL MM product until Sunday night so I bought another three albums! I need to put 2007 into two albums; 2000 - 2002 needs an album and of course I need a spare one, don't I?

PS. I have marking to do so can you see how I'm procrastinating here? Also been "talking" to my lovely SIL about Senz next year as she and my niece are coming for a girl's scrapping holiday. Just wish we knew some dates and a venue!

Entrance exam tomorrow

Colin has his College entrance exam tomorrow for placement (or not) in a streamed class. He and I have been doing Maths over the last few days and I firmly believe that he has been taught nothing at school these last eight years! He understood it once I explained it to him and then just ploughed through the work but it's been very hard doing all that work in a few days.

He also has to do an English exam and usually his writing is good - he just has to watch his spelling and punctuation.

Anyway, I will be a bit nervous all morning and then will be anxious to find out the results. I just hope we've done enough work! Think of us all tomorrow, please?

Thanks

Thank you to all of you who have cared and offered me words of support - I really appreciate each and every one of you.

I went scrapping today and I had a wonderful today - it was relaxing and I got lots of photos scrapped. They may not be works of art, and Up2Scrap won't want them; but I like what I did and they're photos and memories saved. Now I would love to finsih the journalling and the titles tomorrrow but I really need to get stuck into the exam marking. I'll see how much I can get done tonight.

It is great scrapping at KiwiScraps - it is such a convenient place (some would say too convenient lol). David was very kind to us today as well and gave us some great things so it really felt like Christmas.

I had one meltdown when I thought about what my Christmas wish is for the competition over at SBO - it's about my Dad and I'll share sometime.

I'll upload my l/os tomorrow or when they're done

Thank you again for your thoughts, wishes and advice

So down

I got home yesterday around 5pm after a long day at school and then taking my dad to the doctor again and just felt my seams unravelling. The boys were still in their uniforms; there were dirty dishes lying all over the place; the chicken I had asked them to get at 4pm from the freezer was still in the freezer and they had a bicker as to who was going to get it .....

I went to bed in tears and closed the door. Then I sent a text to hubby telling him I was on strike. I could not stop crying and then I felt guilty because there are so many other people who are worse off than me ... so I cried some more!

The phone rang and because I was on strike I didn't answer it - it was hubby instructing his sons to cook dinner! Which they did and it was delicious.

I stayed in bed and I had little taps on the door: "Mom are you okay?" "Go away." Again, another tap and another voice: "Mom do you want some wine?" "No go away"

I got up for dinner, checked emails and then went to bed and I did feel better this morning. But I did have a serious sense of humour failure at someone at work whose biggest problem is what colour nail polish to buy!

I need my all day scrap tomorrow!

I know Christmas is now less than six weeks away, but I really don't have the energy to even think about it at the moment ... maybe next week!

Catch up

My Dad: can't drive for the forseeable future and probably not ever again. Thise leaves me to be the taxi-driver to the doctor, the vet, the dentist, the supermarket etc. I was really depressed on Monday night and Tueday about this. Thanks goodness my parents live close by and it's easy to get to them.

The seniors left today - YAY!!! I was at the point where I was more worried about their exams than they are.

Juinors start writing exams tomorrow. That means lots of marking for me but it means that Ross write exams too. Right now Ross is learning the countries of Europe and Asia-Pacific. When I asked him if he had anything to learn, he said, "No" but then I found all this stuff in his school bag! ARGH! He's as bad as my seniors

Colin has his College entrance test next week and I'm stressing over that too

Scrapping on Saturday and I can't wait! I have a very cool little project up my sleeve for everyone but everyone else will be more creative than me so theirs will look better! I have started my first prototype and got as far as the paint and now I'm stuck!

Hubby is off to Seattle on Friday to a Sequel Server convention (don't know if I've even spelled that correctly but it's a Database) - boys and I can eat pizza for dinner!

8th November 2008

In New Zealand, women have been able to vote since 1893 - that's 105 years! New Zealand women were the first women in the world to get this right. Many people in many parts of the world do not have this right. In the 80s I voted for all people to have the right to vote in South Africa.

So go and vote today - it is a right that many people are denied

Home

My Dad is home tonight but without a very conclusive diagnosis. He is on antibiotics for suspected pneumonia and we are expecting some more results to come in the post. Hopefully we'll know more next week when they go for their three monthly check-up. We are all very pleased he is home because it is a 30minute (at best) drive to the hospital.

Thank you again for all your concern - it is very much appreciated

Update

... well, there isn't much to report: my Dad has had an Echo test and other tests too. So far - nothing. He's still in hospital but is looking much better. We should get the Echo test results tomorrow and hopefully he'll be discharged to.

Thank you to everyone who has phoned, sent emails and made comments here - I really appreciate it

My Dad

This morning before 8am my Mom phoned to say my Dad was not very well so I called the ambulance. I rushed down to their house and stayed with my Mom whilst the paramedics checked him out. Then I went to school to sort out some lessons for first two periods thinking I'd be back by 11am. When I got back, the paramedics were taking my Dad to Wellington hospital. I took my Mom in and we waited, and waited and waited. By 10am I realised I would not be back at school any time soon so phoned them to let them know where they could find the next lot of work.

The medical staff considered two possibilities - a heart attack or a clot on the lungs. After endless tests, I finally left my Mom at the hospital at 4.45pm as I had to get home to sort Colin out and make things as normal as possible for him. The plan was to meet Ross at the football to watch the NZ girls take on Colombia (NZ won 3-1 - go NZ!).

Adrian went to the hospital and found my father stuck out in the passage way .... for the night! He complained a little and eventually a bed was found for Dad in the short stay ward. He brought my Mom home and they got home at 9pm.

Tomorrow they will test for the clot on the lungs or pneumonia

I stayed with the boys in the rain and wind but they were very happy that the NZ girls won so that was good for them. Neither Colin or Adrian could concentrate very well today; I just spent the day sitting doing nothing which is very tiring.

Hopefully tomorrow we'll know what the (I can't think of the word) is, and we can either take my Dad home or to Kenepuru which is much closer.

Fifa U17 Women's World Cup

Most people in NZ will know that this is currently on. Ross is a flag bearer for the Wellington games which take place over four days. Each day he is there for seven hours: practising and then getting ready. Adidas have sponsored some cool clothes; they have a PS3 to play with, yummy lunches from Subway, and drinks from Coke. He is having fun even though it is a very long day for him.

Today started off really cold and miserable and I thought he would be cold but it soon fined up and turned into a wonderful day. We watched the England - Nigeria game and Nigeria deserved to win, but the English girls scored a goal against the run of play and that was it for the rest of the game!

Here are the flags and the English and Nigerian teams

Ross in uniform

New look

What do you think of it? I got it all free here ........ maybe there's something for you too. However, I do miss my photo of Ruapehu but I'm not sure how I can crowbar it in!