Keado’s Weblog

Didn’t have a clue what to name this update, so “the life” seems appropriate with so much negativity around – we’re in paradise living “the life”..

Spelling – it’s been brought to my attention that my spelling hasn’t been great. Could be that (a) the “b” key on the keyboard doesn’t work too well or (b) I just type and don’t read over what I’ve written, (c) there is no continuous spell check in word press or (d) it’s mind over matter – I no longer mind because spelling no longer matters. The solution – write the log in word which does the spelling automatically and then copy /paste into blog – I’m so bright my dad calls me son.

I had to go back to the diary because I have no clue what’s happened over the past week or so, not from memory anyway. Need that little bolt to remind the brain where it’s been. Last week was the close of school on Thursday so a short week. JD has his golf lesson on Mon afternoon which he loves – going to be taken him there more often now and also [secret] bought him 24 plastic practice balls for the school. Priced a new set of clubs for him at $220, suppose better than a 50cc offroad m/cycle at $2,500. Tues was an important day – Kim had her nails done – part b/day present from folks [thanks], brought a big smile and no, I didn’t notice when I got home [what can I say..] Kids had karate and got reports back that K excelled and really stood out as a natural. We had Pesach with Kiwi friends where K read the story of Pesach and we went through a little education of what it means to be Jewish. Great for kiwi kids as I think we are the first Jewish family they had met. Went really well and good fun.

Wed I was roped into helping K’s class at school – they had a games day where the classes where divided up and played 7 games I think of 15 min each. They did mention there may be “some” water involved – what they didn’t mention was home much the “some” was. One game was where we laid plastic sheeting down an embankment, got the house and a whole lot of liquid soap… Yup, water-bubbles-mud-grass-everthing. Most kids had other gear but no towels or underwear!!! The first who did the slide had to do the rest of the games soaking wet and it wasn’t particularly hot. K was the last to do it and well, coated. There teacher had arranged some 2 packets of new underwear which went fast – time for a run-she started off back to her class and I hit the road home. Kim had the car so I did a run over the fields, jumped a few fences through the houses, grabbed a towel, change of clothes and underwear and got back as she was standing at the class. Holly was in her school gear and lets just say that her shirt was binned, never to be clean again.

That was Wed – Thur was school assembly day. I was going to go for a 8km run but Kim wanted to run the 5km with me on the road. By the time 8:30am came, it was clear the rain was coming and I did a quick treadmill and Kim after me [once kids delivered]. Assembly starts 10:45 and we always there – I was hassling Kim to hurry and eventually got there 11am. Couldn’t get a seat but stood next to a dad who’s daughter’s in K class. When we arrived, the choir was on – saw K – they sat down and awards…think level 1…big sigh, they must have just started. Then Blair whispers “congratulations”…hey? “congratulations on K certificate”…what? “yeh, she got a certificate”..but they on level 1..”no, decided to move around this year”. The teacher never told us as “we’re always there!!!”. K still doesn’t know that we missed it but there were so many people, we said she just couldn’t see us-bugger!!

Collected them from school singing “what time is it…” and raced off to JD’s championship final basketball game. They were unbeaten and this was the final – and – 5-1 final score to them – champions and unbeaten – he was very proud of his certificate!

Easter Friday was fishing in the morning with Wayne – didn’t catch anything to write about – Sat morning was fishing with K at the wharf – 2 little sprats – Sat night was movie night at Wayne – Sun morning was easter eggs & midday lunch with Skinners which lasted until 9:30pm – cheated in Trivial Pursuit and still didn’t win – Mon morning was fishing Arkels Bay with Wayne and boy that was fun. As we arrived at the beach 7:30am, the water was bubbling with activity and birds diving all over the place. We RAN to the fishing spot, threw down gear and had rod & bait into the water in minutes. It lasted a good hour with sporadic boil up’s all over the place. Within 5 minutes I had a nice size snapper 36cm – that was while I was setting up the lure [cast in and wind back along the surface] – on about the 4^th cast “fish on” and brought in a 2kg kawahai – that’s where it ended, nothing else caught but great fun. People came onto the beach to cast in, boats came from beach-left and right-a dad & his son who overlook the beach came on the rocks near us as well. Mmm, I was the only one who caught!!! The rest of the day was work and filleted the snapper for Wayne’s dinner – we weren’t in the fish mood. What did K want to do this morning – fishing Arkels Bay. We got there 8am and had to drag her off at 12 – just one ore hour dad. And did she catch! A bucket load – she had the little rod with mini hooks and I must have 3kg’s of piper & yellow tails in the freezer. She said she’s getting bait & practice for a kids fishing tournament on Sun. K competitive, no> Oh, I caught two baby snapper which went back into the water.

JD had a school day across the road – they play school even when they not at school? More…took K to karate tonight, JD has a little cold – boy she is a natural & strong! They played games in 2 teams of 9 – they had a competition to see how far each team could bunny hop over a teammate, which K won for her team – then another game [I’ll try explain] – you carry your team mate on your back halfway – stand with arms in the air while your team mate has to move around you twice – legs can’t touch the ground – so person on your back moves around your upper half while you stand still – then carry person the rest of the distance and swop – K & little boy were the ONLY ones to do it, that’s out of 18 kids. Other games she was exceptional and often got comments from sensei.

That’s it for now – work time and tomorrow maybe a little golf with JD and K horse riding in the afternoon – the life..