Just for a bit of a laugh...

Christmas Entertainment

I'm still working my way through all the Christmas footage, but here's a couple of clips to start off with...

Quote of the week

Christmas morning, I woke up to Amanda's face peeking at me, "Merry Christmas Aunty Lizzy!".

Then Cori-Jo woke up.. "I know what day it is!"

"What?" asked her big sis.

"Monday."


Nice.

Mac Mini

I'm selling my beloved Mac Mini computer I've had for nearly 2 years. It's a great little computer, and hard to believe that all the "brain" of it is contained in a little box not much bigger than a stack of 5 cds! Yep, what you see is what you get.

If you're interested in this beauty, check it out.

It's been a while...

It's been so long since I've posted that... I forgot my password. Eek.

We've been busy!

Mother & Son at Charlee's Cafe

Charlee's Cafe (60 Picton Street, Howick) is now well and truly in business. Scott and I worked 7 days a week in the initial 2 weeks until his Mum moved up to Aucks. I tell you, this is one daughter-in-law who could not wait to see her mother-in-law!! I've really enjoyed working in the cafe, and think I've done pretty good considering I'd never worked in the industry before. The best thing is the people I've met, we get alot of regulars and it's always nice chatting to them.

I'm now a "lady of leisure" for 2 weeks - well, inbetween working (looking after the kids), getting our house back into order, and getting my head round this whole teaching thing. Now that all my thoughts aren't being consumed by the cafe, they are being consumed by what on earth I'm going to do in my classroom!! I'm very excited but also quite nervous. I can't wait though! I met my class (Year 7) at the end of last year and they seemed lovely. Get this, I only have 19 students. No doubt more will be added as new students arrive at the school, but is that awesome or what! I also have a huge classroom, complete with a permanent data projector. I am a pretty lucky teacher, and the support from the school seems really good.

Anyway, Christmas was great. It was spread over a few days, starting with my family on Christmas-eve-eve. We had a lovely dinner at Mum and Dads, and Santa even came early - though we had to save our stockings to open on Christmas morning. One of the more interesting presents we received was three buckets, planted with lettuce and tomato. Mum has grown them for us, so now we have fresh salad on our doorstep!! Very cool. And she's even looking after the tomatoes until they bear fruit, so that I can't kill the plants.

Scott and Char (his mum) worked Christmas Eve, while I stayed at home catching up on laundry and packing. In the late afternoon we headed off to Scott's dad's place in Whakamaru - near Mangakino, which is near Tokoroa. There we were met by two very surprised neices (we'd told them we weren't gonna be there til about 2 hours later), Scott's sis Jo and his dad John. The hubby and I slept in a tent in the backyard with Amanda (9) and Cori-Jo (5), and it was great fun.. we read Christmas stories and put out treats for Santa. Amanda caught much of the action on our video camera, so I hope to put together a montage sometime. Stay tuned - I'm back.

Winchester Quiristers

In 2003, I lived and worked in Winchester, England. For a year I tended to the needs of the boys at The Pilgrims' School - yes, I was a Matron.

Tonight I was bored, so thought I'd have a search around YouTube. It was such a lovely surprise to come across some of my boys!!

Pilgrims' has two famous cathedral choirs - the Choristers (who sing in the Winchester Cathedral) and the Quiristers (who sing for Winchester College, the oldest school in England).

I worked in "Q School", which was the boarding house of the Quiristers, along with "Commoners" (boys who attended the school but weren't in a choir). I was with these boys every day, so you can imagine my surprise and delight when I found this video clip!

It's quite funny cos it's a choir music video. I looked after all the boys shown - believe me, they weren't the perfect little angels they look! They were great fun though. Harry Sever (red head like me) won the BBC Choirboy of the Year in 2003.

Check it out.



Oh, Winchester!

Our family tree

Hat-tip: Frank

(click on the image for a bigger picture...)

Di Tri Berrese

This was shown to us in class today, and is a bit of fun. It can also highlight how often children struggle so much to make sense of what they are reading. It is possible to read so that we will understand it (in English), but is tricky. If you don't get it at all, click on the comments button for a hint.


Di Tri Berrese

Uans oppena taim ues tre berrese;
mamma berre, pappa berre, a bebi berre
Live inne contri nire foreta.

NAISE AUS.
NO MACHEGGIA.

Unno doi, pappa, mamma, e bebi
go tudia bice,
anie fughette loche de dorre.
Bai enne bai commose Goldilocchese,
sci garra nattinghe tu du
betta meiche troble.
Sci puschie olle fudde daon di maute;
no leve cromme.
Dan schi gos appesterese
ene slipse in alle beddse.
LEISE SLOBBE!

Bai anne bai commese omme
di tri berrese;
alle sommebronde enne sand inna scius,
Dei garra no fudde,
garra no beddse
En warra dei goine due to Goldilocchese?
Tro erie inne strict?
Colle pullssemenne?
FETTE CIENZE!

Dei uas Italien Berrese,
Goldilocchese stei derre tree unidase;
itte aute ausenomme;
on guita becose die asche erra
to meiche di beddse
sci sai "Go jampa in di lache,"
enne runne omma craine
to erra mamma
tellen erre uat saniguenses
di tri berres uor.
Uatsiuse? Uara ju goine du?
- Go compliene sittiole?

Quote of the week

This is my favourite quote at the moment, said by my lovely hubby whilst in debate:

"I see your persective. But you're wrong."