The Golden Weather

I think Summer rocked on in about 10 January - I have an image of Alex swimming down at the local stream (the hangout for Piha kids) dated 10 Jan, and it seemed cold-as prior to that.
New years was definately cold, jeans on around the brazier. It was worth not taking time off over Xmas cause the weather was crap!

This year there was no Big Day Out for me, as I wasn't into the headliners, and once i'd finished my two reports for work (left in a bit of a rush with a long list of instructions for other staff) then we were off to Mimiwhangata, 8 days at the beach, no driving, no roads, just swimming, fishing, reading and some wine with great people. Greg took his new boat, so the kids (and adults) had great fun being dragged around on the sea biscuit. It was hot, the ocean was beautifully warm and we enjoyed eating tuatuas and laxing out. Alex and I then went to stay at Waipu, and it was great to catch up with Bruce - we watched him win 3rd place in a bowls tournament, which was exciting!! (I'm not kidding!)

We got back and needed to upgrade the home computer, as Jac has started her Masters in Literacy and Numeracy from AUT - its a distance learning thing so all her school work is on-line and we needed broadband plus a reliable computer (predecessor was somewhat lacking in going well) - all was good until the modem Keith gave me ($7 Trademe) started playing up and Jac went to get a shop brought a new one at the very last minute before I went to Get Off The Concrete - very stress laden evening prior as I sorted out the new modem so that it worked and Jac could start at Uni...

Then it was up to Te Arai, 5 days of camping in the forest, chilling out with about 90 men and 15 teenagers, the 7th annual event for GOTC. Wonderful time, great talks and workshops (I particularly enjoyed the one entitled "meeting the lioness" - how we meet our strong partners as equals) plus great swimming and food and chai...

We had to miss going camping with the Piha families to Tawhranui this year :-(
But we managed to get to our 7th consecutive year for Waiatarua Playcentre camp - most of the people there are now ex-playcentre, but we had a great time and Alex ran / rode his bike in the pack, kids he's known all his life, and a few red wines were appreciated...Anton had a green stick broken arm when he fell off his bike, first major injury in all the camps that we've had there - but he achieved celebrity status on Sunday morning as all the kids checked out his cast. Great sing-a-long on Saturday night.

Since then I have really noticed the speeding up of the pace of life as the school year has kicked in and home discussions have re-centered around the logistics of life - getting here so that we can get there on time...on and on...

Alex and I were invited out on Greg's boat for Grayson's birthday, we had a few adventures (forgot the life jackets, ran aground) but Alex caught his first fish on his new rod (excellent outcome), and we had a wonderful day out around Rangitoto/Motutapu - with about 100 other boats - it was a bit like a supermarket carpark at times!!!

Plan Change 2 decision was a great endorsement of me and the integrity of all the work I had done on that District Plan Change - some great comments from the judge about my evidence and its compelling nature - I have an image of Jac, Alex and I being welcomed onto the new marae at Te Atatu at dawn one day in the future....

The day after Grayson's outing, I had yet another great body boarding session at Sth Piha (clean 2-4 footers, primo!), but the off shore wind was blowing in the not-summer weather - and all of a sudden its raining and the daylight saving clock is turned back and summer seems over and that sucks.

Still, the league has started again, no more dreary Super 14, I went to the Warriors and saw them clean up the Eels...

So whats coming up ?

Alex doing the weetbix tryathalon in a couple of weeks
Alex soccer starts 21 April - his 9th birthday - I am the coach of the team....
Work will be busy till July - writing more reports on Hobsonville Plan Changes 13 and 14 and managing the ebb and flow of policy around that
Plus, a bonus, Groove Armada play in Ak next week, i'll be there enjoying their full band, and they have a new cd out in May - yeehaa!

Yo...onwards

Spirit horses

Every breath taken in
By the woman who loves
By the man who loves
Goes to fill the water tank
Where the spirit horses drink

Mimiwhangata

Returned from a week at the DoC camp at Mimiwhangata, and here is Alex and Harrison (4 years) eating tuatuas and mussels. A great week with 4 families, swimming, snorkling, bodyboarding, boating (with sea biscuit) rock fishing (frustrating past-time), and chilling out. Some nice wine and great weather. Nevertheless I was pleased to lie in my own bed and sit on a couch when I got back to Piha.

Camp has only cold shower and long drops, and you have to walk your gear over the hill to the sites (a mission), but is worth it in terms of beauty and views...Next up is Te Arai and Tawhranui camping, in a couple of weeks.

Alex starts school today and Jacqui starts her University next week, trying to get her computer stuff sorted at home...

Alex and Spider

This is Alex and Spider-rat, the drongo cat that (while lovable) provides us with fur everywhere and fleas...

Alex Albert

Here is Alex, January 16 2007

This is taken withJacqui's new cell phone camera

2006 recap

Well, it seems to have flown by, with lots of action, growth and fun. Highlights were:

The Big Day Out (even tho my feet hurt for 2 days afterwards!)
Going camping at Mimiwhangata (January), Te Arai (February), Tawhranui (March) (altho it poured down there for 3 days we had fun)
April going to the Gold Coast (planning conference) and Brisbane with Jac
April 21 - Alex's 8th birthday
Starting running in Winter
Having our Honda (Parked on the side of the road) written off by an unknown car, so enabling the purchase of a better car
Alex progressing well with his soccer
2 half marathons (one in October, one in November)
My 40th birthday party
Surprise visit from Megan
Movember (see earlier post!)
Visit from Mark Coster
Keith and Becky's wedding

I have also enjoyed reading books 1-5 of the Dark Tower series by Stephen King (more on this in a later post), a fantastic Shihad gig mid year, and generally lots of fun with Jac and Alex

2007

Ah, what does this year hold ?

A big year at work for me (I'm not kidding!)
Alex is Year 5
Jac looks like she's going back to school - obtaining a literacy qualification - currently tossing up a couple of options

New Years itself was fun, we had some friends over and sat around the fire in the back yard (it was cold enough!) On new years day I started as I mean to go on - went for a run

Back to work - seeking to complete the lion's share of another report this week - currently it is 114 pages...Plan Change 13, hobsonville airbase re-zoning to residential, industrial and marine industry uses... Last week I was working on Plan Change 14 report - Hobsonville Village - a town centre and industrial precinct next to the airbase - got a lot oif it done, and are waiting on others now to deliver their components - as always this makes me nervous...