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