March 2008

This month my old high school (Kaikorai Valley High School - now Kaikorai Valley College) held its 50th Jubilee. Over a thousand people attended from overseas and around the country. It was fun to catch up with the likes of Rodney Thompson, John Begg, Estelle Fraser, Peter Scott, Howard Broad, Darryl Daglish, Bryan Jamieson, Karen Little, Kevin Marlowe, Liz Sawkins, Gerald and John Schoones etc. Where's everyone else?

They've changed.

I've changed.

No one changes.

February 2008

A good month all told. Lots of sun. A lot of cold also. Some good training in terms of 24-hr barefoot walk preparation.

The main fun would have been the Otago Rail Trail Duathlon that Mami and I took part in. We formed a team of three with Paul Hamilton from work. I'll post a single photo here. If you would like to see more, read a short account (I have yet to write) at my ultradistance blog.

Work has been quite busy due to the Literacy and Numeracy evaluation that the Learning Centre has been asked to administer.

Attended the 50th birthday party of a High School classmate, Ian C, who I've seen perhaps twice in over 30 years. How we age! (Actually the two of us are in pretty good shape!)

January 2008

Late last year Mami and I travelled to the Nelson-Motueka area in the north of the South Island. We stayed and/or visited friends along the way: James and Ilhye, Kathy and Jim, Fiona and Martin.

We also met Jurgen and Kyoko. They are involved with setting up Atamai, an eco-village that is being built. Mami and I spent a week or two looking over the land and speaking to some of the people involved. We are certainly interested.

I decided to work part-time this year. My proportion will be 0.6, and I shall be at the Learning Centre at Otago Polytechnic on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. People ask me,"So what will you do on your days off." How sad that they need to ask!

My youngest daughter, Iacinta, flew to Kiribati for a three-month stay. She is keen to pick up the language and culture. Through emails I have communicated with her more often than when she is here! Iacinta will be in the sixth form this year, at Otago Girls' High School, Vincent will be in the seventh form at Kings' High School, and Albany will be doing her second last or is it final year of her Law/Japanese double degree.