Happy New Year!

We hope you all have a great New Year! We had a good night out New Year's Eve. We had dinner at the Te Puke RSA, and enjoyed some dancing on their cute wee floor! The place was buzzing, and we managed to do the foxtrot, quickstep, waltz, rock and roll, rhumba and cha cha... only dance we didn't do was the square tango. It was a great night, and one of the best we've had out for ages!

Christmas Greetings!

Wishing you all the blessings of Christmas.

Thank you to each and everyone of you who help our lives to be enriched.

I had a great time glueing my buttons as the first base of my Memorabilia tree. I have got to do another layer of buttons, then I glue on the memorabilia, brooches, trinkets, beads, fancy buttons, badges etc... great fun!

I had a super time at Pongakawa school being Brent's fake grandma. He wrote me a fantastic poem, I don't think being a fake grandma is too bad!

Our Computer Graduation was special too, and I am now doing the What's new 2007 follow up on line. It's meant to take 17 hours but it will probably be 117 hours for me! Thank goodness we have broadband.

Last Friday I went to Hamilton for a session with Judy, Shona and Barb on Clicker 5! Just fabulous, thanks Judy! Even had time to peruse 3 Op Shops for old buttons beforehand and afterwards checked out a shoe shop for Latin Dance shoes for Ted!

Then... on Saturday I went to a Feltmaking for Christmas course, that was fabulous!

Check out my blog on the right for photos...

Memorabilia Tree

On Monday I am going to a craft session to learn how to make a Memorabilia Tree.

Last Tuesday I passed my last International Computer Driving Licence exam (database), that was great news!

Four of us from school have completed the course, our graduation is on Wednesday at the Bay of Plenty Polytech.

Friday I am going to Hamilton to learn more about Clicker 5, and on Saturday I have a felting course, so a busy week!

Today I am off to Pongakawa School for Grandparent's Day. I am Brent's 'fake' grandma!

It will be a great day. Brent is bringing me some more Flemish fare for lunch, so that will be something to look forward to!

Brent's PowerPoint of Muggles World

Muggles World Get On Board In The Night

View more presentations from nzyvonne.

Holidays again!

Earlier in the month we went up to Auckland Thalia and Matt's wedding. It was a wonderful celebration, and we wish Thalia and Matt all the best for the future. It was great to catch up with all my Rowden cousins too!We visited Michael, and the girls and caught up with all their happenings. We had tea with Sarah on the Friday night, and also breakfast in Pukekohe as we headed home on Sunday. This weekend Jahna was up for a Secondary Schools Judo Tournament in Tauranga. It was great to see him. We have got broadband now, and it is so good!

August already!

I can't believe it's August already! Didn't get to do much in the way of extra exercise during the holidays. We are back enjoying our dance lessons down in Te Puke, and have started going to the Tai Chi continuuing class, hard work, after our second beginners course, but it will be good for us, I know!
Denise and Ross stayed with us last night, on their way to Kaitaia. Good to catch up with them. We will see them again at Thalia's wedding in Auckland in September, along with the rest of the Rowdens. Looking forward to it!
Well, till next time,
Yvonne

Blast from the past!

I will start with some of Ted's Stewart Island photos...

On Saturday I went to an amazing ICT Conference in Rotorua. It was fabulous learning about new technology, and I will mention some websites later. However, the highlight for me was meeting Linda, a friend from Playcentre days, I don't think I have seen her for 30 years or more! She is still the lovely vibrant person I knew then, and now is a Lecturer in teacher training at Waiariki Polytechnic in Rotorua. She is coming to observe a student teacher at one of my schools next term, so we are hoping to meet up again. Super! I also caught up with Lee (Galatea days) Laurie, Gayle, Anne from over my way, Lorraine who popped me on the Technology Train, and I met face to face with Wendy from Lynmore!

On Friday I went to Papamoa and sat my International Computer Driving Licence, Module 2, File management, and amazed myself by getting 83%! A pass! I had done lots of work on the module, but didn't think it had stuck! The next module is Microsoft Word, I myself love Publisher... but it does have its drawbacks. So maybe, I will become a convert to Word.

Judith, my dear friend from Lower Hutt, also a teacher, is looking to up her exercise over the holidays, I have said I will join her in that, so I will be reporting what I do here!

Ted and I are back at dancing lessons, and Tai Chi. We both need to build up some fitness though!

My new mobile phone...my first one...

I have a new mobile phone, my first one! I have enjoyed texting Jahna and Christina (grandson & daughter) but I do need to learn to retrieve phone messages though, Ted rang twice while I was at a course, last week, he was flying home from Stewart Island... I thought he was arriving on Thursday, when he rang from Stewart Island earlier I discovered it was actually Wednesday... he said he would ring again... but I didn't hear from him, I had told him I was at a course, (but he swears he didn't hear that!) and I just expected him to get a ride back with our neighbours...The phone went twice at the course, by the time I got outside to answer it, he was gone! I didn't know how to retrieve the messages, and didn't realize I could ring back, it said restricted number... anyway, he arrived at Tauranga Airport 1 pm and turned down 2 rides home, because he didn't want me to go all that way and find him not there! I got home at 4.30 pm to find him absent, turned around and picked him up at 5 pm! Poor darling! I did feel stink!
I will post some of his Stewart Island photos shortly. He had a wonderful time!
We had a great Regional SLS day in Hamilton yesterday a long way to go, but very rewarding. Had a computer session first off, we had Linda McCullough from the National Library, with really useful websites to visit http://www.natlib.govt.nz a great starting point. Also http://www.biguniverse.com/ to read picture books around the world, or to create your own picture books. Te Ara: the Encyclopedia of New Zealand http://www.teara.govt.nz Matapihi, multimedia resources from NZ libraries, galleries, archives and museums http://www.matapihi.org.nz the list goes on! Linda also read Click, Clack Moo, Cows that Type, by Doreen Cronin and showed us Harry Highpants by Tony Wilson. Super picture books!

Stewart Island update.

I heard yesterday that the four guys are fine on Stewart Island, enjoying sunshine, yesterday was not quite as nice, but far better than what we are experiencing here, so that's good. Ted's mate Rick has shot three deer, and Ted one, the two guys none. So they won't be starving! They come back next Thursday.
I went out to breakfast yesterday with the Support staff from the Intermediate, it was a great way to start the day! Then fancy morning tea at Te Ranga school, and lunch too at Te Puke Primary (all saying thank you to the support staff) so I just had pudding for tea!
Dieting was another thing I had thought about, while Ted was away, but that can wait!
I have just started my new boy VJ at school, and we have been having lots of fun. Next week I have a training day, and also will meet up after school with my 3 fellow SLS teachers from Tauranga and Papamoa. that is always an inspiring time. Scrapbooking on Sunday too.

East Ruggedy Hut

Here's the East Ruggedy hut Ted is staying in. It is a 12 bunk hut.

Stewart Island

Ted left for Stewart Island yesterday. He was really looking forward to it, he has left a photo of the hut he and his 3 mates will be staying in, as a screensaver! Just to remind me where he is! I will post a photo. I hope he has a fabulous time, he really deserves it! It has been a busy year, and quite traumatic for him. His Mum, who has been in Country Lodge for just over a year, here in Te Puke, moved last holidays to Awhina Mai, a secure Dementia wing at Redwood in Rotorua. This has been tough for Ted, to have her move to Rotorua (no space for her in the secure dementia wing in Te Puke at present) and to see the deterioration in her condition. However. we are thankful that Bud (Ted's Mum) has Paul and Tracy (youngest son and daughter-in-law) in Rotorua, and they are just marvellous.
Well, as usual, when Ted goes away I have great plans... some that have been made, and changed already! I thought I might stay downtown after Tai Chi, Tuesday and Wednesday nights... but after checking out the accommodation at $90 a night, I gave that idea away! I may not even go to Tai Chi, it means hanging about till 5.30pm, and I can come home straight after school, so why not do that?
I thought about doing a room a day springcleaning! There are 11 space in the house, counting passage, back porch, and our open-plan kitchen/dining area/lounge I have counted as 3... but I have gone off that idea overnight!
I have got 3 books to read, and that sound more fun! I am reading Kate de Goldi's "The 10pm Question", absolutely delightful. I will send it to my 13 year old grandson Jahna, to read, when I have finished it. It is truly delightful! Makes me want to be a writer... but have I got time? Or the flair? Ted has got his new Lee Child book to read at Stewart Island, I imagine they may get a few wet days down there!
I am also doing the International Computer Driving Licence course through the local Polytechnic. It is free, a group of us are doing it at school. I jumped in late, got my CD Friday night of Labour weekend, swotted up over the weekend, and sat the first test on Tuesday. I hadn't covered everything, but thought I may as well give it a go, and I got 94%! Amazing! It was the Internet and email... enough said really!
Well, I had better go... I have planning to do for school...

More gifts!

Forgot to say, I also received a book token... I will be buying Lee Child's latest thriller... for Ted! I will read it after him. at the moment I am reading Peter Robinson's "Cold is the Grave" a DCI Banks novel, I am really enjoying these books, only problem is, I am reading them all out of sequence!
I should be reading all the notes from the courses I went to last term, that was the plan...
I have joined Twitter...

It's my birthday!

I have been very spoilt, Ted has given me a whole day spa experience... I have had emails from Christina & Jahna, phone calls from Michael & Bernard, slippers, used teabag holder, kiwifruit utensil (for cutting and eating!) cards, emails and phone calls from friends and relations, so I feel very blessed. I am not ready to go back to school, but okay I will! On Wednesday I have got a special morning tea at Te Ranga for my birthday, so that will be lovely!

Photos & Scrapbooking

Well, yesterday I redeemed 20 free photos I had with Snapfish! I downloaded my photos at an Internet cafe in Te Puke. It's too slow at home with dial-up! That cost $4, then it was a further $3.95 postage... so I should have just got the photos done downtown! I hope they will be ready for me for scrapbooking on Tuesday. I have put Anne Le'ota's Creative Memories website on my links, so anyone interested in our area could have a look, and maybe join us at a workshop! Anne is totally marvellous!

Easter

What wonderful weather we have had over Easter, and it looks set to continue. I have been enjoying some knitting. I have used Picasa to make the collage. Thanks Nicki, for telling me how to do it!

I have also been busy in the orchard, taking 3 plastic "sox" off each kiwifruit plant! They were there to protect the kiwifruit from sheep that were grazing in the orchard. However, the sheep have gone, and off come the bags! Long slow work, but the kiwifruit will be happier, I am sure! Feeling sunshine and fresh air on their trunks!

Off to Tai Chi today, and my son Michael and two youngest granddaughters are visiting after lunch, I am looking forward to that!

I have received a text from Jahna (grandson) and he was delighted with the 11 books I sent him! I won them in a raffle at a SLANZA workshop (School Library Association...) He's an avid reader, so I sent him the lot!

We went up the Papamoa Hills yesterday, had breakfast out, then bought some half price clematis, that we have planted to climb over the new fences Ted has put up, up our drive.

A box of goodies...

Yesterday Bianca and I opened up a box of goodies from the Lucky Bookclub. Piggy banks, mystical creatures to paint, posters, books and a dog clip! Only one, (dog clip) so it is Bianca's! Everything was half price, so a great bargain. We received this book too. It is wonderful, and interactive. You can't read at the bottom, but it says 'Find the secret drawer'

If you want to know more, read Bianca's article 'Super Duper Clip' on our class blog

The Book Whisperer

Another inspiring blog I have found, the Book Whisperer. Do check it out.
http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/book_whisperer/

AnyQuestions.Co.Nz

Just found a great link for helping with homework on the National Library site. Nicki, your children might find this useful.
It says...
helps students to find useful, accurate, online information for homework.Not a ‘quick answers service’ - instead online librarians help you work out the sort of information you need, then begin searching with you.Librarians from all over New Zealand are available each week day between 1:00 pm and 6:00 pm to help you search online.
http://www.anyquestions.co.nz/

About me

I am a teacher, with 7 students aged from 7-12. They have learning difficulties, and I work one to one with them. We have lots of fun. I love aqua-jogging, tai chi, dancing, reading... the list goes on! Somewhat addicted to computers!

Here I am!

Hello
Well, this is so good to have my own blog site!