Holiday at Pleasant Point and aftershocks
Mark and I had a lovely time in the caravan at the start of the year. It was so nice to have a break away from the cares of the world. On the 2nd January there was a string of nasty aftershocks in Christchurch. It was so good not to be there for them. It gives us an idea of what it is like for people hearing about our quakes. It really doesn’t have much effect. Mark and I were talking about it and figured it would be a bit like the war, where soldiers didn’t even try to explain what it was like as no one who hadn’t experienced it would really understand. We have had continual aftershocks of various magnitude and damage for well over a year. Unless you have lived here, you can’t understand what it is like.
App and videos
The sales of the AtMyPace: Statistics app have built up a little to an average of 2 a day. I guess people aren’t that interested in Statistics over Christmas.
William and I finished off another video about choosing the statistical test. You can watch it here!
Summer School
I am teaching a summer school course to get a bit of extra money. There are 53 in the course and I thought they might be a bit more motivated than the regular class and have a higher pass-rate. But I was wrong. You’d think after paying about $600 they would at least make an effort!
Caroline Bay Carnival
We had our pilgrimage down to the Caroline Bay Carnival in Timaru, taking Jessica and William. We stopped to buy sushi on the way out of town and experienced an aftershock in the mall. In Timaru we had a walk around, had lunch, went to a concert, did the rides, played mini-golf, walked around a bit more, had dinner and drove home. The weather was perfect – not sunny most of the time, but not cold either. Jonathan’s highlight was the Octopus, which he went on with Jessica and William. It is nice to have them to do things with Jonathan.
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| Attending a free concert at the Caroline Bay Carnival. |
I bought a swan plant last year and within a day it was visited by a monarch butterfly. Consequently we had 10 caterpillars munching away on it and the plant was not holding its own. So I went and bought three more plants and transferred them across. That was on Friday. By Monday we had to buy another three plants. The following day three caterpillars turned into little hanging J’s and then into green pupae overnight. They are amazing. The pupae are a beautiful green with gold ornamentation. We have finally got one butterfly, though how such a large insect fitted into a small space escapes me. Hey Ray – you should get a swan plant now you don’t have any pigeons left. They are really interesting.
Trip to Fairlie and Tekapo
Jonathan wanted to go to a hot pool resort in Tekapo - the Alpine Springs Hotpools - after a local church family won a trip there as part of a television programme. So we took the caravan down to Fairlie and the three of us stayed there for two nights. I really enjoy taking Jonathan away as he is so sweet. After the swim both my ears got totally blocked, which was really challenging for all concerned. Jonathan suggested I put oil in them, as we had done to him some time back. The next morning my left ear did work a little bit. I felt as if I had been let out of a prison. When we drove back up we came via the scenic route over the Rakaia Gorge Bridge. New Zealand is SO beautiful. I got my ears fixed back in Christchurch a few days later.
Boundary changes
Well it finally happened. We had the Stake reorganisation. There was some trepidation among the Stake leaders as it involved dissolving a Samoan Ward, and there are precedents of that not going well in other parts. However, it seems to have gone fine. We think several things contributed to it. First, during the bad earthquake time the Samoans got used to going to the geographic wards. Second, everyone was moved, not just them. Third, everyone knew the shifts were coming, so had a chance to get used to the idea ahead of time. Fourth, the stake president did a really good job of explaining it all, and had a Samoan interpreter translating on the night. It was a wonderful meeting, with a wonderful spirit. I found it far more uplifting than the meeting earlier in the week with various General and Area Authorities on a junket, where some felt the leaders were talking to the local dignitaries, and the members were just there for rent-a-crowd.
We are now in the Merivale Ward, with Bishop Clendon, Nathan McCluskey and Jarom Armstrong as the Bishopric. I have been called as Primary President. There are about 40 children, so that will be an interesting challenge for me. Mark continues as Stake Clerk, despite dropping suggestions to be allowed to be Ward Clerk. We are fortunate as we know most of the people in the ward as they were in Riccarton when we were there before the previous boundary shift. This is our fourth different unit, without moving house. This time I see it as a privilege to have been part of Avonside Ward, and to experience life with different groups of people. Avonside Ward and Opawa Ward have been combined into a mega-Ward (by Christchurch standards) of about 200 attending. We in Merivale Ward are meeting at the Opawa Chapel for now, and will move back to the Fendalton Chapel when it has been repaired, hopefully at the end of the year.
Mark has been very busy with the changes, and training up the new Ward clerks. Jessica and William are still in the Avon River Ward, and we arranged for them to be able to take Pearl to church using our car so that she isn’t stuck. However Pearl passed away at the beginning of February, so won’t be needing rides.
Mark took photos for the last week of Avonside Ward, and the first week of Merivale Ward. I helped him set it up both times. The expression “herding cats” springs to mind. Our family felt special, as all the Avonside people said they were sorry we were going, and the Riccarton people who were going into Merivale were happy that we would be with them.
On the Saturday before our first meeting as a new ward, Jacquie Taleni, the ex-President of Relief Society arranged a party after her son, Iose’s baptism. Jonathan played an interlude at the baptism, that was wonderful – again a medley of Primary songs. He finished off with Book of Mormon Stories, and made it sound majestic. He is a marvel. The meal was great – with a pig, Samoan style.
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| Jonathan & William on a revolving drum in the Caroline Bay playground |
We had a brief warm spell, so one of my tutors, Alex, and I took Jonathan to the beach to see if he would like surfing. We just did body boarding, but it went down well. It was a great way to start the day.
We had our final activity day and took the children to Spencer Park to do some Orienteering. Jonathan came too, and kept up well. Then we went on the wonderful playground and the kids were impressed at Jonathan’s physical skills.
Jessica and William
A sad thing happened at the start of the month. A lowlife walked down the back of Jessica and William’s place. William was just telling Jessica you shouldn’t judge by appearances when the man whizzed past the window on her bicycle. That was disturbing, and she felt a bit vulnerable after that.
Jessica had her 25th birthday on the day of the boundary shifts. We had a taco lunch at our place, with my mother there too. We gave her some shoes and a bicycle to replace the one that was stolen, and Jonathan gave her an iTunes card. My mother gave her a bike lock. She felt loved and cared for, so that was nice.
Mark
Mark has been busy with church work and started back at paid work after the holidays. He and Jonathan try to get to the gym three times a week. He says he is just plodding along as usual.
Sore neck
I have had trouble with a sore neck for some months, and then realised it might be my glasses. I have progressive lenses, and have been holding my head funny to be able to see the computer screen. I got some standard single index lenses for computer use and that is much better. I found running was really good for it.
And that is us for January.
Nicola, Mark, Jonathan, Jessica and William.
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| Jessica, William, Jonathan and Nicola action shot on the Caroline Bay boardwalk. |
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