Triathlon Today

I did it!!

A 400m swim, 12km bike, 4km run. And I didn't stop at all. Except when I swam into a huge bunch of kelp and had to wrest myself free. I also won a spot prize (nice coffee). So did Kirsten (wine) and Sarah (protein powder). I think K got the better deal :)

Yay me.

Netball

In about half an hour I will find out what netball team I am in this season. There is a mixture of anticipation and nervousness inside me as I wait for the meeting. Last year I was in Team 4 (out of 5) and for the two years before I was in Team 5. I am hoping to be in team 3, but team 4 will do I suppose; although I would rather be a not-so-good player in a strong team than be a strong player in a not-so-good team. I just hope the selector has seen it that way!


Sushi-riffic

Moto (our Japanese boarder) leaves next weekend. He is going to make us sushi for tea on Wednesday, which I am really looking forward to as my attempts at sushi making have not always been so successful in the past. Unfortunately this means I miss Cass's birthday celebrations which are on the same night. Poos.


Try a tri

The triathlon is also on next weekend. I feel very underprepared and unfit, but my goal is to finish, not win; even if I have to walk the run bit! At this stage I am mostly wondering how I go about the transitions. Do I wear just my togs or a wetsuit? What about a rash vest? Do I dry my feet after the swim, or do I cycle in wet socks? Shorts or leggings? What if it's raining? It's all a bit overwhelming, really.

Any advice from other tri-ers would be great... but don't even THINK about suggesting I do it pro-style and cycle/run in a bikini thingy - Greenpeace may just turn up and try to put me back in the sea.

It is finished

Wee Man is no more.

His back legs had been starting to lose function slowly since the start of the year, and by this week his back half was almost completely paralysed. He was rather a sad figure, dragging himself up and down the stairs of his cage with only his front legs. He was also losing heaps of weight despite eating normally and I think his kidneys had packed up because he was drinking all the time. So; it was the right decision to have him put down.

We took him to the vet after work yesterday, and after a final cuddle, the vet took him away. He gassed him to put him to sleep, then injected something to stop his heart. We got him back home, Sam dug a hole by the lemon tree, and we buried him there.

I cried.

Bye wee man!

Sporty Stuff

Affa-letix

...which is how you say "athletics" if you attend Upper Hutt College.

Man, today went off - what a fabulously organised and well attended event. After being stuck in third place for the last two years it was a relief to finally break the trend and come second. YAY Hillary house!! Now we have to kick butt all year in the other events and take the house trophy off smug old Blake house. Our leadership team (Year 12 and 13 kids) did an excellent job of signing people up for events and organising them to be in the right place at the right time. I'm really proud of them. The tiger outfit growled its way to being the most awesome staff costume (IMHO of course!), and I didn't get sunburned.

Netball

Netball sucked last night. We were within a whisker of winning but the opposition sunk a lucky 2 pointer on the buzzer. And they only had the ball cos I missed a pass from Sam, so really, I lost the game for us. And I was on C when I had no legs left (4th quarter). And we were top of the table - we shoulda kicked ass. But we didn't. Poos.

I have two games tonight in Petone. A good way to purge my netball demons.

Spot the difference

What difference?? They look identical to me...

Roll on athletics day.

GO YELLOW!!!!!!!

Oh yeah, Sam has already pointed out that tigers are orange not yellow. I plead colour blindness.

Back, Black, Black Caps

Back
I'm back from sunny Auckland - with 32 Waipuna pens to prove it. I had a competition with a teacher from HIBS - I lost - she got 38. I learned lots of new ways to teach the same old things kids have trouble with: algebra, fractions, decimals, percentages and ratio; and I am looking forward to trying it all out with my guinea pigs back at school.

And an old guy from the Ministry of Education made a pass at me. Flattering, but also weird.

Black
We went to a funeral today for Sam's boss's wife. Gone just a day after delivering her first daughter. Stink. I keep thinking what it would be like if it was me (or Sam) and just don't even want to go there. I cannot imagine how awful it is for the boss guy right now.

Black Caps
About time we gave someone a thrashing. Yeah.

One Love

Yeah baby. What a lovely day.

After leaving the beer at home before learning you *could* take your own, and then going via the petrol shop and the beer and food shop and then mum's place to drop off my car, and then to Kate's place to pick her up, we FINALLY made it there just in time for me to sit on my butt and soak up the sun and eat and drink and read my book.



And I got a henna tattoo on my foot.
Before (note the stick on tattoo also on my ankle):



After: (the henna has to dry then peel off, leaving a stain on the skin):

And this chick forgot to put her pants on, I think. There was definite cheek action visible when she walked. Oh Dear.

Training Notes and other things

400m swim, 12km bike, 4km run

I thought I'd better check the actual distances today and was pleasantly suprised that the run and bike legs were less than I had thought. The swim leg is longer than I thought, but 400m is a warm-up for me so no problem there.

Training Diary

So far I have been very active:

Feb 3 - walk down/up the hill
Feb 4 - walk up, run down the hill; bike ride up/down/up the hill; walk to the mall (4km)
Feb 5 - walk up, run down the hill; 1km swim; 2 games of netball
Feb 6 - walk up/down the hill; 1 game of netball

Tomorrow I will take it easy with only a walk up/down the hill in the morning. There may be a recreational swim in the river if the weather stays as fabulously hot as it was today.

Back to work (finally!)

The students start tomorrow - lots of course changes to make, and new faces to meet. We don't start teaching till Friday actually. Then next week I go on a conference for three days in Auckland. Yay! Although stink for my classes - I have to set relief when they have only just started learning stuff; not an ideal situation. I will be taking the laptop with me - be prepared for an interruption to your usual off-black service next week!

It is done

I have officially entered the Sun Latte Women's triathlon which is on 25 March.

Now I have to train for it as I stopped training just before we moved house, like, late November!

Here's the plan:

• Every morning - up at 6 for a walk/run/stagger up and down the hill and back up again. As we are kinda halfway up the hill, go up first as it is less steep than the 'uphill' from the bottom, and I need to save that bit till I'm warmed up.
• Week days - take swim gear to work and go home via the pool. Less hassle than trying to go in the morning and then get back home for brekkie: we live further from the pool than we used to. Do at least 1km, work up to 2km by 25 March.
• Mondays - indoor netball.
• Weekends - ride my bike up and down the hill and back up again. (Note: just tried that and found the second 'up' needed to be on foot. This will change!)

By the start of March I will be needing to ride on the flat for longer than the 2km of Major Drive - maybe up and down Oxford/Cambridge Terraces with the odd bridge crossing thrown in. I will also need to start taking the bike to the pool to get used to transitions, or coming home from biking and going straight out for a run.

Wish me luck!

The original model for Gollum

Megan - 39 weeks

Whaddya reckon?

VTNZ are picky buggers

Like not-kate, my car also failed its WoF. Unlike not-kate, mine will cost a lot more than $10 to fix.

I took it to VTNZ. Don't do that! They get paid per fault found, I reckon. They are uber-picky!!! They said my car needed:

• Rust repair under engine mount (approx $100 to fix)
• Rust repair under driveshaft neat the seats (approx $400 to fix)
• New tyre (about $80)

I said "bugger that" and took it to the lovely boys at Moonshine Autos, near UHC.
They said my car needed:

• New wipers ($10-ish)
• A new headlight bulb ($15-ish)
• New brakes (approx $120)

They also said, "Your tyre is borderline, but passes ok. And where's the rust supposed to be? I didn't find any."

Suck on that, VTNZ!

Funny how the different places pick up different stuff. I guess the headlight bulb blew in the week between WoFs, but the other stuff? What the hey - as long as I only have to spend about $150 rather than about $600 to get it roadworthy. Then I can sell the bastard :) It was totally worth the second opinion (and extra $40) to save $450. Especially as I am now a HOMEOWNER and don't have a lot of spare moolah.

Psst! Anyone wanna buy a Barina? One careful lady owner (and probably a few not-so-careful owners before that). :)

Here it is folks, the event you have been

waiting your whole life for… (or not)

Fish and Sam’s HOUSEWARMING!!

A not to be repeated event.
Mainly because moving house is a bitch

and we don’t want to do it again for at least ten years!

Saturday 27 January, from about 7ish
We will put on some snacks.
BYO drinks

Short notice, I know, and the races are on at Trentham that day, for those who are into that sort of thing, but we’re sure you can find time to pop in and christen the place. No, not like that. Shame on you, dirty people.

If you’ve read this, consider yourself invited!
Except that guy in the spare room at his Mum’s house reading this in his underpants. He’s not invited. You know who you are.

email fish@paradise.net.nz if you need the address.

Haircuts I have known: 1978

As promised on HP's blog, here's a photo of the haircut my sister Carol gave me at age 2. She was four. I can't find the front on view - it disappeared around the time of my 21st. The side view shows the complete lack of fringe and styley shaved side look though.

The second photo was taken three months later. You can still see the massive chunk missing at the front. Doesn't Carol look the picture of innocence? Yeah right :) Gotta also love the dressing the kids alike thing my Mum had going there. Nice beads too.

damn them all to hell

So I've switched to the new blogger. Maybe I had already but not realised it - I dunno. All I know is I couldn't log in anymore, so I tried logging in the new one and voila! Here I am.

We now have broadband at home. Yay! And two months free to get me addicted to all sorts of stuff so when I have to pay for it I will, cos I'll be addicted.

Textbook Rant
I went to school on Monday and spent FIVE solid hours stocktaking all the textbooks so I can figure out which naughty students haven't returned their books. I am the self-appointed textbook Nazi this year due to my amazing ability to be super organised. It really bugs me that some other teachers that issue the books don't take any responsibility for them. Some didn't even bother to record which student got which book. This of course wouldn't be a problem if all the kids brought them back, but kids are kids and are going to lose them/leave them at a mates place/leave them in a locker somewhere/change schools and all that kind of stuff. We have something like 100 textbooks missing over the five year levels. And that comes out of OUR maths budget. Hopefully the maths staff might get the connection this year when I make them personally ring all their last years' students to get the books back. Hehehe.

Food Poisoning Stinks (Literally. Euuuwww!)
I still have remnants of Campylobacter in me. Unfortunately my 2kg weight loss was merely water and I am now back to my regular size and weight. Also unfortunately, I still have trouble keeping food in my system any longer than about 2 hours. And therefore small meals are good. drinking water is good. Eating lots of meat or fibre is bad. Incidentally I found these cool stuffed toys thanks D3VO! that are representative of the micro-organisms that cause diseases and other illnesses. Pity they didn't have a Campy. I would have liked one so I could turn it into a voodoo doll.

Bzzzzzzzz
I bought an electric toothbrush. It's awesome. I can nearly manage to do all the surfaces before the 2 minute timer runs out - two minutes is actually quite a long time! I am going to get very good at estimating 2 minute intervals I guess. I went to the dentist yesterday and he said that my teeth looked very good and he was pleased that I had an electric toothbrush and soon I would notice how much better it was than a regular brush. I'm way ahead of him - I noticed by the second day that my teeth felt cleaner than usual and I had much nicer morning breath. That's gotta be good.

Labels
Why do I want to use labels? I've managed so far without them. Comments anyone?

Grrrrr

Telstra have screwed up AGAIN and completely cut our access to paradise.net Grrr. We have no dialup, no way to check email, and no email anywhere, even when I go from Mum's cos they won't accept my password. Stupidheads. I am going to call them when I get home and give them a piece of my mind. A grumpy piece at that. Good thing I drove Sam to work so I could pop into my work and use the internet. It's wierd being in a completely empty school. Nobody here but the caretakers and the guys building the new chem storage block. All too soon it will be all go again.

I just spent the weekend with a paritcularly nasty tummy bug. The doctor said it was Campylobacter, a common bug in "bbq season" :) I still don't know what caused it though, as I was the only person who got sick that I know of. Incubation takes anything from 1 - 10 days, so it could have been anything. Without being too graphic, I had bloating, cramps, and a speedy case of the runs for at least 3 days. I'm not quite back on a normal diet yet - sticking mostly to bread and fruit and other bland stuff. And I'm not allowed to swim till Friday! I did Monday's lessons from the side which was ok but not ideal. They managed to find a replacement for me for the next three days, but I'm looking forward to being able to get in the pool on Friday.

Won netball last night 35-18. Awesome. I shot 2 quarters and was super-confident for some reason and managed to sink quite a few. With Scott and Aaron we put on about 20 points in the two quarters. It was a good team game all round though - I think we had all missed playing over Christmas and were ready to give it our best last night. I think the other team could have done much better than they did - it should have been a much closer score.

Farewelled Leon and Laura last night - what a fine couple. Pity they couldn't stay longer.

Back in blogland

Moving house has disrupted my blogging of late, but never fear, I am back! And I have a lot of free time, not having to go to work till Feburary. One of the perks of teaching. Or perhaps the only perk :) Actually I have to be there on about the 28th or something to enrol the Senior students who failed lots of exams and now can't do the subjects they chose back in October. It would be much easier if they would damn well pass their exams, but I know they aren't all geniusses/genii? Whatever. Obviously I'm not one either.

Mum's clan are all in town for Auntie Wendy's 60th birthday party. There has already been one row (about how the scallops are to be cooked, for Chrissakes!! I mean who cares?) and I am sure there will be more. Imagine three older versions of me, all trying to be the boss at once, and you might get the idea. The three sisters in Mum's generation get all stressed out and yell and get shitty with each other and we cousins and the menfolk just roll our eyes and try to make peace. Family - can't live with 'em, can't kill 'em. At least I get to see Megan. She's all worth it :)

The last however-long of crap weather almost took its toll today. Sam and I both had a severe case of cabin fever and if today hadn't been lovely outside one of us might have decked the other. Not sure who would have been decked and who would have been the deck-ee, the jury is still out on that one. Either way it wouldn't have been pretty.

My car failed its WOF. Rust in the cross member, whatever that is, and one new tyre needed. Yay, and did I mention I am REALLY poor, having just bought a house and with Christmas debt to boot? Looks like I am going to have to get a taste for 2 minute noodles and tuna for the next 6 months.

I also took Wee Man to the vet. He has a rash on his tail (which antibiotics are gonna fix) and poor movement in his back legs (as a result of being old - not fixable). The conversation with the vet went like this:

Vet - how old is he?
Me - Three and a bit - how long do rats usually live?
Vet - Two years.

So I guess he ain't doing too bad for a geriatric.

Reads like a Mastercard ad...

Bought a microwave cabinet today and managed to assemble it with Mum's help/interference :) Cost about $200.

Paid NZ Post to redirect our mail. Cost $30.

Registered Sam's car. Never mind that the form has been lying around for three weeks - he texted me and asked me to do it TODAY cos it expires tomorrow. Gotta love the procrastination, although I guess the later you do it the longer you get out of the 12 months you pay for. Or does it not run from the date you pay? Meh. Cost $180ish.

Nearly ready to move the big stuff tomorrow. Truck: $35 plus 35c/km. Hoping to do it in one go rather than two.

Xmas Dinner at K and R's tonight. Cost: Dessert and drinks.

Xmas Dinner on the 25th at my place. Priceless. Thanks Mum!

Christmas and moving are both expensive, although I'm happy only ONE of those comes once a year!

It has begun

Yesterday I had the help of two strapping young lads from UHC, Uriah and Aaron. They did in two hours what would have taken me at least five. Damn fit young things. Cheap too. They did it all for $20 petrol into Uriah's car and $20 into Aaron's pocket.

Most of the house is now boxed up and moved, or ready to move. The big stuff goes on Saturday. I love that our house is split level, but the stairs will be a killer for the washing machine and fridge and beds! I just hope it isn't raining.

Some other stuff not related to buying a house (warning: rat photo included)

When Maths Teachers go out to dinner...

...well, not much happens out of the ordinary. I was home by 9pm. What a Nanna.

We also gave Wee Man a bath

He didn't really enjoy it but he smells a lot nicer now.

It's the waiting that gets you

I have a house full of boxes, more boxes in the car, and loads of nervous energy. I'm waiting for a phone call from the agent to say that the lawyers have confirmed all is well and I can have the keys. Until then I just have to sit tight and wait. Bored bored bored... I want to get moving!!!

I never realised we had so much stuff! We have now packed 13 boxes full of books and six boxes of CDs. This time when we unpack we will merge my CDs with Sam's. Dunno why it's taken us over four years of living together to do that. The final step on the committment ladder, perhaps?

This week I am also teaching swimming - private lessons at Huia, from 3 - 5.30pm. Bad timing, but it will help pay for a few presents this Christmas.

Ring, phone, ring dammit!