Sad Saturday

After a couple of beers last night I was a bit reluctant getting up this morning to take Saturday school, but I managed to be there by 9.00am. 4 of the seven turned up which means 3 will be getting grim news on Monday! Eventhough this is a punishment (they had been dodging) the kids are good natured and take the opportunity to complete a lot of work. They all reckon they will never dodge again (yeah, yeah!). Marg delivered me a coffee part way through and left a muffin for me to have at the end. She is also leaving at the end of this year after 30 years at our school and will be sorely missed. Leigh was in Whakatane buying Marg's present today.

As soon as Saturday school finished a group of us staff headed up to Waioweka for Ernie's tangi. Debbie joined us and it was great to hear she was honoured with a commitment to sport award at the BOP sports awards last night. Thoroughly deserved as she has been providing a huge range of sporting opportunities for our kids for many years.

After an hour's wait at the marae we went on to farewell Ernie. It's always quite nerve wracking having to whaikorero at such occasions, but I have had some awesome tutors over the years. Initially it was Tawhiro who, unfortunately, has passed away and more recently it has been Heremaia whom I have listened to carefully while sitting on the pae and have learned a great deal from. He too is leaving at the end of the year after 45 years teaching. He bought his own present which we will give to him at the farewells. Hone has rejoined our staff and is now my current whaikorero and tikanga mentor. Heremaia, myself and Hone spoke for our roopu on the marae.

I got home around 3.00pm and weeded the last of the trees growing on my bank at home. I then spent a relaxing hour drinking coffee in the sun and reading the paper. Then cooked a beauty curry and watched the army helicoptors completing an exercise above Opotiki.

Really looking forward to our Blue Mountains ride tomorrow. Might even get a fish in tomorrow afternoon!