The Opotiki Mud Slide

Before, during and after shots of Lucy and me at the Opotiki Mud Slide.

Summer, Summer, Summer!

Summer might finally be here! This is the awesome view from our deck this morning.

Look Ma, no brakes!

The Tuesday night cycling has become a must-do event for a lot of people in town. Jarod has done a great job running a hassle-free regular event. It is usually road biking, but he has introduced a MTB even over the festive season. There is talk of having both each week - Tuesday and Thursday!

The MTB track is quite tough with lots of gravel and paddock with some short steep up and downhills across Roger's farm. This is me heading down one of the steep, tricky bits. Apparently, I can be seen touching my brakes which is something I claim that I don't do! He must have photoshopped that bit in!

Who Says I Don't Do My Bit In The Kitchen?

Who Says I Don't Do My Bit In The Kitchen?
Originally uploaded by m0rehu.

Bacon and pancakes were the ideal brunch for the whanau for New Year's Day.

Feeling much better today. As well, it rained most of the day so not much to do other than read and tutu with the mountain bike.

Te Tau Hau

Kurt's birthday was great and Lucy, Phil and I carried out the Abraham tradition of air guitaring Cracker's Happy Birthday to Me! Drank a few beers and finished off with a couple of whiskeys and got home at a reasonable hour. Therefore, I couldn't understand why I woke feeling how I did. Room spinning, cold sweat and severe nausea. Typical for 2006 to end up like this on the final day.

However, there was no time to feel sorry as I had to head to Maraenui to pick up our spa pool from Bev and Ted. The big excitement was driving Ted's SUV back towing this huge trailer!

I then spent most of the last day of 2006 sleeping hoping that people who were invited up for a BBQ didn't turn up!

However, we ended up having a BBQ with Mum and Dad and Marg. Sam's girlfriend, Juanita, turned up with him after work at about 10.30 as well. It is quite unusual seeing the new year in without knocking back a few drinks and laring up a bit. It does make you feel better on the first day of the new year though!

It was a quiet night and the photos show us relaxing by the brazier and enjoying Thomas' choice of music - The White Stripes.

Mangakirikiri Meander 2

Photos from Andrew as promised.

Amber is in the first leading me and Nicole and Tim.

The second has Wilson leading a dismounting Anthony.

The third has Amber, me, Nicole,Tim, Jo, Wilson and Anthony (Ithink)

Good News

Good news for my many readers. I have now lifted the restriction to access for comments (I think). So comment away.

Mangakirikiri Meander

Have just finished a relaxing ride down the Mangakirikiri Stream. I was out for 5 hours in total but only 3 hours of that was cycling as we had a lot of rests. Leigh came to the gate and returned as she has a lot of housework to do. Andrew, his daughters Amber and Nicole, his nephews Anthony and Tim (see the Whirinaki post) and their friends from Wellington from Florida, Winston and Jo and I carried on down the stream and the long haul home against the wind down the Pakihi and Otara Roads.

The neat thing was seeing the young fellas really enjoying the downhill single track adventure through mudholes and the 40+ creek crossings. They gave everything a go and even gave things a second and third go if they did not have a successful crossing first time up. It's an awesome ride which riders of all abilities can manage.

I didn't take my camera as last time I took a spill in the creek. Andrew took his and I hope to receive some shots to post here for your enjoyment.

Don't forget to click on comments at the end of a posting and make a contribution to this widely read blog! The only rule is that you have to make respectful comments about me. Anything goes for anybody else! Also, feel free to click on the link on the right side to flickr to see photos that support my insightful (inciteful?) comments! You can also link to other people's blogs on the sidebar.

Have a great new year!

Maraenui Fishing

Friday was a great day as I was once again the weighmaster for the Maraenui Kura fishing tournament. It's a real community/whanau event which raised over $10,000 for the local kura. The amazing thing is that most people who buy a ticket don't even fish; they see it as a koha to the school and a chance to win a great spot prize.

I really enjoy the day talking with Robin and Ani Mohi and catching up with kaumatua Eric Koopu and Charlie Poihipi and the local kuia. Unfortunately, every year there is always another one missing.

Fishing went well with all prizes being claimed. The winning snapper was 2.4k as was the winning kahawai. There were at least 15 kahawai over 2kg. The winning shark was 22kg. I had a beautiful cold beer with Eric afterwards and he sent me on my way with a huge tray of beautiful venison steaks.

I dropped into Ted and Bev's new place at Maraenui, had a couple more cold beers, unloaded some of the venison and arranged to pick up their unwanted spa pool on Sunday.

Another perfect day in paradise.

Mid Life Crisis?

Despite what many other people are saying I would like to emphatically state that I do not ascribe to the belief that Kurt is having a mid life crisis. One fact, however, is that today!!!!! he turns 40!!! I am sure that this has nothing to do with the Blue Tonka Toy he bought himself for his birthday. Some of us believe that a use may be found at some time for this vehicle. In the meantime Kurt looks cool in it!!

Ra whanau ki a koe, e hoa!

Tui In The Flax

Tui In The Flax
Originally uploaded by m0rehu.

This early evening view from our deck is an iconic summer image. The tui is feeding on the flax with a view of the sea behind. This shot was taken late on Christmas Day after spending it with family, eating relaxed food and tasting champagne cocktails, dessert wines, margaritas, a few thirst quenching beers and a nightcap whiskey to finish.

To see more photos taken throughout Xmas day click here.

Twas The Night Before Xmas

It's now Xmas Eve at Hanaia. Sister Janine and nephew Phillip have just arrived. Leigh is vacuuming and the house and land is in good nick after Lucy especially, Thomas, Sam and I did a big clean up this morning while Leigh was out mtbing with Shirley. We didn't get a traditional Xmas tree this year. A couple of nights ago Lucy and I went down the hill and chopped a branch off the pohutukawa which was planted on her afterbirth and have used that. It appears to be fading fast and is making the place smell funny so I took a photo last night in case it doesn't last past tomorrow.

Despite struggling with a heavy cold had a stunning day mtbing in the Whirinaki with 16 other possums. It's a 2 hour drive deep into the boondocks to arrive at Minginui, but well worth the effort. Kurt was heard to say that these were the best tracks he had ever ridden in NZ. Jacquie. Kerry and Neil did some bush walks while myself, Kurt, Lucy, Thomas, Andrew, Amber, Kerr, Tine, Brian, Michael, Hamish, Marg, Tim and Anthony all MTBed.The native bush is outstanding. All virgin natives with ancient rimu and lots of other podocarps I can't identify. Underneath there was awesome regeneration. A lot of work has gone into the tracks. While some of the climbs were tough they were all manageable. The downhills were awesome with quite a bit of sweeping corners, then some tricky tight corners, with great low jumps all on single track. We soon split into 3 groups. Kerr, Brian, Michael and Hamish were champing at the bit so we sent them on to complete the 16k circuit without stopping. The middle group of Tine, Kurt, Tim, Amber, Thomas, Tim and Anthony set off with instructions to wait at the junction of the long and short track. Lucy, Andrew and I decided to bike in sections to support Marg who proved to be a tough possum.

Groups 2 and 3 met at the junction and Thomas, Lucy and Tine decided to wait for Marg and take the short route back. They experienced some very steep downhill with Thomas claiming he was the downhill ace, tho Lucy disputed this! The rest of us headed up a steep climb and because of a little bit of luck and a very high level of geograpic skill and sense of direction on my part found the unmarked sharp turn we were meant to take. We had 6-7k of fantastic and almost-out-of-control single track downhill.

We manged that without any mishaps. I was quite impressed with Tim's fearlessness on the downhill, but I was able to put him in his place on the short, but steep uphill climbs. We gathered together at the top of Kereru Rd before the final 5 min downhill to the finish where we discovered that every one was back except for Kerr, Brian, Michael and Hamish. It soon became apparent that the only group without a teacher in it was lost. We correctly assumed they had missed the left hand turn that we had expertly found and had cycled deep into the Ureweras heading overland generally in the direction of Taupo 150km away! There was nothing for it but to eat our lunch and wait. About an hour later they turned up proud of their adventure into uncharted territory. Apparently, Kerr had a spectatular fall into a large puddle of mud. It really seemed to make Brian's day.

Marg headed off to Wanganui (before the lost boys had returned!) and we all took off. We took a spin through Minginui Village which was very depressing. We could all hear the Deliverance music and were keen not to end up down a cul-de-sac never to be seen again!

I've just discovered Flickr and I've put all of the photos from Whirinaki there. Click here to view them.

The End Is Nigh

It is now Thursday night and I'm waiting for my takeaway pizzas to be cooked before I go home. By mid afternoon tomorrow I should have finished enough to be able to take a decent break. The Timetable is done, but I've spotted a few minor things that need changing. Wahine 2 and I will wrap the staff manual tomorrow and I'll do a last tidy up. I still have one appointment to make, but I am confident that we have someone lined up. Hopefully I have also just appointed a Sportfit Co-ordinator, but he did not turn up today as promised!

I've been struggling with a sore throat and have not even thought about Xmas. The next highlight is the possums biking in the Whirinaki Forest on Saturday. Will be a big day, but will be fun. Also found an event for Easter 2007. A 3 day 295ki MTB ride from Whakatane to Taupo across country! That's us.

Tired but Satisfied

Worked all day Saturday on preparing for the TOD on Monday and got home just in time to turn around and head back for the farewell of Heremaia, Marg and Adrian. I must admit I felt a little nervous about how the evening would go, but it was absolutely perfect. 75 people were superbly fed and were there to farewell these three who had made an awesome contribution to our school. It was typical OC; a sort of formal structure that just went with the flow. All three have spoken affectionately of the night and how moved they were.

Three principals of OC in the same room! The gifts were so appropriate: boat winch for Heremaia, digital camera for Marg and a waka huia and pounamu for Adrian.

On Sunday, a little worse for the wear, Kurt, Andrew and I met up with Marg's nephew Christopher and biked around the Ohiwa loop and up Browns Rd before crashing in on Marg's bacon and eggs.

An afternoon was spent on bicycle maintenance and then Lucy, Thomas and I went down to the sea for our first swim which was magnificent.

Monday was our last day together at school and any nervousness I had about how the staff session would go soon disappeared. We were dealing with the contentious issue of Restorative Justice. I am sure that the three previous days on Te Kotahitanga set the scene and the session flowed well with laughter, rigorous questions and good contributions.

We had a wonderful lunch in the Hall where we farewelled all staff who were leaving. This was quite emotional so there was lots of laughter and lots of tears. I got up to thank staff at the end

and found myself saying that I had struggled a bit this year in convincing myself that everything we were trying to do was worthwhile and that I had felt like walking away a couple of times. These thoughts were as much a surprise to me as they were to most others, but I must admit that, in hindsight, I had certainly felt like that from time to time. I also went on to say that the Te Kotahitanga experience, the farewell evening and the morning session with the staff were great reminders to me as to why everything was worthwhile.

Unfortunately my golf team that night were Mexicans so we got sossled on tequila, or quetila as Vaughan mumbled it. Unfortunately Heremaia and Hone and I then found that double whiskeys made us more enlightened and made us speak a lot of sense so we overindulged. Thankfully Leigh was there to ferry people home.

Woke up in the night with a painfully sore throat! First day of the holidays so here comes a heavy cold. Teachers might have good holidays but they spend the first week each time in bed!!!

A Beautiful Day!

The last day of Te Kotahitanga training was a treat. There were more workshops but the highlight was Bart's talk about his journey with Te Kotahitanga. It was moving, inspirational and hopeful. It seems that there has been a very positive reponse from our staff. I had to make my farewells before the end but was able to present some wine to our awesome presenters/facilitators and to our kaiawhina, Mere.

I raced off to the PrizeGiving for Ashbrook school which was tinged with sadnes because of the death of one of their teachers, Kath, a kuia of a few of our kids. It was still a nice event, with the highlight being Lucy!!!! being announced as their Dux!!!!!

Takes after her father!!!

The school year is almost over but not time to rest yet. Quite a few hours to do tomorrow to prepare for our final staff day on Monday, our big farewell evening for Adrian, Marg and Heremaia on Saturday night, and a possum ride on Sunday which I will report on.

Te Kotahitanga

I always knew that our Te Kotahitanga training would go well led by Roimata, Hone, Tom and Eru but I have been blown away by how it has actually gone. Day 2 showed awesome progress in the understanding and thinking of the whole group and of the individuals. Feedback from people involved has been absolutely positive. Roimata, Hone, Tom ans Eru have been magnificent.

The highlight yesterday, apart from the great whanaungatanga, was the presentation of the skits at the session just before dinner. Paul's group had us in stitches with their mime, Barbara's group performed great charades, Gareth had us patting each other on the back, Scotty's group rewrote "Another Brick In The Wall, Eddie's group had us grooving to a rap, Mick's group entertained us with a magic mirrow, Karen's group impressed with an animated power point and Kurt's group entertained us with Te Kotahitanga television.

Wahine no 1 also carried out her kuia in the kitchen duties with great success.

Winding Up the Year

Tuesday was an awesome day, but also a relief to have finished. Wahine no. 1 ran a great Merit Assembly. A huge range of kids were acknowledged for thei efforts. We certainly view some of them as success stories in the full knowledge that we have contributed to what they have achieved; mainly around helping them overcome personal issues and hurdles in their lives in a way that school is still a good place for them. Wahine no.1 also produced an awesome junior prize giving once again. It ran without a hitch and there was a good turn out from parents. There are some outstanding kids here!

Wahine no. 1 was so pleased with herself she poured herself into a bottle of wine and dragged a few of us with her as well! It was great sitting back and relaxing and bullshitting with the likes of Eddie and Polly, wahine 1 and 2, Marg, Adrian, Heremaia. The old time leavers (Marg, Adrian and Heremaia) put on a great shout. It was a perfect way to end a neat day.

Wednesday was a bit of a struggle for wahine no.1 but wahine no 2 had done a great job with organising the JAM kids that things ran really smoothly. The rest of us participated in Day 1 of our Te Kotahitanga training run by Roimata, Tom and Eru and supported by our facilitator Mere. It was a fast-paced day, but once again our staff were keen participants and contributed very positively.

It was days like today that go a long way to explaining why so many of our kids do do so well!

Very Knackered Monday

I don't know if it was the awesome ride from yesterday or the two solid days on reports over the weekend, but I've been a bit shagged today! Poor kids, made them come back for an assembly practice at lunchtime because they were quite unsettled. Gave me a chance to have a friendly chat about the important things.

After completing the reports last night I went around to visit Kurt (fellow possum who wimped out of Sunday's ride!) to discover he is having a mid-life crisis as he flew to Taranaki and drove back in a landrover that he bought down there. It's a blue tonka toy and I will attempt to sneak a photo and post later.

Almost-ex possum Scotty the mad dog was absent from action on Sunday as well.

Couldn't help but add some more photos from the ride.

Reports and MTB Adventure

I was quite pleased with myself on Saturday as I biked into school (against the wind) and completed 140 reports - all of the Year 9s and A-C of the Year 10s. I then biked all the way home (against the wind!).

It is now Sunday 1.40pm and I still have the rest of the Year 10 reports to do! Why am I starting so late? Because the possums have just done a brilliant but brutal MTB ride. Myself, Lea, Andy and 2 new applicants (Brian and his son Michael) biked up Amokura Rd (new world record of 38 minutes to the top of the big grind) and then came down Upper Paerata Rd and this time took the correct turn and ended up on Paerata Rd after some awesome but scary, on the edge of out of control downhill. We were out for 4 1/4 hours but my total biking time was 2 3/4 hours as I had to do a lot of waiting for the others! Not really, but we had a long stop at the trig because of the awesome views - and because we were tired!

Lea was a wimp and grizzled about her brakes all the way (who needs brakes?) and then walked down!?* an awesome downhill after seeing Brian falling off 1/3 of the way down and his bike carrying on for another 1/3! Michael rode strongly but we broke him in the end and the old mountain goat Andrew just kept plugging on. An awesome ride! All of the photos can be viewed by clicking here!

But time for reports!

Clearance Day

Spent the first hour at school helping students with their clearance for the year. It's the last event for Year 13s and for years 11 and 12 it is a chance for them to see how their subject choices have panned out in the timetable. Several have clashes to resolve. Our timetabler, Roy, will now react to the concerns and tutu further with the timetable.

A highlight of today is issuing the magazine. It arrived from the printers 30 minutes before clearance began! It is an outstanding magazine. Marion and Kate who stepped in late to pick the magazine up have done a wonderful job with the ITiaki students. I am really looking forward to them doing the job from the start of next year.