The team at school came together to let everyone know that something was up! You couldn't really miss it! It was a good thing that I turned up as I was thinking of taking a leave day to prepare! All throughout the playground signs were put up to let everyone in on the celebration. It was lovely that people cared enough to do it.
The kids had made me a card with all their names on it and pinned all the different ways to make 50 on it.
Raewyn had made me a birthday cake in the shape and OS of an Apple computer. Isn't she so clever! It even had a screen that was made in Kid Pix.
Tom, Colleen, Danny and Amy had arrived on Friday night and came in very handy when my car battery gave up the ghost when illegally parked in the main street of town. A van full of Israelis got me going again and I drove straight to the car place and bought a new battery. Danny installed the new one.
Out at the Grape Escape Restaurant the family, school mates and friends had arrived. Donald came all the way from Brisbane to see Aunty Bern and gather with the family.
Trevor made a wide ranging speech with "Gordon" as his co-conspirator
Mum was in fine form and enjoyed seeing everyone and being part of things. The food was delicious- yummy steak and salmon fillets.
Paul, Ruth, Karis and Adrian came down from Marton which was really great of them. Adrian said the karakia and Paul put up our new doorbell. We could do with a few more handy men around!
It was so good to see Danny and Amy which was the first time we had seen them this year. They are both wonderful people and I appreciate them more every time I see them.
We had a great weekend, everyone enjoyed themselves and it was great to catch up of such a happy occasion.
Sheryl my friend from Virginia joined in the birthday wishes by putting a
photo of me and the queen on her blog which is read by all sorts of well known tech teaching people from all over the world and invited them to wish me well. It was incredible that so many people did!
Paul another friend from Wales had his class sing happy birthday to me in Welsh and
I checkily made it into a podcast.
On the last day of term our band played for the school. I made it into a podcast. To hear it click on the photo of the band. The podcast is one minute long and is 6MB big. Remember it is best to listen to it in iTunes so you can listen to it over and over again without having to download it more than once.
Being home each day lets me take my joys where I can find them. Every day soon after lunch this girl takes her bagpipes down by the river and plays for about half and hour. I try to encourage her by clapping loudly every now and again. It is the highlight of my afternoon. I wonder if she knows?
Here is a fun little thing that I found on the net. You place various features on a canvas to create a Picasso like painting. Here is my first creation.
In order that I can be with Mum for a time to help her get back on her feet I am taking all of next term off on leave without pay so I can be with her and help her. Taking ten weeks off pupil contact time means that I loose the holiday pay as well even though I am presenting papers at an ICT conference in Auckland during the holidays!!!! So if you come to visit bring a Red Cross parcel with you full of the necessities of life like chocolates, coffee and carrot cake. We shall be eating cold marmite sandwiches and savaloy soup and huddling around an open fire in the back garden.
The autumn colours are a brilliant contrast against the blue sky.
The team at school came together to let everyone know that something was up! You couldn't really miss it! It was a good thing that I turned up as I was thinking of taking a leave day to prepare! All throughout the playground signs were put up to let everyone in on the celebration. It was lovely that people cared enough to do it.
The kids had made me a card with all their names on it and pinned all the different ways to make 50 on it. 
Raewyn had made me a birthday cake in the shape and OS of an Apple computer. Isn't she so clever! It even had a screen that was made in Kid Pix.
Tom, Colleen, Danny and Amy had arrived on Friday night and came in very handy when my car battery gave up the ghost when illegally parked in the main street of town. A van full of Israelis got me going again and I drove straight to the car place and bought a new battery. Danny installed the new one.
Out at the Grape Escape Restaurant the family, school mates and friends had arrived. Donald came all the way from Brisbane to see Aunty Bern and gather with the family.
Trevor made a wide ranging speech with "Gordon" as his co-conspirator
Mum was in fine form and enjoyed seeing everyone and being part of things. The food was delicious- yummy steak and salmon fillets.
Paul, Ruth, Karis and Adrian came down from Marton which was really great of them. Adrian said the karakia and Paul put up our new doorbell. We could do with a few more handy men around!
It was so good to see Danny and Amy which was the first time we had seen them this year. They are both wonderful people and I appreciate them more every time I see them.
We had a great weekend, everyone enjoyed themselves and it was great to catch up of such a happy occasion.
Sheryl my friend from Virginia joined in the birthday wishes by putting a photo of me and the queen on her blog which is read by all sorts of well known tech teaching people from all over the world and invited them to wish me well. It was incredible that so many people did!
