Hi all,
Well, I
am sure we have been pretty busy in the last few weeks, but I am not exactly
sure what we have been busy AT. However, I will do my best to relate our
activities to you!
Jan had
his braces fitted yesterday and I thought he was coping pretty well until he
said last night "These things a VERY annoying, aren't they."
Yeah-huh, they certainly are. Never mind; he just has to keep telling himself,
like I do, only 2 years to go!
Last
weekend we cooked up a storm; we did our annual apple preserving session. We
now have about 24 litres of Dell Blush juice in the freezer, and about 20 kilos
of Royal Gala and Pinova apple puree preserved in jars. I also made another 10
kilos of green tomato chutney. That lot took almost the entire weekend,
necessitating the compost bin to be dug into the garden to make room for all
the apple scraps, and a great jar hunt to ensure we had enough glass to pack
everything into. However, we find it so therapeutic to make our food this way -
there is something very nurturing about getting so up close and personal with
your food!
My folks
are off to the UK for three months from May Day for three months. They arrive
back on the first day of spring. I think they will have a great time, and
hopefully they will have a wonderful summer in UK... according to Justine, who
I was speaking to the other day, it can only get better!
Karen
Trotter came down for two weeks from March 30th, which was great. We all
slothed about and did nothing much in particular. Karen & I went for a
couple of trots (couldn't call them runs!), played a bit of tennis, ate a lot
& drank a bit. We also went to the Suter, caught up with lots of people,
went out for dinner and lunch a lot, and even had a facial. Had a WONDERFUL
time.
The Business
Development Company, of which I am Chair of the Board, is currently seeking a
new CEO. Our just-past CEO sadly left us after eight years - for good reasons -
and we are currently in the process of selecting someone. That, along with the
teaching, has taken up an awful lot of time. However, interviews with the
shortlist are happening this Thursday, so at last I can see light at the end of
the tunnel.
I have
enrolled on the Certificate in Adult Teaching Foundation Course which starts
next Monday (just in time for the CEO selection process to be over, I hope).
That should keep me pretty busy for a week! I have managed to get a whole load
of things sorted out this week so that I can take a whole week out of work and
still remain sane. I hope. NMIT is paying for half of the course as I have now
been teaching part-time for a year, which is great.
Jan &
I have been out to a few functions lately tho. The local Chamber of Commerce is
turning 150 years old this year, and we both attended the AGM. Jan unexpectedly
had to accept a presentation for Nelson Pine in his motorcycle gear! It was a
great night, as it was held that the museum and was built around old Tyree
photos of early Nelson businesses and business ventures. Then the Chamber has
organised an exhibition at the Suter Art Gallery of "The Art of
Business" with a host of past-Presidents choosing their fave work from the
Suter's permanent collection, and writing up their rationale for the choice.
Very interesting. And, according to Jan, very good sandwiches on offer too :-)
Then we
have had the farewell to the Business Development Company's CEO, at Bouterey's
Restaurant in Richmond. Very, very nice food and a great night out - really
fitting send-off. Last night John Fitzwater took us out to the Hong Yun, a Chinese
Restaurant in Stoke as a thank you for looking after Bonnie for this past week
while he has been in Oz (and it was fantastic - we will definitely be back
there. There was a birthday party for one of the owner's family going on while
we were there; always reassuring when the owners eat in!). This Thursday night
we are out at the Arthur Wakefield Restaurant for an electrical supplier
dinner, which will be nice too. Hmm - who was it who said that all we ever seem
to do is eat?!
Jan has
got his results back from his last two percent assignment, and a ten percent
assignment for his management course; 100% and 90% respectively. He has another
assignment due after the study break, which started yesterday. So he has eight
more working days to complete it. And I do believe that while he hasn't started
writing yet, he has started reading.
We are
heading down to Chch on Friday May 16th, staying with Megs, attending Warren
& Trace's housewarming on Saturday night and heading home on Sunday. I have
a Rotary training thingy to go to, to which I am ONLY donating my Saturday day,
and Jan plans on playing UWH on the Saturday morning, then catching up with
those of you who won't be at Warren & Trace's on Saturday night, in the
afternoon. It will be good to see everyone again! Oh, except Jenny L, who is
heading to Nelson that weekend!
Right -
that will do for now.
Take care
& more next time. Alles liebe :-)
Sam & Jan
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