Dragon Boating

At the weekend Al and I took Katie out to Pegasus, which is about 20 minutes north of Christchurch, for the dragon boat regatta.

Her boyfriend Jack was racing with his school team so she spent the day with him and his family and Al and I watched the racing from from a bridge at the finish line.

It was quite exciting and Jack's team won the event, so all their hard training over the past months paid off. They travel to Ashburton in 2 weeks for the Nationals.













Katie's schoo,l Villa Maria, had a team in the girls events, but Katie wasn't part of it. The girls in the boat are all in her year at school.























We went for a wander to the beach for a look. It was such a beautiful day, blue sky and sunshine.


















Pegasus is a new satellite type township that is slowly filling up with new homes, but the lake that it is centred around that you see in the photo of the dragon boat, is lovely with about 7 little beaches carved into its banks. It is a great place to take a family for a picnic and for the children to swim. There is a large cafe and general store there for the necessary espresso fix and great playground for younger kids. There is an 18 hole golf course there that is currently hosting the NZ womens Open. It was well worth the trip out to have a look.

Valentine's Day, and the first date!

Katie has met a boy! Yes a month ago they had their first date and they had a picnic in a playground. Katie was up the top of a slide and there was a plank missing in the platform. She accidently stepped in the gap and fell and made a real mess of her leg. So after some first aid by Jack and his Mum, and me when she got home we managed to keep the pain away but not the massive hematoma that formed on her leg and impressive bruising.


















Today Jack and her went on a picnic to the Botanical gardens. I packed them the picnic in a hamper and dropped Katie off and they went away for their picnic. Conveniently her camera battery died (or so she said) so I have no photo to share!

Al was away up in the North Island at motor racing because he is team manager for one of the NZ V8 teams this season, Thomas was away at the local swimming pool with his Softball club so Toby and I went to Sumner for a lovely lunch of breads and spreads and prawns. We then went over to Taylors mistake for a walk on the beach. It was a lovely Sunday for us all.

Looking out to Godley heads from the hill above Taylors mistake while we watched the paraglider. (the thing in the sky that looks like a seagull) Photos were taken on my phone as I didn't have my camera with me.


















Taylors mistake beach on the bottom right. A very popular surfing beach in Christchurch.

Katie's new hair!

I forgot to mention that when Katie and I went to Picton in August, Rochelle took us to her Blenheim hair salon and Rachel there chemically straightened Katie's hair, (like a perm but in reverse) and cut her a whole new style.

Katie has very, very curly hair which when she tried to do anything with it, other than the tie back in a pony tail thing, it went 'boofy'. She has some GHD straigteners that she used constantly to try to style it, but then just put it back in a pony tail.

The process took over 3 hours but boy what a difference! Katie has not worn it up in 7 weeks! Rochelle and her staff at beyondthefringe.co.nz are miracle makers! She is a much more confident and happy young lady! Thank you Rochelle and crew!

Licence to Drive!

Katie has been studying hard for her Learner's permit to drive. While in Nelson she sat the test without telling anyone, only Aunty Line and I knew. She passed and was issued with her licence to learn!















Al took her out a couple of times down to the quarry not far from Line's for her first ever time behind the wheel. She enjoyed it. It will be a while before she gets out on the road. Much more practice is needed yet.

Once she has learnt to drive she then sits a driving test for her restricted licence, (in not less than 6months time) then she can drive on her own with restrictions until she gets her full licence 24 months after that. Now we have to be on the lookout for a wee car for her.

Pet Expo

Today Katie and i went along to the Addington Racecourse to see the pet expo. Here is Katie with a Llama, they are very beautiful!




















Katya's dog Max was in a show wearing 'dog clothes' and looked very cute.



















There were lots of dogs and cats, and birds and rats and businesses that sold every manner of thing you could ever imagine for your pet.... and more!























We had a lovely afternoon.

My little girl all grown up!

Tonight Katie went to her Year 12 (Form 6) formal.
Here is a closeup of her hair!
























Me, Thomas, Toby, Katie and Al


















Al's family - Jane, Katie, His Mum Helen and Al


















My family - My Mother Eileen, Cath, Katie, Me & Chrissy.















Katie's partner Samuel, Katie, his Mum Jann & Dad Steve. Jann did Katie's makeup for her.

Katie worked in a restaurant

Katie is taking Food Technology as a subject at school this year. As part of the course they travel into town to the Christchurch Polytech every Friday for practical experience in all apsects of the hospitality industry. Friday nights she brings home a sample of what they have 'cooked' that day. She has learnt some Barrista skills and also how to set a table for fine dining and how to fold napkins.























On Saturday night we dined in the restaurant at the Polytech, called Visions, with the 13 girls in Katie's class doing all the preparation, cooking and serving with the help of 1 chef and a Matre'd.























Katie was a waitress but didn't look after our table of 4, her friend Hannah served us.























It was a fabulous 3 course meal for $25 a head, and all of the girls did a fabulous job.

















Below the girls are polishing the silverware in the kitchen.


















For the next 2 terms Katie and her class will be learning about baking and pastries at her Polytech class, mmmmmmmmmm my favourite!

Happy Birthday to Katie

Happy 17th Birthday to Katie!














Today Katie turned 17 and for the first time in her life there was no "party".

My sister Caroline and her hubby Ged came down from Nelson on Business and stayed with us and we all went out for dinner, with my Mother included. (unfortunately Thomas was sick all day so he stayed at home)














It was a lovely day and Katie was spoilt by everyone despite not having a party.

I told her next year when she turns 18 we might just head to Sydney together for a weekend, and shop! Yay!

Katie had visitors from Motueka

Today Zac, Nicole and Jodie spent the day with Katie on their way back to Motueka from a road trip they did to Dunedin.




















They went to a couple of malls shopping and then I picked them up late afternoon and brought them home here for a fish and chip tea.

What great bunch of young people they are, and what a lot of laughs they all had.

When tea was over I took them all over the New Brighton which is on the East side of Christchurch to show them the pier lit up at night.






















































We all got out and walked the pier, despite a very cold Easterly wind blowing.

We dropped them off to their accommodation for the night and wished Nicole well as she heads to a new beginning in Wellington, and the others for their return to Motueka.

What a better place the world would be if all young people were as easy going, free spirited and happy as these 4 were for the day!

Thank you for sharing a day with Katie and our family.

What's up on a Friday night?

This week was show week in Christchurch which meant today was a public holiday, (Canterbury Anniversary Day) and we get a long weekend.

Katie had 2 friends over this morning and Al dropped them at the A & P show at 9.30am. He went back and picked them up at 3pm and they stayed the night.

While they endeavoured to sunblock every inch of exposed skin, poor Vicky forgot her feet and got burnt when she was wearing her jandals! Ouch!

The girls had a great day, and enjoyed the evening eating fruit salad and icecream sitting on the driveway outside!




Katie, Vicky and Vicky.

Katie is back from visiting the Pope!

Katie arrived back at midnight on Monday 21st July very very pleased to see us. She fell into my arms crying, and I thought it was because she was pleased to see me. Well it was that, but also she had had all her bags searched at customs because they randomly decided she should be the one to have everything checked seeing as how they had stayed overnight at the racecourse! Of all the kids to pick they had to pick her! Then they just left her to repack all her gear herself which was an effort to fit in the bags in the first place.

We sat up talking until 2.30am then all went to bed. We let her stay home from school the next day and Al and I took her out for a late lunch and then I cooked her steak for tea. She said she so didn't want to see any chicken for a week or two. It seemed every meal was chicken in one form or another. All lovely meals she said but chicken in just about every way you can imagine.

She took lots of photos, and many of them at the zoo of all the animals, so no surprises there.







Katie at the steps to the Sydney Opera House in her NZ pilgrim WYD Hoody.













Katie's bedroom for the night at the racecourse before everyone else arrived. Another girl shared she space in her shelter with her.










The racecourse filling up with pilgrims!












She enjoyed the whole experience, although was not in a hurry to repeat it any time soon. She said the crowds were exhausting and the walking difficult in such a large group amongst so many people and very hot in the process.

The highlight for her was Mercy day at Monte St Angelo College, where students from Mercy Colleges from all over the world celebrated Mercy Day. Also, the gathering of all 4000 of the New Zealand Pilgrims with the NZ Bishops was a highlight.

She enjoyed the vigil at the racecourse, and was fortunate enough to not have to walk the 15kms across the bridge and through the city carrying her overnight gear. The leader of the group selected 8 girls that would benefit more from not having to walk to catch the train as far as they could at 6.30am and walk the last hour and start to set up their campsite in their assigned block of the grounds. They did this and sat and waited and slept most of the day until the others arrived from their walk. They were not far from the stage and the large screen was even closer to them.

They had a half day shopping before catching their flight home on Monday 21st and she bought herself a jacket and some lunch! At the airport she picked up a gift for each of us, I got chocolate Macadamias, and she bought herself a bottle of perfume duty free. She came back with $30 Australian, so I took that and will use it myself later this year.

The next World Youth Day is in Madrid in Spain in 2011 and she is not keen at this stage to attend, but who knows, she will be 19 by then and her thoughts may have changed.



The big screen beside the stage gave her a better view of Pope Benedict XVI. She found him so calm and loved listening to him speak. She especially loved the way he 'twinkled' his fingers to them all, so in touch with his audience.

We are very grateful to all those that supported Katie's fundraising efforts to get her to Sydney. It was a long 2 years in the making and it all came together in the end. Thank you all.

Katie's sleeping at Randwick Racecourse!

Katie is amongst 150,000 pilgrims sleeping under the stars at Randwick Racecourse at World Youth Day in Sydney tonight. Wow how amazing is that?!

She is just about ready to try and get some sleep, they have finished the official vigil and the atmosphere is settling (as much as it can with the joyful south Americans exerting their musical abilities to the max. Katie said they are amazing people, so alive and happy)

Only 2 nights to go and she will be home and she is looking forward to her own bed after 10 nights on an airbed in a sleeping bag with limited showering and sleep!

I hope she has lots of photos to share with the blog on her return!

No photos just an update!

So excited by all the happenings of World Youth Day yesterday, Katie texted me 30 times and rang me while she ate lunch and spoke to me for 10 minutes! I didn't dare mention the cost of these contacts merely relished the fact that she felt she just HAD to share every moment with me.

She found the whole experience travelling on the train quite exciting, and the visit to the convention centre for the vocations expo interesting. They sat under the shade of a tree eating their lunch and she said it was very hot. It was from here she phoned me on her cell phone.

As far as their meals go, they are all provided as part of the package. There are food stalls set up for pilgrims everywhere. One person from each group of 6 takes their 6 coupons to a stall and comes back with their meal boxes. The whole idea of them having 150,000+ prepared meals ready for pickup and distribution at these stands blows me away! Their breakfasts are delivered to their accommodation venue.

Last night of course was the opening mass and she must have texted me 15 times during this, exclaiming how many people were there, how pretty the lights were in the harbour, how many different countries flags were waving and how amazing the singing was. Then she told me how every single one of them received communion. I asked how they could possibly cater to all those people, and she said "there were Priests everywhere"!

I finally texted her a good night at 11.30pm our time so I could go to bed, of course they are 2 hours behind us so she was still pumping.

Today she has only texted me once so far, they have had a very full on involved day and obviously no time to text, either that or she has blisters on her thumbs!

Mundane Monday

Well Katie is texting me each day telling me what she is up to.

Sunday they went on a sightseeing tour and visited the Sydney Opera House. She said it was awesome. Then they headed to Taronga Zoo for the afternoon which she really enjoyed. Her friend Rosemary met up with her there and walked around the zoo with Katie and the others in her small group. Rosemary is a very good school friend of Katie's who shifted to live in Australia at the end of last year and Katie misses her terribly. It was so nice of her to make the effort to meet up with her.

This morning they were up very early packing up their gear for they shift to stay at Mercy College in Chatswood for the next 7 nights. Katie said she managed to get a very very quick shower. That is the thing she will be missing the most on this trip!

They bussed to Monte St Angelo College for the day for Mercy Day celebrations until 9pm tonight. Then off to Mercy College to unpack, set up their beds and sleep!

Tomorrow is the opening day of the World Youth Day calendar, with a mass and lots of celebratory festivities.

Today I am doing invoicing for the business and is one of those jobs I put off then it gets to the stage where it has to be done and I jam it all into one day. Such is life when you own and business, run a household and work part time!

Toby is at work with Al today. Al is building a Mazda RX7 Batman rally car for a customer from scratch (well he started with the street car body and then gutted it and has put a roll cage in etc) and Toby is right in the thick of it helping. Along with the building of a Mazda RX8 circuit car for another customer out of 2 damaged bodies he bought. Whatever spins your wheels, (pardon the pun) but is a very exciting part of our business which Al really enjoys.



















Above: The rally car in progress



















The two 'broken' cars that will be used to make up one circuit car. Watch this space!


















Katie just texted to say it is really hot there today, sunny and 21 degrees and they are stuck in school uniform, but thankfully this is the only other day they have to wear it in an official capacity.

Katie has flown away

Today Katie has gone to Sydney on her pilgrimage to World Youth Day 2008!

We spent all day yesterday packing and and packing and packing, ever so mindful of the weight limits for her luggage but to be realistic when you are taking 7kg of sleeping gear it is very difficult to get your entire luggage to weigh under 20kg! Of course the extra bag to take this gear in also weighs so you are behind the eight ball before you even start!

"Kathmandu" has had a sale these past few weeks and luckily for us had 3 x packing cells for $20 and I bought 6 of them. (among lots of other things including a sleeping bag for $100 down from $240- their sales rock!) My reasons for buying the packing cells were it was fantastic to have one just for socks, one for knickers, one for t-shirts and one for her trackpants, one for the 2 microfibre towels they have for the week, one for shoes and one for all the flippin chargers she needs for the phone, the ipod and the battery charger for the camera! All these individual cells make for a very tidy suitcase and easier for her to fossick each day.





















This is Katie and Abbie, they are in the same small group with Mr Shaw as their leader for the 10 days.



















This is Toby, Katie and Thomas at the airport before she left.

This is the whole group from her school, of course there is an overlap in the photo but Katie is in the photo on the right behind the girl third from the right in the front row, between her and the girl with the auburn hair.

They had to travel in School Uniform, as they are traveling as "Villa Maria College" Pilgrims so that was fair enough, and they are also attending Mercy Day on Monday before the official WYD events start on Tuesday, so need to wear their uniform for that.

Poor Chick (my pet name for Katie) she had soooo much to take in as we packed, showing her where everything was to make it so much easier for her when the time come to get to everything that she has just texted me from the venue of their first nights sleeping quarters to say "where is the key to the padlock on my suitcase mum?" Of course it is hanging round her neck on the cord her cellphone is attached to, but the poor kid obviously forgot!

Anyway we were at the airport at 1pm and her plane left at 4.30 (delayed half an hour). She was rather apprehensive, 10 days away in another country in such huge crowds, really pushing Katie out of her comfort zone. She has had an upset tummy for a few days and it is all nerves!

Well as the plane taxied to the terminal in Sydney I got a text saying "I'm here Mum please let me know my phone is working over here!" Of course I was just as relieved as her to know the roaming on her phone is working just fine.

They were picked up by bus and taken on a tour of the city, seeing the opera house and harbour bridge on their way to Olympic Stadium to spend the next 2 nights before heading up to Chatswood to stay at Mercy College in their school hall for the following 7 nights.

I just got a text from her to say they were all walking to McDonalds to get some tea (go the big Golden Arches!) and then off to an Aussie Rules football game!

I am so pleased she is settled and going with the flow, I can relax in comfort now knowing my girl is finding her own way and really can cope without her Mum!

Preparation for World Youth Day

The kids are on school holidays last week and next week. I worked last week so Katie was at home with the boys. I did have Wednesday off and took them for hair cuts and Thomas conned the hairdresser into having the front of his hair blonded. Watch out for that boy with the ladies in a few years time! He is very convincing. Mind you she liked that he knew what he wanted and took care about how he looked. Toby never got his hair cut, I never made an appointment for him and seeing as how his brother got away with having blonde foils he has asked for the same at his appointment next week. Just as well I work to pay for these extravagances!

Last night Katie and I attended Mass at the Christchurch Catholic Cathedral.

Before heading to Sydney for World Youth Day many international pilgrims arrived in Christchurch to take part in Days of the Diocese for a week before heading to Sydney this weekend. Last night was a mass for all overseas pilgrims and Christchurch Pilgrims. Wow, it was packed to overflowing with over 1000 people present. I told Katie it was just a taste of what was to come for her in Sydney next week but times the number of people present by 25!

The Bishop - Barry Jones - lead the service with many priests in attendance, many of them from other countries who had travelled here with their pilgrim groups. It was lovely to see all the other cultures and all wearing some form of WYD branded clothing from their own country to distinguish them from other groups.























































You can click on the above photos to get a closer enlarged view.

Sunday Evening for Katie

This evening Katie took the sacrament of Confirmation at Our Lady of Victories Catholic Church in Christchurch. Bishop Barry Jones led the confirmation and it was a lovely service.

Katie took the name "Catherine McAuley". Although Catherine is not yet a saint she is venerable and on the journey toward sainthood. Katie chose this name because Catherine and a group of other compassionate women took in homeless women and children in Ireland in the early 1800's and educated them and generally looked after their well being. She went on to found "The Sister's of Mercy" in Ireland. Katie admires this selfless act of caring for those who fall on hard times and face rejection.

It was a group of the Sisters of Mercy that came to New Zealand and established "Villa Maria College" in 1918 which is the Catholic girls college Katie attends.

Sr Anna from Katie's college presented her with a medallion depicting Catherine McAuley tonight and you will see she is wearing it in the second photo, along with the St Christopher medal her Aunty Caroline gave her for her 16th birthday. Both medallions were blessed by the Bishop this evening.

Katie is looking forward now to attending World Youth Day in Sydney, Australia, in July along with 250,000 other pilgrims from around the world.

Tonight the Bishop, next month The Pope!

Katie's godmother Bernadette (my cousin) who was her sponsor, Katie and Bishop Barry Jones.