Christmas is Coming!!

Yes Christmas is coming round reallllllly fast. Have finished all my Xmas presents. This year I managed to make them all except for a few people that were too hard to make for. Am now working on truffles - made a double batch of Tim Tam truffles last night. Might make the apricot and white chocolate truffles tonight.

Work!!!

Well lots has happened since I last updated my Blog. Got a promotion or should I say have been promoted from doing 2 peoples job to doing 1 job. Am now working on the high level attributes of the student management software - just want I wanted without having to manage a team!!! yah!!!

Became a Mystery Integrity Shopper - is quite interesting. You go to a company and pretend to shop then report on their service and smile, etc. Get paid for it of course - enough to go out for a coffee for 2!!

WIN A Free Handbag from Handbag Planet

Yes, you could win a Free Handbag. Fill in the competition and you could win a fabulous handbag from the amazing new website call Handbag Planet.

Heres the web address: http://www.handbagplanet.com/

Scrappin Magazine for Free

Well, as I am at home doing nothing but looking after my flu. I found a digital magazine subscription that you can get for free for six months. You can only sign up for one.

www.creativelivingmedia.com.au/newsletter

I signed up for For Keeps Creative Paper.

2007 Scrappin Finished

Well, it is a little late than never. I have just managed to finish my 2007 scrapbook album. With approximately 80 pages... you dont' want to know how many photos. It is by far the thickest album so far. Sorry no photo yet.

Tonight I decided to do a little surfing through my Internet favourites. Thought I would share this awesome fonts website. http://www.scrapvillage.com/fontsa.htm

My little Nephew visits

Alex my 2 year old nephew visited me in Invercargill for the first time.

As you can image we had interesting times. I think the neighbours were woken up.... the piano was a great play toy in a one bedroom flat.

He always wanted to see what you were doing. So, against usual custom of no sitting on the bench, he really enjoyed watching everyone work at the sink, even helped out with the dishes!! (might be a first and last).

Another Brother Bites the Dust

On 12-05-08 Robert and Sarah were married at Fortrose Public Hall at 1pm. The wedding was exceptionally wonderful. It started off with the brides coming slowly down the hall, then everyone stood as Sarah and John (her dad) came down the hall slowly. Robert came forward and took Sarah. The marriage celebrant prayed and spoke some lovely words, Dad and John then read 2 portions of scripture, then the Wedding Hymn was sung by everyone. The two parents were then asked to stand and were each asked whether they agree with the marriage.

After this Robert and Sarah read their vows and celebrant prounounced them husband and wife. Robert and Sarah then received the horseshoes. This was followed by a sung Wedding blessing, then a short prayer. The celebrant then awarded them a gift and they walked slowly out of the hall, followed by the bridesmaids on the arms of the grooms men, followed by mum on John's arm and Elsa on Dad's arm.

Everyone then talked for a while and then family photos were taken. After this the wedding party disappeared and everyone had a cup of tea then proceeded back into town for the Reception.

John was to drive Robert's car back into town only to find we couldn't get it open!!! AA was called but we managed to get it open but more complications followed.

The Reception went off very well. John brought a gift for Robert to give to Sarah back from Ireland as Sarah is researching a lot of her Welsh ansestory. Robert presented this to her. Speeches went off well and everyone enjoyed the evening.

I arrived home about 10.30.

A Tuesday Night to Remember!!

Without anyone knowing what was happening. Alan and Kaye arranged to pick up myself, Simon Bennet and head round to Rozy's where Carolyn and Sheri were waiting patiently. The evening started off with a taste of soup - well we had a choice of three different soups (pumpkin, Tomato and Broccali).

Once finished the soup, we piled into the BZZ van and headed down town to pick up the main course (Hell's pizza). As it was a beautiful evening....a dining spot was to be found at the half way point of our walking track at Sandy Point Domain. After a delicious meal of pizza, kumera chips and wedges we headed up the hill for a quick bit of exercise then down again - in the dark!!

Once finished here, we piled into the BZZ van again and headed out for the rest of our journey.... out to Otatara beach.... along the beach... seeing jumping rabbits. This rabbit was lying low then all of a sudden sprung up about 300 mls then back to lying down. We figured he was delerious on seaweed. Finding the inlet road to the run-off we clambered over the sandunes to do a little rabbit and possum shooting - in a van would you believe - yes it did happen.

After shooting 3 possums and a couple of rabbits we headed back to Diner on Vyner for a menu of desert (mini pavs, white chocolate muffins, cookie dough cheesecake and of course Deep South ICECREAM).

Tararua Sunset

Yes, it is not only Southland that gets great sunsets.

This was taken out of my bedroom window at home on 10th May.

My First Nephew

Over the weekend it was great catching up with my relatives and my nephew Alex. Alex and parents picked me up from the airport.

He takes after his grandma!!

May BIG Birthdays

It was Carol's 21st Birthday and Mum's 60th Birthday. Carol didn't know that I was to arrive in Dannevirke for the birthday celebration. Many of the relatives arrived on Friday night and Saturday morning to celebrate the birthdays at lunchtime Saturday. It was only Mum that didn't know we were all celebrating her birthday as well as Carol's. When Alan and Carol arrived it let the cat out of the bag. Saturday lunch many of the locals arrived.

We played many games from group games to table tennis.

Looking back the long years over!!

Anzac Weekend

A great opportunity to go away for a long weekend. Well.... Rozy and I was told to bring our tramping clothes, boots, some dress clothes and my togs....destination was a secret. Alan, Kaye, Rozy and I set off at 2pm Thursday. We picked up the extra 4x4 which was having a holiday at another farm. Meandered our way to Roxburgh for the night at the 'Roxburgh Lodge'. Very good place to stay - highly recommended.

Friday morning, very early start 8am!!! travelling to Alexandra where we left the car and trailer...taking the 4x4's to Macetown. Both Rozy and I had never been in there before. What great sights - absolutely magnificent. It is truely wonderful to get a little glimpse of what work went on back so many years ago. On the way back out we did a little tikky touring!!! Found some more rivers to cross and hills to climb.

Rozy had a great day with the highlight being that her and I nearly drowned the bike. Oops!!

After having a great day we staying the night in Queenstown. Having a spa, of course. Then went to the Arrowtown Festival the next. All in all a great weekend. Thanks to the great company.

Southland Sports

Members of Southland all belong to the Supreme Sports Club. Anything for an evening at the local School, followed by a supper. Thursday 17th April was a big event to celebrate. Sheri came home for the holidays along with Krystelle, Rozy, and Norman had birthday's in April. We met at McD's for tea followed by a game of indoor hockey and soccer, then desert at Rozy's to see photos of Normans trip to Japan.

Mikayla decided that she was old enough to join in for hockey as well, although the goalpost cone seemed to disappear.

Superb Southland Sunset

Living proof that Southland gets some great days as well as great sunsets.

Sandy Point

Every now and then, it is time for a bit of exercise. Sandy Point, just out from Invercargill towards Oreti beach is a great walking spot.

Even good for the fitness build-up before going on a tramp. The 50 odd stairs are very good for the heart rate.

Easter Holiday

Two weeks off work went very fast. Up the West Coast, which I had never been up before - what an eye-opener. I thought Invercargill was set back in time, well the West Coast is 10 years behind Invercargill. At Karamea, Kaye and I started on our four day tramp doing the Heapy Track. The first day was along the beautiful beach (you would have thought you were in Fiji) with all the Nikau Palms. At Heapy Hut we were joined by a group of Secondary School Children who were seconded by DOC to plant grasses and count the native snails. The second day was a gentle climb up to James McKay Hut where the Hut Warden took us on a sunset trek up a bank, under and over trees to see the sunset – AWESOME. He even gave us an Easter Egg. The third day – 25 kms was very hot walking along the plains. We got to Saxon Hut and had a quick dip in the -0 water… was invigorating. Had a little bit of helicopter excitement (won’t go into this). We carried on to Perry Saddle Hut, but it seemed a long long way especially the last half hour. At Perry Saddle there were only 5 off us in the Hut for the night – got a good sleep. The fourth day we walk the 910m down the hill to Brown Hut. Were a kind taxi driver delivered us to Bainham Store for Alan to pick us up.

Spent Easter weekend in Nelson going around the hold haunts were ancestors were brought up.

Visited Christchurch for three days, on the way to Mt Cook. Didn’t arrive at Mt Cook in time to climb to Mueller Hut, but on Friday the weather was opposite to forecasted so took a CLIMB!!! up to Sealy Tarn. Had a little mishap on the way back down, but got some beautiful photos.

Roanna's Blog

Well, Yes, I have finally done it, created myself a Blog page. Don't know about the webaddress through!!!