Auds Blog

Same old, same old start to the day. Leisurely breakfast watching Breakfast on the telly. Morning spent working arranging devices to be redistributed to other children at home, 18 children went to school today according to Matt when he rang this morning. He also said it's strange at school as he can't visit classes and see the children. 10.30am latte time, I'm working on perfecting the patterns on top! At midday Robert took the kids for a hot chocolate at Cyclista Cafe, the cafe were on the Breakfast show this morning with their trainset they are using to send the coffee, following Level 3 guidelines. As the kids are in our bubble Scott could take their photo waiting for their order.  After watching Jamie Oliver last night just had to make his easy pan pizza, delicious and so easy. This afternoon Robert went for a run, Scott and Brooklyn arrived and headed off running (BC) and biking alongside (Scott). Kelly and Ava headed off for a bike ride too, Nanny got to babysit Lucy ...

First day back to school for 20 odd children at West End, certainly won't be what they are used to! Breakfast this morning was an event with Ava and Brooklyn ordering pancakes (BIG pikelets) with golden syrup, bananas and cream. Grandad enjoyed his morning tea eating the ones the kids left. Drawing competitions and colouring in, along with hiding games outside, kept us busy till the kids went home mid-morning.  Two teleconference meetings and time spent organising collection and redistributing of devices for children who need one to access the online distance learning. Had to put two cute photos of the youngest grandchildren that were on the family Whatsapp, both taken yesterday.

The first day at Level 3! Not a lot of change for us but great to see many going back to work, except the cafes, restaurants, and retail shops. Still no contact - good to see takeaway coffee and takeaway food outlets can open. The queues at McDs and KFC was ridiculous!    The morning was spent with both of us working, Robert in his office and me in the lounge. School back tomorrow for 29 children and 11 staff, including Sue in the office. Preparing for this has taken quite a bit of time and planning. A contact register has been prepared with every movement by all who are there recorded and reported to the Ministries (Education and Health).  A Zoom meeting with all the staff this afternoon explained the onsite roles and the offsite roles. Ensuring students at home have devices to continue to access home (distance) learning has been a big job. Ava and Brooklyn came round with Scott, Kelly and Lucy and ended up staying the night. Ava helped make some bread. Fun games with gr...

We are just over 5 weeks in lockdown, with an announcement that we as a country will move to Level 3 tonight at midnight. Not a lot of change for us, Roberts still working from home and only about 30 of our children will attend school and I'm not back onsite. School open only to those children whose parents are returning to work and they have no-one to look after them at home. Some people can join other bubbles if they are a caregiver or close family. We joined Scott and Kelly's, Zane still a bubble of one as his flatmate went home to family and he has gone to work today. We will 'see' him tomorrow from the social distance but keep apart for now. Couldn't resist sharing some autumn photos taken over the last few days when out in the car. Weather 19-20' most days. It's been lovely to be able to sit outside and enjoy the weather. Wayne and Sally excitedly welcomed two new grandchildren over the weekend, a wee girl Zara for Sarah and Doug on ANZAC Day, and a we...

A day late writing this!! Yesterday Robert and Scott went for a road ride, Scott's first one with his Dad on his old bike. Bit of a change from mountain biking for him. We went up to 'see' the grandkids, rewarded with a coffee made on the proper machine, nice change from the packet coffees I am making. Brooklyn and I walked home to our place from there's with Ava scootering there. Stopped to talk to two women painting the concrete blocks next to the community food sharing box at Memorial Park. Kelly arrived not long after, walking pushing Lucy in the buggy, took her only half the time!  Blair Oscar and Bridget FaceTimed us, lovely to see Oscar....up to mischief getting into cupboards and standing up opening the fridge. Kelly cooked dinner, so nice after five weeks of cooking every night. A real treat. Larsen Lodges Quiz Night again. Geoff, Sammy and Rach had put it together. Bridget and Blair won, closely followed by Scott and Kelly, third place was Elliot and Beaw. It...

An early start with the alarm going off at 5.45am. Time to get up and 'Stand at Dawn' at the end of our driveway. Due to the Covid19 virus, and the need to stay in our home and 'bubble', there were no services for ANZAC Day this year. First time there wouldn't be Dawn Services throughout the country, no ANZAC poppies for sale either. Hence the idea was born by the RSA and govt that people come out, and stand at their letterboxes to remember. I did get dressed in the end, not my three neighbours though! They were out in their dressing gowns, like many others I am sure. Robert there too, in his cycling gear with his bike leaned against the fence. We could faintly hear a bugle sounding in the distance...it was the most memorable ANZAC Day. I went back to bed, Robert headed off up the road at 5.15am for a bike ride. I made some ANZAC biscuits this morning, delicious with our frothy home-made latte at 11am. I started a photo book this afternoon after I found photos from ...

First thing this morning I made four poppies for our fence at the end of the driveway - ready for ANZAC Day tomorrow. Had seen an idea on Facebook using red New World or Warehouse reusable bags. Easy as, and will withstand rain if it comes. I remembered we had a NZ flag which we took to Belgium 5 years ago when we were in Ypres commemorating the 100 years since the Gallipolli landing. Friends Wayne and Sally's daughter had given it to us to take. Pretty special. Kelly had decorated their gate too with 8 poppies - looked great!  Spent most of the day on my laptop or phone working, getting children placed into bubbles for school starting back on Wednesday when we head to Level 3. I'm staying home with most of the staff, just five teachers and Matt and Louise will be there. I'll be busy supporting the distance learning at home. Just 33 children going to school when we start back.  Popped out to get our milk from the organic farm Gorge Fresh, and the on to getting three trays o...

Two Zoom meetings today to organise what school will look like next week when we go to Level 3. If families are at home they will keep their kids there, and work either online or the hard copy packs that the Ministry has sent out. We have 36 children that will be at school. Organising children into bubbles of 10 with a teacher and teacher aide took some time as we needed to look at teachers who may be compromised and those with little ones, they will work from home. The work each teacher has done to set up class learning online has been amazing.  On our afternoon walk today we saw a very cool ANZAC Poppy on a fence in Limbrick Street...gave me the idea on how to make one or two for our fence. Will look at the YouTube clip someone has made to make them from New World shopping bags. Project for tomorrow morning.

Much of the day Robert once again spent time in his little office in the garage. Lots of webinars, conference calls and on the phone.My job at about 10.30am is morning tea (frothy latte and some baking - usually bran muffin or banana bread). I spent most of my time on calls/texts to parents, answering emails, and watching a webinar from NZEI about keeping relationships at the forefront for teaching/learning while at home. Prof Welby Ings was great to hear, sensible ideas. 'Saw'' the kids this afternoon...did involve a batch of chocolate brownie! Had a talk with one of our mums who was struggling at home with her son, nice to connect and hopefully help. Long chat with friend Pam just before dinner, and a Zoom catch up with the Zonta group...great to see their faces and hear what they have been doing. A bit of colouring in and Netflix to end the day.

Spent the morning watching two Webinars, one on anxiety in children and the other on wh ā nau and school relationships. Both I intended to watch 'live' but I find it hard to do so at school. I learnt lots in the two hours I 'tuned in'. I made some chicken soup, getting the recipe from Nadia's (Lim) Comfort Kitchen. It's on daily at 4.30pm over this time.....delicious soup. Robert took some over to Kerry, old friend and neighbour, as wife Joy went into hospital on Friday. So he'll be finding it hard in isolation on his own. No visitors are allowed in hospitals. Another Zoom meeting for school this afternoon, this time the whole staff. Matt shared with everyone the plans for nrxt Wednesday when school starts back and what Level 3 will mean for us.  A walk around the block at 3.30pm arriving back in time for a date with Nadia Lim. I am definately going to make her flatbread and chickpea potato and pea curry. Tonight I made her Moroccan Apricot Chicken. I am enj...

Another week in Lockdown, need to remind ourselves it's a working week. Days seem to merge into each other so we try to remind ourselves when it's the weekend and when it's a week day. Spent the morning working on emails and some school work, Robert in his office on the phone and computer. He has got a new screen (twice the size of his laptop) which makes it so much easier to work on. Zane walked around to visit - lovely to 'see' him, wish we could have a cuddle. Like his Dad he is growing a moustache! A friend of ours Robyn T's mother died this morning, very hard at this time. I couldn't get flowers delivered or go and give her a hug so cut some hydrangeas and jasmine and put them together with one of my cards and popped them on her doorstep. We were able to chat for about 10 minutes from a distance at her front door. So hard as funerals under Level 3 (were aren't there yet, another 7 days, announced by the govt at 4pm) so will have to wait until they...

A day of baking with Bran Banana Muffins in the morning, scones for afternoon tea (shared with Wayne and Sally sitting at a safe distance in the cold outside), yum with blackcurrant jam and whipped cream, and a second loaf of  banana bread. Had to have a piece with my peppermint tea for supper.. I had a look at what I wrote down as an isolation plan four weeks ago, then the updated one I did on Day 15....mmmm some small achievements! I wonder what the updated on will look lie on Wednesday? Checked out the determined grasshopper who wants to come inside....persistent I must say. He was put back outside, but turned up again gggrrrr