On Holiday Again (all but Carrie)

Well, the kids finished a week of school--Joseph's a short week of three days, but all seems quite successful, at least comfortwise. We can't really tell academically yet. Emily never seems to know whether they learned anything, and Joseph isn't complaining about no homework, but it was the last week of the term, so we'll see. Joseph still refuses to be photographed in his uniform, but I think he looks very nice. We'll work on him in a couple of weeks when they start again. Emily's teacher said she is doing fine, and has a very loud voice...but she seems to greet her friends happily, and there is a great playground right outside her classroom--next opportunity I will take a picture of it.



It is raining, raining all night last night; we hope it will stop today, as we are supposed to go looking at houses with the kids this time, and also shopping for some essential items like a TV that Joseph can use for his video games. Poor child has gone without for weeks. It is much warmer this morning, though--57 outside now (7 am), and 63 inside--that's a big improvement. I think we've had some of the coldest weather of the year--that's what everyone says--with actual frost a couple of mornings, hovering around freezing, and the houses here are just not really prepared for that. We're adjusting, though, so that it seemed positively stifling when the house got up to 68 yesterday.



More on Kiwi language: We were puzzled by job advertisements for "panel beaters" in the paper, and then saw on a shop sign that they are the people to go to when you smash your car. We've also been enjoying Hokey Pokey ice cream, which is a New Zealand specialty. If you ask the shopkeeper what that is, they will tell you, helpfully, that it is vanilla ice cream with Hokey Pokey. They are puzzled if you don't understand this. You can also buy chocolate covered Hokey Pokey, and Hokey Pokey biscuits (cookies). No dancing required. Hokey Pokey is a kind of crunchy spun sugar candy. On with my tangent, the kids were delighted that I got ice cream (from the supermarket) in four flavors in one container--chocolate chip, lime chip, orange chip, and chewy chocolate. Something for everyone. It takes me a long time to shop, still, because I have to puzzle over all these new products, trying new things and trying to figure out what the kids will like. They do seem to specialize in biscuits here--an ample array of chocolate-covered and chipped items, especially. Not so much variety of cereal. I bought one of those variety packs so we can see what we like, as most of the cereals are unfamiliar. Except for Cheerios--which is a good foundation.



I start work on Monday; the office is big (and pretty empty, and will be for a couple more months) and the people are helpful. I will do some exploring of campus, too, which seems very pleasant--there are several ponds and gardens.



We hear Bush may be visiting New Zealand. Can't get rid of him...