Art deco Napier

Knit August Nights was held at Ahuriri in Napier. I had not been to Napier for about 25 odd years! It is New Zealand's outstanding art deco capital. In 1931 the city was virtually totally destroyed by an earthquake and so was rebuilt. We had a couple of hours to run around the city centre and really admire the gorgeous architecture. We had quite a few locals stop and chat to us and tell us the history of particular buildings etc - everyone was so friendly. I love cities like this. Everything has been kept so beautifully and it is a lovely tidy city too. I'm taking the husband back one day - I was that impressed! It is only an hour flight from home (or a 6 hour car drive).

The Pania of the Reef statue was fab to see - I vaguely remember her from my childhood too.

It was so great to visit somewhere that I had not been to for so long! I've certainly seen quite a bit of New Zealand this year.

Locals tell me the best time to visit is the Art Deco weekend held every year.

Things here

We are heading into week 8 of a 10 week term. Time has gone really fast.


This means there are 3 weeks left of the eldest's high school life! After that it is revision for A levels and then the A level exams. He'll finish his last exam on November 18 and then will be totally free until university starts in early March 2017. He will have one 2 hour school prize giving and possibly a year 13 dinner to attend and that is it for his high school. No such graduation as such as students in New Zealand never find out grades achieved from the previous year until late January the following year - long after high school is over. It is simple. And low key. We probably won't even do much celebrating - you just finish high school here and that is it. No family dinners, no gifts, wider family won't even realise it has even happened - it truly is such a non-event!


We've had to make a decision on the next school for the year 8 - it has nearly killed me. He'll be going to the local over-rated grammar school, where we'll see  how he goes. A massive jump with around 570 year 9 students expected. I suspect we may be making the wrong decision, but can move him back to his current school if it does not work. Some kids just do not fit the education system, no matter where they go. He is one of them.


I've been managing work hours over 4 days - pretty full on and manic. And Fridays off for study. Has taken a bit of getting used to. Lots of walking around the house, but other than one impulse hour long shopping trip, I've stayed put and tried to work really hard. It is relentless doing a 30 hour work week and a 25 hour study week. It never ends. Today I've yelled at most in the house, all due to one essay which I'm not happy about... I am better for having the day off work too.


The house does look tidier at the weekends. We get fruit and veges delivered which is fab! We seem to be sorting life out pretty well and staying on top of things. Without the stress of the year 8's education (and my essays!)  life would be a real breeze, but I hope going to a less intense and pressurised environment will help us all.


I'm not doing much letter writing, but am reading more. Knitting is off and on. Tv watching still does not happen. Vege gardening needs to happen. And I need to stay home and try not to travel anywhere for a few months I think!


Heading into spring - loving my tulips and daffodils a lot!

Giveaway - wool and stationery

I'm going through cupboards again... (hmmm.... that must be another essay avoidance tactic!!!)


4ply wool - 50% merino/50% silk- divine stuff!

and a stationery pack -

Comment below which one you would like to win (can be both!), and I'll choose two winners on September 18.

Open worldwide.

Knit August Nights 2016 (KAN)

Knit August Nights is one of two major knitty retreats held annually in New Zealand. It is held in the stunning art deco city of Napier an hour south by plane.


We won't mention THAT airline who c-a-n-c-e-l-l-e-d my flight on Friday morning, which left me scrambling to get another (and they were all sold out Friday and flights on Saturday would have arrived too late for y classes). So I shelled out $350 odd dollars to fly on a reputable airline to get down there late Friday night and missed my first class. I heard of other women hiring cars and driving 6 hours to get there... and this afternoon I was overweight with my hand luggage, but in their words "we've had a horrible few days, so will let you go"... I informed them that they had cancelled my first flight, so a few kilos overweight was not going to bother me...


It was a wonderful, wonderful weekend, meeting up with someone I didn't know particularly well (I used to frequent a wool shop she worked at years ago) and hanging out with crazy for knitting/yarn buyers just like me (man, I truly think we are like a tribe in how we dress etc too!).


I did a tour of New Zealand's LAST woollen mill - what a fascinating experience! I was totally blown away by the entire process and never knew how much went into producing a ball of wool!! Staggering. They produce most of the brands in the entire country - I thought a job in the labelling room would be fab! I'll show photos another time - I really cannot remember the process but realise even more how important it is to buy New Zealand produced yarn as much as possible. (I do anyway m-o-s-t of the time).


Tonight I'll leave you with my purchases - I have never seen Malabrigo wool before in my life and it is so divine. The rest is all New Zealand producers/independent dyers.

Goodness me!

I really didn't expect to be away from here for a couple of weeks - life gets in the way.
Thank you so much for all the comments on my last post - the child is very resilient and doing okay - nothing usually phases this child and he has carried on with stuff and not letting his mother walk to the train station to meet him etc..


I'm off for 3 days of knitting and wool squishing and buying (I'm going to try and be restrained...) at Knit August Nights in Napier. I need the therapy I think... I have not been to Napier for about 25 years or so! Only a quick one hour flight. Looking forward to a place where it is a lot warmer today and with no rain. Boy have we had a lot of rain this winter!


The house/laundry situation is a tip, but hey, I won't be here, so that is not my problem :)


Have a great weekend everyone. I'll be back soon. xo

trial of a week

Particularly when your 12 year old is attacked coming home from school by a stranger and a (we hope fake!) gun pulled on him. Totally traumatised and we have spent hours spent at the police station (We have kept it out of the news) He is strong and totally insisted on my not meeting him to take him home today... until he walked in the door, I was very, very nervous!


An awesome school librarian I know died suddenly and the above child has also just told me one of his teachers due to give birth in a few weeks with her first child, lost the baby last night. He is very sad about that too.


I'm hoping the next week has a lot better events in it!

Lately

The husband told me off. I've had 5 packages ready to post since last Monday and today, Saturday, they are still sitting here. Sorry swap partners and winners of giveaways! They will be in the post this weekend or on Monday!


It is taking a bit of organisation/brain sorting out to suss this working week alongside a 25 hour study week. I do like my Fridays off - even as a mental health workout from the previous days of the week!


A new little friend arrived for me - a "Yarndale" sheep - isn't she gorgeous?! More on this later..

Lots has been happening here -

 first university acceptance place for year 13 kid (not first choice - that would be Melbourne University, but due to maths requirements, won't be a happening)

Year 13 kid has worked 40 hours this week alongside school (part time school!)

He and his mates cracked me up yesterday - they went to school for an hour; then went and played pool for an hour; then went back to school for two hours!

Cool school where they only have to be on the grounds for their classes and can leave if no classes. Getting them well and truly ready for university.

Travel for the husband and work.

Which means me being super organised around work and study and supermarket shopping etc!

Has issues as I leave the house at 7.15am, which means the three teens are on their own for getting to school - two are fine; the other one may or may not get to school on time... and when the trip involves a train journey to school....

I've been reading - please read "The Toymaker" by Liam Pieper - Australian; gripping read! ($16 in Australia; $37 dollars in New Zealand. Need I say more about the book price differences between our countries!!!!!)

And I've started Harry Potter -  had only read the first one. I've started again. I won't be buying it for school as no child has ever read the series in its entirety.

Middle kid frustrated with his soccer team - ditching school team next year.

Don't think the Olympics will rate that highly in this house. The boys had no idea it even started today and there is zero emphasis on it at their schools too. I had a good argument with a friend who could not believe that my children had no idea - well we don't watch tv; do not listen to the radio; boys do not read newspapers on line - sport just is not really in our lives apart from soccer!

(man really though I had to justify myself in that argument - I know hundreds at my school too who have no idea - younger children. Just so remote from their lives)

And it looks like this outside - c-o-l-d and wet. I can count 4-5 dry days in the last month...

The tulips and daffodils have gone vroompf!!