Kalani AKA spiderman

Over the July holidays, the engineer and I travelled to Queensland to celebrate my older son Mike’s 30th birthday. We had decided that my two Melbourne-based sons should join us at Mermaid Beach for a few days to celebrate (as Melbourne would be too cold at this time of the year!) My grandson Kalani turned five the next day, so he was “king for the day” choosing how to celebrate. This involved dressing like spiderman!  We had a wonderful time all eleven of us.

Mike's birthday tee shirt-photo of him at 18 months!

Last Wednesday I attended, along with 300 others, a leadership forum at the Opera House. The speakers were Sir Stephen Tindall, from the Warehouse and Rod Drury from Xero. They both gave the audience valuable insight into their ideas of successful leadership in their own business experience. Stephen listed the following important points; firstly the importance of mutual respect from everyone in the work team. Something he practises in all experiences in his life. He also suggested everyone must have a vision for what they want in their life. He finally said you must have the right people in your work team for success and have large ears and a small mouth! Listen well and don’t talk too much!

Rod Drury has moved back to Hawkes Bay for the lifestyle and to let his children experience the great childhood he had as a child in Hawkes Bay. Both leaders suggested all new Zealanders should go overseas every five years so they can appreciate how wonderful NZ is! I asked them to give one piece of advice to pass on to my students, Stephen said  ”decide what you want to do in life and go and do it”, Rod said :Learn to type!”- spoken like a ICT expert! Both leaders read a huge amount, Rod saying he subscribes to 100 websites each week and both said leaders are not born, but made. The leadership forum is the second year the HDC has hosted a free event at the Opera House in winter, last year the theatre was packed out with 500 plus people who listened to Getrude Matshe, an amazing inspirational speaker.

Last Thursday I watched the first fifteen from my school Colenso, play the local Havelock North High School team, which included our Rotary exchange student Beto on the wing. I did promise Beto I would cheer for him only when he got the ball and ran with it. It was a difficult decision to make, as three of my form class were in the first XV. It was a terrible day, weather wise and all the players were covered in mud

Beto covered in mud playing Colenso

. The final result favoured Colenso, but

Beto had a few great runs up the sideline.

Today I went to my first Duffy Books in Homes assembly at Riverslea school. I have been a participant in grandparent reading at Riverslea School since the beginning of the year. I am able to do this as I don’t start teaching on Fridays until noon. Grandparent reading is a Havelock North Rotary project that the club has been doing for over eleven years. Six regulars turn up each Friday morning and listen to students reading, as grandparents. Last year, Rotary New Zealand began their “dictionary project”, funding dictionaries annually to Year 6 students leaving school to go to their respective intermediate schools.

Fairlane signing her dictionary

 Riverslea, Lucknow and Waimarama are the schools our club cares for and give dictionaries to this year. Last year, Lucknow and Riverslea students received dictionaries. This morning, after we presented the dictionaries, selected students are awarded their books, courtesy of the Duffy Books in Homes Trust. These assemblies happen three times a year, with Rotarians attending.

The engineer presenting a book

Last weekend, the engineer and I drove 5 hours to New Plymouth to help celebrate a significant birthday of my old university friend, Gillian. She had orginally decided to ignore the birthday and do nothing, against all her friends’ advice. However, once we told her we were making the trip, she and partner, Reeve made rapid plans and organised a catered dinner for 20. We had a great time, cuminating in a few speeches and toasts!

Toasting Gillian on her big birthday!