Outward Bound

I'm going on an Outward Bound in November. After hearing about it from four different attendees, I thought, I'd like to do it.

I'll be going to the school at the top of the South Island for 21 days in November. I've passed my physical and paid my money. I still need to gather together gear, book my ferry ticket and do extra jogging and hiking.

My understanding is that we will spend half the time at the base and half time on outings. I'll get to sail, kayak, swim, run, hike, sleep solo under the stars, rock climb and do high ropes. It will be challenging physically, mentally and emotionally. I'm sure the spiritual element will be there too--I will be praying for help with the challenges!

I'm excited about it. It's a great motivator to get some extra exercise.

World of Wearable Art (aka WOW)

Last week and this week the World of Wearable Art show is on in Wellington. I got an inside look into the show last week. I was a volunteer dresser for one of the models. The show ran for 5 nights in a row so it was like having a part-time job.

http://www.worldofwearableart.com/home

People from all over the world design costumes and enter them into the show. Not all designs entered become part of the show. The show has different sections. The children's theme was "At the Bottom of the Garden." The South Pacific section was "Patterns of the Pacific." Open Section has no theme boundaries. The Illumination Section uses UV light to "Float, Fly, Flow." Creative Excellence section had to do with "folding." Other sections are "Magnificent Men" and Avant Garde. Designs are chosen for the show for each of the sections, then music and choreography, lighting, models and lots of cast and crew put together an incredible show. We will be seeing the show on Sunday, 4 October.

For an idea of what the costumes are like, go to the website above and look at the tab of the award winners. The models in the photos are not those in the show, the photos are from the program which was printed up back in June.

As a dresser, I got to see costumes up close. Some other perks were: a ticket to the show, a program, and a T-shirt. Oh, I can't forget the cast and crew party coming up Sunday night.

Certainly costumes entered were wearable. However, my inside look showed that they weren't necessarily comfortable. One dress, Queen Adelaide" required 4 people to get it on the model because it was so heavy.

More to come next week after we see the show.

I'm not a kiwi!

I learned an important lesson this past weekend.  When someone offers you a free ticket to the rugby you go.  Especially if it is the last game of the All Black's season or they are playing against Australia and never ever turn down the ticket when both of those conditions occur.

I turned down a ticket to the NZ/Australia Rugby game this weekend.  I had plans with some friends in the afternoon and could not be sure of returning in time for the game (nor did I.)  However my friends informed me that I should have taken the ticket; and this was repeated by everyone who heard throughout the weekend.  More than once I was told that I was not a true kiwi bloke.

The Chicagoland comparison is to turn down the last football game of the season between the Bears/Packers for all intended purposes.  Except that everyone in Wellington is an All Blacks fan.

A major cultural faux-pas!

Early in the morning ...

Playing hooky with Dennis

Today Dennis and I took some time for good old fashioned male bonding as Chris is at a home schooling conference in Palmerson North.  Our time together actually started last night when Chris went to an Art Party at our church.  Somehow Dennis and I managed to feed ourselves and then we played computer games for the rest of the evening.

This morning we ended up rolling out of bed around 8:30am and after tending to the normal morning routine we planned our day ... as only boys can ... by a game of paper-scissors-rock which I won by producing a paper to cover Dennis' rock.

So according to the rules of the day I choose our first activity which was fishing.  Dennis eagerly agreed to accompany me to the fishing spot.  Which for today I changed from our normal.  We went to the Seatoun Pier which is strangely enough located in Seatoun.  The morning consisted of me baiting hooks while Dennis tangled fishing line.  My line was the first to hook a fish which gave me an excellent fight.  In fact more than once I thought the line was going to break.  I eventually prevailed and was able to land a 8" Gurnard which was quite lovely to look at.  While Dennis and I were staring at the fish and I was being reminded of the fact that I did not bring the appropriate gear to take a fish home with us, Dennis pole started to wiggle and he had his turn to land a fish.

After Dennis got the fish out of the water, but before it was on land he had a problem with his fishing tackle.  I looked over to see Dennis reeling in the fish as fast as he could and the fish just keeping above the water.  His line was a tangled mess down by the reel and was slipping off as fast as he could pull it back.  I came over and helped Dennis, together we got the fish on the pier.  Dennis caught a Spotty about six inches long.

Dennis later commented that we both had caught appropriate size fishes.  Right after we released these fish and got our hooks back in the water the weather changed as only it can do in Wellington.  It was warm and sunny with a cool breeze and suddenly the wind picked up dark clouds rolled in and we were cold.  Dennis kept on fishing whilst I cleaned up our tackle.

We left and it was Dennis turn to choose the next activity.  Which he did within 10 minutes.  Dennis and I took an indirect route home via Moa Point road which brought us though Wahine Memoral park and then by some tidal pools.  Dennis saw the pools and declared our next bit of fun was to play in (I said around) the pools.  So we stopped and spent about a half hour crawling on the rocks in a very rugged section of New Zealand.

After Dennis was too cold to throw another rock into the water we headed off to the car and to lunch.   We had Fish and Chips in Island Bay (town not the water) and went to the Island Bay Butcher where I picked up some Italian Sausages that look just amazing!

Then it was my turn to choose what to do for fun.  I choose to go to the top of Mount Victoria.  This would have been hotly contensted by Dennis as he did not consider it all too fun.  However I was driving - he actually suggested that I let him drive to get out of going.  It took a while to find Alexandra Road which is the way to the summit.

When we were at the top Dennis was not overly keen on getting out of the car so I coaxed him out by yelling "last one to touch the totem-pole is a rotten egg" as I left the car.  Dennis is always game for a race so he jumped out of the car after me and raced to the totem-pole.  Needless to say he was the first to touch the pole (it was fairly far away and up the hill.)  I never touched the pole myself so I tried to convince Dennis that he was the "last" one to touch it therefore he is the rotten egg.  That did not go over too well.

The views were amazing from up top Mount Vic.  Wow.

Back in the car it was Dennis turn to choose what to do for fun.  He asked to drive back to the house where we played a game of soccer in the back yard.  I am pleased to say that I won 10-9 which was mostly because Dennis fell down during a crucial play (my winning goal.)

Coming back in the house it is my turn to choose the fun activity.  I selected writing this blog entry.  Dennis has been sitting next to me the whole time (30 minutes or so) suggesting phrases to include in the narrative.  He very interested in describing the fishing correctly and displayed patience (and a bit of nagging) as I kept on writing about our day.

Now it is Dennis turn to select something fun to do.  He is requesting video games.  Which I think as this is a special situation I will let him have 30 minutes of mid-week screen time ... he will be a happy camper.

Tom (& Dennis)

Google Wellington

Google has updated the arial views of Wellington.  You can see our green Rav4 parked near the house.  The quality of the pictures are amazing.  Go ahead take a look at it and be sure to use the street view, it is lovely here at Wellington.

Spring

This morning I was awaken by the birds.  Spring has arrived and the morning song is returning.  There are many trees around the house, and bush not a half kilometer away (1/3 of a mile) so we have birds.

The sunrise itself I missed as I stayed in bed listening to the birds.  (That is my story and I am sticking with it.)  But I did notice that the sun is warming the house.  During the winter the morning sun is sickly and does not give warmth to the lounge.  Today it did.  It felt good to stand in the sun and soak up some of the heat.

As i walked down to Wellington this morning I was struck by the "weeds" on the side of the road.  They are flowering with the loveliest flowers that you guys up North spend hundreds of dollars on at the nursery to plant around your house for one season.  Here I can pick them up with a shovel.

Gone fishing

Took some time this afternoon to go fishing with Dennis.  I had made a few calls and can get some paperwork done this evening after he goes to bed so asked him for an hour then we went.

Chris wanted to go with us, not to go fishing but to go shopping.  She figured while we were out on the pier wresting with a spotty or two she could be browsing through the various shops on Jackson Street.

The drive to Petone was beautiful; the sky was clear, the mountains were a stark contrast to the sky and the water was alive with white caps as the southerly was blowing hard.  Dennis and I left the car at the pier to start our fishing adventure.  As soon as we walked through the gate to the pier we could feel the full force of that southerly blowing in our face!

Truth is we did not last until the end of the pier.  About 50 feet (16 meters) onto the pier Dennis put on his coat.  Another 100' (32 meters) he said he was too cold and wanted to turn back.  Thank God for cell phones.  By the time we got to the end of the pier we could see Chris coming to retrieve us.

It was a short fishing trip.  (Much to my relief)  And I am sure there will be more!

Spring

Today is officially the first day of spring here in Wellington. I still have not come to grips with spring arriving three weeks prior to the equinox. However spring it is! The flowers are in bloom the sun is warm and Wellington is beautiful.