Perpetuating Childhood

Saturday, February 2nd (Groundhog Day...but it means nothing in this country)
I'm convinced Yarrow is the best street in the world to live on. There are just enough shops around to cover the necessities in life: meat pies, ice cream, a bank, and the Bargain Barn. The Bargain Barn is by far the best secondhand store I have been to. I got a killer set of earings. And I mean killer. They could stun even Medusa.

But the highlight of Saturday was not the killer earrings. Actually, it was the meanest picnic Invercargill has ever seen. Joyce and Neville came as well as many of the grandkids. Sponsored by the LDS branch here we had hamburgers, ice cream, sac races, three-footed races, missionary tag, and an egg toss. I love playing childish games and chasing ducks. Life is good to me.


Little known secret: I'm a little obsessed with childhood. I believe childhood should continue throughout life. Certainly you must grow older but growing up will always be a mere option. I intend to wonder at the clouds and curiously explore life until the day I die. I won't go quietly. I'll gasp for air after playing games for second-graders and wildly wave my arms about when sliding down slick slides wettened by rain.I am a firm supporter of neighborhood picnics.

(Tyler, Chase, Jackapo, and Cameron grill up some grub)

(Kirsten, Ali, Stefanie Tanner, Stephanie Richards enjoy banana-jaffer icecream)
(Below Jessica and Taylor battle for the title)

Sunday, February 3rd

Twelve years ago I was baptised. Church was good. Sister Ngahooroo told us how she married a man in blind faith. She didn't like him, let alone love him. But she married him anyway. They've been married for 15 years. You-of course-just got the short version of the story but the point is God is a master planner.

Monday, February 4th

Haeree and I ran to Kracker Jacks and back. (Jordan, we can TOTALLY go running together when I get home.) It was the first day of SIT. There were other students on campus today and we met our instructor John Kapa today. He's pretty chill. Tomorrow we start learning kayak basics.I met Gail from Yaks and Yetis. If you're ever looking for a genie outfit to impress a date, this would be the shop. Gail is cool. She said I could busk in front of her store. Perhaps I will.

Chase had a birthday party. His mum, Naomi, had a bucket-load of meat left over from a work barbeque so she invited the lot of us to come to a barbeque and eat.I have yet to have a homemade hamburger on a bun or with anything other than meat. We eat our hamburgers with buttered bread (??? I will never understand why they put butter on every sandwich) and perhaps some tomato sauce. Never tomato and lettuce or pickles. Pretty simple. The meat tastes amazing so it's okay. It's just different.

I taught everyone Boogedy Boogedy Boo. It's always a crowd pleaser. I'd be understating if I said everyone loved it. Everyone was laughing long and hard. I'm basically sure Stephanie Richards is the funniest person in the world to watch. Cameron was busy taking pictures so I'm sure I'll get some at one point or another.