tiramisu dessert

When I left work on Friday afternoon all organised and prepared for the following week, I was expecting to have another mundane Saturday. Little did I know that this Saturday before me would bring an event so important that the natural order of things as I knew it, would be tipped upside down. It happened after the dinner I had with friends, when someone bought out something more delicious and indulgent than I had ever experienced before. The appearance of the dessert set before me, was promising, though there was no hint that its taste would linger in my memory for quite as long as it did.

Tiramisu dessert: a lavish layer of thick dark chocolate, a sponge soaked in coffee and tiramisu with a delicate sweet sauce on top.

Lemon cheesecake is no longer number one on my top 40 list....

Rugby

Last night I watched the Crusaders win the Super 12.
Need I say more.

Extensions

I began the year thinking that I would be very firm on due dates for assignments with my new classes. Today I gave my students a re-extension of the extension of their extension...because of um, flooding and vaccinations. I am just waiting for my classroom to be infested with a plague of frogs... there is STILL 12 hours before their absolute, final due time of 8.30am tomorrow morning.

I made it very clear to them, that infact 8.31am would be too late - I was very cross and quite heated when I extended the extension, and in my flap actually told THEM to calm down. One of the "cool" ones at the back raised his eyebrows and gave me a "are you talking to US" kind of look. At least I noticed it.

rain

Teachers down the road at Tauranga Boy's were doing their playground duty on the field - um... in kayaks!

Ok - I'm back

Yup - I got the hint. I am back. I was soooo surprised to hear from several sources that my cyber-presence was actually missed and that there were actually people out there who read my wee blog. Soooooo - here goes, and here's to 2005. May it be a good one.

Highlights over the past few weeks have been settling in at my new school in Tauranga (I kid you not - that has been a highlight! Nice kids! Cool staff and a beautiful rural outlook from my classroom window for three days - .... now the rural outlook has changed to an outlook to a series of portacoms, a group of temporary practise rooms ......hmmm, not so nice, but yes - functional) Ohhhh - what is cool, is that when it is windy, the wind plays tunes down the narrow pathway between the portacoms and the classroom. YES - an Aeolian harp for the Music Dept. Who would have believed it?

I've been going along to a cool group called: "Spectrum", "Church off the beaten track" run by my friends (yay to Greg and Tracy!). Yup - we sit around on leather couches on a Friday night and discuss our way through a church service. We've been talking about..."Desire" just over the last two sessions - what is it? - how does it drive us towards God? That kind of thing... It's been cool, and the dvds/fish and chips after have also been great.

Ohhhh... I just resumed my exercise programme today. The PE teacher at school, God Bless Charlotte, had me hanging upside down from all SORTS of equipment. I was Bat-woman today. Fortunately my hiatus hernia did not play up - and you will be pleased to know that I didn't vomit anywhere in the gym.

I am staying in luxury at the moment! Big grin - was offered board at my best friend's parents place. :-) YAY.... soooo - I have a 180 degree view of the harbour... pretty cool huh?

Ok - that's about me for today - love to you all. Oh yes - and feel free to post a comment, you can now, cause I figured out how to allow anyone to post without joining the site. (Aren't I clever? ...took me long enough!)

kisses and cuddles. xx

summer

Summer? - What is that?
The seasons have gone all rolly polly and I had to put the tent up in the backgarden today because it was so damp after the summer weather. Hopefully it is drying out - I will not speak too soon.

yakking in a kayak

Over New Year I proved that I can be an outdoors person. Yes, I can handle a week away from bathrooms, flush toilets and tap water in exchange for superb views and nights under canvas listening to distant and gentle snores of fellow campers...

I went kayaking for 4 days around Lake Tarawera. Ester, tramper and kayaker extraordinaire taught me well. We battled New Zealand's fickle weather patterns, boaties and water-skiiers and triumphed under the challenge.

The bonus is that I have now discovered that dehydrated tramping food can taste quite good. Infact I will buy a small supply to use at home when I am in a rush to make a quick meal.