My results for Term 3 Skills Test were mostly a big improvement. My low scores in Tech 3 and Tech 1 were mostly a matter of speed - or a lack of it - and I'd never nailed together a mitre joint before (Tech 3), let alone four of them to make a box/frame; most of my marks were for measuring and sawing the pieces.
T3 = 34 (Rather a come-down from the previous term's 75.)
T2 = 79 (That's the first time I've completed the wirework, but my Tex Brown knot wasn't actually a Tex Brown, so the tutor couldn't mark it.)
T1 = 64 (First time I've put a line post in completely by myself, but I didn't finish nailing all three battens.)
Sheep = 89 !!! (Top girl in this, and only three boys were higher: 94, 91, & 91!!!)
Lectures = 84
Ag. = 75 (Second equal in this with two others; top was 94)
Total: 425/600
08 October, 2005
06 October, 2005
Doggy update
Bess, the 2-year-old heading dog I bought in July this year, is shaping up well. These pictures were taken at home during my 2-week break from study at Taratahi Agricultural Training Centre. To see them in proper sequence, start at the night picture of the campus hostel and work upwards. Sometimes the responsibilities of dog ownership (such as exercising in foul weather) can be irksome, but the joys far outweigh these. And getting a leg hug from an adoring dog is really quite heart-warming!
20 June, 2005
2005 midyear update
In the five months that I've completed, I have gained in knowledge, skill, and strength...and learned to tolerate a lot of nonsense from other students. I have physical proof of the increased strength. I still get people telling me I've lost weight, yet I've gained nearly 1½ stone (10kg)! It's all muscle, and I amazed myself on Monday evening by doing 10 press-ups! (from the knees) Just to make sure it wasn't a one-off thing, I did 12 the next morning, but this time I wasn't warmed up, so 11 & 12 caused a bit of a strain. Considering that I could barely do 2 at the beginning of the year, I'm feeling very pleased with myself.
Between January 24 and June 24 (including 2 weeks' holiday in April):
2 weeks on Tech 1; Skills Tests: 1 = 78, 2 = 57
2 wks on T2; Skills Tests: 1 = 66, 2 = 59
1 wk on T3 (2nd wk sick - glandular fever); Skills Tests: 1 = 62, 2 = 75
2 wks on Ag; Skills Tests: 1 = 67, 2 = 76
1 wk on work experience (large farm just south of Mt. Bruce)
1 wk shearing course
4 wks at Glenburn Station; Skills Test: 1 = 67, 2 = 58
6 wks on Lectures; Skills Tests: 1 = 65, 2 = 76;
Skills Test 1: 405/600. Skills Test 2: 401/600. Mid-year exam: 73% (Pass is 40%, highest achieved was 84%, I think.)
My favourite section is still Ag. I've driven tractors (with silage wagon/hay mower), a digger, quads (including backing through a slalom with a trailer), and a bike. Using the digger was part of a drain-laying operation. I've learned to use a gas cutter and a welder, using the skills to retread one of a pair of ramps for Archie (the groundsman). I have also learned to use several electric workshop tools.
I completed my weeds and grasses collection, handing it in 2 weeks before the due date. We had to collect, press, and mount 40 different plants: 3 clovers, 7 crops, 10 grasses, and 20 weeds. I won't find out what mark it got until this coming term, but Martin, my lectures tutor, reckoned it was at least a 70+. I'm hoping it's an 80+! Last year's highest weeds and grasses mark was 92, I think, and getting into the 80s - in anything - is considered very good.
The second morning of the shearing course I was taken off the shearing and was rousie for two or three students for the rest of the week (I discovered that it's easier to rousie for two or three good shearers than for the same number of learners), plus learning to press bales. Short hamstrings and several years fighting glandular fever don't make a good shearer, though I did manage to shear two sheep all by myself - but I kept getting stuck! I would get my legs into a position, and then not be able to shift them. And then I would start shaking all over, which made operating the handpiece a bit difficult. I didn't mind after the first disappointment - I'm a shepherd not a shearer. In fact, I was far more upset about the cuts on the sheep (I only knicked one once, but the others were teasing one boy about his love of blood) than about the blade cut on my own finger, which stung like mad at first (yes, I did it to myself). And when one of the boys was getting a little rough with a sheep and swearing at it, I wanted to yell at him or thump him or something - and soothe the sheep!
My mid-year report really couldn't be better. The tutors' comments are all glowing, and though the hostel manager reckons I should get a car, and I agree it would be nice and convenient, there's a slight deterrent - I can't afford a car and... wait, wait, wait! This needs to be announced properly! Here we go:
I have bought a dog!
Yes, I now own a 2-year-old short-haired border collie bitch. She is a partly-trained heading dog. That is, she already works well, but I can add some extra commands if I so desire. I will be registering her in the Carterton district when I return to Taratahi, and after checking with the Taratahi farm manager that everything is in order and we've signed the contract, I will return to Dannevirke in the weekend to fetch Bess. (She was already named - I wouldn't have given her such a common farmdog name.) She will live in a kennel at Taratahi. A small weekly fee covers her food and worm tablets, which of course adds up over 20 weeks, but the big cost was in buying the dog. It is a big responsibility, but it will be such fun! And when I get sick of everybody else, I'll be able to spend time with a friend and work mate that doesn't say anything verbal at all. When we come home for the September/October holidays, I'll have to find a kennel for her. (And if I'm to come home any weekends, I'll have to get someone at Taratahi to feed and exercise her...
The two things that helped me decide to get a dog were: learning to use a dog is one of the units for sheep students but I was reluctant to use the students' dog at Glenburn (it is tough on dog and student when the dog is used by lots of different people); I'm going to need at least one dog anyway when I get a job and I'd rather know the dog and have something of the knack of using it before then! There are opportunities for practice and instruction at Taratahi and Glenburn. I just hope Bess doesn't pick up any bad habits such as kennel barking from other dogs, particularly at Glenburn.
So, a car is out of the question as far as I can see. But that's fine with me. I've managed so far without, and there's only another 5 months to go!
Between January 24 and June 24 (including 2 weeks' holiday in April):
2 weeks on Tech 1; Skills Tests: 1 = 78, 2 = 57
2 wks on T2; Skills Tests: 1 = 66, 2 = 59
1 wk on T3 (2nd wk sick - glandular fever); Skills Tests: 1 = 62, 2 = 75
2 wks on Ag; Skills Tests: 1 = 67, 2 = 76
1 wk on work experience (large farm just south of Mt. Bruce)
1 wk shearing course
4 wks at Glenburn Station; Skills Test: 1 = 67, 2 = 58
6 wks on Lectures; Skills Tests: 1 = 65, 2 = 76;
Skills Test 1: 405/600. Skills Test 2: 401/600. Mid-year exam: 73% (Pass is 40%, highest achieved was 84%, I think.)
My favourite section is still Ag. I've driven tractors (with silage wagon/hay mower), a digger, quads (including backing through a slalom with a trailer), and a bike. Using the digger was part of a drain-laying operation. I've learned to use a gas cutter and a welder, using the skills to retread one of a pair of ramps for Archie (the groundsman). I have also learned to use several electric workshop tools.
I completed my weeds and grasses collection, handing it in 2 weeks before the due date. We had to collect, press, and mount 40 different plants: 3 clovers, 7 crops, 10 grasses, and 20 weeds. I won't find out what mark it got until this coming term, but Martin, my lectures tutor, reckoned it was at least a 70+. I'm hoping it's an 80+! Last year's highest weeds and grasses mark was 92, I think, and getting into the 80s - in anything - is considered very good.
The second morning of the shearing course I was taken off the shearing and was rousie for two or three students for the rest of the week (I discovered that it's easier to rousie for two or three good shearers than for the same number of learners), plus learning to press bales. Short hamstrings and several years fighting glandular fever don't make a good shearer, though I did manage to shear two sheep all by myself - but I kept getting stuck! I would get my legs into a position, and then not be able to shift them. And then I would start shaking all over, which made operating the handpiece a bit difficult. I didn't mind after the first disappointment - I'm a shepherd not a shearer. In fact, I was far more upset about the cuts on the sheep (I only knicked one once, but the others were teasing one boy about his love of blood) than about the blade cut on my own finger, which stung like mad at first (yes, I did it to myself). And when one of the boys was getting a little rough with a sheep and swearing at it, I wanted to yell at him or thump him or something - and soothe the sheep!
My mid-year report really couldn't be better. The tutors' comments are all glowing, and though the hostel manager reckons I should get a car, and I agree it would be nice and convenient, there's a slight deterrent - I can't afford a car and... wait, wait, wait! This needs to be announced properly! Here we go:
I have bought a dog!
Yes, I now own a 2-year-old short-haired border collie bitch. She is a partly-trained heading dog. That is, she already works well, but I can add some extra commands if I so desire. I will be registering her in the Carterton district when I return to Taratahi, and after checking with the Taratahi farm manager that everything is in order and we've signed the contract, I will return to Dannevirke in the weekend to fetch Bess. (She was already named - I wouldn't have given her such a common farmdog name.) She will live in a kennel at Taratahi. A small weekly fee covers her food and worm tablets, which of course adds up over 20 weeks, but the big cost was in buying the dog. It is a big responsibility, but it will be such fun! And when I get sick of everybody else, I'll be able to spend time with a friend and work mate that doesn't say anything verbal at all. When we come home for the September/October holidays, I'll have to find a kennel for her. (And if I'm to come home any weekends, I'll have to get someone at Taratahi to feed and exercise her...
The two things that helped me decide to get a dog were: learning to use a dog is one of the units for sheep students but I was reluctant to use the students' dog at Glenburn (it is tough on dog and student when the dog is used by lots of different people); I'm going to need at least one dog anyway when I get a job and I'd rather know the dog and have something of the knack of using it before then! There are opportunities for practice and instruction at Taratahi and Glenburn. I just hope Bess doesn't pick up any bad habits such as kennel barking from other dogs, particularly at Glenburn.
So, a car is out of the question as far as I can see. But that's fine with me. I've managed so far without, and there's only another 5 months to go!
26 March, 2005
Week 1 - Orientation; January 24-30
[Anything in quotes ("...") is a direct quote from my diary sheet.]
Arrived 11:20 on Monday, settled in, and started meeting people, very few of whose names I remembered until well into the week. (Some people I only matched up with names after six or seven weeks.) Made contact with Masterton croquet club about days and times. Called home with correct holiday dates, as we had been informed incorrectly.
Tuesday: Day's activity started at 8:15 in the dining room/lounge, where all hostel meetings are held. We went through all the details of the Welcome Book, at which time I discovered that we have weekly diary sheets to fill in which make up 50% of our weekly marks. These diary sheets are what I'm using to write up this blog. After the first week, tutors have been complaining that they don't want a novel to read... (Except for lecture weeks, my diary sheet usually extends from the given single page to 3 or 4 pages.) I tell them it's for posterity. ;c) I also discovered at this meeting that there is a student older than myself, Dick Tredwell (41). He's English, ex-army (22 years), lives off-campus on 90 acres with young son and daughter, wife getting out of British army end of year. We both find great relief in being able to have sensible conversation, particularly at lunch-time, after the mostly-nonsense of the other students! 10:00. Agriculture with Ivan (more commonly known as Ebb - his sons called him Ebenezer Scrooge), getting an overview of what is coming. It does look as though I'll be learning to overhaul an engine, but I'm not sure to what extent. 11:00. Tech 1 with Alistair. It was nice to be already familiar with one aspect - the woolshed. 11:30. Tech 2 with Dave. "I hope memories of those photographs do not affect my sleep, but it is an excellent caution in the use of chainsaws and all other potentially hazardous equipment." Lunchbreak is always 12:00-13:00, plus an extra half hour on Tuesdays for lunch-time leave (so we can get into town while the banks, etc, are open). 13:00. Lectures with Shane and Martin. "I was almost daunted for a moment by the volume of paper, but deciding to take it one day at a time and remembering that I don't have to sink when there are others to help me swim helped to put it in perspective, and I relaxed again." 14:00. Dairy with Chris. "By now I was starting to get information overload." 15:00. Tech 3 with Callum. "I'm not sure that I heard much, as I was getting sleepy, but on being told that not completing non-compulsory units, such as spraying or building repairs (because of the weather) or killing animals, would not be a big issue, I determined to accomplish every single possible credit. The more I learn this year, the less to learn later, and the more valuable I will be as an employee." We finished with a trip to town, which I put to good use, learning where things are. The day's activities closed with a hostel meeting. "A summary of the day would put the predominant memories as 'Safety First', the impatience and negative attitude of certain students, and the often very wide gap between myself and the other students - and not necessarily because of age. I am, nonetheless, very excited about the year ahead."
Wednesday: Tech 2. Shifted sheep, watched killing of pig and helped scald and shave it. "Interesting fact: pig's head must be screwed off." Skinned half of a sheep. Jetted sheep against fly strike, taking my turn with the spray gun, and admininstering Maggo to fly-blown sheep. "Changed from gumboots to lace-ups (steel caps), but not having broken them in, had to change back to gumboots after fetching sheep because of blisters." Drove the tractor 30m, and helped return sheep to another paddock.
Thursday: Out to Glenburn - overnight. Tech Tour. "Callum drove us to Taonui, pointing out landmarks, etc. We went all the way to the airstrip and back. I had packed my notebook instead of carrying it, so I could take no notes. By the end of the day I had received so much information that I had forgotten a lot." Farm Management. "Here I learned something of the history of Glenburn and the stock... We went out to the yards to trap a couple of steers in the race so the we could see inside their mouth. Next I discovered how unfit I am. We moved a group of sheep into a wide race so that we could learn to lay them down and tie them. I succeeded with a bit of coaching from Dave, but was puffing heavily during and after the operation. I later discovered I had strained my shoulder a bit, too. That session and the next tied pretty closely for favourite of the day. The next was quads, with which I had no experience at all. Ivan did a good job of teaching me, and I had soon completed the required circuits. Then came a great ride up to the tops where the view was stunning. Unfortunately I had to concentrate on the track and practising gear changes, so full appreciation waited until the next day. I was a little stiff in places after that ride, but the satisfaction of a new accomplishment made up for it. Last session of the day was Weeds&Grasses. I liked the taste of Pasja, both leaf and root. Thistles, barley grass, perennial ryegrass, and four different clovers were also looked at, dug up, and discussed. Later I also spotted some Italian ryegrass. We ended the session by learning how to press the plants."
Friday: "First session of the day was Kitchen with Steve. Being very experienced in this area, helping to make scones was a breeze. It will be fun to be 'cook for the day' while on Glenburn duty. The Glenburn Tour with Brent (BA) rounded things off nicely." Back to Taratahi for dinner.
Saturday: Croquet - lost first game [doubles] 13-15 (3 hoops mine); won second game [singles] 11-6. Made farming contacts in the process. Good possibilities for work experience.
Arrived 11:20 on Monday, settled in, and started meeting people, very few of whose names I remembered until well into the week. (Some people I only matched up with names after six or seven weeks.) Made contact with Masterton croquet club about days and times. Called home with correct holiday dates, as we had been informed incorrectly.
Tuesday: Day's activity started at 8:15 in the dining room/lounge, where all hostel meetings are held. We went through all the details of the Welcome Book, at which time I discovered that we have weekly diary sheets to fill in which make up 50% of our weekly marks. These diary sheets are what I'm using to write up this blog. After the first week, tutors have been complaining that they don't want a novel to read... (Except for lecture weeks, my diary sheet usually extends from the given single page to 3 or 4 pages.) I tell them it's for posterity. ;c) I also discovered at this meeting that there is a student older than myself, Dick Tredwell (41). He's English, ex-army (22 years), lives off-campus on 90 acres with young son and daughter, wife getting out of British army end of year. We both find great relief in being able to have sensible conversation, particularly at lunch-time, after the mostly-nonsense of the other students! 10:00. Agriculture with Ivan (more commonly known as Ebb - his sons called him Ebenezer Scrooge), getting an overview of what is coming. It does look as though I'll be learning to overhaul an engine, but I'm not sure to what extent. 11:00. Tech 1 with Alistair. It was nice to be already familiar with one aspect - the woolshed. 11:30. Tech 2 with Dave. "I hope memories of those photographs do not affect my sleep, but it is an excellent caution in the use of chainsaws and all other potentially hazardous equipment." Lunchbreak is always 12:00-13:00, plus an extra half hour on Tuesdays for lunch-time leave (so we can get into town while the banks, etc, are open). 13:00. Lectures with Shane and Martin. "I was almost daunted for a moment by the volume of paper, but deciding to take it one day at a time and remembering that I don't have to sink when there are others to help me swim helped to put it in perspective, and I relaxed again." 14:00. Dairy with Chris. "By now I was starting to get information overload." 15:00. Tech 3 with Callum. "I'm not sure that I heard much, as I was getting sleepy, but on being told that not completing non-compulsory units, such as spraying or building repairs (because of the weather) or killing animals, would not be a big issue, I determined to accomplish every single possible credit. The more I learn this year, the less to learn later, and the more valuable I will be as an employee." We finished with a trip to town, which I put to good use, learning where things are. The day's activities closed with a hostel meeting. "A summary of the day would put the predominant memories as 'Safety First', the impatience and negative attitude of certain students, and the often very wide gap between myself and the other students - and not necessarily because of age. I am, nonetheless, very excited about the year ahead."
Wednesday: Tech 2. Shifted sheep, watched killing of pig and helped scald and shave it. "Interesting fact: pig's head must be screwed off." Skinned half of a sheep. Jetted sheep against fly strike, taking my turn with the spray gun, and admininstering Maggo to fly-blown sheep. "Changed from gumboots to lace-ups (steel caps), but not having broken them in, had to change back to gumboots after fetching sheep because of blisters." Drove the tractor 30m, and helped return sheep to another paddock.
Thursday: Out to Glenburn - overnight. Tech Tour. "Callum drove us to Taonui, pointing out landmarks, etc. We went all the way to the airstrip and back. I had packed my notebook instead of carrying it, so I could take no notes. By the end of the day I had received so much information that I had forgotten a lot." Farm Management. "Here I learned something of the history of Glenburn and the stock... We went out to the yards to trap a couple of steers in the race so the we could see inside their mouth. Next I discovered how unfit I am. We moved a group of sheep into a wide race so that we could learn to lay them down and tie them. I succeeded with a bit of coaching from Dave, but was puffing heavily during and after the operation. I later discovered I had strained my shoulder a bit, too. That session and the next tied pretty closely for favourite of the day. The next was quads, with which I had no experience at all. Ivan did a good job of teaching me, and I had soon completed the required circuits. Then came a great ride up to the tops where the view was stunning. Unfortunately I had to concentrate on the track and practising gear changes, so full appreciation waited until the next day. I was a little stiff in places after that ride, but the satisfaction of a new accomplishment made up for it. Last session of the day was Weeds&Grasses. I liked the taste of Pasja, both leaf and root. Thistles, barley grass, perennial ryegrass, and four different clovers were also looked at, dug up, and discussed. Later I also spotted some Italian ryegrass. We ended the session by learning how to press the plants."
Friday: "First session of the day was Kitchen with Steve. Being very experienced in this area, helping to make scones was a breeze. It will be fun to be 'cook for the day' while on Glenburn duty. The Glenburn Tour with Brent (BA) rounded things off nicely." Back to Taratahi for dinner.
Saturday: Croquet - lost first game [doubles] 13-15 (3 hoops mine); won second game [singles] 11-6. Made farming contacts in the process. Good possibilities for work experience.
06 March, 2005
March '05 Brief
At Taratahi going into 7th week. Doing fine. Will start writing updates when I get my diary sheets back and have some spare time in the evening, hopefully this week. Lectures this week, which I have every third week. In spite of the working day being shorter on lectures (8:30 - 16:30), I never seem to have an extra hour; it fills up with other things. A brief look at what I've been doing so far:
Week1: Orientation
W2: Tech 2 (mostly electric fences and moving stock - on foot)
W3: Tech 1 (more fencing - on deer unit "Arahura")
W4: Lectures
W5: Agriculture (lots of tractor-driving, drain-laying, and some digger-driving)
W6: Glenburn Station (Friday - instead of Sunday - return so that we could work at the Golden Shears on Saturday. It was great.)
Week 5 was my favourite week so far, followed closely by 6. Wednesday of W5 was my best day on course so far.
Life in the hostel can be quite a trial at times. Last night and the night before I had rowdy neighbours, so am seriously lacking in sleep, which is not a good lead-in for Lectures!
I've put on weight. The food is excellent. They manage really well with my gluten-and-dairy-free diet. Most of the extra weight is muscle from all the hard work, such as digging post holes, controlling a quad (hard on the shoulders), and hefting sheep about, but I've gained a little bit as "reserve", too. Bruises come and go. At present I have 5 or 6 on/around my left knee in varying shades. Any more and I think I could accurately describe that knee as 'all black and blue'.
Coming up:
W7: Lectures
Home for weekend.
W8: Tech 3 (gates, fences, butchery, welding - I won't know exactly until I'm into it)
W9: Tech 2
Easter Holiday - home for long weekend.
W10: Lectures
W11: Glenburn
Holidays! (2 weeks)
Week1: Orientation
W2: Tech 2 (mostly electric fences and moving stock - on foot)
W3: Tech 1 (more fencing - on deer unit "Arahura")
W4: Lectures
W5: Agriculture (lots of tractor-driving, drain-laying, and some digger-driving)
W6: Glenburn Station (Friday - instead of Sunday - return so that we could work at the Golden Shears on Saturday. It was great.)
Week 5 was my favourite week so far, followed closely by 6. Wednesday of W5 was my best day on course so far.
Life in the hostel can be quite a trial at times. Last night and the night before I had rowdy neighbours, so am seriously lacking in sleep, which is not a good lead-in for Lectures!
I've put on weight. The food is excellent. They manage really well with my gluten-and-dairy-free diet. Most of the extra weight is muscle from all the hard work, such as digging post holes, controlling a quad (hard on the shoulders), and hefting sheep about, but I've gained a little bit as "reserve", too. Bruises come and go. At present I have 5 or 6 on/around my left knee in varying shades. Any more and I think I could accurately describe that knee as 'all black and blue'.
Coming up:
W7: Lectures
Home for weekend.
W8: Tech 3 (gates, fences, butchery, welding - I won't know exactly until I'm into it)
W9: Tech 2
Easter Holiday - home for long weekend.
W10: Lectures
W11: Glenburn
Holidays! (2 weeks)
06 January, 2005
It's 2005 and the year seems to be flying past already. Mid-December I received a third grant ($500) to aid with the Taratahi fees. I finished work as a rousie on the last day of last year. This evening I will pick up my last pay record and a reference. I doubt that it will be the last I shall see of the people, though. I shan't forget the interesting people that I've met, and I somehow doubt that they'll forget me!
Yesterday I had my first game of croquet in more than two months (I made three hoops). I shall be playing again on Saturday, plus some practice time, because next week I'm playing in our Junior Women's Tournament over Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. I shall enjoy it, and will be very interested to see how well I do with the little practice I've had!
This morning I had an interview with a reporter from the Dannevirke News. Narelle very obligingly let them know about my upcoming year at Taratahi and the scholarships, so I shall be in the paper sometime over the next week.
Speaking of Taratahi, I am just a little nervous. It's making sure I've got everything packed that's occupying my thoughts at present. I leave here on the 16th, but I don't go to Taratahi until the 24th. The intervening week will be spent with Grandad while my aunt and uncle have a week's holiday. The idea is to have all my Taratahi baggage packed and left here at home, then Dad will bring it down when he picks me up and delivers me "to school", bringing home the things I'll have with me for Wellington, but won't need at Taratahi. It requires a little forethought. Aside from a trip to Palmerston North and a trip to Norsewood for a few items (three, I think), plus some minor shopping in Dannevirke, I have everything now, including two knives and their accessories, boots, overalls, raingear, etc., etc., etc. I'm even packing a motivational (that is, "Muttivational" - it has delightfully appropriate doggy pictures) calendar with such inspiring sayings as: "RELAX. If you can spend a perfectly useless afternoon in a perfectly useless manner, you have learned how to live", and my favourite (from my birthday month): "ATTITUDE. A healthy attitude is contagious, but don't wait to catch it from others. Be a carrier." It was a well-selected Christmas present.
Slightly nervous I may be, but I'm also excited about the year ahead, one through which I would fear to tread without the Lord's gracious leading. I go with God.
Yesterday I had my first game of croquet in more than two months (I made three hoops). I shall be playing again on Saturday, plus some practice time, because next week I'm playing in our Junior Women's Tournament over Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. I shall enjoy it, and will be very interested to see how well I do with the little practice I've had!
This morning I had an interview with a reporter from the Dannevirke News. Narelle very obligingly let them know about my upcoming year at Taratahi and the scholarships, so I shall be in the paper sometime over the next week.
Speaking of Taratahi, I am just a little nervous. It's making sure I've got everything packed that's occupying my thoughts at present. I leave here on the 16th, but I don't go to Taratahi until the 24th. The intervening week will be spent with Grandad while my aunt and uncle have a week's holiday. The idea is to have all my Taratahi baggage packed and left here at home, then Dad will bring it down when he picks me up and delivers me "to school", bringing home the things I'll have with me for Wellington, but won't need at Taratahi. It requires a little forethought. Aside from a trip to Palmerston North and a trip to Norsewood for a few items (three, I think), plus some minor shopping in Dannevirke, I have everything now, including two knives and their accessories, boots, overalls, raingear, etc., etc., etc. I'm even packing a motivational (that is, "Muttivational" - it has delightfully appropriate doggy pictures) calendar with such inspiring sayings as: "RELAX. If you can spend a perfectly useless afternoon in a perfectly useless manner, you have learned how to live", and my favourite (from my birthday month): "ATTITUDE. A healthy attitude is contagious, but don't wait to catch it from others. Be a carrier." It was a well-selected Christmas present.
Slightly nervous I may be, but I'm also excited about the year ahead, one through which I would fear to tread without the Lord's gracious leading. I go with God.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)