The Awesome Foursome - Together Again

The older I get and the more people I meet, the more I realise how God has blessed me with some wonderful friends. There are several I fit into this category, but in particular I am thinking about what we dubbed back in our teens, "THE AWESOME FOURSOME". (Seen in the photo l-r as Kelly, Lucy, me, Jaci)

Kel and I met as babies in the pram. Lucy and I met when I punched her as a toddler for checking out my baby brother (we became friends about ten years later). And the Jacstar came into our lives in early adolescence too.

I just love how no matter where we live around the country, and no matter how long since we've seen each other, it is always comfortable when I catch up with them again. I know I can be myself, in whatever form that takes at the time, and I am loved and accepted unconditionally.

Though I am finding it frightening to accept that the new generation has begun with the arrival of baby Joel (Jaci and Carl's son). Man, we are getting old!

Anywho's ... Love you girls!! Mwa!

Lester and Popa

On Christmas Eve morning, we had a phone call telling us a dear family friend, Lester Huka, had been Promoted to Glory (the Army term for 'passed away'.) Even though he hasn't been in very good health these past few months, it seems rather unbelievable to me. Lester has been such a great mate to Mum and Dad in many hard times. I really felt for Mum in particular - the third death in the past 6 months of a close family member or friend.

Together with Lenny, Lester did the hangi for my 21st and knew the Bible so incredibly well. He defended me to Mum when I got my hair braided (much to her initial disgust).

It does seem weird being back in Hamilton for so long now and not seeing Lester. But I take peace at knowing he is now with Jesus.

So anyway then on Christmas Eve, Mum and Dad went over to Lester's daughter's house in Tauranga to see him, and took Popa. (Lester had a lot of respect for Nana and Popa, which they had also for him).

They arrived back in Hamilton at midnight and Mum decided it would be easier for Popa to stay at our house the night rather than drop him off at the rest home and pick him up again in the early morning. Which in theory sounds great, except that Popa didn't listen to Mum when she told him to wait and he tried to climb the steps oot our house by himself. Not a good idea for a 92-year-old with a cane and a bad sense a balance.

Thus he fell. Face down into the gravel.

After much commotion, we got him inside, debating hotly as to whether or not to take him to the emergency room. I also got hassled for my first aid skills. In the end, Mum decided to take him to the hospital because "it wouldn't be busy". Dad agreed, after all it wouldn't be busy on Christmas Eve at nearly 1am. I don't know what planet they have lived on. Not busy on Christmas Eve night at a major hospital in the city? Surprisingly (or not!) Mum texted to say how busy it was not long after they arrived.

Popa ended up with his arm in a sling, with a suspected dislocated shoulder, a stitch in his forehead and cutes and bruises everywhere else. So he is a very sore old man. (And Mum confessed that the nurses were impressed with my first aid!)

Thus, it was a crazy Christmas Day. It didn't feel like Christmas leading up to it, what with Commissioning, packing and cleaning, and then on Christmas morning, with half the family at the hospital and only me and Matt cooking our trad Christmas bfast and going to the Army by ourselves, it still didn't feel like Christmas til a lot later in the day.

In the words of Jenny: "Drama, drama, drama!"

Moo Loo Ole Ole Ole

So... I'm finally back in the mighty Waikato for Christmas. My plane was delayed leaving Wellington this morning, but I made it just after 10am. Honestly, I thought I had arrived at the wrong place because they are doing MAJOR renovations at Hamilton airport and it looks nothing like it used to - the only similarities being the land on which it sits and the car park.

Anywhos ... my brother Matt and I made our way into town via Mum and Dads to drop off the luggage, and we met Glenn (a cousin) for lunch at Sierra Cafe. Mmmm Chicken and Cranberry Paninis. I have been looking for a decent panini since I arrived in Wellington at the beginning of the year, and am yet to discover one that rivals the great tasting ones that live in Hamilton.

But so far I have seen three of my old boys ... Glenn O, Chad and Gabriel and heck, they have all shot up incredibly!! So tall. And all leaving high school. Scary. But it was fab seeing them again ... I look forward to seeing more...

Matt and I have been Christmas shopping as it turns out Matt has them ALL to go. So after wandering in and of shops and listening to him complain (why is the shopping instigator the complainer?!) we ended up with my present (the most important, of course) plus other bits and bobs and the DVD of the whole first series of PRISON BREAK, which rather excites me.

Prison Break... ah it reminds me of the many Wednesday nights spent at Marcus and Jenny's ... speaking of College ...

Last night, Karen (The Kaz) and I were chilling in the library at College and I said, "You know, we need to do a prank. It's your last night at College." For once, she didn't take much convincing and we used commercial toilet paper (you know, those HUGE rolls) and did over the library. Like EVERYWHERE. We both left to catch our holiday flights at 7am, and since the staff don't arrive at College until 8am, we were well out of there before it was discovered. In the words of Uks ... Mohahahahahahahaa!

The End is Nigh...

We've been so busy with Commissioning, cleaning, etc. that it seems to have snuck up very fast ... but the day has finally arrived and bar a BBQ dinner tonight, College for 2006 is all wrapped up. And tomorrow I fly to Mum and Dad's for Christmas.

(Oops, I have just put Caramello on the computer keyboard. Shhhh... our secret.)

Now ... so it seems crazy to think the year has gone by so fast ... and I am rather excited about laxing out at Cafes and on the beach ... and seeing baby Joel!! ... but it has finally hit me that this is the last day that I'll be at College with the HotGNs.

No more Gabbie bringing in Hugo for a sniff around the lounge ... or Jack banging the door down to see if he can play on my Eye Toy ...no more Hudson running up me (don't ask!) and farewelling me with "You have a good day, Corryn."

No more Karen tettering on the edge of the curb on the way to Levin ... or watching McLeods Daughters/ER with me ... no more watching Prison Break with Marcus and Jenny ... and drinking gallons of Coke with them ... No more taking breaks (every hour) with Sue and Shirlee ... and no more going through the McDs drivethru like a thousand times in one night!

It's the end of an era. It's been a good year and I wish all the best to the HotGNS ... Happy Christmas y'all!! Ciao.

And lastly, on a sidetrack ... on Dad's side of the family, he is the oldest of five boys, and with me being the oldest of the nieces/nephews, I remember as a kid getting put on those chairs that spin around and around and being made very dizzy ... I just put Emily on the computer suite equivalent and span her round, in memory of all my beloved uncles, then took her off and told her to walk to Mummy. Nothing like watching a dizzy two-year-old. Hilarious! My uncles' would be proud.

Whos Hands

I first read this poem years ago, and I've just found it again.
A timely reminder.

A basketball in my hands is worth about $19.
A basketball in Michael Jordan's hands is worth about
$33 million.
It depends on whose hands it's in.

A baseball in my hands is worth about $6.
A baseball in Mark McGuire's hands is worth 19 million.
It depends on whose hands it's in.

A tennis racket is useless in my hands.
A tennis racket in Pete Sampras' hands is a
Wimbeldon Championship.
It depends on whose hands it's in.

A rod in my hands will keep away a wild animal.
A rod in Moses' hands will part the mighty sea.
It depends on whose hands it's in.

A sling shot in my hands is a toy.
A sling shot in David's hands is a mighty weapon.
It depends on whose hands it's in.

Two fish and Five loaves in my hands is
a couple of fish sandwiches.
Two fish and five loaves in God's hands will feed thousands.
It depends on whose hands they're in.

Nails in my hands might produce a bird house.
Nails in Jesus Christ's hands will produce
salvation for the entire world.
It depends on whose hands they're in.

So put your concerns, your worries, your fears, your hopes,
your dreams, your families and your relationships in God's hands because, It depends on whose hands they're in.

Author Unknown

Christian Speed Dating

This is seriously funny.

Go check out http://www.highwayvideo.com/ and click on "Visual Illustrations" on the left-hand side. Then Click on "Volume 17" and on the right is a comedy clip marked "Sacred Singles". Well worth the couple of minutes it takes to watch.

Tis Corryn

It has been with me for 26 years and one week, and I am still getting it wrong! Grrrr!

My name is Corryn. Not Corrrryn or Corrryn or Sorryn or Corrny (the latter being the most popular of the mispellings). When will I get it right?? Sigh.

And some photos from my Bday BBQ

Monique and a beautiful bunch of flowers for me

Kendal and Hudson while playing Pass the Parcel

Doug and Marcus dancing ... !?!

Jules and Karl

John, Simon and Doug BBQing

Me and Jenny

Kendal when it got colder

Picnicing on the lawn ... nothing like an actual summer day!

Heralds of the Good News Commissioning

Some photos from the Heralds commissioning last weekend...

The Powhiri (Maori welcome)

Mat and the flag

I just love this photo of our assistant TP Janine laughing

And the new Captains: Ukarau, John, Jenny, Shirlee, Mat, Jules, Marcus, Janet, Sue, Doug, Karen

Hello Mongolia!

On my way up to the main building this morning, I noticed Hudson and Jenny in their kitchen so I popped over to say hello. They were icing muffins. Eight to be exact.

And the Hud, bless him, said he was going to save one for me. Despite Mum Jen repeatedly telling him that Grandpa would eat them all, Hudson declared Grandpa could except "one for Corryn and one for me." It didn't really worry me, I figured maybe Hudson and I could make more another day.

I did smile when Hudson, accompanied by grandmother Helen, came into the library near morning tea time, with a little mini muffin on a plate covered with icing. (And I do mean the plate covered in icing!) The muffin was delish - choc chip, my fav! I ate the icing on the muffin, Hudson ate the icing on the plate.

When they left I told my session why I was getting it, for I saw the drool and the questioning eyes. (Why did she get a muffin and not me?) Simon, bless him, asked if The Salvation Army was in Mongolia. I'm really not too sure. But Si thinks I should find out, since that's probably the location of my first appointment - considering I had just eaten the General's muffin and all. Rahaha!

Bellissimo!

So as of yesterday, I became another year older ... and another year closer to the big 3-0. Sheesh!

I had a really lovely day - we had it off as it was the Monday after Commissioning - the first birthday I can recall where I literally did not have to do work! So I slept in, had a shower, opened some presents and cards sent by different people, and ran some errands in Upper Hutt. I even made the most of the beautiful weather and washed my car!

Then I headed over to the other side of campus for Kendal's 5th birthday party, where I took photographic duties. The evening progressed and there was this random guy driving all over College looking a little dazed, and so I asked if I could help. It turns out he was looking for my place! It took a little while to convince him that indeed I was who he was looking for, not helped by the fact I was at another house, but he conceded and eventually gave me two large pizzas, garlic bread and pepsi! Courtesy of my absolutely wonderful darling brother in Hamilton! (Though I think he overestimated how much I eat in one meal.) The additional gorgeous fact was that Matt had asked them to write 'Happy Birthday' in BBQ sauce on one of the pizzas, even though they didn't (poos.)

Thus as the kids went home, Kendal's party became mine as well and Sue, her sister Margaret, and I shot out and got more pizzas and drink and had a shindig at the Stevens.

Just as we left to pick up the extra pizzas, I phoned Karen and Ukarau and invited them over. Funny though cos they got confused and gatecrashed the party next door, instead of our actual one! Lol. However, we all ended up at the Stevens for coffee and cake and lots of laughs eventually.

Thanks, Matt, for instigating a wonderful birthday evening! Mwa!!

Commissioning, Mangatinoka and Earthquakes

Life has been a little here, there and everywhere these past few days, so I'm going to jot some things down as I think bare with me in my nuttiness...

Firstly ... COMMISSIONING WEEKEND

For the Heralds, it's all over, Rover. I thought it was a great weekend, myself. I took hundreds of photos for them and look forward to getting a decent look through them now. I'll post some goodies on later. But until then, here's a sample...

Kendal gives Robert's (the TP) nose a tweek. And (below) Monique had a little look through my handbag after Commissioning. Take a guess at what she found. Yip. Emily and Monique looked gorgeous by the end of that adventure!

Then... MANGATINOKA!!!

Now this was something I was meant to blog a while ago ... when driving to Hastings from Wellington, imagine my surprise and excitement to come across a little town called Mangatinoka (famously known in NZ as where Tui is brewed). I was amazed because I didn't think this town existed - and if it did surely, so I thought, it was some hick town way down south. But no! It's a little place in the bottom of the North Island! And I laughed to see the building looking just like in the ads, bar the industrial buildings around it which are not in the ads on tv. I nearly took a photo, but didn't cos I wasn't sure how that would look me not a drinker and all.

And finally (sing it with me...) YOU MAKE THE EARTH MOVE UNDER MY FEET...

Additionally on Friday night after the HotGNs graduation, Annette, Perry and I were heading to the car to come home and my legs moved. My heart raced a little cos I thought I was about to have another seizure ... until Annette commented on it and we realised it was a little earthquake. It's only taken 10 months living in Wellington but I have finally felt my first earthquake! (To clarify ... Hamilton like never has them, and so I never had them growing up ... and there were a few since I've been here - but I slept through them all!)

One word: Wow.

Trapped in the Van

This post is especially for Annette (as requested) so she can laugh again and again.

You know what it is like: you have the bag over your shoulder and sitting on your lap, and the big puffy rainjacket on ... and you go to get out of the van but you can't. Why? You try to stand once, twice ... then realise 'tis the seatbelt. It is still buckled around your waist.

This was my experience this morning when we when arrived at Wellington City Army to do odd-jobs for the Graduation tonight. And it much amused dear Annette.

Gosh, I'm a twolly.

A couple of hours later, we arrive back at BCM and I go to get out once more ... only to be propelled back into the seat. D'oh! I did it again. Cue Annette laughing hysterically and the shaking of heads of my other session mates.

That Corryn. What a worry.

Hoist the Flag!

We are now in the throes of commissioning weekend for the HotGNs session ... well ... in the throes of the prep. It's all kind of crazy and has crept up so fast ... soon I'll be blogging about mine. Sheesh!

After morning duties today I asked: "Is there anything else I can do?" and Perry gave me the flag. Yes, the hallowed SA flag of Blood and Fire. Oh what a privilege was mine!

My heart began to race and my pulse started thumping ... cue music for tense action scene.

I stood at the base of the flagpole, hmmmmm ... as long as it doesn't blow off and is the right way around, I will succeed, I told myself. Fortunately, the nearly-Captain Karen came to my assistance, without even me putting up the Kaz-signal in the sky! Ooooooh.

So while Karen tried to undo a knot that wasn't meant to be undone, I stood. Silent as always. Elegantly holding the flag like they do in the American movies. Then I fluffed it out like you do to a sheet and worked out which was the right way to clip it on.

Eventually, the job was done and I hoisted the flag up, ready to sail. Aaaaaahhhhh .... the accomplishment!

Fun in the Sun at BCM

Not ones to pass up a sunny day in the Hutt, we had some fun in the sun! (And slipped, slopped, slapped and wrapped!) I took some better photos on Simon's camera, of which I'll post some up later.

Kendal's balloon just blew away over my shoulder

Sue and I

Kendal holds baby Noah

Strike a pose, Jenny!

Kaleb and Hudson on the waterslide (hours of fun on a tarp!)

The Smith Christmas in Hastings

Nothing like the annual Smith Christmas! We get together in early December so more of us can be there - with 6 families this is often no mean feat! This year we went to Uncle Wayne and Aunty Carolyn's in Hastings and because there is nothing like Smith's getting together, here's some photos so you feel in on the action...

Oh the cousins ... my old they've got!

Talia, Hannah, Daniel, Matt, Michael and Emma

The third to youngest (shows how old we all are now) ... Olivia

Mum, Anne-Marie and Lauren laughing. I won't mention why. You can ask them yourself.

A bit of volleyball in the Saturday afternoon. Nothing like a bit of competition aye!

Blair and Talia

Cousinly love - Lauren and Hannah

Mum and Matt with Liz on the couch. This was officially the first family Christmas that a girlf or boyf made it and survived - pakipaki, Liz!

Me and Lauren - the two oldest girls.

And one of the youngest ... Ben takes a dip in the pool

Matt and Michael

Daniel and Blair - two strapping young lads!

Emma showed off her floristry skills using what she could find in the garden.

Christmas is finally on the horizon

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree...

December at last! The 1st Dec is traditionally the date in our family when we put up our Christmas tree, normally accompanied with the beginning of singing to Christmas CDs. While I inherited the Flat Christmas Tree and decorations, alas, in 2006 it will not be happening for me as I simply have no room in my unit.

But tis the Christmas season, and we had our first carol service yesterday. Christmas is on it's way!!

Matt, Liz, Talia and Daniel made it back to Wellington yesterday following their loop de loop of the South Island and this afternoon we traverse across the North Island to get to Hastings for our Smith Christmas.

And to make the day even greater, the weather is actually making it look like summer has arrived after all! The sun is out and there's barely a breeze in the air! :)