The Looooong Trek Home Part 1: Christchurch

Yes....I dropped off my Timaru crew at the hall and said some weepy goodbyes before meeting up with the Christchurch lot at McDs to traverse north.

It's a weird feeling. I just never expected I would care so much for a group of new people in such a short space of time. And I guess the lack of sleep over Easter Camp didn't help, but I was relieved I only shed a few tears with the Timaru people. By the time I got to McDonalds however, one girl from Chch City went to give me a hug and it all flowed out before I had a chance to stop it. (I think it gave her a hang of a fright!)

But we eventually made it. I stayed Monday night at Sue and Si's in Christchurch, and got up early in the morning for my trip to Akaroa. Which kept getting postponed for various reasons and sadly I ended up postponing it until I have my next trip to the South Island. (The plus side was that we have done so many 1000s kms driving this week that probably those extra hours not being in the car kept my sanity!)

By Tuesday my tooth (the one the filling came out of last week) was aching and I was regularly taking panadol. And in the afternoon I went to drop home some Christchurch girls home, hit the curb, and proceeded to completely flatten my car tyre. Sigh. More money!

It was everything in me, in my tired, sore, grumpy self, to not cry and complain.

But, I figured, two days and I would be home.

The bonus was that we got to go and have dinner with Juanita and her family. Ahhhhh.... one of the best meals I had eaten in ages!

Above: SOMEONE (and it wasn't Si!) went to the Army to drop off the keys to their house ... before we moved out. Thus the door was locked when we got back. And we couldn't get in. Fortunately she has a good shoulder and Si could climb up to the open window.

Below: Monique helps Mummy clean the house. Or makes mess for Mummy to clean.

Southern Easter Camp 07

My last sojourn with Timaru Corps was taking their youth - about a van full - down to Easter Camp in Waipiata. Waipi-where? Ah yes.... by Ranfurly. Which, if you are anything like me, still means nothing to you. It is literally in the hillbilly middle-of-nowhere country of the deep dark south. Held at what was a TB hospital, then a boys home, it is now a Christian camp.

After about a four hour drive south and inland from Timaru we finally made it!!

It was an interesting camp. Most camps I have been to in recent years were up north and with people I knew, and who knew me. Needless to say, I worked the crowd and got to know a fair few of them before camp was over.

I got pranked on by the Timaru girls, and I pranked the Christchurch City lot several times (because they are just so gosh darn easy!), which resulted in three of the boys - JJ, Madison and Tristan - trying to get me with water bombs. Apparently Si was in on it too, but he is currently denying any involvement. The funny thing is only the first bomb really got me, and since the crowd around me had dispersed rather quickly and I had stayed in the one spot, I was rather amazed at the three boys lack of ability in hitting their target. Not that I'm complaining!

Sue, Si and I ran one of the sessions, which I think went off well. I was stoked to have one guy come up to me afterwards and say he didn't realise I was a cadet, he thought I was one of the youth! So at least College and Out-training hasn't sapped my incredibly good and youthful looks yet!!

The other amazing thing about this camp was that I saw sooooo much chocolate that by Easter Sunday, I was quite content to not eat any of it! Can you believe it? But, don't stress, a few days later, I did manage to eat some Milky Bar, courtesy of the Collings. Phew! My chocolate senses are still there!

So all in all, a good time had. Only tinged with a weird feeling in knowing the end was nigh.

Haere Ra, Timaru

It doesn't quite seem real but this morning my boxes got picked up, and tomorrow I am out of my house. Then, via Easter Camp, Christchurch, Akaroa and Nelson, I am home!!It's crazy how fast Out-Training has gone. When I think about all the experiences I have had, people I have met, things I have learnt ... it nearly seems impossible that so much has been crammed into three and a half months.

Nonetheless, I am real excited about getting home, finishing training and getting on on the field for real. I'm trying to not wish the days away too fast, though. I know soon enough I'll be longing for College days! I do miss my session mates and look forward to the catch ups at the cafes, and getting to hang out with the 'Witnesses for Christ' (the session after us). Especially since I know many of them already. Seeing them in a different context might be a bit strange at first though.

Still it will be strange not seeing the Timaru whanau everyday, the laughs I have had with Jane and all the looks they all give me when I burst into whatever song is on my mind. But still, I know I've made friends I will keep for years and I'd like to think they have learnt something from me as well as me from them. Even if it's that the Chiefs are far superior to the Crusaders and Highlanders. (The scores all lie!!!)

RIP Bug Eyes

Throughout this blog, and over the last year or so, by famous big black sunglasses have appeared in many photos. I regret to inform you that there will be no more. They are broke, despite Greg's best attempts to resuscitate them with superglue.

RIP Bugeyes.

I just want the Tooth, the whole Tooth and nothing but the Tooth

Yeah okay, so the title is lame, but I wrote wishing that I truly did have my whole tooth.

Last night, I felt like I had something in my teeth so I tried to get it out and what plopped into my mouth instead? A filling and part of my tooth! I confess I cried, as I only saw sleepless nights in pain and money signs at the dentists.

Fortunately, while I'm still missing part of my tooth, I haven't been in pain, and I've been very careful with eating cold and hot food and drink. The money thing is just going to be a bridge I cross when I have to pay off my credit card!

Nonetheless as I'm about to leave Timaru, I'm trying to save the tooth reconstruction until I get home to Wellington.

Any donations can be sent to the College P.O.Box in cheque form.

EasterFest

So the week before Easter, the churches of Timaru sponsor this big event at Caroline Bay called EasterFest. It's literally a big festival but with a very Christian (and in particular Easter) focus.

Now, I've seen Christians do some pretty cheesey things in the past, and I will confess that I had high anticipations that EasterFest would comfortably fit into this category. Particularly as everything is free.But I am pleased to confess I was way wrong.

Definitely with a family focus, I hovered for most of the time around the Salvation Army caravan who were dishing out sausages and drinks. I gave out hundreds of cups of cold drink, and one of the few times I tried pouring a cup of tea, I burnt my hand, thus happily re-delegated that duty.

Anywhos...here are some photos from the event.

Superheroes Social Night

Okay so I confess I suggested this theme after seeing how well it went at our Mission Weekend last year. And our Superheroes Family Social Night at the Corps was awesome - improved on the Mission Weekend because I had a much cooler costume!! (Last year I was the daughter from the Incredibles - can't remember her name! This year, I was BATGIRL.)

There were some incredible costumes, and much more of a range. We had your typical Batmans, Supermans and Spidermans ... also Catwoman, Elastigirl, WonderWoman, PowerPuff Girls, MysteryMan and Zorro (who was mistaken by several kids as Puss n Boots! Oh the power of Shrek!!

It was a fab night. We shared in a fish n chip tea before doing some songs (from both Mainly Music and Kidsclub, since both groups were represented) and games. My favourite game has to be the adapted 'duck, duck, goose' - which became 'undies, undies, togs'. What a brilliant idea.

But one of my favourite moments was, while dressed as Batgirl, I pretended to be Spiderman and used that silly string (from in a can) to make spiderwebs. I love that stuff, though it's not as much fun to clean up, particularly from the basketball net, as it was to put it up.

However, great night, great company, great fun. And with that it was over as quick as it had begun.