Sun is shining, everything is okay.

Back at work kinda this week - students don't actually come for classes until next week but we have teacher activities this week and preparations for the student start). Lots of you have got in touch recently so this post is a bit of an update on people from the whanau map...

Congratulations to both Joan Costello and Deirdre Marbeck - they recently had their 50th birthday celebrations. Well done and welcome to the club! Joan has also just gained a headship back in Blighty (why's it called that?) so it's a double celebration to her!! Deirge celebrated with this great picture of the Marbeck whanau (some sadness involved here though in that the big hairy Chewbacca like beast in the picture - Guinness - is no longer around. I'll miss the slight feeling of terror I had in the pit of my stomach whenever I pulled up to the Marbeck door and then when he padded around, once I'd been accepted, I felt safe as houses):



Good to chat last night with Tina who, as you know, has her wedding in April this year. Speaking of weddings in April - the big one for us this year is our 25th wedding anniversary. Yes - it was 25 years ago that Jacky and I fronted up to St Joseph's in New Plymouth. A surprising number of you gentle readers were actually there - off the top of my head - Ross, Brian, dad, Sallie, Margo and Clay, Michelle, Pat, Roger and Deirdre, and maybe Biddie even. It was a great day - I remember it well.

I told Tina I'd steal a good photo off her facebook and here tis (took me a while to find one without beer being in the frame in some way):



Irene Purdy sent me a fantastic email (I hope she doesn't mind if I share it). Regarding the Obama inauguration she wrote -

Hi Warren, I was glued to the T.V. for the inaugeration of Obama and was weeping in sympathy with the millions of black people who hailed a new dawn. I remember the Klu Klux Klan and the horrific acts they were responsible for. I remember Little Rock and the pictures of the handful of terrified teen-agers being escorted into a white school who were having to be protected by the National Guard. We have come a long way in the past 50years but there is still a long way to go. Love and hope from Irene.

Currently grooving to a Dutch band of the 70's - Focus. One of Keegan's albums that I'm looking after is Focus 3. It's good! I always liked their song - Sylvia - which is on that album but the rest is pleasant prog rock with a lot of noodling going on -just the way I like it.

Love and peace - W