That's us up on the stage on Tuesday, at the "Turanganui Schools' Māori Cultural Festival", where every school (and kohanga) performs. They had a slew of photos in the back pages and look who popped up!
I added the date as a memory aid.

I was stoked Tawhai was into it and I loved how the kids looked in their little uniforms!
So cute.
They're wearing bandanas from CanTeen, to show our support for kids with cancer.
(The kohanga has done a lot of fundraising for this charity in the past)

Tawhai's busy pretending to cook me some food. He brings me some 'kai' which I proceed to gobble and thank him profusely for.

He looks at me over his serving dish and says "well I'm a Tawhai baker..."

Enough to bring tears to my eyes.

I had no idea until I popped into the RSA to check the weekly members draw and my aunty pointed it out to me. There's an interview with Dad on the front page and this article mentions his pending retirement next month.
Hurrah!

I'm only posting this because in the above article he mentions he is looking forward to catching up with his children and grandchildren.

All the others live in Australia, so that means Tawhai and I! SUCKITLOSERS!
heheehehehe

(By the way Dad if you're going to Australia, you better be buying some Tawhai and Melanie sized suitcases)

in other news, been down the mall all day working a sausage sizzle.

So Tawhai and I are on the couch after dinner watching (gasp) Clone Wars. General Skywalker has taken off with Shadow Squadron and they've just come out of hyperspace.

Skywalker : Shadow Squadron, report!
Pilot 1 : Shadow 1 here, sir.
Pilot 2 : Shadow 2 here, sir.
Pilot 3 : Shadow 3 here, sir.
Pilot 4 : Shadow 4 here, sir.

Mel : Shadow 5 and 6 on the couch, sir!

Well, Tawhai thought it was funny.

This weekend just gone, Tawhai and I went to Wellington. The last time you heard from me, I would have been clanging on about an essay.
I did finish the essay, but won't know how I've done until next week maybe. Once I finished that it was preparing for the final kōrero of the year, then the last exam.
A full on week, very little sleep.
Our class had lunch together, and we're planning to meet up again after this week.

Tawhai and I left for Napier on Friday afternoon; took my sweet time and the weather was good enough to make the drive quite pleasant. We stayed overnight in Napier with Julia (Tyron's ex) and Charles. They'd cooked us a yummy tea and Tawhai had fun showing off his toys to Charles.
I spent the evening chatting and sewing patches on my 'jugend jacket.

Saturday morning off we went, first stop Savemart. Found a nice leather mini and viny skirt; then to Seekers where I scored a Darth Maul shirt. Cooooool.
We stopped in Waipukurau for pies, both of which exploded all over us. Will never be sucked in by those 'bronze medal award' winner signs again.
We called in to PNHC to say KIA ORA to the lot at Lombard Street, but had to leave before I got sucked into watching Trailer Park Boys for too long. So ... easy... to .... laze .... around .... and .... watch!
The road trip itself was pretty ace; the weather was good and I spent most of the time during the drive explaining what the road signs mean to Tawhai. He'll be driving by this time next year. Haha not.

Continued on to Wellington for the dreaded memorial show. The last time I saw John was at The Adelaide, he'd asked me to go for a drink after the show. But I didn't. After the emotional black hole that was Deathpunkfest, I wasn't too keen on going all the way to Wellington again to cry over a dead friend. So much for saying no more memorial shows. But it had to be done. This roadtrip's for you, mate. Chin chin!

The heavens shat forth upon us as we entered Wellington. Welcome back Mel! Reminded me of the first time I went up to the Brooklyn Hill wind thingy, in the middle of summer and it was completely clouded over. I remember shouting HELLO WELLINGTON YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL and my reaction to not being able to see the city from the harbour was much the same on Saturday. And people wonder why I live in Gisborne. The weather was really good up till Palmerston North, which is to be expected. We got to our motel on Adelaide Rd and in front of a heater in no time, but Tawhai was already coughing and sneezing a bit.
Bugger.

Daddy Mike arrived at 7.30pm to babysit Tawhai, who seemed pretty damn happy to see his father again. He was doing little jigs and acting like a right little leprechaun. So off I went, walking down the road to the Adelaide pub, for what was to be one of it's last shows there.

Despite trying to be late on purpose, I still got there far too fucking early. I missed the rain though and it started to pour down as I was sipping my first vodka. I think it was the only downpour of the night as most of us managed to spend a fair bit of time outside, chain smoking and talking bollocks. The first band was on after 10pm I think and the night rolled on. Can't really think of any funny quips from the night, JUST remembered a funny Craig pulled as we were nerding over our jackets (if you paid 90 euro for them you'd be nerding too) - half our patches that are peeling off and then and then Craig says -
"we're appealing!"
which was the first funny of the night.
Puns.
You gotta love 'em.
( John-John's last Call )

Story from the Gisborne Herald.

( Read more... )

http://www.gisborneherald.co.nz/article/?id=14022

(from Dogs In Space. Watch it now!)

cos i was wasted (again) i lost my ak79 cd (ages ago) which i used to listen to religiously, but found myself thinking of this song tonight.

Why may you ask?

Well cos my fondest memory of this song is having it sung to me by TWO TOTALLY PUNK FUCKING ROCK LADIES (as I humbly addressed them) in the deepest sanctum of Ethel Street.

There was nothing like the two of them walking towards me clicking their fingers and singing in unison
"truuue love - is beautiful, truue love everythings coool"


One of them had differently coloured eyes and she could handle you all with a spade.

luvs u dribble

Me moe pea au, me maumahara ētahi kōrero mō te kōrero-a-waha āpōpō rānei, engari kei te noho noa iho au e whakaaro ana mō ngā manu.

So I should probably be sleeping or memorising some kōrero for the exam tomorrow but instead I'm just sitting here thinking about birds.

I te pō nei, e mahi ana au tēnei pātaitaitanga ki Pukapuka Kanohi, ā, he rawene te tukunga iho. Ki ōku whakaaro, he rite tonu taua manu ki te kahu o tātou motu - kei whea mai!

Tonight i did this quiz on Flakebook and the result was a raven. I thought 'choice! it's about the same as a kahu..'

Heoi anō, ānei he rārangi pātai poto mō ngā manu. Kua whakautu koe i te reo, i te reo pakeha rānei.


So anyway, here's a short questionaire about birds. You can answer in reo or in English if you want.


Poll #1430571 Ngā Manu - Birds!
Open to: Friends, detailed results viewable to: Friends, participants: 4

He aha te manu pai rawa tāu? What is your favourite bird?

He aha ai? Why?

Arohamai mō tāku hē i ōku reo - i ōku reo pākeha rānei hoki!
Sorry for any mistakes in either of the languages!

Tēnā koutou katoa. Māku e kōrero mō te kaupapa “Ka pēhea te āta tiaki i tō tātou hauora.” E kōrero ana ahau e ono mea.
( Panuitia )

Don't fear the reaper

Baby I'm your man