Proud Mother Moment

The ensuite toilet seat, the dishwasher, odds and ends. I hang around till the Aces, the Art Awards. Kahu is getting a prize, a big surprise. And moments of suspense when his name is called and he isn't there. Twice. On the last call he appears, interrupted in a chat to his mate out the back. His award is the Notable Performance Award for Level 3 photography.. An accolade which neither he nor I were expecting. But looking at the other entries, it's deserved. His folio is introspective, dark in places but light creeps in and it's there at the end. According to Anjie, our long time friend and Kahu's photography teacher, this image has a spiritual quality. Her other comments, summarised, are that his folio has depth and shows application of different photographic techniques. Anjie is a good teacher. Kahu has been a good student. 

On the way home to Cashmere, I take a last picture of the unfinished drive. And another one of the newly installed door bell. Nearly home free.

Exchanges and Follow Ups

My school day is hectic and I dash to the house at lunchtime. Lance and his off sider from Instant Installs call in and look at my range hood in horror. I've bought one with an external motor. Fail. I need an internal. Omg. My stress levels go through the roof. I take them into the classroom to relieve a difficult Year 10. I'm exhausted and still stressed at the end of it but there's an Asttle marking meeting yet to go. I let the trivia of writing criteria and future meeting times wash over me and. in the end  excuse myself. I need to sort my hood issue, it's keeping my cortisol levels at an all time high. Will I be able to exchange the super expensive range hood? Adam,  Noel Leeming salesman extraordinaire, is super relaxed. I breathe a huge sigh of relief. Another is ordered. Wait time a week. I call in at Lighthouse and must look woebegone because Allan organises Finlay to help install lights on Friday. Chandelier expertise. I accept the offer and leave before he changes his mind. Kahu and I spend the evening on site. Kahu shifts a mountain of dirt. Incremental progress. All you need is a shovel.

Onwards and Upwards

I meet one of my Year 13's in the car park and give her a lift to the house. Afterwards I hear her telling her classmates how being with me on my own till they got there was 'awkward.' I didn't notice. I was so busy talking. To do a trip like this with school kids should involve hours of paper work but I figure no-one will notice we're gone and these girls are 18. Of age. They're allowed to make independent choices. As a teacher, I'm not. Too late. While they explore I check in with Rene. 

After school, Kahu and I arrive to put up the Murano chandelier and the Blomma. I'm nervous cos I'm expecting both to be difficult. They're not. We secure them in the ceiling with no complications and Kahu takes time to untangle the wires of the Bollicine. It's a fountain of glass balls, clonking in the breeze of the open door. Jason arrives to help. Too late. Neil has done a template for the shelf brackets. We critique it, scratch our heads then Neil fires up his welder. Sparks fly in all directions. We scratch our heads at the new version. Neil's wife arrives. He sketches another version. I leave him to it. Nicki's sister is about to demolish her house and has rimu drawers from her walk-in wardrobe. Could be an easy option for mine, which I haven't planned or budgeted for.

Waylaying Young Men

The bath has to get to the bathroom. It's not going to walk so I have to organise help. We need two more people, strong ones. I hover around College Ave on the lookout for unsuspecting citizens. When my neighbour bikes past I waylay him. But he's got a sore back. So I wait. My patience is rewarded when  I  spot a pair. of likely looking lads sauntering home from school. I ambush them. They're game and follow me to the garage where Gary is tinkering with the bath. While we wait I quizz them on their English course and other personal matters. They smile and offer info. Trusting. We get the bath through the front door easily but the bathroom door, the angle of it, means we have to tip the bath on its end. There's some grunting but the taller boy takes it in his stride. He probably plays rugby or trains for rowing. His bulging muscles turn what could have been a mission into an achievable task. I help Gary manoeuvre it into place, back braced against the wall. We consider the bath/basin spout options. The basin spout wins. It's long enough after all. In situ, the bath reposes in green glory, a splash of green bringing the outdoors in. Kahu arrives just as we finish.