Monday, September 20, 2010

Pirate Dress up day....

Fairisam's school has been writing letters to Pirate Pete (who??)
and so, for the last day of term, were allowed to dress up as pirates.....

Fairisam practicing her "Arrrrgh" in a good ole Southland accent

including arm action...



and then there is TCM's most favourite poem which does include a pirate...

THE TALE OF CUSTARD THE DRAGON
By Ogden Nash

Belinda lived in a little white house,
With a little black kitten and a little gray mouse,
And a little yellow dog and a little red wagon,
And a realio, trulio, little pet dragon.
xxx 
Now the name of the little black kitten was Ink,
And the little gray mouse, she called her Blink,
And the little yellow dog was sharp as Mustard,
But the dragon was a coward, and she called him Custard.
xxx
Custard the dragon had big sharp teeth,
And spikes on top of him and scales underneath,
Mouth like a fireplace, chimney for a nose,
And realio, trulio, daggers on his toes.
xxx
Belinda was as brave as a barrel full of bears,
And Ink and Blink chased lions down the stairs,
Mustard was as brave as a tiger in a rage,
But Custard cried for a nice safe cage.
xxx
Belinda tickled him, she tickled him unmerciful,
Ink, Blink and Mustard, they rudely called him Percival,
They all sat laughing in the little red wagon
At the realio, trulio, cowardly dragon.
xxx
Belinda giggled till she shook the house,
And Blink said Week!, which is giggling for a mouse,
Ink and Mustard rudely asked his age,
When Custard cried for a nice safe cage.
xxx
Suddenly, suddenly they heard a nasty sound,
And Mustard growled, and they all looked around.
Meowch! cried Ink, and Ooh! cried Belinda,
For there was a pirate, climbing in the winda.
xxx 
Pistol in his left hand, pistol in his right,
And he held in his teeth a cutlass bright,
His beard was black, one leg was wood;
It was clear that the pirate meant no good.
xxx
Belinda paled, and she cried, Help! Help!
But Mustard fled with a terrified yelp,
Ink trickled down to the bottom of the household,
And little mouse Blink strategically mouseholed.
xxx
But up jumped Custard, snorting like an engine,
Clashed his tail like irons in a dungeon,
With a clatter and a clank and a jangling squirm
He went at the pirate like a robin at a worm.
xxx
The pirate gaped at Belinda's dragon,
And gulped some grog from his pocket flagon,
He fired two bullets but they didn't hit,
And Custard gobbled him, every bit.
xxx 
Belinda embraced him, Mustard licked him,
No one mourned for his pirate victim
Ink and Blink in glee did gyrate
Around the dragon that ate the pyrate.
xxx
Belinda still lives in her little white house,
With her little black kitten and her little gray mouse,
And her little yellow dog and her little red wagon,
And her realio, trulio, little pet dragon.
xxx
Belinda is as brave as a barrel full of bears,
And Ink and Blink chase lions down the stairs,
Mustard is as brave as a tiger in a rage,
But Custard keeps crying for a nice safe cage.


All the pirates heading home for the holidays.


Happy Birthday Lochlan and Keane!!

It's been a while since Harrisam participated in the party circuit.....
but they weren't going to miss a good bash...
Lochlan and Keane's Aussie Birthday
As visitors from North America, 
 these two young lads were keen for a
"fair dinkim" Aussie experience...

Harricane was disappointed he had left his tux at home....
but made do with his best spiderman t-shirt.....

Fairisam sporting her new party frock....

Some great party activities on offer...
Facepainting by an amateur TCM
(a bad workwoman always blames her tools)




Then some old favourites.....
Pass the parcel
(Dan in charge of music and mustering)


Followed by an Aussie Gremlins cake.....
A "2" Croc cake with spiders on the side!!



Harrisam waiting patiently for their "slice of croc"

And lastly....
An Aussie Classic...(apparently)...
"Pin the Joey on the Pouch"

Won by the birthday boy - Lochlan

Happy Birthday
Lochlan and Keane

Look what we are missing!!!!!

Just when  it's starting to get quite warm....
with daily swims for Fairisam and Harricane.....
...when we are winding down to come home....


...this is what is happening back home....



Raeburn Ave







At last Mini-me is suitably camouflaged for stalking birds....

Not that she would ever be able to muster up the energy!!
Queens Park

(thank you to Andrea for the photos)

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Aunty Miriam comes to visit

This week, we have been lucky enough to have a visit from a well shaken Aunty Miriam......
Christchurch Quake survivor.....
She came to talk to Fairisam's year about what it is like to be in a big earthquake.
Then they talked about being prepared for natural disasters like cyclones.....
"Thank you Aunty Miriam" from Year 1
("and God Bless You")

Friday, September 3, 2010

Fairisam's Father's Day Assembly

Today was a big day for Fairisam.......
Her class "1Mn" was in charge of the Big Father's Day Assembly. 

It all started with a Sausage Sizzle in the Big Shed
(aka The Assembly Hall to you Kiwis back home)
Harricane in front left leading the way....


Then Fairisam and her classmates had to get set for their big performance....
Some dressed in their favourite footie colours
(or their dad's favourite footie colours)


          Today's theme was, of course, "My Dad"

There was a slide show of the children and their dads...

Fairisam was a little miffed because TCM sent two photos to Miss Mn...
...this one........
....and the one that Fairisam wanted in the slideshow...
Sorry Fairisam....Perhaps Miss Mn
didn't recognise you in this picture!!!!


The Slideshow was followed by a "signed" song....

Then it was......Fairisam's solo.....
"We have thanked all of our father figures for helping us
but this is a song to remind them that we can help them.
Please join in if you know the words."
(probably chosen for her good Southland accent on worrrds)
She's the little one on the end with the microphone!!!
And lastly they all raced off to grab their dads -
and dragged them back onto the stage for the finale!!
DDC cleverly obscured by Fairisam at the back!
Happy Father's Day
to DDC, Grandad DR
and all other dads/grandads out there!