Backgammon = A Violent Sport

The past few days have been pretty low key. Yesterday Vanessa packed up her stuff and left for Dunedin for good. I didn't get a chance to say goodbye coz I was down at the wharf helping John get the boat ready for our family afternoon outing to the island (a beautiful beach and forested island in the middle of Lake Te Anau). So when we got back, Nesser was gone and I didn't get an official goodbye secret handshake. Sad but I'll see her again soon hopefully.

So then much of the family got together (well the bunch of us that are normally all together), including John and Fiona, Katrina and the four kids, and Amber (John's second oldest daughter) and her daughter, Soraya. And one of the boys' friend, Levi, came along as well. We all piled into this little "chugga chug", which is really pronounced "chooga choog" in the Kiwi accent...and it really is just that - it just chugs along in the water. Nothing fancy but certainly not a total piece of junk. Haha.

We took it out to the beach, where Katrina and I immediately continued our ongoing waterfight - she started kicking water at me so I tackled her. We shook hands, congratulated eachother and continued on with our day. We did lots of swimming, hanging around, taking pictures and talking. I was launching the boys out in the water much like my dad used to do with me (sort of) and after about 30 minutes, at least half of the children present were naked. Haha. Destinee was always naked but then it was Soraya, Matiu, and Wiremu's turn...the only kids that stayed clothed were the two oldest, Wherete and Levi.

I will have added in the pictures I've taken from yesterday in the "People of Te Anau" section of my photo album probably by the time you all read this so be sure to check out some of the cool pictures I took.

So then we all went back into the bush to a firepit that was there to start it up and cook some sausages on sticks over the fire. It's interesting because sausages are often in something similar to a hot dog package. And they're already pre-cooked like hot dogs but they taste like...sausages! So we ate those, packed up our stuff and headed back for the evening.

I got sunburnt. Again. But it still doesn't hurt. How strange! Normally I'm in excruciating pain after being sunburnt.

Then last night I spent a little more time with Amber and John's oldest daughter Annie at a local pub/restaurant to see a jazz guitarist from the UK. I got home really late, coz it didn't start til about 9 or 9:30...and had a terrible sleep all night.

Then I played drums this morning at the Prezzy church. And had a nap. And then TCC at 7. And now I'm going to bed after a half hour of watching a gruelling and violent couple of rounds of Backgammon with John and Fiona. I think I've finally learned how to play it...

So like I said...low key and not too exciting but this week is going to be busy. The first youth event kicks off Friday night and I'm a little nervous. We're having a "Bigger and Better" rally (yes, I know, stolen from Axis back in Canada) and even the theme of the talk is going to be relating to trading in the little things for something bigger and better. I'm excited but I'm nervous...I have a lot of work to do this week.

So that's all. I had a terrible sleep last night, as I already mentioned, so I'm going to bed. Tomorrow's my day off and I'm going to sleep and rest and do all that fun stuff! Wahoo!