Computer Mouse Turns 40

The first demonstration of the computer mouse by Douglas Engelbart on 9 December 1968 - have a look at this link:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7772376.stm

Awesome ride

Recently a friend (Evan Hunt) and I met for a weekend catch up. He's living on the West Coast and with me here in Christchurch the obvious place was Arthur's Pass; well just east of there at Bealey Spurr (see Google Maps, the link would not paste). The photo on the left is of Arthur's Pass from Klondyke Corner.

The weather on the Saturday when we met was pretty rough with horizontal rain! Undeterred by this we managed to find a great track running along side the Waimakariri River and had a good hike followed by some hilarious and utterly fruitless fishing. "Local knowledge" Evan kept saying that's what we need, "local knowledge!" So, off we set to get just that: "no fish for 30k either side of the pass, the waters are too turbulent!" Well that explains it, I said. It didn't tell us if the local lakes were any good nor did it explain why there was a fly fisherman stalking along the banks of the river. I began to wonder if the local knowledge we were given was to protect our informant's own fish stocks - not that we were ever a serious threat!!

The highlight of our time was a ride to the top of the Craigieburn ski field road, a 60 minute hill climb - quite a grunt but well worth it.

The following map shows the Craigieburn Forrest and the track we road is shown in red up until the dotted yellow line. Click on the map to enlarge.



The photos: below left: along the road (somewhere!) and right is taken from the second gate as you head up the road looking up the valley where we stopped for lunch. You may be able to just make out a dark line running left to right in the distant trees. This is the road leading to the point of our lunch stop. Above this you may see another dark line in the trees (a little less obvious) running upward, right to left. This is the final hill climb to the skifield car park. (This photo enlarges really well if you click on it).




We lunched just above bush line. The road then cuts back over towards the next ridge to the left. The valley just out of shot on the left is where the ski field is. So, lunch with amazing views, a cold beer chilled in the waters of a mountain stream and a play in the snow on the main field for me while Evan worked his camera.



An awesome ride! Not to mention the 15 minute ride down - where were those gates again Ev?!

Our return to Dunedin

As some of you will know (from the post on Nov 12) we are returning to Dunedin. How did this come about? When we left Dunedin we were fully expecting to "emigrate" to Christchurch and we were willing to say, "good bye", to a wonderful home. with a self contained flat. A flat that we had hoped we could make available to those from out of town who have relatives in hospital. Our thinking was that, "perhaps we could pursue this dream in CHCH in the future?"

The time came when, if we were to stay in CHCH, we needed to put our house on the market. As we came to sell the house we needed to set a reserve and we prayed about this gaining a real peace about where we were to set it. We knew this was going to be a fleece as far as we were concerned in terms of God's will for us: if he wanted us to stay in CHCH then the house would need to sell (no problem for him) and if he wanted us back in Dunedin then the house would not sell.

All was fine until I (Blair) heard a message at Spreydon Baptist Church by Mike Duncan (some of you may know him from his time with Servants). His message was summed up for me by the comment he made, "Live the dream - are you living the dream?" The context of this would take too long to explain here. As I considered this in the context of his whole message, I believed strongly his message was clearly for us, so I got the CD and left it for Ann, "listen to this and tell me what you think." To cut a long story short we both agreed that God could be saying return to Dunedin even before the auction. What to do? We agreed it was important that we follow through on the auction.

In the mean time we began to think about the flat as a ministry and a business. You can imagine our excitement when we noticed that the speaker for the coming week at Spreydon was speaking on, "Business as Mission" not just business for mission. I was amazed at the timing of all of this and how things were dovetailing together. What nailed it for me was when the speaker, Peter Shaukat Business As Mission finished by asking, "will you serve God wherever, whenever and however?"

Why was Peter Shaukat's closing statement so significant for me? Just before I left Galmi Hospital in West Africa, back in 1990, God asked a very specific question of me as plain as day - "Will you serve me wherever, whenever, however and with whomever?" In all the years I have been back I have never once heard a message where the same phrase has been used. When I head these words I was stunned. For me this was conclusive that our return was of God: God saying that our thoughts re the flat is not just of Ann (it has been a long term dream for Ann to be able to do this) but that this is clearly of God and is for both of us.


We have no regrets about coming to CHCH and believe it was God's leading that brought us here. We have loved our time in this family friendly city and will find it hard to leave, especially the neighbourhood of Gilders Grove, it is like none other. The kids have so much freedom to roam safely and have such good friends in the street. But, we also have a real peace and in fact a sense of excitement, about returning. In our time here we have learned much and done heaps. We have also had the time and space to think. As one friend put it to us, "perhaps this time was meant as a sabbatical for you?" This is how we now see it.

December 2007

Dad and Samuel time

Recently with Ann at work, Alana at a friends and Danielle at a birthday party it was time for the boys to escape! Years ago I used to be an archer (some of you will know this). A very expensive and time consuming sport that I liken to fly fishing as far as gear and maintaining gear goes. Anyway Samuel and I headed off to the local indoor archery range, AimTru, for some fun.

My one consolation was the staff member who asked if I had "...shot before? " "Ah hem, years ago when I was a student, not for a long time." "You can tell, your technique is still very good." Ego suitably massaged we set about shooting. The targets say it all: the one on the left is mine the image below is Samuels' and well - the bulls eyes are all Samuel's!!

Amateur Philosopher!

As some of you may already know we are moving back to Dunedin!! I'd need to do another blog to tell the story of how this came about. The night we were telling the kids that this is what was going to happen Samuel came out with a classic comment where he really nailed it!

"Well Dad, I half want to (go back) and I half don't - (sigh) I guess life's just like that."

Rachel Hunter be afraid - be very afraid!!

Concert Performance

Last term Alana started to learn the flute and she has come along way from first trying to make any sound at all to her first performance at a school concert. We were fortunate enough in that we were both able to go and see her play - MAN WERE WE PROUD OF HER! Ann had tears in her eyes she was so proud of her. In fact all the kids at the concert did very well.

Holidays

During the last holidays, before the current term, we headed off to central to enjoy Cromwell with very good friends, to enjoy the rail trail (yes again - I could live on it!). We came home via the Lewis Pass and Tekapo a truly magical part of the country and so was the weather as you will see from the photos!



After our time away we fully expected to have Macey and Erica back with us. Sadly this was not to be. There was a message on our answer phone asking us to call. Even before we did we realised what it was all about. While the process was less than ideal, the interim outcome was a very good one and now we hope that the next stage for them both will be equally as good if not better. While there was no acknowledgement of our need, or theirs, to say goodbye we set it up so that the kids could all have a final play together and we could all get closure. They were very happy when we last caught up.

A Great Laugh

Have a look at this and if you are married with your spouse!

Proud Daughter and Proud Parents!

Today Alana danced at her Dance Club Competitions and did very, very well. She was so chuffed she just grinned from ear to ear and said very little when she got home after receiving 89% for her Waltz and 85% for her Samba. The Auckland judge said that he could see the Samba being "her" dance when she is older and made remarks about how he saw elements of her technique that were not often seen in dancers at her stage!

"We're going to the Zoo, zoo, zoo"

Last weekend we took all five kids to Orana Wildlife Park for the afternoon. Have a look at some of the pics below. We had a great time exploring many of the habitats that have been created for the animals. I think the the ones that were the biggest hit would have been the Tiger (come to think of it has anyone seen Macey?!)



The Giraffes were gentle giants and great fun to feed if you don't mind getting slimed with Giraffe spit!



The Otters were cute and violent all at the same time - as they literally ripped into their afternoon tea! The Meer cats were popular as always but their looks are deceiving, nice to look at but definitely not to hold.

Catch up!

It has been a while since we have updated you all due to how busy we have been, nothing new to those of you reading - I am sure life is no different for you!

Ann and Alana have recently been down to Dunedin to help out brother John with his new property. I have spent the last fortnight preparing an application and new CV for a position I was applying for and then a lengthy written submission required after the application was received.

Just last week Ann had commented about how we still had all the kids old clothes from when they were much younger. While we have made ourselves available for further fostering we have not heard from CYF or Open Homes during the past year. Ann wondered if we should finally throw out the clothes. I hesitated. saying, "...well...lets just wait and see... you never know." Wednesday last week, when preparing for my Friday interview, I had thought about how we had not heard and thought to myself "...well, if we are not needed we are not needed."

Then the day before the interview we get a call from CYF asking if we can assist with the emergency placement of two children (sisters aged 3 & 5) that day! It all worked out so well as I had the Thursday afternoon off to prepare for the interview leaving me free that evening and Ann had the following day, the Friday, off due to her new roster. I was also free for the Friday afternoon after the interview.

So, now we are a family of 7!! All in all the kids have adjusted well, the two who have come to stay (Macey and Erica) and our three. Samuel was worried about how we would manage and was particularly concerned for Ann and the expense (he amazes us with what he thinks/worries about). Interestingly he has taken a real shine to the youngest of the girls Erica - and loves to play with her.

Hard Labour!

Alana has been very keen to go on a school camp at Living Springs. So, today the hard work began for Alana (and Mum and Dad!) fund raising to raise some money towards the cost of going.

A Car Wash - Avoca Valley Style: 6 cars in 6 hours fully washed and groomed outside and in. Our thanks to all our neighbours who embraced Alana's entrepreneurial enterprise and gladly left their vehicles to be washed - without your support Alana would not have raised as much as she did towards camp! THANKS HEAPS TO YOU ALL.

Down Under Humour!

One of the great things about the Kiwis and the Aussies is not only the healthy trans-Tasman sporting rivalry, but also the fact that we have always known how to have a good laugh with each other as well as at each other . This You Tube video proves the point. For those of you who see this, who are not from "down under", I hope you appreciate the humour just as much given its distinctly Australian & Kiwi flavour!

Never look a gift horse in the mouth!

In early June of this year someone came into the office and said to me, "Would you like a trip to Sydney?" Needless to say I replied, "What, did you say a trip to Sydney - what for?" Apparently for the last 8 years there has been a Neurology Weekend that is hosted and there are spots for Kiwis to be sponsored to attend. It did not take too long for me to say, "Yes please!!" Here are a few shots from where I was staying. Above right is taken from the Opera House. The stone tower above right (at the left end of the bridge) is shown below. In this tower is a very good museum giving all the history of the bridge's construction.

Climbing up the walls!

While some of us had to go back to work others got to continue playing. Clip'n Climb had been booked out but today there was no holding the kids back and it was all go.

This time Samuel managed to get a lot higher in his climbs and he really enjoyed the climbing today. His confidence has grown a lot!!

Central Plateau North Island

The following awesome shot was taken by my brother Cliff when they lived up at National Park. The three mountains are Tongariro, Ngaurohoe and Ruapehu.

Snow melts and we get out

Today we headed off to Science Alive for the kids (Bergs and Donkins) to burn off some energy and reduce the possibility of an outbreak of Cabin Fever following the really cold wet weather! The kids had a ball and really enjoyed the climbing wall ( we had hoped to get to Clip'n Climb but they were booked out and we could not go) and the gyroscope.

Alana enjoys the gyroscope and the climbing wall. Samuel did really well on the both too and Danielle was a real goer on the climbing wall as well and once she is a little older there will be no holding her back.

Big Snow of 2008

This weekend the Bergs came to stay on their way to the DCBC camp at Wainui on Banks Peninsula. Snow had been forecast but nothing had eventuated and Ann was even contemplating a punt on the Avon!!

As you will be able to see from the photos it wasn't exactly the day for, to use Dave's words, "strawberries and and champagne" and a float down the river! But, it was a day for getting out and building a snowman or two.

A lovely day for a walk!!

Mum and son!







Danielle and her current favourite soft toy.






After last night's snow fall, we awoke to the surrounding hills covered in a very light dusting of snow. It did not appear to be anywhere near as heavy as what we would see in Dunedin. In the past we have been told that the Avoca Valley is a bit of a micro-climate and, generally warmer than a lot of Christchurch, today this certainly proved to be the case as we did not even have a frost.











We did not need to travel far, though, to find some snow. Five minutes around the hill and a quick gondola ride and we were throwing snow balls. Dad and son.We were not expecting the snow to be all that heavy up the top and quietly chuckled to ourselves about the families lining up with gumboots on, in preparation for lots of snow.They got the last laugh as it was a lot heavier than it looked and we were the ones not dressed for it. We'll know for next time! We had no snow around the house but were surprised to see that a lot of the city did have snow. As we discovered later this afternoon some suburbs, out by the airport especially, had obviously had quite a heavy snow fall.