Tuesday and I'm counting now
we get 4 days off soon:
This Friday and then Monday;
time off is such a boon.
I'll travel to my parents' place
and spend some time up there,
they've both been pretty sickly
and I like to show I care.

Yesterday my teenage son
lost his phone -deflating!
We tried to ring it but he'd set
the phone on ...guess... vibrating.
He's not allowed to have it ring
while he is in his classes
and so he sets the silent mode
and messages he passes.
Then after school he plain forgot
and somewhere at the gym
he must have dropped it, we just hope
they'll find it there for him.


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A week ago (on Monday) I took off, then I lost
my glasses. When I drive I feel the cost -
I wear my old ones, huge and pale blue
(the lenses aren't what I've been seeing through.)
I wear them thinking they'll improve my sight
but today I wondered, when I had a fright
while driving back from town. Could they be worse?
I'll lose my nerve if drivers make me curse.
Replacements have been ordered,
I hope they're as good as lauded,
my patience and my safety are at risk.
But custom manufacture's never brisk.

I went to town to buy software and labels
to stick on CDs made for school turntables.
The CD we have made is Volume 2,
the first one was successful but I knew
I'd have to find a better way to make
the sticky labels print out, undertake
a method that is quick and so I bought
some software claiming (almost) what I sought.
I'll try it out at home tonight and then
tomorrow I can print out 2 times 10.



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Today my son was playing in a curtain raiser game,
the captain of his rugby team, it says beside his name.
I read the programme booklet and I sat and watched him win.
And then we dashed off in the car to cricket, he'd begin
as opener when batting, my poor exhausted boy.
He's 17 and fit but 2 sports daily's a killjoy.
It's just as well the winter sports have finished now so he
can concentrate on cricket and make grass stains just for me
to wash off long white trousers. (Nappy bleach is best).
I wonder if I'll ever watch him play a national test.

This afternoon I mixed some spray and spent the sunny hours
aiming deadly herbicide at weeds that rival towers.
It's something I have meant to do for weeks, at last it's done.
I hope I haven't shot a lot of good plants with that 'gun'.
My garden used to be a place where I would potter, peacefully,
I loved to watch the seasons show I'd planned it carefully.
I didn't mind the time it took to keep the weeds at bay,
I actually enjoyed the thought of wasting all my day.
But lately all the maintenance has turned into a chore
and even walking 'round to spray is nothing but a bore.
Perennials I grew and spread from cuttings don't survive
the blast of poison squirted onto grass that will contrive
to spring up in between the pretty flowers every year.
It's sad I guess but that is life. Beauty must be rare.


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It's Friday and my laziness
is showing -'though it's craziness
to try and write screeds of rhyme
every night...besides, the time
escapes and suddenly I see
another week has passed -Yippee!
(I only cheer because the week-
end's here, not because I'm older)... EEK!
The way that Christmas keeps advancing
makes me want to steal those prancing
reindeer,
hide them for a year
or ten. The decades go too quickly,
I see my old and sickly
self, creeping up to lock me up
within the gaol where all the old
are disappearing, thin and cold
and greying into nothingness.
I dread that fate I must confess.

I just went off and checked some sites
that I have marked as favourites,
the horoscopes that I could find
all based downunder. I'm inclined
to read that rubbish every day
and then forget just what they say.
It's silly but it meets some need.
(I don't know what but, heck, the deed
of checking horoscopes is fun
and I can view the day that's done
from quite another point of view.)
I'm nuts but I check quite a few!

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Hurrah! Another problem solved,
I heard today how it involved
an extra click before we hit
the x. You'd think that it
was something we might well have tried
but sadly, no. Have I decried
the 'merits' of a database?
I'm sometimes tempted but I face
the fact that all computer work
just fascinates me. It might irk
my fellow teachers but my help
so far suffices when they yelp.

Today we bought some real estate,
And now we'll have to titivate
the house that is the worst
one in the street but first
the current owner wants to rent
so I'll forget the whole extent
of what is needed for a while
and just enjoy my in-laws' smile.



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The internet is working well
and on success I'd like to dwell
but now the database has lost
some information. Oh! The cost
of being at the cutting edge!
The work repeated, times we dredge
up things we thought were done
and have to do it over. One
good thing: our attitude
is fine - yes progress does intrude
on ancient ways and we can see
that in the long run it will be
worth the hiccoughs, worth the pain.
We haven't wasted time. It's gain.

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Today our wireless internet
had interference. Me, all set
to save the photos of our stars
the All Blacks. Rugby men, Hussars
of the modern day. But when
I tried to save, it wouldn't, then
I used refresh...I'd lost the touch
the link was on and off so much.
I needed pix to slide-show at
tomorrow's school assembly. Drat!
The Rugby World Cup starts in days
and everyone has caught the craze.


Tomorrow after school I'll drive
to Taupo (that's a lake), arrive
at dinnertime and wind right down,
drink alcohol and paint the town.
I'm going with some other 'girls'
we're ancient but we'll leave our pearls
behind and spend the time at play.
A woman needs to get away.


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The sun was smiling all day long
and so was I. I got the song
I needed to complete a new
CD so learning tunes will ensue.
And spent my lunchtime out'n'about
taking photos -staking out
shots of kids at play. (Recreation
for us all.) Pix in celebration
of the culture of our school.
I looked at them and had to rule
out all but six. They're cropped,
resized and have been dropped
into our database. Reports
will have a photo on, I thought
the parents might enjoy that touch.
Let's hope the marks are liked as much.



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To share my blog I had to send
a copy to my rhymer friends.
Today I got replies in rhyme,
describing how they spent their time.
How wonderful to share our days
with others in creative ways.
One told of waking in the night
and doing lots before daylight.
The other mentioned daily grind
and chores in which she is behind.
Recording isn't necess'ry
but think of it as topiary:
while you write you contemplate
and deal with bits that aggravate.

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Today I watched a digger work
for half an hour. The lucky jerk.
he digs up dirt and tips it out
and he gets paid. I sometimes doubt
my calling as a teacher. True,
I get to make a difference to
a few
but sometimes all the aggravation
makes me long for cancellation
of the year ...if I could pay
my mortgage in another way...

I watched it while on road patrol.
It's springtime but, my word, it's cold.
I had to wear my gloves and boots
and watch the shorts-clad man. These brutes
who earn their money with no stress
are always much too tough to dress
in warmer gear. I watched and wondered
while a rubbish truck next lumbered
past to block my view. Another man
in shorts. The sun was giving me a tan
along my cheek but I still shivered
while dirt and rubbish was delivered.

And after school I went to view
a house my in-laws might pursue.
I liked the cuteness, oldtime style,
the outside got a ready smile.
The inside needed work of course
but I could live there. I endorse
the choice they made to make an offer.
Very low but so's our coffer.

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I read about this blogging stuff
and how it's written off the cuff.
I thought about the time involved,
I wondered whether life is solved
sitting down and writing out
philosophy like...'what is doubt?'
Anyway I've started now
and I'll go on and on and how!

Writing every line to rhyme
might make it seem as if ...well... I'm
going to be limited
in spelling out my thoughts. Get rid
of any misconception
this is not what my perception
of the whole idea of blogs
is all about. These logs
are letting us reveal our minds.
The rhyming helps me tilt the blinds.
After all, who wants to see
EVERY little thought in me?

Today's the last day of my break,
2 weeks off work is meant to make
a teacher into Superteach.
And since I went in (late but) each
day last week I'm..well..almost
organised. This weekend I'm supposed
to clean the house. I've mopped
and dusted. Now I've stopped-
I'm putting off the vacuum cleaning.
All this stuff is so demeaning.
Human minds were made to THINK
how I hate these chores! They stink.

A week ago I drove to visit
my daughter (18). She's so 'with it'.
The day before, her fingernails
were added to, extended. 'Scales'
glued onto the fingertips.
Gorgeous length, those fake-y bits
just look natural and white.
That's a polish, French. all right?