Catching up
Got home on Friday night and my new Pixel 7 Pro had arrived in the post, thanks Dad! Also wrapped up in it was a T-Shirt of Richie Benaud holding a pint with "Marvellous" on the front. What a great T-Shirt. Sadly can't really use my Pixel 7 until I get a case for it, it's fully glass and it's very slippery. Phone's are a funny thing, they design these lovely devices but unless you're super rich and can just afford a new one all the time, you have to totally "wrap up" your phone in a case etc so you don't damage it. Anyway I've been updating it and using it and it's super fast and amazing.
After our Air New Zealand battle getting back home, I've had another major battle over the course of a week to get them to refund the money for the rental car. They of course kept saying things like "Our front desk attendant wouldn't have said you'll get your money back for a car" etc. I just stuck to my guns over and over, telling them that yes she did agree to that, multiple times. I even offered the audio recording we took but it turns out it wasn't very helpful in showing who said what. I mean I had enough evidence I felt to justify my position, I was prepared to lodge a claim with the Small Claims court and I guess they realised that because eventually they said "As a one off we'll pay you back this time". I had all sorts of details like the fact we'd been told they wouldn't pay for the insurance. I had the bit of paper she'd given us to claim the refund etc. Anyway it's a won battle now so I don't need to stress about it anymore. It was hard though, you'd send them a message on Facebook Messenger then wait, sometimes for 12 hours, for a reply. And they'd come back with yet another "Sorry but no!"
School went back last week, finally! Of course Tuesday was ANZAC Day, so Monday was a Teacher's Only Day, i.e. no school. Because of the cyclone work had given everyone a single day of Wellness Leave, so I took the Monday off for a 4 day weekend. Sunday Beth had a party at Isla's, so I took the kids into The Warehouse early to buy a present for Isla and also to get something for Grant's Family to say thanks for looking after Biscuit. I dropped Beth off at her party, then came home and got Theo and took him out to Hastings to go bowling. He's been bowling with the School's Out holiday programme and had mentioned he enjoyed it, so I thought it'd be a fun activity. We had a great time! The first game he beat me fair and square, the second game was close and I have to admit that I did throw my last frame so that he'd win by 4 points. I think he knew that I did as well, but hey. We had a great time, just hanging out bowling. 2 games goes pretty quickly!
Monday Beth was still having a sleep over at Daisy's so Theo and I went out (Sarah was working) and had a breakfast at Origin, then went to the library to get some books, then went over to the playground to play for 60 minutes. Had a great ol' time again, just the two of us hanging out. Then we came home and took Biscuit for a quick walk/run.
Oh that's right on the Saturday night we went to the Speedway! The kids were really keen, we had to mention to them a few times that it might not be on because it was forecast to rain, but actually on the night it seemed like it was OK even though rain was still forecast. We got there and got a decent seat, Sarah unpacked our dinner of Chicken Burgers along with some cans of Sprite etc. Holly and Adrian etc came as well. It'd been going for about 50 minutes and we were all getting excited for the Double Decker Derby when suddenly almost out of nowhere the rain came PISSING DOWN HARD. And once the track (which is just dirt) gets wet like that, they have to call the whole thing off. So we stood in a massive crowd of people waiting to be let out, it was quite disappointing for the kids etc. Well and the event organisers too. Alas. At least the time we WERE there was great and the kids really enjoyed it, it's an easy Saturday night activity too so we can do it again another time.
Jeremy uploaded some old videos from over 10 years ago. They're pretty amazing. Tiny small resolution but hey there's even some footage inside 42 Illawarra!
Bought some new Ring security cameras. A person was selling 4 second hand on Geekzone for $300. Quite the bargain I thought so I grabbed them. We now have cameras overlooking the vegetable garden, the back section (this one is a battery powered floodlight too so the light comes on when you go to the woodshed) the back pool area and the Garage. Pretty happy with my little camera score.
What else? Just quickly:
- Beth had headlice again, probably after staying at Daisy's, or when Isla came to stay here (and had to go home again at 10:30pm, that child never actually stays a full night)
- Grandma's 71st Birthday on Saturday. Had a good time there.
- Last night (Sunday 30th April) Theo was so tired he fell asleep sitting upright holding his book. Sarah and I couldn't stop giggling at him snoring away reading his book.
- We've decided to get to work on the Vegetable Garden, actually plant it out and start using it. We have all that space to grow, might as well use it.
- Theo's doing well at Guitar. I restrung his guitar with Nylon and that seems to have helped him a lot with playing.
It's now Monday the 1st May! I better go and get ready for the school day/work day etc. I've gotta go this morning and get my eyes tested so I can revew my Drivers License which expires very soon!
Tim