hello.
Last week we went up mount Arthur with Aunt Sue and Uncle Lee. It was a four day tramp and we stayed at a couple of huts. I got sick on the second night so it wasn't great for me but it was a really nice place to go and here are some photos.There was some tough climbing
We saw some keas for the first time.

Going to School in New Zealand

Yesterday I dropped Dean off for a week long "ropes styled" sailing trip where he'll learn to sail, gain some leadership skills and hopefully have an awesome time in the Marlborough Sounds. Last week I had the pleasure of joining Andrew's class as they spent the week at Abel Tasman Park. And, a month ago Dean spent a week in the Nelson Lakes District hiking and really roughing it in the backcountry where they practically slept under the starts. School in New Zealand is fun.

I am ambivalent about a lot of things as far as living in New Zealand goes. But, I have no doubt that Dean and Andrew are having an amazing school experience. I am loath to compare the US system with NZ. It's just not fair; it's apples to oranges. The mantra I always invoke is 4.3 versus 311 million people - that pretty much explains everything. Nonetheless, here I live on this little island in the middle of nowhere. And, because of the numbers and the natural beauty of this country, our kids get a school experience very different from the one they would have had in America.

Every other year New Zealand school children go on a camp. This begins as early as Year 4 (which is third grade) and continues through their "college" (high school) years. Andrew's camp was at a hut abutting Abel Tasman Park. Kids sleep in bunks, 4 to a room (probably a lot like US summer camp). The teacher, an administrator and some volunteer parents join the trip – we're in a separate bunkhouse and we even got our own rooms!

I had the pleasure of spending two nights with Andrew's class. Once we settled at Marahau the first thing the kids did was change into their togs (swimsuits) and throw themselves into the sea. It doesn't matter that the water is in the low 60s, air temperature mid 60s maybe. That's what they do. We spent the day swimming (even me) collecting sea creatures, building sand castles and just having fun. At night we played games, had a bonfire and made s'mores. Everyone went to bed happy and tired.

Next day we took the kids on a 14k hike (that's 8.4 miles). Not bad for 9 – 11 year olds. Now, don't think they are all gunning to go. Even though sport is a major focus here, for some kids this was the farthest they'd ever had to walk and it was hard work. It didn't help that it was raining. But, I thought it was really cool that we did it despite the rain. We took a water taxi back from Anchorage which made it all worth it, even for the most reluctant trampers.

What I saw in this camp was amazing. While there's lots of fun and games, there's also work and a building of personal responsibility and community. The kids help prepare meals, clean bathrooms, sweep floors and do their own dishes. They are expected to keep their rooms tidy. But, they also get to laugh and run around freely. They see their teacher, their principal and some lucky parents in a new environment. I had the pleasure of getting to know kids I might not otherwise meet (especially the girls).

As I reflect on school here, I sometimes worry that it's not rigorous enough, that there's not enough homework. Too much play and not enough work! I wonder whether our boys will be adequately prepared for university and the big, bad world. I am assured that capable Kiwis leave the system and thrive as adults. And, when I go to Andrew's school and see all the kids outside laughing and playing; when I think maybe they are getting to be kids just a little bit longer than they would have in Texas, when I have the assurance that they are happy, I feel good. I know that they will be just fine.

Go Dynamo!!!!!

Remember these beds prepped here on June 26:

The soil could have used longer to set up, but we had a trip planned so I went ahead and popped in seed potatoes on Sept 4. Here we are Nov 20, some 2.5 months later.

I have added dirt twice to keep decent mounds, but that's about all the care and feeding these guys get. I'm thinking we're going to be fetching a lot of spuds, and we may not wait till xmas to start. I went with Ilam Hardy, which are supposed to be early growing. We'll post on taste and yields in the future. Fishing season looms, and here's looking forward to some homemade fish n chips.

At Knott's Berry Farm we rode a range of rides. At the start we didn't want to go on a lot of the rides so we decided to ride one of the less scary ''coasters'' called the Sierra Sidewinder which is where you spin on a roller coaster, It was quick and easy.
After that all the rides were closed off until 11:00 so mum and I rode the screamin' swing one of the scariest we rode.Then we
rode the classic log flume.After that I can't really remember what we did but I will explain some pictures below.
Sierra Sidewinder

Screamin' Swing

The ultimate rocket powered swing
''Life as a hotdog''

Andrew Franklet

we also rode the following Pony express, Silver bullet, Dragon swing, La Revolucion, Waveswinger, Bigfoot rapids, Boomerang, Windseeker, Jaguar and we watched a cowboy stunt show.
Andrew

Quick trip to the LA county museum. Beautiful day and large crowds. The museum is alive and well. We saw lamp posts

billiards




turtles



dishes

Burton people

and my favorite, the big blue dog

what does it all mean?

Me riding on a tiny bike at a cafe in Wellington





Also for school I did a project on Japanese school lunches, or bentos. I had to find a lot of information about them and I even had to make one myself that looked like a Japanese cartoon character.
Here is the information:

1. Where does the word bento come from?

The word bento originated from the people who lived at the castle of 16^th century military commander Oda Nobunaga (1534-1582). He fed the people at his castle by handing out individual meals to each person. People began to call these small meals bentos.

2. What is an ekiben? Where are they sold?

An ekiben is a bento sold at a train station, usually containing the specialty foods of the region the ekibens are being sold in.

3. What is an umeboshi and what is its purpose in the bento?

An umeboshi is a pickled Japanese apricot and its purpose in the bento is that it was believed to keep rice from going bad.

4. When were the first bentos made and who were they made for?

The first bentos (though not called bento at the time) were made in around the fifth century in Japan and they were made for people going out to hunt, farm, or battle.

5. What kind of people like bento?

Basically everyone in Japan likes bento.

6. What is a makunochi bento?

Makunochi bentos contain small rice balls sprinkled with sesame seeds and an assortment of side dishes.

7. What are some of the most important considerations that the maker of the bento must keep in mind when making the bento?

They are visual presentation, making sure that the cooked foods are well done to prevent changes in the flavour or color, items that go bad easily should not be used, excess liquid should be eliminated, rice and side dishes should be in a 1:1 ratio, and the ratio of meat dishes to vegetables should be 1:2.

8. What sort of food was used in early bento?

The earliest bentos were made of primarily dried rice, but in the 15^th century they were made of white rice, the rice mixed with millet, or potatoes, depending on the region.

9. What is in a typical modern bento?

The first thing is that the person who makes the bento, such as the mother, often prepares the bentos as she is cooking the side dishes for the family's regular meals. She decides what foods will not spoil and sets them aside for the next days bentos. Meals are often planned around what food would be good for the next day's bentos. Another thing typical of a modern bento is that it will often contain sausages. Many Japanese people very much enjoy the taste of sausages. The sausages can be interestingly cut to make little creatures or other creations, making the meal fun and enjoyable.

10. Name six places/shops where you can purchase a bento these days.

Places you can purchase bentos these days are department stores, supermarkets, convenience stores, shops specializing in bentos, restaurants, and train stations.

11. From the above six place, choose three to write in Japanese.

(I wrote them in pen)

12. How have bento boxes (the containers) changed over time? What sort of boxes are used today?

In the beginning of bento, the lunches were wrapped in different leaves or plant material. Then wooden boxes evolved, followed by crafted bento boxes, woven or made of bent wood. Now bento coxes can be traditionally shaped as things such as a half-moon. The most modern bentos are made out of wood, metal, or plastic. They can be rectangular, oval, or circular in shape. They can also have popular characters on them, such as Mrs. Arai's favorite, Hello Kitty

Here is my bento, based off of snorlax: