HERALD THE CALLING OF SPRINGTIME!

I think I am getting my energy back, just in time for the change of seasons, yippee it's springtime!

I was shocked to learn from a blood test I was so low in iron stores, they were nearly non-existent! My ferritin (the iron stores) was a measly 2 on the scale, the normal being between 20-320. Since replenishing the iron and having it gradually build back up I can literally see the colour come back to my face. After being nicknamed "pale-face" and teased mercilessly about the number of freckles I had by my Dad for the best part of 40 odd years (he used to pretend to count them all up), seeing that white-faced ghost look back at me in the mirror over the past few months has been shocking. It is good to be back in the land of the living! Both colour-wise & energy-wise.
One fine day, a very special friend of mine, Tracy, knowing how I had been mercifully teased, very thoughtfully gifted me this cute plaque with the saying:

"Freckles are spots where the angels have kissed you..."

I look at this every morning, think of Tracy, and celebrate my freckles. Roll on those angels!

Daniel has a fixation with being a dog...namely "Spot".
He is getting annoyed when we call him by anything else..
"I'm not Daniel, I'm Spot wemember? Woof woof" he says.
"And you're Sally, and Dad is Sam, and Nicowa is Spot's Sister, and Cameron is Spot's brovver"
I like this one the best: "And Lezanny is Spot's Granma, Hi Spot's granma!"

Well, I guess Spot is comfortable in his own skin...it all started when Daniel said "Hi dere, what's your name" to a stranger on the street. The stranger replied, then asked "What's your name?" where Daniel promptly retorted "Spiderman!". Somehow it has morphed into Spot now, and stuck.
And now instead of the "what's your name?" question, it is now far cooler to say "What's up Dude!"


"Spot" has now started swimming weekly....we are celebrating the freedom from emergency interventions we have NOT needed since we have moved up here, and have now the confidence to let him swim again.

And swim he does...like a fish!

He has a fantastic swimming coach who is teaching him to float by himself on his back, swim through hoops and do overarm swimming.
It is the highlight of Daniel's week. From the moment he gets in the water till he gets out, he does not stop for a breather, not once!

Suffice to say when he does get out, the tiredness sets in. But it is all good exercise.

Roll on daylight savings, which, in combination with the onset of spring, will bring much anticipated rallies at Rosedale Pony Club for Nicola, and the start of tennis sessions for Cameron. I have been playing outdoor netball  (not just twilight up here in Auckland, it is warm enough to play all year round!), and Todd has started back at the gym. So here's to heralding the beginning of spring, and the enlivenment of the earth - may all good things grow and prosper!