House full of blokes

This week my thinking turns to an issue that is brewing in the background in Cromwell.  There is a petition to Council, columns in local print media and letters to the editor - so the ball game at the forefront of this week's blog is touch rugby.  There has been lots of talk in Cromwell over the last month or so about the charges for the Cromwell Rugby Club Summer Touch competition and I have been asking those I meet for their opinion on the charges for the use of the Anderson Park grounds.  There has been a very mixed response - and I am quite surprised by that.  Some people are very firmly of the opinion that this should be covered in rates - their arguments include: we are already paying for the upkeep of the grounds, we want to encourage community involvement in physical activity and the cost to the council of the grounds not being used is roughly the same as the cost of grounds that are being used.  On the other side of the fence I'm hearing: it's user pays, the club c

I attended the first Council training session for elected members on Wednesday of this week.  Most of my Cromwell Council and Community Board colleagues had attended training on Monday - it was just Robin Dicey and myself at the Wednesday session from Cromwell along with elected members from the Teviot Valley, Ranfurly and Alexandra.  I'm afraid I didn't make a great first impression arriving a few minutes late - I rushed out of a pantomime casting meeting at school and then had a slow trip through the gorge.  Hopefully I will get my timings more accurate for the next meeting.  Robin made sure my lateness was noted. Windows Surface Pro 3 - to make sure we are all working away in the background First order of business was training on our new devices - we have all been issued with Windows Surface Pro 3 tablets for our three year term.  There were a couple of quips from the IS guys (nothing to do with Islamic terrorist movements - information services) about teachers and Mac

I am writing this week's blog from the Goldfields Primary Book fair.  There is a family browsing the books, while outside the School duathlon is being run.  I'm quite enjoying my quiet little spot - but I do feel like I am missing out on some of the fun by being hidden away in the back of the school hall.  I'll be here all week 8:30-9:30am and 2:30-4:00pm - there are loads of lovely books and everyone is most welcome to come and have a browse - we get a large commission that we take in books and all sales count toward this. Scholastic Book Fair all set up in the Goldfields hall I have eyed up a couple of items that will make their way across the Tasman for my nephews for Christmas - but my own lummoxes have moved on from being excited about coming to the book fair and choosing new reading material.  Lummox 1 and 2 are busy buried in study - exam season is upon us (at least they tell their mum they are buried in study).  Number 3 should be hitting the books - he is NCE

So, the election is done and dusted.  The results are in and counted and the sense of anticipation and nervous anxiety hasn't gone away. I had a really busy Saturday coordinating a catering job for the Cromwell Swim Club.  We were lucky enough to be offered the catering for the Cromwell Volunteer Fire brigade annual honours night, as a fundraiser for our club.  Much of my day was spent baking - taking special care over making sure the gluten free guests at the event were getting something yummy - with no cross contamination - I have promised to pass on a couple of recipes - so it must have been ok. I knew to expect a phone call in the early to mid-afternoon and I could feel the nervous knot in my stomach tightening as time went by.  The phone call came about 1:30pm with strict instructions to keep it to myself until 2pm. My number one supporter I didn't quite manage to keep it completely to myself - my lovely bloke and lummox no.3 were both on hand to hear my news.  

The view we all love - nearly home... Cromwell gets the award for apathy at this point of the election.  The election returns so far can be seen on the CODC website  Election returns  this link takes you to the sorry story of Cromwell's lack of enthusiasm for making a difference to our future by voting.  As of Saturday 1st October only 35% of eligible Cromwell voters have returned their ballot papers - the rest of the district is sitting around 45% at this point. Cromwell from above Come on, wake up Cromwell - this election is important - I know our council candidates are all elected without the ballot - but we need to have our say in regard to the Mayor and Regional councillors - we are now the biggest little town in this district our voice needs to be heard loud and clear.  The issues faced by Cromwell are different and unique because of the position of our town as an industrial hub, the rapid growth and the squeeze on housing availability, and the difficult conversatio