Big week - bigger weekend!

While much of the South Island and the South of the North was reeling from the devastating earthquake last week, Cromwell kept ticking along - counting our blessings, checking our survival kits and emergency evacuation procedures.  Our thoughts have definitely been with the communities disrupted and affected by this major event.  It has certainly given us all pause for thought about our own preparedness and the safety of our homes and communities.

Back in little old Cromwell it was junior pantomime week.  Our four New Entrant/Year 1 classes and a Year 2 class joined forces to present the rollicking tale of The Three Billy Goats Gruff.  The majority of the children are 5 and 6 years old and they did an amazing job of singing and dancing along to the tale for three performances.  Five classes of children for a tale with four main characters means quite a stretch in imagination - we had a class of fantails, a class who made the bridge, a class of billy goats, a class of trolls and a class of grass and water - classic stuff.
Some of the Goldfields super stars on stage
This week was also my biennial boob squashing appointment.  A mammogram is certainly not an event that anyone looks forward to - all that half nakedness and a stranger handling your breasts, before placing them into a torture device - but for women of a certain age a necessary health check to ensure we have the best chance of sticking around for a long time to enjoy our families.  If you are 45+ and female and you have not got yourself registered with Breast Screen Aotearoa - then it is time to get onto it.
The boob bus in Queenstown
We had a great old friend over for a flying visit on Friday night.  Dave was over from Avoca Beach, north of Sydney to attend his sister's wedding in Dunedin on Saturday.  He flew into Queenstown to visit us for some Cromwell hospitality.  Friday was a beautiful, calm evening and we decided to head to our newest eating establishment - Amigo's in the Mall.  We started off with margaritas - the boys went with the jalapeno version, I stuck with classico.  We had a fun meal with lots of laughs and catching up and then went into the 'don't know when to go home' mode.  Off to The Brew House for a game of pool and then The Vic, where good sense finally prevailed and we jumped in the courtesy coach and home.
Amigos fun - middle photo shows 'the wall' in the mall - the mexicans are on the other side!
Saturday was a wee bit slow - not sure why!  We needed to shake off the fug from the night before because Saturday was the annual BOT, FOTS and staff function.  This year we went through the decades - starting with the nifty fifties and ending at our place for the decadent eighties.  Everyone was grouped into the different decades for dressing up and to provide the food, beverages and music at the venue for that decade.  We'd had a brain wave on Friday night and we booked  an arcade machine from Mark Ruston at R-Cades mark@rcades.co.nz.  It arrived just after lunch and went into immediate service - Street Fighter, Pac Man, Donkey Kong, Space Invaders and so much more... the Harry boys spent quite a bit of time just making sure it was all working okay.
Arcade game in action
We decorated the lounge with bunting of eighties album covers.  I took to a pair of cheap high-tops with a silver pen to recreate a genuine 80s look and we prepared to get our angry, aging punk/goth on!

Bovver boy and goth girl!
It was a great night.  It got rowdier as we advanced through the decades.  The drinks were truly dodgy pina coladas, gimlet, martinis, tequila sunrises and jelly bean shots - the ouzo was the last straw for a couple of revellers - they made a quick transition from the eighties to the reality of 2016.  There was plenty of retro food too - pigs in blankets, fondue, shrimp cocktails, vol au vents and chicken, cranberry and brie pizza... what a combo.
Party people - everyone looked great!
We won't talk about the dance moves - let's just say they were dangerous!

This week is all about proof reading school reports, rehearsals for the senior school panto and CODC Governance training on Friday.
Aging goth - ready for bed!

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