a rambling random catching up post

Haven't posted for a few days. Been busy la :-)

Also somehow been feeling rather tired of late. By 9 PM or so I find that I start to get drowsy and when I do sleep I have been finding that I wake up still feeling drowsy and have to force myself to get up (even though it wasn't a deep sleep). I suspect that it is because the sunrise is not as early anymore now that it is already mid autumn.

We put in a ventilation system (DVS) in our house a few weeks ago. We have been saving since July (when we bought our house) for a heat pump but decided that a DVS would be better value for money and more relevant to our house needs. Our house is pretty cooling in summer (we have lots of windows that can open wide unlike our previous place) and it is not that cold either. But moisture / condensation has been a bigger problem (esp with a certain son's room) and two of us in the house have dust mite / dust allergies. So DVS it was ... and we are pretty pleased with it.

Next on our to consider getting list (which will mean a lot more saving) is whether we should try and trade in my beloved Toyota Corolla for a MPV or station wagon. Leg room issue is one big factor as the boys are now so tall. A second is that the car is really pretty low (due to the cool bucket seats) and it is very hard for older people when I take them around. And the third is the lousy turning circle and the fact that being a "low car" it is difficult to see some sides of the car. The fourth of course is that we hope that in Dec-Jan to go for a family holiday with my mum and it is not the most comfortable car for 5 people due to the bucket seats. But I do love the car and it is in really good shape (even the exterior paint job despite being a white car - still shiney!)

Andrew has got a part time job .... at McDonalds. God is good as it is recession time but the local Kelston McD has been renovated and is expanding with its McCafe add on. A few hundred applicants so it is a blessing that he was one of those who got the job. He wasn't very confident about getting the job but I was very confident he would get it! This father has more faith in his son than he has in himself? LOL The only concern now is how well he will be able to balance his time ... school work, MATES programme, church duties and youth committee duties and activities, girl friend :-) and his chores! Yup, he still has to do his chores as chores to me are an integral aspect of being part of this family!

I am happy that the work place is near enough for him to walk to after school though we will have to work out picking him up after work. Maybe we should charge him taxi fare! LOL! But part-time work I think is great for him as it will teach him the value of money (and save me some money too) and how to balance his time better and not waste time on too many frivolous activities; learn to work in a team etc. And the pay is good as well!

I hope Steven will learn to fully take over the yard work to earn extra money etc.

This week was pleased to see that all three of the articles submitted by our church STM members to Takeo has been featured in the latest GOWW newsletter. That STM was a blessing to all of us. Was also pleased to get an e-mail from Ritchie finding out that he is now a faculty member of Haggai Institute for this year. I think HI made a good choice in inviting him. And Dr. Haiwan is most likley going to come to NZ for a visit (work related). Am looking forward to having him come and stay at our home for a couple of nights. Pity he will not be able to bring in "Bak kua" to NZ. *sigh*

Beatles fans ... heads up. check out a new link I put on the sidebar (under "When really bored"). A musician pal Jimi (a fellow Beatles fan) sent the link to me. Really nice. Loads of Beatles videos, songs, lyrics and history.

About "A Hard Day's Night"

From the original Beatles Album "A Hard Day's Night" (1964)

RINGO 1964: "We went to do a job, and we'd worked all day and we happened to work all night. I came up still thinking it was day I suppose, and I said, 'It's been a hard day...' and I looked around and saw it was dark so I said, '...night!' So we came to 'A Hard Day's Night.'"

JOHN 1980: "I was going home in the car and Dick Lester suggested the title, 'Hard Day's Night' from something Ringo had said. I had used it in 'In His Own Write,' but it was an off-the-cuff remark by Ringo. You know, one of those malapropisms. A Ringo-ism, where he said it not to be funny... just said it. So Dick Lester said, 'We are going to use that title.' And the next morning I brought in the song... 'cuz there was a little competition between Paul and I as to who got the A-side-- who got the hits. If you notice, in the early days the majority of singles, in the movies and everything, were mine... in the early period I'm dominating the group. The only reason he sang on 'A Hard Day's Night' was because I couldn't reach the notes. (sings) 'When I'm home/ everything seems to be right/ when I'm home...' --which is what we'd do sometimes. One of us couldn't reach a note but he wanted a different sound, so he'd get the other to do the harmony."

PAUL circa-1994: "The title was Ringo's. We'd almost finished making the film, and this fun bit arrived that we'd not known about before, which was naming the film. So we were sitting around at Twickenham studios having a little brain-storming session... and we said, 'Well, there was something Ringo said the other day.' Ringo would do these little malapropisms, he would say things slightly wrong, like people do, but his were always wonderful, very lyrical... they were sort of magic even though he was just getting it wrong. And he said after a concert, 'Phew, it's been a hard day's night.'"