A fine day at last. The garden is relieved!

I woke to sense 'lightness' through the blinds at 7.15 this morning! What a strange phenomenon. SUN!!
Church was not on my agenda today, on the basis that there was a visiting speaker who was to teach on 'Intelligent Design'. I have listened to many such teachings and it has always gone over the head of someone who left science out of her academic world with joy at the end of the fifth form. I thoroughly enjoyed 'Hour of Power' on TV3 instead (!!) before heading out to attack the garden for the first time for many months. Was out there at 9 am poised for action - hoe, secateurs, spade, rake, gumboots, gloves.
I mistakenly thought that 'fine' would mean 'warm' but it was not long before the cold attacked my hands and feet to the extent that I had to race inside to put a pair of woolly gloves on under my gardening gloves and a pair of P's woolly socks on over mine inside my gumboots.
I came inside at 4.30 pm after a fabulous day. MY back is aching and a few other muscles which have been largely unused for many months are too. However, I have pruned many of the roses and have weeded 3/4 of the garden. P has chainsawed the tops of three trees and the front lawn is full of a huge pile of gardening debris. What a great feeling. My life is coming back into order in some parts.
The Speech Contest is nearing - semi finals all day tomorrow and the finals are next Thursday. Will be so glad when they are over and I can get on with other things. However, I have had a fantastic time with speeches this year in my classes. I have LOVED being a teacher, as I have caught glimpses of the lives of around 80 students. What a privilege it is to be allowed into the lives of these students. It has encouraged me to see that our world is still a great one. It has proven to me, contrary to what picture the media paints of our world, that there is a tremendous positive side to life. There is hope for our young people in our world. I have felt the privilege of this job at BC. My classes are full of wonderful kids and I am indeed a fortunate woman.
I saw the same positive world in the Olympics Opening ceremony. When we take our eyes off the sensationalism that the media tries to sell us and look for the positive around us, it is a better place.