The Lions Rugby Tour in NZ 2017

The Lions Rugby Tour in NZ 2017

The lions, (England) were touring New Zealand for the Rugby test series against the All Blacks. There were three tests plus other games held in different regions in New Zealand. The Lions won one  game the All Blacks won one game and on the final test it was a draw.

Makareta and Bridget are sitting in front of the poster advertising the Lions Rugby Tour.

Bridget and Makareta are standing by the weet-bix box that has the new box cover featuring the All Blacks. 

Bridget and Makareta are sitting on the weet-bix which shows what other side of the box looks like.

During the Rugby season Bridget and Makareta ate the new Whittaker’s chocolate, proud supporters of the All Blacks, with a special edition 250g block called The Full Eighty. It is made of creamy milk chocolate packed with cranberries, banana, protein puffs and peanuts. 

Leticia B and Maddie Go To New Mexico

Leticia A and Leticia B are playing in the kowhai tree. This will be the last time they climb the tree and play together because tomorrow Leticia B is flying with Maddie to New Mexico to live.

These two Funky girls are playing with their dolls. Maddie, on the left  tells Fay that she is flying to New Mexico tomorrow with Leticia B to live. Fay tells her she will be sad to see her leave Kowhai Corner.

The next morning at the airport Maddie is  with Leticia B who is saying her last goodbyes to Leticia A. Leticia A is sad that Leticia B is going to New Mexico but understands Leticia B’s need to pursue her soccer desire in New Mexico. She will be living with a family who loves soccer.

The call of their flight number has been announced to board the plane.  The two girls walk together to board the plane.

Goodbye Leticia B and Maddie. All the Groovy Girls and Funky girls at Kowhai Corner hope you have a safe flight and a happy future.

The Big Pink Fish

 Celeste is walking the Labrador guide dog puppy who is lives with Polly. Siri is walking Mustard who belongs to Celeste. Polly has the Labrador puppy for twelve months and then it will go back to the Guide dog association where they will do an assessment and train the dog so he can be paired with a blind person.

They are walking on a coastal road and the look over at the beach and they see a big fish that has been washed ashore. Siri passes the guide dog puppy’s leash to Celeste and runs down to the beach to see if she can help the fish.

Siri pats the fish on its side and it is unresponsive.

She climbs up onto the fish with some difficulty, because it is slippery, and kicks her legs on the fish. The fish tells her to go away. The fish is a mother fish and tells Siri that it saw its baby fish get pulled up out of the water on a fishing line and she hasn’t seen it since. She doesn’t want to live without her baby.

Siri slides off the fish and talks into her ear to encourage her to turn around and she will help push her back into the sea. Meanwhile Celeste is getting closer and the two dogs are barking with excitement to get close to the fish.

The fish sees and hears the dogs coming closer it does turn around to face the sea and Siri pushes it out to deeper water where it then puts its head down and swims out into the ocean. It can’t be seen so the girls believe they saved the fish.

 It was the sight and barking of the dogs that scared the fish that made it turn towards the sea. What great team work between the girls and dogs.

Ginny Photos 2017

Rosa and Julie are helping on a flower cart for their friend who sells the flowers.

Joanne and friend are listening to a Suzanne Prentice record called One Day at a Time. Joanne is writing down the words to the song One Day at Time as they repeatedly play just that song to get all the words.

African Ginny has brought the baby giraffe a drink of water.

Groovy Girls Photos 2017

Selia hopes all the readers of this blog have a very happy year in 2017.

Kalvin is wearing a  soccer shirt from Brazil.

Janisse and Trini went to a surprise birthday where donuts was the theme .

These three groovy girls have had a bath and are now pegged on the line to dry.

L & P have a new flavor, Sour Lemon. Trissa has set the cups out for the other groovy girls to have a drink.

Jordon is standing by the yellow lily.

Kali and Kassidy went to the 10 am Anzac service this year.

Verity has made a pumpkin pie for desert tonight. She will add whipped cream to each slice.

This Groovy Girl is learning to speak and write Chinese.

Kendra and Lillian have set up Play Mobil nativity set for this year’s Christmas season.

Kalvin is delighted with his Christmas present this year which is a book, The Official Liverpool FC Annual 2017. Dylan is only a football player so they are looking at it together and then they will practice kicking goals.

Kalvin and William

Kalvin has been keeping out of the way of the other girls that have arrived at Kowhai Corner Groovy Girls Accommodation Centre.

One day he went to an open day at Hockin House, a historical house, where there was a display of string puppets and a puppet show where some of the characters did a performance. He is glad he is not controlled by strings. 

Most days he is outside kicking the soccer ball about and practicing other hand skills.

He has met a friend, William, who is a rugby fan although they like different sports they have become good friends. William is very short for his age.

 William tells Kalvin that he is going to hospital to have an operation to lengthen his legs.

William is scared of the operation because he doesn’t know  how painful it will be. Kalvin encourages William that he will be here waiting for him to return and will like him no matter what height he will be when he sees him again.

Two weeks later Kalvin receives a phone call that William has had his operation and is still in hospital recovering.

Kalvin  goes to  visit him in hospital and takes with him William’s rugby uniform that he loves wearing so much.

William asks for his clothes and puts them on.

 He lies on top of the bed and asks William to lie on the floor along side of him so he can see how much taller he is

 

Wow! They are both surprise how tall the operation has made William. He is now as tall as Kalvin. They will have a lot of fun playing and kicking the ball when William comes home.

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William’s Uncle has given him a rugby 2011 bag for being brave to have the operation and during his exercises.

Fourteen Groovy Girls Arrive to Live at Kowhai Corner

 Polly and Rie were expecting Flossie to call in at the Groovy Girl Accommodation Centre at Kowhai Corner at 9 am. It is now after 10 am and outside the sun is shining brightly.

 They look out the window and decide to go outside to sunbathe while it is sunny. They are feeling rejuvenated by the sun when they hear Flossie's truck arrive. Flossie sits on the block fence with Georgia her dog and reads out the list of dates and times of the arrival of the Groovy Girls expected to arrive this week.

Flossie leaves and gives Polly the list and tells her she will be back in an hour with Kali and Kassidy. 

Polly grasps and both quickly sit up,  put their dresses on and discuss what they will sew next. Polly and Elsa have started sewing clothes for the Groovy Girls that are coming to live at the Accommodation Centre.

Rie goes into the storage room to get some material and patterns. Polly is behind the sewing machine when she hears a knock and two happy voices.

Rie welcomes Kassidy and Kali inside.  Polly can see at least these two girls have pants on. Kali and Kassidy say they would like to have a bath so  Rie takes them to the bathroom.

Polly tells Kali and Kassidy that their clothes will be ready to put on when they have finished having their bath.

Polly gives Kali the dress Kalvin wore when he first arrived while he was waiting for his clothes to be made, (but she won’t tell Kali that). She gives Kassidy a skirt and top to wear. Polly tells the girls she has no shoes for them to wear but they will get a pair each.  The girls put their given clothes on and go outside and play with the dogs.

The next morning Kendra and Sarita are at the Kowhai Tree waiting for Leticia to arrive. They have a drink of water and some hot chips which they brought with them.

They hear a rustling noise and look up and see Leticia above them in the tree. She climbs down the tree and the three walk together to the Groovy Girls Accommodation Centre and Rie shows them to their bedroom. Rie lets Polly know these three girls have arrived dressed.

The last girl to arrive this week is Rachel. She has flown from the UK and had a stopover in Paris for a few days before continuing her journey to Kowhai Corner Groovy Girls Accommodation Centre. Rachel has brought a chair sleeper and  a poster of Paris with her which she puts up in her room. Rachel is wearing her new t shirt from Paris.

The Groovy Girls have had a great weekend getting to know each other and are excited to hear eight more Groovy Girls arrive on Monday.

On Monday morning Siri, Trini, Verity and Janisse arrive. Flossie confirms to Polly that she is going to pick up the last four girls at two o’clock from the bus depot.

Flossie arrives with Trissa, Oki, Gwen and Selia to Kowhai Corner just in time for afternoon tea. 

Polly Sews Clothes for Kalvin on His Arrival at Kowhai Corner

Polly was enjoying the afternoon reading her book when she was interrupted by a knock on the door.

The door opens and in rushes Flossie*  with some exciting news.

Flossie tells Polly that she has driven to Kowhai Corner in her truck with a naked passenger sitting on the back of the truck! The passenger is Kalvin, (A Groovy Girl Doll), who has come to live at Kowhai Corner in the Groovy Girls Centre.  Flossie adds that Kalvin has arrived wearing no clothes and has brought no clothes with him. 

Polly goes into the storage room to the wardrobe and brings out a knitted dress which she gives to Flossie and tells her it is for  Kalvin to put on. Polly tells Flossie she and her twin sister, Rie, will sew some clothes for Kalvin when he comes inside. Flossie goes back to the truck and convinces Kalvin to put the dress on and tells him Polly will make him some clothes to when he comes inside.

Kalvin puts the dress on reluctantly and climbs off the back of the truck feeling very embarrassed. He greets Polly and Rie who have already put the sewing machine and material on the table ready to start sewing him some clothes.

Polly cuts out and sews him some trousers and Rie  cuts out a t shirt for him. Kalvin puts his new trousers on and takes the dress off as he watches Polly sew his t shirt.

Polly finishes sewing his t shirt and Kalvin puts it on. Kalvin exclaims he had brought his book with him called, Officially the UK's Best Selling Football Annual 2017, which he has left in the truck. 

Kalvin runs outside to the truck to collect it and takes it to the room that has been given to him to use at Kowhai Corner Groovy Girl Centre.

Two weeks later… Kalvin is given another book, World Cup 2010 Superstars which tells about the football players, the teams and the facts. Kalvin is very happy.

*Flossie is a farm helper from Cracker Jim books by Jim Anderson. Polly and Rie are Pumpkin Patch dolls.