Sundays in October

October is a month of conflict. My birthday lands smack in the middle, and my thanks to whanau and friends who celebrated with me at a variety of times and places this year. The problem is it falls in a busy time of the year and looming deadlines are ever present. Back in my Teachers' College and university days, October was exam time. Now, in teaching, it's all about report writing. We are already two weeks into what is shaping up to be a very busy term. Most of the records and testing updates are completed and now the writing of reports is underway. I devoted all of yesterday, but as my teaching colleagues know, it takes considerable time to craft each report into a document worthy of each child and their unique strengths and needs. At least another two Saturdays will be needed in addition to what I can fit in during the weeks. My blogging has taken a back seat, but this is just a hiatus and it will be back at full strength again soon, I hope. It really is an absorbing and satisfying interest.

But Sundays remain mine, all mine. The Sunday paper in bed morning ritual cannot be compromised. For the last two weeks I have also enjoyed a meal out and a movie. I can recommend both the movies.

Last week's was a documentary about the Jerusalem community up the Whanganui river. Although I grew up in Whanganui, I have never been to Jerusalem. As a child, I do remember my Father's anger and disgust as the local paper detailed the goings-on in James K. Baxter's commune - tales of depravity and drugs in the hippy haven. Reading about Baxter and enjoying his poetry a few years later, I think it would have been an interesting place to know more about and wish I had taken a bit more notice at the time, and had at some stage visited the area when it was so close. The movie was about the present day, centering on the lives of the local nuns, families and school. See it.

Today's movie was a preview screening of The Sessions, which opens in early November. This was closely based on the true story of a writer and poet, Mark O'Brien. It was brilliant - a great cast and an absorbing story. See it.