Kid’s triathlon

Next Friday ( the 6th) Martinborough School will be having a race day with a difference, triathlons with varying lengths according to age.

The juniors – year one to four, will swim at the small pool for year one the main pool for others, bike or scooter around Considine Park then run back to the pool area.

The seniors – years five to eight face somewhat greater challenges. They will swim between four and six lengths of the pool (according to year).Then it’s on to bikes for two or three laps of a 2.16km route from Considine Park taking in Ferry Road, French Street, Weld Street and back along Roberts Road. Having completed this they will run around Considine Park , along the walking track and back to the pool area – twice for years five and six, three times for years seven and eight.

This will surely sort out fitness levels. There is no word of a teacher’s race.

Know your town

Waihenga or Waihinga?
A surviving plan from 22nd June 1872 has the spelling of the original subdivision Waihenga – the English rather than the Maori spelling of Waihinga. Archival papers passed to me by my old aunts quote Te Waihinga as meaning The Falling Waters. The alternate Waihenga as the Meeting of Waters – the Ruamahanga and Huangarua rivers – or Spreading Waters. An old photo shows water covering right across from Tod’s to Bidwill’s cuttings.
The first subdivision was surveyed in 1870 by the Provincial Engineer, J D Baird, subdivided a 100 acre block of land just up from the Waihinga Ferry crossing on the Lower valley Road to Greytown. … Continue Reading

Lake Ferry Flag Pole

At present we are fundraising to tidy up the flag pole area ready for the 100 year Centennial of World War One. The base has developed a crack and there are currently several avenues being explored as how best to repair and maintain this area. If you have any queries or suggestions about the rejuvenation of this area or alternatively if you would like to make a donation to this project please feel free to contact Judy McDonald on 06)3077832.

Library news

Wow, have we been busy in the last couple of months.  The library is buzzing with overseas visitors seeking information and using the Wifi and internet services.  Preschoolers are exploring every inch of every part of the library, so watch where you put your feet! 

Some of our customers come in and stay all day, others need to be dragged out of the library by their owners (Mandy the little dog of cuteness who visits us regularly – see Facebook for the video).   Other customers just come for the ambiance and to laugh at the librarians. 

With schools back, the preschool sessions are going strong.  Te Reo Book Babies has moved to Monday as our teacher, Melody, is training on a Friday.  Please use it or we will use it.  Our grant money to run the sessions will run out in August.

Remember The Wairarapa Law Society offer free legal advice once a month in the library.  The next session is on the 24th March from 10 to 12.

Some new interesting books in the library include;
The boy who was raised as a dog; How to tell if your cat is plotting to kill you; Peacemongers by Barry Hill; I remember nothing by Nora Ephron and Adolescent volcanoes.  The last title is a best seller in the US for advice on dealing with those teenagers who explode when you look at them sideways or even if you don’t look at them.
Thanks go out to all those lovely customers who have donated books, magazines and DVDs.  Even if they don’t end up on the library shelves, I will always find a good home for them.  Nothing goes to waste in our library.  We have also started a magazine bring and swap stand just outside the door.  Bring in any you have finished with for others to read and help yourself to some different ones.

That’s all for now – check out our Facebook page and come and see us.