Black Sticks 2 - Canada 1

A strange day. I've found in the past few years that the last day of the year often seems to be an oddity. Students - excited to be finishing for the summer? Yes. That hasn't changed. Staff - celebrating the end of another successful year? Kind of. More like breathing a collective sigh of relief that we survived though.

Last official public engagement for our retiring principal at our junior prizegiving. A bitterweet taste to the proceedings. He's been a good principal - great even for many things. He has vision and drive, he has mana, he has humour, he's approachable. Whilst there have been things that, at a personal level, I've struggled with, things that have frustrated and annoyed me there is no denying that he has won the hearts and support of the students, the staff and the community. He was a breath of fresh air when he was appointed 12 years ago and he has certainly led the school to the higher, more esteemed place it sits today. He will be a tough act to follow. A very good and fitting final prize-giving.

Following the formalities we were able to finish a bit earlier so I picked the van up from the garage that had fixed the minor fault that caused it to fail its warrant (MoT) yesterday. Headed then to Richmond to have a bike rack fixed to it so I can take my bike with me on my trip :)

Home - quick snack then off down the hockey turf to watch the Black Sticks (national field hockey team) play the first of a four-test series against Canada. Fast, physical and a fantastic spectacle. Test 2 tomorrow evening. Canada will be seeking to avenge this evening's defeat.