PIA - Southern Field Days, Day 3

We tearfully farewell Telford and head back to Waimumu for the last time. "Now John", says Team Leader, “I feel that today is a day of bargains, so let's start at the gate. Drive purposefully, Own the gate" - Boom in; $60 extra for chips & hot dogs (or shoes).

Tools are unloaded and our professional looking crew draws a small crowd wanting to check out the team. Numbers for hairdressers and shampooing tips are traded before the locals disappear back into the field days throng. Seriously though, we had a couple who met us yesterday, went home, did some googling and messaged today to offer sponsorship. The students have had a hard time walking around the venue constantly being approached by our adoring public wanting to share a little of the wonder that is PIA. Team Leader is in her happy place.

Our friendly fencing champion, Nick Leifting: FYI 39 straight years NZ finalist, National and World Champion, sorts the crew and it's game on; building 4 sets of competition fences. Kylie works up a sweat as the camera is passed over. John starts endurance training as he is sent off to our friendly sponsors at Warratah & strainrite, to beg and borrow a bit of extra kit. The eyelashes get a work out and he is looking at a favourable performance review based on the free goodies he returns with.

A couple of hours of intense concentration ensues. Hard work, lots to learn and plenty going wrong. Our teens cope admirably and their efforts are not too shabby. If only their teachers could see them now: hard working, focused, well mannered. Fully intent on doing a good job. Team Leader almost sheds a tear…then remembers Champions don’t cry.

Our top 2 teams then go head to head with little between them at the finish. Time for a final lap: think grunting (tractor pulls) autographs, a spot of shopping at Strainrite: the mean discount on wire strainers trumps shoe purchases.

We leave at 3pm hoping to make the Crusaders preseason in Methven for a 4:30 kick off. Usually the trip home is quiet as the babies sleep, only waking for the bathroom or when hungry but we are disappointingly alive. A photo stop at the big fish in Gore sees anarchy as the girls commandeer the back seat. Tom B sulks and Richard books counselling.

• It's 4pm heading through Dunedin, “can we go to hunty fishy?” a small voice calls from the back seat. “No, it closes early on Fridays" is the definitive answer from the front.
• Burgers are ordered from Palmerston for 6pm - brain cells are burnt working out how we are getting there in 14 hours and isn’t there a closer takeaway than from somewhere than above Wellington?
• A yellow bike does not constitute a yellow car
• Yellow car….back there.
• Josh is hot on the rules for the Yellow car game and we all agree he must have been an outstanding toddler.
• Team Leader gets stuck in the Go Pro and Kylie has to dress her
• Ok this is a good song and I WANT SILENCE
• John and Kylie cover themselves in glory dragging each other off at all the lights through Dunedin.
• Emily, “ I don’t talk …..much”
• Team Leader to Cullen, “You're peaking at the wrong end of the trip"
• Josh, “What seems to be the officers problem?"
• How much do you think a back window is? Answer: "Probably a timetable change” Several quiet moments pass as the teens work this one out.
• NO!!
• John finds his inner bogan and almost drops the clutch. Team Leader is delighted with the progress of her parents
• It's officially time to go home, we have run out of Tractor Bangers and One direction is in the house!

The End.