The people I do life with ARE my wealth.

Hip hop as he leaps in the air.

“Make your weird light shine bright so the other weirdos know where to find you.” 

~ Sue Fitzmaurice

My morning rambles are the best therapy!

I have no markets this weekend and, just for a change, 

have been able to revel in the longest of rambles with the hound.

The BESTEST photo I've taken of the Fantail yet.
Not the greatest of light but I'm delighted to finally get one of him that's so focused!

We’ve caught up with 

the nicest of people,

chased copious logs 

and balls in and out 

of the waves,

had conversations that no-one 

but the hound understands

and basked 

in the beauty of low tide.

The hound has made people laugh.

LOTS.

We’ve got rained on too but that’s expected in a country 

where one can experience all 4 seasons in an hour.

This morning’s ramble unearthed my philosophical side too.

One of the benefits of having been open and honest about my situation, 

and that of the SO, is that people genuinely care.  

Conversations are frank and unambigious and there’s 

no need for white lies or hazy answers to difficult questions.  

There are no hidden agendas.

Life IS as it is.

Those who love and care for me accept that.

Darcy, getting down and dirty like only he can.

I don’t have all the answers and wouldn’t even begin to think that I do.

None of us do.

I just keep looking up and giving thanks.

Another positive of my situation is that it makes others take appraisal of their own.  

I’ve lost count of the number of messages and emails I receive sharing confidences.

In the sharing of these confidences there’s release and acceptance.  

Acceptance being the first step forward in any difficult situation.

Niko ruffled the Heron's feathers just a tad.

There is no shame in sharing where I'm at,

especially when it proves beneficial to others.

On a completely different tack, I’ll be working at the shop tomorrow.  

I don’t usually work at the shop over weekends.  

One of my colleagues isn’t able to fill her shift though so I’m doing it.

Just because I can.

It’s more mullah for the car fund too!

Life sometimes is meant to be played out in slow motion.

This morning, as the hound and I immersed ourselves in the moments as they happened, 

I couldn’t help but feel blessed 

to be where I am.

The people I do life with 

ARE my wealth.

Nothing more is necessary.

“People are like windows.

Once you’re broken you can never be fixed.

What you can’t see now though is 

that the shattered pieces of glass reflect light far more brightly

than they ever could when the window was whole.”

~ Ken Arkind

Our little local has had a revamp and is looking so funky!

Blessed are the weird people!

“Blessed are the weird people.  Poets, misfits, writers, mystics, painters and troubadours. 

For they teach us to see the world through different eyes.” 

~ Jacob Norby

My favourite dead tree and my favourite piece of real estate, shrouded in cloud today.

Rambles.  

Long ones

 misty morning ones

 spirit replenishing ones.

So necessary in everyone’s life.

Life has been hectic of late and this morning’s extended ramble was long overdue.

  It’s been an age since we’ve navigated the coastal route below the cliffs.  It’s a ramble that can only happen at low tide as a large part of the route is beneath the waves at any other time.

Pied Shag listening to a chain saw.

Low tide allows most of it to be accessible ... even when it’s raining.

Yep, the ONE day of the week that I HAVEN’T had to work and it’s

BUCKETED down with the wet stuff during the night.  

Karaka Bay ... secluded little hide-away for the select few.

NOT that it matters.

 I RAMBLE come rain OR shine, and so does the significant other when persuaded to.

It’s NOT the easiest of routes to ramble as it’s rugged and isolated 

and right next to the waves.  The hound loves it. 

She negotiates the rocks and boulders with ease leaving us trailing in her wake.

She was looking for logs ... BIG ones.

I’m trying to think of a collective noun for Kingfishers as there was an

abundance of them out there today.  

They’re not QUITE as used to human company as the ones in the bay are.  

The ones in the bay are used to the ENDLESS chatter and noise that we humans create.

The mudflats when the tide's out

Google, my “go-to information provider” of note suggested that the collective noun for Kingfishers is a CONCENTRATION.  That’s so apt.  I have to turn myself into a tripod when photographing them, which requires fierce CONCENTRATION!

One thing we hadn’t anticipated on our ramble was part of the cliff having collapsed.  

There were trees and boulders strewn everywhere making the remaining part of the coastal route inaccessible.   Auckland Council had erected large signs and fencing warning ramblers to keep out as more of the cliff could collapse.

The collapsing cliff

The signs DIDN’T say anything about staying out of the water!

So we got our feet wet.  

Very wet.  

Even  MY shoes, with their waterproof Gore-tex fabric couldn’t keep my feet dry. 

We DID have to wade KNEE-deep through the waves which might explain why.

The hound wasn’t the ONLY wet and weary body after our ramble today.  

It was good for the soul, 

good for the body and oh so good for the mind!

Cows in the 'clover' at Churchill Park

“As you find the light in you, 

you begin to see the light in everyone else.” 

~ Ram Dass

Codri's South African flag!

Be weird! Be random!

Ebony .... wonderdog!

“Be weird. Be random. Be who you are, because you never know who would love the person you hide.” 

~ author unknown

I love that quote! I wish more people would let the real ‘them’ shine out 

instead of hiding behind socially acceptable facades. 

I found some colourful duck feathers ...

I’ve lost count of the number of women who come in the shop and love an outfit they try on but won’t buy it because they don’t think their husband would like it. Get real! I have to try very hard not to let my disbelief show on my face.  These women are empowered by their husband’s approval but not their own. 

How sad is that?

... and the duck that they came from!

It doesn’t apply to ALL women of course but the sad fact is that it seems to apply more to women of my own generation and older.

I’ve written about this before and it bothers me ... the lack of self-belief that pervades so many women's minds. Everyone has beauty, in one form or another ... why can they not see it?

Beautiful reflections today!

So I’ve set myself a task .... from Monday I intend looking for something positive to say about the appearance of every woman that walks into the shop. I can’t wait to see how they react ... I’m hoping for a smile or a lifting of the head ... a spring in the step as they walk out of the shop. 

Everyone wants Indy's toy!

It could be an enlightening exercise ... and it will make me smile .... a lot!!

There are so many things in my day that make me smile. On the days that I work at the shop I usually open up, then pop round to the Co-op for another serving of that addiction fixing beverage.

Finally Indy's got his toy!

On the corner of the road the Co-op is on, there’s a bank with doors that open automatically as you walk in. Most banks have doors like these but the doors of this bank, being on a corner, don’t need you necessarily to walk IN for the doors to open. You just need to walk PAST. 

 I LOVE IT!

I walk around the corner just close enough to activate the doors. The doors open and all the tellers look up .... and NO-ONE walks in.

It NEVER fails to make me chuckle! 

Yeah yeah .... I know. Small things amuse small minds .... but I’m blonde ....it’s allowed!

There was much amusement at Ebony’s antics this morning too. Not only did she retrieve the rugby ball from the pond but she also retrieved Indy’s toy ... both at the same time! How she manages to squash them in her mouth is beyond me, but squash them in she does ... very successfully!

It probably helps that the rugby ball has lost most of its air and is rather flat. It’s no wonder my hound prefers everyone else’s rugby ball to her own.

Whispering secrets in Blaze's ear!

Note to self .... pump up the hound’s rugby balls!!! Soon!!!