A smorgasbord of emotions

Pencil Art by Vincent Reid ... magical stuff!

EMOTIONS run high on a week like I’ve just had.

The Umhlanga Lighthouse 

It’s been exhilarating.

Bewildering.

Fragile.

3 visits to the Oyster Box in a week ... such a gorgeous spot.

I’ve cried BUCKETS of tears.

I’ve LAUGHED until I’ve cried.

I’ve had HUGS I’ve not wanted to let go off.

Second visit to the Oyster Box for Mom's Birthday High Tea

Love and caring has filled every fibre of my being.

I haven’t wanted it to end.

This time with family and friends far away has been precious and SO enjoyable.

For just a moment, 

TIME has ALMOST stood still and allowed me to catch my breath.

A special sanctuary in the Midlands

It’s been necessary.

Living so far away from family is hard.

This week more than reinforced that.

The 4 of us and Mom

I miss my Mom.

I miss my siblings.

I miss my friends.

Our first visit to the Oyster Box for lunch with Debs

Mom’s birthday week was full to the brim of SO many unexpected surprises.

She hadn’t expected to see me

She hadn’t expected to see my brother

She hadn’t expected to see my middle sister.

Love you Mom

All so carefully orchestrated and pulled off with flair.

Birthdays don’t come much better than that.

Daisy ... such a character!  Going to miss her a tad.

I’ve reconnected with places and people I haven’t seen in an age.

Been spoilt at a spa.

Had breakfasts and High Tea and coffees too numerous to mention.

The Spa ... what a gorgeous and opulent spot.  So enjoyed my pedicure with Debs

My last day was a smorgasbord of joy and sadness.

Much laughter ensued as I played chauffeur in Mom’s car.

It’s used to her more sedate, measured driving,

not being whizzed around corners and bends.

Daisy and Gemima ... Gemima's 14 years old and tolerates the more youthful Daisy.

Good job Mom’s hair IS already grey!

Pepper - such a beautiful fur-ball but very wary of strangers.
Spots on her body and stripes on her tail .... so unusual!

No matter where in the world I might live,

family is always family and saying goodbye is so hard.

The visit though was worth every tear that I’ve shed.

Family and friends MAKE me who I am.

The little Mannikins adding humour to the day at Mom's Birdfeeder.

“Like branches on a tree, 

we all grow in different directions yet our roots remain as one.  

Each of our lives will always be a special part of the others.” 

~ anon

A different perspective on the Lighthouse

Misty ... a Siamese with attitude and a voice to match!

Douglas, one of the hounds that lives at The Farmers Daughter, another lovely spot in the Midlands

He's booked to have THAT op ....

We've finished our ramble AND we're finished breakfast!

Oh dear .... my friend Sam doesn’t know what’s going to hit him tomorrow! He’s booked to have THAT op .... you know the one I mean. He’s going to have his balls removed .... and no, I DON’T mean the RUGBY kind.

Carol could have booked to have the op on Monday but it was my birthday today, so she wanted Sam to enjoy a ramble at Waiatarua and breakfast at Nosh with the hound and I, before he goes for the chop.

Poor, poor Sam ... he doesn’t have a clue.

There must be something in the air. Shadow went for the chop on Monday and now it’s Sam’s turn. October was Breast Cancer month ... should I be seeing November as having some kind of special significance too? .... other than the month that my birthday falls in of course. That is of HUGE significance!

Talking of birthdays, I just love birthdays ... and I especially love MY birthday! It gets extended you see. That’s the one advantage of living at the arse end of the world. I’m 11 to 13 hours AHEAD of most of my friends that live back in SA or the UK. 

Amazing reflections again today!

I get to spend the first part of my day with my immediate family, and the human and furry friends I’ve made here in NZ. Then I get to spend cyber-time with friends and family all around the world. It extends way beyond the 24 hours that usually make up a birthday! How LUCKY am I!

Even the sun has played ball today. I woke to GORGEOUS sunshine and blue skies. The tide was out too so the reflections were beautiful .... and the heron was in the bay. He posed for photos as I snuck across the rocks and mud flats to get closer to him. Yep ... the trainers got muddy but what’s a bit of mud when you’re getting awesome shots of the heron!

Sam took his aspirations of being a chocolate hound to new levels today. He even got his tongue all chocolate!! Despite the heavy cloud cover of the past few weeks there hasn’t been an awful lot of rain so the wonderful puddles at Waiatarua are now wonderful MUD puddles! It’s a wannabee chocolate hound’s idea of heaven!

From the hounds mud-filled heaven we headed to Nosh for a birthday breakfast ... poached eggs on toast with a side of mushrooms and spinach. When you have a Labrador in your life, you soon get used to being watched as you eat .... and ignore it .... even when Sam’s nose is ALMOST touching your plate!

It's that trio of mousse again!

I could get used to days like this. I’ve been fed and watered and spoilt all day .... even by the girls at the Co-op who wouldn't let me pay for my ice-cream! There were even dolphins in the bay when Gareth and I headed out to meet Cayl’s for lunch. Yes .... breakfast out AND lunch out, lunch courtesy of my lemmings.

Who wouldn’t feel special when they’ve had a birthday like mine!

Reflections in the rock pools on the beach ... amazing!

Oh yes .... it's that moon again!