They speak a funny kind of English here.

 A sense of humour in life is essential.

Without it, my world as I know it, would be meaningless.

Trying to explain to Yvonne where we go to feed carrots to the donkeys had us both in fits of laughter.  My pronounciation of certain New Zealand place names leaves a lot to be desired.

What can I say.

They speak a funny 

kind of English here.

I needed my ramble with her on Friday.

No matter how hard I try to put a positive spin on things,

there are days when it all becomes a little too much.

That’s when the laughter’s necessary

as I struggle to make sense of a world gone wonky.

It hasn’t helped that it’s been BEYOND cold in my little part of the world.

Wet too.

Our new flat is like an icebox

with the thermostat set at it’s lowest.

Roll on spring and the return of warmth to that sunshine.

Our rambles this week have proved a tad challenging.

Leaving in the dark is par for the course.

Leaving when the temp’s only 2 or 3 degrees, not so.

It’s all relative I know

but Auckland’s more temperate climate doesn’t prepare us for chills like this.  Nor does inadequate insulation and heating in houses.

Mud, puddles, ice and frost have had the hound doing a happy dance.

She LOVES our morning adventures, no matter how dark OR cold.

Her waggling bum and black and white rugby jersey always elicit smiles as she bumbles exuberantly along boardwalks covered in frost and ice.

We both breathe out smoke as our warm breath hits the frosty air.

I wouldn’t change a thing about our early morning adventures though.

No matter the temperature.

No matter my mood.

No matter where we wander.

We make a connection with the world.

A connection with life.

A connection with simplicity

and THAT’S what feeds my soul.

“Blessed are the curious for they shall have adventures.” 

Facing the fears

A sprinkling of frozen dewdrops on the Proteas

I took a big step forward this weekend.

For me that is.

Frost on the boardwalk .... 2 degrees on our early morning ramble

I attended a party.

On my own.

Not much you might think in the grander scheme of things.

But it was for me.

I’m accustomed to being one half of a couple.

Invitations and acceptances to functions were generally for both of us.

The SO and I.

That’s how it’s been for the last 30 odd years.

Warming up on the street lights

Going to functions with a girlfriend is easy.

Choosing to attend on my own is a little daunting.

Especially when it’s in the city.

But I did.

Even drove myself there.

And felt so brave for having taken that step.

The Panmure Bridge.  I walk over it to reach the Rotary Walkway.

My world is changing and I’m embracing it.

The other change I’m delighting in are my rambles along the estuary.

Another living, moving body of water to explore.

And photograph of course.

NOTHING is ever static about it, even when the tide’s retreating.  

It lives.

Abundantly so.

There are SO many Kingfishers

all JUST out of reach of my lens.

Catching the sunrise over the estuary as its colours light up the sky

and wake up the world is beyond magical.

The warmth creeps along the water and sidles up the ever-present masts.

EVERYthing in view is bathed in glittering gold.

This world, and the chaos in it, is forgotten in the warmth and glory of the moment.

I would be lost without this daily dose of magic.

Even on the wet and woeful days there’s a glow in the sky as the sun makes it’s presence felt.  NOTHING stops it.

I want to be like that.

Unstoppable.

“One day she finally grasped that unexpected things were always going to happen in life.  

And with that she realised the only control she had was how she chose to handle them.  

So she made the decision to survive using courage, humour and grace.  

She was the queen of her own life and the choice was hers.”

~ Lupytha Hermin

Another view of the Panmure Bridge

Rumi, you ROCK my boat!

"This silence - this moment - every moment

 ... if it's genuinely inside you - brings what you need.” 

~ Rumi

Rumi, you rock my boat.

My morning has been MAGICAL. 

A cloud-free chilly sunrise shared with the hound and the middle lemming was a magnificent start to a day that has been icily cold!  For the first time this winter there was FROST on the ground, courtesy of the clear skies and south-westerly winds.  

I wouldn’t want to be living in Christchurch!

It was a chilly 1 degree when we clambered over the rocks below the middle lemming’s abode to watch the world wake up.  Despite the early hour of the morning the ferries were already criss-crossing the waves ... even the car-ferry put in an appearance.  

A lone kayaker followed them across the shipping lane.

I could have done with a shot of caffeine!

The hound couldn’t understand why we were sitting on the rocks with a blanket over our knees.  We were on the beach ... there were waves ... why weren’t we in them?

So she barked.  Loudly.

In the quiet of the morning in a secluded bay, sound carries.  

Even she looked round in confusion, unsure as to where the loud noise had come from.

Silence is NOT something she understands.

Reflections are everywhere, in all guises.  They AREN’T just in my mind.  From the reflections at the boat club we found reflections on the beach.  Low tide and clear skies make for awesome mirror images of the hound and Sam and Zak as they race through the shallows. 

It isn’t just Sam who comes racing over to say Hi when I hit the beach now.  Panda does the same.  I nearly got caught off-guard this morning by Panda.  I was busy packing the lead away in the backpack when this great big brown and white hound came charging up the steps and nuzzled me.  I should have guessed it was Panda but he was gone as quickly as he arrived. 

He made me smile.  He’s just as enthusiastic a hound as Sam!

Sam the Man racing to greet me this morning!

Those of you who read my blog will know how very much I love my hound.  I am a firm advocate for animal rights and abhor the decision made by the New Zealand Govt last week to allow for the testing of legal high drugs on animals.  It’s an absolute farce and I’m shocked that the country I now call home HASN’T seen fit to ban this kind of testing.

Zak and Sam making BIG splashes!

Parliament resumes on July 30th and several marches have been planned around the country to co-incide with the re-sitting of Parliament.  The hound and I intend marching at the Auckland one.

“The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way it’s animals are treated.” 

~ Mahatma Gandhi

Love our moon .... looks like lace etched in the sky!

This morning's YUM breakfast at the new french cafe
French brioche with caramelised banana, bacon and mascarpone cheese