Oh yes ... it's a TIGGER kind of morning!

My morning rambles are often punctuated by social discourse with a variety of friends.  The hound of course doesn’t approve of these frequent interruptions to her ramble.  She has a one-track mind.  It’s bad enough that I insist on waiting at the view site for the sun to rise, without having to break stride for social chit-chat.

We were already slightly late leaving this morning ... not because the middle lemming was late or tired ... but because I was TIRED.  Life and it’s stresses are catching up with me and the body’s shouting ‘HELP’ .... loudly.

I ignore its pleas though ... as I ignore anything I disagree with ... and head out the door to get my morning fix of sunshine and soul food.  A very NECESSARY elixir for life.

Tranquility is defined as a state of peace and calm ... free from disturbances and noise.  My early mornings have been anything BUT tranquil lately.  I’m leaving home whilst it’s still dark but so are so many others.  There are unfamiliar ramblers with loud voices, and joggers with heavy feet pounding the pavement and lycra clad loonies on their two-wheel conveyances.

The streets are BUSY ....  and  NOISY.

The lycra-clad looneys are part and parcel of the early morning vista  ... both visually and vocally ... but they move past rapidly and take their noise with them.  The unfamiliar ramblers don’t.

Why does everyone suddenly want a piece of my early morning magic?

We greet several familiar ramblers as we bounce ... oh yes, it’s a Tigger kind of morning .... back down to the beach.  These ramblers know the secret of the magic in the morning and smile serenely back, secure in the knowledge that they, like us, will still be walking up to the viewsite when the frosty fingers of winter engulf us.

The unfamiliar ramblers might not.

Pete was standing on the boardwalk enjoying the morning vista and drinking his coffee.  We discussed cricket ... the Black Cap kind .... the Titanic and cruising in general whilst watching a cruise ship zig-zag through the shipping lane into Auckland Harbour.  It never ceases to make me smile when I see these large liners cruising past so close to shore.

Pete was feeling invincible.  The girls at the Co-op had been having a problem with the coffee grinder and had intended calling out someone to fix it .... but Pete had fixed it for them.  He’s 'the man' and he was revelling in it.  I didn’t dare burst his bubble.

Moira and Fergus joined us on the beach too.  Fergus also likes to be ‘the man’ and puts himself between the hound and the waves.  She finds him quite intimidating ... despite his small stature ... and runs warily around him to retrieve the ball.  He visibly STRUTS when he’s doing it and is so FUNNY to watch! He’s TYPICAL terrier - LARGER than life and not AFRAID of the hound.

It’s not just my hound that’s confused when I’m in the water with her.  Nico had the same quizzical expression on his face when Brian took to the waves today.  Any swim he might have had would have been unintentional as he was only trying to encourage Nico to go deeper.  I had the camera at the ready just in case Brian happened to trip.  

You have to capture these moments for posterity and I know Brian would have thanked me for thinking like that!  He did, after all, neglect to catch one of Carol’s ‘MOMENTS’ on camera a while back.

This is what makes my village real.  The uncomplicated and crazy folk who live here that spend time in the waves and on the sand with their hounds.  They add richly to my life and are JUST as necessary a fix as that morning sunshine and soul food!

This was taken yesterday when she saw Sam arrive on the beach.

They were delighted to see one another and raced through the waves with the ball.

I really need to learn to "talk" hound ...

Another wet ... windy .... and woeful day ..... for some reason Julia’s order of sunshine didn’t materialise .... but at least I didn’t get as wet as yesterday.  Chocolat did .. but then again, her day wouldn’t be complete without getting wet!  She is NOT a Labrador/Retriever for nothing ........... waves, water and balls ... or logs .... are essential in her eyes.

Our wet and woeful beach

I really need to learn how to “talk” hound ..... Indy had so much to tell us this morning and we couldn’t understand a word!!  He just couldn’t keep his excitement to himself ...... he has a LOUD voice .... reminded me a bit of Callum .... he too forgets how loud and deep his bark is .... oops ... sorry ..... Callum has a voice, it just sounds like a bark sometimes!

Julia and I had no idea what he was vocalising so much about but vocalise he did ..... on the beach .... on the path .... on our way to the coffee shop ..... it echoed through the basement of the new building as he tried to make our friend there understand what he was so excited about.  Even Chocolat got caught up in his enthusiasm ..... we had a cacophony of note taking place on the beach whilst we tried to drink our coffee .... I would have called it a chorus but it in no way resembled any kind of music I’ve ever heard!

It wasn’t just the barking that indicated his excitement .... after all, you can only bark with one breath at a time so he talked with his ears ... with his eyes .... his body posture ... his tail .... he was verbalising his feelings with his entire body!  Would that I could “talk” dog .... I would have loved to share in whatever it was that had created such enthusiasm and excitement in him today!  It was glorious .... noisy ...... incredibly funny ...... but glorious!  Julia might not agree!

My daily walks are the highlight of my day ...... I get to be “in the moment” ..... at one with myself and my hound and the elements ..... and whoever else might chose to join me on my rambles. They allow me to put my world in order .... to escape from the busy-ness (yes, that's a word) that is part and parcel of a home where there are between 4 and 5 young adults in and out all the time.  I guess it doesn’t help that both Gav and I work from home ... there is a perpetual parade of bodies .... a continual assault on the fridge and the pantry - and they wonder why
there’s never anything “NICE” to eat!  I will be eternally grateful to whoever it was that invented ear-phones as, without them, I’d be subjected to a barrage of different music in every room ..... and lets not forget the TV!.  “Peace” and “Quiet” and “Tranquility” are not the norm at No. 10!

I can’t see my life ever really being peaceful and quiet .... but I actually don’t mind.  The joy and happiness that these young people bring to our lives is priceless .... I love hearing about their dreams .... their adventures .... their plans .... even the difficulties they’re facing..  The world is their oyster ..... they have so much to discover and so much to give.  Sometimes I’m envious of the place they’re at in their lives .... would that I could be their age again with the
wisdom of my years.

Each moment in time .... each stage of our lives .... has something so special about it.  Long gone are the physically tiring years of babies and toddlers and bikes and dolls .... in it’s place we have these interesting individuals with minds of their own ... beliefs and ideals of their own ... and it’s awesome!  Despite the difficulties we sometimes face .... despite the disagreements we sometimes have ... I never want to wish away one moment of each day ..... they will be gone soon enough of their own accord .... and my life will change once again.