It puts Midsomer Murders to shame!

The sun rise this morning was AMAZING!

I just LOVE living in my little village ... and not just for the reasons you’re expecting!  Yes ... I love it’s proximity to the waves .... I love being able to see Rangitoto and Browns Island and the Coromandel in the far distance.  I love the view site and the public reserves and the secluded beaches, even

the nudist one.  The beauty of each and every day, regardless of the weather, never ceases to excite me .... but there’s more to my little village than just the scenic beauty of it ... I love the people too .... especially my humans with hounds!!  

Everyone knows everyone else .... but ..... there’s always that someone who knows far more than the rest of us about everybody .... well, everybody that’s worth knowing about, that is.  I just love it ... it puts Midsomer Murders to shame!!  The only thing missing are the bodies ... dead ones of course.  We don’t seem to have many of those ... though I can think of a few residents of our little village that would not be missed should they suddenly disappear ... does the acronym GOM mean anything to anyone?

I steer clear of the ladies who like to know all ... they’re often well-intentioned but can’t help repeating everything they hear ... regardless of the accuracy of the information they have. The story of the broken telephone comes to mind

Indy pretending to be a statue

 ... how a story can be embellished beyond recognition in a few short hours. 


 I can only assume that the storytellers in question have very little else to do with their time ..... they obviously don’t own hounds.

It’s not just the village gossip though .... or my humans with hounds  ... it’s the relationships you develop with the owners and employees at the various shops in the village.  I love the everyday banter at the coffee shop with Pete and the girls .... cricket and rugby are always on the menu .... particularly when

What she loves to do after swimming in the waves!

the Kiwi’s are winning. There’s always someone to say hello to .... Meredith from the pharmacy .... Gerry, my doctor, who’s expecting her first baby soon .... the owner of Bakers Delight who’s forever giving us samples of new products to try ... the friendly staff at the Post Shop, especially the manager ... he’s always got a cheerful greeting if you happen to pass him in the village.

It got me thinking about the friends that I’ve made since I’ve lived in the village ... I quite honestly can’t think of a single one that doesn’t own a hound, apart from our neighbours Rae and Gordon.  They used to own a King Charles Spaniel but since they’ve both retired, and since they travel so very much, they

Cruise Liner coming into the harbour

decided against replacing their much loved last one.


It reinforces for me the belief that humans who love their hounds are my type of people ... there’s a connection to them that isn’t there with those who don’t or never have owned hounds. I still have to hide a smile when the

The "Old Boys" of the boardwalk .. Sonny and Sebastian

hound shakes herself on the boardwalk and water droplets fly every where .... the humans WITHOUT hounds cringe .... I so want to remind them that it’s ONLY water!


Everyone I meet ... everyone I have contact with .... adds something to

my life ... yep, even the GOM.  He makes me aware of how sad life COULD be if I allowed intolerance and prejudice to have an impact on me. I am too positive to be doubtful .... too optimistic to be fearful of a future I cannot determine and way too determined to EVER find myself defeated.

Last night's sunset