To insanity and beyond ...: All's good in my world of rugby!

The moon setting on Friday morning at about 6.30ish ... so difficult getting the light right in photos like this!

It’s early Sunday morning ... very early .... and it’s RAINING! Not the gentle pitter patter of soft soaking rain but the thump thump thump of heavy drops ... pretty much like the ones that were plopping on our heads in the Dell on Thursday.

On the beach this morning .... very damp and misty .... and Bessie's human Keith, was SWIMMING.

Sunrise on Friday morning

I’ve been up early watching the rugby .... my Sharks taking on the Lions in Super Rugby and Wales taking on Italy in 6 nations. The only company I have is a hound - she’s curled up on the couch fast asleep ... a presence rather than company I guess. I’ve got lots of cyber-company though ... friends in SA and the UK who’re also watching

Friday morning sun coming up

the rugby ... though it’s on at a much more sociable time of the day for them. That’s the only snag with living at the arse end of the world ... some of the sport I enjoy watching is on in the wee hours ... and yes I could record it ... but it just isn’t the same. It’s pretty much guaranteed that someone would tell me the score or I’d go on line and

.... and still Friday morning

there it would be ... right in front of my eyes, impossible to miss.

Nope ... far better to watch it live .... and then get some more zzzz later .... if the rain would stop that is ... it’s pretty noisy!!

The sea was rough on Friday but the hound loves it like that.

I really should try and get some more sleep .... 4 hours isn’t enough for a girl to survive on but it’s 6.30 in the morning now and I’m wide awake ... will try and have a nap later. Both the Sharks and Wales won their respective matches ... all’s good in my world of rugby!

The new design journals ... they have a magnetic catch holding them closed and a detachable magnetic page clip.

The Page Clip and the Journal (A5 size journal)

Julia and I did another market yesterday .... in Parnell .... it has the possibility of being a really good market as it’s attached to the Parnell Farmers Market which is very popular. Despite an early start - we had to be there by 7.15 ... it was a pleasant morning and we got to eat the MOST

Julia's stall ... and easel ... which she made HERSELF!

delicious food. There’s something to be said for having a craft market attached to a Farmers Market!!

There weren’t as many stalls INSIDE the hall as what we would have liked so sales were a bit slow, but the hall is adjacent to the library and we had a good trickle of Farmers Market patrons wander around the hall on their way to the library. Everyone was really friendly ... a lot stopped to chat .... we smiled a lot and did what girls do best .... talk!!

Waiting for coffee on Friday

We both realise though that we need to find a market that’s more art focused ... what we create is artistic and classy and needs to be exhibited at a market that attracts like-minded people. We know from the feedback we get at the markets we’ve attended so far that we both have a very distinct and individual slant to our

work .... we need to find the right environment for us. We’ve got a few ideas in mind so will see how they pan out over the next few weeks.

I love having someone as a sounding-board ... and I think Julia feels the same. It makes the world of difference having back-up

and support from a fellow artist who’s as passionate about what she creates as what I am .... it’s a match made in heaven! The fact that we both have Chocolate Labradors that we love to pieces is an added bonus!

Getting to know one another

My world’s starting to lighten and all I can see out the windows are heavy rain clouds .... this is not the weather I was expecting this morning. I can’t even see the moon setting .... I saw it on Friday and it was incredible ... the full moon heading back to the northern hemisphere. It was QUITE beautiful ... makes for such a romantic picture!

Very high tides this morning after the full moon.

Swimming this morning

The birds are so funny ... I’m watching one sitting on a branch and fluffing itself up everytime a raindrop lands on it’s head ... you’d think it would move but nope ... it’s staying right where it is and fluffing itself up every few seconds!

They're not the only ones getting wet in this weather ... went for my ramble and have just got back - we're wet now too ... but the hound's happy. She's

swum in the waves .. played with her buddies .... indulged her caffeine habit, and now she's happily chewing her bone! When people say "It's a dog's life" ..... I don't think they were referring to the kind of life my hound leads.