To insanity and beyond ...: I love rugby and rainbows and rambling ...

This morning's sun rise!

I love Rugby and rainbows and rambling and roses and, apart from the roses, they’ve all been very much in my world the last few days. I also love the colour red and romance ... and my red boots ... but that’s another story. Interesting thought .... a lot of the things I love begin with ‘R’ ... how odd is that!

My ShaRks won their game against the Cheetahs ... CONVINCINGLY .... and what a good game it was. My man Lambie wasn’t playing but boy, did his replacement Mishalak have an impact on the game ... he was awesome! I VERY nearly didn’t get up in the wee hours to watch but am so pleased I did .... it was a game that was worth losing a few hours sleep over.

This unsettled weather has bought Rainbows in ABUNDANCE .... I just love it! Yes, the Rainbow might herald a few drops of Rain but it also means the sun’s shining .... and I LOVE it when the sun shines, even if it is only briefly! It means my world is bathed in sunlight for a few moments in time and that’s all I need to recharge my soul!

A 7 month old Labradoodle we met

If there's water, guaranteed she's in it!

Rambling is always a huge part of my day .... except on the days I do markets .... much to the hound’s disappointment. Try as I might I haven’t yet worked a plan that allows me a Ramble before a market .... there just aren’t enough hours in the morning.

George the Labrador ... he was so confident, very wet and muddy and just so handsome. He sussed Indy out and then gave Chocolat the once over.

Ebony, the black labrador loved retrieving balls.

We did have a magical Ramble on Friday though .... at Waiatarua Reserve again ... and this time I remembered to take treats for the Ducks and the Pukeko. They’re all just as greedy as the seagulls and the Pukeko are just as brazen. They’re such funny looking birds ... beautifully coloured but so odd to look at .... God sure had a sense of humour when he created them!

One of the local high schools was conducting a survey in the reserve so Julia and I stopped to answer their questions. They wanted to know if there was anything additional we’d like at the reserve in terms of amenities, but there isn’t .... we like it just the way it is. We’ve even got into the habit of picking up our ‘coffee-to-go’ from the Co-op on the way there.

The hounds love it there as there are always so many other hounds to share sniffs with .... so many p-mails to read and reply to. The boy-dogs are particularly intense about the p-mail .... just when you think they’ve got nothing left in their bladder, they squeeze another drop out .... goodness knows where they find it.

Gorgeous Mallard ducks!

Indy thinks they'd make a tasty meal!

It’s getting colder in the mornings when I leave on my ramble ... long sleeves and gloves are the order of the day ... fingerless gloves ... all the better to throw logs and rugby balls with without the hands freezing solid. There are so many logs these days that the rugby ball gets overlooked until home time ... and only because I won’t let her bring the logs home.

I stopped to chat to one of the Council workers as we headed off the beach ... he was South African, born in PE and has lived in NZ for 7 years. He wanted to kick her rugby ball which pleased her no end .... she thought it was an invitation to stay on the beach though and lay down on the sand with the ball and gave me the “look” .... the one that says “I’m staying here and what are you going to do about it?”

It was our day for meeting fellow South Africans! After I dragged the hound of the beach we met a lady at the viewsite who had a distinct South African accent. We got chatting and she’s lived here for 5 years and loves it. She teaches piano and has an early morning student on Cliff Road - hence her being at the vew site.

She also loves the beauty of this place I now call home and, whilst missing friends and family in South Africa, wouldn’t dream of going back ... despite the cost of living being so high here. That’s one of the pitfalls of living at the arse end of the world.