stuff

There's been a lot of stuff going on:

• pulled the carpet up
• took it to the tip
• recycled a whole lot of clothes
• cleaned the oven
• cleaned the bathroom
• cleaned the fridge
• paid some bills

and it's only lunchtime! Sheesh. Tomorrow I'm driving to the beach. So I'll be gone for a week or so. I'll be swimming in the sea, lying in the sun, hanging out with my kids and drinking with my brother. Yay! Now, off to get the vacuum cleaner out.

Moving right along

I knocked down the wardrobe so I could shift the bed, and today I'm going to pull up the carpet. Then I can make a place for the sewing machine and the computer. See, it's all a question of priorities. How can I move into my house without a place for the sewing machine and the computer??

Oh yes, Christmas happened, squeezed in between work and moving. It was very pleasant. There was turkey and roast vegetables, it was all very simple, the least gourmet Christmas dinner I've ever cooked, but it was very very good. The boys got a Wii, and I love it, a lot. Good job it's gone to their Dad's house with them. I got lots to do today. Thank goodness the beach holiday is booked.

I've got another car load of things to shift, and then I have to clean. Clean everything! Moving right along.

Here's a NY photo, cos it's one of my favourites. Taken on Broadway. Glad I looked up!

Saturday

The birds love the flax flowers. See this one, a starling I think, with his beak deep into the flower....and here he his, looking around. The orange on his head is pollen. No wonder it makes some people sneeze! and here's the same flax bush, at sunset. These pictures are grainy, pushing my little camera to its limits, but I sure do love that camera. What did we do without digital cameras?
There are lovely garden pictures to be seen over at the quilting orchardist. Tell her I said merry christmas!

Oh, I bought the house. Obscene amounts of money have been in and out of my bank account in the last 24 hours. It went a bit pear shaped along the way, the bank made a mistake, and my lawyer earned her money. But I bought the house. I'm going to MY house to sleep in MY bed on Christmas Eve. Nice.

I forgot to tell you, I now have a Graduate Certificate in serious work stuff, from the Queensland University of Technology, ahem, with distinction. No more essays. You can help me fix up the bathroom and the laundry instead.

I'm trying to show you a picture. Playing html. Well, here's a link in case that didn't work. I swam a long long way on Sunday. From Hataitai beach (where it says Evans Bay Parade on the pic, to Oriental Bay). It was great, I loved it. Yes, I'm quite probably mad. 3.8 Kilometres. took over 2 hours. Felt like a real achievement. Phew. Love my wetsuit!

Have just about bought the house, from my former partner. We're finalising property documents. It's okay. We had a very funny laughing conversation today because the documents required us to write down when our 'long term relationship' began. We settled on the date we kinda think we first moved in together. February 1989. Shucks. Ahhh life!

NY

Just indulge me for a minute. Here're some NY photos. Some things I don't want to forget. Look, out the window of my plane. It can't be! Surely it's not. It's Central Park. OMG!! I can't believe it.


Where's the hotel? I can't find it. I'm wandering the streets of Jersey City, looking over the river at Manhattan. So beautiful, a perfect night. Where's the &%$#@&* hotel though? I found it eventually, by retracing my steps back to the train station and starting again. But I'm kinda glad I got lost and spent some time (at least an hour!) with that stunning night time view.

The Staten Island Ferry. It's free? really? I just get on here, and gaze at the view? And suddenly there's Liberty. There aren't even many tourists around, we're almost alone. Now that's an icon. That really is.

And this place. Just like in the movies. And right next to Anthropologie. Oh my.
And this view. Just a smidgen of it in this picture. It was fabulous up there. No King Kong about though, except in the gift shop.
Central Park, Strawberry Fields. A pilgrimage on behalf of the Beatle- loving youngest son. Thank goodness he sent me there.

Hey girl, what's it like to be in New York?

New York City.

Imagine that.

Can't get that song outta my head!

I did it!

swam like a mad woman, from Devonport to the Viaduct. very pleased with myself. navigation skills need some work, but I did okay. floating around in the middle of the harbour thinking 'good grief, look at me, there's the sky tower, and there's the bridge' isn't the most competive behaviour. lots of good food, friends and a little drinking did me no harm! it was a beautiful Auckland day, the water was warm, 1200 swimmers finished the race. The next one is in Wellington, I ought to know where I'm going there, and knock 10mins off my time. no trouble.

busy this week. big work stuff. buying a house, maybe...perhaps...depending on the valuation, and agreement with the ex. This could turn into a diy decorating blog.

won't it be nice when this year is over and the next one starts afresh? didn't I say that last year?