Christmas Barbecue Party

Well, these are some shots of the bbq last night - it was a great night, and I'm looking forward to the videos John took as well. That's John and Gordon below - so glad I asked John to bring his camera.
And here I am about to start to revelries - with some Christmas poems and then carols.

Jan and Mark really DID have a good time. . .
. . . the rest of the party were outside eating on balcony.

Five of us playing our instruments in the hall for the carols. My old friend from school days is tucked in the corner on HER cellos. TWO cellos!! What a luxury.
See - there she is. We both played in the Auckland Girls Grammar School orchestra 1972.

Merry Christmas

Well, here it is - my first effort at saving and sending a video. DO enjoy its heartfelt message as if it was sent JUST TO YOU! Er, and yes, this is probably in place of a card.

It has been a year of swings and roundabouts; some wonderful and glorious things, some really challenging moments, some quite painful situations, but as always, the brightest of lights at the end of this tunnel called 'Life on Earth'.
Happy Christmas to one and all.

Rose for Linda

I found this on the ground outside, just after the landlord had done the mowing, knocked off its stem. GORGEOUS and fragrant and altogether beautiful. I have scanned it and sent it to my friend Linda in Canada, for it was for her I'm sure. We don't know how long Linda has got, but we DO know she is being prepared and anticipated and longed for and loved by more than just those whom the eye can see.

Pasifika Dinner Party for Cath and John

Here we all are enjoying a Pacific-themed dinner party in honour of John and Cathy, whose birthdays were last Tuesday. I decided to make some cocktails up, nothing flash, but lots of fun, and then we followed with smoked salmon pasta and salad, and a delish Sicilian Apple Cake and cream. As you can see, a great night had by all.

Cathy's birthday

Aw, isn't she lovely?! This is my very good friend Cathy, on her birthday, enjoying lunch with me in Takapuna.
When I think of all the good times I've had with her - travelling overseas and through Ireland and the UK, flatting together in Hillsborough and Mt Eden, going to the same church for years, enjoying that amazing group of singles in our 30s - I am feeling very blessed to be her friend. I even got to be her Vice Bride as well.
She said some lovely things on Saturday night last, at her husband's 60th, and she is still so very much in love. I'm glad she remembered me encouraging her toward her husband by saying "he's the best thing that's happened to you", because I don't remember it. What a pleasure to face the future knowing we have such a friendship forged.
And look! Christmas is almost upon us. I can tell by the NZ Christmas tree - Pohutukawa - which is out in all it's glory. I snapped this on the way home from lunch.

A visit to the country - Mangatangi

Went down last weekend to visit Sean and Beverley, here on their own land at last. They are building on it, and living in the shed that will house the steam engines and be Sean's workshop. It's great fun living 'rough' for a while, although exceedingly cold at night, and an oven by day.
Ah, the home comforts of a cup of tea. . .
the framework of the new house. . .(don't ask what I'm wearing! Good heavens, what was I thinking?)
This is what greeted me upon arrival. Open for all to see.
And Sean makes an early morning cuppa, which I watched from my bed up on the mezzanine floor.

Two great minds rattling on . . .

My friend Robin took these shots of her husband and I thrashing out the whole freelance creative thing - he being an architect who used to work from home, and me being a much humbler graphic and web designer doing just that. It got me quite florrid complexioned, or was that the glass of wine you see there?

Bone China

I have a thing going for bone china trios at the moment - not that I haven't always loved teacups, but just now, I'm going a bit mad on TradeMe buying up some rather beautiful and amazingly inexpensive cups and saucers. They're starting to appear in my paintings.
You've got to admit, they're each rather lovely in their own way. . .
just a bit like us. . . (hopefully) receptive, open, beautiful within and without
Poised and waiting to be held, filled, tasted from. Ah, what a picture.

Losses and gains

I think I lost a friend a fortnight past.

Not for any good reason really, and not because I wasn’t holding on tight enough. He just didn’t want to be held. He wants to fall away from this friendship, like he’s fallen away from so many, because he doesn’t care enough about himself. And therefore cannot let himself care much for others.
It is and will be a great sorrow to me, one that shall not pass easily, but one I must allow. Letting go is just so hard to do. And I know it has nothing to do with me, and everything to do with a bucket full of holes.
Just to assuage my loss:

A faithful friend is a strong defense: and he that hath found one hath found a treasure.

If we would build on a sure foundation in friendship, we must love friends for their sake rather than for our own.
- Charlotte Bronte

A friendship can weather most things and thrive in thin soil -- but it needs a little mulch of letters and phone calls and small silly presents every so often -- just to save it from drying out completely
- Pam Brown

and then, a miracle! Even with the current loss eating away at me, a new and profoundly unusual situation (for me) has occurred. It must be God. I have a 30 yr old man wanting to be my friend, calling me beautiful, and persisting in asking me out. Now, I can’t tell you the last time that happened, but my self-confidence has taken a great leap forward. A man young enough to be my son finds me attractive. WOW.
Oh, and NO, I am not going to take him up on it. But what a mighty encouragement it was to have been in the centre of such a storm of interest and enthusiasm.

Oh, if you were expecting the usual photos and superficial comments, I can only promise you that this profound unveiling of my deepest feelings won’t happen again. Not soon anyway.

Fairies, India and the British Raj!

Helen and I went to a wonderful wedding this afternoon, at Alberton, one of the historic homes in Auckland. Gabby, who is a professional fairy by trade, married Bram, who has a touch of Indian blood, and the happy combination provided a perfect theme for the wedding. I was invited because I've done some work for Gabby - providing a Fairy poster for her, and then the wedding invitation designs. What fun!
I swung more towards the British Raj than anything else. . .
we thought we'd be late, but were almost the first here. . .

Lovely banners blowing in the brisk Spring breezes
Met Barbara (and her partner John) - she ran the business course I went on to start up my own business.
And then there were the fairies. . .



Triumphant fairy parade. . .

The ceremony took place inside Alberton, mirrored in the glass on the wall behind.
Lovely speeches about how she is his princess, his queen, and radiates beauty. AWWWWW. How lovely to have any man say that of you. One day, one day. . .
Gorgeous wedding flowers that the bride had. . .