Life rushing by. . .

We had a long weekend last - because of Anzac Day - and I got to spend it OUT of Auckland, which was a rare treat these days. I trekked up North a little over an hour, through the Kaipara Harbour area, and then cut across the Island to the East Coast and Warkworth, where Gene lives.












Love the beautiful countryside, and the falling leaves. Just right for a 'hole up' kind of weekend at Gene's house, where he prepared a roast beef dinner for us, and we looked at photos of their mutual trip to Switzerland and France. It was almost like being there.

Dealing with the outer WOman

1pm Saturday 19 April. You may not think this a great achievement in the light of Edmund Hillary's mammoth assault on Everest but for me, personally, I had my own mountain to climb. A mountain of my own clothes!
1.30pm. Yes, here they are. . . piled on my bed, from the wardrobe, under the bed, storage containers etc. I decided to get down to what fitted that I liked, and hand on what doesn't. A truly cleansing experience.
2.30pm . . . er, but it DID require a lot of energy, and by a couple of hours, I was pretty exhausted.
3.30pm. But I ploughed on . . . and on. . . until all my piles filled up, with 'clothes that fit that I love', 'clothes that don't fit that I love', 'clothes that fit that I don't love', clothes that need throwing out', 'clothes that should be given to others', and 'clothes that go with other clothes' (jeans etc).
. . . 5pm ready to package up and deal with.
5.30. My wardrobe with a lot LESS in it, and a rack of clothes that fit, that I like, and some pics of outfits I drew so that I can reach for them on Monday morning, and just put them on.
I can't tell you what a relief it all is.

Women, gorgeous architecture, journaling. . .

I've spent the last two Saturdays at this workshop for women in business who work from home. We met in the house of one of the ladies, and it is scrumptious! Architecturally designed (along the lines of Frank Wright), and spectacular views over the Manukau harbour. This top photo from the deck outside the dining room.
I mean, even the bathroom was lovely - I adore the glass basin.
There were only 7 or 8 of us, and this is during a break. Spent our time doing things like journaling, or 'meditating' or mapping our future plans.
And we also played a lot. Spent the afternoon with clothes, learning about our colours and the style of dress we suit - I am a 'creative romantic' hee he. What a surprise. Watch this space - I'm going to burst out of my 'administrator' skin.
So how lovely the stonework is, and the way the glass comes all the way down, and the outside so mimicks the inside, that it looks like a mirror image. Wow.
Another lovely outside shot.

Little house of horrors

This is going to be a long one - but I couldn't resist. NO WONDER I've always been drawn to a bit of fantasy! I went to visit with my parents last night, enjoying a meal and some tv with them, and then I went to the bathroom . . . now it may not help that recently I've read a good vampire book (and seriously, I don't read these usually), but with my mind slight attuned to such things, it wasn't a stretch to see in the common every day objects that clutter the parental abode, some actual horrors - and I didn't even have to move them in any way. See what I mean. . .
My nephew had moved the arms off the toilet roll doll and put them in the pot pourri some time ago, where they still reside. . .
and SHE still holds a toilet roll - WITH HER ONE EYE AND NO ARMS!
Behind the door is this macabre article. . .
In the kitchen is this hanger I made for utensils, covered with the mesh of a sieve. . .
behind the bedside table a crocodile paw hangs out. . . I mean!
Ashley made these fimo 'grass monsters' years ago, and they still live on the dining room window sill . . .
But this little glarey one was apart from its fellows creeping around an old house. . .
and as for the hatless woman and the terrified doll behind her. . .
and this Hound of the broken cup holder. . .
or the missionary in the pot in the bookcase on my father's side of the bedroom
words fail me to explain these family 'heirlooms' in the china cabinet. . .
and why my mother still uses the old pottery head that I made as a teenager for a pencil holder
Look up, and something bizarre and not a little creepy hangs overhead . . .
Like I said. . . creepy. . .
And what a row of four Scotsman are doing scuffling out from behind some wooden artifacts . . .
. . . a waxwork in the bathroom . . .
and last but not least, a GREEN 'LIGHT UP IN THE DARK' SPIDER crawling up my grandfather's photo in the bedroom.