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. . .

Alright, I can't bear it. . .

Thanks Deborah for your encouragement - I'll put up another blog then:
Had a great night at the Duncans enjoying a birthday dinner party entitled 'Western Saloon'.
When I look at these I am filled with a mixture of strong emotions, most jubilant, some shamed, and a few very sad. I cannot explain the latter, but let's just say, that's life.

. . . as you can see, the jubilant is obvious.
We all had a pretty good time, and my costume went back, slightly stretched, to the hire place.

Taking a break

Going to give blogging a rest for a while. . .

Birthday continues. . .

Well, it was a grand day yesterday, and it clipped along at a smart pace, with many a joyous celebration or event tucked in there. . .
8:30am Breakfast at FUSE with my dear sister, Helen. . .
. . . and then a break for an hour before
10:30am Morning coffee with Jan and the girls, and some meringue, raspberry and yoghurt tarts. . . (and the lovely bone china cup set that she gave me)
. . . another break for a few hours before. . .
2pm Lunch at Jemma's work (Revive in the city) with her. . .
3:30 Afternoon tea in Takapuna with good friend Cathy, who is wearing her work garments too. . .
5:15pm Dinner and then a movie 'The Waitress' with Naomi . . .
8:30pm Home just in time for the Sisters Meeting at Traceys.

A birthday Opal from Afar. . .

The Opal is a Symbol of LOVE and HOPE. . . and I was sent this lovely stone - my birthstone - by dear friend Linda in Canada, who has given me a pendant and ring of hers to wear. Linda is struggling through a battle with cancer, and if ever the words Love and Hope could be applied to someone, they are the essence of my dear friend's existence at the moment.
I have taken these photos of the pendant, to show her, and to remind me of one who has such a sweet walk with the Lord, and all she writes of these days, is that precious relationship. "I turned to Him this morning, and all I saw was perfection".
. . . I am so honoured to wear my friend's jewellery, and that it is an opal is especially sweet. It is my hope that I am constantly reminded of her faith and the Lord that she treasures so dearly.
THANK YOU LINDA, for your life - one that I have been privileged to share. Like the opal, full of mysteries and changes, and hope and love.