Natural consequences...

I recently 'borrowed' Trav's desktop computer to do some internet surfing, while waiting for my peach/apricot cobbler to finish cooking.

I was on a mission to find out when the lastest Scrubs DVD would be released here in NZ. After a few detours to other blogs on NZ from American perspectives, a couple articles on Salon, and checking out the local online papers from back home, I finally looked over at the kitchen...

Trav had done all the dishes and whipped some whipping cream by hand. He muttered something about me stealing his computer so he had nothing to do other than clean up and finish up the dessert prep. Hmmmm, as if that would encourage me not to do this again...

chips fall where they may...

Well somedays just don't go as planned. Your energy level drags. The to do list grows in scoop. Little excites you.. Well I was looking forward to one thing, watching a DVD I rented, but the disc stopped playing halfway through. grrrr

So it was definetely time for some choc chip cook therapy. In this case, you can even get your aggressions out while chopping the chips

And now while I wait for them to bake I'll share some photos from a better day. One with sun and walking and no to do lists.

The above two photos are a short stroll from our house. I had no idea that harbour views were so close to our neighborhood.

This is looking down into a fairly sizeable depression. We were walking through these amazing steps that climb all the way from the road below to the top views. Down in the bottom, we discovered a path to this stream flowing from the Karori Sanctuary. Who knows the cleanliness of the water, but I don't think you could stop me from playing in it if I was under 8.

and finally back up the many flights of steps towards home.

sunday routine

Sundays have become the day we venture downtown to shop for veggies. Today the rain fell off and on throughout the day. Occasionally the sun shone through the rain, something I've rarely seen outside of Oregon. Everything was wet. Everyone commented on how cold it was (one store had a sign on their closed door that read "yes we are open, its just a bit chilly outside today").

But that didn't stop us from shopping at the veggie market. I remain amazed at how far $20 goes at the market. We can get all the fruit and veggies for the week, and then go to the local butcher for our meat, eggs, and dairy needs. If we stick to this and completely avoid the grocery store, we save a ton of money and eat yummier food.

Then we took a detour on the way home and stopped into te Papa

and discovered that there were schedule events all day long as part of the museum's celebration of Matariki. It was incredible to listen to the music and the crowd that gathered. I found it all very moving; yet another moment were I pinch myself and say 'I'm in NZ!' with still a bit of disbelief.

I wish I could say that we went to the museum because of the great cultural events, but sadly I was unaware of them before I entered the museum. Instead, we tromped over there because we had free coffee vouchures for the museum's cafe!

which we thoroughly enjoyed as we watched the birds.

I was particularly amused by this posted photo when we bused our table.

We think it is a photo of a plane/surfboard that is used as coffee cart. We both thought it was very very cool - flying and coffee, too pasions of ours, although we can only afford one at the moment.

Another inexpensive way to enjoy rainy days is to walk along the waterfront. Above and below are bit of what you can see from the city wharf.

But the best bit for me remains this incredible playstructure. This is just the little slide. On the other side is a HUGE one, that I still am getting up the nerve to try. Its is significantly taller thatn the slide they took down at the GC elementary school... Not something you'd want to get stuck in either!

Evening stroll...

Today we finally decided to do something with our day... but we had waited until nearly 4 to get out the door which left us with precious little daylight. In spite of this we set off for Makara Mt Bike park and here is some of what we saw:









I occasionally hear kiwis comment on how lovely the American Yellow School Buses are, but I have to saw that there is a certain appeal in a path like this leading you to school:

As much joy as this stream would bring me as my front yard, my worrywart side would fret about flooding....


Below is the first glimpse of the Mt Bike park we'd be meaning to check out for ages.

There were incredible views of throughout the park. To your left you could see nothing but green and sky, to the right were all the houses on the ridge with a few lights on here and there.

And one day we'll have proper hiking shoes again. Until then I'll just smile at our muddy dress shoes by the door

The Trash Palace

Some lure their families and friends to visit them with such things as great accommodation, good food, photos of the scenery.. I even hear grandkids can have that effect.

Although we can offer food and photos, the other two are not currently present in our flat.

However I have just learned of a potentially very cool thing. It is called the TRASH PALACE. Here is a description from another couple's blog (whom I suspect also are Portlanders who were living in NZ). Reading the description, I knew I had to added to the list of places to potentially show my father. My mother would be thrilled because as much as Dad loves a bargain, the Pacific Ocean could serve as a deterrent to actually buying and bring stuff home. My only worry is that trash would still be bought and end up in Trav and I's house. But still, there has to be some takers who want to venture to the Trash Palace with me...

Pauses...

I'm trying to pause now and then and notice my surroundings. I think that deliberting choosing to live in a far away place helps me remember to mentally say "wow I'm here."


Every day I try to remember to look up at the tree fern. It keeps changing, and I realize I don't know what the various things I see are properly called. So I use my own words... Now the first fron has unfolded into mini ferns. A couple new fiddle heads have emerged.

Autumn is finally making itself known with its colours, rains, and chilly temps.


I also have noticed uncanny resemblences to my dear parents. This photo Trav snuck reminds me of photos of my mom from when I was a kid...

And when I realize the number of photos I have from randomn roadside stops I realize how much I've taken on my Dad's habit of stopping here and there when driving to explore on foot. My job often means that I am going from one house to another far afield of the office. Occasionally I misjudge the timings and have a few minutes to kill before the next appointment, but not enough time to find a coffee shop and do some report writing. Here are some photos from such moments.


Hutt River (above)

Kapiti Coast... the ocean is just over the ridge but my battery died by the time I walked to it :(

Food everywhere...

I don't know if it'swinter is setting in or if I've been working to hard, but I seem to have food on my mind quite a bit. I seem to see food everywhere.

Presently, I see Persimmon Ginger Cookies that I made from this recipe. I substitued dried cranberries and some of the white sugar with brown sugar. As I write, with an eye on the oven, I am enjoying one now!

But I also see food in more unique places than my kitchen. The other morning I was staring at the street median from a downtown bus stop.

And on the way back I grabbed a photo of what I think is one of the coolest winter landscapping ideas I've ever seen. Much nicer than the scaley ivy covered in pidgeon droppings you find further along the street.



In case you can't make much out of my blurry bus drive-by photograph- that's SWISS CHARD the city has planted in the median! Its so pretty, and a lovely way of letting those of us who want to show kids that food actually comes from somewhere before it gets to the grocery store do just that.

Or maybe my food thoughts are from the recent early mornings which often are a bit skimpy breakfast wise. Though I have a long standing love affair with sleep, these early mornings have brought me certain joys. The winter morning fog has a way of bringing back happy childhood memories. Fog was common throughout my childhood memories, but rarely presented itself during my uni days, and always feels like an embracing and accepting hug, hiding some of the uglier bits of the world for a time.

Home...

... so after a full evening of looking at houses I can't call home, I found this on the internet

http://geoimages.berkeley.edu/wwp1205/html/RobertSHaan.html

nothing is more home to me

Hither thither

I have no idea what that means, but it seems to suit my current brain energy.

I thought I might share one of my evening past times. No its nothing shocking, though I have I've gone through several 'porn' phases according to my dear partner.. there was the 'wedding magazine porn' that I stored in the downstairs bathroom, because somedays looking at page after page of pretty dresses was a soothing way to wrap up the day. There were the days that I soured the internet for cheap airfares. I go through baby name phases where I find joy in reading lists of names. But nothing like my current phrase of trolling the internet looking at real estate. Babies, weddings, PhD's, travel... all those feel possible, maybe not in the same week, but all accessible.

Houses, though, seem beyond me, unless I leave the type of work I love which is too specialized to do in the sticks.

So I stroll through the various housing websites torturing myself looking at houses I can't afford, and find solace in saving photos of rooms that appeal to me. And just when I convince myself its all fantasy, I accidently stumble across the address of a house I've seen online. So what exactly appeals?

Well some facades intrigue me

I lust after kitchens,

Particularly those with beautiful dogs looking in

I am a sucker for bay windows



and I definetely have a thing for fire places




and window seats



pathways lure me in too

and then there are just dreams of night and day

So that is how I spend some of my evenings, eatting up broadband thinking of a place to grow veggies, chickens, and do some remodelling. Really my life is quite good - fun job, decent hours, yummy food, and a flat that is like camping with really nice dry wall - but the urge to check out real estate is a bug I've definetely caught!