Summer Holidays

Its officially the Summer Holidays! That means we've been spending many hours by the pool after long hot, humid days. We have fallen into some crook weather as the fallout of a cyclone that hit Fiji last week brings clouds and rain for the Holidays.
The kids have also been a bit crook with an ear infection and a new tooth, but we are trying to make the best of it. All our activities are over until mid-Summer (late Jan/Feb), so it was a long week, but I am mostly done with work for a few weeks. Grandparents, friends, and family are going to be in and around the house as we are hosting xmas this year.
The Holiday season is in full swing down here, but it is much more laid back than in the States which suits me just fine.
I just finished a work out program I've been doing for a few months and will spend the next week conditioning for the hikes I start next weekend. We fly down to Queenstown next Saturday morning and start hiking Sunday. We won't be back in Auckland again until the 5th, after 90km, 5 days and three nightsof hiking and back-country camping.
The absolute highlight of the week (month) is that my application for a work visa was accepted and my contract here has been extend to 1 August 2013!! We are planning on having be home a few weeks before that, but will have some flexibility in finding my replacement. I am still going to Hawaii in February with a quick stop over in Colorado before resuming my contract in March.

Often I feel a general sense of bewilderment in my life and the path its on, but when some many amazing things just fall into place with such serendipity, its easy to know I am at least heading in the right direction.

A Sundress in December

Random: This a house I drive by every
week - that is seriously a giant monkey head!

  Last weekend was incredibly busy going out with friends, lounging in bed, and doing this insane 20.6km hike (accidentally). I would rather not admit to any more stupidity in explaining the accidentally part other than it was an absolutely beautiful day and I was a bit deprived of nutrition, sleep, and plasma -as I switch from whole blood donations to plasma on Friday.
  A slightly painful, but quick week of recovery lead me to anther fabulous weekend of with family friends over for dinner Friday night followed by a glorious day of drinking beer at the Belgium beer cafe Ponsonby unto which we finished our beer passport! After sun bathing in the court yard of the cafe, we meandered down the P Road's market day back to my house for more sun bathing and a refreshing dip in the pool. A little babysitting last night lead us to be much better prepared for tackling the Te Henga Walkway hike again today.

  The weather was a bit off; windy with rain turning us around, but we still a had close to perfect 13km hike preceding more lounging and trip planning. With only a few weeks until Christmas, sunny, summer weather, and our big hikes down on the South Island, my work out routines and general life function is thankfully going up without much difficulty.

  Tuesday I am going to trivia with the girls, donating plasma again on Friday, Christmas in the Park (concert) Saturday, more pool bathing and another go at Te Henga should round out another life filled week. Its hasn't been an easy couple of months and I am focusing on what I can do, want to do, and what best fulfills a healthy, quality of life in order to combat the natural difficulties in life. So here's to another week of sundresses!

Here and Back again

A few days back at home... That phrase has more meaning to now then it has ever before: I returned to my home town, I returned to the places my family and loved ones are from and resides, my heart spent some time in the most comfortable oasis I could find, and currently I am back to my normal life, with all its loved ones too.
It has been and I am expecting it to continue to be a trying term in my life. Well I it really is all relative to perspective: until a few weeks ago I thought I was overwhelmed, now I know that that was a calm. But that is gone, without having appreciated the ease of breathes, and this new setting of emotions is upon me.
Grief, time travel, celebration, struggle, embrace, counter- culture shock, and most of all love has encircled me.
The quantity of time with loved ones is never enough to satiate and the quality rarely seems enough to make up for it.

Only 1/3 of my boarding passes

I am trying to stay focused, patient (with my self), and remember to do "normal" when I can't do anything else. Further I do know that challenges present themselves not to spurn happiness, but to encourage growth and enlightenment (even if it seems far away).
It was an accidental benefit that I had already planned to attend the theatre production of Mary Poppins the day I arrived back in Auckland. Despite the jet lag it was phenomenal- the sets and lighting took a lovely story, with highly aspiring performers to an enchanting level.

Plus I was able to participate
 in Halloween celebrations!

Labour Weekend

  Like so many other political and social aspects of New Zealand, it was an international leader for Labour Day. First starting the people and union's parades to legalise the eight-hour work day and forty-hour work week back in 1840, I am reaping the benefits this weekend. Labour Day weekend is also the unofficial start of summer here, though it could be a spoof as all it has done the entire day is pour down rain.

  Thankfully I did have a chance to get in a hike around Lake Wainamu in the Waitakeres last weekend. Sand dunes were the biggest surprise of our rather muddy and extremely windy expedition into the bush.

 
Otherwise not much new has happened or excited my days of child care other than a new tooth here, a tantrum there, and cuddles most everywhere (well sometimes). It seems like daily life has taken over again and in that strange way that it fills everyday with something, though the details seem to fade into one another. I am still immensely grateful for the experiences I am learning from whether I full realize them or not. My future hasn't changed from its lovely opaque self, but it is possible I have come to appreciate it more.

Character Building Days

Last week my family in Colorado experienced the loss of my grandmother and all though I don't care to discuss the particulars, it must be noted as a new and difficult experience to say the least. Wanting to hug and take care of loved ones 12,000 kilometers away is a desperately helpless feeling. But this is too is part of living and exploring aboard, it wasn't really a part I was expecting or had though much about.
My feelings are ironically fluctuating as frequently as the weather here and I am just taking it in stride. Although it is possible I am just in shock or something, I am actually feeling very strong - overwhelmed, emotionally overextended, and just plain old tired - just still I feel that there is an inner strength I am relying on that I didn't have a year ago.

My backyard this morning at 0700 - rain and gray in every direction

My backyard this afternoon at 1400 - sunny and beautiful

Friends and family here have been wonderful and supportive. Skype has allowed for me to communicate and offer and receive some comfort from home. All in all, I have been very blessed and know that these days are those that will be considered "character building." The knowledge, perspectives, and strengths I am gaining will lend themselves for years to come.

Whitianga

So that my host parents could attend a wedding, I had to gone a beach vacation last weekend. In order to have enough room for the all the provisions (it felt more like an exodus than a weekend away) a family with two young kids and all the people we took two cars, so I brought a friend with as well. 

Hot Water Beach

Whitianga (pronounced fi-ti-an-ga) is a quaint beach town on the East side of the Coromandel Peninsula. We stopped at Hot Water Beach on the way. It is a beach that is situated over - you guessed it - hot springs. If you bring your shovel and a little patients to find the springs you can ding hole and sit in hot water while relaxing by the cold ocean. The beach along with the entire peninsula is truly resplendent. 

Cathedral Cove

Saturday we went to a walk to Cathedral Cove and babysat in the afternoon.

On the drive home

Sunday we drove home via the scenic route. It was a peaceful and, after seven weeks in Auckland, a much needed holiday. 

The Great Gatsby and Birthday Party

What I call a Good Friday Night

In between re-reading one of my favorite books about WWI before its sequel (about WWII) came out I had a few days to burn. I am always, always reading at least one book going, but I was so excited about the newest book in this trilogy I didn't want to start anything too demanding so I went back to an oldy, but a goody - The Great Gatsby. The historical timing was perfect and it was an easy read done over the weekend.
A friend and I went to the Museum that Saturday, which like the zoo I had been to many times, but never without kids in tow and hadn't really seen any of it previously. It is beautiful building over looking Auckland.  The exhibits are expertly done and the range of artifacts and displays are extensive while not overwhelming. Best of all, the City Council of Auckland has sponosored the museum so that anyone who lives in Auckland is free of charge - the Art Gallery and many other museums here are the same - a brilliant way to keep people involved and culture and education available.

The kids and I made cupcakes for a friend's birthday before we went out for dinner, followed by cupcakes and beer on the beach- what more could a girl want?!