Surf's Up.

Jordy, see this white stuff....it's called SURF, and it's real fun. You run into the freezing cold of the Pacific Ocean, and you squeal really loudly, and then you run back onto the sand and then you do it all again...and again...and again! Your wee cousins have done this when they were here in Dunedin for your Mummy & Daddy's wedding. I can't wait for you to try this out too. The louder you squeal, the more fun it is.
Your Uncle Nick does big boy stuff with this white stuff...that's called SURFING. He'll be sure to show you how to do this when you're a big boy.

This is one end of our beach .....

And this is the other end. It is very very beautiful and I love walking along from one end to the other in all weathers. This morning was a "corker" ( that's a word we use here for something good ) It's Labour Weekend ( that's a day to celebrate work & all the workers get a holiday - well except those that work in shops, for some reason they have to be at work cos people love shopping and they like to go shopping on a holiday weekend ) See how there's no people in the picture? Well, they're all shopping! Not me! I'm at the beach!

When you reach one end there's a lot of wee water pools and sometimes you can see wee crabs. They're not big enough to catch for Grandpa Ukelele's favourite Chilli Crab dish though so I just sit for awhile watching them. You're just going to LOVE this place Jordy, and guess what! Every day at the beach ends with a Fish & Chip Picnic....ahhh, now Fish & Chips...that's another story....

My Backyard Part 2

This wee Rhodie really is in my backyard! David bought me this one when I first moved into Dalmeny ( and Nick bought me a white one, but it's finished flowering now ) The little bush is taking awhile to grow but it's very pretty and by the time Jordy's tree climbing age, it'll be just the right size for him!

My Backyard!

Last night the hailstorms were beating against the window and it seemed it might be another indoors day today but the morning was turning into a beautiful spring day so thought it a good chance to have a wee wonder through the top part of the Gardens where, if the hailstorm hadn't ruined them, the Rhodadendrams and Azaelas would be at their best. I am very lucky as it's a only a short 10 minutes away from my house and the walk up to the top is always beautiful

Sure enough, when I reached the top, the colours were breathtaking, the whole scene looking a little like a monet painting.
Once again, there was no one else about....( what do other people do on Sunday mornings! )

I've been wondering these gardens now for half a century.... Mum used to take us sometimes to feed the ducks and one of my earliest memories was Dad taking Judy & I on the bus to the Gardens one day to show us that our wee budgie was very happy in his new home with all his friends at the bird sanctury! We had left the cage door open for too long and were very upset that he was lost.
As a teenager I enjoyed biking here from South Dunedin and then when the boys were wee this was one of my favourite places to take them. And it's really nice to be in a place where youv'e been able to watch the trees grow slowly. I remember when the Azaeala Garden was first planted out and now it's world renoun.

And now when I walk the top way home I pass Nick's Castle On The Hill, looking very grand indeed standing in the sunshine. Maybe one day soon, after my Sunday walk, I'll pop in and he'll have lunch on the table for his old Ma!

The Little Photo that got Left Behind!

Don't ask me why - but it had to be somewhere so now it's got it's very own blog spot!

It's Official I'm Addicted To Blogging!

For the past few nights I've been trying unsuccessfully to post a few pix from my trip to Auckland but it's taken me as many hours as it took to fly there! Emailed Blog Expert Grandpa Ukelele and even his clear instructions didn't help - my images just kept turning into gobbledeedook but he did advise me not to pull my hair out, and since I spend quite a bit of money trying to keep it groomed I decided I should take his advise. To Keep trying....so I am posting this through Picasa and still not sure if it will work! Aleady the photos are proving a challenge!

Anyway - on with my story.
I now know I am truly addicted to my D.I.L's wonderful blogging cos 4 days away from tuning in was very hard. All the way home I was anticipating turning on the lap top and as soon as I arrived home I was hoping to catch up on wee Jordy's days. Sure enough there he was beaming away as he watched his daddy dance, and then looking adorable at his wee outing to the beach. So WONDERFUL! And I can't believe how much he changes day to day. Honestly, I can't express how much pleasure Dora's writing gives me. ( No pressure darling - heehee - I really don't expect one every day. Promise. )

So Auckland...
Our conference was at Takapuna, and it was a little visit through memory lane. We lived there when Nick was just a wee baby, not much older than Jordy is now and I couldn't believe that the Ownership Block where we lived was still exactly the same. Nick & I used to spend all our days walking through Takapuna to the beach. And the beach is still lovely. The weather was unexpectadley cold but it was still nice to walk along the sand reliving those times when my life revolved around my delightful little baby.

Rangitoto In the Distance

It was a great Conference with lots of very good speakers, but in between learning how to be motivated, and not have a morning cuppa until I've swum 10 laps every morning, how to recognise bullying in the workplace, how to fire someone, how to recognise my personality type and how to be a humble manager I took a break during the "how to find true happiness" session and took a bus ride into greater Auckland to visit two of my favourite shops: Boarders and Groovy Records. True Happiness Indeed!!! Especially as Boarders was having a 40% sale. House of Cards & The Complete Series of Cracker should see me through any chilly spring nights and I was in very True Happiness Mode when the helpful man at Groovy Records found me Spanish Apartment! Groovy Records hadn't changed in 34 years either although it is now going into recevership. Let's hope someone can take it over cos it's an old NZ icon.

Then back to the Conference to find out how Changing Your Style of Clothes can Change Your Life! We also had two very fun nights dining & dancing. And I still managed to catch up with my good friend Robyn.

So, as Conferences go, it was a very successful time but it was so good getting home to tune into all wee Jordy's happenings.

Well, am about to push the Publish Post Button and if it doesn't work I promise not to pull my hair out! Dora has set a good example. If a busy mum can take the time, so can an old Granny!

The Little Red Case Part 2

This is Mama Maree's Little Red Case in U.S.A.

This is Uncle Nick's travelling gear in the U.S.A.

You can imagine the stories my little red case could tell!

The Little Red Case

Not even two years old, this little red case has travelled far!

San Francisco, then across the vast Desert Highway to Los Vegas, it's even been to Hollywood!
Vancouver, Vietnam, Singapore ( twice already - it can almost find it's own way there! ) and here in New Zealand, Central Otago and of course Invercargill.

Tonight it's getting ready to go to Auckland for a few days as I'm off for a 4 day conference. I haven't been to Auckland for years so I guess I'll see a few changes. Hopefully I'll get time to catch up with my good friend Robyn who I worked with for many years.

Work Trips are a great chance to catch up with friends and family. Judy was up in Dunedin yesterday for a work meeting and we caught up last night. At last I was able to share my wonderful photos of her wee great nephew....I even did a blog showing as Jude is a stranger to blogging. I have written down our sites to give to Finnie....maybe he'll show Mummy how easy it is! She just LOVED all the photos and just thinks Jordy is beautiful and thinks what a great Mum & Dad he has.



I'd better go and pack that wee case. I remember in past life I would have been packed at least two weeks before a trip. Now I'm such a seasoned traveller it's all done at the last minute! Must remember to pack the camera...