“Listen–are you breathing just a little, and calling it a life?”
― Mary Oliver
Greetings from far away Aotearoa, the Land of the Long White Cloud aka New Zealand.
Blogs from here have been few and far between since we entered into lockdown in March, but we are now at Alert Level 1 so are among the very few who can now live a ‘normal’ life. In fact, there are very few restrictions imposed on us. Yes, we do know just how lucky we are.
Oh, and we know it’s Spring. The clocks went forward on 27 September and we prepared for a lovely Spring. Well..something went wrong. Seven degrees here at 11 am today.
And of course, there are no international tourists this year.
All the holiday spots are available and on the occasion we had a good Saturday, crowds flocked to the beach and to the resorts that are now mainly empty. But good Saturdays or any other day, have been few and far between so far this year.
We watched in horror as bushfires destroyed dozens of homes in Lake Ohau, a peaceful lakeside village in the South Island. Authorities are reported as saying it was “a miracle no one was hurt when a wall of orange descended on the remote village”
In the last few weeks we have had the wildest winds anyone in Wellington can remember. For me, a glass-topped table was lifted and landed in a raised garden bed. Then two days later the wind lifted the same table, but this time it didn’t stop at the garden bed. It went through the fence taking several palings with it, and landed in the garden next door. But the garden is well below ours so my son and grandson are to come here to retrieve it. I must say the garden owner was very pleasant when I eventually found how to access his house. Next door but round the block and up a long, steep, winding and shared driveway. My thought after eventually managing to turn the car round to descend the driveway? Imagine coming home after a night out!
The gardeners were here yesterday so all we need now is some good weather so we can sit. outside and enjoy our lovely surroundings. Wishful thinking..
So thank you friends, for still being there even though I have been MIA for a couple of months. I hope to do better in the following months.
“We each hear different drummers,
but still find music to dance together.”
Judith Baxter, Mother, Grandmother, Sister, friend and confidante
1938 –
I choose how I will spend the rest of my life 
It brings me joy to know that somewhere far away long summer days are brewing even as the northern hemisphere hunkers down for shorter colder darker days.you may have to put a leash on that table when you get it back!
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Good idea about the table – when I get it back!
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Hi Judith–Good to hear from you and glad you are well. We’ve had a few teasers of spring up north but it’s not sticking around!
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A few teasers indeed but as my mother would have said, nothing to write home about. Take care Thomas
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How wonderful to hear from you. That was some wind!! I agree, you are very lucky to have a Prime Minister with a good head on her shoulders. We are also lucky to be in our corner of Spain which is also very safe. Take care my dear friend and enjoy your spring. xo
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Thanks Darlene. We have a few cases registered from time to time, but always from those entering the country and in isolation facilities. So yes , we very lucky. We have an General Election today and all signs point to her re-election. Keep safe
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I think of you often faraway sister, and so glad you are virus free. I wish it were so here in Virginia, USA as we mostly stay wary of outbreaks even here in the country. The wicked wind would be welcome in exchange.
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We are lucky that we were able to lockdown our borders; we are an island. We also have a young determined PM who acted fast. We do have the occasional case in isolation facilities but mostly we remain virus free. Today is Election Day so we will see if everything she has done over the past six months work in her favour. Take care sister of choice.
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