hope you all have a humbug-free christmas.
mine's going well thanks.
my beach house it just PERFECT.
you should drop by some time...
xxx

that sweet slow summer feeling is here.
freinds arriving back in town to relax and share stories
long evenings, light till after nine
(perfect for walking on the beach with a new lover)
stone fruit ~ fragrant nectarines, but still not a patch on the ones i ate as a child.
talk of day trips to only-in-summer destinations
the anticipation of long days on a sunny veranda
gin and tonic
squinting
strawberries and cold fruit juice
*

trying to get my head around how i might bake a carrot cake
on a morning when i would be better just drifting

it was still last night. so still.

i have a new cousin.
he is large and loud and very south african.
i like him.
i wasn't sure if i would, but i do.
*

i have a sister back.
she's wild and different and as great as ever.
she speaks italian like it doesn't take any effort.
it's good to have her back.
*

time is moving so quickly.
soon christmas, then a new year.
how exciting...
a new adventure to embark on.
*

little sister arrives back tomorrow morning.
it's been nearly three years since last sighting.
molto emozionante!

i finally found this photo! been hunting for it since he died, wanting to see a picture of him looking healthy and happy. it's at his property at hapuku. hapuku just happens to be where michelle and i did our figure drawing workshop a week or two back. i'd planned on visiting him, been saying i would for years, but i was too late. by a week.
i love this photo so much, he sent it to me just before i went on my big adventure to australia when i was 18. he was always so supportive of adventure... if what you're doing doesn't make you happy, do something else. he was all for grabbing life by the horns (or trotters in this case) and trying new things, getting the best out of life.
such a shame his was so short.

there seem to be some pretty cool lookin' and within-reason affordable houses in melbourne each time i look online. that's encouraging.
but what shall i do for work?

you all know i'm moving to melbourne next year, right?
(heh, i say "you all" like people actually read this thing anymore!)
it's an exciting prospect for surely, and along with that comes a lot of doubts and worries. hmm. i know i am completely capable of making this move work for me. finding work will be fine. we'll find a nice place to live. i'll make friends. but it's still SCARY! i'll be leaving so much stuff that i'm really into at the moment. pottery and bookbinding and piko and gazillions of good peeps.
*sigh*

this, believe it or not, is young fur seals playing in the pool of a waterfall just north of kaikoura. such a treat to see! there were three of them, very inquisitive little show-offs! between michelle and myself i think we probably took about 42323 photos. mine are pretty much all crap... and you'll never know about hers seeing as she has stopped blogging. which is a shame, seeing as she has such a lot to say in real life. heh.
[love you mich!]