Christmas 2011, Great Barrier Island Missive

Tuesday, 20th...
On our way at long last!

The ferry deprated on time in the most beautiful morning sunshine. The children watched a movie in the bowels of the ferry; the girls emerged feeling dizzy and overall yuck. This was very bad timing as we were just approaching open water. This lumpy, open water set the ferry to rocking and rolling in long, swooping swells.

Poor Miranda, Ava & Isabella fell ill at the same time. Out came the sick bags from the crew. All around us people were using them; I can see now how the chain reaction of this sort of thing happens. Awful! Luckily that was only about the last hour of the trip.

We made it to our campsite and what a spot it is! We all hopped out of the van and went in different directions to find the ideal spot to set up. We found it, no doubt about that!

We are set in front of an estuary with a small island in the background; it couldn't be more perfect. Surrounded by tuis, kakas (very noisy but delightful) and two pateke, brown teal ducks! These ducks are among the rarest ducks in the world and Great Barrier is home to almost two-thirds of the remaining world population (so my guidebook says!).

The birds love the pohutukawa tree at the waters edge and so do the bees! We don't see them much but hear a constant hum from the tree like there's a fan in there set to medium all the time.

I know it's only a matter of time before other campers arrive but for now we're in paradise!

Wednesday, 21st...
Went for a walk this morning to a waterfall through native bush, crossing the river a few times as we went.

The boys and Isabella are fishing just now on SASHA!

Our first full day and it's like we've been here all week already. Ahhh...

The boys and Isabella caught 10 snapper! Sadly, none were big enough to keep. Nevertheless, they returned as happy as could be and ought to sleep very well tonight for their efforts out in the beautiful sunshine.

Thursday, 22nd...
After a great sleep for all, it's another spectacular morning.

Everyone has gone fishing this time except for Miranda and me; we're going to read.

As it turns out they could have kept a few of the fish caught yesterday. Perhaps fish for lunch today??

Well, the dads and their children arrived back from fishing triumphant! I will long remember hearing Isabella's voice as they were coming in, "We caught fish!" Those three words were filled with so much wonder and delight!

They brought back 7 snapper! We had them for dinner -- Yum!

Friday, 23rd...
It's a bit rainy so I'm not sure what we'll do today but ah! here's tea from my wonderful husband!

We ended up going to Smokehouse Bay; what a very cool place!

Completely rustic and so, so cool. You can come here with the fish you've caught, build a fire and smoke it! And, while you're waiting, there's a hut with a tub inside! The walls are lined with books and old photographs; extraordinary. Outside the hut, you stoke a fire which boils the water in the hot water cylinder. We took turns having a warm bath!

The smoking of our fish was unsuccessful but that's not at all surprising because no one had a clue.

Sailed the entire way back and even saw a blue penguin! Lovely.

Saturday, 24th...
This morning, we walked to the waterfall again and then this afternoon we walked to a beach along the shore and just around the corner.

A DOC employee, George, approached us this morning and asked if the children wouldn't mind feeding his chooks while he's away for Christmas. I love that!

And it's Christmas Eve; very, very hard to believe.

There are a few more people at the campsite tonight but so far so good.

A camp shower has been added to my list of must-haves. After a cold shower, there's nothing like being able to rinse in warm water! Delightful.

Sunday, 25th...
Merry Christmas!

I woke up this morning to Lloyd beside me saying, "Mommy look! Presents!" He laid back down for a split second and shot back up again to check they were still there. So up we jumped to have a closer look.

Each family spent a bit more time in their tent this morning and slowly emerged to show and talk about presents.

Miranda and I cooked a big breakfast of bacon, toast, scrambled eggs with green onions from George's garden, coffee and freshly squeezed orange juice.

We took a long walk and now we're back having snacks and hanging out. It's already 4:00pm; unbelievable how fast these days are going by.

It's been overcast all day. There's talk of a tornado coming later in the week... the day before we leave, actually. Dreading the ferry ride back to Auckland if that's the case.

Monday, 26th...
Team Yeo day!
We did a lovely two hour walk this morning to the waterfall and beyond. We ended up at Port Fitzroy where there's a shop and the tiniest library I've ever seen. It wasn't open but there were four boxes of books outside. $2 for hard covers and $1 for paperbacks. Eight books later, we carried on. :>)

Lloyd picked out a beautiful old book of poems by children and read it (or tried to read it whilst walking) the whole way back!

This afternoon we went for a sail and did some fishing. Threw back two small snapper and that's it.

It's been a very, very relaxing day.

Tuesday, 27th...
Oooh it's a windy day today!

Another 6 tents are now here giving the campsite a whole different look. The latest arrivals look to be very ready for New Years Eve and all the days and nights leading up to it; they are so packed with booze. I'm so glad we're leaving on the 29th.

Not a whole lot accomplished today at all. A game of catch, a couple sand castles and a whole lot of Tolstoy. Perfect!

I'm reading Anna Karenina this holiday. I tried years ago when Oprah was going on about it but couldn't get into it at all but now I can't seem to put it down.

Just washed my hair in a bucket.

The big pack-up starts tomorrow. I'm ready!

Wednesday, 28th...
Whilst waiting for the kettle to boil... it's very entertaining to watch complete stranges emerge from their tents, stumbling into the bright light of morning.

A lady in her plaid flannel bottoms and a stripey top on her way to the long drop. A man in his boxer shorts and t-shirt with towel and toothbrush in hand. Another man in another tent comes out, looks around and goes back inside...

It's another gray day and the wind has picked up.

Sam and Greg will take the boat out of the water today in preps for leaving tomorrow. We're on the 1:00pm ferry.

Walked to the shop with everyone today for an ice cream... Big adventure. Ha!

The men are in charge of dinner tonight so guess what. We're going out for burgers!

... No good, terrible, rotten, very bad news...

Just got back from our jaunt for burgers to learn the Fullers ferry, passenger and car, has been cancelled for the next two days. We on Sea Link but still. I rang Sea Link and there's no message about cancellation but still.

Oh! I want to go home!

Thursday, 29th...
It was a wild, wild night. The wind was so crazy! Greg reckons about 35 knots!

I woke up at about 5:30 and rang Sea Link an hour later (they open at 5:30!). Didn't get through but, about half an hour later, I heard Sam on the phone; he had gotten through. He happily announced the ferry was running!!

We're at a cafe just now having coffee and some food on our way to the ferry!

Guess what. We had the best ride imaginable. Smooth as could be and no rain whatsoever until we passed Rangitoto and the dock in Auckland was in sight. Absolutely amazing.

What a fantastic holiday!

And now we're home and this house couldn't look better. Stay tuned on Shutterfly for the photos!

Look at Me

Well. It has been a while, hasn't it? I consider that a good thing because I haven't had anything to rave about... But an update is always nice.

You should see me now! You get glimpses, of course, through the photos I post but oh how I wish you could come here and see me now!

I have chickens! In a real live beautiful chicken coop with the most gorgeous nesting box where they can lay me egg after egg after egg.

I have a bucket in the house that's growing mushrooms; it's amazing! They just keep coming and they're yum.

I have a garden currently growing peas and baby carrots! Peppers and cabbages! Celery and tomatoes! There's a blueberry bush outside my window about to give me lots of wonderful blueberries and an almond tree hanging over from the neighbors property about to drop so many heart-healthy almonds it's going to be great! Have you ever had an almond straight off a tree? They have flavor! It's like eating a tablespoon of marzipan. You'd never want to eat a packaged one again. Maybe I'll tape one to a piece of paper and send one to each and every one of you!

My job is going well; I'm very busy and love it.

Lloyd is six weeks away from finishing Year Three at school, can you believe it!? Now it's me who thinks he has an accent; no one else!

We're about to host our third annual Thanksgiving here can you believe THAT?! Crazy.

We're going camping this year over Christmas to Great Barrier Island with another family; can't wait! Every other year I think we'll do something like that. Wonderful!

It's all so wonderful!

Friends

I don't think I'll ever completely come to terms with the fact that most of my friendships here are based on two minute conversations on the playground whilst waiting for the 3pm bell. Come on.

I think it's really sad that's all the time anyone has anymore. What a pity. Because that is not the way to cultivate a friendship. Or have we come to an age and stage in our lives where we feel like we have all the friends we need? I have to admit that's a bit how I used to feel but then I up and switched hemispheres.

Memories and longings are like a blow to the stomach sometimes; the longing is almost a physical ache.

I miss my friends.

Y'all know who you are.

Pirate Ships, Ropes and a Very Close Call

Lloyd was playing at a friends house Monday while I was at work. Playing pirate ships out on the deck with the picnic table and some rope. He fell. The rope somehow ended up around his neck. My girlfriend let out a scream and went running to him as thoughts raced through her head, the primary one being, "what if the rope is too tight to remove right away?"

By then, Lloyd was screaming, too, so she knew he was alright. But what if. The thought of his laughter, his voice, his life being silenced in an instant because of an imaginary pirate ship and some very real rope is paralyzing.

But his life wasn't silenced (he's got quite a scar on his neck he's now rather proud of, though!). He was laughing so hard the following night (chocolate cake!) that he almost threw up. He was telling jokes last night at dinner we could barely chew our food for laughing so hard ourselves.

He is so loved. WE are so loved. Do you know there is not a hair on our heads God has not counted? Not a breath we've taken He didn't already know about. His almighty hands were between that rope and Lloyd's neck; I believe that.

How many times a day must things like that happen? Messages from God our Father reminding us He watches over us. He cares so, so much.

Sunshine. Rainstorms. Rainbows. Well-timed smiles. A phone call. Safety when walking alone. The appropriate answer. Heart rocks.

Stop a minute and think about it. Do you still think He doesn't care? Think again.-

Rhody!

I wrote these down in a flash the other night when feeling particularly homesick. It helped me feel better and you might smile, too.
In no order whatsoever:

Colt State Park
Carousel
Warren
2457835
Venda
Different Drummer
Newport Creamery
Bliss
A Market
Umbrella Factory
Castle Hill
Beaches, so many beaches
Del's lemonade
Flo's
Bon Vue Inn
Battery Street
Thames Street
Almy Street
Fog horn
Bike riding
Caserta's
Casa Christine
TJ Maxx
Old Navy
Campfire marshmallows
Goldfish
Stacy's
Kashi
Beacon Diner
Jiggers
Haven Brothers
Barnes & Noble
Michael's
Yesterdays
Broadway
Franklin Spa
Cooke House
Growers Market
Goddard Park
Camp Canonicus
Swimming lessons
Town Beach
Sweet Berry Farm
Fort Adams
South County Nursing Home
Parades
Fire hydrants
New York Yacht Club
Shipyard
SLEIGHRIDE
ENDEAVOUR
Poplar School

What have you come up with? Make your own list! Share it!

Ah Music!

So there I was driving to the library this morning and Todd Agnew's song was playing on the radio, My Jesus. What a beautiful, convicting song. I was thoroughly enjoying listening to it and getting all riled up ready to kick my Christian life into overdrive very first chance I get.

As I pull into the carpark, the very first person I see is this large Maori man, shirtless, with raggedy shorts more off than on and hair like medusa. I started laughing to myself because my first thought was, "well, gee... give me a minute!!"

(Clearly I have a long way to go.)

I got out of the car to join him and the others who were waiting for 9:00a.m. when the library opens. Well. Do you know that that man let every single one of us (and there were about 15 of us) go in ahead of him. And then, he had a question for a librarian which he started off with "Good morning" and I heard a "Please" and, as I was on my way out, I looked him in the eye (the overdrive had kicked in) ready to say good morning to him and he had the kindest eyes and the most beautiful smile! Wow!

So confident was I that I smiled to the one-eyed man outside the library, too but I don't think he saw me.

Which Jesus do you follow?
Which Jesus do you serve?
If Ephesians says to imitate Christ
Then why do you look so much like the world?

Cause my Jesus bled and died
He spent His time with thieves and liars
He loved the poor and accosted the arrogant
So which one do you want to be?

Blessed are the poor in spirit
Or do we pray to be blessed with the wealth of this land
Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousness
Or do we ache for another taste of this world of shifting sand

Cause my Jesus bled and died for my sins
He spent His time with thieves and sluts and liars
He loved the poor and accosted the rich
So which one do you want to be?

Who is this that you follow
This picture of the American dream
If Jesus was here would you walk right by on the other side or fall down and worship at His holy feet

Pretty blue eyes and curly brown hair and a clear complexion
Is how you see Him as He dies for Your sins
But the Word says He was battered and scarred
Or did you miss that part
Sometimes I doubt we'd recognize Him

Cause my Jesus bled and died
He spent His time with thieves and the least of these
He loved the poor and accosted the comfortable
So which one do you want to be?

Cause my Jesus would never be accepted in my church
The blood and dirt on His feet would stain the carpet
But He reaches for the hurting and despised the proud
I think He'd prefer Beale St. to the stained glass crowd
And I know that He can hear me if I cry out loud

I want to be like my Jesus!
I want to be like my Jesus!

Not a posterchild for American prosperity, but like my Jesus
You see I'm tired of living for success and popularity
I want to be like my Jesus but I'm not sure what that means to be like You Jesus
Cause You said to live like You, love like You but then You died for me
Can I be like You Jesus?
I want to be like my Jesus

Musings

Watching America's Next Top Model, the one where they go to New Zealand, and that has made me unexpectedly sad. Maybe because I wish I was as excited about the prospect as those girls were. I was. Excited about it, that is. Twelve years ago when I first visited. Now I just wish I could win a trip to America. 

On the way to Ooooby this morning, I saw a sticker on a car that said, "God bless our troops, especially the snipers".   And then another one that said, "Outlive your enemies". 

Wow, what a way to start the day. 

Meanwhile, across the world, there's a teenage girl struggling for her identity and the strength to get through every day in the real world. I mean really, really struggling and displaying strength of will and character the likes of which I may never know. 

And I'm sad because a couple wanna-be models are going on a trip of a lifetime. 

Shame on me. 

This beautiful girl, my niece, is growing up in a world where there are stickers that say those things and so, so much worse. 

Just want to be there. Hug her. Hug her mom. Do something!  

Hug someone today and do not take your ability to do that for granted. 

And actively love the ones you love. For heavens sake, don't just assume they know it. You have no idea what people are going through, really. 

Strive to make someone's day, every day...

Give them their "trip of a lifetime" if you like. 

Life in the Big City

So I was in a vile mood yesterday and was going to write about it but decided not to. Who wants to hear anyone winge and moan about things they can't change? How narcissistic can one get? Of course, I could argue this whole entire blog concept is just that but I digress.

And anyway, I'm still going to tell you what was bothering me so there!

I was just really, really tired of living in a city and all the fun that comes with it. Constant traffic for one thing (except at holidays, this city empties out!). No one ever letting you make a turn. No pedestrian right of way. The cicadas have nothing to do with living in a city but they were bothering me yesterday so made the list. I had other things on that list but can't even find the list now so we'll leave it at that.

See? Stupid stuff I can't even do a thing about.

Now it's a new day and everything looks different! None of that stuff or anything on my list matters a bit.

Isn't that great!?

There is SO MUCH in life that could bother me every single day. But come on. Why let it? To let these things get to me, is admitting I've lost my perspective.

Lost sight of the bigger, so beautiful picture.

Don't ever let that happen. When you feel it about to, stop yourself and be thankful for something.

Because there is SO MUCH MORE to be thankful for than the little things that will always try to get the better of us.

Rhode Island

Oh my it's a homesick day.

When people ask me where I'm from I am constantly suppressing the urge to burst out into song, "Oh! I'm Rhode Island born and I'm Rhode Island bred and when I die I'll be Rhode Island dead...!!" (There have been occasions when I don't suppress the urge and actually do it. I'm met with mixed reactions; very funny!)

I also like this song by The Innocence Mission aptly called Rhode Island:

in june we're washing in the water
we are walking to the sand
In the summer of a hard year
you are swinging both our hands
in rhode island, rhode island

now we will go, gleaming into tomorrow
I am leaning, leaning into tomorrow
from rhode island, cradled on the waves

I don't want to tell you sad news
I don't want to let you down
we drive away, we don't know
what is going to happen now
from rhode island, rhode island

now we will go, gleaming into tomorrow
I am leaning, leaning into tomorrow
from rhode island, cradled on the waves

And, in case you're wondering about the photo, Lloyd and I are waving hello to Greg who is returning from some trip or other on SLEIGHRIDE. We're at Castle Hill.

Ahhh... so many, many memories!

Wow, I miss it.

Rescue Hero

On Sunday afternoon I saved my son's life. Yes, saved his life.

Here's the story.

We went camping Saturday to Sunday to a little island off Auckland called Motuihe (Mo-two-hee).

We were playing at the beach Sunday afternoon and I was tossing a rugby ball into the water for Lloyd and Archie to catch or swim after and toss back to me.

I threw the ball into the water again only this time it went just a bit too far.

Lloyd went swimming after it but then said he couldn't get it. But he kept trying so kept swimming out further and further. So now I'm going after him and was soon in over my head -- Lloyd was not yet within reach.

I looked to the beach to see if someone, anyone was noticing and could come help. I see our friend Tim get up and come running so thought phew! Here comes help.

Well, do you know that he swam right past Lloyd and me and went after the rugby ball!! (Tim told me later that he thought I could touch the bottom and also that it looked like I had everything under control so that's why he went for the rugby ball instead of Lloyd).

So I proceeded to get my arm around Lloyd properly and sloppy swim our way back to where I could stand and then to the beach where Lloyd coughed and spluttered his way back to being his happy self.

You never do know how you'll be in an emergency until it happens.

And I thought he was precious to me before...!!

Elapsed Time

This is a bit embarrassing; I'm not a very good blogger am I?

Lately the pictures I've been posting have had to say the 1,000 words I wish I had the time to write.

We've hit the ground running in 2011! And we're nearing the two year mark! March 4th is the day we arrived two years ago. Do you know I still choke up when I talk about the move? It's just that it's inside now so people don't know.

We're celebrating by having a party -- the theme is Immigrants. You have to come dressed as some immigrant or other. Should be fun!

Lloyd is in Year 3! And loving it. My son is growing up in New Zealand! Crazy. Who'd have thought. And he's so very happy! He is loving his life and it's wonderful to see.

I just still cannot believe, in this great big world, and created in the image of God, there exists a human being who calls me, “Mum”. I am not worthy.

But! I'm doing the best I can.

It's been an amazing, very hot summer. Every once in a while we get a little reminder that autumn will be here eventually... This morning was once such time. It was so nice and cool! But now the cicadas are out in full force again and driving me crazy! I have all the windows shut I'm so sick of listening to them.

Cicadas are the only insects to have developed such an effective and specialised means of producing sound. Some small species have songs so high in pitch that the noise is beyond the range of our hearing. And the other ones just go on and on and on all. day. long. They are the loudest insects in the world -- that's a fact I read!

Right.

I'm supposed to be doing work on this computer not updating my out-of-date blog!

I have been considering putting an end to the blog...

Your thoughts?