Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Ships Not Sailed

We returned home with seven bags of dirty washing. They are currently sitting on the floor gazing wistfully at the broken washer like a soiled French Lieutenant's woman. The shop tried to deliver a new washer and drier three times but first two times there was a part missing and third time washer was dented. We sent off the 17-year-old to the laundromat again. Not apropos of laundry, but Mum says the driftwood boat on Ohope Beach is now twice the size it was.

The driftwood ship on Ohope Beach

Jackson late evening


Mum's garden


Sign at bottom of Ohope Hill


This is the statue I was telling you about: Wairaka, the Maori teenage princess who grabbed the tapu (sacred) oar and paddled into shore, saving all the women and children.

Cy (right) last swim with cousin Finn
First Day ...arriving at Whakatane Airport



Still wearing those rings and just started this book - All The Light We Cannot See. Have you read it yet - everyone says it's incredible and poetic. In a couple of days I'm going to post on the best book I read last year,  Give Us This Day by Helena Wisniewska Brow.  Not saying this just because I know her. You'll laugh, you'll cry and you'll might even look at your own family in a new way.


Was very happy with the way The Australian Woman's Weekly chose a swimsuit model with healthy-looking thighs.





In Auckland we found some Lewis Road chocolate milk (remember I told you... that stuff sells out immediately and kids wag school for).  I found it way too rich and can't imagine doing this concoction - Milk Chocolate with Killinchy Gold ice-cream, salted caramel sauce and a dollop of whipped cream -  bought to my attention by Kiwi friend Cheryll. Others have pronounced it the "epic creation of this summer."



Had smoked fish kedgeree for brekkie at a great place called Foxtrot Palour in Ponsonby Road, Auckland.


Kevin had Thai Chicken pie which was something to write home about all right.


They provided an appliance to squirt choccy and cream into the donut



Then we looked at jacarandas abounding

Tallulah and Pietra showing abounding jacarandas. Harley standing by.


Then Barby at my friend Diana's house - she won't let me post a photo of her on my blog so you'll just have to imagine what she looks like.

Louis, me, Carmel, Sue, Jill and Alan (who live part-time Auckland, part-time King's Cross)

Had a good giggle and reminisce with Sue about Louise who died suddenly in the summer. (By the way, Sue was the one who turned me onto the NZ face cream and supplements, Mitoq. I'm very skeptical of beauty stuff but it does seen to plump the epidermis nicely.)

Me, Sue and her husband Ian
Sue and Ian's wedding day 20 years ago, Louise far left.

Had a good scream and swear at Treetop Adventures in Auckland  - a ropes course amid the canopies -  on the way to the airport. Kevin and I are both terrified of heights so we stayed on Level Four while the kids raced off to Level Ten (50 ft!).


Ignoring the detractors I chose to do it with gracious wave and in third position (channeling our ballet mistress Mrs Shirley Dibble).

Keeping up appearances


By the way if you still haven't done your New Year's clear out of wardrobe, kitchen and garage, my latest article for the San Francisco Chronicle gives ten great tips from the pros, if I do say myself. Read here.  For more techniques on how to cull the clutter,  Heather has done a goody at her place.

Organizer Angela Hoxsey says people are either innies or outies when it comes to mess. I am definitely an inny as all the decks in our house are clear, but just open any drawer, cupboard and it's... What Lies Beneath. Which are you?

Who else is all caught up with Homeland and The Affair? The latter started out as queasy-making and dull by turns (who wants to watch anyone having an affair?) but it's taken a swerve for the interesting. Homeland really picked it up too  - and where on earth did they find a baby that looked sooo much like Brody?

I binge-watched House Of Cards when I was away. Gosh, Robin Wright has an amazing hairline...her hair falls perfectly from her crown and away from her face. Not being pervy but you can see her incredible physique in Adore (an otherwise disturbing and boring movie)


Her daughter Dylan got her jolly good genes... seen in WWD this month



Set my alarm for 6am for my inaugural pilates class ( I want this core that everyone keeps talking about!).  Saw a full moon in the sky and went back to sleep. Sometimes it's better to let that ship sail. Far, far away...

40 comments:

  1. I enjoyed All The Light We Cannot See, but not as much as most people. I'm curious to hear what you think. I'm reading My Brilliant Friend now and can't put it down (but maybe that's because I'm Italian). Like you, I'm an "innie" my drawers, cupboards and closets are a mess.

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    1. Well it's makes for a nice space for swanning around the house, which of course we do so much in our feathers and sparkles...haha

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  2. Well, Hello there, my Antipodean visitor!!

    (My daughter's college roommate was from Australia, and that's what she called herself---we just adored her, and I'd like to imagine that you speak in such lovely inflections as she---I'll NEVER forget her delightful reference to "snake-hipped mountains," which we still speak of with fond amusement at our confusion).

    It was lovely to have you drop in, and over a comment---that's a sweet compliment, for I just write things like I talk, and seem to go on and on as if I'm writing a letter to a friend, when it's not even my blog. GSL seems a great guy, though we've not met. He's always very kind in comments on my LAWN TEA.

    I've just loved seeing your trip---we've long wanted to visit there, and you experienced a lot of the fun stuff---even at my age, I'd be on that zipline in an instant.

    Thank you for the lovely compliment and the very welcome visit. I hope you'll drop in again, and would send you my cornbread recipe, but it involves a little packet of a local brand of mix, all tarted up with several other ingredients to make a lovely crusty pan, fragrant with toasty corn. We're having some for supper on this snow-covered night.

    I look forward to dropping back for your fun adventures!

    rachel

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    1. Hi Racheld, welcome! Packets of mix plus tarting are just my speed.

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    2. So glad that Rachel is getting out and about in my old haunts!

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  3. The jacaranda is a stunner and I've never even heard of it...and so charmingly presented by Pietra and dear Talluleh even if Harley seems unimpressed. Love how your family is always outside together dining, swimming, climbing, hiking, sightseeing, etc. no wonder you're all so attractive and pictures of health.
    This declutter movement is big with the sisterhood which a Y chromosome apparently nullifies.

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    1. Hope i haven't incorrectly named it, hopefully FF will know...
      Loads of time inside, re the bingewatching.
      My husband just called in the closet company re the mudroom, maybe my X's are seeping into him

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  4. I'm an Outie, my husband is an innie. He will pick up all my "piles of crap" as he refers to them (I call it future filing), and sweep them into a random box to be shoved in a cupboard, never to be found again. Then I can't find the bills to pay etc. Am still missing half a tax return from 07/08 tax year and praying we don't get audited. Suspect he shoved it somewhere (like a bin). He always looks very surface neat though. Shall check out your decluttering post. At this time of year my husband asks if we can get a skip bin delivered so he can throw all the kids toys into it that explode all over the house. This is instead of sorting through them and putting them back where they belong…
    The Woman's Weekly have been very good about using more realistic looking models. Now if Vogue Australia would follow suit… not sure why they don't realise that a magazine full of tattooed 17 year old waifs modelling clothes that cost thousands is not going to hit the target market of women who can actually afford those clothes in the first place.
    Love all the NZ photos, sounds like you've arrived back to purgatory though with all the laundry - my sympathies! xx

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    1. It's all in a name - future filing is brilliant.
      yes I would have totally floundered in the olden days when you literally had to go through the ringer.
      Yes it makes you want to buy those togs, gives you a real perception of what they actually look like on, with the skinny minnies with thigh gap I just flick the page, be interesting to know how many suits they sell

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  5. I have that book sitting waiting for my next read. Was very popular in my bookclub so lucky me have snaffled it for the summer and will take on holiday.
    You must read “The Light Between Oceans” ,I found it very moving and my eyes filled with tears at the end,maybe was just tired or it just got me but I was very moved.
    Seems hard to get here as came out in 2012 I think,I sent Zof a copy for her birthday ,had to buy online.
    They have just been shooting the movie,some of it here in Marlborough,the rest in Aussie,where it is set.Starring Michael Fassbender (I loved his Mr Rochester), Alicia Vikander and Rachel Weisz, so am thinking it will be rather good but def read book first.

    Sue T

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  6. Sue, loved Rachel W and Michael F, must see that one.

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  7. I loved the book Jody! I am so jealous of your sojourns down under and desperate to go, what with family there and all. For some reason, I thought my great-grandfather and grandmother had emigrated there from Oxford, but recently learned that was only my great-grandmother. Apparently, my great-great grandparents emigrated to NZ decades before from Aberdeen Scotland. I so want to go and will creep on your family whilst there! Love all the pictures! I am so happy you had a fantastic sign but boo about the washer/dryer!

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    1. Heck, your family were probably one of the first European (Pakeha) settlers.
      Just thinking that seven loads of wash would not have deterred them, now way. Yes, family would love to see you and entertain you with champers when you get there Wendy

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  8. Welcome home, and of course your washer is broken and they can't seem to get one there. Last time mine died they, at the first store, said they could get me one in 3 weeks, I laughed, I cried, said I need it yesterday.
    Loved your trip pictures, coming back to California must have felt like a bit of a let down.
    Yes I'm decluttering, I'm an innie, the cat takes care of all else.
    I'm on the library waiting list for it, can't wait.

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    1. Oh I feel you on the laughing and crying - the mountain grows higher...

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  9. That looks like a fun course indeed, I'd climb as high as one could. Homeland I stopped last season, just got waay too boring. House of Cards is great though.

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    1. I hear they're making a third season. What can happen after he's President?

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  10. I love your adventurous spirit! I'm in desperate need to de-clutter, so thanks for providing the links.

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    1. Every time I go in the mudroom I come out with an armful of more stuff to donate...where is it all coming from?

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  11. I loved All the Light We Cannot See...would love to hear what you think after you finish it.
    Both my husband and I watch House of Cards...Robin's a stunning woman and I love the simple yet elegant fashions that she wears on screen.
    Good luck with the Pilates...several of my friends swear by the practise.

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  12. Funnily enough I saw Robin Wright on tele last night in Person of Interest and was amazed by her hair too. (or at least I think it was her...)

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    1. She's saving a lot of money with that short hair. When I got my hair blow dried in Washington DC it was $70 without tip, and that was just a random place

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  13. Great photos, good luck with all that washing x

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  14. Goodness you're wearing me out. Actually I've been rather busy these past few days. New dishwasher purchased, over-the-pantry-door spice shelves installed so that husband doesn't buy a new jar of coriander every time he cooks, Xmas decs almost all down (already), and now I'm about to take the humungous double bed out of my teen boy's room and put it in my college girl's room which is doubling as a guest room. But don't tell her!

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    1. Won't tell. Must turn eldest son's room into guest room. He's allegedly off to until next year. Don't tell.

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  15. THE LIFE YOU LEAD!
    I saw that MOON TOO TODAY AT 6:00.......off the bed I jumped as it was right in my eyes!No curtains at our house!And may I ask where is the laundromat that YOU trust a 17 year old with YOUR CLOTHES to wash and WATCH and bring home!

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  16. Beautiful photos. Hope the washer is restored quickly. Gah! I love sorting clutter. Such a January thing to do. I have to tackle the big pile of paper pre tax season however, which I hate. I need a receipts whisperer to come over.

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  17. Happy New Year! Love all the pictures and the commentary. Hope this year is the best ever...or at least survivable.

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  18. Loved your NZ posts. That trek looked amazing and fun. I just cannot believe the beauty there. How fortunate you are to be able to go home so much. Must be hard to leave. Jody I just read your article. You were lucky to have an organizer at your house, so jealous. I laugh we have the sneaker problem too, and I need to purge seriously. I do love that when I'm in the right mind frame. I also read that new book, The Magic Art of Tidying Up and it's got a few gems, especially the folding of things. Happy New Year Jody! xx Kim

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    1. I must get that, folding is my nemesis. In fact we got a wardrobe person in (our spaces are not well designed, we just did a quick and dirty job of that in our re-model ) and she said the spaces for the folded clothes were all wrong

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  19. Happy 2015 ! If you see the moon in the sky that's just provocation to stay in bed!!
    I hate laundromats so I hope your machines are up and running very soon.

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    1. I'll say - I had thought I would start training sessions in the morning, but rang them and said no way before 8am.

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  20. DARLING. Are you still in NZ? I live in Auckland and would LOVE to see you for coffee if you are free. I'm in One Tree Hill, about 20 mins from the Airport. If you are free and in the area, I would love to catch up with you @ a café and finally meet. Please feel free to text me if you are still here :) 021 261 5763 xo xo p.s HAPPY NEW YEAR!

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    1. DakooootaaaH! I missed you! I will for sure text you next time, we had a day and a night in Auckland and would have loved to catch up. Love Jody. Maybe we can action a spot of Queenies cafe next time?

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  21. Hello Jody! There are so many gems in this post. First off, your trip looked like a blast. I always enjoy following your trips and I know colorful adventures await. That pic of you on the zip line-fab! Hope the washer is properly installed by now. Tis the season for the clear outs, thanks for the mention and the link to Stylemindchic Life. ;) I now have 6 bags ready for donation-feeling good. Welcome home my friend!
    xx, Heather

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