3 + 1 = 4

Home.



St Clair.

Sisters.


Just one thing missing. Can you guess what it is?


Charlotte.

3 sisters will never quite be complete without the fourth!

Is it spring yet?

Its time to spring clean my life.

Im taking time to think about what I want. Not just out of life, not just out of this year, but on a daily basis.
When I think about what I want, I think about what I'm achieving. And thinking about what i'm achieving makes me assess whether I am achieving it or not.

If I am achieving it, I don't just feel pride, I take notice of what is helping me to get there. What have I done? And WHO in particular has been of support/encouragement. Some things simply cannot be achieved on ones own.

And if i'm not, I look at whats stopping me, or what is holding me back. From here, I work on change, and on elimination.

2011 like any other year,I plan on taking, and running with. I want to look back and feel proud of all I've done and know I've spent my time wisely. I want to end every year, more rounded, more happy and with more achievements (be them small or big) than when the year began.

I'm spring cleaning for the better.
Watch this space.

Christchuch on my mind

The earthquake has hit NZ hard.
The weight is on our buildings, our roads, our schools, our parks, and sadly our precious people. The weight is perhaps heaviest on our hearts.

Even for those of us who are not directly affected by the earthquake, each one of us is in mourning.
NZ is a small country, and Christchurch only feels down the road for many of us.
They are our next door neighbours.
We all know people who live there.
We all know of someone who has lost their lives or someone else who has lost someone dearly close to them.

We feel Christchurchs' pain as if it was our own.
We imagine the terror of the 22 Feb.
We imagine waiting at home for loved ones to return.
We imagine the road to recovery, to normality.
Our hearts go out to these people.

Events such as these remind me why I am so proud and priveledged to be a NZer.
The support, the love, the comradery.
Being at the Westminster Cathedral in London was another reminder of why I feel like this. 5000 people turned up at the Prayer Vigil and nearly 30,000 pounds was raised for the people of Christchurch.
This was possibly the greatest show of support which we could show NZ from all of us here in London.

We all feel so far away, so removed, so helpless and yet so numbed by the pain and tragedy of this event.

So proud to welcome to the world....

Archer Charles Lance Wates
Born 14 February, 2010

Can't wait for my next trip home for cuddles, till then, I'm relying on photos, skype and emails. I even heard him cry on the phone today. Bless.

Congratulations Georgie and Olly xxx

Home

I've just been home to New Zealand and whilst I was at home, I talked of going home to London. When I lived in Auckland, Auckland was home. Korea too - home. Home in Dunedin, Valpy Street, St Clair. But what about all the other places I lived in Dunedin, weren't they once home too?

Its got me thinking about home. What is home? Is home a place? Or is home people? Is home work? Is home where we socialise? Is home where we laugh, cry or relax? Is home a happy place?

What makes a home?

As I began this post, I was yet to define my sense of home but through writing I have discovered that to me, home is the place I feel settled and happy. They go together because I don't believe that one can truly be settled without being happy. I do settle easy. No ... I don't think I'm necessarily pleased easily, but given the basics and a bit more, life is easily good for me.

I'm settled in London because I truly love my job. I love the people I work with, the environment I'm in and I love the children I teach. I love the area I live in. I love that so many of my friends from home live in this new place I call home and I love that I have met so many other amazing people who have become close friends here in this home. I love that I can walk out my door and feel safe (except when the light unexpectedly flicks off as I walk down the stairwell). I love that I know how to get to my friends places and also where to go to enjoy a good vino or cocktail as much as I love flying into London and feeling comfortable because I know how to get home. Another new thing I love is knowing which channel the news is on (24/7). I love knowing where the post office is and where the best deal is to get my hair done. Some of these are small things, but its probably the smallest things that actually make us feel like home is actually a home.

And what makes Dunedin home? Ahhhh... its just home.

Its landing in Auckland and the man at customs saying 'Welcome home' with a sincere smile plastered across his face. Its returning 10months later, and that same man being on the customs desk. Its collecting my bags and the sniffer dog being attached to a good friend from school who is now working there. Its the girl who let me have a shower for free at the airport simply because my debit cards weren't working when I landed. Its walking out the door and arriving at my sisters flat 2 minutes later. Its being able to walk to the beach, see the waves and walk along the sand. Its lying on the couch at my house in St Clair and feeling completely at home even though I don't live there anymore. Its knowing that the bus to town goes at exactly the same time it did a year ago and also knowing that I can't leave the house without a cardy even in summer but feeling completely okay about that. Its being able to drive 15 minutes to see my closest friends, and thats across the city. Its seeing my old high school and now being able to appreciate the grand building. Its the feelings and the memories, that stir every minute I spend in that place.

These are the things that to me, make home, home.
Home is any number of places where I feel settled and happy.
The things that make me feel settled may change, but its the result of happiness from these factors that to me, creates home.

Morocco

A place where one could sit and write postcards, sit and drink copious amounts of peppermint tea, sit and read books, sit and chat, sit and think, sit and laugh, sit and enjoy the sun, or just sit for sittings sakes. A place where we walked so slow we literally dragged our feet. Early to bed and late to rise (except when we had those early buses/boats/trains). Time not just to tell stories but time to share stories, most important of all, time to listen. Pulpy orange juice, dates, almonds, tagines, camels, (how many camels?), markets, mountains, rugs, scarves, deserts, sea, sand. A place bustling with colour and texture, tiles, sunsets, colour, colour, so much colour. A place which exuded serenity and a great sense of calm, in amongst the haggling, the busy roads, and the hoards of people fighting their way on to public transport.

Here is Morocco. In pictures.

I love this girl

We first met in Dunedin at Teachers College.

She thought I was a bit of a hippy as she used to see me being doubled on the front of a friends bicycle past her flat window.

I thought she was super dooper cool and we soon realised we were on the same page when we one day on a whim decided to try our luck hitch hiking to Cromwell and back. We succeeded and I think our friendship was set in stone after that.

Since then I've followed her up to Auckland. Shes followed me to Korea. And we have both made our way to London.

Now I am flying home to be her bridesmaid and I absolutely can not wait. Its been about three years in the making and needless to say we have thoroughly discussed the ins and outs and I cant wait to see it all pull together and play a special part in her big day.

I love you my chocolate twin xxx