Today was a catch-up day, doing laundry, tidying up a bit. After my morning walk where I saw a very colorful house, I made myself a cooked breakfast for the first time in a while, and enjoyed sitting in the warm conservatory/dining room at Mary’s house reading while the wind howled outside. I’ve been reading…

Today I set out for Martinborough, the wine tasting region 1 1/2 hours outside of Wellington. Since the train was out of service there were private buses that took the same amount of time as the train. The bus was a double decker (so of course I sat upstairs 😁) with comfy seats. Because the bus…

Today was a fun adventure. Annemarie made breakfast bagels for both of us, I stopped at a coffee shop called Peoples Coffee and got their seasonal coffee, which was chocolate hazelnut and mandarin. It was pretty good, though I have to say the Supreme Coffee has been my favorite so far. We took the ferry…

My legs were sore last night, I wasn’t sure how I was going to do this morning, but the miracle of a bit of ibuprofen at bedtime really helped. Headed down to the bus stop to take the scenic route to Annemarie‘s place and saw a group of people with hiking poles and backpacks. I…

My cabin is right across the street from the local kindergarten (similar to our preschools). If I’m here in the afternoon, I can often hear parents shouting ‘Slow down Sarah! Wait up darling!’ as their children go hurling down the street to the car or the local dairy for an ice cream. So sweet. Spent…

The people next-door are getting their house painted so I can hear the workers from time to time, a lot of ‘Mate, can you pass me ?’ ‘Thanks Mate.’ ‘That looks cracker’  ‘You beauty!’ A very friendly, happy group. Like at home there’s lots of construction going on, down the street someone is redoing their front…

I am just loving hearing the rain on the roof and seeing moisture on the trees and plants, I seriously think I have seen more rain here in Wellington in the past week than I have in the last year at home. Sometimes it will only rain for an hour or two, but come down…

I totally agree with the following passage in the Anne Lamott book I’m reading: “Hope changes as you get a little older, from the hope that this or that happens, to hope in life, old friends, laughter, art, goodness, helpers.“ That is it exactly how I’ve been feeling for a long time now. It’s not…

I was wiped out this morning, probably a combination of getting used to the constant wind, delay Jet lag (which I seem to get for some reason. I am fine the first three or four days when I get to a new place but then the time change seems to hit me after that.) Probably…

It rained pretty much all day today, it wasn’t particularly cold, but definitely wet. I walked into town through Central Park, it smelled wonderful from the rain. Part of the journey took me down Cuba Street, sort of the Telegraph Ave of Wellington, lots of alternative shops, cafés, funky street art, buskers – Including a…