Thanks

I got a lovely thank you at work on Wednesday that included lovely flowers from my lovely boss.

More Newness

Things continue on the home front. Right at the very top of the ‘if I owned this place’ list was a screen security door at the front. It was installed this week and we are reaping the full benefit of it today. Lovely fresh air circulating right through the house.

Being Immersed

These photos won’t mean much but they are part of the learning at a full immersion Māori language weekend that’s just wrapping up. Lots of new words and old friends.

Trying to be Productive

But not really succeeding. 

Domestic Goddessing

I’ve had a wonderful couple of days at home puttering around doing stuff. This has included:

Load testing the new washing line,

 Putting up shelves in the (now completed) shed,

  

And making the Christmas cakes. 

This photo pretty much sums it up. Everyone recharges their cordless drill next to cake prep on top of the washing machine, right?

I spent last weekend up in Taranaki for Te Pūtake o Te Riri, the now annual commemoration of the New Zealand land wars that started in 1860.  It’s really hard to put the four days into words. The welcomes (there were three), dawn commemoration, historic site visits and farewell were all amazing in their own ways.

       

The pōwhiri was huge in every way

Yes, Jacinda was there!

Visiting Pukerangiora Pā

 Visiting Mahoetahi

The ahi kā at Te Kohia lit before dawn, literally keeping the home fire burning.