In which I chase away my winter blues.
What better way to make myself merry than to round up the mates and celebrate what we all feel should be just around the corner. Christmas! I suppose it also ties in with my desire to celebrate, as all my best mates and my niece back home have birthdays around this time. My last two weekends have been spent doing the following:
1. Watching the All Blacks beat South Africa in one of the biggest rubgy matches of the year here. It was freezing, raining, and even though I wore five layers, I still felt cold the next day. It’s safe to say, the only thing I know about rugby is that you can only pass backwards. But watching the national anthems sung in different languages, experiencing the haka, and trying to warm myself up with a cup of coffee that took 20 minutes to get (longer than the beer queues!) made it all worth it.
All Blacks at Westpac Stadium
2. Christmas Day! Margie and I festooned their house with streamers, flowers, lights, and Twiggy, our Charlie Brown-esque tree. I picked up some Christmas cd’s at the library (they had to dig some out for my special request), Elf on dvd, and we even did a secret santa gift exchange. The day ended up being beautiful and sunny, but I’m not complaining, as I got to spend it with my extended international family (South Africa, Ireland, Scotland, NZ, and USA were all represented). Our menu included: pumpkin soup, fresh salad, a pea, snow pea, and courgette minty mixture, a stewed cherry tomato buttery goodness, kumara mash with fresh rosemary, chilies, and garlic, and the biggest salmon I’ve ever seen stuffed to the brim with herbs, olives, and lemon zest. We made a pecan pie for dessert and then had sherry and a selection of cheeses, nuts, and dried fruit to top our evening off whilst watching Elf. Despite the fact that not everyone knew each other that well, all our gifts suited each other perfectly. Chris: a bow tie, Ross: a Mr. Grumpy mug, Scottish Rach: a wee music box, Margie: cheeky housewife coasters, Ger: the biggest whoopie cushion I’ve ever seen, Me: an apron with Andy Warhol style sheep on it, and Jackie: an owl pendant and a necklace.
A feast for Monday Club.
3. Cycled along the bays to an area I hadn’t been to before past Island Bay to Owhiro Bay and the Red Rocks, in the sun, happy to be working out again. (I admit to being lazy recently, as most of the time I want to hibernate away in bed!) When I made it to the end of the road, literally, I got off and walked along the beach and sat for awhile staring out to what felt like the end of the earth.
The end of the road at Owhiro Bay.
4. Went to see Black Rebel Motorcycle Club play a gig at a tiny venue. It rocked. Sweat, leather, black smokey eyes, jumping and fist pumping, fights, smashed glass, beer. Despite slightly laryngitis-infused vocals, they sounded tight and the energy was pulsing. Of course I was right up front and center, pushing around with the best of them. Sometimes it’s good to embrace the heat and the lights and forget you exist in the midst of the music.
5. Had my first of five ukulele lessons with my uke Zadie, dear Margie and members of the Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra. Such lovely people who have the patience to take about 50 of us beginners through the learning process of tuning, strumming, and learning chords on the happy instrument. I felt like such a goob with a cheesy grin on my face the whole time. But I managed to get a gold star for my efforts!
