Refresh Me!

A long hot day at work, 32 degrees outside, and the wind blowing up the dust from the demolitions.  Life in Christchurch on a hot nor'wester day is exhausting.  Don't get me wrong I LOVE the heat... I'm a summer girl.  I think it's just the dust.  I have a 10 minute walk to my car and it's past empty sections, dusty demo rubble piles and there's a layer of dirt on my windscreen every night to wipe off before I can drive.

Today with the wind, the dust got into my throat and eyes... it was a relief to get home, throw open all the doors, put a nice summery dress on and go barefeet.

Music on, drink in hand.... and breathe.

Oh and by the way, it's just lime and soda but it is as refreshing as it looks!

#52 Lists - List 3

Favourite Smells!

Smell is one of the most powerful senses we have.  There is plenty of neuroscience that links the olfactory bulb with both the hippocampus (important in memory association) and the thalamus and is probably the reason why smells evoke memories, and often strong ones at that.

Whenever I smell coal, I'm transported to holidays as a child on the West Coast, visiting Nana or my brother when he was working in Greymouth.

I dislike the smell of hospitals (have spent too many hours in them or visiting people in them).  I love the smell of good food, or a great wine.

But here is my list of favourite smells (in no particular order, it depends on my mood and my memories!)

Green and Self-Sufficient

Kaffir lime - great for Thai cooking

No! I'm not going to turn this into a gardening blog!  Nor am I turning into Barbara Good.  I'll never have chickens for a start (I'm ornithophobic!)... or pigs.  But I do like trying my hand at growing veges, and they always taste so much better grown fresh.

Particularly in summer when things just grow!  I always grow a courgette - one plant does me, and already I'm picking prolifically - about 3 a day.   My tomatoes look good (although only one red one so far) and for the first time I'm growing corn, with some success.

CORN!

So after doing the groceries this morning and realising I have tomatoes and courgettes,  and capsicums already, what else do I need?  I went off to purchase some plants to stretch out the summer garden.

A box of seedlings ready to plant up

So here's the box for this evening's planting (it's too hot at the moment).  Spinach, Basil, Coriander, and a mix of lettuce.  Lettuce is one thing I struggle with as it tends to bolt on me.  

Courgette cultivator

If anyone has any great courgette recipes please let me know.  I do have a Courgette Chocolate cake which I will be giving a go, but I am getting to that point where you can't have any more fritters (I do love them with my rocket, pepper, walnut and feta salad though).

It's A Cat's Life

So Gareth Morgan wants to eradicate cats from New Zealand.  Hmmm. I don't know quite what to say to that.  We've always had cats, from when I was young.  Cats, dogs, mice, budgies, guinea pigs and rabbits number amongst the menagerie I grew up around.  I couldn't imagine life without a cat.  I couldn't wait to get a cat after I bought my own place and ... look, fate, it had a cat door already installed!

My Tatie IS a hunter... although she's getting lazy as she gets older.  Also I've moved across town and there aren't quite as many trees in the neighbourhood.  Being terrified of birds, she caused me a few moments of terror bringing live birds into the house.  But she also kept the mice that lived under the house under control.  According to Morgan's website, a cat will kill something like 13 birds in any given year.  If that was the case I would be in an early grave from terror - as I'm not much better with a dead bird than with a live bird!  I have had Tatie 7 years this March and I can count in all that time four she brought in alive and the one dead one.  So she's really an under-achiever in this regard.

I wouldn't live without a cat.  I have considered getting a dog, but it's not as practical for me.  Tatie is family. However I like to think I'm a responsible cat owner.  She is de-sexed and won't be breeding.      As she gets older she's definitely more an inside cat, so is becoming even less of a threat to the native birds (of which we have none in our suburban city neighbourhood anyway).

What she is though, is company.  If I'm feeling unwell, she'll jump up and lie beside me and keep me company, she'll sit on my knee and watch tv with me.  We've been through earthquake terrors together - she doesn't even seem to freak anymore.  When an aftershock happens we look at each other to gauge the intensity and then she gives me a look, I give her a shrug and we go back to what we were doing.  Tatie also thinks she's human.  She thinks anything I cook is food for her.  Perhaps that's why she's not big on the birds - she prefers tomato chili pasta and cookies & cream ice-cream!  If I'm talking on the phone she'll wander through and sit in front of me, or on me, as if to say "whooya talkin' to Willis?"  My life, she believes, revolves around her.  Let's face it, that's how it is with cats.

Butter wouldn't melt in her mouth... and I love her to bits.  Sorry Gareth, but Tatie's not going anywhere just yet, and when she does, I will get another four legged companion.. or two.

#52 Lists - List 2

This week's list .... Favourite childhood TV Shows.  Boy this was quite hard, once you start thinking of one, you think of heaps...


* The Wombles
* Top Cat
* Thunderbirds
* Wacky Races
* I Dream of Jeanie
* Bewitched
* The Goodies
* The Brady Bunch
* The Tomorrow People

I must admit, I always wanted to be Jeanie!  and Top Cat, well he was soooo cool.  

And the catchiest theme song you ever heard, altogether now "Underground, Overground Wombling Free ..."  (hehe how many of you are singing it now?!)

Friday Yoga

It's been a good week on the healthy living front.  I have stuck to my menu plan (birthday dinner aside) and taken lunch and snacks to work every day.  The bonus to this is that I've had more money left in my wallet.

I had dinner out for my friend's birthday and while I probably over indulged with my dessert (the divine Limenian Sigh at Cortado .... see Food Wine & Other Things) I hopefully offset it by only having an entree and having completed a work out four mornings this week.  I've also ensured I've had at least a 20 minute walk every day.  But by far the best part of my healthy week was yoga class tonight.

I've been doing yoga for over 10 years.  I have a fabulous teacher and I always leave the class energised and feeling great.  We had a break over Christmas and were due to go back this Tuesday, but the class was cancelled due to too many of the class still being away, so we were offered the chance to go to tonight's class.  Now, yoga on a Friday night (straight after work) might not be everyone's idea of fun, but all I had planned was to come home, hit the couch and watch Graham Norton (possibly with a wine in hand!).  So off I went to yoga - and I was still home in time to hit the couch for Graham (sans vin).  It was actually a great way to wind down from the week at work.


I feel virtuous for my efforts, and very relaxed and stretched out!  Yoga has many benefits, one of them helping your body as you age... while the rest of my family "shrink" as they get older, I've stayed the same height!  I'm not eye level yet, but it'll happen! Stretching IS good for you.

Oh, and the picture... Well my beloved Tatie loves yoga too - she's usually stretching out on her back in this pose beside me when I'm on the yoga mat.

#52 Lists - List 1

I follow Pip's blog (meetmeatmikes.com) and although I'm a little late on the uptake, I am going to do the 52 lists thing.  So here's this week's list: -

Jobs I have done...

Oh and I should have student in there, as I've studied on and off the whole time!  :-)

Healthy Living

I've mentioned one of my goals this year is to be a bit healthier, get on top of that sweet tooth, do some exercise and shift a few extra kilos that I don't need.

So I've had a pretty successful day starting my new plan.  First up was a half hour writing up a menu plan for the week, from which I then wrote my grocery list.  This a double-whammied step - it should save me money as well (in the long run) from wasted food.

So the fridge is stocked with healthy stuff.  I'm not completely giving up the good things.  I have *blatant product promotion* Whittakers Dark Ghana chocolate in the pantry for those moments when I MUST have something sweet... and I had a delightful Mango Chicken salad (complete with grapes, and avocado) nomm nomm for dinner tonight.  A green tea to finish as I write this blog.

Summer Reading

I love reading.  I've always got a book on the go.  My membership at the Christchurch City Library is well used, and I get my rates' worth, that's for sure.  It's nothing for me to have 5 or 6 books out in a month and summer time is the perfect time for wading through all those books, sitting in the sun, or the shade.

Today it was just too hot, so I went wandering and picked up a couple of things to read while mooching in an air conditioned bookshop!

So I have a few books on my list to read - this is the current pile on my table.  I have read "The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul" already, and enjoyed that one.  Currently on to Dawn French's "Oh Dear Sylvia".

I'm looking for a good app or website for books.  I use yasiv.com for suggestions (based on Amazon purchases) and someone has told me about Goodreads.com  ...  does any one have good suggestions?  The Library has a website for putting books on shelves, if it worked with my phone I'd probably use that.

In the meantime, it's cooled down a little so I might sit by the open door and read on...

Little Steps

I mentioned I have some goals this year, and one is to save quite a bit of money.  This is either for a trip to Europe, or if that doesn't happen, I'll be doing some other interesting stuff with what I save.  So it's quite exciting to have paid off my credit card completely, so soon after Christmas!  Now my money goes to savings or things I have planned for.

Of course, the minute I pay off my credit card, bills usually turn up.  This time I have a plan in place.  For example, I've been looking at curtain samples for the bedroom, and took them back today.  The one I like is a ready made but there were only a couple left.  I couldn't afford them straight out and didn't want to whip out the credit card (what, already!?) and I didn't want to risk missing out on them (they're perfect!) ... so I put them on layby.  Now I can put my money aside weekly in affordable amounts and pay them off, rather than spending money I don't have.

I read a few financial websites, and one, Monevator.com wrote a really good article about debt, that it's borrowing from your future self.  Here's the link.  Of all the get-rid-of-debt articles I have read, this one sunk in.

I do use a budget, and I don't want to bore you all with details, but one of my goals this year is definitely to pay for things with my money, not borrowed money.  I'll keep you updated on how that goes, as working in retail I do struggle with temptation!

Meantime, I'm going to have a happy, debt-free* sleep tonight!




*Mortgage aside ... working on that one ;-)

That's The Summer Holiday...

So it's Sunday night and tomorrow I go back to work. I've had a great break with fabulous weather - managing to get the hot days in Central over Christmas before returning to Christchurch and more fabulous sunshine.  In fact, only 2 days of cloudiness all up really.  Can't complain about that.

I finished the holiday on a healthier note... having lots of veges and salads.  I know my blog had a few food photos in it last year, I will try not to bog you all down with food shots this year, but here are two of the meals I've had this weekend in may attempt to be healthier.

Corn, Courgette, Capsicum & Feta Fritters

Spinach, Courgette & Capsicum Salad with Walnuts & Parmesan

I mentioned a few goals for the year.  One is to change my habits and get over my sweet tooth (Donovan's lime & chilli dark chocolate is not exactly helping...!).  I started cutting down on sugar in my tea last year and had slowly attempted a change of habits with a couple of kilos going.  So this year I intend to keep that weight off and lose a few more kilos as well, and get a little fitter, with the help of my brother's motivation (he's a PT), my yoga teacher and a bit of walking.


I'll leave my other goals for the year, for another day!

Holiday's End

I know I have the weekend left, but this is the last official day of my holiday.  What better way to enjoy the hot sunshine and warm evening, than with a summery drink (a Rose wine).

Oh, and I've been listening to some more cool sounds, so check out the Listening To tab.  Finally purchased an album I've been after for half a year!

Happy holidays, everyone!

Adding Things...

So, I've added a couple of links - one for food and one for music.  That's just me sharing my thoughts and likes with you.  I'd be interested to know what you think or if you have any recommendations - particularly when it comes to the music, as I love hearing new sounds.

What did I achieve today?  Well a 4km walk in the 27 degree heat.  I am attemping a 12 week challenge in an attempt to change some of my habits... I have an incredibly sweet tooth... but a 4km walk wasn't quite on the plan.  I decided to investigate an alley off a park and ended up quite a different direction than I thought I'd be taking!  I was GASPING for iced water at the end of it.

I didn't take any photos... but here's the pedometer recording from after it.

Happy New Year!

Welcome to 2013's blog!

I'm not sure where this blog is going to take me... but that's the exciting thing about life isn't it?

I intend to make a list of things I want to achieve and will post them up in due course.  This isn't a new year's resolutions list, as I don't believe in them.  But I do believe in setting goals and going for them so over the next 12 months we'll see how many I get through.

Oh, and as I did get into the habit of taking photos last year (albeit a little haphazardly), there will be more photos of life in 2013 in and around Christchurch.

Happy new year!