Swimming

Hi there

People are already appearing, in drips and drabs, for swimming at Hataitai Beach.  I've abandoned the t-shirt over my swimming togs, a sure indication that warmer Wellington weather is approaching.  However, i still bound out of the water and immediately plaster myself against the changing shed wooden wall, crucifix-like: its so sunshiney warm if the sun has been on the wall for several hours.

In the winter my two swimming friends, J and The Young One, have been with me in the water.  With summer on the horizon - officially 1 December - we will be able to spend longer lazy times relaxing on the beach's sundeck, and purring like spoilt pussy-cats over the beautiful weather ("You Can't Beat Wellington on a Good Day").

Dogs

Hi there

Up until about five or so years ago,  I was frightened of dogs.  Big dogs.  Lap dogs.  Police dogs.  Airport dogs.  A neighbour's dog ...

I would freeze if a dog came toward me, duck down another street, have an anxiety attack.  When I was five years' old, I was bitten on the nose by a German Shepherd dog.  I remember thinking (in toddler language, of course), "I am not scared of dogs.  I'm not!  I will pat this dog and prove that I'm not scared of dogs.  So there!"

So, obviously this scaredy-dog thing was in my mind even before I got bitten on my nose.

Anyway, about five years ago, a friend asked if I would take her little Shitzu for a walk.  We were in a room full of people and I didn't want to come over like a grinch.  So I walked the dog.

Then I walked it a second time.  And a third.  And fourth.  Etc. Etc. Etc...

Now, I goo over dogs.  I like them.  I still put my arms behind my back as I approach them.  But I talk to their owners, ask the animal's name, age, make a joke about how a dog might be smiling.  Sometimes, I ask if I can pat it.

It took years and years, but now I can look a dog in the face and not be too scared.

... but cats are still my first love.

Baby steps, eh?

Alright, Darling?

Hi there

Here's a typical scenario -

I turn a corner and all but bang into a well-dressed woman in her thirties. We're both in a hurry.

"Sorry," we both say.

She takes on a concerned look.  She hovers an arm near my shoulder, one movement away from pat-style mode. "Are you alright, darling...?"

Oh goodness, she's one of those people.  Darling, dear, sweetheart, love;  I've heard them all before.  Lots of times.

As we age, and for some reason, complete strangers feel compelled to call us twee names.

I don't understand it.

If I were younger, this well-dressed woman and I would exchange a friendly smile, a "sorry", and that would be it.  We'd be on our way without a whiff of a 'darling' or 'dear'.

Hardly a day goes by when I don't get an endearment tossed to me by someone I don't know.  Shop assistants, bus drivers, baristas, government officials...

They're talking down to me, jollying me along, like I'm a five year old.  They want to prove to the gods-in-charge-of-old-people that they are caring and attentive.

It so annoys me.

Cat photo cute

Hi

Just because its so adorable ...

Awwwww...

And the below picture (Puss from the Shrek movies) is most definitely me playing The Old Lady Card when I'm forced to stand too long in queues, or want to reach a sullen bank teller's heart -

Rugby World Cup - starting soon

Hi there

New Zealand is a rugby nation.  I'm not a sports person (confession time!)  But it's hard to miss the World Cup atmosphere;  it's everywhere.  Even though the World Cup, this time around, is in Japan, it's practically all that New Zealanders are talking about at the moment.  The first games start this weekend.

Both Auckland and Wellington have artistically altered some bus-stops to represent a rugby grandstand and I dare say other centres have followed -

Apparently the New Zealand All Blacks team (current holders of the World Cup) are playing arch-rivals, the South African Springboks this weekend.  Our nation will be holding its breath.

My Auckland Jaunt

Hi there

This past week, I flew up to Auckland for two nights to see "School of Rock - the musical".  A good show, and very lively.   On the same night, a  Fleetwood Mac concert was in town, and the city was buzzing with thousands and thousands of Fleetwood Mac fans (all over age 40?  And all wearing black?)

 I walked around the Viaduct area.  It's full of super-boats and "In" restaurants.  The soon-to-be America's Cup  (yachting) races are centred here.  Emirates Team New Zealand will be defending the cup in 2021.

those long-back women's tops

Hi there

I was searching for a casual summer top.  The sales assistant kept showing me tops that have a long back and a short front.

"No, no.  I don't want this type-"

"But they're all the rage," she said.

Obviously this woman had never ballooned up in weight in just a year (curses to all those cheese sandwiches!) " Long-back tops make me look ridiculous," I said.  "I'm sorry to all the manufacturers of long-back tops but for voluptuous and luscious women, like me, those tops just won't do.  When someone looks at me they think that my tummy is so fat that it's making the top I'm wearing hitch up in the front."

"Surely not," the assistant tsk-tsked. And she dug out half a dozen more tops, most of them still in the long-back style.   No doubt the woman was attempting to show me how wrong I was -

Nope.  In a case like this, the - cough-cough-ahem -  slightly overweight customer is always right -