January 2011

January 19th, 2011

It was Christmas. And other stuff

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Rob Ryan bunting from Bodi and Fou


First Christmas. Three days later Astrid turned four. Last week was Edith’s second birthday.

It’s been a stark contrast to last year’s Christmas holiday when we were in New Zealand enjoying the bright blue Summer skies, a beach at our doorstep, days spent making sandcastles under a rosy sun umbrella. Astrid’s birthday on the front lawn celebrated with mummy’s usual birthday cake, and a BBQ on the Weber which we’d packed in the car for holiday cooking. Shiny cone-hats for everyone. Swims. Ice creams. Sauvignon blanc and bubbles.

This year we hadn’t all managed to get the flu, in fact only Mummy and Astrid had it on Astrid’s birthday and it only lasted 24 hours. Kevin’s family came down from Leeds. Mummy made the usual cake – although this time it was an apple one and we had a chocolate one left over from Christmas because there was so much to eat and none of us felt like eating too much. And we lost the birthday candles so Astrid had one big one instead.

Astrid got a Post Office for her birthday. And a silk rose bower for her bed. And a weaving loom. Lucky Astrid.

Astrid’s third year saw her enjoying her time at The Learning Centre in Ponsonby where she was beginning to make new friends and learn lots of new words. Mummy worked a lot and so did Daddy so Astrid and Edith got a new nanny called Kelly and they both loved her to bits. Kelly was very laid back and fun for the kids. She was definitely a good friend to them.

Edith and Astrid now have a lovely new nanny who is much more strict with them – which is precisely what they need. Astrid is loving being back at school and Edith is her usual daredevil self hurtling around the place, diving off sofas and climbing on boxes to be near Mummy in the kitchen.

Edith had a very low key first birthday. Her cousins were all sick with 40° temperatures only a few days before they are due to fly to New Zealand for holidays. We had a lovely time though. Astrid suggested we go to the local city farm so we kept the kids awake after lunch and went in the drizzling rain to see geese, roosters, cows, sheep, goats and pig huge pigs snorting and squealing in the great big muddy pen. Astrid and Edith snorted back at the piggy wigs. Just like in Pepa Pig.

Edith had a new kind of cake this year. Edith had a selection of little cakes from Le Pain de Quotidien. She had berry tart, raspberry tart, mini pavlova and chocolate square. We remembered to buy birthday candles which went into the sticky chocolate square. Yum! We eat it all on the new kids table and watched Pepa Pig. Snort!

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January 17th, 2011

A year for building



After the holidays I made a big spreadsheet of all my domains, sites I’m going to be building up – it really is a huge job, but if I just stick with it and tend each piece of the project like a plant – where each one is watered and tended to over a period of time – eventually they will all blossom and grow to bear fruit. It is definitely going to take time.

But I’m not giving up. And the months and years that follow will grow each one into a marvellous space for my photography and writing.

Anknel and Burblets skincare is also being revived this year. It’s never gone away but this year is its year. More to follow on that soon. Ssshhh!

Today I looked back on the diet I ditched in August and if I’d stuck with it I’d have been where I wanted to be by October. Now I need to keep at it and April will see me where I want to be. Which leads me to my point – to stick with stuff, to not give up just because things aren’t happening right away. And to keep at them!

This week belongs to organising, planning and laying good solid foundations.

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January 10th, 2011

Running with E.

For years now I have harboured a secret desire to run. I watch as runners go by, wishing I could be like them. Wishing there was a way I could do it. Then the other night I was visiting 101 Cookbooks links to her friends favourites cookbooks and there was Emi and I randomly clicked on her and discovered Run with E. And from there I discovered Run with E Rookie.

I read every post of Run with E and then every post of Run with E Rookie. And I latched on to the bit where Emi says running makes you feel amazing for 24 hours afterwards. I thought I just had to do it now. So the next day I went out and bought some running leggings, running bra, running socks and running shoes and out of the house I trotted (now I know, way too fast) and off around two blocks I panted. It was all over in a flash. I could barely breathe after running 200 metres, walking 200 metres and running 350 metres – but I did it and it felt very very weird.

The next day everyone said, oh just go tomorrow, but I was so excited I got the dinner going and told everyone I am going for a run and nobody can talk me out of it because I already had my gear on. Out the door, this time very slowly. I managed to run the entire 750 metres and I could have run more.

This week I have made a plan which is a bit of a combination of the Nike Coach and the Running with E Rookie plan. Each week I will run / walk 30 minutes a minimum of three times a week.

Week One

Walk – 10 mins
Run – 500 metres
Walk – 5 mins
Run – 500 metres
Walk – 5 mins

Remember to slow down the pace but make sure I do the 500 metres.

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