Kiwis & Cake

Tuesday was my 29th birthday. We had been having a lot of lovely weather, but on the morning of my birthday, I woke up to rain.

Rain has been to just about every one of my birthdays since I moved to the West Coast (since my 9th birthday). I forgot to tell rain that it wasn't invited this year, so I guess I can't blame it for coming.

My first summer birthday was more like an early spring birthday in Vancouver. It was okay though. We couldn't have gone to the beach even if it was a really nice day. My birthday has this habit of falling right before final exams. For the last four years, Scotty has had to balance my birthday with studying.

I'm used to the drill. I had made a plan to go to the Art Gallery because it's something I wouldn't mind doing on my own if Scotty needed more time to study.

BIRTHDAY WEATHER

Source: google.co.nz via Chelsea on Pinterest

FINALLY GOT AROUND TO MAKING THE WILDFOX "LET THEM EAT CAKE" TANK TOP

Scotty shook his head when I told him of my plans to spend the day alone so that he would have ample time to study. I really didn't mind. He's just about done his degree, it won't always be this way. Plus, he pushed our return flight from Australia back so that we would get to have New Years there, AND he got us flight our departure out of Sydney so that I could have my dream of a New Years Eve in Sydney (I think it's from always watching the News and seeing celebrations all around the world- Sydney has always stuck out to me).

FAIRY BREAD

Brian gave us a lift down to the Octagon (thanks dad)- Maya's kindy was having her Christmas party that day, and it was Maya's duty to bring the "fairy bread"- a Kiwi/ Aussi classic. Kid's love it. Can you guess what it is by the picture?

Fairy Bread Recipe:
- hundreds and thousands (kiwi way of saying "sprinkles")
- butter
- bread

Scotty was seriously grossed out. Brian tried to force him to eat it and when that didn't work, he strong-armed the birthday girl into giving it a try.

Sweet. Crunchy. Buttery... not my favourite, but I am sure that Fairy Bread would be a hit at any kid's party in Canada too. Kid's go bananas for sprinkles.

ENTRANCE OF DUNEDIN ART GALLERY

GYMNAUSEUM BY JANE VENIS

Dunedin's art gallery is entirely free to the public. We've now been to two art galleries in New Zealand (we went to the one in Oamaru). That's twice as many Art Galleries as I have been to in Canada. 

The Gymnauseum exhibit was interactive. The punching bag made noises when you hit it, the stationary bike made fun of panic dieting, and the Absolution provided an immediate six pack. I heard some art snob whine, "this is art?"

Yes, "Mr. No-fun": EVERYTHING IS ART. 

Art galleries are some of the best spots for people watching.  Some people stick up their noses at everything, while others stare at every single thing as if it has some deeper meaning that you just don't get. 

ABSOLUTION... IMMEDIATE RESULTS

ROCK AND ROLL STEPFORD WIFE

I'm the girl who takes pictures in the art gallery- such a big "no-no" (relax, I'm not using flash), but I can't help myself. They had a Monet that I just whizzed by. Whoops. 

"DARLING, LET'S BE ADVENTURERS"

ART GALLERY CARDS

I'm beginning to get "clued in" to the art gallery gift shops. So many interesting things in there. The Vancouver art gallery has a really great shop. I just want to bring back truck-loads of souvenirs for all my friends and family.

I SPY SOMETHING FOR JAC, PENNY AND SOPHIE

After the art gallery, we hit the public library. Scotty studied while I raided the CD collection for Christmas music to upload, then I found some DVD's to rent and then I caught up on some of the current news stand magazines (magazines are $9 each here!). 

FRANKIE. BEAUTIFULLY BIZARRE

VOGUE AUSTRALIA- WE ALL NEED SLIPPER SHOES LIKE THAT

When I started getting antsy, I headed out to shop for a little birthday pressie for myself. I settled on a crepe, floor length, fuchsia dress from Glassons

We returned to the hostel just as the boys were finishing up their dinner, so Brian got them all to stand up and sing "Happy birthday" to me while I stood there all awkward and red-faced.

Thanks.

L&P A KIWI CLASSIC "FIZZY DRINK" (NO ONE SAYS "POP" OR "SODA" HERE)

BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE KARLIN TO BAKE MY BIRTHDAY CAKE- THESE WILL DO.

MADE MYSELF A BIRTHDAY HEAD BAND OUT OF SCRAP FABRIC

Scotty scoured online menus while i tried to do something with my frizzy rain hair and watched the beginning of Family Stone. We settled on Italian. My mouth started watering when I came to "Broccoli and penne in a blue cheese sauce"- sold.

We finished our meal with a slice of Tiramisu... my favourite, and came back to a present from the Satake's. They're trying to "woo" us into staying longer than May.

MAYA GAVE THIS TO ME AND SAID THAT TE HEARTS WERE FOR "WHEN YOU GO BACK TO CANADA AND I  MISS YOU"....

IT'S WINE O' CLOCK

WE'VE FOUND THE PERFECT FIZZY SUBSITUTE FOR CHAMPAGNE. SCOTTY ACTUALLY THOUGHT I WAS GIVING HIM WINE. HE STARED AT ME AS IF I HAD LOST IT, AND KEPT HIS STARE ON WHILE HE SMELLED HIS L&P. NEVER TRUST A BIRTHDAY GIRL- WHO KNOWS WHAT SHENANIGANS SHE'S UP TO.

POOR GIRLS BIRTHDAY HAT: THE FRONT PAGE OF HER BIRTHDAY DAY'S NEWSPAPER FOLDED INTO A PIRATE HAT. I'M REALLY ONTO SOMETHING HERE: IT'S GONNA CATCH ON.

Being that we are 21 hrs ahead of Vancouver time, all the messages and emails came the following day. I felt loved, and missed and so so blessed.

"Laugh as much as you breathe and love as long as you live"

Peace, Love and Desert Hugs

It started with a dead branch. I rescued it from a brush pile on the same day I planted my garden back in October. I had seen some cute ideas on Pinterest that involved using a plain branch with a few ornaments strung from it as a Christmas decoration. It was then that I decided we would use that concept for our Christmas tree.

When I saw the dreamcatcher wreath in Frankie, my theme was settled: "Christmas in the Desert"- fitting for a branch Christmas tree and for a summertime Christmas.

With wire hoops, coloured yarn and wood beads, I crafted 6 dreamcatchers (five small ones for the Kitchen window and one big one in lieu of a wreath). It is amazing what you can learn from youtube tutorials.

Some of the extra yarn from the dreamcatchers was used to make pom pom garland. Clearly I have a thing for pom poms. I have paper ones above the bed and now yarn ones in the window. The colours (peach, turquoise, mustard, pink and cream) are so summery and cheery. 

I resisted the urge to hang the pom poms perfectly. They have whimsy. They need to be hung with a free spirit. Sadly, the reality of "imperfect" is often harder than measuring it out and making them hang perfectly. It's like the throw on the end of the bed or draped over the chair- more often than not, that carefree appearance is the result of 20 mins of crazed adjustments. I know I am not the only one. When I worked on the lottery home this summer, I watched the principal designer fiddle with a blue knitted throw for at least 10 mins... and she's an expert. The reindeer head was made from electrical tape- idea courtesy of what else? Pinterest (I actually put the ideas to use).

Captured the navajo print (which I've seen so much of) in the felt star garland... my little llama from the craft fair is my new favourite thing. 

My pack ratting paid off. I kept the twigs I pruned from my branches as well as the yarn trimmings from the pom poms. The hearts were even made from the little bits of felt left over from the stars and llamas. Don't throw stuff away- so many great things are made from a collection of scraps.

Our desert Christmas tree. I bundled strands of tinsel together with embroidery thread for ornaments with a lot of sparkle (seeing as the tree doesn't have fairy lights, the ornaments needed to catch light). Our place is flooded with morning light through our kitchen window and afternoon light through our front window. The tinsel catches the sun and splashes gold all over our bedroom walls and roof. So pretty.

I found more uses for the yarn! I wrapped it around random bits of the branch to give it colour. I wasn't a fan of the colours of the wooden beads left over for my big dreamcatcher, so I wrapped those in yarn too. Everything matches so well!

Recognize the material used for the "peace" wall decal? It's some of the cloth I picked up at Larnach castle. I free handed the letters and stuck them onto the wall with Mod Podge (they make stuff specifically for removable fabric-wall decor- the uses are endless!)

Originally, I had thought I would string my felt llama's on the the tree, but as my ideas evolved, I figured it best to make them into a garland. I used this Madewell sweater as the template, and searched for images of Dala Horses as inspiration for the embellishments

On my last night putting together the christmas decor- it was hot. Scotty came by with an "ice block" (kiwi word for popsicle)- I was already enjoying a cold glass of white wine. For those times when I needed 2 free hands, my ice block chilled my wine and came out tasting fruity and winey (?).

Can't neglect that bare spot on the bathroom wall. The black felt stars and wire is more of a Swedish inspiration (I have become obsessed with Swedish design blogs).

I have to wait until 10 pm to put on my fairy lights. I haven't seen any houses with outdoor lights because Christmas falls only four days after the longest day of the year- it's a lot of work for an hour of enjoyment a night.

Notice that I meticulously placed each star on top of a light so that they glow. My patience for decorating is endless.

As I was finishing up, my boyfriend came by on his hog. What a beefcake.

She told me not to step on the cracks-I told her not to fuss and relax

Sunday I did something shocking: I went mountain biking.

Of course when I say "Mountain biking" I mean the most gentle hills ever, but it was an actual mountain bike park and there were TONS of sharp turns, bridges and trees.

BREAKFAST WITH SULLY

SOMETHING TO DO WITH ALL THE HAIR THAT COMES OUT IN THE SHOWER... ROMANTIC.

 I don't know why I do it to myself, but I tend to make friends with very fit and adventurous girls. I spend my time with them feeling like I am going to pop a lung while trying to keep up with them. One of the girls I worked with at the pub found out I liked running. She's a personal trainer- and we met weekly to run the stairs (she ran, I focused on surviving and used any spare oxygen to cursed her). Then she convinced me to sign up for a couple races. She even tried to convince me to run a half marathon in San Francisco this past fall (only the hilliest place ever).

SCOTTY'S MO NOW LIVES IN OUR WASTE BASKET

WHEN YOU LET AN ASIAN NEAR YOUR WHITE BOARD

House tutor Liz is also a personal trainer. She asked me if I wanted to go for a "bike ride", and I hesitantly said yes (the hills here are nuts). When she greeted me at her door in actual padded bike shorts, I knew I was in trouble. I climbed on her bike and put her helmet on as she gave me a quick lesson on gears.

ST CLAIR 

SAND ARCHITECTURE 

The next thing I knew we were peddling up the side of a flipping mountain (think riding up Oxford hill in white rock).

I SAID: "DO A MODEL FACE"- SHE IMMEDIATELY DID THIS- NO COACHING NEEDED. GOOD LUCK WITH THAT BRIAN.

My lungs have never burned that bad. Oxygen- couldn't get enough of it.

Somehow I actually made it to the top. I turned my bike to ride down the sidewalk and noticed she was watching me from the middle of the road and hand-signalling a right turn (remember we drive on the left side of the road) to the cars.

Right. This isn't grade 5 anymore. We ride with the cars, not down the sidewalks. *Embarasssssed*.

SOMETIME BRIAN LETS US STEAL HIS GI-JOE VAN

THERE ARE NO SUV'S HERE, JUST SPORTY VANS- LIKE YOU WOULD EXPECT TO SEE IN SOUTH AFRICA

She led me out of the city to the mountain bike park. Ha Ha.

Huh?

She asked if I knew the brakes. I confidently replied, "Yes. I'll just use this one."

"No... don't do that. If you only use your front brake while going downhill- you'll fly over your handle bars."

THE MARTENS' CRIB- WE GET A LOT OF SUN IN OUR PLACE.

And then we were off. My first cornering round a tree was incredibly wobbly. Probably because I was going the slowest ever. I know that speed makes it easier to round the corners, but I was so bloody focused on the brakes that I forgot to pedal.

WHERE SCOTTY WATCHES THE FEW NFL GAMES WE GET DOWN HERE. I WATCHED THE KARDASHIAN WEDDING IN HERE ALL ALONE. FELT AWESOME AND AWKWARD ALL AT ONCE.

Liz only had to stop about five times to let me catch up, but by the end, she was cheering me on as I rounded the turns with very little wobble (still very slowly). Once we arrived back at the hostel, I raised both arms victoriously above my head and exclaimed, "I DIDN'T GET INJURED!"

Total victory.

HIS LIFE GOT A WHOLE LOT BETTER WHEN WE ARRIVED

SUMMER NIGHT OUT MY WINDOW

He's Got Two Left Feet and He Bites My Moves

I told you it was the best picture ever.

Santa Claus is coming to town in the parade this afternoon. I finished my Christmas decorating last night and celebrated with Elf and Domino's pizza. We have three full days left with the boys (the year 11,12 and 13 have all moved out already). Scotty is in exam mode with one exam both this week and next. I need to find a really good book (any suggestions?) to read in the sunshine, get some new sunglasses and make some eggnog for my coffee (it's not an easy thing to find here).

Hot Like Fire

ST. CLAIR- HAVE I CONVINCED YOU TO COME VISIT YET?

Today's high is going to be 25 degrees, it's not even lunch yet and it's hot. Today is another beach day. Was weird to lay out yesterday and make Christmas decorations.

ALMOST FINISHED MAKING SUMMER CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS

Last night we took the juniors ice skating. I've never really thought about it, but all Canadians can skate. We've all taken a lesson or two as kids (or at least have gone with our school class). We went with one of the girls hostels. 60 kiwi kids on the ice, maybe 15 of them could actually skate- the rest were all over the ice. No one skated in the same direction, just a mass of teenagers slipping and sliding all over the ice. 

I can skate, but I can't stop. Dangerous with so many wobbly teens all busy flirting with each other- I was hyper aware of where everyone was going and spent a lot of energy dodging people. I got one amazing photo of Brian and Scotty (on Brian's fancy camera... was so scared I was going to fall and break it) with one of the boys in the background mid- splits... Funniest shot ever. I will post it on here ASAP.

A RAINBOW IN OUR BACK YARD

Woke up with sore feet from the worst, most uncomfortable rental skates ever. They don't do hockey skates so the boys are stuck with toe picks (haha), and there is no liner in them, so it felt like putting on a pair of roller blades without the liner- just brutally hard plastic. I only lasted 45 mins (best to stop while you're ahead- it was only a matter of time before I collided with one of the kids)- the other 45 mins were spent laughing at all the kids flailing on the ice.

SULLIVAN LIKES TO DO HIS HEAVY SLEEPING AT DINNER TIME. I WOKE HIM UP WHEN I CAME IN AFTER "TEA" (THEIR WORD FOR DINNER HERE), HE SAT UP, BUT THEN FELL BACK ASLEEP SITTING UP.

Quite a few of them had never been, and by the end of the hour and a half, they were doing really well. Must be nice to be able to fall 10 times and still want to keep trying. My old lady body wouldn't be able to handle it.