A day at the races!

This is something we just don't do much of in Canada... well at least not in the world I grew up in! A fun way to spend a Saturday in New Zealand is to get dressed up (or not) and go to the horse races! You pack a picnic lunch, and if you go with a group of people like we did, you eat and drink in the hot sun (hopefully) and spend money placing bets on horses. Drinking and betting... healthy huh? Here I am with Kelly looking all snazzy in our race day outfits.

This was my first day at the races and I thoroughly enjoyed it! I relied on my friend Daz to help me learn the "lingo" (see my notes below). I studied the program and asked questions about which bets to place. It was a whole new learning experience. I won about $26 in the second race and I think that made me feel a bit over confident, overall I lost money... but it was still heaps of fun and I got a buzz from watching the horses race.

I would have liked to win instead of lose, but I think I might have developed a bit of an addiction so this was probably for the best.




















Thought you'd all like to know a little about what I learned:

A Girl's Guide to Racing:

Let's face it - we all know nothing in life is a dead cert and that life itself is a bit of a gamble. While choosing a horse can be a science to those in the know, girls who just want to have fun can apply feminine logic…choose by names, the colours of the jockey's silks, the jockeys themselves or surrender to those who know and pick a favourite or take a tip from someone you can blame later (this was the method of choice for me).

Picking the form of a horse can be technical, but not nearly as dicey as picking a husband - after all you can see what they've achieved recently, how much money they've won and you can have a good look at them 'au naturel' before you commit.

All bets are placed in $1 multiples.

$1 for a win: means you will receive the win dividend posted on the board if your chosen horse should bolt in. Otherwise referred to as 'on the nose'.

$1 for a place: means you will receive the place dividend posted on the board if your horse comes first, second or third.

Each way: Otherwise known as 'hedging your bet'. It is a combination of a win and place bet. If your horse wins, you walk away with both the win and place dividend, and if your horse comes second or third, you will collect the place dividend.

Quinella: Not a trendy dress shop in Newmarket. Just pick two horses to come first or second in any order and you will receive the Quinella dividend.

Trifecta: Not some new name for a bug caught while on holiday in a far off land… pick three horses in the order they will romp home in and you will receive this dividend.

Box Trifecta: Not the packaging for the vaccine for the above - just pick three horses and if they win in any order you're a winner!

Easy Bet : A much hackneyed phrase also found off the track in a hopeful man's vocabulary. Just think of this as the dating agency of the racecourse - simply pay your money and let the computer choose!

Here's some other helpful jargon that you can slip into conversations to make you sound like a well seasoned racing guru!

Stayer: A horse who can handle long distances or someone who can drink all day. The Auckland Cup (held in March) is an historic staying race.

Mud-lark: A horse that likes rain-affected tracks.

Maiden: A horse or rider who has not yet won a race.

Birdcage: Actually for horses not parrots…the horses head to the track via the birdcage and the jockeys dismount here after the race. In the birdcage is where you'll spot important trainers and owners.

Photo finish: Not only flawless make-up, it is a finish of a race which is so close that they need to examine a photograph to determine the winner.

Spelling: Leave the dictionary at home…a horse will typically race until it needs a rest or is injured and then it will be turned out in a paddock to recuperate or 'spell' (if a horse had spelled recently it will be marked under the horse's form in the racebook as 'X').

Flutter: A small bet.

Plunge: Not a dress neckline, but a very big bet (we did this at the last race as a group bet - we lost everything).

Blinkers: Although batting your eyelids is a great flirting technique, blinkers on the racetrack serve to improve a horse's concentration by limiting their vision of the other horses running. The racebook will indicate which horses are wearing blinkers.

Blaze: A white marking on the face of a horse

Scratched: When a horse is withdrawn from a race before the start.

Length: Describes the distances between horses in a race. Horses can win by anything from a nose to a head to a length or a number of lengths. A length is approximately 3 metres, the length of a horse from nose to tail. (Anything over 5 lengths is commonly known as daylight).

In the money: When a horse finishes first, second or third.

The toppie: Horse number one usually has the most weight, which means it was the first to qualify for the race and will be carrying the most kilograms of extra weight.

Group one: A Group One Race is the best there is (kind of like travelling first class) and it is all downhill from there.

Favourite: The winner of the popularity contest for that race. Also known as 'a certainty', 'the banker' or a 'sure thing', it means that all of those in the know expect this horse to win. The favourite will be paying the shortest odds. Be warned: there is no skill in backing favourites but if anyone mocks you for playing it safe just say: "Better a short-price winner than a long-price loser".

Roughie: a roughie is more than just someone who has had a late night! Also known as 'a long shot' or 'a rank outsider', it is a horse with very long odds. Backing a long shot that wins takes a whole lot of luck and skill but if you win on a roughie, you will be basking in the glory all day.

So now that you know a bit more about the lingo I thought you might like to know a little about "what to wear to the races"...

Think about the occasion: Racewear sits in its own distinct sphere within the realm of fashion. It should be lady-like, elegant and feminine and most essentially it is daywear and not to be confused with cocktail or evening dressing.

Coordination is key: It's important that you're clever with your coordination. You don't have to match colours and fabrics from head to toe, but make sure you consider the bigger picture and remember that accessories can make or break an outfit.

A passion for fashion: Don't forget to be fashionable! While racewear is often very classic looking, it doesn't mean you can't have fun with the current season's trends.

Top it off: Nothing screams racing like a hat - don't underestimate the value of a fantastic headpiece or gorgeous feathered fascinator to make you stand out from the rest of the field.

Bearing in mind you'll be on your feet for much of the day, you may opt for lower heels - but take note of this quote from George Bernard Shaw: "If a woman rebels against high-heeled shoes, she should take care to do it in a very smart hat".

For the Guys

1. Entering the fashion event might make you feel like a poser, but fab prizes aside, your partner will love you, you will score the ladies and it is something you should try at least once (doing wonders for you confidence and making your mum proud).
2. Cup Day is a prelude to autumn fashion, beach season is over and interpretations of fashion are vast.
3. Study up on hats: once upon a time wearing a hat was mandatory - it also can make receding hair lines disappear for the day.
4. Think Ascot, top hats, morning suits, tails, three-piece suits.
5. If you have to wear a three button, the rule is fastened top two buttons; two button, fastened top button. Jacket on at all times - when you're seated is the only time you have a choice.
6. Shoes should be polished to military standard.
7. A tie is a man's jewellery - be bold yet cool with colour, create a story between the tie and shirt, accessorize with the satin in your hat band or silk handkerchief in your suit pocket. The bigger the Windsor knot the better and your tie should just brush your Christian Dior Homme belt buckle.
8. The Charcoal suit is now a uniform, so watch out for birds eye fabrics, which are the modern mans tweed. Prince of Wales checks are back with a vengeance as are obvious pinstripes. Light merino wools with mohair or cashmere are the new Ferrari in suiting.
9. If you're wearing a bright suit, make sure it's not cheap and you don't look like an out of date American anchor man. If you must wear double breasted, check out the latest European looks, very, very fitted and longer jackets.
10. Lastly, Miami vice pastels are still in so mix them up and try for new interpretations. You're the man.

Natalya and Chantelle

Last weekend was our labour day long weekend and the girls came to stay with me. It was the first time they have been back since they left in June. Each of them had a friend over so it was a full on GIRLS weekend! Here they are with their adopted Granny Mabeth who has missed them terribly. Haven't they grown up so much?? I absolutely love these little girls.

They arrived Friday night and it was so good having them "home". Chantelle slept in my bed that night and I have to admit, it was so nice sharing my space and waking up to that smiling face of hers.

They are growing up so fast. They both have cell phones now as they are fairly independent. Brian works so much and they are left to look after themselves most of the time. I am so glad I gave them the skills they needed for this stage of their life. Brian tells me that I should be proud of myself for what I did for them - and I am.


On Saturday Rebekah and Bree arrived and that's when the party really started around here. First thing's first... teeth check!!! I made sure all four of them properly flossed their teeth! Just because I'm not technically a "mother" anymore doesn't mean I'm any less of a mother! Some things just don't change. Boy, don't I sound like loads of fun?


The girls had a movie marathon Saturday night while my friend Julia came by for a visit with her adorable baby Grace. I'm not normally clucky over babies but Grace is so perfect! I absolutely adore her and I crack her up. Seriously, this baby splits her sides with laughter when I talk to her. It's hilarious! Must be my funny accent or somethin'.


Sunday morning we all walked to church. It was drizzling a little... here's a photo of Bree and Natalya wearing the Canada umbrella hats.


I was teaching Sunday school... and the lesson that day happened to be all about unconditional love, what it means and how important it is to learn to love yourself first. How appropriate. During our discussion both Nat and Chan mentioned that they hated themselves numerous times. I was able to explain to them that they needed to love themselves before they could possibly love anyone else. We then traced the outline of a body and inside we wrote all the things we could think of that we could do to "love thy neighbour". It was a fun project and they all enjoyed it. I hope the lesson sticks with them.

They went to the buskers festival Sunday afternoon and then more movies Sunday night. Monday morning we all went to the Hot Pools for a long soak. I was exhausted at this stage... and just about ready to send them home. They both have a bad habit of fighting over who can boss who around the most. It can get very irritating. Sometimes I wish they would just love each other and stop trying to hurt the other one. It always ends up in tears and Nat having a major fit (she's almost a teenager).

Neither of them wanted to go back. I think they are terribly lonely. It was nice to see that they are living in a lovely home on a quiet street. Brian has done a good job. Unfortunately this is just life. They know that they are loved... and that's more than a lot of kids out there.

Tramping for a Good Cause

On the weekend I was invited out to an "open day" with the Otanewainuku Kiwi Trust by my friend Nicky. You're probably thinking, "What the heck is that?" which is precisely what I thought too. Here's a little bit about it...

The trust was initiated by Te Puke Forest and Bird and the local community in 2002. The prime objective of the Trust is to ensure the long term protection and survival of brown kiwi and all the native flora and fauna in the Otanewainuku area.


Early settlers set aside 1200 hectares of virgin bush as a protected area. Otanewainuku is home to such birds as the kereru, bell bird, grey warbler, whitehead, tomtit, tui, kokako, fantail, robin and North Island brown kiwi. Other special species include long tailed bats, gecko, skink and the rare king fern. Studies show that predators such as stoats, ferrets, dogs, rats, possums and feral cats are degrading the forest and decimating the bird population.

The kiwi population in NZ is in serious decline with 99.5% of the population now lost. Kiwi numbers plummeted from 50 in 1986 to just 5 in 2006. Thanks to the pest control operation, numbers are recovering. Research has shown that less than 5% of kiwi chicks born in the wild survive their first 6 months. Scientists have calculated that around 20% of chicks need to survive for kiwi populations to maintain themselves. 70% of chicks are killed by stoats. Adult kiwi are killed by dogs, ferrets and vehicles.

(This is Irish Brian holding up an actual kiwi egg)


A most ancient nocturnal bird, the kiwi evolved about 70 million years ago. In many ways kiwi are more like a mammal than a bird:

• They have loose, hair-like feathers and whiskers.
• Kiwi cannot fly but they can run fast
• They dig burrows with their feet
• They are the only known bird to have nostrils at the end of their bill.
• They have a strong sense of smell which they use to find food.
• Their life span is 35-40 years.
• They lay huge eggs.

In 2007 four kiwi were released into Otanewainuku. Each bird is fitted with an electronic transmitter so that they can be tracked. One of the female birds was found on the side of the road a few months ago - hit by a car at night while she was feeding in the soft soil on the shoulder. It was devastating news. The project is to build a 21 hectare kiwi creche. This would give vulnerable kiwi chicks a head start in safe surroundings so they can be returned to the wild. You can help by making a donation or sponsoring the "predator fence" which they are building around the reserve which will keep new pests from entering the reserve. This fence is specially made and will cost approximately $650,000 - it is dug deep into the soil and has and electric current running through it. You can get a group together and sponsor a post (and four metres of fence) for $950.

We learned how to set traps for these predators. The objective being to eradicate them entirely and keep new ones from getting in. The Trust depends on volunteers to set traps and check them regularly. It was a lovely day for a bush walk with my good friends Nicky and her Irish husband Brian (who reminds me of a Sprite and he has nicknamed me "Pixie"). They invited their friends who have recently moved here from Holland and I invited my new housemate Karel who is from the Czech Republic. We were the United Nations! The bush walk was beautiful and we got to see some beautiful flora - the trees are magnificent and they seem to grow gardens in their branches!

The hike was up to the top of the ranges which offers spectacular views. We came prepared with sugar sustenance. Irish Brian disappeared ahead of all of us (just like the true Sprite that he is) and left us a trail of mini chocolate bars along the the path. I like hanging out with these guys.


























We didn't see any kiwi birds but I'm pretty sure this was a burrow that they were likely sleeping in. I was tempted to stick my hand in there to see if I could pet one... but knowing me, I'd stick my hand into the mouth of a ferret with razor sharp teeth and lose my fingers so I just pointed.



We did manage to see two little grey robins, a kereru (NZ pigeon) and a moose.


Just kidding about the moose. Just wanted to see if you were paying attention. There are no moose in New Zealand.

All in all it was a great day out. I signed up to volunteer once a month. I wouldn't mind going for a hike through native forests more often... all for the preservation of a living dinosaur - the sweet little kiwi bird.




And afterward we stopped at Irish Brian's favourite pub, "Molly's" for a pint, some potato wedges and nachos. Every Sunday should be like this!



For more information please check out www.kiwitrust.org or email info@kiwitrust.org

NOOMA Nights

My friend Bonnie has recently introduced me to these Nooma videos. I am seriously speechless... I mean... they just absolutely blow me away. Bonnie and her husband John have bought the entire series which consists of 21 videos. Each video is approximately 20 minutes long and they are so beautifully done, I find myself just getting completely lost in the video.

How can I explain these videos? It's almost impossible for me to do it. You have to watch one to understand why I am so passionate about them.

Bonnie asked if I would host a "Nooma Night" at my house and she gave me 6 of her videos to choose which one I'd like to present. I looked through them and there was one that really hit close to home and I thought, "Well I'm NOT going to chose that one!". I put it in the DVD and in a few minutes I was in tears.... it touched me so deeply and spoke to me so personally. I was hooked. I want to eat these videos.

The video that affected me so much was called "Luggage" and if you click on that word, you can watch a short clip and get an idea of what I'm talking about. The clip isn't actually the part of the video that brought me to tears... but you can get an idea of how easy it is to listen to this guy speak.

This guy, Rob Bell is a pastor in Michigan. He speaks with such conviction and he's not "preachy". You don't have to be a Christian to listen to this guy speak - because his message can reach everyone. He's just a guy who helps you understand what this phenomenon called "religion" is all about and why people get into it. He makes you see that it doesn't matter whether you go to church or not - but that you have your own personal relationship with God. I don't think I am explaining it properly.

Five years ago, I was so hesitant to say the word "God" out loud. And I grew up Catholic so it wasn't like I didn't know anything about God or Jesus or heaven or religion. But I went through so many years of questioning my beliefs. Who is this Jesus guy? What made him so special? The bible is just a book of stories... how do we know they are real? So so many questions. Rob Bell gets it. He wants us to ask these questions because he is so excited about finding the answers. Again, I am seriously not doing him justice. You just have to experience it for yourself.

Experience a NOOMA moment right now. Be prepared to be wowed.

Go to www.nooma.com to find out more or go to You Tube and search "Nooma" to watch some short clips of the videos.

Rob Bell, if you ever come across this blog... how can I get you to come to New Zealand? Bring the family. You need to come here.

Something tells me that these videos are going to change my life. Maybe they just might be the change you're looking for too.

The Art of Setting Boundaries

Back in May I started a course called "Positively Me for Women". It was a 6 week journey of self discovery - or in my case "rediscovery" because I've learned the tools but forgot how to use them. It was a powerful course and I highly recommend it to every woman (and man) out there. The course taught me how to be assertive without being aggressive and how to recognize patterns and behaviours that weren't healthy or productive. Our course leader Barb warned us that the people who were pushing our boundaries the most would probably not like the changes this course would bring. The week I finished the course, Brian walked out of my life.

I have just started a new course on "Boundaries". Today was the second class of eight. I am so excited about this course because I already know that I am well on the right path to finding the life that is going to be healthy and will allow me to be myself without guilt. I also have the perfect opportunity to practice the lessons I'm learning at work with the cook who is a major bully and seems to use me as target practice. Some lessons are hard to learn but I'm grateful for this opportunity to fine tune my boundary setting skills.

I thought I'd share this poem that we were given today in the course. I absolutely love it.

On Being Yourself

You must learn that you cannot be loved by all people.
You can be the finest apple in the world - ripe, juicy, sweet, succulent
And offer yourself to all
But you must remember that there will be people who do not like apples.

You must understand that if you are the world's finest apple
And someone you love does not like apples
You have the choice of becoming a banana.

But you must be warned that if you choose to become a banana
You will be a second-rate banana.

BUT you can always be the finest apple.
You must always realize that if you choose to be a second-rate banana
There will be people who do not like bananas.

Furthermore, you can spend your life trying to become the best banana
Which is impossible, if you are an apple.

OR you can seek again to be the finest apple.


I love being an apple. I cannot and will never again try to be a banana.

Moving Forward... finding my feet... oh yes... there they are!

I don't want this to be a sad blog entry... but it's going to be very difficult to write it without feeling sadness. But in actual fact, I have always embraced change and see what good can come out of even the most challenging situations.

It has been one month since Brian decided to take the girls and walk out of my life. I don't need to get into the nitty gritty of the circumstance because it really isn't relevant. The fact is, relationships need two dedicated partners to make it work - and we didn't have that. I was devastated that he chose to take the girls without letting them say goodbye to me or their friends or teachers. I haven't spoken to them but I truly hope they are adjusting to their new life. I will always think of them as my girls and hope that they will find their way back to me one day when they are given the right to make their own decisions.

I have to continue to move forward - it's the only way to get through grief. I got myself a part time job working at a Rest Home because I haven't been earning much of an income as a full time stay at home mother AND running my part time massage clinic. Rent is rather high in this area and I don't want to lose the house and my business. The job at the Rest Home feeds my need to nurture and I work the 4-9pm shift (which are the hours during the day I found the most difficult because those were my "Mummy" hours). It works out really well with my Massage business because I can still book patients in during the daytime.

The most amazing things have been happening to me since Brian left. My business is doing SO well! I have had quite a few new patients and my "regulars" have been so supportive throughout this transition. I am truly blessed. Now that I have more time, I am digging my heels in and marketing my business as it should be. I am going to be JUST FINE. For the first time I have a clear vision of where I want the business to head - and a 5 year plan to follow. It's very exciting.

Brian took all of the furniture (he didn't even leave me a foam mat to sleep on). He left the appliances and the stuff I shipped over from Canada - all my art work and antiques. At the time it was pretty devastating. I was the one who put all the effort into shopping for that furniture (I bought just about everything online) so it was stuff that I chose. It hurt that he took it - but the friends who were here supporting me while he was moving out kept reminding me that it was just "stuff" and to let it go. It was actually really cleansing. Once he was gone, I went on a cleaning frenzy! I had the carpets cleaned and I washed every inch of this place - even the ceiling tiles! I have discovered that cleaning is good therapy.

I told myself that I was starting fresh. I pretended that I had just moved here from Canada and I was starting over. That's when "stuff" just started falling into my lap. I bought a new bed off a couple who had decided to upgrade to a King Size. It is such a GREAT bed! I got it for next to nothing. Then I bought a sofa off a lady who's marriage split up and she was moving into a smaller house. It's the sofa I "visualized" when I started looking for one LAST YEAR (but settled on the one Brian took). I swear... it's so perfect... and it's a sofa bed! I got it for NOTHING! Plus, this same lady had a dining room suite for sale - so I bought that too! It is SO lovely... but the chairs were quite grubby with sticky fingerprints. I was SO delighted when I got them home only to realize that they have removable slip covers! So I threw them in the washing machine and VOILA! The table can be extended too. A dining suite like this would cost thousands!


All the while, I was doing massages to pay for this stuff so I wasn't worrying about money. Next, I bought a couple of area carpets off a girl who is moving to Australia and is selling everything. I felt that purchasing carpets was a luxury and not necessity but it became clear that it wasn't really about the carpets - we have now become friends (who is surprised by that statement?) and I helped her at her garage sale and ended up buying more "luxury" stuff off her. Know how I afforded it?

I bought myself a wedding band about three years ago shortly after Brian asked me to marry him (yes, I bought my own wedding ring - I should have known THEN that it wasn't going to work). I have never worn the ring so a few months ago I decided to sell it online. I had a few offers but they weren't really high enough and I wasn't desperate to get rid of it... so I held on and kept trying to get as close to the price as I could... and I did! I sold it for $27.50 less than what I paid! Can you believe that? For those of you who know about The Secret - you know that this is no accident.


So now, just one month later - I am sitting in a home that is all my own - surrounded by things that I chose and that I enjoy. I am happier than I've felt for a long time. I still feel love for Brian but I have let him go. I won't invite toxic people into my life again. This was a good life lesson. I will always be grateful for that relationship because without it, I wouldn't be where I am today. Three years have been invested into the lives of two beautiful little girls and I know that won't be wasted. I feel so good about that.

And as an added bonus, all that weight I put on last year after my surgery has fallen off and I am back to feeling like my old self.

So now it's time for me. That invitation is still open for anyone who wants to come to NZ for a holiday! I have lots of extra room now! Here are some photos of my spare room just to tempt you...




















I'm thinking about possibly getting an international student in to help out with rent or perhaps even offering short term accommodation to someone who is like me - finding their feet.

CanTeen Relaxation Weekend in Rotorua

I have just come back from a fantastic weekend away as a CanTeen Volunteer. CanTeen is an organization that provides support for teenagers and young adults who are affected by cancer - they either have had cancer, are in treatment, have a sibling with cancer or have lost a family member to cancer. It's a fantastic organization and it is very dear to my heart.

I have really missed this. For the past three years I have put my volunteering on the backburner because I have been focused on my new role as a mother. I miss working with kids in a fun and positive environment (being a mother is SOOOOOOOO different than being a camp counselor and I need the balance to keep me sane). I loved my summers as a camp counselor at Camp Oochigeas - a camp for children with cancer in Muskoka. CanTeen is much different - they have activities throughout the year and the focus is on teenagers rather than children.

This weekend was the "Relaxation Weekend in Rotorua" but it was so jam packed with activities that you can hardly call it a "relaxation" weekend. It was AWESOME!!!

These photos are of Meriwai (above) and Aisha (on the right) at Te Puia with some Maori carvings. Meriwai is showing me the facial expression the females would use during times of conflict. Aisha won't poke his tongue out because it would be disrespectful.

Bex is the co-ordinator for the Bay of Plenty division. She picked me up at 3:00 on Friday afternoon in a cab with a jovial but VERY deaf cabdriver. I was highly entertained in the backseat as Bex tried to have a conversation with our driver. She would say something and he would reply totally randomly. I sat in the back giggling. We picked up two vans from a local car rental place - Bex took dibs on the smaller 10 seater so I got stuck with the 12 seater beast! It was a good experience but a little scary driving a bunch of kids through winding narrow roads in an old manual diesel van!!!

We stayed at a brand new backpackers in Rotorua. The building was completely self-contained so we didn't have to worry about being too noisy and disturbing the other guests. There were 5 rooms on the main level, each with two or three bunks. Upstairs there was a large lounge with 6 leather sofas, a large kitchen with three large tables with bench seats and a double bedroom with ensuite. It was ideal for groups - so much better than staying at a hotel. A few of the volunteers (including me) stayed in the main backpackers lodge which meant a much more peaceful sleep!

There were 31 of us in total. Groups of CanTeeners came from the Waikato region (Hamilton), Bay of Plenty (Tauranga) and East Cape (Gisborne). Some of the kids were new to CanTeen and some have been around for years. We spent Friday night playing name games to get to know everyone. We had Dominos Pizza and KFC (yep, we get that crap here too) for dinner and ate heaps of lollies and bickies (a.k.a. candy and cookies).

We got an early start Saturday so that we could fit everything into our day. First we headed to "Te Puia" which is a geothermal park geared for tourists. I've been to quite a few of the geothermal parks in Rotorua but I try to avoid the tourist traps... mainly because they are so expensive. Te Puia was nice but I can't honestly say it was any better than the free parks. It was fancier and had paved walkways... but I rather prefer the natural mud paths. We had a tour guide named TJ - he was the first gay Maori I've ever seen! I think that was the highlight of the tour for me! TJ gave a great tour and he was very tolerant of the noisy teenagers. We got to watch a kiwi bird eating grubs in a natural enclosure. TJ showed us how the Maori people used flax to make clothes and we all got to make rosettes out of flax.

We then hopped in the vans and drove out to the Lake District where we were going on an afternoon cruise around Lake Tarawera in a private charter boat. The skipper took us out fishing (we caught one Rainbow Trout) and to a place where natural hot springs come out from the bottom of the lake to create a steamy hot beach where you can swim. None of us jumped in though - because it was a little too cool outside. Shame, that would have been a great experience. I'll have to put that on my list of things to do in the future. It was a really relaxing cruise and it made me feel like I was back in Canada - with the fall colours and the freshwater lakes.

Our next stop was Hell's Gate Waiora Spa for a nice soak in the mud baths and mineral pools. It leaves your skin amazingly soft (unless you're Abby - bottom right photo in the bath with Bex - who had an allergic reaction to the mud causing her eyes to practically swell shut).















It was a very full day - but it wasn't finished yet. We headed back to the hostel for a couple of hours before heading to the Polytech where the Chef School was hosting a beautifully catered dinner for all of us. They were so generous, the meal was absolutely delicious. It was served buffet style so we could chose what we liked and have as much as we wanted. There was plenty of it too. We dined by candlelight and there were servers for each table who placed our napkins on our laps and kept filling our water glasses. It was nicer than some of the really fancy restaurants I've eaten at.

What a day! Back at the hostel, the kids had a reverse sex fashion show (where they had to get creative with simple items to create fashion as the opposite sex - girls dressed as guys and guys as girls). Lianne, Bex, Abby, Aisha & I were the judges. The kids were so creative and made us laugh so hard!! It reminded me just how carefree teenagers are and how uninhibited they can be. It was so refreshing enjoying them. I think the more I spend with CanTeen, the better mother I will be.

Sunday was a little less busy. A few of us headed to the 'paint your own ceramic' craft place while some others played water polo at the Blue Baths. We all met later at the driving range to play some mini putt, hit some golf balls and have a go at the batting cages. We were on the road heading back home by 2pm.

I am so glad that I went. I needed to reconnect with the teenager inside of me - it's been a while.

While in Mahia Beach...

A few weeks ago Brian and I returned to Mahia Beach - the place where it all happened - where we met. Mahia Beach is a very secluded place, it's quiet, peaceful and very very beautiful. It attracts the tourists who are searching for this type of solitude and at this time of the year (as it gets colder) there aren't many of those tourists around. It's a shame because nearby in a little place called Morore, about 15 minutes outside of Mahia is one of the nicest natural hot mineral pools in all of New Zealand. The pools are set back in a natural New Zealand rain forest along a fresh water stream. You have to walk down a nature trail through native trees with birds singing for about 10 minutes before getting to the pools. It's never too busy and this is the best time of the year to go.

Just to remind those of you who don't know - Brian and I met while I was working as a bartender in the pub. The owners, Ardie and Dicey Symes gave me a job and a place to stay when I was totally desperate and had absolutely no where to go, no money and didn't have my work visa yet. They are amazing people - they adopt everyone and just give and give and give to their children. They also have good work ethic and teach people that you have to work hard to survive. They are excellent role models for the Mahitian residents (who probably take them for granted) because if it wasn't for them taking a risk and opening the pub, Mahia would have absolutely nothing but the sea. Btw, the pub is up for sale if anyone is interested in a change of lifestyle.

It's not a thriving business at this time of the year but the local patrons keep it entertaining. Dicey's brother Ritchie is the local entertainment - he plays his guitar and sings every Friday and Saturday night. He's really good. He's also full of personality and like his sister, has a great big heart.

It was awesome going back there - it's been nearly three years since we left and we haven't been back since. Not a lot has changed even though it seems we have changed so much since then. We caught up with our friends Pop (on the far right), Cappy (he got his name because he wears that damn purple woolen beanie all the time!), and Pauly (the one on the left). They are all characters, they are all lovely guys, they all have tragic stories, but they are all so warm and welcoming and happy to talk to everyone. Unfortunately, they spend far too much time at the pub... but there's not a heck of a lot else to do. They make a living from fishing.



The pub is also a restaurant, it has a big screen T.V. to watch Rugby and any other major program on television (you can put in a request to watch anything) as well as the "Pokie Machines" for a little gambling (pokies are slot machines) if you're bored. Brian enjoys the pokies but he doesn't get to play on them much these days... so Ardie gave him $6 to play with (now whenever Ardie gives anyone money, they usually win big time)... in no time he had it up to $76... I told him to quit while he was ahead. I never gamble but I thought it might be fun so I asked for $10. Brian gave me a quick tutorial and I started to play, even though I didn't have a clue what I was doing. I told myself that I was going to win the jackpot... AND I DID!!!!! The jackpot was $980! I shouted a round drinks for everyone.



Ardie and Dicey let us stay in one of their rental properties for the weekend. It is also up for sale (they are buying more and more properties on the Gold Coast in Australia where I think they'd like to retire) and for a while I seriously thought about buying it. Mahia is the sort of place you'd want to go to escape the hustle and bustle of life. You can learn to surf, go diving for crayfish and paua, collect pipi's, walk along the stretch of white sand looking for seashells, spend the day at the Morore hotsprings, doing some of the hikes through the rainforest before your long soak, have dinner and hang out with the locals at Sunset Point, there's even a decent golf course. It really feels like you are on holiday. But realistically, I just don't have the money or even the staying power to buy anything... I'll always be a gypsy and gypsy's don't invest in real estate unless they inherit it. I'd rather just cruise around and stay wherever someone has a bed. Lucky for me... I have a lot of friends.

Feijoa Frenzy

There's a fire on in our potbelly stove. It's only 6pm but it's dark and cold outside. It's winter in New Zealand.

It's not all bad. Our afternoons can still be quite warm when it's sunny. It never snows which means that I can enjoy the garden year round. The best part of the garden are the fruit trees which are all in fruit at the moment.

You might remember our tamarillo trees from last year... a.k.a. "tree tomatoes".


My favourite fruit of all time is called a "feijoa" which is a cousin of the Guava. They are like nothing I have ever eaten before and I can consume copious amounts of them at a time. I can't even begin to explain what they taste like... they are slightly tangy but sweet. My mouth waters just thinking about them!

I love feijoa season! Lucky for us, we have two feijoa trees in our backyard!

Christmas at the beach - anyone?

We've been talking and have decided to book our flights to Canada for Christmas this year. If we book now, the price won't be too bad for the 4 of us. We might as well just bite the bullet and do it now while the kids are still young - next year Natalya will graduate to an adult fare.

Brian and the girls have never experienced a white Christmas (I hope it will be a white one) and they've certainly never experienced a Canadian Christmas! They'll be absolutely blown away.

So we are looking to find someone to rent out our place while we're away... and feed the cat.

It's a modest three bedroom bungalow with one bathroom. The lounge is large and has a pull out sofa. There are enough beds to sleep 8 in the house. There's also the sleep out (my office) which could sleep another one or two PLUS our caravan which has a double bed as well.

We are planning to install a second bathroom on the sleepout - it should be finished by Christmas.

We are a short walk to Bayfair shopping mall and the beach. We have a lovely large private garden with fruit trees, organic vegetables and BBQ facilities.

If you've ever thought about what it would be like to spend a nice family Christmas somewhere warm - then this could be the ideal opportunity. Talk to some friends... maybe you can find a few families who can be convinced to take this opportunity to come to New Zealand for Christmas at the beach in a nice family home of someone you know and trust.

Don't forget, we have a caravan which can also be used for weekends away to other areas.



Sounds pretty perfect to me! What are you waiting for! Wanna come to New Zealand for Christmas?

Send me an email if you're interested... or leave me a comment on the blog...

tracypepper@yahoo.com

My Summer Vacation by Tracy Pepper age 33

This one is for those of you who check in frequently and I've let down the past few months because I've been to preoccupied to write an update!

As you know, we are coming to the end of our summer. The kids went back to school in early February and although the weather is still really hot, we are heading into the cooler nights and mornings of Autumn.

"Autumn"... that's a loose term here.... especially considering that winter in this part of New Zealand resembles Autumn in Canada.

Anyway, I am going to tell you about our summer holiday. We bought a caravan last November. We found one that we liked and got it for a pretty fair price. It sure beats having to sleep in a tent and it doubles as a guest house if we ever have "guests" come to stay with us for longer than a week. I'm hoping that some of my friends and family will come out one day. I'm thinking ahead...

Natalya was going away for 10 days to Girl Guide Jamboree so we decided to take advantage of our week with only one kid and try out our new caravan. We booked ourselves in at the campground at a little spot called Mokau (pronounced Mo-cow). It is about 3 1/2 hours south from where we live on the West Coast where the beaches are all black sand and have a reputation for being "wild". The Tasman Sea is on the West, separating New Zealand and Australia and is fondly known by Kiwis and Aussies as "the ditch". Mokau is in the Taranaki Region of New Zealand which is known for it's lush farmland and New Zealand's highest volcano - Mt. Egmont.

Not only are the beaches wild and rugged, but the fishing is supposed to be incredible! That was the selling feature... because as Brian says, "Camping isn't camping without good fishing." He also says that, "A bad days fishing is still better than a good days work."

It was a fantastic week and the fish were plentiful. We brought two kayaks, one single and one double. We took a long line (which is basically a reel with fishing line that you stick into the sand on the beach and it has 25 hooks attached to it that you drag out into the sea) which we attached to the back of the kayak and then paddled out approx. 2km straight into the sea. This is one of the best ways to catch fish. Brian is putting the bait on the long line with Chantelle's help in this photo.

There were some days the surf was pretty rough - but Brian was out there paddling into it every single day. There were only two days he couldn't get through the pounding waves... and man, he wasn't a very happy camper! On calmer days I would go out there with Brian in the double kayak. It was great exercise. But on the rougher days it was too scary - I made the trip twice but I was so afraid we were going to capsize and I was going to drown or be eaten by sharks, I refused to chance it again. Still, nothing stopped Brian - everyone at the campground thought he was absolutely mad! Did I forget to mention that he never wore a lifejacket?

He'd go out at least three times a day and each time we would drag in approx. 8 - 10 fish. He became a legend!! People who camp at this spot regularly told us that they would watch people come here to fish day in and day out and often leave without a single bite.

The sunsets were spectacular.


We made friends with some locals and shared our catch. The most common fish we caught were Snapper and Guarnard - two of the nicest fish in the sea. The first few days we were eating fish for lunch and dinner - gobbling it up and saying that we could never get sick of yummy fish. It's the nicest fish I've ever eaten - and I was never a fish lover... but Canadians (particularly from the interior part of the country) don't know what real fish tastes like. But by day 4 we were giving it away to our new friends and eating the sausages we packed and brought with us. By the 5th day we were ready for fish again but only in moderate amounts. Do I ever wish we had some for dinner tonight! (actually we do - Brian went down to the beach today with the girls and his friend and they caught 8!)

Two friends we made were Poppa Dick and his wife Jocelyn. They invited us, along with a few other regular campers, to celebrate their 47th wedding anniversary. Such a lovely couple. We all went out for dinner at the local pub down the road. We had a really fantastic night out and the pub provided a shuttle service so that we could all have a few drinks and not worry about getting home safely.




We were also "adopted" by Barb and her mother Pearl. They spend most of the summer at the campground where Barb has a permanent site. She tries to take her mother up there as often as possible. Pearl is a doll (just look at those mischievous eyes in the photo). You know what her full name is? Pearl Diamond! What a name! She is a real gem indeed. We thoroughly enjoyed meeting them and sharing our fish with such kind and generous people.

Poppa Dick and Barb both helped to pull in the long line every time we'd put it out. It was a real community event. Chantelle was excellent at winding up the reel as everyone grabbed a stick, wrapped the line around it and pulled it in. Hard work, but great fun.... except when it would get tangled up with other people's long lines (they would drift over ours when they weren't paying attention to it). What a mess and waste of bait! It was very frustrating. But no one used the system we did. You can buy motorized things called torpedoes which carry the line out for you. The biggest problem with these gadgets is the fact that they get easily carried with the current from the undertow and you can lose sight of them, especially if the surf is a little rough. That's how you get tangled up with other lines. Our system was much better because when you paddle out, you're taking your line out straight and then dropping it with weights so that it doesn't get moved with the current. Once it's out there, you just sit on the beach for about an hour and wait for the fish to bite. It's a nice way to spend a day.

For a change of scenery one day - and also because the weather was a bit rough at the beach near the campground - Brian and I took the kayak and long line out to the river mouth further south near a place called "The Three Sisters". I'll have to take my two sisters Ann and Marni there one day...

It was a beautiful spot but still too rough for me to paddle out, so Brian went out on his own. It took him nearly half and hour to get out past the big waves and he was dumped a few times. I kept telling him to give up but he was determined and refused to let the weather win. He made it through the big surf but he still had to contend with the unruly waves further into the sea. I paced along the beach, watching him get smaller and smaller. Once he gets out far enough (or when he thinks the waves might be getting too big and he could capsize), he waves the paddle in the air to let me know that I need to put a stop on the line so that it doesn't keep winding out. Well I started to panic a little because I lost sight of him for at least 5 minutes. The sea was rough and I couldn't spot him. I was almost certain he tipped. It wasn't a nice feeling and I was so relieved when I saw him wave the paddle and turn back. Unfortunately it wasn't a really successful trip either because this is the only thing we caught...



We call it "lemon fish" at the fish and chip shop. Nice, thick, meaty fish with no bones. I threw this one back because he was just too beautiful.

It was a great holiday. We spent everyday on the beach but we kept active too. It was like we were in another country but without the tourists. We'll definitely be going back to Mokau again for another holiday like this one.