Remodeling

How do these things begin? How do they obtain a life of their own? It usually starts with just some new paint...or a new floor. The new floor is then leads one to look more closely at the adjoining tub. Maybe we should find out what it would cost for a new tub...and maybe a new tub enclosure. Well, since we're going to have a new tub then we certainly need new shower doors and rather than plastic shower enclosure, wouldn't tile look better?...something to compliment the new floor? And since we're ripping up the floor, it's a good time to replace and upgrade the toilet to match the tub. Wait!!! If we are replacing the floor, the tub, the tub surround and the toilet, can we possibly leave the counter and sink in its old and ugly state? Noooooooo ! So now we have moved on to a granite counter..beeeaauuutuiful...with an appropriately new sink and faucet...priced a "moderately" price faucet lately? Ok...where were we? We've replaced almost everything in the bathroom and placed a beautiful new granite counter top on a 20 year old cabinet. Oh the inhumanity!! How can we possibly been so thoughtless? We can't leave that cheap and well worn cabinet to sully the brand spanking and new everything else? Let's review. We've replaced everything in the the guest bath. And it feels so good and looks so good. We've upgraded. Guests can use the bathroom once again without signing a waiver of liability. Now the difficult and challenging part...we have to move beyond the "plan" and begin and acutally begin the remodel. (Donations are gladly received but are not tax deductable). Oh yes, it's May 2 and we have guests coming from New Zealand on May 29th....can anyone recommend a good Port-a-Potty rental service?

Golden Years

One of the constants in this life is change. The only things that don’t change are God and His Word. But in the here and now, we can pretty much rely on another change or changes coming around the very next corner. We feel that some changes are good and perhaps a few are even great, but when the change shakes our comfort zone, the adjustment period is often filled the five stages of grieving because it involves the loss of what was and an adjustment to what is not yet fully known. What was may have been lousy but we had managed to move it into our comfort zone. During the Golden Years (which is somewhere near the end of the rainbow), and event called retirement usually comes along (at least in our society) and with retirement, comes change. Change that requires adjustments, some considered good or maybe even great, along with others that wobble our comfort zone and for a time, create uneasiness. When one half of a couple enters retirement, the relationship takes on a different flavor and for a time, adjustments are made as a somewhat different relationship begins to grow and take shape. We are in the process of making such an adjustment…as Marie transitions from hardworking, loyal, professional, underpaid and underappreciated employee to hardworking, loyal, underpaid and appreciated wife, grandmother, interior designer, house-painting, power-washing, lawn-mowing retiree. Ahh….the Golden Years.

My Fan Club

I have received feedback from many of my blog fanclub members that I have not been sufficiently active in posting new entries on my blog. I confess...this being a new exercise, I am having difficulty in posting new information or entries on a regular basis with topics around everyday events. For a year, long, long ago, I did daily entries in a journal for a writing class.
This feels like a similar exercise. However, like many other "exercises", what is needed is discipline and motivation.
What motivates me? One of the things that motivates me is a desire to pass on to my grandchildren some of the habits, skills, interests and activities that are a part of who I am.
Toward that end (and with ulterior motives), I have enrolled Ryan in golf lessons and we have been participating for the past two weeks. He seems to be interested and enjoying the lessons. My next target will be Aaron. My goal in this endeavor is to pass on an interest in a lifelong activity that can be enjoyable, healthy and valuable. My ulterior motive is to build a new generation of golfing "buddies". One of my challenges is finding people to golf with on a regular basis. Who better than grandsons and perhaps granddaughters. My family is very important to me. My grandchildren are a part of who I am. Beyond genetics, I have the opportunity to pass on to them, a part of who I am. Tennis anyone? Or if you'd rather, tabletennis? While I like to teach, I like nothing better to win while teaching.

What Next?

The request has been made for me to continue this blog for the next four years. When I began this excercise, I didn't think much beyond the run up to and the experience and events of our NZ vacation. Those asking that I continue the blog are extremely important to me....so It's going to be difficult and probably sporadic, but I will keep it going for the next 4 years. I appreciate the fact that I have two loyal readers and for that reason I will continue this blog. It will become more eclectic because I have many strong opinions, diverse interests, a Biblical world view stacked upon a desire to inform and educate. I keep many of my musings, thoughts and opinions to myself, but since one of the purposes of a blog is to express oneself, that is what I will attempt to do. Fortunately or unfortunately, I love to laugh and more pointedly, to make people laugh. Sooooo, many of my posts will be couched in humor or at least be humorous to me. Therefore, you have been warned and should be prepared for most anything.

Journey's End

We've been home almost a week and we are still recovering from the return journey. Traveling east (or returning home from a fabulous vacation) seems to be a much more difficult adjustment than the trip to the destination. We hit the ground running in Auckland but having been in a fog much of the time since returning. It gets a bit better each day. We would like to return to New Zealand in two years. Special thanks to Ken and Patty for the great care they gave our pets. Thanks to Kelly, Shane and kids for picking us up at the airport, visiting the dogs, chasing the vermin, decorating with flowers and having fresh food for our return (and removing all the dead things from the frig). Thanks to Kristen and family for being there to greet us and visit for a time. Until next time....

PACIFIKA FESTIVAL

Today we attended the Auckland Pacifika Festival at Western Springs (Te Wai Orea-Lake of eels). We roamed around for 30 minutes looking for a parking spot and when we finally got onto the grounds of the park, we found out why...there were thousands in attendance. Auckland is the largest polynesian city in the world and most who have left the islands to live in New Zealand, were in attendance at the park (or so it seemed). While there, we found the Prime Minister of New Zealand (Helen Clark) in attendance and accosted her in order to get a picture. Also pictured is a part of the mass of humanity in attendance...also pictured is a large blow up can of corned beef. I believe that it is one of the traditional foods of Samoa.

Pauanui Birthday

We spent 4 days at brother Dennis's vacation home in Pauanui. Additional friends and family also came. The first two days were beautiful and as is the pattern, we then had a day of wind driven rain. However, because the low tide was to later in the morning, we waited until the bad weather arrived to go out in search of tua tuas (a small shell fish that lives in the sand, in the surf and is best found at low tide). I believe that it is a distant relative of the snipe. Before the wind and rain blew us off the beach, we (not me) found a total of three small shelled animals. Fortunately, we had purchased 2-3 kg of mussels on the way to Pauanui, so we were able to feast on those.

Had my birthday celebration Saturday evening with NZ friends and family. This week we will not be traveling anywhere, so we will spend time seeing Auckland sites by bus. Next Saturday, Sandra will have a barbecue for all celebrating birthdays in March and April. The photos document my birthday party, the beach at Pauanui and those love-birds, Rocco & Rosie.