Diamond Harbour

I become a bit sluggish with blogging now. Have a good excuse though. The children are having Summer holidays and asking for attention. So today when it was 35 degrees and they asked to much attention we run of to..........Diamond Harbour. We parked the car in Lyttelton and catches the water taxi to the other side of the bay.

This is how Diamond Harbour looks like. Very peaceful.

This is William hiding behind a beer. We spent here a lot of time, talking about our lovely kids. You can't get away from them. There was a bit of a sea breeze and we were immersed in blues music.

This was our view. It was busy in the cafe garden were champagne , beer and wonderful meals were served. In the distance you can see the sea ships in Lyttelton harbour.

Bye We are splashing back home to prepare a BBQ for us and the kids

The kiwi night before Christmas

One of the children in the home had received this marvellous book last year with the Kiwi version of the Night before Christmas. My brother sent me the text and it reminded me again. There was a cd attached and we all sang this loudly together.

The Night Before Christmas (Kiwi Style) It was the night before Christmas, and all round the bach Not a possum was stirring; not one we could catch. We left on the table a meat pie and beer, In hopes that Santa Claus soon would be here. We children were snuggled up in our bunk beds, While dreams of pavlova danced in our heads; And mum in her nightie, and dad in his shorts, Had just settled down to watch TV sports. When outside the bach such a ho-ha arose, I woke up at once from my wonderful doze. I ran straight to the sliding door, looking about, Jumped out on the deck, and let out a shout. The fairy lights dad had strung up around the door Let me see everything down to the shore. And what did I see, when I took a peep? But a miniature tractor and eight tiny sheep. With a little old driver, his dog on his knee. I knew at once who this joker might be. He patted his dog, and in a voice not unkind, Cried "Good on ya, boy! Now, get in behind! "Now, Flossy! now Fluffy! now Shaun and Shane! On, Bossy! on, Buffy on, Jason and Wayne! Up that red tree, to the top of the bach! But mind you don't trample the vegetable patch." So up on the roof those sheep quickly flew, With the tractor of toys, Santa and his dog too. As my sister awoke and I turn around, In through the window he came with a bound. He wore a black singlet and little white shorts, And stuck on his feet were gumboots of course; A sack full of toys he had flung on his back, And he looked like a postie just opening his pack. His eyes right as paua shell - oh, how they twinkled! Like an old tuatara, his skin was all wrinkled! He had a wide face and a round, fat tummy, That looked like he'd eaten lots that was yummy. He spoke not a word, but got down on one knee, And placed a cricket set under the tree, A present for sis, one for dad, one for mum, Then he turned and he winked and held up his thumb. He jumped on his tractor, to his dog gave a whistle, And away they all flew, as fast as a missile. I called out "thanks," as he flew past the gate. He called back: "Kia ora to all, and good on ya, mate."

The moment

This weeks prompt for Writers Island is The Moment, which made me think of "Living in the moment" which is not just some philosophy. Being interested in neurology I learned that the brain is inclined to live in the past. When we take in the world through our senses, the brain compares the new information with stored memories (neurological pathways) When a new experience relates to memories from the past , we use this memory as an explanation of what is happening in the present. Even if it different from the present. We create our own perception. Only thinking can alter thinking or the structure of the brain. We have to be aware of the moment. There is however something else what helps to change your brain. When we become parents or fall in love the chemical oxytocin gets released. This melts down existing pathways. Therefore new experiences can create quick change. My words this week are however about living in the moment.

The Moment
By Marja Blom

We are slaves of the mind

Not aware, not be there

left right left right

mechanical actions

automatic reactions
Predicting so fast
Dressing the moment

with clothes form the past

Come wake up and

take time to

immerse and absorb

Concentration and

contemplation

will bring stillness to survive

will reform your being

will intensify your life

Insight and wisdom

will grow from the seeds

of learning to see and

to hear, to be free

from the mechanical mind

Be aware of the moment

unique in it's kind

Thought for the day

courtesy of google

There is something inside you that will protect you from the most dangerous slopes, until you are ready and equipped to handle them, you are expected to go. On the one hand life won't let you through the entrance gates until you've qualified; on the other, once you have qualified, life won't you let out again. you are expected to go up to the next level. Adrian Gilpin

Sinterklaas

Today is the birthday of Sinterklaas or St nicholas. Sinterklaas is celebrated in my homeland the Netherlands. He arrived in the Netherlands recently, as shown on the video (dutch) with his helpers black Peter. As you can see he and his black Peters even learned some modern dancing.

All the children already put their shoe in front of the central heater for days, with a carrot in it for the horse of sinterklaas. He will travel over the roofs of all the houses, pick up the food for his horse and put some goodies in exchange. Tomorrow all the children who were good last year get a lot of presents from Sinterklaas.



Luckily here in New Zealand we didn't have to miss out completely. Sinterklaas came to Christchurch in the beginning of the week before he visited Holland. We met him at Unlimited school, because Lia (on the right) a marvellous parent, is teaching Dutch at this school. Mayke is one of her students. Anyway some of the teachers were in his big book and they had to sit on his knee. He spoke to them about their behaviour in the last year ,which was all good of course. He also brought some presents for the children.

The Promise

The prompt for this weeks writers Island is The promise. Hearing this word I thought about the last promise I made to my daughter to not enforce my advice on her again. It made me think how often I made this mistake in the past. The thought that I could sort out others people's problems by just giving advice, which is especially tricky with adults. I always forget that their concept of the problem and what works for them might be completely different. They might be on a different level of their journey and need to gather experience in their own time. What I did was trying to figure out what I can and can't do when I want to help in general. What I came up with still needs work but I was tired. Sometimes this feels like top sport for my mind. That's why I am amazed how many islanders drop the most beautiful writing out of their sleeves in a high quantity. I feel honoured "to hang out" with them. The promise

By Marja Blom

I can't change your path

on which you're trodding

with no firmness left

because your wet drops of pain

turned it into mud.

But I promise you I will walk alongside

showing you the stars which radiate for all

showing you the flowers

blooming in heavenly colours

I can't change your past

where fairness is a stranger

and wounds were inflicted

kept open by memories

where dreams were destroyed

leaving you with broken pieces

But I promise you I show you the present

where you can find that first brick

to built a new palace unique and special

as it will arise in your likeness

I can't change your country

of what is your mind

with established roads

and sophisticated architecture

where you speak your own language

and live by your own laws

But I promise you I will discover

and try to understand

and I will search for the beauty

 in the realms of your mind

and you are welcome to explore

my kingdom with treasures you can find

Taylor's Mistake

Sunday was the day of the Santa Parade in Christchurch. We didn't go , but Michelle of the blog Christchurch Daily Photo made some great pictures of it.
No we were walking the track between Sumner and Taylor's mistake. It was a beautiful walk on top of the coastal seacliffs. When arriving at Taylor's mistake we walked back over the road. Taylor's mistake got its name because Captain Taylor sent his ship into the wrong bay and sank. In October a whale came swimming by. Don't believe me? Read this

Taylor's Mistake a great place for swimming and walking and gliding.

There is a whole bach community in taylor's mistake. Many kiwies have a bach which is usually a small holiday house. Here we spotted the one of no one less than Shrek. Unfortunately he looks the other way otherwise I could have sold this photo big time.

The beach is also very popular with surfers. This surfer is a mosaic on the brandnew showers and toilet block close to the beach.