Three and a half years after my feet landed on the planet, my sis was born. Thus began a lifelong friendship and adventure partnership. I was given the indescribable gift of one who would share this journey with me, support me, often follow in my footsteps, and that rarest of gifts: be honest with me. Some folks have sisters but don’t get the sort I got, and I didn’t discover that until much later in life. You see, I’ve always thought sisters were kindred hearts, standing with you as friendships came and went, there to share the excitement of opening a stocking on Christmas morning, or searching the garden for hidden eggs. We shared a bedroom growing up, and argued over whose turn it was to clean the wardrobe or the dressing table. But for the most part, we were happy to hang out together. With two brothers as well, it was a perfect divisible number for teamwork: Boys against girls or oldest against youngest. And Helen and I have always shared a love of similar things: Stories, books, movies, creative arts.

She’s the introvert, I’m the extravert. That meant that I generally lead the charge, and she was the (relatively) willing follower. I was chief fairy, she was underling.

There’s been a lifetime of readjustment of that scenario.

I had to realise that she needed her own space, and that she didn’t necessarily want to always have the decision made for her. She needed time to think and come through with what it was she found important or wanted to do.

And when I look at her now, at the grand age that I’ve reached now, I look and see her as an amazing woman! There’s so much she can show me and teach me, and I am in awe of her. Unlike me, she doesn’t blow her own trumpet, or put it out there for everyone to see. Unlike me, she’s not much for social media, and prefers realtime encounters with one or two and LOTS OF her own space. In that space, she has done her own research, and wandered her own paths, and suddenly I am shown a new way of looking at something or am exposed to skills and culinary experiments that I had no idea existed. I drink her kombucha because ‘the fermentation process provides bacteria that are good for digestion’. Likewise, her homemade sourdough bread. These are things I never investigated while I was busy making people laugh on Facebook because I do silly memes. I LOVE making people laugh, and devote a lot of time to my interaction on twitter and Facebook, and probably will continue. Helen, however, is unfolding some territory before me that I have not encountered, and it’s been a joy to be shown these things.

So that’s my sister: funny, supportive, quiet-ish, clever, and a very good nurse to boot. She introduced me to cycling – and the thing with me is, once I get the hang of something and passionate about it, I REALLY let people know. So while she was quietly wheeling around the local cycleways discovering new paths, I was setting up a blogsite for Handlebra EasyRiders, and drawing my friends in to join us.

She told me about Outlander books (and so did my friend Beverley) long before I actually decided to pick them up. But when I did – everything exploded and I was doing memes, and writing to people, and making t-shirts, and running a FB page. You see where this is going, don’t you? Anyone looking on sometimes thinks I came up with the original idea, because I make the most noise about it, (and I’m a big Influencer,) but my little sister is (and you’ll recognise the quote!) ‘The Wind Beneath My Wings’.

So that’s what this blog is about: what an immeasurable PLUS it was for me (and all who know her), when Helen was born. My heart goes out to anyone who has NOT got a sister like this – they really make a difference to life. The best advice I can offer, is to make sisters of your girlfriends if you can. (I’ve got some of those too!)

I’m raising my glass to you, Helen Iris, aka Bugskin, aka Mmmmmbelele, Mother of Jemma, Ash and Liam, Nurse extraordinaire, Cyclist, Reader, fellow movie watcher, Discoverer of Worlds – and best of all, MY SISTER!!!

 

Monday morning and time for my blog and ‘thought for the week’. Bear with me. I’ve come back from my early morning walk, having stumbled along it looking like the Michelon Man in my puffer jacket and scarf – I was the ONLY one on the trail. It was a beautiful crisp morning too, but verra cold, ken?

I had my coffee at my local cafe and read the paper and am now home considering all the things I need to do in the next two days before going in to work on Wednesday.

In the meantime, I want to talk about a matter close to my heart – or should I say, head – right now.

I’ve been a blonde most of my life, except for a brief spurt of red hair in my late thirties. Lately, in order to maintain those flowing golden locks, I’ve kept up a steady practice of applying various shades of blonde to the roots. And okay, it looked fine and for a few years now I’ve loved the iconic plait and colour and thought I’d just keep doing it ad infinitum. But more recently I’ve found my feelings change about all that. They went something like this: I wonder what I really look like under all this bleached goldenness? Is it doing my scalp any good? My skin and face are showing the signs of my long experience on this earth – something I don’t mind too much, because much of that is laughter lines – but my hair does not. In fact, they are matching less and less. Am I happy with that? I felt more and more trapped in routine of maintaining a ‘look’ rather than going with my growing sense of breaking free and being me. The rest of me is excited about the future and the places I want to travel, and not being so concerned with what others think I should do or be, and feeling like grabbing life by the coattails and leaping off into the unknown. It’s a great place to be! I have no children and am not tied down to house or hubby, and have some good close friends and family. . .

So, the getting the hair back to its natural state is part and parcel of that modus operandi. I want to spend my time doing the things that matter to me, and I begrudge every moment I am wasting doing things like putting on hair dye and waiting! I’m still not completely comfortable with the ‘look’ just yet. I believe that stripping the hair of colour and adding the tones that are making it grey right now, has probably damaged it and until it grows out into it’s own shade of greyishness, it’ll need plenty of conditioning. (I’ve just read up about it). And sometimes I feel like Medusa with stringy grey rats tails instead of those long golden locks I had. But I’ll live.

And yes, in the big scheme of things, the colour of my hair is a very small thing compared to the real issues going on in this world right now. But my wee blog is a place I share my emotional journey, as well as the bigger picture, and this is the part of the road I’m on.

It’s been a week of horrendous change OUT THERE – earthquakes and landslides of political upheaval. BREXIT and the present protests, the ongoing refugee crisis, endless ISIS horror, the shaky state of Australia’s leadership . . . homelessness in Auckland. By no means can I address any of these issues with any real grasp of the answer or depth of understanding of the causes. And in fact, for most of that I can do absolutely nothing but look on in dismay. (Fortunately, this is the real grey area, and something we all come to terms with individually, responding as our personalities and consciences dictate.) In the face of all that, for me, there IS a small comfort in dealing with my own personal challenges, and feeling empowered in doing so, that gives me courage to move on and tackle things of greater importance. I hope that these small personal rambles strike a chord with one or two others.

HAVE A GOOD WEEK ALL!

 

I’ve borrowed these pics from the internet, just recent shots of Auckland in the last week. No sooner does one front go over the city, than it is chased by another. Last night it was thunder and lightening, which I find all very exciting when I’m snuggled up in a warm bed. It may not be very cold right now – compared to last year – but it’s got all the other symptoms of winter.

Sooooo, I’ve spent a LOT of time reading, and then reading, and sometimes watching the big screen, instead of exercising. I don’t feel too bad, though. It’s the best thing about this season, and I’m getting through a LOT of stories. As soon as I start to stiffen up, Spring will come and I’ll be beating the pavements again and peddling those wheels around – just wait.

Meantime, I’ve nipped up to Riverhead for my fortnightly catch up and coffee with good friend, Cathy. (Someone I’ve enjoyed the company of for decades now.)

There seems MORE to catch up on these days, than before. And oh the joy of actually having a good length of time to ramble on and stretch the time to suit ourselves.

I’m home now and contemplating the week ahead – aware of the three days at work coming up and the need to get everything useful done in these two. I LOVED the Outlander episode last night, and find myself totally gripped by the action as it winds up to the last episode (which will be viewed in two weeks). How lucky we are to have the show capture so much of the feeling and spirit of the books! Added bonus for me, was that my eldest niece has picked up the first book and found she loves it too. I’m sure her journey has just begun and there’s so much for her to discover – about the stories, about the series, about Scotland and it’s history, about our own family history.

I need to face the last of the papers and photos left over from Mum’s apartment. With weather outside my front window like this, it will be easier to do I’m sure:

We scattered my mother’s ashes up at Waikumete Cemetary a couple of weeks ago – a very rare time that my siblings and I were all together, along with three of their children. It could have gone so many ways, but instead was an occasion filled with more laughter than any other emotion, and for that I know my Mum would have been pleased.

 

That’s me, walking on the second bridge down by the inner harbour. I had to set my iphone up on self-timer and RUN to make it there and looking relaxed. I like to take shots which invite the viewer to join me, which is why these little self-timer ones work for my blog. So come along, let’s have a chat.

It was a lovely crisp morning, with the fog just lifting and only the top spire of the Auckland Sky Tower showing above it – I imagine it would have been much more picturesque had I got out of bed an hour earlier!  Still, I treasure my Monday and Tuesday at home, and get a lot done in those days before I’m catching the early bus into the city on the last three weekdays.

This morning, instead of working on my children’s book, I’ve been playing with memes and new designs for Redbubble. I quite like this latest one:

It can be found on numerous products on this site. Don’t forget to click on the product tab to see all the t-shirts/cushions/prints that have the design on them.

Anyway, the weekend was great. We here in NZ have Christmas in the heat of summer, and usually it’s a bbq or meal of cold meats and salads, so by mid-winter, we’re ready to have a mid-winter Christmas party enjoying the traditional fare from the UK – steamed pud, roast meat and vegetables, and mulled wine. My friends and I usually dress to theme as well, just for the fun of it. And – bless them – they went along with the plan to dress up french style, so that I had an excuse to wear my Outlander French Season outfit again. They were all wonderfully attired, and the evening was a roaring success.

Roll on the next opportunity to celebrate life together, I say.

I’m going to get some work done now. I hope. Maybe. Have a great week.

We’re well into the heart of Winter now – every day has a glimpse of four seasons, but mostly the rainy one. Rain, wind, gusts, sunshine, and dark when you go to work and return. I don’t mind winter – it’s when I curl up and get caught up with my stories, or watch movies, all without the guilt that I should be outside enjoying the sunshine.

Today marks an important event. I went for my walk this morning, taking along my pet plait for the last time of the long hair. Then at 9:30 dug out the details of my hairdresser who I haven’t spoken to in a few years, and let her go at me with her scissors. I love the result.

Before (above) and After (below)

It was getting arduous untangling the knots every time I washed that long hair. And you know, being a photoshopper – I can always photoshop my plait back on if I need to for a meme, right?

So, my present job is going well – getting to grips with responding promptly and appropriately to PhD and MPhil students at the University. Trying to sound as if I know what I’m talking about. And I’m writing a bit more each week of my children’s story, which I hope to get published and do some illustrations for. Watch this space.

I’ve bought air tickets to visit cousins and relatives in Pennsylvania in October, and plan to spend some time there and down in Jacksonville, Florida. Hopefully it won’t be too much of a shock to the system to go from our cool Spring to the tail end of their Fall. I can’t wait.

I’ll finish this short excerpt off with a glimpse of the city of Auckland across the harbour from this morning’s walk. Until later. . .

It’s been an interesting day. I do my three days in town working tomorrow, so it rests heavily upon Monday and Tuesday to get other things done. TODAY it was the six-monthly medical check up and discussion with doctor about what I’m presently doing to lose weight. She is really good, actually – it wasn’t her that brought it up, but me. So I told her I’m cutting out the carbs and sugar and still doing my walking, and overall, she’s pretty happy. So am I. Three weeks on the food plan and I’m watching a bit of weight slithering off.

And today was the end of the Privet Tree, that used to sit in the corner of the section. If you want to watch it going down in action, check this out. Now we get a bit more sunshine, and probably fewer allergies, but I’m still grieving. I LOVE TREES. On a wet night, I sheltered under this one waiting for rides etc. It’s all good though. A neighbour just interrupted this post to ask about the big logs lying stacked by the roadside, and so one family will be kept warmer this winter because of the tree.

What else? Well, thank her majesty for having a birthday, and a special one at that. We got our usual long weekend in celebration – way down here in the Southern hemisphere. And it was a good ‘un. Queen’s Birthday Weekend was blue skies, crisp frosty mornings, no wind to speak of. I got out on my bike on Saturday, and joined my sister for a long ride over to Mt Eden where we shopped and went to a cafe. And the following two days I got out in the car and went south and north respectively, just enjoying countryside for a change. It reminded me of how much I enjoyed rattling around Scotland on my own in a car, and I felt the usual pang to get back there some day soon. Here are the weekend shots:

 

Finally, after a few days of fighting off a cold and being far too well acquainted with my bed and what I can reach from it, I set off on a walk this morning. It is SO GOOD to be back on my feet! I can’t imagine how awful it must be for those who suffer chronic illness. . .and my heart goes out to them. My last day of work on the temp job was made gruelling by the onset of sore throat and sneezing, as well as stomach ache, so I was thrilled when the boss – not knowing – said she had no more work for me and I could go at 2.30pm. NOTHING beat the feeling of stumbling into bed and closing my eyes after a bus trip home! Then there’s the joy of guilt-free hours reading or listening to all those books that have waited beside the bed. But I have to say, after 24 hours of that, I’m over it. Everyone else seems to be out enjoying the rare prolonged summer, and making the most of the weekend, and there I am, blinking painfully in the sunlight through my curtains.

BUT, oh joy! it is over. I put on my fitbit and set off in some major wind this morning. We had thunderstorms last night, and gale force winds, but my washing was still clinging to the carport lines. I brought it in and set off to blow the cobwebs out of my head.

 

It worked! Autumn leaves swirling everywhere, the sun piercingly bright behind ominous clouds, and my hair a nimbus around my head, but it was refreshing.

I’m working on some new ideas – 3-D and 2-D designs that can be laser cut. The first arrived yesterday, and is a Lallybroch key, to go on a keyring and make sure you never lose them. Hope you like. . .

It was a spectacular day for an early morning walk today – crisp clear skies, no wind, and that freshness that fills your lungs and makes you feel braced and ready for the day. I love the colours of this season. Overhead the deciduous trees all shedding their brilliant leaves, and underfoot the leaves crunching as you walk along.

I was thinking as I walked, of the things that have happened in the last year. It was on this very walk only 3 and a 1/2 months ago that my phone rang and I was told Mum had died in the morning. It being Mother’s Day yesterday, she was very close to my heart. There are so many times I think of doing or saying something to her, and then remember. And last week, my sister called me when I was almost in the same spot, to say their family pet was gone. (She hadn’t died – when I turned up there, the cat was sitting waiting. Later that day though, we brought her body back from the vet and buried her). No, I’m not changing my walk.

Life is full of all of these ups and downs, and somehow we need to face the downs with courage, and the ups with joy, and it is all part of LIVING and doing that well. I have been learning to treasure my opportunities and my environment much more as I grow older and see that what I have before me, timewise, is much shorter than what lies behind. I don’t feel that with any sense of panic, more a sense of deeper appreciation, and a strong desire to not waste my time on things which really don’t matter.

You know, it was a year ago I was packing to leave for Scotland, and the adventure of the UK Outlander Gathering, and then driving myself around. I didn’t know then what a glorious time I would have, and how easy it was to ‘follow my nose’ around the narrow roads of the highlands. Nor that I would write my first book upon my return. (That book is still available should any want to buy it. The cheaper version is black and white here, and the colour version here.)

I thoroughly enjoyed all of the year that followed my departure for Scotland and the UK. It made me realise that it is so important to dream of what you’d like to do, and then take steps towards achieving that. Don’t be limited by what you don’t know, and especially, don’t let fear rob you of the experiences that will make your life rich.

I’ve put together previous panels along with the latest eight, to take the story up to the Wedding. It makes a nice king-size duvet cover, and can be purchased here.

For those who want a closer look at the individual panels, the first three are in my previous post, and the latest five are below. I hope you like these. If you go to this link, you can see all the products for the latest eight panels.

I’m loving the look of the duvet cover. I only wish it was cheaper – price set by the manufacturing company.

So I’ve been spending the last week quietly putting into action some of the things I roughed out two weeks ago, after that stint of 6 weeks solid temp work.

Remember this?

Yes, I sat down and nutted these general areas of action down, and have made a step toward getting at least SOME of them done. The Outlander story in picture form, which I affectionately call The Gabeaux Tapestry for instance. I have now completed three more panels for the new scarf design, and am therefore nearly halfway finished.

I hope you like the look of these:

I’m thinking I will adjust the colours in the next one so that there are some choices like this:

You’ll have to tell me whether the garish colours on skin tone and hair are too off putting, but I thought it might broaden the range of clothing this scarf could be worn with, without ruining the story.

And talking about colour change – it’s doing that outside right now. Moving from a long dry summer into the vivid colours of Autumn. I am quite ready for it to do that, because I love an excuse to huddle under covers and read a good book, guilt-free. I love making soup and casseroles that require slow cooking. And it’s a season for time spent inside playing board games or watching a DVD with friends.

And yes, I know it’s coming into summer for all of my northern hemisphere friends – enjoy!! It was just over a year ago that I set off for Scotland and found it wintry rather than the Spring I expected. Can you believe that I have been there and written a book in the time since? I can’t. As you can see on my planning map, travel is high on my list of priorities, and I’m already working out which of many pilgrimages to make to places close to my heart. No doubt I’ll write about them too and take you all along with me.