A fortnight's worth of Sunday Evening Reflections

I was busy having an awesome and relaxing time with LeeAnn in Wellie last Sunday, so I happily neglected my writing last weekend.  In spite of an achy back and a bit of a nasty sniffle, it's been a really lovely fortnight.  Things that I loved over the past two weeks...

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1.  Getting to blob out (or lie on the floor so my back didn't ache) during a sick day last Monday and watching one of my favourite movies - Monsoon Wedding.  I've also just read that it is being adapted into a Broadway musical, which they started casting in June.  I'm curious to see how one of my favourite films translates onto Broadway.  The movie is a riot of colour and festivities, fraught with familial drama - I hope the stage production is as spectacular as the movie!  I always get a bit nostalgic for my family when I watch it, but it never fails to make me ridiculously happy.

2.  Being back in class the day after.  It was actually really lovely and the children were so very sweet, knowing that my back was achy and Katy was still sick.  Such a great group of children.

3.  I did a Parent Information Evening (about Montessori Math and Storytelling) on the Wednesday night of that week, and even though only ten people came, it went really well.  I think it's one of the best ones I've ever done actually!  It's a shame more parents weren't able to make it... but I left there feeling pretty fantastic and I got some really positive feedback about it. 

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4.  Hanging out in the Air NZ lounge, and being able to take my friends in on the way to Wellington and back.  It was just so very decadent and such a pleasant way to wait for our flights!  It made the delay on the way down much more palatable.  I'd love to take Phill somewhere soon just so we can go hang out in the lounge for a bit!

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5.  A fabulous weekend in Wellington, spending quality time with LeeAnn.  Girlfriend time is so good for the soul!  The purpose of the trip was actually work related.  The first reason was to attend a day's workshop at a school only a few minutes away from LeeAnn and Warwick's (gorgeous) house.  The workshop was fantastic to reignite and re inspire me, but most of all, it was a great chance to catch up with other Montessori professionals in New Zealand and to touch base with some fantastic folks that I haven't seen in ages.  Katy and I stayed on and spent Monday morning observing another 9-12 class.  We came away with some great ideas and feeling really excited about implementing some changes to make our awesome class even better. 

(That was mostly just the first week, except for the Monday observation!)

6.  I got my pretty new knitting needles in the post (which I battled for on trademe - I curse trademe lurkers!)  They're beautiful and I'm looking forward to doing some knitting with them! 

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7.  A Friday night, all snuggled up on the sofa, nursing my cold, feeling sorry for myself and watching Iron Chef... I'm convinced that's why I feel better today!

 

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8.  A super Saturday spent pampering myself.  I had my hair done first thing in the morning and then had a fun evening out with Rebecca, starting with a yummy dinner at Wagamama followed by watching the movie, Salt. (I thought it was entertaining - not fabulous, but a good, fun movie to watch on a Saturday evening with a good friend.) Again, girl time is so very good for the soul - and I always have such great time with Rebecca (which I think I've mentioned before!) 

Before.

 9.  I just made some tasty (Weight Watchers) self-saucing puddings.  What a lovely way to end a Sunday evening. 

After.

Whew.  It's been a fantastic fortnight - bring on another week! 

Interview with an Expat - fourth in the series

My beloved fellow transplanted Canadian-turned-Kiwi, LeeAnn's interview is up - read it here!  We lived together in our fourth year and I was a permanent fixture in her flat in our third year (so much so, that she made me dinner every night... without her, I doubt I would have eaten dinner on a daily basis.)

LeeAnn is one of my closest friends and could well be considered family.  I'm thrilled to have her in New Zealand.  She's an endless source of comfort and support for me, when I need a bit of a Canadian perspective in a Kiwi-land.  LeeAnn moved to New Zealand about four years ago, after a we spent an exceptional two weeks driving around the South Island. 

Always having fun, whether we're scaling a sheer rock face... or just being silly together.

'M' is for Mail!

Everyone enjoys a bit of snail mail.  I've always sporadically written and received letters from cousins and friends around the world.

The thing is, it's easy to forget how fabulous it is to get mail, because it just doesn't come as often as it once used to.  In today's day and age of instant gratification (I am no exception - I want it and I want it yesterday, thanks) the anticipation and excitement of opening a letter is palpable when I'm holding it in my hands.  I sometimes get the urge to do a little happy dance.  First,  I examine it to see who it's from and run my eyes over the envelope, next I devour the words within to unlock their magic and feel that special connection with someone else who has taken the time to sit down and write to me.  I can't help but to feel so special!

My very first letter writing friend was Karine... no one forgets their first.

I met Karine nearly 20 years ago (holy crap!) at a weekend yearbook publishers' conference.  We got on famously from the moment we met and we decided to keep in touch... there was no email, msn or Facebook way back then. We wrote letters back and forth for many years.  First we wrote within Ontario, and then Nova Scotia-Toronto... then I ended up in Halifax for university, where she already was.  That signaled the death knell of our love affair with the letter.  I got an email address when I got to uni, and that's how we stayed in touch.  I think there was the odd letter here and there after that, but never as consistent as it once was.  We also spent quite a while in the same cities (Halifax, and then Toronto) so we just picked up the phone for a chat.  The instant gratification of a phone chat appeals to my impatient nature... so the letter writing fell by the by.  I'm going to write Karine a letter tonight.

So now, I'm addicted once again - but like I never have been before!  I've started writing letters, cards, sending bits in the post, getting packages and I'm loving it!

Incoming (over the past couple of months):

I got this beautiful card from Sasha.  The photo on the front is a photo from her Mum's garden - it reminded her of the Koru (aka Fiddle heads); her trip to New Zealand, and naturally, of me.  She sent it before I went home for Dad's funeral, but I got it when I came back to Auckland, from Canada.  It was lovely to have this here, with a gorgeous message inside, waiting for me. 

The most recent, wonderful card from wonderful Faiza.  Sent to give me love and strength to help me through when I'm feeling blue.  I am so blessed to get so much mail from her.  I love her. 

This was my very first swap item - A mixed CD from Tillie.  I really, really heart it!  I tried to upload a photo of the postcard she sent me after she received my CD, but it won't work... rest assured, it is a great postcard.

The most fantastic, awesome, fun package EVER!  Megan from Time After Tea sent me this package as part of Passion's New Friend Swap.  I got it after being off school, sick for a day and a half - what a lovely treat to come back to!! I whipped the tag off the bracelet as soon as I opened it at work and popped it on my wrist.  She wrote the sweetest card to go with it... and how cute are these toasty warm socks??  Thanks to Passion who organised this swap and who gave me an amazing partner!

I got this package as part of Tillie's Simply Delightful Package Swap.  It came all the way from Indonesia - I loved that!  You can't tell, but under the key chain, is a tubular shawl.  It's really quite neat, but I'm still trying to figure out how to make it look normal on me.  I also got a really cute belt with a bow on it - it's upstairs, hanging on my mirror, helping to keep me motivated and on track with my exercising.  Thank you, Tillie for such a fun idea and for being my first swapping partner!

Outgoing (again, over the past couple of months):

My partner for Tillie's Simply Delightful Swap was her very own pen pal in Australia.  We had to send three of our favourite things, so I sent her an journal which was made from 100% recycled products and it was made in Canada; some of my favourite note cards and post cards; inspirational and pretty magnets (our fridge is covered with magnets) and some stickers with some lovely quotes.   I hope she liked it - I had a lot of fun picking out what to send her.

LeeAnn is a postcard enthusiast - I got the odd postcard from L when she was in Nova Scotia and I had moved back to Toronto... and then when we both moved overseas, the postcard trend continued... a quick note scribbled back and forth, but nothing meaty.  I've decided to start writing L meaty mail.  I really enjoyed using my new stencils to decorate her envelope... I went for a summer and beach theme for the back of the envie because it's cold here right now and I've got the heater going on full!

Faiza often sends me the most wonderful and lovely cards.  I feel as though I let her down on this end, but I realise that posting is a passion of hers and I've got a way to go yet, but  I'm working on catching up and sending her my belated share of postal love!  Once again, I have a lot of love for my new stencils.  Faiza loves flowers, and I thought that since I didn't send her fresh flowers for her birthday, I'd decorate her envie with some pretty flora. 

I've recently started following Tillie's blog - I participated in her package swap and I swapped mixed CDs with her.  I thought I'd drop a note in the post for her (well, it'll be dropped in the post tomorrow, when I go to the post office!)

Tillie mentioned that it was her mum's birthday recently and she was getting a kick out of all the mail Tillie was getting, so she thought it'd be great if her mum got some mail.  Here's my belated effort (I sealed the envelope before I took the photos... but trust me, the inside is pretty.)

Last but definitely not least, my second letter to Megan (after her swap package... I won't post a picture of it, because I'm not sure if she's received it yet.)  She and Faiza also send letters back and forth, so I knew of her.  I'm so pleased that I'm now getting to know her!  I decorated it with stars because the first time I read her surname, I read it very quickly and I thought it said "Sparkle" and I thought it was the most awesome name ever!  So now, every time I see her name, I think of sparkling and stars.  I haven't told her this bit of cheesy dorkiness (yet somehow, I think it's okay to broadcast my nerdiness it on the internet.) 

I'm off, to write some more letters!

Interview with an expat - first of the series.

One of the happiest periods of my life were the years I spent in Halifax, while studying at King's College.  I enjoyed the time I spent in residence, but I loved the time I spent flatting. 

In my third year I lived in the flat in front of LeeAnn, Alison C.M., Megan, LeeAnn and Marilla.  I spent a LOT of time in the flat behind mine.  So much so that LeeAnn used to cook dinner for me most nights.  Once, I went over and the door was unlocked, but no one was home.  Rather than lock the door and leave, I settled myself comfortably in Megan's papasan chair and had a snooze until they came home.  I had to keep the flat safe, of course! 

In my fourth year, I lived with LeeAnn, Al and Marilla (and watched some questionable films with Megan.)  We had a blast. 

I'd say more, but what happens in Halifax, stays in Halifax.

After university we all went our separate ways, as friends tend to do.  Some of us stayed in touch, lived together or in the same cities etc, but we were all fairly scattered.  Through the magic of Facebook, we've all reconnected once again. 

We were all pretty adventurous and we got on fabulously.  This adventurous nature lead us all to lead lives as expats.  The lovely and talented Alison had the great idea to interview the lot of us - since we all set off from a similar point, to explore where we are now and how we got there.  Megan was first to be posted - read it here. 

Mine will be up soon also.  I'll be posting a link to all the interviews as they come up. 

Something a little out character - a letter out of order...

I'm going to do something that goes against my very nature, but this one has been brewing in my mind for the last few weeks and if I don't write it now, it won't be nearly as relevant as it could be.

Over the past couple of months, I have been immensely grateful for reunions. 

Reunions are wonderful, uplifting and just so very fantastic! 

I was recently visiting home for Christmas and I had the most fabulous reunion with my nephew.  I was blessed enough to spend some portion of nearly each day with Noah.  The last few times I've gone home, I've been very apprehensive about seeing him.  I was worried that he wouldn't know me, or he wouldn't like me.  I am happy to report that when I was at home over Christmas, I had an awesome time with Noah, and I have no need to worry about any future reunions because I know he'll remember me.  I also fell head over heels in love with him.  He is a happy, sweet, polite and clever and generally a delightful child.  I'm not saying that because he's my nephew and I'm horribly biased... I genuinely mean it!  It was just fantastic and I had an awesome time. 

Not the most flattering photo of me, but it's okay because I love making this kid laugh!

I also got to have the best reunion yet with my Faiza.  We got to hang out, chat and just 'be.'  We haven't had the chance to do that at all in this phase of our lives and I really missed it.  We also had great fun going to see Jersey Boys, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and trips to Wally's.  I loved every second of my reunion with Faiza.  It was magic and I love her. 

I think this is the first time I've been home and not taken photos of us...

This 'photo' is also relevant in a couple of paragraphs from here... 

When I came back to New Zealand, I had the best reunion of all... Phill was at there waiting for me.  He had taken the day off work, got up at 4 a.m. and took a cab to the airport - just so he could be there when I got back.  Since I wasn't expecting him, I walked right by him (again - just like the last time he surprised me at the airport.)  When I did see him, I vaguely remember launching myelf into his arms and squealing at the top of my lungs.  It was the best thing to come back to and made me SO very happy. 

I love this guy.

The day before school started, I was lucky enough to have a quick reunion with my dear friend LeeAnn.  She came up to Auckland for work and we went out for a lovely dinner, walked along the beach and had a good catch up.  I always look forward to her work visits and our friendship makes me soul happy.  We haven't taken any photos of us together in ages.  That is something that must be remedied next time we're visiting each other!

Finally, I went back to work.  It's always nice to meet up with the people I work with and having a good gab with them is great.  The people I work with are really quite awesome... but my favourite reunion to do with work was having my class back again.  In Montessori, the students stay in a class for a three year cycle.  Due to the way the New Zealand school system works and our wider school going up to year 8, students have the opportunity to stay in the 9-12 class for four years.  I had a few students leave, as they do when they get older and I have now ten children that are new to my class.  Every year, I really look forward to having my kids back again.  I love the relationship I build with my students because I have them for several years at a time... and I get to do that because we get to have our reunion every February.  They are really good kids and yes, they make me crazy at times (as I'm sure they do to their parents too) but I know that I'm lucky to have them. 

I don't feel right putting up photos of children that are not related to me, but rest assured, I have many great photos of them and they are gorgeous. 

How I love a good reunion!!