We paid a flying visit to Ohakune last weekend, a one night stay as we hired a van to take up the last pieces of furniture we’ve given up trying to fit in the new place in Wellington. The house felt stuffy, probably because it was lunchtime on a warm day and we’re unused to […]
Hanging Around
We moved house recently. I may have mentioned it before. Moving house is a phrase that reminds me of my mother (there are many). Where I grew up we were the only family who talked about moving house – everyone else flitted. Mum hated that term and it was one of many that, depending on […]
In the Ida Valley
Spring in New Zealand is a tale of two seasons: winter tries its hardest to maintain its grip as summer struggles to assert its authority. Nowhere is this more evident than in Central Otago, a place that regularly records both the highest and lowest temperatures in the country. The sun feels hot through a window […]
Tales of Old
This is a wooden spoon. As statements go it’s not that revelatory; unless your eyesight is impaired you can see it’s a wooden spoon. To be specific, it’s a broken wooden spoon, an end achieved when I smacked the bottom of a pan with it, something I often do and, in the case of this […]
The Lockdown Files
A couple of fellow writers recently shared that they ‘loved’ lockdown, plenty of time to write and no need to go out and interact with other humans. They are clearly much more motivated individuals than I am, my lockdown life being seriously unproductive in terms of writing anything of value (not that I’m sure I […]
A Clear Run
There are challenges to skiing in New Zealand. One is that many people ski on the mountains in much the same way as they drive on the roads – too fast, not in control, and with little awareness for anyone else in the vicinity. As with any rule, there are exceptions, but my skiing here […]
Buck-it
My husband has had a few issues trying to get his exercise today. Yesterday, for the first time in, oh, probably a few years, he went out on his road bike, spending a good few minutes beforehand dusting off the cobwebs. Mountain biking is frowned upon during lockdown, primarily because of the possibility of a […]
Burn
From the warmth of the duvet I heard Neil open the logburner (the door squeals like a toddler who’s been refused a cookie). Strange, I thought, he doesn’t usually do that until I get up and moan about the cold. A few minutes later he appeared in the bedroom, cup of tea in hand. ‘I […]
Proof of Life
Many thanks to those of you who got in touch after yesterday’s post to say how much you enjoyed it, particularly laughing at the thought of me shoving Neil’s head through a pane of glass. He asks me to pass on that he has deleted you from his contacts and even after lockdown the door […]
Here We Go Again!
I started New Zealand’s first full day of lockdown in over a year feeling sorry for myself. We were supposed to move house this coming Friday, the organised being I am having already packed most of our things into crates and boxes to avoid a last-minute rush, depleted the contents of my pantry to avoid […]
Tracy Annenberg 