Summer Is On It's Way

Last time I wrote i believe I was on 'Holiday High'...which I believe lasted about 3 days from when we returned from Hawaii. As soon as we returned from our vacation our lives have gone into a vortex, and now it is December...well...in 2 days it will be December. Speaking about that vortex...I can tell you that many things have transpired. But, at one point I was feeling so torn between my home country and this new country I could not tell you where I felt like home, was home. It is really a whole new thought process. Waiting, waiting, and waiting for INZ ( Immigration New Zealand) to let us know if our Residency Process would be accepted. If you are like me...you just want to know...but...they make you wait. And, so we have.

Rob has been so busy I can not even begin to remember where he has been or what he is doing! Sometimes I am amazed that we are home together...enjoying a dinner alone. I have just finished volunteering at the Ficino School as a reading tutor for Year 2 students. And, as soon as the school volunteerism has faded, a new volunteer project has surfaced. I have recently been inducted into Tourism Auckland's program called 'Wise Guides'. So, I am working to promote tourism in Auckland by directing tourists to experences here in the Auckland area. So, once or twice a week I go out onto the streets of the Central Business District (CBD) and hopefully help the confused tourists as they try to sort out what they want to do for the day.

I am also spending every Friday on the amazing Island, Tiritiri Matangi Island, giving guided walks to tourists and school groups. This Island is full of rare birds and amazing plants. As soon as the guided walk is over, I have the remainder of my day to walk about the Island on my own. In October, I was asked to help out a DOC Ranger in releasing a very rare bird onto the Island. It was a truly amazing moment in my life! I was able to help release a very rare bird...the Kokako. It was such an exciting moment...to see a bird that was being translocated from a very familiar setting to a very new setting. I keep going back to bush # 21 to see if I can spot my Kokako friend...but I have not been successful. One day, recently, we arrived back at the ferry to see that pod of dolphins was swimming around the ferry. As we left the Island, the dolphins rode our wake all the way to Gulf Harbour, where the Ferry stops to let the first guests off the Ferry. I have never experienced Dolphins jumping out in front of a boat, and delighting in the wake of the boat!! If only I had remembered my camera! Every Friday I give thanks to a higher power that I am able to be here on this Island that feels like a slice of Heaven in a world so full of stress. Being on Tiri is like a tonic to balance your life...

I have also hooked up with my tramping group...Women's Outdor Pursuits...WOPS. We have been hiking high and low, and then back low and high...ugh! I have even asked if we are in training for the Marine's!! However, last week I chose to meet up with the group that goes on the same day, but with a little less umph in their step. I kind of liked their pace...not so serious about being first to the top! I have had a hiatus from this group as the 3rd hike of the first session in February found me hard smacked on my bum, injuring my tailbone hugely. After 4 months of vigorous physio therapy, I was able to walk without extereme pain. Then it was Winter, and who in their right mind would sign up willingly to hike here? NOT ME!!! And then I came back to the USA for a month...and why would I sign up to walk with a group if I was going to miss 5 of the 8 weeks that the defines a term? So here came the Fall term, and I was finally able to join up again! We have been through some amazing bush...but as I stated before...WOPS really hikes!!

As I titled this post...Summer Is On It's Way...Finally we are having some weather that signifies Summer weather!! All of September, October and more that half of November have been very winter-like, full of rain, wind, and more rain & wind. There is really no Spring here...except for fleeting moments. December first will be the beginning of Summer...and I am looking forard to warm, beautiful weather for a few months.

And...now that Thanksgiving is over in the USA...the rest of the world is on super speed to Christmas...so Merry Christmas to all!! And..to all...peace.

xoxoxox, ~Skye