Toa

A weekend in Whiritoa (Toa for short, now that we've been there three times). Staying in our friend's old bach with its peeling lino, faded flowery carpet and squeaky old divan beds, we woke every morning to the faint sound of surf slamming onto hard sand. No email. No telly. Not a lot of anything, apart from reading, eating and lying around like lazy seals, while the kids did energetic kid things around us. We ate ripe salted tomatoes and passionfruit straight from the vine; started on the G & Ts at any old time in the afternoon. A very fine weekend of beachiness indeed.

Love Monster

Or maybe it's loveless monster - sad that he hasn't received a shiny purple balloon and cellophane-wrapped rose on Valentine's Day. Have you?

Tuesday Morning Monster

For Creature Mag's one minute monster project. This attractive creature took 65 seconds and looks a little like the way I feel this morning (except I'm not wearing polka dot shorts).

Small Summer Adventures

School's back after six weeks of flaky summer weather, small excursions around Auckland (we never managed to leave), tents built from chairs and sheets in bedrooms, new scooters and many falls, secret children's spy games with the girl next door and always, always longing for some real summer sun. In amongst all that I've tried to get my act together and plan for 2012, but it's just been so hard. I've lost my way but now a little bit of routine has returned, I'm planning on a new start. It's far too easy to drift, and I've decided that this is the Year of No Drifting, Wafting or Procrastinating. You can hassle me about that, if you like.