Three days have flown by as the kiwi wanderer has put in the steps in Paris….with temperatures rising to the 30+ high point during the afternoons…

Tuesday was a day of ticking off a jobs list, with an evening reward of cocktails on the rooftop terrace of a nearby hotel..

With views to Sacre Coeur

And moving to the south …..the Eiffel Tower and La Defence…

Two cocktails later and the terrace now filled with 30 somethings, the old gals wandered home having ticked this activity off the wish list.

The next day was a Sue day in place de Clichy – near Montmartre and the Moulin Rouge cabaret. While these tourists attractions were not the object of my excursion, this area is littered with charity shops…which were on my list of must do’s while in Paris…

I must comment that even in the commercial areas of Paris the tree lined streets provide pleasant meandering conditions! After around three hours of digging though racks and racks of Parisian vetement (clothes) treasures and laden with a full carry bag, I stumbled to the nearest cafe for a cool beer and bathroom stop! The cool beer was great…

The bathroom was interesting to say the least…this image for the Texas bathroom rating team – maybe a 4/10…it had toilet paper,soap and hand towels! A very unisex arrangement – where I could use either a urinal or seatless bowl…either way interesting graffiti art to distract oneself!

By mid afternoon the main streets and side streets were full of tourists

And while I had full intentions to carry on and walk the avenue de Clichy (and more charity shops), the feet were burning and the bag already overflowing, my walk ended after I was on the homeward straight with a bus ride home around 4pm…

Another short stroll to the supermarket for some dinner supplies and home for a catch up with Sally’s son(digging out my HR training to assist him with his CV cover letter)

This morning found a full washing machine of charity shop treasures, after which the wanderers took (once again) to the streets for a meander along the river Seine and a French Pastry for morning tea!

A popular (suburban) area for house boat living…

Spring flowers

Riverboat gardens and arched bridges across islands in the river.

We spent the majority of our riverwalk getting out of the way of these three motorbike police officers…who appeared to be looking for something or someone… whilst disturbing our morning reverie!

We were around an hour from home by this stage and decided to utilise the public transport pass and grab a bus back to our abode… there did seem to be some issue with the bus that was supposed to arrive in 2 minutes, then also the one due to arrive in 8 minutes later, then after another 14 minutes (we would have been nearly home by this time on foot) as we were about to abort the public transport idea, she rolled up in all her glory!

So all is well that ends well…we have now had our lunch at our favourite Italian cafe and relaxing in the late afternoon of a very warm day!

Today I will start at the end of a fabulous blue sky day in Paris, a very comfortable 24 degrees! (Celsius for my Texas family)

4pm found us at our favourite cafe/bar for a holiday beverage before heading home!

Ok, back to the morning… both early risers, a load of washing done, we headed off to the metro(train) at 8.30am to embark on our days excursion…. Joining with the morning train rush we squeezed into the train, standing room only, packed like sardines…a train change at Champs Elysees to ride the electric train (no driver) towards our destination….The Paris Zoo!

Before boarding the final (Bus) leg we felt a coffee was in order…

A kiwi size coffee for me and a French size coffee for Sally! Then on the bus to the zoological Park! Several packs of loud French children and louder French teachers but relatively unpopulated at 10 am!

Again with most zoos worldwide the animal comfort versus the human enjoyment is a little unbalanced – the animals winning out! In 2008 this zoo closed for 6 years to undergo habitat renovations….

Creating a more environmentally friendly habitat for its residents.. consequently we did manage to spy most of them (with patience and moments when the loud groups of primary aged kids had moved on)

The lion was noticeably absent but these guys were lazily active…

The zebras provided us with a zoomy race around their enclosure avoiding their rhinoceros roommates.,,

And being spring here the fluffy brown flamingos chicks were hanging out with their pinker parents: seals, giraffes and toucans doing their Monday things! Not much after breakfast!

This zoo is 15 hectares and it took us not much more than two hours to stroll the human designated pathways, so we were out of there by lunchtime (conveniently)

We bused back to the beginning of our train journey and revisited the same (coffee) cafe for lunch

Paris version of a shrimp cocktail and a Pina Colada for lunch …. And back on the trains to head back for our suitcase replacement mission! The 2nd train found Sally and I heading for two vacant seats…as this was the longest ride…when a nasty Frenchman dived in front of me(Sally had sat down) and pushed me out into the aisle and plonked himself on my seat! He was about our age and not incapacitated – just RUDE…. He then proceeded to scroll his phone and get his book out to read, avoiding eye contact with anyone around us…if I could speak fluent French I would have given him a piece of my mind! A kind lady, who was disembarking at the next station, gave me her seat and scowled at the (oblivious) man!

We then continued on to avenue de Clichy (a street, that Sally dislikes and I love as it is full of charity shops) in search of a suitcase for me to continue my travel next weekend.

Three baggage shops later, we boarded our final (bus) transport, new green suitcase in tow, back to Clichy, where we did our final grocery shop and pastry shop and half filled the suitcase…before resting at our cafe/bar for a well deserved refreshment!

After a very deep sleep, jet lag not even a hint, Saturday morning Sally and I ventured out to organise a few bits for my week in Paris! Primarily a transport card and coffee and lunch!

The transport card was duly purchased but needed a passport photo to complete… even Sally’s vast knowledge of services in Clichy left us wanting for a while as we strolled the busy streets. To no avail, we took a coffee break…

And caught the first of my summer rays! The final decision was to go to the photographers shop and have a professional do the job! chin up… again… and after numerous attempts he caught a shot that he was happy with. Personally I didn’t really care what it looked like….as I said to him “I am not French, anything will do”. I must admit, however, without makeup it is one of the nicer shots of my mug! We then went to an Italian cafe for lunch, me craving a salad (after all the carbo stacked plane food) and that is what I got!

The Clichy Saturday street market was in full swing and provided us with first of the delicious summer fruits…. Flatto peaches, nectarines, apricots and strawberries! All of which I savoured for my dinner after an afternoon nap!!! Back to healthy eating… again crashing as soon as my head hit the pillow…and waking to an overcast slightly cooler day…

Perfect for my Sunday plans … a 3.5 mile walk to the antiques flea market in St Ouen… a distant memory of a place I visited many years ago… google walking maps taking me on my journey…

Past parks with blooming spring roses…

And impressive retirement apartment block….

And a street market at st Ouen village centre…which warranted a side stroll!

Getting near my destination I found the first cafe and sat down (after over an hour on my feet) for a cappuccino…

More froth than coffee but it did the trick and provided a restroom stop before the miles and miles of markets ahead of me…

Street art streets

I arrived at my destination and switched google maps off as I followed my nose (and other tourists) through the alleys of antiques and collectables. That done, the adjoining streets merged into more flea markets…

Garden art…

Knock off labels (Nike, adidas, under armour, Ralph Lauren etc….) boosted by the busyness of shoppers, vendors yelling, loud club music, marijuana wafts, incense, and nasty fried food smells…every human immigrant variety….at times a little overwhelming, as I worked my way through the maze of continuous stalls, clutching my handbag to my stomach…hesitating to stop for long in fear of being accosted by an overzealous stall holder. I did wonder at times is I was still in Paris or had I been transported to the Middle East?

Another block of more established antique and retro collections…by now having decided I was not actually going to purchase a piece of very expensive junk, I decided to plug in my Paris abode address to mr google and head for home…this time I was taken through some very interesting areas…tent cities of the homeless and a street of car dwellers…cooking their food on gas cookers inside broken down old cars…but not to get lost, I continued to follow the maps (while craving for a sit down and not daring to as a stationary target is more susceptible than a moving one! )

The scenery finally became more appealing with the corner florist(and delivery truck) and I finally found my feet on the familiar Clichy streets…and back to Sally’s apartment after my five hour walking tour…collapsing on the terrace with a much needed coffee!

My walking tracker confirming the sore feet and hips were warranted, after over 15000 steps and 11kms recorded for my morning wander…by now 2pm, the worms in my tummy were telling me it was time to eat…so back out on the street, with my host, to the nearest cafe for a late lunch and cool beer…a much enjoyed treat!

My penultimate day in NZ became a Gran’ma Tyler day as he decided he needed a day with me before I took off!

It was a fun day as finally the sun came out and the tide was out …. For a two hour beach adventure!

Coming across this giant jellyfish (marooned) on the sand banks..

We then baked and chatted until all the team arrived for a fish and chip dinner…

Thursday was cleaning and packing day, with an NBA finals game to watch thrown in the mix while folding washing!

It was then farewell and Jaxon dropped me to the airport around 8,30 pm… to go through the airport process for a midnight flight!

The airport was extremely quiet at this time on a Thursday night and the processes seamless! I didn’t even get my usual customs pat down and bag search!

Leaving a cold wet New Zealand is brightened by this Perspex creation fill with the iconic NZ Buzzy Bee!! Hundreds of them.

Leg one of the journey – 10.5 hours to Singapore was as expected, full, a few hours sleep and a couple of uninteresting meals at either end!

Then a four hour wait before boarding an Air France (14 hour) flight to Paris… no choice of seats and was allocated the second to last (near back of plane) aisle seat in the middle row…all around me full!

I know I have said many times – I just suck up the cattle class travel and get to my destination… but as the seats have got smaller (or my legs longer which I doubt) the flight attendants have got larger (an aisle seat meaning many knocks as they bustle back and forward) one toilet at back of plane (meaning the punters hang around your tiny space for a lot longer) meanwhile poor dad is walking the crying baby up and down the aisles for the duration! Needless to say, the noise cancelling earphones only dulled the activity and I arrived at my friends in Paris around 8pm Friday feeling like a zombie just woke from an eight hour sleep!

One job pending is to search for a new suitcase as mine arrived in Paris somewhat worse the wear like its owner….and will not survive the journeys to come – my repair stitching job only instigated half the case ripping open… it just lasted intact enough not to burst fully and catapult Kevin’s Vegemite around the airport!

Sipping my coffee, on my penultimate morning before flying off to summer…leaving behind my family and friends to push through the wet, chilly Auckland winter, is bittersweet.

Having had a whirlwind (working) seven weeks from my sojourn in Texas..

The fences are painted and the food garden is hibernating for the winter

The new trellis is installed, the spiders have been sprayed and…

The Getz has been retired to pasture ….

Home maintenance complete!

My two youngest granbabies turned one…with cakes

And playgrounds

And parties

A few play dates with no 1 grandson, bush walks and baking…

Lots of rain…with the odd fine spell in between…but no chance to cut the grass as the ground is sodden!

I have had lots of family time, baby time and Netflix bingeing as the heavens keep us inside.

As I focus on last minute packing, looking forward to the next adventure, I am grateful for every day I get to work, play and share with my people here and around the world!

What this space as the next chapter opens.

Water blasting, in between being Gran’’ma, Mother’s Day cooking and general maintenance (personal and home) with the odd car show thrown in.

A little over two weeks have flown by since I returned from Texas…and life has been action packed!

My two gran’babies turn ONE this week, Luka yesterday and Henry tomorrow…and both have had lots of (sick) Gran’ma days last week…good excuse for Gran’ma to tune into afternoon TV time watching the NBA playoffs..as with walking, crawling one year olds…inside time is easier with two…

Chasing Shadows and Catching the autum rays on the first weekend… a bit of beach time for these two! Then on the Sunday … off to the all Ford car show at Ardmore…with my latest co pilot (mr 4 year old) in the hot seat!

Rubi, once again was in fine form…

And Tyler played the part, checking out the other fords…eating the mandatory ice cream with sprinkles and enjoyed the added attraction of small planes coming and going from the Ardmore Airport!

Last Sunday was Mothers day…I prepared lunch for the family…glazed ham and apple pie! Jess and George added Mother’s Day cupcakes and Lex shared her Mother’s Day bubbles… a great family afternoon (without rain)

While I was in Texas, a cyclone roared through the homeland and blew down fences…and destroyed grounds and gardens… the rest of my time has been spent slapping my gardens back into shape…cutting grass, pulling out drowned and dead things…de moulding and … my Mother’s Day pressie to myself…water blasting with my new Karcher…fences, decks, pavers, driveway, chairs, driftwood…..well everything in sight actually… 7 hour days of physical and a few old muscles have resurfaced to let me know they are not that keen to come out of retirement! My body has just accepted lifting 10 kg babies as the norm!

My new trellis has been delivered … just waiting for the builder (Dan) to slot me into his busy schedule!

And after my water blasting extravaganza…(there is still a bit to go)…I have some painting days ahead, I have managed to remove a lot of fence and garden edging paint.. The weeds I haven’t blasted away will also need dealing to!

But first some One year old birthday parties to celebrate…

Arrived home yesterday to the glorious dull autumn weather in Auckland…after another busy warm Texas weekend of family and Friends.

A fun Friday evening by the pool catching up with some of Russell’s classmates .

Swimming lessons for the adverse water challenged puppy, Koa, who was determined to get no more than his feet wet! Until Al carried him deeper for a moment until he could escape and give Chuck an unwanted shower!

We all wandered to the lakeside, where we were sure we could hear the Alligators calling each other…and sure enough about 2 meters from the edge this guy was wallowing in the weed…

Just staring at us! Close enough! There is some debate as to whether the honking sounds we heard were alligators or bullfrogs…but the alligators are there for sure…

Saturday was another trip into Houston to see George and Jess before their flight home meeting at Pappasito’s (another Mexican establishment) for a late lunch, this time a wise call where Jess and I shared a plate as the meals are so huge…

And so are the Margarita’s! A two hand job for Kelly as they met us on their way back from baseball!

Then it was the drive back on the freeway with a naked man running erratically across the five lanes and everyone slamming on the brakes…we avoided a wreck but who knows how long that continued…it wasn’t pretty!

Sunday morning was church, and saying goodbye to my new friends, followed by a shrimp boil for lunch with Jai Leigh and Al before they headed back to Austin.

I then jumped on my suitcases and closed them for the journey home and visited with Travis ( their son) Ashleigh and the kids before that last haul back into Houston to catch my plane….hopefully Tona and Chuck will have a break from the Houston-lake Jackson drive for a bit…

I lucked out on the flight, booking a window seat (of only two) and the second one was empty!!! So it was armrests up, legs up and a 10 hour sleep after 10pm take off…only having 4 hours of reading and breakfast to endure before landing on home soil!

A bit of yard maintenance is in store for me when the rain stops…as the storms over here, while I have been away, have not only taken down fences, they have drowned the last of the summer veges and flowers and it’s time to clear them out and lock them down for the winter!

In Texas, metaphorically speaking, the grass doesn’t grow under your feet, as the adventures continue….the actual grass does grow as Texas spring dumps plenty of water, but very kindly clears up for our drives into downtown Houston…

Wednesday night and the Houston Rockets (NBA basketball ) playoff 2nd game against the Golden State Warriors. Eric, George, Jess and I once again headed into the Houston Sports arena area! Which was hectic as not only our Basketball game was on, but also another Astros (baseball) game and Kendrick Lamar playing at the football stadium…but for us it was all about Basketball…

We joined the Throngs of red shirted fans and entered the “Noise” of playoff basketball!

All out fans marching past as we took a bathroom break before settling into our seats…

Home game and it was all about red, having brought our rockets T Shirts to blend in perfectly, we found a 2nd one draped over the back of every seat….giveaway to the fans…all size XL…but fun none the less…

Great seats, full view of the court and screen..

Warm up time…

Our own Stephen Adams (kiwi) in action…

And lift off…from here on in, there was no time for photos as it was all go….with the game and in between quarters entertainment…Tip off a little after 8.30pm followed by 3 and a half hours of solid noise and action, with a great win for the Rockets!

Getting out of town, with all the other events, was a little tedious for Eric(driving) and we got back to theirs around 1am…were we (kiwis) were crashing for the night (or rather morning) Kelly, Eric and the Kids were all gone to school and work by 7.30 am…George had another nap and Tonas tours collected the team around 9.30am…for a brunch and a Sugarland (mall) shopping experience.

These are becoming a common sight over here…this cybertruck in a banana yellow!

Breakfast and coffee was great and huge! It was then time to mall walk it off! Not George’s favourite activity until…

We found ‘Barnes and Noble’ book (mega) store! complete with a coffee stop!

And a one stop gift shopping extravaganza!

Followed by a walk through the mall..

George met his (height) match…and practised his modelling expertise to fill in time..

And life size superhero’s…along with a plethora of shoe, clothing, homewares, department stores etc…

By mid afternoon it was time to carry on into Houston city (again) to drop George and Jess to their Air BnB for a couple of days of city experience…a weary Tona and Sue turning back to Lake Jackson (another hour and a half drive) for some very quiet time before party central (Sheri Lane) opens up for the weekend visitors this afternoon!

The evening consisted of a cool beer, light snack and feet up!

Tuesday (yesterday) was a roadie to Galveston Island, about an hour and a bit south east of Lake Jackson on the Gulf of Mexico. It was a little overcast but we had Tona, the Tour Guide driving us and all the points of interest were viewed mainly from her car!!

On the way down, a couple of short stops for George and Jess and revisits for us…

Yes – the big Buc-ee’s in Texas city, and the outlet mall…where George invested in a new shirt to replace the one he covered in buc-ee’s food!

Then on to Galveston Island and a stroll up the “Strand” – it seems every seaside town has a “Strand” filled with souvenir shops and eating establishments….

George got dragged into a couple of shops until the need for a coffee got the best of all of us!

A few extra flights of stairs – up then Down and we found a nice little terrace cafe, with very good coffee…the sun even peeked out…

Some great old buildings on the “Strand”… then back to the car and a tour (Tona) of the Seawall waterfront…the beach a little rough after Monday’s storm – strewn with seaweed!

Hotels…more eating places and…

Pleasure Pier Galveston….a rather strong onshore wind still blowing in. We continued along the Seawall road to the west end of Galveston Island..

Colourful condos, and the closer we got to the bridge to the mainland the more prominent stilt houses…all designed to withstand storm water damage.

We continued to the southernmost end of Surfside … the mainland beach…in search of a restroom stop…which I recalled from mine and Russ’s adventures a few years ago…

Another windy pier signalling the entrance to Freeport harbour, servicing all the south Texas petrochemical plants!

Next stop Lake Jackson Chick Filet (infamous take out!) , then home to turn around and head out again for dinner with Chris and Lori at the crawfish cafe in Angleton(the town where Russ met Chuck in the 70’s in their final year of high school)

Lori loves spicy Crawfish … little lobsters – we chose more familiar fare! My prawns and corn and potato served in a spicy plastic bag!!!

As today is George and Jess’s last day here we then took a drive to Travis (2nd son) and Ashlee’s house for them to say goodbye- they are off to the big smoke of Houston for a couple of days before heading home!

That meant this morning was an early morning scout (for Jess) to HEB supermarket and the must do Walmart shop before visiting with the neighbours for morning tea and a pack up! Tonight is all about NBA (basketball)!

Monday started with thunderstorms that overflowed the pool, while the Harder family was trying to get packed up to head the three hours home….

Then on the afternoon it was off to the Astros v’s Toronto Bluejays…Houston bound for dinner at Biggio’s before the game..

All decked out on our team gear…and again huge meals..

Thought I would have a starter of six chicken wings…managed to eat 2 and shared the rest with the team! Thank goodness for George!

The streets of Houston quiet before the game

George and Jess ready for the game…George had an Astros Basketball(?) singlet under his more modest Tee!

Ground level, top view…waiting for the game to start…

A couple of the girls with Gran’ma Sue…my children’s Astro shirt from Walmart did the trick! and half the price of the adults version!

As the game began…Chuck sporting his new hat and Tona sporting Chucks shirt!

George on kid duty as we left the game around 9.30pm after an exciting 2nd half, where the Astros scored the seven winning runs!

Home by 11.30pm to unwind and Sleep!!!