From leaving NZ soil to touching down in Malta was an exhausting and testing experience to say the least. Did I sleep, no! Dozed for the odd hour on the longer legs! The planes were all full to the brim, no option of shifting to a less cramped position. Due to my departure times in the countries of each flight I qualified for breakfast each time..,,I felt I was breakfasted out with a variety of waffles, hotcakes, bread rolls and jam, and a handful of chopped fruit! Where were the scrambled eggs of old? Offered once and declined due to its serving companion – baked beans!

Needless to say as I was either stuck in a window seat – unable to move as my neighbours slept the 11 hour flight, except when I did manage to get out at the 10th hour to trial the restroom area – I was abruptly told to “sit down seat belt light on” by a very busy Turkish hostie, legs crossed until the terminal!

Travelling alone, through large international airports, catching trains between connections, packing and unpacking for customs checks – what seems like an unnecessary exercise on arrival in transit and departure from the same place,when the legwork needed from terminal to terminal mostly did not make provision for a bathroom stop let alone shopping time!

So it was up and down. Running through airport cites, undressing and unpacking for various men at customs checkpoints and sleeping with one eye open to ensure one didn’t miss the only distraction (meals arriving) in the shoulder to shoulder , knee to seat confinement of the 2 foot square of personal space allocated for the duration. No longer the glamour and excitement of international travel as planes packed with kiwis and Australians leave the antipodes in hoards!

Along the way we lost the mask wearing – somewhere around Istanbul where temperatures of over 30degrees C were starting to creep in. My first day was a blur of overtiredness… my second day was a work catch up and try and manage some Maltese admin tasks – will let you know how that goes..

View from my home for the next couple of months! One way and

Construction the other way. Today is a public holiday – The feast of St. Peter and St. Paul – shall go for a wander and get into the mood for the day which will be full of fireworks and festivities!

Have confirmed that lemon and Lime (the Irish pub in Marsacala) will be playing the live Allblacks vs Ireland rugby test at 9am on Saturday (Maltese time) – it will be breakfast for breakfast (not dinner) as we Don our all blacks jerseys and support the minority on the other side of the world!

7.30am checked in and ready to fly! Dan and Lex shovelled me and my bags into the Ute at 4.30am and saw me through to the gate. In good Jaxon style “if you’re not three hours early you’re late”

So here I am in a much changed Auckland International Airport – three seats to myself so legs up – before the 38 hour journey ahead.

A last wander around wintery Waiwera yesterday afternoon – rugged up for the kiwi winter…after a long day of last minute panics, drowning myself in Petrol while filling the car, RAT test (not needed) visit with dad and a yummy lamb Roast cooked by Dan!

The calm before the storm, I leave my family and friends to another wet week ahead.

7.30pm Monday night I should be touching down in my second homeland, almost three years to the day since Russ and I left for what was his last time (sad face). It will be really odd travelling all this way on my own for the first time! The very nice lady at check in did advise me if I needed any assistance on my journey to just ask! So the old people thing is creeping up on me fast! Well really, getting up at 4.00am and no coffee, what do you expect!

So soon it’s off to Brisbane (first transfer) and the biggest hurdle of the journey …. forms etc.. unload baggage but after that my very helpful lady said I won’t need everything scanned – can stash away for the duration thereafter!

For now it’s goodbye to NZ, mask wearing and constant covid chatter to a world that has put this behind them…hallelujah! A big thank you to Dan Lex and Trudi for helping me make this happen xxx

After a month of Winter, the south is blanketed in snow and the north island humans have been drowned with rain and storms, a glimpse of sunshine is teasing us with hope!

The sun rose to a clear blue day, cold but clear….my power bill the proof of heatpump overuse and thermals getting worn out! A little gasp before the next system “weather bomb” sweeps through in the weekend!

To top it off the media “mainstream” is touting the threats that more lockdowns are not out of the question…..just letting us all know that they are grasping at control!

Meanwhile, every kiwi that has the wear-withal has left or is leaving for new adventures, while businesses are struggling to employ workers and the health system is collapsing! So they say…

Which brings me to…. Three more sleeps, lots more work, bag to pack, lightly, except for shoes as these big kiwi feet do not fit into the tiny little Italian sandals sold in Malta.

While I wait for my “negative” RAT” test on Saturday afternoon, I am playing the hermit game – I can board a plane with flu or gastro bugs but NOT with a hint of covid! Soon these games must end.

As I wing my way to the other side of the world, George is heading to Texas to our American family (wish I could be there too!) Dan is breaking the back of my house Reno’s (weather permitting), Jaxon is going in for surgery (kind of feel a bit guilty I won’t be here) and my friends slog on with their work routines!

My family has had some harsh lessons over the last few years and we all know life is unpredictable, but we hold each other up from near or far, and know that we need to take the opportunities and roll with the changes when we can! Being there for each other is all that matters!

And we still come up smiling – well most of us – Dog does not like the cold – he is a summer child!

It’s the final countdown – two and a half years of waiting and finally the flightless kiwis can once again spread their wings!

The infamous OE for young graduates appeared to be a thing of the past (for a while) but now they are hopping on the first plane out! Those who dared to hold onto their dreams.

Which brings me back to yours truly et al! Almost three years to the day since Russ and I last departed our beloved Malta I will be returning to continue our dream.

The last three weeks in kiwi land have been a whirlwind of activities…a Thelma a Louise roady to whanganui to visit family…..saying goodbye to the youngest offspring (George), who is currently leaving his footprints in a few states of the USA.….farewell to one of my longtime friends in my community who has sold up and left for greener pastures in the South Island…and three weeks of crazy busy work with the dreaded COVID putting my work colleague down hard, leaving me to wear yet another hat – 10 hour work days plus three hours travelling (every day) has taken its toll on this old gal!

It sure has been a fortnight of rinse and repeat…on the road at 5am in the dark, work at 6am…try to leave by 3pm before the traffic – never happens…heading home at 4pm, arriving 6pm in the dark! Grab a snack, shower and sleep to be rudely woken by alarm to plough through another day!

One evening I arrived home as the sun was setting and drove the waterfront to get a Glimpse of the sea before darkness fell! ‘‘Twas the calm before the storm! “

The renovations on my house are coming along in leaps and bounds – in between weather bombs – not ideal to concrete or cut holes in walls when rain and hail are lashing down on a 45 degree angle!

At last a waterproof garage, the feijoa trees survived, alas the lemon tree did not! This was a big job, when your house is at the bottom of a big hill and water likes to flow down through your property to the sea! Very excited to see my new home when I return!

So a week from now I will be racing off to get my rat test to allow transit through Brisbane en route for my happy place! Only Brisbane applies a plethora of restrictions for a transitting passenger – the rest of the world has moved on! So for the next week I will be lying low, avoiding crowd funded places, and finally back to working from home! Give my body a break from the sitting position and hours in the car!

But wait – there’s more, our Blues team has had a blistering season – a run of 14 unbeaten games and takes the stage “Eden Park” tonight in the final – Russ will be jumping for joy wherever he is, as an avid supporter when the chips were down (for years) ! We will be donning our blues attire and watching on the big screen(at home) Our time to shine!

It’s winter! Three weeks ago the jeans went on, T’shirts morphed into thermals and the boredom of layering moved back into our lives! In saying this, we can’t complain about the glorious sunshine hours the weather gods are dealing us!

Wow a lot has happened in the last four weeks…

The grand baby is a natural with the rugby ball , his father, Jaxon is finally living his dream – playing a season of Rugby AND the “BLUES” are sitting proudly on the top of the super league ladder!

We have raced through April with Easter, and Anzac Day long weekends, however up early and activities for every day has meant a month has gone by without a word…

Feijoa season has come and gone (it’s only about a month) – George enjoyed stewed, and I produced a feijoa shortcake (2x)

The shorter days and autumn sunrises are kind of moody…and very cool. Why is it the when the sun rises the temperature drops another two degrees!

Recycling and reusing – uplifted pavers and garden edging – it all action on my house renovations! Windows out – new windows in, walls off – walls on, digging, filling, sweat and tears! Actually if I was one to cry (doesn’t happen often) it could have happened last week!

When the neighbours like your chosen colour (only my tiny house painted at this stage) my hard thought out Mediterranean blue ! They then paint their whole house the same colour with white balconies as I had planned! If I were to carry on with my selected colour scheme – it would appear that social housing had given us a good deal on “blue” paint! So back to the drawing board – the tiny house stays blue! and I need to make a statement now with my house and stand out in a sea of Blue! The creative juices are flowing!

Meanwhile, it’s all hands on deck (literally) as the new (very heavy) Ranch slider slips into place! OH and you can catch a glimpse of the “Blue” over the fence!

Yoga Dog!

Quick update on my humans…George is off to greener pastures in a couple of weeks – hitting first the shores of western USA and following his nose eastbound!

Jaxon and Steph and “Tornado” Tyler are off to Rarotonga for a week – long awaited honeymoon!

Dan is working, with all his connections, workers and mates, furiously to get my house closed in before the real wet sets in! Mine and Lexs role in this is to keep the food rolling – (lunches) – my turn today!

I am staying in my cottage down the road, while my house is unpowered (and dusty) I am only a ride away when needed! Well a couple of weeks ago this was a lot simpler – the powers to be in Riverhaven are once again flexing their “important” muscles…. No longer am I trusted to monitor a closed side gate, it must be locked at 7pm and not opened before 8am! Haha here we got again – if the other two more exposed gates didn’t have permanent pedestrian access I wouldn’t have a beef! So once again Me and mine are honing our climbing skills and night eyes to visit each other. There is no trust or thought for others (or is it just Bonnici-Carter’s) – is this the hangover from COVID that we have the deal with? Oh and a 45 hour work week to boot- work is crazy busy – it seems the retail world is bursting out of hibernation – and they all need bags and boxes!

Small stuff is so important to some folks! Not in our world … we have houses to build, places to go and people to see….counting down – 6 weeks and I’m heading to my happy place!

Sitting on my doorstep of my cottage, listening to the waves hit the Seawall, it’s time to breathe…the world is slowly becoming a place for humans once again.

The eve of a long weekend brings a sigh of relief in more ways than one! The airlines are scrapping vaccine passports and the world is once again our oyster!

Russell Rose has shone through – with his third blooming – just saying…never give up hope!

My grand baby is a busy little human – exploring his world, as we all prepare for our new adventures…

The fur baby is overseeing the renovations on my house, which with Dans endless energy is coming on in leaps and bounds, I have temporarily vacated to my cottage down the road…while the next phase begins of reclad and new windows and doors.

I am finally booked to wing it to my 2nd home – Malta here I come, and so looking forward to hugging all my wonderful cousins and breath in the dust and sunshine of the Mediterranean once again! There is some work to be done on the bikini body, but that is a small price to pay!

Right now we are feeling the chill of Winter on its way and the shorts and t’shirts are taking a holiday as the jeans and sweaters come out of hiding!

No longer are we having to gasp behind a mask and we can share smiles and hugs! The COVID cold is here to visit and many have experienced it’s brush or beating…and survived.

Family and friends are making plans for their long overdue vacations, George is off into the sunset soon, Jax and Steph will finally get their honeymoon (albeit with a one year old in tow) and Dan and Lex are finishing their (and my) home! Dad celebrated his 88th birthday and is still full of good ideas and suggestions – coming to me again this weekend to put his stamp on the renovation projects!

My favourite T’shirt tells the story – we are once again full of hope and not Afraid!

We’ll really part two was a holiday weekend in paradise! Te Anau threw me the best weather I have ever experienced in Southland and as Russ always said “might as well see the place while you’re here”

The power of the mind, and muscle memory dragged this old body up a mountain! Pam and I took off on an afternoon adventure to tackle the Key Summit track in the Fiordland national park! With lockdowns and human restrictions and for some, the “Fear” of covid, this wonder of the world was devoid of humans, tourists, kiwi holidayers and vehicles.

Yes it was strait up and down, well zigzagging up and down….a few corner rests and taking our breath away – in more ways than one.,.

Waterfalls….

Hobbit trees….

Tarns….

360 degree views….

And Drink stops!

A four hour round trip, and back to the homestead in time to watch the “Blues” snatch a narrow win in their 2nd Super rugby game….again followed by a fresh seafood dinner supplied by the hunter and gatherer “Guy” from his fishing trip to Stewart Island!

Surprisingly enough the legs held up well, maybe a hangover from the last few months of unloading containers!

Sunday, was an excursion into town “Te Anau” a usual bustling tourist town, sleepy and quiet in this whole new world of masks and isolation!

Pam and I soaked up the sunshine and a delicious Pie while waiting for the ferry to come in and catch up with a mate who we worked with 35 years ago in the ski fields! Skipper of the gloworm caves tour transporting the half a dozen punters who are brave enough to venture out!

A cup of tea on the ferry and back to the homestead…to pack up and leave my luxury abode…the air BnB at Pam’s house that she gave to me for the weekend! Anyone heading south needs to look up this amazing accomodation and spend a few nights in “Atriu Apartment” to soak up the mountains and lake!

Sunsets and sunrises to die for! – and no this is not a postcard!

A 400k round trip for Pam to drop me to the Queenstown airport, so I took the wheel (of the truck) on the drive up to share the load!

Pit stop and viewpoint as we rounded the southern end of Lake Wakatipu on our way to Queenstown..a food stop and evening flight back to the big smoke!

It seems ages since I reached out with adventures and there have been so many twists and turns in this world I barely know where to start!

Let’s begin with now, where I stand (or rather lie as still in bed) in the Fiordland world of long time dear friends, waking to the lake and mountains climbing in the ranch slider to my super king bed in their gorgeous AirBNB appartment!

Sunrise this morning promising another Stunning Southland summer day – and it’s Saturday – work trip over.

Wind back….the last few weeks have been tumultuous, as we battle an upsurge in cold like symptoms (omicron or the usual change of season cold?) and the fallout of COVID lockdowns and restrictions, further crippling our economy and dividing friends and family! Here is not the place to share my views but I can say I have happily babysat dog, while my family has been away to support restoring reality to our world!

Work has been busy as we wind up for the year, with online packaging solutions escalating, while more and more retail are suffering under our strict regime and restrictions. Some who are too frightened to leave home, others who are restricted due to their “health” choices, and others who, irrespective of their health choices, are succumbing to this “dreaded” disease and must isolate, with everyone else in their house, for 10 days, even if they are better after 3!

Meanwhile, those who fight for their Jobs, For their families and for their children and health are beaten up by our boys in blue, who, curiously enough, are free to work without vaccines while the rest of essential workers (nurses, doctors, teachers etc) cannot!

Ok, opinions aside, and an opportunity to leave the bubble, flight booked and (negative RATs in hand) Dans sanding mask limiting my breathing ability, a two hour flight and touching down to another world in the Deep South of our country!

Room with a view from my Queenstown apartment, speights in hand as the sun sets over lake Wakatipu – preparing for a busy Thursday visiting clients! My chauffeur(and friend Pam) from Te Anau joining me for the duration.

Next morning it was off to Wanaka, stopping at Cromwell on the way to collect another girlfriend, for a sales trip, girls day out!

Rachel and Pam, at Rachel’s crib on the edge of Lake Dunstan, Cromwell! Certainly off the grid for Thelma!

First stop, a winery in Bannockburn – Te Kano wines…

No wine tasting at 11am, and back on the road to Wanaka…roads quiet, and towns quiet, devoid of tourists.

The gals did their best to support local business, clothes shopping at my first call and lunch and refreshment’s at my next one

And here they are, filling in time while I did my business! Needless to say my chauffeur became the passenger after this stop as I took the wheel.

Temperatures now hitting the higher 20s it was off to the Wanaka landmark!

Tree in lake! The Gals, both being keen swimmers and Southland girls(lake temperatures no deterrent), stripped off and swam! While this Northland girl lapped up the sunshine in this magic spot.

5.00 o’clock looming we headed back to Cromwell and made an executive decision to forgo the booked accommodation (in Queenstown) and continue the girls day out!

Hot tub by the lake, fire lit, bubbles and beer and lots of laughs! As we rolled into boiling fresh lake water before hitting the pillow for a great sleep!

Up early friday morning, back to Queenstown for some computer time, pack up and check out before 11am. A client visit in town, and a couple of successful visits on the way, lunch and coffee and on the road south for the weekend!

Arriving back at Pam’s piece of paradise for the weekend! Yours truly ensconced in their rental apartment (very spoiled) and Guy (Pam’s hubby) arriving home shortly after from a fishing trip to Stewart island, laden with Blue Cod, oysters and paua. I was a little help as the filleting and packing process filled in the next two hours and all rewarded with a fabulous dinner of fresh fish and oysters, before three tired Kiwis retired for the night!

Rain causes writers block, and since my last story we have celebrated, commiserated and ploughed through a busy January and early February of 2022, albeit in yet another semi lockdown as the latest Covid(yawn) hits our world.

Russell Rose has bloomed in our balmy summer and Mary Rose is on her second round…

Tendered with loving care and lots of watering, followed by a week of humid rainy weather they are enjoying being part of the action at the waiwera homestead! Dan and I have conversations with them every day!

Last weekend we celebrated my granbabys first birthday, with balloons, cake and family at KatiKati, on a very hot humid day, the precursor to a very wet week.

Tuesday was the two year anniversary of Mum passing and a day of memories of the adventures we shared….high on the list our special times in Malta!

On Wednesday Dad turned 88 and a celebration on Saturday is planned with a 2022 version of the traditional “Bonnici Day Out” at his new abode. Praying the weather gods are kind!

Meanwhile the renovations are full steam ahead on my little home in Waiwera …. While building is a battle, with material shortages, resourceful Dan is keeping the project moving.

The Tiny house demanded a roof shout as all hands were on deck yesterday (in the rain). A big day today as new windows arrive and I can roll into winter (in a couple of months) with the luxury of double glazing!

Two long weekends have given me the opportunity to spring(or summer) clean my house and rearrange the lounge! a long overdue activity.

Border openings with our Australian neighbours will mean we can connect with friends and loved ones in the near future, I still have the dream of connecting with my family on the other side of the world later in the year…and escaping some of the kiwi winter! The world is not so very different if we don’t embrace the fear!

The last two weeks of January 22 have tested us kiwis in more ways than one.

Not really getting a break from work, and with home jobs keeping us busy as we prepare for the home improvements…we are lucky to have a beach at the end of our street where we can take dip in the sea to cool the body temperature as we paint, garden and dig around the section!

We painted the fence and built a garden…

We celebrated mums birthday by planting her memorial rose and she bloomed

With a new Russell Rose to keep her company…

About to burst into its yellow flower….and more planting with the colours of summer

Then the big boys rolled in (dog not to be left out)

Time to remodel the front lawn….Dan enlisted his little brother (and dog) and the foundations are set and sealed! 50 bags of concrete!

Mum and Russell Rose overseeing the project….meanwhile the Katikati kids arrived on Saturday for the long weekend at the cottage. The old peugeot(bike) has been stretching its legs up and down the road for playtime with my grand baby….

Batboy mastering his Batman bike….as he nears the end of his first year, he has found his legs can run, jump and climb and his world is a busy place in between breakfast, lunch and dinner, daytime naps and nighttime sleeps!

Meanwhile the whole country has had the brakes put on – red lights flashing their restrictions with the next COVID wave roaming around the countryside. O-Micron – probably about to put the nail in the coffin of the small businesses who have managed to survive thus far!

Again hospitality and tourism taking the biggest hit – we’re thinking that our government takes pride in being the fun police – ensuring cafe after cafe has to close its doors for good, events and festivals cancel before the first note can be sung, Soon we will be unable to escape from our island surrounded by sea as airlines are forced to cancel empty flights – with limited numbers of Managed Isolation allocations for returnees….I do wonder why one would rush here to be locked in at every opportunity.

Most of us (sheep) have played the game and jabbed ourselves with god knows what, and with every new variant we are being told to boost jab….maybe we have all had placebo’s if one needs more and more? Seriously is this working we ask ourselves….but hey so long as the world knows we are at 90% vax, we are safe right! Good old media propaganda!

Thank goodness for summer, Roses, grand babies, dogs and projects…..our world has warmth and colour, cuddles and laughter! (And a 40 hour work week) – what more do we need!