Snapshots

Chris and I are the new proud parents of a Papamoa library card. Before, we went to the library without a card, lured by the ring of computers and rack of glossy magazines. The books tempted us, but we knew our relationship would never be more than casual, we couldn’t invite the books home. Now we can check out ninety-nine books and keep them on our bedside table for three whole weeks. Libraries, like ballet and music, make me proud of our species.

Over the weeks, in preparation for the Holiday portion of our trip, we’ve brought home dozens of books on New Zealand. Some of the books focus on the extensive National Parks, others describe urban highlights and regional quirks, and many provide little written information but dazzle us with hundreds of photos; sweeping landscapes, fiery sunsets, stormy coasts, majestic mountains rising out of lakes. These last books are my (ingenious!) attempt to draw Chris into the planning phase. We sit in the sun on our bed strewn with bookmark-riddled books, pens, lists and notebooks. Chris pores over the pictures, seeking out the most stunning locations or haunting sights, and exclaims, “Tolaga Bay, lets go there”. And I’ll shuffle through the wordy-books’ indexes until I can locate the bay, the wharf, the town, the mountain and we’ll work it into the route.

I have a cold. Bridgette has had a rib-cracking cough for weeks while Chris and Wendy dabble with the flu off and on. We pump our frail bodies full of Echinacea, vitamin C, multi-vitamins and Ibuprofen. In the morning a chorus of coughs and throat clearing overpowers the delicate birdsongs outside.

Wendy’s parents’ church had a car-boot sale (i.e. garage sale) and I purchased a 500-piece puzzle of a Tall Ship. It only has about 200 pieces. The sea is half blue and half carpet, the ship itself will certainly sink with all of its holes and I can’t imagine ever setting the sails properly. The only complete section is the sky. It came with 150 identical blue pieces which I have carefully piled in teetering hill to be dealt with later.

It’s spring at last. The nights are still chilly, but we barely light the fire any more and during the day we can wander around the house in a reasonable amount of clothing. 5 layers are finally too many. One tree outside is shyly blooming, each day the pink and white flowers spread higher and higher. Today looks and smells like a perfect day for a walk on the beach. Talk of spring must be so last season for you Northern Hemispherians.