Sick

Last night we braved a sudden downpour for a doggie walking group dinner at the exceedingly dog friendly Beach Babylon.

This morning I woke up with a sore throat, runny nose and the shivers. I now have the tissue box on lockdown. I coughed my way through a phone interview with the founder of a think-tank, wrote a media release for a client, filed two freelance stories and am now ready to go back to bed. Am hoping against hope I can make the running group tonight.

Today's visual is of his wee guy, who is cuddled against me, glad that his Mama has time to lie down during the middle of the day.

A good day

The AM  was spent nosing around this beautiful old Island Bay villa for a story for House & Garden Magazine. I do so love me a villa.

  
While I did the journo thing, the Animator took His Highness to the beach and when they swung by to collect me, the owner invited them in to play with her two dogs, including Willow, an eight week old puppy, who we fell hopelessly in love with. I may even have tried to shove Willow into my handbag as we left.

In the PM there was a dog walk with the walking group in Waikanae - Bristol was in canine heaven.

Did I also mention there was more sunshine than we knew what to do with? Happy days...

Happy Anniversary, Wellington

Today was a public holiday to commemorate the anniversary of the glorious city we live in.

It started with a three hour walk with the doggie walking group at the Polhill Reserve Loop.
Lots of fun for the two and four legged participants.

I raced home for a 2.00pm magazine interview with the amazing woman behind Beer Belly Jellies, delicious savoury jellies made with good old Welly craft beer. And then scoffed her jellies, cheese and home-made beer lavash (!) as though I was in the shadow of a famine. And this from someone who doesn't really like beer.

  
We finished the day with a 6.2 quake. An unwanted reminder that we live atop one of the world's twitchiest fault-lines. Or maybe it was just the earth sending its anniversary wishes...

Walkies

Today's meet-up group tackled the Pass of Branda on Wellington's Eastern Walkway (who even knew there was such a thing?)

It was a two hour walk and lots of fun. Afterwards we decamped to the fabulous Spruce Goose Cafe for coffee and curly fries, to a backdrop of planes doing whatever it is planes do.

Tonight there will be take-out, red wine and this brilliant piece of televisual entertainment.

Christmas the easy way

Yesterday started with these cute sugar mice from our neighbour, Tom (aged eight or so).

It was followed by a walk with the doggie meet-up crew on a beach about an hour up the coast. And then bubbles and egg-nog back at one of the members' lovely farmhouses.

Before we raced back to ours for a relaxed barbie in the scorching sun with our friend Andy. No family arguments, no angst over presents and defo none of the crap that usually keeps company with Christmas. It was simple, easy-going and one of the best I've ever had...  

Today

Was an intoxicating mix of canines, laundry and research on Dublin pubs (for a travel piece I'm doing to coincide with Paddy's Day. And yes, I realise that's three months away but most magazines have stupidly long lead-in times and it's one of the many stories I need to write on my two-week "holiday").  

On the good side of the ledger:

• a long overdue freelance payment plopped into my bank account  
• two new commissions (okay this happened yesterday)
• an invitation to contribute book reviews to a major national magazine. Given the time it takes to digest four books each month, and the fact I've decided to focus more on corporate writing next year (it pays more and editors aren't such arses), I'm going to do it on a trial basis. But it was flattering to be asked and free books are never a bad thing.
• my friend Donna came along to our Saturday morning doggie meet-up group; great to catch up on the gos. It's just a shame that Bristol took such a homo-erotic shine to her dog Billie.  

The not so good:

• notification of my first provisional tax payment for 2014. Ta for the Xmas present, IRD.
• too many mince pies
• a half-arsed work-out
• general exhaustion. One day I am going to wake up, look in the mirror and realise I have no need for concealer. I predict that day will come sometime in 2030.     

Today visuals are c/o this morning's meet-up group:

Today's Chrissie party

Was with the doggie meetup group. We started with a walk on the South Coast and then repaired to the glorious Rogue & Vagabond pub where we drank Pimms, ate pizza and marvelled at how,  when the sun shines and the southerlies are off bothering someplace else, there is no better place in the world to be.

Btw, if you should find yourself in the vicinity of Glover Street, pop in and say hello to the pub's resident bulldog, Bruce.

Canine heaven

Despite the race to deadline for a magazine piece, the Hound demanded we down tools for the weekly doggie meet up group. Today's venue was the Ataturk Memorial where we joined about 20 others for an hour long walk.

Bristol was beside himself: there were big dogs and ones smaller than him, retired racing greyhounds and SPCA specials. At one stage, I picked him up when he was getting over-excited and his tiny heart was pounding so hard it was in danger of escaping from his chest. Today should keep him going until the next canine love-in.  

For the humans, it was a chance to mix with our kind of peeps. A good Sunday for humans and animals.

  
(Pic credit: Tania S and moi)