What a difference 4 months can make

In late April/early May, I returned to the USA to 'tidy up' my stateside life, now that I'm an official NZ resident.  Lots of traveling, sorting, purging, and clearing out on many levels. 

 

First stop was the east coast. NYC to sell and empty the apartment, and hang out with friends.  NC to visit with sister Sarah's family and see Dad.  Then back to New York, rented a tent and headed to the Catskills for a 4 week intensive yoga teacher training at the Sivananda Yoga Ranch.  Then off to McCloud, CA, to visit sister Nancy and her husband Robert.  Helped out at their hotel/b&b over July and August (time to make the polenta!).  Next to NJ for the wedding of a college/girls' night friend. Currently in NC visiting Dad and prepping for my next stop---northern Spain and the pilgrimage path to Santiago.  Plan to be in Santiago on or around my 53rd birthday, to kick off my personal 7 continent challenge.

 

 

31 May, 2014
The end of a tough month
Photo taken after emptying out my one bedroom apartment in Washington Heights (reduced a furnished 1BR with full storage space to 3 boxes--thanks to Vicki, Joe, and Griffin, and Housing Works. Massive thanks to Michael, Tim, and Jessie for generously sharing their home with this stressed out traveler)

1st July, 2014
Another tough month, but much happier
Back in NYC after completing one month yoga teacher training course in the Catskills.  Twice daily yoga and meditation.  Thanks to all staff and fellow students---special shout outs to Srinivasan, Mahadev Chaitanya, Gavinda, Lalita Devi, and Kamakshi.  Thanks forever to Sri Swami Sivananda for moving the lineage along.

3rd September, 2014
Finally got a decent haircut!
Visiting Dad in Wilmington, one week before I fly to Spain for pilgrimage walk on the Camino de Sant Iago.  Inconsistent with the yoga, but meditating daily.

 

 

 

 

 

Holly and Esme are deep in preparation for Valentine's day! I've allowed them to help me with the mosaics and I must say they are very creative.

We are all happy with how the red heart turned out, but Esme feels the brown one needs something.  I have to agree---we didn't have brown grout, so mixed beige with dark grey and came up with...beige-ish grey.  Doesn't go with Esme's colors.  Off to the tile store in hopes they carry brown!

Oh yes, I took a mosaic workshop last weekend----feels great to be creative again!  It's one thing to help people in their creativity and another to use my brain in that way.  So satisfying.  Makes me want to go dancing.  I'll be in Auckland for a few days in March, thinking it's time to check out the milonga/practica scene.

xmas with the girls

If you haven't been in touch with me (or I haven't been in touch with you, more likely), you may not know that I have added two young ladies to my household.  Esme, from Napier, came with me to Gisborne back in July, when she was just 6 weeks old.  Holly joined our group in October.  They have become good friends---their personalities complement one another well.  Holly is dominant, solid and dependable.  Esme is, well, she's very pretty but a bit high maintenance.  They both enjoy dressing up, as you can see from the christmas photos below.

BTW---yes, I know.
No, I'm not totally insane.  They're sweet and fuzzy.

Esme with her stocking and xmas cracker

Holly, wearing that hat!

Catching up

Yeah, okay it's been awhile.  Rough year.  Mom died in May, Aunt Nancy in September and Aunt Anne in November.  An old friend lost her husband.  Another is getting divorced.  One of my coworkers was diagnosed with breast cancer and all her hair is falling out from chemo.  Another breast cancer survivor coworker is starting to have lung problems.  I look at the research and lo and behold, working rotating shifts increases the risk of breast cancer.  Hmmm.
I'll stop there.  Starting to sound pathetic.
On the bright side.
We are still alive.  I bungy jumped for the first time.  My father and sisters came to NZ for a 2 week visit and we had a great time (photos to come).  It's summer.  When I got home from work last night the sky was clear, with no moon, and no city lights to interfere.  The Milky Way in all it's glory was above me, and for the first time I really saw stars twinkle. Awesome.
It's New Year's Eve here in Gisborne.  I'll work this afternoon and get out of work by 11:15pm.  Am invited to a friend's house not far from the hospital to watch midnight fireworks.
More to come.

This should have appeared in the NYTimes

Mom is so happy and proud in this photo, in her studio, surrounded by her work and facing the world head on.  She called herself a painter, but I know she was an artist.  Her love of faces and bodies, of capturing a look, an expression of shape and stance, is what comes through in piece after piece.

Mom was always on the move. Her motto was “just do it!” She volunteered at a homeless shelter, tutored adult learners in mathematics, supported Habitat for Humanity and Planned Parenthood. She walked the golf course, lifted weights at Gold’s gym, and took bodypump classes until illness cramped her style in her 83rd year.  She eschewed sentimentality, didn’t suffer fools, and only occasionally tolerated Republicans. 

Elsie Ridings Boyce was sister, wife, mother, grandmother.  She made a mean apple pie.  She wore winter colors and ear cuffs. Her eyes were sharp and curious, looking for the unique within the ordinary.  She was strong and beautiful.  We miss her.

Been a while

I  just haven't felt like blogging much over the past 6 months.  Mom died in May.  She was diagnosed with carcinoid cancer back in December.  It sucks.
Here's a photo from my visit last August, for mom's solo retrospective show.

 Miss you, mom.  Love you.

south island