Wonderful Things…

This week has been sort of magical. I just worked 8 days straight (only somewhere between 15 and 20 hours but still) and now have two days off, but despite working it has been a great week so far. I have been a lot happier this week and am trying to keep positive about the future and things. Nothing amazing has happened but there has just been lots of nice little things.

Work has been going really well, tiring at times but I’m learning a lot and get on really well with Angela. On Monday me and Angela were waiting for some people to check out so we ended up just sitting down and having a chat over a cup of tea. Its funny how something like that can mean a lot to you when you have never had that sort of relationship with a boss before. It was nice.

I got a letter from Mommo this week. It was so exciting getting some real mail and she sounded really happy that I wrote to her. I’m going to buy some stationary so I can write more letters.

Today me and Row drove to Blenheim (for his work) and had pizza by the river. We actually talked the whole way which was nice.

I got a huge bunch of sweet peas from Angela from her garden yesterday and now the whole house smells amazing.

On Saturday I’m going to make a herb garden in a mussel boy that someone from work is giving me. I’m actually really excited about having a little garden.

Also I got round to making  a banana cake and brownie this week. Nom nom.

Now I’m just relaxing with a beer, it’s really hot and I don’t quite know what to do with myself. Ah life…

 

 

My Book! (Well, first three chapters of)

Scroll down to read my latest post but first! I decided to print out the first 3 chapters of my book. I don’t think I have ever felt such joy as I watched the pages splurt out of the printer, the crisp white pages  filled with lovely black text, my text. The printer was even struggling. It had to take pauses every 10 pages or so, and it would cough and rattle and then keep printing. 35 pages in total, so far. More to come. And then holding the pages for the first time. The weight of those pages. It all became real, achievable, closer. I actually imagine that it would be similar to holding your new born child. Maybe that’s what writing a book is like; pregnancy. The process of growing a child: exhausting, exciting, the months of waiting for the end result. This is my baby.

 

Looking forward

Here’s what I am looking forward to.

  • Staying in Hira on the weekend.
  • Going to Blenheim next week with Row (for his work, I think I will make a picnic).
  • Christmas – specifically: my second Christmas with Row, buying Christmassy stuff, buying/ making Rows present, eating lots of food, making stuff for mum and dad and nan and pop, buying nice Christmas Cards off Presse Papiers, getting a Christmas tree
  • It getting warmer so I can wear my dresses.
  • My first swim at the beach at the end of my road.
  • Getting some outdoor furniture so me and Row can have dinner outside sometimes.
  • Rowan only working 4 days a week this summer :D
  • Getting better at my job.
  • Going to Rotorua with mum in February
  • Receiving my Diploma in Creative Writing.
  • Receiving my first post card from Postcrossing
  • Finishing my book and holding the printed pages for the first time.
  • Getting my ‘offer of place’ at Massey.
  • Making and eating the macaroni bake that I am going to try for dinner tonight. A new recipe I found in the Healthy Food Guide magazine.
That is a marvelous list. And I probably forgot a handful of things.

A Piece of Pie

So I have finally gotten around to uploading some photos of the wonderful Key Lime Pie I made:

Key Lime Pie - Pre Cream

Fancy a slice of pie?

Growing the Self

The clouds are roaming and it’s that time of year that you have to get changed about four times a day because the temperature is  so… temperamental.

Yesterday I had the day off and did some adventuring. I got up at 8 am (!) and hauled my bicycle out. I’m really keen to explore some of the cycle routes around nelson. Sadly, my bicycle is in need of some lovin’. The tires are flat and the chains a bit rusty. Hopefully I will get it up and running soon and then I can go on some adventures. So I went for a wander along the beach and took some photos. Then I went into town and bought stuff to make my first ever Key Lime Pie (photos to come). I tried on some clothes but didn’t find anything worth spending my money on. Oh and I got some of my favourite wine, Stoneleigh, for $11!

So at work I’m learning how to do receptiony stuff. Today I was answering the phone – kind of scary at first but I’m getting the hang of it now. Hopefully tomorrow I’ll get to practice making some bookings.

Will is coming  home on Thursday so I’m sure there will be much feasting and drinking and singing of ballads, ha joking. But almost.

Low Tide Reflections - The Beach Yesterday

Dreaming in Gingham

Blogging on my bed. Sunshine outside. Radio playing. Feels like summer is peeping through the clouds.

Have worked 3 days now, starting to ‘slot in’. Feel kind of tired and lazy when I get home though, Row is gaming today though so I’m having some me time which is nice. Tidied my room and did some washing, mucking around on-line. Should do some work on my book.

I have signed up with 43 Things to keep track of my goals. http://www.43things.com/person/PixieLu I find reading other peoples goals quite inspirational.

I feel like going and having a hot chocolate at a nice cafe and going for a walk in Queens Gardens. I would love an aromatherapy massage right now, I feel like a sack of potatoes.

I need to buy a bunch of stuff for work – a good bra or sports bra, hair-spray and bobby pins and ties, Siberian ginseng and something appetizing for breakfast. I also want a new pillow, some stuff from Aromaflex, some new shoes – maybe sandals, and the yellow dress from Farmers. Oh and a bottle of wine. Holy Christ. Imagine it – I can actually afford a bottle of wine now. The times they are a changin’

One of my goals is to write more letters. Yesterday I sent one to Mommo and I made a cute little envelope to wrap some photos up in.

 

This is the gingham maxi dress that Saki gave me. Haven’t made my mind up about it yet – but jesus it’s comfortable. I think I could live in it, well in summer anyway.

And before I forget – meet Lucy – Row’s parents new baby. Isn’t she wonderful?

A Job You Say?

The sun is pouring through the window, accompanied by a recent afternoon breeze.

There have been some developments since my last post! I now – hold onto your hats – have a job. Who would have thought? Its funny, went for a walk on Saturday and decided to get the paper (which I haven’t done in a long time) and a motel just down the road was advertising. So I rang up and on Sunday had an interview and basically got the job on the spot. Today was my first day. It’s just housekeeping but it seems like a nice normal place to work and the bosses – John and Angela – are really nice. Oh and I’m getting paid $16 an hour haha!

It hasn’t sunk in that I have a job yet – I keep going to look for one on Trade Me. At least now I don’t have to worry about student benefit.

This job also means that I have converted to an evening Pilates – which happens to be at 6.15 today. Which, despite being hot and lazy right now, I’m quite looking forward to.

I can’t wait till I settle into a routine at work. Wow its just dawning on me that this is it. Summer’s here. Woohoo!

Peace.

Sock-buns and Tea Cups.

A fresh cup of tea at my side and some sun starting to shimmer through the clouds – time for a blog post.

It’s the 20th of October – almost November. How odd that sounds. I want to get my offer of place at Massey and my student loan and allowance sorted for next year. And signed up for the student dole. Tom Petty was right, the waiting is the hardest part. I guess the worst thing is that, if any of these things gets rejected, I have absolutely no idea what to do. I’ll be completely lost. I guess I’ll rush down to winz and then try and frantically find a job. It doesn’t sound that great to be honest. So fingers crossed.

I seem to be in transit at the moment, lost, floating, in limbo or vertigo. There are so many things I’m waiting for. I’m waiting to here about 3 competitions and 2 submissions. I have all my appendages crossed for that. I think I’ll feel really good once everything is confirmed (with Massey), I’ll be heading somewhere. I’ll be able to get stuck into Summer and My Goals.

My Goals

  • Finish my book
  • Research and write an article for Learning Media, school journal.
  • Write new material to submit to Literary Journals
  • Submit one of my children’s stories  to a publisher

Those are my writing goals anyway. I have lots of things I want to do this summer. I want to go into the Park. I want to spend a lot of time at the beach, and walking and swimming. I want to get a bit fitter. I want to find some part-time work. I want to do a lot of painting and reading and cooking. And spend hours outside in the evening drinking wine. I want to take lots of photographs and keep a summer journal. I want to get really prepared for Massey.

At the end of Summer, me and Row will have been together for two years. It’s weird and wonderful thinking about that and those two years. In some ways it feels like we have been together forever. I know him so well and he knows me. We just slot into place. It kind of amazes me that I found someone who I fit so well with. I always felt like the puzzle piece that didn’t quite fit right. But that must be why we work so well. I never thought that I would have fallen truly in love with someone before I was 20. It’s nice that I’m planning my future alongside someone. I think I need a bourbon.

On a much, much lighter note. Here are some photos.

My absolute favourite dress.

 

I'm wearing a sock-bun today :)

 

Clothes will be the death of me…

If you want to read my latest blog post scroll down. Other-wise, here is what’s eating my soul right now..

 

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Rainy Monday

The sky hangs, grey and the rain falls heavily.

I’m wrapped up in bed, listening to  the Stones – Memory Motel. Christ this song brings back a lot of memories. Funny that.

Cat is curled up next to me. I think he likes the stones.

So, this is the last week ever of my course. I can’t believe it’s over. What a journey. I can’t believe I have a Diploma. So weird, and sad and exciting all at the same time.

Also, its official (well almost, haven’t  been accepted yet) that I’m ‘going’ to Massey next year. Holy crap, since when was I ready for uni. I must be growing up.

I don’t think I’ll be working this Summer. But i’m starting to realise that I don’t need to clean motels, or pack groceries or try and sell materialism is some sparkly shop. I don’t need to do that to be someone or be accepted or succeed. Just because most people go through the process of doing crap jobs. I’ve had this thing, like an infection, eating my insides that cries out ‘but I don’t have any experience’. What for though? If I want to be a writer, working at a supermarket won’t help that. It won’t. It could give me money, but what’s money anyway? Its the matrix, the big scam of life. I’ll get by.

I feel really inspired right now. I feel like wearing dresses and taking lots of photos and writing poetry and drinking tea in the garden and doing stuff for Row.

I’ve launched back into my book. I had about a month off. I think that’s how writing goes. Sometimes you just have to stop. And accept that you are taking a break. Now I’m writing again. I can’t believe I’ve written 13152 words. It makes it seem more real, more genuine, more possible. I’m really going to do this. For real.

I’ve this weird thing, where I feel like a bit of a joke when I say I’m working on projects and writing and stuff. I feel like a bit of a phoney. I don’t know why I feel like that. Because I’m not.

I have a diploma. I’ve written 13000 words. I’ve submitted 15 poems and 6 stories to competitions and journals.

I’m a writer.

I feel like I should stand on a roof-top and shout that really loudly over and over and then it might sink in.

I don’t know.

 

Leet sleeping in my art stuff.

 

Summer is coming. I can’t wait.

I’ll write again very soon. Hopefully when the sun is shining. =)