All within a week ...

I'm not entirely sure how it happened.
Somehow, within the last week, we went from a couple with no travel plans to speak of, save for a weekend in Auckland, to a couple going to Japan.
Japan!
We leave Wellington on the 6th November, spend the night in Auckland, and arrive in Osaka on the 7th November. We leave again on the 14th November, arriving back into Wellington on the 15th.

These are the moments I remember:
x On Monday, speaking to a co-worker about how I really really wanted to travel internationally this year, getting all fired up about it and sending an email to Craig.
x Receiving an email from Craig where he said that he could take 5 days leave before Christmas this year. And where did I want to go? I suggested Cambodia, perhaps Mexico? Canada? Tahiti? Craig suggested New York and Japan.
x Sitting on the train, next to Craig, discussing destinations. He had stopped in at a travel shop to pick up brochures. And had found out that there was a special on flights to Japan.
x Emailing the people I know who know Japan to get tips. I liked the abstract idea of going to Japan but I hadn't thought much about the details. They all suggested Osaka over Tokyo.
x Discussing possible dates with Craig. Deciding to leave it to fate: if the deal covered the times we wanted? then Craig would book tickets.
x Sending Craig a message at midday on Thursday asking if he was going to flight center - "yip"
x Twenty minutes later getting a message asking how much money is in our everyday account.
x Twenty minutes after that getting a message saying "done"
x All of a sudden we have tickets to Japan!

And then, that night, Craig looked at me and said "but I don't like Japanese food!".

Oh dear.

Meadowlark, Fuck Yeah!

(it looks like I'm whistling! In real life? I can't whistle at all)

I've written about my love for Meadowlark before.
And last week? I ordered my birthday present. I couldn't help it!



I'd fallen hard for their sterling silver studded knuckle duster two-finger ring.
And if I ordered before the 20th June then I could choose a pair of stud earrings as well (yes I ordered the matching pyramid stud earrings. Because I'm just that lame. And adorable) so of course I had to go for that.



It arrived and it was soso close to perfect. It was ever so slightly too loose on my tiny ring finger.
Through the wonderful world of twitter, @meadowlarknz contacted me to see just how far from perfect it really was & offered to alter it! I sent it back to Auckland the very next day and they altered it and sent it back on its way to me the very same day they received it. Astounding service.
And also? the new size was just perfect. Adoration abounds.



Now I just have to wait 78 days until I can wear it again ...



Perhaps I didn't think this through.

Desert Road, New Zealand
August 2008




Central Plateau






Mount Ngauruhoe

Still Life as Tattoo Colour Palette Inspiration

Week Twenty-Nine

Sunday
Ahh. I was obsessed with making the Red Velvet Cakes on Sunday.


Monday
I took one of the Red Velvet Cakes to work. This was all that remained at the end of the day.


Tuesday
It rained. A lot.
It ruins my hair but it makes lovely photos.


Wednesday
Craig surprised me, completely, with a bunch of flowers celebrating our 9 year dating anniversary.


Thursday
My Meadowlark ring and earrings arrived, in their pretty pretty new packaging.


Friday
The lampposts between work and the train station are gradually being covered in admission stickers from Parliament.


Saturday
I went to watch Craig's football game. Our cousins came to watch as well.


&



Sequin Beret!

Wellington in the Rain

3288 Days

(6 August 2005)

At 6:15 tonight (I have a strange memory) it will be 9 years from the time I hung up the phone & thought "I have a boyfriend!".


(17 January 2009)

At 6:15 tonight I will look at Craig and think "I have a boyfriend, a best friend, a confidant, a husband. All in one. I am lucky".



And I really really am.

Maundy

Two Birds. Yesterday

Week Twenty-Eight

Sunday
It was a cold cold Sunday and Craig and I drove out to Island Bay to visit a woodfire pizza place (that we last visited in August 2006) and eat the pizzas in the car, looking out over the ocean and talking.


Monday
Arriving at Wellington Station to the advertising for the next Craft 2.0 gave me a little thrill.


Tuesday
A little frustrating. I loved the chunky lotus print bracelet and the little patterned bracelets. It was cheaper for me to buy a third set than to buy the first two pair. I hate that.


Wednesday
Guillermo del Toro day! And yes. The scary really did start at page 151.


Thursday
I loved the pygmy marmosets on the front page of the Dominion Post.
And then I spent the rest of the day defending them to the rest of the people in my office. COME ON! they are so super cute.
They would fit on the palm of a hand!


Friday
The trains were deaddeaddead so Craig and I drove into Wellington.
He was then very late and I sat, alone, at work because he was supposed to be there by 5:45pm.
Sigh.


Saturday
Super disappointing!
Craig and I drove into town to go to the Japan Festival in Wellington.
I really really wanted to go to the food & craft fair (I was hoping for Mochi!) but it turned out to be about 6 stalls selling wasabi peas around the outside of the concert (terrible clown) venue.
It was so disappointing.
Double Sigh


&

Rosie

Craig grinned the other day as we were getting ready to go to sleep “I found your song! Remind me to play it for you. Some other time.” great. Cause I do so well with anticipation*. A few days (and one reminder) later, an mp3 arrives at my inbox:

Whole Lotta Rosie by AC/DC

Huh. Well. I do like Rosie as my nickname but … whole lotta? As in trouble? As in? hmm. Worrisome.
But I do like AC/DC** so I start it playing:

Wanna tell you a story
'Bout a woman I know
When it comes to lovin'
Oh she steals the show

Eesh. Much less romantic than I’d hoped. Although it was about what I’d expected. I grit my teeth just the teeniest bit.
It continues:

She ain't exactly pretty
Ain't exactly small
Forty-two, thirty-nine, fifty-six
You could say she's got it all

Wait ... WHAT?
This is the point where I start to fervently hope that Craig hasn’t actually been paying attention to the lyrics.

Never had a woman
Never had a woman like you
Doing all the things
Doing all the things you do

I should certainly hope not! See, Craig and I have been dating since I was 16 and he was 17***.

Ain't no fairy story
Ain't no skin and bone
But you give it all you got
Weighing in at nineteen stone

Okay. Really? REALLY?
First of all, does he even know how many kilos there are in a stone****? I know I’m not skin and bone (and I have very little desire to be so) but ... ugh.
And secondly! in combination with the not pretty lyric? You just don't send this to a person you're hoping to ever see naked ever again.

Just then I notice an email Craig sent mere minutes after sending me the mp3:

Actually I think its about a very big woman, so not you.

He’s a very lucky man. This is the response I sent him



Even though I wasn't really mad. Bemused! who DOES that?


* I don’t.
** Shush. Hair metal is my not-so-secret shame.
*** Yep. Really.
**** It’s 6.35 kilos for every one stone.