first thursdays

Howdy people!

I’m back y’all and I’m back y’all coz I’m biggity back to back, back y’all. Ahhhhh I’m so down. Yes I know those aren’t the right lyrics, don’t get on my case. It’s called creative writing.

I had SUCH a good time away. When I hopped on the plane to leave, I shed a couple of tears but within a few seconds I’d sorted myself out and was ready for my adventure. I touched down in Auckland after a pretty quick flight (yay!) and found my Mum waiting outside. We headed over to the supermarket so I could pick up some food and milk, water etc for my hotel room to cover me the next few days.

So get this. I arrived at my hotel, I’d told them I wouldn’t be checking in until about 10 o’clock at night. Sweet, they give me instructions on what to do, I do them and that’s great. My Mum and I head up to my room on the 7th floor carrying all my gear. My hands are full so I pass Mum the key and we stand there for about 2 minutes trying to get the key to work. We’re pushing the door etc trying to get in. Then a woman comes and opens the door dressed in her PJ’s looking half asleep! She looked terrified. Rightly so! I would be too. Turns out they gave me the keys to someone else’s apartment. Lovely… So we headed back down, I got everything sorted, got an apology and I finally found my way to my room. Mum and I headed over to my brothers place where we hung out for a while before I went back to my room to unpack, call the hubby and I finally got some sleep.

I had a massive super king sized bed but when I woke up I realised I’d just huddled to the side of the bed I usually sleep on at home. I spent Wednesday hanging out with my Mum throughout the day. I got a whole body massage and felt bruised the next day when I woke up. The sole of my shoe also decided to start coming unattached as I sat waiting for Mum’s massage to finish…awesome. She showed me her favourite bead store at Pt Chev, it was so pretty! I picked up a DIY bracelet kit for my daughter and Mum picked up some gorgeous stones to make into earrings…I hope I get some lol. I love my Mums jewelry.

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We ventured to the supermarket again to get some glue to fix my shoe and went back to Mum’s place where we hung out with my Nana and Aunty. I’d asked Mum to hem a dress of mine because it was too long for me. We sat around catching up while Mum hemmed the dress but unfortunately..it went very wrong. Very, very wrong lol. I’d forgotten just how awesome having family is. I’m so used to relying on myself or my husband only but before I knew it my Aunty was on the phone to my cousin asking her to bring around some dresses I could try on because I needed something to wear the next day to my exhibiton. My cousin happily obliged and brought around her gorgeous dresses for me to model to the small crowd that flooded my Mums tiny living room. We all agreed that the long green dress was the winner, I especially loved the way it shrank my ginormous boobage. I spent the rest of the evening happily listening to my cousins amazing stories. She’s a writer and I cannot wait to see what the future brings her. She’s a fantastic story teller and I could see everything she was saying, happening right in front of my eyes. I even went to bed that night and dreamed I was in her story. It was awesome.

Thursday came along – the big day. I didn’t want to get up! I was sooooooo tired. I slept in as long as I could before I got up to get ready for my lunch with Lisa. Lisa was awesome. You know how there are just some people in life that you meet and you feel relaxed around. That was Lisa. After a bite to eat we wandered down K Road so I could show her where the show was happening. On our way back I got a text from Andrew telling me our daughter had come home sick (she was fine, just had a broken heart from missing Mummy) and that my bangles had just arrived lol. Oh well. Nevermind!

We went back to the hotel, Lisa headed home to her family and I went to prep my gear for hanging hour. After that I basically just lay half awake on my bed for an hour or so before my friend Jason came along to help me with all my art stuff. It was really nice to just be still and have no-one to worry about but myself. The plan was to get a taxi but the arcade really wasn’t that far from my hotel room so Jason carried my big box of paintings, I carried the 2 smaller bags and we braved walking there in the Auckland heat and were about ready to pass out when we arrived lol. My gosh Auckland is muggy. I’m not complaining though. The weather put on a good show for me while I was there.

Poor Jason, I don’t really think he knew what he was getting himself into when he volunteered to help out. I knew I was going to have trouble hanging stuff up high so when he offered to help I gladly accepted hehe. Jay – you’re a champ! Thank you again So after 2 hours – about 1 of them without a hammer, we were all hung and ready for the show. People started coming through and our friend Dayne showed up. We stood around for a while while the crowds came through. We were all pretty hungry, it was dinner time now. I debated whether or not I should leave my spot but I was so hungry we decided it’d be ok if I popped out for just a little bit, it seemed others had as well. We headed to a Japanese restaurant just up the road. The orders seemed to be taking a while so I started to get a bit anxious and had to excuse myself and get my order made to take away because I just couldn’t spend that long away. It sucked I had to leave, sorry guys. I still feel bad. It was fun to be hanging out again, I was really enjoying myself. Took me back to the day we all met! Next time I’ll make sure I have tonnes of time and hopefully Andrew can be there too.

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I got back to the show and Sammy was there to pick up her painting. It was great to meet you Thanks for coming out after work. Some of my family had shown up too! Then a new friend from twitter popped by (Thank you! You know who you are) then some more family came by to see me and Lisa stopped by too. The guys finished their dinner and came back for a bit then headed home.

So I know you’re all curious about how the night went so here we go. I sold 5 paintings woop woop! One client has asked for a commission piece, I had more potential clients that were asking if they could photograph the walls so they could go home and pick which one they’d get, I’ve had a couple more sales since, I had people adoring the photos of the bangles and asking where they could purchase them and almost all of the business cards I put out got taken. People even loved the business cards Andrew and I made up so I guess it’s a good thing I couldn’t get professional ones made on time hehe. My Mum, brother and SIL helped me pack up some time after 9pm and I finally got to sit down and get some food in my belly with my brother and SIL at Dennys. I think I had 5 drinks there, I was soooo thirsty! Thursday was such an awesome day for me. Big thank you to everyone that took the time out to come by and show me some support. It means a lot to me.

I went back to my hotel, put on some laundry, phoned my hubby then went to bed.

Friday came and I slept. I slept some more…and a little bit more. I got up at about 11am that day. Then I fluffed around. Had another cold shower (you get so sticky in Auckland), did some drawing and watched talk shows. Bliss lol.  I figured I should probably head out west so layered up my blistered feet (I stood pretty much all of Thursday in not so comfy shoes) and wandered down to Britomart to catch the train. On the way I stopped by some High St stores and picked up a new cap for my hubby. Gosh. He better love me after the money I spent on that cap lol.

I loved my train ride. There was a cute little girl on there and I gushed over her seeing as it had been a few days since I’d had my own children to enjoy. I got to Henderson and was waiting to meet up with my Mum when I spotted my cousin waving at me from her car calling me over. I jumped in and we met up with my Mum and chatted over our health conscious fruit based treats. After that Mum and I headed to see Avatar 3D. Can I just say that I didn’t think the movie was that good? Will I get shot for saying that? I loved the 3D thing and enjoyed seeing it with my Mum but the actual movie was really slow until the fighting right at the end there. It wasn’t bad. Just not that great either IMO.

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I spent the rest of Friday night and Saturday hanging out with my family. Friday we had our favourite family get together pass time  - Karaoke. My brother and I totally rocked California Love by 2pac lol. I think I surprised them with that one. Man, that song was the anthem of my early youth hood. I do indeed know every word haha.

Saturday I packed up, my cousins picked me up and we went shopping for my niece’s birthday. I’d already passed on my gift because my flight was happening when the party was on but I happily indulged myself purchasing a bag full of new clothes for my daughter while my cousin shopped for her gift. I’d forgotten just how fun it is to shop for a girl! Friday, before the movie, I’d bought my niece a totally over the top green and polka dot tutu outfit. She looked soooo cute. She’s just starting to walk I spent the rest of my time just chatting with my cousin about life while we waited out the hours till my flight.

I flew home to Queenstown. I arrived and my family weren’t standing there waiting to greet me! I started to panic until I spotted the silhouette of my oldest sons head off behind the juice bar. Then I spotted another kid and another so I wandered over. Queenstown doesn’t have many kids so I figured if there was more than 1 child it had to be my family lol. It still took Andrew another 30 seconds to realise I was standing there. He’d lost track of time watching the Sevens on Tv LOL. Queenstown was HOT. It was at least 32 degrees. Most guys were walking around topless and all the girls were sunbathing by the lake. If you haven’t been to Queenstown, you need to go!..and when you go, call me so I can come too lol. We got ourselves the obligatory Ferburger dinner – so good – then finally made our way home to Invercargill.

It’s great to be home. I had such a fun trip and loved seeing friends and family again. We don’t have anyone here. It’s just Andrew, Me and the kids so a trip home really lifts the spirits.  I feel refreshed and so good about the future. My baby has grown so much in such a short time. He really is a giant after being away and seeing so many other kids. He’s started crawling and saying Mama. He babbles a few other words too and is trying so hard to stand and walk with help. He doesn’t want to be cuddled anymore, he’s too busy trying to explore.

I’ve found my patience again. I really needed the break. I’m in love with my husband and kids all over again. I’m looking forward to being just plain old Mum again for a little while longer. I am so lucky.

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