Well hello, 2011…

Happy New Year!!!

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How did you see in the New Year?

I spent mine battling my sinuses for control, out at a house in Glen Eden bush. There were fireworks. There was music. There was Circle of Death, in which I promptly lost my glass of Coke – no, I’m not ashamed to partake in drinking games with a non-alcoholic drink – to a bourbon and coke (which is fine, that was once my beverage of choice), then to a tequila and juice and the dregs of a beer before my glass was returned to me.

T and I also made it up north to Pakiri, and down to the Coromandel. I missed my weekly Link Love for the first time, and had a couple of days away from the internet. Blissful. Initially I was worried about how I’d fill my eight days off, but with half of those spent travelling, that wasn’t much of a problem at all. In fact… the time flew by. Now it’s time to deal with the crap that comes along with Christmas – gift bags which need storing for reuse, unwanted stuff to donate or regift, etc. And getting back into a semblance of routine; holidays are the enemy of healthy eating, sleep patterns and balance in general.

Mostly from up north; I didn't snap many pictures on the second trip

There really is nothing like friendly small-town service. Or a country night sky, literally full of stars. And anti-abortion billboards planted firmly into farm paddocks along the open road. And making the half-hour trek over the rocks and through bush to New Chums Beach in only jandals and a bikini. Or sleeping in a car, the squawking of peacocks faintly audible in the distance.

I love getting away from the city. But returning to Auckland is just as sweet – to plentiful hot and cold, even drinkable water, to showers, to toilets. Remember my campervan idea? Nix. I’d already kind of decided that when we replaced our old car, but observing the slowness first hand and hearing of the inability of certain toilet facilities to handle number twos definitely hammered that home for me.

Also, you may inadvertently have seen an old post or two in your Reader. I have no idea why, and apologise for the confusion.

Finally, thanks to my top referrers for the year!

Jessie’s Money

Sense to Dollars

Serendipity

Girl with the Red Balloon

And thank you to every single one of you who keeps on reading. While in some ways I think I need to draw back a little from blogging and online pursuits this year, I just can’t imagine not doing this. Google Reader was, amazingly, my second biggest referrer. So that means at least some of you really, honestly, give a shit. You rock. You. Yes. You.