You can't make an omelette without breaking eggs.

Shedding a skin is a vital activity for me. from time to time But for others it is uncomfortable and something to be avoided.

The new beginning idea is at the forefront of my thinking right now.

A while ago, SWMBO and I decided to sell up and look for another property with a bit more land. We love where Roch-dene is right now (I take Roch-dene with me where ever we go), but the horses and, therefore, SWMBO need another paddock or two.

Roch-dene is on the move, again.

Not too far away, we found another place to be - loads of land, with native bush and a large lake. An island on the lake really appeals. The romance of that - the idea of being on our own bit of land surrounded by water!

Problem being we're in a buy/sell chain. We need to sell to buy, the people who want to buy our place need to sell and so on.

So, it may work out, we hope it will. Inshallah.

The other skin shedding exercise is happening at work. We are moving out of the old crusty administration/staff area so that a wrecking crew can come through next week. 

Over the holiday break a spanking new space will be created.

Some love the idea (me) and embrace the change, others find it a chore but are doing what they need, others hate the idea of shifting out temporarily.

Meh. You can't make an omelette without breaking eggs.

Love and peace - Wozza

Lean sideways on the wind, and if it bears your weight, you are a daughter of the Dawn (Mervyn Peake)

Lounge to Brynderwyns

Nature Watch Part 2: On the inside out.

Roch-dene in a winter repose. I love it here. Looking out.

ART room looking north

Kitchen

Laundry

 Love and peace - Wozza

Sidebar - week 24, book 28 was Unknown (Didier Van Cauwelaert). Yes, the book that inspired the movie starring the great Liam Neeson and the very wonderful January Jones. Actually the film only uses the opening premise (car accident, amnesia) and then creates its own fiction. The book is vastly different and I wasn't impressed with either the plot, character development, or writing. Sorry Didier.

Week 24, book 29 is currently wowing me completely though - Gun Machine (Warren Ellis). More on this next time.

Storm's coming up Ani (Jira)

View south-west towards Maungaturoto

The much anticipated return of nature watch. 

Part 1 - Outside now: Roch-dene has been a little battered of late by rain, wind and frosts.

The ground is boggy and the horses are unamused by puddles, especially Grace (they are definitely enjoying the new yards as their overnight stay out of the water).

But the sun peeked through recently for a few days, and the blossom outside the ART room was another hopeful sign that winter is in retreat.

Sunset on the Brynderwyns from the front porch

Beetlebaum and Gracie - nice and dry

A new hope

Love and peace - Wozza

Sidebar: Week 23 book 27 Let's Go Crazy - Prince and the making of Purple Rain (Alan Light). 

To celebrate, I rewatched the film again and, apart from one or two laugh out loud bits, both the film and the music stands up pretty damn well after 30 plus years. 

At any rate, it's way better than Under The Cherry Moon which is absolute drivel!

'Cause here with you is where I belong (Mary Chapin Carpenter)

Okay - time flies like an arrow but fruit-flys like an apple. I can't believe it's been a month since I last wrote a post in my blogs.

This is the longest gap I've ever had. And the reasons you ask?

• Adjusting to living in Nu Zild (quite a change after the Middle East and our life in Al Ain)
• Unpacking our house that was in storage for nearly two years (boxes and stuff to sort - you know the drill)
• Working every day on farm stuff (see below)
• Painting and working on A.R.T. (see http://googoogarjoob.blogspot.co.nz/ for details). As this is where the office is as well, it meant a week without a computer being handy.



Mrytle in front of our place. A.R.T. is on the left.



I can't believe how much time has been devoted to farm stuff in particular - chopping down trees, trimming hedges, fixing fences, tractor collection (yes Mrytle is fine), mowing lawns (the grass growth has been amazing in the Hawke's Bay this year!!), planting Maple trees, putting up shelves and various horsie stuff in SWMBO's Habibi Stables, collecting horses (we now have three on the property - called Roch-dene by the way) and a thousand other little jobs.

I'd forgotten that farm living is not simple. One job invariably leads to three others.

But it's all been fun (apart from the fencing wire which bit me back on the right hand ring finger. Lotta blood but SWMBO enjoyed acting like nursie and Samantha was very calm too when it happened).

We have also had a few biggie celebrations in the month that has zipped by - Jacky had her 50th birthday on the 14th April with Samantha, Jesse, Jade, Gavin. Michelle, and Sallie all making the trip over to help us celebrate in our new home.

SWMBO with her family team effort cake.

 

Fanfa adds the message after Jade did the icing and I baked the cake.

Jesse, Dookie and Fanfa

SWMBO and I also celebrated our 28th wedding anniversary on 21st April. Pretty cool huh.

I will make a determined effort to do entries as regularly as in the past so stay tuned again for updates. I'll also be including some snaps - the views are breathtaking, particularly of late with the misty mornings (the hills around us look like islands in the mist) and the evening sunsets.

Love and peace - Wozza