Escaping to Freedom...

Yesterday I spent most of the day...
Preparing all the receipts and creating a spreadsheet
ready to send my tax to my accountant.
I hate doing this and put it off till the very last moment.
But inevitably the 'last' day comes and it's head down till it's done.
What rejoicing. This is my last tax return of being self employed, part time.
Now I am escaping, freedom is increasingly on my doorstep
as I shed the past and embrace the new.
After being engrossed I with figures and columns and totals
and losses and income...
I emerged into the day again to be greeted by a sullen stormy day (pic 2).
I ran outside with the wind in my hair - hurray, hurray!
Another step to small living and no more tax.
It's even more stormy this morning (pic 1).
I'm off to the nearest small town to the Post Shop and to celebrate with...
A delicious latte.

Creative Art...

I was looking at some blogs that interest me and...
Found these beautiful owls at 'Polar Bears Tale'
People are very creative and clever...
What they make and out of what amazes me.
It's fun exploring other blogs from all round the world.

Friends...

Angela and Carolyn.
We've been friends for years and flatted together in my house
until I decided that enough was enough...
It was time to do something different,
something I had wanted to do for a long time.
So I sold my house and possessions and moved into my motor home.
Carolyn, on the other hand...
Bought her own property.
Her first property.
What a role reversal. I'm totally happy adapting to small spaces,
living wherever the fancy takes me.
Carolyn on the other hand is busy sanding, painting, gardening.
We have just spent a lovely weekend together...
Me reading the paper and painting my fingernails.
Carolyn being very busy with renovations.
We laugh, we are both totally happy.
Over the weekend I met lots of people...
In car parks, in the bank, at church, who all, without exception,
envied the llife I was living, the freedom I am experiencing
and that I am so happy.
I'm following my dream...
So is Carolyn.
Are you?
Pictures:
1   Angela & Carolyn
2   My house that I sold
3  My motor home I now live in
4  Carolyn's new home
5  Carolyn's sanding & painting efforts
6  Spraying weeds!
7  Sunset looking towards Ahipara
8 Hurray I'm back at the beach!

Shell Middens?

I was walking along a sandy track in the dunes and came across these shell banks.
They are well away, up over a few dunes from where the sea is today at high tide.
They could have been washed up and accumulated here years ago.
Tokerau has prolific shells, mainly Tuatua washed up on the beach so it's not hard to imagine...
Or are they Maori Middens - historic forms of rubbish dumps.
The presence of charcoal, burnt stone and blackened soil amongst the shells would indicate a midden.
Middens are commonly found along the coast eroding from the dunes...
They tell what those people collected, consumed, made...
And eventually threw away in the course of their daiy living.
Shell fish would have been a staple diet...
I don't know!
I must go back and have a coser look.

Coca Cola Anyone?

Near where I am parked at Tokerau Beach (X on the map)
is Lake Rotopokaka...
More commonly known as 'Coca Cola Lake'.
It is a large lake, set in beautiful surroundings,
with soulish  moods that change with the weather.
On sunny days it looks a shimmering blue
but on a closer look the lake is a reddish brown.
Hence the 'Coca Cola' moniker.
Various explanations have been given for the colour...
It may be due to a dye coming out of the flax roots
that grow prolifically nearby.
Bathing here is popular, the water conditions
skin and hair to a beautiful softness.
It's just a short walk over scrubby sand dunes
from the long sandy swimming, fishing beach where I am.

Transitions...

Today is about transition...
From my large bathroom, separate shower room and separate toilet to...
A tiny bathroom with a floor space of 70cm x 66cm.
Not even room to swing the proverbial cat!
But amazingly I manage very happily and have everything I need.
A toilet with a manual flush, fold down hand basin...
Above are cupboards, mirrors, a  place for the toilet paper rolls...
On the wall are containers for shampoo, hand sanitiser,
always being conscious of saving water...
And a basket for more shampoo and all titivating female things.
I use a 12 volt shower with a bilge pump in a large
stainless steel pot of hot water.
It uses less water, I can wash my hair and have a shower
with 7 litres of water!
You can see my laundry/towel rack and on the floor my laundry bucket.
I want for nothing.

The Perfect Day...

This is one of the most amazing things I have done...
And definitely to be repeated.
The boat 'The Perfect Day' - www.aperfectday.co.nz - goes daily from Tutukaka Marina to Poor Knights Islands.
Poor Knights Islands are ranked as one of the 'Top Ten Wildlife Destinations in the World',
and are in the 'Top Three Coastal Destinations on the Planet'.
Perfect Day anchors in a sheltered bay with 30 meter deep water.
Wet suits, snorkels, diving tanks etc are all provided,
although I had my own..
All I needed to do was have a good time - which I did in bucket loads.
Poor Knights Islands are a total marine reserve so the fish are prolific...
The underwater scenery is amazing.
Kayaks are provided to explore Rikoriko Cave,
the worlds largest sea cave.
The continual buffet lunch was delicious.
I returned home exhilarated and tired...
I must do this again...
Soon - I have a birthday coming up!
Want to join me?