Have you heard about the incredible jumping donkey?

Right then, today I have to share with you last night's dream. (They're not dull when they're your own, believe me). 

I dreamt that I was standing in a paddock - possibly part-paddock, part-orchard. Anyway, it felt like home. And suddenly a donkey came crashing through the branches of the tree (some sort of fruit tree I think) and landed with an almighty WHARR-RUMPH! on the ground. It would have winded the life out of the poor fella - he landed on his side.

And I looked over at the donkey and remembered it was a habit of his and I thought, 'When is he going to learn that he can't land on the top of the tree and think the branches will hold him?'

I just had to share that with you as my dream brain has yet again scared me. Where does it come from? Aliens must have planted it, cause I can't come up with this myself - surely?

Anyhou, I shall stop going on -'tis a gorgeous day in Auckland  and, even better, public holiday - what more could a girl ask for ? 

It's off to the beach, for me.

*Runs out of the room before objects start getting thrown in her direction.*

Take Two.

So there I was last week asking you not to hate me while I bragged about how I managed to have beautiful weather on my holiday as well as grab an extra week away.

And then what does a girl do?

After three and a half days back at work takes herself off on a ‘pudding’ holiday.

Hello Wanaka.

You can hate me now. But you’d have to stand in line, my bank account is considering filing for divorce. 

And finally !

And Happy New Year ! Granted, I am rather late to the 'Happy New Year' party, but when your boss asks if you want to take an extra week off, what's a girl to do?

I'll tell you what she does, she takes it, runs with it, and happily suspends reality for an extra week. Bliss.

Unfortunately the downside of all that blissful reality-suspension is that after two days back at the coal face, I'm a touch knackered and desperate to shut whoever invented the concept of work in a sound proof cupboard and throw away the key.

Oh well.

I've had a beautiful break and managed to be one of the jammy few who managed to fluke stunning weather for most of my time off (please don't hate me).

I caught up with some very dear friends who were out from the UK,(their nine year old is my godson and I have no idea why he calls me Princess Bonkers). My godson's mother is from NZ, and her family have holidayed in Arrowtown all her life. But after over fifteen years living in the UK she has decided that New Zealand is like the afterlife.

'Ya what?' Says I.

'It's like the afterlife!' Says she.

'Do I look like a ghost?'

'No, but if you want to go for a swim, we drive to Lake Hayes, we get a park and we go for a swim. It's stunning, it's clean.'

'Hmmmm?'

'And if we want a coffee, we drive to Arrowtown, get a park outside a great cafe and go and get a fantastic coffee. It's like the afterlife should be!'
                                         

I feel she has vaguely got a point. Not that I shall superglue myself to that point, otherwise people may think I'm a bit of a mental(and you lot in the cheap seats can keep your traps shut). However I now feel it is my duty to phone NZ Tourism and suggest a new slogan for their 2012 NZ marketing campaign. 

New Zealand - it's like the afterlife. 

It's nearly Christmas!

And before you could say, 'Could I have fries with that?' the year has knocked itself out and sprinted right to December. I won't bang on with lines like, 'Is it just me, or has the year gone really quickly?' cause I know that the older I get, the faster time flies and there's diddly squat I can do about that. 

It's been a big old year, far too much death for my liking (not that I have spoken about it here) but if everyone could stay alive, that would make me one happy camper. 

I haven't quite yet finished up for Christmas however, as I sold all social real estate this week, this is potentially going to be my last blog for the year.

And what better way to end it than with some pearlers from People of Walmart? 

First up we have some Japanese panda emos. Bless. 

As for our next fellow, I think Vegas has put out a Missing Persons Bulletin, they want him back!

And words escape me about this picture, I do want to whisper in her ear, 'Umm white is potentially not the most flattering colour when you don't have a tan..'

As for the snowed in convertible, I'm thinking that maybe the device that controls the roof broke. Either that, or it's stolen and been sitting there since October.

Thank you for coming and visiting during the year. And thank you, yet again, my lovely commenters. I hope you all have wonderful, SAFE, happy Christmases. 

And I'll be back in the new year!

Goldilocks? Or Goldiseal?

Would you get a load of this wee fella ? My sister sent this to me. Wouldn't you love to come home to find him, snuggled on your sofa? (Fish breath withstanding).

Apparently, after a hard day at the office, Goldiseal made his entry via the cat door at Annette Soffer's home in Tauranga and took a wee kip on the sofa.

Apparently the cats and dog were not amused however, as any self respecting seal would do, our furry friend ignored them and promptly got himself the best seat on the sofa.

I like Goldiseal's style.

When Less is More.

There's lots of things I like about Christmas. I suppose it's just the festivity of it all. It's also a real social full stop, 'We must catch up before Christmas'. Consequently, all social real estate has been sold this week.

However one thing that's guaranteed to extinguish my festive spirit is when retailers start telling you about it in October. I am happy to embrace Christmas in December but try telling me about it earlier and I'm wanting to lock Santa in a wardrobe whilst wagging my finger and telling him that that less is more.

I mean, would we appreciate the Franklin Road lights if they were on for three months a year? I live just around the corner and last year I spent a lot of December traipsing up and down the road looking at the amazing spectacle of it.




I think the thing that makes these lights even more special is that they're only on for the month of December, they're not trying to muscle into November or January and that's a good thing.

Christmas, I love it - in December.

Since it's Friday, it must be stupid animal video time...

Sometimes, not having opposable thumbs must be a real bitch.