Memories, old and new....

On my recent trip home to Scotland my brother and I went on a few road trips...he wanted a companion on the drive to the ski areas and I wanted to see and hike the countryside...perfect!
On the first of these we drove to Glencoe......

Each time, off Jonny would go to ski the good stuff at the top of the mountain leaving me to explore the lower mountainside.

I loved just hiking my way up to wherever we had decided to meet up....usually some half-point which included food and beverage!! Camera in hand I was totally happy.
On the Glencoe trip I reached the little 'chalet' early and, having had a hot chocolate and a bridie, I decided to head up the ski trail a little to video Jonny as he skied down. I found a small outcrop of rock with no snow and thought this might be a place to sit and wait.

Despite the cold air and surrounding snow, I myself was feeling warm from the hike and the sun was shining...yes, in Scotland! I felt the mossy-looking rock before sitting down on it, expecting it to be either damp or sun-warmed but it was cool and dry. I sat and looked around me. So this was Glencoe, and this was the Highlands.

It reminded me of our summer vacations to Scotland when I was younger. We had driven into the Highlands many times but we really just seemed to drive...stopping to eat lunch, stopping at an outlook to take a picture, and stopping at the next B&B. Almost as if driving was the destination for my parents! And it possibly was. It's entirely possible that simply to get four kids and themselves into a car and 'going' somewhere was enough.
Don't get me wrong, the drives were fun enough. My Dad is good, fun company and I loved how fast he drove compared to the 20mph speed limit in Bermuda.
And Mum always tried to make the journeys exciting. We never did go to Loch Ness but passed plenty of other lochs, and on passing one such Mum announced that we were passing Loch Ness and ought to be on the lookout for Nessie. Being the oldest I was in on these little diversions (unfortunately!) and we would drive around the loch with Mum, Dad and me saying "There!", "No, look over there!" and "Wait! I see something...I saw Nessie THERE!" The boys would be jumping around the back seat trying to get a better view and desperate for a glimpse of the Monster!
Those drives through that wild and beautiful countryside were pure magic. Winding roads with small streams coming down the mountain on one side, right over the road and down further still to the loch below on the other side. It always amazed me how these streams widened and flattened enough for us to simply drive right through!
We would stop occasionally at the odd touristy look out spot but we never explored, never hiked or climbed, and as it was summer we didn't ski, toboggan or sled. Which, since these were foreign activities to a bunch of island kids, we never missed. But looking back it seems a shame and certainly must have been severely frustrating to the as-yet-unleashed-extreme-wintersportsman in my brother Jonathan!!
And so, here we were, I'd accompanied Jonny on a ski day to Glencoe and we were finally doing the things we'd never dreamt we'd love doing all those years ago.
Jonny was way at the top of the mountain skiing to his heart's content. And I, a little hiked-out for the moment, resting on a bracken covered rock surveying the beauty of the Scottish Highlands.
It really was a beautiful sun-shiney day and I was feeling warm in my layers. Large patches of snow surrounded me and, while I reminded myself to thank Jonny for thinking to give me his spare ski poles for the climb (and thank goodness, they were very necessary a number of times!) I used one pole to poke at the closest patch of icy snow, fully expecting it to melt in the sun. And yet it didn't. As much as I poked and broke it up it clung to it's sparkling crystalline form as if to say "NO! I will NOT be reduced to mere water!!"

New theme song?

So a friend of mine in Texas recently sent me a link to this song, saying that everytime it comes on the radio he just keeps seeing and thinking of me!
I had never heard this song before and it is a bit Bonnie and Clyde but I do love it and find myself dancing around my kitchen, singing along....for the 1 trillion times I've listened to it since! Lol!
I find it fascinating when friends share this stuff with me! Like, why would he think of me? Who knows...but I'm glad he did...my cardio workout has just got a boost!

Period of reflection

I lost my best friend, the love of my life.
I can't quite wrap my mind around it, what happened.
I can't quite figure out that great "WHY"
Just *POOF* one day to another and it was ALL gone.

No goodbye.
No fare thee well.
Nothing.

My creative processes have been limited to the one we shared, photography. And even then, every time I look at my photos I know which he would like, which he would ask about, which he would suggestively critique....and I don't want to look at them any longer because I want that conversation, I want his input, I want his praise. Just as much as I long to see his own photographs and to admire them.

I cannot seem to pick up a paintbrush or 'pen' and write.
It is so limiting as I am accustomed to writing down everything, somewhere...or releasing emotion in colour onto a canvas.

I am beginning to learn to cope, I guess. I am not unhappy, that would be too unatural a state for me, but I am not my *self*. There is an oily coating of sadness that sticks to everything. I am a bit lost, as if my compass has vanished. And empty, as if a part of my heart, my soul, had gone AWOL. I miss too much. I could never have imagined a life without his laugh. And my own laugh has not been the same since...maybe never will.

I am in the midst of plans to leave my beloved Bermuda and return to the proverbial bosom of my family in Scotland...the only cure for love, or the loss of it, is love.
I am hoping that somehow, somewhere, someway, I will find *me* again.....the part that he took with him.
Unfortunately my period of reflection still only shows me what could have been...I guess I am not ready to contemplate what *is*...and even more unable to envision what could be, a future devoid of him. But there is always hope and so I keep ploding forward and smile as much as I can stand to do.

Bless you my Beloved. You brought me so much joy and often seemed not to know that. You lit up my life even while you were in darkness. And I loved you more than you could ever have known. I pray for you, Monkey, every day...and every breath I take holds love for you. <3

Betty White on SNL

She is just BRILLIANT!!!!

"When you come to the edge of all the light you have, and are about to step off into the darkness of the unknown, Faith is knowing one of two things will happen: there will be something solid to stand on; or you will be taught how to fly." ~Patrick Overton

Life is Wonderful

The journal my Dad wrote for me, and gave me before I returned from Scotland in April, has been such a blessing. I can't even imagine how I would know these things if I hadn't asked him to write them down. I know things I could never have thought to ask about, or that he would have never have thought to tell me. My Dad was SHY. Huh?? I would have never have guessed that...but the strange thing is that I am shy...VERY. And nobody guesses that either. Wonder where I get that from?!

I will add excerpts from the journal as he lived in an interesting time under interesting circumstances but, having read the journal through I was struck by his closing note, written on the back pages. It reminded me that life cannot be lived with regrets. And I have set the record straight with him, that I, amongst everyone that I know, am the most openly loved and supported 'daughter' that I know. I will never, ever, forget that. Or this....here are his closing words.....

Well Steph,
Finished at last. It has been a few years in the penning but I hope you enjoy reading the contents. I'm only sorry that this journal is going back to Bermuda with you and you are going with it.
Writing has led me many times to think about life in general and one aspect in particular. Regret.
My big regret in life regardless of the reasons, has been that I have never spent enough time with you or your brothers, to be near you all and try to be some help in your paths through life.
For yourself - to see you grow into such a beautiful, self assured, confident and self-supporting woman with precious little help from your Dad fills me with so much pride and not just me, but your Mother too.
I'm sure you know, but it is always worth repeating that you are always in our thoughts at home. You are loved so very dearly Steph.
To see you again after such a while has been such a joy and I sincerely hope I will be around the next time. I couldn't bear to wait too long to see you again.
Look after yourself my precious daughter, keep in touch as I know you will, keep in good health and God bless you always.
Your ever loving,
Dad xxoo

Dignity

Scottish band Deacon Blue singing "Dignity"
I think I will name my boat that one day..........

I've got the bottle......

Live Like We're Dying!

"We only got 86,400 seconds in a day, to turn it all around or throw it all away. Gotta tell them that we love 'em when we got the chance to say. Gotta live like were dying"
♥

RIP Dennis Hopper.....

Dennis Hopper reading "If" by Rudyard Kipling on the Johnny Cash Show...way back like, whenever! I love the way he says "it's written be an English guy"...is that an explanation, or an apology, or an excuse? LOL! I'll bet Dennis and Rudy are having a chuckle about this right about now!
Rest with the angels both of you....great men in your own ways.
I have had this poem close at hand throughout my life as words to live by....although I originally came to it through Jungle Book!
Thank you regardless.

Made my day!

One of my favourite songs sung by what has to be one of the cutest little girls around!

Bermuda from the air

Sometimes, when I give it some thought, I am quite amazed.
Here I sit on this tiny patch of coral in the middle of nowhere! 26 square miles, made up of over 300 islands, never ever further than a half mile from the sea, and 600-odd miles off the coast of North Carolina.
Our whole population could fit in a football stadium!!

It was such Bermudaful day to day and I SOOoooooo wished you were here!

My Daddy's limerick about ME!

Some time ago I sent my parents little books entitled "Mom, Share your life with me" and "Dad, Share your life with me." It's an entry-a-day type thing with a different question per day.

Yeah, cheesy, I know. But it's the kind of thing I'm a sucker for.
In the front of each book I wrote that I hoped they wouldn't find it too tedious or silly to do and that I'd love reading it if/when they were done.
Well, my Mum's is still a work in progress, (Apparently! I'm not sure how true this is as she always has her nose in a crossword puzzle, or her book, or her knitting when she is not working around the house so who knows when it would be getting done!!) but on my recent trip home my Dad returned his to me.

It was just before I was leaving and I was too emotional to do more than hug him in thanks, but I have been slowly digesting the contents since getting back to Bermuda.
It is at turns funny, thoughtful, thought-provoking, hilarious, sentimental and above all very wise and FULL of love. And although I've heard stories all my life of my Dad before I 'knew' him, this book is such a treasure trove of glimpses into his life and what he thought and felt about it all.
For instance, I knew he had been in the Royal Air Force but I never knew that he had dreamed of being a pilot his whole young life...not that he actually ever was a pilot, (that fell to my brother, Jonathan, and my Dad lives vicariously through that accomplishment) he was a radar technician.
And he writes an addendum at the end of the book in which he tells his only regret...and it has nothing to do with not flying fighter jets. It is that he didn't spend more time with me and my brothers. I never knew that.

Anyway, the book is so interesting I will be sharing much of it here. These are the memories of a man who grew up during WWII, who went to a Catholic boarding school at age six, who lived a priviledged lifestyle as a young man and then had to make his own 'wealth', a man who loved his family whole-heartedly but struck out - off to the other side of the world (as it seemed then) to come to Bermuda and seek his destiny (of course that's where I get it from!) and make a new family.

The first entry I'll share came from the question, 'Make up a limerick about yourself', and Dad writes:
"Can't think of one now ain't that sad,
Not a very intelligent Dad.
Might have done better when I was a lad,
But at least I tried and for that I'm glad"

The next question asks for a limerick about me, and Dad writes:
"Stephanie was a gorgeous baby, a regular little dearie,
But when she wouldn't sleep at night she made us awful weary.
Now little things like that are soon forgot with just a little smile,
What's not forgot after all these years, it was a trillion times worthwhile.
- Dad"
"sniff"
Aw. GOTTA love my Dad!!

Email from a friend...

Tribute to George Harrison

It's just a little rain.....

It is the springtime of my loving - the second season I am to know
You are the sunlight in my growing - so little warmth I've felt before.
It isn't hard to feel me glowing - I watched the fire that grew so low.

It is the summer of my smiles - flee from me Keepers of the Gloom.
Speak to me only with your eyes. It is to you I give this tune.
Ain't so hard to recognize - These things are clear to all from
time to time.

Talk Talk - I've felt the coldness of my winter
I never thought YOU would ever go. I cursed the gloom that set upon us...
But I know that I love you so

These are the seasons of emotion and like the winds they rise and fall
This is the wonder of devotion - I seek the torch we all must hold.
This is the mystery of the quotient - Upon us all a little rain must fall...It's just a little rain...

Led Zeppelin – The Rain Song

Because sometimes someone else just says it better than you ever could.

Visiting the Motherland

So, I just returned from a trip to Scotland to visit the family. What was supposed to be ten days turned into three weeks thanks to an Icelandic volcano with an unpronounceable name!
Having not been back for a while, it was great to be surrounded by my MASSIVE, WONDERFUL family and have a ton of laughs with them.
And Scotland is so incredibly beautiful....I'd kinda forgotten. What an amazing city Edinburgh is, with the Castle, all the monuments, and Arthur's Seat right smack dab in the middle of the city. How easy it is to be out of the city and suddenly be in the beautiful, untamed, SO historical Scottish highlands. The Wallace monument was closed but we drove past it on our way through Stirling and I swear I felt a surge in my blood as "FREEDOM!!" rang in my ears!
We had quite a few family get-togethers, I climbed a lot of hills and mountains, scrambled around a bunch of ruins, and spent plenty of quality time with my Mum, Dad and younger brothers, whom I simply <3!
Given the Hunter family's proclivity for humour and high jinx there are many funny, silly stories but probably the funniest thing that happened didn't involve a single Hunter but instead my friend Mirelle.....
We'd gone up to Aviemore, my brother Jonny wanted to go skiing and Mirelle and I went along for the ride, the hiking, and the sight-seeing. After Jonny had gone off to the top Mirelle and I started our hike. But, holy cow, the snow was so deep and we were wearing regular walking boots. After we crossed this one foot bridge and we trudged through the snow a bit we discussed the merits of going back to the chalet for some mulled wine to wait for Jonny to come down for the pre-apointed video-op...and as Mirelle was putting forth her vote for the warmth of the fireplace we had just had lunch at, I felt my foot sink. And sink more. My face must have been a picture as I slowly sank...one leg...all the way down. As I 'lay/sat', my right leg completely engulfed by the snow we were walking on, my left leg sprawled on the surface and my hands grappling at the snow in front of me, desperately trying to get a decent grip, well, panic struck. In the very brief time this happened I realised that "holy crap! what just happened???!!! holy crap! this is COLD! OMG I can move my foot around wtf is up with that? if I pull my leg up will my boot come off, and then I'll be walking around the Highlands in my sock! oh shit, what if my sock comes off....why isn't Mirelle helping me??? STOP LAUGHING MIRELLE AND HELP ME!!!"
She didn't. She couldn't. She was doubled over laughing...and frankly she hasn't stopped yet. Mention it to her and she will be a laugh-puddle instantly. Biatch.
Anyhoo...I pulled my leg out, boot, sock and all and we went back to drink mulled wine til Jonny was Kodak-ready.
Heading out to video the ski-stud we crossed another foot bridge further down from the unfortunate sinking incident and realised that I had sunk right above the raging river of melting snow. Just how much more worse the situation could have been sent shivers down my spine (visions of having sunk all the way through and body-rafting my way down the mountain....yikes!) and sent Mirelle into another fit of giggles. Friends. Hmmph.
I'll diary the trip soon, photos and all...oooooh!! betcha can't wait!....but for now I'm back home. It's gorgeous weather and, following this weekend, I'm a tad sunburned. But all I know right now is that I can't wait to go back...I miss my family and I miss beautiful Scotland.

BLONDE!

So my friend Bruce and his wife just got back from New Zealand. Generous lovies that they are they came home bearing gifts. Bruce handed me one of my gifts saying that he had seen it and immediately thought of me.....it's a coaster....
Hmm....thanks guys :-/
lol!

Where do I live again?????

This is Bermuda! It's supposed to be lovely and warm, right?
Last night it was 58F, tonight it's 56F....and it's been like this all winter. Never mind the storms. So I hear you all saying "Whaaa? That's not cold you wimp!"
While I am a self-confessed wimp, I also ask that you remember that we don't have heat in our homes. The houses are built to release heat and admit breezes and I am sitting in front of a little space heater, occasionally going to warm my hands by running hot water over them!
And yes, I am grateful for both the heater and the hot water, and the breeze-admitting roof over my head...

What it really got me thinking about was the whole 'Global Warming' debate.
Global Warming is a catch phrase that is such a misnomer.
Climate Change is better but still doesn't really cover it.
We have done so much damage to this planet from carelessness and it has caught up with us, that is scientific fact.
Yes, there are cycles that the Earth goes through, but it is agreed scientifically that this is not one of them.
And the term 'global warming' misleads the uninformed....they are expecting that suddenly winters and summers will both be warmer.
In actuality, while the planet's core temperature raises what it does is produce extremes in the atmospheric climate on the surface. Winters will be more severe, summers will be more severe, there will be more violent, frequent and freaky weather patterns. Sound familiar?
They've been trying to come up with a new name for the global warming phenomena, and they are actually thinking of including the word 'freak'!! Love it.

So anyway, I live on a bunch of patches of coral and limestone, 26 square miles in total, sitting on the rim of an extinct volcano in the middle of the Atlantic.
And it's effin' freezing right now!
Just wait til July when I start complaining about the heat!!

Having a laugh on V-day...

From a site called ShitMyDadSays....

"Nah, we don't celebrate it. Don't know who St. Valentine was, don't give a shit, and doubt he wants people screwing in his memory."
Excellent point of view!

And so I'm off for my Very Hot Valentine's date.....an afternoon with Lucas, age 4 and 7 months. Don't forget the 7 months!! He's not 4 anymore, and he's not 5 yet. Apparently this is very important. Must have something to do with nursery school hierachy?

Anyway...in the meantime...sending all my love to the other side of the world.

Dear Hallmark...

Re: Valentines Day
Thank you so much for giving us this day to remind us to tell the ones we love that we love them.
Good for you...without you we may never think to do that!!
Sincerely,
Who????????????

Good grief...it's pretty sad. Love is something to be celebrated every day, not just this one day in February. Tell the person you love that you love them whenever you get the chance!!!
Frankly, I prefer those everyday little expressions of love over the once-yearly-only shower of flowers, chocolate and a cheesy store-bought card.

Ug!

We have been experiencing the worst winter weather I can ever remember in Bermuda...the winter storms charging off the east coast of the USA are about set to blow us clean over to the other side of the Atlantic!! Sustained gale force winds with hurricane gusts of 100mph has left this beautiful green 'Emerald of the Atlantic' crispy brown and salt-burnt. Parts of the island have been cut off as bridges have been closed and people are stranded here and elsewhere as flights have been, and continue to be, cancelled. One brave British Airways flight from London this evening was planning an attempted landing, hoping to beat the next cold front, but gave up and re-routed to Boston, hoping to try again tomorrow.
The incessant roar as the wind howls around the house, the constant racket as it tortures the palm trees and banana grove, the cabin fever starting from not being able to get out and about!!! UG!
The best I can say about it is that the wind at my back made the long uphill walk from the store this afternoon A LOT quicker!

Hmm. What a whingey, whiney post. I better come up with something to be grateful for PDQ!!
Life. Love. Family. Friends. Laughter. Joy. There we go, much better!

Erm...isn't this February?

Winter storms are prevailing. The ugly weather that the East Coast USA experiences always hits us next...and it's never pretty when it's bad!
As a result we are expecting hurricane force winds as of tomorrow afternoon with torrential rain. Unfortunately the winds pick up over the ocean and *fortunately* the snow turns to rain.
It's about to really blow....and that has been SO consistent this winter. It's as if hurricane season has shifted and not limited to the usual time slot. Bah!
And I have a leak in my rain pants.

The upside is that when the sun does come out it is SOOOOOOO appreciated!!

Fundraising for Haiti

So last Friday I went to a fundraising event for the relief effort in Haiti with my BFF Cindy and her husband. It was packed so I'm pretty sure they must have raised a fair bit of dosh.
But honestly? I'm really only including the photo because I like it! :-)
However, the week before one of the other bars in town held a fundraiser as well. I couldn't go but still wanted to contribute and the thought of going down to The Bistro and just giving them my $20 cover charge anyway seemed so inadequate.
I'd been feeling really bad, watching the devastation, that I haven't been able to do more. I'm sure I'm like a lot of other people who wish they could just go down there and DO something practical....help clean up, rebuild, help the medical teams and the relief workers.
A few nights before the event I spotted a poster that I had been thinking of putting up on ebay. Since I know Rick, the owner of The Bistro, I called and asked if he might want to try auctioning it off and see what he might get for it. He thought it was a great idea and came and picked it up.

I got this signed poster during the time I worked for U2's tour promoters, TNA (The Next Adventure, not T___ and A___ !) This was one of the tours we managed.

And as it turns out someone paid $550 for it!!! Which is $530 more than my original $20 and a fair bit more than I could have donated in cash at all!

Woo hoo U2!!

So exciting!

After years of trying to figure out how to combine my passions with where I want to be in this world and how to make a living doing it....I HAVE IT!
THE idea!
No. Of course I'm not going to tell you. You might steal it, you sneaky little people! :-)

Now all I have to do is wait for the pieces to fall into place. And they will! I can't wait!!

Missing

I've lost people in this life. Loved ones who have passed over.
I miss them....but I know they loved me....I know that they know that I loved them...and I am sure that their love stays with me, in my heart. They stay with me.
I have never lost someone I love, who is still here on this earth, but is simply lost to me.
It's a grief you can't really grapple with, can't come to terms with.
To know there is someone at the other end of the press of the send button that you really, really want to tell something to...really, really want to ask a question of...really, REALLY want to know if they're OK.
But you can't.
How do you get through that? How do you move on?
Bleeaagh!

I FLY Monkey!

If you love someone, set them free.
But more importantly, tell them you love them.
Tell them the joy they have brought you.
Let the ones you love go *with love*
Love is all that matters <3

Oooooooh!....

I do love a good old fashioned thunderstorm!
I'm all snuggled up....safe, dry and warm...probably going to lose power soon.
No better reason to shut the lids and drift off into dreamland...
All that's missing is my spoon!

A funny thing happened on the road to Akaroa....

In Christchurch we met up with a couple of old friends, Richard and Rocky, Classic All Blacks who don't come up to the Classic in Bermuda any longer so it was good to catch up. We met them in Richard's pub Speight's Alehouse on Bealey where we were treated like queens with all the drinks and food and attention!

The next day Richard was going to take me for lunch and show me around Christchurch. You know, it's interesting that none of the other girls wanted to go on these little tikki tours I did. Everywhere we went the people we knew were really keen to show us around. I know from living in Bermuda that a tourist will see a very different side of a place when shown around by a local so I took full advantage and took them all up on their offers while the other girls went shopping or on homogenised Lord of the Rings tours...and then they wondered where I took all my great photos! Uh, duh!
Anyway, we still had the morning to fill and Richard suggested that we take a drive out to Akaroa, even though they were not doing the dolphin tours at that time of year it was still a beautiful place and worth a look-see. Since it was only a 45 minute drive out of Christchurch we decided this was a good idea. And it was. Akaroa is a gorgeous little town and high on the list of places to spend more time in....next time!As we got out of the city and into the countryside we encountered some pretty heavy local traffic. Yes, this farmer is herding the cattle from a dirt bike!

And here, with the sheep, this happened about four times with different herds and was hilarious.....

So, all these animals in the road got me to thinking. We had spent the whole day before driving from one side of the South Island to the other, stretches and stretches of road, and not once had we hit anything...or even seen any roadkill. Very strange considering this... Really? Could have fooled me, we hadn't seen a one!

Driving back from Akaroa we saw signposts for the "Scenic Summit Route" and figured, why not? (Well the answer to that is that it takes for-bloody-ever!!) It was worth it for the 'scenic'...

...but we're still not sure that we ever got to a 'summit'.

On the way down from the "Scenic No-Summit Route" conversation turned back to the subject of roadkill, or rather the lack of roadkill sightings and as we turned a corner....you know what's coming, don't you?....yup. Roadkill. I don't know what I was expecting. Here in Bermuda we are well used to seeing squashed toads, rats, sometimes birds, and even, sadly, the odd cat. And for some reason I thought possums were cute little things. So I was not expecting this.....

WARNING: Image may disturb you. Unless you are a Kiwi.

This thing was HUGE. And there was blood??? We didn't hit it. During the whole trip, practically zig-zagging our way up and across both islands of New Zealand, we never hit a thing. But there it was in the middle of the road. So naturally, we all got out and took photos. As you do.

Our "Scenic No-sign-of-a-Summit Route" had added a good two, yes TWO, hours onto our return to Christchurch so my lunch plans were postponed to the evening and changed to a few drinks and a tour of the city. In the meantime us chics headed to the tattoo parlour and got busy with some serious inking. But that's another story....

Later, after my driving tour of down-town Christchurch, Richard drove up the Port Hills to show me the view of the city lights. Unfortunately it was bloody freezing and so not conducive to getting out of the car and checking out the view so we headed back down the hill to find a bar.

As we started off I told Richard the story about our road kill spotting that morning and he began to tell me how they were such a pest. So much so that kids learn to shoot by using possums as target practice....and yeah, they were major roadkill objects...and yet he himself, in his whole life in New Zealand, had never hit one. And just then....you know what's coming for sure this time, right?....THUMP!!

In hind sight it was absolutely hysterical how he freaked out! He was as horrified as I was!! But he said we had to go back and not leave it half dead and in pain. Whaaaaaat...?????? was my thought! So, we turn around and head back up the hill, driving really slowly and scanning the road ahead. Nothing. Richard reversed a bit and drove up again even slower as we concentrated on the sides of the roads. On my side it was just rock as the hill climbed upward and all of a sudden I spotted these two glowing lights in the brush. We stopped and in the headlights there was this possum, staring back at us. And I swear two things: 1. It was totally unharmed, as evidenced by the way it bounded up and through the brush and out of sight and; 2. It cut its eyes and flipped us the bird before leaving!!

We laughed all the way back to the hotel.

A few days later when we were stopped for petrol on the way from Wellington to Palmerston North I went into the station to buy a cup of tea. Next to the register was a whole counter-full of New Zealand's equivalent of the Beanie Baby. And here I found and bought my karmic redemption and apology to all possums of the world....meet Lil' Poss.....

He sat on the dashboard of our car for the rest of the trip.

We never saw another possum....dead or alive....and I will never again talk about roadkill while on a road trip. Never, ever again.

Saying so long to 2009....and heeeellllllooooooo 2010!!

I hope you enjoy these fireworks from the holiday celebrations here in Bermuda. This was also the finale of our island's 400th birthday celebrations, which have been going on all year.

Apologies in advance if you get a crick in your neck watching the video portion...I just could not figure out how to turn it around! And apologies also if you feel a tad seasick watching it....I was on a boat afterall, not the most stable place to film a video! Woops.

NB: Some of the still photo credits go to blackandcoke.com Most of mine were pretty rubbish.

The music is 'Time To Say Goodbye' by Sarah Brightman and Andrea Bocelli...a beautiful and fitting song for the end of one decade and the beginning of a brand spanking new one. It's generally believed that this is a sad song, only about saying goodbye. It is actually about love....letting go of loneliness, and heading off on a great adventure with someone you love. Oh yes it is!

One evening in Queenstown we went in search of the New Zealand substitute for Red Bull, since Jill can only function at about half capacity without it.
This is what we found........

Uh.....okey-dokey then.
Now, we did of course realise that this was not *actual* cocaine...doh!...we just thought it was strange that a company would think this was a good marketing strategy!
And then we read the label on the back.......


Do they really need to explain that??? "Idiot" is being kind I'd say!

In any case we bought it as Jill was in dire need of a pick-me-up....and it is FOUL! It tastes like utter piss!
So, my recommendation? Don't try it...no matter what you think it contains!

I want to fly like an eagle....

Here's a clip from a fabulous BBC show, 'Animal Camera', showing the bird's-eye-view of a Golden Eagle soaring over the stunning mountains of Argyle in west Scotland. Can't wait to get over there and watch some of these programmes in their entirety...or hopefully, maybe they'll sart airing them on BBC America!
Watching the bit where the Gosshawk is flying through the forest brought back memories of the simulated 'shuttle' ride at the Star Trek Experience in Las Vegas many years ago. Lucky it's a very short clip...and I haven't eaten lunch yet!
In any case, this is a must watch....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lswBDZuL-8w

To puppy or not to puppy????....

...OK, so that's not the question really.....WHAT puppy is the question.

I've been asking and begging, begging and asking, but have realised that I won't be getting a Macy II or a Sierra............so I've resumed my search on this side of the world.........

This is what I have always wanted....

...but they need more than I can provide. Weimaraners need space. I have none. I could give all the love, attention and exercise but they need so much more. Boo for me :-(

So....my second choice, a Westie (West Highland Terrier). Aaaaaawwwww! Such an amazing dog. Period. And perfect for me. They need a good amount of regular exercise....great. But they don't need wide open spaces like the Weimies do. There's plenty puppies available. Do I bite the bullet?????????And then there's this little guy...this photo was sent to me with a 'happy new year' message from my friend, who knows I'm thinking about puppying-up. Does this mean I should be going for a dachshund? Or is this a MinPin???? Who cares....the cuteness sells!

Oh dear. Decisions, decisions, decisions.........

Doesn't the cuteness about kill ya?!