Labour Day

It is Labour Day here, not that it means much to me as I am not working........and some days I have no idea what day it is. That only becomes complicated on those rare ocassions I have an appointment or I am meeting someone! Anyway I went down to the beach and watched people boogie boarding. There are lots of beaches here but I decided to go down to one that had me wander through the marina - nice.......never let it be said there aren't some very wealthy people in this town. The thing that amazes me at the beach is that the water is freezing and I mean Wellington harbour freezing and the majority of people still aren't wearing wetsuits! No way I am putting my little toshie in that pond - these people are craaaaaaazy. I am not sure but it also looks to me like there is quite a steep drop off once you enter the water so people don't go out that far either. Today's beach had lots of boogie boarders though and I have to say that the boogie boarding crowd were getting their monies worth .......... there were some big dumpers that would be the envy of the Island Bay crowd!!
My flatmate (actually they are called "roomates" here - everyone looks a little blank if I say "flatmate") and her boyfriend call Santa Cruz Santa Crazy - so true! The picture on the right leads to the boardwalk (pictured above) and the sign says "Danger - Live Track, No Trespassing". Note the dude on the track - well what you can't tell is he is the first among a family group wandering across the tracks. Underneath the bridge I am standing on is a hippie/druggie hangout. Mostly harmless - except when they are not. While I frequently walk the railway line between locations (no not this bridge.......but everyone does it - the hippies call it "Walking the Trail" - okay well several hippies saying "hi" to me said I was walking the trail) I avoid the drug hangouts, now that I know where they are.......for obvious reasons.
I took the pictures I've posted here a while back and thought it was time I actually put them up for people to see. There were many more people at the beach today and I was actually on the otherside of the lighthouse you can see in the top left photograph.
The things you can't tell are that at the end of the wharf on the Boardwalk and along the beaches there are "pods, gaggles, schools" or whatever you call groups of seals really close into shore - lovely to watch. Lots of seabirds too (squawking and pooing) and lots of people squealing with delight as they ride the rollar coasters et al - I sometimes go down to the Boardwalk just for the hell of hearing the delight and watching adults and children get beside themselves about being hurtled through time on various rides. It's kinda tacky but fun - I resist the typical fairground food.........and refuse to be too judgemental about those that don't. They are having a good time and I am not the one that has to put their kids to bed full of perservatives and coming off sugar highs.
I've also included a little shot of the entranceway to my humble digs and the cottage itself. There is so much you can't tell about the "collection" of boxes and jumble that stretches way back past the cottage itself. And of course what you see is where you get to once you have wound your way past the villa in front and the driveway - allso full of "hidden treasures". It provides a never ending source of entertainment as different things appear out of the boxes at regular intervals.
To the left is a shot of "Goldfish", who looks a little snotty in this shot but she is a lovely chatty little thing who is.......spoilt. Hates doors being closed, let's you know if you have inadvertantly let your bedroom door closed! Loves to come and sit on top of you in the night.....even if you are lying on your side. We have regular cuddles and she freqently falls asleep curled around my arm - 'tis very sweet.