Steamin Along

 As one day becomes a memory another is born There’s nothing quite like seeing the mourning sky!  It’s amazing how a good nights sleep can help your perspective! I’m still grieving & know I will be for some time, & that’s ok. I looked for the little bed this morning, waiting to hear the groan that I thought meant ’I need to go out’, but of course it didn’t happen. I’ve realised today, just now in fact, that it would have only been a day or two before she passed anyway. No fluids or solids in, would have hastened that process, so I’m glad I helped it be quicker & easier for her 🐾  As I go through the days, I experience ‘moments’, like I did yesterday when I thought, “oh, I need to park beside grass, so pookums can go out easily”, and that’s ok. Crying is a sign of extreme sadness, & a healthy way to deal with it. It’s funny you know, because I had a feeling it was her last Christmas. I just didn’t recognise all the signs that told me that her departure was...

Today I had to make the incredibly difficult decision to help pookums cross the bridge in the clouds. She had multiple issues and was very weak & in pain, the vet said.  Her pancreatitis had flared up again after who knows what she ate while loose from her harness. I was very careful to keep her on a lead, but that crazy dog was at the stage where she’d eat Anything! A lot of people were very kind, & although that made me cry, I’m happy to know they care. It helps me not feel quite so alone in the world. Not that I really am, I do have family. People have lives & I don’t see them or hear from them as often as I’d like. But to grieve or not to grieve, that is the question. I believe that other cultures do that better than mine. It’s healthy to get the pain & sorrow on the outside of us. Tears are Nothing to be ashamed of. Snot however, well that may be, if you leave it there 😂   The loss of one you love, or even have loved, is very real & very big at the ti...

 I’ve had to think about the reason I bought a home on wheels recently, when someone asked. It’s so easy to forget the original plan when we’re so busy out there doing it.  My goal posts shifted a little, when I realised I had the time to help others, so I added it to the list. Right now I have the time, & that is gold. Originally I had planned to be out of a renting situation, & going to all of the steampunk events around New Zealand, as I can fit them in. Most towns & cities seem to have a group, & it provides the food my creative soul needs, & connectedness to the other creatives. I also want to really see my country, inside out. Follow the roads I want to go down & visit all of the little off the beaten track towns. I’ve had to modify that plan a little, with the no turning zones, rough roads & trees in the country. Even in the towns & cities, the trees are a real pain, hanging over into the street. My truck is 3 meters from the ground ...

 It’s that time of year again, & as I sit drinking my early morning coffee, I’m pondering the complexities of the season. It’s Summer in New Zealand, time for holidays, swimming, salads, ham, bbqs & summer fun. Picnics, walks, friends & family Being on the road full time, Christmas with all its hype fades into the background. Suddenly there’s only people that are important. Gifts & feasts are secondary.  I particularly feel the lack of people at this time, as everyone rushes around madly trying to finish off the working season, buying presents & generally preparing for what’s to come.  Living the way I do is just about being with people really. Connection. I value the people in my life very much. You’re very special to me 🤗 🎁 People are the gift 😘 It’s about relationships, both vertical & horizontal.  I was going to take a sunrise pic to go with this post, as it was particularly beautiful, but it’s in suburbia, where the views aren’t pretty...

I’m still getting my systems sorted, three months down the track of living on the road full time. I love it when I meet people who have different knowledge & skills to me, who can show me how to do it better.  A set of pegs for my mud mat, as I call it. My new outside mat was inexpensive, but has good tread to keep the grass & general stuff from outside, from coming inside, on my fitted carpet, for which I have no vacuum cleaner I might add. The bottom of the mat is smooth, so when it’s muddy, as it sometimes is when I’m parked on a grass area, I can peg the mat down to keep it in place. That’ll also keep me from slipping, which is important when I need to be able to drive around.  Staying mobile is critical to what I do, as I can’t stay anywhere very long. There are limits on most parking areas, usually overnight or a couple of days. And let’s not forget there’s a ladder to climb into & out of bed😉 The second pic of the bike light, is to put on the right rear cor...

 Sometimes when I go off to look at something, I get lost trying to get back 🤦‍♀️ I have the Worst send off direction of anyone I know I think 🤔 I’m so thankful for Google maps😅 So I end up on unintentional adventures🤩 And discover cool stuff🤩 Today I found out what Turangi is like, being the scenes...& I felt sad. So many broken down shacks that people are still living in. Couldn’t take pics I’m afraid, as I was driving 😉 I know there’s a whole other side to the town, but was sad to find some living in abject poverty. At least they have shelter I suppose. Went to the main NZMCA park at the South end of Taupo, to rest & regroup before seeing the fam tomorrow. Also delaying my arrival to coincide with a family Boxing Day up north. And found one of my faves, growing wild. Purple King potatoes 🤩 I can eat these without upsetting my delicate constitution🥰 I’m finding that driving for two or so hours is enough to get to a place, leaving me with enough energy to set up ...

 I always take a me time break after I’ve been peopling 😉 And believe it or not, I’ve Never been through our army museum, so it’s high time I checked that off my bucket list, don’t you think? As a third generation Kiwi aka New Zealander I think it’s probably mandatory 😂  The Stormy Point View Zoom in View of the mountain from Stormy Point View The old Mangaweka Hall. EV charging stations & a cute little cafe here now, in place of the old plane cafe, that’s now gone. Very progressive I must say. Gorgeous Presbyterian Church at Rewa. Where’s a water blaster & mower when you need one! An old barn beside the church at Rewa  Being the museum at Waiouru. It wasn’t me, honest My view for the night includes patrolling security guards🥰 My kind of art, a painting by a medical soldier Want Oh go on then, turn on the charm Mt Ruapehu Looking a bit bare there Mt Ngaruahoe I never thought about where we get our army color scheme from, until today. The next day I shouted myse...

 Today was a mixed trip involving stopping at a few places advertised on the NZMCA app. It shows all the free parking places, as well as the paid parks at $3 a night. I’m  still keeping it as inexpensive as I can, so I can get the solar setup sorted at the end of January.  Apparently the battery will only get charge to match the smallest panel wattage, in my case 80-100watts. That won’t fully charge a lithium battery & certainly won’t be enough to get me through the winter months, when there’s no sun. I tested the theory yesterday on the hottest day so far, by putting my 200watt panel out for a few hours, & found it to be  true. It pays to pay the experts to do a job properly I found out the hard way. If I don’t address this issue, my new, very expensive battery, will have a shorter life 😱   So apart from today, when I splashed out on the best carrot cake I’ve Ever eaten, & a pizza that’ll feed me for three meals, I’m keeping the minor costs lo...