winniesomeness

[winniesomeness]

20 May 2019

I turn 21 in 18 days. I feel like there's a lot more I wanted to accomplish by this time in my life but I’m also trying to remember that I’m still only gonna be 21. But there are some things I just seem to hate more about this particular number, and no don’t ask me if I am going to have a party-I’m not.

21 doesn’t hold any significance to me, it doesn’t mean I can do anything special, and if there is something it’s probably not going to interest me anyway.

I don’t feel ready to say I’m 21, although there's nothing special to me about it and it’s just another birthday, I can’t help but feel like it is the end of an era and all the years that I’m not ready to say goodbye to (even though I don’t remember any details of the past 7652 days of my life).

I just want more from my life and I feel like people expect more from me. 

I want to forever stay in my mums arms but at the same time I’m wanting to take my first steps away while not leaving her at all. 

Is it at all possible, and even maybe a bit crazy, to feel the youngest you’ve ever been but also the oldest at the same time. Like I don’t think I’m ready but I guess it’s time to dive head first into life...

[winniesomeness]

23 March 2018

Right now it’s 10.10pm, I can’t sleep, watching a movie that gives you such strong emotions can do this. In this movie she had a list of thing she wanted to do in her life, I’m not about to create a bucket list at this moment. I don’t really have anything I want to happen, I’m not going to force anything to, I just want moments when they’re ready. But this movie got me thinking about the little things I love, it reminded me of a list I made a few years ago, another night that I couldn’t sleep, and well I want to write them down somewhere else in case I lose them forever.

The little things in life I love:

The flicking sound of old light switches

The pitter patter of rain on the roof

Watching candle flames

The feeling of rose petals

The smell of rain on hot tarmac

The muffled sound of being underwater

The smell of wood shavings and clean laundry

Looking up to the sky as it rains

Watching baby rimu trees grow

Hugs I never want to end

The magic and quietness of snowfall

The feeling of having goosebumps

The smoothness of wood after its been sanded

The nature of Fantails

And as much as I hate these nights that I can’t sleep, I also love them. They put life into perspective even if it is only until I fall asleep. I am grateful to have these moments where I can simply reflect and think about the things I have and the things that someday, are going to happen.

[winniesomeness]

08-10 March 2019

We went home for Wildfoods, which I hadn’t been to for ages. It was actually really good, sad though that mum didn’t win the feral fashion competition. We went out for a swim after the festival and the water was so nice man it was great to have a weekend away from uni.

[winniesomeness]

14 February 2019

Went horse riding at India’s awesome property definitely the kind of place I aspire to own one day. Patrick was also a sweetheart.

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07 January 2019

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26 - 29 December 2018

It was camping season and weather was absolutely gorgeous plus it gave me a good chance to try out my new GoPro.

The first day we just focussed on getting set up and we were all still recovering from Christmas day. The second day though we got the boat out onto the lake and I went to go and have a ski but the battery was flat so it wouldn’t start. The exact same thing happened to Duck just a few hours earlier. We put the battery on boost charge and got it going again, took Rocco for a biscuit and me for a ski before we got stranded once again at Canoe Cove. Mum ran/walked back to camp and we got towed back to Sunny Bight by Duck. We decided at this point that we needed a new battery so into Kaniere we went for the second time that day. After this crazily random day, we were content to just sit around the campfire talking the night away.

The third and final day started off with an absolutely gorgeous morning. The lake was so flat and it was really warm. We decided to go over to Sunny Bight and set up for the day where we just lazed in the sun and swims. Beau speared a perch while we were all swimming and then went for a biscuit only to find this fish (which was left it the creek to keep cool) had been mauled by wekas and was past being able to fillet. Rocco had a try at skiing and went maybe 20m on his first go and not quite as far on his second and he was too cold for another try after that. 

By the time we got back to camp we were all ready for some downtime and found ourselves once again around the campfire. The kids went down to the jetty to go eeling and Beau came back with a massive one on the end of his spear, which he proceeded to put in the fire. It moved around like it was possessed with all the nerves still allowing it to move around and we all watched it slowly burn, except for Sophie, she was freaked out. 

That was one of the best camping trips that I can remember and I look forward to doing it again when the weathers nice. Now I sit here nursing a flu/cold/hayfever and an extremely tired body.

[winniesomeness]

25 December 2018

First ever Christmas out at the lake for any of the Dowell’s. We had pancakes for brunch with berries and maple syrup and then did exchanged presents before getting the boat out. I had a ski and then tried a wakeboard, getting up on either my second or third go which was so awesome. I face planted though and came right out of the bindings. Mum and I went to go and find a camp spot and started to pitch the tent although we didn’t have all the tent poles. We had Christmas dinner outside around the outdoor table and then I went for another swim and for a walk while the others put away the boat and had a water fight. Loved this new tradition let keep it going for years to come!!

[winniesomeness]

02 December 2018

The first swim of the season done and dusted, it was such a nice relief from the 33 degrees on the back deck. 

[winniesomeness]

21 - 23 November 2018

So we finally made it down to Bruce Bay, all three of us. It was just great we just took the time to hang out and have a break from everything. We went to Hunts beach for a picnic which was really nice and it was so hot and the water wasn’t actually that cold.

[winniesomeness]

10 - 13 November 2018

Got to Tauranga after a really long bus ride, Vicki took me up the mount and honestly now I don’t remember the walk up there but god I remember the view.

We went out for dinner and to the hot pools after this which was a really relaxing end to the day. Got woke up the next morning by Jackson at the crack of dawn and god that was a long day. We took them to the skate park that morning and then down to Pilot Bay in the afternoon to take out the kayak and paddleboard. They loved riding in the kayak with me, Jackson tried to help me with his hands even though he was paddling in the wrong direction. Paddleboarding was awesome, it was so fun, my legs were a bit shaky but it was fine after a while. I had a big sleep in the next morning, and now, of course, I don’t remember what we did on Monday, oh actually we went into Tauranga and hung out at the park there and then went to Maccas for lunch. 

On Tuesday we got the boys to kindy and went shopping at the op shop. Vicki spent $130 there buying a whole new wardrobe and some toys and kitchen stuff. I bought a mamma mia inspired hat, a fancy dress and a denim dress. We also went to fashion island and I bought some new bras.

It was such a fun well-needed trip and I can’t wait to go back and try my hand at paddle boarding again.

[winniesomeness]

03 November 2018

Wow so the 70% soils exam is over and done, thank god. She was a very intensive, long exam and I am extremely happy to have that over with. And even better, came back to the Canucks in overtime after 6-6 regulation and an awesome overtime win, wish I could’ve watched that, it looked incredible. 

I was feeling pretty dead tired by dinner time, reckon I just about fell asleep with my head in my bowl. Exe, Emma and I were telecommunicating and we were all thinking the same thing so I looked up at Emma and made a horrid face. This lead to me laughing until my abs hurt which then turned to crying cause lets face it, it’s been a helluva long day. Later we were discussing ways to wake Natalie up and I suggested that we could get an intercom like nana has. I then proceeded to tell them that grandad called nana up to tell her he’d cut his fingers off. At this point, Exe sitting across from me with a mouth full of food, kind of laughed and sprayed me with yoghurt at high velocity. We just couldn’t stop laughing for the longest time, saying that I was blessed into his church.

The halfway mark on my degree is getting extremely close, can’t wait to celebrate with a trip up to the North Island wooooo

[winniesomeness]

29 October 2018

Wow, can I just mention the fact that in just over a weeks time (I’m talking like one week and 15 hrs) my exams will be done and I will be halfway through this damn degree that has very much become a love-hate relationship.

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03 October 2018

So getting 40.9% in the environmental paper was a bit of a tough pill to swallow but at the same time I was filled with relief, cause hey, I passed it. I feel like it also kind made me feel how much I hate those grades and how much better I need to work so wooooo let’s go.

[winniesomeness]

22 September 2018

Mitch James last night was friggin awesome, his voice is so incredible live. He was just an all round great entertainer with some really crazy stories to tell. I am so happy we decided to go. And Sàweet and Co beforehand, although regretted was pretty damn good.

[winniesomeness]

03 September 2018

Had a nice spring clean today and boy was it needed, also got a topper for my mattress so let’s hope that there are fewer sore backs!! On a side note nana now calls me Slim Jim and this that I will be able to fit into her dress she wore for her 21st, I guess I will have to give it a go.

There was something else I wanted to write but I cannot for the life of me remember what that was so I guess I will just sit here trying to think of it and then remember as soon as I turn my light of tonight.

[winniesomeness]

01 September 2018

Rung in spring with a trip to Larnarch Castle and a party along with 37,450 other people at the P!nk concert.

Larnarch Castle was so cool, mum and I even got in as children all thanks to the tinted car windows and a woman at the gate that didn’t actually look to see who was in the back! Someday I will be able to restore a place like that, would love to someday turn the old Hokitika Government House into a Boutique Hotel, wishful thinking right? If only that lotto ticket had won us something.

The P!nk concert was pretty friggin cool (as in temperature and awesomeness). She was an absolute performer, wish we could’ve been able to see the stage so we could see a bit more of what was going on but it was good to just be in the atmosphere and dancing my arse off till everything south of the knees was numb. The opening of What About Us had me on the verge of tears it was so heartwarming. And when little Willow ran on stage when she was introducing her dancers I once again wanted to burst out crying. 

The husky voice was well worth it, but I have a feeling it’s gonna be hard to beat the Niall Horan concert. 

[winniesomeness]

28 August 2018

Another road trip to another destination. Punakaiki was an absolute dream, had the best weather to go up there, slightly hazy but clear enough to see for miles at the same time. 

After the pancake rocks we needed somewhere to eat our lunch, naturally, a quick google followed and the Truman Track was found. I honestly thought this was a days-long trip but nope it was 15 mins easy bush walk out the most gorgeous beach I think I have ever seen.

Emma kept saying that it was real ‘Moana’ vibes and I think she was definitely right. It’s a place that's been added to the list to bring the rest of our little family. Except we remember to bring water shoes, although the exfoliating beach was great at first it did end up feeling like we’d been grated. I also have a few sandflies bites to show but it was so worth it.

And as always I am so not ready to go back to Christchurch but I guess there are some things you just have to do. Let’s attack term four head on!!!