this and that

The last few weeks have felt a bit strange. I have been working part-time, which translates to whenever I want, and the rest of the time I've been reading in bed, visiting the library, doing the washing, enjoying some sun. One day I even emptied the entire pantry, threw out anything past its use-by date, cleaned the shelves, and put everything back in a new (and much more logical) arrangement.

Diploma of Publishing starts next week. I am nervous, but more excited. I think the practical and creative nature of the work will really appeal. Interestingly, the polytechnic is much more laissez faire about things such as enrolments. I've had a verbal confirmation of my enrolment (after calling three times, and leaving messages with various people), but still no paperwork. I'll turn up at 9am on Monday, though, and hopefully I will be allowed into the classroom.

We flew to Auckland for Waitangi weekend. The new house is very nice, just the right size for three people and a large dog. Mum has unpacked her vases and the-wedding-china that she wants to keep, thankfully there are lots of places to display it all. She is very creative, and my favourite design element has to be the teacups in the cubby-holes intended to store wine. All the wedding-china is now out of storage, so I chose what I wanted to keep; Mum is going to sell the excess to a friend-of-a-friend who is opening a tea shop in Devonport. In the end I managed to get my choices downsized to two small boxes. I tried to tell myself they were only plates and cups, and I didn't need everything... then I reasoned that they were from our wedding, and these are things that are special to me, and something I will want to pass on to children, grandchildren. So they remain in bubblewrap in boxes until next time we drive to Auckland. No way am I going to trust Wellington weather to bring us (and the precious china) smoothly back down to land!

A few more photos from our trip:




The view from the Getty Center, looking back towards the south-east (Downtown L.A.). And part of just one of the magnificent gardens.




Mum and I, in front of said view. And the wheelchair I had for our time at the GC. (Note: if ever I end up in a wheelchair permanently, I will send J to wheelchair-driving classes. Ended up in quite a few corners unexpectedly, especially in lifts. Thus, Mum took most of the responsibility for the steering.)

Great place, lots of things to look at. The carpark is at the bottom of the hill, and you have to take a tram up to the actual museum - good views en route. The land is so dry, I guess it's all desert underneath. There is a lot to see - we had four hours there, but I still didn't get to see the German Modernist exhibition that I was looking forward to, having studied it intensively in two different Art History courses. Saw some manuscripts and choral sheet music from approximately 600AD, which was quite amazing.

We lost Jeremy at one point. So I was parked in (another) corner, to sit patiently, while Mum ran around the 12th-century religious icon exhibit, trying to find him. And for the record, and for anyone who is planning to go to L.A., GC had the best food of any tourist attraction we visited.




Sometimes it all got a bit much....