SEEING A BLOGGER FRIEND TODAY!

 WHOOP WHOOP!  Today a blogger friend (Christy) is going to pop on by and pick me up!

We are going to Bondi Beach for a walk along the coast!  I can hardly wait.

Someone to talk to!  Spend some time with!  I've 'known' Christy for years and years through blogging, it will be amazing to actually meet her.

I don't think I mentioned this, but last Monday Stew and Bex 'did' the Cambridge Market.

Bex sold a lot of her crocheted toys, but sadly, Stew did not sell much of my stuff at all.

It was a total waste of a day really.

Not sure why... seems people were 'just looking'.

Sadly a sign of the times I think.

ANYWAY, because I thought I'd be over here in Australia much longer than I was, I canceled my participation in a local market (Rototuna High Market).  

Now that I'm going to be home in time for it, I've reapplied to attend.  And the lovely girl running the market has added me back on the stall holder list.

So, I will be home for two weeks, then have a market to attend.

I really hope it goes better than the Cambridge one!  As it's closer to Christmas, and I've not sold my wares in a Hamilton market before, it might go well?

Only time will tell I suppose.  But I'm excited at the prospect of doing a market again.

ABOVE: two of the dresses I bought yesterday.  I love that they both have pockets.  And the one on the left was only like $40! 

ABOVE:  No idea why, but late yesterday I decided to put some makeup on.  I can't remember the last time I put some on?

WEEKS ago for sure.  Stupid thing was, I was going NOWHERE, just to bed in a couple of hours.  But I'll tell ya this, I felt so happy with my face on!

ONWARD...

Down in the lobby of this motel they have a baggage weight scale. So this morning I decided to see what my bags weigh now that I've thrown out a bit of stuff.

My BIG suitcase has gone from 29.8 kilos to 21.3!

My MEDIUM/BIG suitcase has gone from 24.6 kilos to 18.7 kilos.

And my 'carry on' suitcase has gone from 12.3 kilos to 8.4 kilos.

That's a grand LOSS of 18.3 kilos!!!

AND... I can actually now ADD 6 kilos to the bigger suitcase and still be BANG ON WEIGHT.

NO EXCESS charges for me on the return trip.

Friggin awesome.

CHRISTY guess what?   I can go SHOPPING !!!

The weather is looking a bit 'iffy' for walking along the coast in my humble opinion!  

Well.. the weather was a bit gloomy to begin with this morning, but by midday it was lovely.

Christy picked me up bang on time and off we went to walk along the coast from Bondi Beach.

Although Christy and I had never met in person before, after being 'blog friends' for nigh on 14 years; we got on just fine!

Now photos:

ABOVE:  A deserted Bondi Beach!  There were just a handful of hardy surfers out there today.

ABOVE: There was a small bulldozer moving fresh sand around.  I wonder if it's brought in from elsewhere?

ABOVE:  Someone got creative with some rocks.

ABOVE:  Hmmm... my sorta eatery I think. lol

ABOVE:  New Zealand... off my left shoulder and 2,161 kms away ... see ya tomorrow!

ABOVE:  TWO views of the same rock!  I have decided the 'profile' view looks like a crocodile's skull.  Creepy!

ABOVE:  On the way back from our walk... the weather was clearing, making the water look amazing.

ABOVE:  Christy it was a pleasure meeting you in person!  Next time I'm over I will certainly be catching up with you again.

THANK YOU  so much for taking time to take me out and about.  

Once back at the motel this afternoon... I felt the nerves start to kick in.

I really hate travelling, and flying... particularly the LANDINGS.

So... my stomach is churning already!

And I'm feeling rather tearful too.

Not so much with grief right now, more with anticipation of being 'home' in New Zealand.  

And starting my final countdown to being with Stew (and the kids) again.

I felt tearful before I even left home seven weeks ago ... because I knew I would miss the family so much.  It's exactly the same now!

I feel like such a wimp.

For dinner tonight I am gunna walk 500 meters down the road to the KFC, and get a burger and chips.  I've been SO GOOD with my meals these past 7 weeks... I don't think a burger and chips tonight is gunna ruin my good run.

And of course, I will be in quarantine for another two weeks tomorrow, so I won't be able to indulge in takeaways then will I. 😄😂😆

7.34 pm:  And it's my final night here in Australia.

Home tomorrow.  Off to bed in a couple of hours, hoping to get some decent sleep ... instead of waking at 4 am AGAIN.

Bring on TOMORROW!