Loving Learning Stuff – blogs

In May 2019 I disappeared from public view, except for occasionally forwarding on friends tweets and facebook posts. It was not my intention to disappear totally. After all, I am still alive and kicking.

Sick? Ill? The dreaded C word?

No, fortunately I have not been in the middle of those challenges, although for four months I have been aware of many who are facing such battles. To those of you reading this, who are suffering or caring for someone, I send my encouragement to keep on fighting. My prayers are with you.

Where have you been since early May, you might be wondering?

Following my dreams.

What? At your age? You must be close to seventy? Have you lost your marbles?

My hubby and I have always lived our lives believing if you are able to dream of a different lifestyle, and it is possible to follow the inclination to make the change, do it!

It’s that wanderlust spirit I write about in my novels – that excitement to begin something again, move somewhere new, and like when we were younger, test our capabilities, and stamina.

Across the Tasman sea from Australia back to homeland New Zealand we traveled. Everything we possess packed and shipped, like young Dan setting off with a rucksack and Charlotte sailing with her family across the other side of the world. And for whatZ?

To experience what life may be offering. Not the universe; I’m not into that theory, but wondering what we might do with what faces us.

It meant setting up another home, living on a tight budget while waiting for finances to be available from the sale of our previous home.

Walking the beaches of the world has seemed like utopia, we’ve done a bit of that over the years, but now at this respectable older age the dream is to live near the sea and walk the beaches of this beautiful Point somewhere out of the way in New Zealand.

What about leaving friends and family? Surely that is a wrench?

We asked ourselves what leaving these precious people really meant, and realised close proximity is all we have lost. It’s not that we ever lived close enough to visit every week. Months passed by before we shared meals and hugs, while phone calls, messages and photos kept up communication.

It must be hard making new friends in this new locality?

No, not at all. We have our Annie, our little Maltese Terrier Shih Tzu pup. Beach walks are her favourite pass time. On the beaches while she runs like a race horse, showing off while encircling us, we chat with other beach walkers.

There are so many clubs we have been encouraged to join… genealogy, writing group, garden club, miniature yacht races on the near by lake, Coastguard, Mariners’ Ministry, Motorhome club (every second house where we live has a motorhome or caravan), craft groups, and volunteering for the local ambulance service. What about voluntary Fisheries work?

Four months down the track, with Spring only two weeks away, the newly planted vegetable garden is growing and providing lettuce leaves, radishes and herbs, we are ready to begin.

For Hubby – his replica sailing ships are underway, The Endeavour has been started in his new workshop. Fisheries work is in the process.

For myself – I have a book to complete before Christmas, and there are some excited new friends who are eager to discover how to begin their own writing projects – the writing club might be the best way to help other like minded wanna be writers.

The Mariner’s Ministry has me curious – I might look into this and see how this group of locals support mariners from the ships. Makes me think about Dan from my first novel when he sailed the seas for five years.

I sense loneliness, depression, lack of provision for many needs when ships are tethered for weeks at a port away from large shops and facilities. How do they communicate with their own families when Internet cafes are not close by?

This group have a premises where mariners can lounge and relax. Some fish from the very beaches we walk. I’m curious to see if there is a need Hubby and I can fill – even if it is just friendship. Or a home cooked meal, perhaps. Time will tell.

As you can see, I am resurfacing – writing again, and reaching out. Friendships and companions are everywhere. This move hasn’t been a backward step. It has instead, invigorated us both.

I’ll keep you posted