bleary eyed

I feel like i haven't woken up in weeks.  I don't sleep regularly these days... it feels like its always a full moon.

My life is a bit different.  I haven't been up to too much.  Trying to keep busy and active.  Work as much as possible and exhaust myself so that when I lay my head on a pillow at night I can actually fall asleep.  Either that or consume obnoxious amounts of red wine, neither remedy has been working.

I went on a wonderful walk with friends (Toby, Oliver and Debs), we walked 60 km in two days (37 miles).  That was probably the last time I slept properly.  I wish I was unemployed again so I could do more things like this:

Dear Blog (and family and friends who read the “BLOG”),

My apologies for not writing in so long- all I could think about posting for the last few weeks was me whining about things and including a photo of the Morton Salt girl, you know the one…”when it rains it pours”. I decided to omit these rants and save us all those precious minutes of all our lives.

But I am back now, with a new motto in mind, “There would be no rainbows without rain”. There have been some minor hiccups and confusions in the last few weeks of my life… not that they are gone now, but at least a big question has been sorted out for me. Where will I be for the next 6 months? New Zealand

My second visa expired February 13, 2010… I was tentatively planning on heading home or to Australia around this time, but I just really like it here, really like living in the same country as John and really like Wanaka… so I applied for another visa and finally (yesterday) it got approved. Between February 13 and March 8 I was illegal and couldn’t work in NZ. Subsequently I had A LOT of spare time on my hands and not a lot of cash.

I tried to use this free time wisely- “educate” myself by reading a very complex and scientific book about Earth’s climate history, indulging in my creative side by making birthday cards for all the beloved Pisces in my life, trying to get in shape while at the same time indulging in bars of chocolate and consuming bottles of red wine I conveniently received while unemployed and broke as “payment” for working at a music festival a few weeks ago. I made a new friend, Tobias, (he was my boss, but then when I was unemployed and he could no longer boss me around that we became friends) and together we started a GREAT club, BG.C. (Backgammon Club). There is no membership fee, you just have to enjoy playing LOTS of backgammon and be comfortable with the concept of drinking nice red wine starting at lunchtime.

Its still summer here and I am already looking forward to living in a proper ski resort for a winter season. When I was in high school I am pretty sure that if I was asked what is it I want to be doing with my life when I am 25 the answer would’ve been “Ski bum!” … so I must be on the right on track!

Here are a some photos showing off my favorite things about New Zealand…

… love colleen.