Less talky, more...smashy

#7 Visit all Auckland Regional parks

I went to the opening of the latest ARC park yesterday - Atiu Creek. We are so fortunate to have it AND it was gifted. The ARC team have worked hard to develop it into a park as the previous owners handed it over only three years ago. That might sound like a long time but I imagine there is a lot of work that goes into organising the walks, creating paths, laying roads, changing the land from a farm into a park etc. We were lucky yesterday in that we could drive much further into the park than would normally be allowed. That meant the starting points for the walks were different to the sheet of paper. Unfortunately I was on the other side of the park having lunch during the opening ceremony...I'd been walking for about an hour and I was hungry! It was great to just laze about on the grass and read my book. The park is huge! I'm really really looking forward to going back and having another look.

Pic - Entrance to the park, 69.5km from the Orewa BP.

#60 Take part in an event for charity

Did this today. A lovely walk along the beach along with a number of other people - 100+ I'd say. A few dogs and a few pushchairs. Kudos to those mums, I found it hard enough to get myself going! (Well, not really.) It was hot work but I think I was clippin' along at a good pace.

Pix - at the start; along the beach; "Did you really walk 4km?"

there is nothing to bicker about

#60 Take part in an event for charity
I think my participation in this is dead in the water. After finding a team and training seriously for it, two team members pulled out or rather, defected to another team. Then the other person (LoM who has been frustratingly silent about the whole thing) pulled out too. I foolishly said that I'd refund their money which means I'm stuck with the $500 registration fee unless OXFAM take pity on me and refund it. It's so close now though that I'm not sure they will.

The closeness to the event is the main reason I think it won't be a goer. I haven't managed to find either 3 people to join me or a team to join so although I was staying positive about it 3 days ago now I'm all "Fuck it. I'll watch TV instead."

so there is something good to come out of the whole ugly debacle.

in the name of all that is sweet and buttery

7. Visit all Auckland Regional parks
Waitakere Ranges. The Oxfam team did the Montana Heritage trail on Saturday. Major hills up and some quite dodgy footing. Very interesting bush to look at, lots of mature kauri. We whipped through it so fast I didn't even have time to take any pictures.

Awhitu on Sunday. An older, more established park than some we've been to, it has lovely paths between the manuka and other plants. Lots of wetland planting which has even spilled over to the rest of the peninsula. A very hot day which made the dry dry dry paddocks look even drier. Very safe beach for swimming as it stays a fairly regular depth quite a way out. Advice - swim when the tide is in.

The ARCpark count is getting quite good. There are a few parks in development which I'm not sure that we can get to. Another one is a stadium and the only way to visit is to go to something that's on. That leaves about 6 to go. They are mostly south of Auckland and will mean a bit more travelling time for me. (Although hopefully not as much as when we visited Tapapakanga. Too much talking. Not enough navigating.)

#97 'Run' from home to my home town
With all the training for #60 Take part in an event for charity (Yay! we have a team! Sponsor us!) the numbers are steadily ticking up.

...more impressive if he didn't have snow on his nose...

Back with a *jingle* and a *pop!*

#11 Buy a house
OMG all the paperwork is signed. House rolls over on Jan 7. First mortgage payment Feb 8.

#20 Learn 10 poems by heart
Almost got the Highwayman down pat. Still have a bit of trouble with the bits that don't rhyme (must be the accent) and gabbling. Trying to slooooowww doooowwn.

#23 Spend a weekend with the sisters
Ahh. Christmas. Brilliant.

#34 Attend a music at the zoo concert
There's a choice of 6 musicians/bands. I even have some mates to go with! (Not many, it's true, and technically they are family so I guess they don't really count...) Haven't confirmed either so must get onto that.

#35 Cook through the Edmonds cookbook
Another three last night - a cheesey chicken thing, kumara salad and tomato salad. Kumara was nice. Made and eaten as part of #40 Share a meal with friends or family every two months

#52 Put an amount of $$ in the pig for celebratory spend up at the end of this
Continuing erratically. Need to take the change out and get it into notes.

#60 Take part in an event for charity
Doing this if we can sort out a team. Yes. I know I'm mad.