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Walking 1,400 Days: Rainy Adventures and New Plantings
Rain. Rain. And More Rain. Alllll Day! My Raincoat Was Still Damp – ugh! #smilingontheinside – Saturday 28 June 2025 I hadn’t realised that my raincoat hadn’t fully dried out until I went to wear it again for my daily walk. Ugh! Obviously, hanging it up in the garage – over a bucket to catch…
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THE WETTEST WALK. EVER. SO FAR!
is more than “saturated” possible…? Steps – Day 3/3 @ 9×84 = 756 | 2,268 this week #smilingontheinside – Friday 27 June 2025 Man! It was wet! Sooo wet, that I contorted, twisted and wrangled myself into my raincoat and changed my shoes, inside the car! I planned to start off as dry as possible.…
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CLIENT SUCCESS – HUGE WIN!
Thursday Finished on a High! Defining “success” #smilingontheinside – Thursday 26 June 2025 In my day job, one of the things my team and I do, is help veterinary clinics fill their job vacancies faster. Alan and I have a veterinary profession job board – amidst a number of huge competitors, while we’re just the…
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JUST ONE STEP AT A TIME
Never say “never”…! Day 2/3 – 9 Repeats = 756 steps: 1,512/2,268 #smilingontheinside – Wednesday 25 June 2025 Twas Friday last week the thought started making its presence in my mind a little louder, a little bit more persistent, a little bit more obvious: I was enjoying climbing stairs!! What??? How’d that happen…? Will it…
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MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT WAKE-UP ALARM
My Rhythm Knocked Completely Out of Balance The things we do for love! #smilingontheinside – Tuesday 24 June 2025 As I write this, Alan’s on another Pacific Tour of Duty. Being an airline pilot all sounds very glamorous but it’s far from that. Our alarm went off at 03:00 because he was on the first…
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AUTUMNAL TREES NOW WINTER TREES
Red Tree No Longer Red First Climb of Three: (9×84)=756 #smilingontheinside – Monday 23 June 2025 I had the Ann Street Steps all to myself yesterday – 09:30 Monday mornings must be a good time – if I don’t want to share…? Or maybe the timing had nothing to do with other people being out…
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FOGGGGGGGG!!!
It’s times like these… The Value of a Resilience Bank #smilingontheinside – Saturday 21 June 2025 Apart from the fact that growing your (my) Resilience Bank is good for your (my) mental health in the moment, it’s also super helpful when you (I) need to make a withdrawal later. Sometimes, life can be challenging… Sometimes,…
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BUSIER THAN GRAND CENTRAL
Stepping on a Public Holiday Everyone and their dog were using “my” steps #smilingontheinside – Friday 20 June 2025 Given it was Matariki – public holiday – I kinda thought the walkway – leading to “my” steps – would be busy … I sure hadn’t anticipated that everyone and their dog would be doing what…
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NEXT-DAY BIRTHDAY
Food, Frost and Firsts Hamilton to Auckland – My First “Real” Drive #smilingontheinside – 18 June 2025 Today was a pretty full-on day. It’s Wednesday… which means “step repeats”… which requires 90 minutes of daylight… which meant I needed to keep my programme moving to keep myself on track. I knew there’d always be the…
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ANOTHER FULL SOLAR CYCLE
I was a “summer” baby Another 365 solar cycle completed #smilingontheinside – 17 June 2025 I find it interesting how solar “cycles” have us (me!) reflecting … questions like “what have I achieved in the last 365 days…?”, “where am I at today vs today-365…?”, “am I healthier…? fitter…?” When it comes to healthier and…
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BLUE SKY – AT LAST
First Beautiful Blue Dome Day In Over A Week! A “Mixed” Day #smilingontheinside – Monday 16 June 2025 Yesterday dawned bright, chilly and clear. The alarm went off at 05:30 – my deadline for “no fluids” was 06:00 and I wanted to make sure I had time for my morning coffee and to drink a…
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WHATTALOTTAGREEN
Jubilee Park Walkway in Winter Man! It was COLD! #smilingontheinside – Sunday 15 June 2025 Alan dropped me off outside Jubilee Park yesterday, and he continued into the Showgrounds to the Farmers’ Market. Going to the Farmers’ Market has been a regular Sunday morning event now for well over a year. It’s one of our…
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Made in New Zealand – for us – it’s about integrity
Supporting Local Businesses Made in New Zealand – for us – it’s about integrity #smilingontheinside – Saturday 14 June 2025 As small business owners, supporting New Zealand-made products isn’t just a choice – it’s a matter of integrity. After all, how could we ask our clients to buy local from us, while not doing the…
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A “RED RAIN DAY”
Red Focus rather than Rain Focus Week 5 Day 3/3 = (84×7)x(3)=1,764 steps this week #smilingontheinside – Friday 13 June 2025 This week it feels like it’s done nothing but rain! And then rain some more! And then keep raining! Yes – there have been some dry spells in that, but not enough to get…
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HE WAS ALWAYS SMILING
A Twelve Year Relationship Today, 12 June, marks a poignant anniversary—one that dates back to 2017. I feel incredibly blessed to have had this remarkable man, my father-in-law, in my life for 12 years before he passed. I can still hear his voice, and whenever I picture him, he’s always smiling—because that was his essence.…
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DIVERSION IN PLACE – FLOODING…?
Road Closed – Plan B Required smilingontheinside – Wednesday 11 June 2025 Are you a resident…? “Are you a resident?”, she asked. “You look like one”, she went on to say. I’m not sure I looked like a well-heeled resident of Hamilton’s Awatere Avenue, but hey! Who knows…? She was watching a huge pine tree…
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The Joy of Homegrown Vegetables
Nothing beats homegrown vegetables Growing Your Own #smilingontheinside – Tuesday 10 June 2025 Back in the day, when my inlaws were fit, healthy and still living at home, I remember Erina telling me once that in fifty-something years, she’d only ever bought potatoes (from a grocer) once. That was the year blight got to her…
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BACK TO THE REAL WORLD
Look – another new beanie! Feeling very blessed! #smilingontheinside – Monday 09 June 2025 Today marked my first day back at my “real” desk after a wonderful time in Wellington at the Vet and Vet Nurse Conference. While I truly enjoy being away, it feels great to have a decent handle on my incoming emails…
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DAY EIGHT – STRATFORD – HOME
Last day of “Wellington Away“ Homeward Bound #smilingontheinside – Sunday 08 June 2025 We woke up to a frosty morning in Stratford but were very nice’n’ toasty warm inside. Thanks to having two LPG cylinders. The second cylinder was the most important – hahaah – we needed to commission that as the first ran out!…
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DAY SEVEN – FOXTON BEACH – STRATFORD
Day 007: Foxton Beach – Stratford #smilingontheinside – Saturday 07 June 2025 Foxton My morning walk was along tyre-rutted and gouged Foxton Beach just after high tide. Freedom Camping – Foxton Beach Freedom Camping is allowed at Foxton Beach – provided you park on the marked spaces only. Because we arrived pretty late, we drove…
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