One year on...

Over the past few years there has been significant events that have occurred in my life around the time of Matariki. Often changemaking decisions are presented around that cusp and as each New Year reveals itself I reflect on the past year, and look at the direction I am going in the upcoming year.  Whilst I might not see right now what has appeared for this year, I know that the elastic band of goals that I set for Matariki are dragging me up and flinging me into the future. 

Madly it’s been just over a year since I finished 30 years of working for others.  I can’t quite believe that either.  It was a big step to go into the unknown and the best thing that I have done for myself in forever.  I took a couple of months off to get back to me, and then I started Toru Road, and at the same undertook to finish my study towards a Bachelor of Business (Management) which I have been doing part-time for an eternity. I can thankfully say that I’m on to the last two papers now! Yesssss.
 
One of my best delights has been this week, when for the first time that I can remember I was able to take time out in what would have been one of the busiest times during my old work-life to spend the past two days with my moko Winter, just having her all to myself – no sharing with her Papa!  I so appreciate that I can spend time with her.  Luckily she loves being in the kitchen so we’ve had a lot of fun making kai together.  She has her own cooking utensils, but apparently my rolling pin is better (and bigger) than hers, and even the place that I am standing is better than where her chair is (right next to me I add), so of course we have to swap places and utensils.  I haven’t quite got her into making Toru Road Kai, but she did really well at making tortillas, so the talent is there, maybe I should just wait a bit longer before I hand her an apron for the big girls kitchen 😊. She's back tomorrow so today I got some kai orders made and they are ready to go out for enjoyment over the weekend, and I can devote some more time to catch up on Toru Road, and yes, study without feeling the need for a Nanny nap.  I still need to plan out some activities for her tomorrow though!
 
Our newest product Tahi Bay Oil has been a star, and I just love putting it out in orders with our dukkah.  I often get asked if I make my own oil when I have tastings, and now I do!  Our Tahi Bay Oil is infused with organic bay leaves and extra virgin olive oil.  That’s it no additives, actually there are no additives or bad stuff in any of our kai and where possible we try to use organic goods if we can. Yesterday Winter and I made some focaccia bread and at lunchtime today I enjoyed dipping my homemade bread in the oil and then in the dukkah.  But you can try it for yourself, we've been running a Matariki Special which gives you the Tahi Bay Oil and the yummy Horopito Dukkah so you can do just that.  This special only lasts until the end of the month, so get in quick.
 
This time during Matariki six years ago our eldest boy, August, moved over to Aussie and our daughter Ashlee moved over a few years later.  I have to say I am ready for them to come home and in anticipation I have completely cleared out my office, painted, put in curtains, a double bed and a desk.  I'm ready for my mokopuna to be here. All my gears from the office are now in the garage, and that space is shaping up into an office come art & craft space and bar area.  I will be able to create, and have a drink at the same time, should I desire, or even do a workout, and have a game of pool. It really is a multifunctional space!  We’ve also had the plumber in to replace ALL of our plumbing pipes throughout our house as they were 80’s installed Dux Quest pipes that like to burst and flood at random moments in your life, and at the same time that the walls and bathroom ceiling are down, we thought it a good idea to replace our also 80’s inspired apricot toilet suite and put in a new shower head.  The new aqualine ceiling is going up in the bathroom tomorrow and that will be so very welcome, as is the gib board on the walls of the toilet.  Years of leaks and burst pipes will finally be over and we can then plaster and paint.  Everything will be all done ready for when the whanau come home.  Now I just need to work on getting them home, in the meantime I have this lil e te tau to smother with attention, I wonder if she will have time for me when her cousins come home....