Is it really that time?

I don’t know about you, but these recent dark mornings have well and truly thrown me. My alarm goes off, it’s pitch black, and I always feel like someone’s playing a trick on me by resetting the alarm to 2 am. But no, it’s always the correct time yet I pretty much lie there for about 30 minutes thinking of good reasons why I should get up, while the rain pelts down comfortingly on the roof.

Speaking of waking early in the dark, an amusing yet dumb-arsed incident happened to me last Saturday.

My landline phone starting ringing at what seemed like the middle of the night but it was actually 6 am on the dot. I considered ignoring it but being so early in the morning, those panic thoughts started running around my brain: ‘Oh God, someone’s died or been in a car crash’ – so I staggered to the phone to answer it.

“Hello?” I whispered in my early morning husky, concerned voice.
It was my friend calling from London.
“Hi it’s me” she said, “I’ve just sent you an email”
“….that’s great”, I smiled. “But it’s 6 am”
“I know, sorry, I thought you might be up already, you go to the gym a lot” she replied.
She had a point.

She then proceeded to tell me about her email in her fast-kiwi-voice-when-we’re-excited-about-something, for about 4 minutes. “Read the email and call me back this weekend sometime” she said. I muttered a reply which sounded something like “kaythenluffubye” and headed back to bed.

‘Oooh!’ I thought, sounding like Homer Simpson, ‘This would be the perfect time to take your morning iron tablet because you’re supposed to take it 1 hour before breakfast and that never happens’ (I’m such a girl). Unfortunately I wasn’t as clever as I thought I was…..I was so thrown by the surprise wake up call, and the topic of our conversation, that I accidentally took a sleeping tablet instead of the iron tablet.

About 2 seconds after swallowing it, I knew I’d made a huge screw up and considered putting my fingers down my throat to retrieve it, but instead muttered aloud “Oh sod it” and went back to sleep. For about 6 hours.

Was late for lunch with friends but my God, if I don’t say so myself, I looked a-mazing from all that beauty sleep!

Is it only me that these things happen to?

Word to your momma
Auckland Girl

Summer Daze

Isn’t it smashing being on holiday where every day’s a Saturday, and every night’s a Friday night?!

Sleeping in until you feel like getting up smiling smugly at the thought of no dreaded alarm clock; spending the day at the beach, going on a road-trip or choosing to be out and about all night long; meeting up with mates and their little ones who you haven’t seen since your last holiday amazed at how much they’ve grown (the kids that is, not the beer bellies); lazing around in jandals or bare feet in a bit of a daze but without a care in the world.

Nice one…oh sugar, sorry if you’ve had to go back to work already (no, I’m not really sorry).

I’ve been spending the first few days of the year frowning madly at my little holiday belly and have become quite the Gym Whore, pounding the treadmill with one eyebrow raised, cursing the trifle, pav and non-stop boozing…and Nana’s home made Lemon Curd.

I sadly have a funeral to attend to on Friday. Followed by a Wedding 3 hours later. Golly that’s going to be an emotional day of sorts. Must not play the woe-is-me-all-alone-Spinster card, particularly when drinking. It’s not about me, it’s about them!

Right, it’s a beautiful day in Auckland, and I’m off for a long lunch in the sun – just because I can.

Laters
Auckland Girl

Hello coffee my dear friend

I admit that I’m often affected by the weather (or should that be effected? I always get that word mixed up).

When the weather’s a little melancholy I adopt a woe is me face and just want to lie on the sofa watching DVDs or pop into a warm and cosy cafe for a long black or chai soy latte, gazing out the window daydreaming.

Here are some of my favourite cafes across Auckland…

1. One 2 One Cafe - My favourite. Has a country vibe about it despite being smack bang on Ponsonby Road. The fat cat who sleeps on the piano sums up the laid back vibe. Good for a quiet catch up with friends, or just hanging out reading the paper. Had a date here once upon a time, and it’s good for that sorta thing too.

2. Takapuna Beach Cafe - A neat place to sit inside, gazing out the window watching the stormy beach weather outside. Nice for a coffee and cake treat after a walk along the beach too.

3. Bambina – Yes Bambina translates to little one, but good things come in small packages and this small cafe is no exception. Warm and friendly it’s perfect for hiding away and the aroma of coffee fills the small room deliciously. My only gripe is women with large prams as they practically take up all the floorspace.

4. Verona – When I saw you in Verona, you sat down, I moved over – yes that kiwi song is about this very cool cafe in K-Road. It’s great for a bite to eat or a coffee with your mates with heaps of nice treats on the menu. Best of all I like how they’re open till late, which is choice for a night cap after a few wines in town.

5. Theobroma Chocolate Lounge – Technically not a coffee cafe as such, but I love this place if I’m shopping and need a hit. It’s definitely for choc-o-holics but they serve coffee and tea too. The chocolate chilli shot is divine (warm, melted chocolate and chilli inside a shot glass, now that’s what I’m talkin’ ’bout) – don’t die without trying it.

Your thoughts on Auckland’s best cafes?

Internet Dating 101

I hate to admit it, and you’re not to mention this to anyone…..but I have been giving Internet Dating a go.

I feel like a proper desperate geek, but figure everyone is doing it these days, so I’m just keeping up with the Jones’ really.

I tell ya, there’s a lot of odd-balls out there in cyber-space land – literally all nuttier than a fruit cake (certainly hope it doesn’t take one to know one in this circumstance).

But I’ve chatted to some nice blokes, and been on a few shall we say –  interesting  – dates…..more about that later.

I’m enjoying getting out and about in Auckland meeting these interesting people and trying out new cafes/bars while I’m at it.  An excellent plan if you ask me.

I’ll keep you posted

See you round like a rissole
Auckland Girl