"Lives based on having are less free than lives based on either doing or on being." -William James

Behold:

A mean, lean, waitressing machine.  The job is going well, I really like the cafe and everyone is super nice.  I'm learning a lot, i.e. don't forget about a customer while his cheese roll burns up in the oven because he will tell you "this has been in the microwave" then give you a sarcastic two thumbs up.  Also, when you think a child may have special needs because she's asking you for a "raspberry fizzy," that you are clearly the one who's a dummy when her mother explains that it's a sprite with raspberry syrup.  Slowly yet surely I'm figuring things out...

Meanwhile, Brad and I have been enjoying every appearance of the sun, however short.  Here's what's new in Dunners:

Whaaaaaa?

The look on this Scotty's face... priceless.

And sometimes this happens.

Otago Castle Boys High School

Olveston Mansion

A hobbit tending his garden

Spring!!!

On a particularly sunny day, we took the bus out to the peninsula to check out a little town called Macandrew Bay.  You may recall the trip to Portobello being a bit of a bust, so we decided to bring a wee [“wee” is one of my fave kiwi-isms] picnic because in my mind, no day can be a fail when food is involved.  Now I typically avoid feeding wildlife, but how could I resist this little sweet pea:

The problem is, these screeching winged-rats were faster than her:

 

Who would you feed?  This angel:

 

Or these flirtatious degenerates:

 

So what we would do is throw a small piece of bread as a distraction:

 

Then feed Mrs. Angelpants:

 

Distract the scoundrels:

 

While the little doll got a feast:

 

After an invigorating lunch, we were ready to do a little touring of the town.

Bus ride on the very coastal road along the peninsula

pied cormorant

A sweet little mural at a bus stop

On another nice springy day, I decided to torture Brad with a hike to the Flagstaff summit.  While it was a bit of a steep haul, the views were totally worth it.  

The new Dunedin stadium

Today we took the bus to St. Kilda beach and walked out to a bluff.  Once again we brought a fail-preventing picnic, but even without the food it would have been a great day.  The bluff was beautiful, and we saw some cool birds as well as enjoyed the water crashing on the rocks.  New Zealand as…

NZ- New Zealand!

Little Brad

Oystercatcher

Black backed terns