Sunday 26 January 2014

Aftermas

Last Friday I drove up to Tauranga to stay with a Katherine of The Last Visible Dog for Aftermas and a few days holiday.

Most years at the end of January Katherine has an 'After-Christmas' after-noon party for as many family and friends as she can. It's nice to get together before school and work starts taking over from the summer break. It seems that with partners, melded families, step-thingys and so on often it's just too hard to see all the people one would like to on the 25th December, so Katherine has another one a month later for all the people she missed.  I am privileged to be one of the invitees.  This was my fourth Aftermas.

Interestingly when I wrote about Aftermas two years ago I mentioned that I slept without a nightmare.  So far after two nights here I've had nights of serene sleep.  After a really bad start to the week - even on Friday I woke not being able to tell nightmare from reality - sleep without has been wonderful.

A beautiful day in a beautiful garden with beautiful people
Nat - bubbles
Anne - bubbles
Holding forth
Everyone wants to blow bubbles
Or have their face painted (not just the littlies)
Nat being scary
Nat being really scary

18 comments:

  1. Seeing that first photo brought back a nice memory of when my wife and I visited Katherine exactly two years ago. What design did the face painter choose for you? The beard would have made the work tricky but I am guessing a Smurf! Am I right?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You'll have to guess again YP. Smurlike I am not.

      Delete
    2. Err...Please Google an image of Papa Smurf. You may not like it but he's your double sir!

      Delete
  2. Sooo summery! And it makes me want a big pink hat.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I can imagine you in a large pink hat Monica.

      Delete
  3. Looks like a wonderful day, and what a great idea to have an Aftermas!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lisa it's a wonderful idea and the whole afternoon was so very enjoyable.

      Delete
  4. Sad to hear you have been having nightmares GB. The weather looks great.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nightmares is just part of life for me Carol. There's a lot worse things. It's the night stallions I really don't like.

      Delete
  5. What a lovely place! And it appears to be filled with lovely people. If it wasn't for your own place being so nice, and with such nice people close by, I'd say your nightmares disappeared because you were away from home. But since your home does not look nightmare-inducing at all, it is really puzzling how you suffer from them so frequently.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've never found any rationale or reason for my nightmares Meike. I've just learned to accept them. In fact it's only when I don't have them that I realise how good it is to be free of them for a night or two.

      Delete
  6. What a great idea! I'll have to remember that for next year. Great photos, too. xoxox

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's a very good idea Carol if you can't get everyone together at Christmas.

      Delete
  7. This get-together sounds like a whole heap of fun.....now I want to celebrate Aftermas as well.
    From your lovely photos I see that everyone had a great time.....
    Katherine is very wise....tell her I'm stealing her idea of Aftermas.
    Out of curiosity is Katherine's home located on a lower altitude and thus no nightmares for you while you are there?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'll tell her that Virginia. If I ever spend my winter in Scotland I might do the same but it would have to be indoors! Katherine's house is at a higher altitude than either of my homes.

      Delete
    2. Maybe the altitude theory works in reverse for you then????

      Delete
  8. Aftermas makes sense when it's summer. It looks like everybody had a great time.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes Red being outside is good and everybody did have a great time.

      Delete