🤗 I enjoy hearing how "new" Kiwis saw us before they got sucked into the different way of living & working 🤗 I also enjoy things like "Flightless Bird" with David Farrier because of the Kiwi perspective on things "normal" in America 👍 Have to say I'm glad to have been born in Aotearoa, but of course wherever you are born seems "normal" 🤷
I hear you about down-sizing - went from a 4 bedroom/2 storey house to a storage unit for a while during my nomadic period of temporarily perching various places, til settling in a small house with a small garden & nowhere for most of my furniture - sounds familiar eh ⁉️ Fortunately the large garage provided storeage til I figured out what to keep & what to let go of, but several years (!) later it is still a work in progress as I often re-purpose things rather than buy something - hard to know how much $ has been saved in that way 🤔
Hi Cindy, I no longer pretend to know what is normal. Thanks for the encouragement on my downsizing journey which in my case means paying storage fees until I get rid of it all - a real incentive! The most interesting adaptation for me was giving up a large garden and moving planters onto a smallish deck which actually works! I may squeeze in 1or 2 determinate tomato plants in pots. Plenty of birds are showing interest. Dare I get a Tui feeder?
😥 I miss my big fruit trees the most 🤔 In my case I put raised gardens where the small lawns were & planted berry fruit in the borders amongst shrubs, plus containers that can be moved seasonally. Have so far failed with tomatoes BUT have a plan to try again... 🤞🏼
What a great article. As a Kiwi I often think about the flip side. Long ago I was baffled by this: why are Americans told that anyone can be president? You can only have one at a time. And now at 85 I have two highly relevant mantras: Very very good is good enough. And Don't peak too soon. Keep up the good work!
Hi Rachel, how kind of you to comment. I don’t think Americans really believe that anyone can be president because it takes a special kind of person to run the gauntlet with a lot of money!
🤗 I enjoy hearing how "new" Kiwis saw us before they got sucked into the different way of living & working 🤗 I also enjoy things like "Flightless Bird" with David Farrier because of the Kiwi perspective on things "normal" in America 👍 Have to say I'm glad to have been born in Aotearoa, but of course wherever you are born seems "normal" 🤷
I hear you about down-sizing - went from a 4 bedroom/2 storey house to a storage unit for a while during my nomadic period of temporarily perching various places, til settling in a small house with a small garden & nowhere for most of my furniture - sounds familiar eh ⁉️ Fortunately the large garage provided storeage til I figured out what to keep & what to let go of, but several years (!) later it is still a work in progress as I often re-purpose things rather than buy something - hard to know how much $ has been saved in that way 🤔
Hi Cindy, I no longer pretend to know what is normal. Thanks for the encouragement on my downsizing journey which in my case means paying storage fees until I get rid of it all - a real incentive! The most interesting adaptation for me was giving up a large garden and moving planters onto a smallish deck which actually works! I may squeeze in 1or 2 determinate tomato plants in pots. Plenty of birds are showing interest. Dare I get a Tui feeder?
😥 I miss my big fruit trees the most 🤔 In my case I put raised gardens where the small lawns were & planted berry fruit in the borders amongst shrubs, plus containers that can be moved seasonally. Have so far failed with tomatoes BUT have a plan to try again... 🤞🏼
Fortunately, my friends with fruit trees always have extras!
Nice piece Susan. 😁
Thanks James. Hope to make it down your way eventually.
I love your stories. You articulate them with your trademark honesty and humour, Susan. Thank you.
Thank you, Ali!
Life is funny, isn’t it?
Another witty and informative post, Susan. Congrats.
That means a lot coming from you, Sue!
You're an excellent writer.
What a great article. As a Kiwi I often think about the flip side. Long ago I was baffled by this: why are Americans told that anyone can be president? You can only have one at a time. And now at 85 I have two highly relevant mantras: Very very good is good enough. And Don't peak too soon. Keep up the good work!
Hi Rachel, how kind of you to comment. I don’t think Americans really believe that anyone can be president because it takes a special kind of person to run the gauntlet with a lot of money!