Instead, I’ve taken up the mantle of owner of speakers’ corner and custodian of the household soapbox. Shouter outer of outrage and raling at vacuous talking heads that dominate our mainstream media. And, don’t get me started on the commentators and promulgators of dumbness infecting my otherwise smart technology

It’s hard to pin point when the floodgates of opinion burst open in me but as I take a deep breath to voice another opinion the true activist and politician of the house seems to mellow with every moment. It’s not my CV that reads President of Students’ Union, Local Councillor, member of political party and registered overseas voter. I’m the one that lives with the shame that I didn’t invoke my right to vote in elections until I was in my late 20’s.

I’ve always kept politics with a big P at arms length. I’ve never taken to the streets in protest, avoided people waving pens and petitions at me on the high street and through professional expedience kept to small talk about weather than big issues of the day. Even when I worked for a trade union, I comforted myself that I was advancing professional standards and public service rather than waving the placards of employment rights. And as much as I am a champion of women’s rights, you’d never find me burning my underwear in the name of feminism.

Goodness knows what I was thinking.

Maybe its just the changing times or I’m turning into the stereotypical grumpy middle (r)aged woman, but being passive, politically or otherwise, at this moment in the life of humanity just feels wrong.

It seems that most conceivable forms of war, conflict, terror, dirty dealings, coups, crimes, punishments, arguments, splits, murders, maiming, mysteries, mistakes, accidents, idiocy, prejudice, persecution, discrimination, errors, lunacy and dereliction of duty litter the news each day. And at a time when you look for leadership, good sense and wisdom from those who should know better, a chasm seems to open up leaving us starring down at the abyss.

It’s hard to know if in 2016 we’re looking down deeper into a new sense of hell in the world or we’re just better informed and the spotlight is brighter on the darkest and dankest corners of the world.

Of late, my deepest sense of injustice and unfairness has woken up to embrace a much wider world. The greedy take, take, take that has fuelled prosperity for a few leaving people with fewer options sitting in a bigger pool of despair and cynicism. At its most acute, despair turns to helplessness, anger, hate and destruction, all aimed at gaining control and power, if only for a moment in time. Those with power tighten their grip on control building their own confidence, ego and diminishing their capability to empathise with others at a very human level.

Name calling depersonalises and dehumanises. Discussion and debate turns to tirades of loud voices and no-one listening to anyone anymore. People start to feel unsafe and powerless that turns to helplessness and despair. And so the cycle starts over. It’s how human neurobiology works.

Whereas I used to feel helpless and numb in the face of current affairs, I now get angry and ranty. Where I use to be amused or forgiving of human frailties and foibles, now my intolerance of intolerance keeps me awake at night.

I don’t expect the world to suddenly blossom into Utopia, but a touch more openness, willingness and honest to goodness generosity mightn’t be a bad idea. A little less hatred when people don’t share your point of view and a lot more exploration, debate and pulling ourselves together so more people can do what’s right for the world.

A world where people, planet and profit can sit more comfortably and equitable together. A place that is more peaceful than it feels right now. A society when we all make more effort to be kinder and have greater humility.

A tad more optimism and positive momentum would go a long way to get the stuff done in the world that helps those who need it most.

I know we can’t all become freedom fighters, diplomats and socially conscious world-changers but we can use our voice politely but persistently, use our votes wisely and make our decisions well informed. For those of us that can afford, we can put our hands in our wallets and share our wealth to make a direct investment in improving someone in need.

As much as I this blog is my virtual mouthpiece, I promise not to overkill with the new activism in life. It’s too passive for that. I’ll keep my thoughts to realtime discussion and the occasional spouting on through social media. Although I would love everyone who reads this post to take a second to think what is one small thing you can do today, and then tomorrow and the next day that will make the world a better place.

Create your own soapbox and stand on it with pride that you’ve taken the time to think. To speak. To act in a way that benefits others, however small, in the long run you’ll help us all.

So there you have it from me. Keen to know where you stand. Let’s talk.

Although autumn is upon us this summer has broad shoulders and is still warming body and soul.  Whilst I’ve been gone on my blogging sabbatical there has been plenty of adventures and all round hard work spending time with my in-laws.

Most people might roll back their eyes at the prospect of spending prolonged periods of time with their in-laws. Not for me. No honest, I mean it, my repertoire of in-law jokes is miniscule as I’m lucky to have the kind of in-laws that are not just good company but they are grafters and supporters without whom this summer’s land management project teetered on the unachievable.

We wined and dined.  Bonded over the crossword and other cultural pursuits.  We had fun and now they are gone the house is empty and quiet.  But we have the technology to stay in touch.  And for me, it is only a matter of weeks before we’ll catch-up again back in the UK.

I’m also back studying photography.  Building my confidence for a portrait project I really want to leap into but got cold feet over at the last-minute.  It’s been a fascinating excursion into what makes a great portrait.  For now, here’s a couple of my to celebrate family time.

Over the last few weeks I took an unofficial sabbatical from blogging.  It was so unofficial that I didn’t even tell myself.  Instead, somewhere deep in my subconscious I was looking for an answer to a question posed by a fellow blogger about who do you create for?

On the face of it this blog is full of stories about basset hounds, baking, gardening and taking photographs.  But really it’s been all about me trying to find my sense of creative purpose and fulfilment.  Something I’ve been struggling with for some time.

It was easier to take a blogging sabbatical and busy myself with the practicalities of life and my never ending list of chores than face the hard work it takes to master creativity.   In wrestling with the question of “who do I create for” I admit I’ve even contemplated making my unofficial sabbatical permanent.

But I’m back.  Blogging with a clearer mind and exciting plans for my camera, my kitchen, my garden and a deeper appreciation of how important it is for me to blog as a means to inspire my creativity not for the blog to be the end result.

I realise how self indulgent that might seem but I hope that you’ll stick around and be part of that inspiration.  If you’ve got a few minutes please let me know what reading blogs or writing blogs means to you.  I’d love to know.

No doubt, the pace of life and the capabilities for modern communication far exceed our capacity and ability to consume it.  It’s an exciting time to be alive but with so many choices and options you can get paralysed by the options. Also, chasing down all the possibilities can leave you exhausted and desensitised to those things that really matter in life.

Last year I started to study for a Master’s Degree in Gastronomic Tourism.  Aside from all the fascinating perspectives of food – history, culture, communication, production and consumption, what I most learned was I don’t need another master’s degree in my life.  Admittedly the programme itself fell woefully short of my expectations in terms of quality of learning experience but mostly I found the study just too superficial.  You’d just start to get engrossed in a topic and it was time to move on to another.  Despite the wealth of possibilities for online collaboration and interaction, I was mostly studying on my own often not knowing whether I was on the right track or not.  My assessment marks suggest I was but high marks didn’t make up for a nagging dissatisfaction with the course itself.

So, without a backward glance I’m dropping out of the course.  It pains me to write those words as I hate to give up on things but I feel liberated now to continue my studies more independently.  Inspired by this book,  I’m still working on plans for how this will unfurl but I’m sure it will still involve plenty of time reading, writing and learning from online materials but without the deadlines that suck the joy out of learning.

At this year’s work Christmas party I scooped a bag of paperback books in the regift game.  This is where we have to bring along something we already have, which may or may or may not have been a gift to you.  The downside of this game is that the gift you pick can be snatched away by someone else leaving you to pick another mystery parcel.  Needless to say I was stupidly too delighted with my pick as it was promptly “stolen” from me in the next round.  But my night reading possibilities were boosted when I bagged as nifty book light on my second regift pick.

Not that my colleagues and I are reading obsessed.  Some poor soul ended up with the candles that have been doing the regift round for a few years now.  It will take some very creative repacking next year for those candles not to end up the booby prize next year.

Away from reading and writing about food and drink or eating and drinking I have indulged in audio books.  This is such a brilliant way to multi-task, I love nothing better than to read whilst walking the dogs or weeding.  Alas listening at bedtime has the same effect that reading and can lead to rather a long rewind to get to the point in the book when I was last conscious.

Two that I’ve particularly enjoyed are both inspired by birds, the Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith (aka JK Rowling) and The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. I admit I was lured into reading The Cuckoo’s Calling out of curiosity for how JK Rowling might tackle a crime mystery, a genre I enjoy.  I fell totally in love with the characters and although worked out ‘who dun it’ still enjoyed the book and suspect I shall become hooked to Galbraith novels in a way that I never was with Harry Potter and his mystical friends.   Galbraith/Rowling is however not in the same league as a writer as Donna Tartt whose third novel The Goldfinch is the best year (her first novels were The Secret History and The Little Friend).  At 800 pages long The Goldfinch is not for the feint-hearted but if you love a book that you can’t put down then go grab a copy or listen to the audio book.  Curiously having listened to the audio book I’m keen to now read the book for real to relive the wonderful characters and roller coaster narrative.

Next on my listen to list is the Luminaries by Eleanor Catton.  It would seem unpatriotic not to give this book a go although I’ve heard mixed reviews even though this New Zealand original book won the Booker prize this year.  I have also another Wallace Steiger book lined up after that although this may have to wait a while depending on what Santa brings me for Christmas.

For all I love to read, finding the mental space is hard to do with seemingly so many things to juggle in my head.  The myriad of options real books, e-books and audio books, not to mention the mass of blogs I subscribe too and other news websites that are daily reads it can feel overwhelming at times.  Thank goodness for holidays when you can legitimately kick back and enjoy a good read.

It was only the other day when I popped one of these lovely gooseberries into my mouth did it dawn on me that I’d lost my blogging confidence because I felt awkward reporting on the minutia of life.  I had come to be the metaphorical gooseberry on my own blog.  Like being at a crowded party with people speaking loudly and energetically but I was the shy bystander hovering at the edges waiting for the perfect moment to escape to the solace of my own company. So I did.

I’d like to pronounce I’m back!  But I’m not sure I am.

But with a long stretch of holiday in front of me I’ve decided it’s a make or break experiment.  Get back blogging or admit that I’ve done my dash and it’s time to move onto other things.  With time on my hands to embrace things I really enjoy I’m hoping it will kick start my blogging juices again.

Away from blogging, things have been pretty busy here at Domestic Executive HQ.  The garden is blooming but behind all the glamour there are hours of back-breaking effort to keep the weeds at bay and maintain some semblance of order.  It didn’t help that our new monster all terrain mower was doing wonders on our long grass banks but failing to trim our lawn.  Let me tell you there is no fun in pushing a mower up and down for over an hour even if the exercise is good for me.  After some smart re-engineering we’re back in ride-on mowing business though which is a blessed relief.

I’ve extended the kitchen garden with two new beds and one of them is filling up fast with a wealth of salads.  The other is waiting to be filled with soil and compost which is neatly piled up by the barn and starting to sprout its own vegetation during the delay in moving it the 150m down the garden. I’ve fallen out of love with artichokes and will be digging them up this week and instead installing more root vegetables, pumpkins and winter greens.  As soon as the strawberries have done their dash this year they are destined for a move to one of the new beds and in their place I shall be building up our berry stock.  Maybe even couple more gooseberry bushes.

Our new conservatory is almost complete.  Just the flooring and lighting to be installed.  A stark reminder that New Zealand is a small country at the end of the earth with retailers who have “just-in-time” stock control systems that involve delayed reaction of 6-8 weeks.  This hasn’t stopped us moving in and enjoying the wind free indoor-outdoor flow experience.  Even on a dull cloudy drizzly day like today, sitting in the conservatory is a light lovers haven.

Aside from major projects and keeping up with work, I’ve had some fun in smaller ways.

• I “read” Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner on audio book.  A stunning book that makes you realise the complex beauty in human relationships.
• I also really read The Man Who Ate Everything - a wonderful collection of essays on food and eating which was November’s book of the month on The Kitchen Reader.  I shall do a better late than never review on the blog over the coming weeks.
• My dear husband brought me back a rather special present from his recent business trip to US and Canada. I was never a fan of the iPad until my iPad mini arrived.  Small and beautifully formed.  The perfect device for nocturnal web surfing and will save me lugging my laptop around town for business now I can access key documents in the palm of my hand.
• Although I missed Sweet New Zealand in November, I stepped back into the wheat baking vortex and made biscotti for my work Christmas gifts.  I aim to showcase the delicious wheat free version here on the blog soon.
• I’ve been enjoying the photographs of a local photographer on Instagram for a while but she recently launched her own website and is now selling prints.
• Basset hound lovers are really some of the most generous and hilarious on the internet.  @Gustbear has given me a huge number of giggles with #bassetfacts.  My own dear hounds are as lovable as ever although I regret I have yet to publish my 2013 basset calendar but there is still time left before the end of the year to get onto that!
• I’m having a careful think about whether to stick with Instagram giving all the brew ha ha over their terms and conditions.  In the meantime, here’s a link to the new web view of my iPhone photographs
• I love Twitter for real time fun and its capability for me to curate my own personal news feed. Turns out now you can download your twitter feed and look back at what a twit you might have been.

Ever the pragmatist I like my technology to work hard for me.

My kindle helps me deal better with the long waking house I have in the middle of the night. Instead of tossing and turning I can now snuggle under the duvet and read a good book which also has the eventual effect of sending me back to sleep.  It’s really helped me push through a slump in my reading although there is still nothing quite like curling up with a basset or two on the window seat to read a real book.

My iPhone means I can keep in touch with work on my “off days” without feeling like I have to break my domestic executive spell.  Having an all in one gizmo – calendar, email, phone, ipod, camera, video, do list and blogging toolkit all in one has transformed my small world in the last couple of weeks.

Like all new technology it takes a while to set up and even longer to practice using.  But every day I’m feeling like technology is a help not a distraction from living life.  There has been times in my action packed life where I’d wished things weren’t so complicated.  Keeping things simple has never really been a forte of mine but slowly but surely technology is helping me to keep things in order and bring order from what can otherwise be chaos when trying to punch above my natural productivity weight.

I don’t seem to be worrying quite as much about things I should have done or would like to do.  Nothing magical there, it’s simply a case of me running out of the brain’s equivalent of RAM (random access memory, in case you’re wondering!).  Since I can’t add a few gigabytes of memory into my head, my trusty iPhone provides it instead.

Of course technology can’t feed the chickens or weed the vegetable beds.  Just as well as some of life’s simplest pleasures might disappear for good.