It was back to work for MT today after three weeks away from his job in the city.  It was a bit of a strain for him to leap out of bed and rush for his work so he took it easy and got the slightly later train!  Who can blame him.

No sense in rushing on your first day back.  No-one else is rushing around and since most of New Zealand is still on vacation always better to break yourself back into the routine of work at a more gentle pace.

I don’t want you to get a view that New Zealand is a small sleepy place that doesn’t rush.  For those living the high life or with high powered careers, rushing is certainly their reality.  MT’s high powered career is just on a slower start for the new year.  But only for a day, he’s off to Auckland tomorrow to the badlands of business.  He prefers it when he can stay home.

For me, work is just a glimmer of expectation. I’ve too many chores at home still to do.  Well, until tomorrow, when I have to go and see a new client.  The head honcho of HR at a big Government department who is looking for someone just like me to spend lots of money doing wonderful things with their people.  It’s a potentially big prospect for me so I’ve agreed to break my vacation to meet to talk turkey.  But don’t worry I’ll be hot foot back to Domestic Executive HQ to finish the thistling and the other things on my long to do list.

The weather has been overcast, showery and a little bit miserable for the last few days.  Ideal basset walking weather but that’s about all it’s been good for.  Oh, and for watering the plants!

You can see how the wet clouds were rolling in behind the house when I came back from the commuter run to the station around 0800 this morning.

Did you notice the newly painted fence?  It’s still got to have another coat of paint but my father-in-law has done a sterling job.  It smartens up the place considerably.

I wonder whether he could get out the green paint and get rid of the red grass that is growing in the top paddock!

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You couldn’t see the green of the forestry this morning.  Those clouds were just rolling in.

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It was pretty chilly too.  I stopped for 11’seys to warm up.

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But all was not lost.  Here’s the blue sky on it’s way around noon.

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And around 1400.

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By 1500 it was blazing sunshine and almost too hot to walk the bassets who prefer things to be a litte cooler.  As you can tell with all this weather watching I didn’t have too much work on my mind.  It depends of course how you define work.  If three loads of washing and ironing (OK, a little bit of ironing), cleaning the house and shopping can be called work then I’ve had a real busy day and can officially declare I’m back to work.

Hang on a minute, I’ve been doing that for the last three weeks too.  Doesn’t that now mean I’m due a vacation?  I fear not.

PS: here’s a picture MT took of me and Fortnum whilst I was writing yesterday’s post.  Just goes to prove the window seat is a real hit here.

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Yes, I know Fortnum made his way up to his favourite spot again! And, yes, I am doing that mad hair routine again – this was post shower I can’t be bothered drying it routine.  Hey, we don’t like to hide the real life here!!