And then it got better.

A couple of weeks ago Bernard, Hero and I headed out around the North Western bike path, Greenhithe, and then along the green route to Devonport to hunt the final Labyrinth after Amber let us know about it. It was a grey old day, continuing with our fabulous summer even though the weather man promised something much more enticing. It rained, then we were dried off by the sun, then it rained again. Once we found the Labyrinth we headed to the ferry via Vauxhall and Cheltenham and had a coffee at Vauxhall cafe which served Altezano coffee just superbly. It was a great adventure… which is why we ride.

Last year I finally got a dSLR after playing with a film SLR for three years. I wanted to learn to use a manual camera and understand aperture and so on, before moving on to digital. Now I’ve taken the leap it has made me realize how much there is still to learn. I don’t really understand much at all about light or anything like that but want to so have enrolled in a night course starting next month. Very excited!

I have a collection of Takumar manual lenses from my film 1974 Pentax Spotmatic so purchased an adapter so I could use them on the dSLR. These are from testing the 50mm f1.4 lens on my beloved La Pavoni espresso machine.

It is Saturday when I am writing this and it is raining again. It has been raining for nearly three weeks. Every day, sigh. It makes me sleepy, wanting to hibernate. I hear from England that it is cold but beautiful blue sky days and I remember the cold is fine, it is the lack of blue sky that gets me. Nothing a bit of shopping won’t cure … may be. Or snoozing on the couch with the cat and reading a good book. Or both?

Lets try both and add a glass of red wine to the list.

With all its splendor Fort lane has its own life. One of the many area’s of Auckland city that are starting to display that Auckland really is, growing up.

It is a pleasure to see.

Every spare moment I would jump on my fixie (if it wasn’t raining, or bus if it was) and explore more streets, more galleries, cafes, or neighbourhoods slowly getting to know Manchester and all her intricacies, loves and history. I would glow in beginners mind, in awe of everything.

In the time I have been back in New Zealand it has been a long transition of moving. It feels like that was 2011, even though we have been back for longer. Moving and settling, no adventure, no balance, no freedom, no fun, none at the same time. No beginners mind. It has become a habit that I do not like so it is time to change it. My mission for January to drag me out of this state of being, is to treat Auckland like a tourist. To throw on my beginners mind glasses and explore. Usually I write massive lists of what I want to do but it is simple this year and I guess this is my resolution.

My favourite pictures from Manchester:

At work, looking back toward Manchester City. I was besotted (and still am) with the snow.

Outside one of my locals, Tea Cup.

At the edge of Piccadilly square highlighting some of Manchester’s sites.

After 9-months of living in the Northern Quarter I moved out to Whalley Range into an old Victorian Villa that was once attached to another. All that was left behind of the ‘other’ was its entrance way.

History poking through. I love how the cobbles poke through in Manchester’s little allies. Reminding us…

These little spaceman decorate the city and on a map make the picture of the spaceman. I only ever found one.

Oklahoma Tuesday’s.

The Manchester Buddhist centre where I spent a lot of time.

I got engaged to these hands.

Yesterday it was the summer solstice. Yes, half way through. The lovely Gayle organised a wee ride which of course involved coffee (and pictured additives) and DB pointed out that it was the summer solstice. There is a summer solstice ride tradition of which I’ve never partaken in due to the early rising. On this day we (DB, Emma, Gayle and Jay) did not see the sun rise but it was a beautiful morning, one where you could just keep riding for hours on end and bask in natures glory.