Ode to Neti Pots, Masks and Doing Nothing In Particular

Not that I'm sick or anything, but if I was, know what is totally awesome?

Neti Pots. The bomb. My sister brought one back from the States and they may feel a little like you are holding your head upside down in a wave but do they ever clear your clogged head!

I feel quite amazing.

Also we brought face masks back from Japan. Mum got sick there so "when in Rome..."
You know when you can't breath through your nose and your mouth gets all dry and you wake up in the morning feeling a little bit like you slept with your head in a warm air vent.

Sleep with a mask on. Do it. Yes, you do look like you have a hideously infectious disease to be avoided at all costs but boy do you feel good in the morning. Vastly increases your ability to cope with any teasing about said infectious disease (or at least that's how these things go down in my house!).

Additionally,  I am celebrating the last few weeks of my summer holiday!! Before I go back to University I'm doing nothing in particular except drinking coffee and catching up on tv shows. I am trying very much to relax completely and enjoy it. I do have an teeny tiny tendency at the moment to be quite contrary like Mary Mary and argue a lot. I don't even mean to! I thought I was happy but suddenly I was 20 minutes into a discussion defending an opinion I formed on the spot and wouldn't back down from. Why? I have no idea! I needed to be contrary. Nice one. Baaaad habit, I should stick to less annoying vices like coffee.

Cafe Eighty-Eight

Hope you are having a fun beginning of your year!

love,
Puddleduck

Reconnecting With Cuteness

So I arrived home to New Zealand safely, not feeling the least bit poorly either, huh!
Have been watching movies because it's raining, as you do.

Anyone seen "How to Train Your Dragon"? A-dorable.
Like, I could just walk right into that screen and squeeze wee Toothless until his little pink tongue pops out, the gorgeous, moody cat/bat/dragon that he is.

Japan released a limited edition Toothless phone charm (of course). Way to go Japan, wish I had me one of those! May have a new and mild obsession with cute phone charms. My phone cannot attach any, go figure. But it's so cute! I would find somewhere to put it. 

In fact, may have a renewed love for all things cute.

It's reasonably common knowledge that Japan has cute stuff. "Kawaii" slogans, jingles, posters, mascots, cartoons. To be honest I never really found the typical stuff cute. Pokémon for example: Pikachu was just a fat yellow hamster who looked like his tail had been shut in the door. Maybe it had been and that's why he was always so grumpy...

Guys? Japan does cute gooood. I mean, real good. I bought their special edition angel teddy doughnuts I didn't even like the taste of all that much just because I couldn't resist their little cute faces singin' their little doughnut jingle, awww. Heck, I wished I was there longer to get a point card to score one of their adorable silver and pink doughnut phone charms!

A part of me had reawakened. My weakness for all things cute that had been keeping quiet and acting all mature was freed! It was surely being exploited to the fullest whilst I was there and I was loving every minute of it! This year is the year of usagi, rabbit (also my birth year). I now own a lot of things with rabbits on them, I left even more on the shelves *sigh*.

So thanks Japan. I feel a little lighter, freer. More authentic and less cynical. Warm and fuzzy even. And so much more now can I appreciate the adorable movies I come across.

love,
Puddleduck

I Don't Get Sick

I don't get sick.

I'll co-exist with influenza, swine influenza, head-colds, you name it and I won't get sick.

That is why I currently do not have an excruciatingly sore and grating throat. It doesn't hurt if I cough, which I don't do very much at all anyway.

And I did not just have to gargle hideous gag-inducing mouthwash to kill any bacteria in my mouth.

That is all.

I'm Popping Out, Shan't Be Long!

My friend Julia walking on rocks around the Mount

Tomorrow morning at 3am we are driving to Auckland to fly to Japan for a wee trip.

3 and a half weeks we will be gone. Mum is going through my grandad's memoirs to find where he was stationed in WWII. I'm looking forward to standing where he once did. To remember him and appreciate how our world has changed in just two generations.

We are travelling Honshu: Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima etc. Some dear friends are there I am so excited to visit :D

I was going to organise to post while I was away, but probably won't after all...I promise I'll take lots of photos and post them here :D

Have a fantastic and great New Year's celebration!
love,

Puddleduck

Wuv, Twuu Wuv

Today at work an older couple came in, they were holding hands. Not linking hands. Not clasping like they were dependant on each other. Just holding hands, arthritic and gentle. All tender-like.

Like they were out together because they really enjoyed each other. Not out of habit or necessity. Like when they spent time together, it was purposeful and joyous. Natural as breathing.

They were admiring the art, making jokes with us sales-ladies, winking. Adorable.

As my manager said,
"I love shit like that."

Hear, hear.
Love, and Merry Christmas Eve-Eve

Puddleduck

P.s. I'm pretty sure I just ate the last candy cane on the tree, I'm also pretty sure no one else has had any.

I Want To Go To There

Source Wikimedia via Kuriositas

What a cool/weird/awesome/beautiful/unexpected place!
Go, yes?
love,

Puddleduck

Oh Santa!

I may be sharing too much, but I love Mariah, especially at Christmas...



My trip coming up is overshadowing Christmas. I'm feeling sad about it. Christmas is my FAVOURITE time of the year! Lucky we are having a big Christmas party next week :D

I want to make these:

Chocolate Peppermint Cookies, courtesy of Martha Stewart

I should really move to the Northern hemisphere so I can have a white Christmas; my favourite season is winter, darn.

The Body Shop has glitter make-up out at the moment too! I love the sparkle eyeliner, and the sparkle spray. Sometimes I am such a girl.

Bring on the festivities!
love,

Puddleduck