Day 18, Level 1 (Sunday 24th Oct 2020): Lie-in, cleaning, local feast, music concerts

 A lie-in this morning. Why not? It's a holiday weekend. Take it slow ...

I was wide awake at 5.30am and kinda keen to watch the impending sunrise but thought why and went back to sleep - and then had the most bizarre early morning dreams - about people doing things that impacted me hugely and negatively without giving me a heads-up about what they were up to (bizarre selfish things that encroached everything about my life) and then expecting me to just say yes, that's fine, and deal with it even though they knew it was disastrous for me but ideal for them. 

Of course I didn't say, Oh yes that's fine. They were all about themselves, that was clear. I tried to make them see reason as to why it wasn't right, and the impact on me, but they didn't want to know. Even though, in their own way, they could sort of understand. Hmmm, I will have to give some thought as to what that's all about. Dreams always mean something! I often have vivid dreams - but not usually as real-life as this one was!

After cooking up a brunch of scrambled eggs and baked beans, eaten on the deck, I gave the Omaha house a good clean. It's all new and not so hard to keep clean - but cleaning is always onerous. I'm not OCD about cleanliness because spraying chemicals all over the show is actually horrendous. But I make all my own baking-soda-based spray and wipes anyway so there are no chemicals. I haven't bought commercial cleaner sprays for years now since making my own. And I have to say there is no comparison as to which do the best cleaning job - my home-made variety by a million miles! And now I have Lynn's Sparkle Bar - and used that today too. Excellent!

The sun was shining and a pesky north-easterly wind was blowing, so after reading the newspaper and doing all the crosswords and cryptics and puzzles, I got to work vacuuming and washing the floors, sprucing up the stainless steel benchtops, cleaning outside, inside. Not my fun way to spend time of any day - but it was due, and it didn't take long. 

I did some washing and housework. I did some [paid] work on computer. I watched a few horseraces. And, having invited people round for drinks, I spent time making some nibbles. 

I have to say that, somehow, for whatever reason, today, Sunday 25th October 2020, was the day that took the slowest to pass that I have ever known in my 58 years on this planet - in a good way. Nothing I did today was onerous - it was all leisurely and purposeful. Even the housework!! 

I kept looking at the clock and expecting it to be at least two hours in advance of what it was. I got two hours back every half hour! Fabulous. There's nothing better than a leisurely day of purpose and productivity!

In the evening we had a few friends over for drinks - good chat, great food, and wine and loveliness. The pesky wind stayed at bay and we could dilute it by putting on the outdoor heater. Good fun. And delicious smoked kingfish, smoked kingfish pate, pea pate, cream cheese pate, liver pate, garlic pizza bread, swiss cheese rye melts, and more. It was a feast - of eating, drinking and chatting. As the sun set. Nothing better than this feeling! 

SHARE-NOTE OF THE DAY:
Music concerts ...

Michael (24yo) has been up with us this weekend. He's flatting (near Eden Park) and working hard and enjoys coming up to Omaha when he can. Quite a few of his mates' families have holiday homes up here too. 

We're at Omaha for this long weekend - and tonight he headed off to a mate's place and then said that it looked like he had tickets to a concert at the nearby Matakana Country Park. I asked him who was playing. He said I probably wouldn't know them. Try me, I said. I knew three of them! Some big names in the alt music scene. But they're not acts who 50+ year olds would know or flock to! He's there enjoying it now. 

So great to have such a great outdoor casual music venue just 5 minutes' from Omaha. There have been dozens of concerts and music festivals there over many years. Mostly aimed at youngies. But also some more sedate things like food/wine festivals. The complex also has great restaurants, cafes, an art gallery, kids playground and railway, craft shops. It's also an equestrian centre. Plus has a gorgeous heritage church used for weddings etc. It's a wonderful property. The great thing - it is literally 5 minutes' from Omaha. 

Omaha is in the thick of so many fabulous things, it's hard to quantify. I honestly can't keep up with everything that is on!