Dreamyoga.co.uk Blog

Have been really unwell, most unpleasant virus that began 5 days ago and is just leaving me now, though I have a cough that a 60 a day smoker would be proud of. Just spent a few days floating in and out of consciousness with Linda looking after me. She was marvellous, hot lemon and honey drinks, some amazing herbal tonic with lobelia, hydrogen peroxide etc in it and threats that if I didn’t call the Dr in and get some antibiotics i’d be lifted off the island in a helicopter and taken into hospital, far more scary than whales or stingrays I can tell you.

Definitely on the road to recovery now and feeling good.

The run up to Christmas is fabulous here. There are no decorations in the shops - when you ask about christmas cards, at the end of November - you are told that they aren’t in the shops - yet ? If you are invited for Christmas dinner you are asked to buy one present for one person and thats it- sounds great.

Going to be left in charge again next week while they go away for 5 days - oh dear!  Sally the dog is going with them so nothing can go wrong this time.

Went to a fabulous Moon Dance with the girls last night, only 6 of us, but the dancing , that has always made me quite  uncomfortable was easy and flowing and envigorating. It was the Celtic Godess Dreaming last night - maybe that was it - I like to be in a dream state. The house where the dance was held was incredible. All green energy and the most beautiful aspect. A huge balcony with lots of rounded glass around the house, looking down a couple of thousand feet onto one of the most amazing beaches on the island which was about 5 miles away, down a very, very steep high sided valley, birds floating on the thermals, WOW , dancing on that balcony was something.

Had a really good inspection of the moon when I got home through the binoculars, its definitely not the same aspect of the moon that we see in U.K. can anyone explain that.

Going to be completley better tomorrow and get more feet in. Will tell you about the Romance when its all bit more positive

lots of love to Lancaster et al

I’ve got a really disgusting mucousy cold - can’t remember the last time I had anything like this!

Had my first swim the other day. I was a bit worried as I had heard there were many stingrays about, it seems they are good dolphin food and if there are dolphins about there are also stingrays.

Asked friend Pauline what one does in the case of stingrays, she said just chuck a rock. I thought how can  I swim and hold a rock at the same time? The stingrays come into the shallow water and sunbathe under the sand -horrid hey, but everyone says they won’t attack and are harmelss.

When I arrived on the beach little Irish friend Niamh was sunbathing. I asked her if she was coming in. She said last time she went in 3 stingrays came straight for her, very fast and only veered off as they reached her, she said they were huge and she was terrified and only up to her thighs in the water…blimey!

Must go talk soon

love Grace

I’m looking after about 30 vari-coloured hens and cockerls, 2 ducks, 6 cluckers(broody hens which have to be locked up like mensturating women used to be) 1 very old shiny, white long haired goat that looks like the magician from Lord of the Rings, a huge fat sheep and its one-month-old lamb and Sally the one-year-old Jack Russel.   Also in separate accom some silky hens.

There are 2 fields one long thin one with a coop down the bottom, then a gate into a rectangular field with one large coop, one small  coop and locked up cluckers

The chooks are let out after they have laid at 1pm (its very organized here). When Linda is here we all set off in a line to do the chooks. Linda - the knowing one at the front, me the unknowing one behind and Sally trotting along respectful of her betters. It all goes very calmly we put goat sheep and lamb into rectangular field and lock the gate and let everyone else out apart from the naughty cluckers, Sally sometimes takes a bit of interest in the lamb, but she is very biddable. To control any errant behaviour there are some little treat thingies, separate   ones for fowl and animals - otherwise it would be cannibalism.

My turn yesterday. I didnt realise it was all going to be so strenuous so I set off in my 3″ wedge sandals, 1st mistake!   Sally had a bit of a look in her eye. Overnight the goat must have butted the coop in the long field because all the food that should have been inside of a hanging bin was all over the floor, the lamb was the only one who could get her nose in to eat it and was cannibalistically munching away. The goat and ewe didn’t seem to realise today that they had to go into rectangular field for some time and when I  eventually got them in I couldnt close the gate because the lamb was still chewing. Tried to move the lamb who started jumping up and down like a pogo stick which really excited Sally who began to bite her legs and bark a lot. Mother Ewe became very alarmed and bleated at very high decibels, I was shouting “Sally” in deep and murderous tones, Sally took absolutely no notice and was now trying to kill the lamb, the goat had never seen anything like it and started locking forheads with the ewe. I thought if I let the chooks out I could move the coop over the fallen chook food and the lamb would have no further reason to stay.  Sally had turned into a blood - lusting vile uncontrollable ball of teeth and fury and as each chicken came out attacked it and sent it screaming up in the air. I stood there and thought “deep breaths Grace”. Couldn’t move the coop it was too heavy. Decided to take some control and flipped Sally on the butt before something was killed. What a performance! I dont think she’d ever been smacked before, head and tail down, hatred in her eyes. But we were all sorted now, only the chooks didnt fly out into the sunshine like the usually did, today the decided to stay on their eggs and wouldnt let me have them, I was a bit worried that this behaviour would turn them into cluckers but couldnt lift them off as they had a very beady look in thier eye and exceedingly sharp beaks. Left them all to their own devices and had a good day, locked all up later on by which time the silky hens had somehow decided to sleep with  the vari-colours, not sure if thats allowed but wasn’t going to climb in and fish them out in the dark and get coverd in chicken shit.

Sally’s revenge PLEASE DO NOT READ IF YOU ARE SQUEAMISH. Had friends Stess and Pauline around in the evening, all having fun talking about what Barrier Women talk about (which isnt what UK women talk about) when Sally marched in started skittering along the floor on her bottom  left 2 long, flat worms behind and marched out again!

I’ll tell you something teaching yoga, giving the odd reflex treatment, popping into charity shops and having lunch in the Whale Tail is a damn site easier . You lucky people!

After a trickey start to the day ie train did’nt arrive nearly missed ferry etc - finally I was on my way. The sun beating down on us all, Got talking to Simon the sailor who was on my last trip in, catching up on the Island gossip. Our time of arrival was delayed due to large Finn Whale in our pathway- boring huh? I nearly wet myself with excitement!

He wasn’t close, but close enough to see his HUGE  body slowly rolling in the water. Then there would be a big depression in the water then an enormous whoosh as he blew out the blow hole.

Linda was waiting and we went to my new little home - which actually isnt that small. Large bedroom, big kitchen-living room and bathroom, talk about roses around the door, there were literally thousands of them. Magnificent gardens all the way around, with everything in full flower and the organic garden directly behind my house, lettuce, chard, potatoes, herbs of all kinds. Everything in immaculate condition as Linda gardens all day long and employs a gardener.

Very excited the next morning, 6am,  as it was the girls walking group I’d walked with last time, big hugs all round. Then  we were off to Puriri Bay. There were dolphins everywhere! We called them and they came along on our walk with us, throwing themselves up in the air and fishing within 20 yards of us- HEAVEN. Booked 6 reflex appointments on the way, some from the girls and others at freind Marge’s.

Worked all afternoon, but the whale was still out there so walked down to the beach every now and then to watch it and the stupendous dolphin display. 

 While I worked Linda and the gardener were dead hading the roses, I asked them to save them all for me which they did in a giant basket. At the weekend Max and Linda have to go to town. I’ve been told I have free run and can fill up the outdoor bath and throw all the rose petals in - bliss. While they are in town my duties are to feed the chooks, look after the goat, 3 week old lamb and mother,Sally the  Jack Russell and 2 ginger toms, easy peezy.

Next morning, 6am,  getting ready for the walking girls again and a very tall, good looking, tanned,  healthy Wayne standing at my door. Bit irritated as I looked like Pooh. Sent him off with fleah in ear and said I’d see him at weekend - though it was lovely to see him again looking so dashing.

So all is very well, making cash in Paradise, been heartily welcomed

Nothing can go wrong!

very warm - so glad to be here - missing my pals

lots love Grace

Its a funny old world. I have been freinds with a couple called Gill and Alan Orbell for 35 years. One holiday time when we were all together, years ago, Alan mentioned his Uncle had discovered a long thought extinct bird in New Zealand called a Takahe, we all took the mickey out of him because we thought he was having us on. One of our group did some research and found it was all true. I was walking in the bush yesterday with a woman called Dominique. She is a very knowledgeable lady and can whistle bird calls and knows lots about the natural world. She started to tell me about a bird called a Takahe, that was long thought extinct that had been re-discovered by Dr Geoffrey Orbell, could have knocked me down with a feather! It seems he still gives wonderful erudite lectures at 93 and has had a childrens book written about him. Life is amazing isn’t it?

Off to Great Barrier Island tomorrow, seems to have taken ages to get there - 9 days in fact!

From Singapore got on a flight with a really nice Dutch couple on Honeymoon. He is into flight simulation and had been practicing his landing at Aukland for several months and knew everything about it - people are so interesting. She started to feel really sick and began to get the sick bag out, I thought if she throws up I will so I gave her some healing and her colour came back and she was fine, thank goodness didnt want my clothes splashed.

Watched the Simpsoms new movie and loved it, Homer has a shamanic journey with dismemberment and everything - you see it must all be true!

Landed Aukland - seem to have been collecting luggage - things getting abit out of control, 1 a.m very tired. Had all searched, nightmare trying to squeeze it all back in.  For 6 weeks before I left I must have packed and unpacked 15 times trying to get everything in I needed with only 20kg of weight allowed. I had to take my magic ie crystal ball, homeopathy, shamanic drum , divining rods, yoga references and reflexology gear. Thats before any clothes!  The day before I left the  lovely woman I’m staying with on GBI suggested I bring my own linen!!!!!! So an extra box on top of the suitcase, plus my rucksack and a carrier bag with stuff needed on the plane.

No idea where I was staying In Aukland - felt tired through to my bones. Got a shared taxi into the city and booked into a back packers. Crept into a dorm at 2.30 and was wide awake, after laying there for what seemed like days decided to get up and shower - took all bags with me - but realised left passport, money for the whole trip inside the room with the keys to room door   hey ho.  Down to reception where it was 5.30 a.m. Messed around till 7 and walked around town, looking for a bank to grace my fortune with. At 9am it was cold and rainy and none of the banks wanted me or I didnt want them, so signed up with Kiwi bank(post Office) who at least had heard of GBI. It took 2 hours to sign up by which time my head was spinning -decided not to get a mobile phone, it would have been too much.  Bought giant bottles of brill hair conditioner and shampoo really cheaply and horrible Deet mosquito killer ( sorry Paul) and stuff to put on the bites after they had battled through to me anyway.

Tried to phone friend Cathy where I’m staying tonight without any luck, totally exhausted now , very cold and rainy. Went to supermarket to get goodies for tonights meal, didnt want to turn up empty handed! now 1 rucksack 1 suitcase 1 large box, 3 very full supermarket carrier bags, bottles of hair stuff. Had to negotiate steps up to station , the lift whose doors kept closing halfway through the logistical nightmare, onto the platform, stuff flying over, swearing now! Got on the train, ticket I’d just bought completley gone. Train set off bought another ticket, long handle of the suitcase whacked a woman on the leg, I said really sorry did it hurt, she said yes it really did, before I could get to it it fell and whacked her again. Managed to get off train, then down a long slope where everything bounced and flew down, which saved me the job of carrying them, God is good.

Lovely friend Cathy turned up with gorgeous baby Thomas. Thomas is 2 has bright golden hair, huge blue eyes and skin of silk. He completley shines and looks like one of those fat angels from Ruebens. He goes to bed at 7.30p.m exausted and has to be woken up at 8.30 a.m.  Had good sleep, going to have bath after this. 

GBI on Sunday now, Friday’s ferry 7am Sundays ferry 10 a.m, no contest!