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DAY #1,500 DONE & DUSTED
Sunday 29 August 2021 – Tuesday 07 October 2025 #smilingontheinside – 11 October 2025 I was going to make a big deal about it. But didn’t. I was going to walk Mt Tauhara in Taupo to landmark the day – something monumental. But didn’t. I’ve been-there-done-that (with Mt Tauhara) back in the day – it…
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About Your Motorhome Julie…
Some FAQs about our Dethleffs “Just Go” 7055 EBL motorhome – like why a motorhome and not a caravan? Can we go off-grid? What’s the difference between a motorhome and a campervan? What type of motorhome do we have? Are we self-contained? Can you drive it Julie?
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ANNUAL MID-YEAR IN-LAW GET-TOGETHER
In-law family get-togethers, walking at sunrise, letting dreams go to create space for others and getting creative with my photos on frosty blue sky mornings in Stratford, NZ.
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First Dry Step Climbing Since Forever + No Makeup Required
Yesterday was one of those learn to dance on a moving magic carpet type of days. After delayed meetings and timing challenges, I finally climbed my steps – without a raincoat for the first time in forever! Two thousand steps climbed this week, exploring perspective vs comparison and showing up without masks.
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Pizza Experiments + Ordinary Gratitude
Pizza oven experiments with keto bases reveal taste preferences and household compromises. Finding gratitude in my ordinary day – from Nespresso, to My Hero’s methodical problem-solving approach to broken appliances. Sometimes the mundane days require more effort to appreciate, but the simple victories still deserve recognition and celebration.
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12 REPEATS = 1,004 STEPS – EVEN IN THE RAIN
Rain didn’t stop a personal best today – 1,004 steps climbed across 12 repeats, even getting drenched in the process. Brief sunshine through the kitchen window, promising recruitment marketing chat with a vet, and finding a new protea bud to photograph. Sometimes the best moments happen despite the weather.
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Foggy-Tea-Strainer-For-Coffee-Monday
Alan’s fog-bound delay reminded me what matters most – safe arrivals home. Between tea-strainer coffee mornings and interval walks to disco music, ordinary days still hold their own rhythm. Still pondering gym choices for upper body strength while wrestling with French Press quirks and celebrating 6kph walking pace achievements. #smilingontheinside
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Prototype Completed
Today was Day #1,415 consecutive walking. I completed the van’s custom bed linen prototype. A day of things going not-to-plan, decaf coffee + home made fish and chips. #smilingontheinside
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Fallen Trees and Fitted Sheets
My morning walk with Alan brings unexpected tree-crawling requirements after overnight storms. Weekend weather warnings shift van plans from traveling to working – tackling the challenge of resizing non-standard motorhome bedding. From fitted sheets to mattress protectors, turning saggy-baggy bed linen into better fitted comfort for future “aways.”
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I Felt Like Quitting – Many Times
This week I moved goalposts so many times you could’ve called me Donald. From 11x step-climbs to 7x daily to somehow 3,000 for the week. Yesterday in pouring rain I completed my final repeats – 3,024 total ascends. Every step felt hard, but I kept going, making deposits into my Resilience Account.
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New Machines and Old Friends
Never say never! My new Nespresso Essenza Mini arrived for van adventures, complete with the learning curve of proper initialization. Between figuring out coffee temperatures and catching up with a special friend over lunch, it’s the small moments that keep me #smilingontheinside.
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THE VOICE THAT WON’T LET UP
That inner voice that pushes for perfection won’t let up, even when I’ve given myself permission to take it easy. Yesterday’s step-climbing session turned into a battle between intention and expectation, while dramatic events unfolded in our neighbourhood and Alan’s shopping skills remained questionable.
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SAVING SOMETHING IN THE TANK
Today’s reflection is all about musing on finding the balance between pushing limits and saving energy for what matters most.
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PULLING THE ARROW BACK
A Week of Active Recovery The Arrow That Must Pull Back #smilingontheinside – Monday 07 July 2025 Back in my yoga days – I started when I was in the Fifth Form at school – I remember coming across an adage about how an arrow needs to first pull back before it can go forward.…
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“MOTORHOME AWAY” – PAUANUI WEEKEND
Chancing the Weather Saturday – 05 July – Day One #smilingontheinside – Weekend 05-06 July 2025 Once Upon a Time, morning walks around Pauanui were a common event for me. Back in the day. We’d fly across the range in ZK-DOK, spend the weekend with aviation friends and then fly home again. My morning walking…
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WEEKEND WEATHER WARNINGS
Houston! We Have A Problem! Water! Water! Everywhere! #smilingontheinside – Friday 04 July 2025 We were loading up the van (motorhome) this afternoon – rushing to get everything stowed before the heavy rain and thunderstorms, forecast, arrived. We almost made it and were patting ourselves on the back until we turned around and saw water…
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SUPERMARKET FIBBING…?
Passionfruit are not in season… are they…? Our passionfruit vine is bare #smilingontheinside – Wednesday 02 July 2025 I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw that passionfruit is selling for $59.99/kg – in other words – sixty dollars – yesterday. Sixty Dollars!! The label here states “in season now”. Really? Our vines are completely…
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Couple-Time Disrupted: Navigating Work-Life Balance
2025 is A Chocolate-Free Year We all make a difference #smilingontheinside – Tuesday 01 July 2025 I read in the NZ Herald that RJs – the manufacturer of Jaffas – the orange flavoured chocolate balls – is stopping manufacture. How sad is that! I bet there’ll be spike in sales now. I wonder whether me…
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How Marbles Help Me Track My Step Counts
Marbles moved from pocket to pocket How do you count flights when there are so many steps…? #smilingontheinside – Monday 30 June 2025 Keeping track of a few flights of steps is easy… but remembering where I’m up to when I’ve climbed hundreds and hundreds of steps is a bit more challenging. To start with,…
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SUNDAY IS FARMER’S MARKET DAY
Our “Market Ritual” kick off Sundays My Solo Run to the Market #smilingontheinside – Sunday 29 June 2025 It hit me this morning on my drive to the Hamilton Farmers’ Market – I actually live alone for nearly half the year. When you add up all the nights Alan’s work roster takes him away from…
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