Laura. Shadows on the Beach.


Laura and I met in the late 1970s, and were married in 1981. That is a lot of years, the greater part of our lives. Last month Laura's illness came close to separating us both, but she did return from hospital as frail as an injured bird, and she is making a recovery.

We take some air when we can.. A short drive in the van to the beach, and a slow walk on the fine, firm sand is like a gift of life itself after confinement within 4 walls. We enjoy making shadows on the beach, and it gladdens my heart to see two shadows, and not just one!



I finally wobbled my way into the 21st century and bought a smart phone. I entirely missed out on mobile phones.. I had a great antipathy to them and probably only ever sent about 3 or 4 text messages in my life before getting the smart gadget...., but with Laura being ill in hospital, a fairly immediate way of staying in touch seemed like a good idea. I am enjoying having it around, and also making use of its primitive camera.. All the reviews I have read of the phone (it is a first generation Motorola moto e) say that the camera it has is a joke... plastic lens, fixed focus.. and so on, but I am quite fond of its limitations and am learning to work within them. And...., hey, it can do panoramas! They are great fun!



Although Laura looks quite well and cheerful in these photos, she is actually extremely weak still, and tires rapidly. My lovely Father visited for a day last week and looked after Laura and our little gallery whilst I was away in Dunedin for an appointment. Last week was the first week since Laura returned from hospital that I have felt able to be away for a short time.


We had a little drive to Karitane on Saturday. Karitane is the next village from here. I always feel like we are on holiday when we visit Karitane. The village has a river estuary on one side of it, with a wharf and a small fishing fleet, and it also has a lovely beach and peninsula too. The Karitane Store is owned by our friend Sue O'Neill, a truly delightful person, who has transformed the Store into a warm and happy hub for the community. The Store has good food there, and I had a cup of most excellent soup, that was really a seafood chowder, for lunch.



Laura and Sue sat out in the sun together on some wooden chairs outside the store, and chatted about life and its many challenges and joys too.


We drove from the store to the estuary, and I tried to fit as much as I could of it into my tiny smart phone camera!


Laura can't walk far as yet, and she gets some pain still inside, but she has a smile and a positive attitude, and will be back!

With all this stuff with Laura's health going on, I really have not been able to work, but my pupil, Becky, has been making some medium sized earthenware bowls, and is doing very well. It is good to hear the sound of the wheel at work in the studio when she is able to come out here, and delightful to see her enthusiasm.


Yes..., Becky appears to be tapping away on one of those strange smart phone gadgets too!

I am sorry that I am not spending much time visiting blogs at the moment, but I haven't forgotten you all!

Comments

Anna said…
Hi Peter
So sorry to hear of Laura's illness. Having been thru a major illness myself I know the impact it has on our loved ones, our carers. Blessing to you both.
Anna
Peter said…
Hi Anna,
Thank you for your comment and kind thoughts. Sorry that you also have had first hand experience of this sort of thing.
gz said…
Hope Laura's health improves steadily...and that you're not too inconvenienced by the storm and snow
Melissa Rohrer said…
Enjoyed the pictures, especially the panoramas. Maybe it's time for me to get a smartphone.
Wishing the best for Laura's recovery.
Tracey Broome said…
Peter, your Laura looks happy and well cared for in your photos. I do hope she is fully recovered soon, best wishes for both of you!
Armelle Léon said…
How nice to see Laura smiling, wonderful text and photos Peter, you are doing great panoramas of your wonderful island and ....of Laura, of course :-)

I send my best wishes to you both, and a quick recovery to Laura.
Arkansas Patti said…
Aww Peter, I am so sorry Laura has been struggling with her health. I am so happy she is recovering but know how a serious illness can shake us to our cores.
Laura, please take good care and keep getting stronger. Sending big hugs and prayers your way. Be well both of you.
Sunshine, love, and good friends will help with Laura's recovery. It looks like she is getting lots of all three.
Enjoy your smartphone, I thought I was the last to get on the bandwagon.
Anonymous said…
Best wishes for health! Enjoyed the panoramas and the update. Take care, both of you!
Anonymous said…
Truly great to hear and see you both on the blog! The "shadow" photo is a beaut. Our love to you both and keep those feet on the sand Laura! Graham & Amanda
Peter said…
Hello Gwynneth,
Ah, news of our wintery weather must have reached you! Yes, we had the main road to Dunedin shut for half a day or so by snow, and very chilly gale force winds. The snow seems early this year... so we're bracing for a cold winter!

Hi Melissa,
It sounds like you have been avoiding smartphones too! I am enjoying mine, but I see some of the dangers of them all around me, with people plugged into their gadgets wondering around like zombies. I always wonder what, or who, they are communicating with... I suppose I will soon know for myself!!!!

Hi Tracey,
Good to hear from you. It is great to be able to start going to the beach and getting some fresh air (when not snowing) and wider spaces!

Bonjour Armelle,
A smile is a precious thing, and really good to see! I am enjoying experimenting with the panoramas, they are an interesting way of seeing the world!

Hi Patti,
Thank you for the prayers and hugs, I'll pass on the big hugs..gently.. to Laura, and it is good to be able to do so!

Hi Michèle,
Sunshine, love and good friends, are a powerful tonic, and we are really lucky to have all of those things (although the sunshine part is a bit intermittent!). It always amazes me when people queue (and fight one another) to buy the latest i*gadget when it comes out... I have avoided it as long as I could, but I must confess that it was really nice just being able to phone someone when I needed to last week without having to find a public telephone box...

Hello Anonymous,
Thank you for the best wishes, and I'm glad you enjoyed the panoramas and update!

Hello Graham and Amanda,
Good to hear from you, and thank you for your love and kind thoughts.
gz said…
Hello again...hope the weather isn't being too hard...friends in Whanganui had six weeks rain in two hours not long ago. Pipiriki had 15 metre floods and much of the River Road has gone...sounds as if the Whanganui River Basin really got it.
You're getting a harder Winter..and we're getting an apology for a Summer so far!!
Peter said…
Hi Gwynneth,
Good to hear from you again (mmm I really must put together another post!). Yes it is quite an entertaining winter this year... main road to Dunedin blocked on several occasions with snow, and lots of high wind blowing the cob webs away.. but there have been some still, blue days, that have been rather lovely!P

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