Am I making you peckish?

One thing you can rely on is that when you drop a gigantic chocolate cake off to a bunch of hardworking men is that it is going to be eaten down to every last crumb.

These last few weeks have seen me working on my book in the form of baking mental amounts to then set up in my temporary studio (also known as the lounge) and capture well enough to make you drool. If you've been following me on Facebook or Instagram you may have had a guts-full of my creations already.

Today though with the two layer chocolate fudge cake on the schedule I thought I really couldn't handle another cake at home. Even the kids are getting blasé about it all.

So I dropped this baby off to Owen's work, where the men were all hard at work coring the greens for the upcoming busy golfing season.

Suffice to say it went down a treat. And the only knife they had to cut it with was a hunting knife.

Awesome.

Righto, back to the kitchen. There's more tarts, slices and cupcakes still to be made.

I'm at home all week if you're peckish.

this week so far...

What I've been doing today....

Just a little sweetness for your Wednesday afternoon...

On a Sunny Saturday Morning...

Oh this place fascinates me every time we venture out somewhere new!

This weekend we were so lucky to have back for a visit my beautiful Amy. Amy who has been my confidant and ear since we were 14 and 13 respectively. She now lives in Australia and I miss her so much. So when she comes back its very exciting. For all of us.

We took advantage of some sunny weather and a free afternoon to take the kids on a walk. We headed up the road to Bowentown and the Pio Reserve at the end. We took off up muddy tracks, climbed some steep hills and got a glorious view as our reward.

Down again into the bush and lush spring green growth. The smell of jasmine was heavy and slightly intoxicating and the breeze was just right to keep us cool. Swishing through the long grass, hiding in the growth, running down steep hills and laughing like maniacs. And the ultimate reward at the end? At the end of an idyllic meadow a wee beach. With white sand and the clearest most beautiful water. And there was no one else around save the odd boat heading past for a spot of fishing.

Without having brought togs the kids stripped down to their skin (or for those more modest just underwear) and dove in, played in the sand and squealed with delight. Amy and I sat on a log and soaked up the sun and the glorious view and marveled at our beautiful surroundings.

A quick walk back to the car and a smoothie and hot chips at our favourite nearby cafe The Flat White topped off the day.

Young Survivors NZ

A few months ago I started thinking I should stop complaining about the lack of support for young women after cancer treatment and although writing letters like this is important, why not blimming well do something about it?

So I started a group. 

Called Young Survivors NZ. 

For young women like me who have experienced life with cancer. 

In any form.

We don't discriminate. 

Breast, ovarian, hodgkins lymphoma, leukemia, liver, lung, skin...the list goes on. There's too much cancer out there for our liking that's for sure.

We are a rag tag group of beautiful people affected deeply by a cancer diagnosis. There are women who had a diagnosis years ago, or are still in treatment, or perhaps are repeating treatment. Women who had surgery, chemotherapy and radiation or one of those or a combination. Women with children or are wondering if they can still have children. Women with full time jobs, or struggling to get themselves back into normal life. 

If you are someone who could benefit from this group then please join us! Click on the Young Survivors NZ tab at the top of my blog. It will take you straight to the page.

And please read this wonderful post by Andrea of Stray Musings + Snapshots. Andrea is one of the admin for the Young Survivors NZ Facebook page and is a wonderful and extremely talented woman from Nelson who last year was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma at the age of 21. Although we have never met we are both passionate about letting people know the struggles and even joys from life journeying with cancer, and we blog not only to process for ourselves but to let others out there not feel alone. 

We are both also keen for other women to have a place to vent and find support.

In the last few days alone there have been more members joining than ever before. I've been throwing the information around to various areas and hopefully we can see where this thing takes us. 

This is what has been missing.

Dad

This weekend we were lucky enough to have my parents down again. 

Dad has been competing in a mountain bike competition over the last few months in Rotorua, using our place to stop in and stay. This weekend happily collided with Fathers Day so we could spend it together.

It was so lovely. Except dad got sick. 

So he couldn't ride.

This man never gets sick. In fact mum said this is the third time since she's known him to ever have had a virus. He was coughing and croaking and looking rather tired. So he slept most of the day. 

Awww. Sleepy time with Poppa.

As horrible as it was to see him sick I didn't have such a great chance to remind him why he is so special. But sometimes you don't need words....so I made him an apple and blueberry crumble. His fav.

This man taught me how to laugh and how to make stupid jokes. 

He's inspired me to be creative and to love art in many forms. 

He's shown me generosity and humbleness. 

He's picked me up from town when I've missed the last ferry home because he didn't want me stuck. 

And he did it happily. A few times.

He always told me I was beautiful - even when I was 15, spotty and "always right".

He kept himself together when I announced at the age of 18 I was getting married. He did go a bit pale.

He gave me away at the alter like a boss.

He's modeled marriage and partnership and compromise amazingly and supported Owen and I throughout our last 13 years.

He is the best Poppa any grand kid could ask for.

He's always at the right time at the right place and has been an amazing father-in-law for Owen since he lost his dad almost 6 years ago.

I love him so so so much. 

Happy Fathers Day Dad. You're a heck of an amazing one.

Get better soon aye?

Dad, myself and Owen's hugely missed late father.