Why is Growler so happy?
Aug. 14th, 2005 01:46 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
growler_southBecause I went home today. Not my parent's home but MINE- home to my mountain.
Everyone needs a mountain, and I feel sorry for people who are born without one. My mountain is a particualrly nice one: it's not too high, you can walk to the top of it in 3.5 hours, it has a couple of tumbling clear rivers flowing around it, it's dotted with 100-year old ruins, mines and bridges, and its totally covered in bush.
I've been a little out of sorts over the last couple of weeks, happy most of the time but frustrated and depressed at being stuck in my situation for the next few weeks. Meditation was helping but I needed a quick fix. Visiting my mountain is always the cure. As I walk through the bush, swim in the rivers, explore the mineshafts and waterways, it reminds me of who I am. I grew up here, and it taught me that beauty is everywhere, that I'm well capable of looking after myself, and that the things I need to be happy are very few and very simple. I look at the world like a kid again, and its a great way to see things :-)
The Ohinemuri river runs along the base of Mt Karangahake, and carved the rocky gorge. We used to dive and swim in the river, build rafts and race them down it, play with tractor inner-tubes and lumps of driftwood. I went to the river's edge and it smelled crisp and green. And then hungry sandflies attacked me.
I retreated to higher ground and wandered round the old ruins. The area was a huge gold mining settlement 100 years ago, and the place is littered with the foundations of abandoned buildings, giant steel wheels, beams, and processing pits. We try not to fall into the pits...
I had a wee swim in the Waitawheta river- it's clear and clean, and has rapids to play in. Its also FUCKIN FREEZING at this time of year. I didnt swim for long, as my nuts leapt so far into my body I thought they were trying to strangle me. No, there are no pics of me cold and wet- my hands were shaking and all I wanted was to get DRY and WARM.
I visited my old primary school too- they added a big new sign, and thats about it :-)
I stopped by to see my godmother as well, she lives in our old home- my sister's room still has the wee plaque on the door that says 'Clare's room'. My plaque's been removed... hurrumph! but my old 'tree house' is still there- before town supply, everyone had their own header tank for water. Dad built ours on 4 large poles, and built me a wee hut underneath. Complete with aluminium joinery!
So that was my day in pictures. Once I got back to Auckland (8pm) I had a really nice dinner with Paul3, and then to Urge. Once again, I wasnt interested in any advances from the assembled drooling masses, and came home at midnight- but this time I wasnt disappointed or frustrated with myself, I am just happy to be me, even with all my quirks and insecurities :-)
It's been a VERY good day.
Oh and I had many lovely phone calls today- a couple from a happy Boof, doing his bit for foreign relations, and another from Robbie n Fish, both giggling and chatting like happy schoolgirls. Fantastic!!! :-D
Everyone needs a mountain, and I feel sorry for people who are born without one. My mountain is a particualrly nice one: it's not too high, you can walk to the top of it in 3.5 hours, it has a couple of tumbling clear rivers flowing around it, it's dotted with 100-year old ruins, mines and bridges, and its totally covered in bush.
I've been a little out of sorts over the last couple of weeks, happy most of the time but frustrated and depressed at being stuck in my situation for the next few weeks. Meditation was helping but I needed a quick fix. Visiting my mountain is always the cure. As I walk through the bush, swim in the rivers, explore the mineshafts and waterways, it reminds me of who I am. I grew up here, and it taught me that beauty is everywhere, that I'm well capable of looking after myself, and that the things I need to be happy are very few and very simple. I look at the world like a kid again, and its a great way to see things :-)
The Ohinemuri river runs along the base of Mt Karangahake, and carved the rocky gorge. We used to dive and swim in the river, build rafts and race them down it, play with tractor inner-tubes and lumps of driftwood. I went to the river's edge and it smelled crisp and green. And then hungry sandflies attacked me.
I retreated to higher ground and wandered round the old ruins. The area was a huge gold mining settlement 100 years ago, and the place is littered with the foundations of abandoned buildings, giant steel wheels, beams, and processing pits. We try not to fall into the pits...
I had a wee swim in the Waitawheta river- it's clear and clean, and has rapids to play in. Its also FUCKIN FREEZING at this time of year. I didnt swim for long, as my nuts leapt so far into my body I thought they were trying to strangle me. No, there are no pics of me cold and wet- my hands were shaking and all I wanted was to get DRY and WARM.
I visited my old primary school too- they added a big new sign, and thats about it :-)
I stopped by to see my godmother as well, she lives in our old home- my sister's room still has the wee plaque on the door that says 'Clare's room'. My plaque's been removed... hurrumph! but my old 'tree house' is still there- before town supply, everyone had their own header tank for water. Dad built ours on 4 large poles, and built me a wee hut underneath. Complete with aluminium joinery!
So that was my day in pictures. Once I got back to Auckland (8pm) I had a really nice dinner with Paul3, and then to Urge. Once again, I wasnt interested in any advances from the assembled drooling masses, and came home at midnight- but this time I wasnt disappointed or frustrated with myself, I am just happy to be me, even with all my quirks and insecurities :-)
It's been a VERY good day.
Oh and I had many lovely phone calls today- a couple from a happy Boof, doing his bit for foreign relations, and another from Robbie n Fish, both giggling and chatting like happy schoolgirls. Fantastic!!! :-D
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no subject
Date: 2005-08-13 02:15 pm (UTC)I love this entry.
I know what you are talking about.
As I read my brain wandered off to places of long ago when there wasn't a care to be had. Running through the forest as fast as possible, not thinking of danger or hurt - the light flickering through breaks in the canopy - the mind pressing for more and faster as every sense fills and fills.
Thanks for the post!
no subject
Date: 2005-08-13 02:40 pm (UTC)we used to camp out overnight on the very top under an old green canvas tent,then wake up in the morning to find me Dad cookin sausages on a fire...*sigh*
its good to be a kid again huh?
no subject
Date: 2005-08-13 10:24 pm (UTC)My "mountain" is actually a part of the North Dakota Badlands; I don't get to make it back there as often as I would like.
no subject
Date: 2005-08-13 11:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-08-14 06:51 pm (UTC)I grew up here: http://www.google.com/maps?q=2005+westfield+ave+sw,+minot,+nd&ll=48.234128,-101.324276&spn=0.003999,0.008011&t=h&hl=en
We were the house just north of the one with the swimming pool. Note that the boundaries of the town are unchanged from what I remember - and we moved away in 1980. Minot is hilly, compared to the plains around it, but that's not saying much.
I grew up thinking that Minnesota was heaven on earth. Hills, lakes, and forests, and milder winters.
Now living with the Cascades right nearby - bliss.
Understood
Date: 2005-08-15 01:37 am (UTC)Te Kaimai te Munga
Te Wharawhara (Uretara)te Awa
Never been tramping about Karangahake or Waikino but lots of times in the Kaimais and last year Te Aroha for the first time. From the domain, not cheating via the shortcut from way up the transmitter road.
no subject
Date: 2005-08-17 03:56 am (UTC)Oh, and the scenery is rather nice too...
;-)
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