an unexpected event

this is not the sort of thing you want to see

when you are flying over your home patch

the Eden Valley fire ignited about 11am on January 17

[about the same time as i arrived at Adelaide airport]

by the time my flight was in the air

it had grown to a substantial blaze

thing is, when 13 people are relying on you to show up wearing you best set of bunny ears

there's really no option of pulling the plug and heading back home into the smoke

i have my fingers crossed that my family will be sensible

and for now at least the wind has changed

[which just means that it's a completely crap situation for somebody else]

after a sleepless night in Wellington

and a quick totter down Taranaki street to Te Papa

for some calming Colin McCahon therapy

 i hopped the straits to Nelson

to be wrapped in a huge warm welcome 

which made me feel a whole lot better

[on the way at the airport i taught a woman how to make string

because she was fascinated by what i was up to -

she hopped on her flight with a handful of wet silk shreds

and much enthusiasm, bless her]

anyway the fire is not the unexpected event. 

in Australia it's not a question of "if" the country will burn

but "when".

that's how it is.

the unexpected event

[title deliberately purloined from Tolkien]

was this

a parcel

addressed to me

from kowtow

a clothing company based in Wellington

there was a sweet note

and beautifully packed

between deliciously rustling tissue paper

two gorgeously soft timeless fabulous pieces

made from Fairtrade Organic cotton

and in a very comfy size.

thank you kowtow

i know where i will be shopping for simple

soft but sturdy things to wear

under winter layers

or for soft spring afternoons

[in summer i do a complete cover up]

i think our work goes very well together!