Wow! There are so many decisions to make as the build goes along. As I said, I had perused every piece of media I could find. One thing I learn’t quickly though was that your tiny is made for you, at least by my builders it is. Every inch of Lil Pad was designed, decided upon and set out for me! I had to become very aware of how I live, cook, want to clean, sleep, work, relax, interact with my cats, what do we do when my friends come over, who comes to stay.

This was so exciting. I cannot afford to build a dream home as such, but this tiny house is my dream home because I know how I came to make a decision on every nook and cranny.

So….. I love baths. “You can’t have a bath in a tiny house” someone may have said. Well, yep you can and I am. My bath is not huge but its deep, and has a shower over it. This leads me to another story….as I was deciding on fittings, I knew I didn’t want chrome or black, nothing against these, but as I said, you build your tiny for YOU. Anyway I wanted gold bathroom fittings and found quite a few BUT couldn’t find a gold shower curtain rod that didn’t cost half the earth. A fabulous friend, who is a panelbeater popped it through the spray shop and I now have a gold shower curtain rod. Lovely.

The kitchen is a tough decision. I had already decided on a kind of modern take on shaker style for the cupboard fronts and I had a gorgeous retro style fridge in the wings, so what to do for the splashback and bench top? Wait for it …actually no, I will save that for another update. Today you can see the lounge with lovely high windows as well as a low opening window, the bath, kitchen fronts, upstairs and back door.

What did COVID lockdowns mean to you? and did they change you in any way?

I decided I wanted to live more simply, so I started to talk to an amazing couple who build Tiny Houses. This was all done online to start with. I had watched every You Tube video, every HGTV episode, with tiny houses, every Tiny House Nation episode, every Living BIg in a Tiny House video, and I knew I wanted to “go tiny”.

After my chat with the owners of Cocoon Tiny Homes in 2021 during a lockdown, I started doodling, planning, measuring, collected pics, collected colours, until I had a bit of a plan on paper. This plan was just the start. Many times it changed, it evolved and I evolved too. I had already started to decide on what was coming with me, belongings wise and what wasn’t. Did you know that we really can do with a lot less than we usually hold onto?

I put the deposit down and I was on my way to “going tiny”. There were some hiccups along the way with selling the townhouse and financing a tiny. This is the boring bit so on we go to the first time I saw my tiny in the factory with my name stamped on the metal frame. I was in love with “Lil Pad”

I cant believe its nearly three years since I sat here to share. Where to start? ……

We did keep flying around the parts of the world that my airline flies to, but we didn’t see too much for nearly two years. We were unable to get out in the cities we visited until early 2022. It was quite a change to arrive in another city and see only a hotel room and maybe a hotel restaurant if we were allowed to. The interactions with people on the aircraft were minimal also, giving us all a new perspective on relationships.

One of my first trips being able to leave the hotel was to LAX, and it was such an amazing feeling. This is a city I know pretty well but felt completely different from 2019 LA.

That first Taco and Margarita were phenomenal AT MANHATTAN BEACH.

Hi everyone, hope you are staying safe and staying positive. The year has been a challenge for us all, and globally we are fighting the same enemy. Our lives have changed in small, and in some big, ways. We travellers are getting itchy feet and are having to scratch them in our own country. Here in New Zealand, that has not been too hard and I will update you on some great spots very soon. The other thing I have been doing is working on a completely unrelated thing. I have a wee online shop, accessible to Kiwis by Shopify and a couple of items have made their way to Amazon for our fellow American Jacinda fans.

If you love our Prime Minister and want to celebrate her ……..https://www.amazon.com/Jacinda-Ardern-Leaders-Kiwiana-Flowers/dp/B088DKSMXK/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=jacinda+ardern+puzzle&qid=1598561832&sr=8-1

Talk travel with you again soon. Take Care xx

So on Monday, I thought we’d been a week in lockdown 😂 Turns out we hadn’t. I returned from bringing kiwis 🥝 home. The airport was deserted, the car park empty and the roads dead. Made me think of that 70s British show ….. Survivor. No not the recent “reality” one. This one was a drama about a virus 🦠, and it was brilliant, and here we are !!!

So we do what we have to do. We also need to do what we have to do, to keep sane. I am attempting a run every day because I miss the rise to the heart rate that Body Attack brings, along with the red face, panting and then the treat of coffee after. If I don’t exercise, the extra eating will certainly show when I finally put on nice clothes again.

Today there was a bit in the “news” from our neighbours (Oz) saying that runners could spread the virus, if their “fluids” dropped on someone else. 😮 well, people don’t be worried if you see me, there will not be enough fluids to drop on others. I’m not that good at running that I will soak myself and others in body fluid !!!! Hilarious news I thought from Oz, bloody stop haircuts etc 😂

Anyway, we are finally a week down and doing what we can to stop this thing from stealing our people.

Good work Kiwis x

I have been using the time to get into my distance learning course and except for a walk yesterday and today, and a 2 step walk to the garden, I have been inside. Great to see lots of bears in windows as we walk around our local area, and we have added our own, although technically a moose 😳

Tonight I am flying again. Lots of people have sent messages and it’s nice to have the support. We are being VERY careful and are happy to be bringing kiwis home. Who’d have thought, as hosties, we would spend time on our makeup and manicures, only to cover them with masks and gloves 😜

Stay safe NZ and Stay Home, see ya Monday.😷

So weird isn’t it ? To not leave your house at all. The morning was fab, drank heaps of coffee, did my homework ( distance learning ). By lunchtime I had “Phoned a friend” or two! And solved a couple problems that won’t help the world but needed sorting anyway.

Found a bear to pop in the window for the passing kids to spot.

Watched the PM deliver another address. She is so great that I bet the US of A are jealous we have her and they have…..well you know what they have.

Trying to keep the exercise up, thanks to my gym for the On Demand classes. Once again there was the same guy watching me.

Two rather sad bananas kept looking at me every time I opened the pantry so by 4 o’clock they were turned into a banana loaf.

1 down 27 to go ……

So normally I regale you all with stories of my travels to exotic places with fantastic things to see. Well all my travels just now are to grab a bunch of kiwis and get them home. No sightseeing, no adventures, so I’m stuck with sharing day to day dramas. Every day will not be spent at home, as much as I would prefer that, some days will be spent flying. Not many though.

Today was an “at home” day….. quick trip to supermarket and animates to ensure we have a couple days food for me and for the three moggies.

That job was completed successfully, along with managing to side step an elderly gentleman in the supermarket who decided we should have a conversation. No way dude! I was backing away, wheeling my trolley thinking “where have you been old man ?” Watch the news. You should not be talking to strangers and risking your life !

Back in the safety of my place and no risk of unwanted conversation, I rolled the yoga mat out and began a bit of light exercise ……. please see look on cats face as he witnessed this, not impressed I feel. I was a little impressed with myself, as it wasn’t the same as having all my gym mates there suffering beside me, but I managed a Les Mills CX class.

Watching the address from our PM was both riveting and sobering. This is our reality for as along as it takes. We NEED to do this. Getting outside seemed like a good idea and it was, as there were still some passion fruit to pick. 😊

I can’t actually account for the whole day, so I’ve gotta get better at being productive. Flying tomorrow bringing kiwis home again. Stay safe NZ, and if you are not in essential services, Stay home! Talk soon.