Winner!

Thanks to the magic of the cube (my desktop rubbish bin) ikkinlala is the winner of my 100 post draw - congrats!

It is way too early in the morning to think of a proper post, so I shall mention the weather. Winter is by far my favourite season. I love the moodiness of the skies, listening to the rain fall, being rugged up nice and warm and drinking mulled wine. I adore the colours of lights in the rain and the reflections on the road....and, of course, snow. There has been a bit falling lately in the central plateau and i am very glad to have purchased my season pass for Ruapehu - but i may spend a bit of time sleeping in the car on weekends away!

Have a great day....

the wheels on the bus

Normally i avoid the number 14 bus like the plague...it takes way too long to get over the hill through Roseneath and into Kilbirnie. This evening, though, I figured i may as well as it turned before any others going my way. And what an entertaining journey. 

I love early evening in winter, rainy, grey, cool and beautifully accented by light - cars, windows, buses, traffic lights. We went along Oriental bay and I was treated to some voyeuristic peeks into people's lives - their windows lit up for everyone to see them cooking dinner, relaxing, 'getting home'. 

The bus driver, however, was even better entertainment. The happiest one i have ever come across. Greeted everyone like an old friend, announced every stop, just like the trams in Melbourne - "coming up, James Smith's!" And when the bus was full, he stood up and asked all school kids to stand up and use their manners so the adults could sit down. Gold. Then, when there was noone to talk to, he sang. 

He single-handedly proved the old adage that if you are nice to people, they will be nice to you. By the time anyone got off the bus, they had a great smile on their face. I bet he had the best day out of any bus driver - because he decided to love his job and be nice to every single person who got on his ride.