Testosterone ...

I am currently living with five males: two adults, one adolescent, one cheeky seven year old and one baby. My brother-in-law has come to stay too.

The toilet smells like wee; there's always dishes; they eat all the time; the laundry is always overflowing; and they rumble and wrestle on MADE beds, couches, the floor; and I am becoming very good at making them pick up after themselves because it exhausts me just looking at it all. I don't like being bossy but I have to be, grrrr.

Of course the upside is lots of arms to cuddle a crying baby or pat his back when he's struggling to breathe; the kids have someone to throw a rugby ball too or go fishing; someone is always in the kitchen so I get a few cups of tea and lots of food; there's a real sense of life in this house, that people live here. It's not a dead museum. I hope to see more of our brothers son too, my nephew. My dad came visiting last weekend. I kid you not. I invited him to move in with us as well. lol. And he has a son as well. I think I am a man-magnet ... yeah right.

Its rather overwhelming living with so much maleness around me. I definitely need a bigger house if Dad comes to stay. I would have our whole family living with us if they wanted to. To look after and care for any whanau anytime for any reason is normal. We love having family around us.

I have four brothers, my husband is one of four brothers, his father had eight brothers. There were three boys born in my family in the last three years. It's a man-saturated world I live in.

Meanwhile a craft fair to get ready for in two months.

little brother

My brother Sean and our family from Australia ...


I understand how my kids love their little brother. I could just fall into these big deep brown eyes and be lost forever. My sweet sweet baby.


This is my little brother. He is eight years my junior which when we are both in our thirties isn't that big a difference. He was my baby once. My mum was a single mother and I shared the responsibility of looking after my two little brothers when we were younger.

I really love them deeply and feel my heart expand when they are around. It's tough living in different countries. I have no desire to be a foreigner. I am tangata whenua, I belong here but I do miss my family often. We are standing at the north end of Titahi Bay.

And this is my lovely sister-in-law Marnie. I'm not kidding, she's really special. She's warm, loving, thoughtful, sensitive and kind. Can't you tell. She's really like that photo. I'm so glad my little brother married an amazing woman. This is my nephew Matthew who I met for the first time. He's too cute. The fairest little Maori kid I know.
Cheryl, Marnie's mum, Marnie and I went to Martha's Pantry, a new tea house at the top of Cuba Street for high tea. I had a Devonshire tea with scones, cream, jam and a pot of Earl Grey. We drank from fine china and Knuckles sat in a vintage high chair playing with the iconic wooden bumble bee toy and banging Cheryls gold bracelet.

Back in P-town things were rugged. The wind was blowing and the air had a bite to it. The ocean was churning its guts and the sky was bright blue. A great day for surfing and sightseeing.

I'm glad my family is here. We have Rich's youngest brother living with us at the moment too. Our hearts overfloweth.