Gently.......

I had a very restless night last night.  Not sure if it was the pounding waves just outside my door or some other disquiet in me, or maybe a combination of both.  End result was though, that despite going to bed early I slept very little and unsurprisingly, got up later that has been the norm recently.  The light rain that was falling served to encourge me to drag my heels still more and I eventually left Bruce Bay close to 11.00.

With the weather being damp (though not really cold) I found myself covering more kms that I thought I may.  Silly me though had not registered that today was New Year's Eve and when I hit Wanaka (after many stops for rest and refreshement) I was blown away by the number of people, many (most?) of whom appeared to be under 21, male and hanging in packs of between six and a dozen.  They all appeared to have an obligatory beer bottle in hand and walked with a 'here I am........now what?' kind of a swagger.  Certainly not my scene.  A quick fill-up then over the Crown Range (carefully avoiding getting too involved with the massive concert that was being held along the way), then along the main road south to a wee camp spot at the southern end of Lake Wakatipu, near Kingston.  There are a few vans here, but it's very peaceful and calm.  Much more my scene.

Today's shot is of the soft lapping of the Lakes waves......different to last night stronger, more crashing waves.  Much more gentle.  It occured to me that tomorrow will be the beginning of the first year of our lives ever without Mum in it......the first year she didn't get to see.  This thought made me very sad.  Waves ebb and flow in a never ending cycle.  Life ebbs and flows until the point it just stops.  Tomorrow will be a new year and a new cycle for T, F and I, though I know Mum will be there beside us all each and every day.  I find it difficult to find much to say about 2016 - it hasn't been a good year at all.  Farewell 2016 and may 2017 bring peace, love, strength, acceptance and happiness to all.