20 little things

I'm not one to write short blog posts. Anyone who knows me understands my inability for conciseness and limitations when it comes to my writing or expressing myself. A good friend Mark's most well worn phrase with me is "the short version Grace".

I still have a yummy chocolate recipe that's going up tomorrow but I had to write this post in the meantime. I met the wonderful Clare from The Life of Clare eleven years ago on a remote island off the coast of West Cork. She was travelling on a one year gap year, coming all the way from Australia. Her backpack was bigger than she was. She was nerdy about farming and we instantly clicked. We kept in touch on and off over the years, facebook styly, but it wasn't until we both started taking foodblogging and instagram seriously that the friendship was rekindled. Thanks to instagram, our lives have become acquainted with each other again and it's magnificent.

I look forward to her photo updates and recipes on an almost daily basis now. She had a beautiful son a year ago now and her and her husband's style of parenting and living is beautiful. Clare is always coming up new and beautiful ways to spread her blogging wings and this morning, she came up with a post on instagram of 20 honest things about her. I haven't been able to stop thinking about it all day. In the last few months, I seem to have gotten more and more interest in busylittlefoodie and I feel privileged.  Even though I have an honest 'about' page, I never thought to share more about my own personality. I have a strong and growing sense of who I am and what's important to me but I rarely vocalise or share it as succinctly as Clare did today on instagram. I thought it would be too much about me and I didn't want to come across as self centred. I worry about what other people think of me. Not as much as I used to but still enough that it's noteworthy. Clare's post was so beautifully honest and interesting though that I had to give it a go. That's what this post is about. A little about me. Don't forget to check out the chocolate treats tomorrow and happy reading!


1. I'm really uncomfortable being the centre of attention. I'm a teacher and have no problem standing in front of a crowd of 300 if I have to but when it comes to my personality being under the spotlight, I shy away. Many people find this contrast difficult to understand.

2. There are several years from my teenage and young adult life where there are no photos of me or my face. I used to be self conscious beyond belief. I have very few regrets in life, this is one of them. Now I try to embrace photos of myself.

3. I love being barefoot. It is one of the things that makes me happiest in life. Being shoeless or in flipflops in the garden, kitchen, on the beach or in a field is pure bliss. Last year I got a maori tattoo on the side of my foot to remind me of this

4. As a kid, I never wanted to BE anything, I just wanted to be happy, loved and to send love out to others. I still feel the same way. When people ask me what I do, I don't say I'm a teacher. I tell them I do lots of things. Teaching just happens to be the way I make my money for now

5. I get great satisfaction out of being frugal. Charity shops, flea markets and traditional markets are like treasure troves for the soul.

6. I was born and grew up in the midlands, far from the sea but ever since I was a kid, I've had a overwhelming love for the sea, surf and spirals. When I see the west coast waves, I feel I'm home.

7. I move house a lot. In the last 4 years, I've moved house 10 times. I once lived in a bell tent. My dream home is a self built one by the sea with a big veggie garden where friends can stay, eat and play

8. My dream car is a VW van. I plan to get one in the next few years, revamp the inside and travel from one beach town to another, volunteering at farms and selling jewellery and preserves at markets along the way

9. Photography makes me very happy. If I see that I've taken lots of colourful photos during the week, I know it's been a good one. I would love to sell my photos but my main reason for doing it is seeing through a lens brings out my childlike curiosity about the world.

10. My ideal man doesn't need to be rich. I don't really care if he has long hair or a shaved head. Beards, blue eyes and a kind heart make me swoon. As does the attitude of a man who loves to learn about himself and others and finds the fact that I can do pretty much anything he can do beautiful rather than threatening. I have yet to find him.

11. I love summer dresses and flip flops but will happily wear the same pair of mucky jeans for a week when I'm in the garden or doing DIY. I'm a bit of a tom boy and love sanding, painting and general diy

12. When I'm old, I want to be known as a valued, loving, caring, vibrant member of my community with long grey hair and loads of turquise rings on my fingers.

13. Since I moved when I was a teenager, I never really felt at home in the town I grew up in. I lived in Raglan, Nz for a year and realised last year that that is my home town, the place where everyone knows my name.

14. My idea of success is a pantry with wall to floor preserves and a big open space to play, sing, eat, talk, read and love, by the sea with people I love.

15. Anytime I've travelled, I've travelled solo. It took me a few years but I now relish my own company and value my alone time

16. I would love to write a novel and a cookbook. I'm in the process of writing both

17. I love to sing but rarely ever do in public. I used to sing sean nós as a kid. 5 years ago I sang at an open mike night. I haven't had the nerve to do it since

18. I live in the city and teach, two things I didn't imagine myself doing when I was 18 but I love it. I have great friends, love my job and have a beautiful home. I know this isn't forever since I intend to live in a small beach community in a few years so I'm making the most of it all now.

19. My family, friends and dogs are immensely important to me. Awesome was a word made for them

20. Money is not important to me, as long as I have enough to live. My ambitions don't include big houses and new cars. My dream all along has been a home, to be a loving person and surround myself with loving people and incredible experiences. As a kid, I would say I want to swim with whales, make jewellery, write, grow food. Adults would say I wanted to be a journalist, teacher, farmer, marine biologist. It took me until only a few years ago to realise that it was the beautiful experiences I longed for. That's what I focus on in my life now