Mana Ahumoni -- Working towards Financial Freedom

Anyone want to come round so I can delegate tasks to be done? 😂 Crystel is over my bossy older sister/teacher voice 😂  Day three of seized back issues. More movement today though! Yay! Sore muscles after having strained while trying to move yesterday.  We've had so many visitors today! ♥️ Ngā mihi koutou ♥️ All whanau but still freaking cool. Visitors from Rotorua, Taranaki, Morrinsville, Ōpōtiki, Tirau ♥️  I have missed people visiting! Twenty bucks bet goes to my sister saying "I told you so!" after I post this and to my niece Blaise who has told me for years to kick the dogs outside then more people would come.  ♥️  Also - note to self -- Toby can jump out of one of the garage windows 😂😳🤦‍♀️ need to fatten him up again after all that time at the kennels 😂😂 Now... Just need to sort out the chaos and do small things while I have the energy and my back isn't so sore.  Or.... Enjoy listening to Anika Moa's baby songs with a sleeping Riley on my should...

24 days in our new whare. Still loads to unpack, sort and more things to donate.  I'm adjusting to the dogs not being inside anymore. And actually... I really like not having fur on my clothes all the time 😂 but I do miss their chaotic energy sometimes.  I'm still moving art around the house and rearranging and adjusting and bringing in furniture as needed from the shed. (Garage, Darling...) This weekend I'm hoping to take a couple pieces to Whakatane to get reupholstered. We kept Nana and Granddad's chair from the big ole lounge suit. Memories. But I'm reupholstering and refoaming and resrespringing and getting higher legs for them. Can't wait for our housewarming to celebrate one month ♥️ If you want to come - PM me 😁  I'm wanting to do a couple art projects on the night/during the day. Pizza and hangouts 😁  If no-one comes then that's all good 😂 I'll be pumping Lizzo in the garage and doing my own thing 😂😍

I received so many beautiful supportive comments after my last post -- And just wanted to share my latest korero:  Thanks everyone ♥️ it took a lot of time and processing to think that last post through and I hear you guys ♥️ Thank you for your awhi and belief in me ♥️  It has been a long time coming, that's for sure.  It's kind of like the anti-climactic feeling when I got to the top of the Eiffel Tower. That "Is this it?" feeling. Because I'd achieved a long time dream.  After so many years of struggling to break the cycle - to be able to sit here, in my lounge, look around and change things to create more flow... To sit in each spot in the lounge and then also think about how multi-use this space is but also not crammed with stuff or cluttered - is seriously freeing.  Although... The garage is a whole other situation 😂🤦‍♀️ my gallery/workshop/writing zone is still a work in progress. Still lots of books and boxes and things to go through and chuck. Now that...

People keep asking how my new whare is ♥️ I keep being quiet and not saying much - other than it's awesome or that I love it or that it's warm.  And that's all true.  I guess what I'm working through is that guilt of leaving my past behind and the need I feel to be humble asf with this. I know there are still so many people on this journey and still working towards being ready to start the journey. There are so many people struggling with homelessness and rough sleeping - that I just don't think it's fair to talk up about my new whare.   I'm nervous to share the good things as I'm so used to sharing the bad things. It's hard to know how to share the good things without sounding like I'm showing off.  After all that hard work and getting here, I don't want to be the kind of person who talks it up or shows off - I'd rather help other people through that journey too. I want to be someone who helps lead change and encourages change and posit...

Just had this overwhelming feeling of HAPPY.  Relaxed, content, happy.  I bought a house.  This house.  This freaking beautiful house ♥️  I'm so freaking stoked! 

Surreal I keep thinking I'm living an actual dream We're here.  It's incredible.  I bought this house! Exhausted.  ♥️

Settlement Day!  Far out... So freaking surreal.  After last year's spectacular learning experience - *cough* fail *cough* - I honestly didn't think it would happen for a long, long time.  If you're available to help with encouragement over the next few days - send it through!  If you're available to help with a half hour or any time to move - that would be awesome!  If you're keen to catch up and come visit - we're here ♥️  I am SO stoked to be able to have my friends and whanau visit and have dinner parties again. Get ready for the Live videos 😂

The Night Before Settlement... And all through the house... Not one sound,  Not even the mouse.  Although it is very strange for the street to be so quiet, Crystel said.  Don't worry! Alex sighed. Something will happen.  All of a sudden, a loud screechy squeal from a lone cat outside, hopefully not one of ours.  The dogs in the boarding kennels, the baby asleep.  Everything feels too good, too easy.  My stomach is in knots.  Tomorrow the settlement date, in the arvo, keys in hand.  Such a nerve wracking experience.  Hopefully the bank draws down the money and the cash contribution goes in smoothly.  No hiccups.  A fixed fee price hopefully from the lawyers.  We'll see what the situation is tomorrow.  If it's more than $5k we're probably going to have a problem.  Let's hope it will be okay.  Still to do:  Change address Check wifi is installed at new whare Clean house Move Get keys Sleep in this house fo...

Today we went for the pre-settlement inspection and even got a cool tour of our new house by the current owner - Jim.  It was so cool!  He took us on an in-depth tour of the house. Showed us all the light switches, the cupboards, how everything is soft close and showed us the different fruit trees they'd had planted.  Pear, apple, feijoa, plum, guava, blueberry, eggplant,  Essentially an edible garden!  It's still growing but in the next five or so years our section is going to be a forest! ♥️ I cannot wait and our cats will be so happy.  I'm really excited for the new house.  It is so surreal though!  We were standing in the house, that is ours in two more days. Absolutely crazy!  I nearly cried when Jim said he is leaving the little bbq for us too. I shared how we grew up really poor and how I've had to work really hard to get to this poing. He shared a similar story too.  The carpet is so soft!  It just feels so surreal.  We...