A little lost...a lot gained

I'm not talking about my weight either!  Although it is Christmas, I am in New Zealand and yet to get to grandma's place where I am envisaging copious amounts of food piled in front of me until I can fit nothing more in and I'm rolling around on the floor in a fit of agony from overeating.  Much different to my very sad and lonely Christmas last year stuck in the Ugandan bush taking care of a malaria ridden Roger, who by the way made the soggiest, most painful patient ever.  Sorry Roger but it's true and I will spongebath you next time.

The massive laksa...in a salad bowl?

So my mission to find good African food in Auckland is failing.  I searched.  I did not find.  There is one place on Albert Street but it's reviews are saying that it's Moroccan food but it's not really Moroccan food.  I did however find possibly the largest bowl of laksa in the world.  Who eats that much?  Really?  I felt like I'd ordered a dish meant to be shared between 2 or 3 people.  Thankfully they let me take the leftovers home and laksa made a great dinner and next day lunch.  The Malaysian place on Khyber Pass Road in Auckland has the yummiest food but next time I'll order a regular person sized meal...for one.

On the gain side of the scale, I gained a new little family.  And no I haven't been adopted again.  I met my big sister Chris for the first time, her lovely husband and their 3 kids.  Being called aunty Laurel felt great and one of the girls has the exact same hair as me and they all chat away so obviously we're all related.  I felt so blessed to be meeting such kind and funny people and the thought that I have more people I can call my kin leaves me feeling all happy and squishy in my tummy.  That and I obviously need to go to the gym, get back my rock hard abs! (HAHAHAAA.....abs...)  This whole being an aunty business now is interesting, I'm just thinking of all the things I can do to be the cool aunt, I'm so gonna rock at this aunt stuff!  I also got to meet allllll of the girls' teddy bears!  Very cute, although I'm not sure about Burlesque bear here...she's a bit of a worry.

Yes, thats right...burlesque bear