Saturday, March 10, 2007

Shows and Shops

Today we took the kids to the annual Kumeu Show. We took the camera but forgot to take any pics and anyway it was the SLR (we are slowly being dragged into the digi age...but we will always love "real" photos) so wouldn't have had any to show yet...

Anyway we figured we'd see 20 people we knew...and we did! The kids loved looking at all of the animals, and O5 was intrigued by the woodchopping. J tried to encourage O to climb up the huge wall on the bouncy castle that O really wanted to go on and I of course wanted to check out all of the artsy, crafty, thrifty stalls to glean ideas and fondle lovingly handmade pickles, baby cardies and jewellry

I was very self-controlled and only picked up a sweet wee Turkish purse for my stitch holders...I would have posted a pic but our digi camera sucks the juice out of the batteries so fast that I am always charging them. (note to self...buy TWO sets of re-chargeables!!!) I joked to Jamie that he should be thankful for my friend who is aiming to boycott sweatshop-china-junky-cheapo goods, cos after talking to her I just CAN'T contemplate buying said stuff at the moment. He is unconvinced about the philosophical side of it, but is happy to have more dollars in the wallet.

After two hours of wandering around in the hot, hot, sun...scrounging some sunscreen for the kiddos off a friend we happened to bump into...eating ultra salty hot chips and yummy organic grapes and watching an amazing guy play his flutes/panpipes etc from around the world, we headed off.

We made a quick detour past the mall so I could pick up something I needed...I do so dislike the mall which is strange because even a couple of years back I used to regularly go to the mall just for something to do. Now it feels like I am entering a huge cavernous wasteland. The abundance of articfical lighting and no windows least one gets distrated by the real world without and the myriad of people spending a beautiful sunny day shopping for things they most likely don't need and won't use is quite depressing really. I couldn't wait to get back out again and breathe.

Again...I think J is quietly pleased...isn't an anticonsumeristic, shopaphobic wife just a dream come true for a bloke??? On the other hand...get me within cooee of a yarnstor or a bookstore and all my above rhetoric goes out of the window.

6 comments:

Setiuz Mama said...

Hey Karen!!
Oh I remember the Kumeu show!! How fun! Gotta love those things, something for everyone. GOod on you for the anti-mass-produced-in-China stance. I remember being utterly frustrated when I had a stall at Parachute for necklaces etc and the guy next door was selling imports for nearly half my price! In this consumer world, who can compete with that!!
MALLS....hmmmm....dangerous places... RC Sproul Jr said that we don't know what it is that we want until we go into a mall and view the things that we suddenly realise we might need....even though an hour ago we were blissfully ignorant and content with what we had. Only go to mall when absolutely necessary and with a strict purpose....that's my rule.
Hey...grab my email addy from Jess and lets do something about a bit of get together.....maybe in the school holidays?
ps.....I do hope you move this way sometime...........along with all the other FAB friends from Auckland!

Jen and family said...

Sounds like you all had a good time
Id want to check out the artsy, crafty, thrifty stalls too :)
:) I love reading too but I use trademe its way cheaper :)
Jen at http://prayerwarrior.wordpress

skatey katie said...

oh i long for kumeu.
i think i could live there.
as long as i got to the beach a couple of times a week...
i am not really a mall-rat either.
the kiddos wanna go to the two-minute, i mean, $2 shop and then something breaks after two minutes. except hairclips. haven't tried make-my-own-hairclips.
oh dear, i really need an espresso... shall i delete or shall i post.....

Rach said...

kindred hearts beating......

Mike said...

I have to apologize. I have no idea what a Kumeu Show. Had to click your link to find out, and I think that is a fun place to be.

BTW, hats off to you for sticking to your SLR. I respect that.

Have a great Tuesday (and Wednesday, too!)


Mike
http://somethingaboutparenting.typepad.com/

Jen and family said...

thought i should let u know I have introduced you to others in my blog
as we were required to do as part of the Ultimate Blogging Party
I like your blog I find it very interesting
jen at http://jenz.wordpress.com/