This is...how I like to spend my weekend

For me, weekends are the time when I get to catch up on all of my "girly" stuff. Gib is usually working on weekends til mid afternoon, so I get most of the day to:

• Go shopping with my mum
• Visit markets
• Catch up with friends for brunch
• Do some crafting/sewing/baking
• Hanging out in the garden weeding, drinking cups of tea
  

If Gib happens not to be working, we'll potter in the garden, go for a drive, explore the local Asian grocers, or go for a walk around our neighbourhood. Walking around our neighbourhood is one of our favourite activities, day or night. Not only is it fun to check out everyone's gardens and feel connected to the community, but it's the time when we discuss anything and everything, big things and little things.

A cool star shaped pod that Gib and I found on one of our walks. No idea what it is.

Three or four times a year I get the opportunity to attend weekend training sessions, or gasshuku, with some amazing karate practitioners. This weekend happened to be one of those occasions. The weekends aren't tough in a "let's do a gazillion push ups!" sort of way (it's never about that), but rather the visiting instructor will often take some simple things and present them in a different way, so the struggle is mostly in breaking old habits and being receptive to a different ways thinking. These sound simple but you'd be surprised at how many people attend these things and just do what they've always done and don't want to learn. I always come home exhausted, aching and bruised all over with my mind overflowing with new thoughts and ideas. The bruises are often a consequence of poor technique, or trying to out-muscle the big guys (I can be like a chihuahua sometimes: I think I'm a big German shepherd and can play like the big guys, when really I shouldn't)

This weekend we had Kancho Roni Kluger visit. He is a relatively small man, in his mid-50s, very warm hearted and he moves and sticks to his opponents so beautifully. I wish I could move -- and also teach -- like he does! I am now going to have a nice long, hot bath and unwind...

Kancho Roni Kluger

Edit: Oopsies, in my fatigued state last night I forgot to add: Thanks to The Bird Bath for this week's theme! And also Angela at Three Buttons for hosting This is ... !