Author: Mandy
Mandy's Recovery Journey is a real, ongoing story of healing from addiction and mental health struggles to a life of empowerment, self-respect, and freedom from cravings. This space is for honesty, hope, and the reminder that recovery isn’t about being perfect – it’s about not giving up on yourself, or your family.
Colin McCahon’s House — Three Photographs
These photographs of Colin McCahon’s Titirangi house were taken many years ago as part of my early observational work, focusing on structure, atmosphere, and the quiet details of lived spaces. Colin John McCahon is a New Zealand modernist painter celebrated as the country’s most significant 20th-century artist. Over 45 years, his work spanned landscapes, figuration, abstraction, and…
A Slice of My Life: Devon, London, and Everything In Between
I travelled from Devon to London in a sports car with a friend. I was temping in central London and enjoyed the buzz of the city. I shared a flat with two men. I lived in the attic and enjoyed the experience of temping in a lawyers office in central London. The tubes used to…
Morning and Sleepiness
At 4am I was awake again, the way I am every day now. My body feels tired long before the sun comes up, and with my medication not quite right, even small problems feel sharper. When I couldn’t find my password book, I checked my handbag twice, knowing it should have been there. That early‑morning…
City of Sails
Auckland is called the City of Sails, and even though this postcard shows boats in Volendam, it carries the same feeling — tall masts, quiet water, and that sense of belonging I felt when I first arrived in New Zealand. This postcard was given to me by a generous lady, part of a box…