LOOKEEEEE... I FINISHED SOMETHING!

ABOVE: look at that! I finished my first ever Roman Blind... I'm rather chuffed about that! Stew did the final bits like screwing the brackets on and hanging it for me... but I did 98.5% of it!

ABOVE AND BELOW: I think Teddy wants to take some credit too... cos I'm sure he thought he was 'helping' Stew do this bit! Isn't he just the MOST adorable wee dog?

Yesterday was an ikky sort of day, showers, cold and just typically WINTER. Late in the afternoon I glanced out the family room window and saw this:
ABOVE: talk about a 'demonic looking' cloud! This photo is totally 'untouched'.. just as I saw it. Freaky.... and luckily it didn't last long!

We heard from the Heat Pump Installers, and they are coming in a week ... I'm thrilled about that! It's cold. He had originally said it could take up to 3 weeks to get it installed, so I really am appreciative that they have pulled out all the stops to get it in sooner for me.

What else? OH yes, Kelly and her two kids are coming for a visit today for a few days... so at least I won't be stuck at home, carless, on me own!

OH I do hope ROXY gets home soon! Even though I have been VERY nervous driving ever since my little accident! Yesterday I kept jumping out of my skin at the slightest thing! Wonder how long that will last???

Yeah .. yeah.. I know I've been slack today on the updates! Kelly and the kids arrrived, I've been playing with me camera.. see!

The 'mosaic' feature on me camera is getting a thrashing! It's just so much fun!

Apart from that.. done NOTHING!

My car is coming back tomorrow! I am soooo happy about that. AND the dealers we bought if off had not changed over the ownership until today... does that mean it was THEIR car I crashed last week! LOL, nah it was mine. *sigh*

It's a weird day here, one minute we are having a hail storm, and the next its beautiful and sunny! Derrr...

End of Day: it's been long, it's been tiring... thank god the kids are in bed and asleep... only 14 more sleeps till they go back to school. *sigh*... nite nite.

SOMEONE WILL SLEEP IN....

But it won't be ME.
Stew is coming down with another cold... and so it Brylee ... so I'm going to be a gorgeous wife (well I am already of course!)... and let the man sleep in.

*sigh*

It's so hard being ... NICE.

I will go to Spotlight as soon as it opens and get the last loopy things so I can hang the Roman Blind. I stayed up bloody late last night ironing on some crystals (the BLING)... and now it's looking very pretty.

What else? Hmmmmm.... it's too darn early on a Sunday morning to be coming up with anything else eh?

LOOK!!! Photographic proof I can be VERY NICE:

Stewy got breakfast in bed.

ABOVE: The gift bags for my prize winners and Coffee Slut... all ready to be posted.

That was fun. Off to Spotlight now...

HA! I've been back to Spotlight twice today already! ran out of cord for the blind after already being there once today, so had to go back. Stew and Griffin went to the movies this afternoon, Brylee went to a girlfriends for the afternoon... I got to shop... and I didn't buy anything! Must be feeling ill or summit!

End of Day: it's been a rather nice evening, helped along by a couple of shots of that rather delicious Totara Cafe'... num num. and nite nite!

WHAT CAN I SAY ABOUT TODAY?

It's saturday.

It will be all day.

We have absolutely NO plans... that is so weird!

I might have to go shopping, as I've been housebound for three whole bloody days!

I feel like a chook with it's head chopped off! WHAT TO DO... WHAT TO DO?

I fully intend finishing the Roman Blind for the Hallway window today.

****Our Heat pump is coming in two weeks! The Installation people called in yesterday to measure etc. Talk about PROMPT when you threaten to cancel your order! OOOO ERRRRR. Works for me.

I'm so happy Steve has decided to stay in Hamilton and give it a 6 month trial... after yesterday I thought he was going to go back to Palmerston North! He just needs to give the place a chance.... and the other 'thing' too.

That's IT for now... I promise to come back later with a photo or two... don't know what of... but it will be a photo ... cos I didn't have even ONE yesterday did I? JUST NOT ON! HA HA HA.

First off... we went to weigh in at the Doctor's..
- I stayed the same (AGAIN!)
- Stew gained 2.5 kilos. Not too sure how he managed to do that!

Then we went over to Albany Mall on the North Shore and did a bit of shopping.. I was gathering gifts to send to my competition winners and Coffee Slut...

AND of course Stew managed to buy more Playstation Games for 'the kid' who must have more. (grrrrrr).


ABOVE: the Tupperware I got the other day... I just love TUPPERWARE.

Now we are home, it's cold... I feel like crawling into bed to warm up... and I might yet!

End of Day: well I almost got the Roman Blind finished, but ran out of the little loopy things that go on the back... dammit. Have to finish it tomorrow now. nite nite.

SEWING

Well... sewing has taken a back seat this week!
I have done N0NE.
Luckily it is something I can pick up at any time... it's not like it's going to get ruined from waiting for me eh?
This is good.

Today I hope to do some sewing.... I really would like to FINISH something soon!

What else? Oh yeah, I'm still stuck at home... no wheels. Got feet. They just don't DO IT FOR ME though. I like having wheels.

I so want next week to get here FAST. Then I can drool over ROXY again... and a ROXY who is INTACT again. *sigh*

ONWARD... ***PEPSI UPDATED***

I'm actually not having a good day today.... and it's only 9.30 am! It sucks having a LARGE family sometimes. There's just that many more opportunities for things to go wrong.

GOING TO GO EAT CHOCOLATE NOW... if I had any that is! AND I can't even go buy some... GOT NO WHEELS. Pfffffffft! GOD DAMN BUGGER AND BLAST!

-We ordered a lovely big heatpump for the family room last sunday.
- I was supposed to hear from the installer by tuesday. I didn't hear a word.
- I rang the shop yesterday to be ASSURED the installer would ring me last night. He didn't.

SOOOOOOOooooo don't mess with me when I'm in a shitty mood! I rang the shop back just now.... GET YOUR INSTALLER TO RING AND ARRANGE INSTALLATION within the next hour or I am cancelling my order!!! He rang me back in 2.53 minutes!!!! ON. TO. IT.

ONWARD.... oh and I found peanuts and cashew nuts too... and had a couple, then thought "NO .. ... it's not worth it. SHIT HAPPENS".

It's nearly 5pm.. I got some sewing done.. I fielded lots more phone calls today... and now....

I am going out! There is a "Girls Night Only" on at the kids school tonight and I'm going. We are going to watch presentations on Makeup, clothes, colours etc... and the school got a liquor license to serve wine... so it should be fun. BEFORE that though I'm joining a group of the school Mum's for drinkies at one of their homes... see... I'm making friends! I'm taking my Totara Cafe'.... yum yum.

End of Day: well I've had a really lovely evening! Drinkies with the girls... on to the Style evening, which was a bit like Trinny and Susanna.. and quite informative. MUST STOP WEARING BLACK! Yeah right!! nite nite.

WOW!!!! COFFEE SLUT IS JUST AMAZING!

I entered a wee competition of Coffee Slut's... to win a couple of things, including a book. I thought... well I NEVER win anything, but I will enter anyway.. I liked the book!

AND I WON! And that gorgeous woman added a few more things to the parcel and sent it to me.... AND the poor bugger had to pay OVER $60 to get it to me!

THANK YOU SOOOOOO MUCH Chick! Your parcel arrived yesterday... and it made me and the kids (AND Teddy) smile so much.

ABOVE: Teddy checking out the parcel... the kids showing off some of the contents... I just LOVED the blue shopping bags... Coffee Slut knows me so well! *smiles* I do believe I am now collecting shopping bags! They are neat.

ABOVE: a very pretty brooch...


ABOVE: The 'Haul'! There was:

Market (shopping) bags, Butterfly brooch, 3 pair of socks, A Car Freshner, An Extreme Sudoku Book, The Book!, 2 Magnetic Pens, Huge Bag of Lollies for the kids, Silly Putty for the kids, Rawhide Bone for Teddy... and a gorgeous NAUTICAL THEMED Incense burner with tealights and scented candles. DIDN'T I DO WELL?

And didn't Coffee Slut just make my day!

OH... AND SHE MADE TEDDY'S DAY TOO! He LOVED that bone.

Once I have walked the kids to school I am coming home and doing the housework... then I've got a lady visiting.... I've never met her before. Our doctor has hooked me up with a 'Diet Buddy'... and so she's coming over for morning tea. Hope it goes well. I am supposed to help her lose weight by encouraging her... and visa versa. Hmmmmm. We will see how that goes eh?

Ha Ha! I've been yakking with a lovely woman in Ireland... who found me via the blogs.... and last night we had quite a few email exchanges... and I ended up calling her a TWIT.. well she called me a 'wise guy' first! Anyway, she has decided I NEED an Irish Magical Charm to keep me and Roxy out of harm's way!

So she's finding 'a very potent one' and sending it to me. Awwwww ain't that so sweet?

Oh and she decided to bestow an Irish Name on me too... from now on she's calling me "Keeley" which means "Beautiful" in Gaelic... I can live with that thanks! *smiles* Now apparently I'm an IRISH LASSIE.

ONWARD ....

Morning Tea: went really well! She was a lovely girl, we yakked for over an hour and half. She even brought me a gift! Shit, I'm popular and she doesn't even know me! LOL!

We are going to get together once a week from now on.

I have been stuck at home ALL DAY...and me phone hasn't stopped ringing! It has been just amazing, I honest-to-god have NOT been able to get off it, and I have made no calls myself! It's manic around here I tell ya!

And shit! I have to go and get the kids from school..... yikes will have to run now...

*** huffing and puffing***... RUNNING is not good for me! But I got there on time... JUST. And I have fielded 3 more friggin phone calls and numerous texts in the past hour... bloody hell I'm popular today.

AND My latest Tupperware order just arrived too! Sheesh, I'm flooded with gifts and parcels today. Makes me smile.

AND my MUM got FANTASTIC news today!!! She had cancer in 2000.. major operation/chemotherapy etc... and today she got the FINAL ALL CLEAR... she does not have one drop of cancer in her ANYWHERE. We are soooo soooo relieved. And they don't want to see her again..EVER! No more nasty invasive yearly tests for her. I'm so happy for her.

Could today get any better? I don't think so.

End of Day: It has been a hectic day... for my ears! If either phone rings or texts me again I am going to scream! nite nite.

BUILT LIKE A BRICK SHITHOUSE...

...THANK GOD!



So... yesterday... I pick up the ladies for our Patchwork Outing.... and we headed off ...

I go left at an intersection, as our Tutor instructed me to do.

Then the Tutor says "oh we are going the wrong way, turn around".

So I look ahead... NOTHING COMING... I look back... NOTHING COMING... I turn right to do a U-Turn.


CRASH!!!*#@ OH MY GOD!.. there was a small white car in my blind spot... and I side swiped him.

He is shunted right across the road onto the other side, bits of his car and mine flying LEFT - RIGHT - AND CENTER!

OH MY GOD, WHERE DID THAT CAR COME FROM???? is the first thing that entered my head.

Then.... I stop and run over to the other car.. the two elderly men inside are climbing out... they are OK! THANK GOD!

My passengers are all OK Too.

I am shaking like a leaf.

HOW DO I TELL STEW I JUST CRASHED OUR BRAND NEW CAR???

WORSE... we have NOT put the new car on our INSURANCE policy yet... SHIT SHIT SHIT.

Once I had exchanged details with the other car's owner... we continue on our expedition. I rang Stew of course, and he was so good about it all!

I felt totally SICK all day, and couldn't even eat lunch.

When I got home Stew rang the insurance company... and we are COVERED (as Stew knew we were).... we have a clause in our policy that gives us 30 days grace to put any new car on our insurance policy! WHAT A RELIEF!


My car is not damaged TOO badly.
The other car is.

MY ROXY IS BUILT LIKE A BRICK SHITHOUSE. And that's why I bought her..... but I still feel like crying every time I look at her.

I have to take her to the panel beaters this morning for assessment, photos etc.
Then I will go and get my hair done.

And then I will go home and try to think about something else!

ABOVE: these are the materials I bought yesterday.... see.... even when I'm in shock and feel sick, I can still SHOP!

I NEED exercise right? Well that's good then, cos the Panel Beaters have kept ROXY ... and I won't be getting her back till mid next week.... EXERCISE is good! I'M SURE.

NOW... I have to walk to the hairdressers... luckily it's only about 1.5 kms away.

ONWARD......Hair is done, the walk was... COLD AND WINDY... totally messed up the hairdo. SAD.

Walked home... then walked up to the school for a meeting with Griffin's teachers.... that took 1.5 hours.... then we walked home again. All good exercise If I Do Say.... it's all good.

Now I can't be bothered cooking dinner... so we are getting a takeaway! I KNOW... it's not good.... but I'm tired. And wrung out. AND OVA IT. I need to chill out now.

End of Day: well it's been a much better day than yesterday, for sure! Off to bed soon, got a mean as headache going on. nite nite.

AND THE WINNERS ARE:

THE DRAW: well I took a wee video of Stew doing the draw, but it just WON'T upload.. sad.

In the end I had to give out THREE prizes...

1. The Name: "ROXY"... ( Congrats KAY JAY, aka Karen from Palmy)

2. The Lucky Draw: Anonymous! (His/Her suggestion was "Ivanna")...Anon, you have 3 days to own up or I will do a redraw.

AND ...

3. A Number Plate idea! : DC ROX ! ( Congrats Kate in Australia) ... it ties in with the name, AWESOME.

I will get the name "ROXY" put on the car ( somewhere), AND the personalised number plate....

THANK YOU EVERYONE WHO ENTERED MY WEE COMPETITION... it was fun! Must do something like that again.... one day!

ABOVE: when we moved from Palmerston North, I had a huge clean out of all my kitchen ware/glass ware etc... and I gave away a shitload of stuff, including 90% of my glasses. Hell, I had far too much anyway. BUT.. I gave away all the shot glasses didn't I?

And now that I have found a liqueur that I LOVE.. I needed some glasses! So I bought these from Living and Giving, who were having a 50% off SALE... SCORE! I didn't get 'shot' glasses, just some really cute little ones for me and some mid-size ones for Stew ... for his Baileys.

Today is Patchwork Class... and we are going on our "End of Term Outing"... to a couple of shops in and around Auckland. I am providing transport... cos I have more seats in my car than most vehicles. (7)... which is very handy... and only 1 less than we are used to.

So, I will be out for most of the day... Hope I don't spend too much cos I am getting my hair done tomorrow! Sheesh....

ONWARD.....

I crashed the new car.

It was my fault.

No one was hurt.

Except my new car and his car.

I am feeling GUTTED.

End of Day: nite nite.

LAST CHANCE..

This is the last day you have to suggest a name for me new car! I will be doing the draw late tonight....

BIG...BLACK...BEAUTIFUL...4X4 Toyota.... and of course It's MINE...! Lots of you have been focusing on the Highlander name... but I was thinking more of the BIG, BLACK AND BEAUTIFUL aspect really. Like what is big and black and beautiful? Who? What? Where even? So there's more ideas to help ya! There are a few really good suggestions already... but I'm open to more!

Today I am going to EXERCISE from 9 - 10 am, it's the start of my new routine... fitting exercise back in NO MATTER WHAT else I want to be getting on with. Exercise has to come first.
And I am planning every evening meal in ADVANCE, so I'm not left wondering what I'm cooking for dinner at 4pm ... and sometimes just thinking "oh what the hell, let's have takeaways!". NO MORE being lazy....

This is the last week of school before the next 2 week holiday for the kids... so I want to make the most of it and get lots done.. primarily the new blind... and maybe Brylee's quilt finished!
ONWARD...
EXERCISE = Done!

ABOVE: see the tennis ball? hee hee, now I can drive me new car into the garage without hitting the wall.... it's a bloody Looooong car... a bit longer than my van in fact. Oh and it took me over 45 minutes to get that bloody ball positioned just right... and two holes in the roof... *sigh* (small nail holes Stew, don't go panicking now!).

What's next? oh yes.. now to the blind... yeah forget the blind.. I had to go grocery shopping and put petrol in the car ready for tomorrow's Patchwork Class Outing....

***********NAMES: what about something that depicts the "DIET COKE ROCKS" side too????

ABOVE: I snapped this guy in the supermarket this afternoon....like.. WHY did he bother putting on his jeans if he wanted to show his arse so badly???? His underdaks were so thin I could see his butt crack... soooo not a good look. IDIOT.

End of Day: well I drove the new car with some trepidation.. especially around town... but on the motorway I actually CRIED.... cos I felt so safe ! In the van I always felt very vulnerable. I will be doing the NAME DRAW in 3 hours... then going to bed. Results will be posted tomorrow. nite nite.

SO MANY PROJECTS! SO LITTLE TIME.

Now that I can stop obsessing about the CAR...I need to get back to my sewing!

I have so many things 'on the go' at the moment it's ridiculous!
There's Brylee's Quilt
There's the Star Quilt
There's the Frangipani Project

BUT RIGHT NOW... I want to make a Roman Blind for this window in the hallway:

It's right next to the Family Room/Kitchen door.... and right near where I sit on this here computer.... and cos it doesn't have any curtain or NOTHING... it's letting a lot of heat out and a lot of COLD in.... so I am going to do the blind before moving back to my other projects.
ABOVE: luckily I found some instructions on how to do the blind in a book I've had for YEARS.... and there are already a lot of roman blinds in this house so I should be able to do it!

I just have to find the right material for it now... all the curtains and blinds in the house are very plain/neutral... but I think I'd like to go a bit brighter/louder with this blind. Not sure yet.

We are going out this morning to look at a Heat Pump for the kitchen/family room... cos I is freezing! AND get the material for the blind... and some shot glasses! I found a liqueur I LOVE! We got it in Thames yesterday:

It's a local vineyards version of 'Tia Maria' and it is devine! I sipped on it all night! 1 point per nip.... so not that bad! Maybe I will just have to stop eating dinner so I can indulge in this evil little drink! YEAH!

Griffin has packed a wobbly, cos we are going out in DAD'S car instead of the new Highlander! But that's how it is... we use the company car on the weekends cos it's FREE to run... wouldn't you?

ABOVE: Wow, I went all subdued and bought this for the blind! It does have blue in it though! AND I intend to do SOMETHING to bling it up a bit... OF COURSE!

And I got a little cable thingee to connect my iPod to my car stereo... AWESOME! Now I only have to have my iPod in the car and not lots of CD's. AND we ordered a Heat Pump, might take up to 2 weeks to get installed thought, boo hoo.

END OF DAY: a busy day... got a good deal done. Have started on the blind even! AND hemmed Griffin's new pyjamas! AND the machine is behaving itself. HUGE relief over that. nite nite.

TODAY IS THE DAY...

This morning:

- we go to the Doctor's for weigh in, (I feel like that cat looks!).

- Then we leave in my old car for Thames, where we will swap it for THE HIGHLANDER (as yet un-named).

- Then we drive over to Hamilton (an hour from Thames) and have lunch with our son Steve and his new girlfriend. Steve moved up to Hamilton yesterday.

Then we will pop into Amanda's and hopefully catch up with the rest of the Hamilton based family.

That's about IT for now....

Should be a neat day!

DON'T FORGET... if you havn't suggested a name for the car yet... you have a few more days! Make it good! You could win a prize REMEMBER!!!

Righty ho... I'm outta here.. will be back much later today with photos I hope!

7pm... finally home after a long day out and about.

1st: Stew lost 4 kilos over the past 2 weeks. WAY TO GO DARLING!

2nd: I stayed the same.

3rd: WE picked up the new car (happy, happy, joy, joy) and then drove over to Hamilton to have lunch with Steve and his new Girlfriend Brydie... who also lives in Hamilton.

Funnily enough when we lived in Hamilton over 18 years ago Brydie and her family lived over our back fence! And we knew them... She is only a few months older than our Mike. After lunch we had a lovely visit with Amanda, Andrew and a couple of their friends before coming home.

FOLLOWING: Steve and Brydie:

Awwwww, so cute a couple!

And now:

ABOVE AND BELOW: the guys checking out the new motor!

ABOVE AND BELOW: Me checking out the new motor! YUMMMM.

And of course (being me) I had to get something for the new car:

ABOVE: so I got two little Gollywogs for the car! Meet Tom and Robin (aka Forrest and Jenny off Forrest Gump!) I also got a few bright pink 'things' for the car too... but I will show them tomorrow.....

Keep the names rolling in.... it's FUN!

End of Day: what a neat day we have had! AND the best thing? I can sew in the garage and still look at me car! Wonder how long it will take for the novelty to wear off? lol .... nite nite.

KIWI BUZZY BEE...

Isn't it lovely to see our KIWI Buzzy Bee being played with in America! This is 'B'... playing with his (as yet to be born) baby brother's new toy! I sent it over for 'N' but of course 'B' got to it first. 'N' is due in about 2 hours time....! It's rather exciting! Their Mummy has a private blog so I can't link her, but just know she's one of those really gorgeous people out there!

Today I have to wash the car.... I didn't get to it yesterday... though I did managed to get all my junk out of it! Luckily for me I'd recently given it a clean out so it didn't take too long.

NAME THE CAR competition: When I get someone choosing a name that's already been suggested ... and if I actually pick that name, the prize will go to the person who FIRST suggested it! BUT, you will still have the chance to win a prize cos you will go into the 2nd draw along with everyone else! Make sense? Does to me. Try reading back through the comments to see what names have been suggested, then you won't double up! And I will get HEAPS of ideas to choose from! AWESOME. This is so much fun!

And tomorrow I get the car! *SQUEALS OF JOY*.....

And then... I may need to buy 'stuff' for me car.....hee hee hee! For a start, I've had a towbar put on it..... and I WANT a nudge bar too... but that will have to wait.... I blew the budget on this car ... BIG TIME!

MARGARET: awwwww shucks! Thanks for that lovely comment! And the name suggestion(s) are very, very good! And YES, I will try very hard NOT TO WET MYSELF!!!!.... LOL! I must not take my PIDDLE PILL tomorrow!!! ...MUST NOT or I might wet myself!

I am getting wet right now though, it's raining and I have PROMISED myself I will clean that bloody car RIGHT NOW... Car is

DONE. Now we just have to get it to Thames tomorrow without doing any damage to it!

I'm in the process of cooking rhubarb (from my own garden!) and apple ... yum yum! And I'm using Equal Spoon for Spoon, so no sugar in it really!

Michael Jackson is Dead... huge news! I didn't like him... yet I feel quite sad ... don't know why? Maybe because he was such a huge 'star' at one time, and he has left 3 little kids alone. Anyway, I just wanted to say 'something' about it. Farrah died too... sad.

End of Day: I had rhubard/apple and custard for dinner! I am weird.. I know. nite nite.

NAME THE CAR!

So... I missed commemorating my 1,000th post and having a giveaway.... so instead I'm going to give a prize to the person who comes up with the best name for our new car! ...AND another prize to someone for just entering the contest! So, you have two chances to win!

How's that? You have till MONDAY, 10pm (NEW ZEALAND TIME) to leave me a comment suggesting a name for the new car! This is open to anyone, anywhere.... but you have to leave me a comment... (not an email), cos I likes comments!

And as to what you could win... I ain't saying! You just have to hope I have good taste eh? lol

In case you need some help coming up with a name: It's big, it's black, it's gorgeous, it's a Toyota.....4X4 HIGHLANDER! *drool*

OH YES! ...I forgot, at some stage I will be getting "Diet Coke Rocks" put on it in BLUE lettering (not too big)! Not sure where on the car yet....ideas?

I just cleaned out my car.. I need to vacum and polish inside and give the outside a clean before Saturday.... *sigh*... I'm sure I washed that car 6 months ago already! I'm thinking I will need to wash the new Highlander a bit more often eh? Where's the nearest brushless carwash around here???? Must find out.

Hee hee, there's some interesting names coming through! Can't wait till Monday night to go through them all and pick one .... and announce the winners on TUESDAY!

I am cold as hell today... so I've dug out the single electric blanket and wrapped it around myself while I'm sitting at the computer desk, and TURNED IT ON! Works for me. (OK I'm a whimp, I admit it)

GOOD GOD SANDRA! I am NOT calling me gorgeous new car IVOR!!! Just ain't gunna happen. Think of something else ya tart!

I'm like a dinosaur, when I'm cold I don't work! I have spent the last couple of hours in the lounge, blanket on.... watching telly! I have a headache too... so no dinner is being cooked by this lazy tart tonight! Wonder what Stew can buy for us? Pizza I reckon. My bad.

End of Day: we ended up going to Manukau Mall and Stew and I had Chinese.. ate far too bloody much... and feeling ill now. STUPID STUPID STUPID ME. Heading for a massive GAIN this week! Can just feel it... and on that note... nite nite.

Oh and thanks for all your name suggestions today, if you havn't already done it.... DO!

WHY SUCH A BIG CAR?

I was asked yesterday "Why buy such a big car?"...

- I am used to driving a van which is higher up than a car, and I like that.

- I like the safety aspect of being in a bigger, more solid car.

- The Highlander has 11 airbags, making it one of the most 'passenger safe' cars on the market.

- It has the seating capacity to have 7 people in it comfortably... this is important when you have a large family, visiting grandchildren etc.

- It has the ability to tow a larger load (for that boat I want one day!)

- It is versatile, having a large rear storage area for those large, bulky purchases... and we all know how I like to shop!

- It has a larger engine... making hill driving etc much easier... and passing shitty big trucks on the Kopu/Hikuai road is going to be a breeze!

- The Highlander has a rear reversing camera.. making it very safe in respect of NOT backing into any small child... or Teddy!

- It's a TOYOTA, which has an excellent reputation, and they just GO and GO!

I think that covers it all! I'm sure there are other reasons, like it's just TOTALLY GORGEOUS and I LOVE IT... *smiles*....

TODAY: I am going to stay home and read blogs! There's a couple of HUNDRED updates I need to read!!!

STEVE is moving up to Hamilton this Friday!!! THRILLED about that. He wanted to borrow our van to get his stuff up to Hamilton... Ahhhhh... NOPE.... it's getting swapped for our new HIGHLANDER on saturday! Obviously he hasn't read the blog in the last couple of days eh? lol

For only the 2nd time in my ENTIRE life... I won a prize! Coffee Slut was holding a competition to commemorate her 1,000th post... and I WON!!! I have NO IDEA what I won... and that's half the fun of it! I wish I had done the same thing for my 1,000th post! Maybe I will do one to celebrate my new car!

I'm sitting here, reading blogs, dropping a comment here and there (as I do)... FREEZING ME BUNS OFF!!! So, I have unplugged me laptop and taken it into the lounge so I can be near the fire... it's the only warm place in the house, well except me bed! And as I am expecting a plumber soon, I don't think I should be in bed!
Teddy is being a pain in the butt, he's sitting on my left arm... makes it hard to type I tell ya.
Anyway. once the plumber has been and fixed the kitchen tap, which is leaking something fierce, I'm going out to pay a bill and get me some lunch! I feel like something HOT.

ABOVE: Teddy has been evil AGAIN.. should I blame him .. or the kid who left it's socks out?? I'm leaning towards the KID.

I have a bloke in me kitchen... and he's not MINE!....

We have had a really bad leak for a while now, and Stew was right, it needed to be fixed by a plumber... cos we needed a whole new tap! TYPICAL.

At least I can clean out that cupboard now!

Oh and cos I was soooo cold, I got off me arse and did something. I climbed up into the attic to find something, but once I was up there I couldn't remember what it was! So I did some tidying up, then had to climb down to let the plumber in.... then I remembered what it was I was looking for! So up I went again.. couldn't find it.. but saw something else I wanted ...

So far today I have been up and down those horrible steps about 6 times! Well, I found several things I needed didn't I? LOL. As a consequence, now I'm hot. It's all good.

BLONDIE1: While I remember.. I have been dreaming of buying the Highlander for AGES, so did think to measure our garage to see if it would fit first! LOL... it does! Thanks for your concern.

This afternoon Griffin went to a friend's house till 5pm... that was nice. I put a big roast of pork in the oven... can't wait for that!

Stew is home late tonight, he's at a meeting at the Super Clinic for Diabetics. He is LOVING it (NOT)... it's every Tuesday night for about 12 weeks I think.

End of Day: just got the kids off to bed, Stew is due home shortly. It's been a neat day... got lots done. nite nite.

******** You have to read tomorrow's post! You could WIN something!*****

SHOPPING.... BIG TIME!

Remember me saying I wanted one of these?
Well yesterday I got a call from Stew saying "You can go looking for one!" So I went down to the local dealer to see the one they had ... but they don't seem too keen to do a good deal so...
I'm going to Thames (about an hour's drive away) to look at this one (Above).... so I ain't going to Patchwork Class today.

We have been wanting a Toyota Highlander for about 6 months... and now I am getting it! I am so excited! This will be our most NEW car (of our own) that we will have bought... it's a year old and comes with all the usual BRAND NEW CAR warranties etc.
I'm so, so excited! Ummm, I said that already eh? *smiles*

I feel bad about not going to Patchwork Class.... but that won't last once I get to Thames and can *drool* over the car!!!

Right now though, I have to get the kids to school so I can go...
ONWARD!....

MY DAY SO FAR: I left Auckland at 8.30... got over the Bombay hills to the Foggy Waikato (Yeah, funny that!)....

ABOVE: in the fog, waiting to cross the infamous Kopu Bridge...
Which is finally going to be replaced after 40 years of wrangling!!!
So, I am supposed to be LOOKING at a car eh?



ABOVE: I saw this one, *drool* ... but they were not selling it... bugger! So...


ABOVE: Well.... I kinda bought this one instead!


ABOVE: all going well we will pick it up on Saturday!!!! OMG I can't wait! After doing the business with the Highlander... I decided to stop in at the Thames cemetery to find my paternal Grandparents grave.... last time I went it was pissing with rain and I couldn't find it. I had luck today:

ABOVE: I can still clearly remember when we buried my Granddad in 1970! I was 11....

ABOVE: as you can see, the cemetery has gorgeous views... and today was a lovely fine day.... once the fog lifted. Teddy had a ball running around here!

ABOVE: As luck would have it....when I arrived at the cemetery there was NO ONE there... but when I wanted to leave (after cleaning the gravestone etc)... I was totally blocked in by a funeral in progress! Derrrrr.... I had to sit there and wait 25 minutes until they had all moved off to bury their (sheesh how do you say it?) dead person! *lol*.....

ABOVE: the Kopu Bridge, the bottleneck, one way, 'temporary' bridge that leads into the Coromandel Penninsula. (It was supposed to be replaced 40 years ago!) Pffffft. Two years from now it will only be a memory.

So, in all it's been another busy day... and I loved it! I have to go and pick up the kids from school now....

ONWARD... OOOOOHHHH BUGGER!!!! Yesterday was my 1,000 th POST!!!! And I forgot!!! So this is my 1,001st post. whoooooop.

End of Day: it's been an awesome day! I'm a happy chick. nite nite.

PFFFFFT.....

I did some more sewing .... and while the machine behaved itself... I still wasn't happy with it... I keep expecting it to crap itself! So I'm still going over to the shop as planned... and we will see.

After I've been there I will have to do a grocery shop, I was supposed to do that yesterday but didn't get around to it.

And AFTER that I am going to the shop where I bought my new prescription sunglasses to see if they can adjust them, cos they keep falling off me face when I bend over... like doing the gardening yesterday. It just about drove me nuts.. I ended up not wearing them. Pfffffft, I bought them to wear outside in the sun... and I couldn't.

That's IT for now....I will come back later (much later no doubt) and update. And read some blogs and drop a few comments your way.....

It's a cracker of a frost this morning, FREEZING inside ... Stew didn't turn the heater on when he left this morning... something else I will have to train him to do I see. So, cos I'm freezing, I'm grumpy:

Hopefully it's warm in the Sewing Machine Shop! Or fur will fly. And on that note...

ONWARD... (It's NOT Father's Day here... ours is in September)

I have just spent 2 hours in the sewing machine shop... sewing... sewing... sewing... and my RAT FINK of a machine was PERFECT the whole bloody time! Pffffft. So, apart from that, I had a wonderful time over there! Learnt more about what the machine does, chatted with the ladies in the shop and had a ball! *smiles*.... so it wasn't 'wasted time'.

After that I went and did the grocery shopping... plugged my Ipod in and away I went.. CHOICE. Home now and it's 1.30pm and I'm STARVING! Might just have breakfast/lunch now!

End of Day: and I have managed to do no blog reading at all! Too tired! Had a busy afternoon... and it was very exciting! Will tell ya all about it tomorrow! nite nite.

THE MACHINE FROM HELL..

My totally gorgeous, expensive as hell sewing machine is still not going that well. Yesterday I rang the shop lady back and suggested I come in (with the machine) on Monday morning and sew with it until it does it's 'crappy little nasty tricks' so she can see EXACTLY what it is doing....

She thought that was an EXCELLENT idea.... so that's sorted. If it continues to misbehave she will get me a totally new machine.

ABOVE: Griffin showing off his new pyjamas... we had to buy size 14 then shorten the legs and arms to fit him.... must be made in China, where everyone is an anorexic pygmy!

Today: dunno! Lie in bed? Let Stew sleep in? *sigh* ... I do know that today at some time we will be going to get those friggin concrete things for the driveway extension. Couldn't get them yesterday cos we went out in the car, not the van.

Apart from that.. no plans.

I got out of bed at 8, made the horrors some breakfast, and went back to bed till 9.45! It was FREEZING this morning, but has of course turned out to be a gorgeous day.

ABOVE: unloading the van... now for the hard work to commence! I will, of course, document it all in photos.....*smiles*... NOT that anyone OUT THERE seems to be reading this today! *sniff*

ABOVE: progress... when Griffin saw this he said:

"It looks like we are burying GrandDad again!"....

I was eating (guiltily!) a piece of ginger crunch and nearly choked on it! *LOL*

ABOVE: getting there! (Brylee is looking for worms)

ABOVE: I was not a total slouch while Stew slaved away, I planted out the Winter Vege Patch.

ABOVE: The only bug I want in my garden! He's so cute.

I've come inside now, it's getting cold and SOMEONE has to cook dinner I suppose. *sigh*

End of Day: we gots lots done today... so that is great! Off to bed now, we are both kinda tired. nite nite.

PARTY....OF THE TUPPERWARE VARIETY!

OH GAWD... I'm going to a Tupperware Party is afternoon!

AND don't get your tits in a knot Amanda.. I know you sell Tupperware... and I would NORMALLY get mine from you... BUT... this is a way to meet more neighbours in my new community. So I'm going. I will buy SOMETHING.... even if I don't really need it. It's what ya do.

This morning? Well I hope to drag Stew down to Bunnings to buy those concrete thingee's to go at the end of the driveway.

He won't want to of course, cos that will mean he has to dig out the dirt and lay them ... but ya gotta do what ya wife WANTS EH? He wantS to sleep with me afterall! *lol* (just saying)

That's about IT for now.... except for ringing the sewing machine shop of course!

Oh and just for your viewing pleasure, I give you:

And HE called himself that! I just love the apron, I bought it thinking I would give it to someone overseas, but I loved it too much! Looks cute on Stew.... he offered to take off his shirt too... but I thought "NAH, we all seen your belly already mate!"

ONWARD.....

Righty ho.. we went out.. I bought a dress (or 2)... we had lunch at St Lukes.. we came home, I went to the Tupperware Party.. I drank a few wines.. OH ERRRR... Stew and the kids had to walk around to pick me up cos I was a bit tiddly and couldn't drive. Bad me.

I spent a bit... on stuff I really didn't need, but oh well.. the hostess wanted a set of scales and I only had to spend $XYZ so she could get them... so I did. *sigh* Hell, she made such an effort with the afternoon tea and bottles of wine I felt "What the hell"... I enjoyed myself and that's the main thing. And the other ladies there were lovely... in all.. a neat day.

End of Day: Stew is cooking dinner, I have no idea what it is... nor do I really care. I'm going to lie down and try to sober up! My head is spinning... BLOODY WINE! nite nite.

RIBBONS, RACES, A CASE AND A SCORE!

Let's start the day with some photos eh?

ABOVE AND BELOW: the gorgeous ribbons I got yesterday.. I don't know which one I love the most..... but I think the wee Kiwis might just win!

Next, how about a photo of Brylee finishing her cross country race:

ABOVE: running to the finish... and the little tart hardly looked tired!

NEXT: this is the travel case I got for Teddy, as you can see it's about 1/4 the size of his crate. Much better for in the car.

AND FINALLY: I went into the hospice shop yesterday afternoon and scored these two tupperware dishes.... perfect for serving veges in ... and they were only $5 ! SCORE!!!

Today: Teddy is going to the groomers at 11.30... I'm taking him to a new groomer much closer to home too. I am over being TOLD OFF by the lady because Teddy has a knot or two! I don't need that THANK YOU VERY MUCH! Pffffft. While he's at the groomers, I will go to the mall across the road and kill some time. Shouldn't be too hard eh? *snigger*

Brylee has a girlfriend coming home for a play after school today... I hope it goes well. AND Griffin is going to a friend's after school next week. We are really settling into this new home .. it's NEAT.

It's a good day today, nothing has happened to make me cross.... though I can't say the say thing for Teddy!

He hates going to the groomers! But this time he got shorn beautifully, AND I did not get told off... not at all! The lady was really superb... understood just how hard it is to comb this sort of dog.... and she had no trouble from him... not like me! He fights me... the little shit. Anyway, he's all tidy again, no knots. AND she cut is a bit shorter so it stays manageable for us for longer. NEAT.

ABOVE: doesn't he do the "PISSED OFF" look so well!!! *smiles* ... he's so bloody cute.

End of Day: The play visit with Brylee's friend went well. Griffin was a shit. I have been sewing. My machine played up a few times... I will talk to the shop lady about it. I'm bloody FREEZING. Going to bed. nite nite.

OOOOO ERRRRRR......

My new glasses make me feel sick... like seasick! My prescription is different from the last one... so I have to wear them from morning to night till my eyes adjust! WONDERFUL!

Stew has buggered off to Wellington for the day...

The kids have cross-country running today... so I'm hoping it doesn't rain cos I want to go and cheer them on. Brylee should do well... she's our little scooter! Griffin - not so much. *smiles*

So, apart from that...it will be a normal, housewifey type day! You know, washing, vacuming, cooking... and all that totally riveting stuff.

I've been thinking about Teddy and his 'problem'... and I think he's suffering mentally... I go out too much! I have stopped him from coming into the lounge with a barrier (I was sick of him chewing things he shouldn't)... and he has been 'naughty' cos he's stressed out I think.

So... I am making plans to keep him with me more! ... He is going to come out with me in the car when I go out and about. ...if he can't come into the mall or where ever with me once we get there I will put him in his crate in the back of the car! It's not hot anymore, so he won't overheat. If he gets stressed out for the first few times and does have an 'accident' in the car.. well it will be confined to his crate. Hopefully this will stop the behaviour at home?

I can only try... and so... we are going out! I want vege plants for the garden... then we will go to watch Brylee run!

We went out... to the pet store! I bought a smaller travel case for Teddy to use in the car... the crate is just too big I decided. So.. that's done.. he hated being confined.. and howled when I went into the shop and left him in the car. GET USED TO IT MATE, you can't have everything.

Off to watch Brylee run now.

RUSSELL: seeing as you would NOT listen to reason on the phone:

I am the legal owner of Mike's car, and he is the NOMINATED driver.. he has a license to drive it in this country. I did NOT break the law by doing this, the insurance company KNOWS he is the principal driver. This costs HIM $24 a month in insurance, not me. If this is doing him a FAVOUR... then yes .. I did him a favour.

In YOUR case.. ... you are asking me to BREAK THE LAW by hiring a car for you to use in this country, without a legal license. If you are caught doing this I AM THE ONE who would be prosecuted. I am not going to get a criminal record for anyone, not even YOU.

You ask too much from me! And might I point out that you wanted nothing to do with me right up until you lost your license and NEEDED some mug to get you a car so you could use it when you come over!

I am not going to be used by you. I would do anything for you, any FAVOUR at all.... if I could, and it did not involve breaking the law. NO matter how you treat me, I love you, you are my son.

Now, back to normal transmissions: Brylee came 9th in her year at cross country running, she did very well!

Not sure how Griffin went yet.... off to pick them up now...

Griffin came second to last in his group... but I told him it did not matter where he came, as long as he tried his best! He was cool with that.

After picking them up I went and picked up my sewing machine... seems it was a problem with the sensor.... and easily fixed. If anything happens again they have promised to give me a totally new one. So that's good. Fingers crossed NOTHING does happen again.

While I was in the shop I spied some totally gorgeous ribbons, so took them up to the counter and asked for 2 metres of each.... but when it came to paying for them the lady said: "no charge"! NICE ONE! I kinda wish I'd known she would do that, I'd have grabbed heaps more! LOL

End of Day: lots has happened today, I am feeling a bit jaded to tell the truth. Stew is due home from Wellington around 8, so I shall just chill out till then.. well apart from cooking dinner and getting the kids into bed later on. nite nite.

I AM CHUFFED WITH ME HEADER!

I love my new header... I could look at it all day ....but I suppose I really SHOULD DO SOMETHING!

Hmmmm... what?

I know!... I will do some sewing... on the 'loaner' machine... which is working, bless it's little computerised heart.

I'm feeling great today... isn't that neat? I might even do some EXERCISE too! I kinda worked out an Exercise Plan the other night, but havn't felt like implementing it yet.. too steamed up about me machine... that used up a lot of energy ya know!

Isn't that a gorgeous picture? And it's not even BLUE !

And ... while I'm still here.. Teddy has been VERY VERY BAD! In the last week he has gone toilets inside the house 3 times! First time (saturday), he actually jumped up on the spare bed and did No's 1 AND 2 on the bed! Then he poo'd in the kitchen monday night and last night in the family room... right in front of me and the kids! I don't get it... he has been totally house trained for a year already! Anyone know why he is doing this? I'm thinking it's because it's wet and cold outside and he just doesn't want to go out?

I do know that he is now locked out cos there is NO WAY I'm having him inside if he's going to do that!

ONWARD.... going to buy some sewing stuff....

Well it's been a busy day so far!

First off... I'm thrilled to say our son Steve is moving out of Palmerston North.... he's going to live with is sister, Amanda, in Hamilton. It's only an hour away from us. Also, the twit went and hurt his hands last night at netball... dislocated his ring-finger on his left hand and broke the pinky on his right hand. Derrrr.

Other news.. our son Russell, who lives in Perth... is coming over for a visit. I am hoping he will want to stay here for a day or two. Mend some bridges maybe?

As for today: I bought a few bits and bobs at Spotlight.. nothing worth showing ya.

I picked up my new prescription Sunglasses.. and I would show ya.. but I'm having a BAD HAIR DAY! I brushed the mop didn't I? Now I have a frizz bomb on me head. Must straighten it tonight.

AND I posted a couple of parcels to YOU.... Leslie and Ann(ie)!!! Keep ya eyes peeled in about a week or so.

EXERCISE ?: well shit, I have hardly sat down all day... so there!

Right: I straightened the shit outta me hair... so here's a photo of the sunglasses:

ALL I need now is botox for that bloody forehead eh? LOL

ABOVE: I have put Teddy in the dog box..... god help him if he does ANYTHING in there! I will throttle him, I will.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* PEPSI HAS BEEN UPDATED*~*~*~*~*~*~*

End of Day: It's been a good day! Stew likes the new glasses. Good one. nite nite.

AWARD NO LESS.... AND THE LOANER

Yesterday I was given ANOTHER AWARD! I think it's cos I make SASSY smile! She likes me. Awwwwwww. I am supposed to share some ACHIEVEMENTS on my blog! Well...... achievements eh? How about I have achieved much..... and will achieve even more? Will that do? I reckon.

5 (or so) Bloggers I pass it on to:

-Anne... for being there for her husband and always being a trouper.

- Daddy Forever... for helping make 4 totally gorgeous children!.. and being inordinately proud of it!

- Daniela ... for her amazing photography (and grandsons)

- Karen Deborah... for managing to fracture BOTH her ankles from working too hard!

- Jaxx... for her tireless work in ensuring her kids get the best help available to them.

- Leslie and Dave ... for their hard slog in losing weight, and being neat parents.

- Nola... for achieving the art of throwing up gracefully (I hope!)

- Laura... for managing to grow her veges UPSIDE DOWN!

- Slyde... for getting his home renovated to a point where it is beautiful!

- Sparklingmerlot.... for following my lead and doing patchwork!

- Terri... for being an amazing Mum to Matthew and building an equally amazing LOG CABIN!

Right! That's IT. I think I should stop there.

I am going to patchwork class today.... to hopefully finish my 'Book of Stitches' with the LOANER machine. God help that shop if this one dies on me!!!

I will fill you in on that later....

WOOO HOOOO... My new Header is a work in progress... just have to work out how to get it to fit right across the top ( if anyone knows how I can do this with a 'normal' photo do tell ).... but for now.. It's patchwork class!

LATER....

Patchwork class was fun today... lots of yakking, laughing and just chilling out. I stayed till lunchtime then came home a made some lunch.. and that's it for now!

Taking the kids to swimming lessons after school...

The new 'Header' is just a photo I took .... I composed the bottles etc on my lovely piece of Aussy Batik fabric... then just added the words with the computer. Just wish I knew how to make it extend right across the top!

YES! I got the header sorted to my liking.. just took a LOT of pissing around with the photo in editing ....

I have wasted a shit load of time on that today! Hopefully I won't feel the need to change it again for a while. Must get on with feeding the kids now.... been to swimming and Griffin is STARVING....

End of Day: me computer spat the dummy tonight, so I havn't been able to read/comment on blogs for the last couple of hours..Pfffft. Will catch up tomorrow..off to bed now... got a hot sexy man awaiting.... *snigger*.... nite nite.

I AM VERY GLAD....

...That I didn't listen to my Patchwork Tutor, and buy my new machine from her girlfriend up in Warkworth! Imagine having to drive all the way up there to get the bloody thing looked at!

At least the drive to Howick is only 20 minutes away.

At least I have had a chance to calm down ... cos I was ready to murder someone on Saturday!

I am hoping like hell it is something simple... cos if it has to go away for repair I am going to be asking for a new machine - or my money back!

I know that the lady who sold me the machine is going to be HORRIFIED to see me back again so soon... she was mortified last Monday when I had to return with the machine... it's not her fault I know... so I will be NICE. (it will be very hard, but I can only try).

Once I have sorted out the machine.... I will be coming home to do the usual housework ... it is WAITING for me....

OH YEAH.. while my back was turned last night Stew (the sneaky bugger) used the new onion chopper.... OK, he was making rissoles for dinner... but STILL! I wanted to play with it first! Pfffffft.... I am going to make a vege soup today and use it too.

So: I drove 25 minutes across town to the Sewing Machine Shop... I lugged that heavy machine into that shop AGAIN... and placed it on the counter.

The lady who 'fixed' it last weekend saw me and LAUGHED... and said to me:

"What's wrong with it now, not the same thing as last weekend is it?"... and LAUGHED AGAIN!
After all my good intentions, I saw RED....

I took a deep breath and said:

"PLEASE do not LAUGH, I am not finding this funny at all. IN fact I am very upset and as cross as hell. It will not go, it keeps coming up with an ERROR message and I can't get it to stop it".....

That wiped the smile off her face....

By then all the muscles in my shoulders and up the back of my neck went into spasm cos I was SOOOOO MAD... and I turned on my heel and stormed out of the shop... yelling over my shoulder "I will be in the coffee shop next door... cooling down".

After having a Mocha, I went back into the shop... where I sat for a further 10 minutes till she was READY to come over and look at my machine.
Stew rang me at that time and talked to me while she tried to get the bloody thing to go... which it wouldn't.
So it's going off to the REPAIR shop, and it's only 12 days old!!!
I asked her to give me a 'loaner' machine to use in the meantime.... which she did.... Maybe I will have the machine back by the end of the week?

One thing is for sure, if it breaks down again I am DEMANDING another brand new machine. One that isn't a lemon.

I did some retail therapy to help calm me down too:
ABOVE: Some "Kiwi" things for a couple of blogger girlfriends in the States,


And a cute wee mat for the family bathroom. Now I'm home and I should be doing the housework... but:



I DON'T FEEL LIKE IT NOW. so there.

*** I changed my profile photo, I like it ... it's me right now ***

End of Day: well the day went as expected I suppose. No machine... ova it. Made Stew and I lovely, scrumptious omelette's for dinner...NO CARBS... EXCELLENT. nite nite. edit: just did the grocery shopping... it's so much better going late at night! Not so many people to drive you nuts.

OH GOD I'M LIVID!

Yesterday afternoon I finally got a start on making my 'book of stitches'... and I was happily sewing for 2 hours or so and got these 4 pages done:

ABOVE AND BELOW: just a few of the hundreds of stitches it can do! AND it has 4 full alphabets too!

Anyway... back to my TITLE: there I was happily sewing and all of a sudden for no apparent reason this message flashed up on the screen "Clean under the bobbin case and remove any loose threads, then press OK"....

OK.... so I did that... and ..... the machine would not sew... it just kept saying I had to clean under the bobbin case! I CLEANED IT ALREADY.. again and again..... and again.

SO... the bloody thing is still not going... I can't sew... and this is the SECOND weekend in a row that this has happened. I have had the machine for just over 2 weeks and it's broken down 2 times already.

I am fit to kill .... I NOW HAVE TO TAKE IT BACK TO THE SHOP AGAIN. I paid over $3,500 for this F#@KEN machine.... someone is going to pay for this... or I want my money back! ... (which would be sad cos I am really loving it... when it goes!)

SO... how is YOUR day going? I am not sewing today obviously... so not sure what I will do. Maybe read a book? Or help Stew do the driveway extension thingee...

I am SOooooo not happy... and add in having a shitty cold and I'M GRUMPY.

Maybe I should go ... shopping? That might cheer me up.

ONE thing I can do REALLY well... is shop:

We went to St Lukes.. and into 'The King of Knives' shop and saw this neat chopping thingee.. it was reduced from $74.90 to $59.90 so we thought, YEP a good deal and bought it. Then later on in the day when we were at Sylvia Park we saw the EXACT SAME one for $40 !!! So we hotfooted it back to The King of Knives and asked for our money back! Which they did with apologies. BLOODY RIP OFF ARTISTS. Don't shop there people!

ABOVE: Stew finally found some lovely new casual shoes to wear with his jeans.. he's only been looking for months!

ABOVE: next we saw these tops ... 'Buy 1 get the 2nd half price'... so Stew and Griffin got a matching top each. CUTE.

ABOVE: then we got Brylee another of those sweet tops with the thumb holes in the sleeves... cos she loves them... . and a new swimsuit... and I got some new chopping boards....

ABOVE: Bry in her new swimsuit... which she sooooo didn't want to take off! *smiles*

ABOVE: Griffin holding my new wooden chopping board.. to show it's size. I love it.

And that is all ! I was tempted to buy a couple of tops for myself... but I have made a vow to not buy another item of clothing for myself until I am at the weight I want to be FOREVER.... so there ya go.

I'm knackered now... going to go put me feet up and relax.

End of Day: well it started out like crap... but ended well. nite nite.

WEIGH IN, DARN.

It's back to the Doctor's today for weigh in... and I know I havn't been very good this week.. suppose the scales will tell the story. AND I bet Stew has lost heaps just to make me feel worse.

Oh well... it is up to me eh?

After that... we shall go out west to Swanson to pick up the weights we won on Trademe.. then probably lunch at Sylvia Park and then home.

So ... that's the day's plan....

And.. YES I did take photos of me toes yesterday....

ABOVE: another mosaic shot.. this setting is sooo cool! I love it... and plan on taking lots like this. Maybe not of toes though....

WEIGH IN: Stew lost 2 kilos, I lost 1.5 kilos.. totally unexpected result.. I must have been better than I thought! We have cut our carb intake right down and upped the fresh salads... seems to have worked.

On our way to picking up Stew's weights.... Brylee discovered her new top had these nifty 'holes' in the sleeves for her thumbs! She was thrilled to bits... after realising she hadn't 'ripped' her top!!!

ABOVE: nifty... keeps her hands warm.

ABOVE: we found what I had been looking for at Bunnings... it will cost around $100 all up to do the driveway extension!

ABOVE: Stew's 'new' weights.... he got 17 differing size weights and is rather happy with them.

ABOVE: while picking up the weights (which were in a 2nd hand store) I saw this crystal necklace for a very sweet price... so got them! REWARD for losing weight! Maybe I shall give myself a wee reward every time I lose more than a kilo in the week? OOOOOO SOUNDS GOOD TO ME!

End of Day: made a huge coleslaw for dinner, had pork chops with it.. and made a yoghurt/basil dressing... so yum! Going to bed early .. still under the weather and need to get some sleep if I can! nite nite.

SNOT ANYONE?

Yep... I'm a bundle of JOY this morning!

And I don't really feel like doing anything... but I have to eh?

Kids have to be taken to school and then I have an eye appointment this morning too. WONDERFUL... when I'd rather just curl up and do nothing.

Thank god all the housework is up to date .... at least I can do NOTHING and not feel guilty about it.

And I'm dying to get on with my sewing.... but it will just have to wait. I'm miserable.... I bloody well HATE having a blocked nose and sneezing all the time. Pffffffft.

I'm going now. *sniff* *sniff*

While I'm still sitting here.... last night I was playing with the camera on my new phone... and I am totally GOBSMACKED at what it can do! It can do heaps more than my big EXPENSIVE camera!

For instance:

"MOSAIC" shots.... where you can take several 'photos' in one frame...

AND FRAME a shot too... hell there's heaps it can do! Maybe today I will just lie on the couch and take photos of me toes.... in black and white, in sepia, in negative, in Pamorama, multi shots, smile shots (don't understand that one), or maybe I will video them! Ahhh the choices are endless....

Wouldn't you think, with the way the economy is right now... people would be trying to get work? I rang a concrete guy to come and give me a quote on extending our driveway a couple of metres... he hasn't turned up! Pfffffft. Useless git.

Going to me eye appointment now...

Just as I was leaving for the eye appointment the concrete guy turned up, an hour late.... so we had a quick chat about what I wanted.. and he gave me a verbal quote... and I said "I'll let ya know" and left. He quoted me a thousand dollars to lay a piece of concrete 3 X 2.5 metres! He will not be getting the job!

Is that a 'normal' price? I don't know, but I am still going to try and find those 'holey' pavers, they MUST be a cheaper option.

The eye exam went well....if ya like numb eyes and streaming mascara! The upshot is my new prescription sunglasses should be here in about 2 weeks.. cool. No more squinting in the sun and having sore eyes.

The COLD... seems to be getting no better yet... in fact I feel like shit still. Just want to lie down and close my eyes....the kids are home from school and I've already screamed at them to shut up. *sigh*.... how long till Stew comes home?

End of Day: yes I know it's early... but honestly I just want to go to bed! nite nite.

AS IF I'D SIT STILL FOR LONG

Last night I had fully intended to sit down and relax after my marathon house cleaning effort.. AS IF!

I went down to the garage... to put something away... and ended up starting work on my 'Sewing Book of Stitches' instead!

I am making a 'book' of all the stitches my lovely new machine can do! As a clear reference guide for me. Should be fun doing it too.

So ... here's what I got ready last night:

I don't know how many I will need, but these will do for now. I've put batting in some and stiff tear-away in a few too. So .... guess what I hope to get done today eh? Sewing these up and starting work on the stitches.

I think that's all for now... except.. I have indeed got a blasted cold... going out soon to find something to help keep the snot under control. TMI? ... too bad, you're reading this drivel!

I might also do some grocery shopping, look at getting me some prescription sunglasses and... look for some concrete block 'thingees'. What for? .... wait and see.

ONWARD...So... I went out, I looked at concrete blocks... no joy there... then I went and made an appointment to get some sunglasses (that's tomorrow).. I went to (shock-horror!) The Warehouse and bought a new bed for Teddy and a DVD for me... then my batteries literally ran out and I felt like shit... so I came home and had a nap!

Ahhhhh.... feel better now (after an hours nap) and am onto it again. Will go and get the kids soon, then I'm going to go down into the garage to sew.

My car has sprung an oil leak, and I'm not fixing it! I have no intention on spending any more money on that car.. I am getting a new one sometime this year... so in the meantime, it's staying OUTSIDE.

Only... I want to get some pavers to put on that grassed area... so it doesn't end up all muddy and horrible. So I'm looking for those pavers that grass can grow up through ... havn't found them yet.

A benefit from keeping my car outside:

I have MASSES more room in the garage! It's neat.. room for the sewing, for the washing racks (in wet weather)... and the gym gear is at the other end with me sauna and the spare fridge/freezer. It's all good.

End of Day: feeling like shit... this cold seems to really kick in at night. Oh well... tis only a COLD .... not the FLU ... I've never had the flue. nite nite.

PRETTY IN BLUE....

ABOVE: this is Gloria.... my Patchwork Tutor. She's in her early 60's (doesn't she look good!), she has 7 grown kids.... anyway, yesterday she gave me a little present by way of a 'Thank You' for taking her to Morrinsville etc, last week on our material buying trip.

She must have a great sense on humour, she already knows me so well, cos this is what she bought me:

IN BLUE (cos she knows I love blue): A Belly Button Warmer, NIPPLE WARMERS, and..... A WILLY WARMER!!!! What a crack up!

Today I am going to stay home (!), do housework, read blogs, and maybe sew! YAAAA.

- Teddy has his collar back on as he's scratched himself silly under his chin and made a huge mess.

- I did indeed have to take my new sewing machine back to the shop... I talked about that on Monday.

- Griffin is called "Griffin" or "Dude" ... but never "Griff"... just wanted to clarify that.

- THANK YOU Sassy (blush) for your comment yesterday!

- The 'sharts' are gone.. thank you Karen Deborah.

Isn't it amazing what you can get done if you JUST STAY AT HOME? I'm thrilled with how much 'crap' I have managed to do this morning.

I am taking Teddy to the Vet at midday.. he's just not a happy wee boy... I am wondering if his allergies are playing up ... even though he's on Prednisone. The vet can check him out for me ....

SO... it's the same old story at the Vet's... more prednisone.. then try to wean him off it. He's put on over a kilo in the last month, so he's going on a diet too. Poor bugger.

I'm doing the vacuming... I've piled stuff up on the furniture cos I also want to wash the floors.... Teddy could have sat on a lounge chair by this sofa... but instead he has slouched himself over it and his butt is on the windowsill:

He doesn't even LOOK comfortable... but then... he's pissed off with me for taking him to the Vets.

See? He's giving me the 'evil look'... Pfffffffff... MEN! (or BOY dogs, same thing)!

I'm knackered!

- I gassed up my car... at a petrol station with NO GAS! I had to wait for the tanker to arrive.... I couldn't leave cos my gas light had been on for over a day and I didn't think I'd make it to the next gas station. DOH

- I sent my old sewing machine off with the couriers.

- I bought a set of weights for Stew on Trademe and arranged payment/pickup.

- Dog to and from Vet

- kids picked up (lucky I didn't forget)

- Garage re-arranged, oil spill cleaned up (me car has a leak)

- ALL the bloody housework is done! I am a machine!

And now?

I am going to park my bum in me lounge chair and relax. So. There.

End of Day: didn't sit in the lounge chair afterall. Getting a bloody cold. nite nite.

WHOOPS....

SOMETHING DIDN'T AGREE WITH ME YESTERDAY!

And I need a computer 'chair' like the ABOVE ....

Hopefully it will 'pass' cos I want to go to patchwork class today.... and play with my new machine...now it's going again!

I hope to make a 'sample' of each and every stitch it can do ... as a reference for future use. THAT should be fun... then I can learn how it all works before trying to work on any of my projects. I don't want to stuff any of my projects up!

So, hopefully it will be a good day and the belly settles down... I'm TOTALLY SCARED TO FART right now. THIS IS NOT GOOD.
... and that's all I have to say about that.

ONWARD...

I was getting all sorts of crabby last night, I could not figure out how to get photos from my new phone onto my computer... but this morning I tried again.. and it worked! ABOVE: is a quick snap of the kids taken with the phone, such a better quality pic than from my old phone's camera! NEAT.

BUSY... BUSY... I went to town, got some 'stuff' for class, got some things for the kids to dive for at swimming.... got some scissor sharpeners (cos I must have tried to cut a pin).... it's been hectic today!

I had a lovely time at patchwork class.. most of the 'girls' came over and made a fuss of me new machine. It behaved itself today.. and I had so much fun trying out new stitches!

ABOVE: 'stuff' for me sewing 'room'... quite pleased with the organiser for all me crystals. And I hope those scissor sharpeners work!

I was looking for a yellow t-shirt for Brylee.... NONE. Saw this one and had to get it for Griffin! (Yeah, yeah, Whatever)

Water toys... on sale at K-Mart for $16... score.

In other news, me belly has been nicer today.... still grumbling but nicer. We have swimming lessons this afternoon.... better take some Nurofen before I go.... the heat/humidity and chlorine always gives me a whooper headache.

SCORE....!!!

I listed my 'old' sewing machine on TradeMe.. with a very fair reserve... and I just sold it for $1,000 OVER the reserve price! In fact, I got back almost what I paid for it a year ago! I AM WRAPT.

End of Day: a FREAKING awesome day! And 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY' to YOU Russell. nite nite.

FRANGIPANI PROGRESS... AND VACUMING

I have finished stage 1.... now I have to either put black bias binding around every 'join' or do satin stitch. I WOULD do satin stitch if I could get my sewing machine to work!

I'm gunna have to take it back to the shop I bought it from for 'instructions'... cos it just won't sew for me...BLOODY THING. GRRRRR.

Kids are back at school today, this is good.
I can get the vacuming done and know it will stay tidy for at least 6 hours! This is good.

Getting back into the swing of things with DIETING... Stew is totally 'on board' so this will help me and him get healthy and stay healthy. And I know that my mood will get better once I am in 'control' of my belly again! As in, only feed it when necessary!
Sometimes I feel like a broken record, saying the same shit all the time... but I know that as long as I keep trying I won't slip too far and gain all my weight back.

- Sewing machine is fixed.. it was something wrong with the bobbin case... hopefully it doesn't happen again! The ladies in the shop were horrified to see me back after only a few days.

- I bought a new 3G phone... it's NOT PINK...but that's OK cos it does EVERYTHING!!! I can even update me blog from it!!! It's on the charger right now, so no photo.

- I never realised how often I stop in at a coffee shop for a Moccha and a 'snack' till today! I had to stop myself going into a coffee shop 3 times in 2 hours... the urge was so strong!!!

- Now I'm hungry (I think, lol) and am going to have a small chicken salad. YUM.

ABOVE: the new phone! It's like a mini computer with all it can do!

I can't be such an idiot afterall, I managed to send an email, a text or 4.. and a photo too!

Talking of photos, that's why I picked this one... it's got an amazing camera in it... with flash... 5 mega pixels or some such.... AWESOME. I now don't have to lug my heavy camera around in my handbag all the time!

End of Day: a busy, fun day really! Sewing machine all better, new phone... and a new diet.. which has given me the shits. nice. nite nite.

STRATEGIES, SEWING... AND STUFF

Wondering...

What does 'Core Reasons' have to do with losing weight? Why does my Doctor have to try and find a long lost 'reason' to blame our weight gain on???

Isn't it just cos we overeat? Don't get enough exercise? Eat for the hell of it? Like food too much?

*sigh*

In my case he's decided I overeat cos my early childhood was a bit violent (not towards me I might add) and I'm living my life waiting for a 'catastrophe' to happen all the time. I don't get it.
Maybe he can explain it later on.. or maybe I will poo-hoo his high brow theories and tell him to piss off?

In Stew's case he reckons it's because he is always trying to do 'better'... and he feels a failure. FAR OUT.

For whatever reason... we will stick with this new programme because we both want to lose weight and be healthier/happier... and maybe, just maybe we will satisfy whatever REASON our doctor is doing this programme!

He has got funding for this programme from SOMEWHERE, and he's totally enthusiastic about it.. maybe he wants to prove a theory, write a book .... whatever? He is taping our sessions... HELL I hope I don't look as fat as I feel! LOL

So, today Stew and I are going to sit down together and work on our 'flash Cards'... that outline the most important reasons why we want to lose weight.

We will look at these cards whenever we feel like eating when we shouldn't, or overeating....or eating the 'wrong' food. It's all about training our BRAINS to not work in the CAVE MAN mode....
Shit it's all a bit wishy-washy for me. BUT I WILL do it.

NOW.. wasn't that fun for you to read? Where's a photo I can hear you say!
WAIT FOR IT... the day is just beginning.....and I'm not even out of bed yet!

I want to get some practising done on my new sewing machine today ... and Stew is hoping to take the kids to the movies too... he didn't get time for it yesterday.

ONWARD.... I'm feeling GREAT. so there. Did I mention the fact that in the last 6 months I have actually stayed the same weight? THIS IS GOOD. Not great, but hey, I havn't gained.

Today has gone as planned, except for one major thing... I can't get my sewing machine to sew! It just keeps jamming up the thread.... it's driven me mad all day. So. ... no sewing.

Stew took the kids to the movies, and while they were there I went and picked up Brylee's quilt from the professional quilter:

ABOVE: the quilt.. I just need to add the binding around the outer edge now... most of that will be hand sewing. GREAT.

ABOVE: I'm thrilled to bits with the detailed stitching I chose for the outer edges of the quilt! Brylee loves it... she's totally into "Hearts and Love" ... her words not mine! Rather cute.

End of Day: and I rang my Patchwork Tutor for help with my machine and she came around.. but could not get it to go either, so I will have to take it back tomorrow to the shop. Stew and I had a lovely dinner of chicken (no skin) with coleslaw and a yoghurt/basil dressing... it was delicious. No carbs at dinner time. WE are doing well. nite nite.

EVERY DAY.. IN SOME WAY...

Teddy manages to get his 'hands' on a sock or two... and he kills them! I am so over this dog and his sock eating.

Anyone know how I can stop him???

I either stop him or kill him. (well OK... maybe not kill)

It's our Wedding Anniversary (22yrs)... I can still remember the day we got married.... I loved Stew then and I love him even more now. He's my Darling.

No firm plans for today... I think Stew wants to take the kids to the movies... which means leaving me in peace for a while to play with the new sewing machine. NICE. I don't 'do' kids movies... they drive me batty.

OH YEAH... we have weigh in at 9.30... followed by an hour of 'counselling'... shit that should be fun. Wonder if I will end up slapping me Doctor again???

BETS anyone?

Weigh in done, counselling done.. and it took me about 5 minutes to slap him!

After that we did what Stew wanted to do ....

He finally got his New Zealand Outline Tattoo! It's awesome. The kids sat and watched the entire process....(well Griffin did)...

Brylee sat there with this look on her face the entire time, but she wasn't looking at Stew!....

At one point she said: "I'm sure that's a tit"

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She was totally ENGROSSED in looking at all these photos of tattoo's!

After the Tattoo was done we went into K' Road for lunch then came home ... it's been a long day already!

End of Day: processing stuff from our meeting with the Doc this morning... gunna sit down with Stew and work on our strategies to drop the kilos and keep em off. I had two glasses of wine with dinner, pleasantly pissed now. Stew MIGHT get lucky! LMFAO, nite nite.

GOING TO THE CITY... AGAIN!

SHEESH!!!! I feel like I'm never home at the moment.

I'm taking the train into town today...

We will have been married 22 years tomorrow... Hmmmm, wonder what I can get Stew?

I should really be staying home and doing some housework, but it will still be there tomorrow ....

SANDIE: I'm just popping in, so won't be able to catch up with you unless you are free for morning tea??? Text me if you are.

While I'm out I will leave you with this little laugh:

ONWARD....

ABOVE: why I went to town. Love it.

Home now, got heaps of housework to get on with.

Brylee is going to a little friend's after school today! Her first time EVER... she is so excited. Griffin is pissed... cos he can't go too.

Brylee's play date went very well! So relieved. I will let her invite her wee friend here next week. I spent an enjoyable 20 minutes yakking with Olivia's Mum... hope I didn't shock her too much! My mouth... *sigh*... sometimes get's carried away. SOMETIMES. She didn't flinch MUCH when the odd 'bad' word slipped out.

End of Day: having burger 'n' chips for dinner, cos tomorrow we get weighed and that's it... a new start... to a better way of being.... GORGEOUS. Ha ha ha! nite nite.