TOWN AND AROUND

 

Sadly, Stew has to go to work today.

So does Steve.

That means Mike and Joyce get to hang out with me and Bex, and the kids.

I am heading into town first thing to get a repeat prescription.

Then I'm off to The Base, or Chartwell Square,  for a couple of things.

I'm not sure what Mike and Joyce will do, whether they tag along with me, or go over and spend the day with Bex and the kids.  Time will tell.

ABOVE:  Joyce and Lily last night.  Sooooo cute.   

Seeing Joyce in that tracksuit made me want one!  I might even get me one today, just to wear around home.  It looks so comfy and warm.

I was talking to Steve last night about ovens and cooktops.  I was totally set on eventually getting Westinghouse appliance to replace what's already here.

But he found some by Samsung that will suit the existing spaces better.

The reason I'd not looked at anything apart from Westinghouse was because I HATE too much choice.  And we've got Westinghouse fridges/freezers, and they have never given us a moments trouble. 

ABOVE:  But, Steve showed me this Samsung Induction Cooktop and I was like.... "OH my gosh, look at the blue lights!"

SOLD.   lol

I'm going to look at it, and a Samsung oven today.  

And that's me for now... catch ya later.

ONWARD...

ANZAC DAY

 

Today is ANZAC DAY here in New Zealand and Australia.  It is the day we remember those who served and died in all wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations, and the contributions and suffering of all those who have served.

So it is a day off work for most people.

Mike and Joyce are coming up today from Palmerston North, to spend a 'long weekend' with us and family.

It's so neat we get to see them fairly often, considering how far away they are.

I told you I 'doctored' the second new FBG t-shirt yesterday... well here it is:

ABOVE:  I put some 'fat bottomed girls' on it.

I think it looks fun.  And who wants to wear a shirt that looks exactly the same as everyone else eh?  Not me.
 

ABOVE: There's a close up of the fabric.  I've used it quite a bit over the years for various projects.

And that's all I have for now...  I better go and do something productive till the kids arrive.  

ONWARD...

ABOVE: While I had planned on a walk with Lacy this morning, I cancelled  cos I didn't want to get outta bed!

So a bit later on, Stew and I wandered down to the local shops to post a letter.

It was very overcast, perfect for a walk.

Stew is still recovering from his surgery, so it was a fairly sedate pace.  But a longer distance than he's done since before surgery.

Baby steps.

ABOVE: We got to see three Royal New Zealand Air Force planes do a 'fly over' as part of the Anzac commemorations during our walk.

ABOVE: Walk stats, a nice little walk.  Better than nothing.

We have decided to have lunch at Taco Bell today.  It's been quite a while since we ate there.

I bet Joyce will want to go while they are up here too.

1.36 pm:  Our lunch was lovely, so nice after not having Taco Bell for a while.  It wasn't too busy either, so not a huge wait for our food.

The Expressway WAS busy, particularly traffic heading south.  

On our way home we stopped into the supermarket and grabbed a few supplies.  Now home, all snuggled up in me blankie keeping warm.  It's certainly cooler today.

Mike and Joyce only left Palmy about half an hour ago, so they won't be here until dinnertime, or after, depending on the traffic.

I'm not inclined to get up to much else for the afternoon, might watch a movie on Netflix, or fluff around on the computer.

8.17 pm:  Well the kids arrived safely, and we spent a couple of hours catching up.  Steve, Bex and the kids arrived as well, so lots of chatting going on.

Now they have gone back to Steve n Bex's, and all is quiet again.

Time to sign off for the day.

Catch ya tomorrow.

CAMBRIDGE TODAY

 

HAPPY 37TH BIRTHDAY

STEVE!

First up for today, I'm off to Cambridge for an FBG walk.

Nice flat route today thank goodness.

The weather is looking good for it too.

I will no doubt stay after the walk for morning tea with the girls (and guys).  We do have a few men in the group, but not many.  

Then it will be home time, and I don't know what I'll get up to once home.  Probably some housework.  

ONWARD...

ABOVE:  Gorgeous Cambridge on a crisp Autumn morning.

ABOVE:  Lake Te Koutu.  It's in the heart of Cambridge, and people who don't live there might not even know it's there!

ABOVE:  Just for once, I got morning tea.  Usually I just stick to me Diet Coke at the coffee stop after a walk.

It was an extremely lovely  Lemon Tart.

And YES Darling, I got a piece for you too.

ABOVE: Walk Stats.  A nice distance and a decent enough pace.

Now that I'm home, I have a few jobs to get done around the house before Mike and Joyce arrive tomorrow.  They are coming up for Anzac 'weekend'.

ABOVE: Today's 'official' walk photo.  I can't NOT do it!  I like to see them all.  Even if you can't.

This afternoon I 'doctored' my second new FBG T-Shirt.  I decided to do something different for the second one.  I'll show you tomorrow.  I'm really happy with it.

Now it's 4.40 pm, and time to fold the washing (ikk), and get dinner sorted out.  I think Stew will be having left over venison stew with some veges.  I had some tuna for my 'dinner' at lunchtime.

OK, I'm done for the day.  I'm tired and feel a bit headachy, so off to bed a bit early tonight.

Catch ya tomorrow.

JUST STUFF

 

Today is a rest day.  No walking.  Yesterday I ended up doing 9.3 kms over two walks.

That was a good effort.

ABOVE: This is the new FBG t-shirt that I doctored, by adding the two old Logos to it.

I have one more to do.

ABOVE:  I really enjoy the evening walks.  It's so nice and cool, even though I do get pretty hot by the end.

We mostly wear high vis tops, so we stand out pretty well!

ABOVE: Last night's walk stats. 

I like putting them up, even though I know it must be damn boring for YOU, but for me it's a record and accountability. Like the photos really.

They are for me.

Now today... I might just go look for 'jeggings' at KMart!   I might even get some.  We will see.

ONWARD...

9.50 am:  Well I've been to K Mart, tried on 'Jeggings', then 'normal jeans' as well.

WHAT A SOUL DESTROYING endeavour that was.

I decided jeggings are just leggings in a denim blue colour, and I have quite enough leggings already.

Regular jeans?

OMG SOUL DESTROYING.  I fit a size 16 but I hated the fit, even though I tried several different styles.  HATED THEM ALL.

So, for now jeans are off my 'wish list'.  

After that, I went and grabbed a few grocery items and came home.

Lacy just arrived to help me fold up the dry gazebo and sides and get them back in the van.  Then I can put the van back in the garage.

3.41 pm:  Well that job got done quick smart, then Lacy left for the beach for the day.

I got a bit of sewing done, nothing riveting, just a start on a runner.

It's a beautiful day out there.

ABOVE:  Lacy sent me this photo from the beach at Raglan.  Stunning.

She goes out there fairly often in fact.  

I'm now just fluffing around in the house, not doing anything specific. 

Dinner is sorted, just having sausages and veges tonight.

Trulicity tonight.  I was stressing out about it all day, as last week it hurt, then stung for ages afterwards.

So, I wasn't looking forward to it.  But, so thankful the spot we chose tonight was great.  I didn't feel a thing.  PHEW!

And on that happy note, I'm gunna sign off for the day.

JEANS

 

My start up blurb for the day is JEANS.

Stew went out yesterday and bought himself a couple more pairs of jeans.

He now has 4 pair, Black, Dark Blue, Light Blue and CREAM-ish.

ABOVE: When I saw the cream in the bag, I was like... yeah nah.  Not sure about them!

But once on him... Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice.  He is such a hunk.  

ABOVE:  These are the dark blue.  Lovely photos of you darling.

He's now set for jeans.

And I have ONE pair that I can get on, and zipped up... if I lie on the bed and don't MOVE.

OMG I so want to wear jeans again.

I CANNOT remember the last time I wore jeans, I think it might have been when we moved to Auckland in 2008!

Do you realise I am ONLY 10 kilos away from my damn goal, and I should have been there a year ago already?

I don't know what's stopping me.  I really don't.  I want it so much.  Yet it alludes me.  I have 'hovered' at my current weight for about six months!!!  Up and down a few kilos, but never quite cracking it.  

So.  Damn. Annoyed.  

I'm hoping so much that the Trulicity 'cracks' it for me, and I start losing again.  TEN KILOS.  It's not that much is it.

Now... first up for today, off walking with Lacy.  Not sure yet if we will 'do' the lake, or the mall.

ONWARD...

Well... Lacy and I walked around the extreme outer perimeter of The Base today, so it was a bit longer than when I did it last week.

Excellent walk, nice company, if a bit annoying in me ear at times.  Just Jokiing.    Lacy is good company.

ABOVE:  Our walk stats.  A good pace and distance today.

I forgot to take a photo, though the back side of all the shops is pretty dull!  You ain't missing much.

I got home, found out we have been accepted into a one off market in Gordonton at the beginning of June.  So I go into me internet banking to pay the fee.

See something that really pissed me off!

WW are now charging me $74.95 A MONTH to be a member.   Seems my last subscription rolled over and they are charging me the full quid now.

Like NO way.  So I cancelled my subscription.

AGAIN.

I am getting NOTHING out of the meetings at all.  No new information.  No new friendships.  Just nothing.  So I think I am FINALLY DONE with WW forever.

I am doing it on me own from now on.  I can do it. I AM DOING IT.

IF I EVER SAY I AM THINKING OF GOING BACK.... fucking shoot me!

I'm now cold.  So am off to have a really lovely hot bath, wash me hair, and feel nice again.

1.22 pm:  Since then (above), I've had me bath/hair wash and been over to Bex's to watch the boys while she took Lily for her 3 month immunisations.  Then I came home, had lunch and then 'doctored' one of my new FBG T-Shirts by adding the old Logos to it.

I'm now on the hunt for two additional old Logos for my other new t-shirt.  Fingers crossed on that.

And now... I'm going to watch a movie, or listen to the new Taylor Swift album... one or the other.

WHOOP!  I put a request out on our FBG page for two old shirts, saying I just wanted the LOGOS.  And two lovely ladies are donating their old shirts to me.  So I can 'doctor' my 2nd new t-shirt now.

I did the first one this afternoon, I'll show it to you tomorrow.

Right now, it's 5.10 pm, and I will be heading over to Cambridge in 20 minutes for an FBG walk!  Second walk of the day.  I'm on a roll.

Tomorrow is an 'off' day, no walkies tomorrow.

8.20 pm:  Just home from Cambridge.  It was a good walk, just over 5 kms.

Stats/photo tomorrow.  Time to wind down for the day.  I'm a bit tired.

Which is great, it means I might actually get a good nights sleep.

Catch ya tomorrow.

GROWING TOO FAST

 

It's  a good day, to sleep in!

Seriously, not bothered about getting up any time soon.

There is bugger all that needs doing around here today.  Me housework is up to date.

No projects on the go for now.

Stew is all good, and also happy to lounge in bed a bit longer.

So, all I have for now is this:

ABOVE:  Our little Spitfire, Lily, has outgrown the bassinette, and has been put in the cot.

ABOVE:  I hope she's enjoying looking at her name, and the flowers on her mini quilt.

It's nice to see the bumper pads I made for the boys being used again too.

ONWARD...

I bet not many people who attend a market in the wet realises just how much a stall holder goes through to be there.

We arrive in the dark, and the rain.  We set up in the rain.  We sit and freeze for hours.  We smile through it all. 

And we hope you enjoy the market, and our wares.

ABOVE: And then there's the aftermath.  Having to put our gazebos etc up in the garage to dry it all out, ready for next time.

I know a lot of marketeers do markets out of necessity, to supplement their incomes, or even try to live off the income they make from markets.

Stew and I are lucky in that respect.  I do markets for the love of sewing, the love of the market atmosphere, the love of meeting people and enjoying a day out. 

One day, it will not be possible anymore, or we will just be over it.  Stew and I were talking about that yesterday.  We have a long term plan, in which we will continue to do markets for around 5 more years, maybe a few more?  Then call it quits.

Goodness knows what I'll get up to then!  Maybe by then I won't be blogging either? Cos blogging is on it's way out globally, kinda like YouTube as well.  There's so many social media avenues now days, there is always something new coming along.  Blogging is so OLD SCHOOL!  lol

I was just talking to Stew about wet, cold feet at market.  And then I remembered something.  A lot of marketeers were wearing GUMBOOTS.  Oh my gosh, what an excellent idea. 

I don't know how often I will wear gumboots outside of wet market days, but oh well... gunna get me some cheap ones. 

Steve, Bex and the kids called in for a quick visit this morning.  And for once I remembered to take a photo of the boys!

ABOVE:  Dante and Lily. 

ABOVE: Archer is VERY HARD to get a photo of ... you have to be fast! 

Once they left, around lunchtime, we took off for the mall to find some gumboots.

And two cars behind us was Brylee and Dom.

So once we had done our shopping, we met up with them and had lunch together.

ABOVE:  A nice little catch up with them too.  So neat to see family today.

AND it's not over for the day.  We have visitors this evening, and we will get to see more family then.

ABOVE:  Christine (DOGSTARS), I already have some UGGS.  I find them too cumbersome to wear at markets.  AND the last time I wore them for any length of time I got a MASSIVE, DEEP SEATED BLISTER on the sole of my foot.

Do you remember it?  It was only last year.  It took MONTHS for that blister to heal.

So, that's why I just wanted some lightweight, short gumboots to wear.

Purely to keep me feet dry.

ABOVE:  I found the perfect gummies at the shoe warehouse.  I love the bees!  I also bought some Thermal Socks to wear with them.  I think this will solve the wet, cold foot problem very well.

While out, we bought more Granny Smith Apples, so that's what I am doing next.  Cooking them up to add to me yoghurt.  

Stew has gone out again to get more jeans for himself.  I am looking forward to seeing what he gets.

Stew ended up getting two new pairs of jeans.  I'll show you tomorrow.

ABOVE:  Our dinner guests, Andrew, Emily and Liam.  So neat to see them, and I didn't have to cook.  They got Pizzas.  Nice one.

I had yoghurt and stewed apple.  Keeping it healthy.

Trying so hard at the moment to get the scales moving in the right direction again.

ABOVE:  These two cuties, love them to bits.

So, we spent a very nice couple of hours with them, then they were off to their Dad's for the holidays.

And now... back to just enjoying the remainder of the evening till bedtime.

Catch ya tomorrow.

IS IT WET?

 

EVERY SINGLE MARKET DAY, the first thing I do is look out the window, to check on the weather.

Today will be no exception.

I've looked at the weather forecast over the past couple of days on 4 different sites, and each and every one says something different!

So... I really don't know what the day holds.  

It's still dark outside, so I can't even tell yet.

No matter what, we are going to Tamahere in a little while.

If it's wet, we will just put up a few racks inside the gazebo and keep it tight inside.  

That's the plan... let's see how the day pans out.

Wish us CLOUDS,  and no torrential rain please. (or even better, sunshine!)

ONWARD...

7.44 am. It is WET. But not pissing down, just drizzle on and off.

We are all set up already, having arrived here at 6.15 am. We were one of the first here setting up today.

ABOVE: And now we sit and wait. We are not expecting hoards today due to the weather.

Back later...

8.25 am. The weather has picked up a bit. It's now actually raining steadily.

I'm NOT COLD! My new puffer jacket is keeping me warm, such a relief. 

I took a wander around the market just before, and have NEVER seen so many empty spaces. Clearly the poor weather has put a lot of stall holders off.

I dont blame them. Only crazy peeps would set up and sit outdoors in this rain. At least its not blowing as well, that would have made it HORRIBLE.

Stew's gone to buy us a hot chocolate... looking forward to that.

1.43 pm:   Well... we maintained our site.  We will never get 'bumped' to somewhere else cos we always turn up.

AS for the market... a total bust.  Made ONE sale.

Just too wet and miserable today, and there was a very poor turnout of customers.

I think the only people who made much money today were people selling food.

At the end of the market though, donuts were being handed out for free to stall holders, cos they hadn't sold.  Stew grabbed two, but his choice sucked, so I ain't eating mine.

In fact, my food today has been EXCEPTIONAL... not had much at all.  And nothing I shouldn't have, like DONUTS.

And now... I'm so happy to be home.  I'm not frozen to the bone thanks to my new puffer jacket.  But my feet are damn freezing.  My sneakers let in the rain and my feet stayed wet for hours.  NOT NICE.  Next time I'm gunna wear me UGG Boots and thick, warm socks.  You'd think I would know by now what to wear eh? 

Clearly not.  

Stew didn't have to strain himself with anything today, I made sure of that.

I got a hand getting the gazebo back in the van this afternoon from another stall holder.  I got it out easily enough, but by the end of the day, I just ran out of steam.

It's such a nice community, us stall holders. 

7.04 pm:  I had an afternoon nap.  It was rather nice, and necessary.  I woke at 3.30 am this morning, and just lay there and waited until it was time to get up.  So. A very long day.

And QUIET! Where is everyone?  YOU better be having an excellent day is all I can say.  

Stew and I just had dinner, and are going to sit and wallow in front of the telly till bedtime.