EXCITED ... JUST A LITTLE BIT

 

I'm feeling really excited to think that by the end of today we MIGHT be able to start putting the lounge/dining/kitchen areas back to 'normal'.

Jonny has one more top coat to put on the walls in here, and it will dry really quickly.  So, once Stew gets  home from work tonight we can sort out the rooms.

WHOOP!!  I am so eager to get it back how it should be.  I don't 'do' this sort of chaos too well.

Stew told me last night he thinks we should get a new Toilet.  The one here is OLD and LOW. It wasn't on our 'do now' list, but with Stew getting his knee replaced soon, it's not a bad idea.  Using a higher toilet will make his recovery easier.

So, I've contacted a plumber, and hopefully I hear back from him today.

First up for now... get the housework done, then do a small grocery shop.  And get some cable ties ... they are to secure the dining room cabinet to the wall.  We had to cut the other ones when we moved the cabinet away from the wall.  

ONWARD...

ABOVE:

I have formulated a new plan for my morning.  I've managed to get together all I need to go down to the craft room and do some piecing together of braid runners. I have to use BABY Brother, cos I can't get to Mc 2'ie at all. But that's ok, BABY is perfectly capable of doing piecing.

I'll do the grocery shop etc this afternoon.  

Yaaaa, something productive to do.

CAN I GET IT FIXED?

GOOD MORNING... I'm expecting the painter again today. 

It will be interesting to see how much he gets done by end of day.

While he works, I'm off to try and get my laptop fixed. Working on my phone is not ideal for any length of time.

I might even try to get my PC out of the garage, but that will involve moving A LOT OF STUFF!

Remember,  all the lounge stuff is in there right now. 😮‍💨😣

Grrrr... life is a bit frustrating right now.

I need to take a deep breath... they might be able to fix me laptop quickly. 

ONWARD...

So, I get to PBTech at 9 am sharp.  The damn place didn't open until 9.30.  *sigh*

Anyway, I take me laptop in, explain what the problem is, and within like, 1 minute, he's diagnosed the problem!

ABOVE:  It needed a new charging cable!  $48 later, and I'm outta there.  So relieved I didn't drop it off for repair at one of those places that charges you $100 + just to drop it off, let alone repair it.

I highly recommend PBTech on Te Rapa Straight.

After leaving there, I went to say hi to the ladies at Mosaics in our Village, then on to morning tea in the Community Centre.  

Another nice morning spent.... yakking.   😀

ABOVE: Lunch is served.  I indulged for once and bought a sandwich from the Hot Bread Shop.  They are very popular, ya have to get in quick to get one.  

Home now, and watching Jonny painting.  This room is going to need two coats on top of the undercoat... he's gunna be here a while.

I set the wheels in motion on a 'project' I'm hoping can be done here in the next few weeks.  More on that another day.  It might not happen, but if it does, I'll be thrilled to bits. Should know by next week?

ABOVE:  The first top coat is on, and it's looking awesome.  By the end of tomorrow these rooms should be done, and I can spend Thursday and Friday putting everything back.

This afternoon I went down to our library, to keep out of Jonny's way basically.  I worked on the 'anyone can do it' jigsaw puzzle.  I got quite a bit done too.

I'm home now (2.35 pm) and Jonny has just left for the day. 

I can relax for a while.

Yesterday I had a massive headache, today I do not.  I think the primer Jonny was using yesterday is what caused my headache.  It has a fairly strong smell.

7.12 pm, and sheesh, it's very quiet around here!  You all better be living your best lives!

Stew and I went out to our favourite Indian for dinner this evening, it's been a while since going there.  It was SO YUMMY!  I even had a glass of wine.

Home now and looking forward to a quiet evening in front of the telly.  Boring old farts we are.  😂😊

Catch ya tomorrow.

FINGERS CROSSED FOR KJ

 

Today our friend KJ (Karen down in Wellington) is having eye surgery.   I am hoping it goes well, and might even solve a few of her health issues.

KJ... we love you, and wish you well.

I can't lounge around in bed this morning, the painter is arriving to make a start on the interior of the house.  He is starting in the lounge/dining/kitchen areas.  

Because he is a retired person, he doesn't keep 'regular' hours.  He will come and go as he wishes, so I'm not sure how long this job will take.

I hope not too long!  I hate the house being in an upheaval, and OMG, it's certainly that.

I'm not too sure what I will get up to today, besides be here while he works.  Craft Group is on, but I can't do any sewing... access to all my stuff is not possible right now!  The garage is full of all the stuff from the lounge etc.

I might just go down for a yak!  I am good at that.

ONWARD...

11.48 am.  I have been for a walk along the river bank.

For the first time EVER, Coco refused to go with me!  I showed her the lead, and instead of going mental with excitement, she looked at it, then me, and turned tail and went back to bed!

Gobsmacked. 

ABOVE:  So the river was quite high, but not as high as I've seen it before.  Perfect walking weather too... overcast with a cool wind.

After my walk I took my sewing machine boxes over to my friend in Cambridge (she's moving house), then off to Mitre 10 for paint for Jonny the painter.

ABOVE:  So Jonny arrived at 8.45 and was straight into getting this room prepared.  He is now putting the undercoat on.

He said he will knock our lounge/dining/kitchen areas out as fast as he can, so I can get back into the garage.  Nice bloke.

Gutted for my friend Karen.  I just found out her eye surgery has been postponed, due to her surgeon not being able to fly into Wellington, because of the weather.

She will now have to wait for a new appointment.  I hope it's not too long a wait.

3.12 pm.  I went down to Craft Group and just yakked.  It was a small group today, but still lots of laughs were had.

Our painter left at 2.45 pm, so he put in a solid 6 hours today.  He has finished the undercoat in our living rooms/kitchen.  It already looks so much better than the creamy colour that was up there.

Well, I've felt ill since I arrived home this afternoon.  Bad headache and sore stomach,  felt like throwing up. Most ikkk.

As I had sushi for lunch I'm thinking maybe it didn't agree with me? And the paint fumes probably set off the headache.

My laptop isn't charging,  something is wrong with the power cord connection,  so it will be taken to PBTech tomorrow,  hopefully they can fix it.

Now... today is done ✔️.  Catch ya tomorrow. 

NITE NITE.

NOT TOO LAZY A SUNDAY

 

Today Stew, Lacy and I will be moving the furniture in the lounge into the middle of the room. 

I am hoping we can still sit and watch the telly and be comfortable for however long it takes for the painter to finish painting the lounge/dining rooms.

I'm not too sure how long it will take to pull apart the two large leather lounge sets?  They are the biggest items to move.  Stew and I struggled to move the one we sit in, just a small amount, the other day.

They will definitely need to be taken apart to move.

I went to bed last night feeling like our home was foreign, it just didn't feel like home anymore without all our bits 'n' bobs around.

I can't wait to put it all back!

Lacy is due over sometime this morning... so I think we will not do too much until she's here.

ONWARD...  

10 am, and it's done!  Lacy and L came over and with their help the furniture was moved in like 15 minutes flat!

ABOVE:  And now we have to live like this for however long it takes for Jonny to get this room done.  

Now... we have nothing to do for the rest of the day.  I can't even sew... I'm going nuts with nothing to do.

Perhaps a drive out and about somewhere?  Needs to be after lunch, as I already have our lunch sorted.  Bacon/Ham/Cheese toasted sandwiches.  Been looking forward to them all weekend already.

It is a much cooler day today, I almost feel like putting a long sleeved top on!  Summer has been non-existent so far!  We've had the odd really hot day, but not for days on end like you would expect for summer.

3.25 pm, and OMG we have been UTTERLY LAZY this afternoon.  I've been watching programmes on BBC TV, something we don't usually do.  I'm loving some of their programmes.  I think I'll be watching more of them now.

Looking forward to 'DES' tonight.  It's a true crime doco about Dennis Nilsen, a serial killer, played by David Tennant, who I really like.  

11.04 pm, and I watched the first of three episodes on DES.  It as OK, not riveting.  I'll probably still watch the next two just for the hell of it.

I'm groggy tired now, so will head off to bed.  I've been trying to stay up really late, just so I can get to sleep a bit quicker than my usual 1-2 hours.

Catch ya tomorrow.

WHAT DO YOU PAY?

 

Yesterday I was told to turn our air conditioning on, to keep us cool.

I probably should have said this sooner...  I don't like air conditioning, as I always then end up COLD!  Plus of course, yes, I am used to conserving power!

Old habits die hard.

But here's a question for you.

WHAT do you pay on average, per week, for your power?  We pay between $30-35 a week, pretty much year round.  There isn't much difference between summer and winter, as I don't turn on heating/cooling.

I really would like to know if our power consumption is 'normal', high or low.

Today we will take down things that are screwed on the walls in the kitchen and lounge.  Then we will leave moving the furniture into the centre of the rooms until tomorrow.  Stew can roll up the big rug in the lounge and put it in the garage.  I was going to do it yesterday, then I remembered just how heavy it is, and thought, yeah nah.  lol

It is certainly a huge upheaval getting the house interior painted, but once it's done I will be able to relax.  It won't need doing again for freakin' years I hope.

ONWARD...

I know it's 'VALENTINES DAY'... we don't 'do' Valentines Day.  Never have.  We love each other, and don't need a particular, heavily commercialised day to show it.  Each to their own.

ABOVE:  Where has all the 'character' gone?

ABOVE:  Oh there it is!

The garage is full.   And hopefully it won't all be in there for too long.  
Not much left to do tomorrow except move the main furniture into the middle of the room.

Now... we are just killing time until we go out for a few things.  We need a non slip mat for the shower, so Stew is 'safe' after his operation.  I want a small spray bottle of weed killer for random weeds that pop up and yeah, a couple of other random things.  We will have lunch out as per usual.  Might not get Seafood Chowder again though.  That wasn't fun.

1.33 pm, and we are home after a good, productive outing.  We got everything on our list, had a lovely lunch then came home.  The traffic at The Base was crazy.

Our river is swollen, but not as high as we have seen it before.  The paths down by our Community Centre are not under water... yet.

We are now going to have a relaxing afternoon, twiddling our thumbs.  

Sorry to have missed your visit Lacy... thanks for visiting!  lol

Midnight:  We have had a lazy afternoon/evening.

I even had a nap.

Time to sign off for the day.  Catch ya tomorrow.

EMPTY THEM ALL

 Today I am making a start on a BIG JOB.

We have the painter arriving on Monday, so I have to empty all the cabinets in the lounge, the houses, blue glass etc.  Everything has to come off the walls, furniture needs to be placed in the middle of the room and so on.

The painter, Johnny,  is doing the lounge/dining/kitchen rooms first, so that's what I will be doing for the next few days.

Lacy is coming on Sunday to help with the furniture moving.  I might need to rope in Steve as well, cos our lounge suite is VERY VERY HEAVY.  I'm thinking they will need to be taken apart to move.

Back to today though, I will work on the ornaments and paintings etc.

I am going to set up some trestles in the garage to put a lot of stuff on... which means no sewing for the next little while.  *sigh*

It is Black Friday.  Are ya superstitious?  I'm not.

ONWARD...

OMG it is so humid this morning!  I'm sweating buckets.... but getting my jobs done.

I've got the Britto Cabinet empty, and am about to start on the 'dining room' cabinet next.  I've taken down the bigger paintings as well, and will get all the other stuff down later on as well.

I have spent a bit of time pondering the weight loss journey I've been on FOREVER... and wondered if any of you can remember my 'BEFORE' photo?  Way, way back in 2003?

Refresher, not just for you, but for me too:

ABOVE:  In fact, my heaviest was 130, but I lost a couple of kilos BEFORE going to Weight Watchers, lol.  It is good to look back sometimes, to know that while I've gone up and down over the past 20 odd years, I have always kept trying.

I am proud of that.  And I'm feeling really positive right now.  

I am NOT trying to get back to 67 kilos, but at least a healthy weight. 

Alright, enough waffling, back to it.

* Looking at that photo (above),  my face says it all eh?  That was the ONLY time in my adult life I had 'short' hair as well.  I'd cut it all off due to how I was feeling I think... down and out.  Never again will that happen!

ABOVE:  No time like the present, as they were coming down, to wash them.   They were not toooooo bad, but do get grease and dust on them being above the stove and oven.

I am making such good progress!  The lounge/dining room looks so weird without all my paintings and bits 'n' bobs. 

I am taking a break now, as I'm so damn hot.... PROBABLY not as hot as other people, sorry other people.   *I couldn't help myself*

Well, my afternoon was spent getting more done in readiness for the painter on Monday.

I got two loads of washing done, and dry!  Bugger all rain, even though we were told to expect DOWNPOURS, and thunder and lightening.  It might still happen overnight or tomorrow.

We've enjoyed a quiet evening.  I have my fan on me all the time, so I'm OK.  I HATE air conditioning... I actually end up getting too cold!  

And yes, I'm used to conserving power!  It's something I've always done.   I can remember when we had 6 kids at home and our power bill was $30 a MONTH.  And I worked hard to keep it that low.  Now days, our power bill is around $30-35 A WEEK.  And I know that is fairly low by today's standards.

Right, I'm outta here, I'm bloody tired after all that packing up today.

Catch ya tomorrow.

WALKING WITH THE FBG'S THIS MORNING

 

This morning I am meeting up with a group of FBG's for a social walk, here in Hamilton.  Not too far from my home in fact.

We were supposed to be going to Matamata, but due to the weather being just too hot, it's now here instead.  Where we are walking has lots of shade.  If not, I probably wouldn't be going.

ABOVE:  I pulled all the mint out of the planter box yesterday, and put all my little Hydrangea cuttings in it.  I hope I get at least half of them to grow.

ABOVE:  I'm also very happy with how my tomato plants are doing, even though they look half dead.  There's some lovely big tomatoes coming on.

ONWARD...

DOGSTARS has this crazy idea that WE ALL make a freakin' dress.

She's found a pattern online that is super easy looking... so here's the link to it:

https://www.sewdiy.com/blog/2019/9/diy-navy-crinkle-cocoon-dress-lou-box-dress-1

I for one will certainly give it a go.  Dogstars will too.  Anyone else keen to have a go, then share their creation once it's made?

You can put it on Facebook or somewhere where we can all see it.  I will put mine on here of course.  No rush to make it either, no stress.

12.45 pm.  And what a delightful morning I  have had.

I met up with three lovely ladies from Cambridge, and we went off for a long meander around Chartwell/Queenwood/Harrowfield and Flagstaff.

I lost count of how many bridges we crossed over, how many hills we climbed, but it was just so wonderful to be out on a really good day for a walk.  Overcast, a good breeze, and not too hot.

ABOVE:  Our walk was 'supposed' to be about 4.5 kms, but somehow we ended up going a bit further.  

After the walk we stopped in at JAM in Queenwood for morning tea.  Well, the girls did, I just had me Diet Coke.

Then I came home and cooked some savoury scrolls, using my cheese scone 'recipe'.  Stew, you will enjoy having one of them for supper tonight I'm sure.

I'm having one for my lunch.

Which is NOW...

ABOVE: They certainly look good enough to eat!

Fresh in from today's walk leader...

ABOVE:  My slow and steady weight loss 'this time around' is working.  I am keeping it off, and still losing slowly.  I can see it in these photos, and it makes me so very happy.

If I can lose just 10 more kilos, I will be over the moon.

8.05 pm, just in from spending an hour with Stew and friends at the pub.  I stayed home before that, instead of visiting the kids.  I was just a bit tired and headachy.

Now I'm feeling a bit better, thankfully.

Time to unwind, watch the telly, Coronation Street and then off to bed.

Catch ya tomorrow.

CAMBRIDGE THIS EVENING

Today?

No plans as such.

I might go looking for a dress.

We will see.

I need to do a little grocery shop.

I've got card night in Cambridge this evening, so need to sort out a small plate.

Some sewing might be on the cards as well.

Or at least get things lined up to do a run of 2-3 runners.

So there ya go, my day is not exactly planned out, but there's a loose agenda.

WHAT are you doing?  Dogstars, I hope you have a good day on set.  

ONWARD...

For a change... I read the Village Social Calendar this morning, and saw there was a function on to Support The Heart Foundation, here in the village.

So, I'm going.

You are supposed to wear something red if possible...

ABOVE:  I have only one thing in my entire wardrobe that is red, and that's a thick winter jacket that was my Mum's.  I can't wear that today, it's way too hot.

So then I remembered this dress.  It has a bit of red on it... it will do.

I'm off to play ladies....  I say play, cos I ain't no lady!  😂😅😆

Well, I get down to the Community Centre and queue up to buy raffle tickets.  I tell those around me I've only ever won one thing in my entire life, which was a dreadful 'toilet doll', you know, those things you can put a roll of toilet paper under the dress?  IYKYK 😂😅😉

Anyway, morning tea was very nice, and so was the company.  I was seated with about 10 other ladies/men and we had some lovely conversations.

Time comes to draw the raffle, I go to get my tickets out of my bag, then say "Why am I bothering?  I never win anything!"

Guess what?

I WON!  Everyone roared with laughter, having heard me JUST say I never win anything!

It was such a freaky moment I tell ya.  And now we have this:

ABOVE:  That's one lunch I don't have to cook while Stew's home recovering from his operation.  Awesome.

The Card Night in Cambridge this evening has been cancelled, so I'm home tonight.  Nice, I don't have to sort out a plate to take now.

It is so hot outside at the moment, I'm happy to just stay in and leave the groceries for much later... maybe after 8 pm, when it's not so hot.

ABOVE:  Thanks Sandra C, these are so good!  You can find them on Facebook. 

9.45 pm, patiently waiting for Coronation Street to start, then I'll be off to bed.

Catch ya tomorrow.

LACY CALLING IN TODAY

 

Lacy is calling in this morning to drop off a couple of things.  She's doing a big de-clutter at her place.

She has FINALLY realised she's a hoarder!  Ever since she got her own place to call home, she's be 'feathering her nest' so to speak.

Gathering all sorts of things to make it feel like her home.

But she went overboard!

I kept telling her she had too much 'stuff', but did she listen to me?  Hell no.

Now though, she has started divesting herself of things she really does not need.

About time I say.  😂😊  AND YES, I have had too much shit in the past ... but I've de-cluttered now too.

* Lacy is returning a few items that I gave her a while ago... so I'm actually getting some of my 'clutter' back!* 😂😅😆

After she has been, I intend popping down to the Community Centre, as there is another mosaic group meeting on.

I still don't know if I will join in the group properly, or just pop in once in a while.  It really isn't my 'thing'.  I just like the company.

Any time I can have company, I jump on it.

That's why I continue with my Cambridge Walking Group too... cos I love the friends I have made there.

ONWARD...

12 noon.  Lacy called in for a short visit, seems I'm boring.  

After she left I wandered down to the village community centre.  I took our old garden trolley with me, hoping to see if anyone wanted it?

ABOVE: And the first man I ran into said he'd take it for the Resident's Hobby Shed!  Boom, another thing we don't need found a new home.

After that I went into the lounge and joined the Tuesday Morning Coffee Morning group. I've been doing that more often, it's a lovely way to spend a couple of hours, just chatting.

More... there was a man at the morning tea today who rubbed MOST of us up the wrong way.  I am going to avoid him like the plague!  I don't need anyone telling me how to pronounce my ENGLISH the 'right' way, thank you very much.  

Some people should just stay home.

It is WW this evening, I better not forget like last week.  Also jabby day... I'm pretty good at remembering that now.  I have reminders on my phone, and I put the numbing cream and patch on my computer desk in the morning to remind me too.

I've been racking my brains for the correct word to describe the man at morning tea... it just came to me:  SUPERSCILLIOUS. 

My afternoon was spent pottering around in Crabby Quarters, deciding what to work on next. Probably Kiwiana Braid Runners.

I LOST 1 kg over the past 2 weeks. Happy with that.

Now Stew and I are about to have dinner then blob out in front of the telly. 

Right, it's the end of the day, I have Coronation Street to look forward to... then bed.

Catch ya tomorrow.  It has been a quiet day.

STEW'S PRE-OP APPOINTMENT

 

This morning at 11 am, Stew and I are going to the hospital where he will be having his knee replacement.  It is a pre-op appointment, where he answers all their questions, gets a pre-op assessment, meets with the physiotherapist to discuss post surgery and so on.

Any questions we have can be answered then as well.

My biggest concern is his pain levels, and how they will manage them after surgery.  I don't want him in pain.  I also don't want to listen to him moan and groan any longer!

It has been a long road to get to this point.  It is three and a half weeks until his operation.  

I'm starting to feel nervous for him.  I want it all to just go really well, and have him back on his feet and walking 'normally' again.

First up for the day though, I'm off to the post office to post that FBG Runner to Leanne.  I also have a couple of things on my list to get.  Just boring shit like threads, a notebook, white card stock to make price tickets with... and so on.

After Stew's hospital appointment, I am going shopping for a new dress.  Like I need yet another dress!  Yep, seems I do.

ONWARD...

ABOVE: Who needs an alarm clock?  Well, good morning to you too Mr Concrete truck.  8 am, and the guys were back at it, putting new paths in around our area.

At least today they didn't have the thumping big, bloody noisy generator.

Stew and I arrived at the hospital in plenty of time, and then sat through a Physiotherapy 'lesson', aimed at educating him and the other 3 people having hip/knee surgery on how to move afterwards.

Then we met with the nurse, who took all the readings, blood pressure, medical history etc.

ABOVE:  For the ECG, the nurse had to shave a few areas on his MANLY chest 😂😅😏.  

Very nice painting on the wall of native Blue Ducks (Whio).

ABOVE: The nurse was very happy with his ECG and his blood pressure.  Overall, he's in pretty good nick.  Except the knee, and once that is done he'll be good to go again.

I dropped him back to work after the appointment, then did some shopping.  No new dress today.  I ran outta steam.

Clothes shopping is an event all on it's own, I'll save it for another day.

It is now 2.50 pm, and I will not be going to Craft Group today, they will have already started packing up and embarking on afternoon tea.  I don't need afternoon tea, having had lunch in Chartwell Square around 1.30 pm.

I'm off into Crabby Quarters to do my usual 'post sewing' tidy up, before embarking on more!

ABOVE:  Believe it or not, that took over an hour!

Glad it's done, those threads needed sorting out.

I watered the pots half an hour ago.  NOW?  It's pissing down... huge raindrops.  So typical.

Stew just arrived home, so I better get off here and yak with him.

9.05 pm, and we've had a very pleasant evening.  Nice and quiet.  I did a jig saw while watching Location Location Location... two programmes back to back even.

I love Kirsty and Phil.  😊

Time to sign off for the day, catch ya tomorrow.