MORNING OUT AND ABOUT

Today I am determined we are NOT staying home all day.

I'm sick of staying home.

So this morning we are going on a nice long walk, possibly around the Hamilton Gardens/along the river bank over that side of town.

Then lunch here at home, followed by a visit to Steve, Bex and the kids.

After that we will come home and I will do some more work on my apron.

I have been dreaming about it! Which means I'm excited to work on it.  Probably why I've been dragging it out!  I could have finished it in one day easily, but didn't want to.

Someone suggested I make them for markets.

THAT won't be happening, because there are two ladies who already make aprons and sell them at the same markets we attend.

I would never do that to them... just as I expect they would not suddenly start making runners!

It's an unwritten understanding that you don't do that to your fellow stall holders.

ONWARD...

Stew decided we should take a walk around the Hamilton Lake, which we hadn't done in a very long time.

So off we went. 

Luckily it was overcast, otherwise it would have been too hot for me.

ABOVE:  A few happy snaps of our walk.  There were lots and lots of people doing the same as us, just enjoying the morning.

Round the Bridges Run/Walk was on today, so getting over to the other side of town was a bit of a mission!  Several bridges were closed to traffic, so we ended up having to take an alternative route, but we got there in the end.

Lunch... we ended up at a local Kebab shop, and I had 3/4's of mine, then Stew ate the rest for me.

It was rather nice I must say.

After that we came home and I worked a bit more on my apron...

ABOVE: I got all of the strips together for the 'skirt' part, then pinned on pockets.

I will have to 'fine tune' that part tomorrow.  I'm done for the day.

We visited the kids, and that was lovely as well.  Lily is exhausting, just watching her on the move NON STOP!  

4.52 pm, and it's time to just relax for the remainder of the day I think.

Time to sign off for the day, it's been a really lovely day all up.  Onward to a new week.

DO WE HAVE EMAIL TODAY?

 

Well I suppose the biggest question of the day will be... DO WE HAVE EMAIL TODAY?

It is a right pain as I rely on my email to send pictures to myself from my phone, then I can edit them and pop them on here.

I just worked out how to send the photos to my Facebook account (and ONLY to Me), and from there I can edit them using my usual editing app.  Yaaaa.  

I will go and check now to see if email is back...   AND YES! It's back, thank goodness. 

ABOVE:  I'm going to carry on cutting out the jeans etc today, and hopefully get my apron half done.  The most time is taken up in the prep work for something like this.

ABOVE:  I was feeling quite happy with my weight loss until I saw this walk photo from yesterday.  There I stand, STILL the fattest person there.  Very deflating. So, I just have to keep working at it... until I like my photo in the FBG line up.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MIKE... Can't wait to see you next month. 

ONWARD...

Well I've made good progress on my apron, but not yet ready to show it.

We are at Chartwell Square for some shopping and lunch. It's a nice day today, no rain and bugger all wind.

I just bought two white t shirts for walking 🚶‍♀️ in,  nice and lightweight.

Our next stop is Mitre 10 for some garden stakes for our little cucumber plants, which are growing like weeds. 

ABOVE: And that's another job ticked off the list.  We ended up at Palmers in Rototuna, which is such a lovely shop.  I found my Christmas present there today... and STEW will give it to me on Christmas Day.  😂😅 I might as well get something I actually WANT eh?  

DOGSTARS: That's A LOT of very descriptive words you got going on there!  Can you think of any more I wonder? 😆
7.41 pm:  Well we've had a very quiet afternoon/evening.

I had a nap.  Stew watched sport.  I cooked dinner.

We are now just watching the telly till bedtime.

I didn't feel like doing any more sewing this afternoon, I will continue working on the apron tomorrow.

Unless we decide to go on a day trip somewhere, which is possible.

Catch ya tomorrow.

FBG WALK

 

Right, fingers crossed the weather is playing nice today, as I want to attend an FBG walk in Cambridge this morning.

I haven't caught up with my FBG friends in quite a while, so it would be nice if today's walk happens.  

I will need to leave fairly early (for me), as the walk is at 9am. 

It's BLACK FRIDAY, luckily I'm not superstitious at all.  But it does mean we are bound to be hammered with 'Black Friday' SALES.  Meh.  You have to be damn careful of those 'sales'. Sometimes they ain't a bargain at all, just 'tweaked' prices to make it seem like you are getting a lower price.  Live long enough, you get to see all the tricks retailers play.

Sooooo, anyway, I better get outta bed soon and get ready to skid the wheels.

ONWARD...

11.20 am, and I'm just home from my walk with the FBG's.  NO photos right now, as I rely on sending my photos via email to myself, then I edit them and post them on here.  But MICROSOFT is down, so I can't do that right now.

And I'm also not getting ANY COMMENTS as they come via email as well!   So, hopefully you send me a comment and I get it once the outage is over?

ABOVE: I found another way to get photos on here... but it's not ideal.  I can't 'tweak' them at all... so they are a bit dull and colourless.  

We walked around the area of Cambridge we used to live in, but the new housing part of it. It's changed so much in the past 7 years!

ABOVE:   I finally found a way to use up a bit more of my 'Singapore Jacket'.  I'm going to use bits of it for an apron that I can wear to markets.

ABOVE:  I have a couple of old jeans I picked up from an Op Shop to use as well.  I think I need to find one more pair of darker denim jeans as well.

I think I will go out after lunch to find them... 

OH and Tracy, I don't know how your comment got through!  I'm not had any emails since very early this morning.  Microsoft is still down.

Felicity, how did that get through???  I'm thinking you don't use Outlook/Microsoft to send emails?

Right, it's now 4.05 pm and the email server is still down!  So annoying.

I went to the op shop and got more jeans, most were $8.

ABOVE:  I should have enough now to have some nice colour changes on the apron.

I did a little bit of cutting out of that denim tonight, but nah, it can wait till tomorrow.

I'm tired and looking forward to bed.

Catch ya tomorrow.

FATIGUE

 

Let's talk about WEGOVY side effects.

They have really kicked in since my dose went up to 1.7 mgs a week.

1.  Constipation.  Yep, that's been ongoing for a while now, so medicinal 'help' was necessary.-

2. Feeling ill when you overeat.

3. Fatigue

I have 'suffered' from all of them now.  #2 not that often, as I simply do not overeat at all anymore.

The biggest side effect right now is #3 FATIGUE.  I am constantly bone tired.  Like I get up in the morning, and within an hour or so all I want to do is go back to bed!

It's crazy.  And if I do lie down, I will pretty much go to sleep like it's midnight already.  As I said, it's crazy and I don't know what to do about it.

The literature says most side effects don't last.

I hope that's correct, for sure.

I have one more dose at 1.7 mgs, then I go up to the highest dose of 2.4 mgs.

Maybe once I've been on the 2.4 mgs for a month or so things will settle down?

I'm planning on staying on the 2.4 mgs for about three months, then I'll start weaning myself down again, until I am off it completely.

I know literally EVERYONE has said the weight will come back on if you stop taking the drug... but I firmly believe it will be down to my own will power.  

I'm not going to spend literally THOUSANDS of dollars to get to my desired weight, to then just throw it all away again.  NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

I know how to maintain, I WILL DO IT.

Now back to 'normal' transmission... it's Coffee & Chat this morning.  I am not going on a walk today, yesterday was enough till tomorrow. 

Tomorrow I'm off to Cambridge for an FBG walk, I can't wait to catch up with everyone.

I will be going to the supermarket sometime today, we need just a couple of bits 'n' bobs.

ABOVE:  Later on, probably after lunch, I'll get back into Crabby Quarters and carry on with the Placemats.  

I started watching a series on Netflix a couple of days ago, and I'm thoroughly enjoying it.

It's called Will Trent.  If you like crime programmes, you will enjoy it too I think.  The cast are excellent.

Premise: Based on the bestselling novels by Karin Slaughter, the show follows a quirky, sharply dressed GBI special agent with dyslexia who uses his unique perspective from growing up in the foster care system to solve complex cases in Atlanta.

ONWARD...

1.15 pm.  All my jobs out and about are done.  It took a bit of time as I had to go here and there, and the traffic today was mental! 

I will be having a quiet evening, I'm not going to the pub or the kids tonight.  I'm not in the mood and been told to stay away as kids have colds.  

Stew can walk himself up to, and back from the pub, that is one of the bonus's of living near the local.

I just had my lunch and am feeling BLA, so will just sit and vegetate for a while.  I might not do any sewing today, I'm actually in a bit of a shitty mood.

8.44 pm.  I ended up walking up to the pub with Stew, and stayed about an hour, then came home again.  Stew turned up 90 minutes later, and now we are just sitting whiling away the evening in front of the TV.

So a really quiet day in all.  Catch ya tomorrow.

PROCRASTINATING AGAIN

 

One and a half weeks left until our next market, and I've only finished 13 new placemats!  Seriously, I really need to get on with them today.

So clearly, it is going to be quiet on here.  I will pop back later on, hopefully with some finished placemats.

ONWARD...

9.15 am.  As it wasn't raining (so far), I decided to head out for a walk.   Today I wanted to do a different route, one that did not involve the bridges or river bank.

It was also a slightly longer route, just over 4 kms.  So, off I went.

ABOVE: Busy roads, not as pretty as the river banks.  But I did kinda enjoy it.  As much as walking/exercise is 'ENJOYABLE'... I hate it.

But it's got to be done, for my health and fitness, and to help with weight loss.

Talking of weight loss, I knew I had plateaued recently.  And I'm the queen of plateau breaking.  You just have to change something.

So I stopped having a hot chocolate every day, and also cut back drastically on how much fruit I was eating.

THAT worked.  I'm now back to steady, small losses most days.

WINNING!

ABOVE: Remember that pretty flower I showed you the other day?  A Rhododendron?  This is it's Great Grandmother!  I will have to keep an eye on my baby one, no way can it get that big in a pot!

ABOVE: Today's walk stats.  

I'm off to have a shower, then I'll get into Crabby Quarters to do some.... placemats.  Oh yaaa.

4 pm, and I ended up having to take a trip to Spotlight for yet again, more backing fabric.  Luckily, although it wasn't on sale today, I had a $40 OFF coupon to use.  Handy.  The fabric cost slightly less than if it had been on sale using the coupon.  SCORE.

ABOVE:  And look at that.  16 more placemats finished.  I did well today, thank you very much.  And btw, my favourite is the sheep.  

As it is now 4 pm, I can't be arsed starting on any more today.  It's getting damn hot in the garage.

Today we have had sun/rain/sun/rain, it's like living in a sauna.  

7 pm.  When Stew arrived home from work, he wanted to do the walk I did this morning.  So, off we both went.  I wasn't sure how I'd go doing it again in a day, but I was OK.  Certainly tired by the time we got home.

ABOVE:  I am rather happy with my exercise today!  Not sure I'd do that again though, it was a lot.  

Now we are going to relax for the remainder of the evening.

Catch ya tomorrow.

THE AUDACITY

 

Just when you think it's all over.

I get a generic email from Kiwibank.

ABOVE:  As a valued Kiwibank Customer bla bla bla ... please fill in our survey on your recent visit.

SO I HAPPILY DID.  I don't think they will like my feedback.  I was perfectly honest and said what I thought.  I wonder if I will still go into the draw to win $500 ?  Probably not, seeing as I'm no longer a Kiwibank customer eh?  Bugger.  😂😅
Moving on.  This morning I have a few errands to run, out and about.

Picking up a prescription being top of the list.  I might even do some retail therapy... I feel like I need it.

IF it's not raining I will go for a walk first.

Catch ya later.

ONWARD...

It's raining.  So I'm going down to the gym to use the treadmill.  Then I will go out and about.  Not a nice day at all, but well, we did need the rain right?

11.10 am.  30 minutes on the treadmill... happy enough with that.  Then I caught the last 20 minutes of Coffee & Chat.  

Now?  I'm going to find a runner to give my WW Coach, by way of a 'Thank You' for her support and encouragement to me over the past 7 + years here in Hamilton.

This evening is Andrea's last WW meeting.  She is 'retiring' from being a coach after tonight, so I am going to attend her last meeting, then never go again.  I have already cancelled my membership in fact.  I'm paid up until the end of this month, so can attend tonight.

What ya doing?  I've been trimming placemats, getting them ready to put their backing fabric on ... probably tomorrow.

Here's a curly question.

What do you do, IF ANYTHING, when you KNOW 100% a friend of yours on Facebook (and real life) has blocked you from seeing their Facebook updates?

ABOVE:  You have to make a conscience decision, and take the necessary steps to do it.  You can't do it by accident.  

As the recipient of such an action, I am left wondering WHY?  Why would you do that?  I haven't done a damn thing to offend or upset you, that I know of.

Have any of you had this happen to you?  What did you do?

I messaged this friend, and asked her why I could no longer see her posts.  Just got told "I am still posting".   ????  WTF?

Shit like this does my head in.

I have not approached her again BTW.  If she is 'ghosting' me, so be it I suppose.  One less friend?

When things like that happen, I really do stew about it.  I wish it didn't bother me that much, but it does.  

It is almost time to head off to my last ever WW meeting.  I have three Runners for Andrea to choose from.

Well... after being a Weight Watcher member, on and off, for 45 years... I'm done.  I won't be re-joining ever again. End of an era.

I'm now doing it alone.

It's 9.15 and I'm waiting for Coronation Street to start, then after that I'll be off to bed.

Catch ya tomorrow.

MONDAY ROLLS AROUND AGAIN

 

Well, even though the weather forecast is a bit shitty, I am going to pack up my sewing trolley and head down to the Craft Room this morning.  Luckily I have made a waterproof rain cover for the trolley ... just in case it pisses down.

That will be after I've been for my little walk of course.  I will get some washing on as well, because I didn't do any in the weekend.

I will be doing placemats today in craft group... no surprises there at all.  I have two weeks to go till our next market, so I really should get on with them.  I kinda procrastinated last week and only got 13 finished.  

ABOVE:  Look at my gorgeous flower!  I can't remember what plant it is, but it's the first time it's had flowers.  It's in a big pot in our front garden.

ONWARD...

8.30 am, and clearly the weather forecast is wrong.  It's a stunningly beautiful day right now.

And my walk will not happen until this evening now, it's just too hot for me out there.

So on with the washing and so on...

2 pm and I'm thankful I thought to take the raincover and umbrella 🌂  down to the craft room. We've had a huge downpour a few minutes ago. 

I have just quilted 16 placemats. Time to stop and yak. 😊

ABOVE: Three straight hours and 16 placemats quilted.  I was just settling down to yak with the ladies and my phone went.

It was Brylee, and she was on her way to visit me.  So I hot footed it home and got there just before her.

We had a really nice visit, then she left and I settled down to enjoy an hour or so's peace.  My back and shoulder need a break.

OH and I got home in between some heavy rain/thunder and lightening.  Rather lucky.

5.35 pm, and damn.  I won't be going for a walk this evening as it is fair pissing down.  Frustrated.  Maybe Stew and I can go down to the gym and get a walk in there, on the treadmill.

I'll see how he feels about that idea when he gets home, which shouldn't be too long now.

7 pm, and we decided not to go down to the gym.  Just too wet and meh.  We had a good walk yesterday, so I can wait until tomorrow for my next one.

Not much else on the agenda for the day, so I'm signing off.

Catch ya tomorrow.

UP AND DOWN

 

Last night I went to bed feeling quite 'off'.  I tossed and turned all night long.

A couple of reasons... not being mentioned on here or elsewhere.  AND my tummy reacted to the upset, so I'm actually not feeling very well right now.

When/if I feel better later on, I will come back and have an update on today's plans.  Which might not be much.

OMG... I just remembered something!

I bought a pottery item from Tony Sly in Raglan a couple of weeks ago, and vowed to NOT unwrap it until I hit my 'magic number'!  And I hit that number last Monday, but the pottery is still sitting in my wardrobe, unwrapped.

I shall unwrap it when I get up.  *yaaa*  There WILL be a photo on the blog today.  😂😊

ONWARD...

9.15 am.   I still have a tummy ache/headache.  Not a fun way to start the day but at least I'm not worse.

I finally got the 'thing' out of the wardrobe...

ABOVE: An utterly gorgeous shallow bowl in one of my favourite colours.  Tony Sly doesn't do this colour very often, so I just had to get another piece.

ABOVE:  I knew it would look perfect on this trolly, with my runner under it, which has that colour in it.   I will be using it for food when we have Christmas Dinners etc.  Otherwise it will just sit there and look beautiful.

Do you like it?  

p.s.  this was my 'reward' for getting to my FIRST GOAL.  The ultimate goal is another 9 kilos away.  Then I just have to learn to maintain it.

I had a bright idea, to go for a walk.  It was a bit HOT

ABOVE:  By the time we got home I was dripping in sweat.  Time for a shower.

ABOVE:  We went in a different direction along the river today.   Heading north ... it was nice to see different areas along the river.

ABOVE: This weekend there has been some sort of speed boat event on the river, so we've been hearing them race up and down all weekend.  Doesn't bother us in the least.

Right, I'm off to get less sweaty...
.

After my shower I made our lunch, then our granddaughter Emily came over.  I met her at the top of 'the hill' as she had jumped on a bus.

We spent a delightful couple of hours with her.

I had found a really neat denim jacket for her in our Recycle Room here in the village:

ABOVE: she absolutely LOVED it!  I also had a couple of other tops for her too. 

Then I had a bright idea, I'd take her down to the Recycle Room so she could have a look for herself.

ABOVE: That was a brilliant idea, she found about 5 tops, a sweatshirt and some cool boots that she literally drooled all over!

ABOVE: Me and Emily.  And I was in about my third change of clothes for the day!  I started out in winter clothes, then into walking clothes, then back into tights and a jumper, and now?  It's so hot I'm in a summer dress.  This weather is a pain in the arse.

Stew has now taken Emily home, and will stop into the pub for an hour or so. I'll walk up a bit later on and bring him and the vehicle home again.

I do believe that will be my third time going up 'the hill' today!  The neighbours will be wondering what the hell I'm doing.  😂😊

8.30 pm.  I didn't need to pick Stew up after all.  He only stayed at the pub for a couple of beers, then came home.  

Since then we have just had a nice, restful few hours in front of the telly.

I'm feeling really knackered for some reason,so an early night will be on the cards.

Catch ya tomorrow.