FRIDAY, FRIDAY...

 

Today I am going to 'do the hill', then pack my sewing trolley up and go down to the Craft Room.

I know there will be at least two other ladies working there this morning.

And I have decided to try making something totally different, just for a change.  I have no idea if they will be saleable on my stall... but if not, I will just use them as gifts.

I'm a little bit excited to be doing something that isn't a runner!  

I will be able to use fabrics from my stash that I don't use for runners... that's going to be fun as well.

I will need to pack myself a lunch... probably a few crackers, cream cheese and relish/salami.

I have decided to add crackers into my 'food choices', as they are easy and you only need 3-4 to be satisfied. 

It is 'weigh in day'... so once I'm up I shall step on the dreaded scales and see if I've made any downward progress this past week.  I'm not expecting much, mainly because while I've not been eating anything 'bad', I've not been eating enough either.  THAT can backfire.

ONWARD...

Well I just got on the scales. I've been on this new diet for 5 weeks and have lost 4.85 kilos so far.  This week's loss was 1.05 kilos. That's ok by me.  If I can continue at that pace I will be where I want to be by the end of the year. 

Gosh I hope I can do it. I've been so UP and DOWN for so many years  it totally does my head in!  I've looked back through this blog and honestly... I really am hopeless. The number of times I've done this is pretty sad. I want so badly to lose the weight and KEEP IT OFF. Why is that so fucking hard for me? 

WHY has most of my adult life been dominated by weight issues? I wish I knew. 

Maybe THIS TIME I will win the battle. 

Time to get up and start the day... its 7.53.

11.55 am.  I went for my hill walk.  Still puffing.

Then on to the craft room, hoping to have company for a few hours, but NO.  No one was there but me, so I stayed for 1 and a half hours, then came home.  I can be lonely on my own just as easily at home right?

At least at home I can watch a movie, or listen to music.

So, I did do a little bit of sewing down in the craft room:

ABOVE:  I saw them on Facebook and was like, hmmmm... interesting.   They are so cute!

ABOVE:  They are little pot mitts!  I think they might be something else to have on our stall.  

I'm still trying to think of the 'right' price for them... any ideas?

ABOVE:  I had some of that egg frittata thingee left over, so I just dumped it on some baking paper and put it in the bench top oven on bake.  It came out really good, and only in like 10 minutes! 

I'm loving that oven/air fryer.  Oh and obviously, I canned the cracker idea today.  Seeing as I was home at lunch time, instead of down in the craft room, I could cook that frittata thing.

ANOTHER SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT ONE

 

And here we are, another Thursday, so another Coffee & Chat.

I kinda enjoyed the C & C on Tuesday, so I'm going again today.

But first... let's get the hill walk done and dusted first... oh yaaa.

After C & C and the hill walk, I will be coming home to do this:

ABOVE:  The 4th Wave Runner, dark blue/light blue and aqua.  I think this one will look stunning once finished.  I laid it out last night, and cut all the strips into waves.

ABOVE: And here's the line up of threads I will be using on that runner.  I bet you didn't even know I alternated the threads eh?  Or maybe ya did?  Who knew???

And that's me for now... I'm off to get the housework done, not that there's much ... then off up the dreaded hill I go.

ONWARD...

ABOVE:  9 am.  A village text was sent out 10 minutes ago, to say there was some lettuce and silverbeet available in the foyer from our village garden.  Guess who was first in there?  ME....  And today's lunch is going to be a silverbeet and egg bake thingee.  Yummm, I've not had silverbeet in YEARS... Stew doesn't like it.  Silly really, I could still buy it for myself, but I never do.

I'm off for my walk now.

Well... I got half way up the hill and stopped to yak with a neighbour.  We yakked so long I ended up walking back down the hill with her, then turned around and walked BACK UP... this time all the way.  I was puffed at the top, it's a mean little hill I tell ya.

I'm now going to dry my hair, put my face on and go to C & C.

2.23 pm.  C & C was OK, some lively conversations were had.  Met a new lady in the village there, she's from Whitianga, so we had something in common which was nice.

After C & C I came home and made my lunch:

ABOVE: What would you call this?  Eggs, cottage cheese, almond flour, chopped up salami/onion/silverbeet/tomato and cheese.  Salt to taste.  Baked in the oven for about 35 minutes.  It was nice.  I think it needed a bit more flavouring of some sort... it was just a wee bit lacking on flavour.  Maybe some bacon would have been better than the salami?

Either way, it was perfectly edible, and there's the other half for Stew's dinner in the fridge.

After lunch I did some sewing...

ABOVE:  I just finished this wave runner.  And I think that's 'it' for wave runners for a while.  Not sure what to move on to next.  I'm sure I'll think of something.  😊😉

ABOVE:  I wonder if I can get that put on a shirt???  I'd wear it for sure.

7.45 pm.  Been to the pub, visited the kids.  Home now.  I'm bloody cold as, so the rest of the evening will be spent on my lounge chair with my heated throw on.  I really don't like being cold at all.  Coronation Street to look forward to... after that... bed.

Catch ya tomorrow.

FEELING CLEARER IN THE HEAD

 

Every time I attend Weight Watchers, Andrea, the Coach, asks me how I am?  My standard reply?

"STILL FAT".   lol

But I think my careful attention to meals over the past 5 weeks has started to make a difference.

The WEGOVY isn't doing anything that I can feel/tell yet, but my being careful with food intake/portion control etc has made me feel like I have more energy.  And my mind feels clearer too.  I feel more alert, less sleepy, and just better on a whole.

The weight hasn't shifted 'much'... but a little bit.

I'm hoping my hard work and determination will keep me going until the WEGOVY starts 'working' to curb my appetite and help with hunger signals etc. 

Before I do anything else this morning, I'm going for a little walk.  That will include a hill walk, which is kinda unavoidable when leaving this village!  While I loathe hills, I am going to do 'the hill' every day from now on, until it no longer makes me breathless.  I wonder how long that will take???

I'll let ya know.

When I get home, I shall be heading into Crabby Quarters to make a start on two more Wave Runners.  Today's will be slightly different from the last two, as I want to add Aqua/Teal into the mix.

ONWARD...

Well I powered up that bloody hill like nobody's business!  Still puffed at the top, but not winded.

That's a plus for the day.

I am taking a photo of myself (front and side on) at the end of every month, so far I have the 'start' (end of July) and last night's ones.  There is a difference!  Not HUGE, but defo a difference.

I'm happy.

Now... off to sew.

It is now four hours later, and this is what I've done so far:

ABOVE: I've cut out strips and sewn them together to make an aqua type wave runner.  It's not a colour combo I've done before.  I think it looks alright.  

I have stopped for a break, as it is now 2.15 pm, and I was a) FREEZING, and b) hungry.

So I've just had lunch, which was the same as yesterday, and now I'm going to just sit and watch something derrrr on YouTube for a while.  I want to warm up!

I'm also watching little birds play in our bird bath, it's so cute.  I've never seen birds playing in it before.  I was wondering just yesterday if any birds even knew it was there! 

ABOVE: And there is today's effort.  I think it looks so much better 'in person' than that photo shows.  It's lovely and vibrant, and the different thread colours really stand out.  But not in the photo.  

Stew just arrived home from work, and we are awaiting the arrival of our area representative, he's calling in to finally meet Stew.  Area Reps are who you can call on if you have an 'issue'... before going straight to management if necessary. I tend to go 'straight to management'...  😂😅😆.

7.30 pm, and our Area Rep has been and gone.  It was nice for Stew to meet someone else from the village.  We had a very nice half hour chat.

We are now hunkering down for the evening.  I'm looking forward to Coronation Street, as per usual.  How about... I catch ya tomorrow?  Yeah.

A DIFFERENT DAY TODAY

 

If the weather is nice today, all going well.... I am being picked up by Bex and Lily, and we are visiting Hamilton Zoo!

How awesome is that.  I really love going to the zoo... mostly to see rhinos and giraffes.  They are my favourite 'zoo animals'.

So, fingers crossed for a fine day.  I'm not sure how long we will be there, so I might just pack myself a little bit of food to take with me.  I'm not going to expect 'healthy' food at the zoo, that's for sure.

When I get home, I will continue working on the wave runners I started yesterday.

Might do some housework too... cos that shit never ends.  Even in a tiny home like we have.

ONWARD...

9 am... And just like that, the day's plans have changed.  It's NOT a nice day, still bitterly cold with a horrid wind.  And it's raining at the zoo.  So, not today after all.

AND there's something else going on that would have made enjoying the day IMPOSSIBLE.  My mind is bouncing all over the place, and I am very scared for someone in our family, who's going through a health problem.   IF I get permission later on, I'll tell you what's going on.

Until then, just keep us in your thoughts, cos I'm scared.

OK... tests have shown it's not a major... but still have to wait on another test.  Grrrr.... someone needs to SLOW THE FUCK DOWN, and not put themselves under so much pressure I think!

I haven't been that worried about this person in quite a while.

I took myself down to Coffee & Chat to distract myself.  Now I'm going to the supermarket for a couple of things, then I'm coming home and making... Beetroot Relish.  Cos I can.  And I'm hankering after some.

1.10 pm.  The relish is done.  Not sure what I think of it yet.

I'm now making my lunch, a salad with.... beetroot relish. lol

ABOVE: Lunch today:  Lettuce salad, beetroot relish, 1 baby potato, 2 onion rings, 2 chicken tenders and half a pork rissole thingee.  It's rather yum.

4.30 pm:  After my lovely lunch, I felt like sleeping!  But nah, I went into Crabby Quarters and worked on the two wave runners I've got on the go.

ABOVE: And there ya go, two blue wave runners, the same, but different.  They are of a very similar length, but one is slightly wider.   

Tomorrow I am going to make a start on two more... and I am going to throw in a bit of aqua/teal with the blues.

In an hour I am going to Weight Watchers... because I like the company/peer support... no other reason really. It's like a comfortable old blanket, something I'm familiar with and still enjoy, even after about FORTY FIVE YEARS of going!!!  That is ON and OFF though, never for the entire 45 years.  I have made some LIFE LONG friends through Weight Watchers, and that is pretty awesome.

Sandra, Chris, Anne, Michele, Lois, Janene, Felicity, Karen.... GOSH there's just too many to remember all their names! 

RHONDA, does that answer why I still go to Weight Watchers?  lol

8.45 pm, and yep, it did turn out to be a different day today.  Different but not how I expected.  But, all is kinda OK for now.  The person we were so concerned about is still not 100%, but not a lot can be done unless things escalate again.  Then that person will have to go to the hospital for further tests.   Trying not to worry.  

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

MY NEW CHAIR

 

Last night I spent an hour or so making a cover for the new sewing chair.  It's going down to the Craft Room with me this morning.

ABOVE: There it is... the new chair and it's cover.  Nice and BRIGHT....  and in case anyone confuses whose chair it is:

ABOVE: I think that spells it out pretty clearly eh?  😂😅😆

So I'll load it into the car a bit later on and take it down there.  I don't want to walk it through the village, that would look a bit weird.

Once I've done that, I'll come home and load up my trolley, and head back to do some work with Loretta, Liz and Margaret.  Until the other ladies arrive after lunch.

ONWARD...

1.22 pm... and I'm getting lots done today.

ABOVE: One fully stitched, and starting on the next one.... quite a few ladies here now.

ABOVE: The line up of threads I used today.  I went through 5 FULL bobbins doing the stitching today.  That's a lot of thread.

4.45 pm.  I came home around 3 pm, then immediately went out again.  Coco and I went to Spotlight... well, I went inside while she people watched from the car.

ABOVE: Spotlight is now like Briscoes, they have a 'SALE' every single day!  I bought backing fabric for runners, and some machine needles.

After that, Coco and I went over to visit the kids for a little while.

Coco had been cooped up inside the house for days, so I felt she needed an outing.

She loved being over there, sniffing different things, Marley's butt and so on. lol

ABOVE:  Lily showed me her drawings, I said 'Smile for the camera', and this is how she posed.

Head tilted, cheesy smile and now... she has added the bent leg for even more effect!  I'm told she often puts a hand on her hip as well, but not today.  😃😂😅 That kid is a scream.

Dante and Archer were there too of course, but were too engrossed in doing their 'things' to hang with boring old grandma.   And that's OK, it's what you expect from pre-teen/teenagers now days.

It wasn't too cold today, with showers on and off, and a super blustery wind.  But now, it is certainly getting cold.  I've turned on the heat pump and I'm under my heated throw.

Looking at my sewing trolley... which is waiting to be unloaded.

MEH... it can wait.  I want to warm up first.

Trolley unpacked and ready for another day.  Crabby Quarters back to normal, and ready for me to finish today's runners.

Stew arrived home, and we have spent the evening tucked up nice and warm in front of the telly.

Another day tomorrow... so catch ya then.

VILLAGE LUNCH

 

After thinking about it for a little while last night, I've decided to make a few smaller sized 'Wave' Runners.

They are a bit time consuming, with lots of satin stitch, but worth it.

I will get a couple laid out this morning.

There is a Village lunch today.  The menu is a choice of two soups, and breads.  I will have the soup, but not the bread.  Stew will no doubt eat my share of the bread. 😊😋

It will be nice for Stew to mix 'n' mingle with more of the people who live here.  He hasn't had many chances to do that yet.

Once lunch is over, we might just go out and about... destination unknown right now.

ONWARD...

ABOVE:  Well I totally forgot what a pain cutting strips for waves was!  I have got ONE ready for stitching.  But then I lie.  I still have to pin all those bloody strips down.  😖😕

It can wait.  I'm going to get myself ( I mean my FACE) ready for lunch.  It is another miserable, dreary day out there, so uninviting to go out and about.

Welllllll... I got the date wrong.  The Sunday lunch is NEXT Sunday, and we have the Cambridge Trash & Treasure market on that day.  So scrap the Sunday Lunch.

What a twat, I didn't read the notice properly.

Oh well... it means we are now definitely going out and about.  I have an idea...

ABOVE: In no particular order! Bought a chair. In Auckland. 

ABOVE: 2.24 pm... And now we are at Sylvia Ppark for a very late lunch. I'm having a kebab, it will be worth it. Sylvia Park has changed quite a lot since the last time we were here. I don't even remember the last time we were here. It is crazy busy, masses of people! 
4.35 pm, and we are safely home again.  The trip up and back was fairly uneventful... just really blustery wind to contend with.

ABOVE: And there the chair sits in it's box... patiently waiting for Stew to put it together.  Right now, he's watching RUGBY again.  Go figure.

I'm going to unbox the chair so I can get the dimensions of the back of the seat as I'm going to make a cover for it, with my name on it.  That way there's no doubt who's chair it is in the craft room.  I'm happy for anyone to use it, but NOT if I'm there and want to sit in it. 😂

6.30 pm, and I'm done for the day.  Pinning those wave strips down will have to wait until tomorrow.  I'm just not in the mood.  And there's no rush.

Catch ya tomorrow, I'm now going to sit and watch some stupid TV, or something on YouTube or Netflix... gosh there's so much choice now days.  Love it.

NOT REALLY GREY

 

The runner I made yesterday was SUPPOSED to be GREY.

ABOVE: But as you can see, it is more black and white than grey.  Yes, there are grey fabrics there, but with the black accents, it just looks black 'n' white.  It is still a nice runner, and will appeal to someone.

I will finish it off this morning all going well.

If it's not raining this afternoon, we will be taking Coco down to the Community Centre to a 'pet meet & greet'.  There's been a couple already, and they have gone down very well.  Coco will love meeting all the other little dogs in the village I'm sure.  

If I get a chance, I also want to go out and buy an office chair, swivel on wheels, to use in the craft room.  It will make working down there easier.  Right now I'm using a standard dining chair, it's a pain in the butt.  Stew also wants to go to Rebel Sport for a few odds 'n' ends.  

So actually, we might do the shopping first, then I will sew bla bla bla.

ONWARD...

1.45 pm.  All on our agenda is done.  We went shopping and got everything, except a new office chair for the craft room.  I'll have to look again on Monday, when more office furniture type shops are open.

The Warehouse had heaps, but nothing 'quite right'... and so many on the floor to try were broken, so you couldn't even tell if they went up and down etc.  Most annoying.

Once home, I went into Crabby Quarters and finished that runner:

ABOVE:  It's a nice long runner, perfect for a big table.  

*sigh*, Stew is watching a shoot 'em up, bang bang movie, so I might wander back into Crabby Quarters and sort out my next project.  Not sure what that will be yet...

4 pm.  The pet meet 'n' greet didn't happen as it was raining, and still is.  Just a wet miserable afternoon.   I didn't get back into Crabby Quarters, I decided to watch CASTAWAY again on Netflix.  I've watched it dozens of times, lol.  But I love it, so who's counting?

10.45 pm, time to head off to bed.  As per usual, it's been a quiet evening in front of the telly/laptop.

Catch ya tomorrow.

NEW DOSE TONIGHT

 

Today I'm thinking about my next WEGOVY injection.  Stew will give it to me this evening, and today I go 'up' a dose.  From .25 mgs to .50 mgs.

This is the dosing schedule:

ABOVE: For some reason I thought there was only 4 dosages, but nope, there's 5.  I sure in hell hope it starts making a difference soon!  

Fingers crossed it doesn't cause any side effects, so far I've had ZERO.

I'm going down to the craft room this morning to join the other 2-3 ladies who usually are there on a Friday.  I will probably get the binding on the last two big green Braid Runners while down there.  We will see.  

After that, I plan on making a GREY Braid Runner.  I've certainly not got one of those, and it will make a nice change.  

ONWARD...

2.30 pm.  I spent about 4 hours down in the craft room with Margaret and Loretta, we enjoyed each other's company, and got lots done.

ABOVE: Thanks Dogstar for saying I should be in my finished runner photos!  I didn't even think of it until you suggested it.  I got the step stool and BOOM.  That worked.  No more runners lying on the floor or having Stew hold them up.

So those are the two big Green Kiwiana Braid Runners I got finished today.

I also got the top of a grey/black one done, and I might even get it finished by the end of the day.

Lacy came around at my request, and has given Coco a bath, and is now washing my car.  There's so much pollen in the air right now, my car is covered in it!  

Thank goodness for Lacy eh?  She does those jobs I find a pain in the proverbial.

After Lacy had done her jobs, we wandered down to the Craft Room to pick up my iron, it was too hot to bring home earlier.

On our way back, we stopped in at the 'Recycled Clothing' room, where residents can donate clothes they no longer want.  Then other residents are welcome to help themselves to anything they can use.  Lacy was given permission to help herself too, by the organiser of said clothing room.

Lacy was like, hell no, there will be nothing there I will want, old people clothes!

Funny.  She left with two new t-shirts, two dressier shirts and an almost brand new black Dickey Jacket.  Label even!  And not 'old person fuddy duddy' at all!  She was rather surprised I think.

She has now left, and I'm taking time out till I feel like sewing again.

7.20 pm, and I've just finished putting the border on that GREY runner.  And tomorrow I will do the quilting and binding.  There is no way I'm up for doing it tonight.

Stew is reading up on how to do the WEGOVY jabby jab, it's a bigger pen.  I hope the needle isn't bigger too!!!

Huge relief, it was the same needle ... very fine.  I didn't feel a thing.  OMG I hope this larger dose works.  

Did I tell you?  NO... I GAINED .400 grams this week.  WTF?  I have NOT been overeating.  

Moving on, looking forward to a quiet evening.

Catch ya tomorrow. 

COFFE & CHAT?

 

It's another day where I could attend Coffee & Chat down in the Community Centre.  And I'm of two minds if I even want to attend any more.

It's been a good way to meet more people here in the village, but *sigh*... I am not exactly enjoying it any more.  It's the same 10-ish people, the same conversations (mostly), and I don't even enjoy being around a couple of those people.  😖😒

So, totally not sure I'm going or not yet.  Maybe I'll go down, see who's there then decide if I'll stay or not.

I'm definitely going to the supermarket sometime today.  I want to get a few things that I can do in the air fryer... I'm dying to try it out.

I am going to ask Google what sorts of food I can cook in it before I go to the supermarket.  Bearing in mind I am on a friggin 'diet' again... so have to keep that in mind as well.

Question:  Are potato chips 'healthy' done in an air fryer?  Or am I clutching at straws?

ONWARD...

2.02 pm.

I went to C & C, it was OK. I left there after about 45 minutes  and did a grocery shop. Bought a selection of things to try in the air fryer. But not ready made chips. I'm going to make my own.

Had lunch. Now I'm sewing.

I just tried something in the air fryer.

I VERY thinly sliced some potato and onion, combined them with a beaten egg and some garlic and herb salt, added a couple of tablespoons of parmesan cheese, and spread it out thinly on some baking paper.  Chucked it in the air fryer for 12 minutes on 200 C.  Pulled it out half way to flip it over (and removed the paper) ... and BOOM!

ABOVE: That worked, and I can use that for the base of a roll up, like you would a wrap. I also think it could be used like a 'mock' pizza base too.  My god that air fryer is so fast and easy to use.  I'm already in love with it.

7.45 pm.  Stew and I went for a 30 minute walk when he arrived home from work... it took us to the pub. lol

After spending half an hour with Stew and the gang, I walked home.  Then jumped in the car and went over to visit the kids.

7 pm saw me back at the pub for another half an hour, before we both came home.

I've just cooked Stew some food in the air fryer for his dinner, it took 10 minutes!  

Never again will I have to wait for the oven to heat up, then 20-25 minutes for the food to cook.

As per usual, it is now time to snuggle down and watch the telly till bedtime.

Catch ya tomorrow.