TAMAHERE IN OCTOBER

 

5.30 am, and we are up and getting ready to head off to market.  The weather is looking good, just a bit freakin' cold right now.

Yesterday afternoon I spoke to the head of Maintenance/Gardens here in the village about 'the tree'.

There is a tree slap bang outside my garage wall, right where my new window is going.

It has to be the most ugly tree you ever saw.  

ABOVE: That's 'the tree'.  Seems an earlier gardener thought loping the top off, and tying it's branches down with wire would give it a 'nice' shape!  Didn't work.  It looks like that for about 8 months of the year!  BUTT UGLY.

After I spoke to 'L' and 'B' about the tree, I thought they would get around to coming and looking at it eventually.  I told them there was no rush.

ABOVE: They turned up in all of 5 minutes!  And yes, they agreed it was BUTT UGLY, and they would chop it down and replace it with something much nicer.  Something that would not grow too tall and block the sun from my window.  How cool is that?  They had already known about that tree as other people had commented on it being awful.  Glad I'm not the only one who thought that.

Now STEVE doesn't have to 'accidentally' run into it with his bull bars!  Though 'L' said he was welcome to!  😂😅😖  But don't Steve, it's getting removed properly.

Right I better get off here and get a move on... 

Catch ya later on.

ONWARD...

...

ABOVE: We arrived just after 6 and it is now 7.40 am, and we are all set up. The weather is perfect right now, but very cold. I'm praying a wind doesn't develop.   We have SO MUCH STOCK! I really don't need to make anything else for a while. 

2.20 pm, and we are home.  So relieved to be home too.  It was a gorgeous day weather wise, but just not that many people out and about.

It was a very average day sales wise.  And after making ALL.  THOSE.  PLACEMATS, we sold NONE TODAY!   

NONE!!!!

That was weird, but at least I sold some here in the village during the past week.   I'm sure they will sell at the end of the day, just not today.

One lady said "OH placemats", rifled through them and then walked off saying "I only like plain ones".  BITCH.  Like really?  😡😠  Go to fucking Briscoes lady, they have plenty of PLAIN ONES.

One lady headed straight to our stall, and chose a Runner for a friend in FINLAND.  So nice knowing my runners are going all over the world.  She was a returning customer, having bought a few runners off us now.

And that is why we keep going... cos we do have loyal, returning customers.  Who expect to see us at Tamahere, and the other markets we have coming up that are regular for us.

Our next market is on Labour Day (Monday 26th October).  Hoping that one is a bit better than today's.  

I have no idea what I shall do with myself this coming week.  I certainly do not need to make anything else for markets right now!  OMG I have so much stock.  Which is a good thing I suppose.

We are now going to play 'Darby & Joan', and have a quiet afternoon/evening.  I woke up this morning at 4 am, and couldn't get back to sleep, so it's been a long day already.  I have a slight headache, most likely from being tired.  There's a good chance I'll fall asleep in my chair.  Let's see shall we?  😴😜

EXCELLENT NEWS!

 

After patiently, (well not really), waiting almost two weeks to hear back from the Village Manager and City Council, I got this email late yesterday:

Chris

 

I have now had some advice from the city council which I have looked over, it appears the same advice given when the window was installed at number 42. However, as your window is larger and two studs will be removed, they commented on the lintel size to spread the weight and also the requirement for a sill to be installed with sealing to the newly exposed brick work (on the sides).

 

As you are having a registered builder complete the task, the colour and aluminium profile matches the existing windows there will be no issue on our part.

You should therefore have this in by year end.

WHOOP WHOOP!   I have WRITTEN permission to get my new window.  I am beyond thrilled to bits.  It is going to make such a positive difference to my work space... both in summer, and winter.

I have already asked Steve to order the window, and he will project manage the whole process.

It is so neat having a registered builder/Operations Manager in the family.  

What an excellent way to end the week.  It's been such a good week too.  

Today I am going to walk up the hill, pick up my car, then go down to the craft group until mid afternoon.

I am going to make something... not sure what yet.  But you can be sure I'll be productive.  And happy.

ONWARD...

It is now 2.30 pm.  I went down to the Craft room at 9.30 and sewed.  I had company the entire time which was lovely.

ABOVE:  I really couldn't think what else to make, so well... I made 7 Kiwi Bird Placemats, and...

ABOVE:  Four more dog placemats.  And NOW I'm done.

I'm home.  I'm taking a break.  I will pack things up for tomorrow's market a bit later on.

Stew and I are going to our favourite Indian Restaurant for dinner... I'm really looking forward to it.  I just hope I can do justice to the meal.  I can always bring some home in a 'doggy bag' if not.

ABOVE: Deceptive photo, those bowls of Butter Lamb and whatever Stew had were NOT that big!  Seriously.  The dinner was wonderful, and I managed to eat all my butter lamb!  I was kinda hungry having only had some crackers for lunch.

I should sleep well tonight, with a full tummy.

We still have a damn cold, blustery wind, I hope like hell it's not this cold and windy tomorrow.

Lots of wind is even worse than rain at a market.

Right, that's me for the day, I'm dog tired and won't be too late into bed tonight.

Catch ya tomorrow.

ROTOTUNA DR APPOINTMENT

 

I've got a Doctors appointment this afternoon to get my next prescription for WEGOVY... which will be a bit early, but it's so hard to get an appointment, I made one well in advance the last time I was there.

I've still got two more Fridays of being on 1 mg, then I go up to 1.7 mgs.  Better to have it on hand and not have to worry about not getting it in time eh?

This morning I am going to Coffee & Chat, in between finishing these:

ABOVE:  10 really cute cat 'n' dog placemats.  Once they are done I have a few colourful Kiwi ones ready for stitching/quilting etc.  THEN I might just call it quits on making any more.  For now.

I am dying to see how they go at market on Saturday.  It will have been a full month since our last market.

Next year I am going to convince Stew that we need to add one or two regular monthly markets into our calendar.  I don't want to JUST be doing Tamahere from February to September.

I'm thinking of adding Te Awamutu, and either Morrinsville or Matamata.  They are all within 'cooee' of here.

BEFORE I FORGET:  Harking back to being a blogger for 20 years, I'd like to say a HUGE 'thank you' to my Darling Stew.  If it wasn't for his constant encouragement, I might have stopped several times over by now.  He really loves me blogging.  He likes to know what sort of mood I'm in BEFORE he gets home from work, so he can prepare for 'it'.   😂😅😇  All joking aside, he is my rock.

OK, I might just roll over and catch another hour in bed, before starting the day properly.  

ONWARD...

9.50 am:  I'm up, and 'things' have settled down in the nether regions.  Thank goodness, yesterday wasn't fun at all.

I'm off to C & C in a minute... see ya later.

11.50 am:  Morning tea with a much smaller group today... it was raining.  We melt in the rain it would appear.  😀😂

One of the ladies who ordered placemats for grandchildren told me this morning she would like each child's Initial on their placemat.  So I just did that and delivered them to her.

In the rain.  Without an umbrella.  So, another resident saw me walking in the rain and gave me her umbrella. Nice people around here I must say.  Now I have to return said umbrella, which I'll do on my way out to the Dr's this afternoon.

As it is now nearly lunchtime, I might just have lunch.  

ABOVE:  2.10 pm.   And there they all are... laid out as I will display them at market.

In less than a month I have made 113 Placemats, and have already sold 11 here in the village.

Not a shabby effort.

I don't think I will make any more today or tomorrow.

I'm kinda tired.  And I have a good selection to be going forward with right now.

I now need to freshen up in readiness for my visit to the Doctor.  And I also will be picking up Stew's dry cleaning and a few groceries we have run out of.

8.11 pm.  DR's visit went well, I have the next lot of WEGOVEY to cover the next increase in dose.

Did the grocery shopping, and picked up the dry cleaning.

Then home.  Stew arrived home and we drove up to the pub, where I spent an hour with the regulars, before heading over to visit the kids.

Nice visit done and dusted.  Back to the pub, where I had TWO GLASSES of wine.

And now I can can hardly type.. masses of mistakes that I have to keep correcting.

But it was a lovely, fun evening with our friends.

Now we are home and Stew is cooking himself a few chicken nuggets/chippees for his dinner.  I'm not having any, having had something like that for my lunch.

I must admit, two glasses of wine is now my limit... I feel really PISSED.  I'm such a light weight.

I will probably sleep well tonight!  lol

Time to sign off, it's been an EXCELLENT DAY.  

TWENTY YEARS AS A BLOGGER!

  

GOOD MORNING!

TODAY

I

HAVE

BEEN

A

BLOGGER

FOR

TWENTY YEARS !

Twenty years of blogging every single day, except a couple of times when I was in hospital and couldn't do it myself, so Stew or Steve did it for me.

I am super proud of myself for hanging in there for so, so long.  BTW:  That is 7,317 blog posts!

Back story:   I started my blog not long after I had lost 61 kilos going to Weight Watchers in Palmerston North.

I had gained 15 kilos and wanted to try and lose them ... I didn't.

Since then I have gone up and down numerous times.

Right NOW I am 25 kilos up from my lightest ever adult weight.  So...  I was up 15 kilos back in 2006, then add another 10 kilos as of today.  If I can lose those 10 kilos, I'd be perfectly happy!

I thought I was FAT after gaining 15 kilos!  I wasn't really.  

ABOVE:  Me at my heaviest, back in 2002 ish.

ABOVE: And me after I had lost 61 kilos, going to Weight Watchers.

I am in the same sweatshirt that I was wearing in the 'heaviest ever' photo.

Now looking at that photo, I realise I was not at a 'maintainable' weight, FOR ME.

ABOVE: And  yes... here I am in that exact same sweatshirt, 23 years later (and older), and 25 kilos heavier.  As I said, I really, really want to lose another 10 kilos.  THEN I will be content.  Can they PLEASE go off my boobs?????

AND that sweatshirt is at least 35 years old, and I'm keeping it!

ABOVE: Stew back in 2002 ish.

ABOVE: And after he lost about 12 kilos in 2003.

ABOVE: Stew now, another 5-6 kilos lighter.  I think he looks even more HUNKY NOW!  I might be biased though. 😂😅😍

ABOVE: This photo was taken around 2004, and ... I still have that dress!  One day I will wear it again.

Now, back to today.  

I have some flyers to deliver around the village, to advertise the Craft Groups mini market at the end of the month.

Then I will be coming home to continue with the placemats.

Here's a few questions for YOU.  How long have you been reading my blog?  How did you find it?  What keeps you reading it? Have we met in 'real' life?

  

ONWARD...

It has been interesting reading your comments, particularly how you 'found' me.  Thanks for your comments, and for staying around to read my daily drivel.  😊

I have been sewing all morning... along with frequent trips to the bloody loo.  Something has not agreed with my tummy, NO IDEA what though.  I have not eaten anything out of the usual the past day or two?

Just a pain in the butt to be honest.

ABOVE: Another 21 placemats finished today (so far).  I'm on a roll.

I also got those flyers delivered, something else off my mind.

It's another ikky, dreary day here.  But not freezing, so I can't bitch about that!  Which is good, we don't like me bitching eh?  😂😅😆

ABOVE: Me. Dog tired. Lying back on the lazy boy chair... I  don't even have the energy to edit that photo. I see I now have friggin grey eyebrows, what's left of them.  I'm too chicken to do the tattoo thing  in case someone fucks it up. Might do the dye job again.  But not today. It's 2.25 and I'm having a nap. I hope.

7.21 pm:  *snort*... I didn't have a nap.  Had a Coco instead.  She jumped up and kept me company... wriggling and sniffing, and generally being a pain in the arse.  I should have locked her out of the room... but NO.  😒😔

Stew arrived home and was off on a walk, so I accompanied him up the hill then left him to it, and came back home.  I'm still not 100% after all the 'crap' today.  And I might be getting a UTI, as I've had to pee all day long as well, which is certainly not like me.

Luckily, I have a Doctor's appointment tomorrow, so if I'm still not feeling better, I'll mention it then.

Right, that's me for the day.

Catch ya tomorrow.

YAAAA... I DON'T HAVE TO DO IT

 

Today I need to cut out batting for placemats.  And it's a really hard job for me, as it involves laying the batting out on the floor and cutting it out.  That job just kills my back, and I end up totally knackered.

So last night I decided to ask Lacy if she could come over and do it for me?

AND she said 'YES'.  I'm so relieved I don't have to do it.  Thank You Lacy, you are such a good daughter.  Love you to bits.

I am going to sew all day long today, to try and get the placemat orders done, and a few more for market.

Because they seem to be popular here in the village, we are hoping they are just as popular at markets.

Once I've finished a few of the 'new' ones, I will show you, cos they are rather cute.

*** A little heads up... tomorrow's post is going to be a bit special ... to me anyway. ***

ONWARD...

10.15 am, and Lacy is on her way.  Awesome.

I've been in Crabby Quarters for about 2 hours, making more placemat tops.

ABOVE: These are what I'm working on today, plus a few from yesterday as well.  I hope to get at least 12 finished by the end of the day.

Bottom Right: Yeah, I'm not feeling it  But of the 4 of them I've made, 3 are already sold, so that's good.  I much prefer the simpler blue borders.

ABOVE: And now... she only needs to draw out and cut out about 50 rectangles!

ABOVE:  Another one which is rather cute.

Some of these I've only had enough fabric to make 4-6 the same, but it's great to use up smaller pieces of fabric from my stash.  My placemats are being sold individually, so no one has to buy a 'set'.  Which is working well with the ladies here in the village.

3.30 pm, and Lacy has left after getting 59? placemat batting pieces cut out for me, AND she did my housework as well.  How lucky can I get.

I kept making placemat 'tops' until the batting was ready, then started doing the next steps.  Quilting, adding the backing fabric and top stitching.

My goal today was to get at least 12 placemats finished...

ABOVE: And I have done it.  That was a bit of a concerted effort, my eyes are all blurry now.  

I've cleaned the machine and changed the needle, so it's all ready for the next run.  I might do a few more in an hour or so, but for now I need a break.

We are going to have some Almond Flat Bread for dinner, with ham and a salad, so I might make that now.

7.25 pm.  Gosh I got HEAPS done today!  A dozen placemats finished, another 15 half done, two loads of washing, dinner done and a brisk evening walk with Stew to cap off the day.

And I am KNACKERED, and have just had my dinner and I'm doing NOTHING ELSE, except walk to bed later on.  

Catch ya tomorrow.  

A special day.

NERVOUS, AND A LITTLE TEAR

 

Yesterday I finally did something that has been on my mind for a little while now.

Cleaning out my closet is what started it.

I found a denim jacket that I had bought WAY BACK in 1997, when Stew and I visited my brother Vern, in Singapore.

It was a fantastic trip, and we got to spend three full weeks with Vern, who lived and worked over there.

ABOVE:  Back to the jacket, which I bought at the Hard Rock Cafe in Singapore.  I loved it, but it has NEVER fitted me.  So it has never been worn.  The sleeves were/are just TOO BIG... and it doesn't even fit Stew.

So I got this idea to cut out the LOGO from the back of the jacket, and sew it onto the back of a denim jacket I bought last year in Australia, while visiting my sister Lorraine.

ABOVE: My 'Aussy' jacket, which was blank on the back.

ABOVE:  I felt really nervous cutting into this jacket, it holds such special memories of the only time we visited Vern in Singapore, and it was only about 18 months before he died.  I shed a few tears, then did it.

ABOVE:  Positioning the Logo on the 'new' jacket'.

ABOVE: It took me all of two seconds to decide to use red thread ... and I think it looks awesome.

ABOVE:  I chucked a dress on, to show how I will most likely wear the jacket the most.  

What do you think of it?  Did I do good?

Now I have a very special jacket, because it has memories of my brother Vern, AND my sister Lorraine.  I will never get rid of it.

I am going to use as much of the left over fabric from the Singapore jacket as I can, making myself a bag.  I can use the pockets and so on, on a bag.... it could be fun.

But not today.  Today down in the craft room I shall be getting more placemats done.  I've not finished any of the red/bright circles ones yet.

Market on Saturday, so I better pull finger!

ONWARD...

4.10 pm, and SORRY!

I have been really busy down in the craft room today, then I went to Spotlight for desperately needed backing fabric for placemats.

Like last Monday, I again sold placemats before they were even made today!  5 sold today, so tomorrow I will be making them.

ABOVE:  I have so many placemats on the go right now, I'm not sure if I'm coming or going!

But right now, I'm starving, so shall have something to eat.  

8.30 pm, and after my VERY late lunch, I had a lie down on the couch for an hour or so.  Then I went back into Crabby Quarters and did some cutting out for tomorrow's sewing effort.

It is going to be another full day of sewing tomorrow... so a bit boring for you guys.

It is what it is.

Now ... it's sign off time.  Not much else going on here, we're just doing our usual evening stuff.

Catch ya tomorrow.

NOT TOO MANY.

 

Yesterday was SUCH a good day!  We got so many jobs done, I'm thrilled to bits.  Stew was on fine form, and did not mutter, or huff and puff AT ALL!  I think he was just so relieved he didn't end up having to assemble the new cabinet.  😂😊😉  (Thank You Steve!)

ABOVE: Instead of using wire for the passionfruit vines to grow on, Stew decided some trellis would work better.  So there it is and it looks great.  I hope the vines grow.

ABOVE: The new cupboard in our bedroom.  I'm really happy that now I can actually SEE and  REACH all my winter tops.  And before any one says I have too many... remember this.

1.  Some are for next winter, when I'm a bit smaller, so smaller sizes.

2.  Some are going to the op shop once I outgrow them.

3. Some are heavy weight, and some are lightweight, as you need choices depending on the weather.

4.  Some are for 'just around the house/village', and some are for wearing 'out', and are a bit more 'dressy'.

5. And some I just love and will never part with!

GEORGIA :  Thanks for the suggestion of turning the cupboard around, sadly it can't be done as it would jut out into the room too much.  Good idea had the short wall been longer.

Today is supposed to be a bit wet, so a quiet day at home is on the cards.  Bex is doing the Cambridge Trash 'n' Treasure market, I hope she doesn't get rained out.

ONWARD...

ABOVE:  9.30 am, and we decided to visit Bex at the Cambridge market.  It hasn't rained, but is quite overcast and cool.

The market had a decent number of visitors, a few less stall holders.  Bex was all set up when we arrived:

ABOVE:  Unfortunately the lady right next to Bex was also selling crocheted toys... though she uses chunkier wool.  Bex's are more dainty, which I prefer.  Hopefully she still does OK.

We had a wander around, and I saw a framed photo and was like... STEW, buy it!

ABOVE:  My darling bought it.  It is the Cambridge Anglican Church, where we have a couple of GOOD markets a year.  In fact, the next one is this month, on Labour Day.  Sharon, I think we are seeing you and your sister that day?

It is now 11 am, and we are home again.  Thinking about just relaxing today and doing bugger all.  My shoulders are really sore, probably down to sewing so much last week.  I think I better give them a rest.

There's a couple of little jobs for Stew, but nothing too onerous. 

8.20 pm.  Those little jobs got done.  I hung the new picture on our 'we have lived here' wall.

Dinner was BBQ spare ribs and veges.

I sussed out what to take to the craft room tomorrow, then just sat and watched TV, did an online jig saw on the laptop etc.

Now... we are both knackered.  We have enjoyed our weekend, but are ready for bed.  It's still a bit too early for me, so I'll hang out for a couple more hours.  I might even go and get my sewing trolley ready for tomorrow.

Catch ya then.