Wednesday, October 28, 2026

FOUND MORE

 


Late yesterday I found more of the green Kiwi fabric in my stash, so I am really happy about that.

I can make at least 10-12 more placemats with it.  So that is what I will be doing today.

This afternoon is our village's AGM, and Stew is leaving work early so he can attend.  I went last year and found it dead boring... but I should go, just to show an interest I suppose. 

Last year I think I only went for the lovely afternoon tea!  Clearly I won't be having any of that today.  

When you are paying an arm, a leg and half ya left tit too for WEGOVY, the last thing you are gunna do is blow all that money by eating badly!

It really is EXPENSIVE.  I don't know what people in other countries pay for it, or it's equivalent Ozempic, but I bet it's not as expensive as here!

In a month I go up to the 2.4 mgs dose, and I dread to think what that will cost.  The 1.7 mg dose's price was a bit eye watering for sure.

If you are in another country, and are on WEGOVY or OZEMPIC, what does it cost you per month?  I'd love to know.

I think Lacy is calling in again this morning, after her hike up the Hakarimata Summit Track.  If she does, we will be returning the brazier I bought her.

And then she will be getting another one to replace it.  One that I know will actually NOT fall apart.

More about that later.

ONWARD...

ABOVE: The gardening team are out in force behind my house this morning.  They are doing the weeding, and are taking out an old lemon tree.   

I asked them what would they be putting in the lemon tree's spot?  They were not sure, so I suggested...


ABOVE: They take that hydrangea out of the pot and put it in the spot.  They liked that idea very much.  Stew will be thrilled he doesn't have to do it now.

Hydrangeas don't do well in pots, particularly over summer.  So best to move it now.


ABOVE: They are also going to put these two hydrangeas into the gardens behind our home.  Awesome, that gives me two pots to plant some veges for summer.

I've just been to Spotlight for some backing fabric for the placemats I'm working on.  

And Lacy is on her way over, so we shall be heading over to Mitre 10 shortly... I hope that goes well and they give me my money back!

I saw a dress in Chartwell Square yesterday that won't get out of my mind... which means I might just have to go buy it! lol

Also this morning, I re-arranged shit in the freezer, so the gardening team were given a big bag of savoury scones for their lunch.  They were very appreciative.

 
11.50 am, Lacy arrived.  We drove to Mitre 10 and took the OMG totally munted brazier in and they gave me my money back, no hesitation at all.  That brazier was only 6 days old and looked like it was 10 years old!  I was gobsmacked when I saw it.

Anyway, money back.  Lacy then dropped me off at Chartwell Square, where I tried on that dress.

Well 'tried on' would be a bit wrong, I couldn't even get it to go over my head!!!  It said it was a LARGE, but no way in hell was it a large.  I'm not THAT BIG... clearly very, very small sizings.  I was disappointed, but not overly, as it was an expensive dress that I didn't really need.

After that, I jumped on the bus and came home.  

Lunch time... and I might just have some fruit. The scales have gone on a strike... nothing is changing!   I feel like I have to literally STARVE to lose anything right now.

I think menopause and my age is going against me.


ABOVE:  When I got home I found the gardening team had transplanted my hydrangeas... nice one team. 😊
6.05 pm.  We are just home from the Village AGM, which was OK.  Boring part over, then on to the bubbles and nibbles.  And yakking.  I did have two glasses of bubbly wine, but NONE of the nibbles.  It wasn't even tempting, even though the food looked delicious!  Stew ate my share, let me assure you.
I'm sure Stew enjoyed the AGM and socialising afterwards too.

I got 8 Placemats 80% done this afternoon, so it's been a very good day.  Productive.  
I like productive days.
8 pm and we are done for the day.  I'm going to head off to bed fairly early tonight.  Probably in a couple of hours, if I can last that long!
Catch ya tomorrow.

Tuesday, October 27, 2026

TIGHTS

 


Yesterday morning I put on some black pants for market.  NOT tights for a change.

But within an hour or so I was feeling so uncomfortable!  The waist band was just a bit tight... and I had a really sore tummy.

So luckily for me, there was a stall holder selling .... tights.

And I got two pair for just $50.

Now for those readers who don't think I suit tights, and tell me so... 

THIS.  IS.  FOR.  YOU:

ABOVE:  Not my usual plain black ones!


ABOVE:   And OMG these ones are really 'out there' eh?  lol

And now, just to make your eyes bleed...


ABOVE:  Because... I can!  AND NO, I won't wear both of those together in public!  Just a bit too clashy clashy.

I wore the new black/colourful ones all day yesterday and loved them.

That was fun posting my new tights.  Comments welcome.

Today I am going to do very little, I still don't need to replenish my market stock... but perhaps I should make some more placemats.  We sold a few yesterday, and all of the Kiwi Bird ones.

ONWARD...

2.25 pm...  Sorry about the late update for the day.  I have been busy.  First up I went to Coffee & Chat, Lacy visited, I visited one of my village friends, then I went to Chartwell Square to do a small grocery shop.

I really only wanted a few things so I could make a taco for my lunch and Stew's dinner.  And Barley Sugars for having 'on hand' in case of a Blood Sugar Low incident like on the weekend.

And as per usual, instead of spending under $100 as I expected, I went all out and spent over $400!  I'm shaking my head, because that amount still did not fill up a SMALL trolley!

Anyway *sigh*... I got home, unpacked it all and then made my lunch.


ABOVE: I must admit it was the best taco I had made, and it tasted delicious.  I am 100% confident Stew will really like his this evening too.

'Taco' might not be what it was?  I dunno... but this is what I did to make it:

Cooked up some mince with some bacon, added Taco Seasoning.  Lay that in the middle of a wrap, then added grated cheese, Nacho Chips, shredded lettuce, more cheese, some mayo then lay a half piece of a wrap on top.  Then I folded the sides of the bottom wrap up and over the piece of wrap on the top, then placed it in a warm frying pan with just a little oil (folded side down first).  Slowly browned it up, flipped it over and did the other side.
Served it with some sour cream on the side.
You could add some sliced tomato etc, but you can't put too much in it or you could never get it folded over.

Stew just had his and loved it, as I knew he would.

We are now heading into a quiet evening.
Catch ya tomorrow.

Monday, October 26, 2026

ST ANDREWS MARKET ON LABOUR DAY

 


CAMBRIDGE ST ANDREWS MARKET TODAY... and as per usual, we are up bright and early and about to head out.

The only time I ever give a shit about the weather is on a market day, and today's forecast is looking OK.  Fingers crossed for a sunny, not too windy day.

I am about to step on the scales to see if I have hit a 'MAGIC NUMBER'....  

BUT, because it is rush, rush, rush.... I will tell you if I did it... or not.... later on!  😂😉😝

ONWARD...

...The MAGIC NUMBER DID NOT HAPPEN. 😥😭😟  But I know it will sometime this week.  I'm not going to let it dampen my day.

Though it has been raining, which is bloody annoying,  it wasn't forecast.  Luckily it is very intermittent.  

12.33 and this market is going very well. Thank goodness.  The weather has held since the early wet start, but its not exactly summery. 

ABOVE: I am SO TIRED, I can't wait to get home and crash out on the couch.

Thank you Tracy R for visiting us from Auckland, it was so lovely to see you.

3.35 pm, and we are safely home.  Weird photo above, not sure what was going on there with the funny grain.  Oh well.

It was a good market as I said earlier, so we are both happy.  

Now, I'm going to have something to eat, then take a nap.

Stew is watching a rugby game he taped, so he's enjoying himself.

How many times do I say I'm going to have a nap... then don't?  Yep, too many times.  I just sat and listened to some true crime doco on my laptop while his nibs watched sport.

Then we had dinner, watched more TV and now... off to bed nice and early.  We are both bloody tired.

Sunday, October 25, 2026

TOO EARLY

 


It's Sunday morning and we are still in bed.

We don't  have any firm plans for the  day ... yet.

Only thing that's definitely on the agenda is picking up the Brazier I bought Lacy for Christmas and returning it.

It's falling apart after just a few days use!

We are thinking of going for a walk again today, but out of town somewhere.

I'll catch ya later.

ONWARD...

Slight change of plans.  I will pick up the defective brazier on Tuesday and return it.

Now, Stew and I are off on a walk... 'somewhere'.... we haven't been before.

I just had a blonde/frazzled moment... walking around looking for my walking sneakers, couldn't find them anywhere.  Getting annoyed.  Then...

ABOVE:  Looked down.  Yeah.  On my feet.  😖😕😒
WHERE DID WE GO?

ABOVE: We drove out to almost Raglan, turned left and ended up at Bridal Veil Falls.
Somewhere we had never been.
Nice people around who took our photo, and we took theirs's too.


ABOVE: You take a very pretty, easy walk to the top of the falls.

ABOVE: A bit of vertigo looking down...







ABOVE: And then you start going down the steps... which were a bit steeper than the Hakarimata Summit track's steps I must say.
But 'ONLY' about 240 odd steps.

ABOVE:  I found it really easy going down!


ABOVE: the falls from the bottom.  There were a heck of a lot of people on this track!

ABOVE: An aerial view of the falls, a bit weathered now, but you still get a good idea of how it sits in the landscape.

ABOVE:  ROCKS!  I totally could have grabbed one, but Stew said they were just a bit too big to lug back up all those steps.  Sadness.

And then a bit of a shit time.... I had not eaten since yesterday, and going back up took it totally out of me, even though there were not THAT MANY STEPS.
I had to stop numerous times... and once we were at the top again I actually felt SICK AS A DOG.
Spinning head, nauseous, shaking, fingers and toes tingling... yep  A massive blood sugar low.
Stupid me.
I should have had something to eat well before that walk.... or at least taken some hard lollies for the sugar.
I had to sit down and 'recover' a bit before we went back to the car.
Luckily, once we got into Raglan for our picnic lunch, I was feeling a wee bit better.
Food certainly helped.



ABOVE:  Low tide in Raglan.  We got a park about a km from the wharf, then walked to the wharf to look around.

ABOVE:  I swear I didn't mean to buy anything from Tony Sly Pottery.  But I did.
And I'm not taking it out of it's wrapping/bag until I hit a certain weight.  Which I am now only FIVE GRAMS away from!!!!!

In a minute we are heading up to our pub for a social hour or so.
5.21 pm, and we are home again.
And now we can relax.  The car is packed, ready to go tomorrow at ungodly o'clock.  We will be in Cambridge tomorrow, for the annual St Andrews Craft Fair.

ABOVE: Hoping we break the recent 'trend' and have an awesome market.
9.10 pm, and we are both off to bed fairly early tonight... hoping for a decent night's sleep.
After our busy day, I should get to sleep relatively easily.
Catch ya tomorrow.

Saturday, October 24, 2026

BUGGER!

 


After I finished the Christmas Advent Puzzle, I sat down on the lounge floor and proceeded to put each puzzle back in it's little plastic bag.

That went just fine, they were all back in the bags, and into the box.

Then I stood up.

ABOVE:  OH BUGGER!!!   There was one puzzle piece under my leg.   Which bag did it belong in?

Like, there's 1,296 puzzle pieces, and they are not numbered or identified as to which puzzle they belonged to.

So yesterday I sat down and started counting how many puzzle pieces were in each puzzle.

Luckily, they were all the same, 54 pieces.  So, I start counting puzzle pieces, one bag at a time.

I had counted out about 9 before I found THE ONE that only had 53 pieces.   I put that puzzle back together and YES!  The piece from the floor was the one that belonged to that puzzle.

SORTED.  I can now give it away knowing all the pieces are there, and in the correct bag.  PHEW.

Ahhh Saturday.  Means grocery shopping.  Odd jobs around the house and yard.  If it's sunny... a relax on my sun lounger at some point.  We might just start hanging out on the patio, have lunch out there, maybe a sneaky beer (for him) and a glass of bubbles for me. 

It's starting to feel like summer. 

And in case I didn't say it yesterday, I am only 305 grams away from a milestone weight.  I am so excited... 

ONWARD...

10.10 am, and Stew has done the grocery shopping.  And then he decided it was a good time for a walk, before it got too hot.

We had a thick fog first thing this morning, but it has burnt off now.

ABOVE:  A gorgeous day down by the river.


ABOVE: We are so thankful to live so very close to all of this.


ABOVE: The neighbours flowers aren't too shabby either.

ABOVE: The walk is a very pleasant distance, not too long or short.

Now that we are home, I've got a fan blowing on me because I stupidly went walking in long tights and a sweatshirt.  Derrr.

3.08 pm.  Stew and I went out to the Hamilton Cemetery so he could tend his family grave, then we went to The Lookout for lunch.  I had some delicious food, my one 'evil' meal a week.

Home, and I lazed away a couple of hours lying on the couch, just in a food coma really 😂😅.

Now?  Might just continue the laziness, and watch TV, do a jigsaw online bla bla bla.

It's 11.59, it's been a quiet evening. Time for bed.

Catch ya tomorrow.

Friday, October 23, 2026

EARLY CHRISTMAS SHOPPING

 


Yesterday morning Lacy and I went shopping for her Christmas present.

It was prudent to get it now, before they are sold out, and there's no options left.

ABOVE:  We had a really lovely young man named Dylan help us in Mitre 10, he even put the thing in my car.  

Once home Lacy had to put it in her own vehicle... she managed, just.


ABOVE: And there it is, our little fire bug 🔥🚒🔥 now has a bright, shiny new brazier.

I know she will use it most days, cos she just loves fires.  This one she can even cook on, very handy.

And that is one kid's Christmas sorted.

I've just got a few more to sort out, but in saying that, I've been buying stuff all year long for Christmas.

I just have to fill in some gaps.  

Today my WEGOVY dose goes up to 1.7 mgs. It's a bigger jump in dosage than any before it.  It will be interesting to see if I have any reaction to it.  So far I've had virtually no negative side effects to WEGOVY. 

This morning I am picking up my 'birthday present' which we got from that outdoor furniture shop last weekend. 

Once I'm home,  I'm off to the craft room to do some work with the other ladies.  IF no one is there, I'll probably do some work on my own for a while, then come home again.

ONWARD...

ABOVE:  I picked up our latest purchase from the shop... the store manager wasn't sure it would fit in the car.

But it did... JUST.


ABOVE:  It wasn't heavy, just CUMBERSOME!  I managed to get it to there, and then I had to backtrack, walk around the house and come in from the other side.  

I did get it inside by flipping it on it's side, then unboxed and...


ABOVE: Out on the back lawn.

We did have something similar made in wood at our last home, but I left it there for the new owners.  

THIS is the 'upgrade'.  It is super lightweight.  I'm picking it's made of aluminium.  I love it and will use it HEAPS over summer.

Working in the craft room is off as no one is there.  No point going down there to be on my own.

What an awesome day so far.

LUNCH:  Done

TEST OUT NEW SUN LOUNGER : Done

and now.... is it too early in the day (3 pm) to have a shower and get in my pyjamas?

ABOVE:  😂😅😆🛏  I think... NOT AT ALL.  So comfy and warm.  

7.40 pm.  Stew is home.  Telly is on.  Not much on it though. A quiet evening ahead.  Catch ya tomorrow.