WHAT COULD GO RIGHT

I don't know if you are aware of this trait of mine, but I am always worried about what could go wrong.  In so many situations, things have gone wrong.

I also keep waiting for the next bad thing to happen... having lost both my brothers and my Dad in tragic circumstances, then Mum to Cancer, and family strife ... it's ingrained in me.

Stew knows this only too well.  I am not an optimistic sort of person now.

So, the reason for this post today?

I heard a new song recently, and I keep listening to it, because I find it so uplifting.

ABOVE:  I don't know how many of you have heard of Thomas Rhett, but he's a favourite singer of mine.

IF this video is copywritten, and does not load, you can find it on YouTube, Thomas Rhett, WHAT COULD GO RIGHT.  I hope you enjoy it.

I had planned on joining the FBG's for a walk here in Hamilton this morning, but my left calf muscle is still playing up after last weeks walk.  So no walk for me, but I am joining the group for morning tea after the walk.  Better than nothing eh.

I am determined to keep up my friendships with the Cambridge group, come hell or high water. 

Once I get home I've got two loads of washing to fold and put away, then on to some more sanding and painting where I've taken down more picture hooks, and where the TV was anchored down in the family room.

Just a few more ticks ...

BREAKING GROUND?

 

Yesterday, while at the supermarket, I couldn't help but notice something going on opposite Woolworths, Te Rapa.

ABOVE:  For the past few years, that block of land (marked with the X) has been earmarked for a new Pak n Save Supermarket.  It's taken forever for the grocery chain to get all the consents lined up.  I didn't think it would ever happen.  There seemed to be so many delays, conflicts, consent problems and so on.  The entire site has been fenced off for YEARS, just growing weeds.  Lately, people have even been using it as a free for all, dump your rubbish site.

But yesterday....

ABOVE:  All the fencing has come down, and they were breaking ground!  WOW, I will be thrilled to bits if it's finally going to happen.   I prefer shopping at Pak n Save, but it's a lot further away from where I live, so I tend to go to New World or Woolworths more often than not.

Let's wait and see what happens, fingers crossed it is finally getting built. 

12.44 pm:  You are gunna be disappointed in this update.

I've been doing NOTHING.  Well, except this:

ABOVE: Yep, I've been working on this jigsaw. It's a real shit of a jigsaw I must say.  Only the second one in forever that is pissing me off.

But I shall persevere, cos I'm no quitter.

It's been nice having a day 'off' from all the crazy packing and organising our move.  

I just walked down the hallway and realised almost every room on the east side of the house is done... except for one of the linen cupboards.

Knowing me, I'll soon pack that up too... into open boxes so we can still access what's in them.

ABOVE:  This is on our fridge.  Every room I've finished packing up (except for major pieces of furniture) is crossed off as I do it.  That is 6 months worth of hard work! 

The bonus of all that is now I can sit and do a jigsaw! lol

10.09 pm:  I've just arrived home from Cambridge.  A lovely evening with some friends, yakking mostly!  

 It's been a very quiet day!   I'm outta here.

Catch ya tomorrow.

HAIR

 

My new resolve this year is to only go over to Cambridge ONCE A WEEK.  So I have to pick my day carefully.

Last week I managed to get two things done on the same day, an FBG walk followed by mosaic group.

This week I'm choosing to go over on Wednesday night for a get together with some girlfriends.

So no mosaics this week.

I'm joining up with some FBG's for a Social Walk here in Hamilton on Thursday, so I get my FBG 'fix' as well, without having to go to Cambridge.  Excellent.

My plan for today is to not do much!  Perhaps just potter around here doing a few little jobs.

Nothing major or tiring.  I think I'll dye my hair too... Cos the regrowth is a real thing.

10.46 am:  and oh wow!  Did I ever sleep in this morning.  I woke up at 5.40 for a piddle, then fell back to sleep after about half an hour.  Didn't hear Stew head off to work, didn't hear a thing.

Woke again at... 9.14 am!!!!!   Like that is unheard of.   I jumped out of bed so fast, feeling guilty.

Then it occurred to me that I don't have to feel guilty at all!   NO ONE is relying on me getting out of bed early.  Derrr.

So I did the usual stuff, got a load of washing on then headed out the door for my errands.

Got Algicide for the pool and then went to the supermaket for this:

ABOVE: While I dislike Coffee, I'm going to try and drink some every day.  WHY?  So I can cut down on how much Diet Coke I'm drinking, without getting the caffein withdrawal agonies.  Namely a migraine headache.

I have a feeling the Diet Coke is not helping me with my weight loss efforts.  I've read it all, heard it all, been lectured over and over again about the evils of Diet Coke.... so don't go there.

I will do what I will do... and if that means cutting down... be assured it is MY DECISION. 

I am not quitting Diet Coke, just cutting down.

Now that's out of the way, I have tried the Jarrah Classic Cappuccino, HATE IT.  Tasteless shit. So next to try was the  Jarrah French Vanilla Latte.  NOT BAD.  I've got my 'hot' drink bottle full of it and will sip on it till it's gone.

It's kinda fun trying something new eh?  I've not had a cuppa coffee in .... 50 YEARS.  I think I tried it as a teenager and hated it then too.

QUESTION:  Is coffee evil?  Cos I'm actually liking that shit.  😂😅😆

And oh hell, does it have masses of calories?  Better check.

I just checked .... there's 58 calories per 3 scoops.  I put in 9 scoops to fill my drink bottle!  That's 174 Calories for a full drink bottle ... I can live with that.

NOW I have to wait and see if I get a headache from only having a little Diet Coke today.

I just finished dyeing my hair.  This time the results are not quite what I wanted.

I have some ORANGE, some PURPLE and some blonde.   Let's just say, a mixed bag.

I will go out and get more purple shampoo, to try and tone it down a bit... especially where it's ORANGE.  But not right now.  I'm done for now.

3.25 pm, and I just remembered I have an evening with Cambridge friends tonight!  LUCKILY, when I dried my hair it didn't look quite as bad as when wet.  Quick face on, fresh top, and I'm sorted.

Just have to get a small plate ready now.

Stew just rang me.  Seems I thought it was Wednesday this afternoon  .... it ain't.  So I'm NOT going to Cambridge this evening.  The platter can go in the fridge for tomorrow.  

8.19 pm: And we've had a lovely evening.  I worked on my jigsaw until I couldn't see straight, then gave it up for the day.

This puzzle I'm working on right now is a right doozy!  Very difficult.

Time to sign off for the day.

Catch ya tomorrow.

I DID IT

 

My plans for today?

CLEANING.

The family bathroom is going to get a deep clean, then I might just pack up what's in there, and close the doors.

It visitors come, they can use the ensuite bathroom for the time being.  As we only have a few visitors usually, and they are family, it's not going to be an issue.

One more BIG TICK off the 'to do' list.

ABOVE:  Yesterday I packed up the sewing room.  The only things left in there are market stuff, the sewing desk and workstation.  I will probably move the desk and workstation into the garage today.  Then I can clean the skirting boards, wipe out the cupboards etc.  Yet another BIG TICK.

ABOVE:  The storage unit is almost at capacity.  We haven't been exactly great stackers, there's quite a bit of 'air room' above most things, but luckily we don't need to put much more in there.

I think a few more boxes will fit, then that will be it.  

I'm looking forward to unpacking it in a couple of months time... slowly.  Half what's in there will be heading off to other places, Hospice shops etc.

ABOVE:  Me and Miss Muppet... she's getting so big! She will be a teenager in just a a few months time. 
Right, I'm off to start the day.  I hope to get quite a bit done ...

8.30 am.  I had to do a little clean of the ensuite's vanity before I could move all my stuff into it.  I realised while doing it that Stew has the exact same toothbrush as me, so I shall go out and buy myself a new one sometime today.

Next step is to do the big clean in the family bathroom, and close the doors. 

TWO.  HOURS.  LATER, and I have finally managed to mop the bathroom floors.

I needed to go and buy a new mop, so off I went to Pak n Save.  Got a few groceries and a new mop.

Came home, filled the bucket with hot water, and put the mop in the bucket.  The sponge component just dropped off the mop head.  And no matter what I did, it just kept doing it.  So, feeling rather annoyed, I took it back to the shop, got a refund.  

Headed over to another shop to find a better mop.

Got a better mop and came home and got the damn floors cleaned.

Had lunch ... while watching floors dry.

Next thing will be putting polish on said floors.

I'm now probably going to take 5 before I head into the garage to do stuff in there.

2nd boo boo of the day?  The floor 'polish' I thought I'd bought recently turned out to be a concentrated floor CLEANER.  I put it on straight, not the recommended 1/100 dilution!!!  So now I've had to re-wash the floors a couple of times so they are not sticky.

And they are drying dull.  So I still have to find a polish that works on wood laminate.  What I usually get is unavailable.  Grrrr.  It's not my day.

I managed to track down some of the floor polish I needed at Bunnings, so off I went at stupid o'clock... amongst all the parents picking up kids from school... and people leaving work early to beat the traffic.   ha ha... you ain't ever gunna beat the traffic in Hamilton.  Found my polish and headed home in the traffic.

ABOVE:   So now my wood laminate floors (both bathrooms and the kitchen) have been washed THREE TIMES, to get the concentrated cleaner off.  And now they have polish on them, drying for at least the next hour or two.

I can't believe all I got done today was the bathrooms, and kitchen floor!!!

I had so much more planned in me mind.

Oh well, tomorrow is another day.

I'm now taking a well earned break, cos my bloody back is killing me.  

 7.23 pm:  And I have to admit I'm bloody knackered tonight.  We had left overs for our dinner, and I doubt we will be doing anything else except blob out in front of the telly.

I don't think I will be up late at all ... catch ya tomorrow.

SLEEP IN SUNDAY

 

YES!  Daylight saving ends today.

I dislike Daylight Saving, in case you are in any doubt.  It is totally unnecessary as far as I'm concerned.  It just dicks us around for months.  I hope one day they just STOP doing it.

ABOVE:  Lacy decided to teach Keera how to read an analogue clock.  Apparently Keera is doing really well at it.  Well done, both of you.

They are having dinner with us this evening.  

There's a few outdoor pots I want to take over to Steve 'n' Bex's today, along with a few more things from the garden.  Just odds 'n' ends that I want to keep.

I am leaving some things here for the new owners too.  

So that's what we will get up to this morning at least.

Stew and I had a good sleep in, then it was up and on to the jobs.

We took more outdoor pot plants over to the kids house.

While there:

ABOVE:  I took a little video of Steve's latest obsession, his Warhammer Table.  

ABOVE:  Lily got a few cuddles of course.  Dante and Archer were busy inside doing 'boy things'.

ABOVE: When we arrived home I made a little batch of cheese scones for our lunch.  They were so lovely, I've not made scones in quite a while.

Now... I'm off to the sewing room to pack it up.  I am NOT doing any more sewing, we simply do not need any more stock.

I can make more once we have moved.

6.34 pm:  And we just enjoyed a visit from Lacy and Keera.   We shared a yummy Chinese Takeaway meal, and there's enough leftovers for my lunch tomorrow.  Score.

The remainder of the evening will be spent pottering around the house, doing my jigsaw and watching telly.

Catch ya tomorrow.

SECOND MORRINSVILLE MARKET

 

Here we are again, up at an ungodly hour of the day.  About ready to leave for the Morrinsville Market.

The weather is looking iffy... cloudy but not raining.  Hopefully we get no rain.

This will be our second Morrinsville Market, and it will be interesting to see how many people/stall holders come today.

Last month there was an annual event on in Morrinsville, so there were predictably less people around.  Today is a 'normal' day, so I'm hoping attendance is higher than last time.

This market runs from 8.30 am to 12 noon, so we should be home in good time.  We have some people coming later on this afternoon to look at the dining suite.  Gosh I hope it goes today!  I'm kinda over it now.

...

ABOVE: Today for the very first time... we have a  'walk through' stall.  It took a bit of re-jigging our set up... but it's worked out fine.

Now... bring on the shoppers. 

8.30. We just had a shitty burst of rain and had to pull everything in. But it only lasted about 20 minutes... all fine again now.

ABOVE: Well the sun has come out... but not the shoppers so far. It is bloody slow as f#%k. It sure makes time drag.

And now the fire siren is going off in town... can't see any smoke. 

N  S  D

No Sale Day

First one in a very long time.

It was very, very quiet.  Most of the stall holders did badly, we were certainly not the only ones leaving with empty pockets today.

We will do that market one more time, and if it is still a dud, we will not do it again.

It is too much effort for NOTHING.

I'm so happy to be home, unpacked and can now just relax until the people come to look at the table.  I shall not hold my breath on that one either.

Stew is going out shortly to do the weekend Diet Coke grab.  Then he too can relax.

It might just be a takeaway dinner tonight. 

I could not be more happy, something went right today!

We finally sold the dining suite, and to the most lovely young couple, who will love it just as much as we have.

ABOVE:  One totally empty dining space.  Which I immediately filled up with the boxes of stuff from the pantry and baking cupboard.  They can stay there until we move.  I can access stuff from them if I need them.

There was no way the food was going to the storage unit.  Think Rats, Spiders, Cockroaches.  Massive IKkkkkk.

It's now almost 4 pm, and I'm thinking PIZZA for dinner...

7.41 pm:  And we did indeed have Pizza for dinner.  Steve, Bex and the kids came over for dinner as well.  Too busy eating, and being entertained by Miss Lily to take any photos.

They have now gone home, and I for one am exhausted.

I am positive I will be in bed before 9 pm tonight.

Getting up at 5 am is a bit much!

Catch ya tomorrow.  AFTER I have a freakin' sleep in.

COUNTDOWN

 

Right, I'm now doing weekly countdowns.

Seven weeks sounds so much better than 49 days.

I'm going to start packing a few more things we hopefully won't need over the next 7 weeks.

All the baking products, except maybe flour, baking power and the absolute basics.  Also a lot of the stuff that's in the pantry that we don't need/use on the daily, though I have been trying to run the pantry contents down.  

Believe it or not, I'm REALLY looking forward to doing a massive grocery shop once we have moved!  I will be able to fill my pantry, fridge and freezer up again.

This morning I am going to pull out the clothes dryer and clean behind it.  Anything I can move and clean behind NOW is one less thing to do on moving day.

ABOVE:  Marley got groomed yesterday afternoon.... the groomers always put bows and stickers on her (and Coco).  They last about 1 minute, then they are off.  Marley was a bit stressed out after her groom, as you can probably tell.

Alright, time to get a move on... I have a few things I really want to get done today.

Oh and we have a market in Morrinsville tomorrow, so I shall get all the market stuff ready for loading into the car later on as well. 

ABOVE:   😖 I have my latest jigsaw all over our dining table ... and I've got someone coming to look at the dining suite tomorrow afternoon.   Far out, I now have to move it all off the damn table.  I better get a trestle out... 

I've managed to accomplish quite a bit this morning (so far).

ABOVE:  The table is clear again, and the jigsaw is now on a big trestle in the family room (looks out of place, but who cares?).  I went over to our storage unit with a few more things, and managed to retrieve one of the extra dining suite chairs.  So now the table has 7 chairs!  lol

I even managed to clear a bit more room for more boxes at the storage unit, but that will have to wait for another day.

It is raining today, New Zealand has an 'Atmospheric River' descending right now, so lots of rain predicted for the rest of today.

I can do heaps inside today, not a problem.

ABOVE:  Another big tick on today's list of jobs.

And it didn't even take long.

It's now lunchtime, so I shall stop for a while.

I will try to get back before bedtime! lol

My leg (thanks for asking Christine) is feeling much better.  Still a bit tender, but I can walk normally again. 

Lunch is over, I had some fish cakes, which I really love.  Probably no nutritional value in them, but meh, I don't care.

On to the next job, which is the pantry and baking cupboards.

ABOVE: Chaos in my kitchen this afternoon.  But I got it done.

ABOVE:  My pantry only has the bare essentials in it now.  There's 4 big boxes over by the telly full of everything else, and all is out of the baking cupboard too.

I'm thrilled how much I got done today.  So many ticks  ✔ ☑ 👏.

Stew arrived home  and we have just finished loading the car in readiness for tomorrow.

We got all hot and sticky... ikkk.   It may have rained and drizzled all day, but it ain't cold.

So if we are lucky, it won't be cold tomorrow, but I'm taking me thermals, just in case it is.

Time to sign off for the day, I'm a bit knackered.

Catch ya tomorrow.

FIFTY DAYS TO GO!

 

OR... Seven weeks and one day.  Perhaps I'll switch my countdown to weeks?  It might make the time go faster??? (fat chance, but oh well)

Today I'm going down to a tattoo shop, provided my leg feels up to it.  

Stew and I have seen a cute little tattoo ...

ABOVE:  It reminds us of Coco so much.  I was keen on getting it on my forearm, as is Stew.

  

But upon reflection, I don't want any more tattoos.  Two is enough for me.

  

Stew can get it, and also my initials, (LOGO), on his chest.

He's been wanting that for ages, but I've been hesitant about it.

But he wants it, so we will probably do that at the same time. 

While out, IF I go out ... depending on me leg, I will also suss out those security camera options.

10.20 am:  I got up this morning and was still in a lot of pain from the calf strain.

But after two hours of fluffing around in the house, it's starting to feel a bit better.  Awesome.

I can't believe how much I can find to do some days.  I've spent most of today in the garage, just rearranging stuff that's packed ready to go.  

And emptying bins, washing bins, deciding which one has to go, cos we have too many rubbish bins.

Sorted that out.

Now on to the next thing.

Vacuum up all the little bits of dog biscuits that Coco misses when she's munching on them around and under the dining table.

Most annoying stepping on them I can tell ya.

Talking of Coco, she seems to be back to her 'old' self.  Bouncing around the house like a two year old again.  Thank goodness I took her to the Vet.

I went out and accomplished nothing!

I couldn't find the waterproof sealer I need for mosaics.

I couldn't make up my mind what camera to get.

And I thought there was a Tattooist just up the road from us... wrong.

*sigh*.

So I came home feeling frustrated.  But oh well, shit happens.

On to the next thing.

Which is having some lunch and then ???

ABOVE: Well I had a quiet afternoon, pottering around the house, doing little jobs here and there. 

Stew arrived home and I took him to the pub, then spent a couple of hours with Steve, Bex and the kids.  

We are home now, and about to blob out in front of the telly until bedtime.  

Catch ya tomorrow.