CRAFT GROUP TODAY

 

I'm heading down to Graft Group today... where I have no issues with anyone, thank goodness.

I am looking forward to sewing with Mc Dreamy down there again.  Baby Brother is no match for him.

The runner I am working on today will not be ready for market tomorrow, and I'm fine with that.  We have plenty of stock.

Because I will be down there over lunch time, I will get myself some food to take.  Probably a little lettuce salad with some salami.  I'm really enjoying them.

ABOVE: Stew did it again, and came home last night with flowers.  Silly man, but clearly he loves me, just as much as I love him... well 99% of the time. 

I'm not that fond of him when he's drunk as a skunk and falling over the couch!  Luckily, that hardly ever happens.  He knows better than to do that!  lol

ONWARD...

1.30 and I'm just home after spending a few hours down in the craft room. It was nice having company while I sewed.  That's the best reason for going down there.

Mc Dreamy behaved himself, no issues at all.  Thank goodness.

I have come home now so I can continue working on this current runner... and I couldn't do that in the craft room, as I'd left the batting and binding at home.

ABOVE: The weather is looking promising for tomorrow's market, though we all know that can change in the blink of an eye.

Just hoping for a good day, fine, and a few sales would be nice.

ABOVE: It was so warm in the craft room this morning I ended up coming home and changing into a dress!   And it felt so nice to be in something other than tights and a sweatshirt.

Weigh in today and I saw a .200 gram GAIN.  I'm not letting it upset the apple cart... it is what it is.

I've not been 100% on track this week, I will do better next week.

5 pm.  My back is killing me!  I've literally been sewing all day.

But, I'm really happy to say I DID finish the current Braid Runner today.

ABOVE:  It's a colour combo I've done before, but not for a long time.  I have one like this on my hallway wall, because it is one of my all time personal favourites.

I usually avoid doing the 'pointy' ends as they are a right shit to do, but this runner deserved them.

It will be the most expensive runner on our stall, as the fabric used (Kaffe Fassetts) are damned expensive, and this runner is really long/wide.

Now it's done, I can sit back and feel like I've had a productive day.

Stew will be home in an hour or so, then we will load the car in readiness for tomorrow's market.

AFTER THAT... time to relax.

JUST A PHASE?

 

There's been a couple of things happen in the village this week that have made me feel.... unhappy being here.

First was the shitty Coffee & Chat on Tuesday, then something else happened last night that set me off again.  I won't go into details on that one though.  

So... I will not be going to Coffee & Chat today... and might not go to any more in fact.

I know I can be a 'bit' touchy and easily offended, sensitive even at times.  I KNOW, hard to believe eh?  But it is just how I am.  Full of bravado and bolshy on the outside, but not really on the inside.

I let things get to me too much.  

Right now I just want to stay in my house and forget the 'village' and forget the people here who just get right up my nose, and/or upset me.

There's quite a few, now that I've been here long enough to get to know a lot of them.

Yes, there's a lot that are just lovely too, of course.

I was walking through the Community Centre yesterday, and passed not one, but two small groups of ladies.  Both groups were standing/sitting around BITCHING and RUNNING DOWN other people who live or work here, and anyone could hear them.

I found that so rude.  If you are going to bad mouth other people, shouldn't you at least do it in private?  Not in the dining room or the foyer, where anyone can hear you?

Living here has shown me a totally different side to life and how people think they can act.  AND it's hard to get away from it all when you are in a village setting like this.

I know quite a few people who live here do not engage in any of the village activities, and keep totally to themselves.  Maybe I get why now.

So, today I'm not sure what I will get up to, other than doing a small grocery shop for those Spare Ribs Stew loved so much last night.

I had hoped there was an FBG walk on today, but sadly there isn't.  I would have really enjoyed seeing some happy faces.  Maybe I'll go down and have a swim and soak in the spa?  That might cheer me up.

Sorry for the misery guts post.  

ONWARD...

10.25 am.  I took Mc Dreamy down to the craft room, and brought back Baby Brother.  Ran into several of the C & C group.  Also ran into my lovely neighbour Oz, so I sat down in the dining area and had a drink with him.  Got asked by several of the C & C group if I was joining them?

I said NO THANKS.  I did talk to one of the 'steadfast members' about why I wouldn't be joining them again... he was a bit upset.  He's vowed to talk to the group about topics of conversation that are no longer acceptable.  I still don't want to go though.

As I said, I'm really over the shit that goes down here.

I am now going to the supermarket.  In this mood, I better not go ANYWHERE near the cakes/buns/biscuit aisles!

2.30 pm.   I did the shopping, got $100 worth of meat.  Came home and cooked my lunch, but because it was taking so long I had 4 crackers with cheese and relish on them.  Then of course, I wasn't hungry anymore.  So now Stew is having roast chicken and veges for his dinner.... after he gets home from the pub.

Cos it's pub night right?  

I have been working in Crabby Quarters on another Braid Runner.  It's not a Kiwiana one!

I might show you tomorrow. 

I've had a lovely evening, thank goodness.

Stew and I walked up to the pub, then I went home with Steve in his van.

I had planned on walking back to the pub, to then walk back home with Stew.  But it was TOO DARK!  So Bex drove me back to the pub.  We took Lily with us, so she could see her Granddad.

ABOVE: This little girl did not like dresses AT ALL, but things have changed.  She now insists on wearing a dress every day.  She saw that one at K Mart today and just had to get it.

ABOVE: Lily at the pub with Granddad, eating chips dipped in tomato sauce.  She didn't want to leave.  😂

ABOVE: hanging with the regulars.  Bex got her to leave only because there was a fire truck in the carpark, and Lily loves fire trucks.  (the firemen were picking up a pizza).

Stew and I just shared the lamb and veges I had prepared... just the right amount for both of us this late in the evening.  

Time to sign off for the day.  I am taking on board the idea of indeed going back to Coffee & Chat and keeping my mouth shut.

I have a long time left to live here, I don't want to be a social outcast at the end of the day.

LET'S SEW SHALL WE?

RIGHT, no procrastinating today. 

I am having another go at making an oven mitt that will pass muster with the sewing ladies.

One of said 'sewing ladies' called in yesterday and dropped off her oven mitt, so I could use it as a pattern.  So nice of her.

I'm also thinking of making hot pot 'pads', to use on the bench or table.  Do you think that's a good idea?

WEGOVY:  one more week of being at the .5 mg dose, then I go up to 1.0 mg.  I am hoping like hell that starts making a difference, because seriously, nothing has changed yet.  I still feel hungry all the time, I still think about food all the time and although I am 'dieting' and being very careful with my food/portions, my loss has stalled.  And in fact I can bounce up and down a kilo in a week.  It's doing my bloody head in.  Meh, I've probably said all this before eh?  I know these things take time, but knowing that doesn't help.  

I talked to my WW Coach about this last night, and she reckons I'm not eating enough!  Seems that is a thing.  So I'm going to try adding back in some carbs, as I literally don't eat carbs most days.  So today I will have a small potato with my salad. 

Right, boring shit done with... let's get on with the day.

It will be good right?

ONWARD...

NOPE.  I lay in bed this morning, totally unenthused with the idea of sewing oven mitts/hot pot pads.

I have done a complete 180 degree turn around.  I don't WANT to do them.  They don't interest me.  It's not the direction I want my stall to go in. 

So there ya go.  Now I have nothing to do.

I will probably just keep making a few more Kiwiana type runners.  That's what I love making, and if I ain't loving what I'm doing, I might as well throw the machine away and just stay in bed.

It is a fairly cold morning, so the heat pump is on, and I'm contemplating doing some exercise.

YES, I get on the exercycle about three times a week.  I do strength exercises with lightweight hand weights.  And I bought an Aerobic Step as well... and I've looked on YouTube at routines on how to get the most out of that too.  So I am well aware I need to keep my muscles strong.  I also make sure I eat enough protein every day.

I've got it covered people!  Thanks for the concern.

And as for the haters, and there's quite a few out there.... FUCK OFF.  Said ever so nicely of course. 😂😅😖

I went down to the Craft Room to have a chat with one of the ladies there.  She was at morning tea yesterday and felt the same way as me about how it went.  It was nice to get another person's perspective on the 'racism' issue and if we had ever talked about 'it' during C & C?  She, like me said NO.  So yeah, we both agreed that the lady involved was just probably have a wobble of some sort, having a bad day etc.

Moving on, I just did 'the hill' and today it was much easier!  I was so pleased to get to the top and not feel breathless.

Lacy has just done The Hakarimata Summit Track in Ngāruawāhia, which is a climb up a bloody mountain... with 1,349 steps!  She suggested I try it one day with her!   Stupid, stupid woman.  I struggle to do 36 bloody steps.  lol

And Lacy stopped in on her way home.  And then so did Margaret ( from the village ), so I had some lovely company for a while.

ABOVE: Those two get along like a house on fire!  Margaret has a daughter of a similar age to Lacy, who's struggled with addiction and similar things to Lacy. So they can relate to each other.  It was so nice having them here.

Now they have left and I'm making my lunch.

Then, who knows what I'll get up to?

FOLLOWING:  Anon comment and my replies in RED....

AnonymousSep 16, 2026, 11:46 AM

Going to he honest here, the "i literally dont eat carbs most days" statement is kind of delusional. Let's look at last week.
Monday - fruit for dinner (carbs) I really don't count fruit as carbs, they are 'free' on the Weight Watchers app.
Tuesday - meals not disclosed
Wednesday - meals not disclosed
Thursday - baked beans (carbs), baked potato (carbs) Half a cup of Baked beans and two potatoes... OK.  LOTS of Carbs.
Friday - meal out. Hot chips (carbs) SIX CHIPS!, coleslaw and accompanying sauce (carbs), sauce on ribs (carbs)
Saturday - Roast potatoes (carbs)  Wait for it, photo to follow of my potatoes.
Sunday - Meal out. Burger (carbs) I didn't eat the burger buns , hot chips Again, SIX chips! (carbs).

So out of 7 days, carbs were eaten on 5 days, and the 2 days you potentially didn't is actually unknown as they were the days you didn't disclose anything you ate. I dont believe everything you eat is shared so even more carbs could have been consumed than disclosed.
Not trying to be a "hater", just keeping it real.

When I say I've had roast potatoes...

ABOVE: These are what I have.  Two usually.  I bought that box of potatoes at least 3 weeks ago, and it's still half full... bearing in mind Stew has had some too.

12.20 pm.  Lunch is done and now I'm going out to pick up Mc Dreamy!  He's done.  AND they have literally charged me NOTHING for the repair!   I mean $28 is NOTHING compared to the $100's of dollars already spent on him!!!!

I am thrilled to bits.  Now let's hope he keeps going... and going... and going... !

6 pm.

I've spent the afternoon mucking around in the house, tidying my wardrobe, Crabby Quarters etc.

Did a load of washing and threw it in the dryer as well.  No point hanging it outside today, it was too overcast with no wind.  Nothing would have dried out there.

Stew is due home shortly.

I've got his dinner ready to go.  He's having BBQ Spare Ribs and veges.  

10.25 pm.  Well Stew loved the spare ribs so much, I'm going to buy more tomorrow.  Plus whatever else we might need for the next week or so.

Coronation Street has just finished, so I'll be off to bed in the next half and hour or so.

Catch ya tomorrow.

LAST CHANCE

 

After making three attempts at an oven mitt yesterday, with no happy ending, I'm giving it ONE LAST CHANCE today.

I'm not holding my breath either, because I'm just not convinced I can get one that I like, and one that will pass the 'Sewing Room Squad's' approval too.  

I still have to unload the sewing trolley after using it yesterday... yep, that's how lazy I was yesterday afternoon!

So, I'll get that done then I will do my 'hill walk'.

After that I am going to attend Coffee & Chat in the Community Centre.

And then I'll come home and get on with the dreaded Oven Mitt project.

Just to clarify something:  The Pot Mitts I made last week are only for pots on the stove, NOT dishes that are coming out of the oven.  Oven Mitts have heavy insulated batting, so you don't burn your hands on REALLY HOT dishes and oven racks.

ONWARD...

11.45 am.

And that's possibly the LAST TIME I got to Coffee & Chat!  We were happily yakking and the conversation veering onto Maori Language and other languages being taught in schools etc etc.

It wasn't a RACIST conversation, we all have our own opinions on subjects like this.

But one lady decided that ALL WE EVER TALK ABOUT at Coffee & Chat is racism, and she wasn't happy about it.  She made me feel so uncomfortable, and kinda angry. So I up and left half an hour early.

I mean, I am bloody 100% positive we have not discussed the Maori Language or culture EVER before.  And today's conversation was certainly NOT racist.

I'm going to talk privately with a few other people who were there this morning and get there opinions... have I missed days when racism was talked about?  Or was this lady just venting with a bee in her bonnet?

I am finding out slowly how fucking 'touchy' some people can be here!  It makes me want to retreat into our home and not venture out again.

I haven't come here to be involved in this sort of shit, that's for sure.

After leaving there, I went to the supermarket for just a couple of things.  Now that I'm home I'm cooking some lunch.

Then I'm joining one of my neighbours to be shown how to play.............   FUCKING BOWLS!

Yep.  There's a charity bowls tournament on next week, and I've been badgered into joining a team.

Save me now.

ABOVE: Well it finally happened!  I played bowls.  VERY BADLY.  Though I did 'win' three ends out of about eight. lol

Oz and I will have another practise before next week's tournament.  And I will wear a t-shirt, cos you get a bit warm playing that shit.

I can't see me continuing with bowls ... one off's here and there would be OK, but not as a regular thing.  

It is now 2.30 pm and I really don't feel like doing much else right now, so I will blob out for a while, and listen to a true crime doco while doing a jig saw.

7.15 pm.  Just home from Weight Watchers, which was a very small meeting.  There are less and less people attending WW now.  Could be the price.  Could be just because it's cold.  Who knows?  It's certainly NOT as popular as it used to be.

Stew arrived home and went for a walk, so he's just walked in the door as well.

I lay on the couch for an hour this afternoon, put my earrings in my sweatshirt pocket.  When I got up I had lost one of my earrings.  I hunted under the couch and all over the house to no avail.

Stew helped me look under the couch again just now, using a torch and Yaaa! We found it.  It was really upsetting me as they were a pair that our grandson Archer gave me for Christmas.  And I love them.  

ABOVE:  These are the earrings I love so much.  They have coloured sand and tiny REAL seashells in them.  

So that's my day, done and dusted.  I'm now going to sit and warm up under my heated throw, because it was bloody cold at the WW meeting.  

Bring on summer... then I can bitch and moan about being too hot.  😂😅😂

MONDAY, AND STEW IS HOME

 

Stew took today off work.

So he's had a 4 day weekend.  Nice.

Today he has an appointment (secret squirrel stuff) at 3.15 pm.  So we basically have all day to do what we want.

We can't sleep in today though, as we are taking the boys to school for Steve 'n' Bex.

While we do that, Bex is taking Steve to hospital for an operation.  He's getting his appendix taken out. It has been recommended by his gastric team.  There is a chance by having it out his Pancolitis/Crohn's Disease might improve.  Might not too... but it's worth a try.  ANYTHING is worth a try!  

He's going to be in hospital for a couple of days, then straight back to work.  He's crazy.  I hope he takes it easy for a while!

I might go to Craft Group today, it depends how I feel later on in the morning.

And that's me for now, catch ya later.

ONWARD...

Right, that's done, boys are at school and Steve is at the hospital.  Not sure when he has his operation, but probably this morning sometime.

Stew's appointment this afternoon just got cancelled, so he's now having to re-schedule that.

We are off for a walk now...

ABOVE: And there's our little walk recorded.  I'm going to be using Samsung Health to record my walks from now on as Map My Run/Walk keeps glitching on me, and I'm over it.

Time to pack my trolley for craft group...

10.10 am:  And Steve got as far as the pre-op room... then 'they' decided he wasn't well enough for the surgery!  He's in the middle of a flare up, so surgery is now postponed.  What a pain in the arse, all the plans he's made to accommodate this surgery, for nothing today.

It will still happen, but who knows when now?  Grrrrr.

3 pm, and I've just spent 5 hours in the craft room.

I'm sure you have heard the saying 'Too many cooks in the kitchen" right?

Well I've got another one... "Too many sewers in the sewing room".

I made three pot holders today, and not one of them was "RIGHT".

So I've shelved the idea of pot mitts right now.  I'm done with that.   When I'm over today's effort, I MIGHT try the original pot mitt idea... a long one piece with half circles each end for your hand.

7.42 pm:  Well ... not done anything else today!  Lazed away the afternoon just sitting in the lounge watching TV and doing jig saws.  

Might just do more of that this evening! lol

Catch ya tomorrow.

CAMBRIDGE TRASH & TREASURE IN SEPTEMBER

 

5.32 am, and yep, it's cold.  But not FREEZING.

We are heading off to market (in Cambridge) in about 20 minutes or so, depends on how long Stew takes to get ready really.  I'm much faster than him.  😂😆

Bex will be there as well, so that will be nice having her right next to us again.  It works out well for her too, we can watch her stall if she needs to leave for food or a bathroom break.

I just remembered this photo I took yesterday:

ABOVE:  Have you EVER seen fruit THAT EXPENSIVE?   Not only that, but when you think about how much pulp is inside a passionfruit, you are basically paying over $100 a kilo,  just for the pulp!!!  Outrageous.  I would NEVER pay that much for fruit.   Would YOU?

Right guys, I better go.  We've got a market to get to.

ONWARD...

ABOVE: And up comes the sun. Nice to be setting up in daylight again I must say.

8.01 am and we are ready.

ABOVE:   The weather is iffy right now.

I went for a walk to check out the other stalls. There's heaps more here today.

When I got back to ours, this greeted me:

ABOVE: Yeah. Apparently Lily will love it. 🤣😅🤣

ABOVE: YEP...still cold enough for the hat and jacket. 

11.50 am, and  l think Stew is going to get his way. We will not be doing this market again. It's NOT our market ...  people come to this one to buy (mostly) second hand junk.   Our stuff is more suited to CRAFT markets.

Hanging out to go home.... 

ABOVE: She did it again! Now Lilys also getting a cow. 😅🤣😅

ABOVE: It would appear Lily thinks dinosaurs are to be sat on.  Cute.

We have had a quiet afternoon, I think I might have nodded off in my chair at one point too.

We are going out for dinner.  I might have something evil.  Or not.  I'm not exactly hungry, so maybe something small?

Dinner was ok, but not fantastic.  I had a burger, which I shared with Stew.  The chips were over cooked and REALLY over salted.  So safe to say we won't be going there again.  Back to The Outlook or The Foundation, which are both pretty good.

It's time to sign off for the day, we are both bloody tired.  Catch ya tomorrow.

SHOPPING, WASHING, VISITORS BLA BLA BLA

 

No sleep in for us today... well, possibly a little one.

Once we are up, Stew is going to do the weekend shop, and I will get the washing on.  All bog standard boring shit.

At 9 am we are expecting visitors from within the village.  

After that?  Dunno.  Stew has suggested we go for a walk, so perhaps we will.

We haven't seen the kids for a week, so maybe a visit to them will be on the cards sometime as well.

The Cambridge Trash N Treasure market is on tomorrow, so I will make sure everything is ready for that, and packed in the car before it gets dark.

ONWARD...

This morning has gone 100% to plan.  All tick tick tick.

Now.  I'm making our lunch, a chicken salad.  With roast potatoes.

We did the grocery shopping, and OMG it's cold out there today.  A really cold wind.  I sure hope it's not like that tomorrow.  I'm freezing.  And yes, I turned the heat pump on today.  At least it's warm inside.

7.20 pm. Well we've been a bit busy today.  Sorry for the late update.

Lunch turned out lovely, but as per usual now days, I put far too much on my plate.  Coco got lucky with my chicken left overs.

After lunch we visited Steve, Bex and the kids.

ABOVE:  And of course, we visited Marley too.  She loves her tennis balls so much... I am constantly amazed that she doesn't get lock jaw from holding it in her mouth for so long.

She's due for a groom... she's such a fluff bucket right now.  😂😊

ABOVE: A certain little miss just LOVES her Granddad so much!  

She was a box of birds and a right chatter box ... her speech is coming along very well now.

ABOVE:  Once we arrived home, we packed the car, then I decided to get another Bee Runner made.

Three and a half hours later, there it is.

Now I bet ya we don't sell one for months!  lol

That would be so typical.  But, at least I now have two for the stall.

Now that is done, and the car is packed, we are ready for tomorrow's market.  The weather is looking good, no rain predicted.  Might just be a bit cold.  

SUMMER IS COMING.... I can't wait.  And on that happy note, I'm outta here.

Catch ya tomorrow.

SPRING FLING

 

Well another Friday rolls around, which means I'm off to the craft room to sew with company.  Hopefully!  Cos ya never know who's going to be there, or not be there.  If no one is there, I shall turn around and come home.

Actually... instead of packing everything up and hauling it down there, I might go down myself and see if anyone is there first.  That way I don't end up packing everything up for nothing.

GOOD IDEA.

Tonight (7 PM) there's an evening on here, it's called the SPRING FLING.  There will be live music, and free drinks/nibbles.  These sort of events are well attended, no doubt because of the free grog and food.  Though, I think you only get a couple of drinks free, after that you have to pay.  Fair enough too... I am sure there would be some people who would take advantage if the drinks were free all night long!  

Thank goodness it's not a 'dress up' event ... or themed (even worse!).   I'm looking forward to Stew meeting more of the villagers, he doesn't attend many social events yet.

* This is a reminder to myself... put numbing patch on at 2 pm today, have jabby jab at 6 pm. 

ABOVE:  The two Scrappy Dolls I made yesterday.

Stew:  does not have a hangover, but yep, his leg is sore.  Serve him right, that shit kept me awake half the night with his snoring and Woolworths bladder!  Grrrr.  I lay in bed until almost 9 this morning... it was wonderful.

I've decided not to go down to the Craft Room today. I'm going out to buy some new casual sneakers.  My current pair, while perfectly fine, have lost a lot of their tread.  And the right one SQUEAKS, ALL.  THE.  TIME.  Except this morning.  When I went to show Stew, it didn't squeak!  Bloody typical.

ABOVE: So many to choose from. But once you narrow it down to colour, its not so hard. I ended up getting the same sneakers I had, but the latest version.   But... NOT the Wide Fit, my feet have slimmed down. Why the fuck can't weight GO from where I want???  I don't need it to go from my bloody feet! 🤣😅😂

After buying my new sneakers, we decided to have a nice lunch out.  My 'naughty' meal of the week.

We went to Foundation, and I decided to get something I've not had before.

ABOVE:  I got the spare ribs.  And they were amazing!  The coleslaw had some sort of tangy dressing on it, delicious!  The ribs?  Melt in your mouth, and the surrounding sauce was so nice.  Stew ended up getting a third of my ribs and 80% of my chips.  I had 6 chips... gosh once upon a time I would have eaten all of that and then be looking for something else!

ABOVE: Stew had steak, eggs and chips.  Seriously, his plate was packed with ... chips.

ABOVE:  He did wonder where his eggs were, till he cut into the little round crumbed things. Ahhh, there they are!

I asked the manager how they did them like that, so he told me.  I am going to try it at some point.

Par-cook the eggs, then coat them in beaten egg and breadcrumbs, then deep fry them.  I would put them in the air fryer obviously.

It is now 1.15 pm, and we are probably going to have a quiet afternoon.  I don't even feel like sewing today.

And like, where the hell is everyone?  It's been a bit quiet here for a couple of days now.  😟😣

ABOVE:  Ready for Spring Fling.  It is not a 'dress up' type evening, so I'm happy with my outfit.  I bought that top in Palmerston North years ago, but have never worn it before.  It was always a bit too snug... it still is a bit snug over the boobs, but not too bad.  

It's been a nice afternoon, I dyed my hair (the roots were showing) and had a shower bla bla bla.

Stew is just getting himself ready now... he's wearing jeans and a nice top.

I remembered my Jabby Jab, Stew just did it for me.

6 pm, and we shall wander down to the Community Centre in a little while.  

Hopefully it's a nice evening.  

9.15 pm.  After a slowish start, Stew and I got into the mood, and got up and danced!  I dragged a recent widower up to dance as well, which was lovely.  He seemed to enjoy dancing with me.  Though YMCA was kinda a shit song to dance to!  Most of the music was sung live by a lady who is engaged to come here every time.  She's not too bad.  The songs are from the 50's to about the 80's... sadly we knew a lot of them.  lol

We left a bit early as I was over it by 9.  

Stew walked home while I did my 'hill walk' on my own. 

We are now both in our pyjamas, nestled in front of the telly... which we haven't even turned on yet!  What a laugh. 

There's 5/8th of F all on telly anyway.

I'm off, catch ya tomorrow.