SHOWER TIME

 Well, not having any hot water on tap is starting to wear a bit thin.

First thing this morning Stew and I are off to the kid's house for a shower.  Lucky they don't mind.

After that, it's home to sew another net curtain.

And then, I'm off to Cambridge for an FBG get together.  I would be joining them with a walk, but as my chest infection/cough is still lingering, it's probably not a good idea.

I hate that I have lost so much of my fitness.  I doubt I could walk 2 kms right now, let alone do an FBG walk.

My doctor said I shouldn't try to do anything until I'm over this.  So, I will continue being a sloth for now. 

I had some net curtains that hung on both sides of the dining windows, but I didn't ever close them.

So anyway, I thought, hmmmmm.... how would they look here:

ABOVE:  I'm not sure yet if I like them there?  They certainly cut down the glare in the room, and give total privacy from outside.

I don't think Stew's sold on them yet... so we might 'live' with them for a while,  and see how we feel about them in a week or two.

And that's it for now.   I'm gunna get a move on... catch ya later.

VOILE

 Yep.  Voile.

It makes gorgeous net curtains.

But OMFG, it's a nightmare to work with.

I managed to get two, JUST TWO, cut out late yesterday afternoon.

Today I'm gunna sew the edges and heading tape on, and see how I go.

I hope that can be done without too much swearing and cursing!  

I'd really love to get the two done for the lounge today.

After lunch I've got a doctor's appointment.  Just a check up, see how my Hba1c levels are, and to just check the usual stuff.

Now, it's still fairly early, so I shall just roll over and catch a few more Zzzz's.  

Catch ya later.

11.30 am:  And I've managed to get ONE net curtain sewn up and hung.

ABOVE:  The 'before' and 'after' photos. 

I love it.

But the next one can wait till much later today!

ABOVE:  Bex  has taken the boys to some bouncy playground ... and they were having so much fun!

UNTIL...

ABOVE: This little guy fell off.  I hope he's over it and back to having fun again.

Now.. it's time to put some face on, seeing as I'm going out soon-ish.

3.37 pm.  Well my visit to the Dr went well.

I went primarily because the cough is still lingering, though not as bad.

He's now put me on anti biotics. He said as my cough is going on so long it's likely to be a bacterial chest infection.  He's also changed the inhaler to one that he thinks will work better... and I've got more Gees Linctus.

Fingers crossed all that works and I am over this lingering cough soon.

OH, I have also lost 4.5 kilos.

Only upside of being sick I suppose.

I don't have another Hba1c blood test for 6 more weeks.  I had hoped to get one now to see how that's going.  Never mind, I'm sure in 6 weeks time there will be a good drop.

I've had a quiet afternoon, just watching a crime show on Netflix.  Doubt I'll get in the mood for sewing another curtain today.  😂

It's gone all wet and miserable again.  Ikkky weather.

9.27 pm:  Well, another week has bitten the dust.  And a relaxing weekend with Stew is ahead.  Catch ya tomorrow.

BACK TO IT!

 Well, I must be feeling MUCH better.

Yesterday afternoon I decided to move a couple of things!  Yep, while there's not a lot of options in this house to move stuff, I still found some.  😉😊

ABOVE:  I have never liked the 2-seater couch on an angle in the corner, so I moved it ...

And then I moved the little white cabinet from the dining area to the lounge.

ABOVE:  So now, there's heaps more room in the dining area, should we want to extend the table and add 2 more chairs.

I felt right chuffed with myself after doing that!  It wasn't much to move, but it sure did make me tired.

I must work on building my stamina back up.

The new net curtains need heading tape (for the top), so at some point today I'll pop into town, to Harvey Furnishings (Nice name that), and get some.

ABOVE:  I felt really clever getting a 'shower kit' ready to take to Steve 'n' Bex's last night.

I've had that grey caddy for years!  I used to use it in my pottery studio when we lived in Hamilton over 25 years ago.  Man it's lasted well.

It's been used for many things over the intervening years, I doubt I will ever get rid of it.

Some things are just so handy eh?

Right, I'm off to start me day.  Looking forward to going out, even if it's only for some heading tape for the curtains.

11.30 am:  Just home from town.  I got everything done on me list in record time.

It's another wet, miserable day out there, I'm glad to be home.

After lunch I will make a start on cutting the net to size and sewing on the header tape. 

Just a bit excited to finally get my windows covered.  I love net, always have, and the voile is just so soft and sheer.

4.31 pm:  And the Chem Dry guy has just been back.  And it's DRY!

So he's taken all the blowers and dryers out, pressed the carpet down (for now), and he'll let the insurance company know then next steps.

Which will be to get a carpet company  in to attach the carpet back down properly, then it has to be cleaned.

ABOVE: He said it's a 50/50 chance it will come up OK after cleaning, or not.

So now we have to wait till the carpet is stuck down again, and cleaned before we know the next step. 

Meanwhile, we are still waiting for the Plumber to source a new hot water cylinder.  It sounds like he can't get the same size as we already have, so I've opted for a slightly smaller one, as getting the next size up meant more construction work, to make it fit in the gap.

A smaller one is just fine as there's only Stew and I here most of the time.

I'm totally over this shit, it's giving me a headache.  I wonder how long this will drag on for?  

ABOVE:  When you spill frozen cauliflower rice all over the floor.  You call in the big guns.

They didn't eat it all!  I don't think they particularly liked raw, frozen cauliflower.  lol

So, it's now 10.31 pm and I've just finished watching Coronation Street.  

Time to switch to YouTube for an hour or so before heading off to bed.

Catch ya tomorrow.

WHAT NOISE?

 Well, we may have 5 blowers/heaters blasting the damp patch in our hallway, but it didn't keep us awake at all!

With the hallway door, and our bedroom door closed, we could hardly hear the noise.

It's like a sauna in there though.  I won't even bother opening the door.

I won't be going anywhere today (or the next 2 days), as I don't think it's safe to leave those machines on without being in the house.

So... I have a quiet day ahead of me.

I've still got a bit of a residual cough, but it's not too bad now.  Just annoying.

I'm hoping to start walking with my FBG group again on Saturday.  We have a mini mid winter challenge.  Just to motivate those who have fallen off the walking wagon.  Me being one of them... thanks to being sick.  So I'm really hoping my cough is gone by then.

My plans for the day?  Ironing a few more shirts.  That's about it!

Catch ya later.

1.10 pm:  Missing in action! lol

Nah, just been busy.

ABOVE:  First up, DOGSTARS:  this is why I'm not doing me puzzle.  The puzzle board is covered in containers of ornaments and the like.

I might get it all off there eventually and get back to it.

ABOVE:  I decided to pop out to Spotlight and get some sheer voile to put net up on me windows.

I was only out for about half an hour.

I'm sure the blowers are safe to leave, surely?

ABOVE: Bex stopped in on her way to the supermarket (again), to see if there was anything I needed.

I asked her to get me more yoghurt.

AND I gave the boys bags of lollies... cos yesterday I succumbed and ate some.

Best thing is just to not have any in the house!

ABOVE:  Lastly for now, my  BOO BOO.

I had a phone holder that stuck on the dash.  It kept falling off, so I superglued it in place.  And it still fell off.  But it left a bloody mess on me dash.

So I've finally done the best I could to get it all off (photo is before I got it off).  Now I'm using a suction one on the windscreen.  

I  hope that one stays put.

It's now lunchtime.  Yoghurt for me.

Then the ChemDry bloke is coming over to check on the carpet/wall drying progress.

2.10 pm:  And he's been, checked it out and gone again, to return tomorrow.

He's happy with how it's drying.  The carpet itself? 

ABOVE:  Once it's all dry, he will clean the carpet and then we will know if all that staining will come out. 

5.25 pm:   Eeee gad, it got dark at 4.30 today!  Talk about dismal weather.

Oh well... I shan't complain too much, I totally prefer winter to summer.

I did something just now that made me exhausted!  I'll show ya what tomorrow.  For now, I better start cooking dinner.

6.53 pm:  Dinner is over, he had to cook it himself!  I ended up feeling quite ill with a headache late this afternoon.  Oh well, shit happens.

We are almost ready to head over to Steve 'n' Bex's for a shower.

Hope we get a new hot water cylinder soon!

9.40 pm:  You don't realise how much you will miss a nice hot shower, until ya can't have one.

Thank goodness the kids are just up the road!

It's now time to chill out and watch Coronation Street.

ARE YOU SHITTING ME?

 Last night, as I was getting ready for bed, I walked up the hallway to use the family bathroom.   I do that every night, so I don't disturb Stew in our room.

Anyway.... I walk up the hallway and SPLISH,  SPLOSH, SPLASH!

ABOVE:  OMFG, our hot water cylinder has shit itself, and the entire contents of the cylinder is on the floor.

I'm like, are you shitting me?   AGAIN???

We had this happen to our hot water cylinder in Palmerston North.

We also had two house floods in our Auckland home.   

I can't believe this has happened again.

ABOVE: Steve came around to help Stew work out how to disconnect the hot water, and the gas, while leaving us with cold water for the loos! 

I am expecting to hear from the Insurance Company this morning, and a cleaning company to come and dry it all up.

ABOVE:  The first job to do today?  Hang all this wet linen outside.

Thank god there was ONLY this much on the floor of that linen cupboard.

ABOVE:  I've taken 80% of the remaining linen out, including the shelving, and just dumped it on the spare bed.  There's one more shelf to empty, I'll do that in a minute.

I'm already over today!  And I haven't even started to sort this shit out.

But... we are lucky!  We are not down south and having to deal with our entire home being flooded with filthy flood waters.

Small mercies.

NEXT .... I didn't hear back from the Painting Company that was supposed to come and do a quote for our job yesterday.

Poor form.  I gave them an alternative time and day they could come, but they didn't reply.  So now I don't know if they are coming then, or not? 

In the meantime, I've contacted another company, and hope to hear back from them soon.

Steve is also working on getting us a quote.

I always knew it could be difficult to get this job scheduled... there is such a shortage of trades people now.  

I am expecting Bex and the boys this morning.  Bex has to do their grocery shopping, and I offered to watch the boys.  She'll get it done much faster without them in tow.  

And well... that's it for now.

Catch ya later.

9.45 am:  Progress.

A plumber is on the way, Thanks Steve!

Chemdry will be here with their dryers late this afternoon.

It sounds like we will have to cover all the costs of this mishap.  'Wear and tear' ain't covered by insurance.  But any damage caused by the water will be covered.  

I'm sure they can dry the carpet out. The only damage might be skirting boards.

The boys just arrived, so I've got company.

11.15 am:  And the painter arrived bang on time!  Nice guy too.  He will have his quote to me in a couple of days.  And then it will be 'around' 2-3 MONTHS before he can actually do the job.  😐  Good things take time right?

Just as he was leaving, the plumber arrived.

ABOVE: He sussed out the cylinder, declared it dead and said he would get a new one.  We might be out of hot water for a week ... or two. 😱😭😖

I have a headache.

ABOVE:  And.... let the noise and humidity begin!

It's 3.15 pm... finally got someone here to get the floor dry.

ABOVE:  So, three days of that noise.  

He's coming back to check on the dryers each day, so I can't go anywhere.

Not that I had planned on going anywhere really.

But you know how it is, when ya can't, ya WANT TO.

This really was the last thing I needed to happen, but thank god it didn't happen AFTER we got the painting done, and new carpet!

I am in a foul mood now... and craving KFC for dinner!  So, that's what we shall have I do believe.  

9.21 pm:  OMG that KFC burger was amazing!  It was the first full meal I've had in two weeks. 

Time to get comfy, watch a little TV then head off to bed.

Catch ya tomorrow.

IT'S TAKEN A WHILE

 Yesterday as I was getting dressed, I realised something momentous.

I had slept ALL NIGHT for the past week!

First time in 11 months, I'm finally sleeping again.

About bloody time.

Bex reckons it's because I've let go of all the stress, and am at peace with things in my life.

I think she's right!

Gosh it feels so good.

I know I'm not 'over' everything that's happened in the past year or so, but I'm dealing with it better.

Today I have one job to do, and if I get it done, I will be very happy with myself.

ABOVE:  Yep, it's the ironing!

Certainly nothing riveting, but Stew really appreciates me doing it.

ABOVE:  How cute are they?  Seriously, I don't exist when Stew's at home.

And STEW doesn't exist when Steve is here!  It's rather funny how they switch allegiance when Steve's here.  It's only because he feeds them tidbits of course. 😂😅😆

Right, I'm off to have a lovely day.  I hope you do too.

ABOVE:  Well, it's taken a while, but we finally have a painting company coming to give us a quote on painting the interior of the house.

Steve's company are coming later on this week to do the same.

With any luck I can get the first duck in the row, then I can line up the carpet company too.

It's been a quiet morning here, I've not even started the ironing yet!  But don't worry Stew, it will happen.  😊

I'm doing the right thing.... even though I was originally TOTALLY OPPOSED to doing it!!!

Booking details

Appointment 1

Thursday July 29 2021, 1:10PM

The Base Te Awa Vaccination Centre

Level 1, Opposite Hoyts, Te Awa. Te Rapa Road and Wairere Drive, Hamilton 3200

Appointment 2

Thursday August 19 2021, 12:50PM

The Base Te Awa Vaccination Centre

Level 1, Opposite Hoyts, Te Awa. Te Rapa Road and Wairere Drive, Hamilton 3200

First name

Christina

I have booked my Covid 19 vaccinations!  And I AM PETRIFIED of having injections!!!

Let the shitting myself begin.

3.35 pm: Gosh I have to start getting some more exercise!  I just ironed 6 shirts and I'm done in!!!

Seriously.  No energy at all.  I think I'll try and get a small walk later on this afternoon, once the painting people have been.

Talking of them... I'm starting to wonder if they are gunna turn up?  

5.25 pm:  Just got a text from the Painting Company.  "Sorry, got held up, can we do tomorrow afternoon instead?"

Ummmm.... I was tempted to say NO, but instead gave them another time frame. I'm now waiting to see if she replies.

But in all reality, not contacting me till NOW is a huge black mark beside their name.  

I made a boo boo this evening for Stew's dinner.

I got out 'Lamb Chops', put them in the oven with Mint Sauce and veges and baked it.

Then, as there was one left in the packet, I put it in the fridge for tomorrow.  

Imagine my surprise when I realised that the 'Lamb Chops' were in fact Pork Chops!

Whoops!

I was a bit worried that Stew's dinner was going to taste a bit weird!

But luckily, he said it was just fine.

So ... just so ya know, mint sauce is just fine on PORK CHOPS.  😂😆😅😜

I just saw an article on TV for heated jackets!  OMG... so tempted to order, or just buy one tomorrow.

But... at $299, I think maybe I won't.  If we lived further south, or I was still doing winter markets,  I'd definitely get one though.  What a brilliant idea.

Right, it's that time of the day.  Settle down, blankie on, and watch the telly, or You Tube.  Or maybe even yak with Stew!  lol

SUCH A HANDY CHAP

 We struck a little problem with the new dog bed.

ABOVE: One of the girls kept jumping on the top of it, and squashing it.  Then Coco couldn't get into it, and ended up sleeping on top of it.

So yesterday I took it around to Steve and asked him if he could build a small framework for it, that I could tie the top to?

And of course he could:

ABOVE:  It's quite 'high spec'!  😂😊  Thanks Steve, that's gunna work just fine now.

No sleeping in today... got kids to feed.  Bex and the boys are here for the morning.

It's SO LOVELY having family visit us so much.

11.05 am:  And it's been a nice morning.

Kids are happily playing.  

ABOVE:  And this puzzle is still eluding Steve.  He's been trying to get it back to a square block for a while now.  😆😅😂

The guys have just gone to the supermarket for some fresh food... lunch will be cheerios on fresh bread.  I'll be having me yoghurt.

OK girls, in answer to your question about 'cheerios'.  YES, it's a breakfast cereal here too.  But we also call these:

ABOVE:  Cheerios!  OR, Cocktail Sausages.

Don't ask me why!  It is what it is.

More questions:  YES we eat the red part.  And we call them 'small boys' here as well. 

5.45 pm:  And all is quiet here again.  Such a neat weekend, had the kids here almost the entire day today.  And they had so much fun with all the new fidget and puzzle toys.

Now, time to cook some dinner for Stew and I, before settling down to a relaxing evening in front of the telly.

8 pm:  Dinner is over, dogs are off to bed, and all is good in our home.  Time to sign off for the day.

Catch ya tomorrow.

JUST HANGIN'

 Well... the weather is supposed to be shit today, and for the next week at least.

So. No going out to playgrounds, or even walks.

We will hang out at Steve and Bex's today.  Let the kids play together.  They will love that.

And us adults might get to play a few rounds of cards.

That should be fun.    I love playing cards.

ABOVE:  Anyone else got a husband who goes to sleep in like, minutes?  Stew does.

Me?  Nah.  Sometimes it can take hours!  Does my head in.  

Right, I'm off to start me day, I want to gather up some yummies to take over to the kids.  Let's give them all sugar highs! 😂😅😆

It's the first day I've not had to take any cough medication at all!  So good feeling better.

As predicted, the weather is atrocious!  Flooding and roofs ripped off down south, a repeat of a few weeks ago. Awful. 

IT'S A HORRIBLE DAY

I really wanted to visit a carpet shop with Stew, get his ideas ... but OMG it's nasty out there.

Made a HUGE decision this morning.  It was a long time coming, but Stew and I feel really good about it.

FINALLY putting ourselves first.

LIKE yeah.  

ABOVE: LUNCH is served.

So it's been a really nice afternoon, just chillin'.  Kids happily playing.

Adults yakking.

Trying to decide what to do for dinner?

There's plenty of left over pizza, I think the kids will have that.

ABOVE: Doing something new this weekend.

Just to fuck off a few people.  It's just too easy.  Enjoy the picture. 😅😆😂

7.32 pm:  Dinner is done, we had seafood and fish cakes.  Bloody nice.

Kids had the pizza.

Time to sign off for the day.  Catch ya tomorrow.