LUNCH MEET UP

I'm looking forward to today.  I'm going over to Cambridge for lunch with a bunch of ladies from the FBG group.

It will be lovely to catch up with them, now that I'm not an active walking member of the group.  Now days I'm just a 'social' member.

I'm undecided if I will re-join next year.  I have a 'few' lovely friends from the group, but mostly they are just people I can say 'Hi' to in the street. 

It is what it is.

After I get home from lunch I will probably make a start on the friggin Christmas Tree.

Putting the lights on first.  Oh yaa.

Anyone else loathe doing the bloody tree like me?

Stupid thing is, once it's done I love it. 😖😉

DOCTOR TODAY

 I've got that long awaited doctor's appointment today.

It's only taken a month to finally see my doctor!  

It's outrageous really.  Yes, you can see a doctor earlier, but only by walking in and waiting hours to see whoever is on duty.  There is no continuity of care at all.  Unless you book to see a particular doctor.  And that will mean a two week wait, MINIMUM.

Because they stuffed up my last appointment, I have had to wait a month.  

I've got a list of things to discuss with him now.

Once that is done, I'm coming home to get some of the Christmas stuff out of the cupboard.

Knowing me, I'll end up getting it all out.  😕

OR... I could tidy up the sewing room, price all the UCKI PLANTS, and make sure all is ready for Saturday's Twilight Market.  Decisions, decisions.

At least I can't say I've nothing to do!

CHRISTMAS DECO'S WON.

ABOVE:  We got this little guy in Sylvia Park some time ago.  WAS going to name him/her Sylvia.  But can't.  All our Christmas Friends have names starting with 'R'.  So he became Rhyder.  Seemed an obvious choice for his name eh?

ABOVE: I now have everything out of the Christmas storage cupboard.  And there it sits.

Till I have the motivation to start putting shit around the house.

ABOVE:  I did put that one up.... it took no time at all!  lol  😂😅😉

ABOVE:  just stole it off Facebook.

And yeah, how's that gunna work for a girl?  😂😂😅

12.30 pm:  Back from the Doctors.  He's VERY happy with my latest results.  We discussed Trulicity, and we might move to that in the future. For now the medications I'm on are doing the trick.

So a positive visit.  I'm glad I persisted in waiting to see my 'own' doctor.

Home now, had lunch and am about to tackle more decorations.

ABOVE:  There's a crane in me street.  Hmmm.

ABOVE:   BEFORE.

ABOVE:    AFTER.  Three big palm trees removed.

It took them all day, but a good job done.

I'm working on market stuff, printing out a few hand outs, explaining about bowl cosy's etc.

Pricing things.  bla  bla bla.

8 pm:  I'm very happy with my day.  I got lots accomplished.  And I'm feeling very positive about my health/weight issues.

We are expecting a friend to arrive soon.  He's staying the night so he can travel to Auckland tomorrow morning.  Cutting his trip down into two parts so he doesn't have to get up at 4 am to get to Auckland in time for his business.

So should be a nice evening catching up with him.

Catch ya tomorrow.

CHRISTMAS SHOPPING

 Christmas shopping is on my agenda today.

I'm going to figure out where my 'gaps' are, and buy accordingly today.

Top of my list will be the Christmas Chocolates.

EVERY year for as long as I have been a mother, I've bought my kids a box of Roses Chocolates for Christmas.  (among other things of course).

Now I add grandkids to that tally as well.

This year there will be 20 boxes to buy! 

I think I'll let my fingers do the walking to find the cheapest place to get the chocolates.  I'm not going to pay $6-7 a box, if they are $5 somewhere else.

It will be fun getting out and about, instead of sewing all day.

Before I forget, at Weight Watchers last night I recorded a loss of .600 grms.  Better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick!

My losses so far add up to 6.4 kilos... not as much as I would like, but it's SLOW and STEADY.  And sustainable.  Lose a bit, maintain, lose a bit more... maintain.  I'm happy.

The only thing I'm doing differently, and still losing slowly, is PORTION CONTROL.

I'm eating LESS.  But still eating what I like.  Still enjoying meals out.  Nothing is ruled out.  

WELL, OK, I have cut most sugars out.

But, if I feel like a sweet or a piece of cake, I will have it.  Just not every day, or even every week.

And that's enough about friggin weight.  

It's time to get outta bed and start the day.

SHOPPING!   Love it.

11.52 am:  And it's all done!

I don't need to go out in the craziness again.

All I have to do now is wrap grandkids stuff.

And put up the Tree and decorations.

ABOVE:  I had to.

He's cute.

Lunch time.  Garlic bread with ham and cheese. 

And that's a wrap.  I've spent the last few hours sorting out and wrapping presents.

One job I utterly loathe.   Thank god it's only once a year. 

I am now completely knackered.

Finally worked out where to put the Christmas tree this year.  We can't fit it in the sun room again as we have become a storage facility for 'someone'.  MOST annoying.

So it's going in the lounge.  That means I will have to store a lounge chair in a bedroom, but hey, it's only for a couple of weeks.

UNLIKE everything else in the spare bedroom... it is now a storage facility too.  Spewing tacks over that.

Stew is getting takeaways for dinner.  I'm now sitting down, with no intention of getting up!

Stew had KFC for his dinner ... he enjoyed it I'm sure.

I've just watched Coronation Street, so almost bedtime.

It has felt weird not doing any sewing today.  But nice too.  I certainly needed a break.

GOSH... JUST MORE OF THE SAME

 Last night I spent two hours cutting out batting for leaves.  I sat on the couch in the family room and watched the TV while doing it.

Nice for a change of scene. 😉😊

ABOVE: There's about 80 leaves there!  I sure have a head start on making them today, by having cut all the batting out already.

What's funny is that I probably won't even sell a UCKI PLANT this weekend!  But I sure will have enough of them.  😂😅

Once I have made some 'spare' plants, I am going to take a break from sewing.  I simply don't need anything else right now.

IF I sell a lot over the two December markets, then I will have some work to do before the two January markets.  But for now... I've got plenty of stock. 

ABOVE:  I'm thinking of buying a rebounder (mini trampoline).  Primarily to increase my fitness, help with weight loss, bone density bla bla bla.

I've had it on my mind for a few months.

Does anyone out there know much about how effective they are for fitness/weight etc?

Does anyone have one?  Use one?

I envision me bouncing while watching the tv.

There's quite a few exercises you can do on them apparently, and because of the nature of trampolines, you have low impact on ya body/joints etc.  Which is ideal for us who are not spring chickens any more.

So... any knowledge/info would be greatly appreciated.

And now... it's time to get back to me day.

I'm hosting Card Night tonight.  So I will be heading out to the supermarket first thing this morning to get a few bits 'n' bobs. 

Then... back to LEAVES.  

3.25 pm:  And I now have 10 UCKI PLANTS made ready for market!

A good days work is behind me, and I now have my feet up.

Did a quick grocery shop this morning, so I'm set for tonight's Card Night.

It's Weight Watchers tonight as well... so I will just weigh and go.  I don't need to sit and listen to the usual drivel.  Heard it all before.

They are constantly 'reinventing' the same shit, using different names, points systems etc.  It's laughable how many I've seen and heard over the years.

I only go for accountability and some company.  Doubt I will ever make any friends in this group.

Just can't see it happening.

Rounding up the day... excellent effort in the sewing room.  And a lovely evening with dear friends who came over from Cambridge for card night.  So much fun, lots of laughs and good snacks.

I never care about winning/losing, it's all about having a good time with friends.

ABOVE: I'm pretty sure Bex LOVES winning!  😉😊

And now, it's time to wind up and say... catch ya tomorrow.

TIME TO DECORATE YET?

 

When is the 'right time' to put up ya Christmas decorations and tree?

I know some people do it in November.  

Not me.

I have a touch of OCD, and like my house to be 'just so' most of the time.

So decking it out with Christmas stuff jars on my nerves.

But I do it for the kids... our big ones for years, and now for the grandkids.

So... here I am pondering when I will do it.

It's a big job, and Stew has never helped me with it.  Probably because I don't think he will do it right, or just annoy me.  Yeah.  I'm not nice sometimes.  😕😓

At the moment, I'm leaning towards next Sunday, after we have done the next market.

Have you done yours yet?  How do you decide when to do it?  Or don't you bother?

If you do decorate, do you go 'whole hog' or just put up a tree?

ABOVE:  Dante and Archer did their tree yesterday.  I think they did very well, it looks wonderful.  Maybe I should get them to do mine?

Right, now back to today.  I am going to bore the shit out of you and cut out leaves all day long.

1.30 pm:  shit half the day is already gone.  

Funny how fast it goes when you are busy.

I did lots of odd jobs around the house this morning, primarily moving the gate and fence panels so I could get my car back in the garage.

Then it was on to sewing leaves again.

ABOVE:  I know I really only need to make two more plants for the next few markets, but once on a roll... you should keep at it. Right?

My goal today is 50 of the biggest leaves, and 25 of the next size down.

I've made 24 big ones so far.

6.15 pm:  Stopped to cook dinner for Stew.

He's having Lamb Spare Ribs, Potato and a Lettuce/Egg/Tomato salad.  

I ended up getting 80 leaves made today!  That was a very good run.

If I do the same tomorrow I will have them all done and ready to be put together by the end of the day.

I'm now done for the day. Catch ya tomorrow.

MORE BLOODY LEAVES... OR NOT?

 Because I ran out of green leaves yesterday (YEAH I did amazingly), I will need to make more.

I really thought I'd have enough to last me for quite a while, but no.

ABOVE:  Look at that!

I made four more UCKI PLANTS late yesterday afternoon.  So my little shelf is full.

I think they look so good on the dark wood, I'm not going to paint it white after all.

There's seven plants on the shelves.  I think I should have a couple 'spare', so that's what I'm working towards in the next few days.

TODAY:  Not sewing.  

Stew and I are going to spend the day together.

Where is undetermined right now.  If it's a nice day... might be a beach.  Or lake.  

10.53 am.

We are on the road to a place I've not been to since I was a very young girl. 

....

ABOVE:  On the Kawhia wharf.

ABOVE:  in the distance, Kawhia Harbour.  A bit hazy today.

ABOVE:  In the distance, to the left, you can just see Kawhia Harbour.  Stunning country side.

ABOVE: Mt Pirongia from the South/East.  

We are in Kawhia. The road to here is twisty, windy, steep in places but worth it. Its Beautiful here. There's cool wind blowing, otherwise a stunning day.

We are having lunch at the local cafe ... then we will head out to the beach. Check out what it's like.

Lunch was lovely, and INCREDIBLY cheap!  Like half the price of anywhere else we have eaten.

ABOVE:  Standing on the Kawhia wharf.  The locals were lovely, chatty people.  Seems you can catch kahawhai, snapper, kingfish and many other fish from the wharf. 

It was bloody cold on the wharf, with a stiff costal wind blowing.

ABOVE:  We drove out to the beach, parked in the carpark and proceeded to walk to the beach.

To be met with a HUGE, STEEP climb UP.  I seriously didn't think I would make it.  We had to stop several times.  That photo is taken from the top, looking down.  You cannot see how steep it was.

TRUST ME, if you are old, fat and unfit I don't recommend even trying it!

I nearly died.

And the sand on the west coast is black and BOILING HOT.

I won't be surprised if I have blisters under my toes tomorrow, and we WERE wearing jandals!  (flip flops)

ABOVE:  The view from the top, looking down at the beach. It was another big climb down, which would have meant another big climb up, so we didn't go down. 

ABOVE: Looking North along the west coast.  It's a wild and rugged coast.  Not my cuppa tea.  I'm an East Coaster through and through.

ABOVE:   Mt Pirongia from the West.  Slap bang in the middle, it doesn't look that impressive, but it is a large mountain from ground level.  This was taken high up in the hills.  Such beautiful country.

We are now just chilling out and enjoying some down time.  

Had some nice down time before going into the sewing room and cutting out a few leaves.  I will continue with that tomorrow.

Nothing else happening around here, so I will say ... catch ya tomorrow.

BIT OF THIS 'N' THAT TODAY

 Mixed bag of stuff on the agenda today.

First up we are heading out to pick up some stuff that has to go into storage here.

While we are out, the girls are going to Steve 'n' Bex's for a play date.

After all that, I am going to do the usual housework, then head back into the sewing room to continue working on leaves.

ABOVE:  I was really thrilled with how many leaves I got sewn up yesterday.  I haven't counted them up, but well over 60.

Today I hope to get all the rest done.  Then the FUN part happens.  I get to actually make the plants.

11.40 am:  Well one job is nearly done.

We were lucky and Steve came with us, so two trips and the job is done.

Most of what we picked up is going straight to the dump or an Op Shop.

It was abandoned... so we shall dispose of it.

I'm feeling very headachy today.  Woke up and got a blood nose out of nowhere.  Think my blood pressure is elevated.  Not surprised really.

Stressed a bit.

But once I shake off the bullshit and just forget about it, I should be OK.

8.10 pm:  Sorry for being absent so long.  As it's usually very quiet on the weekends, I didn't think it mattered.

I have been sewing all afternoon, right up until 7.30 pm.  I got heaps done!

In fact, I ran out of green leaves, so tomorrow will be making more.

And I will show you my progress on UCKI PLANTS tomorrow as well.

For now, we have just had our dinner.  I made little lamb burgers using Brioche buns, OMG they are delish.

The very last episode of Doc Martin is on soon.  I hope it ends well.  The shorts have been troubling, showing him bleeding out from an injury!  Surely they can't kill him off???

SEWING LEAVES BY THE DOZEN

All the grunt work was done yesterday, so today I get to do the next step.

I'm going to be stitching up dozens of leaves today.  I can't wait until they are all done and I can get to the fun bit.

Which is putting them all together into UCKI PLANTS.

ABOVE:  While watching TV last night I spent two hours cutting out the batting for the leaves.

I doubt I've got enough done, but it's plenty to be making a start with.

I didn't get any 'gardening' done yesterday.  But I do intend to prune the big begonia today.  I hope I don't kill it!  As Stew knows, when I prune something, it usually means it's gunna die.  😂😅

So now... it's gunna be quiet on here for a while.

I'm a sewing...

9.35 am:  And I'm still fluffing around in the house and garden.

ABOVE:  this corner makes me so happy.  Blue Hydrangeas.  My MOST favourite plant ever.

ABOVE:  We will have mini tomatoes soon!  How cool.

Walking back inside and I glance up at my maple tree... it is so lop sided.  It makes my blood boil all over again.

Goddam I hope our new trees grow FAST.

ABOVE:  Steve just called in and dropped off THE GATE & FENCING!  Whoop whoop, this means we should have a fence and gate by Christmas.

I'm so excited for this to be done, and the girls are going to LOVE being out the front, so much more room to play.

And bark at everyone on the street!

Should be fun.

Leaf production is going well... I'm going to be doing it for days.

I FUCKING HATE YOU.  You are scum.  And you are BLOCKED.

And trespassed from my property.  Don't ever approach me again at markets either, or I will not be responsible for my actions.  BOGAN SCUM. 

KK-M:  BLOCKED.

GM:  BLOCKED.

Sometimes you just have to let it out, or scream.

Now, back to my sewing.

Stew got home late from work today.  His company Christmas Dinner was tonight.  They went to some Mexican Restaurant.  Not my scene.

He said the meal was very average.  Typical really for this time of year.  Companies put on Christmas 'Specials' and they suck.  Glad I stayed home.

Got heaps done today.  Very happy with my results.

Time to sign off .  Catch ya tomorrow.

HIT REPEAT

 I've got a busy day ahead again.

But sadly for you, it will be boring.

I'm sewing again.  Getting another little 'sign' made for our market stall.

Once that's done I am going to make more UCKI PLANTS.

The weather is supposed to be a bit better today, so I might plant a couple more of my succulent plants in the rockery.  I'm trying to get them all in there eventually.

We had a couple of begonia plants pop up in the rockery about a year ago, no idea where they came from!

But OMG, they have obviously spread seeds because the rockery has HEAPS of new begonia plants popping up all over the place.  It's so neat.  They are such a lovely plant.

I'll show you later, once I can get outside.

This afternoon Steve has an MRI at the hospital.  Another in-depth look at his liver.  Fingers crossed for some good news.  It's sad that his liver has been affected by all the medication he's been taking for his Pancolitis.  We are praying that a new drug that's available in February, is the 'magic drug', and it works for his condition, without damaging anything else.

DECEMBER 1st.  Bloody hell this year has gone by so fast.

I'm not in the least bit ready to put up Christmas decorations.  Nor am I in the mood.

Let's give it a week shall we?  Maybe I'll feel more 'festive' then.  Right now I couldn't give a shit!

...

ABOVE:  This is the 'original' begonia plant.  It's looking pretty bedraggled after all our shitty weather.

QUESTION:  Should I prune it right down with the hope it will sprout new growth?  

ABOVE:  Just some of the new baby plants going nuts in the rockery!

Some even have flowers already.

Right.  I'm not sure now if I'll start sewing, or go and buy some chalk paint for that little UCKI PLANT stand?

ABOVE:  I got this sign made for market.  I'm not sure yet where it will go within the stall, but probably hanging from the bottom of a runner that's for sale.

ABOVE:  And this is what I've been doing for the past 3 hours.

Cutting out leaves.

I'm just going to keep going and get as many cut out today as possible.

Then over the next few days I will sew them all up.

Next week will be when I put them together into UCKI PLANTS.

While it is a tedious, long process, the plants are just so lovely, they are worth it.

If I get time next week I will paint the little shelving unit.  Otherwise it can wait till after the December markets.

I'm going to take a break for now (it's 2.35 pm), because my butt is killing me, and I'm seeing double!

End of the day:  it's been a productive day I must say.  NO sewing, just cutting out leaves.

Now, feet up watching the TV till bedtime.

Catch ya tomorrow.