NICE DAY COMING.....

Stew is going to watch his rugby from 8.30 am - 10.30.... then he has to mow the lawns... ya know, do the MAN JOBS!

Me? Well I will do a bit of washing, vacuming, ya know, GIRL JOBS... ha ha ha.

After that I plan on lying in the sun for a while then...
all going well we are heading off to Hamilton to a friend's BBQ for dinner. That will be nice, Stew is very happy to be up here again and able to meet up with all his old mates from his school/flatting days, (one of the positives of our move).

I'm still feeling a bit stressed...
- Stew's Dad is lingering on and we are on tenderhooks waiting for the inevitable.
- my dear friend Chris D down in Palmerston North is stressed to the max as her husband is in the Hospice, and I'm worried about both of them.
- my girlfriend 'F' is facing cancer surgery on the 8th of December....
So I am feeling torn in 3.....

Oh did I tell ya all I am flying down to Palmerston North on Wednesday, staying with Chris D and seeing our two boys and me girlfriends???? THAT IS .... as long as my Father-in-Law does not pass away before then! BLOODY HELL!

So that's me at the moment.... and to top it all I am trying so hard to focus on my weight loss... not an easy thing to do with all the other stuff weighing me down..... but I will continue to try my best.

Well there it is, FINALLY out on the morning patio again, where it belongs (well there is nowhere else to put it really!).... now I will have to buy clearlite roofing stuff to cover the patio so it's not rained on too much and ruined! Very pleased with my effort.

I had the most yummy smoothie for breakfast today.... yogurt and frozen berries.... nice. Hope it keeps me full for ages.

When you fling open all the doors and windows in this house, it really it LOVELY! A nice breeze going through the house... and summer coming inside! LOVE THIS HOUSE.

End of Day: we have had a really really wonderful time in Hamilton this afternoon/evening, caught up with lots of our friends from years ago.... all Stew's old school buddies and their wives. Lots of laughs, just what we needed. Home very late for the little ones ... who have school in the morning! But it's not like we do it often! Hell, this is the first time I think! nite nite.

BUSY DAY AHEAD.. YAAAAA!

Firstly... this is an advert I got off the TV... it is new and I think it's priceless!

I hope you overseas buggers can understand what the boys are saying? It's so funny. Maybe not to Australians, but that's how it goes. lol

TODAY:

Expecting Daughter No 3 ... she's babysitting for us so we can go to Stew's Work Christmas lunch.... hope she gets here in time!

This will be one of those rare times we actually get to go out without the kids! I am so looking forward to it!

And I hope the food is not entirely evil. I want to have a nice lunch and not feel guilty about it!

TELECOM suck! I havn't had internet for hours and hours and when I asked Telecom I was told it was a National Outage... but lots of people still had it... just not me! Grrrrrr.... finally got some help from Lee Anne who got me back on line! THANK YOU sweetie!

Right, now that I am back to normal... better go get the day started properly!

4.30pm.... LOOOOONG hot day! Beautiful day, hot as hell but wonderful. Lunch was amazing! So much meat... it just kept on being served at the table... hot skewers of chicken, beef, lamb and pork, mussels, veges.... oh gawd I am stuffed! BUT in saying that, I do believe I did not pig out! I was pleasantly full and then stopped.

Stew and I stopped in to visit his Dad on the way to lunch and on the way home after lunch... both times he was asleep so we didn't wake him... he's recovering from severe bronchitis that nearly killed him... could still. He is 91 and very very poorly. Sad seeing him linger.

Kelly bought our granddaughter Rena with her today... baby just cried and screamed at us. WE need to see more of her! Grandbabies are supposed to smile and coo.... not get all upset!

NO PHOTOS! I forgot to take the camera into town with me ... shame cos it was beautiful on the quay.... lots of boats ....I love boats!

End of Day: Stew is dishing up ICE CREAM to the kids for dinner! I am drooling... but am determined NOT to have any. I am in control.... I am in control..... etc etc.... lol. nite nite.

IN CONTROL... AND LOVING IT!

TODAY:

I have to go to Sylvia Park to pick up toys on layby.... without the kids in tow of course.
And we need groceries.... lots of HEALTHY shit for Stew and I to eat... we are both hellbent and determined to get some weight off and keep it off.

Stew's doctor told him yesterday that the only way to lose weight was to EAT LESS.... not exercise like crazy.... cos at some stage you are not going to be able to exercise like a fiend and then what happens? Ya gain weight.... DERRRRR.... that is exactly what happened when I stopped exercising like a fiend!

So we are going to (as a team) do what we KNOW works.... eat well. Eat less. Not eat crap. Do exercise that is SUSTAINABLE in the long term.
With that in mind I am committing myself to going swimming twice a week for now.... that is all. Well, except for walking to and from school twice a day, and doing the housework. Small steps.

I am in control.....

2.30 pm and so far so good! I have done all the shopping, put it away even... and now I'm off to get the kids from school.

Stayed on track with da food all day! Was starving while doing the grocery shopping but DID NOT cave in and buy a single evil thing! *sigh*... 'tis hard being GOOD. But worth it. I am going to drop 7 kilos by the time my daughter gets married, YOU BLOODY WATCH ME!

End of Day: couldn't 'sign off' as normal cos the net was down. nite nite!

THURSDAY.... original eh?

TODAY:

Kids to school

Me to Aqua Jogging.... and it better be GOOD... or I am going to be pissed off.

THAT IS ALL.

Well OK, it's bound not to be all...... cos even when I try not to blog it just friggin well happens! It's a bloody addiction.
later.... ya poor buggers.

I went to the pool 45 minutes early and swam laps... slowly... then a few ladies arrived and the instructor and we did 45 mins of aqua jogging... it was really lovely to be in the water again... I could have stayed there all day! When I got out...OH MY GOD! I felt like a ten tonne elephant! My arm and legs felt like they were HUGE and heavy!

Anyway... got home, had a sauna, then a shower and now... I'm gunna go lie in the sun! Feeling very tired!

I'm hanging out the washing... and like my arms are saying "What the hell did you do to us this morning?"...they are sore! Like.... really sore. So, I did good!

I don't care how much they hurt cos it means I worked them.... and I feel great!

I feel like I am taking control of myself again... I can feel how it has 'upped' my mood just by DOING something! AND I didn't pig out at lunchtime either! AND I am not going to pig out at dinner either. Stew is buying some ice cream on his way home tonight... FOR THE KIDS. We have decided to just have a smoothie made with yogurt and fruit. GO US.

Picture me here, half NAKED.... blissful spot. The only way anyone can see me is with binoculars from a plane!

End of Day: Stew came home with 3 different types of yummy icecream for the kids... god it looks so ..... mouthwatering delectible! My mouth was watering for ages and ages.. and ... I HAD NONE. Rather proud of that. I kept saying to myself "I am in control"..... PHEW it worked! nite nite.

STILL THINKING......

You think of all the different things in one's life that you are not happy about and are making you so unhappy... but underneath all that is (in my case) one BIG thing that is making me MISERABLE... and that is...

and it doesn't take a Rocket Scientist to work it out.....

.... ......
............MY WEIGHT.

If I could get back into the right frame of mind to lose some weight and feel good about myself again, I am sure everything else that has been getting me down will become more 'manageable' ...

OK ... I know I have a wonderful husband, family, home... bla bla bla... but you can be living in a bloody castle with pots of money and still be MISERABLE.

I will not apologise for still feeling miserable.... cos it is my life... most of you have no idea what my life has been like up till now or in the past... that can and does affect how I feel about 'stuff' in the here and now.
I had a crap first marriage, I walked out with 4 very young children....
Stew and I have struggled almost all of our marriage to keep our heads above water financially....
I have lost both my brothers in seperate car accidents, my Dad drowned, my Mum had to suffer through cancer and now lives overseas, as does my one and only sister.... so sometimes I feel very alone, even though I have a loving husband and 6 + 2 wonderful kids!

For better or worse we are here now, there is NO going back... and I am sure once I get a handle on my own miserable self again all will become better... for all of us here in Diet Coke Rocks home.

So Yeah.... I am still thinking...... and I am NOT looking for sympathy either... I really don't want it.. I don't need it.... I just wanted to explain where I am coming from.

HOW COME??? You don't see anyone but family for literally weeks on end, and today? I get not one, but THREE visitors?
Firstly, Griffin and I were supposed to go to see a Child Psychotherapist this morning, but she came here instead, then my Aunt turned up.... and now I am getting a visit from Sandi Bee! Talk about nice! I have been yakking all morning... I like yakking!

So, it's been a busy day so far.... and obviously, I love to be busy.

AND... I have found out that the local pool has an Aqua Jogging class at 10 am on a Thursday.... so guess where I will be tomorrow morning? yaaaaa! Chubby bum and all.

JOANNE: Yes! I wonder all the time "why do people read my blog".... I JUST DON'T GET IT! Surely you don't want or need to know what I bought at the mall, how crabby I feel today, what I plan to do tomorrow!!!! *shaking my head*.......but then, I read others blogs and love them.... so maybe we are all just nosey tarts! ha ha ha.

4pm: and I'm stressing.... I have not posted a photo today! And let me tell you all... this is one of the most stupid things that nags at me every day! WHAT CAN I PUT ON THE BLOG TODAY (as in a photo?)... and I stress about it! DERRRR.... but no more! If I don't have something really INTERESTING to photograph, then you buggers simply don't get one! One less thing to stress about... so there!

I've had the lovely Sandie out here for the afternoon, she is so nice to come visit me after my 'pity party of one'! lol

End of Day: BUGGER DAMN AND BLAST... was watching Flashpoint on the telly and forgot to check my bid on Trademe ... and missed out on the bloody door knocker I wanted by $1 ! NOT HAPPY JAN. nite nite.

...........

..................hmmmm. I have always worked in the Positive Motivation mode, but need to shift to Intrinsic Motivation.... only then will things fall into place.
nite nite.

MOVING TO AUCKLAND....

Was something I wanted for ages.... getting here took ages....and now?

The fantastic job Stew got up here... has changed.... and he is very unhappy.
My expectations of how 'neat' it would be here have fizzled out ....

It is not where you live that makes you happy, it's who you live with, who you see all the time... like your friends.... and guess what?

I'm UNHAPPY, Stew's UNHAPPY.... I wish I had not persuaded Stew to apply for this job... I have stuffed everything up for us.

I sit in this lovely house every day, lonely and wishing I was back with my sons and friends in Palmerston North!
I am comfort eating like there is no tomorrow, and I'm petrified I am going to gain back every single kilo I ever lost. I am out of control ....

Shopping is not doing it for me! Being on your own sucks day in day out. I go out to the malls just to say "hello" to someone! It doesn't matter that it's a girl serving over the counter in a shop even!

I know I need to join some group/gym/hobby group/ something! I tried talking to lots of young mums at the school, you know, strike up a conversation in the 'hope' of befriending SOMEONE... but I've given up! No one said 'boo' most of the time. Now I wait outside the gates for the kids.... what is the point in talking to people who don't want to know me?

Sorry for sounding so down, but in all truth I have been just pretending to be happy for weeks.....and trying to sound happy on my blog. I'm not. I'm not lying any more. I am thinking of taking a break from blogging for a while.... what is the point of blogging when I am miserable and have nothing to say anymore?

BYE FOR NOW.... I will no doubt be back at some stage. Just don't know when. I will continue to visit your blogs when I can drag myself away from the pantry.

CHOICES, CHOICES.... not that many really.

Thank you to everyone who offered 'knocker' ideas! I have found two on Trademe that are possibilities:

ABOVE: this one is kinda evil looking, yet I like it....

and this one is more traditional.... and 'nice'.... I'm trying to make up my mind! This one reminds me of Griffin a bit, as his name is taken from the mystical creature "The Griffin" which is a lion with an eagle's head and wings.

I think I also found the 'Nautical Shop' that we were looking for on saturday... it's in downtown Auckland now.... might go there next weekend.

TODAY:

Kids to school, and I can assure you I am so ready for that! They have been diabolical this weekend! If I thought I could get away with it I would have taped their darn mouths shut! *sigh*

What else? Just enjoy the quiet ..... and pop down to the library to renew a book or two that I havn't quite finished yet.

later.....

It just became easier to make up my mind.. I text'd the owner of the dragon one... his one is painted aluminiun... so that's a 'No'! So it looks like I will be going for the eagle one... cos it's solid brass. I have checked out the Nautical shop online, and they do not have any door knockers.... and really I didn't want anything like a ship's wheel... too 'ordinary' for me.

It's raining and windy, so I just drove the kids to school.... now I have a mountain of washing to fold... think I will do all the linen and towels and leave the clothes for Stew!

Have you ever picked up a book, started reading it, and then could not put it down? That's me today.... been reading all day! It is such foul weather outside .... what better way to spend the day!

The book? A crime novel by Mary Higgins Clark.... I have read about 6 of hers so far... and I'm going to read everything she has written.... she's a fantastic author.

IT'S SUNDAY, NO PLANS...

I'm sorry to say I'm still in a crabby mood.... had a tiff with Stew yesterday, it's still not resolved.

Should never go to bed cross with one's man.... but I did.

I ate lots of shortbread yesterday afternoon... just shoved it in me gob... didn't help.

later... and I hope I feel better and am NICE to read!

Conflict resolution: well I'm still lying in bed.... Stew has been up for ages watching rugby... and I don't want to get up and have to try and resolve our differences.

WE have has so few real arguments during our 20+ years marriage that we really don't know how to handle them when we do!

Yesterday's problem was over something quite trivial, but Stew and I handled it badly... I stormed out of the house and stayed away for hours, he just ignored me when I got back, so I did the same thing! So silly really!

Yet... here I am still in bed..... but I suppose about to get up and try to sort it out. I hate being off side with him.

*sigh*... all is kinda well again..... we have talked and cleared the air... unfortunately our small daughter is in...

now..... will serve her right for lying to both of us... and telling a different story to both of us, hence the ensuing conflict between us. BLOODY KIDS....

STUFFING one's face never helps, we all know this!

Stew is cooking dinner... I am watching.... and quite happy about that!

End of Day: started out REALLY awful, going to end up rather well! I finally got the sealant on the mosaic table... 24 hrs from now it can finally go onto the morning patio and STAY THERE...outta my family room at last! That's it for today, nite nite.

KNOCK, KNOCK.....

Top of the list today, buy a door knocker! I didn't get around to it yesterday, got sidetracked with other stuff.

ABOVE: saw this one on the net, but it's in some place overseas! Damn! Love it to death!!!

This one is 'nice'.... *sigh*.... but I really would like something DIFFERENT.... but the New Zealand market is so small I doubt I will find anything that is truly AMAZING.

And what else?....
- washing
- vacuming
- usual sort of housework stuff.... how boring!

I'm hoping we can also go for a ticky tour again.... I want to discover more about our new city! Well OK, I want to find more interesting shops! I just can't help myself!

Can't remember what the weather is supposed to do today, but hopefully I can get some more sun too...... my legs are FINALLY not white anymore! They were scary.... I am not used to being so darn white!

3 hours WASTED ... driving around the North Shore looking in malls for a shop we saw years ago that sold nautical stuff... pfffffft... couldn't find it, so I'm feeling bloody crabby now. No door knocker to be found... well OK, we found some in Mitre 10... but VERY AVERAGE and just not what I wanted.

The kids were good... up to a point, then I just wanted to throttle them! Frustrated as hell now.

Going to go sulk now.... edit...if YOU know where I can get my hands on a door knocker like the one in the top photo (not the boat wheel one) LET ME KNOW!!! ta

End of Day: well it hasn't gotten any better today! Not happy .... and going to bed! nite nite.

LEAST WE FORGET... DEL-C

Here in New Zealand this week a group of people were convicted of Child Abuse and MURDER after the death of a gorgeous wee 3 year old girl named Nia Glassie... her own mother was convicted of Nia's Manslaughter.

I want to remind everyone of another poor wee girl who was, back in 1990, on all of our minds also.

DELCELIA WITIKA... AGED 2 years..... she was viciously and callously abused, neglected, raped and left to die by her OWN mother and her boyfriend.

The sickening story of what this precious baby had to go through before she mercifully died has always stayed with me.... I cry thinking about her right now..... NO CHILD SHOULD BE TREATED LIKE THIS.

PLEASE....if you know of ANY CHILD who you even SUSPECT is being abused or neglected... HELP THEM NOW.

Many people knew or suspected little Nia (and Del-C) were being hurt and did nothing..... SHAMEFUL.

Sorry about my little rant, but it was on my mind after all the news about little Nia's case.

TODAY:

- kids to school

- No Joel, so it has to be.... SHOPPING!!! Back to the mall, oh I can't wait. I need a door knocker... our door chimes don't work so a knocker is needed. (sometimes I feel so shallow!)

Not much else to report on right now..... later...

I did shop! I even went into THE WAREHOUSE and had a really good look around... OK, some of the stuff is utter crap... but some is OK... I gave in a put a whole shit load of toys on layby for Christmas! At THE WAREHOUSE!!!

Then to make myself feel better I went into a really swish homeware shop and bought the above... you need lots of tongs for summer BBQ's, and I swear my kids EAT THE BLOODY SPOONS! We are down to about 5 dessert spoons, so I got some of them too.

I took this photo yesterday of the 3 watching telly... cute. Well Joel did see me and the camera and did the cutest wee smile at his Grandma!

It has been a scorcher of a day! I lay in the sun for a while this afternoon, then picked up the kids from school, watered the gardens and new fruit trees....and I am not cooking dinner! Takeaways me thinks, it's too bloody hot to cook!

End of Day: a lovely day on a whole... finished off with evil Fish 'n' chips.... but no icecream! nite nite.

GOING STIR CRAZY

I havn't really been 'out and about' all week for obvious reasons (the POX)... and am starting to feel stir crazy!

So, maybe after I get Brylee and Griffin to school Joel and I will go for a drive? Maybe check out the planes again? Or something! I don't think I can bear the thought of staying at home for another whole day... maybe we can find a park where there's no other kids/mothers? Or a beach on the Manukau harbour?

The doctor yesterday said Joel is pretty much past the infectious stage... but I think it's better to be a bit careful...

I'm thinking of taking a few photos while we are out and about... of the area... so you can see my 'home' turf! How would that be?

Mosaic Table...is still drying! And I need to put a sealer on the grout too... so it's weatherproof... so no photo yet.
Catch ya later....

Joel and I went for a short ticky tour... he fell asleep within an hour so we had to come home *sigh*... anyway here's what I took pictures of for ya:


Heading off down the street towards the motorway.. you can see a tiny bit of the Manukau Harbour from here, not sure if you can see it in the photo though. It is a lovely view usually.

Last set of lights before turning right onto the motorway.... OH and YES, we do drive on the left-hand side of the road over here!


On the motorway heading to Manukau City...... just 10 minutes from my home.... Rainbows End is the ONLY Amusement Park in New Zealand, it is very small compared to one's overseas... laughable even.


Construction work... a new flyover and motorway extention being built at Manuka to make it easier to get to the airport... it is taking FOREVER....


My least favourite shop ... The Warehouse... "Where Everyone Gets A Bargin".... yeah right! I don't believe in false economy..... buy cheap and you get cheap, poor quality stuff. Sorry if anyone out there LOVES The Warehouse, but I don't.


Manuka City Mall... it's not as good as Sylvia Park, but adequate for my day-to-day needs. Can't get away from friggin McDonalds eh?

One of the two local shopping 'centres' near our home... this one has the Hot Bread Shop (yum), my hairdressers, and a fish 'n' chip shop that is nice. See the price of petrol? It has come down from $2.25 a litre to $1.48!!! AMAZING.... and that saves us about $38 per fill now.

This is the other shopping 'centre' near our home, it is right next door to the school Brylee and Griffin attend. It has a dairy, Hospice Shop, takeaways and an Italian Restaurant.... we havn't tried the restaurant yet.


The Gardens School..... see that bus? Griffin was on it heading off to swimming ! Funny.


This is one of the houses I 'nearly bought' ( the one on the left).... so glad I didn't ... it is nowhere near as lovely as the one we eventually got!

Right ... that's it for todays excursion..... might do that again soon! See what else I can find to show you.

LYNDA: I just hate going into The Warehouse ... I worked in The Warehouse in Palmerston North for a while and it was not a nice experience at all! And now... I'm a shopping SNOB I suppose!

End of Day: well wee Joel has gone home... now we just wait and see if his brother Huston comes down with Chicken Pox next! OH JOY! nite nite.

NERVOUS, ON TENDERHOOKS TODAY

WHY?
One of my dearest friends is getting the results of her biopsy today... she MIGHT be OK, or she MIGHT have bowel cancer.... but won't know till this morning some time.... I have my fingers crossed for her.

My Mum had bowel cancer in 2000, it was awful for her, but luckily she is in remission now.... they can never give you the 'You are Cured' speech, but after 8 years she's doing so well!

Not sure what else is on the agenda today.... but it is going to be nerve wracking till I get that phone call from my girlfriend! Till then... maybe some housework?

I wish it was this simple... cos I would opt for the safe option.... *sigh*.... till later....

While walking the kids to school this morning.. who should I see running down the street towards me .....

Lynise! (she's the tart with the hat on).... so we had a lovely chat on the side of the road..... it is so lovely to run into a friend! And it helped pass some time before I had to go home and nervously wait for the phone to ring! Poor Joel didn't think much of having to stand around while his Grandma yakked! He's taken himself off to bed now... poor little bugger is tired - must be the pox taking it out of him.

DAMN....IT IS BAD NEWS. She has cancer....operation is in early/mid December. I feel sick for her.... but hopeful that they can fix her just like my Mum.

Just got home from the Doctor's... I was concerned about Joel's pox.... some of them looked infected... AND THEY ARE... so now he's on antibiotics to help him get better. Glad I took him.

The lovely Lynise called in this afternoon for a coffee, which was so nice.

I am feeling very sad and 'flat' this afternoon though.. I'm sure because I am so worried about my girlfriend and what she must be going through/feeling right now. I wish I was with her, if only to give her a hug.

End of Day: has been.... sad, but I am choosing to be positive. nite nite.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRIFFIN

7 today... getting to be a big boy!

Joel and I will pop out today to buy the cake... I KNOW I should bake one.... I KNOW!!! But I just ain't gunna. It is so much easier to buy, and I am no cake baker! I just don't make nice cakes.

Not much else to yak about right now, got to make the lunches now....and make the beds, feed the dog, tidy up the mess around here.... so much to look forward to!

Till later....

Walked the kids to school (Joel and Teddy came too).... but we didn't go into the school due to the POX..... had a lovely chat with another new neighbour too... Bill (wife Mary)... nice guy! A Grandfather too, they look after their 4 yr old grandson while his parents work.... and they will be taking him to school every day next year too. It's nice getting to know our neighbours! I am thinking of organising a "Street BBQ" once Christmas and New Year are over.

I have really enjoyed today, no stress at all! Joel has been a delightful little boy to have around...

Stew came home early today so he could spend some time with the kids..... we went out to the airport so Joel could see the big planes landing.... then we picked up Pizza for dinner (Griffin's Birthday treat) then it was cake time:

My god that chocolate cake was delicious! We only ate about half of it... so the rest is going to work with Stew tomorrow so it's not under my nose!

End of Day: DELIGHTFUL day. nite nite.

MUSINGS....

So... I've been musing about the 'neighbour' and what to say, how to say it all weekend.

And I've come up with this: I will just pop over in the evening and ask if I can have a word with her... then let her know in the nicest way that I have been really upset and worried all weekend about her leaving her wee girl asleep alone in the house on Friday....
and could she not to do it again as it is dangerous and actually illegal.

I have decided NOT to offer to pick up her bigger girls if her baby is asleep as I have been stung by my own generousity in the past and do NOT want to be made use of like that ever again.... Now this may sound harsh, but if I offer to do it I am opening myself up to being taken advantage of, as it could happen often!

I will point out that it will not hurt the baby to be put in the pushchair if she's asleep and taken to school too... at least she will be safe. This is what I did when I was in the exact same position... and believe me... when I had 6 kids aged 10yrs down to 1yr it happened a lot!

So, there ya go! Hopefully I can drum up the courage to do it tonight... if I don't see her on the way to school !

I am a non-confrontational type of person (with strangers) so am feeling very nervous about talking to her about this.... wish me luck!

TODAY:
- kids to school
- meet dressmaker to get overdress made for the wedding. Joel can come with me as her kids have all had C.Pox.
- After that, home so Joel can rest and me? Well I'm sure I will find SOMETHING to do!
Later....

It's raining today, so havn't seen my neighbour...yet.

Took the dress to the dressmaker, all good there.

Did a grocery shop, HAD to, we got no loo paper!

Home, unpacked groceries, swept and washed the floors, installed Joel in front of the Playstation... he's in HEAVEN. Now gunna catch up on me blog reading....

WELL... I did it... after having my stomach churning all day I went over to talk to my neighbour once Stew got home from work.. and it went really well.... she was kinda expecting me in fact! She said she could tell from the look on my face on friday afternoon that I was shocked! Ya think? .... anyway... I told her of my concern for the safety of her baby... and I DID offer to pick up her older girls is she was EVER in that situation again. DOH.... my mouth just opened and the words came out! Fingers crossed I don't live to regret it.

And I gave her a hug and said I hoped I hadn't offended her by talking to her about it? She said not at all, she was glad that she had such a caring neighbour! PHEW thank god for that! I left feeling so relieved.

End of Day: did I mention the visit from my girlfriend Michelle and her man Gary from Palmerston North? NO?.... well it was lovely to spend the afternoon with them. Going to destress now, I'm a wreck! nite nite.

HOPEFULLY ANOTHER GORGEOUS DAY AHEAD OF US

ABOVE: this is what we did late yesterday afternoon.... I have had this shade sail for years, never had the right place to use it... till now! I had to make it a bit smaller to fit here, but it's neat! Now we have shade when we have dinner at the BBQ table. LOVE IT!

Of course, since taking that photo I've changed my mind and made the shade sail go over the top of the beams! Gives more shade when needed most, in the middle of the day. Still looks good though.

Today: well hopefully it is going to be a blissful, do nothing, just enjoy the day ... type of day! I think Amanda and Andrew and the boys are coming today too... Joel has the Chicken Pox and I am going to have him this week as he can't go to Daycare. Brylee and Griffin have already had C.Pox, so that's OK.

Well ... I thought it was funny..... moving on...... ONWARD...

ABOVE: one very well covered wee man!!!

Having a nice visit with the family... cooking Roast Pork for dinner, can't wait!

You come to my house you can expect a job! I asked Andrew and Amanda to help me with the grouting, just as well too cos it was not that easy! It would have taken me much much longer to do on my own that's for sure.
Anyway...IT'S DONE!!!! FINALLY..... once it is dry I will post yet another photo of the darn mosaic table, then it can go outside and be admired!

End of Day: busy, but nice. Everyone fed, bathed and heading for bed..well the 3 little ones anyway! Me... well I might just stay up and watch the telly for a while! nite nite.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

My neighbour ... a lovely young woman.. has three gorgeous wee girls. Two go to school, the youngest is 18 months old or so. Yesterday while walking home with my kids I met up with her on her way to school to pick up her two girls. She did not have her 18 month old with her.. and I asked her where she was? The mum said "at home in her cot asleep" and I asked who was watching her? Her answer was to whip out of her bag a baby monitor and say... "she's ok, I will hear her if she wakes up"! (Baby monitors only work for about 100 metres)

Um... so I said "Do you mean she's home alone?"... and she said "Yep, but it's ok, I'm only going up to the school".

Now our school is about an 8 minute brisk walk away from our homes....and I think what she is doing is downright DANGEROUS. And illegal. And downright irresponsible.

QUESTION: should I express my concerns to her and maybe risk getting off side with our new neighbours? I would hate to do that, yet I am gobsmacked that anyone with half a brain would leave a baby alone in the house for over 20 minutes and go so far away from the house (about 1.5 kms).

Stew thinks I should leave well alone, it's none of our business, as obviously they think it's OK to do this. I'm torn. What can I do? Should I just leave it and hope nothing happens to that baby? Does it make me just as bad as her if I say nothing?

Now that's off me chest.... Today: some grocery shopping, some sunbathing, some housework, you know... just the usual weekend stuff. NICE.

ABOVE: We went to the Plant Barn... got some new fruit trees.. feijoas and Ugli Fruit (like a Tangerine)... and a new hose and reel.

ABOVE: Stew doing the gardening.... and removing old trees so we can plant the new ones. In this photo he's having a meaningful conversation with Teddy...

I have finally finished putting all the tiles on the mosaic table, now waiting for it to be totally dry before tackling the grouting. Nervous about doing the grouting! Hope I do it right.

Thanks for all your suggestions/comments about my neighbour... I think I will talk to her about how concerned I am ... and suggest if baby is asleep she rings me and I can pick up her bigger girls for her. Hope it goes well.

End of Day: been doing some more fart arsing around in the yard this afternoon/evening. Had a wonderful day really. nite nite.

MY NEXT DILEMMA IS:

CHRISTMAS IS COMING... where the hell do I put the tree in this house?

I'm casting me eyes around thinking, thinking..... There's NOWHERE to put our huge tree! NOWHERE it will not be in the way ...

Hmmmmm... me thinks we need a new .. smaller tree. Do I smell some SHOPPING needing to be done? LOL.... and I saw a Christmas Shop the other day in Sylvia Park! PERFECT. Might go check it out this weekend. With Stew of course. And the kids. But not the dog.

Today: well... I'm rambling cos well.... I have bugger all to do! I could do some weeding. Or some housework. Or finish that darn mosaic table top. Which I broke yesterday and have to replace some of the tiles on the top of. Or I could go for a walk. On my own. Which is not nice. On ya own. And Teddy is no company. Hell he can't walk far EVEN.

So... I will just read blogs instead of the above... so all you buggers hurry up and update.... I need something to read. Cos if ya don't I'm gunna HAVE TO DO THE BLOODY HOUSEWORK. Or something.

I'm sitting here reading/commenting on blogs, the washing is on... and Teddy is being a pain in the butt! He keeps going down the hallway and raiding the bedrooms! He chews the kids toys, he jumps on my bed and gets Stew's jama's and chews them... after messing up me bed while fossicking! So... I came up with the solution:

Nah na na na! Can't get down the hallway now! ( I had been closing the door, but it's so nice to have the breeze going through the house, so don't want it closed all the time).

LYNDA: good idea, why didn't I think of that?

I can easily put this chair in storeage till after christmas! Stew will be SO RELIEVED we don't have to go buy a new tree! I think the tree will look nice there in the family room.

OH and what was I thinking? ME weeding! Not gunna happen! Dat's MEN'S work... so put it on your weekend list Stew!

Fossicking = mucking around, rummaging around, messing things up, looking for something! NOTHING dirty!

PLEASE READ TOMORROW'S POST, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YA!

I have been lying in the sun... it is blistering HOT today, not a cloud in the sky. I've just picked up the kids.... soooo hot I was tempted to drive. Glad I didn't (read about it tomorrow).

End of Day: an awesome day! I got sunburnt (not badly), we had dinner in the park (not telling ya what cos it was EVIL) then we came home and had pudding (again, not telling ya, EVIL again)... and now? Chilling out watching some telly with me man. nite nite.

I'M GUNNA BE BORING TODAY

Hopefully no controversy today, no drama! No nothing!

I don't have any plans, nope, none at all!

Except hope Griffin has a nice day, he's off swimming today, and he can't swim, can't/won't put his face in the water... but LOVES the water! He's worse than Brylee in his fear of getting his face wet. Might talk to his teacher to let her know!

AND I must try and remember to get those two kids booked into swimming lessons!
Far out, I keep saying that! TODAY I WILL.... SOME bugger remind me!

But for now... I better get outta bed, make the kids breakfast, do the lunches bla bla bla.....

I used to 'clean' out my email 'inbox' every couple of days, but lately I have been a bit slack and they have piled up...
QUESTION: how do you go about deleting them without having to click on EVERY SINGLE ONE???? I have almost 1,000 emails to delete!

DAVE: THANKS for that. LYNDA: where is "select all" ???? Cos I can't find it!

Hmmm... now what have I been up to today? Welllll...I went to Spotlight (Big Material type shop) where I bought some net for the front door...

I really needed to block people's views from our front door windows up into the house... cos if the were looking they would be able to see me sunbathing on the patio TOPLESS.... Hmmmmm, ain't gunna happen now! What else? OH YES... I bought some sheer organza material....

Which is bloody gorgeous! I am going to make (or have made) an "overdress" to wear over the white dress! Problem solved! I hated the idea of wearing black to her wedding, I really did.

Now I have scored two dresses (the black and the white).. hee hee he!

Bloody hell I'm a dork! I couldn't get those darn emails to delete all in one go, so I spent a good hour or so deleting them all INDIVIDUALLY (all 963 of them).... and NOW I finally find the 'select all' box! Don't all go "WHAT A TWIT" now will ya?

ABOVE: All from MY GARDEN! We just had a lovely salad and chicken pieces for dinner.... yum yum.

End of Day: a very successful day with no hassles, nope, none at all. Tis good. nite nite.