DAMN....

Yesterday afternoon I took the cone off Teddy and finally managed to cut all the scabbed hair etc off his neck... and his neck was looking all better... so I left the cone off. BAD MOVE.... the little bugger scratched it and now we are back to square one. *sigh*.
ABOVE: See what he did to himself in a split second? I tell ya...




ABOVE: a wee video of Coco... I dropped a plastic bag on the floor and she did not know what it was... so got all hot and bothered... it's cute.

Today.... Chris and I are going out. Don't know where yet.... but we are going OUT! And if SKY calls, they can bloody well come this afternoon.... I ain't waiting around for them like I did yesterday.

ABOVE: Chris D and I went to the Coffee Club in Manukau Mall and bought ONE breakfast and shared it! It was lovely.... then we went to a couple of clothing shops:Where I was a dreadful influence on her... cos we both ended up buying a top and jacket each.... and THEN... I kinda had to go to the jewellers for a look....


Where POOR Chris D saw something she just HAD to buy!!!! See.... I am such a bad influence on her!

ABOVE: She bought this gorgeous orange stone ring with matching earrings! Hee hee.. I'm so proud of her!

After the shopping, I dropped her off at the airport to catch her flight back to Palmerston North and came home! What a neat visit that was... and she will be back in a month to catch her flight to England for a three week holiday.

I have been sewing with 'Murtle' ... me new Brother machine... and she goes really well! I haven't come up with a name for the Husqvarna yet.... any ideas?

The SKY Guy has finally turned up... after I rang the company 4 times today to ask where the hell he was???? It's now 4.40 pm and he's here! Yaaaa... about bloody time too. I was getting ready to get VERY GRUMPY.... lol.

LYNDA: Perfect!!!! "THE LEMON" it is! Thanks for naming the Husqvarna with the exact right name for it! You are a Clever Tart.

End of Day: it's been a really nice day... lots to do ... buy... make.... and now... time to sleep. nite nite.

I AM GOING TO BUY ANOTHER SEWING MACHINE TODAY!

Today is gunna be a busy day.

First thing... kids to school
Then: I am going out to buy a cheapie sewing machine to use for making the cards... I don't want to wreck my 'good' machine by using card with it too often. I might ruin it!

Then I am going out to the airport to pick up my girlfriend Chris D, who is coming to visit for just one day, she got really cheap flights on Grabaseat... so that is going to be lovely.

Once she is here we have to stay home, cos this afternoon I have a bloke from SKY TV coming to add a Multi-room decoder in my 'sewing room' so I can watch my usual programmes in there while sewing/card making. Yaaaa... that is going to be neat.

So, that's about all for now...

ONWARD...
(oh, can you see the photo in my Header? Someone said they couldn't unless they scanned across...)

*** Griffin saw my new Header last night and wanted to know who that lady was? My heart dropped, he didn't recognise ME from only 5 years ago..... shit I must have changed a lot with 30 kilos! Felt like crying right there and then. BUT, it is an added incentive to work harder eh?

Tinkered with the Header again.... now I think we have it right!

ABOVE: I'm fast eh? lol.... here is the card making cheapie machine... a Brother NS30 LE.... it was the only one that had a decent amount of stitches to choose from ... and in particular I needed a machine that did the blanket stitch...

ABOVE: all it's stitches, but No# 13 is the one I needed the most. So ... quite happy about that.... won't ruin the 'horribly expensive' Husqvarna now! AND if one machine breaks down (NOT mentioning WHICH one is likely to!) ... I will have a spare to use. So it's all good!

Off to the airport now to pick up Chris D...back later...

ABOVE: Chris is safely here, and her lap is full! LOL, the dogs think she's just lovely obviously.

Going to have a quiet afternoon at home now... have to stick around for the SKY man to turn up and put SKY tv on my sewing/craft room telly.

RENEE: it is exactly the same as sewing material to material... I use a universal needle. You need to change the needle more often though.

The header is STILL a work in progress. The SKY man did not turn up, or even phone... what a prick.... he better have a good reason for not turning up! Grrrrr.

Stew, Chris and I are going out for dinner and a movie soon....

End of Day: a nut of a day... seem to have been on this bloody computer most of the afternoon! Also had a go with the new machine... yikes it's weird not using a fully automated machine! What fun! nite nite.

LOVE MONDAYS....

ABOVE: a photo I took of a wind turbine in Palmerston North a few years ago. I've been looking at old photos this morning....

ABOVE: this was Amanda and me only 5 years ago! I had lost 61 kilos ( 134 Pounds) ... I think I need to look at old photos a bit more often to remind myself how wonderful I felt back then! I have to lose 30 kilos again!!!! I am so stupid.

I know most people don't like mondays... start of the working week and all that.. but I do.

I can potter around getting my home all nice and tidy again.... and enjoy 6 hours of peace and quiet. Bliss.

I have to pop out this morning at some point to post Anne the cards she won too.

Not much else to yabber on about right now... so I'll go!

ONWARD...

I just changed my 'Header Photo'.... maybe seeing myself so much slimmer and healthier EVERY DAY on my blog will help with the friggin MOTIVATION to get back to a healthy weight eh?

Who likes the new header???

NEW HEADER... again! *smiles*... this time it's a PROPER one, made especially for me by the gorgeous Anne over at LOSETOLIVE... she has worked on it for quite a while today.... and with a tiny input from me, has come up with the most gorgeous Header for me blog. THANK YOU Anne!

End of Day: crabby! My laptop has packed a wobbly and won't go. Grrrr. Tried all day to make it start. Looks like it will have to go to the dr's. *sigh* nite nite.

BEFORE AND AFTER:

Yesterday my girlfriend Michele came to visit... this WAS Michele a few years ago:

And this is Michele after having Gastric Bypass Surgery:

She looks amazing, and so gorgeous! I can't help feeling jealous! I lost all my weight only to struggle to keep it off.. and then gain so much back again. It is a constant battle with MYSELF... one that sometimes I feel all gung-ho to beat... and sometimes I just feel so tired and over it all... I wish it was not so hard.

Anyone who has NEVER had a weight problem can have no idea just how hard it is. But I know this.. I know how wonderful I felt when I was a 'normal' weight... and I want it back again. I feel like crying right now... cos no matter how much I want it.. if the mind is not in the right place, it is not going to happen. And I do not have the option of having surgery... and even if I did... I doubt I would do it.... I have such a high risk of surgical complications it is not worth dying for.

I reckon being alive and overweight is better than being dead eh? lol

Today.. shopping with Amanda, Lacy, the kids and Stew. Sylvia Park today....

ONWARD.... we have had a very interesting morning! Amanda and Lacy wanted to go shopping...

So we all went to Sylvia Park Mall.. where they shopped like true professionals! I am so proud of them... ha ha ha! They bought toys for Huston Joel, Brylee and Griffin... shoes for all the kids too.... and also:

WOULD you believe... a sapphire and diamond set for me! WOW....!!!!

I have never been taken shopping by a kid of mine before.. it was a novel experience! They ALSO bought Stew and I new sneakers... and they dragged Stew into a menswear shop and got him a lovely shirt and tie .... we got spoilt!!!

Luckily for their wallets the kids got bored and started nagging to go home... so after having lunch we did.

Now it's time to relax for the afternoon...

End of Day: finally all visitors are gone... had a quiet evening getting more card and fabric ready for sewing..... watched a bit of telly... now time to head off to bed. nite nite.

RIGHT YOU POOR BUGGERS!

What haven't I mentioned lately? ......

FREAKING HOT FLUSHES OF COURSE!!!! Since starting a new pill in the evening... wah laaa... no more hot flushes! I sleep all night... I don't get all hot and bothered at the drop of a hat! I am NICE AGAIN ( well, most of the time) ... lol.

It is such a relief! I never thought being hot could be such a curse... friggin men are so lucky!

And the winner, she who guessed first was ZANNA from Australia! Congrats girl... email me your address and preference of cards... and I shall post them asap.

Now, as I've not done much housework this week .. at some stage today we shall have to do a big clean up! We have visitors for dinner... not sure how many! At least 5 extra so far!

ONWARD... and guess what? ha ha ha... I think I will do another gift card giveaway in the near future! That was fun.

ABOVE: a really neat house I saw on our way to St Lukes shopping centre this morning... *drool*... shame it's on such a busy, busy road.
So, we went out and about, as per usual for a saturday ... browsed around St Lukes shopping centre, had lunch, bought some DVD movies and now.. we are home and fluffing around until our visitors arrive.

I'm expecting my girlfriend Michelle from Palmerston North for afternoon tea... and perhaps Daughter #2 as well. Daughter #1 Amanda, and her two boys are due for dinner and are staying the night. Also, Stew's sister is coming with one of their cousins from America for dinner... so it is going to be a full house!

GUESS WHAT? (warning, picture heavy)

Grab a new Myspace Layout

There is SOMETHING I haven't mentioned or moaned about lately... first person to guess WHAT will win 5 of my wee Gift Cards....
AND talking of cards.... I have closer shots of some of them... this is for Andrea in Aussy who wants to buy 10 of my wee gift cards.... so here's some to choose from Chick:


ABOVE: cards (Left to right), #1 and #2.



ABOVE: #3 and #4



ABOVE: #5 and #6


ABOVE: #7 and #8

ABOVE: #9 and #10
ABOVE: #11 AND #12

ABOVE: #13 and #14
ABOVE: #15 AND #16

ABOVE: #17 AND #18
ABOVE: last but not least, a couple of real 'KIWI' ones... #19 and #20! (I am selling them for $3 each, in case anyone else is interested) They measure 3" X 4".
Today I am working at the Hospice Shop, so this is IT until I get home mid afternoon..... laters!
OH and Teddy is healing very well... it will be a couple of weeks before it is 'safe' to take the cone off his head though!
ONWARD....
hee hee. some good guesses coming in.... and I'm NOT going to say who MIGHT have won until 9am tomorrow... so everyone gets a chance to enter... AND I am not going to publish the comments/guesses until then either... so ya can't see what other people have guessed! NAH NA NA NA!
Gotta go... busting for a piddle.....
Ahhhh dats better! Been out and bought a new, smaller trestle table for the 'sewing/craft room' ... smiles.
We are going to my Aunt and Uncle's home for dinner tonight.. yaaaaaa I don't have to cook. How neat.
It has been PISSING DOWN WITH RAIN like, all day today! I haven't let it make me feel down though, it's lovely and warm in our snuggly home. And I have enjoyed chilling out this afternoon. I'm watching 'Survivor' on MY SKY.... love that show.
End of Day: Wow, lots of guesses then! And the answer and winner is.....
....
......
........ going to be revealed tomorrow! nite nite.

36 IN HALF A DAY!

ABOVE: Yesterday's effort! I managed to make 36 cards from about 1pm to 9.30pm last night.
First thing this morning I am taking this lot to the shop... then I am coming home and relaxing for a while!

Today I also have to take Griffin to his SPELD lesson.... so I will be able to read in the car for an hour at least. Yaaaa.

When I get back from that... I shall plonk my butt on a lazyboy chair and read some blogs! I didn't get to read any yesterday..!
Sheesh, hope I didn't miss anything .....

ONWARD...
12.45pm.. just got home. Griffin will be having a longer SPELD lesson next term and thereafter... so hopefully he will progress faster. I was going to make it two lessons each week, but it's just too expensive. *sigh*... bloody money and lack of eh?

AS for my cards.... feeling so chuffed about the shop... the manager said they sold like 'hot cakes' and she expected be be seeing lots more of me and my cards! A man came into the shop this morning first thing and called me an 'Artist'... that made me laugh! Left there feeling quite proud of myself.

Right ... time to sit down and read a few blogs me thinks...

HA! I'm a shocker.... I went out and got some more fabric for the cards.. and have been cutting it out, getting the card ready etc! I just love making them... OBVIOUSLY. *sigh*.....

End of Day: eeee GADS! It's 12.30am... and I am still not in bed! GOING right now... nite nite.

I WENT NUTS, SO DID COCO!

Picture this: Stew and I were sitting down just before bedtime last night (11pm), talking about my furniture moving... and how the family room was so cluttered... and I suggested we take the two single beds out of the spare bedroom and put the bedsetee in there for visitors. We have airbeds for visitors too... so it's not like we wouldn't have enough beds if necessary... so.... Stew went to bed and I decided... to do it right there and then!
So. I. Did.... at 11pm last night.


ABOVE: the spare bedroom/sewing room now.

ABOVE AND BELOW: the family room now... so much less cluttered, but still with plenty of seating. I feel SO much better now!

So, that was me going nuts in the middle of the night.... as for Coco:

ABOVE: a wee video of Coco going nuts after her bath yesterday.

Yesterday afternoon I took Teddy's cone off to check and tend to his wound, and while that is healing nicely, I finally noticed something else wrong!

Teddy's ears! His left ear has nice long hair... as it's supposed to, while his right ear has like... super short hair! It looks bloody dreadful! Of course I would have noticed this fairly quickly normally, but as he had the cone put on right away, I didn't notice. BUGGER ME, I am so mad right now. There is no way in hell he is ever going back to that place.

I sent an email to the Sewing Machine Shop owner yesterday too... asking in writing for a brand new machine or my money back. Today I am going to HAND DELIVER the letter as well. That way he can't say he didn't get it.

Wonder what will happen???

ONWARD..... While trying to SMILE.

DAMN IT ALL... BUGGER AND BLAST IT ALL!

I just got a phone call from the Manukau Shop that sells my cards! They need MORE today... and I don't have my machine to sew more material on the cards! OMG.... I have rung the sewing machine shop and asked them... pleaded with them to get me my machine back TODAY!!! The woman who answered the phone (The manager) was really terse... I'm thinking they got my email and are not too happy with me! OMG why did this have to happen NOW??????

I have the machine back!!! The manager got it sorted and delivered it to Howick so I could pick it up by lunchtime! Hows that for service??? I told her I would give the machine ONE MORE CHANCE ... but not again. I felt so thankful they got it back to me pronto!

So now I am busy making more cards.... back when I have finished 20!

End of Day: and I'm totally knackered! The cards are made, just waiting for the glue to dry. In the next few days I am going to make a whole heap more so I am never caught without stock again! I never imagined the first lot would sell so fast! Feel good about that though. nite nite.

HMMMMMM....AND HAPPY 30TH BIRTHDAY CHRISTINA!

My niece sent me these the other day:

ABOVE: if I wasn't such a NICE person, I could say that to quite a few people I have met and/or know!

ABOVE: and yep, I say that to myself most days I am trying to squeeze into me bra....

ABOVE: well... I just LIKED this one too! Can't think who I'd say it to!

HAPPY 30TH BIRTHDAY Christina (my niece in Australia), I hope you have a bloody neat day! There is a card on it's way! You just had to know that eh? lol

Today: yep, just another normal day here. No plans. Might go out to the shops.... or the library... just loved that book I read the other day by Tess Gerritsen, hoping to find more at the local library. I will have time to read it as I'm not sewing eh? Grrrrrrr.
ONWARD...

ABOVE: I am still moving the furniture! Just can't get it right. Drives me batty.
Coco has been locked out... I am totally over her going straight into the lounge and squatting and doing a huge piddle on me carpet! It's like... she KNOWS where she should go by now! Grrrrrrr....

Yes, I'm crabby today... I just rang the sewing machine shop to find out what was happening. I was told the 'Boss Man' knew what the problem was with my machine and can fix it.... so sounds like they are NOT going to replace it. I give up! Hands in the air... meanwhile... I HAVE NO MACHINE. Really, what can I do? I keep asking them to replace it? They won't!

I've been out... I went to Citizen's Advice to ask what I can do about the Sewing Machine people not replacing that shit machine. I have to write them a letter detailing all the problems I've had with it, how often it's been back... yadda, yadda, and give them a time frame to replace or refund before I take the next step.

So that is what I have done... AGAIN I might add! Let's wait and see what happens now eh?

ABOVE: I agree Debbie! So here is the latest furniture shuffle! I know we have too much furniture in this room, but I refuse to sell off any more of my furniture! I NEED IT!

It's now lunchtime ... finding some food RIGHT NOW....

Had lunch, just bathed Coco... cos she smelt all 'doggy'.... and YES, I know she's a dog... but she doesn't have to smell like a wet one! Ikkk. It was a battle I might add.... and as for brushing her afterwards... FORGET it! She was having none of it! I have put her in the laundry to repent her sins for now. I need a rest!

End of Day: roast chicken for dinner... was yum too. Going to have a quiet evening I hope. Don't need ANYTHING else to happen to make me cross... I am cross enough THANK YOU VERY MUCH. (tell you why tomorrow, and yes, there is another reason besides the s/machine!) nite nite.

TEDDY ON A DIET...

As you all know... we have two dogs... Teddy and Coco.

Coco is 3 months old and needs more food than Teddy... but their food bowl is in the laundry where Teddy can get Coco's food all the time too.

He is getting far too heavy.... how do I stop him eating the puppy's food? Yet still have the food out and available for Coco???
I think the answer is to have food for Coco in a different place from Teddy's?
Like.... put Teddy's food in the laundry in the morning... and shut the door so Coco can't eat it and feed her in the kitchen?
I will do that today and see how it goes.

The other thing I am obviously going to do today is drive over to Howick with that bloody sewing machine and see what they make of it. Hopefully they can fix it there and then.... or give me a loaner? I think something is wrong with the computer inside it... it goes backwards all on it's own!

I hope this does not turn into another saga/drama/never-ending-story! I could NOT stand that.

ONWARD.... and if you hear on the News that some random woman has been arrested for throwing her sewing machine through a shop's window in Howick...IT'S ME! Hmmm... better put me makeup on just in case eh? (wouldn't want a MUG SHOT of me not looking me best!) ha ha ha!

Update on Teddy's injury: it's certainly looking a bit better, and he's back to running around and playing with Coco, so he must be feeling better! Thank goodness!

I am happy to report that the machine is at the shop.... I didn't throw it through the window... BUT I did tell the lady that I wanted her to tell 'The Boss Man' that I want a NEW MACHINE.. cos I don't want this to become a never-ending-story AGAIN. I wait now to see what his come-back will be.

After that I felt like I needed me man's company, so we had lunch together at Sylvia Park and now.. I'm home and going to do the housework. Yaaaaa...let's all get excited about that eh?

End of Day: I got lots done this afternoon around the house... even moved some furniture! I kinda have a fetish about moving furniture! Sadly the size of this house seriously LIMITS my choices. *sigh*

Got some good news first thing this morning too... but I can't yak about it yet.... just wanted to record it here for posterity. nite nite.

I COULD SCREAM HOLY BLUE MURDER...

WHY, OH WHY.... does my bloody sewing machine always have to crap out on me on a Saturday night???? Eh? I tell ya, it was going so good too... until about 9.30 last night... then for NO BLOODY REASON it spat the dummy and decided to stop working properly.

I have tried EVERYTHING I can think of to make is sew properly again... to no avail. Now I am like super duper pissed off. I was 'in the groove' and sewing so happily too.

If I can't get it going right today I will have to take it back to the shop for repair AGAIN. Grrrrrrrrr.... I could scream.... or smash the bloody thing. .... gawd it would give me so much SATISFACTION to take a sledge hammer to it I tell ya!

On that note... I'm off to do some housework, then try it again .... but I can't see why it would be any different this morning. pfffft.

ABOVE: a wee video of the machine at work ... NOT! Stupid thing. Going to just do housework now instead of sew. It's a yuk day outside too... wet, wet, wet.

ABOVE: 'Fat Belly Jones' lol.... he really MUST lose some weight! He's got a huge barrel of a belly on him and he weighs 7 kilos! For his breed he should be around 4.5 kilos!

ABOVE: I think his wound is getting a bit better? It's not raw and weeping now... just looks IKKKKKKK still. And kinda smells.... gross I know!

Were you eating lunch? lol

I am struggling to stay awake today.... it's hard when you are just lazing around doing diddly-squat!

End of Day: a loooooong, wet, fairly boring day. I think tomorrow will be busier somehow. nite nite.

HEART BLOCKS....

ABOVE: Last night I lined Teddy's cone with a bandage to hopefully keep the wound from sticking to the plastic... as it was not helping it at all... and I think causing it to weep even more. If he is not showing any signs of healing by monday he is going back to the Vet's.

Today: well hopefully I am getting a sleep in! I have forward posted this so I can! What else? Hmmmm.... I want to sew more of the Heart Blocks I have been fixated on lately.. I'm working on about 4-5 small quilts at the moment, all with heart blocks! Stew is going out later to check out a car for Lacy too.

We will no doubt head out to a mall for lunch, and a browse around. Griffin and Brylee EXPECT IT, particularly Griffin... he has caught the 'shopping bug' from me! Ahhhh... a kid after me own heart he is.

ONWARD!... Well... we have been out and about. Had lunch at Sylvia Park, then popped over to Manukau for dog food... didn't feel like doing much else so we came home for a quiet afternoon in.

I am going to start sewing more of my heart blocks now... while Stew no doubt watches sport on the telly. Talk about a quiet day.

ABOVE: Can you see that thing in the pillows?

ABOVE: It was Teddy, hiding in the vain hope we wouldn't see him and lock him in the laundry today when we went out! Awwwww, poor boy.

ABOVE: where I have been all afternoon! Sewing while watching "You've Got Mail" then "Phone Booth"... what fun!

End of Day: Stew dished up leftovers for dinner... I didn't have to do anything. Yaaaa, got to love the weekends when Stew does dinner. nite nite.

CONE HEAD...AGAIN.

Yep, we are NOT happy .... when Teddy came home from the groomers on Wednesday, Stew was holding him and felt something under his chin, on the neck... we looked and saw that he had been grazed quite badly on his neck, by the clippers presumably?

As Teddy is a 'scratchy' dog I hoped like hell he would leave it alone to heal.... but he didn't. Yesterday afternoon I could see him scratching it... and checked. He has made a huge mess of his neck... so I have had to put the cone back on him. Knowing what he's like... the cone will be on for weeks. DAMMIT.

I also rang the Dog Groomers to let them know what had happened, what THEY had done... and to let them know that I was rather upset .... wonder if I will hear from them? Time will tell eh?

One thing is for sure, he ain't going back there. *sigh*

I got a phone call at 7.30 this morning from the manager of the Grooming place... she's so sorry and wants to refund our money.... and could I let her see Teddy, to see the damage? Fine... she is going to feel REALLY BAD when she sees just how bad he is!

He is so miserable he wouldn't even come out of his bed this morning... we had to carry him out! He won't move! It must hurt like hell.

I am supposed to be going to the Hospice Shop this morning too... but I am going to the Vet's at 8.45... I think Teddy will need antibiotics now to clear up the oozing infection he has already. Poor boy.

Today has gone well... I got an appointment for Teddy at the Vet's for 8.45am... he is now on antibiotics and special cream for the wound. After the vets I took him to the Groomers so they could see the damage and she was nice and paid the $88 vet bill.

Then I went to 'work' at the Hospice Shop, which was really busy and I loved it! I bought a few things (DOH!)... which I will show ya later... for now I'm starving and want me lunch.

ABOVE: My purchases today.. a little cane tray for Brylee to use in her room $3, a material pouch holder thingee $2, an almost new lifejacket $3 and a ski suit for Brylee $4... so in all I spent a whopping $12! Didn't I do well!

!!!!!WARNING !!!!!!...... next two photos are gruesome... don't be eating your lunch or dinner while looking!

ABOVE: In case you thought I was exaggerating about Ted's neck!

ABOVE: My poor boy... it makes me want to cry seeing him so bad.

ABOVE: I wanted to wash it first... but she just had to try it on! Cute eh?

End of Day: and I am knackered! It's been a busy day... and TGIF! I can sleep in tomorrow.... YAAaaaaa. Teddy's neck is looking even worse now... the vet said to leave his cone off so it could heal better.... CRAP! Teddy scratched himself AGAIN... and made it worse. Cone is back on. nite nite.

TAXI AGAIN...

ABOVE: in this photo Coco looks as big as Teddy! She isn't really... it's just that Ted has just been groomed and is behind her... he is easily 3 kilos heavier... poor boy... steroids are making him too heavy and I really must put him on a DIET. *sigh*, as if one of us on a perpetual diet isn't enough!

Poor boy... after spending almost 6 hours at the groomers yesterday he was totally KNACKERED. All he wanted to do was sleep. Awwwwww...

Now what's the hap's today? meh.....housework, then pick up Griffin and take him to his SPELD lesson... which means I get to sit in the car for over an hour waiting for him... cos it's too far to come home and then go back later for him. What fun. I hope like hell these lessons do some good.

At least I will be comfy.. and I'll take a book... and Diet Coke and me lunch... I suppose it's not that bad!

ONWARD.... Just sent the kids to school 10 minutes early... it was either that or throttle Brylee! I swear to god, out of all the kids I have raised she has the biggest mouth on her! She NEVER shuts up! She just goes on and on and on and on... and 90% of the time she is talking utter crap, or just saying something to annoy Griffin... or giving him information that is WRONG... gawd I wish I could gag her sometimes. So, today I sent her out the door (and Griffin) early! I just can't stand it some days.

I may be sleeping much much better these days, but I'm still waking up grumpy! Isn't Stew lucky he gets to leave BEFORE I rear my grumpy head!

YIKES! Looks like Griffin will be going to his SPELD lesson twice in a week... IF I can find another $50 a week... which will mean I am paying $100 a week! *sigh*... looks like this tart is NOT going to be doing much shopping in the future. BUT, if it means Griffin will learn to read and write and do maths.. I DON'T CARE. He comes first... his whole life is ahead of him... I want him to feel good about himself, and 'fit' in with normal people... not be illiterate.

He is being teased at school again too.. so I am going to organise another IEP to address that, and to get them to co-ordinate with the SPELD Teacher on a way forward with his learning.

It was actually really nice sitting in the car out in the countryside ... reading a magazine and listening to the birds this morning. It's such a lovely day today.... very warm out there too!

ABOVE: Coco is sleeping in a basket at my feet... Teddy is not a happy boy and wants nothing to do with her today. More about him tomorrow... I am not happy either.

Had a shitty phone conversation (all of about three words) with my Mother today.... now I'm feeling really down.

End of Day: started out good, ended so-so. I can see how easy it would be for me to slip backwards into depression SO EASILY. Dammit. What the hell is wrong with me that I can't take anything stressful anymore without throwing a tizz??? nite nite.

DOWN AND OUT.

WHOOPS... ANYONE FOR A BURNT PIE?

So... here we have the burnt pies from last night! Don't they just look so delectable???? They were totally burnt on the bottom and half raw on the top! *ha ha ha* I am NEVER going to try cooking something NEW for dinner guests again without trying it out on US first! It was obviously the wrong sort of pastry for the pie maker!

Today... I'm taking Teddy to the groomers... the poor bugger is looking really ratty... Coco is constantly playing with him, pulling on his ears and making them all knotty... I bet the groomer will have a really hard time getting all the knots out... and that is after I have been combing him every other day too!

While he's at the groomers I am going to have a look around car yards on Great South Road... our daughter Lacy is coming down again in about 10 days to get a car... so we are doing the 'preliminary' look around for her.

ONWARD... I dropped Teddy at the groomers at 9am, they said come back at 12pm to get him.... so I go back at 12... I can see Teddy running around with about 4 other dogs behind the counter...

And I am looking at him thinking... Just WHAT have you actually done to my dog?? Cos, to me.. he looked exactly the same as he did 3 hours ago! Well... the lady comes over and says "Oh, so sorry, but we are running a bit behind, can you come back later on this afternoon? I am like...

I don't exactly have much choice do I... So I leave again and drive back home, where I am now...

You all CAN picture it eh? I think I was really nice.. like.. I didn't even say 'FUCK IT ALL' when I left! Pat me on the back would ya??

Righty-ho... picked up Brylee and took her to the orthodontist.. left her there and went down to Takanini and picked up Teddy... who I must admit looks lovely.. AND they didn't charge as much as the mobile groomer did... funny that... cos the mobile groomer was from the same place. I asked what it would normally cost to have the moblie groomer come to my home, she said "THE SAME AS BRINGING TEDDY HERE"... Me thinks the mobile groomer lady was adding a bit 'on the top' to the fees. She ain't there any more... wonder why?

Have now picked up Brylee and will be going in shortly to get Griffin from school... I am feeling a bit like a Taxi today!

End of Day: I made an awesome quiche for dinner... lots of eggs, bacon, cheese, onion etc. nite nite.

NOT MUCH ON TODAY....

ABOVE: darling Coco in the washing basket... so cute. She is just the most lovely wee dog.

I'm sick of being home ... I'm going out. Not sure where, or to do what... but OUT!

While I'm out... here's a 'funny' I got via email yesterday:

GEOGRAPHY OF A WOMAN:

Between 18 and 22, a woman is like Africa - half discovered, half wild, fertile and naturally beautiful!

Between 23 and 30, a woman is like Europe -well-developed and open to trade, especially for something of real value.

Between 31 and 35, a woman is like Spain - very hot, relaxed, and convinced of her own beauty.

Between 36 and 40, a woman is like Greece & gently aging, but still a warm and desirable place to visit.

Between 41 and 50, a woman is like Great Britain, with a glorious and all-conquering past..

Between 51 and 60, a woman is like Israel - has been through war, doesn't make the same mistakes twice, and takes care of business.

Between 61 and 70, a woman is like Canada - cool, self-preserving, but open to meeting new people.

After 70, she becomes Tibet - wildly beautiful, with a mysterious past and the wisdom of the ages.... an adventurous spirit and a thirst for spiritual knowledge.

THE GEOGRAPHY OF A MAN:

Between 1 and 80, a man is like Iran - ruled by nuts. THE END.

ONWARD...

Been out, did some banking... got a few extra groceries as we have dinner guests tonight (Aunty and Uncle up the road)... not much else! Had a good look around a Scrapbook shop in Mt Wellington... but nothing caught my eye and screamed "BUY ME!"... so I am now home contemplating doing the vacuming. Oh yaaaaaa....

Vacuming a Wash Floors a Dinner in oven a Dust and Polish a

Relax for a little while ... *sigh*. There was a good reason why I invited guests over for dinner! It made me do the floors if nothing else! As it has been raining A LOT lately, Teddy and Coco have been traipsing in and out with grubby paws and leaving me floors dirty... I have been meaning to mop the floors for days... now it's done!

End of Day: first time in YEARS... I stuffed up me dinner! Well ... not the dinner exactly... it was the dessert! I burnt me fruit pies... really well too! GUTTED by it ... felt dreadful serving up burnt pies and custard to our guests! Weird thing, they still ate them... I think they were just being nice. THANKS. nite nite.