2014... YOU COULD BE A REALLY EXCELLENT YEAR... OR THE PITS

We begin this new year with uncertainty over a big aspect of our lives.
Not going into details here, but it means we are either going to have a really GOOD year, or a totally SHIT year.

Time will tell... and as this has been hanging over our heads for a couple of months now, and with the knowledge that we probably still have a couple more months till we know for sure the outcome... all we can do is try to be positive and move forward like 'normal'.

What will be, will be.  And we will face it no matter what happens.

Don't worry... it is nothing to do with health.  We are all fine and dandy luckily.

Now... I hope everyone had a fun filled, safe New Year's Eve?

We went to bed like 'normal' !  Seriously, unless it's a biggie like 2000... it's just another night to us.  Sad I know, but when you've been around for a while, and seen in more than 50 New Years, it all a bit ho humm.  

How about a few photos from yesterday:

 ABOVE:  Poor Coco & Teddy... they are desperate for a groom... Lacy had a go, but they really need a shave.  I have managed to get an appointment for them this Sunday... so they will be more comfortable after that is done.

 ABOVE: Play time last night.  Dante gets so excited playing with Steve!

ABOVE:  the guys got all the walls and the roof assembled for the garden shed yesterday.  Today they are going to be working on getting the ground level where we want it to go.

Me rhubarb has to move.  That's fine with me.
It was in a crappy place anyway!

ABOVE: yesterday's visitors.  Bex's Niece and Nephew and their Mum.  They had a lovely visit here playing with Dante, then Bex took them to the mall for SHOPPING FUN!

I take it Invercargill doesn't have a mall like we do, nor do they have a Smiggle or EB Games shop, so the kids went nuts!

Bex really loved seeing and spending time with them.

ABOVE: Dante and his cousins.  Cute kids all of them.

So today's plans... watch the men working... always enjoyable!
Maybe now that I've made Joyce & Mike's mug rugs, and the Christmas List is done and dusted, I might just make something for me.

ABOVE:  Joyce & Mike's mug rugs.  I hope they like them.

I want to make a quilted tablecloth for our table.  With birds.  And flowers.  I've drawn a rough sketch of what I want to do... so might start on that.

OR... OR... I could do one in a nautical theme?  Drat, why did I just think of that?  I had it in me head to do the birds/flowers idea.  Grrrr.

Now I have to go and check out me nautical fabrics and see what I can dooooooooooooooo..........

ONWARD...

CONNIE:  Mike works in a warehouse, and he plays Indoor Netball competitively and is a Referee for Netball as well.  He is very, very 'into' his fitness and health.
He is saving hard to do a pre-entry university course before applying to be a Police Officer.

This has been a dream of his for years, and one we hope he achieves ... maybe this year.

Joyce is his partner, not his legal wife as such.  She has been caring for her sister's baby/children for a long time, and is also heavily into Indoor Netball competitively.

I am so proud of myself!  I have been 'On Track' and getting exercise ALL YEAR!  How good is that?   ha ha ha.

I just did a session on the Treadmill, and now that we have the HUGE FAN I didn't get overheated and I could watch a movie on the big TV downstairs to while away the time too. (I did a treadmill session yesterday too)

Loving it!  This year is going to be my year to finally get to my goals and stay there.

OK... I lost 25 Kgs last year, most of that in the first half ... then I kinda MAINTAINED that weight for the rest of the year.

It's not what I had planned, but it's what happened.  I'm OK with that.  Better to lose 25 and keep it off, than lose it then gain it again.

It has been raining, so the guys haven't been able to carry on with the shed.  But, it is getting better.  The delay has been good as it's given all of us more time to think about WHERE to put the shed.  We thought we had it sorted yesterday, but apparently Stew spent last night dreaming about WHERE to put the shed!
Poor man.

I'm now off to get dressed (OMGosh it is 12.23 pm already!).  Naughty me.  This not getting dressed till lunch time is catching on.  MUST. NOT. LET. IT. BECOME. A. HABIT.  *Smiles*

Garden shed... still not built and in place.  It keeps raining.
So, the guys went out and got the timber for the floor of the shed, and I popped into the mall for a wee bit of retail therapy.  I got a top and shirt from Emma Rose for 30% off. 
I'm happy.

Here's a cute collage of Dante in his clothes from Anne in Aussy:

ABOVE:  he looks gorgeous!  

There has been some progress on the shed....

WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?  There was suddenly this deep, thuundering noise and all the trees started bending over!!!  It's a mini tornado, right over our house!!!

Everyone is outside except Brylee and Me... the front door is flung open, smacking into the wall unit with a huge bang!

I race outside, hearing everyone yelling, Bex is running for the house with Dante in her arms.... and the guys are holding on to the shed panels for dear life.

Then ... as quickly as it started, it stopped.

There is debris flying around the sky in a circular pattern... as the heavy clouds move away into the distance.

SCARY.  AMAZING.  Our neighbour's rubbish bin has been picked up and all their rubbish is over the ground... and it's in the air ... long gone!

We have never experienced anything like it, all the neighbours are outside watching the clouds.  So are we.

It looks like the weather has moved on, so the guys are pondering about if they should continue constructing the shed?  Not sure.  What if that wind comes back?

I took photos, so will try and edit and get a few up... 

 ABOVE:  just before... not too cloudy...

ABOVE:  10 minutes later... looking to our East...

ABOVE:  I was taking photos of the sky due to the stormy clouds...

 ABOVE:  After the mini tornado ripped through, now looking to the West...

ABOVE:  you can't tell in a still photo, but the clouds were swirling around and around... quite something to watch.

The wind died down to NOTHING after the tornado went through.

That is enough excitement for one day I think!  What a start to the year.  Quite awesome.  But then, I'm a bit weird and love storms.  *smiles*

Well, after all the excitement this afternoon, we all just enjoyed settling down in the lounge and watching a movie, Kick Ass.  It was kinda OK.
The kids enjoyed it.  I think Steve said we shall be watching the sequel tomorrow night!

End of Day:  well we finally have a garden shed! It's been on my 'want' list for a very long time.
nite nite