END OF WEEK... YAAA

Today I am doing something I have NEVER DONE BEFORE.

I won't be telling you what until POSSIBLY Sunday.   It's got to happen first!

I might even make it a guessing game... you guess... and if someone guesses RIGHT... I will give them a mug rug.  ***anyone who actually DOES know for sure cos I told them, cannot guess.

Fun?  Maybe.  It started with me doing 'stuff' last night in preparation.

Steve and Bex went to the mall last night, and they came home with these for me..

When they said they had a little present for me, I immediately thought it was Peanut M & M's!  Ahhh nope... they informed me they were NOT getting me any chocolate.  And gave me the earrings ... which I love.  
It's nice to get unexpected gifts!

Right, I am getting some housework done, and hopefully some sewing too.

 ABOVE:  Saw it... loved it.  Want it.  Probably won't ever see it, to get it.  Bugger.

ABOVE:  Ain't THAT the truth!!!

Ha ha!....  

A couple of photos to share:  Bex and I popped into the Hospice Shop again.

Right, on with the day...
What,no guesses?
Sad...

Drink water? HELL NO!

A colonoscopy... ahh... another HELL NO!

Ahh... lunch time. ..stinking hot so happy to sit in front of the fan for a while. Bex and Dante are home from playcentre. .. time to watch Home and Away!

I wish I was getting a tattoo, but no... I'm not.

When I do it's gunna be words.: NEVER STOP DREAMING. ♥ ;-) 

Well I have managed to get some sewing done this afternoon PLUS the something secret!  

No one has guessed yet... may tell you tomorrow. 

Ha ha. I am having fun keeping you guessing. 

End of Day... it's been a totally different sort of day for me.  I will tell you all about it tomorrow afternoon. .. I promise.
Nite nite

WHOOPS! AND SOMETHING NICE

I started writing a post last night, then thought better of it.  Went to hit DELETE, but hit PUBLISH instead.

WHOOPS.  If you read it before I deleted it ... please ignore ... or at least don't comment on it's content.  Thanks.  If you do comment on it, I cannot publish it. 

I'm not going to have a huge witch hunt on my blog today.

***********************************************************

Now... change of scene from the above:

Talking of Teddy... his sore patches were 100% totally healed.  So two days ago I took off his cone.
And he attacked himself again.

Gutted.  He just won't stop eating himself.  He licks and licks and nibbles and nibbles, and scratches and scratches and DRIVES ME MENTAL!

The cone is back on.  We have tried steroids before.  Maybe he needs to go on them again.  Steroids come with their own nasty set of side effects, but it could be the long term solution.

By the way, Coco is in a cone right now too.  I do believe they both must have been bitten by fleas... even though we use flea treatments on them.  It is the only answer to WHERE they are itchy right now.  Well, that's what I think?

I dunno.   Too tired to think properly.  Not sleeping well again.
Hot flushes have ramped up... ahhh, thanks to stress I'm sure. 

I wonder what me blood pressure is like?  lol

Right, I'm going for now.  It's a new day.  The sun might even shine so I can lie outside and work on me tan.  

ONWARD... 

Bex and I went out to the supermarket... we had run out of laundry powder and dog food.

While out, we popped into the Hospice Shop and I found a couple of things:

 ABOVE:  our stove top has a thingee to balance a big pot on (top right)... only it wobbles, so I found 3 metal cake stands?  and BOOM!  NO more wobbles!  The tiny ironing board will come in handy for pressing little things. And the Tupperware?  
Well... you can never have too much Tupperware!

ABOVE:  Bex got this hanging basket type thing to put a lot of Dante's soft toys in.  $1.  Cool eh?

ABOVE:  Keera is visiting while Lacy goes to her course.  

Stew just got home, it's takeaway night.  I've got sausages sizzling, all we need now is a few chips I think.  Nice and easy tonight.

Phew!  Stew has taken Lacy and Keera home, Brylee & Griffin are with him.
Steve and Bex have gone to the mall.  
Dante is asleep.

The house is SILENT!!!   OMG it is mind boggling how quiet it is.

Whoops, spoke too soon, Stew and the kids are back.  That didn't last long.

I'm busy ... doing stuff ... more on that tomorrow.

End of Day:  well it's been 'one of those days' today.  Some good, some not so good.  At least things have settled down now!
nite nite

HAIR AND PARENT TEACHER INTERVIEW

Two things on my agenda today...

Get me hair done.  Exciting.  I'm trying a new salon at Manukau Mall.  I hope it goes well.  First hair appointment of the year, I'm really looking forward to it.

Griffin finishes school at lunch time today as the school is holding parent teacher interviews.  Let's hope his new teacher is nice and is aware of his dyslexia/dysgraphia/dyspraxia.  I always attend these sorts of interviews with a huge dollop of trepidation, and I never expect much.

Past interviews and attitudes have taught me to expect NOTHING.   

So... *sigh*... let's see how it goes this afternoon.  The interview is at 4pm... and a whole 10 minutes long.  Almost feels pointless.

My girlfriend Sandra from Palmerston North sent me this last night, and I loved it, so am sharing:


Very clever and catchy.  I also listened to a few other versions of it on You Tube too.  All are lovely.

That's all I have for now... so until later...

ONWARD...

OMG!  The difference in my hair colour compared to the previous salon is downright amazing! 

NO YELLOW.  NO LINES.  NO OBVIOUS DIFFERENCE FROM OLD COLOUR TO NEW.  
To say I am thrilled to bits would be right!
I'm rapt with it.
They LISTENED.  The did EXACTLY what I asked for.   

For $50 more in cost, I got a 100% better colour and experience. 
I can't get over it to tell you the truth.  So, so happy.

After all, how our hair looks is IMPORTANT to us girls!

I had my chin/lip waxed while out too.. so you won't get a photo of me hair until the redness has gone.  Such a good look... NOT!

The redness has gone, but now I have to go to Parent/Teacher interview for Griffin.  Oh what fun.

So the interview went OK.  No surprises.  No problems.  I did ask them to give less homework, cos Stew doesn't like doing homework any more than me!  lol

Now...make dinner me thinks.

ABOVE:  webcam photo.  It kinda blurs me wrinkles, so I'm not apologising for the crap quality photo!  


End of Day:  Sometimes I really, really hate some people in my life.  
And today was going so well for a while there.
nite nite

DOCTOR TIMES TWO TODAY... THEN WHO KNOWS?

Well... first thing this morning Steve is off to the Doctor again.  Hopefully they can give him some answers to his current state of health, which is crap (excuse the pun).

I also am visiting the Doctor today.
For a followup to see if my blood pressure has come down with the new medicated 'patch' I'm wearing.
Fingers crossed it has worked.

Come to think of it... my hot flushes have eased a bit too.  Maybe the new meds have helped after all?

Luckily, that is all on my agenda today.  Apart from taking care of Keera.
Hopefully Lacy catches a bus today.  

I want to catch some sunshine today too.  First time in years I want to get a bit of a sun tan.


ABOVE:  A little video of Steve and Keera.

Well... that's all I have for today.  Lets see what eventuates from the Dr's visit and if Lacy does catch a bus today!

ONWARD...

Nothing nasty showed up with Steve's 'sample', so it's a matter of riding it out by the look of it.
All OK there then.

Lacy:  has booked another bus ticket, let's all keep out fingers crossed the bus turns up today.  I have my doubts, seeing as it didn't turn up on Sunday or Monday.

I'm off to the Dr's shortly, so might just get me face on.
It's a very overcast day... so I don't see me getting a lie in the sun somehow.  Drat.

BUGGER.  My blood pressure is still too high. So, I have to double the blood pressure medication and go back in a week.
Stress elevates blood pressure right?

Just got a call from Debs ... she needs me to cover someone else today... so I'm working at the Hospice Shop this afternoon.

Bex is looking after Keera for me again. 

OMGosh it was SO BUSY at the shop when I got there, and for about 2 hours... just customer after customer.
Then finally it quietened down enough to sit still for a little while.

I totally appreciate why Debs needed help today.
She could NOT have managed the shop on her own and got any of the 'back room' work done.

Lacy arrived home at last.  Good to hand over responsibility of Keera to her Mother again.  Now tomorrow I can relax, lie in the sun, read a magazine, sew, catch up on Home And Away and so on!  lol

Or not.  I just remembered I have a hair appointment tomorrow.  Must check what time, cos right now I can't remember.

Dinner tonight is thanks to Bex.  She's cooking lamb casserole, and rice and veges.  I'm starving, so the smell is doing me head in.
So I've just had a bit of cheese to tide me over.

And Stew is bringing home some dessert ... cos I NEED something sweet today.  I can't stop thinking of chocolate!

Well... Miss Keera is being VERY GRIZZLY since her Mum arrived.  How typical.  She didn't cry even ONCE for the last 5 days, and now she won't stop.  Far out.

End of Day:  looking forward to a nice day tomorrow.  Getting one's hair done is always lovely.  
nite nite

PLAYCENTER FOR THE KIDS, AND...

Bex is taking Dante and Keera to Playcenter this morning.
I will be staying home so I can wash the floors while no one is home.
Then there will be a few more odd jobs around the house to do before I am ready to head off to the Hospice Shop for my afternoon shift.

 ABOVE:  Stew had an audience while he was cleaning the house.  It was so cute.

ABOVE:  Watching planes was EXHAUSTING work for a little man.  He fell asleep while having his dinner.  Awwwww.

Right, that's all for now... I'll come back later.

ONWARD...Lacy is stranded in Tauranga. .. the bus did not turn up AGAIN! THE POLICE are involved now ... the bus company are refusing to get her on another bus until tomorrow!...oh and blogging on ya phone is a bloody nightmare!

Home, it was a bit busier in the shop this afternoon... I've got sore feet!

MARIA:  Naked Bus company is the one that has dicked Lacy around.

ABOVE:  today's treasure.  Clothes for Keera, a little bag for Keera, which she clearly loves!
A cute seahorse shaped wooden and ceramic board, and some little baby blankets for the next Granddaughter.  
Someone needs to get moving on making that baby girl!  lol

Right, I have to go get dinner sorted... well it's already sorted.  I got everything ready before going to the shop.

HAPPY ELF MOM:  the police are involved because Lacy wants to PROVE she was at the bus stop BEFORE it was even time to catch the bus, and she needed to get a copy of CCTV footage taken from the mall that overlooks the bus stop, for both Sunday and today.  The only way she could do that was via the Police. The police were happy to help I think.

Dinner over, babes to bed... only Dante is up again.  He got his second wind and doesn't want to go to bed now.  Typical.

End of Day: another long, hot day.
Steve's car broke down AGAIN.
And he's still not well...off to the Dr again first thing tomorrow morning.
nite nite

Chill out Lacy.  Nothing can be gained from getting all bent outta shape.

If they can view the CCTV footage and prove you were there early/on time, then we can move on and get the Naked Bus company to reimburse you/us costs incurred.

YET MORE SPLASH PHOTOS!

There's two things I love above many things.

1.  My Grandkids
2. Water (pool, lake, sea, stream)

So, how can I not resist posting more photos of grandkids in water!...

ABOVE:  Getting ready to have fun...

ABOVE:  Yeah!  This is so much fun...

ABOVE:  Miss Muppet NEVER tires of this game!

Just before these photos were taken, Keera had experienced her first ever bee sting.  She was quite upset and very grizzly, poor babe.
So I thought putting in the pool would help with the sting, and distract her from how much it was hurting.

It worked.  I'm clever thinking of that eh?  *smiles*

 ABOVE: Thank you Uncle Steve for staying in the pool a bit longer, so I could have a swim.

BTW... we did get Griffin new school shoes yesterday.  New Balance black sneaker type things.  Size 11 and a half!  That is bigger than Stew's feet (he's an 11)... freakin' hell!

Seeing as Griffin's only 12, one wonders just how big his feet are going to be!
Steve (son) has size 14's.

I hope these shoes last longer than 3 months.  They were not cheap.  *sigh*
We have gone down the 'get cheap ones', and lived to regret it.  Cheap ones fall apart in just a few weeks with how Griffin takes care of them.

Today?  Waterblasting the house and concrete if the weather is good.
Then the summer jobs will be done.

ONWARD...

ABOVE:  a rather nice photo of Mr Serious. 

Having an excellent morning.  I cracked the whip and got the kids doing some jobs around the house.  Griffin acted like I had sent him to Siberia.  Honestly, that boy can pout like a girl.

Stew is waterblasing.  Yaaaa.  
Steve is looking a bit better today, not so white or sickly looking.  Whatever is bothering his tummy must have been a MEGA BUG.  So glad none of us have caught it.

I have been mucking around in the garage, re-arranging a few things.   Miss Keera has been keeping me company, in the play pen. I like play pens!

Lacy.  Missed the bus again.  She was at the bus stop early, but it had gone without her.  ????  Oh well, we have Keera for another day and night.  

Steve, Bex and Dante have gone out for lunch.  I hope they have a nice time.

Steve and Bex took Dante out to look at planes landing at the observation points, out by the airport.  He was transfixed, agog and just loved the experience.
I think he will be going there again for sure.

Next time I hope to go too, with me camera of course.

Stew worked for about 7 hours waterblasting the entire house and concrete areas!  What a job... but I have to say, house looks wonderful clean again.
It's amazing how dirty your house can get over winter.  Particularly on the south side, where the sun doesn't get to over winter.

Dinner is cooking... Chicken Rice Risotto.  It smells divine.

End of Day:  dinner was lovely.  Spent a while sorting out ringtones for me smart as phone.
It's smarter than me!  Like having a mini computer at your fingertips.  I'm loving it.
nite nite

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LACY, RINGTONES, SPLASHES AND A BLUE ELMO

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LACY... I hope you are enjoying your birthday in Tauranga.

Last night I decided to try getting new ring tones for my lovely smart phone.
I went on 'Zedge' and spent several hours downloading new ring tones!
I found a new one for all my 'normal' contacts.
It was a lot of fun!

That's how I came to be still up at 1 am this morning!

Oh well... I can always have a 'nana nap' later on today if I need it.

Next.... some cute photos from yesterday:

 ABOVE: it was so darn hot yesterday, I got Steve to bring up the HUGE fan from downstairs.  

 ABOVE:  Keera just LOVED the fan ... it's a wonder it didn't blow her over, we had it on the highest setting.  It sounds exactly like a plane getting ready to take off!

ABOVE:  I chucked Keera in the pool with Griffin to cool down.  She loved it, such a water baby.

ABOVE:  There was a LOT of splashing.  

ABOVE:  Bex made me a blue Elmo.  Dante saw it and decided it was his.  I had to give it to him ... his little bottom lip was wobbling, and I couldn't be so mean.
I got it back later on in the evening. 

Now what?  Ummm.... feed the kid, change the kid, look after the kid... you get the drift I'm sure!

Shit!  I just remembered... we are going out to lunch today.
Our neighbours arrived home from China a few days ago and they are taking us to lunch!  I think it's by way of a 'Thank You' because we kept an eye on their home for them.  They were away for 4 months.

I better move my butt....

ONWARD...

Far out, it's a stinking hot day again.  Only today we have drizzle, so the humidity is right up there!  Uggg.  

Poor Dante is cutting molars, so he's grizzly and hard to keep happy right now.  This weather must be horrid on littlies too.

I'm looking forward to lunch!  I've never been to a 'Yum Cha' lunch before.  Stew has, and reckons it really nice.

http://www.menumania.co.nz/restaurants/sun-world-new-millenium/media/40605
ABOVE: That is where we are going.  Their menu looks amazing!

Sun World in Newmarket, 2A York Street:  Amazing food.  Fantastic variety of tasty treats.  OMG it was so good we just have to go there again... soon!
But book first, cos it's hugely popular.  There were people queuing to get in!  I'm so not surprised.

I tasted so many things I had never tried before... I think the one that most surprised me was rice balls with sesame paste inside.  So yum!

I wonder if  the 'Yum' in Yum Cha means exactly that!  YUM!  *smiles*

It was really nice to get to know Allen and Lucy better too.  We had a really good time with them, discussing food/jobs/kids etc.  They have a 9 month old baby girl (Melissa) who was happy to sit on my lap and smile.  

Now?  We are heading off to Sylvia Park to get a few things done.  New school shoes top of the list for Griffin.  That boy goes through shoes every 3 months!  
I've also got a couple of parcels to post off.  More sewing stuff leaving me house.  I enjoy sending my sewing projects off to friends and family.

It gives me a reason to make MORE!  lol

End of Day: a really lovely day today.  Way too hot, but we are lucky our temperatures aren't as bad as in other countries.
nite nite

KEEP GUESSING!

Yesterday I bought some lovely fabric:

ABOVE:  I have already quilted it....

I will show you when it's finished.  If you want to keep guessing, go for it!  

Next:  a cute collage of Miss Muppet playing in Aunty Bex's shoes, and then her Mum's...

ABOVE: Our Miss Keera, she's such a girly girl.  And she's right into CLIMBING now.  It pays to keep a close eye on her, you never know what she can get into/up to, Trouble with a Capital T.

Lacy and I took some night photos last night, hers seemed to take better ones than mine!  I really must devote some serious time to watching all the Instructional DVD's that came with me camera!

 ABOVE:  my copper pig weather vane takes a pretty cool picture!  I love how it has weathered over the past 15 years or so.  It really is gorgeous.

ABOVE:  I just love buoys.  I don't have many sadly.

ABOVE:  This is gorgeous too.  You can open it up and put a candle in it.  I don't bother.  It's pretty on it's own.

Today:  playing with the littlies.  Maybe sewing when Keera is sleeping?  Dunno.  But I will keep you INFORMED.... K?

ONWARD...

HEE HEE.... I will reveal what 'it' is once it's finished, which should be sometime this afternoon.

I'm enjoying the guesses... all 5? of them since yesterday.  *smiles*

CHRISTINE:  my lips are sealed!  

Right... it's finished...

ABOVE:  Yes, two people guessed right.  *smiles*
Now when my machine has to go back to the repair shop, it will be suitably covered.
NOW I just need to find a suitable NAME for the machine from hell.
I am loving the cover... accolades now thanks...  lol.

It has been an afternoon doing very little.  The heat is diabolical inside the house, we have most of the fans on full blast and it's still stinkin' hot.
Luckily dinner was already sorted.  I got some of that beef/mince stew out of the oven and we had it with mashed spuds.  Bex also had some veges on the side.  Most of us didn't bother with side veges.

I'm thinking of sewing tonight... but it will depend on just how hot it is in me garage.  Or I could just watch Coronation Street.

Shit, that's a good idea, it's on right now... gotta go!

End of Day:  and it's actually Saturday now!  I'm up later than usual.  I got hooked on an app on me phone.  More about that tomorrow.
nite nite

I HAVE SHIT IN ME FRIDGE!

Seriously!  I do...

Steve isn't well... a very upset tummy... and all that goes with it.  Apparently there is a nasty tummy bug doing the rounds.  

He also has IBS, I do too.  (google it)

So, he had to provide a 'sample'.  Therefore... his 'sample' is sitting in my MY FRIDGE until Bex can take it down to the MedLab this morning.

NICE.

While I was looking for a picture of shit in me fridge (thank me for NOT ACTUALLY showing you my fridge's contents!)...  I saw this picture:

What a bloody good idea!  Seriously, how many of you get really crabby trying to reach or even FIND something in the back of the fridge?  I know I do.
AND I've got a wooden lazy susan somewhere around here.... if I can find it!

TODAY:

Sewing.  Housework.  Maybe a trip to Spotlight and David's Emporium with Bex.  I don't necessarily need or want anything from either store, but I do like to get out and about when I can.

It's great that Bex has her own car to use again.  Steve got a little run around car to get him to and from work, freeing up her car.

So now we go out together in her car sometimes too.

Last night Dante was playing with some pegs.  I clipped some on his hair... which spurred Steve into doing this:

 ENOUGH SAID

It hurt apparently.  Funny that.  Griffin decided to pull one off for him... Apparently THAT hurt even more!  What. A. Dick.

ABOVE:  Dante and Griffin.  They have a lovely relationship.  Very cute.

Right, I'm off to do shit  ... stuff! 

ONWARD...  

WELL.... I went out with Bex and Dante.  We went to Spotlight, and I had NO INTENTION of buying a thing, until I got there.
And... *sigh*... I got some fabric.  
On our way home we stopped in at our little local Hospice Shop... 

 ABOVE:  Bex got a few more toys for Dante, including this cute wooden car.  They will sand the ink off.  It's so cute!

 ABOVE:  And I got the cutest little fish dish and a BRAND NEW shirt for Stew.  Fingers crossed it fits him.

 ABOVE:  The fabric I got, all on sale for $6 a meter, except the pink one.

ABOVE:  And.... I got this gorgeous LEMON fabric too.  

Guess what I'm going to make with it???