IT'S FRIDAY!

After thinking yesterday was Friday.. it's nice to actually be at the end of the week.

Patchwork class this morning.  I'm looking forward to starting a new project.
I've not finished Beach Babes yet, but it's not far off being finished, so I'm not going to feel guilty about starting something new.

Hopefully the tutor can help me do the Mariner's Star.  I think she had a 'foundation' piece in mind for me to do, but I want to do the star.

When I get a chance, I'll take a photo of the fabrics I plan to use and show you... before I leave.

CRANKY:  done!  Good call... it did enter my head too... fleetingly.

*** PEPSI UPDATED ***

 ABOVE:  A recent photo I stole off my friend Tracy's facebook, of her two girls... Molly from our 2nd litter, and Ruby from our 3rd litter. Aren't they just adorable!  I can't get over how dark Ruby has stayed.  And Molly looks just like Coco in colouring.  Awwwww, they are both so cute.

Right, I better get moving... catch ya later.

ONWARD...

ABOVE:  I'm using these batiks for my Mariner's Star, what do you think?  

In class today... I had to 'sew' stitching lines on the Freezer Paper of my Star, not using thread in the machine or bobbin.  ONLY... my sewing machine refuses to sew without thread eh?
Didn't know that.
Now I do.

So... I did some more work on Beach Babes, so lucky I'd taken it along with me 'just in case'.

I had a really lovely morning, the ladies yak among each other lots... our conversations today included possum heads in the house, neighbours lying dead in their homes unnoticed, M's trip to England/France/America, chocolate pistachio slice and heaps more interesting things!  What fun. *smiles*

I got myself a Subway sandwich for lunch... OMG I forget how lovely they are. 
Stuffed now... am going to have a bloody nana nap.  I must have slept 'wrong' last night, I've got a darn sore neck today.

The 'nap' didn't happen.  Why does the phone ring when ya lie down, but not once during the day before that?  Grrrrr.

Oh well... no harm done I suppose, I should sleep well tonight now.

End of Day:  a quiet day really, which was rather nice.  Looking forward to a nice weekend with no annoyances, fingers crossed.
nite nite

PFFFT, I THOUGHT IT WAS FRIDAY

Yesterday I was so sure today was Friday, I had sorted out my patchwork bag, fabrics, pattern and so on, all ready for going out this morning.

BUT .. it's bloody Thursday isn't it?  Far out.
Now what do I do today?

Of course, I will sew that Beach Babes wall hanging I suppose.
Or plot my next move ... 

***  PEPSI UPDATED ***

It actually feels GOOD to be using PEPSI again.  It's a safe place to 'talk'.

So, it's been a bit rough lately.  But I'm hoping things will settle down now.

Puppy is doing well... though totally NOT house trained at all.  She's still 'going' in all the wrong places, which is a bit annoying.  But, she's only a baby, so one must make allowances.

ABOVE: I put Tallulah on the lead yesterday, and Dante got to walk/run around the house with her... he giggled himself silly.  Tallulah seemed to enjoy it too, which was neat.  Then Teddy got 'walked' too, but he wasn't quite so accommodating, so that didn't last too long.

So... I've not nothing else right now, so I'm off to do a bit of washing, tidying up, then sew I think.

ONWARD...

It's been an interesting morning.  I had an impromptu appointment outside the house.  I think it went very well.

It took about an hour and a half, so now it's like... 1.30 and I'm kinda hungry.  I didn't have dinner last night... had lost me appetite.  

So. off to find food.

Then maybe plan next step.

'Next step' done and dusted.  Nuf said.  All good on the home front.

ABOVE:  Russell stopped in this morning with his new car.  It's lovely.  I don't like it being so 'lowered' but other than that... *drool* worthy. 

Right, it's been one of those days, time to  dust off the headache and make dinner. 

End of Day: after a so-so start, it ended well I must say!
nite nite

FOUNDATION PIECE

Today my mission is to find a pattern for a Mariner's Star.
Tomorrow in Patchwork Class I am getting a lesson in Paper Piecing using Freezer Paper.
I'm quite excited about it as it's something I've never tried before.

There's a couple of ladies doing this in the class right now it looks complicated, but interesting.  It's a technique used to get perfect points in complicated patterns.

So... Pinterest here I come!  And when I find the pattern I want to use, I shall get it enlarged at Warehouse Stationary, ready for class tomorrow.

I've found a couple I like already:

And I may even use one of them yet.

edit:  TOOK a lot of stuff off here from yesterday and today.

From now on I will be using PEPSI again to vent.

*** PEPSI UPDATED ***

Right, enough of the annoying topic.  I'm going to have a good day.  Sewing.  Reading a few blogs.  Whatever takes me fancy.

ONWARD...

I got on the treadmill.  It wasn't for long, or very fast.  But I got on it!

I have been reading blogs for 2 hours.  It makes me sad to see so many bloggers who I've been following for years give up blogging.  It's like losing a friend.  Sorta.
Cos cyber-land is fickle like that.  One minute you are like really good friends ... then NOTHING.  I try to not let it hurt.

I think that's why I don't pull the plug on my blog, cos it might upset a few people?
Sometimes it's tempting though.

DEE: Thanks for that, off to have a look-see.

So, I've found a very simple star pattern, and will tinker with it once I start it I think. The basic star is a start eh?

So now I'm off to get it upsized a bit.  Back later.

Got it upsized, got Freezer Paper, ready for tomorrow.

Another day where I seriously want to stop blogging.  What's the point?  My Mum says that all the time ...

Well... I've worked out what fabrics to use for the Mariner's Star tomorrow.  
And I've just put a vegetable quiche in the oven for dinner.  It's one way to get veges into the family!

Sadly lacking in energy, motivation, enthusiasm for anything right now.  New low I suppose.

Been some tears tonight, and some decisions almost made that would have been hard to fix.
But, Stew and I talked and are united finally on how to deal with certain issues.

Feeling really tearful, but will be OK by the time I sleep on it, and let my feelings settle down.

End of Day:  a bit of a shit day actually... but I suppose we all have them.
nite nite

PASSIONFRUIT

Once the kids have left for school, I'm off to find us a passion fruit vine.
I had planned to get a few concrete surrounds for the fruit trees too, but Leigh said lemon trees don't like concrete.

Hmmm... that is probably what killed our first one then!

So... I might look at other options, like wooden surrounds ... if anyone makes them?  We used to have railway sleepers as garden surrounds in a few of our previous homes, so maybe we can do that here?

Worth looking at.

Also this morning, I shall post that wall hanging off to it's owner, Judith.  Hopefully I can find her address!  *smiles*   If not, Judith I will let you know and you can email me it again!

Last on my morning list of 'To do's' is to get me chin waxed!
Yep... I'm growing a few chin hairs.  Most disgusting, but it comes with the territory... MENOPAUSE.  Fark I hate it!
Women sure get the short straw when it comes to bodily woes.  
I would like to come back as a bloke thanks.


ABOVE:  just a little video of Dante playing with the train set I got from the Hospice shop last week.

Time to go.... catch ya later.

ONWARD...

edited out certain subject.

Deep breath.
I bought two passion fruit vines from Mitre 10.  They didn't have much in the way of plant surrounds either, so I didn't get anything.
I also didn't get me chin waxed... ya needed to know that eh?
I kinda ran outta steam after visting three places for garden edging.

Maybe another day.

I'm not showing the vines.  They look like... two little vines in plastic bags!  lol

ABOVE:  I just shaved Griffin's head.  Like shearing a sheep.  He likes it, so that's good.

Now Brylee (ha ha!) wants a haircut too..... DARE I?

edited out.

It's been a quiet evening, just spent 1.5 hours cooking enough corn fritters for everyone, then watched TV.  Chillin'.
Trying not to make any waves.  Ate chocolates that my neighbour gave me for making her a Lemon Meringue pie!  

End of Day: another day in the life.... 
nite nite

TOTALLY NOTHING TO DO!

Except....

Take all my cooking books over to our storage unit, cos I've got nowhere to put them right now.

And... buy a big candle for the 'what's it' I got from the Hospice shop a while ago.

ABOVE:  The 'what's it'... well... I don't know what to call it!   And I'm not sure what colour candle to get either.  *sigh*

I suppose if that's all I've got to wonder about I'm lucky.

Just remembered, my Uncle Frank gave us some advice, to try and get a fruit tree or two to actually GROW in our back yard.  Our soil is solid clay, so we need to dig HUGE holes, put heaps of compost in and then the fruit tree.
I'd love to get Stew onto digging a hole for a lemon tree.

I can't keep knicking the neighbour's lemons!
If it works, I might acutally think about spending more money on fruit trees.  Our last lot of trees died.  Such a waste of money.

Right, that's about all I have to yabber on about today... for now.

ONWARD...

Success!  Third shop we visited in the Apex Mega Centre (Freedom) and we found the perfect 'candle' for my what's it.

ABOVE:  it's not even a 'real' candle!  It's a plastic fantastic, battery operated flickering fake candle!
Perfect.  No safety issues with this one.  And it fits almost perfectly too.

Now we are off to Kings Plant Centre in Takanini for a lemon tree and compost.  Then lunch at Manukau mall I think.

 ABOVE:  our 3rd lemon tree!  Hopefully we keep this one alive!
As advised by the Garden Centre, I've cut off the lemons so the tree grows bigger before producing fruit.  
At least we know it does grow fruit already.

ABOVE:  Poor Stew!  At least I kept him company, wrapped up in a blankie!  It was bloody cold out there.

 ABOVE:  Fingers crossed we actually get more than ONE grape this year!

 ABOVE:  Tallulah in the rhubarb patch, cute little girl.

ABOVE:  We now have 1 lemon, 2 feijoas and one other citrus, not sure what it is?  Our two plum trees died, as did the tangelo and 2 Tree Tomatoes.  *sigh*
There is also the two grape vines, one of which is doing really well, and the other is struggling.

I'm thinking of trying to grow passion fruit vine along that back fence now.

Tomorrow I'm going to price half round concrete surrounds for the fruit trees, and see how much a passion fruit vine is too.

LEIGH:  thanks for that.  I will not get concrete surrounds then!

End of Day:  well... we had nothing to do, but managed to fill in the day nicely after all that.
nite nite

WELL... THAT WAS NICE

I slept in.  Till 9.30 in fact.
Steve and Bex fed the dogs for me too, which was lovely.

Today's plans?
Grocery shopping is top of the list.
We have my Aunt and Uncle coming for dinner tonight, so I want to cook something nice.

Just not sure what yet.  If I can get my hands on some pork belly I will do that, but somehow I doubt we will find any on a weekend.

I started work on a UFO last night, I am determined to get all of them finished by end of year.  In fact, there's not many left!

Anyway, this is what I'm working on again:

ABOVE:   The Beach Babes. I'd started doing the applique stitch around everything, then about 1/3rd of the way along I realised I'd not put the batting behind it.  I got really crabby because I'd have to go over it all again, so put it aside.

Last night I did the re-stitching, and it wasn't even that hard.  Derrrr.

I think I should be able to finish this little project in a day or two.

So... there ya go.  A post for the day, just late.

Shopping done.  Now busy tidying up the house, and I'm about to make a Lemon Meringue Pie for dessert.

ABOVE:  Something is happening.   My Britto has been taken out of the cabinet...

ABOVE:  LOOK AT THAT!!!  Steve and Bex got me special lighting strips for my Britto cabinet, as my Birthday Present!

For dinner tonight I cooked 3 chickens, had with roast potatoes and lettuce salad.  It was just lovely.
I also made a Lemon Meringue pie, well I made two actually.
I took a smaller one over to my neighbours as they had given me the lemons.  They were rather happy about that.

My Aunt Ethel had just got out of hospital yesterday, so she was pretty tired tonight, but they still came for dinner.  It was her first proper meal in a few days too.

She did well I must say.  She's a tiny little woman, but can still eat a good meal.
Uncle Frank fell asleep after dinner and had to be prodded to go home!  *smiles*

He's not used to having a big dinner followed by dessert... it knocked him out.  

They have just left, so it's tidy up and relax for a little while before bedtime.

End of Day:  a lovely day... even with grocery shopping thrown in the mix.  
nite nite

AWWW HOW CUTE!

While I was sewing last night, I got a text message from Steve.

Steve was up in the Family room I might add.  He sent me a photo of Tallulah.

I went upstairs and took my own photo, so I could show you:

 ABOVE:  Darling little Tallulah on Dante's little couch.  How cute is she?  She's even got her own toys there with her.  I'm sure if Dante was around he would have moved her off pretty quick!

 ABOVE:  She's so comfy there, it's tempting to go and get her a bed of her own.  It cracks me up when I get a photo with Patrick in it... he's such a laugh, photo bombing !

ABOVE: dinner time last night, and who rocks up?  Russell.  He was just in time for dinner.  Then he had a quick run on our treadmill before settling down for the night.  He's up for just the day, looking for a new car and hopefully to see his son Joshua too.

Right, I'm now going to get some washing on then sit down and start hand stitching the binding on that Wall Hanging.  That's going to take a couple of hours at least...cool !   I can watch, (or at least listen), to a few programmes taped on the tv.

ONWARD...

So, it looks like Russell has found a new car, a Holden.   He's coming back up tomorrow to get it apparently.

I've started the hand stitching of the wall hanging and have done about a quarter of it already.

Now though, we are about to go out for lunch, and a look around Botany.  I want to show Stew the shop I've found Britto at.  There aren't many around! 

A nice shopping expedition/lunch.  We visited that shop in botany, and found one that was just opening today too.

I got a cute little anchor for the wall, and from another shop, some more flowers for the house.

ABOVE:  Pretty new flowers and anchor.  Dante seemed to think they were his, and we had a bit of an argument about it.  I won.

 ABOVE:  a very pretty corner now.

On our way home, I got a photo message from Bex:  

ABOVE:  *sigh*... only this son would do that!

End of Day:  well.. I got the wall hanging finished!  Now I just have to post it off to Judith.
Yaaaa.  On to the next project... which is a UFO.
nite nite

PATCHWORK TODAY, AND MORE PROGRESS

Last week went incredibly quick.
This week, not so much.
I'm hanging out for the weekend, cos I will get a sleep in at some point.
It's Labour Weekend here, so Monday is a public holiday, Stew will be home.  Nice.

Today I'm off to Patchwork class.  I've got to stop in at Spotlight and get batting and backing fabric for Judith's Wall Hanging too.
It's time to get it put together with the batting and backing fabric, then quilt it!
That's the fun bit, sorta.

Here's the top finished:

ABOVE: It's turned out a bit bigger than I anticipated.  I hope you like it Judith.

So, that's me for now.  Have a nice morning girls/boys, catch ya later.

ONWARD...

Wow haven't I been quiet today?
I've been sewing.  All day.  I'm quilting the wall hanging... it's a long job and I don't expect to be finished for a few days at least.  Then I can bind it and send it off to it's owner.

That's all I have for now!  The kids are home, and once the men are home it's the start of the long weekend.

Dinner tonight is sausages with something easy, not sure what yet.

Oh well... what can I say?  Still sewing!!!  All day, all night too.

ABOVE:  Lucky I've got a biggish dining table.  All pinned out this morning, and as of now ( 11.45 pm) all sewn up.
I never expected to get so much done today, but I was on a roll.
Tomorrow all I have to do is hand stitch the binding down, add a strip of wood and string to the top and it's done!

End of day:  a long, productive day!  Very happy with my endeavours.  Oh and we had an unexpected visitor turn up for dinner.
nite nite

SCHOOL DRAMA

At the school Brylee goes to, I can check her daily/class attendance on my computer.
She has missed lessons due to visiting the Councillor twice already this term.  
This is doing my head in.  Half the time it's someone else's drama that she's got herself involved in, and half the time it's drama she has created herself.

So, I'm going to try and get an appointment to see said Councillor today, to try and STOP Brylee being able to feed off her own drama, and lap up all the attention.

I'm bloody sick of it.

Teenagers.  Fuck they do my head in.  God help Griffin if he ever causes me this much crap.
It Wouldn't be so bad if we hadn't already raised 6 kids, been there, done that sort of shit.  *sigh*

I bet every parent who cradles their newborn in their arms never dreams of what's to come!
Nope, ya only think of having that cute, adorable baby.  

Guess what?  They don't stay like that.  Sadly.

OK... rant over.  I hope I can get to see this person today, while I'm all hot and crabby.  NOT crabby at this person btw, more at our drama queen Brylee.

In the meantime, I will be sewing.  Or blog reading.  One or the other is getting done today.

ONWARD... 

Well... I let my fingers do the 'walking' and rang the school.  Talked to the head of Brylee's House, he's a lovely chap.  We have talked often in fact.
He's on to it ... and is putting in place a plan to stop Brylee from going to the Guidance Councillor UNLESS it's actually important.

He's well aware of what she's been up to, causing problems in her new class it would appear.  He's not happy with her either. 

I wish we had other options for her schooling, but I fear all this shit would happen no matter where we sent her.

So, I'm still in me pj's... so I better go and get dressed and do something constructive.

I just bathed Teddy, in readiness for grooming him ... probably after lunch.  I smell of dog now.  Nice.  At least I'm not going out anywhere!

Off to do a bit of sewing now...

Got lots done this afternoon in the sewing room!  so happy.
The sun is still shining on the patio, so grooming Teddy is still to happen.

ABOVE:  Fatty boom baah before his groom.  All clean and fluffy.  And indignant that I blow dried him!  hee hee

ABOVE:  Groomed.  Not an excellent job, but good enough.  At least I haven't paid someone $70 to do a shit job, I did a shit job myself!  LOL... it's not very good I must admit.  But, I will get better at it I'm sure.

End of Day:  utterly shagged my back grooming the dog... and sewing for a few hours today too.
I keep meaning to work on some core exercises, to hopefully help me back, but I always find something else to do!
Typical procrastinator.
nite nite

A VERY NORMAL DAY TODAY

Well... after such a lovely day yesterday and all the excitement of the scan and presents....

...
.....
.......

Today is going to be NORMAL.

Housework.
Sewing. 
Maybe some blog reading too!

I am looking forward to doing some more on the Wall hanging for Judith... it's coming along so nice.

Stew asked me last night, how come in almost every photo of my Hospice 'Treasure', Dante is in it too?
Simple.  That kid loves seeing all my treasure, and he pours over it no matter what it is!  He's gunna be a shopaholic like his Grandma I reckon.
He appreciates treasure! *smiles*

NOW... What else?  Nothing I think!  

Actually, I just remembered.  I must draft and send off a letter to try and get off paying that parking fine!  They demand to be paid within 7 days of the notice, so I ain't got much time to get that letter in... before they slap a $30 penalty on top of the $60 dollar fine.
Bloody criminals charging that much!

I will be back later... 

ONWARD...

It's later.
After feeding the dogs and putting them outside for a run around, I went back to bed.  I had a really shit sleep last night.
I woke at around 3 am and that was 'it' till about 6.
So.  Tired.

When I got up at 9.15, everyone had left.  The house is so quiet!

I've written that letter to the parking company, fingers crossed I don't have to pay!  

Now.... I'm going down to Spotlight to get some new flannels!  Our's are getting pretty manky, so some new one's will be nice.
I'm giving all the old one's to the Playcenter Bex and Dante go to.  They can use them apparently.

Forgive me Stewy for I have sinned.

I went out for flannels (face cloths).  But... ummm...  I didn't get any after all.

I got these:

ABOVE:  An Italian dinner setting to go with the two dishes I got from the Hospice Shop on Monday!  

ABOVE:  They were on SALE!  Massive price reduction, see?  They were just too pretty to leave there.  Sorry Darling, I know we didn't actually NEED a new dinner set. 

Well I haven't actually accomplished much this afternoon!   I had me lunch, then watched some telly... took all the Sale stickers off the dinner ware (what a shit job!).  And now I'm sorting out dinner.

Pork spare ribs with veges.  

Dinner was lovely!  I made apple sauce and whizzed it with me new kitchen whizz... it looked like store bought sauce.

I showed Steve my new dinner ware, he said it was "Fucken Hidious, like waves of shit rolling onto his food, and he's rather eat out of the dog's bowl".
NICE.

Wait till I DO dish his dinner up in a dog's bowl.
Let's see him laugh then. 
Arsehole.

End of Day:  Now I don't know if Stew even likes it.  Bloody men.
Well... I like it, and that's all that matters.
nite nite