CAR TROUBLE

Stew's car is playing up again.
So he took today off work and is dropping his car into the garage first thing this morning.

This kinda works out well as we have a Real Estate Agent from another company coming to talk to us this morning.  Hopefully she can give us some answers/opinions on our house selling predicament.
And if she sounds like a good option, we will be trying to get out of our 'Exclusive Contract' with our current Agent ( the contract is due to expire on March 31st).

So, a lot could happen today.

If we do decide to change agencies, and can get out of the contract, we will probably take a 2-3 week 'break' from marketing.  We feel we need that.  It's been full on for 9 months now and I'm just run ragged.  And I'm not the only person stressed to the max over this.  Stew is too.  

He hasn't said too much over the months about how stressed out he is, but I know he is.  It is incredibly hard on him having to cope with a new, very stressful job, commute daily and still 'be here' for me and the kids.

I wish this bloody nightmare would end.

On a happy note, today one of my dearest friends celebrates her 13th or 14th birthday?  She's a bit younger than me, and is a Grandmother! lol
Being born on the 29th of February sure sucks if you only celebrate your birthday on the 'actual day'!  *smiles*

***HAPPY BIRTHDAY SANDRA***

ONWARD...

SHOCK... horror!  The 'new' Estate Agent thinks we should 'stage' the living rooms too.

I am really surprised.  But we have had the reasons pointed out more clearly by Mary and can see where she's coming from.

She also thinks our price expectations are BANG ON, and we should not go lower.  That's a comfort.

So, IF we can get out of our Exclusive Contract with The Professionals, we will be going with the new Agency and moving forward.

 I have a massive headache.... not surprising actually.  So stressed out over this.  Not just the upheaval, but the cost!  It's going to cost us SO MUCH to get this re-staged, re-marketed and so on.  Hemorrhaging money. 

It's been a long day.  Very wet too.  Kids arrived home from school looking like drowned rats.

There's been some interesting comments today.  Some not so helpful, in fact some made me feel I share too much.
Must think about that.

Glad it's bedtime.

WET, WET, WET

It's a gloriously wet day.
The temperature has dropped, so it's a bit more bearable.

We have an Open Home today, it will be one of the few we have done on a wet day.

There's quite a bit to get done today, I didn't do any housework yesterday at all... and it shows.

But never mind, we will get it all done and the house will be spic 'n' span by 2 pm.

Archer has a new 'trick'.  When he's given his sippy cup, he takes a mouthful, then spits it out.  All over himself.
Little shit.  And he doesn't stop at one mouthful either... he spits the entire contents of his cup all down his front:

ABOVE:  Isn't he a little imp!  Just adorable.  

Well... it's that time again.  Time to get moving and make this house presentable.

ONWARD...

Never trust the weather forecast!
It's stopped raining and looks to be another stinking hot day!  There I was thinking we were going to have some relief from the incessant heat and humidity.  *sigh*

Oh well... winter IS coming!  Please be soon.

Well... for the first time ever, no one came to our Open Home!
We are gutted.

After the no show Open Home, we had the Estate agent stay for a talk over the 'situation'.
He had a couple of suggestions for us.

1.  Empty the living rooms of our furniture and get a company in to 'stage' it with neutral furnishings. Then take new photos and re-market it after that.

I said "Like HELL am I doing that!"

2.  Next suggestion: Drop the price by over $60,000 because everyone is looking for a bargain!  And again I said "Like HELL are we doing that either!"

When you have had three offers in the high $800,000's, then to be told to drop your price to the high $700,000's is a bit on the nose!

So, we are getting another Estate Agent in tomorrow morning for her ideas and opinion.

I'm tired.  Dispirited.  Just so unhappy right now.  At a loss.  Totally.

A BUSY DAY PLANNED

Today, without fail, we will be getting paint, rollers and so on and painting some of the exterior of the house.

The weather is going to pack it in come tomorrow, so I want to get as much done as possible today.

I don't know how Griffin is feeling this morning yet, he's still asleep.
Hopefully he's better.  Nothing worse than seeing your kid sick and unable to eat!  Particularly Griffin, who absolutely loves his food!

So, that's the plan for today.  I hope everyone else is going to have a neat day.  

ONWARD...

$800 later... and we have two 10 liter pails of paint, a new ladder, and an extension painting roller thingee.  Shit it's not a cheap exercise! But hopefully it will help get the house sold if it's freshly painted?

Well.... we only plan on painting about half the house cos the rest is OK.

Steve and Bex are coming over so Steve can help Stew.  I was going to, but Steve offered.  Will never say no to an offer of help!

That means I get to cuddle my grandsons instead.  Awesome.

 ABOVE:  it's a family affair.

ABOVE:  The extension roller is working really well... we sure didn't need to hire scaffolding. 

ABOVE: I can't believe how much they are getting done in one day!

ABOVE:  Keeping flies off sleeping baby.  His mother couldn't believe I completely covered him.  Like?  Why?  It worked.  *smiles*


Just an hour and a half after the guys finished painting for the day... it started raining. HEAVILY.

Luckily the paint had just enough time to dry!


Hot dogs and chips for dinner tonight, we were all too hot and tired to cook.




Steve, Bex and the boys will be leaving in the next hour or so, so it will be quiet here soon. Then I can settle down to watch Master Chef and Coronation Street. I suppose Stew will watch rugby. *smiles*

PAINTING

Well today I plan on getting on a ladder and painting one wall of the house.
The wall of our bedroom that faces west, it's an easy wall to do, which is why I'm doing it first.

Next week if the weather is ok, Steve and I will tackle the front of the house.

Apart from that, I've got no other plans .... I will just take the day as it comes I think.  I want to get the painting done before the sun comes around to that side of the house and makes it too hot to work there. 

I just thought of that!  LOL... there is no way I want to be painting in the full sun that's for sure.

I've avoided the sun all summer, it's just too bloody hot.  

ACTUALLY.... after the painting I might just jump in the cool spa pool and chill!  Yeah, that's something to look forward to!

ONWARD...

Well let's scrap the painting plan!   I simply can't reach the top of the house wall, our ladder is not long enough, and I'm too bloody short.

Dammit.

Now what?  Grrrrrr.  Watch Griffin throw up?  Poor kid has been vomitting for a few hours now.  We are pretty sure he got a dodgy kebab from the mall last night.  The rest of us had other food, and are well.
If he's still throwing up after lunch I might have to take him to the Dr.  

Fingers crossed... maybe the worst is over for Griffin?  He's not vomited for about an hour or so. 
I've just been keeping an eye on him and painting.... me nails.  lol

I pulled off my acrylics last week and decided not to get new ones for a while as my nails were ruined.

I've put on Gel nail polish ( Shellac ), so that should protect my natural nails for a while.

Having really short nails is good for typing! *smiles*

How typical.  Griffin started to feel a bit better, so he had as little food to eat mid afternoon, but then didn't feel like any dinner.  AND then he threw up again.
Grrrrr.   I hope he's feeling better tomorrow, or he will definitely be going to the Dr.

Quiet evening, enjoying watching Coronation Street in the lounge, and Stew is enjoying watching rugby in the family room.

RUGBY.  It's started again!

FIXED IT!

I finally figured out what was making me feel so ill EVERY SINGLE MORNING!

NO FOOD!  I am not a breakfast consumer ... never have been.

But, for the past few days I've been trying to eat a piece of toast first thing in the morning to see if that helped with the nausea.

And bugger me!  It has!  If I eat first thing, I don't feel so ill.  I still have some mild nausea for a little while, but nothing as bad as it has been!

So... I'm thinking it's the diabetes that's made the difference.  So now I will be eating a piece of toast for breakfast, or some yoghurt and fruit.

Healthy eh?  lol
I can't believe that's all it's taken to stop feeling so bloody ill in the morning.  Wish I'd cottoned on to that sooner I can tell ya!

Dante and I are going to the mall this morning, then I will take him home to Steve and Bex.  

Then I am going to buy a long extension paint roller so I am ready for house painting once I get the paint.  I had hoped to paint early next week, but the weather forecast is shit, so it might have to wait a bit longer.

ABOVE:  What ya do when it's too hot.  *smiles*

ONWARD...

After having a nice wander around Sylvia Park, I dropped Dante back home to his Mum and Dad.  I stayed there for a good while, getting a lot of cuddles from Dante, and a few from Archer, who was grumpy due to teething.

Then home, and now I'm watching Home and Away from last night, then I'm going to do some housework.

Feeling down in the dumps this afternoon.  Mulling over and over the house sale... or rather LACK OF HOUSE SALE.  In a month our current contract with the Real Estate Agency we are with expires.  We are going to have to do some serious thinking about where to go from there.  
Probably change agencies cos clearly the one we are with have not managed to sell it for us.  Not their fault, but maybe a fresh approach/agent will help?

Can't be bothered cooking tonight, it's so bloody hot I can't bear the thought of being in the kitchen.  So, takeaways I do believe.

We went to Manukau Mall for dinner tonight.  I had butter chicken, as usual, I only ate a couple of spoons full of rice.  And Griffin ate most of my chicken!  I really only like the sauce.  

Home and now watching Master Chef that we taped earlier.

ODD JOBS

I have to pop out first thing this morning and pick up some dry cleaning bags for our pottery group.
They are used to keep the clay moist when you can't get back to your project straight away.

I've never used them before, but our Tutor reckons they are the best thing since sliced bread... so I got the job of getting some.

I'm also going to get some paint rollers with long extensions so we can reach the top of the house when we start painting the front.  We don't need to paint the entire house luckily, just a few walls and the front.

I'm expecting a little visitor at lunch time too.  Dante is coming to stay the night... he misses seeing Stew and Griffin during the week, so I invited him over and he's mega excited to be coming.  I'm sure we will enjoy each other's company till the kids get home from school this afternoon.

So that's my plans for the day so far.... 

ONWARD...

Well I got me jobs done quick smart this morning.  Sent a parcel off to Lacy and Keera, and got prices for extension paint rollers (not bad prices) and then came home and awaited the arrival of Dante.

Steve and Dante arrived around 1 pm, and since then I've had this delightful little man asking me a million questions, so fun!
lol

What a delightful day!  Dante is so entertaining, his speech is amazing and he's so funny.  He is his Daddy's boy for sure.  He is a breeze to look after too, which makes having him here so cool.
I will be sad to have him go home tomorrow.

OFF TO KELLY TARLTON'S AGAIN

Now that we have a Family Annual Pass to Kelly Tarltons, and so do Steve and Bex, we are going together today.

Well ... Stew, Brylee and Griffin can't of course... they are at work and school respectively.

So it will just be me and Steve/Bex and the little boys.

I'm going to pick them up and we will all go together for a nice morning looking at fish and sharks and other sea creatures.   Fun!

I'm going to enjoy being out of the house for a change!
Having so many private viewings and then Open Home on sunday meant I was kinda tied to the house for 4 days in a row.
Time to get out and blow some steam off elsewhere.

So, I will be out and about till after lunch... catch ya later!

ONWARD...

What a lovely day!   I picked up the kids and off we went to Kelly Tarlton's.   It wasn't busy at all... so it was nice going around without crowds to wrestle with.

We spent a good couple of hours there, then I dropped them home and came on home myself.

It's another stinking hot day, summer certainly is not over yet!

Here's a few photos from today:

 ABOVE:  Only Steve !  My son is a nut.

ABOVE:  This is the egg case of an Elephant Shark.  They lay two every couple of days for two weeks... so there will be lots of little Elephant Sharks in a few months!  The Elephant Shark looks weird:

ABOVE:  They had quite a few of them in a huge open pool. (my photo didn't come out, so I nicked this one).

A little boy just got a new shirt... because it is JUST LIKE GRIFFIN'S:

ABOVE:  A very happy Dante.  His shirt is not red like Griffin's, but it's the same sort of shirt.  He sure looks pleased with himself  *smiles*.

Another nice day.... followed by a quiet evening.

MONDAY, LOVELY MONDAY

I know millions of people loathe Mondays!

But I love 'em!

Kids go to school, Stew is at work and I have the house to myself.

I like it.  I like it very much.  *laughing*

I've got a bit of washing to sort out, but apart from that... bugger all housework of course.

So I'm going to make a house.... I think.  Or I might make a start on my totem pole?
Not sure yet.  But I am going to pot.  

Exciting stuff ...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO LACY... I hope you and Keera have a wonderful day together.  

ONWARD...

I'm having a very good morning!
I've done 4 loads of washing and hung them out.  Fingers crossed it doesn't rain now.

I've also sussed out some house paint at a good price... so we can paint a few areas of the house (outside) that could do with a spruce up. 

Not got the the pottery yet... and may not after all!  I seem to be having fun doing other stuff! 

I had a quiet afternoon after spending the entire morning doing washing and housework!
Dinner was steak and salad with hot spuds.

Stew brought home a big table from his work, it's now in my sewing area.  Nothing like free furniture!  His company moved premises in Hamilton a week or so ago, that's why I got a new work table.  Cool!

It's been another stinking hot day, so hot this afternoon I turned on the air conditioning.  It doesn't cost as much as I thought to run it thankfully.

FOURTH DAY IN A ROW!

Another day of getting the house ready for an Open Home.

So it's the 4th day in a row I've had to get the house ready.  It's getting a bit old now.  At least there is bugger all to do today!

Seriously wonder if we will EVER sell this friggin house!
We may have to look at some other options soon... maybe even change agents?  Trouble with doing that is we will have to cough up for all new marketing/photos etc, and that ain't cheap. I just don't know what we can do anymore.

We seem to be getting plenty of interest, just not a bloody buyer yet.  Grrrrr.

It's doing me head in.

BUT at least that's the only thing stressing me out now!  Small mercies there.

The hot flushes are ten times worse over summer, and this has been a dreadfully hot summer.  I think that's why I've been feeling so nauseous for the past couple of months?   My god I can't wait till winter!

I'm really looking forward to tomorrow.  I have NOTHING ON, and plan on doing 5/8ths of f*#k all!  I might even sleep in again!

But not today... 

OH and before I forget !!!!! It is our granddaughter Emily's 5th Birthday today! She starts school tomorrow! I hope she has a fantastic birthday, and we are sorry we can't be there... but we have to be here to get the house ready for Open Home this afternoon.

ONWARD...

Well it was a pretty cruisy lead up to the Open Home as the house was tidy already.

5 groups through today, so not a bad result.

Moving on... looking forward to a quiet day tomorrow.  Might even make a pottery house... if I can't buy a new one... I'll MAKE ONE!   lol

Stew is doing dinner tonight... once he stops playing Sudoku on his phone!  Not that I can talk... I've been playing 2048 on mine forever!
I'm up to my best score ever... 17,403,640 !!!  My next highest score was around 6 million, so I'm doing well!

I expect to 'lose' soon though, as it's getting much harder to run up the numbers cos I'm running out of space.  It's a great way to while away time I must say.

Stew made spag bol for dinner, it was lovely.
Monday tomorrow, one of my favourite days.

BUSY TODAY

Well first off... I slept in.  Everyone else is still in bed... but they will have to get up soon.

Now that it's stopped raining Stew really needs to mow the lawns, they are looking really long.

After that he's taking the kids out to get them raincoats, and Griffin needs new jandals and school shoes too. 

While that's happening, I shall get on with making the house tidy, not that there is much to do!
Just the usual, re-make the kids beds with the 'nice' linen, clean the bathrooms, the kitchen, and so on.

So annoying, I'm still waking up every morning feeling sick as a dog.  I wake up, get a massive hot flush and want to throw up!  Then I wander around the house for a good hour or so just feeling ikkkk.   Talk about annoying!

Must be my new 'normal'.

Right, I am gunna bugger off and make a start on shit.

What's making me so happy today:

ABOVE:  My HOME has some colour back in it!  I know the Real Estate agent was worried when I told him I was putting some of my bits 'n' bobs back... until I promised him I wouldn't add any more!

LOL.  Poor man, but he did understand when I told him it was still my HOME and I had to be happy in my home.  Colour makes me happy.

AND, we did get three offers way back when the house was still rather cluttered eh?  So, I'm not worrying any more.  What will be will be.

So the viewing went well I suppose.  Again, they are tossing up between a couple of houses.  So again... we wait.  I'm not that hopeful.

Steve, Bex and the boys came for dinner.  I cooked pork chops, salad and potatoes.  
Afterwards we spent a lovely couple of hours in their company before they left for their home.

Watched the tv for a while, then bedtime.

THEY LOVE ME ... REALLY!

My poor kids... they got a bit wet on their way home from school yesterday.
I had bought them umbrellas last year, but they haven't looked after them and they are all rusted.

*sigh*... so I have no doubt we will be buying them raincoats this weekend.

Anyway... I just HAD to take a photo of them at the front door yesterday when they got home:

ABOVE:  ha ha!  Drowned rats.  Brylee didn't want her photo taken, poor girl.  I wouldn't let her inside until I got the shot!

Today I'm really excited!  The new display units arrive.... so I get to put my Britto collection out again.  *squeals*
The delivery guys are due here around 9.30 am, so I can't wander around in me nightie this morning.  Better go get dressed!

ONWARD...

The display units arrived nice and early... and I have placed my Britto in the one in the Family Room:

ABOVE:  It fits there perfectly, and even better... all my Britto fits in it!   So, I have one left that's empty right now.  Hmmm.... lol.

I think it better stay empty for now.

I have to make this fast..... I'm lying down having a nana nap...and the phone goes.
It's the Estate Agent.  Can he bring another viewer through in a couple of hours....LIKE TODAY?

Of course I said 'Yes'.... so I'm now rushing around like a lunatic getting everything done again.

There must be some reward at the end of all this surely???

Well... the viewer LOVED my house... and is coming back tomorrow afternoon with her husband.  They have a house to sell... but hey!  So do I!  lol 

The people from last night are still pondering.

I'm now going to take a well earned break!  Sausages and baked beans on toast for dinner tonight... nice and quick.

I'm too tired to anything else.

Even though it's been a busy day... I've enjoyed it!  Nothing like having stuff to do.
And every time I look at the new display cabinet and all our Britto I squeal!  

POTTERY

Today the new term starts at the Pottery Class down at Nathan Homestead.
I've enrolled in the day class instead of the night class, as the day class suits me much better.

I am really keen to go.

That is from 10 am till midday.
Once I get home I have to pull finger and get the house spic 'n' span as we have a private viewing tonight at 7 pm.
Some bloke who works all weekend, so wants to view our home tonight after work. 

So... I have to get it all done myself, though there isn't too much to do I hope.  And B & G can help too once they get home.

I'm glad I actually unpacked all the Britto yesterday now, it's all on the dining room table.  That's better than that big pile of boxes in the lounge!

So that's my day planned... I shall be back later.

ONWARD...

Well... pottery class was fun.  I did bugger all... except yak.  LOL
I have decided to finally make my 'totem pole' for the garden.
In Terracotta clay.  (brick red colour)

Once  home, I have been doing some housework.
OH and I bought a new duvet cover this morning too.

I saw it in Spotlight when I went in to get some plastic to make templates.  

ABOVE: Fairly plain, but I like it.  I already had the cushion cover.  I think it 'goes' well with the cover.

I better get back to housework...

Well it was looking like a 'no show' for the private viewing tonight, but no... he was caught in traffic and arrived half an hour late.  His wife turned up a bit later too.
They stayed for a decent amount of time, and our Real Estate Agent said they liked the house.  So..guess what?

WE WAIT.

Nothing new there.  At least I'm not getting me tits in a knot over it any more.  It will happen.  Eventually.

Looking forward to tomorrow!

BACK TO NORMAL WEDNESDAYS

HI!

In case you missed it, I'm blogging daily again.
I stopped blogging daily because it was adding to my stress levels, and something had to give.

Now that I've problem solved some of my stresses and am getting professional help to avoid hitting the wall again... I feel much better.

So, I'm back!

Nothing much on today... I intend tidying up the Dungeon.  It's become the dumping ground for clutter from inside the house, stuff that won't fit into our storage unit in Hamilton.

I can't believe how much shit we have!  Now when I look around the house I can't believe we have a big storage unit FULL to the brim with 'stuff' that used to be in this house!

OMG am I going to have fun going through it and getting rid of so much more stuff we really don't need!

So that's my only plan for the day.   Not very interesting I'm afraid.

ONWARD...

After three and a half hours, I'm done!  The dungeon (storage room under the house) is finally tidy again, and I've brought some of my pretty flowers back inside.

ABOVE:  I've put them in this corner of the family room.

 ABOVE: I love how funky the twigs look.

I decided to put my flowers back because I'm sick of not feeling happy in my home.  We still live here, so it might as well reflect our personalities.  I don't care if it's classed as 'clutter' anymore.

I'm now going to find something for lunch, probably a roast beef sandwich.  YUM.

Finally unpacked the Britto.   I got sick of seeing all the boxes at the end of the lounge!  Now it's all on the dining room table for a couple of days.  I'm getting excited about the display units arriving!