ONE OF THOSE WEEKS

I'm having one of those weeks where I'm damned if I can remember what day it is!

Pretty much all week I thought the next day was Friday!  Derrr, even on Monday!

No idea why?  Just can't keep track of the days right now.  Feel a bit befuddled often, and I think it's because of having a few near low's... it affects your thinking.

So, clearly still working on the balances.
This week all my numbers have been 5's or 4's pretty much.  So on the lower end of the 'normal' scale.

I know I'm probably not eating enough of ANYTHING, but seriously?  I'm kinda scared to have a high number, so am doing everything I can to keep my calorific intake DOWN.

I just wish that the appointment last week at the Diabetes Centre/Weight Management Programme had been helpful THERE AND THEN.  *sigh*

MOVING ON....

I am going into Hamilton today as I have run out of batting and brown cotton thread.  Can't make another thing till I get more of them.

I'm excited to be making another Tree Table Runner, only this time incorporating some Kiwiana fabrics.  It's gunna look fab.

I'm also going to be making MYSELF an 'all green' Tree Table Runner.  It's going to be gorgeous to have.  Actually... looking around here, I might have to add some blue-ish trees to tie in with the decor?  Whatever, it's going to be lovely I'm sure.

Weird how I get all excited about making a new runner, when I've already made a few!  lol

So anyway, that's me for now.  Another freezing morning here... which means a lovely day once it warms up.

ONWARD...

Again today, I lay in bed till nearly 9 am!  It's so damn cold out !
-1 C today!  And right now (11.15 am) it's still only about 4 degrees.  Brrrrr.

I've been into Hamilton, Spotlight is FREEZING inside!  I don't think that freakin' shop has any insulation.  The sales staff have fingerless gloves on, they are that cold INSIDE.  Poor buggers.

Anyway, I only went in for a couple of things, but as ya do... I got a bit more.

ABOVE:  I got 4 metres of the extra wide batting, and a fair few lengths of fabric, and threads.  ALL 40% OFF!  Didn't realise they were having a storewide Stocktake Sale did I?

SCORE!  Now I just need to sell 4 runners to pay for that lot!  lol

I'm taking a little break now, I'm too cold to do anything.  I'm even going to turn the heat pump on, cos it's bloody cold inside my house right now.  Once the sun comes around some more it will warm up in the family room and I'll be fine.

Actually, Stew got the portable gas heater set up for me, so I can turn that on in the sewing room!  Totally forgot about that.  Yaaaa.

LYNDA:  Our heat pump has been on today, in fact it still is.
It does not heat up my sewing room sadly, hence the gas heater.

I just finished another Tree Runner, it's gorgeous.  Sold already.
Stew has gone out to get us some KFC... I just felt like chicken that I didn't have to cook! I hope it's not too bad for the diet!  First time in weeks I've felt like something evil.  I caved in ... you can't be 100% on track forever can ya?

We are not having any potato and gravy or chips, so that's good.  Our resolve is still strong.

I'm looking forward to an utterly lazy evening.  My eyes are tired from sewing all day!

The day is done, I'm tired and off to bed. Catch ya tomorrow.

SEWING ... YAKKITY YAK...

Today I am working on binding Table Runners ... I still have three to do.

AND THEN... I get to make another one!

Yesterday I sold two, and got an order for anther one!  So, I'm going to be doing a lay out for the next one sometime today too.

It is going to feature some 'Kiwiana' fabrics, so that's going to be fun, working out where to put each fabric.  (another Tree Runner)

Those Tree Table Runners certainly are proving to be popular with my Blog/Facebook readers!

Thanks girls.

In between the sewing, I still have to do the housework and entertain the dogs.  What fun!

Never a dull moment right now, that's for sure.

I was going on a walk this morning, but will now hold off and go on the same one tonight... all going well.

So much depends on my energy levels when it comes to the walking.  Though, I must say, my energy levels are starting to pick up!

And my twice daily blood tests are looking AMAZING!  All are in the perfectly 'normal' range!  NORMAL!  I can't get over that.

OK, there's a few lows thrown in too, but I'm managing them.  It's all a balancing act right now.

Medication/Food/Exercise... I'm on to it. 

OH and I am no longer feeling sick AT ALL... and I wake up feeling just fine!  After waking up feeling like death warmed up, nauseous and HORRIBLE for the past 8 years or so, I realise that it was totally down to (don't say I told you so please)... poor diet.

I'm a pig headed, stubborn tart... and it took having a big scare with the threat of insulin injections to make me sit up and take notice, and pull my bloody finger out!

But... let's not dwell on that aspect... let's just go YAAAA!  I'm now on the  right track, and so is Stew.

We are doing good. 

I shall be going to the Post Office late this afternoon to post off 2 of the Table Runners too.  Natalie and Margaret... keep your eyes peeled for mail!  *smiles* 

ONWARD...

FROSTY start to the day.  Freezing ... feel sorry for the kids having to go out in that to get to school!

Meanwhile:

ABOVE:  I'm ready to start hand stitching the next Tree Table Runner... all rugged up!

ABOVE:  2.45 pm, and I've finished three with one to go.
Then I can get on with making the next one.

Just posted Natalie and Margaret's ones, the top two.  

As I'm starting to have blurry vision from all that close hand stitching, I'm taking a break.

Might just blob out in front of the telly till it's time to cook dinner.

Which will be chicken breasts cooked (shrugging shoulders) ... SOMEHOW.  lol

Well ... dinner was Chicken Tika Masala.  The family had it with rice, even Stew had a little rice.  I didn't have any as I was going out.

I went on another FBG walk ... in the pitch dark, super brisk, foggy evening!  It was a nice walk, and about 4.3 kms long.  We did it in 48 minutes or so.

Now my shins are a bit sore.  2nd good walk this week though, so I'm happy.

I'm now under me blankie watching Coronation Street!  Signing off now, catch ya tomorrow.

LOCKED OUT!

Have you ever done this?

I use internet banking fairly often.

You need to have a password to get into it, right?

So a couple of weeks ago I changed my password, as you are supposed to every now and then.

Sunday.  I'm out in Hamilton and I want to check my balance.  So I try to sign into my account... put my password in... WRONG!

So I try again, and again, I got the password WRONG.  

Dammit, only got one chance left ... so I think hard, like, really hard, and type in what I am  SURE is the new password.  BLOODY WRONG AGAIN, and BOOM!  I'm locked out of my own account.

Fark.  So today I have to go into the bank and get it sorted out, put in a new password and ... yeah, try and remember it!

Once I've done that I'm coming home to put the binding on three Tree Table Runners, and one Christmas Table Runner.  That should keep me busy for the majority of the day.

I will be getting one posted off to Tauranga first thing tomorrow. (the red/green/gold tree runner).

Once the binding is on all four I will take a photo and show you how productive I've been.

Till then... I shall get off here and make the bed, get dressed and so on.

ONWARD...

11.33 am:  And yaaa, the bank issue is resolved. I can access my account again.

  
I've got the first Tree Runner ready for hand stitching, and as it's pre-sold, I am going to now sit down and stitch it up so I can post it tomorrow.

Nice, I get to sit and relax for a while.

TWO AND A HALF HOURS LATER:  and I have finished ONE.  Three to go.  I doubt I will get them all done today though, it's hard on the eyes all that close up hand stitching.

ABOVE:  I'm really happy with this one. Thanks to Natalie, I got to put red, green and gold together, and it looks so lovely.
I hope she enjoys using it over Christmas.

11.38 pm:  And it's been a long evening.  I got dinner for Stew and Griffin.  Brylee went to her School Drama Production again.  2 nights down, 2 to go.
Stew went and watched her tonight, while I went to Card Night with me girlfriends.

It was another very enjoyable evening.

Once home, I snuggled up in my blankie and whiled away a couple of hours watching TV.

Time to sign off and go to bed.

DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE?

Here's a question for everyone who has to prick their finger(s) on a daily basis for blood sugar tests.

Do you have a favourite finger?

Cos I've come to realise that I do.

ABOVE:  It's this thumb!  I cringe with every single prick, but for some reason I find I choose this thumb 80% of the time.
Is that weird or normal?

It's starting to hurt too, yet I still stab it more than any other digit.

Hopefully after a month of taking tests twice a day I can stop. I have to see my Doctor again on/around 15th June, then we can go from there with a new plan.  I think by then she will be able to see I DON'T need to go on insulin cos my numbers are REALLY GOOD!

I'm in the NORMAL range all the time now, with a few HYPO'S thrown in for good measure.  I am almost expecting her to drop my medication, then I won't get the HYPO'S? 

SO, do you have a favourite digit?  And why?  Is it a conscious choice?

Today is Patchwork again.  I'm going.  Cos I like torturing myself!  I keep hoping it will be better, that I will enjoy myself there.  And there are a couple of ladies there that I feel might eventually become friends... there's a glimmer of hope.  *smiles*

When I'm there I do my little hexagons.  It's easy hand sewing, and doesn't involve lugging my big sewing machine out.   Most ladies only do hand sewing at the meetings for the same reason.  I haven't stitched many together yet!
But, there's no rush.

Right, I'm going ... gotta make a start on the day.

ONWARD...

Well... clearly I'm not the only person who has a favourite digit to stab!  Good to know.

Patchwork today was OK.  First hour was a bit quiet, I had a few ladies say 'Hello', but that was about it.  Then I got chatting to a couple of ladies sitting next to me, so that was nice.

I only stayed 2 hours as I was starting to feel shaky... so came home and had some lunch.

Then I had a wander in the garden, planted some more little seedlings I'd grown and just enjoyed being outside for a little while.  The sun is out in full force, but it's very brisk out there.  A cool wind, temperatures and in the low teens.  LOVE IT!

 ABOVE:  Top left are the seedlings I grew and planted there, where the rhubard patch was.  My herbs are growing like weeds, I've got cauliflower and broccoli growing too!  

Also, our Tangelos are coming along nicely, and we are going to have a bumper crop of lemons later on too.

 ABOVE: I pulled out the the rhubarbs and threw them in the compost.  And the freaking things are growing again!  Seems they are meant to be!  Trouble is, how do you cook rhubarb without sugar???
I would love to make rhubarb pie... but how does that fit into a NO CARB/NO SUGAR DIET?

 ABOVE:  Our little Kowhai tree is finally emerging from the grasses!  It was being strangled for ages, but Stew has managed to rescue it and now... it's finally making it's presence known.

ABOVE:  I've got a crock pot of 90% veges, 10 % bacon hock cooking.  Stew and I will be having it as a soup for our lunches.  Something nice and warm on these cold winter days.

6.10 pm:  I've been sewing all afternoon... got another tree runner 80% done.

The family are having roast chicken for dinner.  I'm heading out in 10 minutes for a walk with the FBG's.
It's FREEZING outside, but not raining.  Frosty in fact.  Perfect for walking when you over heat like me!

My walk was excellent!   There was 12 of us walking tonight, a good number for a freezing winter's evening.

I quickly cooled down once home, so it was blankie on and feet up to watch some TV afterwards.

Don't ya feel great after a nice walk!  
Time to sign off for the day.  Catch you all tomorrow.

SUNSHINE, NOT RAIN

First up, a few photos from yesterday:

 ABOVE:  Bex picked up a late birthday present from a friend, for Archer yesterday.  Dante already has one, and Keera will be getting one for her birthday in July.  

 ABOVE:  Who remembers getting a ride on their Dad/Granddads's foot?  Watching Dante and Stew yesterday brought back some very happy memories of me and my Granddad.

 ABOVE:  Little imp ... our Keera!  

 ABOVE:  Quite an armful!  Steve took 'a few' photos of the children and me.  I had to delete about 30 of them cos he was moving too much and made blurry photos! 

*HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO JOSHUA*, our 2nd born grandchild.  He is 17 today, my gosh, they are all growing up so quickly!

Because I talked Stew out of mowing the lawns yesterday, I presume he will try and get them done today.  So, hoping for SUNSHINE, NOT RAIN!

I'm going to do some sewing all going well.

ONWARD...

I've been 'up' since about 5 am with nausea.  Not sure why.  I thought it might be a HYPO again (I had one of those yesterday), but nope, it wasn't that.
Horrible feeling like ya going to throw up, but instead you just feel like it for hours!  Ikkk.
I ended up spending my time from 5 am till 9 am in the lounge on my chair.

Feeling a lot better now though, so hopefully it was just a weird blimp in my day.

Well... I did a bit of sewing, then took myself off to the Women's Lifestyle Expo in Hamilton.
Basically a total waste of time... there wasn't much there to interest me.

I did run into one of my Uncles though:

ABOVE:  My uncle and his wife selling women's handbags. He is the last person I can imagine selling handbags!  It was lovely to run into them.

I did buy one thing, but as it's for a Christmas Present, I can't show it.

Home now... might continue sewing for a while longer.  It's bloody cold again today.

I've now got two Tree Runners and one Christmas Runner ready for binding.  Might only make one or two more then switch to something else.  Maybe Christmas placemats or mug rugs.  

Quiet evening, not sewing now.  Rather tired after such an early start to the day.  I'm hoping I get a good night's sleep tonight.

PROUD SHOPPER MOMENT

Stew went to a local chemist yesterday, to buy a new bath scrubber thingee.
This is what he got:

ABOVE:  The MOST HIDEOUS coloured ones ever!!!   His excuse?  It was that colour, or white!  

In my humble opinion, white would have been infinitely better than puke.  

Oh and he had to point out that if he bought ONE, he got the 2nd one for half price.  I would have left them in the bloody shop.   lol

He get's points for getting new ones I suppose.

Today we are expecting Steve and the kids for the day.  Bex is attending her Brother and Sister-in-law's baby shower.  She will eventually end up here later on in the day.

So, that's what we are up to today... spending time with the kids.  Should be nice.

ONWARD...

Awwww it was SO QUIET here for a moment!  Griffin has gone to Tauranga with friends to attend Armaggedon, Brylee is a Drama practise at school, so it was just Stew and I for about an hour or so.

Then the family arrived.  Instant NOISE!  
But it's lovely.  They are the only family we see much of, so the happy sounds of kids playing is welcome.

Stew just shut them up with food!  lol

Bex has gone to her family baby shower, should be back before dinner.

It's getting quiet on this blog too I might add... everyone must be busy, and as it's a lovely day out there today, I'm not surprised.  Stew is hoping it lasts so he can mow the lawns later on today.

I talked Stew out of mowing the lawns, so he could spend more time with the kids and Steve.

ABOVE:  Playing with his Dad. So darn cute.

Brylee... has gone on a first date with a bloke she chatted up at the supermarket last weekend!  They are going to the movies.  Steve has taken her into town.  I bet he gives the poor guy a warning about getting too fresh with his niece! lol

Stew and I went into Hamilton to pick up Brylee after the movie.  Her and 'D' hung out for a little while after the movie while Stew and I waited for them, which was fine by us.
Then after have a little chat with them, we headed home.

I'm not going to give a run down of her date, suffice to say she had a nice time.

I'm now freezing and am going to head off to bed to warm up!

MORE TREES, AND OUT FOR MORNING TEA

I got home from my walk last night to an email from a blogger friend (who no longer blogs I might add)... and she's ordered a 'Tree Table Runner'.

Whoop!  I get to make that one today.  At least I have the trees shapes and layout sussed now.

It's one thing to look at a picture and go "I can do that", quite another to put it all together.  It looked easy eh?  It wasn't to begin with I assure you.  Getting those trees 'just right' took time.

Before I can start on the next Tree runner, I am off out to meet up with Robyn P and Johanna for morning tea.  We haven't had a catch up in a while, so I'm looking forward to it. Little Lotta will have grown heaps I'm sure.

And that is all I have ... for now.  Catch you later on.

ONWARD...

OMG it's freezing.  And wet?  Let me tell you about wet!  Thunder and lightening virtually all night long!  Torrential rain!  It is now 11 am and it's finally stopped for a moment.

Morning tea with the girls was lovely. Little Lotta slept through most of our visit, just waking up for a while at the end.  Too cold for cuddles today, she stayed all snug in her pram.

I'm home with me feet up, heater ON for once and I'm going to stay that way for a while!  It's too cold to go into the sewing room and sew right now.  I doubt I would get much done cos I'm just so cold right now.

There's two seed loaves in the oven as I 'speak'... I will have a couple of slices for my lunch later on.

Right now I'm going to continue reading Coronation Street, I've only got two weeks to catch up on about a year's worth of episodes!  Might not make it actually, that's a lot of reading.

ABOVE:  Nat what do you think of this line up?
I started this one at around 11.30 last night, cos I was still up.  Much more traditional Christmas fabrics.

Shit what a slow day!  I've literally done nothing except read Coronation Street episodes all day.  My butt hurts!
I talked Brylee through getting dinner in the oven (lamb chops cooked in mint sauce) and that's about all!

It's been nice in a way though. I needed a break from the sewing, my lower back was killing me.  I might get back to it later on tonight.  

Well I didn't get back to it!   I watched Coronation Street, and now I'm going to bed... really early for me!   Stew and I were kept awake quite a bit last night with the storm, so we are both tired. 

DANG IT'S COLD

OK... it had to happen!

After bitching and moaning about being too hot for the entire months of Nov/Dec/Jan/Feb/Mar and April... I'm finally COLD!

I know I said it would be awesome to be cold instead of hot, but I actually really don't like the extremes of temperature.

Stew found some of my old sweatshirts last night, after I said I needed some and might go buy a couple.  I had forgotten I had them up in our wardrobe, so I shall be trying them on later on today.

Just my luck they won't fit... but we will see.

I am going to finish off that Christmas runner this morning all going well, then start on another one ... might do something different on the outer border ... trees?  Little boxes? 

After I've finished the 2nd current Christmas Runners, I am going to do these two:

ABOVE:  If I don't sell them, they will make lovely Christmas presents.

And that is about all I have for now... catch you later.

ONWARD...

DAWN AND MARGARET:  I have not made either of the two runners above, I got those photos of Pinterest!  I shall be making them though.... *smiles*

ABOVE:  See? I am already planning the tree one!  As I am planning on doing about 4 runners, I'm going to wait and do the binding of all four in one hit.  So, I've got one ready for binding (R), one in progress (L),  and one in the planning process (M).  

As I'm quite excited about the tree one, I might work on that one today. *smiles*

12.30 pm:  And OMG!  I have just spent TWO HOURS cutting out trees and trying to arrange them in a pleasing way.  You would not believe how difficult it is!

1.10 pm:  And the layout is finished.  My back is killing me, but I'm happy with my trees:

ABOVE: Now 'all' I have to do it lay it on batting, pin all those trees/trunks down and applique' around them all.  Easy peasy, said no one in particular at all. lol

Time to sit and have some lunch and watch last night's Home and Away!

Last minute decision to join a FBG walk tonight, got ready, and took off.  Oops, forgot my torch so went back home to get it.
Inside, and I can hear my computer pinging on and on ... so quickly check it.  The bloody walk is cancelled because it's been raining, and 'they' don't want to get wet!  So, with only 10 minutes till it's due to start, it's friggin cancelled!

FARK... not happy!  Then I get a message from one lady who still wants to walk, so I agree to meet her... and off I go again.

We met up and had a very enjoyable walk in the pitch black night... and I might add, it didn't bloody rain at all!  We could see stars in the sky!  I'd not even met this lady before, she's new to the FGB's.  So that was nice to meet someone new.

After our walk, I popped into a friend's to see her, she's been suffering for days with food poisoning and a diverticulitis flare up.  Her house was like an oven after my walk! 

So, now I'm home, cooling down and ready to relax for a little while.  Catch ya tomorrow.

LOW!

Last night I took my blood reading... and got a reading that said 'Lo'.
Hmmmm, weird.  I had to go back to the book that came with the tester to see what that meant.

It meant my blood sugar level was so low it couldn't read it?

Nah, that had to be a mistake, I didn't feel like I was in a HYPO state, so I re-took the test.

PHEW!   It was 4.8, which is fairly low, but not too low.  Even Stew was a bit concerned to begin with, but all good.

That was an excellent night reading as far as I was concerned.  So NORMAL.  Maybe a tiny bit low, but not bad.  3.5 put me into a HYPO, not 4.8.

These twice readings are great fact finding tools.  I am slowly starting to work out what I can eat, how much I can eat and what affects my levels.  It's great!

Is it BAD though that I am already dreaming of what EVIL EVIL piece of cake I eat straight after my July blood test?  Just ONE piece of SOMETHING... then I will be right back into it again.  OMG I know what it will be too!
A piece of Fran's Custard Slice.  *drooling*

I won't be falling off the wagon, don't worry!  It will be one little 'reward' after working hard for three months solid.  I promise.  *smiles*

Today I am going to start on another Christmas table runner.  I've been asked to make one by one of our FBG ladies... so that's what I will be doing today.

ONWARD...

We had a big thunder & lightening storm overnight here... and all over the country by the sound of it.  I got up and took the kids to school as it's really wet and miserable.

And now I'm freezing!  First time I've felt really cold in the house this year.  Brrrrr.

There was a walk on this morning, and I had half entertained the idea of attending, but it's been cancelled due to the rain.  Not surprised, it really is yuk out there today.

So, I'm off to the sewing room...

11.30 am:  I get into the sewing room and quickly realise that I need more white and red fabric, so I go into Spotlight in Hamilton.

RANT COMING...

I find what I want, plus some silky organza type fabric for the sash for Brylee's Prom Dress.

I go up to the fabric counter, and say "Good Morning" to the lady about to serve me, and give her a nice smile.
NO RESPONSE.  Nothing, just a dead pan look.

I ask for 1.5 metres of the organza.  She rolls it out.  There's 1.7 metres on the roll left.  So ... she lays it out and proceeds to cut 1.5 metres... ONLY... she's laid it out crooked... so this is what happens:

ABOVE:  REALLY?  She goes to fold it up and I hold it out, and show her what she's done!   So she goes off to find another roll.... while I stand there and wait, and wait, and wait.
*sigh*, she finally finds another roll, cuts off 1.5 metres and folds it up, THEN asks me if I want to check it's straight???

As I watched her do it properly, I just said 
"No, that's OK, I watched you do it right this time".

WHAT A BITCH.  

I fucking hate that store.  Getting good service, and a bloody smile in there is like pulling teeth!

If Manukau was closer I'd just go there, the two stores are SO DIFFERENT in every way.  I hate that I have to use the Hamilton Spotlight.

I'm NOW going to start a runner...

ABOVE:  Making good progress on the first runner.  I've got to do applique' stitch all around those little holly leaves yet, and stitch the red buttons on... I went with buttons for this one as to applique around tiny little red dots would have been a pain in the arse.

Griffin just gave me one of his Bluetooth speakers, so now I can play the music on my YouTube via my phone, in my sewing room.  It's great!  

Stupid weather!  It's now a beautiful day out there.  Griffin is home early as it's a half day at the school.  Brylee stayed on as she has drama practise after school till 6 pm.  Long day for her.


What do ya do if you stab your finger with a pin in the sewing room?

Ya immediately test ya bloody eh?  lol
5.6 ... PERFECT.  

Ahh AUDREY:  You are a funny girl!  Picturing Stew in Spotlight trying to find the right shade of RED fabric for me is like saying to him:  'Please go to Farmers and get me a new bra would ya?"  Too funny.  Never gunna happen.  Unless it's something EASY like batting, and even then he would probably get the wrong stuff.  *smile*

Moving on... just got 20 buttons to hand sew on the runner, then the binding to sew on,  then hand stitch down, and I will have that runner finished.  Probably tomorrow.

Brrrr, it's getting cold, heading off to bed!
Heck, I might even turn my electric blanket on... if it still works.