YOU WILL HAVE TO WAIT!

I won't be blogging (properly) till later on today... cos I'm sleeping in!

Seriously tired.

Need to sleep some more.

I will be back later with a few more photos from yesterday, and the FINAL sewing room change around ... cos I changed my mind on THAT again!!!!!

Yep, I did.  lol  

OLD MOO:  You will be happy with it.

ONWARD...

Well... it's 10.38 am and I've had a really good night's sleep.

Here's a few photos of the Relay for Life :

 ABOVE:  One of my dearest Cambridge girlfriends, Sue T.  She did so well considering she is probably facing ligament surgery on her right ankle.  She was sensible though and only walked a few laps, with good rests in between.  (like me)

 ABOVE:  There were some wild and wacky costumes!  This guy must have sweated BUCKET  loads during the day!  It was a hot day.

 ABOVE:  We had an amazing sunset!
See in the middle of the photo that pink thing sticking up?  Two people wore GIANT WHOOPEE CUSHIONS!  They were made of rubber, again, they must have sweated buckets!

 ABOVE:  Our FBG team consisted of about 18 girls.  Some came and went throughout the day, some came for just a few hours.  These are us die-hards at the end of the day.  I think from memory there were about 6-8 of us there for the entire day.

 ABOVE:  Shane P with Stew.  These two used to work together in the Bank Of New Zealand way, way back in the 80's!  He recognised me during the day (34 years after meeting me...amazing!), and Stew caught up with him at the end of the day.

 ABOVE:  The venue was spectacular!  

ABOVE:  I had a bit of fun painting arms with face paint!  There were a couple more than this, but I didn't get their photos.

PAULA:  Thank You so much for your donation towards the Cancer Society, Relay for Life!

Our AREA raised $153,000 towards helping the Cancer Society help cancer sufferers and their families!!!!!

NOW.... the FINAL sewing room decision!!!!  I promise.

ABOVE:  Neither kid has to move.   I will be keeping all my fabrics and patterns etc in the front room and just doing the sewing itself in the 'new sewing room'. 
I decided on this right before I left to do Relay for Life yesterday morning.

Now I don't have to move anything else out of the front room, and Brylee's room/bed doesn't have to be dismantled and moved ... which Stew is hugely relieved about!

Today I am just going to potter around, tidying up the 'Layout Room', taking what I need to the 'Sewing Room'... bla bla bla.

SPARKLING:  It is 36 steps from one room to the other... so think of the exercise I will be getting going between the two.
It will be good for me.
And I will keep telling myself that until one of those teenagers leaves home and I can nick their room!  lol

I really don't mind, doing it this way has saved us a huge amount of work moving more shit!

I am nearly finished sorting out both rooms too!  Feeling really GOOD... soon I can sit down and just sew again.

It's done.  Still took a fair bit of time, but it's worth it at the end of the day.

Photos tomorrow.

ABOVE:  I gave Stew a 'little' job this afternoon.
Any guesses?

The house smells wonderful, I have pork belly cooking.  Will be having it with veges and gravy... I'm drooling already!  *smiles*

*burp*... well dinner was fab!    And now I'm going to do a wee bit of sewing before sitting down and watching some TV before bed.

RELAY FOR LIFE

Today Stew is taking me into Hamilton and helping set up our gazebo at the Claudelands Racetrack because... this is what I'm doing with a team of Fat Bottomed Girls today:

ABOVE:  I am taking part in an annual fundraising event for the Cancer Society.

Individuals and Groups walk around the track from 10 am till 10 pm, having raised sponsorship in the weeks leading up to today.

It is a relay walk, so we need to have someone on the track all day carrying our baton.  I plan on being there all day till 10 pm, walking when necessary, filling in gaps, and just enjoying the event.

We need to pack food and drink, clothes for hot or cold weather and then get moving.

I will try and update during the day, but I do expect to be fairly busy.

Most of us in the 'FBG Mapping Group' are attending the relay, so we are also going to be working on maps for the FBG's walks, so I doubt I will be idle.

ABOVE: a rather nice photo of my two eldest girls, I nicked it off their Facebook page! lol

ONWARD...

We are set up... Stew and I were the first TEAM here... so we got the VERY BEST site! It's so much fun already!!!

We've been photographed and interviewed... it's going to officially start shortly. We will be walking soon!

ABOVE: I'm in demand painting our arms! Keeps me amused while not walking.

The day is going so well... 

11.30 pm:  I've been home for a little while now... had time to eat some dinner.
It was a fantastic day!

I will post more photos tomorrow, but for now I will leave you with just one:

ABOVE:  Crossing the finish line for the last time in 12 hours.  It was a long, long day.  I did NOT walk all the time.  I didn't even walk that much, due to my back/butt still giving me a bit of pain.

BEST THING EVER????  Our team won a prize. 

It was for 'Best Team Spirit'... I couldn't be prouder of our girls.

FAT BOTTOMED GIRLS CAMBRIDGE, we rock.

MAKING A START

Today I am making a start on moving a few things around in the house.

I will be taking apart the single beds in the spare bedroom and putting them in the garage. 

Then I can start moving my sewing room stuff into that room!  

This is going to take days to get all the changes done, but that's fine. Rome wasn't built in a day .... shit how often do people even say that? lol

ABOVE: Last night's walk photo... taken by someone else, and then I had to take a photo of it off my computer!  But, it's there as a record if nothing else.

OLD MOO:  When the kids come to stay we will have three single mattresses to put on the floor of the 'Fabric & Lay Out Room'.  I will be able to continue sewing in the 'Sewing Room' opposite.  Check out the photo of the house plan on yesterday's blog to see which rooms I am talking about.  Adults will be able to sleep in the lounge as per usual.

Right, that's all I have for now... catch ya later.

ONWARD...

9.45 am:  Two hours after starting my big 'move'.    I decided to try and make some room in the garage for the mattresses we are keeping.
Which meant moving shit around in the garage.

AND I'M STILL DOING THAT.  Like.... why the hell do we have so much shit?  I just told Stew we need to do a massive de-clutter, get rid of some shit we simply don't use.

LACY:  Your stuff is now in a back shed.  

I am probably half an hour away from actually getting into the spare bedroom to move the beds.

Then it should flow a bit better. Not easier, but better. lol

LYNDA:  I bought those last time I was up in Auckland, so last Wednesday?  They are Skecher Running sneakers.  Like I'm gunna run!  But they were the best fit and are comfortable.
Time will tell how they long they last with my walking.

 ABOVE:  WOW... it's only 11 am and I've made progress!  I didn't think I'd get this far before lunchtime.
The beds are gone from this room, now I just need to tidy it up and vacum, then I can move my 'sewing room' stuff into here.

 ABOVE: Two beds ready to go to Auckland on Sunday (all going well).  Makes me laugh, I only bought these beds last year! 

ABOVE:  Perfect space for the mattresses and trundle bed if I do say so myself!  Only took me 2.5 hours to make that space.  *smiles*

I am now taking a little break. Hmmm.... bit early for lunch right?

 ABOVE: Loooookkk at it!   I can already sew in there!  BOOM!!!!!!!

ABOVE:  I still have to put shit on the shelves, and move Brylee so I can put all me fabric shelves etc in her old room.  But... I can sew in here later on today if I want.  

Rather happy with my efforts today.  Now though, I'm gunna stop and do nothing.  Cos I've got an FBG walk tonight.

10.25 pm:  Tonight I decided to only do the first half of the walk, I want to conserve my energy for tomorrow.  Did I tell you what I'm doing tomorrow?  Maybe not?  Well... I will tell ya tomorrow.

OUT FOR MOVIE AND LUNCH

Today I'm meeting my dear friend Sue T.  It's her birthday, so we are going to the movies (here in Cambridge), then having lunch in town.

Sue T is the same age as me, and we get on so well! I met her through the Fat Bottomed Girls walking group.

I got some medical results back from the hospital last night.  Seems I have mild Osteoarthritis in my Right Hip.  Oh well... THAT explains why I wake up every day with a sore lower back.

And why, as the day progresses, it feels better.

Best thing?  Walking helps it!  So... I think I'll keep walking.  *smiles*

I shall do some more research on it, so I know what's best to do/how to slow it's progression.  It can't be 'cured', but it can be managed eh. 

AND YES, I know losing weight will certainly help... so TICK, that's on the list.  *smiles*

Jacqui and Joel are leaving our humble abode today.  Joel has a race today, then they are heading home to Tauranga.  It's been very nice having them here for the week I must say.  Someone else to yak with!

Joel has had a very busy week, so I'm sure he will be thankful to get home and just relax.  At least Jacqui has been able to continue working, even though it was 'from home'.  

I've got an FBG walk on tonight, just doing the first half of this one as I did the 2nd half the other night.  I think Griffin is coming on it too.

Right, I'm off to do some housework and potter around the house till I go out.

ONWARD...

10 am: And it's so far been an excellent morning.
I read up a bit on Osteoarthritis late last night, and one thing I read I could try immediately was to sleep with a pillow between my knees.  This helps keep the alignment correct through your hips.

And guess what?  For the first time in YEARS I woke up with NO LOWER BACK PAIN!  Like, NONE!!!

Doing the happy dance.

Jacqui and Joel have left, washing is on (thanks Jacqui) and I'm almost ready to head out for my girlfriend's birthday movie/lunch.

I am a typical girl.. in that I have already changed my mind about the sewing room move around.  I'm still going to do it, just not quite as I thought.

This is now my plan, and it involves less moving around of bedrooms, and no knocking down of walls (Stew will be ever so relieved!) ...

ABOVE:  
- Griffin gets to stay in his room.  This will please him no end.

- Brylee moves to the front bedroom, and that's cool as she's tidy as, so it won't look horrid from the front door/lounge area... unlike when Griffin was in there for a while!

-  I will have two separate rooms, one for actually sewing in, and one for all the fabrics and layout table, where I can do all my cutting and so on.  

Brylee did kindly point out that I'd done this configuration before... but what she forgot was that we had Keera then, and Keera had to share her 'room' with all the fabric, and there was less room for my stuff.

Now this way, I will have plenty of room.  I'm super excited to get this project underway.  But firstly, I want to strip out the existing sewing room, patch up pin holes, screw holes and re-paint the room, so it's like nice and new for Brylee.

One day in the future that front bedroom  will be 'the spare bedroom'.

OOoooo I'm rather excited!

I know, I'm a sad git again.

2.20 pm:  Home again.

The movie:

Sue T enjoyed the movie.  I found 'parts' of it amusing, but on a whole?

The story line was ho hum. The 'music' was diabolical.  And yeah, didn't like it much at all.  Too slow, not enough 'meat' to the story, poor all round.

Luckily the company was lovely.
Sue and I had Sushi for lunch, which was YUM.

And now that I'm home, ALL ALONE!  I think I'll do some sewing.  Or make a start on moving shit?  Who knows.  Will depend on how I feel, cos right now, I have a headache.

TRACY:  It will appeal to some I'm sure... just wasn't my type of movie. 

8 pm:  just home from our FBG walk, which went ahead even though it had been raining prior, and was in danger of being cancelled.  So glad we walked, Griffin came and it's really nice to spend some time with him outside the home.  AND I did the entire walk, not just half.  Pretty pleased with that.

I'm going to have some dinner now (Beef nachos), then relax for a while before bed.

 ugly... but cute!

WONKY HOUSE MAD

So I'm totally loving making the wonky house runners!

I finished two large ones yesterday, and one small one last night:

ABOVE:  This one is a place mat size, or suitable for on the kitchen bench, or a coffee table?  Dunno, but it's damn cute.

So today I'm going to continue sewing.  And no doubt I should do some housework too.  Ikkkk.

I got some floors washed yesterday, it did feel good, cos they were DISGUSTING!

So, I might do some vacuming, cos OMG this house needs it!  I have been seriously slack lately.

And that's me for now... I'll be back later no doubt.

ONWARD...

1.40 pm:  And I'm just back from Hamilton.
I wanted to do the vacuming right?  So, I am not able to find the crevice tool... Stew's looked for it, I've looked for it.. to no avail.
So I decided to go back to The Base where I bought it from and buy another one, and some more vacum bags.

I get there at 10.30 am, and there's a sign on the door:  'Back Shortly, having a toilet break'.
Cool... so I stand there for 10 minutes... nobody comes back.

So. I go over to the Warehouse and buy some cheap buckets, go to the toilet myself and then wander back to the shop.  And the shop guy is just getting back!  It's like, 11.10 am by now.

So either he's been mucking around, taking a long break, or there's something seriously wrong with his bowels!  lol

I mention to him how long he'd been away from the shop, and he INSISTS he was only away for 10 minutes!  BULLSHITER.  There was another man waiting for the shop to open again, and he said he's been standing outside the shop for the past 15 minutes!  

But ANYWAY... I got what I needed then headed over to the grocery shop.  I ONLY needed a lettuce for tonight's dinner right?
Yeah.  $157 later, I leave that shop and come home.  *sigh*

I've had the most brilliant idea ever... well OK, it's not original.  I think Steve thought of it first.

I'm gunna move me sewing room into the two bedrooms Brylee and Griffin currently reside in, and move them to the other two bedrooms.

We will lose the 'spare' bedroom, but at the end of the day, we can put up a whole family in the 'lounge' on the bed settee, and single mattresses on the floor.

Then I will get Steve to knock down the wall between those two bedrooms, so I've got a decent sized sewing room!  

I wonder what Stew will think of this 'brilliant' plan?  

3.30 pm: edit:  after talking with Jacqui, we probably DON'T  need to knock down the wall... just make a double doorway between the two rooms and have a concertina door, so the rooms can be closed off if necessary!  BOOM!  

FELICITY:  Thanks babe, ya know how much I love comments!  ♥

MAGPIE:  I am SURE you were laughing your head off when you left that comment!

LYNDA:  My kids are used to me moving them around... poor buggers.

TRACY:  That would be a good thing, he might actually FIND a few missing things then! *smiles*  And I could go through his clothes and get rid of what he's outgrown too.  He can't even close his drawers anymore, he's got that much stuff!

https://hamilton.everydayhero.com/nz/chris........... this is a link to my fundraising page for the Cancer Society, Relay For Life being held this Saturday.  If you are able to donate even $1 it will go towards a very good cause.  This can be done via internet banking.  TYIA if you are able to.

10.30 pm ... and it's been a good day.  I feel totally back to normal.

Dinner tonight was diced marinated pork steaks, cooked with onions, added with salad stuff and put into Stand and Stuff soft tacos.  OMG delicious!
Sure gunna be doing that again.

Now... time to sign off for the night.  Catch ya tomorrow.

SHOPPING... THEN SEWING

Last night was my first walk in a week... and I only did a half walk.  So 2.5 kms.  I felt fine after it, there was a bit of a twinge in me butt... but I'm hoping it's OK today?

I'm still in bed, about to get up and test out how I feel.  CROSSING ME FINGERS on that score.

I will be gutted if my 'pain in the arse' is back!

On another note, I'm going into Hamilton today (all going well) to get a few groceries Stew missed on Saturday, and I've got a little list of other things to get/do too.

Then I can come home and get on with my sewing.

I've decided to make 'Wonky House' placemats too... I can't keep doing the dog placemats as the fabric has dried up.  I will enjoy doing the wonky house ones, *smiles*.

ABOVE:  Yep, let's get used to 'walk photos' again!  lol
This was last night's group photo.  Jacqui came walking too, she stands out as the only one in RED. *SMILES*

And that's all for now... come back later and see if I can stand up and walk!

ONWARD...

Well after stressing about it all night, I'm relieved to say... my butt is fine! Done with that shit now! YES.

I'm now in Hamilton getting a few things, then heading home to sew. 

Trip to Hamilton went well... I got all I wanted.
Came home, fed me face then got sewing.

ABOVE: My 2nd Wonky House Runner, in this style.
Not so sure now on the brown 'hills'... I've got one more like this to finish then I will reconsider the hills.  *smiles*

ABOVE: And there's the next one.  And now I can have a go at making a few placemats like this too.

And that's me done for the day... well for now maybe.  Stew, Jacqui, Griffin and I are off to dinner at the local Indian place that we love.

I have almost finished making a placemat, so should be able to show you it tomorrow.

OMG... so full!  Butter Chicken, Naan bread, followed by an ice cream thingee from McDonalds!

Evil dinner.  But so nice. Thanks Jacqui, much appreciated.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO KELLY

Wow ... so many birthdays lately!
There's been Huston (17), Rena (11) and now Kelly is 37!

Time/life is just flying by.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KELLY,  have an awesome day.

I got the sewing room sorted out last night, I'm really happy with it.

ABOVE:  Now I'm going to look for a little stool on wheels, to use at the cutting table.  Last thing I want to be doing is dragging the large chair from the sewing machine area to the table all the time.

Yaaaa... that means.... SHOPPING again! lol

So today... I have a visitor coming this morning with grapes... YUMMMY.  They might help me get 'going' again.  Cos what do painkillers do to  ya digestive tract?  Yep.  Dam it up.

♪♫ HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY♫♪

I'm not sure what else I shall do today, probably finish off those two Wonky House Runners and start some more with the fabric I bought in Auckland last week.

ONWARD...

11.50 am:   And I'm finally up, showered and dressed!
I've had visitors for the past two hours.... and I've sat in me nightie thinking the whole time "OMG I need a shower!"

Seriously, I've been sweating so bad... the hot flushes have kicked back in with a vengence!

And that update got cut short cos ANOTHER visitor arrived!
Sheesh I'm getting nothing done.  But it is nice to have visitors who care.

I didn't see Jacqui or Joel this morning, they were up and gone before I rose.  I hope their day is going well.  Might text them and check.

Back to folding the washing...

6.35 pm:  washing finally folded and put away, after waiting a couple of (shish!)... weeks!
I made a lovely pasta dinner for everyone.

And now I'm going on an FBG walk... ONLY half a walk though.  I'm not really stupid, just half stupid.  It's about 2.5 kms and there's three of us who are taking it super easy.

I even got a little bit of sewing done this afternoon, so I'm feeling ALMOST back to normal.

9 pm:  Just back from our walk.  It went well... time will tell how my 'pain in the arse' is tomorrow!
Hoping it's just fine.

Jacqui and I stopped and had a drink and natter with Sue T after the walk, so nice ... just girl time.

I am signing off for the day now.  It's been a GOOD DAY!  

BED REST?

Well... maybe NOT bed rest, but certainly this:

ABOVE:  Yep.  I'm going to do bugger all today.

Stew is off to do some grocery shopping, cos we have got very little food in the house.

And I might send him out to look at shelving for the sewing room.  I want to add a shelving unit for my scrap fabric boxes.  
I'm sick of having to get them off the top shelf and have them on the floor so I can find bits for me projects.

There is just NO room to move in there right now:

ABOVE:  It's like a bomb went off in there!  It probably doesn't look that bad to you, but believe me, it's a bloody mess.

I still haven't finished the two Wonky House Runners either.  But, they can wait till sometime this coming week.

Right, I'm off to roll over and continue doing NOTHING!  lol

ONWARD...

Well lying in bed is NOT good for my back!  So I'm sitting in the family room, going through maps for the FBG group.  Checking the maps correlate with the instructions, then plotting the distance so they are not too long or short.  
So, I'm being productive.

I will be fluffing around in the sewing room, just a little bit. Don't get cross!  I simply CAN'T do nothing all day!

Well... once Stew got home with the groceries, I persuaded him to go to Bunnings and Mitre 10 to look at shelving.
I went with him.  OF COURSE I DID! I couldn't choose shelving on me bum at home could I?

And we found what I needed, bought it and came home.

 ABOVE:  And now, instead of being on his bum watching sport on TV, like he desperately wants, he's on his bum building shelves for me.
I ♥love♥ him, I really, really do.

ABOVE:  Some of the boxes of fabrics, now deposited in the lounge for now.  I am gunna have fun tomorrow sorting it all out and putting it on the new shelves.  *smiles*

*snort* ... like I was gunna wait till tomorrow!
It's done. Stew have the shelves made in quick smart time, what a man.  

We have visitors tonight, Jacqui and Joel.  Joel is participating in the Maadi Cup here in Cambridge, representing his school.  
We got spoilt tonight, Jacqui cooked our dinner.

ABOVE:  Our dinner tonight was a pasta dish with smoked chicken, sundried tomatoes, baked pumpkin, bacon and cheese.  It was LOVELY!
And I ain't eaten pumpkin since I was a toddler, cos it made me throw up!
I still think it's a bit ikkk on it's own, but it was OK in this dish, and I have not thrown up!  Awesome.

And that is a wrap for the day. Health wise,  everything is improving, aches and pains are going, head is clearer, nausea is almost all gone... back to normal pretty much.  Thank god.