POTTING

Yep.  I'm pottering again today.

LOL ... I'm actually going to buy some potting mix for the empty pots.

And move some plants.

 ABOVE:  One empty pot by the front door.  There is a little palm in the back garden... lost under a tree.  It's going in this pot.
Once I dig it out.

ABOVE:  I have decided.  Tangelo (1) and Mandarin (2) are going in the empty pots by the BBQ table.  Hopefully they don't die.

Though that friggin Mandarin tree has been trying to die from the moment I bought it!  Seriously pissing me off that tree is.  I have watered it every day without fail, and it keeps turning up it's leaves.  Grrrr.   I reckon it won't survive the move.  Too bad.  It deserves to die for annoying me all the time !

As for the Boronia (3) ?  It's going over to the pool area.

 ABOVE:  My favourite place in the afternoon.  So relaxing here by the pond, listening to the water running down the big rock.

I spent quite a bit of time out here yesterday, pulling a few weeds, moving a few things, just fluffing around.  I love fluffing around.  *smiles*

ABOVE: Steve, the little shelf is wonderful.
*** PERFECT FOR DIET COKE ***

ONWARD...

1.36 pm:  Well I have been out a couple of times today.  First to get some potting mix, then to our travel agent (Andrew), to book our travel from Brisbane to Coffs Harbour.  That's now done and dusted.

We have the outward bound trip all planned/booked and paid for.  Feels good.

After that I came home with the intention of potting those trees in pots.  But OMG it's STINKING HOT out there! So I canned that idea.  The potting mix can stay in the car till tomorrow when the guys can do it for me.

At midday I went to Weight Watchers.

ABOVE:  I lost 3.4 kilos this week.  Seems tracking and pulling ya finger out works!

ABOVE:  Our neighbour 'J' dropped these in while I was out.  How lovely of her.  

Now... I'm gunna relax for a while before finding something else to do.

Well... I ended up in the pool for a couple of hours!  So nice.  Even chatted with THE OLD MOO while floating on me watermelon floatie!  

Then Stew came home and we decided to go out for dinner.  We shared an entree and a main:

ABOVE:  A small pizza and some calamari.  It was very nice.  We sat out on the sidewalk, it was just too hot inside the eatery.  Thank goodness so many places have outdoor tables.

Home now, and about to watch Coronation Street.  Then it will be bedtime.  I'm freaking tired!

HAIR

Can I just say it?

I'm really EXCITED ... I have a hair appointment for February the 11th.  
First one in a salon in forever.

Well, except for a trim that is.

I'm WAS going to VIVO in Chartwell.  I got what I thought was a 'Fixed Quote' from the lady behind the counter yesterday.  Then I got home and looked at the brochure.  In the small print it said there were 'extra' costs for long hair, and 'colour correction'.

Hmmm.  So I rang them back and talked to the head stylist on that day, and yeah.  It was going to cost way, way more than the 'fixed quote' I was given.

When I asked just how much, she dicked me around and said she couldn't say until they were actually 'doing my hair'... cos it would depend on how much product they had to use, bla bla bla.  So there was no way of knowing just how much 'MORE' they would charge me.

So I cancelled that appointment.

And went to another salon in Chartwell Square, and got a FIXED PRICE.  Set in concrete.

It's OMG damn expensive as hell... but I need to spend the money to get my hair back in some sort of good condition.

I better 'up' the kid's board!  lol

A while ago Stew broke one of my small soup/serving bowls.  So while I was in the mall yesterday I popped into Stevens.
And as luck would have it, they had some dishes I've been wanting for a while ... on sale.

Seems everything is on sale lately!  I just walk into them blindly.  lol

ABOVE:  You can't ask for a better deal!  Buy one, get one free.  MINE. *smiles*

ABOVE:  Griffin and girlfriend having dinner at the bar leaner.  STEVE:  it is perfect!

Now... back to today.  Just pottering around the house really.   Let's see what the day brings.

ONWARD... 

11.45 am:  Shit where has the morning gone?
I feel like I've accomplished nothing.
But I have.

My computer desk situation was doing my head in.

So I had a light bulb moment.. and did this:

ABOVE:  I put ALL of the bits 'n' bobs on this trolley.  Now I can actually move the computer around the house... so if I'm in the studio, I can have it beside me.  Or in the lounge. Anywhere in fact.  I just have to unplug ONE power cord and plug it in where I want it.  Brilliant.

Why have I not thought of this before?  Seriously.  Such a good idea.

Now I probably need to get my outdoor wagon inside to use for bringing the groceries in from the car and so on.

And now... it's overcast and I might just go out and get a new tree for the empty corner by the pool/neighbouring fence.  And perhaps look for something for those two pots I talked about yesterday?

5.45 pm:  And  I didn't get a tree/shrub for the corner of the garden.
It will have to wait till the weekend I think, when Stew can help me decide what to get.

I've done heaps of pottering around the house and yard.  Lined up a couple of jobs for tomorrow, but nothing major.

Cleaned the outdoor trolley and brought it inside.  Moved one of the really big blue pots out the front so we can put the trailer back over by the fence, away from the studio windows.

And that's about all.

Brylee just got home from work, and Stew shouldn't be far away either.  I've got chicken kebabs out for dinner, with stir fry veges.

11.05 pm:  Dinner was so nice!  I have developed a real love for chicken kebabs!  I get them from Pak N Save in Clarence Street, Hamilton.  They have an amazing array of meat compared to the other Pak N Save here.

So, a neat evening ... Coronation Street has just finished so I'm off to bed.
Catch ya tomorrow.

TODAY'S JOBS...

I've got a few small jobs lined up for today.

Just tidying up really.

 ABOVE:  I'm going to tidy up this area, and move the BBQ table back a bit so it's not taking up so much room.  There's not a lot between it and the pool fence.

The pool cover is going to find a new 'home', clearly it can't stay on the chairs.  lol

 ABOVE: I've been keeping the pool chemicals in a box under the little deck.  But it's a right pain having it there, so I'm going to bring it inside.

ABOVE:  To here.  Stew put a shelving unit in this corner of the gym room last night, so I'm going to keep the chemicals in here.  Along with his weights and a few other bits 'n' bobs.

ABOVE:  I might even finally get around to hanging up those paintings!   And the floor needs sweeping in here too.  

So, there ya go.  That should keep me busy for the morning.

Remember me saying I was going to leave my hair dark blonde/light brown, and let it go 'natural'?

YEAH RIGHT.

I friggin HATE IT.  I take first prize at changing my mind !

I'm going to a local hair salon to see what they can do to get it to the colour I like, without damaging it any more than it already is.

I've not been to a proper salon for a colour in years... time to bite the bullet, pay the money and just get it sorted.

How you feel about your hair is damn important to a girl right?

I got this out of the freezer last night:

ABOVE:  PORK.  It will be the first time using the crock pot in this house.  And OMG, I love pulled pork.  Dinner is sorted.  Better wipe the dust off the lid.  lol

ONWARD...

Progress:

 ABOVE:  Moved back, cleaned under and around.  Looks much better.

 ABOVE:  See the biggish pot?  I've got two of them in both corners there.  I have no idea what to put in them.  I've had them for a few years now and STILL don't have anything in them!

Any IDEAS girls?  

 ABOVE:  So the dirt pile is still there, and it's had stuff moved onto it... just waiting for somewhere to put it all.

Our old, precious gate is going to be mounted on a post in the lower garden at some point.  

ABOVE:  Done this room.
Could not hang the paintings as whatever the wall is built with, will not allow me to bang in a nail!  It's like concrete?  But not.  Maybe it's concrete behind?  
Off to buy some big command hooks, among other things. 

Like get an hair appointment.  Just have to clean myself up... I'm a bit grubby right now.

2 pm:  Home from the shops.  I got most things on my list, plus a couple of things that were not.
Stew was given a lovely clock for Christmas from Steve and Bex.  It was SUPPOSED to go in his gym room.

I kinda stole it.

ABOVE:  So while out I found another one for him.  Now I don't feel so bad.
The hooks are for stuff outside on the fence.
The ones I bought yesterday were not quite right for the job.  Luckily, we can use them out the back for something else.

This morning I moved chairs (and my computer)... and OMG!
Stew's chair was filthy.  So I cleaned it, I had to!

On my way home from the shops it occurred to me that a throw on the chair would be a damn good idea... so I went to Spotlight.

And wouldn't you know it...

 ABOVE:  How lucky can ya be?

ABOVE:  I got two for the price of one, because I have a Spotlight Card.  

I've just had me lunch.  Crackers and Tuna.  I'm probably going over at dinnertime, cos well... I really love pulled pork!  If I only have the meat it shouldn't be too damaging. 

9.03 pm:  And what a good day!  Griffin and girlfriend came over in the afternoon.  Spent a couple of hours hanging out and catching up.
Griffin will be moving home in the weekend.

Now though, it's sign off time.
Catch ya tomorrow.

 

BACK TO NORMAL

YAaaaa.

Today, life goes back to 'normal'.
Stew will be at work.
Brylee is away in Tauranga for a few days.

It's just me at home.

BLISS... peace and quiet.

I'm going to tidy up the Studio.  Everything just got dumped in there yesterday after market.

There's some washing to do.

A bit of general housework.

And fluffing around the front of the house.

It is almost all done out there!

I might even do a 'before' and 'after' photo later on.

There's certainly heaps changed since we moved in.

ABOVE:  I forgot to show you how lovely the top of the Bar Leaner is!  Didn't Steve do well?  Stew and I think it's awesome.  

We had some more neighbours come over and introduce themselves a couple of days ago... and they said they were surprised at how much we had done already.

Ha... they can only see the front... so we took them out the back to see the pool.  They were amazed we already had a pool.  *smiles*

I told them it was pretty much top of the list of 'to dos'.  *smiles*

On our way home from the market yesterday, Bex and I swung by our 'old' home:

ABOVE:  Big change!  They have pulled out all the agapanthas from along the front fence line, and removed the little garden to the left of the driveway.
It will be interesting to see what they do ... maybe they will just leave it like that?

OH... the neighbour with the mile high hedge had just cut down the high part he left too!  What a wanker... leaving it that high till now.

Right, that's all I have for now... catch ya later on in the day.

ONWARD...

1.33 pm:  Well... I've been pottering around all day (so far).  Went out and got some big hooks to hang 'stuff' on the fence.
Home. Hung out washing.  Had lunch.
Got a headache.
It's too hot.

ABOVE: Top photo sometime in September/October, before we moved in.
Bottom one just now.

Pretty happy with the changes.  It's exactly how I envisioned it.

Well... apart from the trailer.  But there's nowhere else to put it.

I've had a quiet afternoon.  Had two swims.  Done some more housework.  Cooked dinner.
About to do the pool chemicals.
Just the usual stuff now.  *smiles*

Stew should be home from Rotorua shortly.  Then we can enjoy a quiet evening, just the two of us.

ST ANDREWS CHURCH MARKET

We are up bright and early this morning.  *yawn*

It's the first time doing the church market that we are not 'just down the road'... so we have to leave much earlier then we are used to.

Hopefully we have remembered everything.  It's not really feasible to go home to get anything we might have forgotten.

Bex and I are hoping for a good day, sales wise.
It is going to be a cracker jack hot day, it's expected to be 30 degrees, if not more.   With the Waikato's high humidity, it feels hotter than that let me assure you. 

ABOVE:  TRACY, if you decide to come down, this is where I will be.  Bex will be just down the road from me too.
And if ya do come down, please bring ya togs!  We can jump in the pool in the afternoon if you like?  I know we will be!

Right, I better go and get some face on.  First time in a week easily!  Catch ya later.
Wish us luck.

ONWARD...

ABOVE: 8.30 and we are ready.

Well... sales are slow, but I'm still happy. I just bought a sunhat:

ABOVE: Its perfect for my hairstyle!

4.29 pm:  home from market.
Market?  Went well, much slower, and less profitable than the October Market, but it was still worth doing.

I got to see and yak with heaps of friends from Cambridge, AND...

ABOVE:  My dear friend , Tracy, from Auckland!  She came down for a yak!  So we yakked.  It was lovely.
So nice to see you Tracy.  ♥

While we were at market, Steve got busy at home...

ABOVE:  He made the 'surround' for the air con unit... and ...

 ABOVE: The clever bugger even added a little shelf ... where I can put a drink while sitting on the bench seat!
Cool!  So handy.

ABOVE: The other thing he finished off was our BAR LEANER!
It looks amazing.  I'm so happy with it. 

THANKS STEVE, you are wonderful.

We have all been in the pool since arriving home.  Such fun.

8.38 pm: And the kids have gone home, I've watered the garden, fed the fish, topped up the pond, and tended the pool (Chemicals/pump on etc).  So, the day is done.
Catch ya tomorrow.

ROCKS

Because it was so very hot yesterday, not that much got done outside.
Stew did a little bit out the front, but that's all.
I'm hoping today we get a few of the rocks around the pond area and up to the fence.

The dye I've been using on my hair is ruining it, so last night I chucked a new semi-permanent, Dark Blonde dye in to see if that helped.  Fingers crossed it does.
Oh I also decided, yet again, to let my natural hair colour grow through.  

If I get a chance, I'll do a selfie at some point and show you.

Right now I'm looking a bit iffy.  I've not put make up on for days, because I'm in and out of the pool all the time.  There's just no point doing mascara etc... panda eyes just ain't a good look.

ABOVE:  I found a new place for our Weta!  He looks awesome on 'The Rock'.  Now we just need grass instead of dirt, then I'll be happy.
I'm so over the dirt, and the steep slope covered in plastic. 

I'm not sure if I will do any sewing today, or just get everything organised for tomorrow's market.
We will see what the guys get up to, they might want my input on things?  

Right, I'm off to start the day.

ONWARD...

Well it's 2 pm and we have all been busy.
The guys got a phenomenal amount done (as dictated by STEVE!)... but yeah.  They have slaved away for hours doing lots of jobs.
They put the cover on the pool so they could move some dirt around.  Stew did the front 'rock garden' and paver path to the gate.
And various other things.

Meanwhile, Bex and Lacy entertained the kids, and I decided to make a cot quilt to take to Market tomorrow.

 ABOVE:  The guys giving their next move some consideration.  lol

 ABOVE:  What Stew did ... it's almost finished out the front now.  Just some tweaking and a cover in front of the air con unit.

ABOVE:  The cot quilt I just made in 4 hours.  Ignore the Burgundy colour.... it's the curtain I hung the quilt on.

SWIM TIME FOR EVERYONE...  as it's another hot, hot day.


ABOVE:  As I said, there's Steve using the static swimming line.  It's AWESOME.  And I will be using it every day until it gets too cold.

Happy snaps:

ABOVE:  Everyone is inside now as it's the hottest part of the day.  Thankful that the sun does NOT stream in through the windows in this house!

Might make it a cooler house over winter, but hey, if you're cold you can put more clothes on.  And bitch about being cold.  lol

7.50 pm:  The guys are now loading the vehicles in readiness for tomorrow's market.
I think I'm ready for it. 
I just hope I get some decent sleep tonight, otherwise I'm gunna be a wreck tomorrow.
Time to sign off for the day.

LET'S START TRACKING

I showed you my new WW Tracker Book last night.
Today I'm gunna actually start using it.

Last time I used a tracker book RELIGIOUSLY, I lost 61 kilos.  
So I know it works if you are committed and track everything that goes in ya gob.

I can do it.  I will do it.  Cos I'm sick to death of being a failure.

Steve, Bex and the kids are due around lunch time today.  I hope the first thing they do is jump in the pool!
It's just so refreshing, and fun.  Let's not forget the fun.  *smiles*

Then perhaps a little bit of planning for some work around the pool itself?  We will see what eventuates.

I still need to get my stock sorted for the market on Monday, iron a few things, make sure prices are on, and so on.
So, that's the day kinda planned.  For now.

ONWARD...

Right. It's 1.47 in the afternoon and I've been either fluffing around with Stew getting rocks, or sewing.

 ABOVE: We went to a Landscaping place over Hamilton West, and got rocks, ground cover mat and bark.
I am sure we will be going back for more rocks, smaller ones, for around the pool later on.

 ABOVE:  My efforts since yesterday.  29 Placemats and coasters.  That will do for now.

ABOVE:  Stew contemplating his next move.  It's so very hot today... I hope he doesn't get heat stroke.  He got that over the Christmas/New Year break.

Steve, Bex and the boys just arrived.  They are about to  have a swim... then afternoon tea.

IT'S TOO HOT.  Bex and I just went to the supermarket.  Melting right now.  Feel ill.

Clearly it's a quiet day, most Kiwis will be doing what we are doing... relaxing, enjoying a long weekend.

Tonight's dinner was chicken kebabs, salad and spuds.  

Not doing much else tonight, except my usual routine now.  Water the gardens/potted plants and top up the pond.  The fish are cooking in their water!  I've lost 3 fish this week and I'm sure it's down to the extreme heat.

Time to wind down for the day.