THIS COMING WEEKEND IS GUNNA BE A BIGGIE

 In keeping with my new resolve... I booked a couple of nights away for Stew and I.  Tomorrow we are going to Whitianga.  

It is a trip I've put off for many years.

Whitianga was my second home for 40+ years.

I spent all my childhood holidays in Whitianga.

Then I met Stew after living there for about 6 months, and we spent our family holidays there until Mum left for Australia.

Then my Dad drowned in the Whitianga estuary.

And 4 years after that, my Mum packed up and left for Australia.

And our family holiday home was sold, then pulled down in favour of new homes.

We did go back for my niece's wedding in March of 2010, since then?  Maybe once in 2013 by the look of it (I went back through my blog to check).

OMG I didn't realise it had been that long ago though.

  

So... we are going up tomorrow morning... making it a day trip, no hurrying.  I'm kinda looking forward to it!

I used to just feel sick at the thought of going there, but in the last few weeks I've decided to bite the bullet and just go.

It will have changed so much!  New homes, new businesses.  Even the roads leading there might have changed?

I am excited!

ABOVE:  What to do with all the 'left over' scraps after making a blue runner, and a green runner?

ABOVE:  Why, ya make a BLUE and GREEN runner!  I quite like this one.  I have to quilt and bind it before it's finished.

After that I am doing a grocery shop (Ikkk), and then packing for tomorrow's trip away.

So, a full day for me.  

10 am:  And I was up and out the door by 8 am this morning.

I wanted to get the damn grocery shopping done and dusted first.

I have considered Online shopping, but always think about choice. MY choice.  Because when someone else is picking your fresh foods and meat, they might not get what you want.  I've heard if they don't have something you have specified, they will choose the next 'best' thing.

Which is not necessarily what ya want eh?

So, I am doomed to doing it myself.  Cos, I'm too damn fussy!

I have just finished unloading it all, and am very happy it's done.  Stew, I bought some 'treat' type things for our trip, and for visitors to the house.  (read: lollies and biscuits).

OH and remember it's VALENTINES Day on Sunday.  NOT that we bother that much with commercialised days like that, but well.... I might have bought a card at least.  😍😃😆

It's two hours till I open me shop, so I might just relax for a bit and read a magazine I bought.  I've not bought a woman's magazine in about 15 years!  But as it had Brad and Jen on the cover, I had to.  I loved that couple.  Even if they didn't love each other forever.

ABOVE:  Someone suggested I put 'hidden' words on these runners.  Nice idea.  But then I thought about it, and decided it would be too much like hard work, and annoying!  And I would end up crabbier than usual, so nope, decided not to.

BUT, I did decide to put my MARK on them from now on.  CJH... stands for Christina Joy Harvey, and is what I used to stamp on the bottom of all my pottery pieces.  My 'Potter's Mark', or LOGO.

Dogstars, do you have one ??? 

3.17 pm:  And I've just had a really lovely lady in the shop, just looking.  But we chatted for ages, which was just neat.  I kinda like yakking.  😃😂

ABOVE:  And there's another one done.  I love this one too.

I have already started on the next one.  Something totally different.  Might give you a sneak peak tomorrow.

ABOVE:  Tonight's sunset.  Rather pretty.

Notice what's missing?   Yeah, Stew took the top off the tree.  

And now, it's time for me to pack for tomorrow's trip.  I thought I'd get it done this morning, but I got carried away in the sewing room instead.