BACK TO IT

 Yesterday afternoon, once I'd stopped feeling so  crabby, I went into my sewing room and did this:

ABOVE:  A set of 4 Cow Coasters.  I put them on my Facebook page (RUNNERS & MORE).

And, very surprisingly, I actually sold them, plus two more, to make it a set of 6!!  AND... another set of 4!

I am so surprised, I never expected to sell a single thing on that Facebook page.

Thanks KJ and Karen D.

The other thing I started, but haven't finished yet:

ABOVE:  A small coffee table runner.  I was thrilled to find in me stash the perfect fabric for the inner detail on the mugs.  That one on the right looks just like coffee with cream on the top!

I will finish this one today, and the Cow Coasters.

I've been feeling really down the past few days, no idea why.  Getting into me sewing room helped yesterday, let's see if it helps again today shall we?

HALF WAY through another year!

Much to my disgust, I got up early.

It's so damn cold, I'd much rather stay in bed to be  honest.  But, you don't get shit done unless you are actually OUT of bed eh?

ABOVE:  Good sign I'm busy.  And being productive.  

I plan on leaving all that on the floor, and giving a 'job' to a grandkid or 3.  They like earning pocket money.

ABOVE:  I finished this little runner this morning.  I'm not that thrilled with it.  It's just OK.

ABOVE:  The sewing room assistants.  Not helping much are ya girls!  Marley likes to EAT little scraps of fabric, so I have to keep an eye on  her.  Little bugger.

It's now 12.10 pm, time to stop and have me lunch.

Well... I mucked around with that coffee cup runner this afternoon.

Put a border on it.  Took it off cos it wasn't straight.  Put it back on.

Photo.  DONE.

5.45 pm:  Got Stew's dinner sorted.

Sitting down fuming.

Just NOT NOT NOT happy.  Crabby as fuck.

Feeling stir crazy.  Home alone too much.  Not much happening on here either.

Should have stayed PRIVATE for all the good it's done me opening it up again.

Just over today already.

I LAUGHED

 Is it wrong that I laughed at this? :

ABOVE:  

Queensland National Parks

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Creek bed significantly disturbed by people’s actions, Cania Gorge National Park.

In Australia, hikers who create rock stacks face a fine of A$689, or more than NZ$750, for “constructing an unauthorised structure or works in parks”.

Queensland National Parks told hikers to Cania Gorge to “look beyond what may be visually pleasing to some”.

“Notice how the dry creek bed is now bare of its rock cover! All these stacked rocks should be on the ground serving their purpose.

I appreciate that making Rock Cairns is fun, and I have done one myself (once), but yeah.That creek bed is ruined.  Perhaps people need to start knocking them over?
I have nothing on my agenda today, so I will bugger off for now.

This week I pledged to not use the heat pump.  I used it when I wanted to last week.
This week.... as a 'control', I'm not using it.  That way I can see how much it up's the power usage.So far, my 'WATCH' on our power usage has gone well.
I can't see any major increase apart from that very first day after the meter was 'UPDATED', so that's good!
Maybe we will be staying with Mercury after all?
So.  I'm freezing as a consequence this week.  It will be worth it to see the difference though.
I'm sitting in my chair, big blankie on, HOTPODS on my lap.  As long as I don't move, I stay warm.  So not much is getting done today.

I'm damn cold.  And crabby.In me sewing room, about to sew something.  Hoping it cheers me up.Feeling very low today.
OK.  Going into the sewing room was a damn good idea.  I got a few things made, made a big mess and just felt... HAPPIER.
Stew got home later than usual, which was annoying, cos I had dinner all ready for 6 pm.Never mind, his went in the microwave.We had roast Lamb knuckles, gravy, and a lovely vege mix of potato, tomato, onion, capsicum etc.
What's that vege that looks like cucumber, but isn't?  Can't for the life of me think of the name.  Derrr.  The mix had that in it too.
Time to sign off for the day.  Tomorrow it's the start of the downward slope to the end of the year!

THANKS!

 On Sunday just gone, Bex did a community market over in Nawton, Hamilton.

And she bought me a little gift:

ABOVE:  Her friend Ren made a couple of them.  I love mine!

Fishy AND succulents.  Ya can't lose with that combo when you are getting me something.

Talking of succulents:

ABOVE:  A little collage of some of my favourites.

Here is something to think upon:

WHAT WOULD YOUR ANSWER BE:  Come on.... you know you want to.

And now... back to today.  Got the dusting to do, and a couple of other smaller jobs.

So... best get started.

10.30 am.  I've just finished tidying up the laundry shelves etc.

It's amazing how an area can slowly but surely get all messed up, bottles of different things just shoved in.  No order at all.

Well, I don't handle that too well after a while, so today my feet started twitching at 7.30 and I just had to get up and sort it out.

Done now.  Next job?

Dusting.  But it can wait.   I'm taking time out.

AND NOW... I'm having my lunch, at 1.20 pm.

Knock on the door at 1.45 pm.  It's a meter reader.

Hmmmm... clearly the power meter is not read from 'base'?  The meter guy said, yes it is.  

The Gas Meter is not though.

I got a phone call on the 21st saying to lock my dogs in over the next THREE days, as the meter was going to be read.

THREE DAYS.

Yeah right.

It's been a week.  That's ummm... SEVEN days.

Rather glad I didn't lock the girls inside AT ALL.

The meter man showed me his instructions for our home.

"KNOCK on the door.  BAD DOGS" (highlighted even!)

WTF?  Bad dogs?  That is just crazy.

Oh well.... over it.  But I might email them and tell them not to bother ringing me to warn me to keep the dogs in over the next three days, cos three days is NOT seven days right?

Stew got home safely from Rotorua, and I cooked him chicken cordon bleu with posh poppas and kumera rissoles.

I'd had my main meal of the day at lunch time.

It's working for me most days doing that now.

And now... we are watching some telly before bed.  

Catch ya tomorrow.

I SPY...

Mike and Joyce left for home (Palmerston North) mid afternoon yesterday.

Beau got in the car...

ABOVE:  "I spy with my little eye..."

ABOVE:  "Something that doesn't belong there! ..."

ABOVE:  "Mike, you have a stowaway!"

Yep.  Coco doing what she almost always does.  Trying to go too.  

She just LOVES being in a car, going out and about.  ANYONE'S CAR will do.

Meanwhile...

ABOVE:  Marley was like, SEE YA, take that annoying little boy dog with ya.  

In all though, all three dogs got on well.  They drew boundary lines and mostly kept to them.

ABOVE:  All is good in Marley's world again.  😂😉😊

ABOVE:  Sorry, it's almost 4 minutes long!

Skip if ya not interested in dogs.

So today, Stew is back to work, and I will do my usual Monday morning jobs.

There's a lot more washing!

And vacuuming.

And cleaning bathrooms.

And dusting.... cos 'someone' pointed out it needed doing!  Pffffft.

12.15 pm:  And I'm at a stop.  Waiting for floors to dry now.  Then I will clean the bathroom cabinets, sinks etc.  Then all that's left to do is the dusting and a couple of odd jobs.  And they will be TOMORROW'S jobs, cos I'm just about done.

The 4th load of washing is in the machine right now.  I have done three BIG loads of linen so far, just clothes to get done now.

5 loads of washing done and hung on racks in the garage.

Entire house vacuumed and floors all washed.

Extra fluffing around putting stuff away etc.

DONE for the day.

Had a nana nap.  Didn't cook dinner.  Stew had leftovers for dinner.

It's really cooling down again now, so I've put me Oodie on.  Still need me blankie on me legs though.

It's  a good feeling knowing the house is almost all spic 'n' span again.  

Time to sign off for the day.

Catch ya tomorrow.

THE KIDS LEAVE AGAIN

 Poor Joyce.

Last night I asked her to show me the clothes her and Mike bought.

She was already a bit hot, but man did she get hotter!  lol

ABOVE:  She brought in all the bags... that's her gimp face, 😂😅😆.

ABOVE:  I tried really hard to get her to model at least her two new dress jackets... but no.

She was over it.

ABOVE:  She was all sweaty and crabby, and took herself off for a shower!  

With any luck she will model the lovely jackets today.

I am supposed to be attending an FBG Charity Brunch this morning.  But I have decided to spend the day with the kids, they are leaving after lunch for Palmerston North. I really want to spend the last few hours they are up here, with them.

Family comes first.

Bloody horrible, shitty, foggy, cold morning.

That is all.

ABOVE:  I hate fog more than anything else.  It creeps into your bones.  And it doesn't have any redeeming 'after' features like a frost, where you do end up with a nice day. 

Fog just steals the joy out of the day.

ABOVE:  Even the garden looks dismal. 3 more months of this.  Ikkk.  AND then we get summer.

And ya all know what happens then eh?  I stop bitching about the cold, and start bitching about the heat.

I really am a contrary person.

ABOVE:  These two made lunch today.  A family favourite, chicken, coleslaw and cheese on buns.

Thanks kids.

ABOVE:  Family photos.... with a new Harvey boy... Beau.  

He got to join us in bed twice this morning!  Spoilt little bugger.

8.23 pm:  Well... the kids left mid afternoon.  They are safely home now.

We had left overs for dinner.   And now it's quiet in the house, and in a couple more hours I'll be off to bed.

Catch ya tomorrow.

SATURDAY DOINGS

 I saw something like this on Facebook, had to do my own Kiwi version:

ABOVE:  The sad thing is, it's so true!  EDIT: Its supposed to be  petrol tanker... NOT a milk tanker! Lol

I was sitting down eating a piece of garlic bread yesterday afternoon.

Look down:

ABOVE:  These two eye balling me.... 

Look to my left:

ABOVE:  And so is Beau.

They all got a little bit of me bread, cos like, how could I not share?  😊😋

Today Mike and Joyce will be going shopping.  They always do that when the come up here.

So, no doubt it will be a 'family' trip to the shops.

Stew and Mike are getting haircuts. Stew looks like my hunk again.

Chartwell Square is the busiest I've seen it in over 2 years!

ABOVE:  two hunky men again.  😊

We are back from the mall now.  Mike and Joyce had a blast doing clothing shopping.  They are now at Steve and Bex's playing with the boys.

Stew and I are parked in front of the TV chilling out till dinner time.

Dinner tonight is going to be takeaways.  No cooking for me.  Yaaa.

💜 It's only 3.15... and I'm starting to get cold.  Time to heat up me HeatPods .... they are SOOOOOOoooooo good!

Marley finally reacted to Beau!

We had taken her tennis ball off her, after she'd been playing and chasing after it all day. I could see she was exhausted and needed to have a break.

So... she was hunting for it frantically, and Beau started annoying her, so she snapped and gave him a message... "Fuck OFF or I will bite you!"

He's a very clever dog and got the message pretty quickly.  lol

It's now 8.48 pm, everyone has gone home and all is quiet here again.

I won't be up too late tonight, I'm tired.  

Catch ya tomorrow.