Saturday, December 31, 2022

NEW YEAR'S EVE

 This morning our plans are to move some stuff from our home to another family member's garage.  Time to declutter the house.  I can't wait to have some room in the spare bedroom and back sheds again.

Amanda and her boyfriend, and Lacy are helping us.  It should only take a couple of hours, then the day is ours.

Once that is done I will be getting the spare bedroom back to some sort of order.

It's the last day of the year.  I was so happy with my loss this past week.  I didn't get to my end of year mini goal, but I came within 2 kilos of it!  That's not to be sneezed at.

To date (this time around),  I have lost 8.4 kilos in 4.5 months.  Again, not to be sneezed at.

I'm bloody happy with how I'm going to be honest.  

Next year ... that being tomorrow...  my goal is to lose a minimum of 1 kilo a month.  If I actually do that.. NO, when I do that, I will be at my personal GOAL.  It's not what WW expect me to be at, but it will be what I am happy to be at.

In fact, do WW still set you a GOAL, or can you set it yourself now?   I must ask.  

Now, as for New Year's Eve.  We don't have any plans, boring old farts that we are.

Do you have any fun plans?  Going to a party?  Lying on the beach and counting down?  Fireworks?  
Sitting in the lounge with ya nightie on?  πŸ˜‚πŸ˜ŠπŸ˜‰  That will probably be me.

ABOVE:  Yeah.  Seen this all over Facebook and just had to steal it.

Last night at around 6.50 pm, the girls finally ventured out the front yard on their own volition.
I was in the sewing room ironing so could watch what they were doing.

ABOVE:  They checked out the neighbours... all good there.

ABOVE:  Then a sniff in the freshly turned over garden.

And THEN.... thank GOD I was watching, cos our goddam ESCAPOLOGIST found 'the gap' that was bigger than all the others...

ABOVE: And she walked straight through it and out onto the bloody road!

You won't believe it, but I RAN! 
 
Yelling "Coco!  Coco! Come back !".
So thankful she heard me and did as she was told for once.

I've rammed a garden stake in that gap until the guys can render a permanent fix.  

Then we will let her out again and see if she can show us any more places she can get out.

I swear to God that dog is SO CLEVER!  Just give her 4 cm more... and she's gone.  Thank God I was actually watching them at the right time.

She could have been long gone.  Doesn't bear thinking about really.


We took the pool cover off on November the 5th.  To see this:

ABOVE:  Yeah.  Horrendous.   It took about a week to get rid of the green.  But it has taken me hours and hours, and hundreds of dollars to FINALLY get it crystal clear.

I really didn't think I was going to get it crystal clear to be honest.

BUT... after exactly 8 weeks... I got up to tend the pool this morning to see this:

ABOVE:  Finally, a crystal clear pool!
I could cry.
It has been such hard work getting it right again.

Now let's hope I can keep it that way.

ABOVE:  Ahhhhh..... me.  Doing NOTHING.  Her ... doing it all.

ABOVE:  11.40 am.  All done and back to having a beautiful spare kid's bedroom.  
Stew has gone to the supermarket for his usual weekend shop.  Then who knows what we shall get up to?
Might be a pleasant lunch out somewhere.

ABOVE: Steve called in and attached a length of timber to the fence, effectively closing the gap.
We have put pavers and bricks under that section of fence to stop Coco from digging under it... we had already done that yesterday.
We know Coco through and through.  
The gate is LOCKABLE as well... so no one can just let them out.
Stealing them?  OMG they bark something rotten when a stranger comes near them... so we would hear that too.
If we are not home, they will not be out the front.
I think that covers all possible scenarios.
2 pm:  Home after a lovely couple of hours out and about.

ABOVE:  We chose to try a local suburban cafe, in Queenwood.  JAM.
It certainly looked inviting.  

ABOVE:  We chose their Beef Filo wraps, with a Corn Salad side dish. 

Stew gave it an 8/10.  Me:  5/10.  The Filo wrap was full to brimming with BIG chunks of Beef.  But it was tasteless.
The corn salad was spicy, so not to my liking at all.
We shared some wedges, which were OK.

The atmosphere was lovely and relaxed, until towards the end of our meal, when the old fulla behind Stew lit up a smoke.
That was not nice at all and I couldn't wait to leave.

We will probably go there again and try something else.  But sit INSIDE where smoking is not permitted.

After lunch we headed over to The Base and got some spare gate keys cut.  Then we went up to the movie theatre...

ABOVE:  We pre-bought tickets to see A Man Called Otto, starring Tom Hanks.  I love Tom Hanks.  I hope it's a good movie.  He doesn't do  many flops. We are going to watch it tomorrow.

ABOVE:  9 pm on New Year's Eve.  I am loving my new view from the sewing room.
Dusk.  Fence 'n' gate.  Secure. 
Coco has been outside, but has not even tried to investigate where the gap was.
I reckon she can see it's been blocked, so no point going there again.

It's been another long, stressful year, and I'm happy it's coming to an end.

May 2023 be awesome for everyoneThank you for sticking by me and reading my blog for another year.  If you were new here, Welcome.

CATCH YA TOMORROW.


HAPPY NEW YEAR!

21 comments:

  1. Anonymous7:39 AM

    Yikes!! Sneaky dogs!! ;-) Ky Girl

    ReplyDelete
  2. OMG! So glad you got Cocoa back! What a nightmare. Now go all around the perimeter and investigate other dog size openings!
    As for New Years eve. I may go to a concert or do a puzzle with my Mom.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh wow hudini, glad u seen her get out. Little minx

    ReplyDelete
  4. Your new gates look great! Naughty Coco .... thank goodness you saw her escape! Just a thought ... I have read of a couple of cases here in Christchurch recently whereby dogs have escaped by idiots opening gates when they've walked past a house (and one of the cases was in a really nice neigbourhood too) - so you may like to consider putting a combination lock on the gate just to prevent anything like that happening when you perhaps aren't near the front of the house to see. Those who know you can still let themselves in and out, but at least there would be no concern re strangers or bored kids, causing any unnecessary stress in potentially helping your fur babies to escape. Your pool looks lovely .... I'm envious .... I would love a pool here. Have a fantastic day ahead.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Our neighbours had to concrete around all the bottom of the fences (deep down) as their little dog like your burrowed under the fence all the time! One thing to remember also now that the dogs are out - in our neighbourhood there are many security camera photos of people stealing dogs from over fences. Hideous. I had to chuckle at what you said about WW goal weights. Mine was always so low that I would have looked ill! I've never even got close to a goal weight and I think WW have hopefully realised that now.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous11:03 AM

    Going to movies at 4pm, not a NY eve person. Will be asleep by 9. Nice to see you rightfully kicking back and glad you’re getting your space back. Marie, Melbourne

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous11:25 AM

    The pool looks awesome - perfect - but gee 8 weeks that's so frustrating - I am guessing its the rain that's tipping it out of balance?? Lucky you saw Coco escape because you wouldn't have been expecting that. You're on fire with the weight loss - I think you might have cracked it. Its a substantial amount and now you are on the roll I think you will keep the momentum going. Happy New Year Maria(Australia)

    ReplyDelete
  8. I did wonder if Coco would manage to escape as she has done in the past. The pool is looking lovely.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous2:55 PM

    The film A Man Called Otto is based on a book called A Man Called Ove which was set in Scandinavia somewhere, I loved the book, hope the film measures up. Marie, Melbourne

    ReplyDelete
  10. the food looks tasty. Too bad it wasn't.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Yes, your dogs would bark and you are never far to hear them. I know you would have thought of everything :) OMG, why do we non-smokers get forced inside now due to smoking outside? In Australia you can't smoke within 4m of a seated dining area. It's about time we had that law here I think. We just got 'smoked out' from an outside bar. Yuk.

    ReplyDelete
  12. WW you choose your own goals now.
    Good health and happiness to you and Stew for 2023 πŸ₯³

    ReplyDelete
  13. I’m glad this year is over too my friend and work colleague daughter was due yesterday 1st baby 1st granddaughter and unfortunately no baby she died my work didn’t want to upset me and waited until late last night it’s been a most horrible day!
    Much love to you Stew and your whanau see ya on the flip side x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What sad, sad news for you.

      Delete
    2. I know I even rang twice while I was in Aussie we were all so excited they’re still at the hospital πŸ’”

      Delete
  14. Kiwionholidays10:51 PM

    Thanks for a fabulous newsy year ,,
    Loving the dusk photo it’s a keeper n the wee goodnight Kiwi
    Memories n homesick for those days gone by πŸ•ΊπŸΏπŸŽΈπŸ₯‚
    Onwards n upwards though making lots of happy and new memories wherever we travel atm
    πŸ’•πŸ’πŸ’•πŸ’

    Cheers πŸ₯‚

    ReplyDelete
  15. We got a live report and countdown to the change of year in NZ. It's usually Australia but this year we got Auckland's fireworks over and over again.
    Happy New Year NZ. All the best to you and your family Chris for 2023.
    One kilo a month, of course you can do it!!!
    Love from greece

    ReplyDelete
  16. Anonymous5:17 AM

    Happy New Year!! May 2023 be the best ever year any of us has ever had!! Pretty tall order, I know. Ha
    Ky Girl

    ReplyDelete
  17. Happy new year Chris. All the best to you and your family.

    ReplyDelete
  18. A pool, palm trees, and an iron gate, very "POSH" I must say.
    Happy New Year, hope 2023 is everything you want it to be an more.
    Cheers.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Anonymous11:34 AM

    That Coco is one smart dog!!! So glad she listened to you. I know my dog would have just run faster. Wishing you a very healthy, happy and prosperous 2023 from Maine, USA.

    ReplyDelete

Comments will be published once approved by a blog admin. Thank You.