INSURANCE

 Where the iron landed on the carpet on Friday, it didn't look TOO BAD, but it felt all hard and crispy, with bits sticking up like splinters of glass?

Clearly it had melted, then set again.

I gave it a rub with a brush, and it all came off.  It left it looking even worse.

But at least it wasn't all hard and crispy any more.

When it first happened, all I thought about was my ruined iron.

A few hours later and I realised the carpet was ruined as well.

So today I will be making an insurance claim to get it replaced.

It's obviously a crap type of carpet, Stew reckons it's a 'garage carpet'.  I'm probably going to replace it with vinyl.  That will be easier to keep tidy, and vacuuming it will certainly require less effort.

So, that is top of my 'to do' list for the day.

I've also got all the usual Monday jobs to get done.  General housework.

Then I can get into the sewing room and work on the 4 runners that are on the go.  

No walk today, my legs are sore from yesterday's walk.  They were actually sore before I even did yesterday's walk, so clearly I need a break.  

And that is me for now, I'll be back later.

10.16 am:  Before ringing the Insurance company this morning, I sat down and did the maths.

After we pay our deduction, and they add age/depreciation and upped our premiums due to a claim, I figured out that we would be way better off to replace the flooring ourselves!

Like, it's the cheapest 'carpet' on the market, so isn't going to cost much to replace anyway.

Stew reckons we do it with either carpet tiles, or vinyl tiles... a bit at a time, so we don't have to empty out the entire room.

I concur.  Excellent idea.  That way I can continue using the room as well.

So, no Insurance claim after all.

I saw a video of someone making chicken rissoles while I was lounging in bed this morning.  So I just made some.  Cooked ONE to try them out.

Very nice.  

We will be having them for dinner tonight, and easily the next night as well.    2 Chicken Breasts go a long way in a batter.

I love the internet!   You see so many interesting things/recipes and so on.

One thing is for sure.  You never need to buy another cook book.

AUDREY AND FELICITY:  Yes that is amusing.  I should have clarified that it was ME lounging in bed.  😂😅

I have been working on those runners all day.

ABOVE:  I now have three of them finished.  I am taking a little break before doing the last one for the day.

It's now 3.25 pm and it's lunchtime!  lol

CHICKEN RISSOLES:

1 Chicken Breast

3 Eggs

1 teaspoon Salt

1 teaspoon Paprika

2 Tablespoons of Mayonnaise

2 Tablespoons of flour

100 g/3.5 oz of Tasty Cheese

1 teaspoon of Granulated Garlic

Chopped parsley to taste.

Chop up the chicken into small pieces.

In a bowl add all the other ingredients and whisk till not lumpy.

Add the chicken to the mixture.

In a frying pan add some oil and heat up, not to hot!

Then add spoonful's of the chicken mixture and fry until the chicken is cooked.

Have with a side salad, or whatever you want on the side,  and dressing of your choice.

I didn't use any dressing as it was very tasty on it's own.  I also didn't use the parsley, as I feel it can overpower other flavours.

8.45 pm:  I'm happy to say Stew really enjoyed his chicken rissoles this evening.  I had a couple more as well.

Definitely something I will keep on our menu.

We are now just doing our usual evening routine, watching the telly till bedtime.

NO FIRM PLANS

 Stew and I have no firm plans for today.

If it is a nice day, a walk around our lake is on the cards.

I might go to Spotlight and get some more batting and backing fabric, so I can finish off the next 4 runners that I have on the go.

THEN once they are done, I'm going to make a few more bowl cosy's.  Freshen up my stock of them.

I love making them, so it's not even a chore.

Half the fun is choosing the fabrics I will use.

And that my peeps, is all I have for now.

I'm still in bed.  It's freezing and I refuse to get up until Stew has turned the heater on and it's warmed up in the family room.

Today, I stayed IN BED until ... 10.45!!!

I do believe that is a record.

I just lay there, nice and warm, scrolling through YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and funnies.

What a great start to the day.

Now though, we are on the move.

We are going to Spotlight, then for a walk, and finally having a nice lunch out somewhere.

It is a dreary, cloudy, foggy day out there.  I think the fog has lifted in the most part, but it's still miserable looking.  It's the sort of cold that just seeps into ya bones.  My least favourite day... FOG.

ABOVE:  We started our walk today with a completely overcast, cold and dreary day.

But half way around the lake, the sun started burning it's way through the clouds and fog, and it warmed up beautifully.

I ALMOST  did something I am aiming for.

Getting around the lake in under 40 minutes!

We did it in 40.13 minutes... so if I'd not stopped a few times for photos, I would have done it.

I WILL DO IT sometime this week, even if I have to JOG a little bit!  

YES, I can jog a little now.  Not that I like doing it.... I really need a rabid dog chasing me to make me more 'enthusiastic' about jogging.  😂😅😏

After our walk we grabbed a Subway sandwich for our lunch and came home.  The sun is fully out now, so the house will start to warm up.

We did go to Spotlight before our walk, so I'm set for sewing tomorrow.

It has been a very quiet afternoon/evening.  I had a nap mid-afternoon, simply to warm up!

I was just so cold.

We had apple and blackberry pie for dinner.  Comfort food.  That's all I will say about that.   lol

We are now watching the FIFA world cup, the game between New Zealand Vs. Switzerland.  It's 0/0 right now.  We have to win or we are out of the competition.

It was a draw, so New Zealand is out of the FIFA World Cup.  Sad, cos they were doing really well.

I'm off to bed shortly, looking forward to a good night's sleep.  I always sleep better after it's been a 'walk' day.  Good, honest tired.

IRON SHOPPING

 I'm off to Briscoes today, to find a new iron.

I saw one online late yesterday that caught my eye:

IT'S CORDLESS.

Perfect.

I won't trip over a friggin' cord again will I?

The only thing that makes me hesitate is that it's $200.  And I go through irons on average every year or two, due to shit getting stuck on them... though not normally the carpet!  😂😊

HOLD ON! Scrolling....  I see that I can get the same iron somewhere else, here in Hamilton, for $149.00.  Might have to go there instead.

And... that is all we have on our agenda right now.  

I'll be back later...

11 am:  And we are home after doing a grocery shop, and an 'iron' shop.

Why are there so many irons on the market?  It makes is so confusing!

But I tend to stick with a brand that has never given me any trouble (Russell Hobs), so that narrowed it down.

I was super keen on the cordless one, and after ummm'ing and ahhh'ing for a while, I went for it.

ABOVE:  Charging, ready to go.  And it has a 2 year warranty, which is excellent.  

I felt like scones for lunch, so they are in the oven as I type.

Cheese scones and date scones, just enough for Stew and I.  

ABOVE:  SPOT THE DIFFERENCE.

Sitting in the lounge, heat pump on, hot pod on me knees, watching Accident, Suicide or Murder.

My sorta programme.  

Rather contented right now.

ABOVE:  Look who visited us this afternoon!  Most unexpected, but so very lovely to see them.

Griffin and Tash were over here to attend a friend's birthday party.

ABOVE:  Marley decided Tash was someone she rather liked too.

So cute.

No modesty from Marley!

ABOVE: We matched.  It was just wonderful to see our Dude.  He's such a lovely young man.

Sadly they didn't stay very long, but hopefully we get to see them again soon.

Now... I'm thinking we shall have Taco Bell for dinner.   So in a couple of hours that's where we will be.

I read several reviews of the Russell Hobs Cordless Iron online.  NOT one of them was negative, and that is why I bought it.  

And once I've actually used it for a while, I can tell you exactly what I think of it.

6.14 pm:  we just had an excellent and delicious dinner out at Taco Bell, Taupiri.

It would be awesome if they actually had a shop here in Hamilton... but at least on the Expressway it's not too far for us to get there.

Home now and looking forward to a nice quiet evening, watching the telly, playing Free Cell on the computer and chillin' with Stew.

CATCH YA TOMORROW

HOPEFUL

I'm hopeful that the fabric I ordered from Christchurch arrives today so I can finish these two runners:

ABOVE:  I'm probably being a bit optimistic that it will arrive today.  But I am going to stay home just in case it does arrive.

ABOVE:  In the meantime, I will carry on making this Kiwiana Braid Runner.  I've actually got two of them 'on the go'.

ABOVE:  Archer and his dinner last night.  Sure looked yummmy.

Today Dante is coming to spend the morning with me, he's full of a cold, snotty and so on.

Post Covid, no kid is welcome at school with a cold.  Such a pain.

Wish we could have stayed home from school cos we had a cold, back in the day.

I don't  think I ever had a day off school due to a freakin' cold!

I just hope he isn't feeling too grotty.  

Right, that's me for now, I'll be back later.

8.25 am:  I'm lying in bed at 8 am... not even thinking of getting up yet... too cold!

Bex arrives with the boys to drop Dante off.

And Archer walks into my bedroom with this:

ABOVE:  It's the Kaffe Fassett fabric from Christchurch!

Left on the front doorstep.  WOW.

That is fantastic postal service.  

I've had parcels take over a week to arrive from Auckland, which is 1 hour up the road, yet this one came from Christchurch, which is in the South Island, some 952 kms away!  (a 14 hour drive)  I'm impressed.

OMG it's utterly FREEZING in my sewing room.  My hands have literally frozen, I can hardly type.  Shit that heat pump better work fast.

I am going to continue with the Kiwiana Braid Runners for the next few days, as I already have a good supply of the other ranges of Braid Runners.

Once Bex has picked Dante up, I will be heading out for a lake walk with Lacy... if she's up for it.

If not, I might just go on my own, much as I dislike walking on my own.  I will wait and see what option it is, once she replies to my message.  She's probably still in bed right now.

I have had a mishap in the sewing room.  I tripped over the iron's cord and it flew onto the floor.

Of course, it landed hot side down didn't it?

ABOVE:  The carpet is some sort of synthetic material, OF COURSE.  So the bloody iron MELTED into the carpet INSTANTLY.

And there goes my perfectly good, not very old iron.  Consigned to the bin.

That shit is NOT coming off anytime soon.

I'm not exactly thrilled about this.  😡😠😞

Once Dante goes home my first stop will be Briscoes for a new iron.

I am hoping they are on sale.  edit:  I'm gunna just wait until they are on sale.  We have a second, smaller iron I can use in the meantime.

Then I will pick Lacy up and go for a walk.  That should at least smooth my feathers a bit, cos I'm feeling rather flustered.

ABOVE:  Before anyone suggests I 'peel' the synthetic stuff off, or scrap it off, or soak it off or any other way to get it off.... just look at that!

There is NO COMING BACK from that!

It has even gone into the holes.

3.30 pm:  Home from my lake walk with Lacy.

Bitterly cold again today.

ABOVE: And that silly tart STILL wore shorts.  I could see goosebumps on her legs, but she insisted her legs didn't feel cold.  Only TINGLY... like numb Lacy, they got no feeling Lacy.  FREEZING numb legs Lacy!  Derrr.

ABOVE:  I on the other hand, chose to wear a sweatshirt... and I only felt warm right towards the end of our walk.

We do that walk in around 41-44 minutes, depending on how many times we stop to take photos.  And I always try to do a brisk pace.

It's such a neat walk.

ABOVE: I snapped this nice scene from the car, while held up at the lights.  There was masses of traffic on my way home... people getting their kids from school and leaving work early.  

FRIDAY.

I'm looking forward to the weekend, with Stew home.

*Gosh*, I just thought of something in relation to my iron mishap today.  Must talk to Stew about it.

PAULA:  Yep!  It didn't even register to me that the carpet was damaged as well! So yeah, probably will make a claim and get new flooring for in there.  

So I went back into the sewing room to take a good look at the carpet.

It was all hard and crispy, so I rubbed it and it kinda disintegrated!

Clearly munted. 

And my sewing room stinks of melted carpet.

Ikkkk.

10.30 pm:  Well... after talking to Stew, we will be making an insurance claim for the flooring in the sewing room.  On Monday.  No immediate rush.

I'm now settled watching the telly till bedtime, which will be after I finish watching 'Love It Or List It'.   Just love shows like that.

Catch Ya Tomorrow

FOUND!

 I was tidying up the linen cupboard yesterday, and I came across a container of things I never thought I'd get to use again.

BIBS!

I don't know why I didn't get rid of them years ago... maybe I lived in hope I'd need them again one day?

Or just nostalgia... either way, they will be getting used again next year.  I AM VERY EXCITED.

They got moved to the pantry.

ABOVE: Another girl our Marley fell in love with!  She is usually so reserved when it comes to people she doesn't know.  I had only seen her be this friendly towards a 'stranger' once before, with Sharon from Taupo.

So... Deb leaves after breakfast today.  She's off to an Aquatic Shop in Frankton next.  She's got two tropical fish tanks at home, so she's gunna have a little squizz there before heading home.

As for me today?  I'ma gunna sew.  

Of course.

10.20 am:  Debs just left a little while ago.

We got to spend another couple of hours yakking this morning... which was so nice. 

When you are family there are so many things to yak about.

ABOVE:  The fish cushions finally going home.

And she loves them.  That's a relief I must say.

ABOVE:  Debs is one of 27 first cousins I have on my mother's side of the family.  I have no idea how many 2nd cousins AND 3rd cousins I have now!  It's wonderful being part of such a large family.

And I really am sad I'm going to miss the family get together in October, but the market on that day is A BIG ONE.  

Debs has assured me there will be more get togethers, she's making it a mission of hers to keep us all connected.  Such a wonderful idea.

Now... it is time I took myself off to the sewing room and got some work done.

8.10 pm:  I've done quite a bit of sewing this afternoon, which I'm happy about.

Then Stew arrived home and I took him to the pub.

Then I visited with Steve and Bex for a couple of hours until it was time to take Stew home.

Once home, I cooked dinner and now... quietly watching the telly till bedtime.

CATCH YA TOMORROW

BRAIN FART

 I can remember sitting in the sewing room yesterday, and I had this really good idea for today.

But damned if I can remember what it is now!

So frustrating.  I will just have to wait until it comes back to me.

Cos it will.... eventually.

We've got my cousin Deb coming to visit this afternoon.  She's going to stay the night as well.  We will be able to have a really good catch up.

Usually we only catch up a family 'events'... funerals more often than not of late.

She has organised a family get together in October to celebrate several family birthdays, including her own 50th and my 65th.

Sadly, we can't attend as we have a market on the day of the get together.

Hopefully next time there's a get together we can attend.

I am going out first thing this morning to do a job in town, then I am joining Lacy for a walk around our lovely lake.

After our walk, I will pop into the supermarket for some fresh fruit and cream.  I'm going to make an Apple 'n' Blackberry pie for dessert tonight.  We virtually never have dessert, so it will be a real treat.  I'm drooling just thinking about it.  😂😅😊😋

And... that's me for now.

Catch ya later.

11.38 am.

I've been out and about for 2 and a half hours.

Got a job done in town, but need to go back at 1 pm.  Grrrr.  Incorrect information given to me yesterday... a case of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing.  Oh well.

After that fiasco, I picked Lacy up and we went to the lake.  Parked the car, and got out.  There was this man in the carpark... just staring at us, he looked really shady.

Like... just standing there, leaning up against a car, staring us down.

We felt really uncomfortable about leaving the car there... so drove to the other side of the lake.

It was BITTERLY COLD walking this morning.  The wind.  OMG the wind was cutting into us so bad.

I had taken my jacket off and was walking in a t-shirt.  BAD IDEA.

I won't do that again if it's that cold.

ABOVE: Yes, her legs were freezing!

ABOVE: She wasn't impressed having to scramble over all the rocks for me to get this shot.  But it's a nice one.

She took a couple of me too, but seriously?  Sun in me face, squinting like hell... NOT a good look.

So ya don't get to see me today.

2.10 pm, and I'm home after being in town for the 2nd time today.  Parking! OMG so hard to get parking, luckily I left early so I had time to find somewhere.  As it was I had to walk 3 blocks back to where I needed to be, so now I'm tired.

Not so funny ... I suffer from IBS, caused by having my gall bladder out 20+ years ago.  It causes me to have 'explosive shits' most days after eating food.

Today was no exception.  ONLY the urge hit me half way home from town.   

I thought I'd manage to 'hold on' till I got home.

I did!

I got inside our front door and BOOM.   

TOO LATE.

So I've had my second shower of the day, I'm in nice clean clothes, the washing is on, and the house smells like disinfectant and air freshener.  NICE.

NOT.  First time ever I simply have not made it to a bathroom in time.

Was that TMI?  Well I just had to share cos it was MOMENTOUS.  And HORRENDOUS.  All at the same time.

I can smile about it now.  An hour ago?  NOPE.

Sharing is caring right????

9.42 pm:  My cousin is here, and we have been yakking since 3 pm!  Non stop.  Having a lovely visit, catching up.

Marley has fallen in love with her.  I've got a gorgeous photo to show you tomorrow. 

Right now, we are still yakking and I better sign off for the day. 

CATCH YA TOMORROW

COFFEE TABLES

I worked on the new little coffee tables on the weekend.  I bashed them with a hammer, drilled some holes in them and just made them a bit 'aged' looking.  I smacked all the corners in, so they were not a pointy hazard to little kids/babies.

 I wasn't sure how I was going to stain, paint or varnish them, but had a few ideas.

So, first of all, I put some diluted fence stain on them.

ABOVE:  I didn't like how they looked at all.  Just too bland, and too orange.

So my next step was paint, with a white washed effect.

ABOVE:  I didn't have much paint anymore, but what I did have was exactly what I wanted.  Lucky!

And after quite a bit of slap 'n' dash, I had them how I wanted them.  Aged looking.  

When Bex saw them she said "Yep, totally you".

ABOVE:  Before I did anything to them.

ABOVE:  After I did me thing.

They are pretty much exactly how I envisioned them.

We have two fish door knobs that Stew is going to put on the end of each one at some point too.

You bet I will show you once that is done!  lol

Today's plan is to make another of the Kiwiana Braid Runners.

The first one I made sold immediately, so I know another one is a good idea.  Maybe 2 before our next market?

I will continue making them until I am sick to death of them!  Then I will go back to making my other ranges of runners, a few more bowl cosys etc.

We have 12 markets between now and Christmas, so I want to have plenty of stock.

10.45 am:  It's been an excellent morning.  I got heaps of jobs done around the house.  I found the one and only electric blanket we have, for the front bedroom.  My cousin Deb is visiting us tomorrow and staying the night.  Better make sure she's warm!

I've had 'brunch', so feeling warm and full.

I got a call from Christchurch just now, it looks like I have managed to get the last 5 metres of that Kaffe Fassett fabric!  Excellent!!!  It should be here in a few days time.

Soon I will take myself off to the sewing room and start another runner.

ABOVE:  Now that I have 5 meters of this Kaffe Fassett fabric coming in the next few days, I could continue to make what I'd already cut out ready for sewing.

ABOVE:  I have sewn one small one to the point where I need the KF fabric, and I've just started another bigger one too.

Both will be finished once that KF fabric arrives.

Tomorrow I will probably start the Kiwiana one.

I'm stopping for the day now.  I just sliced me thumb open with the damn scissors.  NOT bad, but enough to sting and drip blood.  Can't have blood on me fabrics!

Hell no!

I'm going to WW this evening.  Just attending the meeting.  NO weigh.  My weight is steady, no change, and that's OK.  In a month or so I will jump back into 'loosing' mode.  But for now... I'm maintaining.  It good for one's mental health to know when to take a break.

I was obsessing about it, NOT GOOD.

7.26 pm:  The WW meeting was lovely tonight.  I'm finally feeling like part of the group.  It helps that two ladies are from the Cambridge WW group.

Cambridge WW is closed down now, so they come over to the meeting here.  

Home now, and snuggled up keeping warm, watching the telly, yakking with Stew.  Just the usual evening here.

Catch Ya Tomorrow