WALKING AGAIN THIS MORNING

 

Possibly another wet day ahead of us by the look of it.

Never mind.

I'm off to Cambridge for an FBG walk.  They seem to have toughened up a bit, and will walk in a bit of rain!  It's only looking cloudy out there right now, so we might get lucky.

I had planned on staying in Cambridge for the entire day, and attend a funeral this afternoon.

But my plans have had to change, as the person who bought my bookcase is coming after lunch 'sometime', so I need to be home for that.

I'm relieved in a way, as funerals are not a nice way to spend ya afternoon.

While I'm in Cambridge, I'll drop off all the stuff in the back of me car to the local Hospice Op Shop.  Another load off my mind.

Once home, I won't be sewing!  I've said I would do that for the past few days, and I've simply not gotten into the sewing room!

I'm totally distracted by my de-cluttering!  And I don't think I'll be stopping any time soon.  There is so much to go through, sort out, keep, or get rid of.

ONWARD...

OUT IT GOES

 

Today I don't have a walk on, but I am on a mission.

First up :

ABOVE:  I'm taking this little unit over to Steve 'n' Bex's.  I took it out of the vanity/bathroom and it is now redundant.  They can use it I'm sure.

ABOVE:  In it's place is this cute cane and metal stand.  It takes up less room, and I really want to keep it.

I'm having a blast de-cluttering!  I am going to be getting rid of so much more over the next few months.  I have a plan.  NO, we have a plan.

And it involves getting rid of lots of our stuff.  You just don't NEED as much 'stuff' as you get older, it just weighs you down.

Stew, once he's 100% recovered from his operation, is going to get stuck into the garage clutter, and the back sheds as well.  

WHY do you lug, from house to house, all that stuff we simply do not need?  It's crazy.  And I thought I'd de-cluttered when we moved from Auckland to Cambridge, and Cambridge to Hamilton.  Ha ha ha.   NOT ENOUGH.

In fact, there were a few moves before those ones, where I got rid of stuff too.  But I have a very bad habit of buying MORE stuff.

I promise not to do that any more. 😂😊😉

I am going to do a few jobs around the house this morning, then go into the sewing room and get on with Braid Runners.

ONWARD...

ABOVE:  I've been out for a short walk, more like an amble really. 

Then I dropped that unit off to Bex,

ABOVE:  It didn't take her long to find the right space for it.

After leaving Bex's, I went down to our local Kiwi Bank store... to find it was closed.  It was a 'combo' store, Kiwi Bank, Post Office, Book Store and Lotto store.  ALL GONE.

So then I had to go over to the Base to enquire about my new card, and why I hadn't got it yet?

To find that the guy I ordered it from 3 WEEKS AGO, at Kiwibank Rototuna, HAD NOT ORDERED IT!

So I was a bit pissed off.  I am now having to wait another 2 weeks for it to arrive.  Grrrrr.

Deep breath... worse things could happen.  

I've just had me lunch.

Stew's dinner is in the crock pot (pork roast), so I'm happy with my day so far.

Well another damn awesome afternoon.

I sold another of our wooden bookcases.

I am about to list our large marble top, free standing unit.

I got a bit sorted out in the garage.

Stew arrived home and he's now eating his roast pork and veges, and loving it.

I've gone through my baking cupboard, and anything I've not used since we moved here is going to the Op Shop tomorrow. Along with several other items from around the house.

My plans for the rest of the evening?

NOTHING.  I'm knackered.

I need to have my next Trulicity injection later on this evening, then I can relax for the rest of the night.

Might just.... catch ya tomorrow.

SIDE EFFECTS?

 

Yesterday DOGSTARS asked me if I had any side effects of taking Trulicity?  I have not mentioned them to be honest as I wasn't 100% sure they were true side effects or not.

But now?  I'm pretty sure I do have a couple of significant side effects.

One is extreme tiredness, way more than usual.

And the other is constipation.  I'm never constipated, quite the opposite in fact.  

I've had 'the opposite problem' ever since I had my gall bladder out over 20 years ago.  That operation was truly life altering, something I was certainly not warned about prior to having my gall bladder out.  

Let me tell you, it dictates where you can go, when you can eat,  and what you can do... all dictated by where the nearest loo is!

So it's been rather weird having constipation I can tell you.  NOT something I am used to.  I have had 6 days go by in one stretch, but usually it's 3-4 days between bathroom visits!  (#2's)

TMI?  Well I'm just letting ya know the in's and out's of taking a new drug! 😂😏

Mild laxatives have been necessary, thanks for the drugs Lacy and Bex!

Now.  Moving on.

ABOVE:  I bought that sweatshirt a year or more ago from Raglan.  I never wore it.  The colours just didn't work for me, so now that Stew has lost a significant amount of weight, he can wear it! And doesn't he look gorgeous in it?  

I think he looks lovely.

ABOVE:  Two adorable girls, just lying around.

Now, back to today.  I'm off to Cambridge this morning for an FBG walk.  I'll be home by lunchtime, when I will head into the sewing room to make a start on 6 Kiwiana Braid Runners.

Filling the gaps.

ONWARD...

12.15 pm:  home from Cambridge.  It was another longer walk today, and the company was lovely.  I stayed for a hot chocolate and club sandwich as well, which we shall call lunch.

ABOVE:  Once again I forgot to reset my walking app after we stopped for the photo.  So I got a friend to send me hers.

ABOVE: My phone recorded the steps, not bad!

According to my friends walking app, we did 6.73 kms today.

That's getting up there in kms I must say.

Now that I'm home, I'm feeling the cold, so I've put the heater on.  A bit later on I'll get into the sewing room.

ABOVE:  Today's walk photo... lol, I'm still loving putting funny faces on everyone.

5.35 pm:   I have kept myself rather busy this afternoon.  Sorting out a few things in the house, putting rubbish out, doing washing.... just normal house-wifey shit.

Stew should be home in half an hour, so I better think about what to feed him for dinner.

Backstory:  When we go out to dinner, we love to enjoy a couple of the giant jellybeans that are often offered afterwards.   

Dinner on Saturday night and NO JELLY BEANS.  Boooo.

Stew came home with a 'gift' for me tonight.

ABOVE:  Giant Jelly beans!  They are not in supermarkets.  He found them in a dedicated Lolly Shop in town.  How awesome.  Now we can have a couple when the urge to have something LITTLE and sweet hits.  Thanks Darling.

And on that happy note, I'm signing off for the day.

Catch ya tomorrow.

SLEEPING IN

 

If you are reading this and think I'm up early, you'd be wrong!

I typed this up, rolled over and went back to sleep.

Both Stew and I woke at 2.25 on Saturday morning, then had market all day.  So we are knackered.

Sleeping in today is top of our 'To Do' list!

When we do surface, we shall do the few odd jobs around the house that need doing.

At some point today, Steve (and probably the family) will come over, to suss out what needs doing to get both the new oven and cooktop to fit in the existing gaps.  And also, work out when to call in the electrician. 

It's all timing, and when he can do the work for us.

We are so lucky to have such a bloody handy son. 💚💙💜

Yesterday afternoon, while at Steve 'n' Bex's, Bex asked me if I'd tried the tea she was drinking?

It was a Bell Tea, but flavoured to taste a bit like Apple Pie!

APPLE PIE flavoured tea?  I never knew you could get such a thing.

She asked me to taste it, and I rather liked it.   So on our way home:

ABOVE: We bought two of the 'Dessert Flavoured' teas.

I am really struggling to drink enough at the moment, it's so cold I'm not even having enough Diet Coke.  And I'm getting cramps from being a bit dehydrated.

So, hopefully I can boost my fluid consumption with the teas.  And they are nice and warm, just what ya want on a cold day.

ONWARD...

ABOVE:  And... it's not half bad!  I can still tell it's TEA, but it's not revolting. 😂😅😉

We stayed in bed until 9 am!  It was wonderful.

We are now off to the mall as Stew has an eye appointment.  Just a regular check up hopefully.

LOL... I'm clearly a MONTH ahead of myself. I'll edit the photo once I'm home. Derrr.

12.20pm:  And we are home again.  Stew's eye test went very well, he does not need a new prescription.  Excellent.

They also tested his hearing, and that's 100% as well.  He has NO excuse for not hearing me!  lol

We had lunch at the mall, kebab meat over some chips.  I was shocked at how much I COULDN'T eat!  I think I managed to eat about a third of what was served.

Clearly the Trulicity is working on my appetite.  WINNING.

I'm now going to just relax for a little while.  Stew is going to do a couple of outside jobs, then he will be chilling out as well.

BTW:  I lost .5 kgs this week, which is exactly what I want to be losing each week. 

3 pm:  We were not long home from the mall when Steve, Bex and the kids arrived.

Steve had come around to suss out what needed doing to get the new cooktop and oven fitted.

ABOVE: This is all I thought he would be doing today.  Pulling the oven out 'a little bit' to measure the gap for the new oven.  Same with the cooktop.

ABOVE: The next thing I know, he's pulling it all the way out, and sitting it on a chair in the middle of the kitchen!

ABOVE: So, I'm thinking I will have the old oven sitting in the middle of the kitchen for a week or so.

ABOVE:  But no!  He disconnected and removed both the old appliances, and put the new ones in place (for now).

ABOVE: The new Induction Cooktop fitted in the existing gap perfectly!

And it won't take too much for Steve to craft a new panel for the oven to sit in, and have a new shelf above it for all the oven trays etc, (where me finger is pointing).

The new oven is AMAZING... it has way more features than I realised.  I'm going to love using it.

I'm not sure how long I will be without an oven or cooktop, but as I said to Steve, I have two microwaves, a slow cooker and an electric frying pan I can use in the interim.  It's not a problem.

ABOVE:  Little Lily was in a delightful mood this afternoon.  So smiley and happy.

She is a whopping 7.5 kgs now, such a bonny 4 month old.

ABOVE: The boys enjoyed playing with balloons again today.  It is so nice and warm in our sunroom, such a perfect playing space for the kids.

ABOVE: Archer and Lily hangin' on the couch.

ABOVE: Dante trying to smile... always a mission to get him looking unlike a chipmunk!  lol

So the family have gone home now, and it's back to us just chilling out.  It's a beautiful afternoon here, quite warm for Autumn.

I had another cuppa tea late this afternoon.  It was the Caramel and Ginger one.  It has not settled well on my tummy at all.  I won't be having another of that flavour.

It's been a very quiet evening, just browsing the 'net, watching a bit of TV, just the usual.

I'm now heading off to bed a bit earlier than my 'norm', cos I'm feeling ikk.

Catch ya tomorrow.

TAMAHERE IN MAY

 

It's too damn early to be getting up!

AND it's freezing.  I'm gunna have so many layers on ... in an attempt to keep warm today.

And for the first time I'll be wearing me thermal socks and gumboots.  At least this time I won't have wet feet all day long.

The weather is looking really good, so at least we won't have to contend with rain this time.

So... bring it on.  Time to get ourselves dressed and out of here.

Catch ya once we are all set up, and I have time to update again.  I might even do a little video walk around later on.

ONWARD...

ABOVE: It was foggy first thing... but the sun is burning it off. Very nippy right now. Gumboots are NOT warm. 

Its a pretty full market today,  which is neat. 

ABOVE: All ready.... fingers 'n' toes crossed for a good day.

ABOVE: I was talking to Bex this morning about how cold my feet were... next thing I know... they turn up at the market with some pure merino and possum socks for me!  How awesome.  And they are lovely and warm.

ABOVE: They also brought the dogs out to visit us at market! They loved it here. So much to see. Lots of other dogs to sniff.

2.22 pm: And we are home again.  It was a very good market today, the sun came out, and so did the people.

I finally have some 'gaps' to fill ... which means I will be sewing next week. 😊😌 That makes me so happy.

ABOVE: Stew saw Tamarillos (Tree Tomatoes) on sale and bought us some.  They will go very nicely with my stewed apple and yoghurt for dinners.

Stew has now gone off to do his weekend shopping, and I am waiting for people to arrive.  They bought a china cabinet off me and are picking it up today.

After they have been and gone, Stew and Steve are going to Heathcote's to pick up the Oven and Cooktop.

That way Steve can suss out what needs doing to install them in our kitchen.

So quite a busy day!

Well.... the new kitchen appliances are in our garage, ready for installation in the next couple of weeks all going well.

I stayed with Bex while the guys got them.  

She was drinking TEA.

But not tea as I know it.   I'll yabber on about that... tomorrow.

For now, I'm warming up at home in me heated throw, waiting till dinnertime.

Stew and I are going to 'do' Indian again this evening.  We are too tired to cook.

BACK TO CAMBRIDGE I GO

 

I'm supposed to be going over to Cambridge for an FBG walk this morning.

But as we are forecast to have showers, it might get cancelled.  I will have to keep an eye on the updates, so I don't drive over there only to find it's cancelled at the last minute.  

I might even message the walk leader and make sure it's still on before I go over.

If it's cancelled, I will just head over to the mall and do me own thing.

ABOVE: Can you see her? That's one of her favourite places to sit.  She's literally keeping an eye on our front door, in case someone arrives and she misses it.  Bearing in mind she's very deaf now, she has to SEE what's going on.

She's just a bit cute.

Right, it's probably time I got outta bed and started my day.  Catch ya later.

ONWARD...

Well I needn't have worried about the weather.  Its a glorious day! I'm  already in Cambridge,  waiting for everyone to arrive for the walk. 

ABOVE: What a lovely day for a walk! 23 of us walking this morning... and a good half of us went to coffee afterwards.

I'm now at Stew's office, waiting to go to lunch with him and Jacqui.

Then I'll head home and make sure everything is ready for tomorrow's market. 

ABOVE: Today's walk photo.  I've not got a 'stat' one as I forgot to hit 'RESUME' after we stopped for our photo, so I didn't record our entire walk.

It was 5.1 kms long and took just under an hour.  So average pace and a nice distance.

Lunch was at Centreplace Foodcourt.  Very average would be kind to say.  We got donuts for 'afterwards'.  

Now that I'm home, I'm going to take some time out for a while.  Then check everything is tickety boo for tomorrow.  

7.46 pm:  Well... everything is ready for tomorrow.  

ABOVE:  I did a little tweak to my UCKI PLANTS tonight, so they are ready for market tomorrow.  I'll show you another day what I did... cos they are already back in the van and I can't be arsed getting them out again!

ABOVE:  My steps for the day... not bad.  Not the 10,000 that 'they' used to say we all needed to do.  I think the magic number now days is like... 6,000 isn't it?  I'm not sure.

And that's me for the day.  We will be off to bed earlier than 'usual' tonight.  It will be an early start in the morning.

FIX IT NOW!

 

We have pretty much 'stolen' Steve's work van, to use as our market van.

Bex isn't doing markets at the moment, so the van just stays here.

A couple of weeks ago it got a flat battery.  Lacy and I jump started it and I thought that it would be fine.

But it's flat again.  So today I am ringing the AA to come out and see if it needs a new battery, or just jump starting again.  

Something tells me it will be needing a new battery.  *sigh*

One this is for sure, it needs to be sorted out NOW... as our next market is on Saturday, at Tamahere.

I didn't hear from Heathcoats about my new appliances yesterday, here's hoping I do today.  I'd like to think we can pick it up by the weekend.

Today is definitely a 'rest' day from walking.  I've had three days walking in a row... and I have another FBG walk tomorrow.  So, no walking today.

What shall I do?  Well, obviously hang around and wait for the AA to turn up.  Then I have no idea.

Just to clarify something.  I mentioned not knowing what to do with myself yesterday.  I'm not BORED.  I'm just so used to doing my sewing most days and being productive, I find it weird not having anything to do!

I am sure I will come to enjoy watching movies, reading, trying other things over time.  WHEN I'm not sewing that is.

In fact, I might even paint a wall in the middle bedroom soon.  It's got a large painting on it that has a white background, which doesn't look that good on a white wall.  It needs COLOUR on that wall.

See?  I'll come up with shit to do eventually.

Or I'll just sew more runners, and have a huge stockpile!

ONWARD...

9 am:  And the van is fixed.  I had to get a new battery, which the lovely AA man had on board, and he fitted it for me.  Such a neat guy, he's come here about 4 times now for various reasons.  Very talkative, so friendly.  

Next job:  touch up a tiny area in the bathroom that got missed when painting.  You could only see it when you were in the bath... so I could see it. And it was bugging me.  Off to fix it. 😉😊  ONLY been meaning to do it for a couple of months!  Derr.

9.30 am: Next job:  Ring around to see if I'm paying a competitive price for our dogs to be groomed.  The prices just keep going up and up!  Only 4 years ago it cost $69.  Now where I take them it is $81 each. So I rang another place and was told $97!  Holy hell that's steep!  When you have two dogs it sure adds up fast.

I'm now trying a third place, a guy who does it from home.  Fingers crossed for a better price than both those other ones.

10 am:  RESULT!  And an excellent result at that.  I've found a guy who will groom the girls for $50 (each)!  All I have to do is bath and dry them before their appointment... and that brings the cost down.  Gosh that is so good! I'm now off to cancel their next appointments at the 'other' place.

3.50 pm:  Yaaa.   I just sold one of our China Cabinets.  Slowly getting rid of surplus furniture from our home.  Now... what else can I sell? 😊

I'm expecting Stew and our friend home in about half an hour.  Then we are off to visit Steve, Bex and the kids.  And Stew will go to the pub to yak with mates. So it should be a very pleasant evening.

ABOVE: Awwww, how cute are Jacqui and Lily!

ABOVE:  Jacqui still knows how to settle a baby, they are listening to Pink on the phone.

It's been a really nice evening, lots of yakking and enjoying each other's company.

I'm home now, having picked up Stew from the pub.

Jacqui has left for her next destination, so it's just us and the dogs again.

Nice and quiet. 

Time to sign off for the day.

Catch ya tomorrow.

WILL THEY ARRIVE SOON?

I got a phone call from 'G' at Heathcoat's a couple of days ago.  He told me the new Oven had arrived into Hamilton, and they were just waiting on a small part for the Cooktop to arrive, then we could pick them up!

That is so exciting.

It means I will have to enlist Steve's carpentry skills soon, to make sure they will fit in the existing spaces in the kitchen.

The new oven is actually smaller in size than the old one.  So some tweaking of the space will need to be done.  It might mean I get an extra little shelf above or below the new oven.  That could be handy.

Once Steve has sussed the fit out, I can then call in an electrician to instal them properly.

So, fingers crossed I get the call to pick them up in the next day or two.

This morning I am going on a lake walk.  I might even do 1.5 times around the lake, to make it a bit longer.  I've missed my lake.  I wonder if anything has changed?  

ONWARD...

10.30 am, and I am home from my walk.  I didn't end up at the lake as planned, as the weather was a bit WET.  And I didn't want to walk it on my own after reading on the news yesterday about some bloke sitting down by the lake doing 'ikky things' to himself, while people walked by!

Yeah Nah, not going to put myself in that position.

So the mall it was.

ABOVE: As per usual with walking in the mall, the only accurate stat above is the time!  Even the graphic is wonky as.

ABOVE:  As I had no one to talk to on my walk, I decided to talk ... TO YOU.  lol

I hope you don't get sick of listening to me.  

Now that I'm home, I've certainly started to cool down.  Hmmm.... might get changed out of me walking clothes and into something a bit warmer.

Then I will decide what to do next.

Well next was just pottering around in the house, doing a bit more tidying up in the sewing room, and finding a few more things to take to the Op Shop.

I've also got the front bedroom ready for an unexpected overnight guest.  

So here's a weird question.  What do ya do if you are not sewing, or crafting, or doing housework, and you are at home?

Because, I've not really needed to get anymore stuff made for markets, and am TOTALLY at a loss as to what to do with myself!

I do not want to tie myself down to a job, or even a volunteering one.  I want to be 'free' of commitments and stress.

But I'm like, STRESSED out with nothing to do!

It is a totally weird situation to be in.

I think, in the future, Stew is going to be in the same situation. Though I think once he retires we will do some travelling, and just be old farts together.

Perhaps I need to take up... fucking gardening!  Pull some weeds. Oh god, I can't think of anything worse to be honest.  I like to see my gardens looking nice, but I don't want to tend them.  Ikkk to dirt on me hands! 

It's been raining all day.  And now my house stinks.  I have a horrible feeling Coco has gone 'bathroom' somewhere in the house.  She hates going outside when it's really wet.

Off to look....
 

Well no shit ... so I probably have to blame Marely for farting under my feet!  lol

Our visitor has arrived, so we are just sitting here gas bagging.

Nice to have another chick to yak with in the evening.

Time to sign off for the day.

Catch ya tomorrow.