HEADING FOR SUMMER AGAIN

 Well... we do not have any plans for today at all!

Yes, Stew will go and do his usual Saturday morning shop.  Fill the fridge up with diet coke 'n' beer.

But that's about it as far as plans go.

Steve and Co are coming over later on today, so the guys can watch the rugby.  Of course.

I suppose I should think about what to do for dinner for them.  But it can wait till later.

Shit I just remembered!  I had to soak the white bedspread from the front bedroom in the bath yesterday... and it's still in the freakin' bath!  So I better haul that out and hang it outside to dry.

It got a stain on it somehow... which was rather upsetting as it is new, and cost quite a lot of money.  I hope I got the stain out.  Time will tell.

Yesterday was the shortest day... which means today we are heading for summer again!  Whoop.  I think I prefer summer.

ONWARD...

FRIDAY

 

Hee hee... another 'saucy' one!  lol

OK.... today?

The only thing I have 'on' is a walk in Cambridge at 1 pm. 

So it could be a cruisy day.

I don't have to list our double fridge/freezer for sale now.  Lacy is taking it.  Awesome.  No hassle having to list and sell it online.

Now I have to hunt around for what next I can get rid of!

Probably our Cross Trainer.  Neither of us use it, so yeah, it can go.

I walk around our house 'mentally' and just love how UNCLUTTERED it is now.  In fact, this morning I might work on doing a bit more in the garage.  There's heaps in there that can be sorted through some more.

I watched a couple of You Tube videos last night on my new 'condition' : Sacroiliitis.  They were very informative.  When I went to bed last night I tried one of the recommended positions to sleep in. On my tummy with a pillow under the lower belly.  Wasn't bad, but it's too early to see if it makes a difference.

The one position I will never try is the one where you lie on ya back with pillows under your legs.  I cannot sleep on my back at all... never have been able to.  

Stew does.  The bloody shit.

It makes him snore.   EVEN WORSE if he's had a few drinks.  Like last night. 

Luckily, his snoring isn't TOO loud, otherwise he'd have 16 little stab holes in his chest by now. 😂😉😅

ONWARD...

11.30 am: well not to much to yabber on about right now.  It's been a quiet morning here.  I just pottered around in the garage, didn't get much done at all really.

I know I should be doing some sewing, but I'm just not in the mood right now.

I did end up going to the supermarket again!  Just for some buns for dinner.  New World make these cute as Ciabatta Bites that the kids love.  We have some family here for dinner tonight.

ABOVE:  Dante and Archer can and DO eat an entire packet of these in one sitting!

Right, I'm going to get changed into me walking clothes  and head off to Cambridge shortly.

ABOVE:  First time this year and I did not enjoy my walk at all.

There were 17 of us.  I was the 'odd' man out, and didn't have a walking partner.

So I walked at the back for the first half, and just dawdled along.

Second half I went up the front and did my own thing... had a bit of conversation with a couple of them, but meh.  Not enjoyable at all today.

Should have stayed home.

ABOVE: Walk stats.  At least it was a decent distance.

Now I'm home, the weather is glorious, the house is nice and warm and I'm having some potato chips for afternoon tea. 

OH and my hips/lower back are quite sore now.  I am wondering if lying on my back  edit:  FRONT all night was a good idea?  Or just too much walking.  I may never know. 

6.21 pm:  my job is done.  Family is fed.  Now I can relax for the remainder of the evening.

Tonight I am going to lie on my side with a pillow between my knees, and see how my SI Joints feel in the morning and during the day.

I almost always lie on my left side anyway, but not with a pillow.  And funnily enough, it's my left side that is the worst.

I also read that sitting for long periods of time is bad for you if you have SI Joint problems.  

I guess sewing for hours, days on end might not be the best then?  lol

OK, enough on that topic for the day.  I'm going to sign off now.

REST DAY

 

Meh... I really don't feel like getting up this morning.  It's bloody cold.

I think I will be turning on the heat pump for a couple of hours, just to get it above the current 8 degrees in here!

I have no walk planned today.  Instead, I shall be heading into the sewing room and getting a few Kiwiana Runners made, ready for quilting.

I've got 5 ready to start stitching up in fact, so that's a good start for the day.

I will take a quick dash to the supermarket sometime this morning too.  We have run out of a few essentials.  Now days I shop every 3-4 days, no more once a fortnight shopping for me. It's so much easier to just go more often and not have to lug home $500 worth of groceries in one go!

I can still remember the days I'd go once a fortnight, and spend over $800 to feed the family!  I bet if I bought the same amount now it would cost WELL over a thousand bucks.

It's bloody wonderful only having to feed 2 now.

I have the washing machine repair man coming at 1 pm.  Gosh  I really hope the machine can be fixed for less that an arm and a leg!

I will be getting a quote for repairs before I let him proceed.  No way am I just gunna say "Fix it", then get a huge bill.  I'm still fuming that a 3 year old machine has broken down!  

Lacy is visiting me this afternoon.  I have asked her to come and do a couple of jobs for me.  Ones that would have required me to do quite a bit of bending over.  I don't want to risk aggravating my lower back right now, as my hips/back are still a teeny bit sensitive.  So, I am looking forward to her coming over.  *smiles* 

ONWARD...

11.34 am. Best laid plans.. ha ha ha!

I decided to visit the doctor. The hips/back were still bothering me so I thought, why not just go? So go I did. 

I stood in a queue for 45 minutes, then waited another 30 minutes before seeing a doctor.

Then I went to get THE DRUGS. 

I could get everything except TRULICITY.  Theres NONE in the country.

So I'm no longer on it.

Fine by me. I didn't feel like it was doing much for me anyway.

I still firmly believe weight loss is totally down to your own motivation and will power.

YES,  sometimes you need a hand..  but for me at least, I'm going to rely on my own bloody mindness.

ABOVE:  So according to the Doctor, and after much manipulation of my body and legs... the problem is my Sacroiliac Joint, deep in the pelvic area.  NOT my hips per se.

She had given me anti inflammatory medication and pain meds.

I am now going to do some of my own research, and see what I can do to help the situation.

Walking is OK, so said the doc.

Sitting is more of a problem.  Who knew?  lol

It is nearly 1 pm, so the repair man should be here soon.

1.45 pm:  And he's been, fixed a disconnected wire in the back of the machine and BOOM!  Its going again.  Thank god I only had to pay a call out fee, which covered his half hour of labour as well.  Bloody nice guy as well.  

ABOVE:  Well I'm safe from aggravating my S.Joint... I don't do any of those things!  lol

I ended up at the pub with Stew and his mates this evening.  It wasn't planned, but I got bored at home on me own.  I had a nice time hanging out with them.  Not something I want to do too often though, cos the 'diet coke' at the pub is actually Coke NO Sugar and it's bloody horrible!  Well, the flat pub stuff is.

Once we arrived home, we just watched the telly till bedtime.  Which is now.

A SAUCY ONE!

 A 'saucy' Rise and Shine for you today! lol

Now, today.  IF it's not raining, I'm off to Cambridge for an FBG walk at 9.30.

If it's called off due to rain, I'll probably go for a walk at the mall.  I spent WAY too much time on me bum reading yesterday, so definitely need the exercise!

AND... Lacy and I are going for a walk around our lake after lunch, which we are both looking forward to so much.  It's been so long since we did that.

After that, I'm going to visit Bex for a little while, before coming home and having a break.

I'll probably need it by then.  😊😉 

ONWARD...

11.44 am:  Well the weather has played nice, and it's a very crisp, fine winter's day.

The FBG walk was really neat, no photo yet.

I stayed for a natter at a coffee shop before coming home.  Oh and had a rather lovely sausage roll with side salad for an early lunch.

Lacy is due here shortly, and we will go for our little walk.

ABOVE: FBG walk stats for the day.  A slightly longer walk this morning.  Can't say I noticed, I was too busy gas bagging to HG.

ABOVE:  Just in... our walk photo.  Nice bunch of people to walk with.

Lacy just arrived and she's rearing to go... so we will GO.

ABOVE:  such a lovely photo of us!  And the ducks.

ABOVE:  So, two walks today, which I am rather happy with.  9.24 kms today!  Best I've done in a long time.

Now... home for a little rest before going to visit Bex and the kids.

OK, where the hell is everyone?   It is like deserted on here.  *sniff*

I had a nap after all that walking.  I was frozen and wrapped myself up in blankets and a hotpod, hoodie on me head even!  It was very nice just relaxing.

Stew just arrived home and woke me up, how inconsiderate!

He can get his own dinner for that.

I do have some sausages already cooked in the fridge for him, so at least I did that.

I am now going to continue doing nothing, might watch the news on the telly, then Coronation Street before going to bed.

Sadly, those sausages got thrown in the bin!  Stew had bought them from Pak 'N' Save.  Inhouse sausages.  There were horrific.  Full of fat, and there was something wrong with the mix because they fell to bits.  Just ikkk.

We didn't even think they were suitable for the dogs!  In the bin they went.

Now... I'm going to sign off for the day.

HOW TYPICAL

 

Our 'new' washing machine isn't working.

ERROR 50...  nothing I do makes it change or stop it flashing, and not going again.

So, after exactly 3 years and one month, it's broken down and I am gunna have to get a serviceman in to (hopefully) fix it.

Worst thing is the repair will probably cost almost as much as getting a new one.

I am livid.  You don't expect a machine that cost you thousands of dollars to break down after only 3 years.   Grrrrr.

Right.  Bitch over.  As soon as it's a decent time, I will be ringing around to find someone who can come out and fix the bloody thing.

I'm going to do some housework this morning.

And so far, that's all I have on my agenda.

ONWARD...

ABOVE: And there's 35 minutes I'm never getting back.  Syphoning out the water from the washing machine.

I figured the repairman would have to do that, so I did it for him.  Saves some $time.

I've just sent an email request for a machine service to a local repair company.  Let's see how long it takes for them to get back to me.

In the meantime, I'm now freezing and am going to warm up before I do anything else.

2.20 pm:  Result.  I've got a bloke coming to look at the washing machine on Thursday afternoon.

I had to take all Stew's shirts out of the machine and hand wash them, then chuck them in the drier.  They wouldn't have dried outside today, it's too overcast and dreary.

I had another go at listening to an audio book... so far it's not too bad.

The Ebook is still waiting as well, so I've got plenty to amuse myself with.

I went back to reading the Ebook this afternoon.

Reading on my phone is not that good for the eyes!  I have stopped for a while, and everything is blurry!

I tried setting up the 'Borrow Book' App on my laptop, but couldn't for whatever reason.  It said my laptop was undiscoverable.  Grrr.

It would certainly be easier to read on the laptop.

But never mind.  I've got about 80 pages to go to finish the book.  It's still a damn good read.

I made a pizza for lunch, it was rather nice.  Stew gets the rest for his dinner.  Again, I don't have to 'cook' when he gets home.  Excellent. 😋😊

Oh in case I've not mentioned it... my hip pain is all but gone!  So relieved.  I still get up in the morning with a mild lower back ache, but that's not new.  The pain all depends on what position I slept in.  

It had nothing to do with the weird new pains I experienced recently.  Long may it stay away.

5.32 pm:  And I finished the EBook, and immediately got another one by the same author.  It was that good.  Some might say a bit long winded in places, fanciful in many places, but a good read all the same.  Certainly entertaining.

Now.. I'm again all blurry eyed.  Stew's dinner is heating in the oven and I'm surprised it's gone pitch black outside already.

Time to close the curtains and look forward to a quiet evening.

The last item that I listed on Facebook Marketplace got picked up this evening.   So now I have nothing for sale right now.  Gimme a day or two, I'm sure I will have something else to list.

Now, I'm watching Coronation Street, then going off to bed.

WORST BOOK EVER

  

Last night I finished the first book I've read in years.

It was A HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT.  418 pages of thinking... when is something going to happen/get to the point?

There was so much pointless detail, tedious explanations of shit not necessary to the story... I was so cross by the time I finished it!

ABOVE:  I started out enjoying reading it... but now I am going to throw it in the bloody bin!

I wouldn't inflict it on anyone else.

I kept reading it, hoping it would open up and become less tedious, but no. 😖😡

Now I'm not sure if I will even bother trying to find another good book to read.  OR at least, not read another by that author.

Back to today.  I'm going to Cambridge first thing this morning for a 9.30 am walk with the FGB's.

My hip/back is only very mildly painful now, so I do believe I'm on the mend from whatever was causing the pain.  Hopefully I've avoided a trip to the Dr.

The third thing I listed on Trade Me Marketplace will probably be sold by the end of today.      

I have a double fridge freezer next to sell.  I hope to list it sometime this week.  Slowly working my way through things we simply do not need, and getting rid of them. 

Right, off to start my day.

ONWARD...

12.56 pm:  Well I'm home quite late today.

I did my FBG walk, it was lovely.  We all got a little wet, but not too badly.

Coffee (read pink iced bun) later, and I headed back to Hamilton. Where I went to the library, signed up and can now use their Ebook and Audio Book library.

No more buying a book!  I now have to work out how to use it.   I have downloaded two books, one's an ebook and ones an audio book.

I will let ya know how I go with them.

ABOVE: Today's walk stats.  Ignore the time, I forgot to turn it off when we finished for a while.

It's now lunchtime and I'm not very hungry.  I might give it a miss.

I want to try the audio book!  😊😉

ABOVE:  It took a while, but here it is.  Today's fun walk photo.

This afternoon I have started reading an ebook.

It's called 'The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out The Window and Disappeared'. So far I am enjoying it!

I did start listening to an audio book, but actually didn't like it very much.  It might have been the narrators voices I didn't like?  But either way, I  am enjoying this ebook for now. 

4.49 pm:  I'm reading this book.... and get to page 226 on me phone.. and there's a pile of shit involved.  And I can't stop laughing, and I laughed so much I cried.  It's  been a very long time since a book made me laugh that much.   BACK....    TO.....      IT.

The sign of a good book?  You can't stop reading it.  I have been reading this book for hours.  I've laughed several times now.  It is so interesting.

It is not my usual sort of book either... so I am very happy.  Nice to read something slightly different.

Stew came home, kissed me and then got his own dinner.  I had prepared it, so I didn't feel like a bad wife.  😉

I'm now torn between wanting to read more, or leaving it for tomorrow.  I have nothing on tomorrow, except wait for the second thing I put on Facebook Marketplace to be picked up.  Then all three things will be gone.

From now on I will be listing anything I want to sell on Facebook.  No more Trade Me for me.  Sad I've got a bit of money left in my account with them.  I don't think I can get it back either.  I will try though.

Right, that's me for the day.

BIG SLEEP IN

 

Stew and I are going to have a really big sleep in today.

Once up ... we shall have a really nice, relaxing morning.  I might get a load of washing on, but that's about it.

We are expecting Lacy to drop Keera off to us at lunchtime.  We are going to be taking her to lunch, then a wander around the mall.

I am going to be buying two new Hot Pods today .... I do not like the wheat bag.  It doesn't stay hot for very long, and I am not liking the smell either. 

I've had two Hot Pods before, and they lasted 2 winters, so it's well worth getting some new ones.

So, that's our plans for a good chunk of the day.

I saw this on Facebook last night:

ABOVE:  This is ME.  You can change the word 'Chips' to : lollies, chocolate, cake, pretzels, dried fruit, ice cream, you get the drift.

And I know anyone who's ever been on a diet feels the same.

Who's feeling the same RIGHT NOW?  Or will in a couple of hours/days?

While it's annoying feeling deprived... if you want to succeed in losing some weight, it takes will power.

And I'm doing something right, cos last week I lost 1.1 kgs.

It's not all about denial though.  I do have some treats, just not every day.  And I am keeping up my exercise, which helps for sure.

It's a long process, but the end result is worth it.  Whatever reason you have to lose weight... Keep it up.  WE.  CAN.  DO.  IT.

ONWARD...

Well... I just learnt a lesson everyone has been telling me about.

FACEBOOK MARKETPLACE.   I listed 4 things on Trade Me a week ago.  Didn't sell any of them.

Lacy took one.

This morning I listed the other three on TM Marketplace.

Already sold two of them!  

And no fees.  Derrr, why didn't I do that earlier, without having to pay fees?

Lesson learnt.

Today is going like clockwork.  Getting odd jobs done.  Then going out for lunch, which I'm looking forward to.

It's a bit chilly today, but not raining.  That's coming later on for sure.

2.20 pm:  Well our lunch at the mall was OK.  Keera enjoyed her McDonald's.

ABOVE:  The kid still enjoys a McDonald's Happy Meal.  I was shocked at the size of the burgers now!  So small.  Daylight robbery.

On our way home we stopped in at the supermarket for some fruit and ice cream.  

Now home, and Keera is heading home with her Mum, and we are going to have a quiet afternoon.  My new hotpods are on my lap, they are so good!

I had a lady call in this afternoon to pick up one of the items I listed on FB Marketplace.  The second item is going in a couple of weeks (to a cousin of mine) and the third item looks like it will be sold by tomorrow night.  So that's called a RESULT! 

Apart from that, it's been a quiet afternoon and evening.  Just keeping warm, watching TV and reading.

JUNE TAMAHERE MARKET

 

Another damn early start today.

I'm not impressed.  I'm damn tired to be honest.

And while I was so hopeful my sore hips/lower back were all better, they are not.  Still not 100%, that's for sure.  I kept putting off going to the doctor in case it was over... but NO.  So I'll probably end up going on Monday.

Yesterday the weather was atrocious, so hopefully today isn't as bad.  The forecast is for cloudy this morning, and 'some rain' this afternoon.

So, we will be going to market with our fingers crossed that the rain hold off until after market.

Even though Fieldays is on, and traffic has to pass the market, we don't expect this market to be any busier than usual.  It wasn't last year, so we have no expectations.

ONWARD...

We should have stayed at home.  We have been rained on twice already, and had to rush everything inside.

ABOVE: we had all that outside the gazebo. It all got wet. We will have to dry it all in the garage when we get home.

ABOVE: Before it rained.

ABOVE: Now. Still got the bowl cosys outside,  covered in a plastic sheet.

As for market attendance,  there's about half the usual amount of stalls here, and virtually NO CUSTOMERS!!!!

We have never seen it this quiet.

11.30 am: ALL is not lost... we are making a few good sales, which is amazing considering the very poor attendance. 

1.40 pm:  HOME.

ABOVE:  Jo Beckett Pottery.  I've known Jo for over 30 years, she lives and works from her studio in Cambridge.

ABOVE: No Lacy, I don't know how much it was.  I'd say EXPENSIVE.

ABOVE:   So many people come to the market just for the popcorn!  It is delicious.  We don't get any as having popcorn stuck between ya teeth all day is a pain in the ... teeth!

ABOVE: We used to see a lot of this craft work around, but not any more.

ABOVE:  At most markets now, you can expect to see at least 5-6, if not more, people selling cakes, donuts and lollies.  On top of the usual food carts selling other hot food.

ABOVE: We bought our fire rock off this stall.

ABOVE: These lovely guys are at most of the markets we do.  

They usually do very well, but today was not so good for them.

ABOVE: Just across from us was this cute little dog...

ABOVE: His owners were selling cakes/slices... which are delicious.  He gave us a freebie at the end of the day to clear his stock.

ABOVE: Random view from inside our stall.

This was before anyone even arrived.  And before it rained.

Luckily, after the two heavy showers early on, it stayed fine until pack up time.

Then the wind got up, making it difficult to pack up without stuff flying everywhere.

In all, a good day sales wise, but a shitty day weather wise, and attendance wise.  We missed having lots of people to yak to!

I am so relieved to be home with my feet up, relaxing.  I'm so tired I almost feel sick.  I'm about to take a painkiller for me headache.  My hips/back are only mildly bothersome right now.  I'm thankful I got through the day without making it worse.

ABOVE:  The family are here for dinner.  The girls are enjoying my lap, so am I. They are keeping me warm.

6.30 pm:  We just had a very nice Chinese Takeaway for dinner.  Lots of variety tonight.

The guys are watching the rugby, so are very happy.  Lily is enjoying it too, she loves the TV screen.

I'm going to sign off for the day now, I doubt anything else will happen tonight worth yakking about.

ANOTHER WALK

 Alrighty... what's on today?

Well I am doing another FBG walk at 9.30 am. So I don't have to get up with the sparrows.  But I will leave earlier than usual, to account for traffic again.

After my walk, I want to stop in at the supermarket for a couple of things.  Just some basics we have run out of.

Lily turned 5 months old yesterday, it has gone so fast!

ABOVE:  Such a bonny wee girl.   

It won't be long before she's crawling around everywhere and chasing the dogs.  That could be interesting.  I wonder if Marley will love her as much, once she's grabbing her hair?  lol

Once home, I will probably just take it easy like I did yesterday.  It certainly seems to have helped with my hip/back pain.  AND I am really, really enjoying reading a book again.  I'm probably going to keep it up now.  

I used to be an utter bookworm, but in the past decade (if not longer) I'd given up reading books in favour of watching YouTube/Instagram and so on.

So... I better source more books soon.  

ONWARD...

7.30 am:  And today's walk has been cancelled due to the appalling weather we are having right now.  Fair enough, it's pissing down, with thunder and lightening expected as well.

I am now going to walk at the mall, then get the groceries there before coming home again.

ABOVE: This morning's mall walk went well.  It was a bit busier in Chartwell Square this morning, thanks to a large group of elder people walking in there as well.  I'd not seen them there before, because I usually walk earlier than them.

Lots of lovely 'hellos' from them.

After my walk, I did the grocery shop, came home, made dinner preparations then did some little jobs around the house.

It is now absolutely PISSING DOWN, as predicted.

I'm hoping that it is over by tomorrow, so we don't get wet at market.  But I know, it will be what it will be.

If it's raining, we only put out a small amount, and tuck inside the gazebo tightly.

It's going to be a lazy afternoon for me now.  I'm torn between watching more of Bridgerton, which came out today, or continue reading my book.  Decisions, decisions.

I ENDED UP READING MY BOOK.

Then Stew arrived home from work, he had his dinner, which was a Shrimp and Salmon Salad, and an apple scone I'd made this afternoon.

Now, it's that time of the night where I say...