ANOTHER OPEN HOME

 

Today we have our 8th Open Home.

Hopefully we get a few viewers today.

I am going to try not to get too wound up over it all.  It WILL happen.  At the right time.

Stew still has to scoop the leaves/debris out of the pool.  Other than than, and a quick tidy and vacuum, the house is ready for showing.

I keep it tip top, and ready every day.

So, I'll probably get to do a little bit of sewing this morning.

After the Open Home, we will probably just come home and blob out for the afternoon.

ONWARD...

10 am, and I thought it was going to be a nice day.  The sun was out and it wasn't cold.

Two hours later and it's clouded over and looks like rain.  I have run around and shut all the windows, and turned on the heaters!

All our 'get ready' jobs are just about done.  Waiting for floors to dry so I can go pee! 😂😉

4.20 pm:  Well we have been busy!

First up, the Open Home went OK.  A few through.

After that, we actually went out to Raglan.

We wanted to check out a couple of options out there.

ABOVE:  A lovely new subdivision in Raglan.  Quite a bit to look at there.

ABOVE: One of the options we are considering.  Buying a section and building something new, to suit US.  It would mean we have to rent while it's being built, but hey!  Why not?  Imagine that was our view.

ABOVE: We stopped in at Tony Sly Pottery, and ummm, we might have bought something there.

In fact, we did shopping at two different places in Raglan this afternoon.  I was in the mood.

For shopping.

Oh hell, when am I not in the mood for shopping?  lol

ABOVE: The harbour today, tide was out, so not that attractive.  And the weather was fine one minute, then pissing down the next.

ABOVE:  Nice building on the Wharfe.  

Home now, and I am going to just chill out till dinnertime, not that we are hungry.  We grabbed a very late lunch at 2 pm!

JUST A FEW THINGS

 

Today is gunna be a good day.

First up, Stew is off to do his weekend grocery grab.

While he's out, I shall get all the morning jobs done.  Get the house all ship shape, bla bla bla.

Then we are joining Steve, Bex and their kids at the mall for a wander, and then lunch.

It will be the first time we have been out and about with baby Lily!

That should be lovely.  

Once we have spent some time with them, we are taking a drive over to 'XYZ' to look at a couple of new home possibilities.  There's several new ones just completed, it's rather exciting having so many choices!

That will take a couple of hours, then we will come home and do a few things around the yard.  The pool has some leaves/debris in it, so that needs clearing.

We also want to have a second look through the three back sheds, and decide what can go, and what we definitely want to keep.  Some of that stuff has gone from house to house, and is actually NEVER used.  Why do we do that?

JUST IN CASE WE NEED IT?  😂😖

When I was de-cluttering the inside of the house,  I literally got rid of anything I had not used in 2-3 years.  Best thing I have ever done.

OK, OK ... if it was beautiful, and it brought me JOY, I did keep it.  But other shit?  Nah. 

I sold some stuff,  gifted some to kids, or donated it to Op Shops.

So that's what our plans are for today.  I really LOVE having plans.  There is nothing worse for me than having nothing to do.  I hate that.

ONWARD...

Yes! As I was about to fall asleep last night an idea for the negative space on RHR #5 popped into my head. So I will work on that later today.  I'll hold off sharing my idea until its finished  ... then show ya.

1.05 pm.  We got all our little jobs done this morning, and I made some progress on the latest runner.

Steve, Bex and the kids arrived for a visit before we all headed over to the mall for lunch.  I got to push Lily in her pushchair, which was neat.  She fell asleep.

Lunch was nice, we found a table big enough for all of us, which was awesome.

Now we are off to look at houses.

4.23 pm.  Back from our look around.  It was fun.  I don't think we have found 'the one' yet, but OMG, there's plenty of options.

ABOVE:  A few we looked at today.  Not too sure about the two storey one, I'm not keen on stairs.

Right, time to relax till dinnertime.  Which will be crackers 'n' cheese.  Lunch was our main meal of the day.

8.47 pm:  Super quiet evening here.  Had our 'dinner', his nibs is watching rugby and I've been scrolling on the 'net.

Not much else to yabber on about, so signing off for the day.

Catch ya tomorrow.

I. HAVE. NOTHING.

 

I had a shit night's sleep.

I had too much on my mind.

The Real Estate Agent really got to me yesterday.

I am gunna have to try VERY HARD to get back to some sort of happy place in my brain.

Easier said than done.

Today I am going to work on yet another RHR.

I got some new fabric at the Quilt Show last week, so am using some of those.  Nice to have some lovely new fabric.

You can never have too much fabric!

Someone said to me recently that I have ENOUGH fabric!

Ha ha.

I can remember that person wanting Barbie Dolls as a little kid.  I gave her ELEVEN.  Cos she didn't think 1 or two was ENOUGH.

Shows the difference in how we treat people.  I am a GIVER.  

Right, I suppose I shall start my day.  Try to find my happy place again.

ONWARD...

OK.  Lets address a couple of things mentioned in comments.

Correct, we do not have to move.  We have chosen to for quite a few valid reasons.  Mostly to set ourselves up for the remainder of our lives.  Smaller house, less overheads, NO MORTGAGE, no maintenance, lock and leave, ability to travel, and so on.

I am the one who has to make the most compromises with a smaller home.  But I don't mind.  There is more to life than having a BIG sewing room!  I can sew anywhere.  And one day, I won't be sewing anymore.  

The Estate Agent has never said potential buyers have said our home is priced too high, NEVER.  

She is just after a quick sale, for her goddam commission.  She doesn't have a vested interest in what we get for this home.  If she doesn't pull her head in we will be changing agents come December.  We are locked in with her till then.

We have been in this situation before, and we will ride it out.   The market is improving, interest rates are coming down, and summer is around the corner, which is always a good time to be on the market.

And I will try to not be so negative.  No one likes a negative moaner.  Even I don't like myself right now!  😂😅😊

Have you seen the Tom Hanks movie 'The Terminal'?  There's a scene where the 'boss' of the airport tries to trick Viktor into leaving the airport, which would result in him being arrested?  Well, when Viktor realises what's going on he looks at the camera and says "I WAIT"..... that's me.

I.  WILL.  WAIT.

12.45 pm:  I literally stayed in my PJ's this morning, and did some sewing.  

Then Lacy came around, YAAA!  Some company.

We ended up going out to lunch.

ABOVE: We went to Fergus Bar and Kitchen, and had a different Pizza from what Stew and I had on Wednesday night.  It was lovely.

It was rather enjoyable spending some time with Lacy, just chatting about our lives, and where we are at right now.  She's facing some decisions, which I hope I've helped her with.

All is good though.  I am feeling WAY happier than I was this morning. 

I also appreciate the support I get on here from YOU fullas.  It backs up how I am feeling about the Estate Agent etc.  

Now, there is some sewing awaiting my return to the sewing room.

ABOVE:  RHR #5 is on the table.  Making good progress.  Happy place re-found.

Sometimes it doesn't work.  But today it has.

I'm trying to decide if I leave the 'negative' space alone, or add the line and extra houses, or something else?  Hmmmm............

9.27 pm.  Well I didn't make up my mind about what to do with the latest runner.... yet.

It can wait.

WAIT.  lol

Getting good at that.

But hey, the day panned out OK, I'm in a much better mood now.

Ice cream helped.

We are blobbed out in the lounge, watching dumb arse TV.  Off to bed in another hour or two.

Catch ya tomorrow.

TWEAKING THE GARAGE

 

ABOVE:  Last night we had dinner at the Fergus Bar and Kitchen, on Borman Road, Rototuna.

ABOVE:  Stew and I decided to share a pizza and loaded fries, to compare them to The Foundation, where we usually go for that type of meal.

OMG.

Like seriously.

Sooooo much better.

Amazing in fact.

I don't think we will ever go to The Foundation again.  

The meal was that good.   Martyn had a Teryaki Beef salad, which looked nice too.

He ended up sharing our Pizza and fries too... cos it was very filling.

ABOVE:  We all opted for a desert too, something Stew and I don't usually do.  It was called a Whittakers Chocolate Brownie.

That was amazing too!

So, if you want a really lovely meal, in a nice atmosphere, I highly recommend that place.

Moving on....

Today's job is to tweak a couple of areas of the garage, just finishing off the BIG job I started yesterday.

ABOVE: First up, I thought I'd show you where all the market stuff ended up.  In the sewing room.  And I don't think it has made the room look any less spacious.

ABOVE:  I already had that table in there, so all the runner bags went on it, and the rest of the stuff is under and beside it.

Works for me.

ABOVE:  While this corner of the garage isn't too messy, I am going to try and tidy it up so it's not annoying me.

Once that is done, I can then finish off the RHR #4, which did not get done yesterday.  And I really do need to get it done, seeing as some crazy tart down in Wellington wants it!  lol  

Love ya KJ.

ONWARD...

10 am:  And I've done all I can do to the garage to enhance it's size, and tidiness.

ABOVE:  I tidied up what was on that shelving unit, then covered it.  Much better.

NOW I can work on that Round House Runner (Wall Hanging) for KJ.

ABOVE: And that's done and dusted.  Now I'm just waiting for the dowel to dry (I painted it), then I can send it off to you KJ.

I can't believe it's been about 16-17 years since you first gave me tips on sewing quilts etc!

I can still remember making my first ever quilt for Griffin, and telling you to finish it if I died during one of my surgeries!  Funny.

Time sure flies by, the years spin faster and faster as you age, that's for sure.

It's now 12.30 pm, and I've stopped for now.

I don't even know if I shall 'start up' again, I'm that tired.  Maybe a quiet afternoon is needed?

FUMING.   We have not even been 'on the market' two months yet.  And our Estate Agent is advising us to drop our price FOR THE SECOND TIME!  She told us to do it after only 12 days!!!

Now she's back to telling us to do it AGAIN.

I'm so angry.

SHE told us what our home was worth ffs.  We also looked at the market and could see what our home offered over others of similar size in our area.  

LUCKILY we are not actually in a hurry to sell, cos I am going to dig my fucking toes in and wait.

IF we lose the home we have a contract on right now, so be it.  There are others we can go for.  And if there is nothing we want when we are ready, then we will rent until the right home comes up for us.

Simple.

9.09 pm:  Usual Thursday night here.  I took Stew to the pub, then spent time with Steve, Bex and the kids.

They I joined Stew and the crew at the pub for an hour, before we came home.

Now... keeping nice and warm, watching telly till bedtime.

Catch ya tomorrow.

MIDWEEK HUMP DAY

 

MORNING !

Anyone want a free weight bench?  Cos we don't want it ... Stew can't use it anymore and I don't want to lug it to our next home.

Free to collect from our home.  edit:  TOO LATE, IT'S GONE!

Now, moving on... Today I'm going to finish off this:

ABOVE:  This one (#4) is 80% done and dusted.

So, I should get it finished by lunchtime.

After that, not sure what I will get up to.

Not sure if I feel like starting another runner today.  Might wait and see.

ONWARD...

9.20 am, I listed that weight bench on Facebook Marketplace.

Within SECONDS I had several people clamoring for it!  So it's gone pending pickup soon.  I am going to use the spare space in the 'gym room' to store stuff from the garage and house.

ABOVE:  From this...

ABOVE:   To this, in exactly 22 minutes!!!!!

I am in shock!   I never in a million years expected it to go so swiftly.  I had 13 people ask for it in the space of 20 minutes, before I took the advert down.  

Now I can de-clutter the garage.  Excellent, I won't be idle today or for the next few days I reckon.

I hate being idle.

ABOVE:  So, I just listed this for sale on Marketplace.   I hope it goes quickly!  Not free, but pretty damn cheap.

And now, back to the de-clutter.

I'm certainly getting some exercise today!

4.21 pm.  I've been working like a mad woman all day!

The garage is almost totally sorted.  Might do some tweaks tomorrow.

ABOVE: One tweak I can't do.  That little wooden 'fence' that kinda separates the laundry area.  It's gotta go, but no matter what screwdriver I tried, it is stuck fast to the bloody floor.

So Steve is coming over in the weekend to get it off for me.

That will open up the area a bit better.

ABOVE:  Only one casualty for the day! One of my lovely Scentsy burners fell and smashed to smithereens.  Sad, I really liked that one.  Lucky I have three others.  😂😊

ABOVE:  Vickie:   Too late.  When you made that suggestion, I had already put this lot down in the gym room.  NO WAY was I taking it all out again.

The flat pack boxes will go in the back shed... tomorrow.   So the room is not looking cluttered.

ABOVE:  I'm really happy with how much I managed to get done to de-clutter in here today.

Except for that corner to the right.

I will work on that tomorrow.

Hoping that little cabinet sells and gets outta my house soon too.

ABOVE:  The left hand side of the garage had MASSES of 'stuff' all along it.  Market stuff.  Big table.  Freezer.  And so on.  All gone.

Now the garage could fit two cars in it, at a pinch.

AND that was the object of this exercise.  To show the space in here.

Stew will need to tidy up 'his' corner in here too... I'll get him onto that this weekend. 😊😉

NOW.  I'm done like a dinner.  Totally knackered and about to STOP.

Or will I?

5.50 pm:  I didn't, no surprises there.  I got out the vacuum and did some of that around the house.

Then I got a call from a friend from Tauranga, and he's coming to spend some time with us this evening.  I think we are gunna go out for dinner.

Shit.  I now have to get out of these work clothes and into something slightly more tidy.

Luckily I had changed out of me PJ's when the bloke came to pick up the Weight Bench this morning, otherwise I think I would still be in them.

OMG I am so tired.  

8.10 pm, just home from dinner out.  We tried a totally new place tonight, I shall tell ya about it tomorrow.

It rained, it was like drops of bloody ICE I tell ya, soooooo damn cold!  

ABOVE:  It was a very nice skyline as we left the eatery.  But those clouds off to the left looked menacing, probably loaded with ice drops.

OH! That cabinet I listed today on Marketplace?

Yeah, there's a lady coming in half an hour to pick it up.  BOOM.

More shit outta my house.  Love it.

It's been an exceptional day really.  

And now I'm going to sign off, put me feet up, grab me hot pods and blankie and blob out.

Catch ya tomorrow.

WONKY HOUSE WALL HANGING

Hi ho.  Well... my plans for today are:

Go for a walk with Coco again.

She dictates where we will go, depending on which way she heads off from the gate!

She's such a dag.

When we get home, I am pulling out ALL MY RUNNERS, hanging them on racks, washing any that have marks (specks of mud) on them (2-3), and then ironing them all again.

I anticipate that taking me several hours.

Oh well, at least I won't be idle eh?

Once that big job is done, I shall go back to finish off Round House Runner # 4.  It got put on the back burner so I could get this one done:

ABOVE:  This is the cute little Wonky House Wall Hanging I made yesterday.

I still need to paint the dowel white and attach some string for hanging.

But at least it's 95% done.

So my friends, that's me for now, I'll catch ya later.

ONWARD...

11.55 am:

And that little job took me 3 hours, and I've not actually packed it all back up yet!

OMG that needed doing so badly.

There were only two runners that needed spot cleaning. Thankfully.

But sorting them all out was a mission.

We tend to just throw them in bags willy nilly at the end of a market, so things get all muddled up.

Today I spent the majority of my time sorting them all out, working out what will go on which rack, and so on.

Now I have it all written down, what goes where, how to pack in and out etc.

I hope it remains organised from now on.

ABOVE:  I have packed up two of the runner bags, just two to go.

But for now, I'm taking a lunch break.  I'm starving.  And tired.

4 pm.  And I've finally got all that stuff packed up again, and put away, all ready for the next market.  Which is Tamahere on the 19th.

I'm now in the sewing room, working on RHR #4.

ABOVE:  I just had to take a photo from my sewing room today.  It's beautiful out there.  Not cold, not hot.  PERFECT in fact.

It won't last.

The forecast is for... more rain.  😖😠😡

9.41 pm:  I stopped working on the latest creation when Stew arrived home from work.

We both had a light dinner, then settled down for the evening.

So, that's me for today.

Catch ya tomorrow.

TREADMILL FIRST UP

 

Hiya.

I'm going to start the day on a positive note... by getting on the treadmill for a minimum of 40 minutes.

After that, I'll do all the usual Monday morning jobs around the house.

Then I shall get into the sewing room and do a runner that's on order.  It should only take me a day to get it done, then it will be off my back.

ABOVE:   Hanging out with the kids yesterday was lovely.

ABOVE: My gorgeous tree is having flowers.  I am going to miss this tree when we move.

Shame it's too big a variety to grow in a pot.

Right, I am going to get me kit on, and jump on the treadmill.

ONWARD...

Treadmill missed out.  I took Coco for a walk in the neighbourhood instead.  In the rain.  Marley HATES walking in the rain.

ABOVE:  I am constantly amazed at Coco's stamina, and love of walking!  She goes faster than me most of the time.

Unless she has to stop for a piddle/poop, which today totalled 4 poops and 23,000 piddles.

I swear to god she is possessed with a 3 litre bladder!  Of which she only lets loose a teaspoon full at a time.  😂😖

ABOVE: It's a nasty as day out there.  Wet and miserable.  But, I'm happy I went for a walk.  It was enjoyable.

ABOVE:  Walk stats.  Certainly not fast, but better than not walking eh?

7,434 steps according to Samsung Health on me phone.

MEL:  yeah nah... too much like an added job.  And according to 'them that set the number', now days the recommended number of steps a day is 6,000.  

I think as long as you are moving as much as you can, you are doing good.

ABOVE:  1 pm, and I'm making steady progress on the ordered wall hanging.  NOT a runner!

The weather has cleared to sunshine and clouds, but it can change back to shitty at any moment, it's that unpredictable.

I'm going to stop for a quick lunch, then back to it.

6.55 pm... and I just finished that Wonky House Wall Hanging.

I'm very happy with it. And damn glad it's done and not on my mind anymore.

Stew is home.

We shall have our little 'dinner' of crackers and cheese soon.  Then settle down like the old farts we are, in front of the telly. lol

Catch ya tomorrow.