THE OTTOMAN

 

There's a damn good chance we will be living in a veritable sauna today.  Add today's sunshine to the rain we had last night = sauna.

Oh yaa.

Our new ottoman... was bought as extra seating, and for storage.  I never even gave it a thought that I could use it as a foot stool, until it arrived here in the house!

Seems most other people thought I had bought it as a foot stool.  LOL.  Obviously now I will be using it for that as well.

I might go out today to look at castors.  I am sure you can get ones that have a 'brake' on them, to stop the furniture from sliding away from you.  

ABOVE:  I already looked online... and there's dozens to choose from!  I just need to narrow it down to the size I need.  There's plenty with brakes too.

After I finished the Black and White Square Table Topper on Friday, I made a start on another one.

I got it finished last night.

ABOVE: This is one of the very few S.T.T. Braid Runners I have made, not using black as the accent.

First one using navy blue in fact.   It's different.  I'm not sure I'm sold on it.  And I love Blue!  But it is nice, for someone else.  lol

Because we have had a few very busy days, with quite a bit of stress involved, I'm taking it easy today.

If I do NOTHING, so be it.

1.44 pm:  Well clearly I've been 'busy'... NOT!

I have literally done nothing much all day.  The usual housework.  Laid out a new S.T.T.  I might start that one tomorrow.

I went to The Base and bought some sushi for my lunch.

Ate it.

Lay down and had a nap.

Well, I tried to have a nap, but it didn't happen.

Pffffft.

Now?  I am going to work on my jig saw.

ABOVE:  Many hours later, and I have made a small dent in it.

And I can hardly see past my nose without everything blurring!

Time to stop for the day.

I made us Teriyaki chicken over rice for our dinner.  Now we are watching stupid TV till bedtime.

ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST

 

Well... after our house sale fell over, we had to approach the people who's home we had a contract to buy on.  To renegotiate the 'UNCONDITIONAL DATE'... because clearly we couldn't proceed right now.

They came back with a really stupid change to the contract. Yes, they would extend the contract, BUT they wanted us, once our house sale was unconditional, to settle within two weeks with them.  (pay the full amount)

That would have meant us getting bridging finance for A SHIT LOAD OF MONEY!  It would have cost us thousands on top of the purchase price.

So we have been in negotiations (via our lawyers).  And the people were not prepared to extend the settlement time frame, meaning they were trying to force us to get bridging finance once our home is sold.

So we WALKED AWAY.  Cancelled the contract.

AND I COULDN'T BE HAPPIER !!!!

We shall now concentrate of selling our home... and NOT even look at anything else until such time as we have an UNCONDITIONAL contract on here.

I wish we had done that the first (and second time).  We will get stung for lawyers fees AGAIN.  But live and learn the hard way.

I'm still happy we walked away from this latest house purchase.  I'm over dealing with people who are so inflexible and unreasonable.

Those people are rather silly really, because they have been on the market for way longer than us, and ours was the only offer they have had.

Heard that saying "A bird in the hand is better than two birds in the bush"?   Clearly they haven't.

ABOVE:   I was sitting in the wingback chair, and a thought came to me....   I can use the ottoman as a footstool if I want!  Not all the time obviously, but sometimes.  Yep.

ABOVE:  Because the ottoman is long, it's perfect!  I am so chuffed with this furniture.

I am thinking of putting casters on the bottom of the Ottoman, to make moving it much easier.  What do you think. Good idea, or No?

ABOVE:  I forgot to show you the finished black Square Table Topper, I finished it on Friday.

Lots was happening on Friday.  Easy to forget.

We have another open home today.  It's around lunchtime, so I suppose we better get up and make a start on doing the few things necessary.

9.45 am, and everything is ready.  AGAIN.

I've been down to the local plant shop and bought more lettuce plants.

ABOVE:  Now this top garden looks better.

This afternoon, after our Open Home, we are going over to Steve 'n' Bex's to take what we have stored there, over to our storage facility.

That way Steve has more room to move in his garage.

He's building a REALLY LARGE gaming table!

I can't remember what game he plans playing on it... but him and his mates will love it I'm sure.

Well, it's now 2 pm and the Open Home is over.  Just two groups through today.  Two is better than NONE.

After that, we picked up our stuff from Steve 'n' Bex's and took it over to the storage facility.

ABOVE:  Happy to say we still have more room in there, if we need it.

Now we are home and contemplating getting in the pool.  It's another super hot, sticky day.

We definitely got in the pool.  It is just so hot!

ABOVE:  Inside our house this afternoon.

I'd hate to work in people's ceilings!  It would be IMPOSSIBLE to work in that sort of temperature.

It was 30 degrees C outside this afternoon.  Possibly our hottest day?  Not sure, all I do  know, it was swimming pool weather.

NOW?  (6.48 pm)

ABOVE:  Looking to the West, and the setting sun.  

ABOVE:  Looking to the East!   There's been thunder and lightening... but just a few spits of rain.  So far.  It will possibly blow over by the look of it.  I hope it utterly pisses down, all the gardens and lawns need some water.

And it will cool things down.

Getting to sleep, and staying asleep at night is goddam hard right now.  It's just too hot.

Just heard it on the NEWS, Hamilton was the official hottest place in New Zealand today, at 30.5 degrees C.  And we are on an 'Active Thunderstorm Watch' as well.  No shit!  We have some lovely rain coming down now.  Whoop!

Well, it may have rained, but it's still far too damn hot.  I've got my fan beside me on FULL BLAST, and I'm still hot.

It's going to be a long, diabolical night.

And on that score, I'm going to bed soon.

HOW'S THAT FOR A MATCH?

 

We have a pottery bowl that's been with us for well over 30+ years.

It started life as our egg bowl, then over the years I've used it for various things.

For the past 15 years, it's had flowers in it.

ABOVE: The bowl.  As I was walking through my bedroom yesterday, towards the sunroom and the new Patchwork Furniture, I couldn't help but notice how it matches the new furniture.

ABOVE:  I was meant to get that stuff!  I'm still buzzing over it in fact.

We have a fairly busy day today.

First off, we are taking the two cream lounge chairs that were in the sunroom over to Steve 'n' Bex's house.

Then back here to do a preliminary tidy up, in readiness for the Open Home this afternoon.

Then we are going to Liam's 12th birthday party at midday.

After that, it's back here to collect the dogs, and make sure everything is ready for the Open Home.

I wonder if the Estate Agent will notice the new furniture?  😊  Might be a bit hard not to eh?  

It is now 1.16 pm, we are just home from having lunch with the birthday boy and his friends and family.

ABOVE:  Liam and Emily with both their Grandmas.  So nice to catch up with Andrew's mum.  We have not seen her in quite a while.

We left early, to get the house ready for the Open, then we are going back for toasted marshmallows and birthday cake.  

I take it everyone is having a fabulous day ... cos it's dead on here!  

5.26 pm:  Man what a busy afternoon!

We got the house ready for the Open Home, then took off down the road to wait for it to be over.

Several groups through today.

One group are our next potential buyers... they want the house, but still have to arrange finance.

Another group came through and stayed for the entire Open Home, then left, vowing to come back.

After the Open, we took off back to Andrew's for Birthday cake and smores.

ABOVE: A very happy young man.  Liam had a wonderful birthday.

ABOVE: Toasting marshmallows over the brazier.  OMG is was so hot, what with the heat of the day and the fire!

ABOVE: Stew toasted my marshmallows...

ABOVE: Then he slapped them between two Chocolate Thin biscuits!  So yum.

By the time we left Andrew's, we were roasting, so the minute we arrived home, we jumped in the pool.

ABOVE: Stew had just started scooping a bug out of the pool, when my phone rang.

It was our Estate Agent.

She wanted to bring one of today's groups BACK for another look at the house.

In 15 minutes!

Like WOW... talk about have to move FAST.

We leapt out of the pool, threw some clothes on, turned on all the lights, opened all the windows, and jumped in the car and took off down the road.

ABOVE:  I have to admit... I didn't put on ANY clothes.  I was butt naked under my towlie!!!

Luckily, I was in the car and no one knew except me and Stew. lol

Once the viewing was over, we went back home and jumped right back in the pool.

It was so good to just cool off and relax.

8.20 pm:  We just enjoyed a lovely dinner of lettuce salad with a beef 'n' cheese rissole.  Now, we are watching mindless TV until bedtime.  Which won't be very late tonight, as we are buggered.

Catch ya tomorrow.

SOMETHING NEW

 

I did a rather dumb thing at the begining of the month.

Because we had a contract on our home, and we had another home lined up... I ordered two pieces of furniture for the 'new home'.

Stupid move, seeing as our sale fell through.  And there is NO GUARANTEE we will now get the place we have an offer on!

But I still have the new furniture coming.

TODAY.

We didn't even need new furniture.  I have given or sold so much in the past few months, what made me think I needed it?

But there was a place to put the new things... in the potential new home.  

I feel like a right twat.

So anyway, the new shit is arriving today.

I'll probably show it to you.

Be prepared.  99% of the population is going to HATE IT.  

But we like it, and that's all that matters at the end of the day.

Now, a change of theme...

ABOVE:  Lily looking so damn adorable, with her hair in a tiny pigtail and bow.  She is a constant delight to all of us.  

Back to right now, I'm gunna get up, do the little bit of housework necessary, then sew the binding on that Square Table Topper.

Catch ya later.

8.50 am:  I've just spent the past hour pottering around in the house, and the garden.

Our tomato plants were not doing well where they were, so I moved them.

Then I had to 'fill the gap' where they were...

ABOVE:  The tomatoes are now here, where they will get the afternoon sun.

ABOVE: And under the trees are some succulents, and the chooks.  That will suffice for now.

I also pruned a couple of trees/shrubs that were getting unruly.  And pulled out my cucumber plants.  This year they simply came to NOTHING.  They tried, I'll give them that, but basically they didn't get enough water.  

I've now put some pots in that garden ... just to fill those gaps as well.

Now... I can move on to something else, something that doesn't make me all hot and bothered.  It's already stinking hot outside.

ABOVE:  I was in the sewing room... ya know, like sewing.  And a bloke bangs on me door.  Whoops!  I totally forgot about them coming with the furniture.

I let them in, they put the furniture in the sunroom, and I start to bloody CRY!

Like, those men didn't know what to think!  

I quickly told them they were HAPPY TEARS, cos I loved the furniture SO MUCH.

They left happy.

And I just looked at it and sniffed some more.

I'm not a twat.   It has made me so very happy.  And no matter where we end up once we sell, I will fit them in somehow.

ABOVE:  A Wingback 'Patchwork' Chair, with matching Ottoman.

ABOVE:  I am in love with this chair!

ABOVE:  And the Ottoman will come in handy to store stuff in.

We had an Ottoman as part of our Brown Lounge Suite, which has now gone to Griffin.   Lacy and Brylee got the other parts of that suite.

Steve and Bex are getting our cream lounge suite once we move, so we will be left with the pale blue leather lounge suite, and the 'Patchwork' furniture.

SO..... what do you think of them???  If you hate them say so nicely! 😂😅😉

OMG it's a hot afternoon.  I've had me lunch, I've done some more sewing.  I've sat in the Wingback chair and just smiled ... life is good.

I am looking forward to a full and busy weekend.

But right this minute, I need to remove the goddam facial hair that sprouts up like evil tendrils from hell.  👺

Gosh!  Thank you for all the lovely comments today about the furniture.  I really didn't expect most of you to like my Patchwork Furniture.  

It is really 'out there', but totally me.  

But in saying that, you really would only want one or two statement pieces.  Which I now have.  

Stew just arrived home from work.  So we shall settle down for the evening, like boring old farts.  And probably like usual, there will be bugger all on the telly.  😕  Shit, I might have to actually talk to Stewie.

8.54 pm:  And I'm done for the day.  Going to bed perfectly happy with my day.  

Catch ya tomorrow.

A NEW PROJECT

 

Here we are again... another glorious summer day.

And I'm gunna sit in me sewing room and finish  this :

ABOVE:  It's nothing like I planned on making next, that's for sure.  All it's stripes are not on in this photo btw.

It's funky and 'modern', and will appeal to someone I'm sure.

And that is all I have on my agenda for the day.  A pretty normal day then!  😊

ABOVE:  10.16 am, and I actually went out and did the grocery shopping that got put on hold yesterday.

It was a good time to go, the shop wasn't very busy.

Now I shall probably go into the sewing room and get some work done.

Thank goodness I actually kept some fabric here, instead of packing ALL of it away!  I'd have nothing to do otherwise.

1.40 pm:  I've made good progress on the new Square Table Topper, I only have to bind it now.

But that can wait till later on today, or even tomorrow.

I got sore arms manhandling it, so decided a break was due.

I was going to try for a Nana nap, but the windows were screaming at me.

I cleaned the ones facing the pool the other night, but they were damn streaky.

So, I've just cleaned them for the umpteen dozen time.  So damn frustrating.  I'm sick to death of cleaning friggin windows.

I can't wait till I can have dirty windows without worrying about it.  

MEH.... it's a boring afternoon here.  I've done bugger all.  It's 'pub' night for Stew and he's due home soon.  I'll probably go over to Steve and Bex's for a while, then join his nibs at the pub for some hot chips for dinner.  It's slowly becoming a habit.  Probably not a good one, but shit, ya only live once.  

7.50 pm :  just home from the pub, where we had a very nice catch up with friends.  Hot chips were shared with everyone, so we didn't over indulge.  We always share 'em.

I'm now signing off for the day, and am going to spend a couple of hours just sitting here with Stew for company.  

Catch ya tomorrow.

GROCERY SHOPPING

 

It's another hump day.  And all I have planned for today is to do a grocery shop.

Of course, there's bound to be something else pop up that needs doing/getting, but for the life of me, I can't think what right now.

Oh!  Now I remember what I wanted to get while out... a lightweight jacket or cardigan.  I am starting to feel a bit cold in the mornings and evenings, and I only have a couple of heavier weight sweatshirts in me wardrobe.

Cos, well... I packed all my winter clothes and they are in a box, in storage.  If we don't sell the house by winter, I am gunna have to go through all the boxes in storage, and hope to find the one that has all me clothes in it!  😖😏

I've stewed on this all night.  Wanting to address a 'wrong' done against me.

But, this keeps coming to mind:

ABOVE: There's several 'versions' of this 'saying'... I've read several of them.  

And I've finally learnt to just walk away, it's not worth it to try and defend yourself to people who are only too happy to believe a 'story' that SUITS THEM.

It hurts, but time heals everything.

Hmmm.... it's now 1.07 pm and my day has not quite gone to plan.

I did go to the mall looking for a cardigan, but couldn't find anything I liked.  

I got a new screen saver for my phone as the current one was chipped and cracked.  That one sure didn't last long I must say.

Then before I could do any grocery shopping, I ended up having to go over to Cambridge on business.

Once that was concluded, I visited a girlfriend and her son.  Which was lovely.

Just home and I'm about to do nothing for a little while, before deciding what to do with the remainder of the afternoon.

I must finally be 'growing up'.... and I'm so proud of myself.

I could have blown my stack over 'something' last night... but I held myself in check.

I did stew about it, obviously.  But I didn't REACT like I would have in the past.  Ten outta ten to me.

Just when I thought I might lie down for a nana nap....

ABOVE: These two hooligans arrived for a swim.

Lacy and her friend Ash.

ABOVE:  Lovely to see the pool getting more use.

I've hardly been in it all summer, due to the non-stop winds.  They make it too cold for me, cos I don't 'do' cold.  As ya all know.

Well, come to think of it, I don't 'do' hot either!

I know, I'm difficult.

Happy to say I did some sewing this afternoon.  It felt really good to be back in my happy place again.

It felt like forever since I made anything... probably isn't though! lol

I haven't done enough yet to show you my latest Square Table Topper.   I surprised myself and did NOT make another blue one like I had planned to do.

Stew just arrived home from work, so I've downed tools and taken myself back to the family room, to spend the evening with him.  Cos I kinda like him.  (most days)  😂😉😊

Off to bed soon.  I'm not staying up to watch Coronation Street this evening, it doesn't start until 9.50 pm.  That's too damn late when I'm already tired.

I shall watch it sometime tomorrow.