STILL WORKING ON THE LIST

 

We have a much smaller list today.  We might even get it all done!

If so, that means we are done with 'settling in' here!

We have been here for 9 weeks and two days!  It doesn't feel like that long, for sure I thought it was about 6 weeks.

I am going to bite the bullet and get the one job I've been putting off DONE.  Shorten and hang the last set of curtains.  I friggin HATE sewing curtains, and hanging them sucks.  I am sure that's partly why my arms were SO SORE for weeks after our move.

They are finally feeling 100% again, thank goodness.

Steve is coming over today to put the filters in the kitchen extractor fan.  Might get him to have a go at putting a big shelf up in the front bedroom for the TV as well.  He's more likely to find the right place to fix it than Stew.  😊😉

Catch ya later.

I put the drawers on Marketplace, had some interest already.  Then I listed the new clothes airer as well... as it's just too big for anywhere in the house, except slap, bang in the middle of the lounge.

Not a good look.  Well. That sold to a friend of mine in like a few minutes!  BOOM, success.

ABOVE:  We had a yak with our immediate neighbours over the fence, and they were all for us mounting the weather vane on our mutual fence!  So up she went.  Fingers crossed no one complains.

I've now got a pot with no plant in it... so will go out a bit later to find a plant for it. 

Oh yeah, we also have three bags of cement.... with nowhere to go.  Oh well, they may come in handy some day.  

 I am now about to work on those bloody curtains.  Hopefully no one can hear me swear.

Seems lately I live to regret some decisions.  I gave away our stick vacuum to Brylee.

Then I bought a rotating vacuum head for our Hoover vacuum.  It cost A LOT.

It is useless, but as it's now used, I can't take it back.

Today, while out and about, we bought.... ANOTHER STICK VACUUM.  A Samsung, whizz bang thing.  

It's  arriving in about two weeks.

AND get this... it can tell me when my phone gets a call or text.  So now I will have a Samsung phone, oven, cooktop and vacuum.  What next I wonder?

Steve, Bex and the kids arrived for a visit this afternoon, which was lovely.  They have not been over for a visit in quite a while for one reason or another.

I'll post photos tomorrow.

Steve put the filters in the extractor fan, but it's still not working properly.  It needs to reticulate, but isn't.  *sigh*

I was tempted to crack open the bottle of bubbly this afternoon, but as our new lounge suite hasn't arrived yet, I've decided to wait for it.

THEN this home will be as we want it to be, going forward.

Happy to say Stew hung the curtains for me, so my temper did not get the better of me.  That front bedroom is almost finished!  We are going to get a smaller TV that can be mounted on the wall with a bracket.  I shall get that tomorrow all going well.

Time to sign off for the day.

Catch ya tomorrow.

THE LIST IS LONG

 

FIRST FOR TODAY:  sleep in.

Then we have a fairly long list of things to try and get through.  Some of them have been on a list for a few weeks now.

We are trying to re-jig the spare bedroom, so that the sofa bed can actually be opened up, and used as a full size double bed for visitors.  

That will mean moving the drawers out of that room.  We are going to get a set of open shelves to put inside the wardrobe, therefore making the drawers redundant.

So, we shall go out and about this morning, hoping to find the perfect (size wise) set of shelves.

We are also going to put the TV in that spare bedroom on the wall.  I shall explore brackets for that this weekend as well.

We will work our way though the other minor jobs over the weekend too.  Maybe?  Just maybe we will get more done this weekend.

12.46 pm. We have been out and bought open shelves for the front wardrobes. Then on to Burger Fuel for lunch. I ate to much. Gunna have a nap now! 

I presume Stew will work on putting the shelves together etc.  

I finally finished putting the kitchen handles on this morning.   Glad that's done. 

ABOVE:  While I had a nap, Stew put together the two shelving units.  That's the double one, there is a single one already in the wardrobe.

He's fart arsing around now, sorting out clothes etc.

Soon we will take the drawers out of that room.

I am going to use them, and sell the set I've been using.

We are keeping Stew's ones, as he's had them since he was a kid, so hugely sentimental.

ABOVE: Coco did another 'round' of the garden and declared herself done with being outside.  She's being very precious of late.

ABOVE:  4.28 pm, and Stew's wardrobe is done.  And we have a spare set of drawers to get rid of. 

I think we got TWO jobs on the list done today. Not exactly ticking them off very fast are we?

Maybe tomorrow we will get more done.

ABOVE:  Finally!  For the first time ever, we have been able to put the sofa bed out.  And we quickly realised it is a KING sized bed!  No wonder we struggled to get it in the house in one piece.   

So happy it can now be used for visitors, and isn't a white elephant in the room.

ABOVE:  Ha ha!  Twinning.  We went to the supermarket for some snacks, not wanting a big dinner after lunch.  We now have enough snacks in the house to last a couple of weeks at least.

And that's our day done.

Catch ya tomorrow.

FRIDAY - EYE TEST

 

I'm off to Spec Savers this morning to get an eye test done, then I can choose my new glasses frames.  After that, I have a two week wait for the new glasses to arrive.  In the meantime, I've been using my OLD as, one armed glasses from years ago.  Thank goodness I had kept them.

Lacy is coming over to drag me out walking again first thing.  How WONDERFUL.  It's freakin' freezing outside again.

Now.

How about a list of the possible names for me sewing room next.

- Dragons Den

- The Sanity Hub

- Crabby Quarters 

- The Scrap Yard

Let me know what's your favourite.  I'm really liking most on that list, so it's a bit difficult choosing.

ABOVE: Outside with Coco yesterday, and I just sat there in the sunshine... it was so lovely!  Way warmer outside than inside too.

This is going to be one of my favourite places over summer. 

Right, I am gunna read the news before getting up and starting the day.  

Lacy bailed on our walk this morning, so I went on me own.

ABOVE:  Very cold to start, but I soon warmed up.  Met a few other hardy souls out there, which was nice.

ABOVE: So many magical views along the river.

ABOVE:  And a fair few frosty patches, very slippery.  

ABOVE: A random boat, slowly cruising along.

He seemed to be focused on staying by the footbridge, no idea why.  

ABOVE: Today's walk stats.  Slightly longer today, but not by much.

I'm now going to do some housework, before heading off to me eye test.

I am editing out some names, and I might add a couple of new ones.  By the end of the day I am going to put all the names I really like into a 'hat' and get Stew to pull one out.

11.53 am. I go to Chartwell Square,  walk into Spec Savers 20 minutes early. Just as well I was early... my appointment was at The Base. What a twat. Off I go to The Base, get there with 2 minutes to spare.

5.54 pm. Stew just arrived home and commented that I had not updated since this morning.  Well he'd be right.

I got home from the eye appointment and just crashed.  Felt ikkk.  And OMG so cold.  So I put two hot pods on me lap, and a blankie, and just blobbed out.  For hours.  I was simply in a foul mood.

Bearing in mind my goddam CRABBINESS right now, I feel it is fitting to call my sewing space...

I was leaning towards The Scrap Yard for most of the day too.  But my room's name has to reflect ME... and yeah, I can get pretty damn crabby.   I try not to, but ... PEOPLE.  

People just annoy the fuck out of me more often than not.

I go out of my way to be NICE 99% of the time, so why can't other people do the same?

Right, enough bitching.  Stew's home so I might as well annoy him.

Catch ya tomorrow.

NAME IT

Right, first up for today is a question for YOU.

I want to 'name' my sewing space.

It is not going to be the sewing room, cos it's not a freakin' room as such.

It is not going to be the sewing garage, cos that just sucks as a name.

I want to call my sewing space something fun/individual and unique.

A friend of mine calls hers 'THREAD QUARTERS' which is awesome.  I am not going to copy her, so help me out.

I want a fun name for my sewing room.

Back to today, I am going to Cambridge for mosaics.    

Catch ya later.

12.10 pm:  Just home from mosaics.  I had a nice time there, finally finished my rock, but left it there for the last bits to set.

Next week I will be starting a new project.  Very excited about it too.

There's been some very snazzy name ideas! Thanks so much.  I have also had my thinking cap on and come up with some, as did one of the mosaic ladies.  I need to write them all down (the ones that take me fancy), and then choose one.

I'm not 100% sure what it will be ... yet.

ABOVE: This place is really starting to feel like HOME.  

ABOVE:  I moved the 'pet fences' after lunch, and I think Coco could probably go out here when we are outside now.  I will trial it a bit later, and see if she finds a way out or not.  Bearing in mind she is an escapologist.  😂😊

Well.. Coco came outside with me,  she walked around the yard, then went back inside. She wasn't interested in being out there at all. 

I had a very quiet afternoon,  just pottering inside. Got some more handles on the kitchen cupboards,  but have 3 to go.

Now, I'm at the kids visiting while Stew's at the pub.

Feeling very blah for some reason.

8 pm:  Just finished visiting with the kids, picked Stew up from the pub and am now home again.

Going to settle down with a hot pod and blankie, and watch the telly.

OH and write a list of names down, for consideration.  Though I do have one at the top of me list.  More on that tomorrow.

WALKIES... AND RUMMIKUB

 

It's another crispy, freezing, frosty morning.  And that crazy tart, Lacy, is coming over to drag me out walking again.

This time, I'm gunna wear a zip front jacket, with a t-shirt under it.  And no hat 'n' gloves.  

I should be just fine after a few minutes of brisk walking.

If not, I'll come back here and bitch about it!  lol

After our walk, Lacy will feast on some of the fruit pie I made yesterday.

I will give it a miss, having had some last night.

I will be working on organising my sewing 'room' a bit better later on this morning, so it flows a bit better.  

The garage is of course, the dumping ground for a lot of shit as well.  I want to rectify that.

After lunch, I am going down to the Community Centre and joining the RUMMIKUB group for my first ever game.  I hope it goes well, and they accept me into the group.  

Time to roll over, read the news then think about getting out of bed.  Ikkk... so cold, so cold.

I ended up wearing a lighter weight hoodie for the walk. Kept the hood on for about 5 minutes, then was warm enough to take it off.  Our river walks take us up and down a few hills, enough to get the blood pumping.  I sometimes need to stop for a breather, bearing in mind I bloody LOATHE hills.  Maybe one day I'll actually get used to them?

ABOVE: Today's walk stats.  I'm happy enough with that.

Yesterday, while pottering around at home, I did 1,660 steps! Stellar effort - NOT. lol

The plumber is back today, doing something in the ceiling and on the roof.  I think it's something to do with the hot water overflow thingee.  Once that's done, he's finished.

I'm mad at myself.  I went into the garage to do some sorting, and got a bit carried away.  Next thing I know it's about half an hour AFTER the start of bloody Rummikub!  I was not going to barge in there that late, so I will have to wait until next week to go now.

Only up side of that is, I get more time to study how to play Rummikub.

And I did get a bit done in the garage.

NOW.  Tomorrow I am going to ask for help choosing a name for something.  So come back tomorrow to help me!

In the meantime, I'm going to go online to find a few things... the plumber is going to instal an insinkerator for us soon.  I want to find what one to get.  

I also want to get a shade sail or similar for the back patio (off the garage) to put over our clothes drying rack.  I'll probably have to get a sun umbrella... knowing the neighbours will no doubt object to a shade sail IN THEIR FACE.

Can you buy sun umbrellas with FUCK YOU on them I wonder?  JJ, or am I?

I just got a phone call from Mitre 10, the remaining 7 kitchen cupboard handles are in.  So Stew is going to pick them up on his way home from work.  Yaaaa.

8.24 pm, and I'm done with this day.  Time to simply relax and enjoy the evening.

Catch ya tomorrow.

ODD JOBS

Today will be a good day.

I am going to do several jobs around the house, that have been bugging me for a little while.

They were 'too small' to demand immediate attention, but now that the 'big' things are done, I can attend to them.

I had a lovely chat with a nephew of mine late yesterday, followed by a chat with an Aunt and Uncle as well.  It cheered me up no end.  I love my family.  I don't reach out enough, keeping in touch is so important.

I am going to do it more often.

ABOVE: Coco had a blast on the village lawns yesterday.  She hopped and skipped all over the place.  But her endurance is shot.  She had to stop and take a breather a few times, bless her.

We are so lucky she's keeping well at her age.

She gave us a little scare a couple of months ago, but has bounced back.

You heard the saying 'Plenty of life in the old dog yet'?  Yeah.  That's our Coco.

Righty ho... I'm going read the news in bed before getting up.  Catch ya later.

  

FELICITY: You are quite right, I forgot to post a photo of the wall, without the gas heater!

ABOVE: So there it is, no heater.  I've still got to hang the fish above the tv, it's on the list for today.

I am not going to be painting the wall just yet, I need to be in the right head space for that shit job.

ABOVE: First job of the day, change out 11 kitchen handles from pewter to black.  Half the existing handles were held on with tiny little nuts.  I didn't have a spanner that small, so out came the pliers.  That worked.

ABOVE:  11 down, 7 to go.  I'm waiting for them to arrive from Mitre 10.  They should be here soon enough.  No rush.

The next job was putting my copper fish on the lounge wall.  It's taken 6.5 weeks to get that damn heater off the wall, so I can now put me fish up.

ABOVE: Now that looks right!  Stew gave me that copper snapper for my 50th birthday, and she's always gone above the telly.

Now, on to my next job.

ABOVE:  lol... one of the SMALLEST jobs is done.  I used some of the excess chain from the kitchen blind, and a joiner, and sorted out the kitchen sink plug.  I got sick of using a fork to get it out of the friggin plug hole.

ABOVE: Next job was to cook up some Granny Smith Apples, and the Tamarillos we were given on Saturday, and turn them into a pie.

Stew and I will enjoy having some of that for our 'dinner' tonight.  Who says you have to eat meat and veges every night eh?  😂😋

It is now 5.11 pm.  I've sat at looked at the fish long enough to know the little fish were in the wrong positions.   I just KNOW it ain't right.

So...

ABOVE: They got moved.  Just as well I will be painting that wall at a later date, cos now it's got a couple of 'spare' holes.  😖

Well I relented and made a 'normal' dinner, and we shall have a small dessert a bit later on.

It is certainly cooling down this evening, so we are heading into another bloody cold night, and a frost tomorrow.  Oh ya.

Catch ya tomorrow.

WALK AND CRAFT GROUP

 

Lacy is coming over today, and we are going for a walk.  It's bloody FREEZING again, so I don't think I'll be in shorts and a t-shirt.  😰⛄

ABOVE: There's the new kitchen rug.  It's lovely and warm under foot.

ABOVE:  In this photo, I'm showcasing the latest in lounge furniture.  Black market chairs!  Works for now.  We still have about 6 weeks until our new lounge suite arrives.  IF it arrives on time.  No guarantee on that of course.

ABOVE: Lacy's lounge last night.  It looks so bright and happy with the string lights all around the room.  I'd love to do that here, but it just wouldn't be in keeping with the OLD PEOPLE theme.  lol

Right, I'm off to get ready to go walkies.

Later on today I have Craft Group again.

WE DO... YES WE DO HAVE A FUCKING FROST.

And this fucking crazy tart turned up like this: 

ABOVE:  She turns up in friggin SHORTS!!!  She is 100% crazy.

And now, we brave the cold..... save me....

ABOVE:  We decided to do a river walk.  We got about half way around our chosen route, and I got hot.  Typical.  Off came the hat and gloves, and I didn't have a t-shirt on under me heavy sweatshirt, so I stayed a bit hot.

ABOVE:  A very nice, clean rest room under Pukete Bridge, on the St Andrews side.  Very convenient if you ever need a piddle mid-walk.

 

ABOVE:    "STOP, STOP, I need to do me hair"...

climbing up from the river path, to then walk along Pukete Bridge/Wairere Drive.  Then down the other side and along the river again.

ABOVE:  It was supposed to be a 'panoramic' photo, didn't work.  Nice bush walk through this section.

I'd never do it on my own.  Too dangerous.

ABOVE: Yep, she's an idiot.  But a nice one.

Now home, 'la idiot' has left, and I'm about to head out to find a shoe rack for the front door.  I am going to encourage visitors to take their shoes off, to protect the new rug.  It cost WAY too much to have dirty shoes on it.

12.41 pm:  I went to the Base, booked an eye exam for Friday.  I can then order new glasses, which will take a couple of weeks to arrive.

Grabbed some sushi for lunch and came home.

Now, I am debating if I really feel like going to Craft Group or not?

And....

3.16 pm:  I didn't go.  I had something happen mid morning that just kinda upset me, so I wasn't in the best mood.  I'm not going to inflict myself on anyone when I'm not in a good mood. 

And I'm not going to say what upset me, cos it wasn't even worth getting upset over at the end of the day.

Just know some people are HORRIBLE.

I am now going to take our big 6m X 6m tarpaulin down to the workshop ... they said they will happily take it. We certainly no longer need it, having no trailer to cover any more.

8.40 pm:  And that's it, the day is done. It's been an up 'n' down sorta day really.  Looking forward to bed, cos if nothing else, it's WARM.

Catch ya tomorrow.