TODAY...I'M MAKIN' MONEY!

WOO HOOO, there's nothing like makin' money... I'm selling stuff on Trademe... all the furniture etc that is surplus to requirements. Several things go today, tomorrow and the next day...so far they have made us over $800!
That's great, it will cover the cost of fencing material we need for the back yard. Will show you what needs doing out there once we get the wood to build the fence.

TODAY:

- Get up at 5am and zip out to the airport to see my dear friend Chris D and her hubby... they are getting back from England and arriving in Auckland before catching a connecting flight to Palmerston North. I hope to spend a good hour or so with them.

- kids to school

- watch Tradme auctions.. it is usually so much fun to see the prices go up and up!

- do a bit of housework I suppose!

That's about it for now.....

I just spent an hour with my friends out at the airport..it was NEAT to catch up with them... they had been in England for a month.

TRADEME is the same as ebay, except it is New Zealand based.

It is nearly time to take the kids to school so I better be off for now.... we are in for showers today, so hopefully we can dodge the rain on our way to school....

PROGRESS SHOTS:

ABOVE: Brylee's room, I just hung that picture... and I even found a bloody stud!

ABOVE: The spare bedroom with it's 'other' picture... one I made for our last dining room, but it seems to fit here well.

ABOVE: Our room... and do you think I can find our white valance???? NOPE, nowhere ! It's the ONE thing we seem to have 'lost' in the move...

ABOVE: our room with it's little patio... not that we are ever likely to sit out on it! But it's pretty with some pots/plants out there.

SANDRA...awww nice to know I'm missed, even if I've only been gone TWO WEEKS!!! ha ha ha!

KAREN DEBORAH: me get a job??? Are you NUTS??? I like being a 'kept woman'.... well for now anyway! Maybe I will get a part time job eventually... but not just yet! I'm enjoying me freedom.

WOOOO HOOOO... I listed my freezer at a reserve of $100 and it sold for... $563 ! How awesome is that? Now I just have 7 other things to go over the next few days....

End of Day: had a busy evening sewing names on kids uniforms... another good job done.

NSV: I am making plans. nite nite.

GOING TO HAVE A 'NORMAL' DAY

So, today I am aiming for NORMAL.... most of the big jobs are done around our new house, everything is in it's place, there's only a couple of boxes of books to unpack now....

I want to have a restful day! Hmmmm, wonder if that is possible?

I need to go into Manurewa to pick up the big carpet square that I wanted edged and re-register my van... that's about 'it' for today.

I am loving this new house... I still keep smiling as I walk around it... and especially when I'm vacuming! It's so much easier to do.... and takes half the time. BLISS. And let's not forget its in a lovely part of Auckland, I have park views! I can hear a donkey bray during the day and a morepork hoot in the park at night (moreporks are an owl).. their hoot sounds just like someone saying "morepork"! It's so neat.

Right I'm off to start me day....

For once I am doing exactly what I said I would! I'm relaxing, doing just a wee bit of housework... and entertaining visitors! My Aunty and her wee grandson came for morning tea...

She had a fruit drink, he had a bottle... and went to sleep! How gorgeous is he?

Once they left I popped out and did a couple of errands, and now I'm just chillin out at home. It is so quiet here, and the day couldn't be more lovely... sunshine with a light breeze. GORGEOUS.

Dinner has been cooking in the Crock Pot all day... roast beef... and I have learnt a lesson from last night... don't give Griffin brussell sprouts... they make him THOW UP! Maybe I will eat them all myself tonight! lol.

VET TODAY, GOT AN APPOINTMENT EVEN.

Teddy's leg was looking a bit better yesterday morning, but by last night it was dreadful, AND he was annoying his other leg too... I think he might be allergic to something he's either eating, or his shampoo... or SOMETHING! Hopefully the Vet can get to the bottom of it!

I had to bandage his leg up last night to stop him gnawing it! Idiot dog.

TODAY:

- kids to school

- Teddy to Vet's

- Home to do some actual HOUSEWORK, not unpacking or fluffing around.... Housework needs doing!

So that's me for now.....

ABOVE AND BELOW: pictures I hung yesterday in the Stair way leading up from the Front Door....

We bought a Stud Finder but damned if I could get it to work properly... when it said I had found a stud it was wrong! (OK OK, Stew IS A STUD, but not the sort I was looking for yesterday) ... LOL. I ended up just banging the hooks in where I wanted them, too bad if they went into a stud or not!

1.45pm... I still havn't done any housework! Took ages at the Vet's this morning.... and... Teddy has an allergy to SOMETHING... so the vet gave us anti-histamines, antibiotics etc....

AND THIS GORGEOUS COLLAR! Teddy is not that impressed! BUT....

He's still beautiful, and it's not like it's PINK!

This afternoon I finally sat down at about 2pm... and promptly fell asleep! Woke up with about 3 minutes to go till the kids got out of school, so I jumped in the van and drove to school! Phew, just in time!!!

Must be tired eh? So I had a long sit down from 3-5 then put dinner on, vacumed the house and washed the floors. Don't feel so guilty now.

End of Day: All good, another busy productive day.

NSV: having chicken for dinner.... LOVE CHICKEN! Poor family are getting sick of chicken and veges! Especially Griffin, he cried when I told him what we were having for dinner... he HATES vegetables! nite nite.

YAAA... MONDAY... AND PLANS...

RIGHT... I am making PLANS....

It is my 50th BIRTHDAY in 5 weeks... I am planning a Birthday/Housewarming PARTY for Sunday, 19th October at my house.

This will be a lunch - afternoon party.... BBQ type thingee.... all my friends and family are invited.... and it's 'Bring your own grog'....!

Any bloggers in the area who read me blog are welcome too.... as for the rest of you BLOGGERS who read me blog.... I WANT A CARD FROM EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU!!! A "50th" Birthday Card OK ?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

I do not expect a gift, JUST A CARD .... THANK YOU!

Anyone who wishes to come can email me on : stewandchris@hotmail.com for our address. As for where to send my CARDS.... I'm still working on an anonymous address (not my own) .... but you will have PLENTY OF TIME to get it to me!

And in case you forget to mail me a card... I am going to REMIND you every other day! I want LOTS AND LOTS of cards.

Ok, now that's outta the way....

TODAY:
- Take me Mum to the airport at 4.30am in the morning!
- Kids to School.
- Have a nap!
- Take Teddy to the Vets, he's got an irritated leg from a knot he had and the skin is weeping (IKKKK)... poor wee dog. I feel so guilty for letting him get a knot that caused his skin to get sore.

I have a long list of other jobs to be done... but can work on them over the week to come. ONWARD....


ABOVE: the 'view' from the window above our bed....

ABOVE: That same window now, after I put net curtains up this morning! WHY do you ask? Weeeeell... the other morning I walked outta me ensuite and waltzed over to me drawers for fresh (and let's not forget...pretty) knickers... and bugger me if the neighbours in the house above weren't on their deck having a smoke and could see right into me bedroom... and there I was butt naked looking right back at them!

LIKE THAT'S EVER GUNNA HAPPEN AGAIN.... NOT!

This afternoon I have been doing 'fine' details around the house, like hanging pictures, re-arranging things in the garage a bit, getting rid of all the boxed... bla bla bla.

Thanks to a girlfriend in Palmy, I have an address for cards:

Chris H

Diet Coke Rocks

C/- P O Box 4012

Palmerston North, 4412

North Island

NEW ZEALAND.

Now make sure you send me one!!!! I want to be sitting up in me bed on my birthday party morning opening LOTS AND LOTS of cards from all over the world! How cool will that be?

End of Day: well I didn't get Teddy to the Vet, I didn't have me nap and I'm now tired and crabby.

NSV: well I did get lots of exercise AGAIN.. I'm getting used to those stairs... I can RUN up them now! whooop! nite nite.

NOT NOT NOT DOING ANY MORE UNPACKING!

TODAY:

Sleep in! Then we are going over to the North Shore to check out the swing set we bought... we will probably bring it home next weekend once we have sussed out how to get it back to our house.... it has one really long pole that is not going to fit in our van! May have to hire a long trailer...

After that we are going to explore the Albany Mall.... never been there before.... FUN! Another shopping centre... oooo this place has lots!

After yesterday's efforts we are probably not going to do much around the house today... we are simply too tired and sore! I haven't felt this exhausted in ... well.... years! Everything aches! Even the soles of me feet ache. I'm DONE in.

The only good thing is my weight has stayed stable through this whole move... and that is amazing considering how awful I've been eating.... time to pull finger now and get back on track....

When we get back from our outing this morning I will post a couple of photos of the garage transformation! I am thrilled with it.... everything fits in so well. later....

We have had a wonderful day so far! Went over the harbour Bridge to the North Shore to suss out the swing set... are going to pick it up next weekend.

ABOVE: two photos of the Auckland City Sky scene, with the Sky Tower standing impressive to the right. These were taken as we travelled over the bridge.

ABOVE: Stew's sister's Art Gallery/Shop at Kumeu, which is near the west coast of Auckland.... She was getting ready for an Artist's Show Opening this afternoon.

POOR Teddy had knots... so I kinda gave him a 'haircut'... ooops I see I missed a bit! I don't think I did too bad a job actually, and saved myself a few bucks too!

Me Mum is due back this afternoon, and I will be taking her to the Airport tomorrow morning at some un-godly hour of the morning to catch her flight back to Australia. later...

End of Day: another awesome day... I'm getting used to them! Mum is here and she's exhausted from travelling around all week.... she will be glad to get home.

NSV: I made a delicious bacon and egg quiche for dinner with coleslaw on the side... so healthy I did wonder if I was in the right house! lol. nite nite.

THE BIG PUSH....

Today Stew and I are going to go at it full tilt and get the garage sorted out!

I want room for the van, room for the treadmill and exercycle AND room for my sewing machine etc to be set up!

I don't want much eh?

I believe Kelly and Gordon are visiting again too with the kids... goody... I can give them a job or two! Dunno if that's what they are expecting, but if they keep popping in they better get used to it!

OH! Last night I bid on a swing set on Trademe, and WON! I am wrapt ... it went for a lot less than I expected.... here it is:

Hopefully we can pick it up in a day or two and assemble it next weekend.... it has to be concreted into the ground. Another job to add to the list.

I am sure all the grandkids will enjoy playing on it.

WE are totally busy working in the garage.... back later...

End of Day: well we did it! We got ALL the boxes unpacked and most things away where they now belong in the garage, under the stairs, in The Dungeon and up in the Attic... WHAT A JOB! We are both knackered. And there is NO WAY I'm cooking! Stew has gone out for Pizza... and I don't give a shit how many calories are in it... I have worked me butt off all afternoon.

Stew will watch the rugby tonight.. I might join him, or I might have a sauna... either way I'm relaxing!

NSV: lots and lots of exercise today! nite nite.

FRIDAY, GOTTA LOVE FRIDAYS

Well, I do and I don't.... it's good that Stew will be home over the weekend to give me a hand! It's not so good that the kids will be under our feet all day... I know you are supposed to LOVE having your kids around... but I'm so over them sometimes! Griffin can be a right pain in the arse... he has PERFECTED the art of nagging .... and we often give in just to shut him up!

NOT good... I know! But it's give in or KILL THE LITTLE BUGGER! I swear he's the most frustrating kid ever. Why - oh - why did the last kid have to be THE WORST???? Brylee is a dream of a kid, never gives us any bother... plays quietly for ages, does not nag, you know, just GOOD.

OOOPS, I was having a rant wasn't I? LOL.... gotta happen sometimes eh?
TODAY:
- kids to school (YES)
- Continue on with the garage
- Ring the Moving Company and get them to come and take away the empty boxes

ONWARD....


WOOOO HOOOO !!!! Look what I did this morning, I got me van in the garage! It FITS with room to spare. So happy about that.

ME: "Come on Teddy, come down the stairs"
TEDDY: "Eeerrrr NO FREAKIN way am I coming down the stairs, I'm a scardy cat !"

So after I have done in the garage and wanted a break, I come up to find him settled on a couch! Blimmin dog! "Are ya QUITE comfortable then?"

I just went SHOPPING... but STOP don't go getting excited, I only bought more groceries! I went to Manukau Pak N Save... what a shop! So much more selection than the one in Palmerston North! I love this one!

I then had to unload it all and lug it up our stairs....OK OK there's ONLY 11 stairs... but try going up and down them a dozen times! And tomorrow I am going to start TRACKING the number of times I go up and down in a day! Should be interesting. EXERCISE PEOPLE, it's all exercise.

I am so lucky! I was knackered after doing the groceries and didn't feel like walking down to school, and back up the friggin hill... and WOOOO HOOOO it rained so I had to go in the van eh? *snigger*

End of Day: a bit quieter today, pacing myself a bit better.

NSV: I dunno how many times I went up and down our stairs today, but it was a friggin LOT! This is good (I suppose!) nite nite.

ALL I WANT, ALL I REALLY, REALLY WANT.. IS

ROOM TO MOVE IN ME BLOODY GARAGE!

So where the hell do I start???? I wouldn't mind finding the lopers .. I want to trim a tree down the side of the house... I KNOW they are in here somewhere.

TODAY:

- woo hoo... kids to school as per usual

- Fill up containers of WATER, cos we will be having NO WATER from 9am till 6pm today due to maintenance of street water pipes.

- Continue sorting stuff in the garage... and fart arsing around in me house. It's so much fun.

That's it for now... back later (you just KNOW I will be)...

Fairly quiet morning... did some housework, took carpet square into Manurewa to be edged.. checked out the bigger shops in the Supa Centre.. they are HUGE.. I got lost in Harvey Norman's! And... I bought NOTHING!!! Dunno what happened there!

onward....

So, I've done diddly squat today! I decided to give it a break today.. I'm so tired and sore. So... I'm boring today... no photos to show.... sad.

Am now off to find something for dinner.... better not be lazy I suppose.

I decided to pull finger and do some work...

ABOVE: LOOK!!!! A gap, some floor showing even!

The gorgeous view of the side of the house.. full of boxes waiting to be taken away...

And ABOVE... up there in the roof of the garage is a pull-down ladder which enables you to go up and put stuff in the attic space! TOTALLY COOL.
And ABOVE: this is the storage room UNDER the house.... it is totally dry and where we will keep surplus furniture and all the garden equipment.... The previous owners called it "The Wine Cellar", I'm calling it "The Dungeon"....

NOW I really better get on with dinner.... derrrrr.

End of Day: WHOOPS! I nearly forgot to do this bit.... so today has been rather slow... I even had a nana nap midday! Still very tired.

NSV: none today, I was a pig. FULL STOP, END OF STORY. nite nite.

DON'T FORGET... IT'S RUBBISH DAY!

It's Wednesday, our new RUBBISH DAY... must not forget! In Palmy it was on a Thursday... don't suppose it will take long to remember.

And the best thing? STEW gets to take it out now! Thank God. wooo hoo, no more lugging rubbish bags down to the driveway for me.

And now, as promised yesterday (awwww come on, ya KNOW you are dying to see them!)... me linen cupboards all nice and tidy:

ABOVE: the double door cupboard, with enough room for the pram, highchair and porta-cot too! AWESOME.


ABOVE: the single door cupboard... with the central vac hose in the bottom too, and heaps of room for more linen if I feel the URGE to buy more! ( not likely to happen eh?) ha ha ha!

OH, and talking of Central Vac, here's Brylee doing some vacuming yesterday afternoon... you are never too young to learn eh? And she loved doing it (wont' last).... I now have two vacum cleaners to sell... don't need them!

Todays's plans...
- kids to school
- take a load of stuff to the Hospice Shop
- continue working on the garage

That's all..... for now.

SHOOT ME... I decided to take a break from unpacking... and went to Manukau City Mall... and bought a wee water feature for the lounge with Stew's Father's Day Gift Voucher (thanks Amanda and Andrew!)... and a couple of cute blue candles too.

How cute is that ? The little lights change colour every couple of seconds. And the candles smell lovely!

I have been having trouble with me camera lately too, so I just spent a good hour reading the instruction book... think I've got it all sorted now.. I can even take photos in black and white, I didn't know that! DERRRRRR.

There are some evil looking storm clouds gathering outside right now... looks like thunder and lightening might happen too... NEAT! LOVE LOVE LOVE storms.

Shame I have to pick up the kids soon... might get wet.

Pfffffft... the 'storm' lasted about 30 mintues... thunder/lightening/heavy rain... and now it's gloriously fine again. Suppose this is good, won't get wet walking to school and back will I?

End of Day: well any plans I had for tonight got shelved, me body is just aching all over... think I've overdone it BIG TIME! I can hardly lift me arms at all. They HURT!

NSV: well I didn't cook dinner, we got FISH AND CHIPS.. was bloody nice too. nite nite.

MORE PHOTOS OF ME HOUSE ....

BELOW: The dining 'room'... one end of the lounge really.

BELOW: The Lounge:

The following three photos are of the Kitchen / Family Room:

OK, that's enough of me house... what 's on today?

- Kids to school, yep just like 'normal' isn't it??? LOL

- Try to get into the garage today to do some sorting... I really don't know where to start !

- I have a man coming to fix one of the Dish Drawers (dishwasher)... the account goes to the previous owners of the house.... as arranged.

That's about all.... it really is so much fun having lots to do! I am busy and happy.... and still plowing through all the blog entries I have missed! Starting to see an end to catching up....

UMMMMM.... I did buy something else yesterday! A gift for Stew for Father's Day! Well.... OK.... I fell in love with it so bought it....Stew likes it though! I will put a photo up in a mo.....

There he is... a Blue Glass Gecko! He's by the front door... and he's beautiful.

So far this morning I've managed to find all the linen and blankets and sort out the two linen cupboards... I'm darn wrapt with how much room I've got! Photos tomorrow! (bet ya can't wait!) lol

I also had a visit from my Aunty up the road, who came to see the glass doors with the frosted decals on them.... I did this to stop us just walking into them when they are closed! You simply couldn't tell if they were open or not otherwise! SEE?....

I think they make the door look nicer somehow.
Right ... more stuff to do....

This afternoon has been busy:

- unpacked almost all of the pictures... have to find walls for some of them now (can't fit them all up!)

- Electrician arrived and fixed the dishwasher - and showed me how to use it properly... nice man.

- Visited by our immediate neighbour with TWO BOTTLES OF WINE! As an apology for their burglar alarm going off constantly all day while we were moving in (they were on holiday). How nice. Funnily enough her husband is a 'Stew' too... AND he loves bloody rugby! No doubt they will become firm friends.

- Griffin lost another tooth, he lost one on Saturday too, so he's looking rather 'gappy':

And YES, he has a grubby face too.... I so couldn't be bothered washing it. Derrrrrrr.

End of Day: wooooo hoooo I got done all I wanted to today! The linen all put away and all the pictures unwrapped ... THAT was a mission! The packers sure wrapped the pictures up well.. it took me all darn afternoon to get them open. Tomorrow's task will be to think about where to put them!

NSV: I am feeling great! Getting lots of exercise, not overeating and being quite good! nite nite.

FIRST DAY HERE ON ME OWN....

Today will the my first day in my new home ON MY OWN... Stew will be at work and the kids will be at school. Me Mum has left for Tauranga .... so after I have taken the kids to school I will come home and do the housework and then move into the garage to make a start on sorting it all out!

Below are some family photos from yesterday:

Rena meeting Great-Grandma for the first time...

Left to right: Huston (6), Amanda, her fiance Andrew and Joel (4 in a fortnight).

Four of our six grandchildren playing on the playstation... of course Brylee and Griffin call us Mum and Dad, so get a bit confused when the others come and call us Grandma and Granddad.... in the end Griffin was calling me Mum AND Grandma for fun! They do know we are both to them.

Gordon and Kelly..... Rena's Mum And Dad.

Andrew and Amanda.... due to marry on January 9th, 2009.


Great-Grandma and Rena at the table, this was the first time Rena had been in a highchair! So bloody cute.

The MOST DARLING photo of the day... Rena asleep in Granddad's arms.....

Righty-ho.... off to make a start on the day....

- kids to school

- housework

- garage to unpack a few more boxes.

later....

RICK: ha ha ha! Thanks for the laugh mate, why I'd NEVER sue you! You are too nice! And talanted. lol

I have not gotten anything done yet, had a delightful visit from a fellow AUCKLAND BLOGGER (Lynda) and her wee grandson F. It was really neat to feel like I live here, to get visitors even! Thanks Lynda for such a lovely visit... and for NOT bringing evil cookies!

After my visitor left I went SHOPPING at the Manukau Supa Centre... Bunnings in fact... and got a new front door mat, a door stopper for the front door, decals for the glass doors, some wood for the linen cupboard shelves .. and some white pebbles for a pot. THAT'S ALL FOLKS!

End of Day: I've spent most of the afternoon marking out the glass doors for the frosted decals.... I've finished now! Stew is due home shortly and I must get dinner.... left over Spag Bog mince with spuds me thinks.

NSV: Been a good girl, getting lots of exercise... friggin tired in fact. nite nite.

FAMILY VISITING TODAY

Teddy and Mum in the lounge last night.... and

To answer all the questions about how Teddy has settled in... he's loving the new place... he has accepted his new kennel and bed no problems at all... he is just lovely! HE has been very excited and bouncy... licking us constantly... I do believe he missed us.

ABOVE: three views of the 'afternoon patio' with all my pots and bits and pieces in the gardens....

ABOVE: Teddy with Mum on the 'morning patio'... this area is where Teddy has his kennel and run around area. It works really well.

Today we are expecting our daughter Amanda, her fiance' Andrew and her two little boys Huston and Joel and our daughter Kelly, her partner Gordon and their two.. Leigh and baby Rena to visit. I can't wait to see them all..... in our new home.

It's so neat we are now close enough for them to come and visit for the day, we are just over an hour away from them now.

Right, better get started on the day! later....

Well the kids arrived for the day... .and OOOOPS, I forgot it was Father's Day! I will just have to give the man something TONIGHT eh? *snigger*

We have had a lovely day, yakking, eating and just hanging out together. I will post photos of the day tomorrow...

Anonymous: we RE-HOMED our Golden Retriever Izzy to my friend's farm because our new home only has a small section... not enough room for a large dog ... and my health has been rather bad over the past year or so and I have not been able to exercise her. Teddy is a small dog who does not require a large area to run around in... and does not need to be taken for long walks. We did not "get rid" of our dog Izzy.... we found her a new loving home.

After our family had left we all popped into Remuera to see Stew's Dad for Father's Day... he's almost 92... what a great age !

Stew and his Dad.

End of Day: a fantastic family day... we had a really nice day.

NSV: OH DEAR... none to think of in relation to diets! But I'm happy, and that's the main thing. nite nite.