CAMERA ON LOAN

Steve and Bex lent me their camera yesterday.  I was excited to actually have a camera to use until mine is repaired.

ABOVE:  OMG it's SO SMALL!  Seriously, it's like holding a toy camera!
I did use it yesterday, and it's marginally better than my phone camera, I think?

Either way, it sure beats having to email every photo from my phone to my computer, then download the photos to my files!  So many steps I don't have to do now.

I got a call from Snapshot a couple of days ago and they said Canon are waiting on a part from Japan, so I wouldn't have my camera back by Christmas.  Grrrrrr.  I really don't think I will be getting it back before January or February now.
That sucks.

Today?  Stew is going to mow the lawns, they are growing like weeds.  I might prune some shrubs and just muck around outside, and get some washing out.

Keera can play under the sprinkler later on... she loves that.  Maybe we can entice the puppies to get under it too?

***Someone did a horrible, mean and cruel thing to a member of my family very recently.  I have held that person in my arms and listened to their pain and grief.  

It reminds me a a time many, many years ago when something similar happened to someone else near to me.

I swore I would get revenge on that person.  But I never got the chance.  But ... I firmly believe that 'What goes around comes around'.... and it did.

That person has paid for her sins twice over, and I am ashamed to say it has made me SO HAPPY.

So... now I am going to sit back and WAIT... because I KNOW that the universe will get the bitch who has hurt one of mine.  EVENTUALLY.

 ABOVE:  I hope my loved one takes this advice, because wanting revenge, plotting revenge ... will just eat away at your soul.  I know this for a fact.

Give it time... KARMA will get her mate.

Now... better get off here and do something productive.

ONWARD...

Well I've been busy.  I went into town and did the grocery shopping, and picked up a paddle pool for the pups.

They didn't take long at all to get in and enjoy it!

ABOVE:  So happy they like it... it will help keep them cool over summer.

Ha!  Again, I forgot to put a space after the little video so I could add on AFTER it.  Derrr.

So, it's now 8.41 pm and it's stinking hot.  Stew got all the lawns done this afternoon.  Poor bugger, he probably sweated buckets full out there!

I meantime, did some sewing.  I will show you a progress shot tomorrow.

I'm done now... too tired to do any more.  Even though my sewing room is on the cooler side of the house, it's still stinkin' hot in there!

Winding down, feet up for the first time in hours.  Luckily they are not too swollen today.

HAPPY 5TH BIRTHDAY DANTE

Today we head up to Auckland to spend the day with Steve, Bex and the boys.... as it is Dante's 5th Birthday.

There isn't a big party planned, they have far too much on right now with their move happening in under a week!

So, just a little gathering of a couple of his friends from Kindy and us.

While we are up there we plan on doing a drive by of their new home, and have a look around the area.  I want to show Keera her new school too.

She is super excited!  So many changes for all of them... new home, new car, new school, new SISTER/DAUGHTER!  

So as you can imagine, it's going to be a BIG day for everyone. 

We are leaving asap, so I better get a move on.  Luckily, we have a friend here in town coming over to check on the puppies for us a couple of times today, so I don't have to worry about them.  Yaaaa.

We should be back by dinnertime... so catch you then!

ONWARD...

ABOVE:  I made a couple of Mug Rugs (Coasters) last night.  I had forgotten how much fun they are to make.

4.50 pm:  And finally home after a long, hot, enjoyable day.

Some photos:

ABOVE:  Hugs with the Birthday Boy.

 ABOVE: Lunch time!
Silence... for just a little while.

ABOVE:  Happy snaps during the day.

 ABOVE:  Gorgeous wee Sophie, hasn't been all that keen on Steve before today... but TODAY?  Decided he was rather lovely! So bloody cute.

ABOVE: Sophie's Mummy, Nicky.  LOL... sorry Chick... you really did set yourself up for that picture!   At least you tried... I was no way in hell gunna do it.  *smiles*

After the party, we went over to check out the new house/school and beach.  Which was nice... lovely area to be living in.

Then we went back to Steve and Bex's for a little while before coming home.

Puppies and Coco were just fine, such a relief to find Coco STILL at home!  I was worried she would do everything she could to escape, but NOPE, we have finally foiled her best attempts obviously.

10.41 pm:  After dinner we had a visit from Russell and Ange, which was lovely.  We might see them on Christmas Day all going well.

Time to sign off for the day.

CHRISTMAS CAME EARLY FOR THE PUPS

Denim and Marley needed more inside toys to play with... so yesterday afternoon I went to the Warehouse and got them a bunch of toys.

ABOVE:  Rather typically, even though there are heaps for them to play with, they fought over the one toy!  Silly girls.

I get to sleep in today!
Brylee is on Keera duty.  We are going to take turns getting up to her until she leaves for Auckland.  So... I'm still in bed!
How cool is that?

I might even get Brylee to get me 'breakfast' in bed... won't be hard.  It's only Diet Coke!  lol

Our son Steve went shopping yesterday afternoon too.

For something they really, really needed too.

Stew and I have been quite worried that when they visit us, they'd have to come down in 2 vehicles, as the car Bex drives only holds 4 people.  With Keera added into their family, they wouldn't have room to all fit in one car.

So, he has been on the look out for a bigger car, one that will accommodate their growing family.  And he found this:

ABOVE:  It's a Nissan Presage, and it has 8 seats!  So, plenty of room.  So, not only have they had to move house (that happens next Friday), but they have also had to buy a bigger car... all so they can have Keera.

I can't thank them enough.  Her moving in with them is the perfect fit for her, us and Lacy.  There were other options... but none that would work well for EVERYONE involved.

Right... time to go for now.
No plans for the day, though I would like to get some sewing done... even if it's on the little machine.  

ONWARD...


Moving on. I slept in till about 9 am. It was lovely.

Now... the girls and I are going into Hamilton. Keera needs new togs (swimmers) and we shall have lunch at the mall as a treat.

Today was all about KEERA:

 ABOVE:  We had lunch at a coffee shop... which included sandwiches, cake and hot chocolate.  And marshmallows... let's not forget them!

 ABOVE:  Then it was off to buy some new togs... she chose these.  I love them, Keera loves them, Brylee thinks they are too bright.  I think we won't lose her at the beach!

ABOVE: Then it was time for a haircut.  Nice and short for summer.  And easy care for Bex, who's not used to little girl's hair!

Talking of Bex, she's taken possession of her new car.  Hopefully she gets used to driving it quickly.  It' much bigger than what she's used to.

4.20 pm:  Just spent over an hour at the doctors, mostly WAITING.... Brylee has been feeling unwell the past few days.  Turns out it's most likely a viral tummy bug, so fingers crossed she feels better in a few days.
Drinking ice cream smoothies is such hard medicine to take I'm sure!  

Dinner tonight will be left overs outta the fridge, I'm in no mood to cook.  Hear that Mr Harvey?  *smiles*

LOL... Mr Harvey came home with the makings of a silly bugger dinner... AND he cooked it too!
Saveloys and spagetti on toast, sprinkled with cheese.  Rather nice.

Winding down for the day... the heat of the day is cooling off thank goodness.  
Brylee is feeling a bit better, the anti-nausea medication is working.

SUPER DOOPER EXCITED ABOUT TODAY

Why?

Cos it's Keera's last day at her Cambridge school.
In fact, it's only a half day today.  They finish at 12 noon.

So, last time I have to get up, make her lunch, get her ready and out the door to school.  And last day I have to interrupt my afternoon to go and pick her up.

Considering I've had to do that for 34 years with all 8+1 kids, I think I'm entitled to feel damn relieved it's OVER.

Next year I will only be going to school to take or pick up Brylee and Griffin if it's pouring down with rain!  And even then I might think twice about it!  lol

So... once Keera is home from school, we have ONE WEEK until she moves to Auckland to be with Steve, Bex and the boys!
One week to spend some quality time with her before we revert back to 'just' being her Grandparents.

I don't really have any plans for today, other than remembering to pick the kid up at midday!  I'm sure Brylee will remind me.

There's quite a bit of housework to do, maybe I will do that?
Oh and I need to wrap Dante's 5th Birthday present.  He's 5 on Saturday!  OMG ... let's all say it:

"Where the hell did those 5 years go?"

It simply doesn't seem that long ago he was coming home from the hospital as a newborn!

OK... time to go... gotta make that lunch! Get her to school on time...

ONWARD...

10.00 am:  and it's already been a good morning!
I dropped Keera off at school and had a chat with her teacher.  They have just finished doing an assessment of Keera's learning, and will email me the report so I can give it to her new school.  Excellent.

Back to my car, and one of the patchwork ladies comes out of her house and yaks to me on the street... so I asked her where in town I could take my sewing machine to be fixed?  JUST AROUND THE CORNER!  Excellent.

I came home, picked up the machine and dropped it off.  No hurry on the repair, I totally understand it is coming up to Christmas.

Home, and yakking with Bex, she's at the new school in Auckland for Dante's last visit before he and Keera start next year.

It's going well:

ABOVE:  OMG I remember playing with those peg boards as a little kid too!

This little family are just SO LUCKY ... they have this just 2 minutes down the road from them:

ABOVE:  A beach and playground!  I am so envious.  

Right, I shall bugger off and get something happening ... probably washing!

12.33 pm:  It's done.  FINALLY done with Cambridge Primary School.  I couldn't be happier.  

I just did a quick tally of all the preschools and schools we have attended with our various kids and bonus kids:

TEN Preschools, Playcentres and Kindergartens.
TEN Primary Schools.
THREE Intermediate Schools.... and finally
FIVE Colleges.

That's a lot of schools and uniforms!  Not to mention School Fees!  


ABOVE:  Cos I could, you get this little video.  

Well, the day has gone well.  I've kept my feet up this afternoon, so I still have ankles.. JUST.  The heat certainly makes my legs suffer!
I've also had a nagging headache for the past few days... no doubt the heat again.

Dinner tonight was a lovely beef and bacon hock stew.  Not much cooking involved thank goodness.

Winding down now...looking forward to a cooler evening.

IKKKKK

Yes, late start to the day today.
I've woken up feeling like utter crap.
Sore throat. Headache.  Aching all over.

So, getting a cold no doubt.  

Just as well I have nothing on today then!

I got a message/photo from Steve first thing this morning :

ABOVE:  A proud parent moment for Stew and I.  And now we have a qualified builder in the family.

Right, I better get a move on... Keera needs to get to school.  When I get home again I think I will be going back to bed!  I really don't feel well at all.

ONWARD...

Didn't go to bed.  Got out the jigsaw and cut the wood for the fireplace 'extra' bit.
Now waiting for the undercoat to dry so I can paint it and get it up.
Oh and I painted the black part too.. straight onto the wall.  I saw no point in actually using wood and then having to attach it to the wall.

So much for waiting to do it at a later date!

 ABOVE:  I got Griffin out of bed BEFORE 11 am to do a small job for me.  He didn't even complain!

ABOVE:  That's it !!!  DONE, nothing else is changing.  No more ideas please, I'm 100% happy with how it is.  (the Fairy Lights look better than the rope lights, hence the change)

And NOW I'm going to put me feet up before they swell.

You would be so proud of me!  I actually DID lie down with my feet up for a good hour and a  half!  And I still have ankles today.  Yesterday I didn't, and my left foot was super swollen too.
My legs ache when they get really swollen, so I'm happy they are behaving today.

Or rather, I'm behaving.  *lol*

Stew got home early from work today, so he's gone down to the supermarket for a few supplies, and I do believe, he's doing dinner too.  Nice one.

I can just sit here and relax for once.  

And relax I did.  I watched a bit of TV, then I did a little sewing.  My big machine has packed it's first 'sad'... so I will have to get it looked at.
Annoying, but happy I do have a little 'spare' machine to use, even if it's horrendous compared to McDreamy. 
McDreamy being my Brother Dreamweaver machine... which is usually an amazing machine!

Off to bed soon... still feeling decidedly under the weather, but not as bad as this morning.

DID IT AGAIN!

I knew I shouldn't... but I did.

I climbed back onto the kitchen bench.  Yep.
There were these lights I found, and I wanted to hang them in the kitchen window, right?

Well that entailed climbing on the bench.

I was ever so careful, seriously careful.

And I still got hurt!

But I didn't fall off the bench this time... I stepped down onto the little wooden stool, which weighs quite a lot, and knocked it over onto me big toe!

Did do some colourful swearing, and ended up with a throbbing toe for me efforts.  *grrrr*

But, the lights look lovely:

ABOVE:  They had to go there ... cos they are blue and wouldn't have looked 'right' in the lounge.  So pretty.

After Keera is at a school, Brylee and I are off to Aqua Fit.  I hope to do half a dozen laps of swimming/walking afterwards too.
Missing the regular walking with the FBG's.  Shame it's wound down to just the odd social walk now.

I will try to get a few late night walks in myself somehow.

Keera slept well last night, no waking up all upset.  Thank goodness.

ABOVE:  A gorgeous dessert from last night, simple but effective.  I love the dish it's in!

*** Just. So. You. Know.   ... I do have more plans for our 'fireplace', but they are still in my head.  And not likely to be done right now as there is no hurry,  I have what I want FOR NOW.  I really don't need any more ideas, I have more than enough of my own! lol ***

I've no other plans for today once we get home from the pool.  YET.

ONWARD...

10.28 am: And home again.
The pool was MUCH COOLER today! 
Overnight some hooligans broke into the pool complex and threw all the BBQ tables into the pool, and put the hoses into the pool and turned them on.
So the pool was certainly much colder.  When the sun went behind a cloud it was really cold!

But, a good workout was had by all and I'm looking forward to Thursday to do it all again.

I've done a mental check of Christmas presents, and need to get just a few more,  so Brylee and I are going out shortly to do that.

Once home from that I think I will be doing a bit of housework and mucking around in the house.  No big projects ahead now for a while.

2.00 pm:  My god the days are going by so fast!  One minute it's like 9 in the morning, and then... friggin 2 pm!
Been to town.  Got shit...  stuff I needed.
Home.
Got some paper painted last night... like at 1 am (yikes)... with a look in mind.

Did a bit of work with white paint just now... and this is a mock up of how the fireplace MIGHT look down the track...

ABOVE:  I need to work on the proportions... it looks a bit too 'set back' ... but that's an easy fit.  This is just PAPER ... if Stew likes it and I work on the design some more, I will do it in wood eventually.

Hot. Crabby.  Feet swelling in the heat.  Ate too much dinner.  Now feel sick.
Signing off for the day, got to get me feet up.

NOT...QUITE...FINISHED

As much as I would have liked to get the new fire surround/mantle finished last night, it didn't happen.

You just can't wish paint dry!  And it wasn't quite set enough for me to add the finishing touches.

But... I did get a photo or two to give you a sneak peek:

ABOVE:  Yep, I got creative again.  But don't worry!  It's NOT all over it!
Give me a few hours and I will be able to show you the finished result.  It will be worth it, I promise!

ABOVE:  Can't help it.... another sneak peek.  

Today marks the start of Keera's last week at her Cambridge school.
Three and a half days to go!
Then she has a week's holiday here with us, then she moves to Auckland!

I think it might be playing on her mind, even though we have done everything we can to prepare her for the move.

She's started playing up a LOT.  Being very naughty during the day and refusing to settle at night.  I don't know what else we could have done to prepare her for this change. *sigh*

I just hope she settles quickly with Steve and Bex and doesn't give them too many problems, or I will feel very guilty.

Maybe part of her behavior is just because school is finishing for the year too?  Could be.  I might just be reading too much into it.  She's tired a lot, particularly in the afternoons... perhaps she's feeling the heat too.   A combination of everything!  Yeah, let's go with that.  *smiles*

I've got a girly pot luck dinner to go to tonight, so that will be lovely.  I'm thoroughly enjoying living in Cambridge!  So different from Auckland in every way.

Right, I'm off to start the day and get a few things done before taking Keera to school.

ONWARD...

And, after 4 days it's DONE.

ABOVE:  I'm thrilled to bits with how my mantle piece has come out.
Once it was up I decided it really needed a hearth, so Stew built one for me yesterday and I titivated it last night with the paint job and little doo dackies.  It's been a lovely, fun project.

And now I have a real 'feature' in the lounge. 

Once the Christmas decorations are gone I will be putting coloured candles along the mantle and some small 'logs' and tea lights on the hearth. 

What do ya think of it???

ABOVE: Miss Muppet pleased as punch with herself, she got to choose where to put the elf.

So, Monday mornings are always spent tidying the house after the weekend.  Today is no different.

I'm in the sewing room, which always becomes the 'dumping ground' during the week/weekend.  And rummaging through the left over Christmas decorations... and I found a Christmas lights 'rope'.  I don't think I've used it in over 20 years!

But... I found a use for it today:

ABOVE:  Coco approves, I'm sure.  *smiles*

I cooked the family roast chicken and veges for their dinner, then I buggered off to my girly dinner.  We had a wonderful evening, lovely food and company.

I got an email while I was out, saying how much I was missed at the Patchwork Christmas Lunch today!  WHOOPS, I completely forgot about that!  AND I'd paid for my lunch too!  I feel a bit suckful about that!  

Oh well... I am sure my share got eaten or taken home by someone.  

It's been a cooler day today, so much easier on me.  Winding down now... it's been a lovely day.

CHRISTMAS WORK DO

So a little run down of our Scavenger Hunt yesterday.
Clever little Mary from Stew's work came up with the idea ... we split into two groups and were given a box of photos.

We had to go to each place, once we had figured out where they were, and take either a photo or a little video to prove we found the place.  We had exactly 2 hours to get all our photos and videos and get back to the start again.

Some were easy, and a few were much harder.

 ABOVE:  The clue to this one was a photo of the statue.  We had to find it and take a photo of all of us doing a dance.  I nabbed a lady walking by to take our photo.  This was one of the easy ones.

The next one was much harder, it took me ages doing a Google search on my phone!  The clue was a photo of the plaque:

ABOVE:  There are only two 'Hitching Posts' left if Hamilton, and we found it!  
We had to tie one of our group to the post... so Stew was 'it'!  lol

Another hard one, a photo of the lake, and we had to find a skateboard and take a video of one of us on it!

Do you think we could find someone on a skateboard that we could borrow?  Nope, so I rang Amanda and asked if she had a skateboard we could borrow?

She did...

ABOVE:  But it was a teeny tiny one!  So Stew sure wasn't going to get on it... so Shona did:



ABOVE:  very, very short video!  She didn't want to risk breaking a leg!

Lastly... cos ya don't want to see all of them... we got a photo of a cycle path.  It was another tricky one, but I managed to find the park.
Once there, we had to find a bike and get a photo of one of our group on the bike.

We walked around and waited for quite a while hoping someone would come by on a bike, but no such luck.  Then Shona came up with a brilliant idea!....

ABOVE:  She got a photo of a bike on her phone, and we took a photo of Stew 'straddling' it!  And it passed the test!  

It really was such fun.  I'd love to do something like that again some time.

Dinner was at a Turkish restaurant.  Not bad at all either...

ABOVE:  I had a prawn and avocado salad and Stew had a Chicken dish.  There was a bread and spread entree and Baklava and ice cream to finish.

And that's a wrap!

Today we will be finishing off our Faux fireplace, and a few odd jobs around the house and yard.  
I've still got heaps of sewing to get done before Christmas too.  I hope I get some time to do that in the next week!

But for today, I really want to get the fireplace done so I can show you.. it's already looking AMAZING!

3.05 pm:  And today hasn't quite gone to plan.  Not that often it does really!  So, we ended up going into Hamilton for some shopping and lunch.
I got a couple of things for Christmas presents, and so on.  Very overcast day, threatening to rain.  So it's very humid and oppressive.

Home now, and Stew is starting to make the 'something extra'.  I'm waiting patiently to do my bit.

Sorry but our big 'reveal' won't be tonight after all.  Waiting for paint to dry before finishing it off is taking longer than anticipated.
So I can't show you the finished project till tomorrow, can't be helped unfortunately.

But we are both very happy with our efforts!  Just wait till you see it... it's GORGEOUS!!!!!

And that's about all for today.  A quiet evening ahead, still no rain, but it's certainly cooler.