A GAZILLION PHOTOS... AND DENTIST

Scary bit first.  Today I go back to the dentist for the 2nd part of the second root canal.
I'm not really shitting myself... well not much!

The best thing about today though is that it's the last appointment.  All going well.

Next:  Those gazillion photos from yesterday... in no particular order, and only captions on a few:

 ABOVE:  Ren drew a sketch of Bex's Dad, when he was about 25 I think. Further down on this post is the picture, alongside Bex's brother Chris... the likeness is stunning!

 ABOVE:  Steve holding Ren's baby girl Evie.
Such a cutie.

 ABOVE:  The rabbit hand over.

 ABOVE:  Father...............................................and son!

 ABOVE:  The Cleary's  rabbits arriving.  

 ABOVE:  Don't ask... just accept those boys like each other!
lol

And that's another birthday done and dusted.  There's several more over the next month or two... no more party's though.

The next family gathering will be my birthday I expect?   Might be re-thinking having a party though... can't bear the thought of dramas that always seem to happen.  It just takes all the fun out of it... cos no matter what I do... it just keeps happening.  I ain't letting anyone stuff up another of my birthdays, particularly my next one!  

Now... I am going to try and get through the next few hours without freaking out!  Relax... relax... yeah right!

ONWARD...

Not being allowed to eat or drink since last night... got a thumping headache.  And the nerves are really kicking in again... I really thought I would feel OK about it by now?  Clearly not.

I've got a FBG girlfriend coming to take me to the dentist, and bring me home again after wards.  Stew is in Auckland all day, otherwise, of course, he would have taken me.

Right, one hour to go.... back. to. the. bathroom.

1.48 pm:  and it's over!   All done.  Don't have to go back for a year... and it's debatable if I do go again!  Though maybe I will?  I think it would be better to go regularly, so I don't end up having two root canals again. So costly!

The sedation needle wasn't QUITE as painful as the last time, when he missed the first time and had to go in for a 2nd attempt!  I think he gave me more of the medication too, cos I didn't shake my way through the entire procedure this time either.

Just so glad it's over.

I can relax now. Properly.

I have taken some painkillers for the headache, which is due to dehydration of course. And now I'm going to have a sleep, cos I feel really drowsy.

I really struggled to actually go to sleep... just cat napped at the end of the day.  Too many messages/texts/phone calls, one day I will learn to turn me phone OFF!

So, I'm feeling much better now... just made me poor, tired hubby his dinner.  He just got home from Auckland (7.35 pm).  Long day for him, he was up at 5.30 this morning. 

I'm going to sign off for the day now... it's going to be a nice, relaxing evening.

PARTY PARTY...

ABOVE:

THE PARTY GIRL

INTO THE DIRTY 30'S

ABOVE:  

Steve and Coco

I feel bad now, I didn't

do balloons for him on

his 30th!

Or a party.

WHOOPS.

ABOVE:  Bex and her three little ratbags.
Hopefully one day there will be FOUR!

Don't ask what Archer is doing with his fingers... I have no idea!

Today we are having a little party for Bex, we are expecting a few adults and about 10 little kids.  So... the house will be trashed by the end of the day!  lol
What fun.

ONWARD...

3.33:  The day has had it's ups and downs.  Let's put it this way.  I won't be having any more party's and inviting people who arrive with a shitty attitude.

From now on... small, select gatherings.  No dramas allowed, no diva's allowed, no nothing.

I know I didn't help today's fiasco at all... but having shit shoved in front of my face ... when clearly I had no interest at all... pissed me off.


I've taken a million photo of people today... and will eventually get around to editing and publishing a few.  But not right now.  I'm tired, and we still have visitors.

ABOVE:  Full house... and we loved it.

 ABOVE:  The best food of the day, BY FAR!
Anna, Bex and Steve's sister-in-law, made this 'cob loaf'... OMG it was delicious.  And certainly didn't last long!

 ABOVE:  I got to bring out my cheese knife ladies.  Hee hee.

Now, I will have more photos tomorrow... like gazillions of them!  But for now... that's it.  I'm signing off for the day.

ODDS N ENDS TODAY, AND PLANNING

Today is going to be sorta busy.

We are expecting Steve, Bex and the kids midday or early afternoon.
They are coming down for Bex's 30th Birthday Party, which is being held here tomorrow.

We are having a birthday lunch.

Today will be about planning what we need to do/make/get for it.

I finished the table runner that matches the dining chair cushions last night:

ABOVE:  I'm really happy with it.  I am tempted to make another one as a spare... or even one for the bench top?  Would that be too matchy-matchy?

Stew thinks I could make matching cushion covers for the chairs and couch in the family room... but I think that would be too much. While they are in the same 'room', they are separate areas.

Either way, I shall make something cos I have more of both those fabrics.

ABOVE: So nice to be getting beautiful, crystal clear photos again!  The new loaner camera is great, but what's best is having my (new) lens back.  It is so much better than the little 50 mm one I bought as a stop gap.

The 50 mm will be good for taking close ups and portraits, flower photos etc.

ABOVE:  Miss Muppet went for her yearly eye review.  She is entitled to a new pair of glasses every year... so Bex chose these new frames for her.  I love them!  So much nicer than the heavy dark blue ones she chose last year.

She only chose them to be like her Grandma... which was sweet, but these lighter ones suit her so much better.
She's got such a sweet little face, they look wonderful on her.
She will get them in a few weeks time.

There's quite a bit to do in the garden today too... everything is growing like crazy thanks to the tropical summer we've had.  So hot and wet... I'm so glad it's coming to an end!

Daylight saving ends in another two weeks.  Yaaaa!

Hmmmm.... I just thought of something!  I could make 8 matching placemats for the table?  Yep, I could, but probably not today.  *smiles*

And that's all I have for now... gotta go get some washing on.... get the kids to hang out their's... and so on.

ONWARD...

OH wow... I've forgotten to update all day!

so, Stew and I went into Hamilton and did a small grocery shop for tomorrow's birthday, then to Spotlight for a few birthday party things.

 ABOVE:  Stew choosing balloons... there were heaps and heaps to choose from!

 ABOVE:  Why have we never bought a balloon blow up thingee before?  So easy to get them all blown up with.

ABOVE:  Getting the room decorated.  Steve and Bex arrived and were like ... "Wow, you didn't need to do that!"
But... it's not every day you turn 30 is it?

ABOVE:  Gorgeous kids... so lovely to see them again.

Well... it's been a lovely, exciting evening.  We tried a new craft technique... more on that another day.
Watching Coronation Street... then heading off to bed.  Busy day tomorrow.

WALKING!

It's still dark outside!

I'm going walking... at 7 am.  It's a FBG Social walk, we still have not started the Urban Challenge yet.

I'm not a morning person, certainly not getting up at 6 am!
But.. I have to start somewhere, and it's nice and COOL in the early mornings.

I stayed up too late last night, sorting out emails and photos... documenting the saga of the camera and lens.
I may need it at some point if things go pear shaped.  
I just have this sinking feeling my camera is stuffed ... and the insurance company has already paid out in full on my claim.
Fingers crossed it all ends up OK.

This is short as I really need to get me sneakers on, and get outta here ... walkies await!

ONWARD...

Well... I did 2.5 kms this morning, so kinda half a walk!  There were about 7 of us, 6 'regulars' and one new lady.  I felt like utter crap getting up that early and going walking, but once we were actually walking (and yakking) I felt better.

I MIGHT even be tempted to do it again... maybe. lol

Now, I am going to get back to those chair cushions.  I reckon I might get them done today after all... as I did quite a bit on them last night after dinner.

3.21 pm:  And I just woke up from a nap!  I am NOT a morning person... that's the last time I'm getting up early for a walk!
I went to bed at 12.30 am, woke at 5 am with leg cramps and that was it.  Knackered by 2 pm!

Old and cranky.

But, I haven't been completely useless all day:

ABOVE:  I got all 8 chair cushions done!

And I'm working on a runner for the table top too.  That will be finished by the end of the day.

FUNNY OF THE DAY:

ABOVE: Griffin took a 'selfie' yesterday.  Coco looks like she's thinking "What the hell is he doing?"

Well... it's the end of the day.  Stew arrived home with the loaner camera from Canon, so I'm up and running again camera-wise.
We had pizza for dinner... cos I was feeling lazy.

I'm now watching Coronation Street, then going to bed early.  It's been a busy day.  Got lots of sewing done eventually.

HUGE HAPPY BIRTHDAY TODAY TO:

ABOVE:  We hope you have a fantastic day Bex, THE BIG 30! ...  see you on Saturday.

I started making new cushions for the dining chairs yesterday.  Well... I made one.

It always takes longer to make the first one as you are planning, sorting out fabric etc... so it took a couple of hours.

Today I expect to get 3-4 done at least.

ABOVE:
I think it's pretty basic, but it will do.  I'm not putting ties on them either, that's a whole added step I just didn't want to do!

I did quilt it, so it's not too plain.

ABOVE:
I do love the colours!  Kinda sad they are gunna be sat on... lol.  It will make sitting on the chairs nicer though, particularly when we have visitors.

We have a party on Sunday... I wonder if I can get them all done by then?  I do like a challenge.

(I wonder if my camera & lens will arrive back in Hamilton today????)

ABOVE:  Keera lost her other front tooth last night.  So, that's her done for the time being I think.

ABOVE:  Cute boys in the rabbit's bed.  They get their rabbits on Sunday.  I presume that bed will go in the rabbit hutch?

ABOVE:  This is the rabbit hutch, not finished yet... it's huge!

ONWARD...

12.55 pm:   I got a phone call from Snapshot in Hamilton first thing this morning.  MY CAMERA WAS BACK... so excited, I went straight in.

Picked it up, got assured CANON and they (Snapshot) had tested it, and it was going just fine.  THRILLED TO BITS.

Took it outside and took a few snaps... NO PROBLEMS AT ALL, and looking at the photos showed no bright blur over the photos either.  SORTED.

So ... I'm a happy girl.  I go off to Spotlight and get some cushion inners, then to The Base for some lunch.

Then I came home.  Got out the camera.  It's a bit dark inside, so the FLASH flips up... and there's this funny buzzing noise in my ear, hmmm, that's new!

Then OH MY FUCKING GOD... the camera won't take a photo.  Not with the flash on/up.  NOT AT ALL.  It just buzzes in my ear and says ERROR, ERROR!

So... I am about to scream holy blue murder at someone.  Heading BACK to Snapshot right NOW. 

Heads are gunna roll.  

3.49 pm: Home again.

FUMING.  When my camera was sent to Canon for repair for THE SECOND TIME in early January... I clearly stated what it was doing, what the faults were.

They didn't fix one of the faults OBVIOUSLY.  Cos it was doing the exact same thing today.  So now... my camera is being sent back to Canon for the THIRD TIME!

Canon have said they will send down a replacement camera for me to use until mine is ACTUALLY FIXED.

OMG it's like a never ending saga/nightmare.

ABOVE:  So now I have a gorgeous NEW lens.  And no camera!  I can't win.

I feel like today has been totally wasted going to and from Hamilton TWICE, for nothing.  

And I've done NO sewing!  Grrrrr.

One bright spark though... I heard from my Mum in Australia.  She recently bought a new, all-in-one lens for her Canon camera, so she's going to send me her Canon lenses that she no longer uses!  SCORE!  That made me smile, which was good, cos all I really wanted to do was cry... or scream... or both.

TRACY & MARLENE:  I totally agree, but they have 'The Right of Repair' under the Consumer Guarantee Act remember?
But, if it's NOT repaired and working PERFECTLY when it comes back again, I will be demanding a new camera for sure!

End of day, and it's been all about the camera today.  I have only managed to get a little sewing done.  Getting all 8 cushions finished by Sunday is looking doubtful.  

THEY DIDN'T EVEN NOTICE!

Well I mentioned yesterday that I went on a little 'mission'.

I went to my FBG friend Debra's barber shop!

She said they didn't do women's haircuts, but I told her what I wanted and got it done there!

I DID get the undercut done:

ABOVE:  And guess what?

NOT ONE PERSON NOTICED!  Not at home, and not at Quiz Night!
So, clearly it's not 'in your face' or anything!

I am going to call it a work in progress as I'm not 100% happy with the shape around the edges.  And it needs to settle down and grow a little bit to be more noticeable?  

The best thing about it is there's no fly away bits all around my nape now.  I hated them.

So, I'm sure the family will get home from school/work and 'notice' now!  lol

Today I have my FBG friend Gwen coming for morning tea.  I know that will be lovely.  She's a really nice chick.

That's all for now, catch ya later.

ONWARD...

11.35 am:  And Gwen has been and gone again.  A lovely morning tea and chat.  Always nice to have a visitor.

I got asked a question that had me really feeling uncomfortable?  Questioning myself?

"What do you do every day?"

It was an innocent question, but I really had to stop and think, 'What do I do?"

I answered ... I just do housework, potter around the house, titivate, tidy, cook and sew!

I felt like .. should I be doing more?  I'm just a housewife.  I do housewife type stuff.  

Now I'm feeling like a lazy cow.  Guilty of doing 'nothing much'?

I'm sure that was not how the question was supposed to make me feel, but it did.

ABOVE: So, I scrubbed down the dining table, and lathered it in polish, hoping it will soak it up and look good again.  It's been looking dull and ugly lately, and I've been tempted to paint it white!

DOGSTARS:  lol.... the table is only shiny because it's got a whole bottle of polish on it... soaking in I hope!

I decided to make some cushions for the dining chairs, they are bloody uncomfortable after a while.  As I am hosting card night next Tuesday night, I better get on with them!

So I got one of the cushions almost completed, then realised that I had stitched the backing on inside out!  So I had to unpick it all... worst thing?
I'd sewn it with a triple stitch! That made it a right bitch to unpick.  Took me almost an hour!

But it's sorted now and finished.  But I'm not going to show you till tomorrow!  I need something for tomorrow's post after all!  lol

I'm now going to think about what to cook for dinner.  Probably chicken pieces, wedges and veges.  (or no veges, this family ain't that keen on veges right now!)

10.25 pm:  Dinner was lovely.  I have been sewing most of the evening... getting more done on my chair cushions.
Stew said he thinks our old cushions might be up in the roof... I made some green ones years ago!  Thought they were long gone, maybe not?

We (sorry, STEW) can look up in the roof on the weekend!

Time to sign off for the day.  Catch ya tomorrow.

MAKING PROGRESS

I have had some news from Canon.

It has become clear that wires have gotten crossed between Snapshot and Canon over the repair of my camera.

Canon were of the opinion that I didn't ask for my CAMERA to be repaired, just the LENS!
Now that is a crock of shit for sure.   

ABOVE:  The 'job sheet' and quote, and OH! look, it clearly states ...

Go Ahead:  Yes

I clearly stated I wanted both the camera and lens to be repaired.  The quote from Canon was to repair BOTH, the insurance company paid out for both, and I had to pay that money IN FULL to Snapshot when I picked up the un-repaired camera in January!

So anyway, after emailing the head of the Service Department at Canon last week, saying how much I'd love to give some of their products a try, but couldn't cos they have had my camera and lens for over FOUR MONTHS... I have had some very good news from her.

They are going to GIVE ME a brand new lens!
BRAND NEW!  AND, they are giving me a partial refund on the repair because of how long I have had to wait... and wait... for it's repair.  They apologised for NOT repairing my camera too.
But did cover their arses by saying they thought I didn't want it repaired!  (Remember though, I was told back in January it HAD been repaired!)

So... lesson learnt.  If you want something done, badger the company!  Send them POLITE, but snarky little emails saying how unhappy you are with their 'service' and so on.  Worked for me!

I've had issues with many companies over the years (Lounge suites & sewing machines to name a couple), and I always win!  As long as you have RIGHT on your side, you should win.

Another win for me.  Rather happy about that.  And soon, I will have a new lens to use, on Snapshot's camera.

Cos my camera is still waiting to be fixed.  It's at the TOP OF THE QUEUE I have been assured.

Let's see how long that takes eh?  *smiles*

Today the kids go back to school, so I am alone all day.  Excellent!
I shall potter around the house doing some much needed housework, then I'm going to (maybe) do some sewing?
Not sure yet.  I feel all sewn out right now!

Tonight is our Fat Bottomed Girls Quiz Night at the Good George Pub. I really enjoyed that the last time I went... so I expect another enjoyable night.

ONWARD...

More news on my camera!   It is being repaired TODAY, and I should have my camera and NEW lens by Thursday, barring any other problems cropping up!
THURSDAY!  

Not next week, or next month, or later on in the year!  THIS THURSDAY!  I am so happy.

 ABOVE:  last night, walking the two little girls in the rain.  It was WONDERFUL!  Except they keep trying to trip me up all the time!  And the above photo was like this cos I was spinning around...trying to get a photo while they were running around me.  It's quite neat!

ABOVE:  Wow, they kept still for a moment. 

ONWARD ... AGAIN!

I went out.  On a little mission.  Not going to say what till tomorrow.  *smiles*

Then came home and got driven mental by flies.  Our automatic fly spay things have run out again... might have to get a few more I think.  They are expensive when you have 6 dotted around the house ... but worth it!

I just had lunch, and now am going to do a couple of little jobs around the house.  Nothing riveting sadly.  Just friggin housework. 

This afternoon I've just felt like crap.  Headache.  Tired.  No energy.  Annoying as hell.

It's now time to sort out dinner for Stew and the kids before I go out to Quizz Night.  

Better take some panadol I think.

Quiz night was fun, even though we didn't win.
I got home around 9 pm, then enjoyed watching some mindless TV till bedtime.

Which is going to be soon.