FEELING EXCITED

I heard from the Gazebo company last night, and the gazebo should arrive in the next day or two!
Whoop whoop!   AND I am getting a white one, which is what I really wanted.

Why white?  Cos my products will show up better with a white background, and the white will be the 'coolest' colour to have come summer time too.

I'm like so excited to finally be getting a gazebo.

I spent a bit of time last night downloading and filling out the Booking Form for the Tamahere Market too.  So now I just have to wait and see if I get a site soon... hopefully for the September Market,  and onwards.  It's going to be interesting to see if there is a different 'clientele' at that market?  

Stew reckons we will get more people from Hamilton at the Tamahere Market.  Stands to reason really, it's much closer to Hamilton.

I have a fellow blogger and patchworker who is a kiwi girl who lives in Australia named Sue.  She saw the farmyard animal panels I used recently for placemats and she contacted me... and get this:  She has that exact panel and is going to give it to me!  

AND ... and... she is coming over here at the end of the month and has/is doing some animal panel shopping for me from over there!  *SQUEALS*.... 

ABOVE: These are some of the panels she took photos of for me... I love the one with the dog and cow!  Hopefully she can get me that one for sure.

It's going to be neat to meet her when she gets over here.  We will be meeting up in Tauranga, so that's going to be a lovely day trip for me.

Lots to look forward to!
But for today... lazy day by the look of it!  I might get working on a few more placemats.
Or Xmas table runners.  I don't have many of those at all.  In fact... only 2 Trees, and 2 Elfs.
Better pull me finger out!

ONWARD...

Anyone else has issues with Chorus?  I signed up for Fibre over a month ago.  We already have it connected to the house, all we needed was a new modem, and have CHORUS flip a switch to turn it on!

ABOVE: Spark gave us the modem etc.... so we still wait.  And wait.
I'm about to cancel it cos it's just pissing me off.  I'm NOT the most patient person obviously.

OH I left a  message on their Facebook page... just saying it was taking a long time to flip a switch!

LITERALLY..... 1 .... MINUTE .... LATER.... and I get a message from them!  They are going to 'look into it'.

Get this!  Just heard from Chorus again. They told me they don't do the fibre connections in our area, and it's down to Ultrafast Fibre!

So.. SPARK told me Chorus were doing it.  Clearly they don't know what they are talking about then.  Useless gits.  Now I have to go annoy UltraFast instead!

Actually NO, I'm going to annoy SPARK, cos I reckon they sent our 'job' to Chorus, and have stuffed up.

TWO ... HOURS ... LATER.... not heard a word from SPARK.  No surprises there.

So, I went into Hamilton to get more batting for runners. Spotlight had NONE of the one I wanted, and the only options were double/triple the price of my usual batting.  So I coughed up for just 1 metre of the more expensive batting, then went to David's Emporium.  They are a cheap, cheap 'got a lot of shit' sort of shop in town.

And I found some needlepoint there (it's like batting) for a QUARTER of the price compared to Spotlight!  So I got me some of that too.

Home now, and waiting on an electrician to arrive.  He's going to fix our bathroom lighting, it's all died and gone to lighting hell.

I think I need a new nickname.  DRAGON LADY.

The electrician arrived, wandered down the hallway to check out our lighting in the bathroom.
He checked, double checked, triple checked.... tick tock, tick tock.

So I said to him after half an hour... 

- "How about you just go get a new unit, that way you are not wasting too long on a dead unit?"

- He said "OK... are you worried about cost and time?"

Well hell yes!
And I told him how long it took the computer guy to 'not fix' my computer problems (FOUR HOURS!!!!)... 

So now my little electrician has RUN down my hallway, jumped in his van and gone to get a new lighting unit!  HE RAN PEOPLE!  Splitting my sides laughing.

I think he's scared of me.

SERIOUSLY?  It's now been two hours with the electrician here, and the unit is STILL not installed... far from it in fact.
Why do I always feel like I'm getting ripped off?  Goddamn it.

Well... that job took almost three hours!  AND, when he turned the unit on the fan made a rattling noise.  He said he really should take it out again and see what was making the noise!  I said HELL NO!  I'm not paying you another hour's time for you to take it out, investigate what's causing the noise then put it back in, when it might STILL make the noise!  

It's under warranty, if it dies you have to come back and fix it for free.

Tradies really do have you over a barrel when it comes to time eh?  Wish I wasn't so untrusting, but been burnt a few times over the years.  Kinda puts your back up.

Onto something nicer.
I've got a Social FBG evening out tonight.  Just to the Good Union Pub... nibbles and spending time with the girls in a social setting, instead of on the footpath walking.  Should be nice.
Better think about what to wear and get me face on.

ARE YOU SHITTING ME???
I just had a courier turn up to deliver my gazebo.  *SQUEALS OF DELIGHT*

BUT HOLD ON ... they only had two parts of the delivery, the third part has been LOST SOMEWHERE!
So I refused to sign and accept the two packages.  No way.
I told them to take the two packages back, and not to return till they had all three.

This is not my day.

I have spent the past 90 minutes trying to find the missing parcel.  To no avail. Two courier companies .. both say it's not with them.  The company that sent the Gazebo say it's not with them either, they are sure it's been delivered in fact!  FAR OUT.
I better get the damn thing!  I know it's NOT HERE for sure.
Will try and put it out of my mind now, so I can enjoy tonight.

I'm going to sign off for the day early... catch you tomorrow.

STEW'S GOOD NEWS

February... Stew's HbA1C reading was 68.
May... it went down to 58, after being on the new diet for 1 month.
August... and it's down to 46!  So he has done exceptionally well too!
I'm really proud of him, it's much harder for him to do this diet than me, he's around temptation much more than me.

And he's a bloke, he gets hungrier than me.

So now, we are BOTH down in the 'normal' range.  Now we just have to keep up the good work.

My weigh in yesterday showed another 'stay the same' weight.  That could have contributed to my mood yesterday?  But, moving on, I know it's just a little blimp in the grand scheme of things.  Waiting for that 'WHOOSH' again.  Patience.

My Mum leaves hospital and flies back to Coffs Harbour today.  That means my niece can get back to her job in Melbourne and Ron (Mum's partner) can get back to his gardens!  It can't have been easy on them sitting day in, day out in the hospital while Mum recovered from her surgery.  But, it's what ya do for someone you love eh?  

Sadly I couldn't be there too, but hopefully we will get over there at some point.

Ummmm.... I have another FBG walk scheduled for this afternoon, but the weather is supposed to turn to crap, so time will tell if that walk goes ahead.  Not many of the girls like walking in the rain. 

What else?  Meh... should do some more housework.  Utterly boring shit.

I did start knitting up some of that super chunky wool I've got.  I plan on making a nice sized knee rug to use at market.  I still get so damn cold just sitting there waiting for customers.  Can't wait till it's summer... at least then I will be in the shade, but not freezing cold.

Right, better get moving... the day can't start till I'm actually out of bed!

ONWARD...

Today WILL be a better day ....

10 am and most of my jobs are done.  Awesome.
Next... prepare dinner.  Might go down the road and get a salad... I've got some surimi out for my lunch... salad with it might be nice for a change.  I've not had a salad in ages.

As it's raining on/off, I am betting the afternoon walk will be cancelled.  If it is I think I will get on our treadmill.
While it's nowhere near as nice as walking with friends, I'm now in the mindset that I need to get some meaningful exercise most days to keep up my weight loss and fitness.

5 pm:  And the walk was cancelled, as I expected.
I have NOT been on the treadmill as my tummy has been a bit 'iffy' today.  Felt a bit off all day really.
But ...not to worry, I'll be fine.

I've made a lovely big potato salad to go with a seafood salad for dinner.  The kids will be having fish fingers and fish pieces instead of the surimi/shrimp salad... yaaa, more for me and Stew.

Not sure what I will get up to tonight, probably just chill in front of the telly.  It's cold and miserable today.  I might even turn the heater on soon, it's really starting to cool down now.
And blow up a storm outside by the look of it!  I think there's a few storm/wind warnings been put on the news too.

A little update over there.  

AND... that's me done for the day.  No idea why I've been feeling off today?  Let's hope tomorrow my need to stay near a bathroom has gone!
TMI?  Tough shit.  Pardon the pun.  lol

HI MUM.... AND A GAZEBO

I told you all that my Mum had an operation on her back last week didn't I?

Well.. I'm so happy to say she's doing VERY WELL!  The wound is healing nicely, she's moving around well... and she is going home on Tuesday.  Such a relief.

ABOVE: Mum ... photo taken last night by my niece Christina. Mum you look wonderful!  LOVE the lovely warm looking slippers!

NEXT: Here's the FBG walk photo from last night:

ABOVE:  I know these photos are no doubt boring as shit to everyone else but me, but I like posting them as a visual record for myself. And it's lovely to see all my girlfriends smiley faces too.

NEXT:  So... it's taken me a while to decide this, but I'm going to be getting an outdoor gazebo.

For markets.

Primarily so I can do the Tamahere market, which is an outdoor, once a month market at Tamahere.
I haven't done it before as there is no wet weather cover.

But we think it could be a 'better' market to do compared to the Cambridge one, so I need a gazebo to do it.

I will still be doing the Cambridge market, as it falls on a different day each month.

ABOVE: This is the gazebo I have my eye on, only I want it in white, so I'm waiting to hear back from the retailer to see if they have any in white.  If not, I shall get the blue one.

It's not a super cheap one, nor is it a mega expensive one, it's kinda middle range priced.  Hopefully it lasts years!

This morning I'm going down to the church where the October Labor Weekend Market is being held, to measure up my site, to see if I can fit in the gazebo or not.  I hope we can, then I won't have to worry about IF it rains.  Last year it rained (I didn't do it last year).

Seems like I have a full calendar!  Walks.  Markets.  BIG Birthday thrown in too!  Fun.

ONWARD...

QUESTION:  How do you get out of doing all the housework?

ANSWER:  Go on another FBG walk!

ABOVE:  I NEED sunglasses! Seriously, the sun is so damn bright!  Today's walk was one I did last week ... but they needed more numbers to make it a 'go'... so I jumped on board.   

Home now, and no getting out of it... *sigh*  Jobs to do...

Ever felt like dealing with family is like ... so not worth it?  I just wanted 'The Waltons', instead I got ?  The opposite.  Trying to organise my birthday 'gathering'... but getting it in the neck.  Should have gone with my gut instinct and done NOTHING.
Too late now, invites are done.  *sigh*

Last 'party' I ever hold for myself that's for sure.  

Though ... this is good practise for Stew's 60th in a couple of years!  I will use this one as a guide on what NOT TO DO.

I AM looking forward to seeing some of my dear friends on the day though!  I just hope they are not scared off!  I've done all I can to avoid a war happening!

Because I've been feeling quite down this afternoon... what did I do?  I ate half a bloody pizza!  IDIOT IDIOT IDIOT.

Back to the drawing board... DON'T eat your emotions!  

Happy to say I can now look forward to my birthday without feeling terrible.  Thanks for the talk 'you know who'.

Right, it's the end of the day and I'm happy to wind up this day.  I only had a small dinner, so hopefully lunch hasn't ruined my day too much.

WEATHER SHOULD BE GOOD TODAY

We have a good weather forecast for today, which is great!
I've got the Cambridge Trash and Treasure market today.
I'm hoping it's not too cold first thing this morning... I really hate being too cold.

I'm going to do what I did last month and dress in multiple layers, that way if I do get warm I can take shit off.  I'd rather be overdressed than under dressed.  

As we packed the car last night, everything is ready to go, we just have to get dressed, grab our phones and go.  

I have got setting up the stall down to a fine art now...  just have to juggle a few things now that I have more placemats and coasters, and the Smelly Mice!

The market goes from 8 am till 1 pm... crazy start time if you ask me.  There's hardly any shoppers around at 8 am on a Sunday morning!  They usually start arriving around 10 am.  Until then most of us just twiddle our bloody fingers.  And freeze.

It's going to be much better come the summer months, cos where my site is, I get plenty of shade.  So I will never over heat.

But for now.. it's still COLD.  And I'm just waffling... I better get moving.  Got to get all me layers on, and leave.

Wish me luck!

ONWARD...

7 am:  woke to a light frost... so COLD.
Set up the stall, kept warm doing that... then was FREEZING for the next 4 hours!
I should have stayed home in bed, seriously.  Only a few sales today, not enough to justify getting out of bed really.

But, it's all good, getting my products out in the public.  I am sure sales will pick up come Oct/Nov when people are buying for Christmas.

Got home and had some lovely HOT chicken soup ... and I'm now relaxing under a warm blankie for a while.

I will probably be going on an FBG walk at 6 pm.

7.31 pm:  And I did indeed go for that walk.  I didn't FEEL like going, but then I never really do!  But afterwards I always feel so much better for it.  And it's always nice to spend an hour or so with friends.

Off to bed early again tonight... well in about 4 hours.. that's early for me!

Wind down time... catch ya tomorrow.

I THINK WE'VE MADE A DECISION

So, after thinking about this for MONTHS, and reading all your suggestions... I've come to this conclusion :

IT'S MY BIRTHDAY, SO MY CHOICE.  I know I can't please everyone.

We will be having a small gathering on Sunday 21st October (my 60th Birthday), here at our home.  Mostly friends, and a few family members.

I'm pissed off that Stew and I are doomed to never having our family all together again, and that hurts.  And what makes that worse is I know some OBVIOUSLY don't give a bloody shit about that, or how it makes me and Stew feel.

We didn't ask for this, we don't deserve this, but it is what it is.  We are powerless to change how our kids feel and interact.

So.. from now on, we are going to please OURSELVES.  Life is too short to let others bugger up your day/week/month/year!

It's Saturday.  Griffin has plans in Hamilton today, so Stew is taking him and a few of his friends in.
I'm not sure what I'm doing yet.  Maybe just sewing more mice for market tomorrow.

But for now... I'm getting outta bed!

DANG! ... I need more cord for mice tails and buttons for eyes, so will be going into Spotlight on a flying visit first thing this morning.

ONWARD...  

3 pm:  sheesh the day is going fast!  I went into town at 8.30 and got the few things I needed, and pretty much since then I've been sewing!

Stew is in town ... hanging around waiting for Griffin and his friends to be ready to come home.  Being the 'taxi' in other words.

Today Stew bought the roof rack attachments we needed for his car.  Now we can use the roof racks again.  Handy.

Brylee is at work till 8 pm tonight, so right now it's very quiet in the house.

 ABOVE: This is what ya have to do when a dog is in season!  Well... she's only in there when I bring her inside from the garage of course.  I think it's so cute that Denim is sitting beside her (outside the pen).  
Marley is perfectly happy in the pen, as long as she has chewy toys to play with.  She loves toys.

 ABOVE:  The 'new' change table' in use.  I have yet to fill it up! Gimme time.

ABOVE:  So far today, 4 mice finished and the last two should only take me half an hour or so.  Then I will be making sure I've got everything I need for tomorrow's market, before relaxing for the rest of the day.

9.26 pm:  6 more mice made, ready for market tomorrow.  Stew packed the car so we are ready to roll bright and early in the morning.
I'm bloody tired, probably go to bed quite early tonight.

ANOTHER PROUD MOMENT

When you get an email from the kid's school... it can go one way, or the other.  
I got an email from the Deputy Principal yesterday afternoon... and this is it:


Dear Mrs Christina Harvey

Re : Griffin Harvey

This letter is to inform you that Griffin has been awarded a Cambridge Office Products Dean's Award through our Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L) Merit Certificate system.

Our PB4L Merit Certificate system is a reward scheme where students are acknowledged for showing significant or sustained respect, responsibility and/or achievement in and around the classroom. Acknowledgement can be given by any teacher through Faculty Merit Certificates and when a student has received five of these, they are presented with a Dean's Award for consistently displaying our school's expectations.

Along with this letter acknowledging Griffin's achievement, he will also be presented with a certificate. This certificate has been kindly provided by one of our sponsors, Cambridge Office Products, and as such we ask you to support them in return.

The school wishes to take this opportunity to once again thank Griffin for his positive contribution to Cambridge High School and we encourage him to aim for the next level of achievement in this rewards scheme.

Yours sincerely,


Mr M Kuijpers
Assistant Principal

Another proud parent moment.

It was fun calling Griffin into the lounge last night and telling him we had an email from the school... and asking him 'What have you been getting up to at school?"... in a very serious voice.   (hee hee)

Poor kid's face was like " Oh fuck, WHAT HAVE I DONE?" 

Priceless.   It was neat then getting him to read the email himself... and his relief was clear to see.  

I am just a little bit evil.

I won't be going on a walk today, I feel like I need a rest.

It's been a busy week one way or another.

There's probably a load of washing to do today, some light housework... maybe a smelly mouse or 6 to make too.

I bought some Pure Essential Oil while I was in Auckland, so I have the 'right' stuff to drip into the mice for Sunday's market.

When I was at Bex's the other day, I saw she had a baby change table set up in her lounge.  On it she had all her craft stuff... and I thought it was a brilliant idea.

I could use one in my sewing room, so I started looking on Trade Me and found and bought one yesterday!

Stew is going to pick it up for me tonight:

ABOVE:  It's in very good condition, and is going to be really good for storing stuff on.  I love that the middle shelf rolls out... damn handy that is!  It's on wheels too, so I can move it around easily too.

I have a 'thing' for furniture on wheels.  *smiles*

Right... I'm off to get me day started.

ONWARD...

So I've done NOTHING so far today!  I've been stressing about my upcoming 60th Birthday.  (October)

When you have a 'fractured' family, it's rather difficult to decide how to go about having a special birthday and not offend anyone.
Bearing in mind, it is MY BIG BIRTHDAY, and it should make ME HAPPY?
What a joke.

I feel like I'm walking through a mine field.
Half my kids won't talk to the other half, this one won't have anything to do with that one, or that one... and so on!

Some come with an agenda... or a huge chip on their shoulder, ready to make an issue out of the slightest thing. 

I've already had one birthday utterly RUINED by family members getting into a huge fight... and I have vowed that will NEVER happen again.  (6 years ago now, but still fresh in my mind!)

I really feel like no matter what I do I will upset someone.

So what to do?  I really don't know right now.  Opinions welcome.

Well, some things are becoming a bit clearer.
I have to start doing what is right for ME and STEW.  Put US first, and not try pleasing everyone else.
More on this... tomorrow, after I've thought about it some more.

I've been working in my sewing room... WISHING I had the guts to move into the lounge so I had more room... but the lounge is such a gorgeous room!  I don't want to spoil it.
So, I've been trying to juggle things around a bit, tidy up a bit... going around in circles really cos I do not have enough room.

I've now got my sewing/craft stuff split between three bedrooms!  That does my head in.
But I have no choice right now.  It is what it is.

ALREADY REGRETTING SOMETHING.  Again... more on that tomorrow.  

For now... sewing, then watch Coronation Street, then more sewing before bed.

AUCKLAND TRIP, 2ND HALF

Now... where was I when I left off last night?

Oh that's right, we had just got on the ferry for Auckland city.

Well... here's more photos:

ABOVE: Random photos taken from the wharf, while waiting for the ferry.  

Once we got to the city, we had McDonald's for lunch before traipsing up the hill to the Sky Tower.  It's quite a good walk, with a really, really STEEP hill too.

Great exercise.

Worth mentioning, it was really interesting walking up Queen Street.  Bex commented on it too... it was FUN seeing all the different people on the street.  There's such a huge diversity of people, ages, races, the clothes, ... we both said it would be fun just going into the city to people watch. *smiles*

 ABOVE:  In the lift heading up to the 51st floor, the Observation Deck.  Dante and Bex were not too keen on the 'view' inside the lift!

ABOVE:  There's a plate glass section on the floor... so you can see the lift's shaft as you go up and down.  I got a bit giddy watching!  It's a bit freaky.  You go up and down really FAST.  My ears popped at least 5 times going down.

 ABOVE:  lots of happy snaps.

ABOVE:  behind me is 'south/west' Auckland, and the PINK CYCLE way, which winds it's way through parts of the central city area.

After visiting the Sky Tower, we took the ferry back to Devonport, then headed back to Steve and Bex's.  The kids were exhausted!  
Mission completed.

Brylee and I really enjoyed our little excursion up to Auckland.  Hopefully we can do it again sooner or later.

Now it's back to normality around here.
I've got unpacking to do, housework to do, dogs to spend time with... you know, just the usual stuff.

AND I'm going to check out when the next FBG walk is on ... I want to keep up to date with that too.

ONWARD...

12 NOON:  Soooo.... I went walking instead of doing all the housework.  The housework could wait.... walking with the girls came first.  And coffee afterwards was lovely too.

Now I can get on with the jobs... with renewed energy.  And it's so neat to have to dogs in with me, they are keeping me on my toes.  

I forgot to close the hallway gate... went looking for Denim and couldn't find her anywhere!  There were a few socks in the hallway she'd pulled out of Griffin's room... so I knew she had some... SOMEWHERE.

Not in the bedrooms.
Not in the garage.
Not outside... Grrrr... can't find the little bugger anywhere!  

Back into the family room... and aaaa haaaa.... there she is, hiding behind the couch with a stinky teenage boy sock! She's obviously in seventh heaven.  lol

Sock duly rescued, dog ... pouting.

ONWARD.... jobs to do!

Just had a yak with me Mum... not even 24 hours after her surgery and they have her up and walking to the door and back!  AND she gets to sit up in a chair to have her lunch... so she's doing VERY WELL.  Go MUM!
Such a relief.  Very comforting to know Ron and my niece Christina are there with her every step of the way, keeping her on the straight and narrow.  *smiles*

ABOVE: Today's walk photo.  We were so lucky with the weather, just before we started it was very overcast and spitting ... then it cleared up.  The freakin' trees are starting to blossom!
Which means warmer weather is on the way... soon I'll be bitching about being too hot again! lol

6.02 pm:  a very mundane afternoon.  Got lots of washing done and hung on racks inside... the weather is too unpredictable to hang it outside.
Got some stuff organised in me sewing room, put dinner on (Chicken and rice/veges) and now... about to watch the news on the telly before serving up dinner.

And... that's the day done and dusted.  Happy with my day.  Happy I got another walk in.
Happy I got all the washing done.  Fed the family.  Enjoyed the evening.  Will be off to bed early for me tonight.  I'm bloody tired.