OMG!!! WE HAVE MOTHS/CATERPILLARS EVERYWHERE!!!

Last Friday Steve was working in Hamilton, so was able to pick up the two single beds we no longer needed.
And his kids are thrilled to bits, especially young Archer ... who desperately wanted to get out of the 'baby cot' he was still sleeping in.

Now he has a 'big boy bed'.

ABOVE:  Archer and Keera in their new beds, and Dante and Archer on Archer's bed.  Don't they both look so happy.

Today... I'm going to do some much needed housework this morning... then once Brylee is home from work we are going into Hamilton.
She needs new work shoes... ones that are comfortable and practical.

I also need to get more white and black fabric for the runners.  And cottons... OMG I'm going through so much black cotton!

One of the biggest jobs this morning involves these:

ABOVE:  I noticed some of these little caterpillars crawling on the kitchen walls.  I'm like ... eeeewwww!  Where the hell are they coming from?

So last night Stew and I hunted them down.  And Stew found an unsecured bag of pumpkin seeds up in the pantry, INFESTED with them!
Gross.  Gross. Gross.  *shudder*

So we hauled them out, spayed and emptied the top of the pantry... and this morning I will be taking EVERYTHING out of the pantry and cleaning it to within an inch of it's life. 

 But I will wait... cos Lacy is coming out this morning and she can give me a hand!  She's coming out primarily to help groom the dogs ears and tails... she's so much better at it than me!  OK, OK.. I just hate doing it really.  Bending over them kills me back.

I've tried doing them on the kitchen bench, but the little buggers squirm too much, and I'm scared they will fall off the bench.  So Lacy does it for me. She's good like that.

Righty ho... I'm off to get some washing on, make the bed, vacum, sweep the floors, wash the floors.... bla bla bla!

ONWARD...

 ABOVE:  First thing... down to the supermarket to buy some of these!

 ABOVE:  Then out everything came... and that job took me two friggin hours!!!  Cos I went over everything to make sure I caught all the little bastard caterpillars! 
And there were heaps.
I feel violated, and disgusting!

ABOVE:  all clean... and of course, I then had to clean all the cupboards AROUND there too... and the top of the cupboards, and the fridge, and the oven.... and well... let's just say I will be in the kitchen ALL GODDAM DAY.  Cleaning.

And reorganising the cupboards.

OMG what did those freakin' caterpillars/moths start???

It's not bloody SPRING cleaning time.

Oh and here's a tip.... ya know how the tops of kitchen cupboards get all covered in grease?  Use SUGAR SOAP! OMG that shit is AMAZING.   It cleans that shit off  so fast.  

 ABOVE:  Coco basking in the sun.... while Marley got her ears and tail done... Coco thought she was safe.

ABOVE:  Ha ha!  Nah.  Lacy is a godsend when it comes to this job. 

And now... back to it. 

ABOVE:  Taa daaa... done! And yes, that is Lacy head first in a cupboard, wiping it out for me.  I should have given her a push... lol!

ABOVE:  She happily burnt all the carboard boxes that came out of the pantry.  

And now... I'm gunna get ear bud cleaners and clean out the little holes where you can adjust shelves... JUST IN CASE THERE'S GREEBLIES IN THERE TOO.

Did that, then went into Hamilton to get more black and white fabric and thread.

Home by 4.30  and I'm exhausted!  I just wiped over the last remaining kitchen cupboard doors and the garage door... today has been manic on cleaning!

But now I'm done.  My fingers hurt from all the cleaning products.  Tomorrow on my job I will be wearing gloves.

Today I have done approx 7 hours of solid cleaning in my kitchen!!!  Like right now, you could lick my floor, it's that clean.
But it really wouldn't be a good look eh.  ha ha ha!

8.53 pm:  Well... it's been a long day and I'm just about ready for bed!  Probably only last another hour or so before heading off to bed.
Catch ya tomorrow.

SLOWLY GETTING THERE

So, a few weeks ago Kelly had a misadventure, and all her eyebrows were burnt off.
They are slowly growing back, thank goodness:

ABOVE:  They have a long way to go yet till they are back to 'normal'.  But at least they are growing!

And she does not have scars either, which is fantastic.  She's very lucky.

It's the end of 'Daylight Saving' today.  I am totally over Daylight saving, I wish we didn't have it.

But, one consolation?  Today at least we get an extra hour in bed.  Kinda.

Brylee and Griffin both have work today.  So it will just be Stew, Miss Z and I this morning at least. edit:  got that wrong.  Brylee is working this afternoon/evening, so her and Miss Z are watching movies in the lounge this morning... all snuggled up in blankies.  Rather cute.

I'm not sure what we will get up to ...maybe nothing, or something!  Who knows.

Until we decide, I'm staying right here, in bed!

ONWARD...

Well... a leisurely start to the day I must say.  I'm working on another Wonky House Runner:

ABOVE: You have NO IDEA how long it takes to just do the freakin' layout!  I've still got to add windows and doors... and getting them all to 'look right'.  *sigh*  Just as well I love doing this, or it wouldn't be worth the hassle.

Stew's gone to the local supermarkets to find stuff Pak 'n' Save don't have.  Frustrating, but just how it is I suppose.

It's the most gorgeous day out there, and here we all are, inside.  Derrrr.

It took a while, but I finally did it!...

ABOVE:  I sewed me own finger!  And yes, it hurts like F#*K.  And that's gotta be one of the hardest places to put a friggin sticky plaster on too.

ABOVE: Forgot this pretty photo of Kelly and her first pumpkin of the season!  Nice eh?

ABOVE:  And that's another Wonky House Runner done.   I will probably not get another big one done before next Sunday's market.  I will try and get a few more smaller ones done I think.

Inbetween 'working' and walking, and doing me own housework!  I am certainly busy now.

And here's the end of another lovely day... watching some mindless TV till bedtime.

GROCERY SHOPPING

The only thing on our agenda today is... bloody grocery shopping!

Stew loves telling me it's time to do it... knowing full well how much I loathe it.

Brylee has work till the afternoon.  Not sure if Griffin has?

Miss Z is just gunna have to tag along with Stew and I this morning ... I hope she likes grocery shopping!

Once that is done, I suppose it will be housework time, then sewing.

So, a quiet sorta day really.

Catch ya later... let's hope the day gets more interesting!

ONWARD...

ABOVE: AT. THE. CHECKOUT....so slowly getting there. *sigh*

LOOK!!! There's  a lettuce... that's healthy... right? *smiles*

8.01 pm:  Sorry I've been missing all day!  My computer spat the dummy and no matter what I did it wouldn't start again... for hours.
In the end it finally 'fixed itself somehow' and it was going again by about 7.30 pm.

While that was going on, we all puttered around the house doing various things.

I made a couple more Wonky House Small Runners:

ABOVE:  I really do love making these things... OMG I'm in trouble if I never sell another one! lol

I want to par down what I have on my market stand, but I want to keep these and the Tree Runners. Not sure what else will stay yet... coasters will of course, but I doubt the soft toys will.  

I cooked pork and salad tacos for dinner, they are very popular with the family.  I use the 'Stand and Stuff' Tacos, they keep everything contained and easy to eat. YUMMY.

I am going to sign off now, I'm tired and just want to chill out.  This bloody computer made me so stressed out all day, grrrrrr. 

WALKING.... THEN TWO APPOINTMENTS

First up for today.... I am driving Miss Z and Griffin to school.
Weird having to get a kid up and ready for school again!

Then... I'm off on an FBG walk. 

Last year the FBG's got a new LOGO, but I kept wearing my shirt from the first year, with the old LOGO on it, of the Fat Bottomed Girls. I don't like the new LOGO at all.  I love the old LOGO.

Anyway, I finally had to succumb and get a couple of new shirts, but I came up with a sneaky way to keep my old LOGO:

ABOVE: I cut it off the old shirt and stitched it on the new one!  So, I have BOTH LOGOS on me shirts.
I have one more new shirt arriving today ... and I have one more old shirt to cut the LOGO off and attach to the new shirt.

These two new shirts should last a couple of years, then I don't know what I will do!

Moving on.  After the walk this morning I will come home and sew a bit, or do some housework around here.

Then this afternoon I'm off to meet up with two ladies, whose homes I will be cleaning.  One is a definite, the other is a possibility, but it looks very promising.

So, it's going to be a busy day.

I like busy days!

Lastly for now... I tried making a Wonky House Coaster a little differently last night:

ABOVE:  What do ya think?  Black with white stitching.  Certainly different.  Miss Z loves it.

ONWARD...

Well it's midday and this morning has just flown by!
Kids are safely at school.
My walk went well...

ABOVE: I'm really upset with myself.  I've gained so much weight over summer.  And OMG you can see it clearly now.
PROBABLY time to stop being a pig and get back on track I think.
Today's walk had a long, slow uphill section and I was quite pleased that I managed it without huffing and puffing!  Can't be quite as unfit as I thought.

Now... I am going to do an hour's sewing before getting ready for my two meetings this afternoon with potential 'employers'.  

OH and I got home from my walk to a job offer from a place here in town for cleaning their offices too!  I turned that one down as they were only paying bare minimum wages, and hell... I'm getting almost double that on my own jobs.

TRACY AND OLD MOO:  I'm not wanting to go 'big' with this cleaning business!  I just want enough work so I've got a job a day during the week and am earning enough to cover the 'extras' in life... like fabric!  lol

7.12 pm:  OMLord I've been busy today!
I had the meetings this afternoon with potential employers... and both are taking me on.
I will be working at 'P's two mornings a week.. there's a lot to do at her home.
And then one morning a fortnight at 'M's... and she has a HUGE home... so three hours there.

And for now, I'm going to leave it at that!  Three mornings a week working.  If I find I want more, well it looks like I can easily fill another few spaces!

After I got home from the meetings... my cousin from Taupo called in.  And we yakked.  And yakked.  And just when I thought I might need to make up another bed... she left!  lol

Dinner was a bit late, poor kids were starving!

So, I got bugger all sewing done today ... maybe I will get some done now?

Who knows.  Coronation Street is on tonight... dumm dee dooo....

Catch ya tomorrow.

SAMSUNG HEALTH

Well... after much hunting around and tapping shit on my phone ... I found out that the Samsung Health app on my phone does way more than I thought!

It can record my steps per day, the distance per day, calories burnt and so, I can use that as my way to tell how far I walk each day.  Excellent!

It can also be used to measure my heart rate and stress levels, how long I sleep at night, oxygen saturation levels and god knows what else!

So.  Sorted.

Today I'm off to my little house cleaning job again.  THIS TIME I am 100% fit and healthy, thank god.  I can do it on me own this time.
It will be good to see just how long it does take me to do it.

I'm actually looking forward to it!

And I'm thinking of advertising on Facebook for more homes too.  Just have to get up the courage to put myself 'out there'.

  ABOVE:  I made this little ad thingee, what do you think of it?  
If enough of you think it's OK, I might put it on Facebook in the next day or two.

After 'work' I will come home, have me lunch then do more sewing.

AND... before I leave:

ABOVE:  a laugh for the start of the day.  Just cos.

ONWARD...

11.45 am:  and I'm home from my job.  And I have to say it... I'm bloody proud of the job I did.  That house couldn't be much cleaner!
The only thing I didn't do was all the windows.
I managed to do a few, mostly the ones that the animals had marked, and looked horrible.

It took me (on my own) 2 hrs and 21 minutes.  I timed myself!  lol   I am sure next time it actually won't take me that long, as I did do a lot of things today that won't need to be done again for a month or two.

Now, I've put some more washing on here, and am about to take a break for lunch/relaxation.
AND I feel fine too... no problems with sore butt or back!  YES!  *smiles*

Well ... I just put my little 'Advert' on Facebook.  About to put it on a few other local sites now too.

And just like that, I have another house to clean!  Two mornings a week too.... so I'm happy as!  Best thing about this is... I'm my own boss. I get to work the hours that suit me.  No early mornings ... I don't do early mornings!  lol

4 pm:  And Wow!  Looks like I have another one!  Friday, once a fortnight.  I'm going to meet the lady tomorrow afternoon to discuss details.

Well... it's been a very interesting day.  I've now got several irons in the fire, some look quite promising.
It's been nice having Miss Z here, Brylee and her have spent the afternoon/evening giggling like schoolgirls!  Well... lol... Miss Z is a schoolgirl and Brylee is only just not a schoolgirl.  *smiles*  edit:  just realised ya probably have no idea about Miss Z!  She's the daughter of a friend, and we are caring for her for the next few days while her Mum is out of town.

Time to sign off for the day, catch ya tomorrow.

MAP MY RUN

I use a programmed called 'Map My Run' on the computer and my phone, to show distances of walks I do.  It's also amazing for plotting walks/runs.

Anyway... today I'm going to use it INSIDE the house.
Cos yesterday I was knackered after walking from one 'sewing room' to the other!!!

Today I'm going to do sewing again most of the day... so it will be every interesting to see just how far I walk over the course of the day!

I'm still a bit stiff and sore from last night's walk... I hope that doesn't keep happening!

ABOVE:  LOL...  I think this is the first walk photo where I've got me eyes closed!  At least I'm smiling though.  *smiles.

ABOVE:  Super proud!  I managed to park my car between two others last night too!  OK... there was room to park a truck in that gap, but still... I did it!  Isn't my wee car so cute!

ABOVE:  One happy boy... got his Learner's Driver License yesterday, first attempt too.  Congrats Griffin.   Now for the harder part... learning to drive.

Now... I'm off to start the day... I'm going to make heaps of the medium sized Wonky House Place mats  over the next few days, maybe a couple more runners too.

ONWARD...

And dammit.  Map My Run does not work when you are just going a few steps here and there within your house.  Grrr.
It's been playing up on my walks too actually.  Might have to stop using it dammit.

On another note *** goddam teenagers*** are doing my head in.
I should be used to the shit they cause by now right?  Boys/Girls, they are all the same. Testing the boundaries. Driving us mental.  I'm already tired... and it's only 10.15 in the morning!

Not getting much done so far today:

ABOVE: I needed more binding (that's the bit that goes around the outside edge of runners etc)... so I made more.  
And I dunno, I've just been fluffing around doing 'stuff' all morning.  Can't say what really!

We have a friend's daughter staying from tomorrow till Sunday night, so her Mum dropped off her stuff this morning, hence another interruption to my sewing progress.
Maybe after this update I can actually get back to it?

ABOVE: Well.. I only got these two done today!
Talk about slack.
But... other shit kept coming up so it's better than nothing.

Now relaxing in front of the tv till bedtime I think.

JUST A NORMAL DAY AROUND HERE

WELL... sorry girls, it's going to be a boring day here.

I am sewing.  And fluffing around the house.
And that's about all!

You know how, when you are scrolling through the Facebook news feed... ya sometimes come across something that makes you laugh?
Yeah, came across this one yesterday, it made Stew and me giggle:

ABOVE: It reminded me of the time I had a stand off with a bitch in the Pak N Save carpark, where she parked so close to me she was definitely going to bang her car door on my car when she got out, it was impossible not to!

So I just sat in my car ... and waited, and waited ... for her to move her car.  Cos there was NO WAY IN HELL she was gunna ding my car with me in it!

And after a good 10 minutes of waiting, that dumb arse bitch DID move her car!   WINNER!  She had the most septic look on her face too.  *smiles*

Why do people do things like that?  It does my head in, I'd NEVER do that to someone else's car or property.

Moving on.... I finished the first little Wonky House Coaster last night:

ABOVE:  Rather cute don't ya think?

I have stopped sleeping with a pillow between my legs.
WHY?  Well... doing that did help my 'morning back ache'... but OMG, I was losing so much sleep trying to keep that bloody pillow between my legs all night!
JUST.  NOT.  WORTH.  IT.  My back eases up after an hour or two most mornings, so it's not that bad.

And there endeth my ramble for the start of the day.

ONWARD...

RIGHT.  Here's a question for you all.

I'm struggling to price these little Wonky House Coasters.  Usually a coaster is $5, but these Wonky House ones take so much longer to make (an hour each), and are just so fiddly...

ABOVE:  This is where I stand on pricing them.  Please tell me what you think the little coasters should be priced at!

ABOVE: OR  .... should I just not make them as they are not cost effective?

2.15 pm:  And I think I've got it sorted, thanks to you all!

I made one with only one house:

ABOVE: I made it slightly larger, and having just one house on a coaster looks fine.  Do you think so too?  If I make them like this, they will be $5 each, like the other ones I make.
It certainly took way less time to make.

Thanks for the brilliant idea DOGSTARS.

6 pm: 
Brylee is at work.  
Stew is due home from Rotorua in about 40 minutes. 
Griffin is at work, god knows when he will get home.

And I have a chicken and bacon pie in the oven.

AND I'm going on an FBG walk in 45 minutes.

That pie will be on the bench for everyone when they get home.

I hope they leave me some!

CHICKEN PIE.

SMELLS AMAZING.

Tonight's walk was hard.  For some reason I ache all over, and after the walk my left leg ached ... still is in fact.  

Worth mentioning, my left arm/shoulder/shoulder blade ache all the time too, have done so for MONTHS.  I am sure it's just a muscle strain of some sort, and they can take months to come right.  So I'm just bearing with it.

After the walk I popped into 'Card Night' at Susan D's... and ended up staying and playing 500 with the three that were there.  It was neat playing a game I'd not played in 20 years!

Now, time to just relax before bed, which I am totally ready for I must say.

TWO ROOMS DONE

MONDAY.   I love Mondays.  Everyone is usually out and I've got the house to myself.

Today, Brylee is home as she has an afternoon shift at work.

That's OK, she will sleep most of the morning anyway.

I'm going to fluff around the house, getting it all nice and tidy... then I shall probably do some sewing. 

SEWING... oh yes!  Here's the 'new' rooms all done and ready to rock 'n' roll:

 ABOVE:  The 'Lay out & Fabric Room'.  When we have visitors, we can put three single mattresses on the floor.  Like a sleep over!  The little kids will love it.

Awww shit, I'll have to move that little wooden unit ..... meh, I'm sure I'll find a spot to put it.

ABOVE:  My 'new' Sewing Room.  YES, I know I've been in here before, but it's NEW this year!

NOW I can swing a cat in BOTH rooms, and I'm not cramped at all.  So happy.

Remember me showing you Stew doing a 'job' for me yesterday?  

ABOVE:  Well... that's what he made for me.  A new thread holder.  Whoop whoop!  Cost us the price of some nails (approx $10).  The other one was purchased for about $75!  Thanks Darling ♥♥♥

I am going to be getting a 2nd ironing board and iron, as I will need one in the sewing room AND the lay out room.   I'm not lugging fabric/projects from room to room just to press a seam.

OOooo that reminds me.  I will make a new ironing board cover today I think.  The old one is shit, thin as buggery and useless.  I have been putting it off for AGES, time to pull finger and just do it.

And that's me for now... catch ya later.

ONWARD...

Well... not so on my own as I thought.  Griffin is home from school today.  Sick.  Or it's raining and he slept in.  Meh.

I finished this:

ABOVE:  Another small Wonky House 'Mat'.

ABOVE:  I remembered I had a small travel iron and board... so I don't need to buy a new large iron and ironing board just yet.  This will do in the meantime.

And now... back to it.

Well the new ironing board cover has taken me a bit longer than I thought it  would, mostly cos I was mucking around.  I wanted to use a pretty fabric with a white background, but after much hunting through my stash, I realised I had none long enough!

So I had to use a basic white.

But...

 ABOVE:  Old cover... the padding was paper thin and falling to bits!  

ABOVE: New cover.

And now I'm gunna lay out some wonky house coasters I think.  I've got just under two weeks to have some cute new stock for the next Cambridge Trash & Treasure market.

10.39 pm:  finished sewing for the day.  Off to bed shortly.  Catch ya tomorrow.