A SENIOR MOMENT

This is happening far too much lately!

Senior moments.

I'm sitting in my chair last night, watching Coronation Street.  I've usually got the remote control beside me on the coffee table, or the arm of my chair... ya know, in easy reach for fast forwarding through the adverts.

So, the ads start, and I reach for the remote.  Not on the coffee table.  Not on the arm of the chair.  Not in my lap... cos it could have slipped off the arm of the chair right?

NOT THERE.  I'm getting cross by now... where the fuck is it?

ABOVE:  Yeah... it was on me friggin chest!!!

OMG I was like, SHIT, what a dick.

Moving on... 

Yeah.  I couldn't resist this one, IT IS SO TRUE.

Now... I have to get up and get off to market.  I'm not expecting anything today... just don't feel it in me bones.

The only bonus is I won't be at home for a little while, kinda like an enforced break from everything I have to do there.

ONWARD...

6.55 am:  total change of plans.
It's raining and windy ... so no market today for me.  There is just no point going and have all my stuff get damp.
I don't have the time to hang it all out inside the house to dry ... we have the professional photographer coming TOMORROW to take the house photos.  Wouldn't be a good look right?

So, it's now quarter to 8 and it's not raining right now, but I'm still not taking the risk.  It's predicted to be a foul day.

I will spend the morning dusting/polishing and so on.  

Then we've got another couple of houses to look at this afternoon.

5 pm:  Home from a crazy afternoon of looking at 7 houses!

ABOVE: First one... We didn't like it's location, not worth even going into, so we didn't.

ABOVE: Next one, LOVED IT.  But... while we can afford it, we would be spending all our money and not gaining anything except moving to Hamilton.

ABOVE:  This one was OK-ISH, but backed onto a busy road.  So a NO.

ABOVE:  OMG this one! Totally bare outside, virtually nothing but grass.  Inside?  I cringed as I went in the front door.  This woman loved silver, red and white.  And Bling.  And sparkle.  Her wallpaper was silver with sparkles in it.  She had mirrors and fairly lights and sparkly things ALL OVER THE HOUSE.  

It was crazy!  I shuddered a few times... quickly walked through it, deemed it too small (thank god), and left.

We revisited a house we'd looked at a couple of weekends ago as well... as we did love it.
Upon 2nd viewing though, I fell out of love with it.  Mostly due to it's location.

When we arrived home we (well I was) devastated to discover our FUCKING NEIGHBOUR had done this in our absence:

ABOVE:  for the first time ever, he's fucking hacked the hedge down to so low we have no privacy at all on that side!

I'm taking deep breaths right now... cos there is NOTHING we can do about it.  Except wait for KARMA.. it's coming.

It's almost time to go to bed... tomorrow I have quite a bit to do.
PHOTOS!

I WANNA SLEEP....

Much as I'd love to sleep in today, it ain't gunna happen.

We have quite a bit to try and squeeze in today.

Waterblast the concrete.
Get my stuff ready for market tomorrow.
Dust and polish everything again in readiness for photos being taken on Monday.

And my freakin' sewing room has quickly become the 'dumping ground' again, so I have to get that spic 'n' span again too.

And at midday we have three houses lined up to look at in Hamilton.

My trip to Auckland... can you believe I took hardly ANY photos at all!  It just wasn't that sort of trip really.

Just got these of poor Steve:

 ABOVE:  He had to drink three litres of a vile tasting liquid before having his procedure.  It pretty much made him gag.
I'm sure he hopes he never has to do that again.  *smiles*

In case you didn't read yesterday's post... Steve has been unwell for a few months, and he had a procedure yesterday and to our utter relief, he was given the all clear, NO CANCER.

So, his symptoms are probably stemming from stress and/or an ulcer.  Or maybe something else... but at least it isn't the dreaded C.

ABOVE:  Steve has just started cutting the boy's hair... hasn't he done well?  The boys certainly seem to be happy.

And that's all for now... I better get outta bed and get moving.

ONWARD...

Today has gone to plan. Jobs in the morning, then into Hamilton to look at houses. 

Looked at three... none floated our boat. 

One was actually disgusting and the other two were too small. So a bit disappointing really. 

So, it's been a quiet evening... got all me stuff ready for market, had dinner, watched heaps of stuff I had taped but not watched yet.
Probably off to bed soon... gotta get up early tomorrow.  *sigh*

WHY NOT!

Good morning.

How nice to get to sleep in. 
Bex will be taking the kids to school and kindy while I laze away here.

Once she's back we are going over to Devonport. There's a wool shop Bex wants to visit and I might also pop into Cushla's fabric shop.

I'm trying not to buy much fabric right now, cos it will mean more to pack. But it's not gunna stop me looking right? *smiles*

This afternoon  I will be heading home. I'm bound to get caught up in traffic... not looking forward to that but it can't be helped.

And that's  about all I have for now, so I will update later.

ONWARD...

1.24 pm: and what a great morning we've had. We didn't go fabric shopping... we did the grocery shopping, and for once I didn't loathe it. Mostly cos I didn't have to unload and put it all away.

Then Bex and I went to St Luke's mall for a quick lunch.

Back at hers now...and about to go out with  Steve.

I was gunna leave for home after that but am now gunna stay for dinner, and avoid all the Friday night traffic. 

4.00 pm : For THREE MONTHS we have had a big, black cloud hanging over us. Extreme anxiety and dread....but today we finally had THE BEST NEWS EVER...

Above: STEVE is FINE. NO CANCER. No idea why he had such dreadful symptoms... but now thinking it was down to stress.

I'm so bloody relieved, as is everyone else.

THANK YOU to everyone who has been supportive over this awful time.

We are now having a little bubbly to celebrate.

4.55 pm: So ... after having nothing to eat for 24 hours.... Steve wanted prawns,  followed by homemade chicken burgers. See why I'm  staying for dinner? *smiles*

Safely home from Auckland, after enjoying a delicious dinner with the kids.  Prawns cooked in butter and garlic, then topped with Thousand Island Dressing... OMG!  Then a burger.  Oh, and two glasses of wine.

So, so happy to be home, knowing that Steve is OK.  

Now all I need to stress about is selling this home and buying a new one!  Among other things.  But nothing as major as this scare with Steve.

I'm now going to totally RELAX and enjoy the evening with my darling Stew.  Who's watching friggin RUGBY.  *sigh*

ON THE ROAD TODAY

Today... like in an hour or less, I'm heading off up to 'The Big Smoke'.

LOL... I've not referred to Auckland as The Big Smoke in years!

When we were growing up in the 60's and 70's Auckland was always referred to as The Big Smoke, obviously because it was (and still is) New Zealand's biggest city.

If you lived in Auckland, you were special in our eyes.  OMG you lived in THE BIG SMOKE!

Now... I doubt anyone thinks like that.

It's so congested and expensive to live there, no one envy's anyone who lives there.

Except me probably.  Cos...  I love the shops there!  And the beaches.  And well.... the shops. *smiles*

I've got company on my trip up, which is nice. One of Stew's work colleague's is hitching a ride up so she can pick up her new car.

While I'm away, we have the carpet cleaning guy coming in.  Hopefully Brylee is out of bed when he arrives tomorrow morning!

What else?  Not much.

I'm going up to spend a couple of days with Steve, Bex and the kids.  That's all I can say about that.

So, that's me for now.  I will update later on.

ONWARD...

ABOVE: Got here safely.... clearly just had an early lunch, cos I didn't have me porridge today.

Off to Steve 'n' Bexs now.

 ABOVE: So... I went into Spotlight in Manukau to get some batting... it's hardly ever available in Hamilton.  And well ... I got a little bit of fabric too.... couldn't resist!

ABOVE: There's  a warehouse chemist in Manukau... so as my thumb joints are killing me I got this stuff. Fingers crossed it helps cos shit my thumbs are sore!

Well... Bex cooked a really lovely dinner for us, followed by some yummy ice cream.

Its almost time for bed... catch ya tomorrow. 

I WILL MISS THIS

I always put a lot of effort into making my home lovely, warm and welcoming. 

That also applies to my gardens.

 ABOVE:  I have really loved getting this property's gardens looking lovely.
I'm going to miss this.

One of the reasons the 'X Factor' house might not be 'the one' is because there is very little land at the top of the gully, around the house, to make it 'mine'.  I gotta have some area to fluff around!

In saying that, we don't necessarily want a big section again.  I don't want Stew to be a slave to a huge lawn and garden again.

Next:  a funny for the start of the day:

 ABOVE:  I don't think I've ever done that, but I have put me drink bottle under the sink recently, couldn't find it for a week.  *derr*

I BET EVERY PARENT CAN RELATE.

Right, I am gunna get up and see if it's clear enough to paint that friggin gate. Then I will get all the wood out of the Hobbit House and take it to our Storage facility... along with a few other things.

ONWARD...

 ABOVE:  Card Night... I won and was smiling.  Barely half an hour later that smile was wiped off my face.

YEP...

It totally went to shit.  And I was so hurt and sad... now I'm just angry.  

PART OF TODAY'S POST HAS BEEN DELETED.  SEEMS I WAS FED MISINFORMATION.  APOLOGIES TO ALL CONCERNED.

Andddddd..... it's wet.  So nope, I won't be painting the gate or sorting out the wood.

Instead, cos I'm nuts, I went for an FBG walk.  In the rain.

ABOVE:  And I got very wet.  But it was nice to be out with friends.

Oh and the exercise was good too.  I needed it.

Now... warming up in the family room with the heat pump on.  I'm bloody cold.

OMGod... SPIDERS.  Dozens of them inside the Hobbit House.  And I stupidly got inside it with a can of fly spray!
Those bastards literally fell all over my body, in me hair, down my back... I was friggin freaking out!
But hopefully I have made at least 55,000 of them exit - stage left!

ABOVE:  I had a visit from my dear friend Pip this afternoon.  

Marley constantly amazes me.  Most 'strangers', and even some people she knows really well,  are greeted with growls and barks, and more often than not she won't go near them.

But every now and then she just falls in love.  Today she fell in love with Pip.  Literally swooned all over her.  It was adorable.

10.52 pm:  Well... we signed all the paperwork with our Estate Agent tonight.  It's official.  We will be 'on the market' on Thursday the 12th, and be having our first open homes on 14th and 15th of September.  Then our Auction will be on October the 9th.  EeeeeK!  

But for now, I'm so tired I can hardly keep awake.  Time to go to bed.

THE 'X' FACTOR

The 'X' Factor.... WAS NOT A POOL.

*smiles*

And since last night we have had time to sleep on it some more, and have decided NOT to put an offer on the X Factor house.

Well ... not for now anyway.

The X Factor was..... a STREAM at the bottom of a gorgeous gully... all part of the property!   I have dreamed of  having a stream running through my own property since I was a little kid.

Who knows, it may still happen?

The 2nd Estate agent came over last night, and we felt so happy with his appraisal and marketing proposal that we said "Go for it!".

Not only that, we also decided to do something we did not intend to ever do again.

We are going to Auction!   That means 4 weeks of Open Homes on Saturdays AND Sundays, and they will be an hour long, which is most unusual.  But I like the idea very much.

I feel like we are moving in the right direction, and I'm trying NOT to get stressed out about having something lined up to buy ... RIGHT NOW.

It will all fall into place.

Today?  Hmmmm.... sewing?

Yeah most likely, cos I didn't do any yesterday at all.  I had a look at that X Factor house, shopped, then had a chill out afternoon.

And yeah, I might paint that gate today too. 

I'm feeling really positive today.  Funny how your mood can change so quickly.  I was so stressed out yesterday.

ONWARD... 

So, I was sitting in bed eating me porridge this morning, thinking... what has to be done right now, bearing in mind our first Open Home will be in 11 days?   F*#K 11 days!

Top of me list.  Get the carpets cleaned.  So I am about to go down to the Warehouse to hire a Rug Doctor... but then I think... hang on.  That might mean the carpets are wet and also, it's gunna kill my back.

So I rang a local carpet cleaning company, and he's coming this morning to give me a quote and day he can do it.  I only need the family room and hallways done.  Surely it won't cost an arm and a leg?

NEXT.  I ring an electrician ... to get an outdoor power point in, for the pool pump.  We've just been running an extension cord out there when we turn the pump on.  Yeah, not ideal.  Better get it done properly now.

I will need to get some pool chemicals and get the pool looking all crisp and clean before Open Home too.

NEXT:  Water blast the concrete... Stew will have to do that this weekend.  It's not a biggie.

NEXT:  paint the gate.  I shall do that TODAY.  It's just a bit cold outside right now... so I'm procrastinating.

ABOVE:  So yeah, I'm taking up the big rug in the family room... so this room's carpet can be cleaned.  
And I've got Card Night tonight, and it's HERE.  *sigh*

Yaaa... saved by the rain!  No painting for me.  Well at least not today.
It's bloody cold.  I'm gunna turn on the heat pump and just be warm for a while.  Once the carpet cleaning man has been, I shall go into town and let the 1st Real Estate Agency know we will not be enlisting them to sell our house, and return all their paraphernalia.  (magnets, notebooks, folders etc)

Then I will come home and sew.

PENNY:  Can't return the chocolate, Stew and I ate it lol!

Carpet guy has been and gone, he's coming back on Friday morning to do the job.  Excellent price too.  I will be in Auckland, so Brylee will have to let him in to do the job.

DUCKS... DUCKS...  ducks..... in a row.

Been fluffing around today inside the house...

ABOVE:  With A LOT of effort, I got the huge rug out of this room so I could vacum it.  It's now lying in the hallway all rolled up.  Stew will have to get it into the garage.  It's just too heavy for me.

ABOVE:  The girls and I spent quite some time out the back this afternoon, just hanging.

I want to get all the wood out of the Hobbit House before Open Home Days.  

I hope we get some families with kiddies through, I'd love to see them out there playing on the playground and in the Hobbit House.

ABOVE:  It was so nice just lying in the swing today... enjoying a mild afternoon, and not stressing about too much.

Waiting to  hear from Bex  ... Dante might have tonsillitis... she's off to the Dr with him right now.

There's always something with kids eh? 

9.20 pm:  Feeling really sad.  Card night was going well... then it wasn't.

One left early cos we were too loud.  I'm loud.

Then there was a meltdown between two others... which meant the night ended on a really fraught note... with another one leaving with harsh words said and one left here crying.  Not me.

It was awful.

My last time hosting cards here in Cambridge and it went to crap.

I am not sure if I will be attending Card Night again if that sort of thing is going to happen.  I don't need the added stress.  So sad.

HERE'S SOME NEWS YA DON'T KNOW

I had words with our teenage son two weeks ago that were LONG overdue.  He left home.

OF HIS OWN ACCORD.

Let's set the record straight.

YOU.  WERE.  NOT.  KICKED.  OUT.  You walked out, you want to live your life how YOU want, and not be accountable to us.  FINE.  You do that, but don't you dare tell bullshit stories about how you ended up where you are right now.

And if you read this:  I love you, and I want you to come home.  

MOVING ON...

Next Sunday is Market Day, so today I am going to do some sewing.   I  have that Holiday Time table runner to work on first.
Then I might make another Wonky House runner.
I should have enough stock for this Sunday.
But I will need to get going and get more made for the Labour Day Market here in Cambridge (October).  That was a good market last year, so hopefully it is again this year.

The second Real Estate agent comes over tonight with his appraisal and proposal for marketing this home.  Sorta excited, cos after his visit we will go with one or other of them,  and get this house on the market.

It's time.

ONWARD...

In turmoil today.  We saw a house yesterday that I thought was a definite possibility.  I'm going to look at it again today.
But ... it's just so blah looking!  And I don't want to make a mistake and have to live with it for a very long time.

But here's the thing, it's perfect for us in most ways.  And it's the 'right' price... it would enable us to do what this is all about.... lower our debt.

So I'm tossing and turning all night worrying about it.  And other things.

There is so much going on within this family right now... and OMG it's causing so much stress.

I vomited again when I woke today.  Tried to have me porridge.  Didn't work.  Not handling all the stress at all.

So I've just been and paid a bill, then come home and sat.  And sat.  And stewed.

Off into Hamilton soon for a 2nd look at this house.  Have to make up my mind... cos houses that are semi desirable (and this one is I suppose), are going fairly quickly.

I hope ours sells quickly... I want this process over with.

Right. Home from Hamilton.  Had Lacy in tow all day ... kept her from bursting a foo foo valve.
We did a reccie around a house and area, then had lunch.  Did some shopping.  I got so bloody hot in the jumper I was wearing I had to buy a t-shirt.

Then we had a 2nd viewing of a house, and although it's bla from the road, I do like it.
And we might make an offer on it!

Time will tell.

This house has the 'X' Factor... something I've wanted in a home forever.  Never had the opportunity to get it before either.  So, fingers crossed.  

NOT.  TELLING.  YOU.  WHAT.  THE.  X.  FACTOR.  IS.  EITHER.  ha ha ha.

So... almost time to sort out dinner ... I'm making a bacon and egg pie.  With mashed spuds on the side.  And peas.  Cos I love peas.

The 2nd Estate Agent arrived tonight.  We didn't get to eat dinner till after 9  pm!
I will talk about his visit ... tomorrow.
AND I will be telling you what the 'X Factor' is.

Signing off for the day, I'm knackered.  So much going on!!!

TWO, MAYBE THREE TODAY

Today is gunna be a repeat of yesterday really... off at lunchtime to look at more houses.

None of them excite me though.  But the ball is rolling now... so we have to find something.

 ABOVE:  For the second time since we bought it, we are taking our lovely antique gate down and replacing it with a standard gate.
Stew did that yesterday.  Sometime today we will paint the new gate black to match the fencing here.

Our lovely gate will go into storage and find a new home in Hamilton with us.

While we were in Hamilton yesterday we popped into LUSH, a shop specialising in Fresh, Handmade Cosmetics, bath bombs, soaps etc.

I was thinking of getting a couple of lovely soaps for the bathrooms.  Instead, I got two bath bombs:

ABOVE:  Oh My, they smell so lovely!  Hopefully they hold their fragrance for a while.

Right, time to get a move on.  There's a little bit of  housework to do, and a visit to Mitre 10 for some vege plants too.

ONWARD...

10 am:  And another job is done:

ABOVE:  We now have a presentable vege garden.  I used one of the big posts that used to hold up the front shade sail for a strawberry patch divider.  It fitted there PERFECTLY.  

So, now what?  Hmmmm....

3.22 pm:  Home from house hunting.  Tired.  But semi happy.
Certainly not furious and pissed off like yesterday.

We went into one lovely house, talked to the agent about it.. price expectations etc and then we asked him "Is there an offer on this house already?", to which he replied "Oh Yes, there's SIX offers about to be presented to the owner".

OMG  I just walked out at that point.  NO reason to stay at all.  I GET why they continue to market a house, even though they have multiple offers on the table, it's to hopefully get an even BETTER offer from someone.  But OMG it's so frustrating.

It's now going to be the first question I ask an Estate Agent before I even take a look around a house.

So, we looked at three houses today.  One was nice... backed onto a busy road so maybe not.  
Next one was the house with the multi offers already on it.
Then the last one was old, needed quite a bit of work, but it's a possibility.

As we had plenty of time between viewings, we did wander through a park and enjoyed listening to a little stream.

ABOVE:  So pretty!

 ABOVE:  We are getting quite a collection of house brochures.
It certainly looks like LUGTONS has the most listing in Hamilton.

ABOVE:  We grabbed some food at Chartwell Square in between viewings too.  And I saw this cute little melamine tray... and cos I've not bought any in AGES and AGES... Stew got if for me.

OH 'HAPPY FATHERS DAY' too!!!   I gave Stewy two new pairs of jeans and a card.  He's heard from most of our kids today too, which is nice.

Now... I'm gunna relax till it's time to make dinner.  Which is going to be an utterly silly bugger dinner.  I just can't be fagged cooking.

Today is done.  Going to bed simmering... over several things.  Hopefully this coming week is a good one.