START THEM YOUNG

ABOVE:  Teaching Miss Muppet vacuuming skills ... it's never too early to learn right? 😊

Today I MUST finish a table runner that's been neglected for days.  It's going to be a present for someone. 

Then I'm going to get my car from Steve and Bex's, and maybe pick up a puzzle board?  NO HURRY STEVE!

Then I'm coming home to strip more wallpaper and move my wardrobe contents into the littlest room.

OH did I say I was moving things around in the house again?

LOL... yeah I am.  I can't help myself.  It's an obsession.

I'm moving my wardrobe system into the littlest room, and putting the single bed (with trundle bed under it), in the larger middle bedroom.

That way there is more room for visitors using the single and trundle beds. 

I've done about half the move around, so with any luck I'll get more done today.

Last night at around 9 pm, we had a police officer turn up on our doorstep.  When Police turn up at that time of night, you normally think it's BAD NEWS being delivered.

Having just attended a family funeral that day, it was extremely distressing to then find out that it was a vexatious complaint made by a family member against us, and unfortunately our little Keera witnessed the entire 'event'.   

Many years ago, when we had 6 kids at home, we had a 'saying'... it went like this:

"This is the house where pigs can fly, and Mr Nobody does everything".

Because when something was lost, or broken etc, all the kids said "It wasn't me".

We now have a new saying:

edited: "This is the house where Police turn up, and nobody has done anything!"

Thanks Steve for coming up with that, you clever bastard.

ABOVE:  And look at that!  Steve whipped up my puzzle board in like half an hour!  OMG it's beautiful.

Thanks so much Steve.  You are the most wonderful son EVER.

ABOVE:  Lunch out at Chartwell Square today.  Nice to get out and about as a nice family group.

And now... we are home and feeling decidedly jaded.  But, think we are gunna play Jenga now.

8.30 pm:  Oh man, Stew just cooked us a really delicious dinner of pork chops, mashed potatoes, peas, onions and gravy.   So YUM.  

And now... OMG I am just so, so tired.  My brain is fried.  I won't be long out of bed tonight.

Catch you tomorrow.

AUCKLAND BOUND

 Well it's likely to be a sad day.

I'm off to Auckland bright and early to attend the funeral of my Aunty Jean.

She was 82, just a year younger than my Mum.

The funeral in is Howick, Auckland at 11 am, so I need to be leave fairly early to ensure I get there on time.

While I'm up in Auckland, I might pop into Ribbon Rose... cos I'll be in the area already (sorta).  lol

And Sylvia Park too.  But that will depend on how long the funeral goes.

I don't want to be away from home all day, as we will have family visiting.

AND I want to get Stew to make me a jig saw puzzle board, with edges, so no pieces can inadvertently fall off and get lost.

Cos that might have happened to the last 2 puzzles? Dunno.

I'm just trying to avoid any losses with my bigger, 2,000 piece puzzle.   I don't want to even start it until I am sure it's safe from losses.

Alrighty, I better get moving.  

Catch ya later.

...

ABOVE: Howick Beach. Visited quickly after the funeral. Homeward bound now.

ABOVE:  So thankful that Stew was able to accompany me to my Aunt's funeral.  I don't think I would have been too happy attending on my own.  It was hard going to yet another one so soon.

ABOVE:  Thanks to our wonderful Bex for babysitting Keera for us, AT OUR HOME.

ABOVE:  And a HUGE thank you to Lacy for giving up half of her Saturday with Keera, so we could go to Auckland together.  She came over to our house, AFTER we arrived home from Auckland.

I am NEVER going to forgive the lack of empathy and compassion shown to us by some people.

UNFORGIVEABLE behaviour.  They are the lowest of the low.

And now we are going to have a lovely afternoon with the family.

ABOVE:  Meantime... Steve is hard at work, being 'supervised' by our friend Richard.  Steve's doing some work for him during the weekend.  I have to laugh at the beers lined up on the wall. 😄😆😅

So much to do

headache

YEP.  ALL THREE !!!!!!!!!

So, I'm going to bed.

AHHHHH, FRIDAY

Good morning!

It's going to be a lovely day.

Mostly because I don't have to cook dinner tonight.

We have been given a Dinner Voucher from Stew's sister, Khady.  A belated birthday present for Stew.  So tonight we are going to Lone Star for dinner.   I love their meals.  I almost always have their Loaded Hog, which is roast pork with stuffing, and a delicious side salad and chunky fries.  I'm drooling just thinking about it to be honest.

As for what I'm getting up to for the day?  Don't know.  I was thinking of taking a couple of days off doing jig saws and pulling some paper off walls.  

DAWN P:  In answer to your question about the painting on my wall... it was used in our home by a staging company, when we were selling our Auckland home.  I fell in love with it, so the lady sold it to me.   I just looked on the back of the painting, and it has a small sticker that says 'me&my trend', which is a company that used to be in Auckland selling homewares.  It's no longer operating under that name.  Bearing in mind I've had the painting for about 5 years, I doubt it's still available.

ABOVE: I enjoy leaning out of the lounge window to watch our fish.  The new 4 seem to have settled in well... the three little ones are certainly frisky little buggers.

ABOVE: On my windowsill.  So very pretty.  The amazing blue, shiny rock is a Labradorite.  I don't remember the names of the other two.  I like things arranged in three's.  

So.  If I can get one large wall stripped of paper, I might go down and get a couple of test pots of paint.  It would be nice to actually settle on a colour, instead of staring at samples pinned to the wall forever.

THEN I might be more motivated to actually get the walls stripped and ready for painting, instead of procrastinating.  Shit I procrastinate A LOT. 

I hope I'm not the only one!

Right, off to start the day.

Catch ya later.

9.15 am:  Lacy has come over to give me a hand with stripping paper.

I've taken paintings and so on off the walls in part of the family room, and the hallway.  It looks naked.

ABOVE:  The first strip coming off.  It WOULD have all come off in one go ... except there was a little nail in the wall, so it broke near the top.  

Lacy INSISTED I tell you that.   I might add, the next strip is coming off in multiple pieces.  lol

11.38 am: Well it's such a good day!  Lacy and I are powering through the wallpaper stripping.

I don't think we will get the entire hallway done today, I'm starting to flag a bit.

The paper in the hallway is different from in the family room, it was not coming off well at all.

It's a vinyl paper, so even though I thought it wouldn't work, I tried wetting it to help get it off.

And dang!  It worked!  Weird, vinyl paper doesn't usually absorb water?  But I'll take it.  It's still harder to get off than the other stuff, but it IS coming off.

The sun is shining, so all the washing is getting dry.  

I've done all the swimming towels, like over a dozen of them!

Lacy has gone out to get us some lunch.  Yummy club sandwich for me.

ABOVE:  Making steady progress.  I'm knackered already!  Lacy is still going...

AND hey you fullas!  I was working my guts out stripping wallpaper too.  It wasn't just Lacy.  Pfffft.

It's now time I stopped pulling MORE PAPER OFF on my own, and get ready to go out to dinner. 

ABOVE:  Cheers.  We had a wonderful dinner!  My 'Loaded Hog' was perfect. Stew had a steak which he declared delicious too.

ABOVE:  Lone Star, Rototuna.  We highly recommend the place.

ABOVE:  Our dinners.  Stew had a side of mushrooms with his steak. 

Definitely one of our favourite restaurants, and it's just down the road from our home.

Time to sign off for the day, and just chill out in me lazy boy chair.

BATH TIME

 Today I am bathing the girls.

Cos they seriously smell bad!

I don't know why either.  So, I will be putting them in the shower and getting them nice and clean and smelling lovely again.

Hopefully that lasts for a week or two!

ABOVE:  Last night's walk picture.  I hid behind the sign!  I must check out the Events and see if there's another one at a good time for next week.

Back to the day ahead. After bathing the girls I think I will give my car's interior a clean as well.

It's looking a bit unloved.

Then I will get back into my sewing room and finish my latest runner.  I've got 4 days to get it done cos it's already got a name on it.

First up.  I slept in.

Then I leapt outta bed and immediately set up the shower/wet room ready to bath the dogs.

Then I commenced the job.

And an hour and a half later, it's all done.

The dogs are clean.

The cleaner (that would be me) is clean.

The shower/wet room has been cleaned and de-dog stunk from top to bottom.

The dogs bedding is all changed.

And I have two big loads of washing to do.

So, that's what I'm about to do.

Coco has an on-going ear infection.  I have medication from the Vet for it.  So that took me an additional half an hour to do as well.

She was SO GOOD for me this time too.  Usually, she cries and yelps and acts like I'm killing her!

But today?  She was just so good.  She got an extra treat after her bath.

ABOVE:  I decided to go have lunch with Bex.  We had a good chat and then I came home again.

Now I'm contemplating doing some more of the jig saw, cos it's still not finished.

ABOVE:  DONE!   And this one 'ONLY' has three missing pieces.

And I was PARTICULARLY mindful and careful with this one, and didn't move it at all.  And it still has missing pieces.

So we either have someone or some dog taking pieces, or they simply were not there.  And I really can't imagine one of the dogs jumping on a chair and nicking puzzle pieces, can you?

For my next one I have a plan to make sure NO ONE gets near it at all, except me.

Dinner is about to go in the oven, it's a pre-made Beef Lasagne from Countdown.  Fingers crossed it's nice.

Tomorrow night, I don't have to cook.  Yaaa.

And that's me for the day, after dinner I am going to put that puzzle away and start on my next one.

Obviously, I'm really enjoying doing puzzles right now.  It takes my mind off other stuff.

WHOOPS I DID IT AGAIN

 Late last night I decided to use the last of the passionfruit, and make another slice.

It is so quick and easy, 'baking' at 10 pm isn't hard or onerous.

ABOVE:  I changed it up this time and used half a packet of Malt Biscuits and half a packet of plain Arnotts Marie biscuits.  So it should taste a little different from me last one.

I also doubled the amount of passion fruit pulp in the icing again.  

I shall be testing it at morning tea time. 😃😋😜

My plans for today are:  the same as yesterday.

Housework.  Jig saw puzzle.  Maybe sewing.  Just bugger all really.

I am really enjoying having very little stress now, no 'deadlines', schedules, markets etc.  I needed to simplify my life.  At least for now.

I found out my Aunty Jean's funeral is this coming Saturday, up in Auckland.  Depending on a few factors, I may end up having to go on my own.

Not ideal, but if that's how it has to be, well so be it.  

I'm still finding it unbelievable that THREE of them have gone in a row.  Mum.  Charles.  Jean.

Gosh I hope no more do for a very long time.

Right, I might just roll over and grab a few more Zzzzz's until me feet start to twitch.

When THAT happens I know I have to get up!  It means my mind is going ninety to the dozen with things I should be doing. 

What do ya do when you get outta bed crabby as F*#K?  Why you eat Passion Fruit Slice.  For breakfast.

Then you get even crabbier when the Power Company (Mercury) rings you up to reply to your 'recent' survey response.

In it I told them what I thought about their meter reader letting our dogs out by not locking the gate. 

I also told him that I got a phone call last Thursday saying the meter reader would be reading our meter in the next three days, so I had to confine my dogs and make sure she could get in to read the meter.

SIX DAYS LATER she finally turned up, and had to knock on the door because I'd relocked the gate.  Ha ha ha.

8 minute conversation ended with plenty of So Sorry's, but nothing can be done.  

Next reading will be on or near April the 3rd.

Yeah right.

My gate is staying LOCKED.

Rant over.

I think I should eat more slice.

Anyone want a headache?  Time to cave in and take some Panadol.

ABOVE: This one just called in.  Why does she have such a 'cheesy' look on her face?

ABOVE: Because she literally ONLY came around for Passion Fruit Slice!

LYNDA:  It is a dual electric and gas meter.  It is old.  I asked the bloke today if it could be switched to a Smart Meter and he said no, because the gas can't be read any other way.

Does anyone know if that is actually true?

I might investigate our options in relation to if we can switch to another power company who CAN install a smart meter, if possible.

ANON:  I know I'm not looking after my diabetes right now... but I have a very bad attitude to myself right now, as in : I DON'T GIVE A FUCK.

2 pm:  I went out.  Cos I'm starting to feel like a hermit.

Spotlight had a 30% sale (as per usual, let's get real), and I got this lot:

ABOVE:  I was happy to find some more Christmas fabric is silver and grey.  And some plastic sheets for pattern making.

ABOVE: next stop was Animates, to get some fresh weed for the fish to eat.  I might have bought 4 more goldfish.  Yeah, I did.

And bugger me, they ain't cheap!

Though the guy tried to overcharge me for one of them by quite a few bucks, luckily I picked up on it straight away and got a refund.

After that I grabbed a pie and came home and ate it in front of the girls.  They were not impressed with me.  I didn't share.

5.10 pm:  I'm off walking in Cambridge tonight.  I'm actually starting to look forward to it.  But only for the company.  I hate walking!  Maybe I can walk off the two pieces of slice I ate this morning?  That would be good.

9 pm:  And I'm home from the walk.  It was lovely to catch up with so many friends, so well worth going.

My back didn't really like the first half of the walk and I nearly stopped at the half way mark, but pressed on and did the 2nd half.  I felt good for doing it.

I hope to do another one next week.

And that is me for the day.  Catch ya tomorrow.

FREEDOM

 Now that I've not got my 'shop' anymore, I feel FREE.

Free to do whatever I like, no ties.

Today there is an FBG walk in Cambridge at 10 am.  I might go. It will depend on how my lower back is feeling by 9.15 I suppose. 

I am feeling quite guilty.

Yesterday for the first time EVER, I forgot it was my Dad's birthday!  He would have been 87.  AND it was Coco's birthday too, she is now 11.

I think I had too much on my mind yesterday.

It's a nice sentiment eh?

Shame it doesn't happen with everyone in our lives.  

I know my dogs love me to death!   Yesterday I inadvertently forgot to unlock the back door, so they couldn't get out to go potty... ALL NIGHT AND DAY.  And those darlings HELD ON!

It wasn't until Stew got home from work that we realised they had been locked inside for 20 hours... so I let them out and they went potty IMMEDIATELY.  Poor girls.

I've never done that before.  I was damn surprised we hadn't had an accident all day, that's for sure.

Stew reckons they were too scared of my reaction if they had 'gone' inside.  He might be right. 

Yeah, he's right.

So ... enough about that.

What else can I blither on about?

Not much.

I suppose I should get up and get the last load of washing on the line.  It's been sitting in the washing machine since yesterday.  WHOOPS.

I am a lazy tart.

ABOVE:  OMG!

I saw this on Facebook last night, and seriously, I am quite sure I did ALL OF THESE THINGS as a kid.  ALL OF THEM.  It really made me smile watching it.

9.45 am:  I've canned the idea of walking today.  I'm booked on a 7pm walk tomorrow night, and as my aim was only one a week (for now at least) I'm gunna stick to that.  Plus, my back... goddam it.  I have been sleeping on my stomach lately and OMG do I wake up with a terrible backache when I do that.

So, the washing is done, bed made, dinner thawing (chicken 'something), and now?

Might go to The Base and get a new jig saw... my current one in about 70% done.

I'm hoping to find one at Farmers, as I  have a $20 voucher about to expire. 

And Lacy just turned up, so I'll drag her along.

11.20 am:  And Farmers was a complete waste of time, so was Whitcoulls.  Neither place had any bigger jig saws at all.

So we went to the one shop in town I was sure would have some.

And he did.  I chose this one:

ABOVE:  With 2,000 pieces, I think it's the biggest one I've had.

BUT.... OMG!

This was in the window:

ABOVE:  Forty THOUSAND + pieces!

That's like 10 X 4,000 piece puzzles in ONE.

But... the price kinda put me off. ($1,599.00)  

And the size of table you would need to set up in your garage to actually do it!

Might have to just leave it in the shop, FOREVER. 😆😅😂

ABOVE:  A slightly better photo of the monster puzzle.  It's AMAZING.  Drool worthy even.

2.15 pm:  And I just had a lovely girlfriend from Raglan call in.  Lots of yakking, dog patting, laughing.  So nice.

Now... I shall continue doing my current jig saw, cos I'm actually itching to get on with my new one!

Brylee just called in as her new GHD arrived. She's a bit excited I think.  I bet she's gone home to wash her hair and straighten it. 😆

5.15 pm:   Probably time I put some dinner in the oven.  Baked chicken tonight.

10.15 pm:  I didn't like dinner tonight.  I baked the chicken in a Honey/Soy marinade, with added red onions.  It just didn't do anything for me.  Stew seemed to like it, so not a total disaster.

We watched the Harry/Megan/Oprah interview tonight.  I don't think I'll comment on it because no matter what I say/think, I will get shot down in flames for having an 'opinion'.

I just hope they are happy and continue to be happy.