YESTERDAYS TREASURE...

Here's what I got yesterday at the Hospice shop....

ABOVE:  a dress and top for Brylee...

ABOVE:  solid plastic drawers.... perfect for me craft/sewing area...

ABOVE:  a rather nice necklace... not sure if I'll keep it or give it to someone yet.


TODAY:  Griffin to his Speld lesson....  then home to do some freaking housework I suppose.  Thrilling day ahead ...
ONWARD...


Today, instead of going into Pukekohe... thus avoiding any tempting cafe's and the like, I sat in the car and read a book.  I had thought about going for a walk, but the weather has been dreadful this morning.   It's fine now ... typical.


I'm reading a really good book: Blind Faith by CJ Lyons.  I am really loving it... lots of twists and turns.... trying to see how they all come together at the end.  I should now be doing some housework...but probably won't get much done today... just not in the mood for housework!


Hell who is?


Another quiet afternoon.  Finished me book.. it was a really good read.
Time to think about getting dinner... oh yaaa.


End of Day:  Stew and I did the grocery shopping this evening.  Spent about $250 LESS than normal!  Score.  I've left Stew to put it all away.. mean I know.   LYNDA:  just didn't need as much this time as we had done a HUGE shop last time.
nite nite

BACK TO THE HOSPICE

I popped into the Hospice Shop yesterday, to check how the renovation was going.  It's finished!
I can go back to do my stint today.


The only thing wasn't that happy about was there is only one counter again.  OK, it's a new counter, it's a bit longer too.  But I can see the same problem happening ... Mrs Smelly Pants will hog the counter, leaving me doing nothing.


If that happens, I'm outta there.  I don't need the hassle....  coming out of there after nearly 5 hours of being angry is not worth it.  NOT AT ALL.


So, fingers crossed it works out, as I really do like being there.  And it looks so good now!  All new paint, new shelving, new racks, new carpet... it's just lovely.


I went to Weight Watchers last night.... I refuse to give up!

ABOVE:  they did not lie.  I gained 1.3 kg.  But I will continue to fight the war against MYSELF.


CRANKY: thanks for the tough love.
FROGGY:  the breathing did not help, but thanks for suggesting it. Anything is worth a go eh.


CRANKY... funny you suggest Stew goes to WW with me, I was thinking the EXACT same thing last night!
So Stew: what do you think?  Wanna be a 'Weight Watcher'?   


At the meeting I go to, there are about 3 men who are there with their wives/girlfriends... and there is this one Dude who goes on his own, he's been going a while now... and OMG he is so bloody gorgeous!  20 years too young though... IF I was looking!  lol   (I ain't looking Stew, I promise *smiles*)


Right, Hospice here I come...-


Well... it was OK!  Sorta.   Mrs Smelly Pants tried to 'hog' the counter... but I just kinda stood REALLY CLOSE to her until she moved over a bit!


My Aunt came into the shop today too... and I managed to sell her a few items of clothing!

ABOVE: her she is modelling a really lovely lightweight jacket... which she bought for $6.

ABOVE: having a laugh with another customer.

ABOVE: the new counter... and I'm NOT saying who that is behind it...

ABOVE:  another view of the counter area.


I bought some 'treasure' but will save that for tomorrow's post.   There's enough on here already.


This afternoon I'm taking it easy, I have felt sick all day ... dinner last night was too rich.  (teriyaki Chicken and garlic bread)  


It's been very quiet around here this afternoon.  Nothing happening at all.
Kids are at school this evening for their 'Wearable Art' show.  We (adults in our house)  did not go... you get to sit on the sports field and watch for 3 hours... and our kids only feature in about 3 minutes of the entire show...  so not going.  OH and you had to PAY to sit there!  Naaaaaa.


End of Day:  kids seemed to enjoy their school event.  That's nice.  Still glad we didn't go though, it's blowing a gale out there!  
nite nite

MISERY LIKES COMPANY

Every night, when Stew sits down ... both dogs sit with him.  Never me.  I get the impression Stew quite likes that.  I feel really left out... NOT.
What he doesn't see is me and the dogs during the day.  Wherever I am, they are too.  If not sitting on me, certainly WITH me.

ABOVE:  See Darling?  They do love me too... lol.
DEBBIE: you asked me yesterday what sort of dogs they were?  They are half Bichon and half Shih Tzu....  Coco's hair is more like a Shih Tzu and Teddy's is more like a Bichon.   Teddy is a 'fixed' boy and Coco is the girl.  


Last night I had a go at getting the join right on bindings.... I watched several videos and read some tutorials... I was surprised at how many different ways people do it!  Anyway, I chose one that looked like it made sense (to me anyway) and gave it a go:

ABOVE:  I just used some calico for practise on some 'testing' fabric ... it worked! 
TODAY:  I'm going out to buy some binding or fabric to make some.  Then I shall come home and sew it on.
THAT. IS. ALL.   (for now)


Buying enough ready made binding to do all 9 Placemats was going to cost a lot of money, so I went hunting for plain black homespun cotton.  do you think I could find it ANYWHERE?  I went to two Spotlight stores with no luck. 


So now I have to either wait until I can get some... or use another fabric to bind them with.

ABOVE:  I have enough of the 'grape' fabric to do the job, BUT.... I am not sure it would look 'right'?  And that fabric is gorgeous, almost too pretty to chop up for binding.   What do you think?

ABOVE:  while I was over Mr Wellington way at Spotlight, I popped into Sylvia Park to get some more Tee-shirts... and the new SUPER CENTRE across the road is sooooo close to being ready to open.  I can't wait.  It means whenever we go to  Sylvia Park I can pop into Spotlight too!   Yaaaa.
( oh and I love the colour job they have given it! )


RENEE:  thanks for that chick.   As I don't have your email address it would be hard for me to 'flick you an email' .... lol!


End of Day:  I am dragging myself out of this funk I've been in.  I know EXACTLY what the problem is... and I know how to rectify it.
It's the same old story:  I eat shit, I gain weight, I hate myself, so I eat more shit to feel better, then I gain even more weight,  then I hate myself......  so.... I went back to Weight Watchers tonight.   I faced the scales, I accepted a gain... and I will pull me big girl panties up and face the fact that I am my own WORSE ENEMY.
nite nite.

YUM YUM.....

Some very interesting new Honey to try!
We got it yesterday at the Honey Shop near Warkworth.  There were about two dozen flavours, but I only got the three this time :

ABOVE:  right this minute, I can't think how to use them to make the most of their unique flavours.... but I'm sure it will come to me!


The Honey and Cinnamon one will probably go really nicely in an Apple Pie....  Then there is the Honey and Spiced Apple... hmmmmm....


TODAY:  I'm going to do the housework, which always involves a good solid 3 hours of cleaning after the weekend.  Vacuming, washing floors, putting shit away that 'people' leave lying around (almost ALWAYS a male) bla bla bla.... 


Then I'm going to sew some more of the placemats.... the quilting takes quite a bit of time ... but it is worth it.  They are going to look really neat (I hope), once finished.


Might just go buy some cooking apples later.... a pie is on me mind now.....


ONWARD...


I felt a bit cold this morning, so I've just put on socks and a sweatshirt.   Not 5 minutes later... got a hot flush.
Worthless information:  putting your head INSIDE the fridge does not help.

ABOVE:  'Someone' has been down in the garage sniffing around my card scraps...


Where is everyone?  I am not feeling any love at all.  Pffffffft.  Tis lonely here on me pat malone....

ABOVE:  there !  All 9 placemats quilted and trimmed... now I have to get some binding and bind them all.  Not sure if I shall buy ready made binding or buy fabric and make my own.  


AND I've just realised I will have to make a table runner to go with the freakin placemats!  Yaaaa.... another thing to add to me list of 'To Do's' .   


It's been a weird old day really.   Very, very windy... but nice temperatures.  And I've felt very lonely today for some reason?  I usually love Mondays... kids back at school, men at work.  Got the place to myself.  But today I ain't liking it.


It's quiet days like this I question why I blog... is it to record my daily doings for me... or for my readers?  Cos sometimes I think my life is INCREDIBLY BORING,  and when it's a quiet day I always think:  why bother?  Who the hell cares what I do with my day?  Or week?  Hell, at all?  


JACKIE:  I hesitated to answer your question because it's fairly obvious (to me anyway) that I fell off the WW wagon again.  I am disgusted in myself (again)  ... and that is pretty much the reason I'm down in the dumps.


CRANKY:  THANKS my friend.


End of Day:  it's almost 1am and I am putting off going to bed.  Why?  Cos I want to be damn exhausted so I will sleep!  I am not sleeping well again due to hot flushes.  Summer's arrival is not helping, that's for sure.
I would love to get some security thingees on the windows so we can keep the bedrooms a bit cooler... and insect screens too.  Might just price them out this week.
nite nite

IT'S A START.....

So, I made a start on quilting the placemats yesterday, and today I hope to get most of them quilted ready for the binding.   Shit I hate doing the binding!   I simply cannot remember how to join the binding properly when the two ends meet.  Anyone know a good tutorial I can read on the 'net???

ABOVE:  I used a bright green thread to quilt the main part of the placemat.... should I change to black for the side borders...  which are solid black?

ABOVE: Little miss getting into mischief yesterday.  *sigh*  she is such an imp.


Today, apart from wanting to sew... we will no doubt go for a little Tiki Tour somewhere...


ONWARD... 


JULIE: my Husquvarna has many quilting stitches.... that is what I use.  I don't have a 'real' quilting machine as such.  


Talking of my Husquvarna, it is working really well now... so I suppose I shall have to stop calling it 'The Lemon' I think.


We are heading out and about soon.... I just have to duck downstairs and hem a dress for Brylee so she can wear it...


LEIGH:  thanks chick!


Just got home from our tiki tour today (shit we are turning into 'Sunday Drivers'!)... ha ha ha.


We decided to go to Matakana for lunch... we love it up there.   First off though, I dropped off the Cards to Tracy who won them last week... sadly she was not home so I had to leave them with her hubby....

ABOVE:  Start..... going through the new Victoria Park Tunnel....

ABOVE:  passing a grass fire just before the northern gateway motorway...

ABOVE:  we have driven past this Honey Shop many times and not stopped, so I made Stew stop today.... I'm glad we did.  It's a really neat shop....

ABOVE: if it could be made with bee by products or honey, they had it!  Sweets, soaps, candles, honey's (of course!), perfums, essences.... you name it!  We bought 3 small honey pots to try.
OH, and some marshmallow with honey flavoured coconut on the outside.  It was OK... I wouldn't rave about it though.

ABOVE: this was the best bit!  Real live, working hives that you could see inside!  It was quite awesome to see the bees furiously working away....

ABOVE:  try taking a photo of moving bees!  Rather difficult.  The bee in the middle with the white mark is the QUEEN Bee. (apparently)  I always thought the Queen was way bigger than the rest of the bees... but she wasn't.

ABOVE:  at Matakana, heading off to the local pub for lunch...

ABOVE:  inside the pub, where you order your food and drink...   quite a neat room... as long as you don't mind this:

ABOVE:  one of the many  'inhabitants' looking down on you!

ABOVE:  I was looking at this sign by the outdoor seating, wondering who was the 'Ginga'... I thought it was probably someone who worked there?  I really am a bit slow sometimes..... 

ABOVE:  as Stew said... it would be the pub cat!   Well... he is a 'Ginga' afterall!  Derrrrr.

ABOVE:  THIS is why we drive an hour and a half to Matakana for lunch ...  A whole day's food in one go! 


Their burgers really are AMAZING.  If you get a chance go there... order their MEGA burger.  You won't need any chips on the side.... cos that burger is really hard to finish off.  We got chips, but sent most of them back... rather a waste of good food.


After lunch we went to Omaha, Stew and the kids had a big long walk along the beach.  I had a siesta in the car!  I was stuffed after that lunch.


Home now and I'm hoping no one wants too much for dinner, I sure in hell don't!

ANOTHER WEEKEND ROLLS IN...

Saturday, usually I sleep in... but Stew is today as he had such an early start yesterday.  Poor bugger is knackered!


The kids are happily playing.... and I've got a mass of clean washing to fold .... and more to put in the machine.  It never ends.

ABOVE:  Steve and the kids playing 'Trouble'... it's quite a good game as it can be played by most ages.  


TODAY:  well the only thing that is a sure thing is Emily is getting dropped off for about 6 hours while Andrew and a mate go to some show about Big Boy's Toys... whatever that is.  Stew said it's cars, motorbikes, remote toys... you know, boy stuff!  


I want to do some sewing today too.... and once Stew is up he has to go and have blood tests... a regular occurrence to monitor his Type 2 diabetes.


ONWARD...

ABOVE:  almost standing!  Won't be long before the dogs will have to think of somewhere else to go to get away from her!

ABOVE:  mobile... and heading off down the hallway to investigate where Granddad is, with her cohort Coco...
See the dog food bowls in the laundry?  They got picked up pretty quickly by Stew!

ABOVE:  around the corner they go...

ABOVE:  a.. haaaa, there's Granddad!...

ABOVE:  gorgeous moments with our Emily...

ABOVE:  that darling wee face says it all eh?  She loves her Granddad.


Not going out today by the look of it...just a quiet day in!  Unheard of on a Saturday... I know!


WE did decide to go out, but Andrew came back early so we had to turn around and get back home so he could pick up Emily and go back to Hamilton.  Once they left we popped out to Sylvia Park to return Griffin's remote controlled helicopter as it was malfunctioning.  


Hopefully he gets it back in a few days.


I'm feeling decidedly 'flat' today.  Just not really enthused about anything.  Shall get back to my sewing, maybe that will perk me up?


End of Day:  Stew cooked a nice pasta/tomato/sausage dinner.  Why is there NOTHING decent to watch on the TV on a Saturday night?  Some people DO stay home eh! nite nite

GRUMPY USED TO BE MY DAD'S NICKNAME (BEHIND HIS BACK!)

But since he died, I do believe my MOTHER has adopted the name.  She sure has the grumpy attitude:

ABOVE:  My Mother (in the white top)... with her grumpy face on.  I saw it a lot.  She was tired, they tried to fit too much in while over here from  Australia... so she was really grumpy.  Lovely, when you only see her once or twice a year.

ABOVE: the 4 olds around the table last night.  I fed them mince/bacon/tomatoe stew with veges.  Nothing flash as I didn't even know they would be here for dinner last night.  


Today:  well now they have gone I can relax again... do some sewing today I hope.  And post a small gift pack of cards to Tracy.....


OH!  It is GRIFFIN'S 10th Birthday today too!  Only a couple of presents for him today as I am giving him a gift voucher for PSP games.  He is going to be thrilled to bits with it too ($100 to spend).... he's been saving up all his pocket money too... so he will have a ball in the shop later on after school today.


ONWARD...

ABOVE:  7am this morning... out in the street checking out the remote control car...

ABOVE:   getting Birthday Wishes from his Dad... Stew was up at 4.30am to take the old's out to the airport, so he just went on to work from there.  Hopefully he will finish early and come home with Birthday Cake!


LYNDA: why thanks for that.  *smiles*

ABOVE:  9 Placemats all pinned and ready to quilt.  As I am hopeless at free motion still... I will just do a wiggly line up and down... it's what I seem to always end up doing!


End of Day:  we had dinner at Sylvia Park for Griffin's Birthday.  Nice, I didn't have to cook.
Now the boy is going to play with his remote control car AND the remote control Helicopter Steve just bought him too.  Spoilt little bugger.
nite nite.