VERY BUSY DAY PLANNED

Usually our Saturday's are quiet affairs.  Ya know, housework, lawns mown, maybe lunch out, grocery shopping... but today will be slightly different.

For a start, as we had to visit a lawyer on Thursday, our access visit to Keera's father had to be deferred to today.

So, Stew is picking Keera up and taking her to meet Wade at Sylvia Park.

While he's doing that, Bex, the kids and I will be taking Josh to meet up with his cronies from Invercargill... and they will be doing some shopping in  "THE BIG SMOKE".
Auckland is New Zealand's biggest City, so anyone who lives down in the deep south (like Invercargill) of course wants to go shopping while here!

It's like they don't have shops down there!  *laughing ever so quietly*...  cos ... of course they don't have many shops down there!  It's INVERCARGILL eh?

ABOVE:  See?  He lives a freakin long way from Auckland!  Bex used to live there too... it's her 'home town'.  I'm so glad she moved north!

So, how about a few more photos from last night?  Yeah I thought you'd like that... lol

 ABOVE:  Josh arrived with a gift for Dante... some very interesting socks and mittens!  

 ABOVE:  see?  How colourful are they?

ABOVE:  they rattle!  Very cute.

 ABOVE:  Men.  Sharing a mutual interest.  Any idea what?  .....  freakin rugby!  Josh is actually up here because he is involved in racing motorbikes of some sort?  I must ask him.

Right... what else?  I've started making a bag for one of our nieces down in Canterbury.  Her Mum got one a little while ago, and now she's getting one each for the girls.

ABOVE: this one is going to be for Sophie... It's not finished yet.

ABOVE: and this one (already made) is for Mikayla.
I hope they like them.

Back to today... after we drop Josh off with his mates, Bex, the kids and I will meet Stew at Sylvia Park and sort ourselves out from there.  
We are hoping to get down to Hamilton after lunchtime to attend our Granddaughter Rena's 5th Birthday party.   

Something tells me we might be a bit late, but it can't be helped.  We did not know Josh's plans until he arrived last night.

ONWARD...

Plans changed.  Josh's mates picked him up from here... so now I just have to wait for Stew to get home from Sylvia Park... then we can leave for Hamilton.

And again, change of plans.  Stew is knackered... the guys stayed up talking & drinking till 2 am, so Stew is now having a sleep!

We feel bad about not going, but I was not going to drive ... I'm really tired too.

I had an afternoon nap!  I slept from 1 pm to 5 pm!!  Must have been tired.  Feeling like a box of birds now... and I don't even have to cook dinner.  It's Stew's turn.  

He's doing a mince/pasta dish.  Might give it a miss... I had Hot Cross Bun BREAD for lunch.  OMG it was yum.  We had never seen a full loaf made to look like 2 large hot cross buns before. I suppose it was just a fruit loaf at the end of the day?  Still lovely.  

He also bought Chocolate Hot Cross Buns, but I didn't have any... it just wasn't a 'Hot Cross Bun' to me... and I didn't want the chocolate.

End of Day:  a fairly wishy-washy day, didn't do much of anything we had planned at all.
Oh well... it was still a nice day.
nite nite

WORD VERIFICATION... SO SORRY!

Well... it had to be done... and I am so sorry!  Word Verification has been activated on my blog because I can no longer stand getting hundreds of SPAM comments a day.  
Some days I might get ONLY around 100, but on 'BAD DAYS' like yesterday ... I get several hundred.

I hope you understand that I HATE doing it, but I can't spend over an hour a day filtering all the SPAM comments and deleting them.  It is doing me head in and making me right mad!

ABOVE: an example from ONE 'PAGE' of SPAM comments!  In just over 30 minutes... about 35 of them... and that went on ALL DAY until I put Word Verification on mid afternoon.

If you really want to leave me a comment, you will brave Word Verification I'm sure. 

While Lacy was here yesterday she raided BRYLEE'S wardrobe!  She found this dress (it's too big for Brylee): 

ABOVE:  Don't be fooled by the 'cutey cutey' look... she's not cute.  lol

ABOVE: see?  Under that black 'n' white dress was another one that was too big for Brylee...

 ABOVE:  She nicked that one too.  At least it's not up around her knickers.  Yet.

I suggested to Bex that Dante might be big enough now to sit in the Bumbo seat my Mum got him...

ABOVE:  and yes, he sits in it really good now.

ABOVE:  trouble was, he didn't think much of it at all!  He was hungry and tired, so we will try him in it again today.

I took some gorgeous photos of Keera yesterday, so here's my pick of the best out of 96 I took!...

ABOVE X's 2:  Teddy licking Keera's toes!  She love it too.

 ABOVE:  our gorgeous wee Keera.  I can't quite pick the colour of her eyes... sometimes they look greenish, other times grey.

KAREN:  thank you for your lovely comments about Keera yesterday!  I am sure Lacy has never given such an idea a thought.  I will let her know what you suggested.  *smiles*

Today?  The builders are coming back to fit the kick boards in the kitchen.  Oh yaaa... we have to stay home.  That's OK though, I can work on a bag for my sister in law down in the South Island.  Her two girls loved their Mum's bag, so they are both getting one now.  

ONWARD...

MARISSA:  yes Marmite is available again.  The only person who eats it in this house is Bex.  And yes, she has some now. The rest of us like Vegemite.

OOO I just remembered... Bex's eldest Brother, Josh, is coming to visit tonight.  Better scurry off and get a bed sorted for him... I think I'll put him in Griffin's bed. Griffin can sleep on a couch, he will love that.

Popped out to get some cord for the next bag I'm making... forgot the cord!

Got fabric instead:

ABOVE:  I was looking for cord, and MAYBE a little bit of blue fabric... and ummm... Kinda got carried away with this lot!   I think it will make a lovely simple block quilt.  

The Bright green/red/yellow fabric is for Bex to have a play with... I will show her how to make the little drawstring bags using that fabric.

What else did I do while out... oh yes!  I checked out the Manukau Salvation Army Thrift Shop.  Quite expensive compared to the local Hospice shop ... but they did have some nice stuff in there.  

I bought these:

ABOVE:  the little fish dish is going in my bathroom.  On me way to bed I put my watch, hairclips, earrings on the sink bench in me bathroom, and last night I said to myself "I need a little dish here to put this stuff in"... so now I have one.

I have masses of cute little dishes that would have suited the purpose perfectly well... but it's got A FISH on it... IN BLUE.  How could I not buy it?

The builders should be here very soon... so I better grab some lunch from the kitchen before they get here...

For the FIRST TIME EVER... I have NO SPAM COMMENTS.  None.  It's amazing!  Word Verification may be a right pain in the butt, but it's saving me hours!

We just ran out of Diet Coke!  OMG I didn't realise how often I reach for me drink... until I don't have any.  Bex has gone for a walk down to the dairy to get me a bottle while I watch over the builder and Dante.  

***As I have already told MarkD60, I was having to go through and check every single SPAM comment as sometimes a genuine comment was  amongst the hundreds of spam ones.  It could take me an hour or more to go through each and every one!  Yesterday was diabolical!***  

Bex's big brother Josh finally arrived... Bex was so looking forward to seeing him and introducing him to his nephew.  Understandably, she was thrilled to see her brother...

ABOVE:  Uncle Josh and Dante.  Gorgeous!  Dante though wasn't that impressed with his Uncle.  Bub was tired.  He can get better acquainted tomorrow, before Josh heads off to Western Springs Speedway.  

End of Day:  well another lovey day, meeting another 'family' member... *smiles*.  Bex has three really nice brothers, lucky girl.

nite nite.

MR SMILEY, AND A SAD ANNIVERSARY

Dante sleeps in a sleeping bag type thingee... it was Keera's, but she hated it.   Dante loves it.
Anyway... last night.  He had a right go at sucking his hand through the suit, Bex got him up to change him and Stew had a chance to talk to him:

ABOVE:  doesn't he just melt ya heart?  Well.. he melts ours.  Stew and I had a little cluck session with him down in our bedroom before dinner.... we both think he has made our lives so much happier, as have our other grandkids... well the ones we can see anyway.  

Today is the 25th Anniversary of Stew's Mum's passing. 

ABOVE:  Grandma H holding Steve @ 3 weeks old.  She was in Auckland Hospital fighting cancer.  She died when Steve was only 11 months old.  It is sad as she was the most loving person and would have adored ALL the grandkids/great-grandkids so much.  

It makes me sad just thinking about not being in the lives of quite a few of our grandkids too.
But... moving on... trying to just let things be... and hoping one day things will get better.

No matter what I say or do... it won't be right by some.  So catch 22.   

Today?   First thing... picking up Lacy and Keera and getting on a train for the city.
We have a meeting with a lawyer ... once that is done... home to check on how Bex and Dante's morning has gone.

ONWARD...

Well our trip into town took way longer than we expected.  Why?
Because when it came to signing our Affidavits in front of another lawyer (not Lacy's)... all the other lawyers in that practise had worked with Wade before, so there was a conflict of interest.  So... we had to walk down the road to another lawyers office to get them signed.
We were in town over an hour longer than expected.

It was a hot day too... so it was nice to sit at the train station and chill while waiting for our train home.  
There were cute little gecko's running around on the other side of the train tracks, so me... being a shutter bug... had to take a photo or two...

ABOVE: How cute is he?  Amazing colours, I've only ever seen green or brown gecko's before.  They were running up and down the concrete edge catching flies I think.  Geckos are not very big at all, so I was lucky to get the photos.

ABOVE:  here comes our train.  30 odd minutes later... got into Manurewa and then drove home.  

Home.  Sat down to check e-mails.  FUCK.  OVER 270 SPAM COMMENTS.  And I can't even trace them as they don't show up on my Stats at all.  Grrrr.
I had to go and check every single one so I didn't inadvertantly delete a genuine comment! And WHOOPS I did... so sorry PINKY!

Finally up to date.... and now it's almost time to sort out dinner!  Where the hell did my day go?

BEST thing about today?   I resisted the urge to get a Movenpik ice cream down in Newmarket!  I walked past the shop... looked in... thought OMG that would be so nice!... and carried on walking.  I had a small helping of sushi instead.

I just took some awesome photos of our Miss Muppet!  I will show you a couple now, and some more tomorrow.

ABOVE:  Lacy pushed all of Keera's hair forward... she looks so different!  But still stunning.  She reminds me of a little doll.

ABOVE:  these two have an amazing bond with each other.  So lovely to see.

I am such a twit!  Today is NOT the anniversary of Stew's Mum's passing, it's on the 29th!
TODAY is the anniversary of my younger brother's death.  Vern has been gone for 14 years today.  
He was only 36 when he died in a car crash.
My older brother died when he was 27, in a car crash too. 
I still feel sad quite often over their loss... two huge parts of my life ... gone.

But. Life goes on... and we make the best of it.  Cos you never know what could happen tomorrow.  I used to say "You could get run over by a bus tomorrow!"   but in light of the bus crash a couple of weeks ago... I don't think I will ever say that again.  Just too close to home now.

End of Day:  A busy day, but fruitful.  Hopefully when we go to court in relation to Keera in a few months time it will go smoothly.
nite nite.

LET'S HAVE THE DOGS ON TODAY:

It looks like a nice day... could be an idea to go for a walk?  Walking in a mall count's doesn't it?
I am on the hunt (still) for a few more music DVD's or CD's so I've got more to listen to down in the garage.
I think Bex wants to get out too... might see if Lacy wants an outing too.  
A girly morning perhaps?  Will let ya know later.

Right now it's time to make the lunches.  *sigh*  such a pain in the butt... but necessary I suppose.

I got a lovely photo of Teddy and Coco last night:

ABOVE:  I always think of my friend Martine when I post photos of Teddy & Coco.. she loved them just as much as I do I reckon!

You know how I said the other day how difficult it is to get nice photos of them?  Well I had no trouble last night....

... that was only because they were both hoping I would take pity on them while I was making dinner and give them something.  They only love me when I'm cooking or eating.  Scavengers.  Cupboard love.  *sniff*

One more photo from last night. ... same setting:

ABOVE:  I just love the expression on my son's face while he's looking at his son.  Little Dante is so, so loved by everyone in this house.  

ONWARD...

BABY GETS 2ND ROUND OF JABS TODAY

Dante has his 12 week Immunisations today.  Bex is probably going to cry again.
Dante will for sure.

He was a little 'off' yesterday, so hopefully he won't be too grumpy after his jabs.

I am going to make a little bag or two again today... might even try making one bigger... shouldn't be too hard!  Just make one taller, then I can give it to someone for Christmas with a bottle of wine in it!

I have a feeling I shall have everyone's Christmas presents made and put away before the end of June!

I am going to be making Mug Rugs too... (fabric coasters).  They are quick and easy, and fun to make.

Bex wants to make mug rugs too... so I shall be teaching her at the same time.  

For now I've no photos for the day... except one I took of Teddy last night.  Experts say taking photos of kids and animals are the hardest to do.   I don't agree about kids, but my dogs?  Hell yes!  Teddy is a shocker to get a decent photo of... he does not like my camera!

ABOVE:  See?  He would not open his eyes, and after I got this one he would not keep still at all.   
I tried with Coco, but she wasn't having a bar of it.  *sigh*

Today I am going to do my best to keep portions down, not over eat at lunch (did that yesterday) and just finish my day feeling happy about how I've done.  There is NO better feeling than knowing that you have stuck to your guns and not let yourself down.

Also... acknowledge that when you have had a semi-silly day, tomorrow is another day and therefore another chance to do better.

And I CAN DO BETTER.  Having a positive attitude sure helps!

I plan on making a 'Picture Board' of things I want for next summer and beyond.  It may be certain clothes, or shoes, or me swimming in public without feeling embarrassed, or just smiling more!  

It will be a kind of 'goal' I suppose.  

DO YOU have a goal for yourself?  Is it a number, or a size, or a feeling?  For me ... it's a certain FEELING.  

Feeling GOOD about myself as a whole.  No self loathing anymore.  No embarrassment. Being happy is my goal.

I don't think there is a better goal actually.

ONWARD...

ABOVE:  Dante was sound asleep when we put him down... but he didn't like the hard scales and woke up.  He's doing so well! 
Then they jabbed him in both thighs, and he screamed the house down.
Lucky for milk on tap... *smiles*

Poor Bex had a massive overheating episode at the Doctors!  She had sweat running off her!  I said "Welcome to my world"!
It was rather random though, I think she just got over heated holding onto Dante, added to the stress of why we were there.
At least she didn't cry this time.

After that I took them home and then went out to get a couple of Music CD's, but could only find one that I wanted.  I ended up getting a movie too.

Now it's time for lunch...  a VERY LITTLE LUNCH!

Whoops!  Not been on much today.  Well.. I am thrilled to bits with myself.  IT was an AWESOME today.  Kept my appetite in check... ate totally wholesome food, climbed a few flights of steps... and now I can go to bed happy with myself.
That is the BEST FEELING EVER... well apart from n**ky. lol

Played Monopoly with Steve and Bex after dinner.  I totally expected Steve to win, cos he was buying everything!  But... um.... I wiped him out first, then I wiped out Bex as well.  ha ha ha.  
Better not crow though, cos the next time we play it will be me bankrupt for sure.  *smiles*

End of Day:  a happy day... Dante seems to be just fine after his injections this morning, so should sleep for his parents tonight.  He is almost sleeping all night now!  
nite nite.

KEEPING BUSY

Before I went to bed last night I sorted out a few fabric/colour combinations for Christmas Drawstring Bags for the grandkids:

ABOVE:  I have 8 combo's already sorted out.
I can't wait to make a start on them.

But that won't be this morning.  I have to visit Lacy so the two of us can work on some legal stuff, before she has to go to court again to get a few more kinks ironed out in relation to her ex.

After that I will come home and hopefully make a start on those bags.

We played Monopoly yesterday, it was quite fun... but confusing too as the game Steve bought has totally different names for the streets etc.  

 ABOVE:  I think Steve was rather confident he would win... see the look on Bex's face?  It was like, oh shit.... 

ABOVE:  she needn't have worried.  Steve was the first to go bankrupt... and then me.... and Brylee.   So the tart won.  Her face said it all.

Griffin WAS playing, but he got bored... which is a shame as the game involved reading and counting.  Maybe he needs some sort of incentive to play ... like when you pass 'GO' you get the $200 AND ???  Food would be a good one for him!  Maybe a lollie jar in the middle, lol.

And then again, do I want to start using food as a 'reward' and set him up for problems with food further down the line?  Hmmm... maybe not.  I might have to put me thinking cap on and give it some thought.

Dum dee doooo....

ONWARD...

Here is another cute wee video of our Dante:

Off to sort out legal shit now...

Well legal stuff sorted out... have to go in on Thursday to sign Affidavits again.  It just goes on and on... and I'm stuck in the middle.  

Sewing.... lunch... sewing... been busy!  The promised rain for today has not eventuated, so now we are living in a sauna.  Hot and humid.  Just the sort of weather to make me melt.

If only it melted just me fat!  lol

I am really enjoying sewing today... while listening to Taylor Swift!  Yes I know... lightweight music, but it's what I feel like.  

Today has gone so darn fast... seriously when my alarm went at 1 pm to remind me to take my Metformin pill... I was SHOCKED!  And ummm... it's now 3.22 pm and I still haven't taken it.  Whoops.

I took me pill... I am getting really good at actually taking them now.  I am hoping that my next blood test (in 8 weeks?) is going to show an amazing improvement.

Today's sewing efforts so far:

ABOVE:  I really LOVE the brown/pink one!  The other one is cute too... but more for a child.  The other one might just go to an adult.

End of Day:  a lovely peaceful day today.  Feel annoyed with myself though.  While I have NOT been snacking at all on anything, I think my portions could be better.  I'm still giving myself too much.  Dammit.  It's a constant battle to keep myself under control!  Learning.  Baby steps again... but I will win!

I have to.  I hate myself the way I am.  And only I can do anything about it.

Sorry, didn't want to end on a sour note.

nite nite

I KNOW IT'S TOO SOON

BUT I'm doing it anyway!

I'm sorting out my clothes. 

If it doesn't fit me now and I am never likely to want to wear it again (or at all) ... I'm throwing it OUT.

I made a start on it yesterday afternoon, and after an hour or so of sorting... I had one big black sack full for the rubbish, and another one full of stuff for the Hospice Shop.

Today I'm going through all the clothes in my drawers.
AND I am going to get all the clothes in the roof (attic) down and go through them too!  There is heaps up there, most of it is small stuff that I wore after I lost all the weight years ago.

I don't expect to fit even half of it again, so I'm going to get rid of a lot of it.  It is only going to bother me knowing I can't wear it.

I expect this job to take me all morning!  
Apart from that, no other plans for the day.

Oh and before I forget... I spent almost all day yesterday catching up on blogs!  And I used a new site instead of Google Reader... because Google Reader is going to kill itself on the 1st of July.   Arse. 

I'm hoping I've done the move over to a new Reader/Feeder properly?  Now I'm using 'Feedly'. I used it yesterday and I like it.  
Best feature?
You can delete blogs from your list with a simple click.  Unlike Google Reader, which never let me delete ANYONE no matter how hard I tried!

Fingers crossed it performs well and doesn't die on July 1st too!  


The other change today:  I have had to put Comment Moderation on for ALL COMMENTS.  A particularly disgusting, vulgar comment got through the SPAM filter and was published on my blog yesterday morning!   I deleted it as soon as I saw it, but a few people did see it too... sorry, but that was beyond my control.   NOT ANYMORE THOUGH.  

Now if you leave a comment, it will not be published until I have had a chance to moderate  comments during the day.

This is most annoying as the system I had going was working well.  But there is no way in hell I want any comments like yesterday's getting published again!

Lastly for now, I made another one of those cute Drawstring Bags, this time I put padding in the 'body' of the bag and quilted it.  I plan on putting my camera in this pretty bag when I want to just throw me camera in me handbag, giving it some protection from bumps.

ABOVE:  I love this bag!  The three primary colours go together so well.  What do you think?

Give me ideas for the next one... what colours?  I plan on making all my grandkids one for next Christmas, with a little personal gift inside.

ONWARD...

 My little bags are this big:

ABOVE:  thanks Brylee.... the bag on the left is not padded, the one on the right is.

Weird how I've gone for yellow both times!  I'm not a fan of yellow at all, but they look so cute!

ABOVE:  WE HAVE RAIN!!!  Here's hoping it rains all day, and tomorrow too. 

Kelly.... not today you can't!  You are staying with Lacy and Keera, who have both had a nasty tummy bug.  You could already have caught it, so you cannot come to my house!  I will bring them down to Hamilton next weekend when we come down for Rena's 5th Birthday.

It's done.  All the clothes that I hope to fit again, those that Kelly can look through and those for the Hospice Shop... all sorted.
Such a good feeling.

ABOVE: two big boxes for ME.  I can't wait to actually fit them again.
All the SMALLER stuff has either gone in a pile for Kelly or I had already given it away.  
I have held onto several pairs of small jeans.... I just can't part with them right now!  (they are sizes 10, 11 and 12)  I'm never going to fit them again... but I still can't part with them yet.

Is that silly?

We have had steady rain/heavy drizzle all day!  I hope it's falling where it's desperately needed.... on farms all over the country.

I'm off to play MONOPOLY with the kids... it's that sort of day.  *smiles*

Stew and I went and did the grocery shopping.  While we were out, Auckland experienced two moderate earthquakes!  Very rare event.  No damage done.  Just rattled a lot of people.  

End of Day: Steve cooked his chicken/mushroom/leek dish again tonight.  It is just so damn nice not to be cooking every night!  I love it!
No damage or injuries from this afternoons little earthquake... and I didn't even feel it.  
nite nite