ANOTHER SAD DAY TO GET THROUGH

ABOVE:  Today Stew and I are heading over to Tauranga for my Uncle Charles's funeral.

I still cannot get over his passing.  So sudden and unexpected.  And just too soon after the loss of my Mum... I'm still reeling.

In a way, I think this funeral is going to be harder than Mums!  Because I will be surrounded by all the family that couldn't make it to Mum's funeral.  All Mum's siblings (who live in NZ), and dozens of cousins and 2nd cousins.

To say I am dreading it would be an understatement.  I hope I don't spend the entire time just blubbing.

Snot/puffy red eyes is not a pretty look.

STORY:   When I attended Mum's funeral, upon leaving the Crematorium, I took 9 Memory Candles and Service Sheets to give to her 9 siblings.

When I got home and got them out of my suitcase, I had lost one of the memory candles.

I said to myself "Someone is not going to be getting a candle, dammit".

Then Charles died.  And I only needed 8 candles, the exact number I ended up with!

How creepy is that? 

Back to today: The funeral isn't until mid afternoon, giving us time to visit our friends, Jacqui and Martyn in the morning. As I have not seen them in quite a while, that will be a nice distraction.

And that is all I have for now.  We shall be heading off in a couple of hours.

ONWARD...

Right, I just have time to show you what I'm wearing today before we leave:

ABOVE:  It's a jumpsuit, exactly the same as the pure black one I worn to my Mum's funeral.  I have added a little lace thing under it instead of wearing a cardigan.

The lace thing is purely SLEEVES and it clips under the bust.  Whoever thought of it was pure genius.  I've had it for several years and not worn it before.

8.14 pm:  Today wasn't quite as bad as I thought it would be.

We met up with Jacqui and Martyn at a newish mall in Tauranga.  We had a wander around the shops then had some lunch together before heading out to the Funeral Chapel.

There was a Christmas Shop in the mall... and while I had already decided NOT to bother with Christmas decorations or tree this year (not in the mood really), we did end up getting these:

ABOVE: Stew spied this really cute decoration for Brylee.

She ONLY eats Weet Bix for breakfast, every day!

ABOVE:  A self-lit, flashing little tree.  That will be about all I will have this year. 

And that is mostly for the little grandkids, not us.

ABOVE:  My uncle's coffin was on the back of a Hi-Ab Truck.  Very fitting as he ran a large HI-Ab trucking business in Tauranga for years.

It was a very large funeral.  And it went on for a good hour and a half.  

I found it difficult when family members came up to me and offered condolences on the loss of Mum.  But I literally gritted my teeth, and HELD IT TOGETHER.

We ended up at one of my other Uncle's homes, and mixed and mingled with Mum's siblings; cousins etc.  

After an hour of that I'd had enough, so we came home.

ABOVE:  Once we got home, Steve, Bex and the boys called in for an hour or so.

We had a scary moment when Marley got a bit of plastic stuck in her throat!  She was choking!  I thumped her on the side, then Steve did and dislodged whatever it was.  PHEW!  I almost saw #3 death happen in front of my eyes.

I have this horrible feeling... Things go in three's.  

But maybe not.  I hope not.

And on that note, that's it for today.

Stew and I are both damn tired, so an early night will ensue I'm thinking.

MEMORIES...

 I was scrolling through some old photos yesterday, and came across some that brought tears to my eyes immediately.

How amazing that I have fairly recent photos of my MUM and her Brother Charles, taken last year in February. (2019)

ABOVE:  Two siblings, together again now.

ABOVE: Charles in 2019.  His funeral is tomorrow in Tauranga. Stew and I will be attending.  It's going to be a horrible day.  Far too soon after my Mum's funeral.

ABOVE: Charles in 2016.

ABOVE: This kids getting a ride in Charles's Camaro. (2016)

ABOVE:  Mum at her 80th Birthday (2017), with 7 of her siblings.  Two were unable to attend.

How long can you go around feeling 'off tilt'?

Cos I really don't feel like life is quite 'right' at the moment.

I can't settle to doing anything. I have no desire to go into the studio and sort it out, or even get ready for next weekend's market!

As for opening my little shop?  Furthest thing from my mind right now.  Maybe after the market next weekend I will?

Stew and I are going to Spec Savers this morning.  I need to get new glasses, mine broke a week ago.  We might have a wander around the shops.

Then when we get home... it will be time to go 'offline' for the rest of the day while I get this blog PRIVATE.

So... hang in there... if you are on the reader list you will be getting an invite to read via email later on today.

I apologise NOW if you are not on the list, I have tried to add everyone that I know, or has been a reader for a long time.

ONWARD...

You are not going to believe this!

I have just spent the past three hours typing in email addresses and sending out invites to read 
Diet Coke Rocks... only to find:

I can only have 50 readers on it!

All that work and planning for NOTHING!

I either stay PUBLIC or only have 50 readers.

Are you fucking kidding me?

I am now going to rethink this.

WELL.... all you lucky buggers are gunna be able to read my freakin blog FOREVER.

Sorry to dick everyone around.  NOT my intention at all.  

4.12 pm: Well, while I was fart arsesing around wasting hours with the blog, Stew did the weeding.  He'd done a wonderful job.

Now he's having a shave and trimming his hair, so he's nice and tidy looking for tomorrow.

I also sorted out what I shall wear tomorrow.

I might show you tomorrow.

8.10 pm:  We had left overs for dinner tonight.  Beef schnitzel, salads and wedges.  So nice, food that is healthy AND tasty.

Time to sign off for the day.  I hope to get to bed a bit earlier than normal, it's gunna be a long day tomorrow.

A FEW SPACES LEFT

 In case you didn't read it yesterday, I am making this blog PRIVATE in a day or two.

Send me an email (stewandchris@hotmail.com) asking for an invite to read.  IF you are a regular reader and I recognise YOU, I will endeavor to add you as a reader.

There's still a few spaces left, so don't despair.

I am lucky that I have a second blog that I can use as my 'overflow',  for LONG TIME READERS.

That means I can have 200 readers on Diet Coke Rocks.  Awesome.

Now, what do I have on today?

Hang some washing out.

Vacum.  Ikkk.

Pick up my sneakers from town.

Read emails.

And finally, make a start on going PRIVATE.

I will probably do that tomorrow, so just today left to get a request in.

ONWARD...

11.28 am: And I've had a busy morning.

Bex and I went into town and picked up my new walking sneakers, now me toes won't go through the top of them.  

Then Bex wandered into Knit World and managed to get herself some wool. How surprising!

Then we went over to Chartwell Square.  I got some new knickers... hope the buggers stay on me bum.

I bought a totally different 'style' from my 'norm'... more like a 'full' brief' than a bikini.  

Maybe that will work?

Morning tea followed, which will actually be my 'brunch'.

Now I'm home, I've hung out the washing and am going to contemplate starting to sort through all the emails ... and maybe later on today I will begin entering them into the 'Reader List'.

My blog might be ready to go PRIVATE tomorrow.

And.... maybe not!

I just spent the last hour putting varnish on 8 paintings.  I'm hoping they are ready to go to market next Saturday!

We will see how well they dry over the next week.

Now... I AM going to start going through all the email requests.

Right. I just checked out how I have to do this.

It looks like WHILE I am loading invites to read, my blog will be DOWN AND OUT.

SO... I will do the loading tomorrow.  Which means after my first update in the morning...  my blog will be GONE GONE GONE for a few hours.

DON'T WORRY!  I will do my best to 'be back' online by the end of the day.

If you are a regular reader/commenter and have not sent me your email address yet, I suggest you do it before tomorrow morning.

7.58 pm:  Just home from having a lovely BBQ dinner at Steve and Bex's home.  Full to the brim now.... and home relaxing.

Time to just chill out and enjoy the rest of the evening.

NA NA NAH NAH!

 Going back to my visit with the Doctor on Tuesday... I had a 'discussion' with Ken, my doctor; about my Hba1c levels.

I was POSITIVE my numbers would have gone down in the past 9 weeks, due to my diet being so much better.

Ken said NO, they would not have gone down because I took myself off all diabetes medication!

He said I was 'reckless' and should not have done that.  Even though the Doctor I saw in Coffs Harbour advised me to stop taking my medications?

ANYWAY... back to today.

My lab results came in.

EVERYTHING was NORMAL. 

And my Hba1c?  DOWN FROM 96 to 78!!!

OMG I can't wait to see Ken and go "Na na nah nah"... cos I damn well knew my numbers would have gone down.

I have felt so much BETTER (health wise) these past 9 weeks.

I am going to start taking Metformin again, but at the much lower dose.  I reckon in a few more months I will have that number down again.

12.08 pm:  And this morning Lacy called in, and we went for a walk over to the Flagstaff shops.  Where I booked a hair appointment for myself (Wed next week).  Then we continued on to Bex's, where we had a nice morning tea before coming home again.

BIG NEWS.  I have been thinking along these lines for a long time now.

And I've come to this decision. I am taking DIET COKE ROCKS PRIVATE.  I know this is going to cut out a lot of readers, as I can only have 100 readers on a private blog.

But that is how is has to be.

I am no longer comfortable having all and sundry being able to read all about my daily doings, my life in fact.

As I have said to some family members in the past few months, I have only kept the blog going because my MUM loved reading it; and she loved seeing what was going on in MY LIFE. 

Now MUM is gone, there is no impetus to continue blogging like I am.

So.  This blog will become PRIVATE in a few days.  That will give me time to contact everyone (or you can contact ME)' and decide who I will invite to read Diet Coke Rocks in the future.

I was going to delete the blog... but it is still going to be what it set out to be 14 years ago. An Online DIARY of my day.

Just less PUBLIC.  

So, my job now is to go through my readers (obviously that will be easy going through comments), and ask for email addresses if I don't already have them.

WARNING: NO RANDOM, I'VE NEVER HEARD FROM YOU BEFORE READERS will get an invite to read DCR.

***My email address is on my blog's side bar.***

Right.  I can already see a problem.  I've ALREADY got over 100 on the list!  So... from now on... going forward PEPSI will become DIET COKE ROCKS 2.  So, if you are a PEPSI reader, you can read everything that is on DIET COKE ROCKS - on Pepsi!  That way, I will be able to have 100 readers for Diet Coke Rocks AND 100 readers for Diet Coke Rocks 2/PEPSI.

And PERSONAL stuff will be added to DIET COKE ROCKS 2/PEPSI, as per usual. 

Does that make sense to everyone?

OMG what have I done to myself?  I thought this would simplify my life.  

It's going to take me AGES to get all the emails sorted out... and take this blog private!

But I will get it done in the next few days, don't you worry.

Fair warning though, DCR might have less content and not be updated as often during the day.

This is all about lowering my STRESS levels, and making me more comfortable to carry on blogging.  OK?

I have PLENTY of room for readers on Diet Coke Rocks still... as I didn't need to add Pepsi readers to the list. 

I will delete all comments with emails attached in a few days to protect your privacy.

And sorry, I cannot answer all emails personally.  If you become a reader you will know eventually!

ABOVE:  Tonight's dinner is a Chicken/Vege Stir fry over a small quantity of noodles.

I give it an 8/10, cos it wasn't as tasty as I wanted it to be.

OK... I'm calling it quits on today.  I'm exhausted from fielding emails all afternoon.  I will keep doing that tonight, and probably tomorrow as well.

All going well... I will be 'private' here in the next couple of days.

SAD NEWS, AND OH SORRY!

When I got home from Cards last night, Stew had some very sad news for me.

My Mum's 2nd youngest brother, Charles, had a massive heart attack and died yesterday!

That is two siblings to die in just over a month.

I am shocked and deeply saddened by Charles's death.  He had heart surgery a few years ago, but I don't think anyone expected this!  He wasn't even 70 yet. 

So it looks like we will be attending another funeral in the near future.

Yesterday I visited our medical centre.

I've already been seen by two of the doctors there, didn't like either of them.  That just left the other two. One (a woman) is fully booked, not taking any new patients, so that just left the much older, male doctor.

So, when I got in to see him I said to him that I better like him or I was moving to another medical centre!  He laughed at me and assured me he was lovely.  

He was!  I really liked him.  Our appointment lasted almost 40 minutes!  He asked me to stand on the scales, and of course, I said "Hell NO".  But he said "Come on, let's see how much weight you have lost".  So I got on the bloody thing.

And OMG  I had GAINED 20 odd kilos!  I was like "How the hell did that happen"... and that cheeky bugger said "Oh sorry, that would be my foot on the back of the scales!"

He had put his foot on the scales behind my back!  

I would have slapped him one, but he is off to have a knee operation TODAY, so I thought, better not!

Anyway, the upshot of my appointment is ... My blood pressure is too high, so am starting that medication again. I'm also going back on Metformin, but a lesser dose.

I had a blood test, should have the results of that in a couple of days.  Fingers crossed my Hba1c has gone down.

Today I don't have any plans, except to do a few odd jobs around the house, and talk to family re the latest sad event.

My head is spinning actually.  Mum and now Charles!  Shocked.

ONWARD...

Well.. I ended up going out this morning and dropping off some toys and a few other bits 'n' bobs at the Salvation Army Op Shop.

Popped into Spotlight and got some glue (for painting) as I had a new $40 off voucher arrive via email.

Then over to The Base to get my new prescription filled.  My damn knickers (another pair) kept falling off me butt, so I went to Farmers for some new ones.

ABOVE:  I've never seen this sort before. They have a 'sticky' strip along the edge!  Somehow I don't think they will fall off!

Well, I hope not.  Best thing?  Size 16.  

ABOVE:  Have you ever felt like there is just WAY, WAY TOO MUCH going on around you, and your world just feels 'WRONG'?

Yeah.  That's how I'm feeling right now.

Like overloaded.

***It is Griffin's Birthday today and I pretty much forgot! ***

So sorry Dude.  Ya know Dad and I love you very much eh?  

Some very good news (about time!)... I got an email from the Government today.  My application for a 'Fee Waiver' of the Quarantine Fees here in New Zealand has been granted.  Which means I don't have to pay $3,000 for my stay in Auckland.

Best news in three months really.

Amanda and Lacy came over to visit with me. That was lovely.  Nice to see my girls.

They have now left, so I can finally just relax for a little while and get my head around what's going on.

Well... the day ended much as it started.  ON a low.  Just over the day really.

Catch ya tomorrow.

CAMBRIDGE TODAY/TONIGHT

 First up for today?

We are finally getting a new mattress for our 'NEW' bed!

Our new bed developed indentations within a couple of weeks of us getting it, so they are replacing the mattress with a new one this morning.

I hope like hell it doesn't do the same thing as the last one.

Then at 2.45 pm this afternoon I have a Doctor's appointment.  I want to have a blood test done to see where my Hba1c level is at now.

I've not taken ANY diabetes medication for about 8 weeks!  Not since I kept having Hypo's in Quarantine in Sydney.

It will be very interesting to see if my level has gone down or not.

Last time I was tested, my level was a rather shocking 96.  As I've been eating really well these past 9 weeks... fingers crossed my level has come down.

After the visit to the Doctor, I'm heading over to Cambridge.

I am visiting two of my friends, one who's just moved into a new home, and another who's not that well.

Both of them are FBG's, ladies from my Cambridge Walking group.  It's so neat that I've not lost touch with lots of them.

After visiting them, I've actually got Card Night in Cambridge as well.

So, this morning I will get something cooking in the crock pot for Stew and Brylee, so there's dinner ready for when they get home from work.

ABOVE:  The little cherry tomato plants Stew put in the pots either side of the garage door have grown!  They even have teeny, tiny tomatoes already!

And that little rose?  It snuck through from our neighbour's garden!  Rather cute.  Shame a lot of their weeds snuck through too.

ABOVE: Our old BBQ setting fits perfectly on Steve and Bex's deck.  That's awesome.  Now we can just go around there for BBQ's!

Right, I'm gunna bugger off and get a few jobs done before I go out later.

ONWARD...

It's nearly 10 o'clock and the new mattress has not arrived yet.

I'm NOT a patient person at the best of times, so it's ANNOYING.  I've got stuff to do!

ABOVE:  See how it's indented?  That happened 7 weeks after we bought it!

This bed has a TEN YEAR Warranty.  Crickey I hope the next mattress doesn't do the same thing.

So. After making three phone calls I finally found out that our new mattress was possibly not going to be delivered today as well... they were not sure it was even ON the truck that came down from Auckland this morning!

USELESS GITS.

I got a bit angry.  It was a full 2 hours AFTER it was supposed to be delivered after all.

I was busting for a piddle, and yep, sure as God made little green appples... I'm in the loo and me phone rings.  So.. well of course I answered it.

The mattress is on it's way.  Lovely, just let me flush. 😄😅😇

ABOVE:  So this HUGE truck turns up.  The only thing in it?  My new mattress.

The delivery guy said sorry, we lost the paperwork so I didn't know where to deliver the mattress to, until 'they' rung me.

Nice.

Once he left, Brylee and I went out, dropped off some clothes to a Clothing Bin, and went over to The Base.

Last night I swung the lettuce leaves around in a tea towel to spin the water out. So I thought getting a salad spinner would be a good idea.

ABOVE: The other thing I wanted was a new, softer pillow.  While over in Australia, and in the hotel in Auckland, I had a much softer pillow than my 'at home pillow'.

When I got home, the pillow I had was FAR TOO FIRM.  So, I now have a new, softer pillow.

I now have 40 minutes to kill until my Doctor's appointment.  After that I'm heading over to Cambridge.

Stew and Brylee have Corned Beef, Potato, Kumera, Carrots and onions for dinner.  They can add some greens too if they want them. My job is done.  *smiles*

10.06 pm: Home from Cambridge.  Card night was a lot of fun, as per usual.  I will talk about my doctor visit tomorrow, I'm tired and just want to get to bed right now.

A FEW JOBS, OUT AND ABOUT

 I slept like a LOG last night.  I went to bed completely done in.

All my unpacking got FINISHED last night.

ALL. OF. IT.

ABOVE: The little bedroom is empty.  Everything that was dumped in here when I got home on Friday night is now put away.

I can't believe I got it all done in two days flat.

That's saying something, cos there was a shit load to put away, on top of organising the new wardrobe.

ABOVE:  Something for me to do next.  Send a Service Sheet and Memory Candle to each of my Mum's siblings.  None of them could attend her Funeral Service, so I hope this helps them with closure.

ABOVE: Another little job waiting for me.  Sorting through all the paperwork and mementos of these past 9 weeks.  

I might get that done this afternoon... then I can truly start to move on from this utterly horrible part of 2020.

2020... has truly been the worst year that I can remember in twenty years.

I really, really hope that 2021 is 100% better.

Right, I'm gunna start my day.

ONWARD...

12.25 pm:  Three hours out and about! Again, I'm knackered.

But all good.

On Saturday I bought some new walking sneakers, as my old ones had holes where my big toes went through the mesh.

So first up we went into town and dropped them in at a Shoe Repair place to have leather patches put under the toe area.

They will be ready on Thursday.  Neat.

In no particular order:

ABOVE: Morning tea.  So lovely!  A fresh, hot savoury scone. And a hot chocolate.  It was amazing.

ABOVE:  Little parcel of these on my doorstep when we got home.  F*#K 2020 Snow Flake Christmas Ornaments.  Perfect.

ABOVE: The cutest ever little cow ornament.  I had to get it obviously.

ABOVE: Finally... I wanted a mirror for my 'wardrobe room'.  I was thinking just a full sized one that could go on the wall.  But the only large ones that I found in Briscoes were free standing.

So I got this one.  

It was about double what the smaller, 3/4 size ones were pricewise, but hell... I was too tired to look anywhere else.

After three hours of wandering around shops I was DONE.

Bex has now gone home, and I've got me feet up relaxing.

This shopping lark is tiring after ya been pretty much locked in a room for weeks on end.

That includes 2 X's Quarantine, and very little exercise while looking after Mum and Ron.

My fitness is shot.

Our new treadmill, that we ordered 3 months ago; SHOULD arrive at the end of this week.  I've been told it's "In the country" so it damn well better arrive soon!

It must be hotter or more humid here than in Aussy... cos OMG I'm having so many hot flushes, during the day and at night.  Grrrr.

ABOVE:  Our dinner tonight is a beef schnitzel, salami sticks, mashed potato, eggs and a lettuce salad.

Let's give this meal a 10/10 shall we?  😂😄😋

9.46 pm: I just did a 'fashion show' for Stew and Brylee.  They got to see all of my new dresses (6 of them!) and a few tops.  It was fun.

I am truly set up well for summer now.

And with that said... it's time for bed.

Catch ya tomorrow.

WARDROBE

 Today Steve is coming over after breakfast to work on making my new 'wardrobe' in the spare bedroom.

We did some tentative planning last night.  

We are using a shelving/wardrobe system from Mitre 10.

It's called ELFA.

ABOVE:  What I love about this wardrobe system is it's versatility, and the many options you can choose.

I think we are gunna have fun getting it set up!

ABOVE: In the little bedroom I've got almost all my clothes!

I have taken all my clothes out of our walk in wardrobe, and dumped them on the floor in here.

Then there's what's still in my suitcases.  I've not bothered to even try to unpack all that yet.

It's gunna take me days to sort it all out. 

But once it's done, I should have a really good; all in the one room; wardrobe!

I really can't wait.

The last time I had something like this was in our home in Palmerston North, when I took over an entire bedroom for my 'wardrobe'.

I'm not quite doing that this time, I'm just using HALF a bedroom.  😊😉

So Steve and I will be going out to get all the bits 'n' bobs we need.

Then I will leave him to it.

Bex and I are going out later on for a 'girly hour or two'.  Just checking out a couple of shops.

I think you could say I'm making up for being locked up in a Hotel for two weeks!

The freedom has gone to my head.

 ONWARD...

12 noon:

And lots has been accomplished today.

Steve and I went to Mitre 10...

ABOVE:  And there he is, sussing out what we needed.  They had everything we wanted, so that was excellent.

ABOVE:  Another job done.  We gave Steve and Bex our very large BBQ setting, as it was far too big for our outdoor area.

ABOVE:  Bex cleaning up this area. We have kept a couple of the BBQ chairs for here. At some point in time we will get a small outdoor setting for this area.

5.36 pm:  AND... it's done!

It was a fairly straight forward job for Steve, it didn't even take him that long.

ABOVE:  Making a start...

ABOVE:  And there ya have it.  3 hours of sorting out all my clothes, putting some in a bag for the Op Shop, and putting all my winter jackets/sweatshirts and so on in the 'actual' wardrobe in this room.

Something tells me I really should not go clothes shopping for a very long time!

Some of those clothes have been sitting in a suitcase in my wardrobe for a LONG time... waiting for me to lose some weight so I'd fit them again.

And a lot of them do, JUST.  There's also a few that I need to lose another 10 kilos to fit, but it will happen.

I'm determined.

I am now utterly exhausted!  I have been so idle the past few weeks, apart from walking, it's catching up with me.

Time to relax, have a nice dinner (we are having chinese takeaways) and put me feet up.

8.33 pm:  Dinner was wonderful.  After dinner I continued unpacking my luggage.

Now?  Can't go any more, done in!

Catch ya tomorrow.