OFF TO TAURANGA TODAY

 Today Stew and I are heading over to Tauranga for the weekend.

It is our dear friend Jacqui's 50th Birthday, and there's a little party being held tonight in town for her.

I remember going to her 40th in Auckland.

So, knowing Jacqui, it will be a neat party.  

I have booked Stew and I into a Motor Camp down near the city centre, I thought it would be nice for a change!

We need to pull our finger out and do some packing. Because I had such a bad headache yesterday afternoon, I got NO packing done at all.  Not that it will take us long to throw a few things in a suitcase for a couple of days!

Once we have done that, we will head off. 

I'd like to go for a walk on the beach if possible today. The weather is supposed to be good.

I doubt there will be any swimming going on though!  It really is starting to cool down, and well... there's sharks in the sea eh?

Just recently there was one spotted right up close to the beach in Papamoa, which is not that far from Tauranga.  No thanks.  I'm not into swimming in the sea anymore!

Crazy rationale really, I used to always swim in the sea.  But the past few years I've just gone right off it. So has Stew.  Paddling up to me hips is fine though (cos I'm short!).  😂

So... enough babbling.   I am gunna get up soon and start the day.

Catch ya later.

...

ABOVE: safely in Tauranga.  We've had a drive around and are now in Bethlehem for lunch. Then I'm  going to look in a lovely gift shop here. 

4.32 pm:  And we are at our cabin in Tauranga.  It's a really lovely motor camp. Lots of beautiful caravans, motorhomes and buses.  Right beside an inner harbour and only a few minutes from downtown Tauranga by car.

Love it here.

I'm now trying to talk Stew into us getting a caravan, so we can tiki tour all over the country.

Might take some convincing.

ABOVE:  The view one minute from our cabin.  People here are so NICE.  A man stopped and yakked to Stew while he stood and admired the view.

Then as we sat at a picnic table, a lady came out of her motor home and had a neat conversation with us.

We literally got her life story!  😂😊

ABOVE:  Our cabin is very comfortable.  We have a queen bed, plus a single. Our own little kitchenette and bathroom.  Table and chairs inside, and outdoor seating too.

We are thinking of getting an Uber (taxi) into town tonight so we don't have to worry about parking.  And we can then both have a drink or 3.

Bring on a lovely evening!

8.41 pm.... and I've had 4 Bacardi n cokes! Hee hee... feeling decidedly pickled.  🤣🤪😂

11.26 pm:  And then I ate some food, and had about 4 more rum 'n' cokes.  And I'm as sober as a judge.  *sigh*

But, we had a good evening, and had some laughs.

Getting an Uber there and back was brilliant.  So quick and easy.  And damn cheap!

Gone are the days when you had to pay exorbitant prices for a taxi ride.

Thank goodness for competition.

And there ends our evening.  Lightweights, home before midnight.

SO PROUD

 

ABOVE:  I am still in awe of our gorgeous fence!

And I'm so proud of it... one: for me designing it, and two: for Steve building it for us, with Stew's help of course.

It really was a family effort, with Me, Lacy and Bex pitching in to help with the hard work of painting it too.

Sometimes we get a bit complacent with what's around us.  A couple of nights ago I really NOTICED the fence again, with the setting sun behind it.  It's just beautiful and unique.

I really, really love this home of ours.  I hope we can stay here for many, many years.

Now, as for what I'm getting up to today?

I MIGHT go for an FBG walk over in Cambridge.  That will all depend on how I feel when I get up.  If I go, I will have to leave by 8.30.

Later on today I will be doing a little packing, as Stew and I are going to Tauranga tomorrow for the weekend.

It is our friend Jacqui's 50th Birthday, and she's having a get together tomorrow night in town.  So, a good reason to have a weekend over in the Bay.

We shall be staying the night at a Motor Camp, I've booked us an en suite Cabin. I'm really looking forward to getting away for a couple of days.  We need the break.

So, I've been very slowly putting a FEW paintings back on the walls, for now.

I'm not painting the interior of the house until next summer, so decided to hang my favourite paintings back up.

Yesterday afternoon I put my collection of 'WE HAVE LIVED HERE' paintings back on the hallway wall.

But, instead of all in a row, as I've done in the past, I thought I'd put them in a tight group, thus taking up less room.

ABOVE:  I have to say, I'm rather chuffed with how they look.  I also, for the first time, added the dates under each painting, to show how long we lived there.

I am thinking of getting the (WAY above) fence photo printed onto canvas and use it as our new HAMILTON picture.  Who thinks that's a good idea?

Or should I get some other 'iconic' Hamilton (scene) painting instead?

Right, I'm going to get up and see how I feel.  If I feel OK.. I'm off walking.

8 am:  and walking is a big, fat NO.  My back is killing me this morning!  I'm sure it's often down to how I sleep, what position.  My back hasn't been this sore in a while in fact.  Mid AND lower pain... so I'm going to take some pain killers and just slowly plod on with some household jobs this morning.

I should be right by this afternoon.

1.50 pm:  Oh my gosh, it's been a really busy morning.

Lacy came over and we went to Spotlight and got NEW curtain tracks.  The brackets for the old, existing tracks just would not hold up.  Grrrrrr.  Such a waste of time yesterday, driving around hunting them down.

ABOVE:  DONE!  Finally got curtains back up.  I've missed them.

I know they will have to come down at the end of the year when we do the painting, but over winter, I definitely wanted them back up.

After the curtain fiasco, I headed off to do some business, post some stuff off and so on.

Then I grabbed some lunch and came home.

I'm damn tired!  I had to spend over 40 minutes in the bloody post office, I ended up standing in the queue four times!  FOUR BLOODY TIMES!

1. Fill out this form and come back.

2. Here's your receipt, now fill out this form.

3. Here's your receipt, now go back and fill this out in CAPITALS thanks.

4. Here's your next receipt, and 10 cents change.

Leave, with steam coming out my ears.  😖😡😤 

Going to the Post Office is a massive peeve of mine.  It's always a mission.

This afternoon, first migraine for the year.  Felt sick as a dog, lay on the couch for 3 hours.  Didn't help at all.

Finally starting to feel better and it's 8.18 pm.

Stew made his own dinner tonight.

He had chicken and salads in  Pita Bread Pockets.

I had some marshmallows!  

Now that I'm feeling a bit better, I groomed the dogs ears/tails.  OMG what a job.  I don't know how they get them so knotted sometimes.  But, it's a good job done.

I'm now going to relax, maybe have a small dinner?  Catch ya tomorrow.

ALL COMING TOGETHER

 Late yesterday afternoon I decided to have a go at assembling the wardrobe system in my 'new' wardrobe 'room'.

But I ran into a small problem:

ABOVE:  This is the metal strip that runs along the top of the wall, and everything hangs off it.

I couldn't get some of the screws off it.

So.... hmmmm.

I thought, I'll send a photo of them to Steve, asking him how to get them off.

And then I sat down and waited.

I didn't have to wait long.... within 15 minutes he arrived! 😄😊😉

I kinda thought he would.  

Bex and the little boys came too.

ABOVE: And BOOM!  Within half an hour my wardrobe system was up and ready to have all my clothes put back on it.

ABOVE:  Today I will sort all my clothes out and re-hang them.  That will give me a reason to get out of bed.

Gosh I've had that pink checkered shirt for YEARS!  And it still fits me.  It's one of my favourite shirts.

ABOVE: How cute are our girls.  They ran around and around the back yard last night, then Marley learnt how to run up the big rock!

She kept doing it, she was just adorable to watch.

ABOVE:  Steve enjoyed a refreshing swim after his work day.  And although I asked them nicely, the girls just would not sit and pose for a photo in front of the rock!  😆😅😂

So, I think it will be a happy day.  I shall just potter around doing some odd jobs. 

Catch ya later.

9 am and...

ABOVE:  It's done!  It took me an hour and a half all up.  

About a third of those clothes I've had for well over 10 years, so I'm thinking I might have to start getting ruthless, and give them to the Op Shop.

No point hanging on to clothes that I MIGHT wear again one day.  Who else does that?

Seriously, I'm not gunna wear them, and they are just taking up room.

ABOVE:  I am super happy to have enough space in this room for the PC.  I've constantly had to move it from room to room ever since we moved here.

It fits there perfectly, and I have a little, fold up stool to sit on when I do need to use the bigger computer, which is usually when I need to print stuff out.

Now that's done, I shall move on to getting the curtains from the family room/dining room re-hung.

I want to change the curtain rods, so am off to Spotlight shortly to suss out options.

1.55 pm: And I ended up going into Curtain Studio in town, where they had some old, obsolete curtain rail brackets for me.  They GAVE them to me!  Said they were so old they were not on their system anymore, so they couldn't sell them to me.  SCORE!

They only had enough for the family and dining rooms... so the lounge may end up with new curtain rails.

Then I went to The Base and got some wrapping paper at The Warehouse.

I was standing in an aisle, when I saw a small (14 month old?) baby standing up in the trolley, in imminent danger of falling out onto the concrete floor.  No adult around....

So I quickly head over to stop it falling, but it sat down again.  PHEW!

I look around for the mother... there she is, wandering back from a couple of aisles over.  I said to her "Hey, your baby just stood up in the trolley".

She replied "Oh did he?"

I shook my head and started to walk away.

Next thing, she's beside me saying "And what business is it of yours anyway, what my baby is doing?"

I looked at her like she was a friggin IDIOT, and said "Well your baby could have fallen onto the concrete floor and been injured".

Her reply?  "Well if that had happened I would have dealt with it".  

I was like, yep, not gunna argue with this goddam idiot, and walked away.

Some people simply do not deserve children. 

There are safety belts on all trolleys, to be used so ya baby doesn't fall out onto the floor ffs.  I'm still fuming about it to be honest.

ABOVE:  Lacy drove up to Auckland today to pick up Griffin.  He's down for a couple of days, hanging out with family and friends.

Some people are utter morons.  Seems I'm to be blamed for everything my kids do in life?  Good or bad.  Down to ME.  Hmmmm.

I do believe I shall just dismiss ANON and the next comment he/she left (NOT published), because you just can't argue with STUPID PEOPLE.

Moving on... I'm making a chicken stir fry for our dinner tonight, with a side of Chicken flavoured rice.  I reckon Stew will like that.

Awww dinner was so YUM tonight!  I'm stuffed, and going to just sit and blob out for the remainder of the evening.

It's getting cooler, so much easier to sleep at night now.  Bring on WINTER!  I love, love winter.

CLEANING JOB

TODAY I HAVE A ONE-OFF CLEANING JOB IN CAMBRIDGE.

FOR A LADY I USED TO CLEAN FOR.  SHE'S GOT A BIG PARTY AT HER HOME ON THE WEEKEND AND JUST RANG ME ON THE OFF CHANCE I COULD DO A BIG CLEAN FOR HER.  I SAID YES.   WHY NOT HELP SOMEONE OUT?

Because my lower back is still a big problem for me, I've asked Bex to come and help me, and she has kindly said YES.

That is a huge relief, I really don't think I could do this job on my own any more.

It's a HUGE home, and takes a minimum of 3 hours to clean (on my own).  I'm hoping with Bex's help we can get it done a bit quicker.

I'm sure Bex will enjoy the bonus $'s ... she is bound to buy more wool!  

Once I get home I am sure to be tired, so a nana nap is highly likely.

So, that's it for now.

Catch ya later.

WELL!

 Oh man!  The birthday cake we had last night was THE BEST CAKE I've had in years!

ABOVE: It was a Banana Salted Caramel Cake from Countdown.  I kept it on the kitchen bench all day, rather than in the fridge, so it was soft and moist, and the icing was super soft and just delicious.

ABOVE:  So ... there's Bex with her cake, and the Table Runner I made for her.  I'm pretty sure she loved both the cake, and the runner.

Because I have a big day tomorrow (more on that tomorrow), I'm going to have a fairly lazy day today.

I will probably potter around in the house, tittivating here and there.  I might even strip some more paper off, maybe the front door area today?

12.20 pm:  Lacy came around to give me a hand today.

I decided we would strip paper off the Family Room walls... and maybe the dining room too.

That involved taking down curtain rails, which was neat cos I want to replace them.

ABOVE: Stripping wallpaper is an utter shit job.  An Uncle asked me today if I was putting up new paper?

Like HELL!  I'd never put up wallpaper.

At least with painted walls you can touch up marks.

ABOVE: As we finish a wall, I put back a painting.  No where near all of them are going back up though.

ABOVE:  Lacy is still plodding along in the dining room, meanwhile I'm taking a break!

This was supposed to be a 'lazy day'.

I think I need to make her stop for lunch....

6.10 pm: And we both stopped for lunch.  And then Lacy went home, and I put me feet up.  I was exhausted.  So much for taking it easy today!

Exciting watching the America's Cup!!!  New Zealand is ONE win away from winning the cup again.  

But that will have to wait until tomorrow, as there is not enough wind for the 2nd race of the day.

I'm making a silly bugger dinner tonight.  Fish cakes, mashed potato and baked beans.  It will be lovely.  😅😏😋

9 pm:  Well, dinner was OK. Food is food at the end of the day.  Watching mindless TV till bedtime.

Off to bed soon, tired as.

I HAVE LOTS TO KEEP ME BUSY

 I assure you, I WILL be sleeping in today!

I was so tired by last night that I felt physically sick.  And my brain felt like it was numb.

It was just a very emotionally draining weekend, what with the funeral, the battle to actually get there with Stew's support, and then what happened afterwards.

So, I hope this week goes smoothly!

TODAY is Bex's Birthday.... HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our wonderful Daughter In Law.  See you tonight for a nice dinner and cake.

I managed to finish off her birthday present yesterday morning, I just have to hunt out some paper and a card now.

I will probably get some when I go down to the supermarket for cake!  

I'm not nice enough to bake a cake... 😄😅😆

ABOVE:  Because I'm taking everything off the walls to strip the wallpaper, I decided it was a good opportunity to de-clutter some more.

YES, I did a lot of that 15 months ago when we moved here, but I have realised we still have too much 'stuff'.

So Lacy scored this little arrangement.

So, my plan once I get outta bed is to go down to the supermarket for dinner stuff, and a cake.

Then home, and do all my housework.

Then I shall carry on moving stuff between bedrooms.

We will end up with two double 'guest' bedrooms, and the littlest room for my own 'walk in wardrobe'.  It is closest to our bedroom... so very handy.

ANON:  yesterday's post has been edited to address your concerns about how we referred to the Police.

1. Anonymous11:39 AM

   What happened to you is horrible, but are you really going to call the cops pigs? That is disgusting. They were doing their job. You'd be the first person to scream for them if you were in trouble. Cops hate domestic disputes more than anything in the world. They can die attending domestic disputes. Do you really want to set 'cops are pigs' as an example to Keera?

   ReplyDelete
2. 
   Chris H11:54 AM

   Many, many years ago I used to be a potter. I made pottery pigs (flat so I could write on them) and the saying 'Pigs can fly' is where the saying: "This is the house where pigs can fly, and Mr Nobody does everything" comes from.
   Steve used the word 'pigs' because it was part of the 'saying'... not to disparage the police. We have utmost respect for the Police, let me assure you. AND we did not refer to the policeman as a PIG in front of Keera. It was unfortunate that we used the word Pigs to refer to the police, and for that I am sorry. We did not intend to offend anyone, and I have edited my post to reflect that.

I did notice you ONLY referred to Keera, not the other young children in our home?  Hmmm... leads me to believe this ANON is not a friend, but rather a foe.   

Now, back to today.

I've been out and bought paint samples for the house.  EXCITING!

I got a cake for Bex.

Lacy and Brylee are here with me, helping with a few jobs around the house.

ABOVE: All my 'wardrobe' stuff in the small bedroom now.  It's a bit of a mess, but shall eventually get sorted out.

ABOVE:  The middle bedroom is big enough for three single beds if we ever have three grandkids staying overnight.  Which is bound to happen now.

12.25 pm:  The girls just left.  Thanks for your help girls, love ya both very much.

Now... time for some lunch, before I paint a wall!

LYNDA: To be 'fair', when Steve came up with the 'saying, it was the following day, and all three children were in the house.  But not in the room.  To single out Keera?  Hmmmm.  

*To prevent a shit storm, no more comments will be published over the 'Pig' saying.* 

Give me a break.  Said it was OVER.  So leave it.

I'm waiting for paint to dry.  I've done two strips on the family room wall... of the two most preferred paint colours.

I say 'colours', but in reality they are both white.  Slightly different shades.  But white. 

Well... dinner went well.   We had beef meatballs in a sweet and sour sauce over noodles.  Followed by cake.

Photos tomorrow.

For now, all is quiet, I'm tired and ready for bed, and it's only 8.24 pm!

I.  COULDN'T.  HELP.  MYSELF.

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.