FOUR MORE DAYS?

 Well... with any luck we only have 4 more days at level 4 lockdown.

But, not counting our chickens 🐤🐥🐔 just yet.  It's going to totally depend on the numbers of new cases, contacts and where in the country they are.

I saved myself a good deal of time by making the pattern for today's runner last night.

Want a sneek peek?...

ABOVE:  Got any ideas?  

While you ponder that... I shall get on with my day.

I've got two big loads of washing to get done, bed made, a few other little jobs around the house, then ... sewing.

11.40 am, and I have finally finished cutting out all the bits, and choosing all the fabrics.  Far out, it got a bit tricky!

I ended up asking Stew his opinion on some fabrics, cos I was just not sure what was working.

If in doubt.... get a 2nd opinion.  Even if it is a MAN.  lol

Don't have much choice right now do I?  😂😅😋

ABOVE:  Another sneak peek.  This one is going to so much less 'me'... less colour.  But I'm sure it will be gorgeous.

Getting heaps done with this runner.

Steve and Archer walked over here and dropped some home made lasagna at our doorstep.  The dogs got some Archer cuddles.  We didn't go near them... keeping our bubbles intact.

It's now 4.26 pm, and I've been in the sewing room for over 7 hours.  I'm done.

The runner is not finished yet, but it won't take much more than a couple of hours tomorrow to get it done.

ABOVE:  A lot of you were correct.  It's friggin cats!

I'm no cat lover, but I know a few who are!

This was a compilation of quite a few pictures of cats I found on the 'net.  

Now... I'm off to put my feet up and give my lower back a break.

11.36 pm:  Well.... a long break!  We  had left over lasagna for dinner, thanks Steve.  It was delicious.  Then we were given hot Lemon Meringue Pie from them too!  So a really lovely dinner that we didn't have to cook.  Best dinners are those you don't have to cook.

Time to head off to bed, I'm bloody tired.  A good tired though.

Catch ya tomorrow.

ANOTHER WEEK

 It's about 4.30 am.  I've had virtually no sleep at all.

We had far too many carbs for dinner, and I'm now paying for it with hot flush after hot flush.

I also still have a headache from hell... and have found Panadol simply does not work.

So I'm trying Nurofen.  Hoping that works.

If not, I'll bring out the big guns and have a Tramadol.

And here we are again.

Facing a possible full week of Lockdown, if not longer.

Stew is not thrilled to be back at work today, even though he is working from home.

I hope to get back to my sewing today, but it will depend on how I'm feeling.  Right now I can see me sleeping half the day away!

ABOVE:  My next Chicken Runner.  Nice and bright.  Lots and lots of stitching to do yet.  I'm pretty sure I've never done a runner with yellow fabric before.

ABOVE:  So true!  Though I'm happy to report my weight is still SLOWLY going down.  Which seems weird as I'm getting virtually no exercise.

I'm probably just making better decisions on what to eat, and how much to eat (except for last night!)

Right,  I'm sitting in me lounge chair at the moment, so you could say 'I'm up already'.  😂😆😋

10.22 am:  And I'm feeling 100% better!

The nurofen must have worked.

So, I have been in my sewing room for the past 2 and a half hours.

ABOVE:  I am making excellent progress on the 2nd Chicken Runner.

Stew has gone into work to get his office chair.

He was using my sewing room chair, but I need it myself.

The girls are sitting in my sewing room staring out the door ... waiting for their Dad to come home again.

6.30 pm:  Hi!

I sewed until lunchtime, then I made Stew and I ham/cheese and pineapple toasted sandwiches for lunch.

Then I crashed and burned, and fell asleep for the afternoon.

BUT... I feel fine.  Just tired.  My arm is sore, but not enough to bother me really.  And the nurofen, well thank god for that shit!

We are not really supposed to have nurofen with diabetes medication, but my Dr said 'sometimes' is OK.

ABOVE:  I have finished this one.  And I only stabbed my fingers twice, sewing on the buttons (eyes).  That is the worst part of the entire job I tell ya.

My next runner will not be a Chicken runner.  I will think about it overnight, and tell ya what the next one will be, tomorrow.

I just spent 1.5 hours making the pattern for tomorrow's runner.  It's another one I'm really going to enjoy making.

Time to sign off for the day.  Catch ya tomorrow.

QUIET SUNDAY

 After Stew's huge efforts in the garden and so on yesterday, I somehow think he's gunna be spending today watching sport!  😂😆😋

I don't blame him, it really was a lot of work.

My plans are to get some washing done, then carry on in the sewing room.   I have another Chicken Runner on the go.  

So it should be a fairly quiet Sunday for us.

Catch ya later...

Headache from hell. Still in bed. Arm bloody sore too.  Add feeling like throwing up too.

I got out of bed cos I just felt so sick and am now sitting in me lazy boy chair with me blankie.

No matter how shitty I am feeling, I don't regret getting the vaccine.  Not for one second.

STEW TALKS TO LOUD.

And some bastard is using a chainsaw in our neighbourhood.  He needs to stop!

So, I had a nap and woke up at around 4 pm.  Raging headache still.

But, I finally got dressed 'for the day' and we went for a leisurely walk.

ABOVE:  Empty roads.  So weird.  We walked over to Steve 'n' Bex's and had a chat with them... keeping strict social distancing of course.

Then we walked home again.

It was nice to stretch our legs and get some fresh air.

My tummy has settled down now, so I will have some dinner a bit later on.  Though I have no idea what we shall have.  Something easy for sure.

9.10 pm:  I'm done for the day. The headache never left, no matter how often I took Panadol.  I hope it's gone tomorrow, along with the extreme tiredness, sore arm etc.

GROCERY SHOPPING

 Stew and I are both going grocery shopping this morning.

He's getting stuff for us, while I am doing Brylee's shopping.

She isn't allowed to drive until her shoulder issue is resolved, so can't do it herself.

We will be fully masked up, and using hand sanitiser everywhere we go.

Back to being on 'high alert'.

After being told I had to re-book my 2nd Covid vaccination, I got a text and email yesterday reminding me of my Covid appointment TODAY.

WTF?  So, I am going to turn up for my 2nd jab this afternoon, and see what happens.  The worst that can happen is they will tell me to go home and come back next Thursday!

ABOVE:  Just a couple of funnies to start the day.

9.40 am:  Back from the supermarket.  No queues at our local Countdown, thank goodness.

ABOVE:  There was plenty of loo paper, but frustratingly, low on fresh veges and meat!

And NO flour.

There were lots of gaps in the aisles, empty shelves here and there, but not alarming.

ABOVE:  You are supposed to only go to the supermarket for essentials right?  Well that fulla must live on beer.  He only had beer in his trolley.

It's a dreary day out there, and cold.  Nice to be 'stuck' inside actually.

Stew is going to do some gardening, the weeds are winning at the moment.

ABOVE:  I'm on the home straight with this one!  I'm probably going to do another one, cos this was FUN.  😉😊

ABOVE:  And it's finished.  I finally feel like I've got my mo-jo back.

First 'finish' in  MONTHS.  

2.50 hours till I will either get my 2nd Covid jab or not... and I'm not even feeling nervous!  That's a bloody miracle.

ABOVE:  Guess what?

It's DONE and DUSTED.

After being totally opposed to doing it to begin with, I'm so very happy I did it!

Today I literally walked in, sat down, filled in the form and was taken straight into the booth and got me jab!   I was in and out of there within 15 minutes.

I have been warned I might have more after effects this time around.  Well... apart from a sore arm, I had none the first time around.

So I'm not anticipating any this time either.

Now, it's time for me to start preparing dinner.

Tonight Stew and I are having sausages, smashed potatoes, baked carrot and onion and ?  Maybe peas!  Cos I love peas.

LYNDA:  I'm sure I replied to your question in a comment a while ago... but YES.  Stew is also fully vaccinated as of a week ago.

ABOVE: Stew has worked outside literally all day!

He got all the weeding done, the edges trimmed, lawns mown, hedges trimmed and he also water blasted that path down the side of the house where the dogs run.

It was full of weeds, mould and dog piddle.  It was DISGUSTING in other words.

Look at it now!

Amazing what a water blaster can do.

Thank you Darling for keeping our home so beautiful.

We had no peas.  So had to eat cauliflower and broccoli instead.  But, dinner was delicious, so all good.

Now?

Bedtime.

WILL IT CONTINUE?

Today at 3 pm we will find out if our area will be staying in Level 4 Lockdown or not.

Auckland and Coromandel will be staying in full Lockdown for at least a week, probably longer given how many cases they have up there.

ABOVE:  I'm sure literally everyone has seen this, but I hadn't.  It's rather funny, don't cha think?

I will be getting a new table runner ready for stitching this morning.  

ABOVE:  I'm still at the 'putting it all together' stage.  Can you tell it's gunna be chickens?  😊

I'm looking forward to working on it.

Right, time to get moving... catch ya later.

I got a message last night from the Waikato District Health Board, saying I would need to re-book my 2nd Covid vaccination.

Great.  I ring the number at 8 am this morning ... get put on hold for half an hour, then finally get to talk to someone.

She puts me on hold to check 'something' and then... she hangs up on me!

So I go online, hoping I can re-book there.

SUCCESS!  I now have my new (read THIRD) appointment for my 2nd jab.  I hope like hell it actually happens, Thursday next week.

I've never wanted an injection MORE!

I'm now off to me sewing room...

ABOVE: This is what takes the most time!  Cutting out all the fiddly little bits of fabric.  Finding the 'right' fabric also takes freakin ages.

ABOVE:  I'm making good progress.  And I've only stabbed myself in the tit twice so far, and me fingers and thumbs... oh about 10 times.

FUN.  Not.  I hate pins.

ABOVE:  SPARKLING:  Well that's simple!  I have pins holding shit together, and when I move the  runner around and around to stitch friggin curves, the pins can stick out... and that is how I end up with a pin poking me in the tit!

COVID UPDATE: 8 new cases is Auckland and 3 in Wellington.  They are all linked to a returnee who arrived in the country from Australia, who had the Delta variant of Covid 19.

AND the entire country is still in Level 4 Lockdown until at least Tuesday night.  

So... after watching the new update, it's time to get back to me sewing.

9.45 pm:  Dinner this evening was chicken steaks and wedges.  A simple Friday night dinner.

Watching telly till bedtime.  Catch ya tomorrow.

HOW MANY TODAY?

 

ABOVE:  yep.  I have not read the news yet this morning.  I am keeping my fingers crossed that our numbers of infected people hasn't sky rocketed!

This is so true!  Stop raiding the supermarkets like twats.  Shop normally!

Leave some of the damn loo paper, flour, bread, butter etc for other people too.

Today I am going to do some sewing!  Maybe I'll make a table runner. Or carry on with a cot quilt I started a couple of months ago.

Either way... I need to get back into it, and get productive again.

12.33 pm :  Well I've had a busy morning doing housework.

Stew had to go into work to get case files to work on at home.

There's queues outside supermarkets.

Glad we don't have to get anything.

Waiting for the 1 pm update from the government on case numbers etc.

It looks like the Delta variant of Covid has been in the community for at least 2 weeks!  So, there is bound to be more cases out there. 

ABOVE:  Stew just put his new number plates on his car.  Looks so neat!

Now... we are both sitting waiting for the latest Covid update on telly...

Well... 12 more cases, and a fairly good idea how Delta arrived in New Zealand.  It looks like it was a traveller from Australia, but how that person managed to spread Covid to our community is still unknown.

Also, it is still up in the air as to how far this community spread has progressed.

We find out tomorrow if our lockdown will get extended or not.

Now... back to my movie!

This afternoon I started a new runner.  I'm feeling really happy, it is fun.

I will show you tomorrow what it is gunna be.

For now... my lower back is killing me from all the bending over involved with cutting out patterns and fabric, bla bla bla.

Stew (the poor bugger) has been tasked with cooking dinner tonight.  Lamb cutlets and veges.

10.45 pm:  Stew and I are totally hooked on a new channel on the TV.  It has cop shows on it... Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, Chicago PD, Law and Order etc.  I don't think we have watched anything else in the evening for a couple of months now!  Well... except I still do watch Coronation Street!  

Can't break a habit of 58 years can I?

First time I watched Coronation Street I was 4 years old!  It came on after the News.  I still remember it.  Black and White TV.  Ena Sharples, Minnie Caldwell, Albert Tatlock, Annie Walker and so many more!

Right ... enough reminiscing, time to sign off for the day.

LOCKDOWN AGAIN

 

ONE person tests positive for Covid 19 in the community, and the entire country snaps shut.

He was a busy man while he was infectious, and went to the beach and visited numerous places.

So, we are all keeping our fingers crossed this one person has not started a chain reaction of infections that spread across the country.

I'm sure it's NOT HIS FAULT... shit happens. But in this Covid ravaged world we live in right now... it's a real worry.

I am due for my 2nd Covid jab on Saturday.  I hope I can still get it.

We are in Lockdown here for at least 3 days, more if the infection spreads. 

In Auckland and the Coromandel, they are locked down for a minimum of a week. 

I am going to really enjoy having Stew home for 5 days, which includes the weekend.  Though, he will still be working remotely. 

On my way home from Cards in Cambridge last night, I was appalled to see how many people were leaving the city!

Streams and streams of cars, all no doubt heading to the beach or holiday homes, taking advantage of not having to go into work for the rest of the week!

I hope none of them have been anywhere that has been identified as a place of interest in relation to the positive case.  😣😟😒

So... as we have PLENTY OF LOO PAPER, we will just stay home and be good.

Catch ya later.

9.20 am:  And we now have 4 more Covid cases in our community.  All linked to the first one.

Lockdown was clearly a damn good idea.

ABOVE:  Stew is 'at work'.  I'm sure we will have lunch together.  😃😉😊

In the meantime, I shall carry on my usual day.  I am going to tidy up my sewing room, it's a real mess!

Then iron some shirts.

Oh and when Stew got home last night he said he thought our bed looked better with the white throw.  So now I have to find a much longer white throw for our bed.

Not the easiest thing to do ... in Lockdown.

But, no rush.  I shall use the short one in the meantime.  I could even make one?

ABOVE:  Just too cute not to share.  The girls 'at work' with Stew.  Both got introduced to co-workers over Zoom, and some of Stew's colleagues had their pets on Zoom too.

You could say it was 'bring your pets to work day'.  lol

ABOVE:  our roads are empty.  People are doing what they are supposed to do.  So proud of everyone who is following the rules.

The news at 1 pm wasn't that good.  We are now up to 7 confirmed cases, with the likelihood that numbers will grow and grow.

I decided to have a nana nap.  I slept a couple of hours. Must have been tired.

Now, I shall be cooking dinner for him 'n' me.

Just sausages and veges tonight.

And now... we have 10 confirmed community cases!  Gosh I hope this doesn't spiral out of control!

I'm off to bed soon.  Hoping the news isn't dire in the morning.

PARCEL

 Well... the parcel I was waiting for finally arrived.

It was something I've been meaning to get Stew for a while now...

ABOVE: His very own number plate.  With some BLUE of course!  💙💙💙😊

He will put it on his car in a couple of days.  Today he is off to Rotorua in a company car.

I've got Card Night this evening, so am going out at some point today to get some nibbles to take with me.

And of course, I will need to have dinner sorted out for Stew, for when he gets home from Rotorua.

So, a couple of little things on my to do list today. 

ANON from yesterday, where you said (in part):

 "It would be a shame for that person to mould her into a nasty piece of toxic trash like herself."

I felt it would serve no purpose to publish your entire comment, as it could have caused a nasty exchange of comments.  I agree 100% though!   

The legal fight, which THEY instigated, is over. We got exactly what we wanted, and those who tried to severely limit Lacy's contact with her child... LOST.

What's done is done, and we are moving on and are going to enjoy our life with our FAMILY.

While making my bed just now, I was thinking I really didn't like the short white throw on the end of the bed.  It is just too short.

So, I was thinking of going out to look for a long one, like our dusky pink one.

Then... an idea popped into my head, and I did this:

ABOVE:  I put the dusky pink one back on the bed, and a matching cushion.  And I don't know about you, but I think it looks fine!

And now I won't have to replace the pink curtains either!  WIN WIN.

What do you think?

ABOVE: Dante and Archer had cross country running at school today.  I'm surprised they went to school today.   They both hate running, especially Dante.

Lacy just visited.  We both had an early lunch of ham/cheese and pineapple toasted sandwiches.  So yum on a damn cold day.

I have spent the last few hours fluffing around the house, just putting things away that slowly crept out into the wrong spaces.  Toys.  Clothes. Odds 'n' sods.

If you don't keep on top of it, the place can become so damn messy.  And I don't 'do' messy.

I like organised spaces, tidy spaces.  Shame I can't train Marley to put her toys away!  Believe me, I've tried. 😂😅😊

12.50 pm:  And I finally picked up a repeat prescription from the pharmacy!  Only took me 2 weeks.  Then I visited the supermarket and bought some snacks for this evening. 

Stew is going to have left overs for his dinner, so I don't have to cook tonight.  Neat.

The nasty weather that we have been expecting since yesterday is finally creeping in.  It's getting very dark out there, and the wind is certainly picking up. 

Cards was fun.

Then our entire country has gone into HARD LOCKDOWN.  Three days minimum for everywhere except Auckland and Coromandel, who are in HARD LOCKDOWN for at least a week.

WHY?

ONE man has been diagnosed with Covid 19, probably the Delta strain in the community.

So, I get to have Stew home for the next three days, followed by the weekend.  Nice one.

And that ends my day.