MAYBE NOT

 Another long weekend looms.

And I had thought of Stew and I (and Keera) going to the Mount tomorrow.

But I read on the news that there is expected to be huge traffic delays on the road over the weekend, so 😩😪😫  maybe it will be a 'stay at home' weekend.

I'm sure we can find something to do here in Hamilton?  Maybe if the weather is nice a walk along the river bank?  A nice lunch out somewhere?

Meanwhile, I will potter around here, getting a few odd jobs done.  Mostly washing.  And some general cleaning.

...  so two jobs already staring me in the face this morning, apart from the usual.

One:  I forgot to clean the chest freezer yesterday (thanks Bridgerton).  And I STUPIDLY closed the lid.

Got up this morning and opened the lid.

FUCK ME DAYS!

THE SMELL!  OMG I slammed that lid shut so fast!

I then threw a half bottle of disinfectant into it and shut the lid again.

I'll do it later.

Right now I just need to find a mask and soak it in perfume before I go near that bitch again.

Two:  I am going to get the jig saw out...

ABOVE:  I am gunna saw off the corner of this table.  That way every time we open the new freezer it doesn't bang into the table.  I don't want a huge dent in me new freezer door do I?

So.  Plenty to keep me occupied this morning.

Oh and something else.  My phone has been 'glitching' lately.

Just so annoying.  Do 'they' do something remotely to make ya phone play up so you have to get a new one or what?

This morning I went to my photos to look for something, and ALL the photos I had deleted were back again!

Like every single one from day DOT.  They should have been in the Recycle Bin, or gone forever.

NOPE.  All back in my 'normal' album.

And for the past few days when I've tried to view something online... nope.  Won't let me.

It's doing my head in.  I don't want to get a new phone, I love my phone!

And I'm up to 124,159,884 on my 2048 Game!

I don't want to lose my game AGAIN... which is what happens when you get a new phone.  The game and it's current score does not transfer over.

9.30 am:  Bex just rang... and my immediate thought was "Oh , I bet she's gunna offer to come around and clean the freezer!"

But no.  Something else entirely.

AND... I had just finished cleaning the damn thing anyway.  

And I've cut that corner off.

And done half me morning jobs too boot.

ON.  A.  ROLL.....

WHY?  WHY?....

Amanda manages some 2nd Hand Hospice type shops.  She just posted a photo of a lounge chair:

ABOVE:  I saw it and was like... MUST HAVE IT!

WHY when I have NO ROOM at all in my house for yet another chair?

And.... then I saw sense and told her I couldn't have it after all.  I have no room.  NO ROOM.  Dammit.

Well I don't know what's gotten into me lately, but I'll take it.

I just put two dishes of baked potato/onion/cheese in the oven.

We shall have some tonight with our Chicken Sausages, Carrot Dish and salad, and the rest can go in the freezer.

I made sure there was some room for it in the freezer before cooking it.  Just some juggling around is all it took.

I just finished watching Bridgerton 2.  It was very good after a slow, predictable start.

Now I'm totally looking forward to Bridgerton 3.

After moving a few things around, I've come to the very sad conclusion there really is nowhere to put that lovely blue chair.

I even discussed it with Stew.  He said the same thing.  We simply do not need it, or have anywhere to put it.

Dinner... was OK.  Now we are just hanging out with the kid till bedtime.

Catch ya tomorrow.

A BIT SURPRISED

I loaded all the frozen meals from the chest freezer into the new vertical freezer yesterday, and I was a bit surprised to find it really only fitted all that lot in, with very little room to spare!

The new freezer is twice the height of the chest freezer, but not as wide.

Still thought it would give me heaps more room!

Yes, there is a bit more room, but certainly not as much as I expected.

ABOVE: I suppose the main benefit is that I can see and find, and GET OUT what I want so much easier. I do love it, don't get me wrong.... I'm just surprised it's internal capacity seems to be much the same as the chest freezer.

On paper, it seemed to be almost a third more.  Shelves and drawers take up space I suppose.

Anyway, enough about that.

Today's plans?  I might do some sewing.

I have a market next month sometime, so I should really do a few finishes.  

10.27 am. I'm out shopping. I mean... going clothes shopping when you are grossly overweight is FUN right?

At least its good motivation to EAT LESS SHIT.

Those dressing room mirrors need to all fuck off, particularly that one that gives you a 'rear view!

ABOVE: So far I've found a plain, long sleeved skivvy and another black n white top. Its exactly the same as one I already have which has a few marks on it that won't come off. Its a favourite top so worth getting another one.

Right. Off to check out a couple more shops before heading home. 

So, no more clothes bought.  But I did stop into the supermarket for some pastry.  I also got some lovely beef patties and chicken sausages.

AND they fitted in the freezer... slim things.. still got room!

It's a lovely, lovely freezer.  I can see everything.  AS someone said, you lose so much stuff in the bottom of a chest freezer... and we sure did.  We ended up throwing out quite a bit of expired food.

But no more.

Gosh I'm tired.  Been walking around shops for 2 and a half hours.  That counts as exercise I do believe.

I arrived home to find my washing, that was still washing in the machine, hung out for me.  Why thanks Lacy.

One less job for me to do right now.  Now.  What to have for me lunch?

I am watching Bridgerton.  I've been putting it off as long as possible... so that it was something to look forward to when I'm bored shitless.  Like today.  I'm up to Episode 4 now... it's finally getting interesting.  

I dunno.  It's so predictable this time.

Right.  One episode to go.  I'll watch it tomorrow.   Now watching Coronation Street, then off to bed.

Catch ya tomorrow.

THAT WAS A MISSION AND A HALF

 Steve and Bex came over last night to help Stew move the carport back into position.

Griffin was supposed to arrive to help too, but he ended up working later than anticipated and didn't turn up in time to help.

So those three (Stew, Steve and Bex) did it on their own!  I tried to help, but I simply had NO strength at all.  Nothing in the tank.

But between them, they did it!

It really was a huge effort.  That thing weighs 320 kilos and is very cumbersome.

ABOVE:  I took that photo in the dark... but it still looks amazing.  So, so happy with it, and the driveway of course.

ABOVE:  Griffin did arrive.  So I fed him.  And the dogs sat there and begged.  

ABOVE:  I read this and thought, YEP, totally me at the moment.  Just plugging away, trying to do what I can with what energy I have.

Again, I overdid it yesterday and did far too much.  So helping move the carport was impossible.  I tried.  Couldn't do it.  Lesson learnt.

STOP thinking I can do everything.  I'm not a spring chicken anymore!

I'm not telling you what I'm doing today.  Cos even I don't know!

Catch ya later.

WHY does the phone ring when you are not only in the shower, but have shampoo all over ya head?

I swear to god next time I'm NOT going to answer the damn thing.

But anyway... I'm spending the morning on myself.  Washed me hair, gunna dry and curl it, put me face on and feel semi decent.

Took 6 months growth off the legs too!  Hee hee... me hairy legs were adding a kilo to me weight I swear.

Oh weight?

Strangely enough, it's going down.  I don't know how or why, but I'll take it.  Probably not eating lollies much anymore ?

Well I'm still naked!  And the phone rings AGAIN.

I'm resigned to not getting dressed any time soon.

But... *SQUEALS*... our new freezer has arrived and we can pick it up this afternoon.

I'm thrilled to bits.

Not only that it's already here, but that we actually got it!

There were only two left in the country of that particular size/brand... and WE GOT ONE.

I'm so happy.

And naked.   Still naked...

Stew took an early lunch.... and came home to pick up the trailer.

Then we both went and picked up the new freezer:

ABOVE: All going well, I should have everything transferred over to the new freezer by tomorrow.  Then Steve and Bex can take the chest freezer.

They only have a regular fridge/freezer unit, so can't store much at all in their little bottom freezer.

They will love having the extra capacity to freeze more than 3 night's meat and a loaf of bread!

Nice quiet afternoon here.   I've got nacho mince heating, so Stew will get dinner tonight! 😂😅😊

Apart from cooking dinner... nothing happening here.  I'm defrosting the chest freezer before cleaning it for Steve and Bex.  Probably have that done by bedtime.

Well dinner was OK... I'm not much of a fan of nacho mince as it usually repeats in a nasty way.  So I just had a very small helping.  Stew loves it and had seconds.

Time to sign off for the day.  

Catch ya tomorrow.

BACK TO NORMAL AROUND HERE

 But what is 'normal' any more?

Yep.  Stew goes back to work today, in the office.  NO MORE working from home.

All Covid restrictions at his work have gone, except mask wearing when around clients as far as I know.

Next weekend is another 'long' weekend, thanks to ANZAC Day.  Then it's the long slog through winter with hardly any long weekends.

If you don't know what ANZAC Day signifies, please Google it!

I've explained it a few times over the years, but seriously, just Google it if you are curious.

Today I will be doing my usual 'Monday' jobs, just a day later.  Washing.  Cleaning the house.  Tidying up after the weekend.  And so on.

Totally boring shit.  I might go to the supermarket for a couple of items we have run out of... cleaners actually.  But that's about all.

So, until later...

11.30 am:  Just back from the supermarket.

Spent nearly $300 ... only went for loo cleaner!!!

One thing after another.

My laptop keeps freezing on me.

I have to keep turning it off and on.... usually waiting 5 - 10 minutes before trying it again.

I might have to take it in to be looked at ... cos if not I might get mad enough to smash the damn thing with a hammer.

Yeah.

Temper, temper!

So, I made more of the scone scrolls.  This time, instead of cutting the scone mixture up into separate pieces and rolling them out and filling them individually, I tried just rolling out the entire amount of scone dough.  And then putting the filling on and rolling it up.

DON'T.  DO.  THIS.  What a fucking mess that was.

It stuck to the bench, even though I'd heavily floured it.  I managed to get it all cut up and into a cake pan, but I have no idea how it's gunna come out now.  Grrrr.  

All going well, our carport will be back in it's rightful place tonight.  Whoop!

I just finished vacuming the house and washing the floors.  I'm done for the day.  

Dinner is mince out of the freezer, turned into nacho mince, having it with nacho chips and sour cream.

So... the carport is back in place.  It was a mission.

More on that tomorrow.

Griffin arrived late.  He was starving so I gave him groceries, and our dinner!

So Stew is now moaning.

That's it for today, I'm so tired.  

Catch ya tomorrow.

IT FRIGGIN WELL WORKED

So my pissy printer worked.   I finally got it to print out several photos in a row!

I don't know how long it will continue to do that, but for now.... It's working!

So I did this:

ABOVE:  Now I know what's in each basket.  Before, I had no idea what shoe was where.  Clever idea eh?

ABOVE:  The girls off on a play date yesterday.  I swear they love going over to Steve and Bex's so much.  If they could, I do believe they'd live there.  lol

ABOVE:  Marley.... "Throw my ball please... please."  She's so damn cute.

So today?  What's on the agenda?  NO IDEA.  It's been a busy couple of days and I for one am ready to relax.

Or go shopping!

Our frying pan (electric) is bloody useless.  It's not a teflon coated one, I decided teflon wears off too quickly and ya end up eating it.  So we went to a 'regular' non teflon one a couple of years ago.  

It's useless!

Everything sticks to it, so we are going back to a teflon coated one, even if we have to replace it every year, before the teflon starts to flake off.  We'll go looking for a new one today I suppose.

And that's all we have planned for the day!

Catch ya later.

10.35 am:  waiting.... waiting... for Stew to be ready to leave.  I'm always waiting for him.  I know where Mike got that trait from!

I can get up, get dressed, face on and be ready to leave in about half an hour.

Stew.  Nope.  Get up, have a leisurely breakfast, ablutions, shower, dressed etc in about an hour and a half, sometimes longer.

I'm not a very patient person, but this morning I said to myself.... 11 am.  That's when we will leave.  He should be ready by then.

So I'm not sitting here all crabby.

I even did WORDEL... in 3 today.  Happy with that.

He might beat my expectation!  Looks like he's almost ready and it's only 10.40 am.  But let's see shall we?

ABOVE:  Well after having a quick squizz around at different shops, we ended up at Heathcoates and got this frying pan for almost half price.

Gotta love a decent sale like that!

Then we drove over to Chartwell Square and had some lunch.  Stew was looking for a sports jacket to wear to work, but no luck so far.

Now home and it's decidedly cooler today!  We even have a few spits of rain.  I'm just loving the coolness.

6.23 pm:   Well we had a blissfully quiet afternoon.  I grabbed a nap even.

Then I cooked our dinner, which was smoked Kawhai in a white sauce with a little tasty cheese, on toast.  Very nice for a change.

That meal was one of my late Dad's favourite meals, so it was a bit nostalgic to cook it.

We are looking forward to a pleasant evening, snuggled in front of the telly till bedtime.

A BIT LATE!

 8.56 am.

I totally slept in, like I just woke up!

ABOVE: This is me, 100% just woke up face.  Not pretty.  All puffy.  Bed hair.  No make up.  

And I don't give a shit. (but thanks phone filter, it's taken out all me wrinkles!)

I woke at 3.33 am and stayed awake until easily 6.30 am.  Most annoying.

So anyway... it's  looking like a gorgeous day.

Stew is feeding the kid, the dogs are up and all is good.  

Well... I say that right now.  But I reckon there's a storm brewing.

Let's see what the day brings shall we?

10 am, and I finally get a chance to try out the computer. And the damn thing works.  FOR NOW.

Let's wait and see what happens over the next few days shall we?

Steve and Bex just arrived... so Keera's thrilled to bits.  She just loves seeing them.

So do the dogs, they have gone nuts.

11.55 am:  I've just spent almost an hour making something I've never made before.

Apple/raisin/cinnamon scrolls, using a scone base.

I'm winging it with the recipe.  Literally just made it up as I went.

ABOVE:  If they come out OK, that's lunch.

If they are a disaster, we are having hot dogs and chips!

ABOVE:  Well, we are not having hot dogs and chips!

The 'scrolls' came out AMAZING!

Definitely worth the time they took.

Even Steve is eating them, and he's no fan of fruit in baking.

Magpie:  recipe? Ummmm, I just made it up.

I cooked 6 granny smith apples with a big handful of raisins and lots of brown sugar and a big teaspoon of cinnamon on the stove top.

I made a scone dough using 5 cups of flour, 5 teaspoons of baking powder, about 2 big handfuls of grated tasty cheese and one handful of grated butter, mixed it all together with milk.

Rolled out small sections into strips.

Then I drained the fruit mix, and put some of it on the rolled out scone dough, and then rolled each piece up.  

Arrange them in a baking dish and baked at 200 d C for about 30 minutes.

That's about it.  Topped it off with icing sugar mixed with a little water.

It was a bit messy and time consuming, but so worth it!

All is quiet here ... for now.  The family has gone home, with our dogs and Keera.  'Play Date' time. 

They will be back for dinner, which is a nice rich beef stew.

With mashed potatoes and veges.

8.23 pm:  Well dinner was delicious, and there's enough left over to put a meal in the freezer.

Freezer is pretty much full to the brim now!

Watching the movie Bohemian Rhapsody... very entertaining.

WE DROVE ON IT FINALLY

 Yesterday we finally, after 11 days, drove onto our new driveway.

ABOVE:  It was so neat!  Nice to get the cars off the road too.  On Tuesday night we will get the  carport moved back into place, then Stew's car can go back under it.

ABOVE:  The little boys got new dressing gowns.  So now they are the latest 'attire' to wear to Grandad's and Grandma's. 

7.45 am, we are just lying in bed, and we hear the sound of a hot air balloon descending.  So up we get....

ABOVE:  Just in time to see the Hamilton balloon drift by.  Standing outside, so much cooler now!

We can see our breath when we exhale.  Nice.

So, now we are outta bed, and starting our day.

Stew is going to do 'his' little grocery shop, which is buying Diet Coke primarily, along with a few other bits 'n' bobs that he gets.

Then once he's home we will go out and about.  Stew has a list of stuff to get from Mitre 10 and other places, I've no idea what!  But I'll tag along for the hell of it.

After that, we shall do the 'normal' grocery shop.  For a change, Stew will be with me and he can lug it all inside for me.  Yeah.

11.30 am, and we have done the shopping, and put some of it away.

I say some, cos I bought a shit load of meat and am going to be cooking it all up and freezing it over the next two days.

Today...

ABOVE:  In the crock pot we have three pieces of corned beef...

ABOVE:  In here I have 5 packs of mince and onions, there will be tomatoes added and beef stock.  Then it will be frozen in small lots, to be used in various ways, like Spaghetti  Bolognese, Shepherd's Pie, Mince on Toast and so on.

ABOVE: These sausages are going to be cooked up and made into curried sausages.

That might be all I do today, but we will see.

Right now, we are going out to return our printer to Harvey Norman's again.

Well going to Harvey Norman's was a complete waste of time.  Even though I told the man it was not going AT HOME with my computer, he tried it, it went, so he said take it home, there is nothing wrong with it.

So we bought it home again... I've not had a chance to try it out again here yet.

I got on to cooking food.

ABOVE: So far I have 6 nights worth of curried sausages and 12 night's worth of basic mince, that can have other stuff added to it as I see fit.

In the oven I have 4 large pork roasts (which will be divided into 8 meals) and two lamb shanks.  In the crock pot there's enough Corned Beef for at least 6 dinners as well.

So, we quickly realised we didn't have enough containers to freeze it all in, so popped out and bought these:

ABOVE:  I hope that will do for what's cooking right now, and what I will be cooking tomorrow.

If not, they are fairly cheap at The Warehouse.

6.15 pm:  In the oven right now we have several Baked Carrot Dishes.  NEXT to go in will be 3 X Chicken and Bacon casseroles, baked in a Tangy Sauce, and two large Lamb Roasts, baked in Mint Sauce.

I am calling it a day after they are done!

Tomorrow I will cook up the rest of the meat.

I don't think there's as much for tomorrow.  I hope!

Now though, OMG I'm near exhausted.  Why do I try to do so much in a day?  I could have spaced it out over 2-3 days, but NO. 😖😒😣

Stew had the audacity to ask "What's for dinner?"   I think he will have to get his own.  I'm not even hungry.

ABOVE:  Miss Muppet photo bombed my Baked Carrot Dish photo.   Oh well, she's damn cute so it's OK.

I will be dividing that lot up into about 8 side dish servings.

The last lot just went in the oven.  So I will be done in a couple of hours time.

I am 100% KNACKERED.

Something tells me I will be sleeping well tonight.  

And that's me done for the day.

Catch ya tomorrow.

THE BACKYARD

 My 'vision' for the backyard is finally completed:

ABOVE:  It has gone from a horrible messy area, to a really lovely green strip.

It has made a HUGE difference don't ya think?

ABOVE:  It took a lot of effort on both our parts, but so worth it.

Now that is done, and the driveway... I can't think what else needs 'doing' around here!

Probably NOTHING except regular maintenance.  I'm sure Stew is thrilled about that! 😃😂😅

HAPPY EASTER everyone.  We have no plans, except relax at home.  Do some shopping.  Hang with family.

What are you doing?  Anyone got exciting plans?

Share!

ABOVE:  10.43 am.  And I've just finished a big job!

I switched all my summer/winter clothes in the dressing room.  All the summer clothes are now in the wardrobe and winter clothes are in the 'room'.  It was a good chance to tidy up the room too.  It was a bit of a dumping ground.  All done now.

I  have taken photos of all the shoes in the shoe baskets and will put them on the front of each basket, that way I know what's where.  Well.... I will print them out once the printer is WORKING.

Yep.  It came back from the repair shop after two weeks, it printed ONE picture for me, then... NOPE.

Not going to work again.

I'm beyond annoyed.  

I've not had a functioning printer for MONTHS.

It's going back tomorrow, when the shops open again.

While I was fluffing around in my dressing room, Stew went outside and weeded down the 'dogs' side of the house.  It doesn't matter how much weed killer we spray down there, the damn weeds come back.   Anyone know of a weed killer that actually kills weed for good?

Right, I might just have something to eat now.  Could be called late breakfast, or early lunch?

Oh hold on, there's a word for that right?  BRUNCH.   😂😅😋

2 pm:  Steve and Bex called in for a visit.  After they left Stew made us some bacon salad sandwiches for lunch.  My 'brunch' was just a hot cross bun.

We are now just relaxing in the family room, watching the telly!  Totally lazy day really.

5.26 pm:  And sticking with the starting theme.... 

ABOVE:  Stew mowed the new lawn.  He kept the mower quite high so he didn't muck up the ground.  It took him about 8 minutes to mow our entire backyard!

So, gosh, we added about 3 minutes to the job by adding the lawn where the grapevine used to be.  lol  😂😆😊

ABOVE:  Stew 'slaving away'...

ABOVE:  While us girls sat and cheered him on.

Stew is cooking us Lamb Rissoles, Mashed cheesy potatoes, veges and gravy for dinner.

Then I will be watching the Channel 1 movie, The Green Mile.

Tom Hanks.  My most favourite actor of all time.

I've seen The Green Mile probably 20? times, but I'm happy to watch it again!  lol  

After that... bed I suppose.

Signing off early as there ain't nothing else happening around here that I know of.