last week...

..kind of went by in a flash.  TOF was on holiday for a week so he was around home.  But he soon disappeared out to Raglan on Monday night for a couple of days fishing with a friend of ours. House back to myself.  Tuesday Sue W and I had a whole day out op shopping and catching up.  I did manage to find a few goodies to bring home.

The shoes are in a black velvet and didn't photograph as well as they look in real life, and are going to be great for winter.  The lace trims hopefully will get used up now that I will have more time to attend to my sewing room.  I really should take a photo of my cupboard full of fabric and share that little gem.

These El Naturalist shoes I actually scored the week before for $8 from the Salvo in Hamilton East.  Basically brand new and so fantastically comfy.  I love the dirty green colour that they are and the little leather frogs on them.

This is really a number 6 but I think upside down to make a 9 is perfect.  We live at number 9 so I will get TOF to attach this to the house one day soon for me.  I scored this for $1!!!

Glad to report that TOF came home with a chilly bin full of snapper.  We ate fish for three days in a row and cannot complain.  We bagged up and passed on beautiful fresh fish to friends and put a couple in our freezer.  TOF even smoked some.  TOF likes to say he is off hunting and gathering for the family, his way of compensating for having far too much fun, I suspect.  He very rarely comes home empty handed when he goes in search of food for the family!!! He was a caveman in a previous life.  He still beats his chest and goes UGH or WOMAN every now and again!!

Sheba found a new place to dig last week and dig she did!!!  She puts her ball in the hole and then tries to dig it out.  Oscar has had a crack at digging in the hole also, he basically falls into the deepness that is the hole Sheba has dug, has a quick manly scratch at the dirt and climbs out pretty stoked with himself.  I think he is pretty convinced that it is him that  has dug that hole!!

And last but by no means least, I grew my hair!!!!

Don't you love clip in hair extensions!!!  Jak my youngest told me they made me look younger.  Bless him!!!!  I think he wanted to go out somewhere.  But I do think they are fun and I did feel like a teenage girl trying to get the perfect face book profile pic!!

 

On Friday TOF and I went to the movies.  I called it a date, he called it, well I cannot share what he called it, but he came, he stayed awake and we had lunch afterwards.  We went to a kiwi film called "The most fun you can have dying".  Written by a Hamilton guy, filmed in the Tron, Cambridge and Raglan and of course overseas.  I really liked it, TOF wasn't that moved but said it was fine.  We had a nice lunch, and bought ourselves new slippers!!  WooHooo!!!  Like a couple of senior citizens we were.  So the weekend has come and gone with not a lot to report apart from THE CHIEFS (our rugby team) won and are sitting at the top of the points table.  Start my new job tomorrow and I aren't half excited.  Shall endeavor to take some photos to share so you can all see how truely awesome this place is.

♥

New job and other things...

..yes I have another job!!!  Actually I was offered this job the day I lost my old one but thought Nina was joking or being kind!!  Turns out she is dead serious and wants me to work with her in her ultra cool super groovy shop which I totally love, "Remains To Be Scene".  Stoked or what!!  I am so up for a total change when it comes to work.  I am not driven by money more driven by happiness and TOF is happy that I am happy so all is great.  This shop is a Vintage/Retro shop that over the years I have sold things in.  The best part is I can still squirrel about and sell things through the shop.  I checked out another job which was going to be 30hours a week in an office with fab money etc etc, but I figured I would not have my lovely lifestyle of chilling out in the afternoons if I did that.  I would miss visiting my friends, shopping with Sue W, and so much more.  I FEEL FRICKIN GREAT!!!

Anyway, what else have I been doing???  On Monday I decided I would finish my job on Friday.  By Wednesday I asked if I could just finish.  NOTHING to do!!  Feel very sorry for the lads still there because more than likely more will be laid off.

But back to what I got up to. 

On Tuesday I went on a shopping mission with Nina (my soon to be new boss) told my old boss I would be in late as I had an appointment, like what was he going to do, fire me??!!  I helped her find loads of cool stuff for the shop at this second hand place we went to and I left with this gorgeous big Buddha head for $20 that is sitting in my garden by my front door.

Wednesday I said goodbye to the lads at work and went op shopping with a mate in the afternoon, nothing to report there.

On Thursday I looked after my super cute 2 and a bit great nephew Arlo while his mum Jade did some shopping.  We hung outside in the sun with a pile of toys and ate treats on a blanket on the lawn under a sun umbrella.  Far too cute for his own good and loved licking the hundreds and thousands of the biscuits before eating them!!

Even his tiny feet are cute!!

So yesterday, being Friday, was booked as a SuesDay.  But in the morning I headed out to my pottery friend Dawn to take photos of some of her latest creations.  I was side tracked slightly by a paddock full of cows.

I thought they looked great but Dawn and Grant just laughed.  It's because I'm a townie!!  And also I tend to look at the world as a photo op!!  So had a cuppa with them and took photos then bought Grant back into town with me as he was going to the V8s.  Yeah the V8s are in town this weekend and you can here them from my place.  I'm no petrol head but there is something about the sound of a V8 engine. 

 By lunch time my SuesDay partner Sue W arrived.
 

We headed off to Hamilton East but stopped at our favourite shop Zinnia.   I got carried away and got a gorgeous Frida Kahlo bracelet to match my brooch I got from there ages ago.  And I found these 2 things.  Can't wait to play with these new kitchen toys.  I so will take photos and share when I do!!!

We had a good wander around the shops in Hamilton East, they have 3 op shops in the main street.  Plus a wicked Whitcoulls book shop that is on sale, like everything under $10, most of what we got was either $5 or $1.  Great when you love books!!!  I got some other Bs and Ps but didn't remember to take pics but they will get their turn no doubt on another day.

I also got Tex a gift.  He is pretty stoked about it too!!!

Well enjoy your weekend where ever you are and what ever you do.  The sun is shining up here and my garden swing chair is calling me!!!

♥

Friday the 13th....

...it sure was for me!!!  After nearly 8 years of working for this small Engineering firm in their office I was made redundant along with 2 of the blokes in the workshop.  The work load has become less and less over the last 2 years so this isn't a complete surprise to me but yet again it was in some ways.  I have always worked only part time mainly due to the fact that I am a mum.  And the other reason was my choice as I think working full time would have turned me into a serious nut job!!!  So TOF bless is heart has always supported my decision to be a part timer.  We have never taken my earnings into the equation rather lived of his calling it the cake and me bringing home the icing!!  But of late the cake hasn't been getting a lot of icing.  So with me about to be UNEMPLOYED we will survive.  So now what??

Well I have mainly worked in clerical positions but spent a few years as a teacher aid and really I am quite open to anything with in reason.  I think I would be good at 0900 talk dirty!!  Or dressing up in black and whipping some man on his #@*& while he asks for forgiveness!!  BUT!!!!  Maybe not.

One thing for sure is I am not about to let it get on top of me!!

I might just take some time to sit back and think about it!!

I haven't even felt any sadness or anything over it!!

I will have plenty of time to go looking for the next adventure in my working life and who knows where I will find it!!

I have a few ideas and an interesting offer already to follow up on and consider!!

So watch this space, goodness knows what I will do next but I am  prepared to think out of the box!  I may be ever so close to being 50 but I am by know means finished!!

Escaping TOF........

.......who had toothache.  Like he had had the dam toothache for nearly a week, was eating panadol like lollies and as grumpy as %#@*, but he finally caved in and let me make him an appointment at the dentist for yesterday.  So yesterday he took the day off work due to not getting  much sleep, and it wasn't like I got alot myself!!  Being the loving wife that I am I escaped for the afternoon and went op shopping while he lay about moaning about the pain. I did offer to be back in time to take him to the dentist but he assured me he would be fine.  So off I went and only got to about half a dozen places, still I did manage to came home with this lot.

I loved this old tin tray ($1) because when I was a kid we had a budgie like the one on the right and he was called Twinkles.  The two books were an absolute bargin at $1 each and I have the urge to give crochet another crack.

Then in another shop I found all this wild and bright macrame cord which I think could crochet up rather well into a whizzy bag of some sort.  May need some guidance from Sue W on that one.  This wasn't the bargin I was after but I fell in love with all the colour.

Today after lunch I was faffing about and felt like I needed to get out for a while.  Made contact with the Webber Woman and organised an impromptu SuesDay out.  We arranged to meet out at Save Mart.  I told her that I would be the ageing blonde waiting in the red station wagon by the door.  As luck would have it we arrived with in minutes of each other so she didn't have to hunt me out.

I wore my favourite top with a pair of Pistachio coloured pants with ruffles on the hems.  Fecking comfy and I thought they were rather cool.  Well when I studied myself in my mirror I thought I looked ok so off I went.  But there have been times when my mirror has lied to me!!!

Got a black knitted skirt and a crocheted vest top thingy.  In the washing so no photo for show and tell sorry.

Hanging from the mirror in my car is two little string dolls.  One is a Dominatrix and the other is a Ballerina.  When we were up in Auckland last weekend we took the MIL (TOFS mum) out to lunch.  Shes well in her 70's and much to my amusement she said from the back seat, "oh how lovely a little bride and groom".

Well if I went to a wedding and the bride and groom came out dressed like that, I reckon it would have the makings of one hell of a good night!!!

♥  Toodles  ♥

No Pooh Bear here...

Much to my disappointment and the relief of all the others that live here (including the dogs) the cute as Pooh Bear suit is too small for the Oscar.

"Does this make my head look big?"

You have to admit, it is fricken cute even if it is too small!!!

I'm pretty sure Oscar was thinking "I hope we can get it in a bigger size".

No comment!!! But thinking to herself, thank god it won't fit me.

Last day of the long weekend, and yet another day of what we didn't get over summer!!! I promise to stop dressing up Oscar today and go and do something constructive.   

Hang on, maybe it will fit Tex!!!  

"Here puss puss puss".

♥

 

        

North to Alaska, no Auckland actually

Today TOF and I set off on our way to take his mum out for brunch.  She lives in one of those flash as retirement villages in Auckland is an area called Botony.  I don't particularly enjoy the drive north on the motorway as its usually just full on road rage and 6 - 8 lanes of it at some stages.  So I buckled in and got my camera out to distract me from the traveling.  TOFs a great driver that I totally trust, he just gets in a suitable lane and goes for it.

Actually it wasn't half as bad as I thought it would be.  The weather was perfect and we were out of my beloved Tron by 8am so we had the road pretty much to ourselves.  We had the ROCK cranked up on the radio and all was tickety-boo!!

For a big chunk of the drive we follow the might Waikato River.  This is the Power Station in Huntly, huge big place that employs loads of people, Sue Ws hubby works here.  "Hi Joe".

By now the radio wasn't picking up the Rock any more so I dived into the glove box and found an oldie but a goodie!!  Joe Walsh, The smoker you drink the player you get!!  What an album, and that took me way back to Whangamata in my teenage years in my mind.

Last sneaky look at the river before we go inland and onto 6-8 lanes of utter madness.  Indicators are obviously an optional extra in most cars.  But we found the correct off ramp and managed to worm our way through the traffic to the mother-in-laws digs.

This place is huge and like a great big hotel.  Three stories of the elderly or as good old Paul Henry would say, "Home for the bewildered".

So we parked the car and wandered our way through the maze that is this grand place.  I so couldn't live like this.  Finally got to her tiny little one bedroom unit and went through the formalities that come with being "That daughter-in-law".  I have never been and never will be good enough for her son in her eyes and I don't mind.  She is Irish and quite stubborn.  As long as TOF wants me that's all that matters. I am married to him, not her. So we packed her into the back of the car and headed off to find somewhere for brunch.  Now you will get the readers digest version because otherwise you will nod off like I nearly did in the car.  She was giving directions (wrong ones) to TOF and he was trying to get me to follow a map to a completely different area.  Long story short we circumnavigated a part of Auckland, wasted shit loads of petrol and ended up back at the shopping centre across from MILs home where we finally ate.  Funnily enough we ended up where I had originally suggested.

Eating over, short wander about shops that look identical to any in any other City in this country of ours, and we popped the MIL back at her place.  Tour of duty now complete we then headed off with a good set of instructions I had organized to visit some dear friends of ours.

I have known my darling friend Louise or Lou-Lou-Belle as I fondly call her since our high school days.  Her hubby Michael and TOF get on famously and so we spent a relaxing time on their deck chatting and drinking tea.  I had taken up some goodies from my pantry that I had made, Blueberry jam, Raspberry jam, and some Red Pepper Jelly.  They sent me home with some more of their divine Honey!!  They have bees in their back yard.  We talk about getting land and just do our thing as neighbors with our animals and plants.  We want a few acres by a nice golden sand beach that is rather affordable!!!

 

This is Louise with their gorgeous daughter Prairie.  This is a house full of love and creativity.  For me it was like walking into heaven.  Louise is a very talented woman you can check her blog here .  Well we left this lovely family with good instructions on how to find the motorway but we managed to stuff that up in the end but finally came across an on ramp, or EXIT AUCKLAND and don't look back sign.  Just joking!!!  Well HAMILTON up high in the sky was a good enough sign for me.

 

So we drove home in darkening clouds, zooming down the motorway with me trying so hard to keep my eyes open.  Not a very good traveling companion for TOF really as I kept floating off to la la land.  I told him to talk to me to keep me awake but he gave up.  So a good day out, all in all, but the very best part was catching up with good friends  :-)

♥ Enjoy the last two days of your R & R ♥

Pimping at Easter???

Well yes I have actually!!!   I got a plain grey cardy the other day for $5 and today I decided to pimp it out.

This turned into..............

.................this!!!!

I used some of the beaded thingies I got a couple of weeks ago and hand stitched them on to the dull old grey cardy. Now it is ready to be outed!!

Today was one of those glorious sunny days with a nice breeze, the sort of day I foolishly expected over summer!!  I quite liked the fact that everything was closed today so spent the day pottering about at home.  But me and TOF went out to get these wicked planter boxes complete with dirt and weeds that I won on trade me.  Both for $60, so I have an instant new garden bed.  TOF gets one side and I get the other.

My side faces into the patio area and I have already weeded my side.  I have sweet pea seeds that will go in this.  TOF has yet to tend to his side but thinking the strawberries may end up there.

Pretty good buying for $60 because the wood alone would cost that, and I quite like the instant-ness of it all. As luck would have it, its painted the same colour as our fence.  So it will look like it has been here for ages.

The people we got it off said they would deliver it as they had it on their trailer so the dude even help put it in place.  I must admit, I have met some pretty cool people through doing trades on trade me. 

Now for the Easter bit.  We aren't religious at all round here, I myself believe in some rather unconventional things.  But I feel each to their own when it comes to belief.  So Easter is really about CHOCOLATE and holiday time for us.  The other night when TOF and I were at the Supermarket, which I fondly refer to as Date Night, he got the lads their Easter Eggs.  He will want to do the whole chocolate thing forever for them as TOF is a dedicated chocoholic!! (and I am sure he is convinced the lads are still little boys).

I hope you are all having a lovely long weekend where ever you are and doing what ever it is that tickles your fancy.  With a bit of luck the good weather will continue.

♥  Toodles  ♥

In Memory of Ben......

....3 years ago today our gorgeous old Ben passed away in his sleep.  Actually at 3am in the morning with me lying behind him on the kitchen floor snuggling him until he took his last breath.  We adopted Ben when he was one from Animal rescue, the boys were only 2 and 4 at the time.  Beautiful Ben was a Labra-doodle and the best dog ever. He was well loved and he loved us back equally.   We were lucky enough to have nearly 12 years with him in our family.  He is buried down the back of our section under the trees that he used to like to sleep under in summer.  I don't think he would mind that the chickens scratch about on top of where he is resting.

♥ Ben being an Angel ♥

 

So it has taken two dogs, a cat and some chickens to replace him, but he will never be forgotten.  Our pets are part of our family and treated with kindness around here.  I cannot stand for animal cruelty.  So today I shopped at the SPCA op shop where I managed to get 2 tops and an awesome enamel coffee pot for TOF.  The tops are in the wash but TOFs pot is here:

    

It's an awesome sea green colour and it even has a plunger thingy inside it.  I'm not a coffee drinker, I like the smell but not the taste but TOF does quite enjoy a nice coffee.  If it's in a jar it is Moccona or Screaming Turtle.  But now he get some fancy stuff and plunge away!!

When I got home from gallivanting about town I found this cool box on my front door step.  No card, nothing!!  Inside were these four gorgeous mugs that stack to make a Russian doll.  I knew they had to be from someone that knew I loved Russian Dolls but who???  A couple of hours later my lovely niece Jade rang and she had found these in a sale and thought of her Aunty, so she got them for me just because she wanted to.  How sweet is she??  We have always got on well and I know we always will.  So I may not have a daughter of my own but I have the lovely Jade and my gorgeous FGD!!  My fingers are firmly crossed that my boys end up with lovely girls and they give me a whole pile of grand-daughters!!

Here's to giving just because you want to, cool coffee pots and beautiful Pets that are no longer with us. 

♥♥  Toodles  ♥♥

Trolls or Gonks?

When I was a child (100 years ago) these were pretty cool toys and everyone had them.  We called them Gonks but I think they are really called Trolls?  Today I came across this group of tiny ones, 6cm including the mop of fluro hair, (2 1/4") and decided I needed them for my china cabinet that doesn't have an awful lot of china in it!!  Mine is more of a memories cabinet.

I am thinking how cool they could be made into a necklace!!

Quite liking the thought of a short week.  Rather enjoy getting paid NOT to go to work!!  So roll on Easter break, gotta love the four day weekend!!

♥  Toodles  ♥

April Fools and Daylight savings...

So we had to turn back our clocks last night, and I bet loads of people forgot and then when April Fools day is thrown in on top, half won't believe it or will put the clock forward!!  So we went back one hour which really means we should have got any extra hours worth life, so lets not waste it!!! 

I quite like Maxine's thoughts on both these subjects:

AND

So whatever you do today in NZ remember we turned the clock back to Winter but in six months we can turn it forward an hour and hopefully get a summer!!