Woohoo Wednesday - what a great day to be alive!!

With TOF away I had to set the alarm on my phone so Jak and I didn't sleep in.  Happy to report that I awoke to the sound of the crowing rooster on my phone and the morning processed as normal.  What a gorgeous day today was, you wouldn't have thought we were one day away from Winter.

I love Blue and Pink together so that was today's colour combo of choice!!

You simply cannot feel blue

when the weather is so beautiful.

Pretty much every morning

I say:

'what a great day to be alive'

(Especially when the sun is shinning!!)

Perfect weather to slip into a few op shops before heading home from work.

Banana basket $5

Tile 50c

Shoes $2

The shoes are too big for me, 

but at that price they weren't staying in the op shop!

Leather boots $6

Oh these babies so fit my feet!!

TOF just rang before to say Hi!  Staying in a nice motel a short drive from the sawmill they are doing work at for the three weeks.  He has a unit to himself so maybe I should grow some balls and do the drive up North next weekend for four days, he could sneak me into his room at night!!!  Woohoo!!!!

Anyway dinner is cooking as my resident cook isn't in residence, and I am waiting for the son to get home from work.  Heater is on with Tex and Sheba jostling for pole position in front of it.

So I have bought some things from the deli!!!

Like my scones!!!

Just add water.

Ever get the feeling you've been framed?

I have been looking for a good sized frame to use as a prop when taking photos of other people.

It is always best to try your props on yourself first!!

(might paint it bright Red or Blue)

What else did I come across in the two op shops I called in on when heading home from work?

A lovely little assortment.

The RED jersey with white spots is a S which is obviously for SUE as even I know I am not SMALL.  I have a cunning plan involving scissors.  Cut it down the front and bind it in white satin or something similar and I should get a cardy to wear. I  can always add into the back and sleeves if it is still SMALL and not SUE.

The Fur children are rather confused about the absenteeism of TOF!!

I dropped him off at his work at 7:00am this morning and won't see the poor bugger for three weeks.  This is the longest stint he has had away from home with work.  I am used to it but try explaining it to the dogs!!  When the boys were small it was hard when he worked away from home but now its not so bad.  But three weeks??!! Shit, I'm gonna have to cook!! He misses my birthday and mothers day, not that I am his mother.

Sorry my video for you didn't work.

I was giving you all 

a tour and commentary in my garden.

There was talk of poos!

 

I will try again

when I figure how

in the hell

to do it

properly!!!

Technologically challenged I am!!

Maybe this will be a Memorable Monday.

So I was thinking the other day how most of our memories if not all are made by our senses, and memories are also triggered by them.  You know like when you smell something, hear a certain song, yadah yadah!!  

You with me??  

Then I thought why don't I make a memory for you, my blogettes!!

Now I am hoping this has worked for you,

if not then

CRAP!!
Because instead of you reading the shit that comes out of my mouth
you get to hear it!!
 

After my movie making I  made a couple of cakes, yes I did!

Banana Bread and a Lemon Cake, both very very very yum!!  Oscar was desperate for a crumb to fall his way.  TOF is going away for three bloody weeks with his work so these may end up at my work if he doesn't want to take them with him. In a way I made a memory for TOF today by actually doing some baking for him.

This is the after baking two cakes pose, that would be falling onto my bed in a state of shock that I produced cake that was edible!!

Once I had recovered I went for a wee drive to Waiwere Nursery, a fabulous Garden Centre in the country that I have never been to, but driven past on numerous occasions.  The guys that own/run it have three gorgeous dogs and this little scotty followed me around.  Yes I bought something, a shoe shrub!!

Ok so not really a shoe shrub, but an Azalea.

On my way back home I went to

A SHOPPING MALL!!

And it is school holidays here

so it was choka block

full of

KIDS!!!

TOF had put in a request for some Aniseed Wheels and it is the only place I know that has a shop that sells them so with a big deep breath I entered said Mall and fulfilled the request given to me.  With the Aniseed Wheels in the bag I was outta there! As a reward for risking my mental health by entering a mall in the school holidays I visited the Vinnies op shop close by.  SCORE, a Rodd and Gun sweatshirt for Jak $4, and he is stoked.

Today's going out outfit was one of my Tie-dyed tops, 

ruffle skirt and purple leggings, 

with Moroccan shoes.

Sure hope my video works. 

 

Another long weekend is all but over.

Although it was a long weekend here, TOF had to work on Saturday and Sunday, so I got out and about all by myself!!  Saturday saw me attending Jak's rugby game, and for someone that hasn't played the game for a couple of years, he was pretty darn good. Sorry, had my 'proud mother hat' on then.  I took photos and then sent them to the lads (his mates that is) via their chat on face book, apparently they like it, so there you go.

Yep, that is mummies little half back clearing the ball from the scrum.

And that would be about it for technological rugby talk from me.  When I got home Tex was fast asleep in the middle of the garage floor so I had to leave the car outside.  No sense honking on the horn as he is as deaf as!  He finally awoke in time to have his dinner, stretch, piddle and then come inside to get comfortable for the evening. What a life!!

No guessing required for where I went today!!

Dawn invited me out to hers for lunch, her man was out of town, mine was working so it was a no brainer really.  Her lovely daughter arrived with her two children, so out came my camera.  Miss Four loves having her photo taken while Master Eleven was totally convinced it wasn't all that necessary, but obliged.   

The colours of the countryside were glorious today.

Toitoi clumps growing in the paddocks,

amongst grazing cows.

I could steel Miss Four!

One day hopefully

I will get to be a granny!!

One of the dogs assisting

with the vacuuming!

Oh yeah

Lunch was DIVINE.

Driving home, for some reason I decided to go to the lake, that would be Lake Rotoroa, the one in the middle of the city.  It is filling up with ducks and other water fowl as they know like the hunters that Duck Shooting Season is about to start. 

And those birds are all laughing!!

The baby Pukeko on the right was so cute, all gangly legs and fluff. 

Proud mum is on the left.

Big building on the left is Waikato Hospital.  On the right is a huge white house that I think may be finally finished being built.  You have to have some serious coin in your bank to live on the edge or have a fine view of the lake.  The best part is there is a walkway the entire way around the lake so you can walk or bike if you fell the urge.  

Not me!!

A lake full of happy birds indeed!!

Us Hamiltonians are lucky to have a Lake and a River,

Beautiful Parks and Gardens.

So many people were out today making the most 

of the lovely weather

and walkway around the lake.

Darling Jak bought his olds dinner tonight, Wendys takeaways that cost over $50!!  How do the young ones afford to live of takeaways is beyond me.  

But thanks Jak, you are a keeper!!

A beautiful day to remember the past

Today was ANZAC day. 

I toyed with the idea of going to the Dawn parade but didn't opting for going later on in the day when the sun was up and shining. 

First thing this morning there was fog, and it had left dew resting on the plants and spider webs outside. The Dawn parade would have been eerie in the fog, but better than in the rain like most years.

I visited the Cenotaph in Memorial Park.

I love this place, full of huge old trees, beautifully kept gardens, memorials and resides river side.

It was such a lovely day to take time to wander and read all the plaques on the walls in the park.  People were coming and going, checking out the flowers on the Cenotaph and generally quietly going about their business. I guess a time for quiet reflection as we all have relatives from old that fought in a war.

My Great Grandfather Louis Holden seated in the first photo, not sure what war, my Pop, Horace (dads father) in his flying gear fought in the first world war, and my grandfather William (mums father) in the second world war.  All survived and came home.  As a mother of two sons I cannot imagine how hard it must have been to see your lads head off to war, not knowing if they would come home and if they did, how would they be.  Changed for sure, scarred, injured, but hopefully alive.

ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps and it was used to show a soldier came from these two countries during World War 1.  We have this day set aside to commemorate the landing of the ANZACs at Gallipoli in Turkey during WW1 in 1915, so next year is the 100th commemoration.  I think I should make the supreme effort and head to the Dawn parade next year.  Now before you think I am knowledgeable I will confess to Googling this history for you, as I obviously didn't pay a great deal of attention when at school learning such stuff.  I mean I knew it but Google refreshed my aging mind!! 

The Red Poppy is the symbol of war remembrance the world over.

Right opposite Memorial Park is this stair case of 76 stairs, yes I counted the buggers as I climbed up them today.  You see, when my sisters and I were children dads parents lived in Von Tempsky Street which is sort of at the top of this set of stairs.  We used to play on a path out the back of their home and on these stairs, so it has been a few years since I have climbed up and down them.  I forgot how lovely it is there.  Unfortunately their house is no longer in the street, a Birthing Centre is there now.

History lesson over.

You know how I am in love with my tie dyed top that I wore the other day but couldn't take a full length photo of me wearing it, well naughyt old me, I got me another one.  

But just look at all the gorgeous colours!!!!!  

I promise to stop at two OK!  

Perfect for today's weather and I am pretty sure you will see this and the other one numerous time from now until next summer.  I have conceded and ready to welcome Winter.  This means dragging out the winter woolies very soon, which is almost like getting a whole new wardrobe for me as I pack my clothes away each season.  

Wait until you see my Winter shoe/boot collection!!!

Get your shoes on bitches we are going for a walk!!

WALK??

Yes indeedy good people

TOF and I went for a dam fine walk!!

So here we go!

This is it.

A short drive west side out from

Hamilton

into the countryside.

You are instantly greeted in

the car park by an ever growing family of

very gorgeous

Chickens!

And some big

bad-ass

ROOSTERS!

 

Armed with a dog each

we set off on the winding pathway

leading us into

THE BUSH!!

 My my this was totally

beautiful.

Why you may well ask

is TOF

doing that???

His Michael Jackson Cock Grab!!!*

He was saying whats that tree

whats that tree?

I'm like

I don't know.

As he is doing

that* ,

he goes

Chinese Fir tree.

Apparently that is funny

but I some how missed the joke!!

I love that there are park benches

along the way in case

you need to rest

and catch your breath,

maybe just soak up the beautiful sights on offer!

Even the dogs

got their 'PANT' on.

 This must have been the 

Magical Forest

as the light

was quite beautiful.

Kept waiting for the Fairies and the Elves, Pixies and others

to turn up.

According to TOF this sculpture represents a traditional Fertility something or another, because by then I was laughing at him. Farkwitt!! Being a knowledgeable man of the world and all, everything is a symbol or a sign of Fertility, bloody one track mind the dirty old bugger!!

The first bit of Autumnal colour amongst the still green foliage trees and plants.

We will have to go back

when the trees and shrubs are

totally rocking

the Autumn colours!!!

Holy crap cakes two walks?

Unheard of.

 This could well be the very early signs

of Hamilton's

very own Stone Henge!!!

Obviously

ours is a 

Small Rock Henge

at this stage of it's creation.

But just think,

it was a Pebble Henge

ONCE.

Isn't our lovely

Mother Nature a real treat.

She just keeps on

delivering

beautiful images

for us to take photos of every

DAY!!

Back in the car park

ready to make like a tree and

leave!

We were escorted out of the car park with a monstrosity of a Rooster who walked tall beside the car as we drove slowly out onto the road to home.  Gorgeous big boy he was too!!  I had a photo of him but I seem to have deleted the bugger, and it was a goody.  I think it is only right that I now temporarily borrow a word from a certain  bloggette from the South Island,

'Arsebiscuit'!!

Hope you all enjoyed our little walk!!

Now

something so very sad to share.

A MAJOR DISAPPOINTMENT!!

Seriously??!!

So I wore them today to work, got changed when I got home into reasonably sensible attire for walking in and when I say suitable I was very much going for comfy. No I do not own walking gear, no lycra or spandex exercise gear lives in any of my draws. I digress! I decided that I would still go for our walk wearing these!  Glad I only paid $3 instead of the filthy outrageous recommended retail price, they are/were Molly N.

Oh Well!

Guess this means I have to

replace them!!

At least they looked

fricken great

with today's little ensemble

of Black and White

Spots and Stripes.