Week 30/52 - Day tripping in the rain.

As in going out of town not out of my head!!! 

But you knew that right?!?!?!

My mid week trip out to the Airport was one covered in FOG.  In fact so much fog that no planes were flying in or out.  The left photo was taken in the upstairs lounge where you can normal watch the comings and goings of the planes.  The right photo was taken out the front window of the work van while I was waiting at the intersection. It was a Pea Soup kinda day for sure.

On a dull old day I drove through to Morrinsville to check out the Charity Shops and take my son and his girlfriend out for lunch.

This one, Everybody's Shop, is hard to find if you have never been there before but now that I know where it is, it is a must to call in to.  I found the large Trug and the beautiful old book in the photo below.

The gorgeous Doily was found in the Hospice Shop,

I love the Butterfly.   

 

It was the pictures inside 'Alice in Wonderland' 

that lured me into this purchase.

The tiny vase was $1 @ the Hospice shop and perfect for my Daphne.  Oh look, another old basket, found @ the Salvation Army across the road from me.

Three of the five Grand-furchildren. Stella, Luna and Kea.  The other cat and rabbit were busy.  We, not the furries, went to The Crazee Cow Cafe and had lunch outside as it wasn't raining!!  Fabulous food too.

On my way out of Morrinsville I stopped to have a look in Hidden Treasures.  A shop full of, well, hidden treasure!!!  The odd purchase has been made here and they also make very nice coffee.

No spending happened that day tho'.

I am pretty sure that the pets around here just SLEEP all day @ the moment.

Even in his slumber Big was my fridge magnet model,

bless!!

So I did!!

And I made patterns with my clothes pegs while having lunch on the deck seen as Toebee wouldn't accommodate me and wake up! 

Saturday TOF and I drove up State Highway 1 to Auckland to visit his mother. She had been back in hospital after having a fall at home.  But after x-rays and some bed rest she was sent home with a concoction of drugs. The worst part about parents getting older is the health part. Lucky for us she has a positive attitude and fully intends to be back out and about asap!! 

Heading homeward we found ourselves chasing a RAINBOW!

We managed to get out in the garden this morning and fill our garden bin that is being emptied tomorrow.  Not long after we had finished it tipped down and continued to rain off and on all day. I rescued the little daffodils from the rain to enjoy them inside. I keep telling myself everyday, SUMMER is getting closer!

But until then we will enjoy outside when we can and try and get a spot in front of the heater if there is one. GOOD LUCK with that when you have pets.

 

Week 29/52 - Keeping busy all week!!!

It would appear everything is making me happy at the moment so thoughts of just a few photos have gone out the window folks.  Once more I am a DAY LATE.

This is a real post!!!

At the beginning of last week, lets call it Monday as it was, en route to catch up with Sue W for a spot of lunch out @ Whatawhata Village Cafe, I took a slight detour.  With an old ice cream container filled with my girls Chook Chow I went to the Taitua Arboretum to check in on the BIRDS.  They were well happy with my gesture of food, some even ate from my hand.

Lunch with Bint was lovely and the Cafe is pretty much the half way mark between our homes, so perfect!

On my way home I followed a Rainbow,

or was it following me?

A quick trip to the gardening part of Bunnings saw me fill my little boot with some much needed potted colour.  My Garden Bed was looking dull so now it is full of Spring Bulbs and Winter colour, that just needs to get growing. Nature has been watering it regularly for me!!

Toebee supervised from the top of the garden ladder.  Bit like Bay Watch without the Red Speedo!! His opinion on such gardening decisions is vital.

Very naughty I know but I took this photo on my way to work the other morning, it was a good old Waikato Foggy Day.  School holiday time so no traffic on the roads, blissful easy driving!!

Don't save things for good,

wear that necklace, eat of those lovely plates!

If you have it,

wear it, use it!!

ENJOY now.

Finally on Friday Sue W and I decided we needed A SuesDay, even tho those bloody School Holidays were on.  We had some real shopping to do before we scanned a few of our favourite Charity Shops.  I couldn't resist the 1970 McCalls book, I was a only 8 back then. Plenty of Crocheted clothes and colourful decorating ideas.

 

My Frida-esc head gear actually came from a cheapo shop, but the book, Spode plates and embroidered cloth came from the Charity shops.  They have been well picked over and slightly full of CHILDREN!!  This week will be better, school is back in session, life gets back to normal.

A few weeks back I found 3 balls of this wool in the Orphan Aid Charity Shop so I made me a scarf. I call it a Snood, but Sue W says it is an Infinity Scarf.  I really enjoyed knitting so with Spotlight not far from my home off I went for more Yarn.

Scarf number 2 got whipped up over the weekend and I got all excited and started making Pom Poms.
 

Number 3 got fringed and number 4 is the current work in progress.    I got obsessed with making them, but 4 is the final one in my series. A bit like dying clothes, I end up finding more things to add to the colour!!

Last night was cool,

I know this because the extra toed cat

decided to SNUGGLE up with me.

My parting advice:

What made me happy this week - 28/52

A drive out to the coast made me more than happy!

With a tank full of fuel and all my chores done I took a drive out to Raglan as I was in need of some coastal air.

I sat in the car up on the hill overlooking Manu Bay and enjoyed a hot coffee and a salad sandwich. I am not a huge fan of bread so most of that got fed to the bird life.

It was one of those light drizzle rainy days but that will never stop me from enjoying a day on the coast.  The tide was low so huge rock pools were everywhere and the sea gulls were floating effortlessly in the sky.

When the sun attempted to poke through the grey the light changed on the sea, the breeze was light like the rain, in fact it was rather mild in temperature.

At the far end of Manu Bay I wandered round the boat ramp.  Raglans Loch Ness was playing in the water.  More large rocks and drift wood and nothing but the peaceful sounds of the ocean moving.

I love my alone time at the beach just breathing in the air and wrapping myself in being there with all the raw natural beauty that is the west coast.

Every time I drive past this Bus Shelter I admire it's position. There it sits on the windy road  out to the bays.  To the left is the ocean and I imagine sitting waiting for a bus thinking maybe I should just stay at the beach.

With a low tide rocks were exposed on the sand leaving patterns scattered like art.  Who said Black Sand wasn't beautiful?

Fences that reflected in puddles, and weeds that grow tall, the bliss of being in Raglan on a grey misty day kept on appearing in my view.

A colourful and rather grumpy looking fish got hooked by me @ Monster from her seconds shelf, and two more Tony Sly plates were found on his seconds shelves.  Remember this non perfect person prefers the not so perfect pottery.

A visit to the very talented Sandra back in Hamilton from 'Go Hell for Leather' found me purchasing one of her very beautiful hand crafted cow hide bags.  Support your Artistic friends!!

With a lack of colourful flowers in my garden I settled on a collection of leaves.  I remember when I was in my last year of school how my large English Lit book was full of pressed flowers and leaves.  Good use of such a large book for sure!  

Wisdom this week comes from my

Angel Cards

 

What made me happy this week - 27/52

Finally starting to feel well again after being home with Winter Bugs!!  That is what made me happy this week.  Oh and having such an awesome Boss that did all the things that needed to be done while I was away. I sure told him how much I appreciated that too.

On a sun filled day I was happy to see these flowering. Both full of fragrance, both so very welcome in the garden.

Of course this sight always makes me happy!!

Short and sweet this week, but these words come from a little book I have on well-being called 'Creating a life of prosperity'.

Think of what

a precious privilege it is

to be alive, to breathe, to think,

to enjoy, to love.

What made me happy this week - 26/52

After another busy week we have finally hit the half way point in this year.  So on Saturday as we had a beautiful sunny day TOF and I went to the Hamilton Gardens.

This is Turtle Lake and part of the walk around it is a board walk above the water. How beautiful are the reflections.  The white building on the left is a cafe, our destination.

I asked "are you smiling"

to which he replied

"of course".

We all know that means in on the inside!!

What a glorious Winter Day!!

But with Winter comes those dreaded BUGS!!  So I have welcomed July under a duvet for the last two days with Flu.  Fingers crossed it is gone by tomorrow as I have an incredibly busy week at work.