Why you really should get up early

Because you get to see gorgeous things 

like this.

Good on you Mother Nature for putting on such a beautiful colourful show early this morning.

So much for the red sky at morning is a shepherds warning, the day was another good one.  Definitely cooler and apparently summer is about to pack her bags and head north leaving us with Autumn.  My favourite seasons are the in between ones. Autumn provides a spectacular colour show with all the leaves changing colour before falling to the ground leaving trees naked for winter. Like wise does Spring with all the new spring flowers popping their delicate heads out of sleepy winter soil to make us smile.  The temperatures are pleasant also.

I bought this dress when I had my four day getaway at Whangamata earlier in the year.  Last night I reshaped the neck and armholes, so now it is perfect to wear and oh so comfortable!!  Another any season of the year article of clothing, that will get plenty of wear.

I spent the morning out and about with my eldest son.  We took some things to the next flat he is moving into soon where we played with beautiful Brown.

Brown is the most gorgeous Big Brown Dog I know and he loved sitting in the back of my car with me.

Seriously considered taking him home!

(joking Karl)

He loves nothing more than having his belly rubbed!!

On my to do list today was register TOFs little car, not a cheap thing to do but a necessary thing.  While out amongst the shops we discovered this shop that sold T Shirts and Band posters, all reasonably priced.  I found some other things to float my boat, tickle my fancy.....ok, things I just plain liked!!

Two gorgeous colourful bracelets, and these skull iron on decals.  They should pimp up some item of clothing quite nicely, maybe a cropped cardy? Cool selection of them so I am surprised I managed to only buy three!

The weekend is about to hit the starting blocks any minute.  I have peaches to bottle that TOF picked last night, more Tomatoes to do things with, and the very last of my sort out to do.  My car needs to move back into the garage, so this is the final push to get sorted.  Apart from that I have a couple of good friends to catch up with and plenty of chilling out to get on with.

Enjoy your weekend!!!

Sista from the same mista came to town

My lovely sister Helen (my best friend too) came over from the beach this afternoon for a quick visit. We only had a small window of opportunity as I was working today and didn't finish until after one. I had picked up a pushchair she had bought off trade me so she needed to collect it.  I had been adding bags of treasure next to it in my garage so she has gone home with her back seats folded down and her little car loaded up.  Such fun!!

Only time for a dodgy selfie as she wanted to be on the road and out of town before all the end of day traffic starts to build up.  She works in an awesome shop at Whangamata called 'Glamour' and there is one at Raglan, Tirau, and Ohakune, all in the north island.  The shop sells fabulous things sourced from Nepal as her boss is a Nepalese man.  I always seem to spend money when I go out to the Raglan shop!!

Lucky 'ol me was given a bag of goodies that she has been picking up from her local op shops and putting aside for me.  It is great when someone knows your taste and sizing.

Gorgeous sheets to sew with, fabulous floral dress (I looooove!!!) Briarwood jelly jandals with massive blingage, piece of beautiful fabric, Black with white spot swing jacket (photo blurry as I was totally excited) and lime green linen frock (which according to my sister looks better on).

I feel quite spoiled!!

It is the best feeling have someone you are related to that you totally get on with and like.  

I have always thought if we were not related I would have picked her for a friend.  

She would have made it to my list!!!

Mid week catch up

Firstly

the lads at work

LOVED

the muffins!!!

(And I didn't cock up the pays this week!!!)

(I think they are disappointed)

So it is Wednesday here, the half way point in most peoples working week, and mine too now as I am currently doing three days a week and loving it.  Who knew a job could be so good??!!

Today's outfit comes to you courtesy of Op Shops, Trade Me and Sale Racks!! Cat is the models own.  And I have been groomed in the hair department.  I have a fabulous and gorgeous young hairdresser who tidies me up and keeps me in the OMGIFF category. (OMGIFF = Oh my god I'm farkin fabulous) 

Due to working only in the mornings on my work days I have been able to squeeze in a couple of visits to some of my favourite op shops when heading homeward bound.

The retro dress is obviously too small for moi but the fabric is to die for so may get upcycled or on sold, the skirt is full length and fabulous, these were both from the Salvo in town yesterday.  The Peasant top was from the Red Cross in Frankton, today, and I rather like peasant tops because I more than likely was indeed a peasant in a previous life!!

I so could not leave this gorgeous dog coat behind today, and don't panic it isn't for Oscar but for my sister's poodle Ms Febe.  Oscar has modeled it for me (pictures to follow) so I know it will fit her.  Navy blue with pink spots!! The shoes are slightly big but nothing a heel grip will not solve and the book should be an interesting read.  This little haul came from Save Mart in Frankton.

Vinnies in Frankton was 1/2 price today so this is what I walked out the door with, yes I paid for it!!!  I love old square plates, my mother had loads of them all in trios that she had been given over the years.  But for some un known reason she got rid of them all, so some op shop scored well.  The tennis set reminds me of my grandmother, she used these all the time.  It isn't a matching set because I made it up out of bits but it will do the trick.

How cute is Oscars new bed??  I put an old crocheted blanket that has a few holes in the bottom of the bed so my wee man is comfy.  Now you are hanging for his modeling photos I bet, well look out because here they come!!

Awe!!!!  

Isn't he precious?? 

Of course I will tell TOF that it is Oscars coat for the laughs.  

I love the photo on the right, pretty much summed up how he felt.  Humiliated!!!

Nuts about Balloons and Muffins

Finally a cool night last night where sleep was easy and comfortable!!  We have had quite a few HOT nights in between the sheets of late. And that would be because of the temperature you dirty minded blog readers!!!  Anyway back to the cooler over night temp, that was still lovely and cool this morning, but rapidly turned into a stunning clear blue cloudless day complete with one of these going over our house.

I love hot air balloons, not enough to go up in one but I do love how they just float silently above us all down below with our cameras focusing on them as they pass by.  I guess the annual Balloon Festival must be coming in the next couple of months.

I love this old photo of my boys when they were little lads.  We used to live across the road from a park that Balloons would land in.  Max my eldest loved them and Jak was basically shit scared of them.  Always a dilemma for me that one, there was a lot of compromise involved in keeping both boys happy. Pleased to report that there were no tantrums from any of us!!

Today has been a lovely laid back one with a shopping trip with my eldest to choose a lap top for him for his birthday.  A haircut for me, so I am looking presentable again, and then a whole lot of chilling out enjoying another beautiful day.  

This evening after dinner I got busy with my "oooops sorry I cocked up your pay" baking.

They are supposed to be Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins but due to a lack of chocolate chips in the cupboard they are Banana Walnut Muffins!! 

 And they are scrum-diddle-umpshish!!!

I made twenty of the suckers as TOF would be none pleased if there wasn't any in his lunch box tomorrow.  They are currently cooling on the bench under cover but the smell is driving me nuts, I could easily devour a couple of them.

Go to your room and stay there

Saturday morning I headed to Lake Rotoroa which is really know by most in the Tron as Hamilton Lake.  I had read in our local paper that there was a Gypsy fair there for the weekend so this was my reason for going to the lake.

I will admit to being some what disappointed as the Gypsy Fair was incredibly small.  I can remember years ago when the Gypsies (and I use that word lightly) came to town it was an amazing collection of fabulous house trucks, interesting people, and hand crafts.  Now it is old buses, imported crap and uninterested looking traders that is making its way on the so called circuit.  Whatever happened to "handcrafted things"?

Thankfully the lake is a lovely place to visit, smack bang in the middle of the city and always well populated by people and ducks!!  I had to take a pic of the grandparents at the swings.  Obviously grandpa was at a loose end because he got on a swing and got swinging!!  There was this couple with bags of bread that they were feeding to a huge flock of birds.  There is an assortment of ducks, swans, geese and pukeko, all very well fed but convinced they are all starving!!

Even tho the morning was overcast it was still quite picturesque and peaceful.  It always is down at the lake.  The Hamilton Yacht Club has been based there forever and there is a walkway the entire circumference of the lake.  I myself have not walked the entire walk, (I only like the part that borders onto the posh houses where you can look into their gardens) but I know plenty who have and still do.

As the morning started to turn warm (and ended up insanely HOT!!) I headed to the shop to drop off pile number two from my sort.  I spent a couple of hours there listing my treasures to be sold.  Next thing it was one o'clock and I was hanging out for lunch so off I home I went and that is where I stayed.  The rest of the weekend has been spent pottering about at home mainly in my reclaimed Girls only room.  I totally love it.  I quite like the idea of being sent to "my room"!!

That so would have been me if the naughty corner existed in my day rather than a good old smack on the legs or bare bottom!!

Girls only or by invitation.

My "Girls Only/Sewing Room" is looking pretty sweet now that I have it semi sorted.  I spent the morning in my garage sorting through that enormous pile of  crap treasure that I had managed to hoard gather into three different piles.  Then I loaded the back of my trusty station wagon with pile number one and delivered it to Habitat for Humanity.  With an empty boot I then went to two different supermarkets and purchased Beer, lots of Beer that was on special, and about eight bottles of fizz and ten bags of potato chips.  All to add to the stash for the up and coming 21st birthday party, not for an afternoon session for me!!

Amongst my sorting I discovered this very usefully storage unit that still had it's $5 sticker on it.  It now is home to my cottons, elastic and binding, and all the lace and trimmings that I have.


I have to stop buying baskets too, I have more than enough, so if you see another basket for god sake reprimand me severely!!















The car now has a boot full of things which is pile number two, to take into the shop I used to work in tomorrow morning to be sold, what is left in the garage, pile three,  will either be kept of donated.  Seriously this sorting gig isn't that bad once I got going, but it can only be done when it is cool.  The garage was turning into a sweat box by lunch time!!

Because this is a Girls only room Sheba came and joined me this evening while I was busy creating photo boards.  She quite likes the wee couch I have and is happy to snuggle next to me on it.

With this digital age I don't often print photos off let alone store them in an album.  So I am enjoying making collage photo boards to hang around the house.  Snap shot of my life!


This one is photos I took that I then had made into a calender for last year.  Seemed such a shame to put them out with the paper recycling so here they are.  And room to add more when the urge strikes.

We girls invited Oscar to join us, but he had to sleep on the floor in front of the fan as there was no room on the wee couch with us.  In fact he is still on the floor and Sheba is still next to me.  We let TOF in when he was delivering my cuppa!!

This post I started yesterday which was today but now it is tomorrow which  is now currently today, if you follow.  My internet which is supposed to be ultra fast broadband has been ultra slow this evening.  But it has been awfully nice just chilling in my room pottering about and listening to old CDs.  We have had some Frank Sinatra and now Elton John is on.  

 

Goodnight all!!!

Short cuts can make the journey longer.

This morning I had a dental appointment as a filling had fallen out the other day.  My dentist was away so I was treated by this lovely young lady who made the whole experience pleasant.  Can you say pleasant about a visit to the dentist??  Half an hour later I left with the right side of my face numb convinced I was dribbling, and $200 less in my wallet!!  I even squeezed in a visit before the dentist to a favourite op shop.

Gorgeous soft leather peep toe sling back shoes for $5 and brand new tubes of acrylic paints for $2 each. I got a huge cork board too that I am going to put loads of my photos on, better than an album I think.

Off to work I headed as I needed to do the "airport job".

I have one of those trolley bags to drag along full of pamphlets so I look like an alternative Air Hostess when I arrive.  Well not really because the tool box in the other hand would put off any first time flyer.  Imagine an air hostess carrying a tool box, you would poop yourself wondering what the plane was going to be like!!

I tried to remember the short cut we took last week when I went with my boss and ended up slightly LOST!!  Seriously I am crap at finding my way to places.  So I ended up going back to the main road and going the normal way. Hamilton Airport is only domestic, no international flights for us, so it is delightfully small.  Not a hanger in a paddock small, but small compared to what most jet setting travelers would be used to. Parked the work car outside the arrivals door as "I had arrived"!!  Did my business and then decided to take the shortcut home.  I now know that I was indeed on the correct short cut route but I just took a wrong turn off the short cut making it a complete balls up.  Next time I will be good as gold.  They didn't half laugh back at work when I shared my story.  Entertaining them all is a freebie.

Today has been incredibly hot by Hamilton standards and I gave in and used the air con in my car.  I prefer having the window down and getting fresh air but it was very warm.  I had a quick trip round the supermarket and came home to drop in a chair and do NOTHING!!!  I figure the best time of the day to be doing things is in the morning and in the evening when it is much cooler.  After lunch it is time to find a spot to stay still to avoid "glowing". 

Well after all last night I made this!

Home grown Tomatoes, Basil, and Garlic with store bought onions.  All I do is bring it to the boil and then put it into hot jars.  Dam fine in a Spag Bol or anything that requires tomatoes really.  Like tonight we will use a jar for our dinner, and it smells and tastes amazing!!

My working week is done and dusted, well the  paid work that is.  I am going to work three days a week until the back log off work has cleared then I  can slip back to just the two days.  I think I can handle that!!

Well maybe not a crown but the words

"Root Canal"

were uttered!

I don't think so love!!

I have wings but I still can't fly!!

I had Angel wings once but they got all bent out of shape so now I only have these wings!!

(that would be my flappy upper arms just in case you thought they were invisible)

And I would quite like to be able to fly.

Apparently if you drink Red Bull

it gives you wings.

I think I would only get wind

so I guess I'd sort of fly!

(we have lift off!!!)

You don't see too many models

showing off their wings!

Mind you

they all stand sort of

like this.

And they are awfully

thin so they probably

haven't grown their wings yet!

(give it time, we all get old eventually)

You can always use props

like your pets

to conceal your wings

if you have some.

(I am not bothered by mine hence me taking the p#$@)

Anyway, you may well have noticed I wore black and white today, no grey areas for me.  Not like my epic fail in trying to do the wages yesterday.  I under paid them all, ooooooooooooops sorry boys.  They were all so laid back about it, I fixed the mistake and promised them muffins.  All was forgiven even tho I told them I had put all their missing pay into my account!!!  Joking!!  Next week I will go slower and try not to be so dam clever.  All systems are similar but obviously not the same.

Sheba must have thought I had already gone to work this morning because I busted her relaxing in my lazy boy recliner.  I love how she just could not look me in the eye.  God knows what else the dogs get up to when no one is home!!

My brain has been drained but I know what I'm doing!

Whenever you start a new job there is loads to learn,

correct??

My new job is lovely and the work is great but learning how they do things and where things are kept etc is taxing on my poor brain.  I am a note writer on how to do stuff but after five days chilling out and going back today even I couldn't understand my notes!!  But I am pleased to say I managed to work it all out and put on a convincing performance of looking like I knew what I was doing.  Well I did in the end.  I guess I will find out tomorrow when I go back, fingers crossed I got their pays right, that is the most important thing.

Failing that at least I brightened up the joint for the five hours that I was there!!!

And one of the guys I worked with at the other sign writers

started yesterday!

Tex doesn't care if I know what I am doing

as long as he gets fed twice a day

and I am available

for  cuddles as and when he requires them.

As for the dogs

well they don't give a rats bottom

if I know what I am doing

they are just glad 

I came home!!

This is true!!!

Who knew there was a two seater couch in that room

Well hello all, hope your weekend was a good one.  Mine was productive to say the least!!  I did get into the unspare room and it is now starting to look like the sewing room it was intended to look like.  But before I share the photos on that lets talk Saturday.  Jak is back playing cricket now that he is no longer in a cast.  He hung up his bat for a season (year) and had his first couple of games on Saturday. Two twenty twenty games.

The second game was a final for some competition, I have no idea what one but hey I went to watch!  This one was held at our Cities Cricket Ground, Seddon Park and me and TOF sat in the members stand with the other dozen supporters.  Yes it was a huge game and pulled an outstanding vocal crowd!  Jak was the last batter to go in and there was only one ball left to face.  Look at me talking cricket like I know what was going on.  Basically the other dude hit the ball and they had to run resulting in Jak getting a DUCK!!  Which means no runs for Jak. No biggy as it was the very last ball but he got his name on the big screen and of course I got a photo of that duck, because I am that kind of supportive mother.

Then it was time to bowl and he was the third bowler to do his thing.  Apparently he is a left hand pace bowler, woohoo I think. He didn't do to bad for only two training sessions and then into it.  Oh they came second, they lost.

Seddon is a lovely ground and I think I could do another game if I can sit in the grand stand or maybe one of those corporate boxes.  I am glad he has got his cricket mojo back because he was pretty good at the game and was quite passionate about it.  I also would not mind in the least if he was so good that he got to play in the IPL in India, $$$$$!!!!!

So that was Saturday taken care of.

Yesterday, Sunday, TOF had to go to Auckland for work so he left quite early.  I set off outside to feed the girls and then picked a pile of Blackberries and some tomatoes.  I could because he wasn't home, and because I am such a rebel I even watered the garden last night!!  I know!!

 Most men will tell you that more than a handful is a waste so lucky this fits into my hand!!

I won the tomato growing competition because mine ripened first but TOF can take out size and weight, this one was just over 400g. A perfect example of another  male thing about size being what counts!! 

There was 500g of Blackberries and that was just a mornings picking.  I have more than enough for Jam now, maybe today I will do that, after my other chores.  TOF requested a sultana cake, hmmmmm maybe.

Oscar got a long overdue "Poof and a Pamper", a haircut, bath, and nails clipped.  So glad I can do all of this as it does save me a bundle.  There really was a small dog under all that fluff!!

 And look, I have a two seater couch!!!

I spent a big part of the day moving crap treasure out of my sewing room, making it all lovely and useable again.  I still have more to do but at least it is a workable area. 

 Where did all the crap treasure end up you ask??

Opps!!!

The plan is to sort my way through all of this and work out what stays, what gets donated and what gets on sold. By putting it in the garage it makes me do it as I don't like leaving my car outside over night.

So that is what I am doing today,

what are you up to??