Author Archives: paulainauckland

Earthquake update

Posted in cross stitch, grateful by

It’s been an awfully stressful 48 hour period for a lot of the country. Luckily, I’m based up in Auckland and the earth barely moved; as opposed to a girlfriend way down south whose bed turned into a bucking bronco. My family appears all to be OK; altho one brother is without power, he’s up above the flooding in Wellington and his furbabies are safe with him. Equally friends are also safe.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/86416304/live-north-canterbury-quake for on going details.

 

It’s not all bad news out there…

Posted in friends, growing, me by

I sincerely don’t understand the American voter right now. I’m supposedly the equivalent of the Trump voter – white, Christian, middle-class, married (ish!), with children, working outside the home – and yet I wouldn’t vote this way at all. Not saying that HRC is a better citizen, but his divisive, ridiculing, temper-inducing, lying, misogynistic rants are disgusting to hear. So his speech last night was a surprise. Who had his leash and why hasn’t they been in control the whole way thru? I can only think that as world citizens we’d be a lot more confident in the next four years if the campaign had been run like this.

To the good news – Corrections boss Ray Smith has recommended to the Parole Board that they reconsider releasing Vicki Letele under compassionate grounds. Common sense! I hope this sets a precedent for how we as a nation care for terminally ill prisoners in the future.

Here’s hoping for the decision today.

 

An Open Letter to the Rt Hon John Key, Hon Judith Collins & Ray Smith…#freevicki

Posted in me by

In the interests of full disclosure, I don’t know Vicki Letele. I’ve never met her. I have however met Dave, her brother, and I belong to his fitness motivation group. But these facts don’t come into consideration when thinking about the situation that surrounds Vicki.

I am actually really disgusted that our society needs to have this conversation. I am disappointed. We are a Christian nation – our anthem rings out proudly “God of Nations” – and yet we are behaving in a manner that is most un-Christian like. It is unhealthy for society that anyone is treated in this manner. The Judaic judicial code of “an eye for an eye” is outdated and isn’t what our judicial code is based on.

So what did Vicki do? It’s a matter of public record…

She used fake documents to get finance for low income families, then sold those families properties belonging to people that she was related to – and there was a financial kick back for her. She made a profit. And a considerable profit.

The serious fraud office investigated – and she was found guilty of 10 charges of dishonestly using a document. The fraud amounted to $3.6 million. (Rachel Smalley, NZ HERALD).

In direct contrast, the former South Canterbury Finance Limited (South Canterbury) Director and Lawyer Edward Oral Sullivan was sentenced in the High Court to 12 months’ home detention and 400 hours of community work. The charges arose out of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) investigation into SCF’s collapse in 2010 which resulted in $1.58 billion being paid out under the Government guarantee.

I haven’t read anywhere that as a tax payer, I paid out for Vicki’s fraud like I have with Sullivan and Hubbard. I do know that as a tax payer, I’m paying a lot more for her to be housed in Wiri’s correctional facility than I would if she had home detention, even before her care needs escalated. And don’t even get me started on how two judges came to such different sentences, given that both pleaded guilty and the start point was very similar. Arguably if Vicki had the same sentence this cancer would have been discovered earlier and her life expectancy would be beyond the 3-5 months that it currently is. She would certainly have been able to see out the full sentence.

The (parole) board said that Letele’s condition would inevitably deteriorate to the extent she would require hospice care and at that time compassionate release would be appropriate.

In contrast to the submissions of several doctors and a nurse, Corrections opposes early compassionate release and has told the board that she is being adequately cared for in prison. (NZ HERALD).

Uh-huh. No. This is not believable, given the delays in obtaining the correct medical treatment for Vicki. It’s not believable, given the lack of medical knowledge that the prison staff have. It’s not believable, given that Vicki’s cellmates are having to share the care of Vicki, who is too weak to care for herself. Leaving her largely isolated from family & respite care until what Corrections judge at 3-5 days from death isn’t humane for anyone, let alone her children, who will need this time with her. All it will do is continue to hasten her inevitable death.

I would like to see Vicki’s sentence transferred to Home Detention. I would also like to see that the same good sense is spread out to other inmates who are in similar situations. We all know that Vicki’s isn’t an isolated case, so let’s look for those people. Let’s take care of the weak and vulnerable. Let’s be both compassionate and sensible.

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter.

Kind regards,

Paula

 

 

Good news – Corrections are re-considering their decision. I really hope common sense & compassion prevail.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11740849

WIP Wednesday is a bit different

Posted in family by

20161101_215933and I apologise to those of you looking for a stitching update (honestly? there’s so little to show) but I do have something else… but I am so so pleased to show you what our eldest boy has achieved – excellence marks all the way for B!

He has also passed NCEA level 2 even before the final exam credits are counted. Phew!

 

Starting Over Feels Like…

Posted in cross stitch, DIY home, house - gardens, me, sport, weight loss by

Stephanie has set up a mini SFS group to “dummy run” from November thru to January. Yay for the re-start. Now to be disciplined; October was a month of oh-I-can’t-buy-next-year-must-get-it-all-now and that isn’t sustainable in anyone’s life (craft, chocolate or whatever – do drinkers freak out before Dry July? Curious minds want to know).

Cattle at OTH
Padlock at Cornwall Park enterance
Entry on Seaview Terrace, Grafton
Si looking pretty in pink

After a nasty fall last week I’m starting over with exercise. I did walk to the Domain on Friday (just over 4km, so easy; Si & Biebs are now reffing a weekly tournament there in addition to Watchman Tag on Wednesday); we did the stairs on Saturday & the little ones and I walked OTH on Sunday. Last night I walked from work to Patiki; about 6.3km & then tonight is #BBM bootcamp. My summer routine will be about feeling strong.

I am not starting over with Jenny Craig however. I simply can’t continue to work those sums into the budget but I achieved what I wanted to. My portion size is mostly under control; I try to eat 5-6 times a day & I eat a lot healthier than I did. I’m certainly not eating chocolate every day (sorry for the sales crash, Whittakers) I’ve lost nearly 10 kilos and I don’t get headaches daily, even tho I stopped taking that medicine about 2 months ago. I’m counting all this as a win.

What can you start over to give you that “woo hoo” feeling?

PS – don’t forget to enter my giveaway over in Flosstube! Link in a previous post.

WIP Wednesday

Posted in cross stitch, Teresa Wentzler by

I am shamefully over the Stitch from Stash budget. Shamefully. 63 bucks in the red for October! However I will have a couple of finishes for November, so should pull it back to be clean starting in January. If you want to join, look for “stitch from stash 2017a” in facebook (“a” is because it’s Jan-June, there will be a “b”).

Stitch From Stash Oct-16
Budget $25.00
Expenses L&L Nantucket Rose -8.00
CountryStitch FQ x 3 -100.00
Herschners Sale x 4 -5.65
L&L 48 Firefly Fairies -9.00
TW Wool Cross Tree Rose -2.00
Finishes Mill Hill Lapis x 2 10.00
Mill Hill various FFO 16.00
RR – Queen Mermaid 10.00
Rollover 0
Total Available Budget -$63.65

img_20161025_163214As you can see, I added something yesterday, a Teresa Wentzler design I’d only seen online. I’ve downloaded an Appleton to DMC wool conversion chart, then I’ll convert to standard DMC. I think this might be my summer project. You wouldn’t have this already converted would you, Teresa?

It doesn’t have back-stitch borders – that might change. It hardly seems like a proper TW without the back-stitch *laughing*

I also got a wee bit more of Petal Fairy’s face done last night while catching up on flosstube. And I realised how much Kreinik will be in those wings! Heaps!

IMG_20161025_213017.jpg

I also discovered (which will enhance my Stitch From Stash budget in 2017, as council rate components are not included!) that my library is part of Zinio’s for Libraries app. I can download the UK Cross Stitcher, World of Cross Stitch; UK and US fitness magazines like Shape, Women’s Health, Hers; UK history like BBC History and All About History and plenty more besides. The available titles depend on what your public library subscribes to, and of course there is a paid-for Zinio app, but both are well worth exploring. Have fun!

Feeling Good

Posted in cross stitch, family, friends, goals, grateful, house - gardens, me, Mirabilia, Nora Corbett, round robin, weight loss, work by

It was the first long weekend of the “summer” for us down here in NZ. The forecast wasn’t too crash hot but who cares? Three days away from the desk beckoned…

And it stayed that way. I thought about work late last night & decided that hey, I’m capable of getting heaps done today, so why break into family time when I really don’t need to? So we snuggled down (as much as one can with a sulky teen) & relaxed. I’m so relaxed right now that I have “losted” my work key and sat in my car until (work) Z appeared this morning! It worked out well as I remembered my alarm code & he couldn’t remember his.

Screenshot_20161022-160919.pngSaturday started with boot camp, like it has for the last few weeks. I am enjoying this start to my weekend. We did the other steps at Trusts this weekend for a change; terraces to bear climb (or reverse bear) or run down, steps to run up, ab work on the dock in the sun, listening to the water rush by. I still don’t like being in photos but there is a huge difference between 8 weeks ago and now. I have cheekbones! That’s Loren, Si & myself, with #masetheace above us. Si keeps telling himself (and us!) that he was the rose. Huh.

In the afternoon I surprised the kids with the Lego exhibit that was on at Trusts. I won over cynic Teen 1 AND 2, not bad for seven bucks a head! We probably spent a couple of hours there; didn’t buy anything but I am lusting after both the Disney castle and Hogwarts – I have earmarked part of my bonus on a family holiday, part towards a canopy for the new ute and now part for a Lego castle. I am earning it, I may as well be frivolous with part of it! Mase dug into his pile of Lego on Monday and created a robot – he asks that you note the “glasses” it is holding.

We also went to Waiwera to soak out the stresses. Biebs stayed home so Lou came; Mase and (regular) Z went down the lazy river, had cannon fights and so on; I got very annoyed at a bunch of 15yo boys who had a go-pro, took over the relax pool and talked (loudly) about boners, shaming fat girls & so on. If any one of them had a gf I’d be very surprised – what little sh*ts. Grateful I don’t see my teens in this mode (altho I am very sure they have a sh*t mode too).

img_20161023_133618Sunday was devoted to Grandma’s house. Two sets of steps are replaced; the gardens are pruned/chopped/weeded, lawns sorted. Hard to believe these were puny $2 buxus that I put in 12-13 years ago. That hedge is as high as my waist now.

Monday started at Bethells dunes with Chris & Loren (Paige & her fam were late). For all the time I’ve spend at the beach, I’d never gone into the dune side. Chris had planned a three-step exercise for us and OUCH my calves were cramping very quickly! However apart from the reverse bear crawls up the slope (no-one managed that) & the two-feet-together-jump-up (only Si managed that) & the body drops (I struggle with those as my wrist goes too far, so I sub out) – I managed to complete a set. Si, Loren & Bran were well into their second set at the end of 20. Then we did a final set as nine – Paige had appeared by then – & I think the kids beat us adults hands down. Next time I’ll bring the board to go down the dunes! 20161024_085847.jpg

The rest of the day was devoted to relaxing (we watched Peter Kay’s Tour that wasn’t a Tour vid, totally recommend & I was in stitches for good portions of it and its fairly clean), getting ready for the week ahead (I prep Si’s & my breakfast cereals, snacks & so on for the whole week on Sundays now as a kick-start & did a lot for the kids also), and speaking of stitches, I got in some time on Andie’s round robin. It was a bit awkward as her stitching is the opposite to mine (/// then \\\) and had forgotten that I could turn it 90 degrees to get the same result and use my method. You can tell I clicked yesterday as the progress was so much more! Doh.

Tag starts this week; Si and Biebs are refereeing at two tournaments a week this summer, on Wednesday and Fridays. Then boot camp is Thursday (I want to start adding Tuesday to my schedule); next Monday sees the start of Tag…our weeks are filing up as Monday swim classes started last week. The next few months are going to be an exercise in balance; but only 15 sleeps until the US Elections (I do not envy your selection), 29 until Thanksgiving (the tradition I think I would adopt) and 60 sleeps until Christmas! So that’s 55 until I’m on holiday…

 

October WIPocalypse with #passthestash link

Posted in conversion details, cross stitch, embroidery, friends, house - gardens, Mirabilia, round robin, WIPocalypse by

Ohh, look at me, posting stitchy stuff almost on time!

WIPocalypseWIPocalypse is hosted by Mel over at Measi’s Musings, & is a monthly round-up of all things stitchy.

For October, I’ve been really productive. In my garden, all the summer seeds are sown (including a set of herbs for a girlfriend who’s been the main instigator and supporter of my get healthy kick), the apple tree is now espalier’d along the fence, the citrus are fed, all but one bed is weeded – all this despite being sick for a full week.

img_20161014_201912Stitching wise, I’ve finished my initial Round Robin piece. This is going out in the post today (payday!) to Melinda in Akron. I’m excitedly waiting to receive Andie’s piece (I’d say go check out her blog but she’s as bad as I am recently!).

I’ve FFO’d 8 Mill Hill pieces, 3 of which I actually started and completed this month. That makes 6 ornaments for the Christmas gifts, and 2 Santa’s. I’m supposed to be swapping a Santa chart & as I sent mine in August, and haven’t got one back, I kind-of doubt that will happen.

And I signed up to Stitch From Stash 2017A, which is hosted by Stephanie & can be found on facebook. Since then I’ve gone on a massive haul spend so that I can start things next year. If I’d started SFS in October, I’d be broke until January!!! Eep. This did result in a new start, Tamara by Liz Almond. It’s working up reasonably quickly – this is after about 4 hours work (the colours are crap in flash photography, sorry – this is black and green threads (310, 561, 562, 563) on 28ct Geyser from Countrystitch:

20161018_210048.jpg

Question of the Month

What online stitching communities do you enjoy?

fb_img_1476767766853Well, I do enjoy watching Flosstube – so much so that I now participate. If you skip back a blog post, you’ll get #5, which has some #passthestash included – but you MUST comment on the video to enter! Entry is worldwide, you must be over 18, blah blah.

I’m back on Facebook, primarily for the Round Robin, Stitch from Stash and Butterbean Motivation groups. I cut back a lot of “friends” and its much more peaceful.

I’m also on Instagram as @sewscrapmuse. Feel free to request there; if you’ve got stitchy posts I will automatically add you.

 

Sharing is Caring: Include, Embrace & Support — Ali Edwards Blog

Posted in family, grateful, growing by

My son was diagnosed with autism at age 2.5. Sitting here 12 or so years later we’ve all learned so much (and continue to learn) about life and compassion and kindness and struggle and celebrating successes. Our stories are intertwined. His and mine and ours. Mine wouldn’t be the same without him. I’ve said it out loud…

via Include, Embrace & Support | How To Be A Friend To A Family With A Special Needs Child — Ali Edwards Blog