Author Archives: paulainauckland

Bits about Books

Posted in books, me by

I was going to do a full sub-series for April, based on books. I downloaded the prompts and all. Then I decided that no, I had enough on my plate so I’d just answer those I can right now. You might learn a little about me; you might find something to read here too. And if you can answer the questions too, please do so in the comments. I’d love some recommends too.

DAY 1. – A book series you wish had gone on longer OR a book series you wish would just end already. Like half the fantasy world, I wish George R Martin would hurry the heck up and finish the series. Who ends up on the Throne? Where can I buy a dragon? Is it practical to have a dragon and work full time (probably not).
DAY 2. – Favourite side character. This is easy. Silk, from David Eddings’ Belgariad & Mallorean series. I loved his humour, sly comments & all the things he got up to. Except when I first started reading the series I was ten, so I didn’t understand HALF the things he got up to until I was in my twenties. Slow, that’s me.
DAY 3. – The longest book you’ve read. It probably isn’t physically the longest, but Hilary Mantell’s Bringing Up the Bodies just seemed to go on and on…but I loved Wolf Hall. Not sure about watching it on TV but probably will, as Si prefers that medium.
DAY 4. – Book turned into a movie and completely desecrated. Oh please. This list would be far too long and you have a life to lead. Next!
DAY 5. – Your “comfort” book. & DAY 6. – Book you’ve read the most number of times. This is easy too – Pride & Prejudice. I would probably read this once a year. I love the flow of the words, the hidden meanings, the way Austen linked everything together & how she created some memorable characters. It’s nearly a perfect book. The BBC adaptation was nearly perfect too.

DAY 11. – Favourite classic book. DAY 20. – Favourite childhood book.Has to be Winnie the Pooh. My favourite early memories are curled up with my Gran reading AA Milne in my bed at her house in the Wellington Hills (Fantail Grove – wow I remember the name of the street!) or on the chaise. Gran’s reading-out-loud style is one I use today; I can hear her voice in the rhythm of “Disobedience”. Louise chose that as her poem for the school years ago too.
DAY 22. – Least favourite plot device employed by way too many books you actually enjoyed otherwise. Misdirection or assumption – used in far too many romance books. Often leaves the hero/heroine in the TSTL category.
DAY 30. – Book you couldn’t put down. Unbroken. Also listening – Z chose a Michael Morpulgo called Private Peaceful. It’s harrowing and topical (given that we are commemorating WWI this year and looking at the prospect of WWIII) but we couldn’t stop.

DAY 27. – Book that has been on your “to read” list the longest. To Kill A Mockingbird, preferably before the “sequel” comes out!

disobedienceDisobedience

By A. A. Milne 1882–1956

     James James
     Morrison Morrison
     Weatherby George Dupree
     Took great
     Care of his Mother,
     Though he was only three.
     James James
     Said to his Mother,
     “Mother,” he said, said he:
“You must never go down to the end of the town,
     if you don’t go down with me.”
     James James
     Morrison’s Mother
     Put on a golden gown,
     James James
     Morrison’s Mother
     Drove to the end of the town.
     James James
     Morrison’s Mother
     Said to herself, said she:
“I can get right down to the end of the town
     and be back in time for tea.”
     King John
     Put up a notice,
     “LOST or STOLEN or STRAYED!
     JAMES JAMES
     MORRISON’S MOTHER
     SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN MISLAID.
     LAST SEEN
     WANDERING VAGUELY:
     QUITE OF HER OWN ACCORD,
SHE TRIED TO GET DOWN TO THE END
     OF THE TOWN—FORTY SHILLINGS
     REWARD!”
     James James
     Morrison Morrison
     (Commonly known as Jim)
     Told his
     Other relations
     Not to go blaming him.
     James James
     Said to his Mother,
     “Mother,” he said, said he:
“You must never go down to the end of the town
     without consulting me.”
     James James
     Morrison’s mother
     Hasn’t been heard of since.
     King John
     Said he was sorry,
     So did the Queen and Prince.
     King John
     (Somebody told me)
     Said to a man he knew:
“If people go down to the end of the town, well,
     what can anyone do?”
 
    (Now then, very softly)
     J. J.
     M. M.
     W. G. Du P.
     Took great
     C/o his M*****
     Though he was only 3.
     J. J.
     Said to his M*****
     “M*****,” he said, said he:
“You-must-never-go-down-to-the-end-of-the-town-
     if-you-don’t-go-down-with ME!”

A. A. Milne, “Disobedience” from The Complete Poems of Winnie-the-Pooh. Copyright © The Trustees of the Pooh Properties reproduced with permission of Curtis Brown Limited, London.

Source: The Complete Poems of Winnie-the-Pooh (Dutton, 1998)

MISSING: Sleep. Reward?

Posted in family, league, Mirabilia by

I synced my Polar Loop today for the first time in around 6 weeks and noticed something. I haven’t had an uninterrupted sleep in AGES. Since February. By uninterrupted, I mean more than 5 ½ hours in a night. Firstly Si was sick, then me, then Mase and then it was so humid it was ridiculous.  Now the weather is turning to cold (about time, it’s mid-Autumn yet the roses are going strong, as are the summer herbs which is ridiculous) and all I want to do is hibernate. Four days away from the office was not enough. Roll on this Thursday!

I had a social media free weekend, apart from posting the one pic of my “babies”, the Under Six league boys from Saturday. You’ve got to be quick to get photos before they muddy up the uniform! We ended up combining the two teams this week (delights of starting organised sport during school holidays) & it was fun. Plenty of parent support and despite the other coach throwing 11 players on the field at once, we found the gaps and the kids scored plenty of tries – including Mase, who scored his first ever! He couldn’t believe he got over the line and stood there as if to say “now what?” Better still, the defence lessons showed and I was very, very impressed. If they carry on like this (listening and having fun) we are going to have an awesome, awesome season. Char is organising an oranges roster (another weight gone) so all I have to do is remember the player of the day prize.

Stitching wise I have sorted out the seven spots for the Mirabilia RR, and basted the piece so I know where everything will go. The basting lines even matched up first time! I am stitching the outer border altho it isn’t important to get this completed before I send it as long as I stash those threads (batch dye matching is very important!). I would like to get my rectangle completed too but that’s up to the kids more than anything; I seem to spend all my “spare” time refereeing fights or trying to hide. I also hate my kitchen right now so dinner is hard work. We are trying to teach B to be responsible and it’s uphill. He is on clean up until he gets it right i.e. loads the dishwasher, cleans anything else outstanding, clears the table and wipes the benches. We keep finding dirty plates in the pantry (ick!) and the sink full. And he wonders why I won’t top up his cell phone! I am grateful he hasn’t found this on google yet:

clean_your_mess_dobby

I did a 50% water change on the tank last night; we needed to move the coffee table over to make room for the couch layout. One of the first things I did this morning was count them all – phew everyone survived! Fingers crossed they are all still swimming when I get home.

One Little Word

Posted in me, OLW, photos by

I got stuck on the February prompt. A vision board? What the?

Today, in a hurry, I’ve created my version of the board. It’s in a Stampin’ Up PL protector (so odd sizes) but instead of worrying because it’s lacking and incomplete, I’m really happy with what it reflects. And there is room as I grow with my word.

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And here’s a little extra. In case you can’t read my writing: Mase collected these cards through Feb/Mar by being good and doing chores. BRIBERY = SERENITY.

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Tablets vs Paper Charts

Posted in grateful, league, stitching patterns by

a friend of mine takes her tablet everywhere and uses a Reader app to high-light her charts as she stitches – no more highlighter on the linen! I tried this with my android (Samsung Galaxy Tab 2) and couldn’t get the same effect (she has an iPad) but by chance I stumbled across this post today – http://meari.blogspot.co.nz/2015/04/stitching-and-tablets.html

It’s brilliant. I was only doing one thing wrong – not saving my scan chart to the SD card. Trish2

Guess what I’ll be doing tonight! No more stressing, hopefully!

And league season starts officially this weekend. Already? I am so blessed as one supplier is giving me water bottles for the babes; and another set of parents has stepped up to coach/manage the second team. I was worried about being in two places at once (impossible) and letting some kids down or alternatively having to do a lot of rotation every game day (which annoys the parents who won’t step up, that their little Johnny doesn’t ever get a full game). So while I will be spending a lot of time with Kara while she learns the ins & outs, I won’t be spread thin and it should be an enjoyable season.

April WIPocalypse

Posted in embroidery, stitching patterns, WIPocalypse by

Last night there was a red Moon. Or there should have been. Sadly I was on night five of interrupted sleep (Mase has asthma and this was one of the loooooong bouts where I get up on a cycle to keep ahead of the breathlessness) so when that alarm went off I rolled over. Never mind; apparently it happens again in 2018.

This month’s question is about speciality stitches. I know more than I thought but not enough! Zeb found a class last year that we both attended (www.thestitchsmith.co.nz check out some of her designs! Very Kiwi) and I’m comfortable with the basics, like cross, smyrna, chain, algereian eyelets, stem and so on. I can do but suck at French knots; I’d rather bead,  as evidenced here in B’s sampler. Nothing much has changed there since 2000!

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Here’s the entire piece;  Alma Lynne’s Noahs Ark.

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Not much actual stitching since last WIPocalypse; lots of thinking tho. See you next full moon!

The things I learnt today

Posted in family, grateful by

Hot air balloons have a registration number. Like planes.

Easter eggs come in far too many varieties and confuse little people.

I can be grateful yet scared when someone shows trust in me.

The tearing of the Curtain symbolises that there is no barrier between God and me.

To catch up: Mase had a follow up appt with Dr Jane. He’s improving but we will still need the dreaded yucky steroid syrup for the full five days. Cue a three ring circus in my kitchen.

On the way home we saw a hot air balloon in Westgate. We stopped to take a look; one of the people beckoned us over so we got a close up look. I was so fascinated I forgot to take shots. Looking up into the balloon is amazing. And it’s so hot and noisy close up!

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Mase watching the balloon land

Mase also is the house Easter Bunny this year. Hope dad likes his licorice allsorts egg (blech).

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Oh,  last thing I learnt?  Don’t trust the weather forecast at Easter. They always get it wrong. Sun? What sun?

You Can Quote Me

Posted in family, grateful, You Can Quote ME by

Here’s something to think on as we head into the Easter period.

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I believe it was through His actions on the cross that we have been graced. And now is up to us to serve a purpose.

Service begins at home and at work. It’s not just for church or in the view of others, so that we garner praise. It’s in the quiet, where no one sees. It’s in the everyday.

I hope you feel God’s grace on you this holiday weekend. That you feel safe and blessed with family, friends and rich memories.

WIP Wednesday

Posted in Mirabilia, stitching patterns by

There has been no stitching at all this week. First time in a long time, but I’m exhausted. Work, home, sport, illness;  it’s all catching up on me.

I have done some work on a potential RR layout however.

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I’m thinking of extending the castle out to a panoramic type view. Then I’ll only be one spot short (need seven) and I think it could look very cool.

Prognosis

Posted in family, grateful by

The asthma adventure will last for at least five days. We have five days of redipred so that’s five days of vomiting. Oh, yay. But we are at home, not the hospital so that is a major thing to be grateful about.

The first load is already in the machine and his booster is drying in the sun. Hooray for sunshine!

I can also verify that vomit slides off an Under Armour storm hoody just as well as water. In case you want a product recommend. Plus it’s fluro yellow, the kid can’t get lost.