Category Archives: family

WIP Wednesday

Posted in family, Nora Corbett, stitching patterns by

Wow, winning! I’m back on schedule.

Currently I’m waiting on receiving Jacqui’s parcel with her RR in it, so I’ve started the fairy letter for the MIL. Conversion is not going as swimmingly as the L I did for Louise last year.

This is after about six/seven hours. At least you can’t see my frog lines!

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We Will Remember Them

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Today marks 100 years since the start of the Gallipoli campaign. It’s now generally recognized that there were massive mistakes made, but we gather at cenotaphs all over New Zealand and Australia to mark the sacrifices of the young men who left their homes and families, traveled to the other side of the world and fought for King & Country.

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A phamplet covering some of Grandads writings

I personally don’t have memories of any family members who fought in WWI but both my grandfathers were present in WWII. Pa was a driver; while not on the front line fighting his war must have been horrific. Grandad McLean was a sapper who was present at El Alamein & acted as his troupes medic. Grandad came home on the hospital ship “Oranje” which left port in July 1945. Grandad wrote prolifically while overseas and then revised everything when he got home (removing the redacted words) so his diaries are very complete.

Today I miss my grandparents & wish that I could have shared then with my children.

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Packed service at Swanson RSA

If you want to know more about the ANZAC tradition, take a look here: http://www.anzac.govt.nz/significance/index.html

To the men & women serving my country today, thank you.

not sure what’s up?

Posted in books, family, grateful, league by

Well, you’d be in good company. I am still exhausted despite having four days IN A ROW away from work. Alex is sure it’s a lack of vitamin D (we work down Skid Row, there is NO natural light) but I go for walks every lunchtime and basked in the sun over the time off, like a fat fluffy cat. I am going to schedule in a haircut and optician to eliminate both from the potential headache causes but I am beginning to think it could be the medical treatment I opted for in November.  The haircut however is totally necessary – the ends reach my waist and if I don’t fasten it up at night I roll over and yank it accidently – not conducive to a good night’s sleep!

banshee

Not sleeping has been partially caused by a Banshee binge or two. Or three. I love that show, especially Job. Hoon Lee plays him perfectly; snide comments and all (even that 80’s electric blue eyeshadow). Also I loved Outrageous Fortune when it was on our TV screens (so very, very stereotypical West Auckland) and the same guy, Antony Starr, who plays the lead character Lucas from Banshee played the twins in OF.  http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2017109/ I am also reading heaps of magazines and other fluffy things, altho I have the latest Nora Roberts & Karen Kingsbury’s downloaded to my Sony, ready for when I can concentrate on something that is more than 1500 words.

Saturday games went well; Z’s team is now 2 from 2 and mine is well, playing. It’s non-competition and I think it will be a few more weeks before the focus goes on participation for a couple of the families. I have now been doing the manager role for long enough (and there were some AWFUL parents last year) so I have gained a certain numbness when it comes to behaviour. Not every kid can play a full game and I juggle – and I only wish that they would notice that my kid is always rotated off for a period. However this year’s batch is so much nicer & considerate and I shouldn’t have any sideline worries.

B also had his second ref assessment and it appears to have gone OK – either that or Craig was being too generous, shivering away in his overcoat (& looking at Mase eating his ice cream like he was from another planet – Saturday was not tropical at all in Auckland!). I was grateful to not be watching his game (B was probably thinking the same LOL) as I am so nervous that he will let something go and/or cop abuse; too many people think they know the rules and aren’t smart enough to actually shut up and learn for themselves. It’s too easy to blame someone else when your kid drops the ball repeatedly! It’s even easier when you know the kid that is the ref – this particular game was Z’s team so some of the adults involved have known B since he was eight. One more positive assessment to go.

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.

The things I learnt today

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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.

Prognosis

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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.

New Tank Additions

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On Sunday we drove past the Hollywood Fish Farm in Mt Roskill and had to make a stop. After the great pH debacle (lost six fish) the tank was looking more than a little empty and it wasn’t hard to convince Si that we need some more fish (he enjoys looking at the tank, but doesn’t like any of the maintenance or feeding needed).

Mase wanted to check that Big Clary was still alive (he is on a morbid drive at the moment). She/He was. Phew. I don’t want to be having that conversation – which I nearly did after Z casually commented that BC would feed a small family (he’s right, but it wasn’t the right place or time to open his mouth!).

This store is so relaxing. There are marine, cold water, tropical (high or standard ph) and turtle set-ups. Like Animates, you can buy a huge range of extra stuff but the fish range is a bit wider. I FINALLY got myself a Port Hoplo catfish (I’ve been wanting one for about 2 years). B chose a shark – I did manage to talk him out of another Red Tailed with the help of the sales assistant (they are more aggressive than other small tropical sharks) so he had a specific Rainbow in mind. Si chose dwarf gouramis but as they are reasonably expensive we’re going to get another two next month – he came home with a Cobalt Blue which shimmers beautifully. He looks grumpy as tho – like the cat!

All three seem to have settled in nicely, eating and not hiding in the caverns of the plane. It’s nice to see some more colour in there. The kids have already named them – Spot, Sharkie & Blue. No points for guessing which is which.

rainbow shark cobalt hoplo

Perhaps as it is St Paddy’s day we should have brought in something green…