Category Archives: me

I Survived NaBloPoMo!

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NaBloPoMo_November

When I started planning this in late October, I actually didn’t think that I would carry thru. I don’t have the greatest track record & I find it easy, too easy, to drop things if it’s just for me. Home and work pressures mean I usually crawl up & drop off whatever only affects me (craft, writing, baking, walking) but stubbornly hold onto reading (cue the “you’ve left the light on” “but you’re watching the bloody tv!” bedtime arguments).

But this has been mostly fun and not a chore. Mostly. I put this down to planning ahead, allowing some repetition themes (WIP Wednesday & You Can Quote Me on Thursdays) and not pressuring myself to be flashy & original & trend-setting. What you get is what you get; this wasn’t designed to gain more followers (but hello & thank you – especially to those who comment!) but to try & establish a habit. To be satisfied that I could stick to a plan. Another bonus is that I have been more disciplined about other crafting – I finished three projects during November with the two birds and the fairy letter (which goes to the framers on Wednesday! No photos of the finished item until after the recipient recieves it, sorry) & told myself that I need to finish an older WIP before I start something else

Woohoo – job & knock, as the engineer in the household would say. So what’s next? December Daily, a trip to Sydney & surrounds, Christmas shopping, Christmas food prep, work (only five weeks till Rachel returns & I can hand off a full third of my load!!! I am excited about this, despite it being quite lame to others), stitching  & spending time with my family. Upcoming posts – I plan to use Myfanwy’s October prompts for upcoming posts & the 30 Day Book Challenge (which will not happen on 30 consecutive days). More craft, more travel, more gardens. See you soon!

It’s the Little Things – NaBloPoMo twenty nine

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Wow less than a week till I go on holiday! I can’t wait. This week has been hard at home and work. The Screaming Teen is out tonight with a mate; they’ve gone to XFactor auditions (to watch) & I’m planning on being a nana and going to bed early.

Because we’re having to move the boys around (one of the concussion recommendations is to move B further away from the centre of the living space) is very noisy. Very noisy. Complaint central.  So I got outside and started one of B’s chores, the lawn.

Actually that was the highlight. Listening to QI podcasts (I find the facts and comments hilarious) and seeing the difference from wild to even.

Also had the reward of seeing the new fruit, both on the Thumbelina Apple and the Boysenberry Brulee. Which I have netted off now. I want those berries for me!

image

Friday Finish – NaBloPoMo twenty eight

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Normally today would be a stitchy Friday Finish. However, today’s topic isn’t my general crafty theme. It’s about the end of a life.

Six years ago today, I was sitting at my desk when I got a call from my partner. He was at AirNZ in Christchurch and had just been pulled aside & told that he needed to attend a briefing. The gossip was that a plane had gone down overseas. I then rang our friend E, whose partner had been scheduled to sit in on a test flight in France. E confirmed our worst fears. The plane had gone down and no survivors were likely.

I met Muz years before the accident. He was part of the Metalshop at AirNZ, and Si joined there in May 1996. They instantly became as thick as thieves, and could generally be counted on to be at the centre of any mischief or mayhem. They spent all day together then gossiped for hours on the phone (teenage girl syndrome!). We socialised together with Muz and his then partner, were pregnant together (B is only 14 days older than his son H), grew up together. The “grow up” bit could at times, be arguable. That’s all part of the fun!

I’d talked by phone to Muz only a few days before the accident. He had been in Germany at that time, loving the opportunity but missing home and his son. We’d been out East Auckland to view their new house, a house which was handed over while Muz was in Europe and he never loved in. He was so excited about his new life, new love and everything in general.

My December Daily of this year is unfinished. The entries are either our basic Christmas things or related to the awful weeks after the crash. I guess that in itself is a story. Media speculation was rife and hurtful; a gossip magazine had camped out on both Muz’ parents door and E’s door before the names were even confirmed and gave no sympathy. To this day I don’t touch any “weekly” but most especially New Idea. The article they eventually ran indicated that E had given an interview; instead they clipped portions of a news conference and twisted what was said. Asshats.

In all the mess the staff at AirNZ were wonderful. They supported the families, sheltered them as much as possible, made it easy to go to Perpignon and tried to find the answers we all needed. Rob Fyfe in particular was amazing. Upfront and honest. It was a different world for these families and the sympathy and empathy was exactly as needed.

So six years later where are we? I didn’t know until nearly a month after his death, but I was pregnant. Muz would have found this hysterically funny. E delivered my M, a nice circle.

Z is now wearing one of Muz’ Ts – Muz was a bit height challenged. He made up for this with his personality. Z barely remembers him; he was only 5, the same age as M is now. I still think “I should tell Muz that” and then have to hold myself back.

We have lost contact with a lot of people but I’m sure that today they will be raising a Steinlager Pure to Muz just as we will (that stuff’s awful, we only drink it twice a year!!). Sadly E is one of the people who has slid away. She has a new partner now and her family has extended too. I guess we are a reminder of loss to her as much as she could be to us.

But long story short, I miss Muz.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XL_Airways_Germany_Flight_888T

http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/europe/9785004/Final-moments-of-Air-NZ-test-flight

WIP Wednesday – NaBloMoPo twenty six

Posted in 12 Days of Gifting, me, NaBloPoMo, Nora Corbett, stitching patterns by

Can’t quite believe that it’s less than one month to Christmas. I have brought a couple of things but am planning on buying when we’re in Sydney next month. Also can’t quite believe that I have made it this far without missing a day! Thanks for sticking in there too.

Z changed some of the 12 Things in the car last night. He’s the one who thinks long and hard about the right answer.

  • Five commando comics
  • Six Coruba RTDs (as he drinks Coke all the time, so my suggestion wasn’t special enough!)
  • Eight Wheels Washing (the kids will clean & valet the cars)

Ten is definitely Lotto scratchies then. Easy!

Today’s WIP isn’t large, as I finished the Scarlet Tanager on Sunday night. I think he’s gorgeous, lovely colours. I changed the background blues, more to match the other two already completed than for any other reason.

Tanager 3

This is another Nora Corbett – the Letter L for my L. Colours are being converted bc I can’t afford the Crescent Colours threads (and they aren’t colourfast) so it’s a little slower than first thought. I also haven’t chosen the replacement for the purple Letter interior. Fabric is 25ct beige Lugana.

L fairy 1

CC DMC
Bejeweled 562
Cobbled Peach 819
Key Largo 3817
Deep Fennel 502
Old Blue Jeans 501
La Tierra 840
Hickory Sticks 3031
Vintage Violet 3756
Cloud blanc
Argyle Socks ???
Mill Hill
42027 40123
02001 02010
02072 02053
12126 12286
02001 in hair 00557

Friday Finish – NaBloPoMo twenty one

Posted in me, NaBloPoMo, stitching patterns by

One thing which I am kind of scared about doing, but really want to, is a biscornu. I’ve seen some fantastic looking ones around the traps (including at Zeb’s) but I’m hating the thought that i might just balls it up!

Here’s a link to finishing instructions, via Anne’s Focus on Finishing blog http://focusonfinishing.wordpress.com/ : http://www.annettesacre.com/lessons/biscornu.html

http://www.creativepoppypatterns.com/stitcher-resources-make-biscornu-pxl-8_16.html (includes free autumn charts)

Links to free patterns: http://www.victoriasampler.com/Free_Patterns/

http://www.pinterest.com/ladysammyla/free-biscornu-charts/

http://www.pinterest.com/gallazandra/biscornu-pattern-charts/

As for me, I think I’ll try this one : http://www.pinterest.com/pin/85216617924354664/

You Can Quote Me III – NaBloPoMo twenty

Posted in grateful, Journal, me, NaBloPoMo, OLW by

Another favourite quote reminds me to be faithful, confident I will get what I pray for. Example? I have been working for a major retailer on a maternity contract. Noises about keeping me on when it expires on Dec 30th, but nothing concrete and moving into November, I was starting to look around, nervous about paying the bills and so on. Then last Wednesday I was offered a contract. Woo hoo!

oswald_chambers_faith_quote_printable

As I seem to have got the hang of this new habit (planning blog posts, thinking ahead) I’m going to add five minutes of solitude to my mornings as the next habit. Just me, a Bible and a notebook. Very much in awe over Teresa Collins’ faith – the below is from her blog as she has been working through a huge amount of personal trauma.

because he bends down

Thinking that Faith should have been my One Little Word for 2014.

Spanish, Dora-Styles – NaBloPoMo eighteen

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Dora_R2__1380418646_223.29.228.240

Growing up, I only wanted to learn French. Love the lyrical rhythms, the art, the architecture and most of the stereotypes (including long, long lunches and fields of lavender). It helped that I had an awesome teacher in third form (year nine) who taught us colloquial French (including a few swears. In retrospect that was clever as he got & kept our attention) then when he retired, one of the most influential teachers I’ve ever had, Anne Dunphy, stepped up.

Madame was also the school principal, and as I found out later, involved in a number of other professional bodies. I now have no idea how she managed to squeeze in a class but I am grateful she did. I learnt so much in that class about art (we went to the Rembrandt to Renoir exhibition and received plenty of attention & info from the curators), movies (Manon des Sources at the Lido is a good memory), history & geography. I can still understand a little verbal and can get the gist if reading a book or newspaper. Thanks, Madame. You got me out of another year of Shorthand Typing too. Massive bonus.

So I was a little gutted when Z decided to ignore French and focus on Spanish this year. Spanish! Yes, I know this is a romance language and similar in origins to French & Italian but it’s just that much different that I struggle to get my head around it. Despite his best intentions, I am still at the Dora level –hola! Uno, dos…ocho…

I do however know all the words to the Backpack song. Which is slightly less useful than Ted’s Thunder song, given our current weather pattern. And Boots is cute but geez! give Swiper a chance!

 

PS – if you read yesterday and didn’t give me a book recommend, shame on you! Never mind, I dumped Miss Highsmith and moved on to an old McCaffrey contempory, Stitch in Snow. She’s the creator of Pern but I think this preceeds most of those. It’s not bad – dated but not bad!

You Can Quote Me Part II – NaBloPoMo thirteen

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camera

Here’s something that applies to work and personal life. I used to dwell on something, absolutely obsessing (just ask Si) until in the midst of our separation I made a decision. My thoughts weren’t healthy, they weren’t productive, they weren’t constructive. It was time to let things go.

So I did. Eight years on and I am (for the most part) living here + now. If I make a mistake – correct it and move on. Life is about making mistakes and learning, and I guess I forgot that for a while. Mostly, I have the opportunity to correct mistakes, not hold grudges, ask questions, learn. So I do.

WIP Wednesday & Cupid Stunts is on the rise – NaBloMoPo twelve

Posted in books, friends, Journal, me, NaBloPoMo, Nora Corbett, stitching patterns by

So. We came second last night! Yay! However we haven’t told Si (who was at the ARL Referee’s AGM) that there were only two teams J We’re planning on stringing him along for as long as we can. Bringing along the “Youf” may not have helped tho! There was a small collection of wine glasses in front of her, so maybe we have to give her the benefit of the doubt. Maybe. We also got the announcer in the last round, as she totally mispronounced our name.

Small start to NC188 the Scarlet Tanager. Like the other two birds, this is on 25ct white Lugana and there will be some thread changes. This is about 4 hours work, mostly while watching TV or listening to JD Robb’s Delusion in Death.

NC188 Tanager 1

Bonfire Night – NaBloMoPo nine

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Let’s start off with this – I am Madam Miseryguts and I want the retail sale of fireworks banned. Not only because the freaking idiots letting them off every night for a month screw up my sleeping patterns, leave sh*t on my roof, scare kids/dogs/cats, set off fires so causing a high workload for Fire Service staff & leave the rest of us to foot the bill but because every year some backyard Rambo maims himself/someone else. One year that was nearly my brother D’s eye; I still remember blood, tears and my mother ranting (it was a justified rant and not at dad) & panicking.

If we aren’t paying for Len Brown’s personal gym at Town Hall then there is plenty of money to spend on public displays and plenty of appropriate places and vantage spots in Auckland.

Anyway, rant over. Last night we went to the FIL’s for a bonfire. FIL is a widower whose stepdaughter has JUMPED at the chance to live almost free in her mother’s old house, relegating the FIL to a small cottage on the property. This is regardless of the ammt of money FIL put in over his marriage to J (and I think he is only just realising that he’s been stiffed by the will. If it wasn’t for J snagging him, a married man at the time, there would be no house/orchard/business). I can’t stand this woman; she is mean, small minded, petty and grasping. Her husband is almost as bad and both like to blame breakages on anyone else – including my children who are so rarely there it’s a joke. So I was really looking forward to this evening. Yeah, right. Whoops, that’s another rant.

We didn’t really congregate with this D and her “friends”. We brought our own! Which sounds kind of bad, but really, no money changed hands!

I’ll leave you with this thought that I heard as part of a comedian’s soliloquy – is it unfair that we celebrate the activities of a domestic terrorist given today’s global situation? Is it just plain stupid?