Category Archives: You Can Quote ME

You Can Quote Me

Posted in family, photos, work, You Can Quote ME by

YCQM is a semi – regular post based on my One Little Word for 2015, Serenity.

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Serenity can come during family time! I bribed the boys; of you go to bed early, I’ll get you up to watch the All Blacks. Check out that bed head!

AB’s won thankfully (it was close, far closer than what I thought but hey! Japan recorded an amazing win against South Africa) and then I busted my ass to get to work at the usual time. Pulled over to take this tho:

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Love those pure colours. That’s Auckland CBD, looking West from Metcalfe Hill.

You Can Quote Me

Posted in books, grateful, me, OLW, work, You Can Quote ME by

YCQM is linked to my One Little Word for 2015, Serenity.

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I’m not sure how much I’ll pick up out of this book but I’ve got one thing already. 15 minutes work can eliminate a lot of stress.

Sunday morning I grabbed a Project Life card that I’m not likely to use in my album and plotted out what I’ll wear this working week. I added in that Monday is a board meeting (I have to be a grown up, & hence the necklace reminder) and Wednesday is rep training (extra layer) and Friday is casual so I get to wear my Chucks.

You might notice that I write down leggings. Here’s a confession for you; I cannot keep a pair of stockings or hose unladdered for more than five minutes. I’m hopeless there.

This card is up inside my vanity door for a daily reminder. I’m feeling less pressure already!

What’s your top tip for getting ready for the working week?

You Can Quote Me – Exhibition Drive walk

Posted in books, family, steptember 2015, You Can Quote ME by

As always, YCQM reflects some portion of my One Little Word for 2015, Serenity. This week it was about re-charging myself, body and soul, ready for the new working week.

exhibition drive mapYesterday we combined family time (sans B, who spent the weekend at his friend’s new home & told me this morning (by phone thankfully) that his clothes really need washing and they are really, really ripe due to helping carry a dead sheep – oh yay!) with Father’s Day, Steptember and my love for the Ignite shoes that Puma gave us last week. Zac found a walk in the Ranges book that I brought Si a few years ago (it’s here: https://www.paperplus.co.nz/book/walking-the-waitakere-ranges-9781869664268 or you can google search individual walks) and we drove over the hills to Titirangi.

Because Si has his knee strapped up, we parked at the Shaw Road carpark, which is roughly halfway along the walk (the red marker). We walked towards Titirangi, turned around then completed the walk.

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Exhibition Drive is now closed off, but it used to be part of the road from Titirangi village, over the Waitakeres to Swanson. It’s now been replaced by Scenic Drive, but a few driveways still come off it. But because it was a road, it’s wide enough & smooth enough for running, pushchairs, wheelchairs and cycling. There are a few parts when you can see the old road base poking thru but it’s very safe for the whole family.

The road follows the old tramway, which was set up to transport parts of the pipeline that used to bring water down from the hills. The cast iron pipes are visible for most of the walk; they were forged in England in 1912, shipped to Auckland port, railed to New Lynn, horse & dray to Titirangi village then the horse-drawn tram finished the journey to the site.

20150906_135504At Jacobson’s Tunnel (length 527m, all by hand!!) you can still see part of the tram tracks. There are valves along the pipeline that the kids had to play with, either for removing caught air or isolating water at that part of the pipeline. It’s OK – these sections aren’t in use!

20150906_125322One of the felled trees on the path – Zac & Mase look like midgets! We couldn’t count all the rings.

20150906_140502And the view at the end over the Manukau Heads. Gorgeous.

A Last First

Posted in family, grateful, You Can Quote ME by

Thursday is usually You Can Quote Me, an image or thought linked to my One Little Word,  Serenity.

Today is going to be a little different.

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That little thing on the 32ct mermaid tail? That’s my last child’s first tooth. This morning was the last time I get to be the tooth fairy (I’m assuming some kid at school will burst his tooth fairy belief today).

It’s bittersweet to be watching this boy grow up. He is an unexpected gift from God, even during the tantrums. We’re blessed to have him.

Today’s lesson then is to hold on tight to the good memories. They will bring you a feeling of peace even in moments of pain.

You Can Quote Me

Posted in grateful, You Can Quote ME by

YCQM is a semi-regular post that relates to my One Little Word for 2015, Serenity.

I’ve made the decision to move YCQM to Mondays. Monday is the work day with the most pressure and demands, and of course, the most time spent in meetings (I’ve been absenting myself from one to regain a precious 30 minutes. For 6 weeks in a row I sat in the corner with no tasks and nothing to contribute. Once you start playing on your phone, you know it’s pointless to be there).

So. Monday. Hello.

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You Can Quote Me

Posted in books, Journal, OLW, You Can Quote ME by

YCQM is a semi – regular post based on my One Little Word for 2015, Serenity.

This week I’m trying to reintroduce my planner as our schedules change up and I don’t instinctively know where and what I’m supposed to be doing, let alone the kids.

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I’m also writing down the book recommends and who made mention, and the post – it will go into the planner on the day I start reading. These are from Warehouse Stationery but I’ve seen cute ones at Typo too.

What’s your top tip on keeping sane during a period of change?  

It’s been 14 days since my last entry…

Posted in Smalls SAL, Teresa Wentzler, WIPocalypse, You Can Quote ME by

PeedoInstead of being all busy and achieving heaps while Si was away I was knee deep in cleaning as all three boys went down with this tummy bug. I copped it twice and was absolutely wiped out by Wednesday, when he came home. We had a very quiet birthday for Mase (he was six on Sunday) & have plans for his school friends party in a fortnight.

In this time I’ve missed a couple of WIP Wednesday’s (wouldn’t have mattered, I didn’t have the energy to read, let alone stitch), YCQM, a Smalls check-in and a WIPocalypse. It was my question this time around too!

So here we go:

SMALLS: I worked on the Reindeer Parade (Blitzen is coming along but I can’t find a decent photo) & a NZFB RR piece. This is Angela’s selection:

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WIPocalypse: Topic: What makes you pick up a long-abandoned UFO rather than beginning a new piece? I’m genuinely interested in catching up with the answers on the blogs this month. I tossed up on Saturday about what I should do now, in that gap between finishing Angela’s RR piece and receiving the next of the Mira RR, and I ended up picking up my second oldest WIP, the Teresa Wentzler Tapestry Cat. Poor old TC was my Christmas present to myself way back in 2005 or 2006 and I’m telling myself that I must finish this before she finishes charting Illuminata (race is on!) because otherwise how will I justify purchasing a new chart?!

I am trying to find a new leaf outline thread – the ones on the right in the image are as charted, the top one is the current thought. I just want them to be more defined – what do you think?

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YCQM: I’ve managed to be more Serene than not while Si was away, with the exception being the Screaming Teen’s night time antics. He just won’t stay in bed! I can’t tell you how many times he woke me by watching TV in the lounge which really, really wound me up. Now I’m back at work I am enjoying waking him up for a change.  And isn’t this the truth?

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