Tag Archives: grateful

Five for Friyay #11

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This week has finished with a wee party for a wee man who turned one today. Happy birthday Keakea!

So there’s a couple of things to be grateful for here – inclusion in a family that’s chosen us as much as we have chosen them, and also not having to cook/do this dishes.

Third on my list this week is a job to go back to. And Aircon! This was installed and turned on this week, and it’s made a huge difference to the environment.

Forth is FINALLY having a new microphone in my car. It’s only been waiting since June! Called Si straight away after it had been installed and he’s amazed at the difference. No more crackle or missed words.

My stitchy spot this morning while waiting for Kia to install the new microphone.

Fifth would be Elise. Her latest quirk is to enter the shower when we are done and wash herself. She’s so entertaining and clever with it. It’s lovely coming home to her conversation and snuggles.

Elise in the shower.

Hope you have a good week too!

Five for Friyay #9

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Here we go. December already? My not-so-little Miss is 29 tomorrow. Time flies, I still remember that little button nose and the sweet new baby smell. Awww.

My week.

So..The carrot experiment was an abject failure.

Ray’s made some amazing pen holders/ort containers. I’m keeping a grey one and the other four are for sale.

I survived the Black Friday fortnight sale and it was with a lot of glee that I grabbed balloons and popped them. In a box, so I didn’t have to clean up. I’m not a complete idiot! It was actually very therapeutic.

Geraldine’s now got a wreath crown, I’m thinking of adding battery powered candles. Isn’t that a tradition somewhere?

I finished a pair of earrings for my Secret Santa recipient. I now need to FFO the stitched item and get it all out in the post. Deadline is next week.

I found Coffee Quaker when cleaning up. Thanks to pattern keeper, I’m now just over 50% even tho it’s over one. What was I thinking?!

And the end pieces are Peanut. She had a vet check today, her second vaccine shot and to see if she’s gaining weight (half a kilo in 3 weeks) but her urine is abhorrent. We have a special litter to use and to get a sample out, but do you think she’s using it??? She is letting me touch her again tonight (I thought she would be awful after the vet) but she’s stubbornly holding it all in. What’s the bet she’ll pee as soon as I go to bed??? Oh, and they think she’s only 6 months old. That seems awfully young to have gone thru all she has.

Five for Friyay #4

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I have several things to celebrate this week!

I’ve nearly completed the second LanArte SAL installment. Hope we get to see Nemo in the next few weeks.

I cleaned out several stored boxes of books, and took the decent ones straight away to the Op Shop. No backsies.

My embroidery and cross stitch books are tidily away in a cupboard in the garage.

55 days in a row on Duolingo! I’m focused on being able to converse and understand when we go to Paris next year.

And lastly, homemade garlic bread in the oven. Nom nom.

Five for Friyay #3

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Woo hoo! we made it to the end of another working week.

1 has to be the sun – it’s nice to feel that on my face and see it come thru the windows at work.

2 would be cat snuggles – Charlie Meowse voluntarily jumped up into my lap for snuggles. She’s usually a show-and-go sort of cat, unless it’s bedtime. Then she sleeps in the gap between our pillows, with her paw on my hand. Cute as.

3 is in advance – I am going to a Jo Dixey class on long and short stitch today. I’m really looking forward to that, and the bonus of an RSN qualified tutor.

4 is again my shawl – I am over 100 sets now and loving it.

5 is the Dilworth report – finally these “men”, supposed principals and senior staff members and board members, are being held to account socially for their knowledge and lack of action when it came to fellow staff abusing the boys. It’s heavy reading and I advise that you ensure you have the spoons to read, and support around you, especially if you are one of the boys, or of their families, or have experienced sexual abuse. If this is you, please know that you have my utmost respect and admiration. It has only been in the last few years that I have understood how the actions of a few have affected so many, and personally I resent the lost years I have with my brother and am grateful that he is still here (albeit across The Ditch) and was able to have his voice heard. Kudos to the Operation Beverley team. They are amazing.

WIP Wednesday #289

Posted in books, cross stitch, embroidery, Journal, me, Mirabilia, stitching patterns by

Hello everyone! It’s late Wednesday and I’m about to head off to bed… My brain is very very tired. But before I do, here’s my WIP of Mirabilia Princess Elliana, definitely a work in progress with an awful lot of frogging.

This is just tonight, playing with the band above the blue (which is brown in the original). I’m still not sure about the darkest band, but I’ll wait a few days and see… The hair, collar, skin and tassel are as charted.

My second drool piece is a copy of Elisabetta Sforza’s latest. OMG.

I brought my copy of Ricamare il Mare from the most local retailer – A Stitch in Time in Tasmania! I’ll be visiting that shop when we head over to explore.

I’ll need to do a lot more practice and drop some cross stitch projects down the want to work on list. I brought a pattern today for a felt apple, each wedge being an example of a set of stitches, then the finished item becomes not only a visual guide but a practical item too – a pincushion, or with a weighted fill, a paperweight perhaps.

Anyway, have a lovely week. Take care of yourselves, physically and mentally. A challenge for you – keep a 7 day diary, just one sentence of something that makes you happy that day. I’ll share mine next week.

The Friday Recommend – Self Recalibration

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Normally, I’d be at the office today. Instead, I’m at the dining table & Mase is at the breakfast bar, working on his Passion Project which has to be handed in at 3pm today (he’s chosen to learn about Mull, as this is where my maternal clan came from). We’re already missing the Dawn Service and it’s only the 24th.

HISTORY: from https://nzhistory.govt.nz/war/anzac-day/introduction

The date marks the anniversary of the landing of Australian and New Zealand soldiers – the Anzacs – on the Gallipoli Peninsula in 1915. The aim was to capture the Dardanelles and open a sea route to the Bosphorus and the Black Sea. At the end of the campaign, Gallipoli was still held by its Ottoman Turkish defenders.

Thousands lost their lives during the Gallipoli campaign: 87,000 Ottoman Turks, 44,000 men from France and the British Empire, including 8500 Australians. To this day, Australia also marks the events of 25 April. Among the dead were 2779 New Zealanders, about one in six of those who served on Gallipoli.

They may have ended in military defeat, but for many New Zealanders then and since, the Gallipoli landings signalled that New Zealand was becoming a distinct nation, even as it fought on the other side of the world in the name of the British Empire.

Anzac Day was first observed in 1916. The day has gone through many changes since. The ceremonies that are held at war memorials up and down New Zealand, and in places overseas where New Zealanders gather, are modelled on a military funeral and remain rich in tradition and ritual.  

standasoneTOMORROW: instead of joining thousands of others in the pre-dawn dark at Auckland War Memorial Museum, we’ll be out at our driveway, one of us holding the cellphone listening to the radio transmit the service. From the Last Post to the Prayers, we’ll be remembering the sacrifice of those brave men and women (and animals!) who won freedom. It won’t be our expected tradition, but we will still be able to join in gratitude.

Please join in.

WIP Wednesday #235 & WIPocalypse catchups

Posted in cross stitch, DIY home, family, grateful, growing, house - gardens, me, Mirabilia, Movies, Nora Corbett, photos, stitch from stash, stitching patterns, WIPocalypse by

I could quite easily copy/paste the same info as last time we met.

Still plodding away on the reno at MIL’s (deck done, but the weather isn’t conducive to concreting so Mase & I have been planting like mad things)…he took the photos from this last batch. It’s cool to have a gardening buddy. We knew the tags are unlikely to stay with the plants, so at least we have a rough idea of what we planted in this batch. His fav is the Fireworks.

Still radio silence from the SIL (I’m about ready to tell her not to come up, but that would hurt the MIL & actually, I need a break)…

Still working slowly on Fairy Idyll…mostly hour chunks when I can get control of the TV remote from Mum! We watched The Great NZ Bake Off last night, and the guy in the photo was eliminated. GF sponge cake is hard, y’all.

I did start and finish CloudsFactory’s The Princess Bride, as a tribute to William Goldman. If you haven’t seen the movie, you’re in for a treat. And it’s PG, so family safe. I think I want to add his name and dates to the bottom tho. Appropriately, this is on Cloudburst 28ct Lugana from Countrystitch. 

Now, because the stitchy bug has been gone, or superseded with all the other things, I didn’t post in either the Oct or Nov WIPocalypse pages. I’ve given up on Stitch From Stash, as I have been buying ALL THE THINGS and really gone ridiculous (for me. Maybe not if you’re Katy the Stash Queen). I am daily anticipating the first parcel from 123…and the fabric from Catherine at Countrystitch. I went for Urewera Mist (that mottle one). I’m going to return Gail’s Fairy Idyll chart as I have my working copy & will hunt out an original for myself. I really, really want to work on Shakespeare’s Fairies so I will, once the fabric arrives. Stitching & guilt shouldn’t go together IMO, & I also know that if I do park a Mira for a while, I will always return to it. 

So – here’s the Q&A I missed from the last two episodes.

October 28 – Do you prefer to stitch on a rotation or one project at a time? I’ve tried rotation and it doesn’t work for me. I prefer to leave a project out on the bars rather than pop on or off…& I usually have a car project with me to break up the monotony of being monogamous.

November 25 – What new stitches or techniques did you learn this year? Eh – nothing. I brought back some embroidery (two hoops, whoop-de-woo) & perfected my pin stitch, but that’s about it.

Why, helloooo out there!

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I’ve been too quiet here – a lot is on my mind. THREE days until RC leaves work & I formally take on her role. I am now thinking that I was very stupid indeed! Never mind, I’ll get thru it. At least the other side of my role is steadily decreasing; July delivery errors were down another 18% YOY. This is good. This is bonus material. This is potentially (if I win the argument) a family trip to Hawaii.

IMG_20160808_070629Anyways, the “new me” plan took a few steps forward, a step back, step forward again. I was massively annoyed two weeks ago to find I’d put on 500g, then last week I’d lost 1.2kg; I worked my a$$ off last week (walking over 45km!) and lost 400g. Huh. I had expected that I would climb over the 5kg mark, but I’m still 300g shy. Next week!

I am posting morning pictures for Rochelle (@stitchynerd) on IG as my morning swim accountability plan. So if you see a lot of semi-sunrise, that’s why. This is thru the car window, looking north from the base to the North Shore area.

On Saturday I took advantage of Bran’s assignment at Cornwall Park and had some alone time walking around One Tree Hill. I used to run this when I was at high school.

TOP: I love the architecture of the trees; I’m always wanting a cupola; the view from half-way up (where the buses have to stop).

MID: Looking south in a gap at the archery club; the replacements for the “one tree” & noting that usually you’d see the city & harbour beyond that; Sir John Logan Campbell’s memorial with the Maori warrior.

BASE: a map of the park (I walked the orange roads then the climb to the summit); the tulips, daffs & crocuses were out; the rain had died down by the time I got to the bottom again!IMG_20160806_102613.jpg

Sunday I took Mase and Zac to Cascades Kauri, the regional park near Bethells Beach – Z’s choice. Next Sunday it’s hopefully KiteKite Falls.

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I don’t ever remember seeing the water level this high; normally you can see the base of the measure. 3M is huge for this stream! And isn’t Z cute, climbing & exploring? He doesn’t like photos right now, so this is something awesome.

Lastly, I saw a post on Kerry’s Love Those Hands at Home that made me laugh. Click here to go read! You will smile (unless you support the Wigged Wonder. If you do, just remember I can’t vote in this election & this is purely my opinion – but he’s a nasty small minded bigot. Nuff said).

Enjoy your week – and thanks for reading so far!

EDIT: Si just sent me this. NZAAC is the unit he was part of. Aww.

NZAAC

Current Favs

Posted in family, goals, grateful, me, weight loss by

IMG_20160702_090214We had an amazingly beautiful, clear weekend here in Auckland. On Saturday, most council grounds were closed, so we only had to get to Si’s line (that game was on TV, and certain people (coughmeaswellcough) have taken delight in commenting), B’s line and Zac’s school rugby game. I did a lot of driving tho and not much walking.

This is from the top of Metcalfe hill – I thought the fog looked like an ethereal wave taking over the city. That’s Rangitoto on the left; you’d usually be able to make out the Harbour Bridge in the middle – not today!

Sunday after chores I chose to head out to Bethells Beach – still my all-time favourite place. The tide was all the way out, so we explored rock pools and the caves.

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It was surprisingly busy (even tho it looks empty in the shots) with full carparks – so probably a few hundred people there.

And my week was alright too – making the decision to put myself first above work has meant that I’ve already made a difference. I’m trying to get out for longer at lunchtime but as I do generally walk with someone else that can be a compromise. But Monday I could only manage 4 lengths – today was 10. I’m getting there.

 

Sharing is Caring: How Emma can teach us

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image: ©BBC In Mansfield Park the charming Mary Crawford claims, “Selfishness must always be forgiven, you know, because there is no hope for a cure.” But she’s dead wrong. Jane Austen shows us in another novel, Emma, that there is indeed a cure for selfishness: love. And no I don’t mean just falling in love or…

via Emma Woodhouse and the Cure for Selfishness — Carrots for Michaelmas