Tag Archives: #summerjournal

A Good Life Comes With Effort – explained

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I should have elaborated on yesterday’s title and quote.

What does a Good Life mean to me?

  • Family
  • Health
  • A car that is reliable
  • A home that is warm & relatively tidy (I have just about given up on S putting his clothes away daily and am almost resigned to not actually having a seating area in our bedroom)
  • Time for myself
  • Doing my job well
  • Having at least 10 books in my eReader TBR “pile”
  • Having a creative buzz
  • Giving back (in my case I help out with the boy’s league teams where possible; I also worked in the last Census, more for interest in how things happen rather than the $$)
  • Music

It took me a while to understand I can’t be all things to everyone. I tend to find solutions for people both at work and in my private life (butt out!) and I also tend to take comments personally and stew on them more than I should. My goals for right now are the things I know make me happier, and if I’m happy, I can conquer and tolerate just about everything.

  • A little exercise every day. At least over 30% on my Loop!
  • To craft, write or sketch something every day.
  • Laugh about something every day. Today I walked to the mall to get some cough mixture (it’s not working!!!). There was an area by the foodcourt that was all roped off like Santa was coming, so of course I looked. Spongebob, at 10am. I looked at the lady waiting with her 3-4y.o. (in a push chair! No wonder our kids are obese!) then at my watch. 0921. Hmm. Then walking down the concourse I had to step to one side as another lady + pram came running up the aisle. By the time I left the mall the queue was a massive six parent/kids combos. Hardly worth the run!
  • To leave my desk having a plan for the next day.
  • Decent coffee.
  • Quiet time.

Prompt 43: My father used to call it ‘rabbit food’ and as far as Peter Rabbit was concerned it was ‘soporiphic’. What is your opinion of Lettuce – and how do you prefer it served?

This is a weird one, Myfanny. No way to sugarcoat that! I prefer Cos and served in a Caesar. No egg, tho. Alternatively with feta and cherry tomatoes and some of that Paul Newman lite Italian dressing. Nom.

Must plant some seeds this weekend.

a good life comes with effort

Posted in books, family, Journal, me, stitching patterns, Teresa Wentzler by

Cultivating a Good Life is not stressing about finding the perfect balance but realising that I am good enough – Selena Sorensen as seen on Becky Higgins’ blog (my capitalisation)

I wrote this yesterday.

Another busy week, just doing normal stuff then preparing for M’s Pirate Party. S hired a bouncy castle from his work and that enabled plenty of playtime – we only used one planned game and left them to it for most of the time. No fights, which I was grateful for, as the kids came from different places, and no injuries other than a graze, which I am also very grateful for. The house is super, super tidy – as evidenced by this morning’s search for wallet and keys.

Rediscovered my love of swimming. The glide though the water and the self-challenging episodes.

I am reading new-to-me Rosalind Lauer, who came up on a search for my current fav, the Amish romance. There is a lot of peace in these novels and I’m enjoying the slower pace. I finished A Simple Winter and am up to A Simple Spring.

Stitching a TW medallion, the lion from her Fantasy Sampler. I’m planning a fairly ornate background, texture in the stitches. I have plenty of the Semco evenweave to play with, after all. As it is a very artificial fabric, you can see thru the gaps so any ornie needs a background fabric then the stuffing, so I feel easy about experimenting. Not colouring within the lines!

INTERUPTION I have just read on the NZ Herald online that Robin Williams has died, likely by his own hand. How bloody tragic and wasteful. I have loved most of his work – at one stage I could quote most of the Genie’s lines thanks to L’s Aladdin phase. And Mrs Doubtfire – classic laughs!

In his own words about addiction: You can’t [deal with it on your own]. That’s the bottom line. You really think you can, then you realise, I need help, and that’s the word … It’s hard admitting it, then once you’ve done that, it’s real easy.

I feel very, very sorry for his family and friends. Obviously it isn’t “real easy”.

Prompt 38: Paint your page any colour you like. Then… make a list of things that are in the contrasting colour (the colour on the opposite side of the colour wheel). You will have to concentrate – or did you find it easy?

I can’t do this online but my first fav is blue, and I think this makes the contrast colour orange? So therefore yams, oranges & other citrus, pumpkins, squash, burger rings, that moustache M wore Sunday after he’d snuck some orange fizzy…

Prompt 39: What is your favourite crafting technique?

Have you not being paying attention?!

Prompt 41: You have just written your first novel. What is it called?

How To Survive Your Kid’s Childhood Without Going (Too) Barmy. Lots of tips, like baby wipes should be brought in bulk and are fantastic for cleaning nearly every mark on the wall; to direct some of your salary to a savings account BEFORE it gets to your main account or otherwise you will live with your child forever; to buy the good wine, you will deserve it. And lastly Nigel Latta’s Ladder of Certain Doom is the bomb. Best Parenting Tip Ever.

Prompt 42: Do you collect things in your purse? Rummage through your purse or your bag and find some receipts. Tell us about at least two of them.

My bag has to hold at least the following items:

  • Day planner (personal size)with notes, cards etc. Mine is about 12-13 years old, but leather is wonderfully resilient. I do personalise some pages and download others from Pintrest, but my main calendar is Filofax.
  • Cell phone, that should live in my planner but floats about
  • eReader – don’t leave home without it!
  • Small-ish stitching project
  • Notebook or journal & pens
  • Chewing gum, in case I get caught out
  • Keys to work.

I tend to clean out the receipts daily as I wait for reports to run but there are multiple library check out slips and the last spend at Rebel (footy boots) and Briscoes (frame for a cross stitch).

Prompt 28: You always keep a well-stocked freezer. Today is the day you organise your meals for the week. However, on searching through your stores you discover that ‘miraculously’ all your frozen food has been converted into melon balls. What do you do?

I’m going shopping, that’s what I am doing. I’ve outgrown the Midori phase.

Prompt 43: List 5 things you accomplished yesterday!

  1. I planned exercise – a walk to the mall to shop for lunch then later on while Z was training I walked around from Fowlds to the library and back.
  2. I ate well – not too much junk and loved the taste of the feta/tomato/chicken combo.
  3. As a result of 1, I hit goal on my Polar Loop.
  4. I did some stitching, although it was fairly minimal.
  5. I wrote up some journaling, although I’m posting it late and after some editing.

mad haiku skills

Posted in books, family, house - gardens, Journal, me, Project Life, Teresa Wentzler by

This last week has been a bit of a rush. I clearly didn’t take on board the topic of forgiveness and not holding a grudge, as I was awake all Saturday night so angry at my SIL, who often makes quite derogatory comments very casually and without thought. I had to vent but that went horribly wrong, with me screaming and throwing things at the other half. Not cool. I need to call her on it but I didn’t want to rock the boat at M’s birthday dinner. I’ll have to develop some techniques but right now I have no idea.

The youngest has turned five and LOVES school. He cuddled in last night and went over his homework – hey mum, I get to do this at home too! – and this is a blessing. He got a new, larger, scooter in his haul and wants to ride to school, ‘cause everyone else does (read: five other people in his class do). Grandma will be getting some intense exercise keeping up! I’ll have to take him to the waterfront path at Te Atatu, wide concrete paths and you can see for miles.

Prompt 36: List 5 things you intend to do TODAY

  1. Drink Less Coffee – but sadly this just increased the volume of tea. Helpfully the office coffeemaker went on strike too with a missing seal.
  2. Read – I ploughed through Mary Magdalene by Diana Wallis Taylor. Recommended by a random at the library yesterday. In turn I endorsed the Lineage of Grace series by Francine Rivers that she was carrying. One of the few fiction I HAD to buy in paper format. I’m mad about Ruth. Awesome woman. Did you know she is only one of five women mentioned in Jesus’ genealogy?
  3. Work – although I am very bad at this today. Stupid people are not using the spreadsheets sent to them, so I am constantly going back for more detail. And stupid suppliers are sending stuff we haven’t ordered, despite me nagging them weekly since April. Same sh*t, different purchase order.
  4. Stitch – I have finished the base pieces of my TW exchange (did two as I changed out some colours to suit the second fabric) which leads me onto #5
  5. Research – the person I’m sending to has finishing skills. I need to step up my game (so doing two might be very, very handy) and research some ornie finishing techniques beyond the norm.

Prompt 26: The answer is ‘Yes!’ What is the question?

Do I like to read? Do I flit from project to project? Do I procrastinate on the housework? Do I love my family? Do I have plans for our house? Do I want a new car? Do I want security around my job (I’m on a maternity contract)? Do I like Calvin & Hobbes? Do I like art? Do I like music? Do I need music and art?

This could go on forever.

Prompt 29: List 5 flowers that you love. Are they in your garden? Will they be in your garden? Have they been in your garden? Why are they your favourites?

I’ve always loved the old roses – you know, the ones that SMELL and grow like mad things. At the old house I had an Alberic de Barbier (1900; have to get a cutting) that bloomed from September thru to May every year. S hates it as it has thorns and does grow massively every year. I’m thinking that I would like this on the fence at the front right of the house, at the end of the parking space and spreading out over the shed. The shed might need reinforcements tho.

http://www.rosesnz.co.nz/category-1/50-alberic-barbier.html not the best photo but a good price.

I also have a Fairy rose that I was given when L was born. It’s repotted every few years and I had thought it was dead one house move ago but as I procrastinated (thought of it as housework J) and left the plant alone, a shoot popped up in the garden next to the pot. So it doesn’t look very pretty and I think I should probably just plant it in this garden. Not sure where tho!

Magnolias & Gardenias – I have recently become aware of the beautiful colours and scents. Thinking a magnolia out the front then gardenias along the fence line in between the fruit trees.

I don’t really have other favs. I do not like orchids, or carnations, or lilies and anything else I can pretty much take or leave. Altho I just remembered cherry blossoms. We had a gorgeous tree at Otumoetal and when the wind blew, the petals would float around like confetti.

My planting list is becoming quite large.

Prompt 33:Sand in your toes and grit in the sandwiches. How do you regard the beach?

Beaches for me are cleansing. By the time I’ve walked along the sand, dipped my toes in the sea and just enjoyed, whatever has been bothering me is gone. As I’ve said before Bethells is my favourite “me” beach, but as a family we also enjoy Waiake/Torbay, Cheltenham (very safe for little ones) and the Mount.

Prompt 31: Set 3 goals for next month – these can be home/work/art/journal related – or choose another aspect of your life.

Three – right. Should be easy but I am surrounded by indecision!

  1. Stitch at least 3 times in the week
  2. Sort the kitchen pantry out & make the baking stuff more accessible. Bake!
  3. Start up Project Life again – start with now, work backwards, don’t be focussed on the “picture per day” but on the story as a whole. Complete the journal cards even if I haven’t printed the photo.

Good thing S found my printer cable again. I can’t wait for the android Project Life app – it’s quite tempting to get an iPhone just for this app. Wonder if I could pick one up cheap of Trade Me?

Prompt 35: A Haiku is a simple form of poetry. Three lines – 5 syllables, 7 syllables and 5 syllables. Write one about Summer – this summer or any summer.

Sand between my toes

Wind rippling in my hair

Gulls cry surrounds me

Never saw the sun shining so bright, never saw things going so right…

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Prompt 20: Do you have a favourite colour? Paint it on your page and write about it.

I can’t paint this page blue but it’s my favourite colour in nearly all the shades. I love those perfect days out on the water (sailing or kayaking or just lazing around) where sea and sky meet.

House walls are often Resene Half Spanish White or from their Karen Walker range, Butterdly White. I love the paler shades as everything else “pops” and Resene paint is just so easy to use, low smells and cleans up with baby wipes.

Click to access Karen_Walker_Chart.pdf

I think I’d like to try Half Robin Egg Blue or the darker Clouded Blue in my bedroom, but that would also require a carpet change and that isn’t till later on in the Five Year Plan.

Prompt 22: What was the most amusing thing a child has said within your hearing?

Z was just five when I found out I was expecting Mase. It was a surprise pregnancy (I’d been told I could never get pg again years earlier, which triggered a massive time of uncertainty & pain). I experienced 3 migraines in as many weeks when normally I’d get that many in a year, so our GP ran a few tests. It was Christmas Eve and we’d broken the news to the kids and rather stupidly I took them grocery shopping at the supermarket. In the checkout line I was talking with our old neighbour and across a few lines to a friend when Z suddenly piped up in that annoying loud voice kids only have when you don’t want to hear from them – Mummy, what did you do to get pregnant? Cue a moment of silence then roars of laughter.

Last year Granddad II said that he would buy the older boys laptops for their homework. I was quite reluctant but one of the winning arguments came from B (then 13). He earnestly promised me he wouldn’t use it to find prawn (porn)!

M makes me laugh nearly every day with his view of the world. I can’t remember anything specific just right now so I’ll have to edit later.

L used to mangle her words so we have an unique nomenclature – hobital, mazagine, serbice station and so forth.

Prompt 23: Light or heavy! What are you reading? What do you like to read? What is the most interesting thing you have ever read?

This prompt was clearly written just for me! Thanks, Myfanwy!

Like I’ve said before, I am an avid reader and if pushed, will even flick through fishing or hunting magazines if nothing else is present. I don’t read trash such as “women’s magazines” as I have an aversion to gossip and bollocks, and I won’t touch the 50 Shades genre but I will devour a lot.

Current read is deeper – Robert Hutchinson’s The Last Days of Henry VIII. Next will be lighter but I added over 50 biographies to my Sony this weekend along with the Skulduggery Pleasant series for Z on his. In physical format I discovered the GOT in graphic form, yay for libraries! Also yay for Kindle apps on my phone/tablet.

Prompt 24: Money can’t buy happiness, but what is the one thing that would make your life easier if you bought it? Maybe it has yet to be invented…

I’d love a house cleaner, but Si is too private for that. Or cheap, take your pick. And prescription sunnies as I’m not a candidate for LASIK and with my blindness, those things aren’t cheap. I could buy a small country for the price of those things. Interestingly the government i.e. my tax pays for contacts – which I then forget to renew as they are such a PITA to wear. Half the time I forget to put them in then when I do my eyes get so dry in the aircon. Glasses are easier.

I’m going to skip a few prompts as I just don’t have the answer yet for a few.

Prompt 27: Everyone starts the day in a different way. Do you eat breakfast or skip it as fast as you can? What was your first meal of the day?

On workdays breakfast is in the lunchroom with a consistent group of co-workers. It’s usually worth a laugh or two as we dissect the news (both real and imaginary) and generally take the piss out of each other. Usually muesli, yoghurt and coffee – I didn’t last too long when I tried to live without caffeine.

Breakfast on the weekend is usually solitary as it’s often my only quiet space. Toast and coffee (Copeland’s fruit toast is a fav) back in bed with my book or journal (if everyone else is up) or in the sunny patch in the lounge if everyone else is still asleep. I want this time to myself so much I even set my alarm early on Saturdays so I’m in a good headspace before sport takes over my day.

 

If you’ve got to the bottom of this, the reward is the beautiful Ella Fitzgerald and her song, Blue Skies. I used a couple of lines of the refrain in my title.

Lyrics: http://www.metrolyrics.com/blue-skies-lyrics-ella-fitzgerald.html

Vocals options are also on that page 🙂

the dreaded teacher interview…

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Last night we had the first formal parent/teacher with Z’s new school. The conversation revolved around Z and his integration into the school (took less time than expected, only a week) and his academic achievements (on or above target) for maybe two minutes then it went to league. Quelle surprise.

So Z had a good night when this was combined with his afternoon jaunt in Riki’s VERY LOUD Ferrari. Very fast, too. Perfect for little boys, and probably the ones who pretend to be grown up too. He went to bed on top of his world.

paulo

Prompt 18: Complete this sentence….. ‘If all else fails…….. ‘

Start again. Work out where I went wrong. Follow the directions. Re-create the directions. Find a child to finish whatever for me. Google. Do something else until my brain coughs up the solution. Eat Whittakers chocolate. Stitch. Read. Walk.

penrose

Prompt 19: School uniform! Still a tetchy subject! What did you think of yours?

I loved mine. I went to Penrose High (before it was renamed One Tree Hill College) and it was mostly blue. Junior school had pale blue shirts, senior school had white (or was it the other way around?) and Seventh Form had mufti. Plenty of choice for bottoms – skirts (always rolled up higher as soon as we left home!), trousers, shorts and reasonably flattering styles too. So much better than brown! The uniform today at the school is very similar.

In two weeks all my babies will be in uniform and I’m going to love that too. I’m a big fan of uniforms – identification, unity, equality – and of course, it seems like less washing in the basket too. Bonus! As long as we forget about the very grubby league uniforms… B’s team circa 2005…

0f741-dsc01833

One of the other things about Penrose was the art – as we leaned against the reception desk our knees knocked on a Colin McCahon (Necessary Protection), and plenty of other NZ artists were featured on our walls. I remember all the pieces in the links except for the Frizzell – perhaps that was in the staff room?

At home we have some prints (not enough) and the kid’s stuff. When we had Colwill on the market we got more than one offer for a collage Lou had done – at seven.

http://www.art-newzealand.com/Issues11to20/penrose.htm

http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/central-leader/805528/Tuck-shop-art-on-show

 

adventure planning

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Prompt 14: You are just about to go on holiday. You get into the car – but remember that you have forgotten something! For what would you really delay the start of your vacation? The answer can be serious or trivial.

It isn’t a real holiday unless I’ve forgotten something. Usually toothpaste, or pj’s or something small. I haven’t ever forgotten to set the alarm, or have someone in to feed the pets (easier now with Lou being old enough and responsible enough to be left at home alone). I guess the only true delay would be if we forgot kids or passports – and we haven’t done either yet. Yet.

There was one time I seriously wanted to “forget” something – the massively heavy multi-tiered wedding cake we had to take to Bali for a family wedding. Try juggling normal carry-on, three cake boxes, a worrying MIL and three rambunctious kids. Worst check-in EVER.

Prompt 15: If you could do something you have never done before – what would you do?

Travel to Europe or the States. Or buy a Ribbon Rose (my favourite LNS) franchise and set it up at Westgate or nearby. I have plans – but they revolve around the fantasy of winning Lotto or something like that. I’d also love to pay off the mortgage – that is first on my list.

I’d like to hit the Marlborough Sounds this coming summer – we have kayaks and I love exploring the area. Or ride the Otago rail trail – on horseback. Simon would prefer to ride – he likes his Scott road bike he brought earlier this year. What a hardship if he had to buy another that’s more suitable for the track! I imagine if we did this it would be hare & the tortoise – eventually I’d get past him 

rail trail

Prompt 16: G K Chesterton once sent a telegram to his wife saying ‘Am in Market Harborough, where should I be?’ Have you ever gone somewhere by mistake, forgotten where you should be going – or – if you have no other response – been to Market Harborough?!

Where on earth is Market Harborough? England? Maybe I’ll get there on my Europe trip 

I quite often get text messages from the team parents – I’m here, where are you – Umm, I sent a text earlier, the game/training is off/postponed/venue changed – oh ooops sorry. Or it’s B, who is very good at not being where or when he should be.

I’m sure I’ve not been somewhere as arranged (Simon accuses me of this often) but some of our best family or friend trips have been because we’ve gone driving and explored along the way. I usually book accommodation and do a little research, then we just go from point A to point B and it takes as long as it takes. Best playground? Levin (surprisingly). Best windy spot? Apart from my beloved Bethells, it would be Castlepoint, but if you are thinking of heading there, book the accommodation in advance as it’s a long windy road back to the next hostel/motel or B&B. My “research” for the Wellington-Castlepoint leg was one line I had read – the first ever ANZAC service held in NZ was at the local settlement of Tinui in 1916 – only one year after Gallipoli. There is an awesome mix of fact and story on the http://www.devonport.co.nz website – and Devonport itself is worth a trip with your camera, especially if you like 1890-1920 architecture.

Prompt 17: You have the chance to change the packaging on one product that you use often. Which one is it? Why would you change it? How would you like it changed?

I don’t buy them often, but I hate the way the Pascall lolly bags open. The crimping at the top of the bags is too much (same at the base) so everything ends up ripped and the lollies fly everywhere – yuck if they aren’t wrapped! Yet another reason for me to take my sewing kit with me, scissors are my best friend.

Prompt 21..trying to flow

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Prompt 21: What didn’t you do this weekend that you think you ought to have done?

Smart cookies (you?) would have noticed that I missed a few prompts. That’s one of this things I think I should have done this weekend – caught up. Instead I’m going to go against my usual flow and mix it up a little. Rock my boat. Misuse some metaphors. Have fun?

What else should I have done?

  • chosen my TW to stitch for the upcoming exchange on our FB group
  • posted the business IRD return off
  • changed 10% of the tank and brought some new plants (the barbs like to rip the grasses up)
  • mopped the tile areas
  • cleaned up my eReader

I did achieve quite a lot, given that I was up every few hours for nearly five days with Mase and his meds. Facepalm of the weekend wasn’t me (cue surprise) but the mechanic at the VTNZ. I took the Toy Car up for it’s WOF and he was going to fail it – on the basis that he didn’t know how to open the engine bay. Freaking Idiot.

Prompt 12: What is happening NOW? Look out of the window and write about 3 things you can see!

Disclaimer: I wrote the original in my journal earlier today. Right now i’d only see black if I looked out the window – I really shouldn’t be playing on the laptop but should be getting ready for tomorrow!

I won’t write about what I can see, as I’m in my office, and if I didn’t have the blinds pulled, I’d look out into the corridor then the “pool” but rather I’ll write about what I want to see.

I want to be at home, sipping a coffee or wine while looking out the kitchen window at my new retaining wall, flat lawn, lush grass and fruit trees espaliered along the fence, interspersed with roses. Looking at someone else cooking, my kids playing and not ripping up the lawn.

I’m getting good at this fantasy thing! 

I do have a new retaining wall, and a nearly flat lawn. Grass will come in the spring, I just have to finish painting the fence (and figure out what I want to plant on the berm side to soften it up). The berry I planted a few weeks ago is still going strong and hasn’t drowned in all the rain, so there’s a win.

Prompt 13: The other day we considered the most USEFUL skill we have ever learnt. Today, consider the most IMPORTANT.

Probably communication – I’d hate to be in a position where I can’t express my thoughts, wants, needs. But being able to communicate appropriately is VERY important. I learnt that lesson at a previous employer (but in a way that benefited me) and one of the emails I received today only emphasized that. Someone out there is getting a visit from HR this week…

 

Speaking of parenting, as a lesson, here’s something I saw on Jennie’s pintrest. Perfectly apt, expec point four! Enjoy 🙂

parenting truth

Also loving One Republic’s Love Runs Out, almost as much as Happy. Hating anything Sam Smith, i’m over that very quick. And Iggy. Ugh.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OWj0CiM8WU

journalling prompt 11

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A long delay in journaling or blogging. Mase has been sick, and we couldn’t control his asthma so ended up at the doctors then Waitakere EDD the following day. A few quiet days at home has finished the process so hopefully this is it for a while.

Good news front – curtains are up in my room (a beautiful soft silver) and Z’s (moleskin or in plain speak, freaking ugly brown). Not in B’s (who chose black to go with his graphic novel theme) but his room is nearly clean enough for me to find the window. Surprisingly, I objected to his floordrobe, and he objected to my objection. Go figure.

League went well too this weekend – my kids all remembered to tackle low, and wait for that second pass. They had to wait a lot longer this week as our opposition wasn’t drilled and very hesitant. I guess that’s the diff between our kids and theirs – most of ours will go all out and have taken their lead from the few that played last year. Plus they are awesome.

I can also report that standing on the Thomas plastic rail track is very nearly as painful as LEGO. There you go, PSA of the year.

Prompt 11: What is the most USEFUL skill you have learnt?

knowledge

I can’t chose just one – that would be like choosing just one type of book, or fruit, and having to stick with that choice forever. Not going to happen!

So here’s the shortlist:

  • READING gain knowledge, relaxation, entertainment
  • PARENTING still learning this!
  • SEWING
  • DRIVING probably shouldn’t have left it until I was nineteen tho – lost opportunities!
  • BLOCKING OUT NOISE try studying for School Cert when the only neighbourhood trampoline was right outside your bedroom window. Means I can drown out the teen/tween fights now, at least until blood is spilt
  • COOKING very useful as I’m well over the toast/packet soup/2 min noodle university days
  • PATIENCE the skill I really need. I keep forgetting to count to ten!

even more journalling

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Prompt 10: You are 6 years old! Someone has kindly given you 4 chairs covered with an enormous blanket!! It’s a tent! Tell us about your play day.

At six, I’d just become a big sister. I spent most of my playtime with Carol, the baby doll I received when Rob was born (she still only has one arm, as my cousin Sara threw it out the car window one day driving over the Kaimai’s) and my best friend Debbie.

We met at Brookfield kindergarten, hate at first sight. She hit me on the head with a hammer and I lured her to the Big Kids Slide (strictly forbidden) then pushed her down it. Her mum picked us up that afternoon and asked us about our day. From then on we were together more often than not until I moved away to Auckland. Our tents would be anything from a circus tent to a doll’s house to an escape from our brothers.

If I was by myself my imagination would take over and the tent would be Eeyore’s house in the 100 Acre Wood, to a ship on the High Seas of Narnia, to Pippi Longstocking’s House or even Dr Doolittle’s surgery.

Today my kids love “tents”. B & Z probably use theirs to hide mess, but Mase has a special space under his bed, complete with an adjustable Ikea lamp, that’s perfect for playtime. I’m a little jealous!

Mase’s lamp: http://www.ikea.com/au/en/catalog/products/00201777/

more journalling

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so behind! Some prompts aren’t popping up with a lot of inspiration, or life is just taking over. I’m going to roll with it – some journalling is better than none.

Prompt 9: Jack Buchanan said that ‘everything stops for tea‘. Morning, noon or night – which beverage will make you ‘stop’ and say ‘Ahhhh! That’s better!’?

garfield coffee

This is me in the morning. I NEED at least two cups of coffee (or a V) to get going but I try not to have anything with caffeine post noon. I won’t sleep, or I’ll be very restless. This morning I woke with awful dreams (that we had been invaded, and B was conscripted, and the family separated) and I’ll blame that on the afternoon Pepsi.

Lunch – water.

Evening – depends on what is around. The other night it was obviously the vino (I’m buying that one again, no hangover!) & I’ve recently discovered Endeavour ginger ale – very dry. Stupid label placement tho. It tells a story (about the first sighting of land by the cabin boy) in two panels, one either side of the title, which would work on the flat but once the wrapper is on the bottle, you read the second half of the story before the first. #fail

Yesterday and this morning I’ve fed Emma’s three cats while she and her hubby are down at the Mountain. Even Gary, her older boy, is all smooch this visit. It’s nice to hear the purrs.