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cookessentials - 2011-11-11 15:18:00

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grannymum - 2011-11-11 17:23:00

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cookessentials - 2011-11-11 19:48:00

have a fabulous weekend grannymum, im going to look at a new place to rent today, its closer to work as atm im spending way too much time travelling and way too much on petrol each week. its a two bedroom with a study and a back yard, so if okay and i got it i could put a bit of a vege garden in!! and i want a cat so if they wont have cats i wont take it, ive been too long without one. rain is coming today grrrrrrr....have a fabulous weekend everyone

motorbo - 2011-11-12 08:06:00

Morning all,
my day off & it's pouring with rain! Sounds nice on the caravan roof though.
I have a large stack of books beside the bed so I'll still enjoy my day :)
Hope the flat works out motorbo ... I love having my adopted cat living with me. She's very affectionate & good company.
Hi grannypam - sorry to hear you've been unwell. Enjoy the grandies.
Hugs to all - especially Juliewn & Jenni.
Have a great weekend everyone xx

winnie231 - 2011-11-12 09:12:00

no luck today winnie...but i shall keep looking....gosh its cold hope everyone is keeping warm

winnie231 wrote:

Morning all,
my day off & it's pouring with rain! Sounds nice on the caravan roof though.
I have a large stack of books beside the bed so I'll still enjoy my day :)
Hope the flat works out motorbo ... I love having my adopted cat living with me. She's very affectionate & good company.
Hi grannypam - sorry to hear you've been unwell. Enjoy the grandies.
Hugs to all - especially Juliewn & Jenni.
Have a great weekend everyone xx

motorbo - 2011-11-12 21:24:00

Morning everyone... looks like another stunning day. Have just prepared chicken drumsticks in the crockpot.... tweeked the recipe slighly due to a Jam glut.
1/4 cup tomato sauce,
1 tbsp white vinegar,
1 tsp soy sauce,
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 Cup Plum Jam
So nice to think I will come home throw the rice cooker on and vegies and dinner is handled. (Usually one of the misses would have done that and then I'll arrive home relax and dish up)
Lounge tidied, Container garden is watered and a big wash just about ready to hang on the line.... and its not even 7am!!
Love this time of the morning before the family get up..... allows me to keep up the illusion of being a "domestic goddess"

Have a great day all
JB

Edited by toadfish at 6:50 am, Tue 15 Nov

toadfish - 2011-11-15 06:49:00

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cookessentials - 2011-11-15 07:19:00

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grannymum - 2011-11-15 19:23:00

Hi Everyone.. and thanks so much for all of your lovely words and your hugs too Rae.. :-) .. how is your new job going? It sounds very special..

Your theme for the village sounds lovely Pam.. sounds like you're enjoying the creativity of making it pretty and designing the logo..

Best wishes for finding a home that welcomes your cat too Motorbo..

Callista will be away from her home while the work is done.. hope it's all going well for you there Callista..

Aren't Tui's gorgeous.. have them here too.. and today I drove through town to The Heads - where the river meets the Pacific Ocean, and phoned Jenni and chatted while there.. with a backdrop of the pohutukawa trees flowering on the hill.. and the sound of tui's among the flowers.. the sun on the waves, blue sky - just gorgeous.. has become a favourite place to be when I chat to her - thanks to Vodafone and their Bestmate package.. $6 a month for 1000 minutes & 1000 texts to a designated number.. works well for us..

Take care all.. and keep safe..

juliewn - 2011-11-17 03:49:00

bump

aderyn2 - 2011-11-17 09:54:00

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cookessentials - 2011-11-17 18:49:00

Happy Friday!
I've got a 10.5hr shift ahead of me and then at the stroke of 6.30pm I'll be out of work & into my car to drive for the 1.5hr drive to Miss 14 for a night or 2. Can't wait to see her ..... it's been 2 weeks & I'm going into withdrawal lol :)
Have a fab day & even better weekend xx

winnie231 - 2011-11-18 06:49:00

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cookessentials - 2011-11-18 07:02:00

morning all...have had a hellish few days this week with gastroenteritis...god i never want to go through that again i hurt my ribs vomiting too hard...still have the nausea a bit but ribs all good now so thats a relief....beautifu; weather here i hope it lasts the weekend...have a fabulous one ...and EA?? hope u r good i havent seen u

motorbo - 2011-11-18 07:36:00

Everybody must be busy, page 2!!!!

rema - 2011-11-20 09:22:00

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elliehen - 2011-11-20 11:12:00

I have been here but lurking,as news is quiet down this end of the woods.
We have bad flooding down here,dp has been up all night,and is still out there.
Hope everyone is doing ok,hugs to you all,I do think about you all.
Cooks love your gingerbread houses,so wished I could make them,lol.

earthangel4 - 2011-11-21 12:38:00

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cookessentials - 2011-11-21 14:10:00

thanks cookes ...yes finally am better!!! and had a great weekend ...went to lunch on the coast with the kids...my sons vege garden is so impressive ...gosh he makes me proud!! i did one thing right in life LOL

hope the flooding is easing EA

motorbo - 2011-11-21 18:23:00

Hi Everyone.. hope you had a lovely time with your darling daughter Rae..

Glad you're feeling better Motorbo.. and hope all are safe with the flooding Earthangel - saw some of it on the news earlier.. so much water.. keep safe there.. and your hubby too..

Your gingerbread house class sounds lovely Pam..hope you had a lovely weekend..

My darling daughter arrived home today - her plans changed and she's home this week.. our first port of call.. our wonderful local berry farm http://www.juliansberryfarm.co.nz/ - coffee and berry goodies eaten on the terrace overlooking the strawberry fields.. one of our favourite places.. lots of chatting - there several hours in the end!

ps.. the current owner's parents started the berry farm at a nearby site around 35 or so years ago.. when my kids were young, berry picking each summer was a favourite part of their childhood - (actually still is a favourite thing to do each summer, though I'll have good crops of berries from my plants and vines this year).. and it's often talked about with laughter.. including that after berry picking, there'd be drops of juice on the front of their clothes - until I made them matching tee-shirts - crazy patterned knit fabric, with many colours.. and the berry juice never showed again! At Jenni's 21st party earlier this year, the photos included one of her at age 4, in shorts and tee-shirt - that same crazy-patterned-berry-picking tee-shirt.. :-)

Edited by juliewn at 1:54 am, Tue 22 Nov

juliewn - 2011-11-22 01:44:00

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elliehen - 2011-11-22 10:55:00

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cookessentials - 2011-11-22 12:19:00

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cookessentials - 2011-11-22 12:21:00

Hi all,
had a lovely time with Miss 14. Looking forward to having her hang out with me here during the holidays!
Enjoy having Jenni home Julie - and I hope she continues to improve. I'm sure lots of tlc from mum helps :)
Have a happy week everyone xx

winnie231 - 2011-11-22 14:14:00

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elliehen - 2011-11-22 14:39:00

What a wet & windy day. If I had a log burner I think I'd be lighting it!

winnie231 - 2011-11-23 12:07:00

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cookessentials - 2011-11-23 14:37:00

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cookessentials - 2011-11-23 14:37:00

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elliehen - 2011-11-23 15:42:00

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cookessentials - 2011-11-23 15:48:00

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elliehen - 2011-11-24 14:53:00

Hi everyone - back from my tiki-tour around the parts of the Sth Island. Georgie Porgy fat'n'fluffy is sitting on a chair at my elbow after having been sprung from the cattery. The house is wonderful and the contractors have done a magnificent job - it's like a whole new house. They also put in a smoke alarm (which I was planning, but hadn't got around to) . The movers came and set up the washing machine and the computer, now all I have to do is make my bed.

One thing I would say is - if you enjoy nature and get a chance to go to Stewart Island - go. I loved it,even though the Backpackers was invaded by a large group from an Oamaru school it was lovely. (the kids were very unobtrusive for such a large group - I've met adults that weren't as well behaved, and the teachers and parent helpers seemed really well organised).

Also I travelled by bus over the Crown range and through the Haast Pass for the first time. The scenery was awesome and the people I met were really helpful. I had towed my suitcase to the top of the stairs at the YHA on the Lakefront in Queenstown when a strong looking young man came along and offered to carry it downstairs for me. I probably could have managed, but he made the start of the day so much easier for me.

It's so good to be home though.

calista - 2011-11-24 19:50:00

Glad you've been set to rights Calista and the holiday will have set you up for a much better year to come. You are right about Stewart Island, its a bit of a step back in time in many ways - relaxing and the scenery is amazing. Its years since we've been and I'd love to go again.

greerg - 2011-11-24 21:43:00

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cookessentials - 2011-11-24 22:16:00

Excellent news on the house calista! You're only the 2nd person i "know" who's had their repairs done...how nice to almost end the year with positive progress

sumstyle - 2011-11-24 22:20:00

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cookessentials - 2011-11-25 06:33:00

Hi calista ... a question for you (as I will be in the same boat) ... was having your furniture moved out and stored part of the job ? (ie - did you have to organise it/pay for it ?). I don't actually know anybody that's had their repairs done yet ... we only just had our full assessment. All I know is that we got told we would have to move out while it's all done. All is fine really ... it's just cosmetic, nothing structural. But I presume it will make it much faster and easier to do if we are not here ? :-)

2halls - 2011-11-25 08:02:00

cookessentials wrote:

Earthang-
el...how is the new house?

HiI there,How are you doing?
The new house is just great,love everything about it.
The gardens are beautiful,but have not been able to enjoy them of late,because of the bad wild weather we have been having of late.

earthangel4 - 2011-11-25 10:52:00

calista wrote:

Hi everyone - back from my tiki-tour around the parts of the Sth Island. Georgie Porgy fat'n'fluffy is sitting on a chair at my elbow after having been sprung from the cattery. The house is wonderful and the contractors have done a magnificent job - it's like a whole new house. They also put in a smoke alarm (which I was planning, but hadn't got around to) . The movers came and set up the washing machine and the computer, now all I have to do is make my bed.

One thing I would say is - if you enjoy nature and get a chance to go to Stewart Island - go. I loved it,even though the Backpackers was invaded by a large group from an Oamaru school it was lovely. (the kids were very unobtrusive for such a large group - I've met adults that weren't as well behaved, and the teachers and parent helpers seemed really well organised).

Also I travelled by bus over the Crown range and through the Haast Pass for the first time. The scenery was awesome and the people I met were really helpful. I had towed my suitcase to the top of the stairs at the YHA on the Lakefront in Queenstown when a strong looking young man came along and offered to carry it downstairs for me. I probably could have managed, but he made the start of the day so much easier for me.

It's so good to be home though.

Welcome back,glad everything turned out well for you.

earthangel4 - 2011-11-25 10:53:00

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cookessentials - 2011-11-25 11:42:00

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elliehen - 2011-11-25 21:11:00

2halls wrote:

Hi calista ... a question for you (as I will be in the same boat) ... was having your furniture moved out and stored part of the job ? (ie - did you have to organise it/pay for it ?). I don't actually know anybody that's had their repairs done yet ... we only just had our full assessment. All I know is that we got told we would have to move out while it's all done. All is fine really ... it's just cosmetic, nothing structural. But I presume it will make it much faster and easier to do if we are not here ? :-)

Fletchers gave me the name of 'World Movers' who packed and stored all my household goods except the things in the non-damaged cupboards, which it was easier to leave in place. (Zane, the removalist also set up my computer and the washing machine when I got back.) Fletchers also gave me a letter for my insurance company saying I needed to be out of my house for 3-4 weeks as I couldn't use the facilities. It was my insurance company who paid for the moving, my accomodation and the cat to go to a cattery - I also had to arrange temporary cover for the stuff in storage. (AMI were a pain to deal with and I still have to send my receipts to get re-imbursed (though some moteliers/catteries will deal direct).

The liaison person I had from Fletchers guided me through the process (I think she got involved because I was so distressed about having lots of strange people come through my house - she was wonderful.) Having said that, I did hear a rumour that this is no longer being done and that the tradespeople come into your house and work around you, rather than you moving out.

If you have any difficulties ring the hub nearest to you and ask to speak to a Liaison person, they can explain what will happen. I hope they are as good as Sandra.

Edited by calista at 8:19 am, Sat 26 Nov

calista - 2011-11-26 08:13:00

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cookessentials - 2011-11-26 08:43:00

sp happy to hear the house is going well EA, and would luv to see a picture of the shop window Cookes! after all these years.....i had a date the other night and am going to see him again tonight!! i know ladies dont faint. ha ha

motorbo - 2011-11-26 09:03:00

motorbo wrote:

sp happy to hear the house is going well EA, and would luv to see a picture of the shop window Cookes! after all these years.....i had a date the other night and am going to see him again tonight!! i know ladies dont faint. ha ha

go you,you are a beautiful lady and will go a long way.

earthangel4 - 2011-11-26 09:50:00

Good Morning all.
Having a quiet weekend here,so far,dh is away until tomorrow,and I have work.
Cooks sorry I did not get back into fb last night,had some bad news from my blood tests,but can be fixed.
My Thyroid is acting up,has shot up my bp,and I have been told to get the weight off,talked to dh on the phone last night,he said we will do it together,he does not need to lose weight,but is doing it for me.
I am away for breakfast and a walk,going down to vote,catch you all later.

earthangel4 - 2011-11-26 09:54:00

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elliehen - 2011-11-27 00:48:00

Morning all,
hi & welcome back calista & hi 2halls, sumstyle & greerg.
Did any of you go into the square yesterday?
I was out kayaking yesterday & the reopening of the square was very much on my mind. It was wonderful to be out paddling in the Abel Tasman with seals playing around the kayak but also a little sad as I had a lovely retired American couple asking me alot about Chch.
EA - hope your health problems get sorted ok.
Pam - hope you have a busy but stress-free time in the shop with christmas shoppers. I was happy to see my brother has 'liked' the shop on FB ... might have to drop a hint about ideas for a pressie for me lol.
I've got 4 hrs at work this morning & then I'm going to plant my vege garden & mow the lawn around the caravan.
Have a happy day all xx
ps. ellie - the real cat Winston's Mum won't be happy as although she is in the age bracket of WP's fans ... she doesn't like him at all!

winnie231 - 2011-11-27 06:18:00

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cookessentials - 2011-11-27 07:33:00