An I should stop venting. Sorry. I am so grateful for my knitting at the moment, finding it very therapeutic. LOL. I tried B7's beanie and mitts on L5 yesterday to see the fit. He looked so cool! He knows I bought navy wool for his but has chosen orange for the inside contrast on the mitts. Silly me - giraffe colour, of course. Doing some legwarmers for shop first. I feel I have achieved something if I can new items each day I work, even it's only a couple of pairs of wee sox. We had a special general meeting at the shop yesterday to discuss a couple of changes we have to make and I was incredibly impressed with the positive attitude of the members.Good meeting.

grizzly4 - 2013-02-17 11:01:00

Excellent meeting. I crocheted 3 face washers yesterday in between this and that lol. I like to make little things each day as well even if it is a small sewing project. I always have big projects I can put down when I get sick of them. A change is as good as a rest lol. M wants some leg warmers so I might start those. She is off to Hospital on Wed to get her tonsils out and we are wrecks. Sigh She loves school and wants to go to after school care. There are 13 in her class and only 3 of them do not go. We think she will get too tired but have said we will try it for an hour ha ha. Lovely sunny day again.

makerealbany - 2013-02-17 12:06:00

She wouldn't have to go everyday either would she? It's great she's enjoying school, shame it has to be interupted with having tonsils out. Poor wee thing. I tried the new Opal sock wool last night. The wee sox I do are so little that I get nearly a whole pair out of one pattern rotation of the wool. LOL. This means the second sock doesn't look anything like the first so I have to do 2 pairs to match them up. And wouldn't you know it I got 3 and a half individual sox done before bed last night. LOL. I will have to finish the last bit at the shop this morning. I'll bet it will be a busy morning now I have said that.

grizzly4 - 2013-02-18 07:04:00

It is funny about the sox grizzly. I have some sox wool stashed away somewhere that is like that. I had some variegated wool I knitted a baby jacket, hat and mittens from and the mittens looked so different. Anyway niece loved the set. Said it was so cool ha ha. Going to make tomato relish now. Got to try out my new kitchen whizz to chop the darn onions. I detest peeling and slicing a lot of onions boo hoo for ages. Neighbour saw the cotton face clothes and loves them so I have to crochet her some. She gives me free range eggs all the time. I give her jams and pickles so the cloths will be a nice change.

makerealbany - 2013-02-18 20:22:00

I love the trading thing! But I'm the only person I know around me that makes jams etc or bakes regularly. I will just have to eat my own. LOL. Getting the eggs would be wonderful. I am on the lookout for a marmalade recipe without grapefruit 'cos of the meds I. is on now. Got the sox finished and on the shelf and started a matinee jacket with a combination of basket stitch, cob nut stitch and a cable.
I feel very lucky as the 2 schools that were at risk that we are involved with have been saved and are staying on their present sites. Thank goodness, it is such a relief but of course it means that others are now at risk. We are trying to find a way of supporting some of them now.

grizzly4 - 2013-02-19 07:20:00

Bum........... my daughter can't go to the Ellerslie flower show now she has a new job and she cant go that weekend as she is moving house, so i guess i have a wasted $22 ticket....
She handed in her notice today, boss looked at her and said "explane yourself" so she did, the boss then said" I have to accept this but i am very dissapointed in you, I thought we had a good team here" Rebecca walked out and burst in to tears, good job she has a suportive friend there. Lets just hope she is treated ok till she leaves.
She has to move out of her house as the landlord need to move in, He is living at a hotel at the moment as he did the unmentionable with his partners 16 year old daughter and got cought. ............

suzy59nz - 2013-02-19 21:46:00

What a nightmare for her. Why don't you have a nice day out at the show with K? He has leave to use up doesn't he?
It's a pain when landlords want to move back in themselves or move family in. You don't have a leg to stand on, although if he's in a hurry can work to her benefit because she can negotiate the terms. When that happened to us we didn't have to pay rent until we moved out (about a month more than our rent in advance), didn't have to clean carpets etc.
The Women's Group is off to a Clock Museum this morning which should be interesting. Hopefully there is time for a coffee as well before climbing back on board the bus.

grizzly4 - 2013-02-20 07:28:00

Internet diwn again doing this by phone. Ms surgery went well so all is great now lol

makerealbany - 2013-02-20 17:49:00

Good to hear things went well, I guess she's home by now as well? They don't keep them in hospital these days, do they? Our visit to the clock museum was wonderful, I loved the cuckoo clocks and the ones that pick up wee silver balls on each minute. The museum is attached to a shop with beautiful clocks for sale. Some up around the $4000 mark but you'd need a house to match. They were beautiful. I just ordered a ticket to the Air Show in Blenheim at Easter for I's birthday. And will give hiom money to go with it for a t-shirt and a hat. LOL. Now I just have SIL and B7 to organise although SIL loves Warehouse vouchers to get DVD's so he's easy. PLus 2 birthdays for work colleagues nerxt week. The wallet is empty again.

grizzly4 - 2013-02-21 07:37:00

Lol grizzly. I have an empty wallet here ha ha. M was home by 4. Starship staff said she was a model patient. All the other kids were throwing up and little Miss was sitting up in bed bright as a button demanding to go home. She is not allowed to go back to school for 2 weeks. No trampoline, swings, riding her bike or any other outside activity. She is very tired but starting to get bored already. She is becoming a great artist ha ha. I gave some of my stash away today for the local community group. Someone in the group is starting a knitting project and wanted odd balls of wool, buttons, thread and remnants of material. It is good having a clean out ha ha. Mum,s Birthday tomorrow so I am going to call her and have a chat now.

makerealbany - 2013-02-21 20:07:00

2 years! In lots of ways it feels like 10 times longer than that, much more than that again for those still not living a normal life after the earthquakes.A 3.8 just off the coast at 2am would have woken those on the eastside again this morning. Still it goes on. Today 2 years ago is still imprinted on my brain and I have dreaded this day coming round yet again. There is still the fear it will happen it again. And of course it will, we just don't know when. I check the Quake LIve site every morning checking for the patterns of quakes that showed up before a big one. My friends are still fighting EQC as are so many people. They were promised the first $100,000 towards the payout of their home in JAnuary. Now they are told it could be another 3-4 months away! Their insurance will not pay out the balance till EQC pays out their share. So they live in a house that crumbles more with every little shake and with other houses being demolished around them. Abandoned houses around them are overgrown and and some can be barely seen up the drives now. I had a new detour to negotiate on the way to work this week and it took me along a stretch of the Avon River I hadn't had access to in 2 years. I was stunned to see huge goldfish in the river basking in the sun at low tide! But silly me, as I got closer I found they were road cones nestled in the silt at the bottom of the river. A bit of a laugh, eh? I can only imagine the profits the suppliers of road cones, orange hazard vests, wire boundary fences and shipping containers have made over the past 2 years!

grizzly4 - 2013-02-22 07:19:00

How horrid grizzly, road cones I would have been gutted. For a moment you have a positive feeling that things are looking up and then !!!!!!! I feel for all of those people still living in limbo waiting for their claims to be settled. Two years is too bloody long. Government said they would fast track but of course that seems to be only as far as business infrastructure is concerned. The average householder is still having to wait and fight for every darn thing they are owed. Having to live in crumbling homes is so unfair. Scary for them and their families. The psychological ongoing problems from the earthquakes will continue to grow and what then?
My neighbour has two children with Autisim and Ashbergers. B the eldest boy is 8 and gets picked up by a taxi and transported to and from school as his mum has to take the other 2 to another school. Anyway the driver took him home 30 mins early and dropped him off. No one was at home so there was hell to play. Driver lost his job as he should. Darn idiot but what is the Government thinking? Lowest tender got the job. Arethedrivers trained to deal with Special Needs Children? No It just stinks

makerealbany - 2013-02-22 11:06:00

It seems the E/Q's themselves are celebrating the anniversary!! Another nasty one just after going to bed, only 3.89 but really sharp.
I agree about the drivers, the school I pick children up from has a special needs unit and they have changed their transport company theis year, it's a huge van and the driver has 7 children strapped into car seats. Some are severely disabled, some are very stroppy, she would certainly have some difficulty managing if anything happened. She seems nice enough but really struggles to handle such a big vehicle.

grizzly4 - 2013-02-23 09:57:00

Very relaxed day yesterday. Still working on the matinee jacket. I'd forgotten how much work there is with the aran pattern. Hopefully I'll get it finished today.

grizzly4 - 2013-02-24 09:33:00

I had K since Friday night and his Mum has just picked him up. Phew I was run off my feet lol. He was on the go the whole time. Into collecting and looking at bugs. A student is using him as a subject in her research because he is so bright and of course his fascination with bugs, spiders and any other creepy crawly. We went to the library yesterday and he got 4 books about the aforementioned subjects lol. I had to crochet him 4 face cloths as he saw the ones I had done for M. Then he wanted 2 for his big sis and 2 dishclothes for his mum " Because she needs more Nana" I told him my cat is too old to eat biscuits now and he only has a spoonful with his pouch. He promptly tells me that the 20 kg of cat biscuits will go stale so he may as well take them home for his 2 cats because they are young and have really good teeth. Gotta laugh really !!!!! He filled up my cat tin with biscuits and took the rest home. I now have the rest of the day to myself so I am going to relax and crochet.

Edited by makerealbany at 11:43 am, Sun 24 Feb

makerealbany - 2013-02-24 11:41:00

And recover.LOL. We had a quite weekend with no family visiting but a very odd couple from I.'s work visited both evenings!!!!! She must be close to 20 years older than him and their hygiene certainly wasn't the best. I certainly hope they aren't going to make a habit of it. I missed Masterchef, darn it.

grizzly4 - 2013-02-25 07:29:00

Blow that grizzly. Unwanted visitors are a pain. M still home and she is still painting,drawing and pasting glue over everything. Another week to go lol. My deck is coming along slowly but getting there. M christened it with paint spots to her fathers disgust ha ha luckily it is washable. Trying to crochet a little top for M but it is hopeless. She is eating hence my logging on. She still has not got a very good appetite yet " because it hurts Nana" bless her.

makerealbany - 2013-02-25 12:36:00

I think TM is on the blink! This morning my 'Items I won' list has included items I have purchased, paid for and deleted months ago! The 'Items I have Lost' list includes the items I have just purchased, telling me another member has purchase them. Hello! It was me! Weird, weird, weird.
Matinee jacket now in the shop, knitted a beanie in lemon last night using the pattern with the leaves around the crown. I love that pattern. I have now started another pair of leg warmers. Mmmmm, I know, the blanket is half finished as are the cross stitch bookmark and the larger cross stitch of grandpa Teddy which I haven't picked up in a year. Blame my need for new glasses that I can't afford. LOL.

grizzly4 - 2013-02-26 07:11:00

Speaking of glasses I have misplaced a pair of my reading glasses. Thank heavens I have a spare. I have 5 toy boxes to search when I get home. Lol I have crocheted 10 dish clothes and 15 face clothes in a week. Knitting J a jacket in Patons Caressa Express. Not a bad yarn to knit 45pc wool 45 acrylic and 10 mohair. Hope it washs well ha ha. Fast and easy on large needles. I managed to knit 4 beanies for the hospital. An hour here and there can make a hole in the stash lol. My sewing scissors are still not sharpened. I am taking them to an expert ha ha paid too much to let the relis have a go as it were. Ha ha hope none of them read this.

makerealbany - 2013-02-26 21:33:00

Bummer my job is going in August if not before, the company is pulling out of NZ, said they are not making proffit, that seems strange as we always make budget . Have got a meeting one on one with someone from the company on Friday morning 9.30, see what they have to say. I guess i am lucky i don't work at one of the stores that are going in March. Still haven't slept much the past couple of days for worrying.

suzy59nz - 2013-02-26 22:30:00

Omg Suzy what a blow. I can understand how stressful that can be. Hope things improve for you.

makerealbany - 2013-02-26 22:44:00

My trade me is all over the place as well grizzly. Items I won ages ago appeared, items I lost disappeared, etc. lots of people have mix ups duh!!!!!! K was awake at the crack of dawn sigh.

makerealbany - 2013-02-27 07:13:00

More mix ups on TM this morning. Sigh. Items I won were duplicated but when I deleted one lost both!
Suzy, I hope you are looking for another job straight away, don't tell yourself you have to stay till they shut the doors, they are showing no loyalty to you.
Women's group are making fimo flowers today to put on terracotta pots. And then it's Ellerslie next week. Yippee!

grizzly4 - 2013-02-27 07:30:00

Just back from the beach. Absolutely lovely, a nice breeze and the water was so warm. K and I had a ball. Came back and The house was stifling. Air conditioner working Nicely now and I could not care a less about the cost. Fimo flowers sounds creative grizzly. I must say your Women's Group has such fun. Wish there was one near me.

makerealbany - 2013-02-27 16:35:00

The flowers turned out beautifully. All of the members are into anything I put in front of them. Such a great group. Some of them have more skills than others but are so supportive of the others and there's always a laugh as well. Roll on Ellerslie!

grizzly4 - 2013-02-27 19:29:00

Very tired this morning for some reason. Oh well 2 days and then working with Sue at the shop on Saturday morning. I finished the leg warmers last night and a pair of wee sox. The plan is to start L5's beanie tonight.

grizzly4 - 2013-02-28 07:19:00

A and S at a work do so two little ones finally asleep. My other daughter has just arrived with K so he is in bed now. She has a shift that starts at 11 tonight. She looks so tired. Poor girl. Our nanny finished up today so my Sil will have to work in with me lol. Got his job offer sent through and all I can say is no wonder NZ cannot keep skilled workers. What a bloody insult. I got more than that when I worked and that was years ago. He gave that a miss. It's not as if he was desperate for work. He has finished my deck which looks amazing. Putting the railing up now. I am still knitting the little jacket for one of the boys. I am looking forward to my afternoon at the Bowling club tomorrow and my Bingo game. Lol. We keep losing our old members. Sigh. It is the only thing I can get too on a regular basis until all our little ones are at school. 3 years to go ho ho.

makerealbany - 2013-02-28 21:02:00

Do you play bowls and play bingo today, makerealbany? Sounds like a nice way to spend an afternoon. Would love that. I actually followed through on my knitting plan and started L5's beanie. I can't say I'm enjoying knitting navy at night! L5 arrived at the after school programme yesterday without shoes and sox. When I asked him what he was doing when he took them off he told me he put them outside the classroom when he played in the sandpit. No idea why the teacher didn't say anything during the afternoon however. I told him I was leaving early so I didn't hear what his mother was going to say. He just grinned and said they were off to buy more shoes today anyway. Sigh. Everything is so simple when you are 5, isdn't it? I found out that the wonderful big brimmed school sunhat I bought him when he started school he has given to his uncle (3 months younger than him) who lost his!

grizzly4 - 2013-03-01 07:32:00

I only play bingo grizzly because I haven't got the time for bowls yet lol. I am always looking for the kids clothes, shoes and hats when I pick them up from Preschool. Miss 5 is well organised at school thank heavens. I have my first really kid free weekend in months yippee. Going to sit in my lazy boy now and knit. I am also going to sleep in tomorrow morning ha ha.

makerealbany - 2013-03-01 18:54:00

And you were on here before 7pm last night not around midnight! Good on you.
I am being interviewed by apolytech student this morning. They are doing research on how the e/q's have affected craft in CHristchurch. Interesting perspective don't you think?

grizzly4 - 2013-03-02 08:03:00

Very interesting grizzly. Wonder who is paying for that research? Just off to have a swim. Have done bits and bobs but nothing major today ha ha. III.

makerealbany - 2013-03-02 15:37:00

Lovely lady did my interview yesterday and, of course I loved talking about the shop and the women's group in regards to crafting these days. Maybe the interviewer will even join the shop. LOL.
A very busy afternoon after that though with all the family here and dinner to organise. Plus L5 wanted to see me actually working on his mitts to match his beanie. LOL. All finished now. And B4 has decided on navy and a bright blue for the lining of the mitts so will have to go shopping for more navy this week.

grizzly4 - 2013-03-03 10:36:00

Visited my son this. Morning and took him his birthday present. Had a lovely morning tea and lunch ho ho. Back home and everyone is out so I am maxing out again. Busy week ahead so have to relax when I can. Going to knit the sleeves of that jacket. Had a shower of rain but hot as now. Real drought weather.

makerealbany - 2013-03-03 14:02:00

Looks like the weather for our trip to Ellerslie on Wednesday isn't great. TYpical. It's rained every year we've been. Finished a baby beanie to match the matinee jacket I knitted last week and I've started a hoody jersey in orange and white stripes!

grizzly4 - 2013-03-04 07:21:00

Still hot here grizzly. I have been running around all morning. Two houses to tidy lol. I have nearly finished the first jacket then I can start on the other. Have cut out squares for quilt but need another colour I think to give it a zing. Managed to do some of my tapestry but it will be for another babe as all the presents have been given to the new ones. I have nearly finished the bear so will frame it and put it in the glory box for the future. It is good to be ahead in that department.

makerealbany - 2013-03-04 12:17:00

I will be going to the garden show on Friday, if wet Saturday. here's hoping for a dry day.

suzy59nz - 2013-03-04 21:36:00

How many grandchildren do you have, makerealbany? and you are planning ahead for the next? Wow. I have done the back of the hoody jersey and up to the armholes of the front but have to interrupt it to do a pair of bootees for TM. Always the way when I'm a roll.

grizzly4 - 2013-03-05 07:17:00

I have 4 grand daughters and 8 grandsons as well as a great grandson but I also have 21 nieces and nephews here in NZ plus 30 overseas. All the ones in NZ have children and most of those in Aussie either do or will do soon lol. I only did a bit of knitting on the jacket last night then checked the mailbox. I received 40 little squares of bugs and butterflys so spent last night basting them together. Got them on TM. From Aussie. They are so cute K will love his quilt. I have to have it done by May for his birthday. I received that parcel faster than the ones I get off TM in NZ ha ha.

makerealbany - 2013-03-05 12:35:00

My goodness no wonder you are always prepared. My family is so small here in NZ just my parents and sister and she chose not to have children. My parents cut all ties with their families in Northern Ireland when the came to NZ so I never knew my grandparents etc growing up. I. is number 8 of 9 so I have 25 nieces and nephews and nearly all of them have children now. Trouble is his family is not close and there is always some drama or squabble going on. I tried to stay close when the kids were younger but we have pretty much been on our own with occasional contact. We were pretty close to I.'s parents and I miss his Mum. She was a big knitter in her time, always having a jersey, sox or hat on the needles for one of the grandchildren.
I'm glad my kids enjoy spending time with us on a regular basis.

grizzly4 - 2013-03-06 07:20:00

A lovely hot day in Chch so the garden show would have been good today, i'm going on Friday, probably rain

suzy59nz - 2013-03-06 18:21:00

A very hot morning at Ellerslie yesterday! It got to 30 degrees!!! Had a lovely time though. The feature garden is a hobbit them this year which is well worth seeing. However I have to say nothing has beaten the feature at the first show we went to in 2010 with that huge glass platform. Absolutely amazing.
B7's birthday party on Saturday afternoon, thank goodness the sauasage sizzles not happening for the shop on Saturday. I'm doing the cake as usual but he has decided he doesn't like cake anymore so as a surprise I'm constructing an icecream cake for him. That should keep him happy. LOL.

grizzly4 - 2013-03-07 07:11:00

Yes it should grizzly. All the kids like ice cream cakes in our family. Lol. Last night after a fun but hectic day I got home, opened a cupboard to find ants ugh. So I had to take out all the crockery out and wash the lot. Someone had not washed a baby properly. That someone is no longer here grrrrr. In this weather you have to be so diligent. Ants love opportunity. Got drawers to sort today. It is amazing how messy they get and I am the only one who is in and out of them sigh. When you are running around flat tack one does get a bit sloppy. My girls reckon I am the cleaning Queen tee here. Right another load is ready to be hung out.

makerealbany - 2013-03-07 10:03:00

It's a constant battle against ants at the shop, too. Someone has made a mixture of borac acid and honey which they love and it kills them quickly.I seem to have been flat tack all week, rushing around doing shop stuff every morning before work and now I have to address 70 envelopes for newsletters and get a financial report done for meeting on Tuesday. Bootees are on their way and I've nearly finished the first sleeve for the jersey I'm doing. I really want to get some ring cushions done for the bridal shelf before Monday as well. Phew!

grizzly4 - 2013-03-08 07:19:00

Take a deep breath grizzly. I know how you feel though. I raced into the house this morning fed little J, stripped the beds all 4 of them, put the first load of washing in, loaded the dishwasher, cleaned the baby's highchair, and then got J ready for preschool. Drove to preschool, came home put the washing out, threw another load in and whipped over to my cottage. Cleaned up there and back to the house, another load out, put last load in and scrubbed two pairs shoes. Had a cuppa, rang Mum, had another shower, got dressed to go out, hung last load and waved at my SIL as he arrived back home from his medical, etc. I had a good afternoon at the club , just called in to see my girl then I am off home to put my feet up lol.

makerealbany - 2013-03-08 18:14:00

LOL Are you supposed to be retired? Work seems easier somehow. I have to say that's it been a good week in that I haven't had time to get anxious about any what ifs. LOL Very productive.
Today I have to finish B7's cake for this afternoon, although won't be 8 till THursday, Do the laundry, vacuum, and put petrol in my car. I have to get this jersey finished to take to the shop on MOnday, too. I'm up to the armholes on the 2nd sleeve.

grizzly4 - 2013-03-09 09:41:00

Thanks to I. who managed to get the icecream cake successfully out of the mould yesterday was a success too. LOL. I am half way up the hood of the jersey but I have to wash my car, do a financial report for a 2 month period, get some groceries, sort out paint for the wheelbarrows at the Women's group this week, pick up more items for TM from the shop, make curried sausages for freezer from sausages that didn't get cooked at the birthday BBQ and an apple pie from apples given to me. Plus the ring pillows! Any bets how much I can do?

grizzly4 - 2013-03-10 09:31:00

No no bets grizzly lol. I am off to spotlight to look at material . Just browsing ha ha yeah right!!!!! Deck is finished and looks great. I am so pleased had my morning cuppa out there. TM is still playing up. I got a fixed price offer and nothing appears. Lost auctions have gone as well grrrrrrr. Have a happy day and only do the most important chores. Others will still be there tomorrow and it is a day of rest lol

makerealbany - 2013-03-10 10:47:00

My car still needs a wash! LOL. But got the rest sorted thank goodness. I bought some kitset little wheelbarrows on TM late last year. The group on Wednesday are going to make them up and paint them. I have stencils for the final stage and some metallic paints left over from another activity for the final stage. Hopefully it's warm enough to dry the paint quickly. I am starting B4's beanie today - he has chosen navy and his mitts will be navy with a bright blue lining. I. finished his project of rebuilding a quad bike for the boys. You'll probably see the movie I took of him playing on it on Facebook. LOL.

grizzly4 - 2013-03-11 06:58:00

So does mine grizzly. Water tanker coming again on Wednesday. 4 days wait for water up here. J has a tummy bug so is at home with me all day. Poor little chap. He is in good spirits though. I got some material and fat quarters that were on special yesterday half price bargains. Was going to sew today but no hope with little J lol. The washing is dry in an hour and thank goodness. I am always washing towels.

makerealbany - 2013-03-11 15:22:00

Finally off to bed. Got carried away with the ironing. Just meant to press some material, turned on the Tv and started watching a movie and before you know it I was doing the ironing. M's uniform has to be ironed. She only has 2 sets as they are so darn expensive and kids grow so fast. I have been sorting out the ideas for 3 different quilts lol. Knitting never got a look in tonight.

makerealbany - 2013-03-12 00:13:00