Last day of my month off!!!! I would be looking forward to going back to the actual practical tasks involved but I have this feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach about being responsible for it all again. I have so enjoyed not thinking about it at all except getting the windows fixed before New Year. My coffee with my old boss was a bit weird really. She only wanted to talk about my work and that was the last thing I wanted to do, and her partner who also worked with me for 5 years didn't come either and I thought it was going to be a catch up for the 3 of us. Oh well.
I finished the last sleeve of my cardy last night so just need to do the bands around the V-neck shaping and sew it up. Yahoo. I'm also half way through the wee high viz dolls set. LOL. I managed to find some fleuro orange wool to do another one. I'm looking forward to seeing how they go in the shop.

grizzly4 - 2015-01-14 07:02:00

They will fly out the door. M7 got 8 Monster High Dolls among her Birthday presents. They are weird to say the lest ha ha She loves them. One howls like a wolf which her brother J4 really likes. M has about 40 Barbi Dolls but they are packed away now ha ha. She told me to pack away her Barbi Car and Motorbike that I have for her to play with when she is over. I managed to give away lots of their toys they no longer played with. I need an extension on my cottage lol. Half of the stuff belongs to my grandchildren. No sewing done. We had 4 children here today. Did some gardening though.

makerealbany - 2015-01-14 22:35:00

Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to work I go..... I realised something yesterday. I view sewing and my job in the same way! I love doing the tasks within each but stress out about the bigger picture: work - the overall responsibility, sewing the end product and whether it's going to look ok. The result of which I didn't sew yesterday either. LOL. I did finish my library book, though, and finished the bands on my cardy which I will sew up during the weekend. Hi Viz vest done, working on the hat.

grizzly4 - 2015-01-15 06:30:00

Another beach day as J11 is back to Hamilton tomorrow. Raced back to T's at 3 to do all the washing. Fun days for the kids but hard work keeping them together in the sea. I'm getting brown. Sunscreen costs a fortune for us all. Ha ha. Busy day tomorrow then maybe tomorrow night I can piece up a quilt. Here's hoping. Ha ha.

makerealbany - 2015-01-15 23:19:00

Boy, I slept well last night. Haven't been able to for ages so putting the brain to work yesterday must help. Minor drama yesterday morning before work, though. Sliced the pad of my thumb when I put the toaster away! I couldn't stop the bleeding for ages and was feeling quite unwell by the time it did. I was almost on the verge of getting my daughter to shoot round to help but managed to get it sorted in the end. What a performance and now of course it's such a nuisance.

grizzly4 - 2015-01-16 06:57:00

I like these 2 day working weeks! LOL. I've just been on this computer browsing knitting patterns for 2 hours!!!! Haven't bought anything as the couple I wanted there were no details on how to buy them through Ravelry. Grrr. I downloaded a free bootee pattern to show for that wasted time. I'd better get on with the housework now. LOL.

grizzly4 - 2015-01-17 07:48:00

We were all happy to stay at home today. First complete day at home for awhile. Picked some plums today with the children. Must admit they gave up after awhile and just sat on the bank and ate plums ha ha. They wanted a picnic down the bottom so they trudged up and down the hill with stuff. Busy little bees lol. All our swan plants are being stripped. We have so many Monarchs. J4 is very active gently transporting caterpillars to plants that have lots of leaves. K5 is here for the weekend so the boys are exploring nooks and crannies around the section. I wasted time tonight looking at patterns as well ho ho.

makerealbany - 2015-01-17 23:42:00

No family here yesterday, but of course they never said they weren't coming so cooked a huge butter chicken in the morning. Grr. I finished the wee dolls blanket complete with crochet flowers attached. Went to the Knitworld sale and stocked up a bit. LOL. And found a pattern for a knitted Buzzy bee so I'm giving that a go now. Nope, I haven't finished sewing up my cardy, yet. 30 degrees here already, so won't be doing much, we bought a fan for the lounge and it was so pleasant stayed up till 1am watching DVDs, hence the late start this morning. We will take the bikes out to the river later this afternoon when a breeze hopefully gets up a bit. Holiday programme starts tomorrow so that will be a busy 2 weeks ahead and early starts at work.

grizzly4 - 2015-01-18 11:11:00

Another fun day with my grandson. Tomorrow I have to take three of them to swimming lessons. By the weekend I will so be looking forward to my free few days . Yah.

makerealbany - 2015-01-18 23:30:00

Brilliant afternoon spent at the river yesterday. Even spent time actually in the river cooling off, it was so hot. The boys loved it.

grizzly4 - 2015-01-19 06:19:00

Took M7, K5 and J4 to swimming lessons this morning. My daughters arrived just before the last lesson which was J's. I brought M and K back to Orewa. Had hem until T arrived at 5. A and T had spent the afternoon doing a Job Application for T. Same place, same Role, different hours ( no weekends) and better Pay lol. They had to read 30 pages of Discussion Papers ,I kid you not. Honestly A said it was ludicrous and the H R Team were lazy. Ha ha. I took M home. Rang my Mum. Two hours later I did some jobs and have just arrived back in Orewa. Everyone including my grandson in his cabin are fast asleep. Front door and Patio door were unlocked as was one of the cars. I couldn't believe it. Will be a case of " She thought,He thought" grrrrrr. All locked up now and I am off to bed.

makerealbany - 2015-01-19 23:26:00

That security thing is a biggie I'm having to deal with at work, too. They just don't get that the 2 offices have no visual connection with each other and yet doors and windows are left open and I'm always getting texts from the security company to say the alarm has not been set by the due time and I never know whether someone is just late leaving or if they have forgotten to set it. Sigh. It's those little things that wind me up the most. Yesterday I got back to office after being out for 3 hours to hear water running in the drain of the boys toilet in main building. The drain is right by the door to the external office. I asked the administrator if she could hear it and she said yes, it had been driving her mad! I asked her why she hadn't checked the toilets inside to see if taps had been left running. She just looked blankly at me. Honestly!!! I went inside and sure enough the tap had been left running.

grizzly4 - 2015-01-20 06:40:00

I was part of a great training morning on Precognitive Communication yesterday. If you or your family ever hear of "Get dotted" happening near you I really recommend it. I have finished knitting all the parts of m the buzzy bee I'm working on and have started sewing him up. Very cute. But no haven't sewed up the cardy yet. LOL. I'm home by 4.30 I the afternoon and bringing B6 home with me but at least S. picks him up almost straight away then I have to catch up on the things I don't have time to do in the mornings with starting early. Very hard to get out of bed this morning.

grizzly4 - 2015-01-21 06:24:00

Lost my post again. Dash it . Yes I had to fall out of bed today to wake myself up ha ha. Hectic day tomorrow then I can have a break whoop whoop. Our staff at WWR used to drive me nuts too. Security was always ringing. I got them to send printouts of key codes for unusual entries to the building. That was an eye opener. Everyone had the same password to get in but keys were coded so we knew who came in and at what time. Payroll was interesting,especially verifying time sheets. Some people are so stupid about using common sense.

makerealbany - 2015-01-22 00:36:00

Agreed. They all do there jobs really well but it's the little things that get missed. Buzzy bee is finished and I'm nearly finished a batman finger puppet. LOL. Superman next. I really need to do some serious knitting soon as my stock is minimal in the shop. Won't make my first million this way! Actually I don't think that's going to happen by knitting, anyway. LOL.

grizzly4 - 2015-01-22 06:15:00

Probably not lol. I have a weekend free. Oh my it starts tomorrow. I have serious relaxing to do ha ha. I have gardening to catch up on, sewing, etc. Cleaning ugh. I'm also going to sneak away to the beach for a swim without having to hold on to a grandchild . Happy days are here again dah da dee da da.

Edited by makerealbany at 12:18 am, Fri 23 Jan

makerealbany - 2015-01-23 00:17:00

Yahoo for you! Lap it up while it lasts, LOL. I'm very frustrated with TM traders at present. I have an item that was supposed to be picked up on Tuesday still sitting in my letterbox, another woman hasn't picked up wool after arranging to come on Sunday! AND I bought and paid for a book on the 14/1 and she's saying that because I didn't email her to say I had paid she didn't know I had. Does the payment in her bank account not count for anything with all the reference details etc plus confirmation of our address? She has nearly 3000 trades and this is how she does business? I stupidly assumed she checks her account daily like I do when making regular sales. Sigh.

grizzly4 - 2015-01-23 06:52:00

I had a buzzy bee, and a batman and superman finger puppets ready to go for the shop and daughter S. arrives yesterday and buys them all. LOL. Two days to do something else for the shop by Monday now. I've nearly finished an alien finger puppet. So tired after first full week back at work so there better be a lie in tomorrow. LOL. or else!

grizzly4 - 2015-01-24 06:56:00

Alien done. Another batman almost finished. Hopefully we will get out on the bikes again this afternoon but this morning Need the vege garden tidied. I hope you are really enjoying your weekend off.

grizzly4 - 2015-01-25 10:28:00

I have thoroughly cleaned my cottage from floors to ceilings. Started on Friday and finished tonight. I cleaned out every cupboard. I even cleaned my fridge . All the running to and fro with my daughter has made me slip up on some jobs. It all looks so nice. Every time M7 came over she said" Havent you finished cleaning yet Nana" ha ha. I even refused to go for a swim so I could finish it all. I even laid a piece of Lino to cover the gap that was left when they replaced my hot water system. Sorted out books for the Op Shop. I gave my last lot out to our community group but like you I get fed up when people say they are coming and don't. A gave boxes of reall good clothes, toys and books J had grown out of. One couple were lovely and arrived early as promised and thanked her for their daughter on our message board. Two others didn't come after saying they would three times. Finally my Sil dropped them off and they never even rang and said thank you. So guess who is not getting anything else from us. Honestly how hard is it to say thank you. I started knitting a dolls dress for M and the pattern is wrong. I gave up in frustration ha ha.

makerealbany - 2015-01-25 23:43:00

Oh forgot to say T and K5 are having a great time in Wellington. Sleeping at Te Papa in the Dinosaur Exhibition is not my daughters idea of fun. Ha ha. She was awake most of the night even on her inflatable mattress and in her Katmandu sleeping bag. K was so tired after his day of racing around in there he was snoring in no time. Today they went to the Zoo in the morning but he made her take him back to Te Papa this afternoon. He does not want to come home ha ha.

makerealbany - 2015-01-25 23:48:00

Te Papa is somewhere I have always wanted to visit but haven't been to Wellington in ages. We were close to making plans to go when their earthquake happened. Put me off. I'm a bit sunburnt today after gardening and out on the bikes. It was a good day. You must just love your house now after all that work. LOL. Nothing like spring cleaning. Love it. I have a list of everything I want done before winter but has to be done in bits as time allows.

grizzly4 - 2015-01-26 06:33:00

Is it Friday yet? LOL Trying to get my accounts done at work but too many interruptions to do other stuff. Going to see a new accountant today that will hopefully save us a quite a bit to get audits done. I have finished a replacement Superman finger puppet for the shop and have started another Buzzy Bee. But I really need to start building up my stock for winter. Sigh, not enough hours in the day already. Already? I can't believe it's the end of January, already!

grizzly4 - 2015-01-27 06:47:00

Yes a month has already gone sigh. My daughter flew home Monday , unloaded luggage, grabbed her camping gear and then drove to Opotiki with K. I am looking after the house. Grrrrr. Thought I would be alone as C21 works and his girlfriend was away. Well Last night one of his friends stayed as he had a spat with his Dad. He's still here tonight and most likely will be here until T arrives on Thursday. I left everything spick and span on Friday. Had to change all the sheets as J 20 was home for the weekend and her girlfriend stayed as well. No one strips beds or even thinks to do the washing. I was very annoyed and told them in no uncertain terms. I can't believe how darn lazy they all are. My daughter has spoilt her kids rotten. I'm feeling really taken advantage of lately. If I wasn't staying here the house would be left open, etc, etc. He is supposed to move out by the end of Feb and I can't wait ha ha. I cooked tea and they have all been into the pantry snacking ever since. I don't go to bed until everyone is asleep because I need to lock up. Feeling tired and cranky. Can you tell !!!!!!!!!

Edited by makerealbany at 10:51 pm, Tue 27 Jan

makerealbany - 2015-01-27 22:49:00

That's not good at all. I am feeling your stress! They are treating the place like a free hotel. And it's so disappointing when you plan alone time and it doesn't happen, isn't it? If you weren't there, what would happen?
This week is dragging a bit, I was definitely off my game yesterday, although we had a great meeting with the accountant and I feel very positive about the money we will be able to save.

grizzly4 - 2015-01-28 06:49:00

Wish I could save money lol. They have cleaned out all the snacks T bought. Not touched the fruit sigh. I had to buy more groceries yesterday. Milk and bread just disappear. It costs my girl a fortune for food. I'm so glad she is having a well deserved break. Going to start cleaning up now. Dishwasher is working overtime ha ha. Lovely day might go for a swim to destress ha ha.

makerealbany - 2015-01-28 07:39:00

I hope you got your swim! It's raining here this morning but still quite mild. I've finished knitting the parts of the Buzzy Bee now to sew it up tonight. Mmmm, that reminds me still need to sew up my cardigan. LOL.

grizzly4 - 2015-01-29 06:49:00

Yes and I loved it. Waves were high and rough, a rather strong undertow but very warm. T home today so tomorrowI will be going home. Yippee. Miss my solitude. Haven't felt crafty at all lately. Too much to do. Sigh. Never mind things will settle soon.

makerealbany - 2015-01-29 21:46:00

Yep into your 'normal' routine of caring for children etc. LOL.I am so tired and very glad it's Friday. The thing for me about the holiday programme is that I don't get the balance of book work, meetings, women's group etc. I tend to stay in the office catching up on bookwork and the constant noise is quite draining as well. My 'normal' routine will start next week when our local schools open and we start a new term. Buzzy bee is finished and I have started baby socks in an effort to build up my baby stock in the shop before winter. I know it's raining here but it wasn't light till nearly half an hour later. Scary thought that the seasons will start changing again. My lawns and garden are loving this rain though. Tomatoes are doing well and I brought in the first lot of beans to freeze last night. Soil is a bit tired this year so going to have to collect lots of horse poo in autumn and dose it big time. (Didn't I say that last year?) LOL.

grizzly4 - 2015-01-30 06:44:00

I can't remember if you did ha ha. Loving waking up to constant drizzle. Gardens are loving it too. I only woke up 30 minutes ago. I was weaving away last night very happy and then noticed it was 2am. Ah well I intend to weave today as well. Was going to garden but it's raining. I don't know how you can concentrate on bookwork with all the noise either. Yes M and J start on Monday but K doesn't start until Wednesday. Two days and home again. Seems silly to me. How many people sell in the shop. You are always flat out making stock. Going to whip down and pick some plums for my son before he gets here with T. He's coming to stay for good. I really love him as he's so cute and well behaved. It will be better for him here. He will have mates to play with all day. He goes nuts when he sees me. Jumping all over the place. Travels well in the car so he will be my shadow now ha ha.

makerealbany - 2015-01-31 09:18:00

That's lovely that T will stay with you now. Good on you. I slept in as well LOL. It was 8.30 before I knew it. We were supposed to be up early to get a warrant for I's car and then he and son S are taking scar metal from both our properties to dealers. S has an old dryer and fridge and we have a couple of bike frames and the old bits of the trailer we rebuilt. They might make a bit of pocket money. LOL. There are 60 members at the shop: knitters, sewers, wood crafts people, makers of small gift items and toymakers etc. Didn't quite manage to finish the wee sox before I dropped off last night.

grizzly4 - 2015-01-31 10:00:00

Took son and DIL and L7 out for afternoon tea yesterday and explored the Pegasustown settlement. Got the warrant for I's car but took an hour and a half so no time to get rid of the scrap metal. Such a pain, I was looking forward to it being gone. Going out on the bikes this afternoon as usual.

grizzly4 - 2015-02-01 10:32:00

I spent a few hours weeding the bank this morning. T started at 2 this afternoon so T and I are up at the beach. He is loving having company . I am still weaving the little Korowai. It takes hours and hours to do. I have finished the pattern at the top which is the most difficult part now I am weaving one colour only which is so much faster. Going home tonight as I have to be here again on Tuesday. Think I'll stay at home for the night and come early in the morning.. Mind you I could change my mind ha ha. My neighbours had a shredding machine going all morning so I had to keep all the windows closed. That stuff flies through the air. I was happy to see it done though. My silly Sil gave all his stuff away. He could not be bothered going to the Scrap metal guy. More money than sense lol

makerealbany - 2015-02-01 21:58:00

We had another great afternoon on the bikes. Daughter S and B6 came with us. Fish and chips by the river in the evening and the boys swam. Good fun. So hot in the house when we got back so had the fan running. I had wet hair after a shower so now I have a stiff neck this morning. LOL. I did knit another pair of wee socks and bought another couple of dolls clothes patterns on TM. And yes, cardy still needs sewing up. LOL.

grizzly4 - 2015-02-02 06:25:00

A lot cooler this morning after a really hot night. Awful to try and sleep.

grizzly4 - 2015-02-03 06:46:00

It is K's last day of the holidays yahoo. I made Plum jam last night and then drove up at 11. Just doing all the household chores then have to bake for lunches. Little T is doing well. I thought he might fret but he is used to staying with me and now thinks he is the king of the castle ha ha. As soon as I unlock the car he is sitting there by the door waiting to get in. I didn't bring my weaving up so after baking K and I will go for a swim. Yes the weather is funny. I had the Heat Pump on cool last night. When you are cooking it's dreadfully hot. Flies are a pest now. Lots of Monarchs and Swan plants again this year. Swan plants pop up everywhere. I never dry my hair in summer. I shower and leave it . It dries so quickly in the heat.. I close my blinds when I am away and the cottage is cool. If I leave them all open it's like a furnace.

makerealbany - 2015-02-03 11:00:00

I can understand that. My house is awful to walk into at tea time after being closed up all day. We planted swan plants at work and the kids on the holiday programme were busy transferring caterpillars to plants that weren't stripped. The back wall is covered in chrysalis now.

grizzly4 - 2015-02-04 06:35:00

I found one hanging inside the outside citronella candle holder. It hatched yesterday and I had to take the cover off to dry the wings. It flew off after a couple of minutes. The caterpillar must have crawled in when I had the baby swan plants on the table to replant. Today was a real doozy. I took M and J to school as poor A has shingles. Meanwhile up in Orewa T took K to school. No one else was there because they start tomorrow duh. Then she had her interview today but reminded me K was starting this terms swimming at 3.15 so after I had finished making more Plum Jam I drive up to her place, drop off T and his cage, drive back to Northern Arena and what do you know!!!!! You most likely can guess. Yes it is tomorrow. K just looked at me and said" Mum has really not been on to it today aye Nan" out of the mouths of babes. Lol. She was so apologetic but I could have rung her neck ha ha. I kept thinking to myself " Please let her interview be today" it was and I think she was so nervous about it, everything else flew out of her brain lol. She felt it went very well but won't know for two weeks. She was happy she had applied and was interviewed. I'm glad she did as well. Just finished an hours weaving.

makerealbany - 2015-02-04 22:57:00

Had a great day. K went to school. He likes his new teacher and his new classroom. He has a desk now so he's pretty pleased about that. After school I took him for his swimming lesson which he enjoyed. While he was at school I gave his room a real tidy up. Lol. I had to sort out dinosaurs by the dozens. How that boy managed to get fish food flakes under his mattress I'll never know. Ha ha. Got back here late tonight so it's bed for me now.

makerealbany - 2015-02-06 00:35:00

Boy it's cold here this morning. AND we are going out to the river early with friends who can't take the heat. LOL. Brrrrr!

grizzly4 - 2015-02-06 08:24:00

.

Edited by carton at 11:18 am, Fri 6 Feb

carton - 2015-02-06 11:10:00

Yes it was cooler here. I dashed down between the showers to get the last of the plums off the trees. It was really windy as well. Had to move Begonias inside from the verandah because if the wind. My oldest grandson brought little mini motorbike up from Hamilton for the long weekend so K5 and J 4 had a great time riding it. M7 was not that keen lol. Made some more jam tonight. Got my to tomatoes ready for Relish but I'll make that in the morning.

makerealbany - 2015-02-06 23:08:00

Ooooooh bugger! I crashed my quad into the back of I.'s when he stopped suddenly. Broke my wrist! Not sure I'm going to live this one down. Gained quite a bit of respect at the hospital after they assumed at my age I had had a 'fall' as older people do. LOL.

grizzly4 - 2015-02-07 20:35:00

Omg you poor thing. I am having a lazy day. Washed my car as I had to go pick my son up so he could borrow it. He lent his car to a friend who crashed it and wrote it off. Honestly if it's not one thing it's another. Told him not to let anyone else borrow it. It may be old but it's all I've got ha ha. Not like the three year old car he lent ,,,,,,. I'm weaving and watching TV. Might cook some scones soon. We had a huge late lunch with A and the kids. They never stop talking to their uncle. He had to check out M's Fairy Dell she made as well as J's bugs in the wood ha ha. I bet that wrist is darn painful. Which hand is it?

makerealbany - 2015-02-08 17:29:00

Left, thank goodness. S going to work is ok. Having to learn new strategies for showering, washing my hair, doing the dishes and hanging the laundry though. LOL. Thank good ness my car is an automatic. I need to check with insurance company to see if I'm covered as they class a cast as an impairment apparently. Will wait till after the MRI I'm waiting for happens and see how bad it is and how long I'll be in a cast for. Insurance or not I can't not go to work, really busy weeks ahead. Tried knitting but very difficult and I get sore very quickly but it's worth doing even a couple of rows now and then to stop myself from going stir crazy.

grizzly4 - 2015-02-09 06:41:00

It sounds awfully frustrating. I had an accident 6months before my first husband died. I broke my right arm in three places and my left leg in two places. So I know what it's like trying to get the housework done. You will laugh when I tell you what fell out the first time they removed my arm cast. The tops of knitting needles. I got so itchy lol. They replaced the cast and told me off lol. The place will fall apart if you don't go to work. Just don't overdo it. You will cope for a few days then it will hit you. Hope I can help out with the home stuff.

makerealbany - 2015-02-09 19:27:00

Todays a bit of a down day I think. And look how early it still is! Had an MRI at 9pm last night, didn't enjoy that at all. They had to remove the cast so now I have to put up with wearing a split cast that's taped together today until results this afternoon. The bruising on my hand and wrist is so impressive though, worth seeing. I don't think the cast is on in quite the right place as the pressure points feel wrong and I'm really sore. Roll on this afternoon. I'm working from home this morning as we are having Bora treated at work. Then I have a lunch time meeting before coming home again to wait for I. before going back to the hospital. It's all very time consuming. Did quite a few rows of knitting last night trying to calm the nerves before the MRI, another reason I could be in pain I suppose. LOL.

grizzly4 - 2015-02-10 06:43:00

Hope the scan results were ok. Yes knitting will not help grizzly you naughty girl. It's hard though when you are always knitting when you are sitting . That sounds poetic lol. Took T to the vet for his shots and because he had stopped eating. She put some cat biscuits down and the darn dog cobbled them up whilst she vacinated him. She said he was just sick of his diet and needed a change. Temperamental little Moodle ho ho. I was thinking and fearing all sorts of things. I was so worried about him that I forgot my sons birthday. Idiot I am ,,,,,,,.

makerealbany - 2015-02-10 23:31:00

I'm free! MRI came through with no break just bone bruising so no more cast. Yippee! I was so excited and then half way home in so much pain I got upset that they had made a mistake. I slept for an hour and a half when I got home, I must have been more stressed about the whole thing than I thought. LOL. I need more pain relief now than when the cast was on but at least I can show off the wicked bruising. LOL. Such a waste under all that plaster. And yes, last night I finished the front of the wee cardy and up to the armholes on the first sleeve. Don't tell me off it was incredibly therapeutic. LOL. I have a guest speaker from 'Quilts for KIds' coming to Women's Group this morning and then a game of Pictionary planned. Should be a laugh.

grizzly4 - 2015-02-11 06:25:00

Wow that's great news I'm so pleased for you. No cast. You still have to take it easy. No more Quad riding for awhile. No lifting stuff either . Nurse it and it will heal quicker. Knitting is therapeutic lol. Back home for two nights yippee. My car has to go in for a service on Friday. It is running like a hairy goat grrrr. Sil flew in tonight. Double yippee. I'm still weaving but it dies hurt my back and neck. Darn it. I'm going to start another knitting project tomorrow night. Not sure what as yet. I would love to hear and see what your Guest Soeaker from Quilts for Kids islike. Pay special attention for me ha ha.

makerealbany - 2015-02-11 21:05:00