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cookessentials - 2010-11-29 07:19:00

Your garden sounds great cookessentials. I've had some teething problems with my raised beds and am finally planting out today. Georgie Porgy fat'n'fluffly is goung to be excludrd with a net - hope it works. she is so determined I doubt much, short of barbed wire will actually do the trick.

calista - 2010-11-29 07:27:00

Good morning all,
a late start for me today as I actually have a whole two days off ... no work, no school .... and I've just had near on 12 hours sleep! Think I was a bit tired lol!
Not sure where to start on my list of chores yet but I know I have my priorities right as I'm starting my day with a cup of tea and 'a circle of friends' :)
Going to get some more compost and vege plants for my little garden today - it's overcast here in Chch so actually a nice day for gardening as not so hot.
Meeting some friends later on so this may just turn into a chill out day - haven't had one of those in a loooong time so all good.
Have a lovely day wherever you are and whatever you do, xxx
And EA - extra special cyber hugs for you xoxo

winnie231 - 2010-11-29 09:19:00

Hi Everyone - thinking of you all.. especially you Earthangel, and all of you in the Canterbury region.

Hi Pam, I saw the forecast temperature for your area, thought of you and my many relatives in the area there.. whew! Hot!

Your garden area is increasing Rae.. does your course finish for the summer soon?

My vege garden is growing well - amazing weather here for growth, we often have rain during the night at this time of year - and none during the day - growth surges ahead because of it. My potatoes grew so fast I was mounding soil up around them every day - not a good idea to leave them to a second day due to the fast growth.

I had my first raspberry two days ago, 2 more today - yesterday now, and the first blueberries as well, with those and strawberries and Alpine strawberries, my berries are beginning their summer well.

Take care everyone :-)

juliewn - 2010-11-30 00:49:00

Morning all,
well my internal alarm clock works very well - I was awake at 4.30am despite it being my day off!!! Hope that doesn't happen when I have 4pm-midnight shifts next week!
Julie - the builder decided it was too much weight on the fire escape having my container garden up there so my landlord has helped me dig over a narrow strip of garden that runs from the house to the street. He's just had a 2m high security fence built accross the front so my garden is nicely sheltered and gets the sun for a good part of the day. It's lovely seeing everything start to grow :)
You will have to post some photos of your garden for us - it must be looking great by now after all the hard work you have put into it!
Looks like it's going to br a great day here - a walk on the beach is on my agenda :)
Happy days all, xxx

winnie231 - 2010-11-30 05:52:00

Quiet day in here .... hope you are all out enjoying the sunshine!

winnie231 - 2010-11-30 15:46:00

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cookessentials - 2010-11-30 15:50:00

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charlieb2 - 2010-11-30 19:18:00

When I read your post Charlieb2 I thought "we haven't felt an earthquake over this way for days" and you know what happened next - quite a good one too. I hope this isn't the start of another lot.

greerg - 2010-11-30 20:13:00

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charlieb2 - 2010-11-30 22:09:00

the countdown is on, - 55 mins til 1st december and trees up tomorrow, will post a photo when finished thinking of silver and gold for the main tree this year, thinking about white led lights instead of the green I have so maybe a quick trip out to get some new ones first!!
hope everyone is o.k. earthangel hope you are feeling a bit better health wize and personal as well.
my little herb garden is not going great guns, the parsley hasnt really grown which suprised me as i thougth it would have been like a weed!! my potted colour at the front door looks lovely, mind you have remembered to water it every day so far!! - had a visitor from sydney for dinner tonight, they have already been getting 30 degrees, but couldnt complain about the day today either, think we are in for one hot summer.
(can I quietly note that the hottest I have been was when I was at my friends house in chch!!!) how did toady do on the taupo bike ride?
hope everyone has a great day planned for tomorrow.

auckland_ali - 2010-11-30 23:10:00

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vintagekitty - 2010-11-30 23:26:00

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charlieb2 - 2010-12-01 11:30:00

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cookessentials - 2010-12-01 11:42:00

Hello all,just popping in to say hello.
It a lovely day here today,
I have been told my surgery is not till march/ April so the holidays we have planned are still going a head.
We are off to Hanmer Springs on the 26th Dec till 6th Jan.
We are both looking forward to it,and are hoping for a better year next year.
I am at the doctors it seems every 3 weeks with yet another infection.
Hope everyone in here is well and happy,and thank you all for your wonderful support it means a lot.
I will be back to my old self soon enough xxx

earthangel4 - 2010-12-01 13:10:00

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cookessentials - 2010-12-01 15:16:00

Well I've had a goodish day but a friend of mine not so ...
He texted me when I finished work at lunchtime to say that he was going into A&E because he wrenched his knee playing touch with some friends last night and it was becoming unbearable.
Needless to say, I went and picked him up & spent all afternoon at hospital.
The outcome is he needs to undergo a knee reconstruction or knee replacement! They will know more after an MRI tomorrow.
And he's only 42!!!
I'm really devastated for him and you can imagine where he's at tonight. He's only recently gone into business for himself which is going really well but there's no safety net for when something like this happens. Has really made me think about all I have to be thankful for.
Not really to do with this thread I know but that's what's on my heart & mind tonight.

winnie231 - 2010-12-01 19:35:00

http://images.trademe.co.nz/photoserver/75/152469775_full.jp
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Been busy busy busy but will catch up soon.... just finishing off these... then washing to hang out and tommorrows dinner to make...

Taupo was great, will catch up real soon.

Luff JB

Edited by toadfish at 8:09 pm, Wed 1 Dec

toadfish - 2010-12-01 20:08:00

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elliehen - 2010-12-01 20:55:00

Good morning everyone,
it's a grey old day here in Chch today - kind of appropriate really considering the memorial this afternoon.

Thanks ellie - talked to my friend earlier - he got very little sleep last night & is trying to sort out his business over the phone this morn.
I hope the hospital rings soon so that I can help him before I start work this afternoon.
It's going to be quite a shock to my system going from early shifts to 4pm-midnight! I'm used to being in bed around 9pm!!

Toady - one word for you - WOW!!!
Your mini cakes look fantastic :) You are a true domestic godess!

EA - great to hear from you - I hope you have a lovely relaxing time at Hanmer :)

Charlieb - great news!

Pam - I miss my girls both for their eggs & their company in the garden ... and in the house in the case of one of them! Bossy Britches loved coming inside to finish off the catfood :)

Have a great day all, remember to count your blessings .. and if you can - at 2pm - join in the 2 mins silence for the minors & spare a thought for their loved ones.

winnie231 - 2010-12-02 09:18:00

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charlieb2 - 2010-12-02 09:27:00

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cookessentials - 2010-12-02 10:26:00

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charlieb2 - 2010-12-02 11:48:00

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charlieb2 - 2010-12-02 23:06:00

I'm just home from work & trying to unwind.
It was gutwrenching to watch the memorial service this afternoon.
I hope the men can be returned to their loved ones so they can find closure and start to heal.

winnie231 - 2010-12-03 01:16:00

Good morning everyone,
I should be still asleep but my body clock does not want to swap from early to late shifts! I was lying in bed at 7am telling myself "you can't be awake now ..." but guess what - grrr!
5hrs in bed does not make a good nights sleep so I'll try to have a Nana nap this afternoon before I go to work.
On a brighter note - it's only 1 week till my darling miss (nearly) 14 flies down to join me for 3 weeks :)
I have no shopping done ... no christmas goodies made ... and in general have made absolutely no preperations towards christmas!
Think I'll be doing the last minute rush thing this year. Definately no domestic godess living at my place at the moment lol!!
Have a fantastic day all, xxx

winnie231 - 2010-12-03 08:30:00

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cookessentials - 2010-12-03 10:46:00

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elliehen - 2010-12-03 12:03:00

AAAhhmen!

jbsouthland - 2010-12-03 12:05:00

hey charlie that's great, I hope the first steps can get underway soon.

I have been feeling very sorry for myself. Went for a scan-guided steroid injection in my shoulder and the Dr invoved used some of the time while I was under a not very deep local anasthetic (sp?) to scrape some of the calcium out of the joint then told me to take panadol and neurophen - which were pretty useless. Went to my own GP to ask why she hadn't warned me and she said she had only requested a steroid injection (and gave me some lovely effective painkillers). Because I was in pain (and always expect the worst outcome) I was a bit worried that it wasn't going to get better and i would be permanently grounded from my bike - which I've only had a couple of weeks. The good news is that it is getting better, but I won't ride until Monday, to give it maximum healing time.

I've been thinking about the miners and the press coverage. I haven't watched any TV, but do we really need to intrude on the grief of families and friends to empathise? I found having the flags in the Square flying at half mast, juxtaposed with Christmas banners was a very moving visual image.

calista - 2010-12-03 19:18:00

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charlieb2 - 2010-12-03 21:16:00

I'm hearing you Calista.. ultrasound guided cortisone injection in my shoulder a few weeks ago - not fun and it's still sore.. and interrupts the fence and raised garden building I'd planned.

I hope your shoulder is feeling much better very soon.

Have a great weekend everyone..

juliewn - 2010-12-03 22:12:00

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charlieb2 - 2010-12-03 22:23:00

not a nice injection to have and some drs just have no personality at all!! I am sure you will be up riding that flash bike of yours in no time. I am thrilled to have all the trees up and looking fab, gold and silver on the tree looks amazing. I am really pleased with the look of the house, got one of those banners that shops have to advertise stick in the ground and tent material, its red of course and says ho ho ho, found in the $2 shop (not $2!!) just the ticket for outside I thought!! hope everyone has a nice weekend planned.

auckland_ali - 2010-12-04 09:56:00

I love Christmas traditions and the kids have just been on their annual Christmas tree selection trip to a local place that grows trees so tomorrow morning will be the ceremonial tree decorating. I dread the day when it is only us for Christmas. Ever since they were tiny they have selected one decoration each from Ballantynes on Christmas Eve so each child has a large box of decorations that they can take away some day as a starter kit for their own trees. Each year they go through the boxes, reminiscing about when they were bought as they hang them up, and remembering the stage when one son went for the largest glitteriest items possible while his twin choose very small wooden ones, the year they each independently chose the same Santa, etc. The boxes have become little family history chests and I'm so glad I did it. Our tree of course is all about sentiment and nothing about style and its very very full. Once the decorations have been chosen we have always walked down to the Cathedral to leave gifts under the tree, look at the flowers and the crib. Home for dinner of the first slices of the ham then usually off to carols by candlelight. Last thing at night they still hang up their stockings and listen to "The Night Before Christmas", despite all being in their twenties. What Christmas traditions have other MBer's families followed for years?

greerg - 2010-12-04 20:32:00

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charlieb2 - 2010-12-04 23:08:00

What lovely messages to read, greerg & charlieb, as I sit here alone in an unadorned apartment unwinding from another mad shift at the casino.
Don't take me wrong - I'm not sad, just reflective. It's been a huge adjustment for me going from fulltime Mum to 'soloist', student & shiftworker. There's a big box labelled christmas up in Golden Bay in my ex's garage with, amongst other things, even decorations from his childhood in Germany. He isn't into the whole christmas thing so the tree, etc has always been at my house and for the past 5 years he would come by for a couple of hours. I wonder if the box will be unpacked this year now he is in charge ...
I think I'll take Miss (nearly) 14 shopping to kmart or the warehouse next week when she arrives & let her create christmas here.
My colleagues (of many nationalities) think I'm funny - singing out loud to the in-house carols as we reset the tables at the end of the night for breakfast.
Gotta get my christmas fix somewhere!!!

winnie231 - 2010-12-05 00:51:00

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cookessentials - 2010-12-05 07:53:00

How lovely Pam - the joy of the surprise and family at Christmas. I bet your Christmas goodies are quite something. Winnie - you have made such an amazing new life so quickly here that I'm sure you and Miss 14 can have a great pre-Christmas Christmas and by next year you'll be reminiscing as you put up the tree. Don't forget the Cathedral is lovely at this time of year and I bet Miss 14 isn't too old for Ballantynes window - Miss 25 isn't. It's been such a stressful year for so many in Christchurch that the routines of family at Christmas seem more important than ever. Charlieb2 Master 9's efforts will be way better than a designer tree. I wouldn't change the mishmash of gaudy, tasteful, old, new on ours for anything. I even have a few items from when I was a very small child which are horribly the worse for wear.

greerg - 2010-12-05 09:02:00

My Christmas tradition is tree-sitting. every Christmas eve afternoon I am on duty at the Christmas tree in the Cathedral thanking people for the gifts they bring, explaining the tradition to tourists who stop by, directing those who are alone to the City Mission Christmas dinner if they want to be around people on Christmas day. I love the way children's faces light up when they see the tree.

Then on Christmas Day I'm exhausted so I often have a quiet day alone or with just one friend.

calista - 2010-12-05 14:23:00

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charlieb2 - 2010-12-05 21:24:00

Oh Cooks - that's great!

I also do the shift just before the "Service of the Animals" - the most chaotic service of the year at the Cathedral, but I bail out before it starts (I do have some self-protective skills).

This week will be making Christmas cakes and puds to send north so I wouldn't mind a couple of cooler days.

calista - 2010-12-05 22:37:00

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cookessentials - 2010-12-05 22:48:00

Hi Greer.. re your comment ' Last thing at night they still hang up their stockings and listen to "The Night Before Christmas", despite all being in their twenties.'

We're the same here.. we have a very special Christmas story-book that includes The Night Before Christmas.. it's an absolute must for Christmas Eve.. a tradition since my Son was young.. he's 28, so almost that many years we've read that lovely story.. and when my Daughter was born, she became a part of it too.

On Christmas Eve, we have dinner together and once it's dark, drive to McDonalds and purchase a cone ice-cream each.. then drive through town viewing all the Christmas lights on homes and business' - once we're home and they're ready for bed, we pile on one of their beds, and I read the story.. a special part of the night..

I love the rhyming of the story too.. I always begin with a whisper and build up, making it all very dramatic! .. Through building twice and moving twice over the past few years, there have been many times we can't find something because it's been packed away till moving.. the location of our Christmas book has always been known precisely :-)

They both still have the Christmas stockings I made for each of them for their very first Christmas'.. and they're still used each Christmas.. though I keep Chris' stocking here, and send him his stocking gifts with the large parcel of individually wrapped gifts and goodies I send him for both Christmas and his Birthday each year.

Chris was recently asked to apply for a position at the Brisbane base of the international company he works for - using his Earth Science Degree, he's, as of tomorrow, working as a Scientist for them in Brisbane. His work includes managing the cleaning up of toxic sites, etc.. so he's using his university training and the wide-ranging environmental skills he's built, and is working within his field of interest and belief in doing well by this planet we all call home.. I'm very proud of him..

Today.. yesterday.. I've made two lots of shortbread, 1 of Anzac biscuits, 1 of Christopher Square, 2 trays of Christmas mince-tarts and a batch of coconut macaroons, which I have to say are very moreish!

I'll make a couple of batches of meringues, a pavlova to freeze for easy and delicious desserts and my Christmas baking is done.. I've not been this organised previously - it's so much better than the last minute late-night rush's I've sometimes had - and.. I'll admit.. I've been known to make strawberry and boysenberry jam on Christmas Eve - not this year though :-)

Enjoy your Christmas planning and baking and the build-up to the 25th.. and have a great week all..

juliewn - 2010-12-06 02:41:00

cookessentials wrote:

Yep, I hear you, we have some oldies including "toilet roll santas" made by Adam at Kindy..they have cotton wool beards. I also have "tinfoil bells" also made by Adam at kindy and I wouldnt trade them for the world, but then I also have all Adam's baby teeth nestled in cotton wool in a wee box as well LOL...just call me sentimental.

I hear you too.. the older decorations include the woven - I think they're called.. Tiger's Eyes - made at Kindy or school.. painted wooden skewers set at right angles, and colourful wools threaded in and out around them to then hang on the tree.. I'm smiling.. gorgeous memories..

juliewn - 2010-12-06 02:44:00

Lovely to catch up on all the reading, I had my works xmas party on Saturday, a whole day affair as it was in Cambridge. I have the annual Toy Run (Classic Cars) tonight and then I am moonlighting tommorrow night for my old work.... Then after that I will breath and contribute far more to this lovely thread.

Just quickly before I go for my walk... My Christmas tree is very ecclectic with special decorations gathered over the years (The girls say it looks like christmas exploded onto my tree).. my girls also have chose one each year which has added to it. When we went to Europe 2 years ago we travelled around early Jan.. I have added a fabulous few decorations as they were all on sale lol.

http://images.trademe.co.nz/photoserver/25/152942525_full.jp
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http://images.trademe.co.nz/photoserver/22/152942522_full.jp
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Mixed in are all the "sentimental" ones gathered over the years... In the second photo you can just see Miss 18 on her first day of school in one.

Off for my walk now.. late lol .. take care JB

toadfish - 2010-12-06 05:48:00

I had the teeth too Pam then daughter went to dental school and carted them off to drill and fill holes. Her brothers said theirs were "gross" and that she should have them too. Obviously not a sentiment the next generation will share!

greerg - 2010-12-06 08:07:00

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cookessentials - 2010-12-06 11:46:00

What lovely traditions and memories.
I'll see what my daughter wants to do when she gets here on Firday. I'll definately take her to see the Ballentynes window and possibly the christmas grotto in Spreydon too.
I'm feeling a bit 2nd hand today ... staff christmas party last night lol!
Thankfully I don't have to work today!!

winnie231 - 2010-12-06 11:55:00

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cookessentials - 2010-12-06 13:02:00