I've had 2 good cucumbers this year and I will never try the dwarf tomatoes again. Only had my daughter and 18 mth old B for tea last night so we sat at the dining table. B sat there with us as my high chair has done it's dash. He was so good eating his tea and when he saw the chocolate cake I had made his big eyes nearly popped out of his head. Shame Mr 2 wasn't there as he has a real sweet tooth. Would have loved my cake. Worked on my cross-stitch last night, getting so cloe to finishing I'm at that nervous stage "What if it's not as good as the others?" It's all down to my choice in photo to copy at the beginning so a bit late now but I still have butterflies.
Rather a nice morning here so we're off to the Riccarton market. Haven't been in years then some gardening, I think.

grizzly4 - 2010-01-24 10:03:00

How was the market? I want to go to the Farmers Market next time it is on. It is relatively new. What a good baby sitting at the table. Miss 2 can and does from time to time. It is easier in her highchair but she is starting to say No. If she gets up to the table we let her stay there. Lol. I love the expressions they get when they see things like a big cake. Ha ha. I am sure your latest cross-stitch will be lovely grizzly. I lazed all day. It is a heavy week ahead. Will that is my excuse anyway. Lol.

makerealbany - 2010-01-24 20:32:00

We had a very relaxing weekend. When baby B had his nap on Saturday afternoon his Mum, my hubby and myself all had 'nana' naps too! Market was great but weather a bit drizzly. Lots of pretty things to buy and we kept our money as it looks as if we might shift a bit earlier than the end of April. Got the lawns done yesterday and started tidying the garden but the green waste bin was too full so maybe next weekend. Starting work at 8.15 all this week to do the registrations for the holiday programme. At least can finish at 4pm, thank goodness. Not sure I'll cope being up this early!

grizzly4 - 2010-01-25 06:55:00

Well had a begger of a day. My teenage grandson has been complaining about being itchy for 2 months. My daughter has had him at the Doctors and he had been given this and that. Has not been able to sleep because he kept scratching etc. An allergy no!!!! Went to another Doctor and was told he has Scabies. The poor kid has been suffering needlessly. Anyway he was given a script for Derbac M and some Hydrocortizone Ointment for the itch. Plus everyone in the family had to be treated. We sent all the linen, including Duvets to the Drycleaners to be washed and steam dried. 7 large rubbish bags full(cost a small fortune). Daughter looked really ragged when I arrived and SIL was hoovering the mattresses , etc. He is off overseas again tomorrow for a month, so he was trying to get as much done as possible. Bless him. They had all the Lounges outside in the sun even though they know Scabies cannot live in Furniture. It appears that researchers, however argue about whether or not they can survive in bedding so the kids were not taking any chances. After all that hustle and bustle, the showers started then the treatment. I have just had a shower here and I must say, although I have no symptoms I was glad to get into the shower. lol. Ah well tomorrow will be a much better day. (think positive girl says my inner voice).

makerealbany - 2010-01-25 22:32:00

Smartgirl, Are you okay?. Have not heard from you for awhile.

makerealbany - 2010-01-25 22:40:00

I know it is late grizzly but I have been thinking about a phone call I received on Christmas Eve. It was the Sister In Law of my late 2nd husband. She rang me to inform me they she had moved my late Hubby's Ashes from the cemetery where I had buried them. That really made my day I can tell you. Bawling my head off for hours. He requested in his will that he be cremated and put there overlooking the sea. Both of his parents were in plots there as well. Many years ago he had a little brother that died. This child was buried close to where they lived. My Ex SIL decided they should all be together so she moved him and his parents back to the place his little brother was buried. He died in 1991 and she asked me if she could move him about 5 years after and I refused. After all it was his wish and his parents also made their choices. She ignored me and did it anyway. We are in contact with the District Council who oversee the area and they are investigating. They asked if I wanted him moved back!!!! My family and I are so upset but we will not move him again. However I am really angry with My ex SIL and the Council. I of course can seek legal redress but what good would that do? However the B---dy Council can sweat awhile and so can she. The Darn Council can pay me for 2 plots that we own and will no longer use at todays value as well the b--ers. The Council will be anxious because she did not have the legal right to shift him and their so called processes have failed them. My Eldest daughter is dealing with all this for us as I just get too darn emotional. Okay I am tired now.

makerealbany - 2010-01-26 00:56:00

Oh, makeralbany, what a dreadful thing to have happen!!! I can only imagine how you must be feeling. I am feeling so very angry on your behalf but also frustrated about how you can ever resolve the situation within that part of your family. It's one thing dealing with the Council but family dynamics are another, eh? And you have been bottling this up since Christmas??? Christmas Day must have been quite tainted! Your ex SIL knew how to time things for maximum effect!

grizzly4 - 2010-01-26 07:29:00

I HAVE FINISHED MY CROSS-STITCH!!!! Will frame it and photograph it over the next couple of days to show you.

grizzly4 - 2010-01-26 07:30:00

Good morning grizzly. Yes My Hubby had 3 surviving brothers and One of them is really sad. He has apologized to us as he is very close to my youngest girl. He told her I had not given permission and explained to her why. She had the nerve to say to me she was like a daughter to my late MIL, as if that was a reason. My late FIL treated me like a daughter and we were very close and he wanted to overlook the sea as well. I have not been in contact with the other brother but he is an old softie and I am sure he is upset as well. My ex SIL has always remined my children that D was only their Stepdad. My first Hubby died when my 2 youngest children were 5 and 8. She was never nice to us but what the hell. Den used to say she is a B---- ignore her.

makerealbany - 2010-01-26 08:25:00

Cool I am looking forward to seeing your cross stitch. Hot here already!!!!! Have a great day girl.

makerealbany - 2010-01-26 08:26:00

Has anyone been knitting with Tekapo wool. I am on my second cardigan. One done in sweetpea and the other gemstone. Knits up nicely. Sat in bathroom doorway and sewed up sleeve seem this morning while Miss Five who is goddaughter was having her bath.
Have a two thousand piece jigsaw on the go as well. It is about a third done. Kb968 at Springfield is its name. I was quite chuffed to see on the Mainline Steam website they are restoring Kb968 to its former glory.

judith98 - 2010-01-26 22:36:00

Also have some UFO's.

judith98 - 2010-01-26 22:37:00

Hi judith98 I have not knitted Tekapo wool yet. Excellent multi tasking skills girl. I am weeding thru my UFO's though. Lol. Used to do Jigsaw puzzles but the only ones I do now are those with my grandchildren I reckon I could do the wooden ones blindfolded now. Ha ha.

makerealbany - 2010-01-27 00:04:00

Another hot day today. I spent the day inside cleaning. Yes very thrilling. I went up to Orewa tonight. K is playing up with his teething and my daughter was grateful for a short break. Little M's bigger bedroom is finished now and looks great. I really like knitting Bella Baby Layette. Nearly finished that cardi and have sorted out the patterns for my expected 1st great grandson. We are pleased he is a boy because he can inherit all his Uncle K's clothes and things. Saw his scan pictures yesterday. So have stored all the pink stuff I have knitted and will now concentrate on bright boy colours. The young ones love bright colours. Pastels are out but I still like them for when they are newborn.

makerealbany - 2010-01-27 00:14:00

I have knitted quite a bit with Tekapo. Did the aran stuff for myself a couple of years ago with. Still looks good. Have to concentrate on sox etc for shop for a week, since I spent a few days finishing that cross-stitch. I have plans now to finish the 'kittens in the potting shed' cross-stitch I started 3 years ago. Talk about UFO's!! The longer hours at work this week is killing me. My time clock is all kaput! I was looking for my lunch at 10 yesterday, I was so hungry.

grizzly4 - 2010-01-27 07:17:00

I am glad you are getting support from some of D's family as well, makeralbany.

grizzly4 - 2010-01-27 07:19:00

My time clock is all kaput as well. Was up at 6. Went over to my son's to pick him up. Drove to the paint shop. It opens at 7 for the tradesmen. Picked up the paint. Drove him to his brothers and dropped him off. Then raced home and cleaned the house for my daughter. She had visitors from Wellington coming and she had to take S to the airport so he could go back to work for a month. The visitors arrived 10 mins after she got back home. I had the house spic and span and I am sure I lost a couple of kilos in the heat. Ha ha. At 4-30 I picked up my eldest boy who was sunburnt. The dope forgot to put on the sunblock. Took him home and stayed for a couple of hours. During that time we changed his bedroom around and had tea. I arrived home at 9-30 and tomorrow I am up at 6 because A is off to work early and I have M. Emailed smartgirl and her computer is getting fixed. Bl---dy so called modern technology!!!!!

makerealbany - 2010-01-27 23:58:00

Computers are great if everything is going okay. My sons have all these virus scanners loaded for me. My Aerial is all fixed thanks to my SIL but the internet still drops out now and then.

makerealbany - 2010-01-28 00:09:00

Good morning girls, I am back, I have been up since ten to six. It is a real habit now. I must be getting old. I am so over computers but you cant live with out them now. I have so much to catch up on now, it will take me ages. Makereal, thanks for keeping in touch. I did keep meaning to text you. One thing I did find out while my computer was away was that I can email from my mobile so that came in handy. My wee girls stayed last night and are still asleep. Very quite here but for how long. Have a great day.

smartgirl - 2010-01-28 07:04:00

Welcome back, smartgirl. You have some hefty reading to do!! Haha.
I feel like I have done a full week's work plus already! And I'm not even working with the kids on our programmes. I don't know how our staff do it, it's a lot harder than in my day, I can tell you. Even so I will be very pleased to get back to normal hours next week.
I'm listening to the arguments on the news this morning about the 25cent rise to the minimum wage. I have to say I feel very mixed about it - of course I feel dreadful for those workers with employers who will only ever pay minimum wage but I also know after dealing with the job vacancy just recently that only 4 of 30 applications had any type of skills. They are walking out of school with nothing and most have children. Nearly all applicants were 18 or 19 years old. We all started at bottom dollar to learn our first job, remember? And yet now they deserve more because they 'chose' to have children before they can support them. Sorry no sympathy! And it's not like our wages will increase to keep the same margin between no experience and 2o years worth. Okay deep breath, off the band wagon now.

grizzly4 - 2010-01-28 07:30:00

Hmmmm.... have framed the cross-stitch and now I don't like the colouring of part of it so going to take it apart and redo the bit I don't like..... B@#%*6!

grizzly4 - 2010-01-29 07:29:00

Yes welcome back smartgirl. I was up at 5-30 this morning and have been out and now I am going to clean up. I have a busy day again today similar to yesterday. Last night I just fell into bed at midnight. I have so much I want to do and not enough time. Ha ha. The lawns need doing again but not today. Oh no.

makerealbany - 2010-01-29 09:25:00

Grizzly I know what you mean. My group have started ringing again but I pick and choose what I will do now. I also told them at our meeting why!!!! Ha ha Lots of red faces. When they have my qualifications and experience( if ever) and when they are willing to work voluntarily( if ever) then they will know what I mean. I told them I have a life which will not allow for repetitive timewasting. Lol. An example: Wanting a paper written for presentation at the end of the month Duh!!!! This month. What a shame about your cross-stitch but I have done that. Lovely hot day here.

makerealbany - 2010-01-29 09:35:00

makerealbany wrote:

Hi venna2. Well I am or would be grey if I did not dye my hair. Ah vanity!!!!! one of my sins. I am in the Grey Power age group though. lol.

Sorry, I hadn't read any of the previous messages but this is obviously a popular thread as it kept popping up in the list of threads you see when you click on 'message board'. And I too was a bit irked by the grammar. And it reminded me of a billboard commonly seen in Taranaki when I was a child, advertising the Greys brand of cigarettes. My parents would debate endlessly as to whether it should be 'Greys are great'. Actually, 'is' was probably correct since Greys was a brand name. Anyway, apologies again ... and you can now go back to discussing crafts!

venna2 - 2010-01-29 09:40:00

This message was deleted.

jan.w1 - 2010-01-29 14:38:00

jan.w1 I have sock wool too. Tried the 4 needles than the round needles. I finally gave up and threw it all in my stash marked "try again". Ha ha. I just could not get my head around it. I need someone to physically show me.

makerealbany - 2010-01-29 22:48:00

venna2, now I get what you mean't. Lol.Thanks. You are right of course. Mind you in this day and age and what with text speak sometimes it is hard to understand what someone has written but we all can relate to being passionate about our crafts.

makerealbany - 2010-01-29 22:54:00

Mean't to ask before but I forgot. My Peaches and Creme dishcloths I knitted are wearing very well but they are still bleeding a bit of colour. The colours do not bleed into each other. I have forgotten what to do about it. I think I have to soak them with a bit of salt. Is that right?. Suggestions needed girls.

makerealbany - 2010-01-29 23:02:00

Yes, I think it's salt, too, when I search my memory. I am very pleased with myself as I unpicked the piece of cross-stitch that was bugging me and redid it one night!!! It's now framed again and on the wall. Opps thats right have to take a photo. Back in a minute.

grizzly4 - 2010-01-30 07:57:00

http://images.trademe.co.nz/photoserver/29/118586829_full.jp
g

grizzly4 - 2010-01-30 08:06:00

http://images.trademe.co.nz/photoserver/29/118586829_full.jp
g and http://images.trademe.co.nz/photoserver/44/118586844_full.jp
g

Sorry they aren't quite straight but the couch is in the way, (They are stlevel on the wall!) and there is a bit of reflection off the glass but at least you get an idea.

grizzly4 - 2010-01-30 08:10:00

Gosh those last messages didn't come out well, did they. Talk about typo's. It's supposed to say 'they are level'.

grizzly4 - 2010-01-30 08:13:00

WOW, griz! They are so beautiful, u must be very patient. I'm guessing they are from photos - that would add to your motivation when they are pics of your treasures. I haven't done x-stitch for years, only one that was impressive enough to frame and that was about 1 years ago!!

bll - 2010-01-30 09:20:00

Oh yes grizzly I agree with bll. They are fabulous. You clever girl you. How neat!!!!!!

makerealbany - 2010-01-30 14:16:00

Hi bll how are you?. Are you back at work yet? A is so next week will be full on. My granddaughter will be off to playgroup, swimming, mainly music and dancing this year. What a busy time we will have. Ha ha.

makerealbany - 2010-01-30 14:19:00

I have another grandchild on the way. Ho Ho. I am pleased that little M will have another sibling. She loves to play with little ones. She went to a Morning tea today with her Mum and did not want to leave because she was having such fun with the other kids. Nana stayed at home and mowed the lawns.

makerealbany - 2010-01-30 14:22:00

Nearly, Makere. Monday. Hubby been back last few days. Master 3 @ childcare this week gone. Miss 8 starts Wednesday. Getting everyone geared up and armed with books and wotnot. And last minute dash to get outside tidied up while we have the energy and the weather's good.

Edited by bll at 9:29 pm, Sat 30 Jan

bll - 2010-01-30 21:27:00

Yes bill my grandchildren all start back next week so the usual running around checking uniforms, shoes and bags etc will start.

makerealbany - 2010-01-30 23:02:00

grizzly my cucumbers are growing well as are the chillies. We ate some of the potatoes last night and they were really sweet. I was pleasantly surprized considering the state of the top growth. Tomatoes are slow. It is so dry and we may need water soon so the poor garden has suffered but I did give it a good soaking tonight. I thought bug--r it maybe it will rain. !!!!!!!

makerealbany - 2010-01-30 23:06:00

My cucumbers are great, too. Tomatoes aren't wonderful because of the grey weather over the last 2 weeks. My son is trying to grow watermelons this year so we were reading up on them in my gardening books. I think he left it too late to plant them so not likely to have too much success this year but he has seeds and is all motivated for next year. I am really enjoying his interest in gardening, I certainly wasn't at 25 years old.

grizzly4 - 2010-01-31 11:09:00

Good on your son grizzly. I have always been into gardening. Dad started me off really young. All that weeding allowed me to progress to planting. HA HA.

makerealbany - 2010-01-31 23:13:00

My Dad would never have allowed us in his garden, neither did my FIL with his nine kids! Their gardens were perfect! And I also think they were their quiet space. Although my Dad only 2 children he probably felt outnumbered in a household of females. I tried when my kids were young but when your partner's not into it bar mowing the lawns it was just too hard with a big section. I was very involved in voluntary work by then, too. Not enough hours in the day for everything I wanted to do. (Somethings never change, really).

grizzly4 - 2010-02-01 07:54:00

Went to work yesterday to put the bins out and feed the fish to found the place broken into!!!! My computer is gone, playstyation, digital camera and cell-phone. They ransacked every cupboard and tagged a couple of walls. Threw the stereo through the internal office door window and had to climb through and hand out the stuff they took as that door is an old style key lock that they couldn't jimmy (unlike the front door it seems). Guess what we've always had problems downloading files onto CD from that computer so there are no back up files stored !!!!!!! Except for hard copies in the filing cabinets. The amount of typing and restoring files and templates I have ahead of me is monstrous! Once it is done though hubby has shown me the portable hard-drive he carries with him and updates every week. I want one!! Everything can be replaced with insurance but all that work is gone. I feel absolutely sick about it. Police are coming today to take the finger prints etc but I doubt these kids will be found and what's a slap on the wrist going to do anyway. It would be great to put them to some hard labour cleaning up though.

grizzly4 - 2010-02-01 08:04:00

grizzly that sucks big time. We do our best to help the part of our communities that need assistance and support but there are always splinter groups that make you want to give it all up. You had a break in not long ago!!!!!! Our Organisation have a lovely Security Company that monitor our alarms and visit the premises continually on their rounds in the area. We got the alarm system funded and the rates by the security firm are heavily reduced for us. Is there a firm who would be willinhg to volunteer some calls for awhile. Then the little bu--ers would know someone was watching the place.

makerealbany - 2010-02-01 20:53:00

Excuse spelling error!!! As to all that work grizzly. One can only do what one can. By that I mean do not kill yourself trying to replace everything lost in the files. I presume you get audited every year both financial audits and accountibility for funding etc. Find out what you MUST have. Work on that to start.

makerealbany - 2010-02-01 20:57:00

My little moan about TM informing me that a bid I had put on an auction was removed either at my request( No) or because the seller did not consider I was a genuine bidder. It was a $1 reserve and I was the first bidder. Same auction number now $25 to start. It was for a USB Adapter. I need one for my grandson who is in Riccarton. I was miffed with the unethical seller but that pales in significance after your day yesterday grizzly.

makerealbany - 2010-02-01 21:02:00

THats a bit rude about the bid, makerealbany!!

Funny thing last Friday I printed off copies of spreadsheets for my referral and for the audits to be done this month. So it is only the new ones I had set up for this year that I am missing. I also did sign in sheets for the programmes starting this week so have hard copies of the rolls as well as parent info packs and registration forms. There are also hard copies of all the policies and procedures and risk management stuff. So it's just straight typing to get them back on to a new computer. It's just time and the nuisance factor of setting up a new computer!

grizzly4 - 2010-02-02 08:45:00

Maybe someone else can set it up. Sometimes grizzly some people take others for granted too often. Sometimes they need a sharp lesson. By refusing to write up a paper I have not put myself under stress because of the short time frame. However the paid staff are trying frantically to change my mind but it won't happen. What part of No don't they understand!!!! All that will mean is that our views are not represented by me lol. To be fair there is no one else capable of doing the task but I am a volunteer and fed up with it. I may as well be back in the work force . NO NO NO!!!!!

makerealbany - 2010-02-02 13:46:00

Very true. Maybe they should be looking at contracting you!! Most of the time the job would be finished by the time they stop trying to get other people to do it. Haha.
Bought a new cell phone for work yesterday and happened to ask if there was a chance of keeping the number of the stolen phone. Didn't think there was any chance at all but miracles do happen! New phone has new SIM card with old number and the $20 top up I put on it on Friday before the break in stays with the number. Yippee!!
All our registration forms have gone out to parents with that number so now I don't have to change them all. Thank goodness. Good on you Vodafone!

grizzly4 - 2010-02-03 08:06:00

Harcourts had their awards 'do' yesterday and Hubby (after only 8 months on the job) got the top Property Manager's Excellence Award for Canterbury and came 2nd nationwide. I am such a proud wifey!!! I think I can stop worrying about his settling into a new job now, eh?

grizzly4 - 2010-02-03 08:09:00