I was reminding EVERYONE that this thread is neutral territory.
Please respect my request and let it go ...
With all that has happened since the earthquake I need my friendly safe haven here ... thanks & have a good weekend.[/quote]

I was once shocked at the reaction I got from a comment that I wrote in response to a comment on here, especially as it hadn't happened on here b4. As the difference of opinion was between me & one other person I made a decision not to respond as I was determined not to let it change the atmosphere of this thread. I enjoy having cyber connections with others on this thread.

510 - 2011-06-06 09:45:00

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charlieb2 - 2011-06-06 09:49:00

winnie231 wrote:

Just had another big shake - 5.5 .... very scary! Honey & I were quivering under the doorframe & one of us was crying :(
Hope everyone else is ok.

Cyber hugs to all our Chch people, hope you r okay Winnie, do something soothing for yourself or talk to a comforting person.

510 - 2011-06-06 09:49:00

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charlieb2 - 2011-06-06 09:50:00

Charlie, I laughed at your description of your roast meal, it is so frustrating & disappointing when you plan a meal that you usually enjoy & it all turns to custard, been there done that a few times unfortunately. Ali did you have a drink or a chocolate to celebrate the end of the ironing.

510 - 2011-06-06 09:58:00

Hope you are a bit less sore Winnie - you had a lucky escape from us as I woke up on Saturday with a hideously heavy cold and graveyard cough so I was probably horribly infectious of Friday evening. Still pretty seedy so I can't even go and visit anyone to take my mind off the fact that I can't carry-on reupholstering the wing chair I have dismantled and ready to go because I paid for 4.4 metres of fabric but was only given 3.4. a genuine error I'm sure and they will put it right but I don't even like to cut out what I can because I don't know whether they will replace the whole piece or just give me the extra metre plus a bit to make up for the fact that I won't be able to be as economical as I'd planned with the fabric. By next weekend when I have the fabric this may not even seem like such a good idea. Sighs - might just have to go and do some cleaning instead.

greerg - 2011-06-06 10:17:00

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cookessentials - 2011-06-06 10:37:00

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cookessentials - 2011-06-06 10:41:00

greerg, cleaning!!! it is a HOLIDAY! Sympathies to those in ChCh, horrible feeling that it might go on, they say you can expect more activity after this one-yuk. Ali, where is DD off to this time-seems a little early for Canada? Cooks, how is the neck and did you try the the stetching? Overcast in Wgtn again today, nothing planned but I'm thinking!

marywea - 2011-06-06 10:42:00

you are right mary she is heading to queenstown, there are a group of 5 going so she has a house organized in wanaka - think she has the skiing bug big time, do dont know if she will go and do another leg in canada or not - time will tell that one - air fare special pending we will try and go down for a few days, might even send the boys down as they were so nose out of joint about not getting to canada!! no celebrations about finishing the ironing, just a nice glowy feeling that I wont be doing it again for another month lol. - when I smoked it was a 6 cigarette job, 1 after the whites, 1 after the blues, 1 after the jeans etc etc so I used to reward myself unconsiously (sp)
greeg sounds like a big project I wouldnt touch the fabric either - you will def need to cut out from one piece shame though as when the mood strikes you its what you want to do.
craft room day for me, am just tiding up a couple of shelves in warderobe and then its time to do some projects that I want to have a hand doing.

auckland_ali - 2011-06-06 11:27:00

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cookessentials - 2011-06-06 11:29:00

Just took Honey out for a walk and both of us are feeling alot better!
I think it was very unnerving for me being in someone elses home & being responsible for it and their precious baby. But I also know I've got macwood2 & her hubby next door if I really needed help which is reassuring.
greerg - that's not much of a way to enjoy a long weekend! Hope you feel better soon.
Thanks for all your thoughts ... they help! And Pam - you can have hairy!!! I've just vaccumed the sofa - AGAIN!!! But she is lovely company :)

winnie231 - 2011-06-06 11:30:00

Oh s**t - another one! Not as strong but still one too many!!!

winnie231 - 2011-06-06 11:42:00

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charlieb2 - 2011-06-06 11:44:00

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cookessentials - 2011-06-06 12:12:00

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elliehen - 2011-06-06 12:12:00

Afternoon lovely people... sorry to hear the earth is still moving in CHCH.. Hang in there.

Photos up on facebook, she looked beautiful... very elegant...

The girls have both been unwell this weekend... Luckily Miss 17 was only on the verge so could enjoy Ball... The silver lining to that cloud is that the toadfie clan has just hung out this weekend taking it easy. DVD's... had a fab chineese meal out last night.. I thought they were both too unwell but they both fancied it... and we all know a little bit of what we fancy does as good. The meal was beautiful and we had lots of laughs and good company, I seem to have washed for a small nation this weekend and have made 2 cottage pies for the freezer and have 2 lasagnes and a pot of soup on the go now... to make life easier in the next few "unsettled" weeks. Have had the nicest weekend I can remember.... LOVE TO JUST HANG OUT WITH MY FAVOURITE PEOPLE!!!

Enjoy the rest of the day.... luff JBxx

toadfish - 2011-06-06 12:54:00

I was having a dreamy sleep in when the bed moved and at first I thought it was Georgie. Apart from the length it wasn't too bad here as it was a rolling one. But the poor people in Rolleston. It's the ones that start with a jolt that scare me rigid.

I am trying to get some semblance of order as a plunber is coming this week to fix some taps- why does everything 'go' at the same time? I think there's a conspiracy of inaninate objects. Still haven't had EQC, despite them sending a cherry little email saying they had visited most with serious structural damage. I know there are people with worse, but I am getting fed up.

calista - 2011-06-06 13:18:00

winnie231 wrote:

Just had another big shake - 5.5 .... very scary! Honey & I were quivering under the doorframe & one of us was crying :(
Hope everyone else is ok.

I would have had a wee blub too winnie.

I have spoken to some of my ChCh family and friends this morning.They are very shaken,and in one case ready to leave for good.All ChCh born and bred,but one cousin has had enough and just wants to start afresh somewhere else.I do hope you are okay now,thinking of you all down there.

eastie3 - 2011-06-06 13:29:00

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charlieb2 - 2011-06-06 13:31:00

Ok so I shared Miss 17's... isn't that enough? If not I'll tag you in one,

toadfish - 2011-06-06 13:36:00

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charlieb2 - 2011-06-06 13:39:00

Try now....

toadfish - 2011-06-06 13:39:00

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charlieb2 - 2011-06-06 13:42:00

Ok so you are tagged now.(Let me know if that works).. Miss 17 said you should have been able to see it on my profile.... Anyone else having problems let me know...

toadfish - 2011-06-06 13:55:00

I've been waiting for the photos to appear too ... & still nothing showing ... you don't luv us anymore ;(

winnie231 - 2011-06-06 14:05:00

How confusing.. they are on my profile....

Try now... have hacked into Miss 17's... Have made it friends of friends....

Edited by toadfish at 2:09 pm, Mon 6 Jun

toadfish - 2011-06-06 14:08:00

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charlieb2 - 2011-06-06 14:08:00

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charlieb2 - 2011-06-06 14:10:00

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charlieb2 - 2011-06-06 14:12:00

Toady lovely photos but not many of them! both girls look so good. Hope they are both feeling OK now

marywea - 2011-06-06 14:20:00

... feeling very excluded right now ... can't see nothing ...

winnie231 - 2011-06-06 14:45:00

Rock on, Rae.

winnie231 wrote:

Please peoples ... to quote myself from last year ... this thread is simply about sharing who we are & where we're at - and I'd love it to stay that way.
We will clash with people here as we do in real life ... that's ok - we're all different.
But those points of view get left by the door ... when we enter this thread ... so we can meet & greet on neutral & friendly ground.
With respect, Rae.

lennyb1 - 2011-06-06 15:28:00

I took a peek myself, couldn't see anything except the pic now installed as her profile pic, but at least she looks stunning in that! Go Miss 17!

lennyb1 - 2011-06-06 15:36:00

Try it now....

Edited by toadfish at 3:49 pm, Mon 6 Jun

toadfish - 2011-06-06 15:41:00

Definitely a rocky day out this side of town. I said the ill-fated words "I haven't felt any for ages" to my daughter when she arrived on Friday night. I am never going to say that again I swear. Only hope the fact that we have the plumber and plasterer this week to do some minor repairs from September isn't tempting fate. We are redoing daughter's room as well so plasterer can do both at once. Did both sons' last year thinking they would be perfect from then on as boys had left home, but they've come back and chaos reigns again. We have two complete flats worth of stuff in the garage. Daughter's bedroom stuff is in the room of the brother who's temporarily way doing fieldwork, there's a disembowelled chair in the sitting room and the side is off the bath in the main bathroom, pending the plumber's arrival. Quite looking forward to returning to my office really.

greerg - 2011-06-06 16:00:00

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cookessentials - 2011-06-06 17:08:00

Phew... thanks goodness you can all see my baby... my baby waaaaaahhhhhhhh she isn't a baby waaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh
This letting go thing is sooooo hard....
Had another Fab day with them... just chillaxing...

Hubbie has made his word famous wedges for tea tonight... and I am off to make the burgers... classic Sunday albeit Monday nights toadfie clan dinner...

toadfish - 2011-06-06 17:18:00

You Christchurch people are my heroes. I think of you all every day and my heart sink when I hear of another shake there. I honestly don't think I could cope the way you do. I don't post here often but please know that you are the most courageous, hard working people. True inspirations when I think MY life is tough!

evorotorua - 2011-06-06 17:42:00

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cookessentials - 2011-06-06 17:52:00

greerg wrote:

Definitely a rocky day out this side of town. I said the ill-fated words "I haven't felt any for ages" to my daughter when she arrived on Friday night. I am never going to say that again I swear. Only hope the fact that we have the plumber and plasterer this week to do some minor repairs from September isn't tempting fate. We are redoing daughter's room as well so plasterer can do both at once. Did both sons' last year thinking they would be perfect from then on as boys had left home, but they've come back and chaos reigns again. We have two complete flats worth of stuff in the garage. Daughter's bedroom stuff is in the room of the brother who's temporarily way doing fieldwork, there's a disembowelled chair in the sitting room and the side is off the bath in the main bathroom, pending the plumber's arrival. Quite looking forward to returning to my office really.

Oh - so it's your fault Glen ... I was wondering who had 'spoken too soon'!!!
I am totally over today - why did the planet have to wait until we were enjoying a 'holiday' to give us another darn good shake up?
Atleast Honey has finally eaten her breakfast & is now chasing the 'kong' toy around the floor trying to get the dog biscuit out of it so I'll take her behaviour as reassuring lol!
Am thinking I might have to get a 'project' started for myself ... I might be in someone elses house but I still have a kitchen available. I feel some 'Zing' seasoned salt coming on!
Need to start thinking about the next Chch get together too. It will need to be Sat 25th June as macwood & I are busy on the Sunday. Has to be that weekend though as that's when earthangel is over from the coast.

winnie231 - 2011-06-06 18:40:00

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charlieb2 - 2011-06-06 18:58:00

evorotorua wrote:

You Christchurch people are my heroes. I think of you all every day and my heart sink when I hear of another shake there. I honestly don't think I could cope the way you do. I don't post here often but please know that you are the most courageous, hard working people. True inspirations when I think MY life is tough!

Hi Erica.. :-) nice to see your post.. hope all is well..

My thoughts are with you all in Canterbury - and thank goodness for tears Rae, to let a little of the pressure and tension go that surely must kick in with these continuing shocks.. hugs all..

I've been away.. glad to be home again.. and good to catch up with the thread.. I agree with you Rae.. this is a lovely thread to be a part of.. and long may that continue..

Have a lovely week everyone :-)

juliewn - 2011-06-06 22:26:00

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cookessentials - 2011-06-06 22:36:00

Hi Pam.. lol.. the low down.. ok.. here 'tis...

Some time with a friend who has just lost a favourite uncle and a much loved family cat, there for her at a difficult time, then some time with Jenni and her Boyfriend.. including dinner out with them both at Gengy's in Hamilton - a Mongolian BBQ restaurant that's a family favourite since Chris was at University there - they have restaurants in other cities too - and it's great to be able to fill a bowl with our own choices of meats, chicken, sea-foods, vegetables, some fruits, favourite types of oils, seasonings, sauces, etc..etc.. then have it cooked in front of us on a huge round hotplate.. a very demonstrative and dramatic way of cooking.. They're here:
http://gengys.co.nz/

Dessert is hot pancakes - cooked in front of us, then we help ourselves to one of the icecreams and some sauce/s.. hokey-pokey icecream and a mix of passionfruit and berry sauces.. yum!

juliewn - 2011-06-06 23:30:00

Hi Julie, we love Gengys here in Rotorua too. A relative is allergic to soy products (soy flour, oil, beans etc) and Gengys cook his selection seperately and he can choose whatever he likes. It is amazing to see on ingredients lists, the things that have soy in them (iceblocks!)
Just had our daughter's 21st in Wellington last weekend, 28th, and am much relieved that all worked out very well and she is happy. It is a big job isn't it. Now I empathise with my Mum who had my 21st, engagement and wedding in 10 months and then my brother's wedding 10 months after that. She had to deal with the bride's US family coming out for the wedding too. She made all the dresses and cakes for each event. She was amazing. (Still is actually and my Mum and my MIL came to Wellington to help this time) It's funny how it goes-my son is thinking about doing engineering in Waikato and my daughter is in Wellington. Isn't that what happened in your house too Julie?

evorotorua - 2011-06-07 06:00:00

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cookessentials - 2011-06-07 07:09:00

Erica, you're an early bird, is it cold in Rotorua this morning? Julie thanks for sharing that site for the Gengys restaurant group. I see there is one in Manukau. Had some lovely unexpected visitors yesterday, really enjoyed chatting & being with people who I love. They had recently been on holiday overseas & I got spoilt with some lovel receive pressies & especially ones that you can't get here. Been thinking of my mates in Chch, hope you r all okay.

510 - 2011-06-07 07:21:00

Charlieb, your toilet story is well worth repeating here-made me smile.

marywea - 2011-06-07 10:24:00

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cookessentials - 2011-06-07 10:37:00