I am so tired and even with a good night's sleep not feeling much different. Weird, really. Need some warm sunny days to pick me up perhaps. I really dislike the bitter nor'easterly wind we get at this time of year even if it's sunny. We are all going to an extended family birthday bbq on saturday so looking forward to that. It's been years since we have been together.

grizzly4 - 2011-09-22 07:14:00

Yay it's Friday finally!
Our friend who was hurt in the Feb 'quake was on Closeup on TV1 last night. The young woman who was hurt in the PGC building is doing a wonderful job on behalf of the children of the other women.
I am planning to having a bit of a clean ouyt this morning before going to work. Getting rid of the craft books on the auctions that close today, they've had their chance to make any money for the shop. Haha. Now to start on the fabric and wool we have been donated.

grizzly4 - 2011-09-23 06:56:00

Yep it's Saturday and I'm on here already. I. has had to go into work so of course I dragged myself out of bed, too. I am having a haircut at 9 so just as well, I guess. I listed 26 auctions yesterday from just 1 of the bags of wool and the smaller bag of fabric. 2 auctions sold before I had finished loading all the auctions. Good for the shop.

grizzly4 - 2011-09-24 06:04:00

you are doing really well with the auctions, good on you. Looking forward to our trip on Wednesday. will bring my water bottles in wednesday too:-)

Girls Grizzly is being really kind and filling my water bottles up for me, i hate the chlorine taste in my water and B seems to be free of it.
All i have to do now is get my drains unblocked.................. again.

suzy59nz - 2011-09-24 20:55:00

Well done both you girls, suzy for you new job and grizzly for all your listings. I have been really slack lately but will get some new listings set up soon. Makereal so glad everyone is starting to come right. Thank God its spring. Great game last night, they must have felt so good beating the French. I watched it with miss 5 who fell in love with Dan Carter. I think it is the first game she has watched and really enjoyed it. Of course having such a good looking boy friend, ha ha, made it so much more enjoyable.

smartgirl - 2011-09-25 07:29:00

Thats very cute, smartgirl! My cutesy story happened yesterday. Went to family birthday bbq with 2 youngest gransons B3 and L4. Another litle boy was there , his name is Kowhai. B3 has learnt this week (only took him a day!) all the Te Reo names for colours of the rainbow. Imagine our suprise when he raced past with his new friend yelling "Yellow!, Yellow! Come and play on the swing." I laughed so hard, it hurt. He understands now, I think. Lovely moment.
I have boxes of other cool stuuf to auction now. Heehee. This time fundraising for the trip being organised for the 15 children of the women permanently disable from the FEb earthquake. If you know of any wee girls that love pretty things keep an eye out over the next few days. Great stocking fillers!

grizzly4 - 2011-09-25 13:44:00

My last message motivated me enough to sort all the stuff out and start some listings. Heehee.

grizzly4 - 2011-09-26 06:05:00

That was a lovely story grizzly. M is learning all her colours in Maori as well. So is little K. I have had him for 2 says as his mummy was busy sorting out medical stuff for his big brother who has bones smashed including his cheekbone and nose, He also has nerve damage after being greeted by a mate who got his knee in the wrong place. Dont ask me how. We still cannot beleive the damage. Apart from that fiasco we had a lovely family lunch yesterday although C was in agony but managed to endure lunch.

makerealbany - 2011-09-26 23:29:00

This message was deleted.

diamonds291 - 2011-09-27 00:53:00

Wow diamonds291! You areas busy as the rest of us, well done.
That's a dreadful thing to happen to your grandson, maskerealbany! How on earth did it happen to cause so much damage?

grizzly4 - 2011-09-27 06:07:00

Hi grizzly. Apparently as C leaned over to greet his friend who was sitting in the corner, the said friend lifted his knee up and smack. We keep asking is there more to this story/ But that is the crux of it. He has two black eyes because of the bleeding. He looks awful. Dont know how he is going to go to work but he says he is. They will take one look at him and send him home. J was so upset tonight because his Mum is trying to teach him how to go to sleep by himself he cried so much he vomited up all his tea. I think little steps will be needed. He has been a sick little boy for a long time and he does not know how to go to sleep unless he is rocked or walked in his pram. We are all wercks again. Sigh.

makerealbany - 2011-09-27 23:37:00

Hi diamonds 291. Welcome. I am knitting yet another vest. This one is for little J. Vests are so handy. Just warm enough to keep the chill off but not restricting for his now fat little arms which are always so busy.

makerealbany - 2011-09-27 23:42:00

It must be really difficult to change habits started out of absolute necessity when children are sick. It's not like the kids understand is it? I feel for you all. I finally finished 2 fairisle cardys that a customer expressed interest in ordering for expected twins. I took so long I thought I might have missed the boat but no! the lovely nana turned up straight away to buy them. You can always rely on a nana, eh girls?

grizzly4 - 2011-09-28 06:26:00

Yes you surely can always rely on a Nana!!!!!! Lol. That was great grizzly about the cardis. I took M to McDs for breakfast and she split her hot choc (which as we know is always just luke warm) all over the table.Sigh. Apart from that and Nana having to wash itout of her handbag we had a good time. I then took her up to the beach and told my daughter up there I would rest while she took her son and niece to the park. 4 HOURS LATER I woke up. My girl laughed and said my grand children kept popping into the room to hear Nana snore. Well I must have needed to sleep is all I could mutter as they giggled at me. Anyway I did some more knitting tonight so am feeling very productive now. Lol.

makerealbany - 2011-09-28 23:25:00

You really did need the sleep, at least you kept the kids amused while y ou were asleep. I have had the same think happen to me at mcds, thats the joys of being a nana. I can understand what you are all going through with J. Our T now aged 11, had terrible reflux till he was 17 months, after that his behavour was terrible because he was used to getting full attention, making sure he fed etc that he did not know how to just be a normal 17 month old. My daughter and her husband need a medal, I am sure if he was born to anyone else he would have starved to death.

smartgirl - 2011-09-29 06:26:00

Grizzly, well done on you knitting. How are the quakes settling down. Where would the would be without nanas. One the other had we are the lucky one to have our grandchildren. I could not imagine life without kids and g/kids, it would be awful. I suppose we would have to just get on. Ha ha

smartgirl - 2011-09-29 06:29:00

Agreed, smartgirl, wouldn't be without my family around me despite the trials at times. Shakes haven't been too bad lately - a few regular 4's but of course there are always predictions of another biggie this week and I am trying not to listen at all so don't know the details they are giving. It does play on your mind though. I have caught a cold as well so feel a bit under the weather and feel a little more vulnerable because of that. Trying to keep busy and not think!

grizzly4 - 2011-09-29 06:46:00

Well here we go again. Had to race up to the beach and pick up K at 7 because his Mum could not get up. Was in terrible pain so my granddaughter who is 17 took her to the Emergency Clinic( faster than the darn hospital///) She has kidney stones. She was out of it for most of the day. They just zonked her with painkiller. She was not too good tonight so we have Little K with us for the night much to the delight of his cousins. They all had a great time. Little J was supposed to be knocked out tomorrow to have another heart test but he has another bug so they cannot do it. Let us hope tomorrow is a far better day.

makerealbany - 2011-09-29 23:53:00

Yes smartgirl You hit the nail on the head about little J but what with the Kawasakis we have to be careful and he cannot get stressed so controlled crying is now off the schedule. We will just have to support his Mum and hope he settles in his own time. Nice to hear from you girl.

makerealbany - 2011-09-29 23:56:00

I hope today is a much better day for you and your family, makerealbany! I've heard the pain from kidney stones is dreadful. Thank goodness it's Friday, it seems to have been such a long week for one reason or another. Doesn't help when I kept thinking it was Thursday on both Tuesday and Wednesday! I'm finishing up a couple prs of bootees for thewoman who is selling our shop stock from her home for the time being and then I'm in the lovely situation of deciding what to do next! Haha. Extended family coming for afternoon tea tomorrow so will be making a sponge in the morning for the first time in ages. Have a good day everyone.

grizzly4 - 2011-09-30 06:24:00

Today was much nicer grizzly. My girl feels a bit better today. I had a day to myself after the early morning rush so to speak. M and K then went to preschool Hurrah. I cleaned my cottage which as you can imagine was a shambles. I then went out for the afternoon. I have just put an order in for my Fly buys after spending the evening knitting. After I have checked my TM I will read a chapter or two and then go to bed. That sponge cake sounds good about now!!!! Ha ha. Hope you enjoyed it.

makerealbany - 2011-10-01 00:11:00

Afternoon tea is today so still have sponge to make. Haha. I. and I went out to dinner last night (date night, heehee). It was a superb meal of salmon with lime and passionfruit baked cheesecake to follow. Yummy! I should do that more often, I reckon. Happiness plus!

grizzly4 - 2011-10-01 10:20:00

Never fail sponge fails when you put it in the oven for 20-30 minutes and someone mentions they can smell something burning 35 minutes later!!!! One of those days. My cold has turned into a really sore throat.

grizzly4 - 2011-10-01 19:18:00

Oh shame about the sponge grizzly. Pity about the sore throat too. At lest you had a good night last night. I went and got my hair cut today. Told him I needed a change so he gave me one. I am all funky now. Lol. Got my weekly stores, went to the Library and came home to relax. S and A took all 3 kids out so I got some me time again. Loving it. S goes again on Monday so there wont be much " Me time for awhile. Ho hum. Did some knitting tonight. Still on the vest. Size 10 needles take forever. Ha ha.

makerealbany - 2011-10-02 00:19:00

Feeling a bit better today thank goodness, the cold is still hanging in there though. Knitting dolls clothes at present. I have so many new patterns I don't know where to go next, really. We're going out on the bike today as it's supposed to get to 22C. Suzy, I'm showing I. the Artisan Cafe we went to with the Women's Group. Not sure how we will carry the stuff I know he will want to bring home! Haha.

grizzly4 - 2011-10-02 11:02:00

Hope you enjoyed the cafe, took K thiere for fathers day, we came home with a bag of goodies lol.
Enjoying my new job, so different to anything i have ever done before, enjoying dressing up and wearing makeup every day.

suzy59nz - 2011-10-02 18:46:00

Hope it was warm enough for the bike ride grizzly. I spent the afternoon drinking tea, eating goodies and chatting with a neighbour. We have not had a good catch up for ages I really enjoyed it. SIL leaves at 4 in the morning for a month. Begger it. lol. Nearly finished the vest. Forgot to take my knitting this arvo as it was raining so I grabbed my raincoat and left my knitting bag behind. Could have finished it by now. Dodo that I am.

makerealbany - 2011-10-02 23:51:00

I've started an aran vest for a change. Quite a nice pattern and done on 5mm needles so knitting up fast. It was a great ride yesterday, definitely warm enough. Wore a jacket but didn't need gloves for a change.

grizzly4 - 2011-10-03 06:21:00

Yes I think I will try and get a pattern for larger needles for the next vest. lol. My daughter's scan did not show any blockages but the GP wants her to go to the hospital tomorrow to see the specialist. She is relunctant because up here you can sit and wait for anything from 5 hours to 25 hours. It is unbelievable how bad North Shore hospital is, She paid to get her scan done privately today rather than wait hours so knowing that I think she will go private again. I had K all day and A is working tomorrow. M will be at preschool so I will most likely have the 2 boys all day. They play so well together. The only fun time is nap time. Ho ho. That is when I have to be really clever!!!!!. J is 1 on Thursday and his cousin is 2. Spoke to Mum tonight and she has just got an electric scooter. All I can say is everyone had better steer clear of her on that thing. I had hoped she would forget about that idea. My sisters are all having kittens there lol.

makerealbany - 2011-10-03 23:49:00

I can't wait till I. and I are old enough for a matching pair!! Yahoo, great fun, good on your Mum, heehee. You'll have to try it out when you visit her next, makerealbany. I had a very weird day yesterday. Delivered some wool to a lady in St Martins in the morning, her house was the back house up a long drive. She warned me the house in front was 'munted' but to drive up. Once I got past the front house the drive climbed a rise of about 10 feet to where I parked. Once we were talking I found out that prior to the eartyhquake in Feb both houses were level! The front house/property had dropped that far. TRouble was it was level with the street still and the demolished mall site across the road. Has all that land dropped or has the wool lady's land been pushed up?!
The next thing that happened was finding out the tutor from my counselling training had died in April 2010! I never knew and it felt awful finding out from her husband this long after. She had a huge impact on my life! He is now stuck on his own in a 14 room house with over $300,000 worth of damage. The house is under the Historical PLaces Trust so very complicated and in the mean time he can't move on. Very sad.
Then I was driving in the afternoon and was cut off from making my left turn into a main road by an ignorant driver that couldn't give way. However at that moment 4 cars slammed into each other right where I would have been!!!!!!
Here's hoping for a less momentous day today.

grizzly4 - 2011-10-04 06:33:00

Omgosh grizzly. How dreadful about your Tutor and her poor Hubby. Life is certainly difficult at times for some people. I have now lost my voice to the delight of some of my naughty grandchildren lol. J and I had a good day but he refused to have a long afternoon nap. By the time we picked M up from preschool he was really tired. I managed to bath them before their Mum got home and tea was easy as I literally threw a beef casserole in the slow cooker so we just had to cook some rice. A had cooked his J's veges and frozen them. We do a lot of bulk cooking here. Ha. Have to for when things go awry.. Tomorrow J is off for his scan again. So it is another 6 am start. You were lucky to avoid that crash girl. Some drivers should not have a licence.

makerealbany - 2011-10-04 22:09:00

I used to love cooking up baby veges in bulk back in the days before food processors! I. did the muscle work for me with the mouli when they were cooked. Yummy! I just had a lovely moment with one of my Tm buyers. I owed her a credit as her purchases could be combined. Instead of taking the credit she donated it to the children's trip that all my bead auctions are for. So very nice of her as it was a whole $9.00. I took a lot of the wee kits to the Women's Group this morning and they bought up large as well. I'll have a nice wee stash for the organiser when I catch up with her next week. It's a real buzz and of course the wool is doing so well to get the Patch up and running again too.

grizzly4 - 2011-10-05 18:18:00

Well little J had his scan today and things have not improved yet. We just have to keep an eye on him and see. They were concerned he has all these secondary infections but on the plus side he has put on weight and seems a happy little boy. My daughter was very upset as it is so stressful for her. She has a lot on at work which does not help. He has 2 more teeth so we have a lull in that area at the moment. I spent the day with my other daughter and my two grandchild. We went to the Warehouse up the coast and they had a great book sale so I managed to get presents for 3 little ones. Some books were 70% off. Fantastic.I am off to bed for an early night. Have a really sore throat and I have lost my voice. Little J keeps giving me all his bugs. Lol.

makerealbany - 2011-10-05 21:35:00

You mentioning losing your voice reminds me of I.'s stories of growing up. His mum lost her voice for part of the year every year without fail and she got the message through to her 9 kids by lots of hand clapping and foot stomping apparently. She was only little but pretty fiesty. My kids got to understand this method of communication as well when they were little. She's been gone three years now and I still miss her but I'm really pleased she has missed our world being shaken up.

grizzly4 - 2011-10-06 06:49:00

I am trying the foot stomping and hand clapping grizzly. Lol. Yes I miss my Dad and he has been gone awhile. I even miss my Granddad and Nanna. I was 10 when my Koro died but I can still remember so many things about him. I can see all their faces so clearly and hear their voices. My Kui died when I was 13. My Mum's parents died young. My Dad's parents lived into their Nineties. Mum is in her eighties so there are fairly good genes in our DNA pool. Ha ha.

makerealbany - 2011-10-06 19:29:00

EXcellent so theres a few more messages to go yet then,eh?!LOL. I have never known my grandparents or aunts and uncles as my parents left Northern Ireland when they married and contact was broken with their families for many years. My parents are in their late 70's now and both have quite serious medical concerns - Dad has Parkinsons and Mum has just recently been diagnosed with Rheumatism with Oedema (I think). I really feel for them as they resumed contact with their families in the past few years but most have past on now as have all their friends and they have chosen not to live close to either my sister or myself. They made a lot of decisions that I can't imagine making and it's hard for them to change at this point. My sister and I spent so many years being angry with them for different reasons and it wasn't till I did my 3 years counselling training that I moved past that and be able to care for them and enjoy a positive relationship. Such a shame really.Mind you there were not as many dramas over the years as there have been in I's family of 9 kids!!

grizzly4 - 2011-10-07 07:09:00

It's raining! It's pouring......Guess what another wedding on the horizon! My daughter is getting married on their 10th anniversary, 7 April 2012. And today I have tp play mother of the bride and go to a bridal shop to look at dresses and mediate between the bride and her two bridesmaids. I guess my DIL can only be the Matron of honour as she is an old married woman of 3 months.

grizzly4 - 2011-10-08 09:03:00

welcome to the club Grizzly, it's actually quite fun when it's your own daughter. R and I have had some great days looking for stuff and putting things together. I have her wedding dress hanging in my spare room. All three of her bridesmaids are single so her sister is cheif bridesmaid. A dark haired bride and 3 blond bridesmaids, should look cute.
Then of course there is your outfit too...................

suzy59nz - 2011-10-08 14:54:00

Don't remind me!!!! Not going to be a chief anything in this wedding, the drama is already starting with expectations of titles but some people, expectations of who is on the invitation list etc, etc. I've told S. to say "Shut up or put up" as they're not forthcoming toward the cost! And believe my daughter doesn't know the meaning of budget.

grizzly4 - 2011-10-09 10:55:00

whoooooooa that was a good aftershock, got me running fort he door frame. hubby was worried the power would go out during all blacks game

suzy59nz - 2011-10-09 20:59:00

Didn't we do well girls? I watched both games tonight as I rested all day feeling a bit run down. My grandson rang me from Christchurdh asking for instructions to dye his hair. He could not understand that he had to turn the cap around and put it on upside down and then screw it to pierce the lid. I was just dyeing my hair at the time so it was fun all around. lol That darn shake was a big one all right. Another wedding grizzly. What fun ha ha.

makerealbany - 2011-10-09 22:47:00

grizzly it is sad about your parents. It is hard when they do not live near you.

makerealbany - 2011-10-09 22:49:00

That quake was nasty last night. I was on the phone with S. at the time so could hear what was happening in her house as well as here. Not pleasant at all. I wonder if that starts up new insurance claims again. I hope it's all settled down now as we have holiday programmes for the next 2 weeks and I hate being in the office when they have all gone out on a day trip and we don't need to deal with a biggie when the kids are there.

grizzly4 - 2011-10-10 06:06:00

Boy it's flat tack round here! Wedding dramas, new car for husband stuff and all these auctions going for the shop and for our friend's charity. Plus I have to be at work by 8.15 every day for the next 2 weeks. Phew. Need time to knit and read a book a friend has loaned to me. Never enough hours and it all doesn't seem to be burning calories either! Haha.

grizzly4 - 2011-10-11 07:03:00

Yep I know that feeling grizzly. I think to myself that I have walked miles chasing my grandchildren but does it show no except for the increasing weinkles. Lol. I finished that vest and have not had the time, energy or inclination to start something else yet. Had to go to the doc's yesterday for the routine checkup. I am feeling much better but the begger still wants blood. I also got my warrant for the old car yesterday. She behaved and passed no probelm. Ho ho. My SIL forgot the truck yet again so I will take that down on Saturday. Just in case we need it. You never know.

makerealbany - 2011-10-11 22:10:00

You are lucky makereal because mine misbehaved so badly and cost $510 this time. I am so over trying to keep a car on the road. I hope you are feeling better.
I have been real slack lately and catching up on lots of sleep. I was on here for an hour earlier and then went back to bed for 2 hours more sleep.

smartgirl - 2011-10-12 09:43:00

Good on you smartgirl. Sometimes I feel as if I could sleep for a week or two. Lol. Yes Cars cost a lot as they get older just like us. HA HA. So nice to hear from you. Little J is a real little treasure. He walks around holding on to the furniture and as soon as a ranchslider door is open he is on the deck so fast. His favourite word appears to be Nana. He even crawls to the cupboard where his bottles and drink cups are and gets one out if he is thirsty. We have to make sure all the caps are on or we would be sterilizing bottles and cups all day. LOL. He is a very clever little boy.

makerealbany - 2011-10-12 22:32:00

He sounds very cute but I remember what hard work it is once they are mobile but the understanding of whats safe and whats not isn't there yet.I realised on Saturday when watching B3 play up the drive with his cousin L4 that we didn't have to race for the gate any more to lock him in. He was a shocker for heading straight for the road.
It's nice to have you back with us, smartgirl!
Hey, Suzy, I checked out the wee converted church on Hills Rd on Tuesday but way out of our league price wise. (Again, sigh). I guess Riccarton market might be a good option before Christmas.
I am currently wortking on dressing another doll for our next stall.

grizzly4 - 2011-10-13 06:45:00

And another week just about over.... Who's got plans for the weekend? Family day for me tomorrow as usual and friends for dinner on Sunday. Looks like I'll be in the kitchen most of the time. Haha.

grizzly4 - 2011-10-14 06:51:00

Huge treats yesterday when a trailer load of gifts arrived from a school in Auckland. They had made up 'boxes of love' for our kids and families because of the earthquakes. All of the kids took one home and we have more for our families invoved in our family support service. THey had even made up a few for pets who have been affected. I have a gift for Suzy's Bella put away as she is on medication for anxiety and hopefully will love whats in her box. The kids were ecstatic with their treats. Local schools on the east side have been receiving parcels on a regular basis from other schools and businesses throughout NZ. The children received thermals and socks before winter, hats and scarves, lollies, books and toys. MOst of these recent parcels were great for the school holidays with lots of things for them to keep them busy. So generous.

grizzly4 - 2011-10-15 06:40:00