You can never have enough...

[Oh_hunnihunni]

I have started a real tome of a book, George RR Martin's Fire & Blood, the history of the Targaryens - in preparation for the new prequel series coming soon. It is written like a history and reminds me of my academic days. Interesting thing, reading fiction disguised as non fiction! And it is so heavy I have pulled out the little Warehouse table with its adjustable top to serve as a lectern. With my legs in the sun it is a fine way to spend a Sunday...

Though I should be out there doing battle with Sally H. Now, if someone would just bring me lunch...

[Mica]

Morning all
Nice day here

We had a lovely day out yesterday.

Finished binding quilt last night and finished knitting a vest so a productive time.
DH has medical appts this morning so k9s will get a walk this afternoon.
Other than chores no fixed plans for rest of the day.

Have a good day

[kiwimade64]

morning ladies   Foggy and overcast today, where's the sun?

George R R Martin writes epic tales, our daughter introduced him to me years ago and it was love at first book.  I haven't read the one you are reading though, OHH and it's on my 'must read' list.  Trouble is as soon as a book becomes a TV series or popular our library makes you pay for it and shortens the length of time you can have it out.  Really brasses me off.  The Wheel of Fortune books are the same.  There's around 14 of them and I have gaps in my digital library so went to borrow them from the library.  Nope, it's now a TV series and so you pay the $$ and can have it for two weeks instead of three.  I don't mind the $$ but I do mind the shortened time.  They say it's so everyone can read them.  Well, tough, I've been reading my way through the series for three years now.  It's not my fault I know the author well before the damed TV people got hold of it.  And those books take a long to read as there is soooo much detail.  Moan over lol.

Yesterday I mowed the lawn in the fog.  The neighbours must have thought I was mad but later in the afternoon we heard a ride on lol so maybe I wasn't quite so mad after all.  The mower needs to go in for repairs, the cable that connects to the spark plug is broken so  MrK has jerry rigged it for now.  It probably should have a service while in there as it's well over 20 years old now.

Today the plan is to weed the rest of the garden.  There's not much to do but it will be good to keep on top of the weeds so there is less to seed in the spring.  As much as I would love to prune the roses, it's too soon here and I need a good fine day to do it.  The 'new' idea is to cut straight across the cane and not on a slant so there is less open wound to heal over so less room for bugs to get in.  I've always pruned that way lol and MrK was forever telling me I was doing it wrong.  If the weather turns to custard there is always the last bedroom to pull apart and spring clean.

The bottom butterfly wing is about half way through now.  I suspect when our daughter sees the stand MrK has made she will want one too.  And I also suspect MrK has picked the timber out for it lol.  Hopefully I can work on it a bit more today. 

Happy crafting

[popeye333]

Morning everyone

The sun isnt here either Kiwimade. But no fog.

The lady came to pick up all the frozen too long stuff out of the freezer. Complete with two weaners in the back of the car lol.. Pigs are soo cute. We always had them when we were younger. Glad the food can be of use.

Sadly one of the few houses we have in our Town on the Historical list caught fire yesterday. Its not totally burnt down but I suspect it wont be able to be restored.. The biggest thing is, where it is standing is surrounded in land that developers want. So there are a lot of people thinking the same in that, it is one way to get the land once the house was gone. Quite suspicious. It was a real cute house.

Trudging up to see the July ones today. Id rather stay home and hibernate. But MrP was having trouble with his slippers rubbing his toes so he is wearing the scuff type they gave him for Christmas. But a combination of his stroke and the way he walks and the fact that he has never liked wearing scuff type shoes means Im going up armed with elastic and my sewing kit to add some to the slippers.

He thinks they may be shut in on both ends but Ill find that out when I get there. I have crackle in cooking for him.

Have a fab day all

[Oh_hunnihunni]

I bet Mr P is really glad he married you, popeye...

[popeye333]

I bet Mr P is really glad he married you, popeye...

Lol He better be lol... I come with a warning today tho. If he moans Im likely to fly off the handle lol

[Lilith7]

Cold & sunless here today. There was a spectacular sunset yesterday as we came out of the movie & DIL took a photo but the colour never looks quite as good; it was a vivid orange-red colour so bright it was like a flame colour.

Really enjoyed the movie, some excellent acting from all the cast but Rena Owen & Miriama McDowell stood out as younger & older Whina. It's worth seeing if you get the chance.

https://cornerstonefilm.com/film/whina/

[kiwimade64]

morning ladies from a very wet Waikato

I saw the movie 'Whina' reviewed the other night on the news and it looks great and is on our 'must see' list. We have to go out of town to the movies as we have no theater here.

There have been some awesome sunsets and sunrises thanks to the Tongan volcano as there are still lots of it still in the atmosphere. The colours are amazing and you're right, Lilith, photos just don't them justice.

This morning I'm taking our friend's dad to his Waikato Hospital appointment. He couldn't make the last one as he was so ill and ended up in hospital. So a quick blat to Hamilton nice and early.

Yesterday I started weeding but omggg the ground was freezing even with my leather garden gloves on. So flagged that and cleaned the last bedroom instead. Now only the porch and entrance to do inside. I spent some time on the butterfly and have almost finished the bottom wing, just a bit of long and short stitch to do along with some laid stitch over the top.

We have two weeks before our family arrive for their holiday. We're looking forward to seeing the T-Rex skeleton in the Auckland museum and can't wait to see the grand kids faces when they see the penguins and sharks at Kelly Tarltons.

better get cracking, time is marching on and I have to be off shortly.

Happy crafting

[Mica]

Morning all
Wet here too.

DD called in yesterday morning as baby gym was cancelled so our house was the substitute gym

Altered a tshirt for a friends DGD will pop it over to her later.

Attended a zoom presentation on Dior last night, a Melbourne library has organised a few similar presentations. I have enjoyed all of them so far I get the invite via being a member of the Australian Sewing Guils so its also free.

Going for a drive up the coast this morning will check out a quilt shop and have morning tea at Cafe somewhere. Just need to get out.

Have a good day

[Roma]

Good morning. 

No rain here, cool though ...  better check the forecast to see whether to hang washing on line or rack outside. 

Busy grandie day yesterday,  with mum away on work duties. Today can catch up with a few jobs needing doing. If it warms up the vege garden could do with a weed as well.

Wool ordered for sampler pattern baby blanket. Itching for some knitting in the evenings!

Another one who deleted a lovely sunrise photo ... it just didn't look as impressive as the real thing!

Have a good day all.

[popeye333]

Morning everyone

A tad chilly here this morning. The Sun has just come through the clouds.

MrP calmed me yesterday so that was good. I tidied up his beard and added elastic straps to his slippers. It was easier than I thought it would be. I took pliers in case I needed to pull the needle through. But he said they are good now. They are memory foam ones so will be awesome on his foot that he has had surgery on.

I fell into one of Bobbies dementia trips but I didn't realise until I got home. So I need to speak to one of the carers that I was a little short with, and apologise. It was Bobbie who told MrP they didn't want her to have the tea making stuff in her room. Not the home. I normally check these things out before I react but I didn't this time.

Housework for me today. Those pesky big dishes that wont fit in the dishwasher. and I need to dust. I think I might wear a mask its been a while lol.

Man I love this Lingo game. but poor Missy wonders why Im yelling at the tv lol..

Have a fab day everyone

[Lilith7]

Raining here, supposed to clear this afternoon but no sign of it so far so pleased I braved it this morning & did the dreaded grocery shopping.
Came home & made pot of pumpkin soup, not planning on doing anything else today.

[JanW]

Good afternoon grey day here in the Bay - sun was supposed to shine this afternoon but itÔÇÖs leavings itÔÇÖs run a bit late -
Our new kiwi/Ukrainians are going from strength to strength - they go to a smallish school up on the Napier hill - when they arrived the school put them down a year - the headmistress gave the Mum a call on Monday she wants to move the kids up a class - she told the Mum they are like sponges soaking everything up - Mum didnÔÇÖt understand her kids being called sponges - when they were stuck in Ukraine because of covid pre the war the kids would go to school as normal then come home and do online lessons from a kiwi school so they have hit the ground running .Not sure if they wouldÔÇÖve done so well at a huge school .The Baker has been moved from Poland to Germany for rehab one of the shots did terrible damage to his knee so it still might be a while before he makes it here
We had a family lunch on Sunday before my brother headed back down to Palmerston for his cancer treatment - he is a big strong bloke over 60 but still working 60 or so hours a week because he loves it - he has a forestry business - the first weeks treatment has knocked him for a six - I wonder if it is a lot in his head - he has never been to hospital in his life and apart from his vaccinations never needs a doctor so he went real early to the Doctor when he suspected his prostate was misbehaving - at least we all had a good laugh over lunch and he left with a smile on his face
I grew several different broccoli- one has yellow heads that have gone straight to flower - I put some of the leaves in a stir fry - they tasted like broccoli so alls not lost
Kiwimade if ever you take your children to Sydney take a couple of hours to go over the Blue Mountains to Bathurst - the fossil museum of Australia is there - in the most magnificent historic building the size of two city blocks - they have three entire dinosaur skeletons - when we took my grandson who was dinosaur star struck at the time he was just blown away -there are so many fossils in layers of rock - lots of interactive things to keep the kids buzzing - fantastic - ItÔÇÖs a beautiful old town .We were there for ten years - one afternoon my granddaughter who was about ten rang asking us to pick her up she wanted to show us something down town - we were expecting a barbie doll or McDonalds or something but she wanted her grandad to buy her this huge brick derelict building with ten thousand pigeons living in it- she thought she could turn it into a dance school - we often laughed about that - she had it all planned the second floor could be a cookery school - she is the one who was handpicked by a top lawyer to be his intern while she was at Otago uni - they are loving Oz hope they come back when they finish Uni but I have my doubts somehow
HavenÔÇÖt done any crafts - poor old Cat in the Hat remains stalled at row 124 of 240 to completion
Tempted to buy a lovely bird feeder from Gubba itÔÇÖs a hanging thingee you hang an apple in

[Mica]

So good the children are thriving at school JanW.

I have friend who hangs a metal whisk with apple pushed into centre. Doesn't look too bad hanging in the tree. The birds love it

[Oh_hunnihunni]

You know, that is a really lovely doable idea.

But can I sacrifice my whisk? I might check the shops tomorrow, see if I can find one to replace it...

[Lilith7]

I make a mix of birdseed, dried fruit & 2 Tbsp peanut butter (mix with some oil) & 2 TBSP wholemeal flour & form into a ball & then put it in one of those little mesh bags garlic used to come in & tie it onto the clothesline for them. It usually lasts a couple of hours after they spot it.

[popeye333]

Morning everyone

Yep early today . Cos the stupid property manager, not our normal one wasn't happy with being told Id had the fire brigade in to test the smoke alarms. And that Id told them No I didn't want them to come. Wrong.!! And as I couldn't provide names or written evidence. So the SATS team are coming. They wants to come between 7-9am and I told them no way. Between 8-9 was the earliest I was willing to go.

So they are effectively wasting their clients money. And I hope they freeze while they are here.

My second Monarch hasn't totally sealed over his crystallises. So I dont know if he will survive. But I dont want to write him off in case there is a chance he will survive.

I like the idea of apples in a whisk. I might pop into the oppy and get one and attach it to the fence, It would provide even more joy.

While digging in the depths of the freezers I found A LOT of stewed apples, so I've just had some on my weet-bix. Sooo good and the change is good too. Considering I never used to eat breakfast, its often my fave meals of the day.

I dont drink tea coffee or milo so dont survive on the caffeine hit for breakfast, although I suppose I might with the Pepsi max lol

I didnt get the dusting done yesterday, but it is nice having a clear bench. And Now I have plenty of containers for measuring out ingredients. Now they are out of the freezers. I sold one, they were meant to pick up last night but the guy got held up at work, so he will come tonight.

Have a fab day everyone

[kiwimade64]

morning ladies Another damp day on the cards.

Boy our birds are chomping their way through their bird puddings and fruit. And they certainly let us know when they want more lol. I love the idea of the whisk, I would never have thought of using it like that. Our bird puddings are melted dripping (the smell is awful so windows open lol), a couple of good dollops of peanut butter melted with it, some wild bird seed, rolled oats and raisins or sultanas mixed to a slurry. Sometimes I throw the last of the coconut in with it. I put it into the silicone muffin tray and throw into the freezer to harden. Bag it when frozen and then put out for the birds when needed. The last puddings I made had the crumbs and 'dust' from the Furry One's marrow treats and they loved that.

Am so glad the Ukrainian-kiwi kids are settling into kiwi life, JanW. It sounds like they have very sensible parents who have prepared them well. Their poor mum lol, there will be lots of slang she will have to decipher. I would love to take our grandkids to see the museum in Sydney one day, it sounds amazing.

Yesterday I finished the bottom wing and can now start on the top right wing. Am very happy with it so far. I've had some ideas for a new project but it will take time to gather the goodies I need for it. Today I'll try and sketch my idea so it can make some kind of sense. While I finish the butterfly it can mull away in my head until I get it right. My bird series is also still 'cooking' away in my mind too and it's something I can keep going back to.

Another trip to Hamilton for me this afternoon as our friend has another clinic appointment at Waikato. Pity they couldn't co-ordinate them but oh well, it is what it is. And I have a friend popping round to take an old travel trunk for her granddaughter to decoupage for her room. Crafts are alive and well with the next generations.

Happy crafting

---

just had a look at my clematis and it has the teeniest flower buds! Couldn't believe it lol and had to get MrK to take a look just to make sure lol

[Roma]

Good morning.

Overcast outside, towels might be drying outside on the rack, I'm picking. 

It's heartening to read of the progress of the Ukrainian family JanW.

Popeye, I hope you get the property issues sorted.

KM, I can understand your flower excitement. I have a moth orchid currently flowering on two stems. It didn't flower last year. Gorgeous wee thing. 

I shall now try harder to find a better whisk to replace my wobbly (but still useable) one,  knowing there is a good use for the old one!

Last night I knitted a pair of slippers for my nearly 3 yo gd. I'm wondering if there is some kind of thick paint/product I can dot on the soles for anti-slip ... am picking a craft shop might be the answer.

A couple of appts this morning ... no concrete plan for later. 

Have a good day all.

[Mica]

Morning all
Overcast jo rain thank goodness

We had a nice drive up the coast and I was successful in finding wool in the colour my DIL wanted for baby cable hat.

Roma you can buy nonslip fabric. It is a Birch product sold in a packet Spotlight sell it https://www.spotlightstores.com/nz/sewing-fabrics/scissors-dyes-accessories/garment-care/garment-repair/birch-non-slip-fabric-with-grip/BP80290947-white

Went along to a knit group last night nice ladies so will go again.

Appt later this morning and have friend coming for coffee this afternoon, her husband has just gone to a dementia unit, so sad for her . She wasn't getting any sleep because he would be up most of the night .

Some knitting on the agenda today

Have a good day