Monday 30 December 2013

Too long!

Sunday 29 December

It's been a long time since I wrote any posts.
Too long really!
Quite a bit has happened in the nearly three months since I last blogged.

For now I'm going to suspend writing till later tonight.
Things to do. . .as usual!

So now it is 11.50pm or 23.50 & I'm finally back on here.
I'm going to post a few pictures of life around here as a bit of an update.
Too much has happened and too long a time for me to remember everything.



 A few years ago Boar made me this drying line. We have a rotary line up the path from here.
This line is under cover and is great in winter for drying things, especially towels.
Here in Wellington, in winter, it is either still and cold, or blowing a gale.
Or raining.
Either way not the best drying weather.
This line is on a pulley. I let it down to hang the clothes/towels.
Then pull it up out of the way.
After a day or two I'll bring it in and finish it off in the drier or by the fire.

Earlier in the year Locket decided she wanted to knit a scarf.
Interestingly Locket is the daughter who is the most interested in crafts.



Here is the scarf partly done.
And a couple of pics showing the different ways she chooses to wear it once it was finished.





Pretty good effort for a first attempt I thought!

I decided I needed a decent sized something for writing down things that needed to be bought.
I hit upon the idea of creating a blackboard on the inside of one of the pantry cupboards.
So I marked it off with masking tape and away I went. 
Blackboard paint makes it easy. 
Here is the one I used.


 Using the tape made it easy to get a nice clean edge, once the tape was removed.



One of me doing the painting, just to prove it's not a robot typing all this :)


It took me a while to be able to do the 2nd coat. I may have done three altogether.
Partly because wee Mr Magoo was in the house and I didn't want to have paint fumes in the air when he was around.
After living here for around 8 weeks Jester, Frosty and Mr Magoo moved in with a friend of Jester's.
Mouse is his name. He has a daughter who lives with him every other week.
Jester, Frosty and Mr Magoo have a bedroom and lounge area downstairs.

Here is the finished result. . .we don't buy very exciting stuff!


It's working well. All I need to do is wipe it off with a damp cloth when the items are bought.
Boar & Locket are using it to write things on that we need.
Not so sure if Brains has yet.
 
 
This picture is from way back in March. Here are Halfpint, on the left, and Little Sunshine, on the right. It was taken at Halfpint's first birthday party. They are only 27 days apart in age, so it will be fun watching them grow up. Very different natures the two of them have!


Couldn't resist taking this cute pic one day. This is Halfpint, our oldest grandson "helping". He found some tea towels waiting for the wash and decided the windows needed wiping.

Okay I'm jumping to November now.

November 3rd saw Absent-minded Professor turn.

A belated birthday wish on here. We made sure to wish you happy birthday on the day!
We love you heaps, our oldest child and son. Doesn't seem possible that you are 27!

The next event of signficance was Chuckles' 23rd birthday party.
But I missed it.
Because I was a bit busy that day.
Not as busy as Moneypenny though!
The picture below will give a clue to just why I was not able to attend Chuckles' party.


Yes, Absent-minded Prof and Monypenny's 2nd child chose November 9th to be born!
A beautiful wee girl. A quick labour. 3610g or 7lbs 15oz.
And to think for a while there was concern she was "too small"!
I'm going to call her Poppet on here for now.
Because she is just a wee poppet :)
She is now 7 weeks old and doing very well. Smiling. A settled wee lass.

 A few days later saw Chuckles celebrate her actual birthday.
She turned
 We sent you a text on the day, but a belated birthday greeting on here, Chuckles.
Love to you, and glad you are part of our family :)

November also saw the 10th anniversay of the death of a friend's son.
I picked a rose in his memory.
It is called Compassion and has a beautiful scent.
Here it is around 6am.


And again around 10.30am by which time it had fully opened.


In some ways it seems a short time, not possible that 10 years have gone by.

A week later I posted the following on my Facebook page.

"I just knew life had been too quiet!

Minding my own business, getting on with dinner. . .thinking R was a bit late home from work, when in he walks with 3 fingers on his left hand bandaged! Nearly took them off at work. . .but thankfully the docs were able to sort them out, all stitched up, bits of bone in the middle finger picked out as it is a compound fracture. Been in ED since around 3pm AND...

...Did anyone call me? No! Boss forgot to. . .R's comment "Well, there was nothing you could do" Ummmm, okay! And then he drove home! In a manual van.

Supposed to have two weeks off work. . .we shall see. Photo's esp for the kids!"


 Here are the two photos I took. His boss took some of the actual injuries.  
He has said he will send them but hasn't so far.





And, yes, in typical Boar style he took the next day off, then it was the weekend.
On the Monday he returned to work. . .and when he came home told me he had used the SAME machine with the SAME piece of wood! 
A case of "If you fall of the horse get right back on it" or something like that.
Nuthin' you can do with some stubborn folk!
It is healing well. The little finger first.
The ring finger is now free of bandages.
It only remains for the middle finger to "fill in". There is a bit of a hole apparently!
It is still being dressed every few days at the medical centre.
Boar is very thankful he didn't loose the fingers. 
He realised very quickly that it would be difficult to do all he does without them.

In early December I got a brand spanking new laptop.
Been waiting a long time for one!
The details are below for any techies.

Acer Aspire V5-571G Intel i5-3337U 1.8GHz 8GB 750GB 15.6" LED 1366x768 GT620M 1GB Graphics DVDRW Win8 64bit 1yr 4Cell BT4 GLan HDMI USB3 Webcam WiFiN

My home-ed friend Pete sent me in to get it at the PB Technologies Black Friday sale.
A few hiccups but eventually the store came through and I had my laptop.
Pete set it up for me. 
It has Windows 8 so I've had to learn my way around it.
I'm managing ok.
Writing on it now so hope I'll be able to blog a lot more often!



Here is my photo of my laptop. . .yes, it's the right way. 
They must put the logo on upside down so that it is the right way up when the lid is open!

Early December was taken up with dance concert madness!
I say madness as there are extra rehearslas, sewing to do and lots to arrange.
The studio now has a website.
L Dance Studio
 

This is the photo on the front of the website. Locket is in the red and black tutu.
Brains is holding his hat.
Yes, he does ballet but for this photo Miss L-M posed him thus!
Our tall ballet lad at the back set up the website.
I tweaked it with Miss L-M sitting beside me saying "Yes" or "No"
D, the ballet lad, was accepted into
Queensland National Ballet School
for their 2014/15 programme.
He was also accepted into about 6 others!
Quite an achievement.

Once the concert was over Christmas rolled around pretty quickly.

Before that it was Jester's birthday. Happy belated birthday on here, Jester.
I know you had a great time as Frosty told me you both did.
Frosty booked tickets to 7 Days live show in Napier.
Before she did she asked if I coud look after Mr Magoo while they were away.
As it was after the concert I was able to say "Yes" quite happily.
Mr Mgoo is 7 months old already! Time goes so quickly
He was very settled while he was with us.
Poor wee lad has Eczema 
It is mainly on his face and he rubs it in his sleep.
Sometimes raw.
Frosty and Jester are trying various things to help treat it.

I've a couple of photos of our Christmas tree.


The tree a day or so before Christmas.


And on Christmas day! 
Courtesy of Smufette's Facebook. . .hope you don't mind me borrowing it :)
The fireguard is to keep enthusiastic wee people from 
opening the preents before time!

Almost everyone was at our place for Christmas lunch.
Pa had lunch with Ma at Johnsonvale Resthome.
Jester & Frosty chose not to come as they wanted to have their first Christmas with Mr Magoo, just him and them. As Frosty said there will be plenty more.
We had a lovely dinner and then went our separate ways.
 We went over to Mirimar to have an evening meal with Boar's extended family.

That about wraps up the main happenings for the last few months.
So now I'll read this through and post it :) 

Hopefully caught most/all the mistakes.
Now it is more than time I got some shut eye!
Especially as it is 3am.
Oh well, I shall survive even if I will be a bit tired.
Probably get a mld growling form Boar later today as he has roused a couple of times and may have glanced at the clock!

Night. . .or morning, whichever you prefer!



Wednesday 9 October 2013

Tuesday 1 October

Today was a fairly quiet sort of day for me.
Got up and made some porridge for my breakfast.
Spent quite a bit of time on the computer.
When I checked my email there was one from another home-educator.
She had a few questions for me.
Her son is a similar age to Brains.
She hoped I didn't mind her emailing me.
I didn't mind at all, and replied to her.
Took a while, and then I checked banking.
Pa had caught a bus over to Wadestown to sort a bit more stuff up.
Jester had gone out.
Frosty and I had a catch up chat which was great.
Mr Magoo was awake some of the time.
He gives lovely big beaming smiles.
And when he laughs. . .well you just have to laugh as well because it is such a happy sound :)
Brains and Locket were slow to rise.
They just pottered in the main.
I did put a load of towels through the wash, but didn't get them hung out.
Around 2pm I went and picked Pa up from Wadestown.
He'd been sorting in the shed.
He'd also managed to get all the glass taken for the recycling.
He heard the truck going down the street.
Took the bag of glass out and flagged down the truck.
He explained the recycling bin had been taken.
The guy took the glass and told Pa he could get a new bin from the library.
Once I'd dropped Pa off at Johnsonvale I went to Dick Smith Electronics to get some ink.
Printer had run out of two cartridges.
The local DSE had neither of them.
I got the assistant to check and Porirua had stock.
So I took a trip out there.
Found both cartridges and also picked up a UHF aerial.
They had dropped in price. . . $50
A pretty good deal!
I also popped into Warehouse Stationery.
L-M had given me a diary. One similar to this one below.

I saw some pages that I could use for next year. Mainly the year ones.
Since I wasn't sure if they would fit I took note of the number of rings they were for.
Thought about getting the alphabet index but the only one there was open and tatty.
Was very glad when I got home that I hadn't as I'd forgotten there was one in there.   
Frosty had text me to say that if I got home and Brains and Locket weren't there it was because they had gone to play golf with her and Jester.
We sorted that I would do dinner that night.
She had been going to but it meant she could just relax.
I picked up the few extra things I needed.
We really like the San Remo range of gluten free pasta.

I'd decided to make Macaroni Cheese so got the Macaroni.
I make one cheese sauce and cook ordinary pasta for us, gluten free for Brains and Locket.
Then I split the sauce between the two lots of Macaroni.
People have asked why I don't make just gluten free.
Mainly the cost.
A packet of ordinary pasta is 500g and  around $2.
Gluten free is 250g and usually over $4.

Boar got home fairly early and so went up on the roof to put the aerial up.
Gives me the willies watching him up there!
6 metres up and he's casually sitting on the ridge of the roof.
He got it all sorted and connected.
So we now have digital TV.
Crystal clear picture :)

As well as the Mac Cheese we had mashed potatoes, pumpkin and beans.
Pa had several packets of beans in his freezer which came here.
Frosty, Jester, Brains and Locket arrived back just as dinner was almost ready.

Everyone pronounced dinner as lovely.
Jester likes his meat and didn't notice it was a meatless meal till I mentioned it.



Time Flies

Well over a week has gone by!
The school holidays are on and things are a bit quieter.
Not a lot though.

Today we got our old/new and improved computer.
Tonight I''ve been setting it up as best I can.
One thing I've discovered is that Blogger comes up with an error message with Internet Explorer.
Which means I can't post unless I use Pa's computer.
Which more-or-less restricts me to the night-time hours.

BUT
I had a brainwave/thought to try Mozilla Firefox.
I'm able to write in the proper pane so hopefully it will work.
Pretty tired after all the brain activity to set up the computer so I'm going to head for bed.
Might throw a bit more wood on the fire first.

Then a cup of hot milk with honey and nutmeg and bed. 
My eyes are trying to shut themselves.

Ok, going to try and post this now.

Hmmmm just discovered I got two posts out of order.
Didn't notice there was an unfinished draft.
Oh, well such is life!
 

 

Wednesday 2 October 2013

The last few days

Sunday 29 September

Today is the first day of Daylight Saving so it will now be lighter an hour later at night.
I didn't hurry out of bed :)
My phone had switched over by the time I woke up which was good.
I got organised and popped down to the cash machine to get some money out for Boar.
Then I went off to church.
I really enjoyed the worship and sermon.
Pastor Andrew is doing a series on Joseph.
This session was about forgiveness or not taking revenge.
At the end we saw a music video clip.
I hadn't heard this artist before and really liked the song.
Tobymac, you can listen to it here
I heard some upsetting news about a friend who has moved away.
I'll be praying for her and the situation.
Not much else I can do from far away
In the afternoon Boar, Locket and I went out to Porirua.
Wellington went digital overnight...no picture.
Yes, we'd known for a couple of years.
But these things cannot be decided in a hurry!
As far as Boar is concerned that is.
I was a tiny bit hopeful we might get a new freeview TV.
But Boar is a frugal sort of chap and prefers not to buy something when what we have works.
So as I say...I was a tiny bit hopeful but, as I expected, no new TV.
So we got an igloo box.
I was amused by the shop attendant who was talking to us.
He made it sound as though it was almost a tragedy if we couldn't see TV!
I informed him we'd still live if we couldn't watch TV.
I don't think he knew quite how to react to that statement!
Got it home, set it up, it scanned. . . and didn't find anything.
Boar was sure we had the right aerial.
One he put up when our other one got damaged after years of strong southerlies.
He got it from somewhere. . . possibly an old job he did.
He got up on the roof. . . 6 metres and a steep pitch.
Fiddled with this and that.
Came back down. Nope, nothing found.
Jester was saying he didn't think we had the correct aerial.
Boar decided to try one more thing. . . back up on to the roof.
Then Boar went to pick Pa up from Johnsonvale.
Jester took the aerial out of their room, which is stuck out the window.
Brought it and cable in here. . .hooked it into the igloo box.
All channels found.
So we needed an aerial but by then the shops were shut.
 Oh well, such is life!
In the evening we watched the second episode of New Zealand's Got Talent.
On Jester & Frosty's TV. . . which is 51" I'm told!
Ours is 21". . . .just a tad smaller!
Then it was into bed.
I was pretty tired, always seems to take a bit of adjusting when Daylight Saving begins.



Monday 30 September

The last day of September already.
First day of the school holidays, not that it makes a lot of difference to us.
The days seem to fly by so quickly.
Often on the first day of the holidays, a Monday, I'll have a lazy day.
A pyjama day, a stay in bed and rest and read day.
Brains and Locket would usually sleep in.
So it would be quiet and I would rest up a bit.
No dance classes so no need to go anywhere.
I'd sort out a quick easy dinner.
No way could I do this when the kids were all younger.
However things have changed in the household.
Not a possibility to do that at the moment.
Unless I'm legitimately unwell of course.
I did stay in bed till just after 8am.
Then got up and did some work on the computer.
Since we'd been without ours I needed to update a spreadsheet I'd created to track our finances.
Mainly groceries & sundry spending.
Our sundry spending budget isn't large so I like to keep track of it.
Otherwise it is easy to overspend.
Since doing the CAP Money course our finances have been in a better state.
Once I'd entered all I needed to I backed up the file with SyncToy.
Quick and easy.

Pa had been busy on his laptop as well.
Once we'd both finished we got organised and headed over to Hanover Street.
Pa went through papers, burnt what he needed to.
I cleaned out the bathroom cupboards and the laundry ones.
So much out dated stuff.
And when I say that I do mean out-dated.
There were things in the small cupboard in the bathroom that have been there since I was growing up.
Most of it needed to go straight in the bin.
One thing I did bring home was Potassium permanganate
Brains and Locket can see what it does.

Buried in the cupboard I found the gem below.
A potty!
I guess once upon a time I sat on this.
May need to recycle it as a pot plant holder!


The other day I mentioned Creamoata porridge.
I haven't seen any in the shops for years.
Except perhaps the single sachet ones, but I don't get them.
Not economical enough for me :)
Lo and behold, look what I found in one of the kitchen cupboards.
Uncle Toby's Creamoata oats


But I think they'll be heading for the bin.
Funny thing is we had porridge several times a week growing up.
Remembering this I offered Pa porridge for breakfast when he first came here.
Only to be told he wasn't that fond of porridge!
Hmmm, ok, must have just put up with it!

After a few hours we headed back to Johnsonville again.
I dropped Pa off at Johnsonvale and went home for a while.
Can't recall what I did there before I went to pick Pa up from the home.

Frosty was making dinner. She had bought some wraps.
Cut up a whole lot of different things and we all tucked in.

Brains and Locket had a quiet day.
Though in the evening there was a voluble discussion between Brains, Boar and Pa.
Brains was pretty sure a big tsunami would go up Ngauranga Gorge, force of the water etc.
Boar and Pa were arguing against.
Brains was busy with google finding information from the tsunami in Japan in 2011.

I didn't hear the conclusion as I got busy doing other things.
One of them being to watch a DVD.
Boar had asked at dinner if anyone had bought an aerial.
I replied no as he hadn't said to!
I started to watch the DVD and Boar ended coming upstairs to watch as well.
Wouldn't you know it the phone rang!
And was for me of course.

Once the call had ended we continued watching.
But the DVD glitched and so in the end we stopped watching.
Into bed with Brother Cadfael for me. The book that is :)


Sunday 29 September 2013

Shifting stuff

Saturday 28 September

We don't have the alarm set to wake us on the weekends.
Not the radio alarm anyway.
Mr Magoo serves as an alarm as wee ones often do.
So I was still up fairly early.
Once awake I like my early morning coffee!
Half-Pint was still asleep.
Butcher and Chuckles were drowsy but waking.
I fired up the computer to check it out.
Brains and I were a bit perplexed when we connected all the cables last night as there was no port for the phone line.
Ummmm. ......
But all the modem lights were doing what they ought, even the internet one.
And the internet was working so all good :)
I checked out all my programmes and all was good.
The problem this time was that the graphics card had died.
Nothing else was affected so I didn't lose any data.
Vidor, my bro, was going to text me round mid-morning when he was on his way to Wadestown.
So I decided I may as well do some things to keep busy.
Half-Pint had woken by this time and was full of smiles and busyness.
Butcher took their car down for the WOF.
I spent some time backing up files.
Our friend who sorted out the computer last time put a programme on it called SyncToy.
Last time I lost a heap of stuff. I had it backed up on an external hardrive.
Which fried.
I had backed up some stuff but not recently.
So when the computer wouldn't boot up I was thinking I may have lost files again!
With SyncToy I can make additions to a file on the main computer, for example, then when I put in the Flash drive (USB stick) I can choose which file I want and sync the computer and Flash drive.
SyncToy will perform a search and then ask if I want the files added/deleted etc.
I think that's pretty much how it works.
Managed to figure it out, and the beauty of it is that I don't have to remember which files I've backed up. I'll just have to train myself to backup every time I add to the folders and files that are important to me.

 I called and talked to P about the computer. No longer need that cable.
Only the inbuilt graphics card so no games able to be played on the computer.
And I'd figured out the SyncToy properly.

Soon enough it was mid-morning, then noon!
No word from Vidor.
I'd  called Johnsonvale and they were open to visitors again.
So Pa was wanting to go down and see Ma.
And Vidor needed to be let in to the house.
I sent him a text saying it would most likely be just me at the house.
He said that was fine.
He was waiting for his mate with the ute.

By this time Butcher, Chuckles and Half-Pint had returned from the walk they'd gone on.
They arrived back with their car which had passed it's warrant.
One less thing to worry about...for this time.
They were heading back to Featherston.
While we were seeing them off Brains called out to me that Vidor was on the phone.
His mate had forgotten about the shift!

Vidor asked if my van had a towbar. Yes, it does.
And so began a busy afternoon!

Locket decided to come with me.
Boar checked the oil and water and we were off.

I drove to Wainuiomata to pick up Vidor.
Then to his mate's place to get him, then to the mate's niece's home to get her.
Cos it was her place the stuff was being stored in.
Then part way down the Coast Road to another home to pickup a trailer.
These places were all in Wainuiomata.

After getting some petrol we headed to Naenae to drop T off.
She needed to make some room in the house the things were going to be stored in.
Then it was back along the motorway to Johnsonville.
I'd forgotten to take the Power of Attorney papers that needed signing.
I also picked up some tie-downs to secure the furniture to the trailer.
Then over to Wadestown.

With a bit of juggling and putting the back seats in the van up we managed to get all the furniture in.
It's strange but the thing that seemed to make the place look empty was the table and chairs going from the kitchen/dining area.
57 years of history...that's how long Ma & Pa have had it.
I'm glad Vidor has taken it as it is staying in the family.

Once the trailer was loaded we began the reverse trip.
We went down the hill from Wadestown and along the Hutt Road to the Hutt Motorway.
Less winding roads that way.
I haven't done a lot of towing so I took it really carefully.
I found the van and trailer moved around quite a bit.
Nothing shifted though so that was good.

We had a good trip out to Naenae, got things unloaded quickly.
Vidor and K were keen for us to get back to Wainuiomata before the light faded.
We did manage that and also the rain began just as we dropped the trailer off.
Dropped Vidor and K at the place where Vidor was staying.

Locket and I were both tired and hungry.
I knew Frosty was getting dinner ready at home but decided to get us a snack.
Drove through the McD's and got Locket some fries and a drink.
Just fries for me. I was hungry, more than anything, and could feel a headache coming on.
I wanted to avoid that if possible and thought it was partly due to lack of food during the day.
Then it was back along the motorway to Johnsonville.

Phew! A lot of driving but it got done.
Vidor was very grateful that I'd been able to do the job, and that the van has a tow bar.
His car does but he'd leant it to the daughter of a friend for a few weeks.

When we got home dinner was almost ready.
Frosty had made lasagne.
One ordinary, one gluten free and one vegetarian.
With roast potatoes, boiled carrots and cabbage.

Dinner was a little later than usual so it wasn't long before Pa was heading for bed.
I tucked myself up soon after.
Daylight saving begins tonight or 3am tomorrow anyway.

Locket has been having trouble falling asleep some nights.
Settling down early enough but just not able to fall asleep.
I suggested she try a glass of hot milk with honey and nutmeg the other night.
She wasn't too sure but tried it and pronounced it yummy.
If I'm having trouble sleeping it has helped me.

Some people consider it a bit of an old wives tale.
I've heard that science has proven it does contain a natural sedative.
I found some info on it just before.

  • Drink a glass of warm milk before bedtime. Warm milk contains a natural sedative called tryptophan.
  • Adding honey to warm milk will help the body absorb tryptophan faster and will also produce a quicker sedative effect.
  • http://chetday.com/insomniatips.htm
  •  I found I was only able to read a few pages of my book.


    This book tells how Cadfael came to his decision to be a monk.
    I belong to an email list that is a buy-sell-swap for home educators.
    This book popped up a couple of weeks ago and since I'm reading through the series I decided to purchase it.

    

    Saturday 28 September 2013

    History Fair

    Friday 27 September

    This morning we were off to the WHEN  History Fair.
    It's the first time one has been held in Wellington.
    After getting up and organised we headed out to Whitby
    to where the fair was being held.
    The first part was viewing the exhibits.
    I took photos of a few that I really liked.




    The young lad who did this exhibit gave a very good talk about the fire.


    This eagle is extinct. There is some more info on it here


    This is my great-niece Zali's 18th Century cottage




    I loved this one, and the fact that Molly was in costume :)
    Little House on the Prairie is one of my all time favourite series of books.

    There was quite a variety of topics, more than I can show here.

    After some of the young ones gave talks there was a break for morning tea.
    Then there were various activities to do.
    Butter making, grinding wheat with a mill and millstones, spinning, flax weaving are some of the ones I remember.

    Both Locket and Brains went off for a walk with friends.
     One of the young lasses who went with Locket's group had been told not to
    so was not popular with her mum. Oops :(

    Brains and Locket enjoyed catching up with friends.
    I was able to catch up with friends as well, and meet new folk.

    When the fair was over we wended our way home.
    Pa had called Johnsonvale earlier and they were still shut to visitors.
    So he caught the bus into Wellington City to go to the barber that he has been going to for years.
    Although I think it is the original barber's niece now who does the cutting.
    After that he went on to his old home to do a little more sorting.
    I sent him a text to ask him when he'd like to be picked up.
    He called the landline and suggested late afternoon as he wasn't able to go and see Ma.

    I did some work on the computer and then popped down to get a few groceries.
    When I got home Butcher, Chuckles and Half-Pint had arrived.
    They are going to go for a WOF for their car tomorrow.
    So they had come over from Featherston to spend the night.
    It was going to be a full house!

    I wasn't home long before I needed to head over to Wadestown to pick Pa up.
     I left instructions for Locket to tidy off the bench.
    Brains had to sort out the fire although I think Butcher took over the job.
    Butcher has always like to start the fire.
    Half-Pint was excited to see us all.

    Pa was all ready as I text him that I was on the way.
    He had quite a few things to go back to our place.
    I also emptied the freezer of the packets of beans and peas that were in there.
    Vidor is taking it tomorrow so it needed to have nothing in it.

    When we got home Locket and Brains made their pizzas.
    I used to always make the bases but often buy them now.


     These are the ones I usually get for Brains and Locket - Gluten free




    These are the ones I like for us.
    I got mine and Pa's ready...1/2 for me, 1/2 for Pa
    Boar prepared his.
    We do ours whilst Brain's and Locket's are cooking.

    I'd arranged to pick up our computer in the evening.
    Ate my pizza on the way.
    We needed to go to Stokes Valley, about 20-25 minute drive.
    We stayed and visited a while before we headed home with the computer.
    It was all ready to go.

    Home around 10pm and Brains hooked up the computer.
    All going...so he was very pleased.
    P is going to cobble together another one for Brains as the one he was given was infested with malware and wouldn't run.

    The sleeping arrangements were thus:
    Pa in his room, Boar and I in ours.
    Brains and Locket in their own rooms.
    Frosty and Jester in their room with Mr Magoo in there in the bassinette.
    Mr Magoo usually sleeps in the bassinette in the lounge but....
    Butcher and Chuckles were in the lounge on the foldout sofa bed.
    Half-Pint was upstairs in the rumpus area in the portacot!

    I was very happy to clamber in to bed as I was a bit weary.



    

    Friday 27 September 2013

    Busy wee people

    Thursday 26 September

    The radio alarm in our room turns on at 6am....on weekdays anyway.
    Around the same time I heard baby talking from Mr Magoo.
    He was awake and ready to start his day!
    The morning was wet and dreary, and the fire had burnt down.
    Boar got the fire going again to take the chill off the air.
    I got Mr Magoo's bottle ready, however before I gave it to him I changed his nappy.
    I also got beautiful smiles and gurgles, conversation baby style :)
    Then it was down to the serious business of drinking his bottle.
    After that it was time for a play on the mat.
    Boar left for work at his usual time of 7.10am.
    Some years ago he would leave at 7.30am.
    For the last few years he has had to leave at the earlier time to get to work due to the peak hour traffic.
    Usually he works over the other side of the city.
    The reverse journey in the evening can take a while too so he's usually home around 6pm.
    A long day.
    Mr Magoo kept me quite busy for the morning.
    I managed to get some porridge made and eaten.
    I'm enjoying the porridge at the moment.
    Think I had some toast and butter as well.
    Mr Magoo has just learnt how to roll from his back to his front.
    So of course no sooner do you lay him down and he rolls.
    Then he's stuck!
    He makes crawling movements with his legs but he's a wee way off that yet!
    So he was on the floor for a bit, sitting in the corner of the sofa - yes, I was right there - "playing" with some toys.....till he arches his back and slips down!
    And he can't sit up too straight or he bends forward and can't get back up as his back muscles are not strong enough yet.
    Around 8.15am he was grizzly and looking tired so I popped him in the bassinette.
    He grizzled a bit and then settled off to sleep to lullabies.

    I found the above CD when I was expecting Locket. I used to play it before she was born.
    After she was born I would play it as she was drifting off to sleep.

    I especially love the first lullaby

    The moment I saw you, I wanted to hold you
    And keep you warm on a cold grey morn
    The moment I held you, I wanted to kiss you
    And welcome you here on the day you were born

    The CD I had got well used and eventually scratched and would skip.
    I was delighted when I found it on ITunes and was able to purchase it.

    I've given copies to all the grandbabies so far...well their parents anyway.

    While Mr Magoo was asleep I quickly got dressed and began a letter to my friend Kris.
    We began writing letters a couple of years ago at my suggestion.
    It's really nice to receive something in the mail that isn't a bill or something asking for money!
    I was well overdue to write so put pen to paper....literally.
    Often we use the computer and print it out, but since ours is out of action.......

    I got a little done before I heard Mr Magoo "talking"
    He's a power napper....20mins or so and he's awake again.
    He sleeps all night though so that's the main thing.
    He kept me busy for the rest of the morning.
    Brought back memories I can say!

    At one point when he was on the floor, on a playmat, he rolled back to front.
    He was wriggling and squirming, when I saw his face go down...and yes he smacked his wee nose into the floor!
    Understandably he didn't like that at all!
    Poor wee fellow got a shock and cried.
    Cuddles from Granny helped.
    Gravity lesson...but not in a good way.

    Pa had a text from D to say she had finished with the computer and was going to drop it off after 10am.
    Yipee! One computer back.
    It was round 11am when D arrived.
    She had a quick cuddle of Mr Magoo while she was talking to Pa about the data she had input.
    It was great to be able to use a big screen after the wee phone one.
    Yes, I know you can stretch the screen to make it easier to see but you still have to move around on it a lot.
    I prefer being able to see the whole screen at once!

    I did get a few sentences added to my blog before Mr Magoo needed attention.

    It took me back to when my babies were little.
    The days when baby needed a lot of input and you felt as though you accomplished not very much.
    Except that you did.....you mothered a wee precious babe!
     One of the most important jobs there is, if not the most important.
    In my opinion anyway.

    I used to have this poem on the wall to remind me.

    Song for a Fifth Child

      by Ruth Hulbert Hamilton
      Mother, oh Mother, come shake out your cloth,
      Empty the dustpan, poison the moth,
      Hang out the washing and butter the bread,
      Sew on a button and make up a bed.
      Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
      She’s up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.
    Oh, I’ve grown shiftless as Little Boy Blue
    (Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).
    Dishes are waiting and bills are past due
    (Pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peekaboo).
    The shopping’s not done and there’s nothing for stew
    And out in the yard there’s a hullabaloo
    But I’m playing Kanga and this is my Roo.
    Look! Aren’t her eyes the most wonderful hue?
    (Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).
    The cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow,
    For children grow up, as I’ve learned to my sorrow.
    So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust go to sleep.
    I’m rocking my baby and babies don’t keep.
    ***********

    Frosty and Jester arrived back around 2pm.
    They'd begun to miss Mr Magoo almost as soon as they drove away :)

    Pa had walked down to see Ma as the weather had fined up.
    He arrived back not much later.
    When he got to Johnsonvale the outer door was locked.
    There were around 15 residents ill with the flu. 
    Two were on antibiotics and 2 had needed to go to the hospital.
    They had closed the rest home to visitors to help contain the spread of the flu.
    Thankfully Ma was fine.
    Pa had continued on down to the shops and picked up a pair of pants form the dry cleaner,
    then walked on home.

    Brains, Locket and I left for dance earlier than usual on a Thursday as we needed to pick up Locket's friend Nikki and take her as well.
    I dropped the 3 off at the studio and then went to visit Moneypenny and Little Sunshine while they had their class.

    I was greeted with beautiful smiles from Little Sunshine, and a cuddle. She is not always so free with cuddles being a fairly wary 19 month old on occasion.
    Moneypenny and I had a good chat as well.
    Just time for a quick cuppa then it was kisses and cuddles goodbye.

    Off to the studio to pick up my two.
    Usually Estelle as well but she had to have her knee checked by a surgeon today.
    As she was still going to Girls' Brigade with Locket we went on up to L-M & J's place to wait for her.
    We were only there for around 30 minutes before we wended our way back to Johnsonville.
    I dropped the girls off at GB and then we went home.

    Pa was there and Boar had arrived home from work.
    It was cooling down so I cut some kindling and got the fire going.
    Boar sorted out some dinner for us.
    Nothing fancy.
    Sausages, eggs, baked beans and chips!
    There was enough to make a meal.

    Frosty and Jester had gone out taking Mr Magoo with them so we just made enough for ourselves.
    They arrived back while we were eating and later got some takeaways.

     Often I'll wait till 8pm when Pa heads to bed to go to my room.
    Tonight though I wanted to watch X Factor USA.
    So I headed to the room at 7.30pm when it was due to start.
    It's always fascinating listening to the different singers.
    There are some amazing voices out there.
    There are also some who cannot have listened to themselves....or are tone deaf.
    Usually the judges let them down lightly...but not always.

    I also finished my letter to Kris as I want to post it tomorrow.
    Boar was using Pa's computer to look at Trademe so I waited till he was finished to add to my blog.
    Then I managed to finish off Jane and the Chalet School
    My light was off later than usual. It was 12.30am when I looked at the clock!
    Ooops...and need to be on the ball in the morning as we're going to...
    The first one to be held in Wellington.



    

    Decisions and Changes

    Wednesday 25 September 2013  

    Well that worked! I even managed to publish the post....wonders will never cease :)
    Not even going to try and figure out how to add photos though.
    This morning I wasn't quite so tired when I woke up. I think I've had one of those random 24-48 hr viruses the last couple of days.
    I managed to check my emails and banking on my phone though I much prefer using a computer. Not proficient at using two thumbs to type...yet. One finger typing is a bit slow. I must admit I do like the predictive word function on this phone. Certainly makes it much quicker :)


    No need to guess which is which!
    The old one was chomped over 2 years ago by Frosty's puppy!
    Amazingly it lasted...and was still going but I'd finally got enough for a new one :)
    Ok falling asleep now so will have to finish this tomorrow.
    Find the phone screen a bit small...making my eyes tired!

    It's now Thursday 26.
    Pa's computer has just returned so I'll add a bit to this before I'm no doubt interrupted again.

    So to remember what happened yesterday!

    After checking emails etc I decided to make some porridge for my breakfast.
    I prefer the oats finer so put them through the food processor before I cook them. I do a few cups at a time and store them in my fancy (not!) storage jars. Old peanut butter jars I saved years ago when we were first married. They've served me well :)

    Duty calls! 

    Pa is still sorting through things from his old home. 57yrs worth of things.
    Quite a lot of paperwork which he has burnt.
    But many other things too.
    Family are able to request items they would like to have.
    My brother, Vidot, is coming down this weekend to take the kitchen table & chairs, fridge/freezer, chest freezer and a small sofa and seat that are a set.
    That has all been arranged so all good.

    While I was stirring my porridge Pa commented that since Vidot was down taking those things he could also take anything else that wasn't wanted/hadn't been claimed!
    Huh?! was my reaction. Why?
    Pa said obviously no-one wanted anything as they hadn't been to take things!
    I pointed out that last year all had agreed that I would catalogue things and let people know what is there.......when Pa was ready for that to happen.
    As he was still living there he needed some things:- bed, table & chairs etc!
    He has still been sorting before he had the strokes and major operation.
    For a while he wasn't well enough as he was recuperating.
    Then Callista had her Aortic Dissection and her and her family were recovering there.
    Since they moved back just a couple of weeks ago Pa has been sorting paperwork.
    Despite me asking he hasn't seemed to want any help.
    I mentioned that I don't have the ability to mind read.
    There didn't seem to be a great rush.
    All of a sudden, this morning, that seemed to have changed!

    Whilst this discussion was happening I could hear Frosty and Jester quietly talking.
    They suggested they go and help Pa move/lift heavy things.
    Also that they could move in and rent the property.
    Pa said well, yes, that was a possibility!
    Another Huh! moment for me as I thought it was pretty set that Absent-Minded Prof and Moneypenny were going to rent it.
    All of a sudden things change.

    I sent a text to Absent-minded Prof to ask him to call me today if he got a chance.
    He called almost immediately and I let him know of the change.
    As the youngsters would say......Awwwkwaaard!
    I suggested he leave off telling Moneypenny until he got home from work.
    After all she has only 6-7 wks to go with her pregnancy.

    So the decision was made that I would take Pa over to his house.
    Frosty, Jester and Globug would go over to help.
    Oh and Globug has a new name.....Mr Magoo. He is now 4 months old.
    Brains and Locket went as well.
    I saw them in and showed Jester around the house as he'd only been in once very briefly.
    Then I left them to it as I was going to meet a friend for a catch up/coffee.
    Vi and I have been friends since primary school.
    We've known each other since we were 5 yrs old.
     Both being busy people it's hard to find time to catch up sometimes.
    Vi works full time so her days are busy too.

    It didn't take me long to drive from Wadestown to Newlands where Vi lives.
    We had a grand old chinwag.
    As I'd arrived later than I'd expected I stayed till it was time to pick up Pa.
    A couple of hours. And I'm sure we could have filled a couple more!

    Then it was back to Wadestown to pick Pa up and take him to visit Ma.
    I then went home and had a short time to fill before I took Brains and Locket to the dance studio.
    Today they need to be there at 3.30pm.
    So out to Tawa, drop off and return via the Countdown in Tawa as I needed to pick up a few groceries.
    Just enough time to run in and get those things before picking Pa up from his visit with Ma.
    Home again, home again jiggerty jig!

    I was looking after Mr Magoo from 4.30pm.
    Frosty had cooked us some dinner even though her and Jester were going to friends that night.
    Jester had got the fire going which was great.
    The days have warmed up and when the sun streams in the windows we often don't need the fire going during the day.
    Evenings are a different matter as it cools down quite a lot.
    A lot of folk may not light one but I feel the cold and prefer to be warm :)

    So it was play time with Mr Magoo.
    The weather was pretty wet, low misty rain and windy.
    Brains and Locket needed to be picked up at 6.30pm.
    Thankfully Boar arrived home just in time to go and get them.
    That way I didn't need to take Mr Magoo out in the yuck weather.
    I popped him in the front pack while I finished getting the dinner ready.
    He seemed to like seeing what was going on.
    Mr Magoo wasn't quite so impressed to be in the Jolly Jumper while we ate dinner.
    No, that's not Mr Magoo but a promo shot.


    When Boar had finished his dinner he got Mr Magoo out and played with him.
    I finished scoffing my dinner.
    Then it was bath time for Mr Magoo, followed by his bottle and bed.
    He settled really well and was asleep soon after 8pm.

    I had hoped to continue adding book titles from Pa's place to a catalogue I'm creating.
    I'll keep the ones I want, let everyone know the titles that are there and then list the rest on Trademe.
    If they go they go.
    If not I'll earmark them for the big book sale in May next year.

    Moneypenny text to say she'd heard about the change of plans and understood the reasons why.
    I was glad she didn't seem to be upset. 

    I called sis Sheri up to update her with what was happening, Pa's fall and also to find out her thoughts on the prospect of Frosty, Jester and Mr Magoo renting the property.

    Ma had put it succinctly to Pa.
    She was happy so long as it was a properly drawn up contract and the rent got paid!
    No flies on Ma even though there are many things she doesn't remember! 
    Pa had wanted Sheri consulted as she is one of the EPOA's for Ma & Pa.
    Vidot is the other one.

    While talking with Sheri I discovered that some books I really wanted had gone.
    Pa had said Sheri could take them and sell them on Trademe.
    They're only books....but they were one's Ma had collected and I had as well.
    The understanding I had with Ma was that when she no longer wanted them I could have them.
    Add to my collection of Chalet School books.

    After the phone call I decided to tuck up in bed.
    I continued reading Jane and the Chalet School
    It is one I haven't read before and I'm really enjoying it.


    These are re-prints of the original versions and I began collecting them a couple of years ago.
    I never knew until I was reading about them that the copies I read growing up and own, published by Armada, have cuts in them....i.e. chunks missing. In some cases whole chapters.
    Occaisionally I had wondered if I'd missed something when reading some of them.
    They didn't quite flow as I thought they would.

    I've earmarked a date in October to go and meet some of the other people who enjoy reading them and meet every so often.

    After reading it was sleep....blessed sleep!