Thursday 1 May 2014

Forgot to mention yesterday that Moneypenny text to say the light is up in the hallway. The electrician found the fittings needed for it. Also that the chimney has been checked and is fine, no cracks and has been swept ready to use.

Hmmm, several days later and I really have not too much idea what happened this day! I know that Isaak and Nicholas came, not as early as usual.

I decided on Butter Chicken for dinner as there was some chicken in the freezer, which I got out pretty early in the day.

I checked the TNT site in the morning and the package was “In transit” still. Then I checked again in the afternoon and it was “Out for delivery”. So paying did speed things up :)

Brains, Locket, Isaak & Nicholas went on a walk. Pa went down to see Ma so peace for a while.

I have a meeting to go to tonight. Didn't want to be away from the house too long as the courier might arrive, so I didn't get the coconut milk I needed when I picked Pa up.

The package arrived after 5pm. I put it in my room to open later

Pete was planning on being here soon after 4pm. In the end it was nearly 6pm as what he was doing had taken longer than he'd thought. Which wasn't a problem.

I shot down and got coconut milk. Brains started the Butter Chicken.

I went to the meeting and ate when I got home. Locket had tidied up. She commented that she felt she'd needed a break, to blob out for a while after a busy term and Easter Camp :)

Locket helped me check off the contents of the parcel. It was all there. She started Math PACE 1036NZ. 12 pages straight! Pretty easy though, NZ money, which she handles all the time.

BED as I need to be up reasonably early tomorrow.

Wednesday 30 April

Didn't get up quite so early today. I woke around 5.30am then dozed off again. Vaguely recall Boar leaving for work, then I must have dozed off again.

Woke up and got up about 8.30am. Locket had asked to be woken at 9am as she wanted to get ready to meet Nikki at the mall at 12noon. I had Gwen arriving with some books around 10am.

Coffee & toast helped me wake properly :) Got dressed, put away the fold-out bed, and applied the lotion to Pa's back.

Woke Locket & Brains, as T was coming to see Brains.

Frosty text to ask me to check her bank balance. Fi text to ask if she could come for a coffee. When it turned out she had to go by 11.30am I said come over now anyway. I didn't think Gwen would mind. Moneypenny text to say she'd rung Chris, the property manager. I briefly replied as by then Fi and T had arrived.

Brains and T went down to the shops. Not long after Gwen arrived.

Coffee time, so I made plunger coffee! And then an instant one for Pa. Fi and Gwen chatted happily about Auckland while I was getting coffee.

There were three Abbey books, and various other ones, some of Shakespeare's plays, The Illiad and a few Charlotte Bronte books. I gave Gwen $20 for the lot.

Gwen went about 10.30am. Fi stayed a bit longer and left soon after 11am as she was meeting someone for lunch. T went with her. Their days are packed so they can see as many people as possible before they head off on Saturday.

Locket headed off to the mall to spend time with Nikki. I got her to drop off a library book that was overdue.

I checked bank balances etc. Be watching the pennies this week! Well, any week, but more so this week.

Checked emails too. And the tracking of the SCEE materials. Which were in Auckland, waiting for me to pay the tax. So I made a call to TNT on the 0800 number. Got put through to the right department. Got sent an email with the amount. Called back, gave my credit card details, sorted! Checked a bit later and it's been released from customs and is “In transit”. Quicker than waiting for an invoice to arrive by snail mail! Hopefully the PACEs will arrive in the next few days.

There was a listing on Harvest for four ACE books. I looked and two were the ones I need for Locket. A Dog of Flanders and Miracle At Camp Friendship. I requested them and pretty quickly got an email back saying they were mine.

Brains has started reading The Illiad. Will be interesting to see how he goes with it.

I popped into the bank to make a deposit. Pa had some things he needed to be taken to Levi so I dropped them off on my way to Tawa, where I returned another overdue book to the library there.

While I was out C replied to a text saying she had some of the Score Keys I needed. I said I could go and look, but funds were low so I couldn't pay today. Also that if she needed to pack etc. no worries. She's going to Auckland tomorrow. I found my list when I got home but didn't hear from her.

I came home and had a bite to eat and a cuppa while I did some online banking. I also updated my notebook records of what I'm paying off on the Visa.

Picked up Pa around 4.30pm. Was prepared to go and get Locket at 5pm but she decided to walk home. She also got some bread, butter and a dozen eggs.

I updated the last couple of days on my blog. I'd figured out what to have for tea. When Boar got home I got it started. Sliced the leftover potatoes and cooked them in the oven with some eggs and a sliced tomato. Also cooked cauliflower and made a cheese sauce. Plus some carrots and a parsnip. There was enough and everyone liked it :)

Boar arrived home with two windows he's made. One for the lounge and one for the dining room. Both the windows in situ already have cracked panes of glass and the frames are rotting. It will be nice to have new ones.

Locket and Brains have both been doing some of the Italic Handwriting book. Locket decided to finish Book C before she continues with Book D. Brains started in with Book D.

I'm going to chase them to bed soon. They're taking photos on their phones. . .at almost 11pm!

Brains has to be up reasonably early as Isaak and Nicholas are coming over tomorrow. We've run out of internet time so they won't be able to do that tomorrow!

Anyway time I settled down and turned off the computer.

Tuesday 29 April

Got up around 7.30am. Lots to do. I had some breakfast and then headed upstairs. Basically I was sewing all day. Thought I was doing well till I discovered I'd made a mistake! Unpick and fix up the mistake. Chiffon and lining are not easy to work with!

Pa was picked up for his prayer group meeting.

I took a break around 2.30pm to eat and have a coffee. Here is a picture of Locket's completed jewellery stand.

Checked emails and discovered that the order from SCEE had been picked up. . .today! It was at Brisbane.

I carried on working. I was aiming for 5pm, but that wasn't going to happen. Picked up Pa and then attached the skirt to the bodice.

Had text Moneypenny as Amira's phone had no credit. No rush Moneypenny said. I finally got away soon after 6pm. The dress was done, I just needed to sew on the plastic press studs and buttons.

There was a lot of activity at Dimock St as Amira was finishing packing. The dress fitted well. . . Amira pronounced it perfect. Got the buttons atttached. Then Amira was turning it right side out and part of the lining had split!! Ooops! In future I will use four threads to stitch linings together. Gives that extra line of stitching.

Got home around 9pm. Boar, Brains and Locket were watching Britain's Got Talent so got my dinner and watched it too. A 79yr old lady Ballroom dancer. . .incredible! Her partner was throwing her round like anything. The audience and judges thought it was going to be boring and it started off that way. Simon Cowell even buzzed her! But then. . .the music picked up and Wow! I won't be doing that but would like to still be pretty active at 80!

Finished off the day by reading for a while.. I'm reading North To Amaroqvik, that way I'll know if Locket needs a hand with it.

Still feeling pretty tired so settled down around midnight.

Monday 28 April

Got up round 8.30. Not such a rush today. Had some toast – Roggenbrot Dark Rye with peanut butter. Yum.

Turned on my laptop to do the usual baking checks etc. It's been a long weekend though so no transactions will show. I'm waiting to see the one from SCEE.

Pages weren't loading properly! Not sure if it's my computer, heaps of activity after the long weekend or Pa on his computer too, though that doesn't usually affect it. I logged off as not much point in trying to get sites loaded.

I got Locket up so she could get organised to meet her new friend. Who I'm going to eyeball as a matter of course. Much to Locket's horror. “It'll be awkward, Mum!” Such are the jobs of a mother!

I applied the Betnovate lotion to Pa's back. Hard to tell if the antibiotics and lotion have worked. It's been a month and the spots/pustules keep coming up, not as many though, at least I think not.

Time was moving on. I needed to get on with the dress for Amira but decided to start after I got back from the mall.

Once Locket was ready we went down. I saw her young friend, who is only the same age as Estelle after all! Her birthday is in the same month so she is turning 15 soon. Looks like your average young girl. Has a job somewhere so reasonably responsible I guess.

Went to Marieka's to see if she had covered buttons. Yes, and zips. Also woven invisible zips. Saved me another trip down to Spotlight!

I then went on to Life Pharmacy to pick up the rest of Pa's prescription that we forgot to get last week! That done I decided to pop in and see Frosty at Shampoo Plus. It's her last day there. From tomorrow she'll be full-time at Burger King. Stayed chatting longer than I should. Frosty was funny when I said Locket was meeting a new friend. “Who is she?” She'd seen them walk past the shop, so was thinking, "Oh, ok." Sometimes my older children make me want to crack up laughing. . .they can be almost tougher on the two younger ones than I would be. Or than they think I was on them at the same ages!

After I left Shampoo Plus I went to Countdown to get some meat for a casserole. Seriously watching the pennies at the mo. Boar didn't get paid his full pay so things are very tight. Also I'm trying to pay off the Visa. Our part of it anyway. Frosty & Jester owe money for the TV still. Also they are borrowing $1000 to fix the ute. I'd let them have more if there was more. But there isn't. The materials from SCEE have been paid for. I'll get hit with tax so need to keep some in reserve for that.

Home again and I made a cuppa and headed upstairs. Had a call from Chuckles asking me to change an appointment for Lil Battler's newborn hearing test. Rang and left a message with Chuckles' number.

Then on with the dress. I needed to re-draught parts of the bodice. It still takes me a while and I'd rather take care. Each time I do some draughting I understand a bit more. Locket got home not much after me and continued with the jewellry stand she's making.

I carried on with the draughting process. Stopped for some lunch, and a short break. Brain's emerged. He'd decided to stay in bed and read.

Around 4.30pm I dedcided there was no way I'd have the dress at a stage to take it out to Amira for a fitting. Also the design is different and looser. Text her to let her know. The other reason was that I was feeling rather tired, the weather was packing in and I really didn't feel up to driving at night.

Picked up Pa from the home, then brought the mail in. The Italic handwriting books from Christian Books have arrived. And also Locket's Project Bloom package. The pictures are lovely. The magazine is ok. However I am going to contact them as for the amount I paid I don't think there should be a major grammar glitch and what I think is another girl's name for the profile!!

I got dinner underway, and carried on with the dress. I'm finally cutting it out. Almost made a mistake when I went to cut out the skirts and remembered I was making a slimmer fit lining.

Finished organising dinner. Yummy casserole and mashed spuds for us. Veges, omelette and mashed spuds for Boar.

Dinner done, later than I'd hoped, I headed back upstairs with the last reserves of energy I had. . it was around 8.45pm already. The mealtime seems to take so long these days. I used to be able to eat and 10-15mins later I'd be back upstairs. Especially when I had lots to do.

Got the skirt lining pattern draughted off the block. Forgot to add seam allowances and started cutting it out, arrrrgh! Taped the paper together and added all seam allowances. That's when I knew I was tired and had made a good decision not to go to Titahi Bay tonight. Got the skirt cut out and headed for my bed.

It was after 10pm, my legs were tired and achey, and I needed to stop. Turned my light off round 11.30pm as I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer. Locket & Brains were still up but I was just too tired to stay awake!

Sunday 27 April

Woke around 6.20am. Decided I may as well get up as lots to do. Working on a pattern for a dress for Amira. Made a coffee and took it upstairs, in my pyjama's and slippers. Heard Boar get up a bit later.

Worked for an hour or so. Boar roused Locket and Brains round 8.45am as they were going to church. I'd decided not to as I felt I needed all the time I had. Arranged for Smurfette to pick up Brains & Locket.

Had some of the lovely Rye toast. 

I'm really enjoying it. I get a loaf, put it in the freeezer and have some for breakfast with peanut butter. Yummy!

Brains & Locket went off. Boar and Pa went to Cambridge Terrace Congregational Church around 10am.

I read my Bible. May not have gone to service but still wanted my own time with God. I asked for help with draughting today.

I had a lovely, long shower. No-one at home to need the bathroom, turn on a tap, or anything else. Bliss!

I put on some towles to wash. Then went upstairs to continue working. Asked Smurfette to pick up some more brown paper. I find it good for draughting. Brains & Locket brought it home. 

   

Boar got home. He had dropped Pa at Johnsonvale as usual. Boar cooked some leftover veg for lunch.

I got on with the job after some food. I tried this and that, then decided to just use the basic pattern and take it from there. I finally cut out the calico for the toile or mock-up. I was planning on doing a fitting at 3pm, but I text to say I'd be later. Amira wasn't worried as she was home anyway.

Boar went to pick up Pa. He called me after about 15mins asking me to text Pa to say he was there!!!

I finished stitching the toile together and I was off. After figuring out we could have fried eggs and tomatoes on toast for tea.

Out to Titahi Bay. Amira asked if I'd cut out the fabric. I explaned I never do that till I know the toile is ok. “So, I could change the dress a little bit?” she asked. “Ah. . . .yes.” I said, after taking a mental deep breath!

I showed her the toile. She showed me the pic. THANK GOODNESS! Not too many changes and will actually be easier.

Fitting done, home again. With some eggs given me by Babs, to save me going to the supermarket. Kind thought, but I had to go anyway as I needed to get GF bread. 

I also got some chippies and a calculator for my sewing area. Handy for draughting and means I don't have to turn on my phone every time I want to do a calculation! I text Brains to tell him I was on the way and suggested Boar put the tomatoes on. Ate the chippies on the way home.

Boar cooked the eggs when I got home and dinner was ready.

Decided to do just a little work before I settled down. Had a eureka moment. Had been trying to roll with the tracing wheel

on my green mat similar to this one below.

Not too sucessful, and I thought a bit of Pinex would be just the thing as the spikes would sink in a bit more. Glanced around. . .and there was a piece! Excellent. It was even covered in hessian :) And the idea worked well too. I got the pattern traced off ready to adjust it where I need to in the morning.

I caught up on my blog. Locket came and chatted to me. These conversations are precious so I suspended my writing while we talked. Part of the conversation was around a young girl who Locket was close friends with when she was little. Locket was 4 months old and Emma 2 months old when they “met.” I'd set up a group for families with pre-school children who were planning on home-educating. Maria came with Jo and Emma to the very first meeting. We were in frequent close contact till the family moved away mid-2007. Late 2007 or early 2008 Maria was diagnosed with cancer. Though she fought hard and bravely Maria died on 8 July 2010. A precious daughter of God gone to be with her Lord.

Locket has seen Emma around Tawa, and saw her at Easter Camp. Emma came into the tent Locket was sleeping in a few times as one of her close friends, Dot, was the “tent leader.” Locket said she smiled and said “Hi,” but Emma just looked at her in a puzzled way, as though she was trying to figure out who Locket was and how they knew each other. It may come to her one day.

I picked up writing after Locket went off to bed. Now it's more than time I closed my eyes. I've just realised the time and need to be up reasonably early. . .there's a dress to sew!!

Amira, Vince & Vineet fly away to Fiji very early on Wednesday this week!

Saturday 26 April

Woke just before 6am. . heard Lil Battler hicupping! Decided to get up so I could get some work done whilst it was quiet. Made coffee, got dressed and went upstairs.

Got an hour or so done then came down to eat. Googled to find info I needed re pockets.

Halfpint got up so Butcher got up too and fed him brekky. Lil Battler was still sleeping and Chuckles was resting.

Got organised to leave as Boar was taking me down to Spotlight to get zips etc. Then he was going on to get rubbish from Wadestown.

Got back and I checked if Butcher and Halfpint wanted to go for a ride with Boar. Yup, they did, so Butcher dressed Halfpint and off they went.

Pa queried about his email account. I asked if it ok if I sorted it this evening. He said that was fine.

Back upstairs to work. I got the pattern pretty much sorted. The info I found last night and today was all helpful.

Took a break when Moneypenny and A-M Prof arrived with the girls, to visit and see Lil Batter. TJ arrived as well. Chuckles other friend C was not able to come. Chuckles and Butcher decided to leave earlier than they'd planned. Brains arrived home.

Not long after they left Char called. . .could she have coffee here with me? Sure! She'll be off overseas soon to join her husband who is working there.

I got the pants cut out and started stitching! I had 30 mins or so.

Had coffee, Char left around 4pm. Upstairs to finish the pants. I got them done and checked the amount of fabric I'd been given.it was enough :)

Sorted what to have for dinner. Boar was happy to cook it. I went off to J's.The pants were a good fit. J was happy. A few adjustments were needed.

Home and dinner. Remembered about Pa's email account. I rang Telecom in the end. We set up a sub account under our account! He has his own account and gets his emails and we get ours. Sorted :)

I went upstairs to put away pants patterns etc. And to prepare for tomorrow. Too tired to draught tonight. I took the book downstairs to look through and mark the pages I needed.

My eyes were closing of themselves – time to sleep.

ANZAC Day, Friday, 25 April 2014

Woke usual time. Locket needed to be up and ready just after 8am. Smurfette was picking her up to go to the Anzac Day Parade in Johnsonville. Girls' Brigade go every year. Forgot about a white shirt! Found a sleeveless one of mine, all good as she will be wearing a jacket over the top.

Boar, Pa & Brains all went too. I stayed here, feeling rather tired this morning.

A few mins after they went. . .a text from Chuckles came through. Could they come over today & stay the night?

I think I'm more tired than I realised. Usually I don't hesitate but suddenly I felt quite overwhelmed! Had seen her fingers needed checking. I queried it. The check could be done anywhere. I said I needed to check with Boar but it should be ok. That I would text in an hr.

I think my bucket is full. . .shed a few tears but almost too tired to cry! Prayed for strength. Quite a lot to do today and tomorrow and feeling a bit stressed by it.

Got dressed and began sorting out the pattern I needed to draught. Boar, Pa & Brains arived home. Locket came a little later.

Talked to Boar. He said ok for them to come. I text to say ok, but arvo would be good as I had work to do today and tomorrow. And, yes, they'd need to bring the basinette.

I got busy draughting. Draughted off a leggings pattern. Checked the fabric more closely. . .woven with stretch. Began again, draughting off a close fitting pants pattern.

Chuckles text around 3pm to say they were on the way, going to P's before they came here. I got the fold out bed sorted.

Frosty had called to say she had some $$ for me and could I pick up the dog bix from their place please. Went down and did all that plus got mince etc. for Spag Bol. Picked up Pa on the way home. Got the Spaghetti Bolognese underway when we got home.

Chucles, Butcher & Co arrived. We had dinner. . .and then Brains went to Kris'

Halfpint had a bath, then Chuckles took Lil Battler in with her. Butcher dried Hlfpint. I dried & dressed Lil Battler. Bit wee for Butcher yet, he feels!

Smurfette arrived & also Jerry.

I had a conversation with Moneypenny via Facebook. She has started a new blog. There aren't any posts yet so I will wait to link it here.

Went upstairs to check out a few tings with the pattern. Not totally happy with the shape. Not too sure how to properly use the French Curve. I have insructions but can I find them? Googled and found a great video, and that the lady who was in the video had written an article in Threads Issue #82. . .which of course I have!! Looked it up and printed it off. Very helpful.

Sleep around midnight as my eyes were closing!