Life Goes On....

It sure does folks, life has just been racing by and I feel like I haven't been here for a while?
A quick check of the last post and it was over 10 days ago, so not really that bad at all.

So where have you been I can hear you all wondering?
Living life I will answer, but there are a few things I will share with you.

Study
As you are all aware I have been completing my Bachelors of Nursing over the last 2 years. Only had 4 papers to complete. Not too bad...1 paper every 6 months, which mainly consisted of 2 essays.
Well I can finally announce that paper #4 is complete.
Yep, 2nd essay got placed in the mail last night.

Done, finito, finished, end of story....I have done it and survived.
I just have to wait the next 3 weeks for the mark to be available and then it is official but I am quietly confident in myself, so I have no doubts that I have just achieved my Bachelors Degree!

Labour Weekend
New Zealand has just had Labour Weekend this past weekend. The weather was not the greatest nor was it the worst we have had. It didn't stop us as a family going to our caravan and having a great time.
The boys got to play with friends they have known for a while but were able to cement the relationships a little further. 1 of the nights they both got invited to sleepovers in some else's caravan so we even managed a night without them. Bonus!
We managed to get the plants cleared from behind the caravan with the help of my mum who came to spend a night with us, luckily we managed to get this achieved on the 1 sunny day we had, so we were very lucky. It looks great now, all we have to do is get some form of platform down to keep it level and it will be awesome in time for the Christmas break

School Holidays
The school holidays only finished the week before Labour Weekend, so I feel like we had only just got over having a lovely 2 weeks with the boys and then everything was due at this time. The holidays were fun and I had a lovely relaxed time with the boys. It was the best holidays I have had with them for a long time.

Alex being as cheeky as always!

Work
Even though I have yet to secure a permanent job, I was lucky enough to gain 2 days work with my cousin at the office she works at. They are responsible for the regalia that is used in the graduation ceremony for the local University. So for 2 days I got to celebrate with all the graduates as they collected and returned their regalia for their ceremony. It was the most joyous happy work I have ever completed. Everyone was so proud of themselves and extremely happy it was over. We congratulated everyone when they collected their stuff and they were so full of smiles. It was a great 2 days, plus I got paid to be there, bonus!
I also managed to score a single day job as a patient actor for the nursing school. So I spent a day sat on a bed in a room whilst nursing students got to do a basic assessment on me. Nothing bad just the same thing every 30 minutes. It was interesting and hey it paid some more money so wasn't going to pass on the opportunity. They have even offered me a 2nd day next week which I have accepted.

On the permanent work front, there hasn't really been anything in the last few weeks.
However I did have a meet and greet, which I think turned into more of an interview yesterday at a private ear clinic just round the corner from me.
They were lovely and I feel I related with them amazingly and that I fitted really well. The director of the company was awesome and I feel we gelled really well. I happily joined in with the other staff over morning tea.
I definitely handed back my application form later that day and I know through the sneaky grapevine that they have sent reference checks out to my referees. So fingers crossed for this. I think it would be a great little place to work. Yes it is a small private place but it seems friendly and inviting and I think I will fit in just nicely there.

Hobbies
I have several hobbies...reading, sewing.
Although I have never let myself indulge too much whilst I have been growing the boys. Also as mentioned in a post a while ago I am terrible when I read as I get lost in what I am reading and everything else disappears out the window until the book is finished! Not that we are talking about wild classic novels here, oh no, we are talking Danielle Steel and other family romance novels, the really heavy girl stuff. If I find a series then I am typically screwed as if I find I am enjoying the first then I just have to have the rest of the series and I want to finish them all just as soon as I can!
Well with the study now complete and the boys also leaving me alone for more time nowadays then reading is suddenly taking over again. Roll on summer.
However I have found a new hobbie....one I knew I would eventually get into but to an extent I needed to let the times catch up with this hobbie...as I have finally taken up scrap booking, digital scrap booking too.
Man is it easy to loose yourself for hours doing layouts on the computer?
I will post about this more in a while as I have lots to say and as I am only using a trial edition of my scrap book programme I can't post layouts until the activation key comes through next week. Keep you posted on that one soon.

So there you have it. I have been a little absent but not quiet in any means.

Lemon Time

New Zealand is coming out of winter and entering spring.
Well it sure felt like it last week. This weekend I think we have taken 3 gigantic steps backwards! Wind and rain like never before is lashing the country from top to bottom!

The lemon trees however are doing fine and there is plenty to go round.
So when you have lemons...make lemonade...or in this case lemon curd.

I love lemon curd, freshly made on a thick slab of fresh crusty bread, nothing better than sinking your teeth into lemon and fresh bread.

Now I know you can make this in the microwave but I still like to make it on the stove with a double boiler, or in my case the old fashion way of standing a dish in a saucepan of boiling water.

Lemon Curd

50g Butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup lemon juice
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp finely grated lemon rind

Melt the butter in the double boiler.
Stir in sugar and lemon juice until sugar is dissolved.
Add the eggs and lemon rind.
Cook, stirring all the time, until mixture thickens.
Pour into hot sterilised jars.

Makes about 2 x 250ml jars.
Will keep in the fridge for about 3-4 weeks.

Mine sadly does not last that long in the fridge! Eaten before it ever gets that far.
Also I find this recipe is a little runny. I cook for about 15 minutes. It does thicken up but not a solid set, but it still taste divine.

Work In Progress

Our little house is a work in progress.
We always knew it would be and we were happy with that.
There is the garden to sort, bathroom, painting all over the house inside and out. Woodwork that needs replacing. Carpet to eventually be replaced etc etc.
I know for some this would drive them mental, but for us we are happy to just potter along and do things as we get to them.
Ok sometimes I am sure we could do with a little motivation, and yes life does just seem to wizz past us but we are getting there.
Of course unemployment does not help this situation at all!

1 little area that always needed sorting was the bathroom window.
It was fine and stable, does not leak and opens when needed.
However it was clear glass in the window.
Yep, someone in their ultimate wisdom had never put in frosted glass?
Now this didn't cause too many embarrassing situations as the window is actually higher than you realised once you got out on the driveway.
But we still discussed the fact we needed to get frosted glass in there at some stage.

The solution was presented to us by a friend....don't change the glass just place a frosted sticker on the window.
Steve finally remembered, after about 2 years, to find a website and low and behold they did all manner of different patterns on a frosted sheet that sticks to your window.
Very easy to install and very easy to remove if no longer required?

And guess what....due to the horrible weather that is hitting New Zealand as I type, he put it in place today and it took all of 15 minutes.

Now I can shower in peace knowing that no one can see me whilst there!

Countdown

Did you know that there is only 82 days until Christmas??
I can not believe that so many people are reminding us about it.
On Facebook and Blogger there seem to be reminders all over the place.

I guess it is now time to have a quick sit down with a cup of whatever you drink and see if there is anything you need or want to achieve/finish before those 82 days disappear?

Do you have some home made presents on the go that need completing?
Have you something to send overseas that needs organising to be able to get the early cheaper post?
Do you have a goal you are hoping to achieve?

For me.....I want to lose 3 more kilos, that is 1 per month.
That is what I have been achieving since February and that is my goal for the year.
Oh and also to finish my degree but seeing as that will be complete in 3 weeks time then I am not worried about that for now as I know it will be achieved.

So what are you aiming for...?

Hide 'n' Seek

Whilst at mum's house a few weeks ago, we got to enjoy the wondrous sunshine that suddenly decided to hit New Zealand.

We got to sit outside in her courtyard area and have some lunch.
She has a lovely large flower box in the middle of the area

can you spot the cat?

And it seems like her cat, Chivers, has decided that this is his space, despite the fact there is no space for him!

Chivers enjoying the daffodils as much, if not more than we are!

At least he is showing who owns what around the house!!

Friend Making Monday

If you’ve taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s question on your own blog then add your link in the comments section here at: alltheweigh so we can all see your FMM questions and answers.

Uniquely You

1) Do you prefer to talk or text? I prefer to talk, although if I do text then I use full words, none of this text language.

2) How often do you make your bed? Not enough!

3) What sounds do you hear right now? Birds tweeting in the trees outside

4) List three things that you always carry with you? Phone, wallet and a tissue. (You never know when you will need one for something)

5) What are your favorite TV shows? At the moment, the things I ensure I record so I don't miss them are Greys Anatomy, Glee and Body of Proof.

6) Is there a hobby that you’d like to devote more time to? If so, what is it? Cross Stitch, I love how it looks and how simple it is.

7) What is your favorite drink? Anything cold, juice, cordial or fizzy. I don't do tea or coffee.

8) Share a couple of cool facts about your family. My parents took us to live in Kuwait in 1977, I went to Boarding School for 6 years, my parents fostered at least 15 babies before they had me, think they wanted the practise.

9) List one thing that you will do for yourself today? Enjoy my children's first day of school holidays.

10) Share something that you’re thankful for today? The friends we ahve in our life who are making the school holidays so much fun.

If you want to answer these questions on your blog, then leave me a comment so I know to come and visit your answers, but also remember to leave a comment here so others can come and see you too and make friends.