I know the background is not the greatest but I had some trouble whilst changing it with The Cutest Blog on The Block Site.
They are having trouble with their site and I have been trying desperately to change it from the Christmas theme I had, because after all it is not Christmas now!
Anyway, I finally managed to get through to something on their site, found a background I thought would be fine in the interim until I could really find something nice and when I saved it to view it was horrible!
So I have had to find something that worked better and I am afraid this is it!
Please bear with me as I wait for them to get sorted so I can get sorted.
Thanks
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
WFMW - Useful Hints
I got sent these Useful Hints on email. Some of them actually sound pretty good and I know there are a few I will be putting into action at my place really soon.Hopefully you will find something that you know you can use too.
Bananas
Peel a banana from the bottom and you won't have to Pick the little 'stringy things' off of it. That's how the primates do it.
Take your bananas apart when you get home from the store. If you leave them connected at the stem, they ripen faster.
Cheese
Store your opened chunks of cheese in aluminum foil. It will stay fresh much longer and not mold!
Peppers
Peppers with 3 bumps on the bottom are sweeter and better for eating.
Peppers with 4 bumps on the bottom are firmer and better for cooking.
Add a teaspoon of water when frying ground beef. It will help pull the grease away from the meat while cooking.
Scrambled Eggs
To really make scrambled eggs or omelets rich add a couple of Spoonfuls of sour cream, cream cheese, or heavy cream in and then beat them up.
Brownies
For a cool brownie treat, make brownies as directed. Melt Andes mints In double broiler and pour over warm brownies. Let set for a wonderful minty frosting.
Garlic
Add garlic immediately to a recipe if you want a light taste Of garlic and at the end of the recipe if your want a stronger taste of garlic.
Left Overs
Leftover snickers bars from Halloween make a delicious dessert. Simply Chop them up with the food chopper. Peel, core and slice a few apples. Place them In a baking dish and sprinkle the chopped candy bars over the apples. Bake at 350 For 15 minutes!!! Serve alone or with vanilla ice cream. Yummm!
Reheat Pizza
Heat up leftover pizza in a nonstick skillet on top of the stove, set heat to med-low And heat till warm. This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro pizza. I saw this on The cooking channel and it really works.
Easy Deviled Eggs
Put cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag. Seal, mash till they are all broken up. Add remainder of ingredients, reseal, keep mashing it up mixing thoroughly, cut the tip of the baggy, squeeze mixture into egg. Just throw bag away when done easy clean up.
Expanding Frosting
When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store, whip it with your mixer For a few minutes. You can double it in size. You get to frost more cake/cupcakes With the same amount. You also eat less sugar and calories per serving.
Reheating Refrigerated Bread
To warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refrigerated, place them in A microwave with a cup of water. The increased moisture will keep the food Moist and help it reheat faster. N
Newspaper Weeds Away
Start putting in your plants, work the nutrients in your soil. Wet newspapers, Put layers around the plants overlapping as you go cover with mulch and for- Get about weeds. Weeds will get through some gardening plastic they will not Get through wet newspapers.
Broken Glass
Use a wet cotton ball or Q-tip to pick up the small shards of glass you can't see easily.
No More Mosquitoes
Place a dryer sheet in your pocket. It will keep the mosquitoes away.
Squirrel Away!
To keep squirrels from eating your plants, sprinkle your plants with cayenne pepper. The cayenne pepper doesn't hurt the plant and the squirrels won't come near it.
Flexible vacuum
To get something out of a heat register or under the fridge add an empty paper towel Roll or empty gift wrap roll to your vacuum. It can be bent or flattened to get in narrow openings.
Reducing Static Cling
Pin a small safety pin to the seam of your slip and you will not have a clingy skirt Or dress. Same thing works with slacks that cling when wearing panty hose. Place pin in seam of slacks and ... Ta DA! ... Static is gone.
Measuring Cups
Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill with hot water. Dump out the hot water, but don't dry cup. Next, add your ingredient, such As peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes right out.
Foggy Windshield?
Hate foggy windshields? Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box of your car . When the window s fog, rub with the eraser! Works better than a cloth!
Reopening Envelope
If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something inside, just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. Viola! It unseals easily.
Conditioner
Use your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It's cheaper than shaving cream and leaves your legs really smooth. It's also a great way to use up the conditioner you bought but didn't like when you tried it in your hair.
Goodbye Fruit Flies
To get rid of pesky fruit flies, take a small glass, fill it 1/2' with Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 drops of dish washing liquid; mix well. You will find those flies drawn to the cup and gone forever!
Get Rid of Ants
Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it, take it 'home,' can't digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so, especially if it rains, but it works and you don't have the worry about pets or small children being harmed!
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Happy Birthday
Happy Birthday to you,Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday dear Tom,
Happy Birthday to you.
Today is the birthday of someone I knew from when I lived in the USA.
Thomas S Finkelmeier
He lives in a small town in Ohio called Wapakoneta, population 9000.
It is in Northwest Ohio on I75, exit 113!
Last year he ran for Mayor of the town but sadly was beaten by about 22 votes!
Dreaming
As Steve dropped me off at work today, I happened to notice that I had dribbled toothpaste down the top I am wearing!
Nothing too obvious, but enough to make me wish that I had another top to change into. One exactly the same would be good because I like my outfit today, colourful and summery.
This then made me remember something from many years ago......
About 13 years ago I got to go on a short holiday (7 days) with my parents to Florida. Dad was there on business, mum was visiting dad and I went to do my first attempt at the NCLEX Exam (Nursing exam).
Whilst we were there, the people my dad knew there took us to this house. This house belonged to a very wealthy man and the guy my dad knew was looking after the house for him.
The house was situated on the beach front and had other very large houses, owned by famous people, nearby; it even had its own little private subway under the road by which to gain access to the beach by!
The house had everything anyone could ever dream of wishing for, a kitchen like no other I had seen, including a walk in fridge, complete with it’s own huge fridge just for the wine (I know, everyone’s main priority)
The library was amazing, one of those libraries that had shelves from floor to ceiling and a sliding ladder by which to reach the books by, a very business like library but so inviting to come and sit and read in.
The dinning room was huge and very welcoming to fabulous dinner parties as required.
There was art all over the house, obviously it was all very expensive art, but this was a house that had art on the wall for the art itself not the cost. Some of it was chosen because it was liked not because it cost the earth. Although we were informed that they own a piece of art that was currently not at the house because it was on loan to a museum! Man I wish a museum would pay me to loan a piece off my wall?
The garden was beautiful and accentuated the pool area nicely. (We did actually get to come back another day and have lunch by the pool and swim)
There was a guest wing, that was set aside for his daughter, if she ever visited, and the wing was set ready for someone to stay, and I mean totally ready, the towels were set out, the robe hung on the back of the door and the bed was made, although we got told that no one had actually stayed in the guest wing for over a year, but it was still all set up just in case. Oh and it was still cleaned everyday to keep it all fresh.
In the main house for every bedroom (I think there were about 5 or 6) there was a walk-in closet and bathroom. All the bedroom also faced out over the beach side of the hosue, so everyone had the same view from their room.
The main bedroom was grand but nothing too flash. Nice size bed and a little sitting area. The bathroom had the normal separate sinks etc and was well lit, no putting on your makeup in a dim lit room.
He apparently liked clean pyjamas every night and also liked to have clean sheets on the bed every night! Now at the time I thought this was extravagant, but everytime I climb into my own bed on the day we have changed the sheets I love that clean sheet feeling, and now looking back I am so totally envious of this guy having clean sheets everyday!
We then got shown something very private about the guy that owned the house, his wardrobe.
It was nothing special but what was amazing about it was the fact that all the shirts he owned were in colour order in the wardrobe and that there were 4 of every colour!
This is the amazing part…..this was because when he held a party or gathering etc if he spilt something on his shirt or he started to sweat he was able to excuse himself upstairs and change his shirt, but of course, by changing into a clean shirt of the same colour then no one would notice he had changed and everyone would just continue to comment on how smart and well presented he always looked.
And that is what made me think of this this morning, me needing to change my top and how I wished I had another exactly the same in my wardrobe so I didn’t have to think about what to replace it with.
Maybe when I win the lottery, then I can buy 4 of everything for that just in case moment!
Nothing too obvious, but enough to make me wish that I had another top to change into. One exactly the same would be good because I like my outfit today, colourful and summery.
This then made me remember something from many years ago......
About 13 years ago I got to go on a short holiday (7 days) with my parents to Florida. Dad was there on business, mum was visiting dad and I went to do my first attempt at the NCLEX Exam (Nursing exam).
Whilst we were there, the people my dad knew there took us to this house. This house belonged to a very wealthy man and the guy my dad knew was looking after the house for him.
The house was situated on the beach front and had other very large houses, owned by famous people, nearby; it even had its own little private subway under the road by which to gain access to the beach by!
The house had everything anyone could ever dream of wishing for, a kitchen like no other I had seen, including a walk in fridge, complete with it’s own huge fridge just for the wine (I know, everyone’s main priority)
The library was amazing, one of those libraries that had shelves from floor to ceiling and a sliding ladder by which to reach the books by, a very business like library but so inviting to come and sit and read in.
The dinning room was huge and very welcoming to fabulous dinner parties as required.
There was art all over the house, obviously it was all very expensive art, but this was a house that had art on the wall for the art itself not the cost. Some of it was chosen because it was liked not because it cost the earth. Although we were informed that they own a piece of art that was currently not at the house because it was on loan to a museum! Man I wish a museum would pay me to loan a piece off my wall?
The garden was beautiful and accentuated the pool area nicely. (We did actually get to come back another day and have lunch by the pool and swim)
There was a guest wing, that was set aside for his daughter, if she ever visited, and the wing was set ready for someone to stay, and I mean totally ready, the towels were set out, the robe hung on the back of the door and the bed was made, although we got told that no one had actually stayed in the guest wing for over a year, but it was still all set up just in case. Oh and it was still cleaned everyday to keep it all fresh.
In the main house for every bedroom (I think there were about 5 or 6) there was a walk-in closet and bathroom. All the bedroom also faced out over the beach side of the hosue, so everyone had the same view from their room.
The main bedroom was grand but nothing too flash. Nice size bed and a little sitting area. The bathroom had the normal separate sinks etc and was well lit, no putting on your makeup in a dim lit room.
He apparently liked clean pyjamas every night and also liked to have clean sheets on the bed every night! Now at the time I thought this was extravagant, but everytime I climb into my own bed on the day we have changed the sheets I love that clean sheet feeling, and now looking back I am so totally envious of this guy having clean sheets everyday!
We then got shown something very private about the guy that owned the house, his wardrobe.
It was nothing special but what was amazing about it was the fact that all the shirts he owned were in colour order in the wardrobe and that there were 4 of every colour!
This is the amazing part…..this was because when he held a party or gathering etc if he spilt something on his shirt or he started to sweat he was able to excuse himself upstairs and change his shirt, but of course, by changing into a clean shirt of the same colour then no one would notice he had changed and everyone would just continue to comment on how smart and well presented he always looked.
And that is what made me think of this this morning, me needing to change my top and how I wished I had another exactly the same in my wardrobe so I didn’t have to think about what to replace it with.
Maybe when I win the lottery, then I can buy 4 of everything for that just in case moment!
Monday, January 12, 2009
Nappy Update
Alex once again went to bed with no napy at 7.45pm.
Unfortunately when we went to bed at 11, he was sound a sleep in a wet bed!
Yea for the training cloth under the sheet, only pyjamas and sheets to wash, no matress etc.
He happily agreed to a nappy for the rest of the night, which I am not sure if it was the good thing to do but seeing as the training cloth was in the wash, then I was happy.
Of course his nappy was totally dry this morning, but seeing as he pee'd when he did he had nothing to pee during the night!
Oh well will carry on tonight.
Unfortunately when we went to bed at 11, he was sound a sleep in a wet bed!
Yea for the training cloth under the sheet, only pyjamas and sheets to wash, no matress etc.
He happily agreed to a nappy for the rest of the night, which I am not sure if it was the good thing to do but seeing as the training cloth was in the wash, then I was happy.
Of course his nappy was totally dry this morning, but seeing as he pee'd when he did he had nothing to pee during the night!
Oh well will carry on tonight.
Diabetes
As you know, I live with Diabetes, Steve is Type 1 Diabetic.As I laid in bed the other night, after he had had a small hypo! I thought about how you would best explain it to someone who didn't understand it totally.
This is my simple explaination......
Imagine if you will a bank account, now the balance of this account can be anything between 4 to 10 (in the US their blood sugar readings are measured in a different unit, but you get the idea) Now the whole idea is that you need to keep the balance in this range.
When you eat, the balance goes up. You body then produces Insulin and the balance comes back down to the right place. IF you don't eat anything but you do lots of exercise and use lots of energy then you balance starts to go down. You start to feel like crap and you need to eat and drink to get the balance back to where it should be.
If you have Type 1 Diabetes, then when you eat your balance goes up but it does not automatically come down. This is where you have to test you Blood Sugars to find out what the balance is and then take the correct amount of Insulin for what the balance is.
If you do not have the Insulin then your balance will stay at the high range and make you very thirsty, constantly wanting to pee, and generally feeling very unwell. This is known as Hyperglycaemic Attack (Hyper)
At the other end, if their balance falls below the recommended range then they start to feel faint, dizzy, sick and general really yucky, this is called a Hypoglycaemic Attack (Hypo).
So once you have had the correct amount of Insulin, then your balance comes back down to the correct range, but if you have not calculated correctly or you do exercise and have the Insulin then you can make the balance go down even further.
Generally they start to know when their balance has gone below the correct range because they feel unwell and they correct it by eating some sugar. Unfortunately at night sometimes this can happen and they can be so deep in sleep that their body does not wake them up with the signs and symptoms, this is when they fall into a Diabtetic Coma.
They do give off signs and symptoms but not enough to wake themselves up but enough to wake someone lying next to them sometimes.
Steve will start moaning, or as has happened the last few times, he jerks his arms around and his body does the odd shake. This has woken me because the bed has moved and as I turn to him I can hear his breathing and if I feel him he is cold and very sweaty. That is all the signs I need to know what to do.
So that is Diabetes 101.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Nappies
When Grandma was staying with us at the caravan, she talked to Ben about how he was big enough now to not have to wear nappies at nighttime.
I think this sunk into his head somewhere?
Well if it didn't sink into his head it sure sunk into his little brothers! Alex annouced last night that he was not wearing nappies to bed anymore!
Now as you may remember from here, Alex is good at annoucing something and then sticking to it. It is exactly what he did when he decided he wasn't wearing nappies during the day anymore.
SO I actually agreed to go with this as I have a feeling it will work.
So off he went to bed last night, no nappy on, a quick trip to the toilet before going upstairs, juice in hand as normal because I am not changing things, oh and a bed wetting cover had been placed on the bed under the sheet.
I can report today that we had a dry night. Yea for us.
He came into me twice last night to snuggle and each time I did ask him if he needed to go and each time he replied 'No'
This morning when he got up he apparently went straight to the bathroom and did his business.
Will keep you posted on how the week goes, but at least it is summer time and the sheets will dry easy. Now we just have to slowly work on Ben and see if he fancies the idea? Although I am in no hurry and I am not going to force the issue, when he is ready it will happen.
Although the real bummer of it all is that we had just gone grocery shopping yesterday and I had just brought a new packet of Alex size nappies!
I think this sunk into his head somewhere?
Well if it didn't sink into his head it sure sunk into his little brothers! Alex annouced last night that he was not wearing nappies to bed anymore!
Now as you may remember from here, Alex is good at annoucing something and then sticking to it. It is exactly what he did when he decided he wasn't wearing nappies during the day anymore.
SO I actually agreed to go with this as I have a feeling it will work.
So off he went to bed last night, no nappy on, a quick trip to the toilet before going upstairs, juice in hand as normal because I am not changing things, oh and a bed wetting cover had been placed on the bed under the sheet.
I can report today that we had a dry night. Yea for us.
He came into me twice last night to snuggle and each time I did ask him if he needed to go and each time he replied 'No'
This morning when he got up he apparently went straight to the bathroom and did his business.
Will keep you posted on how the week goes, but at least it is summer time and the sheets will dry easy. Now we just have to slowly work on Ben and see if he fancies the idea? Although I am in no hurry and I am not going to force the issue, when he is ready it will happen.
Although the real bummer of it all is that we had just gone grocery shopping yesterday and I had just brought a new packet of Alex size nappies!
Sunday Reading
Today's lesson comes from Kathryn: Chapter 9: Verse 110
"And so as the haze passed at 3am, Kathryn was heard to proclaim to Steve, as part of her monthly nag....Always check your blood sugars before you have your Insulin!"
Here endeth today's lesson
"And so as the haze passed at 3am, Kathryn was heard to proclaim to Steve, as part of her monthly nag....Always check your blood sugars before you have your Insulin!"
Here endeth today's lesson
Friday, January 09, 2009
How Stupid
The main headline news today in New Zealand is the fact that 2 Australian Tourists, 2 brothers aged 22 & 24yrs old, here on holiday with their extended family, have been killed on Fox Glacier in the South Island.Turns out they decided they wanted a better picture of the glacier and so they crossed the safety barrier and walked a little way to stand under a lip and have their picture taken. You can imagine the rest....the glacier was unstable due to recent rain and collapsed, killing both of them.
Now I know 20 yr old boys can be defiant but this takes it all a little far. I also realise that this was a freak accident, but still.....how stupid can people be? There are safety barriers for a reason?! Turns out one of the brothers was an Areospace Engineer, so you would have thought they would have had half a brain between them!
I feel sorry for the parents, who went on a wonderful family holiday with their sons, their only sons at that too, and now have to return home without them because, simple put, they were stupid!
My thoughts are with the parents because the thought of loosing my 2 precious monsters is not even worth thinking about!
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Too Many Indians
Steve is at present sat still on holiday at the caravan with the boys...!Me, I am in Hamilton at work...and that is where my frustration comes in?
I am having a very difficult frustrating day at work and there is no one at home to talk it through with and I don't even have the ability to call him, as his mobile is his work number and he didn't take it to the caravan with him, mainly because that way no one could call him!
I am ready to throw the computer at all the stupid people here at work and tell them to go shove the patient surgical codes whereever the patient doesn't want them.
Everyone is talking the same language but differently and it is getting very frustrating.
I feel like I am hitting my head against the wall ever few hours as the day has passed.
The amount of stuff, that due to the current holidays we have just passed through, have cause hassle and confusion!
I have now identified several areas that we need to change how things are done, but because I don't actually know exactly how everything is done in certain areas, then it is all getting mixed together and we are coming out in a jumble not a straight line.
I think we have finally got to the proverbial "Too Many Chiefs and Not Enough Indians"
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
Works For Me Wednesday
I can not believe that over my 3 weeks away I managed to find many helpful tips that I want to share with you.Now I just have to try and remember to get them posted and linked at Rocks In My Dryer on the right day.
What works for me this week is how to remove tar from floors.
We managed to get tar on the lino in the caravan during the holidays. It was so hot the roads of course were going all soft and sticky.
I noticed the tar on the floor and thought someone had spilt coffee granules, but no, it was tar and it was not coming off easy either.
My mum then said that her mother had always used butter to remove tar?!
Yep that is what I said, butter or margarine.
You simple get some kitchen paper, wipe it in the butter/marg and then use a little elbow grease to remove the tar from said area.
For the larger spots, then I also gently scrapped with a knife after rubbing in the butter, then rubbed again with the butter.
It definitely took a little elbow grease to remove the tar, but I was amazed how easily it came off.
Way to go Grandma
Saturday, January 03, 2009
Unrest in Paradise
Its 11.30 at night and I am laid in bed trying to work out what to write in this post.......
We have had a great day. The boys started the day with a Treasure Hunt, organised by the campsite. It was excellent and I will blog later about exactly what was involved and how you too can use the same principal.
Grandma has been here for the last couple of days and she was now getting ready to pack up and go home.
It was raining when we went grocery shopping in Waihi, which was nice actually because it cooled it down a little for at least 5 minutes. It also meant swimming in the hot pools after lunch was not as hot as it could have been, amazing how hot the pools get with the sun!
The rest of the afternoon was a blob fest, Ben was off playing with other kids at the site and this is where the trouble all started....By the time we sat down for dinner he had successfully dissappeared 3 times to places we didn't know he had gone, nor had he told us or asked permission! The last incident was just as I was about to serve dinner and so he spent most of dinner in timeout....a very noisy timeout I must add, within an hour of that timeout he had already had another! This was all whilst Steve and I were deciding what punishment he required for the next day due to the warnings he had had from us all afternoon. Consequently Ben is now grounded for the morning tomorrow, this meaning that he is not allowed to venture from the caravan. He has to play in or around the caravan, no going to someone else's caravan, no going off to play at the trampoline!
Not quite sure if he fully understands what is involved, but we will see tomorrow, will let you know.
Once all was quiet on the western front, Steve and I sat down and watched "Nim's Island" actually quite a cool little movie, I enjoyed it, but then so did Alex I think!? Because he came plodding out to us half way through in tears, bad dream I think. I knew he wouldn't settle back into bed, so I snuggled him with me on the settee. Before the end of the movie, which was about 2 1/2 hours after they had both gone to bed, all 4 of us were sitting watching it! By the time we all actually went to bed at 11.30pm we had played musical beds. Alex was now restlessly sleeping with me, and Steve was on the top bunk with Ben on the bottom, nothing like having family beds in this place!
Which now brings me back to the start, it is 11.30 at night and I am laid in bed composing this blog, thinking that I really need to get a notebook to write down these wonderful ideas I have so late at night! I composed this post so well last night and now I can't think of the wonderful way I put the words. Oh well life goes on!
We have had a great day. The boys started the day with a Treasure Hunt, organised by the campsite. It was excellent and I will blog later about exactly what was involved and how you too can use the same principal.
Grandma has been here for the last couple of days and she was now getting ready to pack up and go home.
It was raining when we went grocery shopping in Waihi, which was nice actually because it cooled it down a little for at least 5 minutes. It also meant swimming in the hot pools after lunch was not as hot as it could have been, amazing how hot the pools get with the sun!
The rest of the afternoon was a blob fest, Ben was off playing with other kids at the site and this is where the trouble all started....By the time we sat down for dinner he had successfully dissappeared 3 times to places we didn't know he had gone, nor had he told us or asked permission! The last incident was just as I was about to serve dinner and so he spent most of dinner in timeout....a very noisy timeout I must add, within an hour of that timeout he had already had another! This was all whilst Steve and I were deciding what punishment he required for the next day due to the warnings he had had from us all afternoon. Consequently Ben is now grounded for the morning tomorrow, this meaning that he is not allowed to venture from the caravan. He has to play in or around the caravan, no going to someone else's caravan, no going off to play at the trampoline!
Not quite sure if he fully understands what is involved, but we will see tomorrow, will let you know.
Once all was quiet on the western front, Steve and I sat down and watched "Nim's Island" actually quite a cool little movie, I enjoyed it, but then so did Alex I think!? Because he came plodding out to us half way through in tears, bad dream I think. I knew he wouldn't settle back into bed, so I snuggled him with me on the settee. Before the end of the movie, which was about 2 1/2 hours after they had both gone to bed, all 4 of us were sitting watching it! By the time we all actually went to bed at 11.30pm we had played musical beds. Alex was now restlessly sleeping with me, and Steve was on the top bunk with Ben on the bottom, nothing like having family beds in this place!
Which now brings me back to the start, it is 11.30 at night and I am laid in bed composing this blog, thinking that I really need to get a notebook to write down these wonderful ideas I have so late at night! I composed this post so well last night and now I can't think of the wonderful way I put the words. Oh well life goes on!
Friday, January 02, 2009
Summer Holiday
It is our summer holiday.
We are having a great time. The sun is shinning but we are also getting the rain, sometimes enough to cool the air othertimes enough to flood the people in the tents! How I don't envy them at all.
The boys are loving the freedom they have, they can roam to the trampoline, other peoples caravans, the games room and tv room. They know not to cross the yellow line out to the car park.
They have had fun with a tarpauline, hosepipe and washing up liquid making a water slide.
They have eaten when they more or less want to and most of the time it has been a BBQ.
Steve and I have sat and read books for hours on end and not had to worry too much about where the boys are, so very relaxing.
The scenery is lovely, the beach is 3 kms away and the closest shop is 5 kms away.
Someone actually asked me what the day was the other day and I struggled to tell them, radio reception is not good here and neither is tv, so we are so out of touch with the world, I am not even sure if it is still there?
We only go into the local town, 12kms away, to do grocery shopping and then we turn round and come straight back to our little paradise. Isn't life great? Or more to the point, this is exactly what a summer holiday should be like...3 weeks of chilling out and relaxing and not having a care in the world.
We are having a great time. The sun is shinning but we are also getting the rain, sometimes enough to cool the air othertimes enough to flood the people in the tents! How I don't envy them at all.
The boys are loving the freedom they have, they can roam to the trampoline, other peoples caravans, the games room and tv room. They know not to cross the yellow line out to the car park.
They have had fun with a tarpauline, hosepipe and washing up liquid making a water slide.
They have eaten when they more or less want to and most of the time it has been a BBQ.
Steve and I have sat and read books for hours on end and not had to worry too much about where the boys are, so very relaxing.
The scenery is lovely, the beach is 3 kms away and the closest shop is 5 kms away.
Someone actually asked me what the day was the other day and I struggled to tell them, radio reception is not good here and neither is tv, so we are so out of touch with the world, I am not even sure if it is still there?
We only go into the local town, 12kms away, to do grocery shopping and then we turn round and come straight back to our little paradise. Isn't life great? Or more to the point, this is exactly what a summer holiday should be like...3 weeks of chilling out and relaxing and not having a care in the world.
Thursday, January 01, 2009
Happy New Year
Happy New Year to you and your families.All the best wishes for 2009.
May your dreams and wishes come closer.
All the best.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Goodbye to 2008
This year has been very busy and had lots of things happening,
Here are the highs n lows......
We started the year in a new town, having just moved to Hamilton a couple of weeks before hand.
In January we went to Auckland to watch a 'Police Concert'
Ben and Alex started at Daycare here as I returned to work.
In March Steve proposed to me and I accepted.
At Easter we were lucky enough to have our new caravan all ready and we spent some wonderful long weekends there since. I am so looking forward to spending time there in the sun over Christmas this year.
Alex turned 4 at the beginnning of June.
In June we went to Auckland to see the stage show 'Priscilla Queen of the Desert'
Throughout winter time I had many trips to Rotorua to sort my wedding dress out whilst it was being made, organise the wedding and get the invitations out.
Throughout July and August I spent time at Physio trying to get my back sorted, I so didn't want to be limping down the aisle!
At the beginning of September Ben had his 5th Birthday and started school.
Saturday 20th September, Steve and I got married on a beautiful day in Hamilton at the Hamilton Gardens in front of all our families and friends.
We then had a lovely honeymoon in Tahiti.
At the end of October, sadly my parents split after 44 years together, very amicable and friendly. Although they are trying to work through things and maybe look at giving it a try. I mean after 44 yrs together, maybe there is something there to look at and not just totally walk away from?
In November I changed jobs, whilst also continuely looking for a new job.
Just before Christmas Alex had his last day at his current Daycare, we did not like it, and we have found a lovely new one close to home and he will start there in January after the holidays.
Ben finished his first full term at school and he is loving it. He has grown so much in the last few months since starting school.
3 days before Christmas my dad got diagnosed with Prostate Cancer. Low grade but still serious. The treatment plan has a 90% success rate. In simple terms this was all diagnosed from a simple blood test, something that all men should be having at their Doctor's, but more on this in another post.
So all in all a very happy and sad year.
All the best for 2009
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Christmas Time
So Christmas is now over, and what fun it has been.
We are currently at the caravan and having a ball.
The weather is pretty good and the boys are so relaxed. They have the freedom to come and go as they please and they think this is great fun. They have made loads of new friends and are sharing and joining in all the fun and games.
Christmas Day was lovely. We woke in the caravan and had a lovely time with the boys before heading to Rotorua. I think the boys got all that they wanted from Santa and maybe much more! We had a lovely family Christmas with Grandma and Granddad and cousins etc. It was a much more relaxed time than last year and I actually enjoyed it better.
We came back to the caravan on Steve's Birthday (Boxing Day) but it was still all relaxed, as is everything this year.
Well, almost everything! Not sure that mum was relaxed on Christmas Day night when she backed the camper van into a tree on a friends driveway! Unfortunately she managed to dent the van and smash the back windscreen, but never fear thanks to insurance it will all get fixed in time.
So the holiday continues and we are having a great time, this is so what we brought the caravan for and hopefully several people are going to take day trips to visit us, so we should have the odd visitor.
Hope your Christmas period has been as much fun?
We are currently at the caravan and having a ball.
The weather is pretty good and the boys are so relaxed. They have the freedom to come and go as they please and they think this is great fun. They have made loads of new friends and are sharing and joining in all the fun and games.
Christmas Day was lovely. We woke in the caravan and had a lovely time with the boys before heading to Rotorua. I think the boys got all that they wanted from Santa and maybe much more! We had a lovely family Christmas with Grandma and Granddad and cousins etc. It was a much more relaxed time than last year and I actually enjoyed it better.
We came back to the caravan on Steve's Birthday (Boxing Day) but it was still all relaxed, as is everything this year.
Well, almost everything! Not sure that mum was relaxed on Christmas Day night when she backed the camper van into a tree on a friends driveway! Unfortunately she managed to dent the van and smash the back windscreen, but never fear thanks to insurance it will all get fixed in time.
So the holiday continues and we are having a great time, this is so what we brought the caravan for and hopefully several people are going to take day trips to visit us, so we should have the odd visitor.
Hope your Christmas period has been as much fun?
Friday, December 26, 2008
Happy Birthday
Happy Birthday to You,Happy Birthday to You,
Happy Birthday to Steve,
Happy Birthday to You....
Today is my husband's birthday, yes I know, he is a Christmas baby, someone has to be!
I always try to make today extra special, ensure it definitely has a birthday feel to it.
Happy Birthday, love you
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas to you all.May you have a wonderful day with your families where ever you are in the world.
May you have enough food to keep you happy and may you get to do what ever you like to do on this wonderful day.
Best Wishes from me down here in New Zealand on the beach!
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
A Kiwi Night Before Christmas
A Kiwi version of the wonderful original by Yvonne Morrison and Deborah Hinde.
Twas the night before Christmas, and all round the bach
Not a possum was stirring; not one could we catch.
We'd left on the table a meat pie and beer,
In hopes that Santa Claus soon would be here.
We children were snuggled up in our bunk beds,
While dreams of pavlova danced in our heads;
And mum in her nightie and dad in his shorts,
had just settled down to watch TV Sports.
When outside the bach such a hoo ha arose
I woke up at once from my wonderful doze.
I ran straight to the sliding door, looking about
Jumped out on the deck and let out a shout!
The fairy lights Dad had strung up round the door
Let me see everything down on the shore
And what did I see, when I took a peep?
But a minature tractor and eight tiny sheep!
With a little old driver, his dog on his knee,
I knew at once who this joker might be.
He patted the dog, and in a voice not unkind
Cried "Good on ya boy, now Git in Behind!"
"Now Flossy! now Fluffy! Now Shaun and Shane!
On Bossy! On Buffy! On Jason and Wayne!
Up that red tree, to the top of the bach!
But mind you don't trample the vegetable patch!"
So up to the roof those sheep quickly flew,
With the tractor of toys, Santa and his dog too.
As my sister awoke and I turned around
In through the window he came with a bound.
He wore a black singlet and little white shorts,
And stuck on his feet were gumboots of course;
A sackful of toys he had flung on his back
And he looked like a postie just opening his pack!
His eyes - bright as paua shell - oh how they twinkled!
Like an old tuatara, his skin was all wrinkled!
He had a wide face, and a round, fat tummy,
That looked like he'd eaten lots that was yummy.
He spoke not a word, but got down on one knee,
And placed a cricket set under the tree,
A present for Sis, one for Dad, one for Mum,
Then he turned and he winked and he held up his thumb;
He jumped on his tractor, to his dog gave a whistle,
And away they all flew, as fast as a missile.
I called out 'Thanks" as he flew past the gate
He called back:
"Kia Ora to All and Good on Ya Mate!"
Twas the night before Christmas, and all round the bach
Not a possum was stirring; not one could we catch.
We'd left on the table a meat pie and beer,
In hopes that Santa Claus soon would be here.
We children were snuggled up in our bunk beds,
While dreams of pavlova danced in our heads;
And mum in her nightie and dad in his shorts,
had just settled down to watch TV Sports.
When outside the bach such a hoo ha arose
I woke up at once from my wonderful doze.
I ran straight to the sliding door, looking about
Jumped out on the deck and let out a shout!
The fairy lights Dad had strung up round the door
Let me see everything down on the shore
And what did I see, when I took a peep?
But a minature tractor and eight tiny sheep!
With a little old driver, his dog on his knee,
I knew at once who this joker might be.
He patted the dog, and in a voice not unkind
Cried "Good on ya boy, now Git in Behind!"
"Now Flossy! now Fluffy! Now Shaun and Shane!
On Bossy! On Buffy! On Jason and Wayne!
Up that red tree, to the top of the bach!
But mind you don't trample the vegetable patch!"
So up to the roof those sheep quickly flew,
With the tractor of toys, Santa and his dog too.
As my sister awoke and I turned around
In through the window he came with a bound.
He wore a black singlet and little white shorts,
And stuck on his feet were gumboots of course;
A sackful of toys he had flung on his back
And he looked like a postie just opening his pack!
His eyes - bright as paua shell - oh how they twinkled!
Like an old tuatara, his skin was all wrinkled!
He had a wide face, and a round, fat tummy,
That looked like he'd eaten lots that was yummy.
He spoke not a word, but got down on one knee,
And placed a cricket set under the tree,
A present for Sis, one for Dad, one for Mum,
Then he turned and he winked and he held up his thumb;
He jumped on his tractor, to his dog gave a whistle,
And away they all flew, as fast as a missile.
I called out 'Thanks" as he flew past the gate
He called back:
"Kia Ora to All and Good on Ya Mate!"
Twas the Night Before Christmas (English Version)
Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
Whilst visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And Mamma in her kerchief and I in my cap,
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap.
When out on the lawn there rose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter,
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow
Gave the lustre of midday to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a minature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer.
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:
Now Dasher! now Dancer! Now Prancer and Vixen!
On Comet! On Cupid! On Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch, to the top of the wall!
Now dash away, dash away, dash away all!
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
So up to the house top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of toys and St Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.
He dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back
And he looked like a pedlar just opening his pack.
His eyes - how they twinkled! His dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath
He had a broad face and a little round belly
That shook when he laughed like a bowl full of jelly.
He was chibby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jefk
And laying his finger aside of his nose
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle,
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight
Happy Christmas to All and to All A Good Night
Written by Dr Clement C Moore for his children one Christmas before he died in 1863!
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
Whilst visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And Mamma in her kerchief and I in my cap,
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap.
When out on the lawn there rose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter,
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow
Gave the lustre of midday to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a minature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer.
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:
Now Dasher! now Dancer! Now Prancer and Vixen!
On Comet! On Cupid! On Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch, to the top of the wall!
Now dash away, dash away, dash away all!
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
So up to the house top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of toys and St Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.
He dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back
And he looked like a pedlar just opening his pack.
His eyes - how they twinkled! His dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath
He had a broad face and a little round belly
That shook when he laughed like a bowl full of jelly.
He was chibby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jefk
And laying his finger aside of his nose
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle,
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight
Happy Christmas to All and to All A Good Night
Written by Dr Clement C Moore for his children one Christmas before he died in 1863!
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