ER & LJ Travels

Six more sleeps

2012-02-01T15:40:00.000+13:00

Just 6 more sleeps then off to the South Island in the campervan ... I am so excited I bet I am worse than any child, this picture is giving almost the route that I am taking ...plus some of course.
I have a list of people to pop in on and I just hope I can reach you all if I am in your area, if there are anymore bloggers who fall into the basic route leave me an email and I will try to say hello as well.

My neighbour who used to work in Otago area as a midwife in a past life is coming for supper tonight to give me a few pointers on places I should see not on the tourist routes, that is going to be interesting as well.

I have organised kits of Christmas Ornaments to take along so all those beautiful balmy evenings I can sit and stitch and watch the sunsets, don't want to take anything to heavy going or intricate. ... or I can imagine getting back and having to reverse stitch a months worth of work.

I have the proverbial list ( my children will cringe at this bit ) and then a list of things not on the first list ... my family used to laugh at my lists when Dad used to say " look out here comes mother with her lists" but it was those lists that got them back to boarding school each term from where ever we were living in the world , they took us on holidays and everything managed to go with out to many hitches all because of "My Lists " So excuse me now while I recheck the list .....He He!!

Some kind of wonderful...

2012-01-29T15:38:00.000+13:00

There are some really wonderful and generous folks out there... Just a couple of days ago I asked if anyone had some Just Cross Stitch Ornament Magazines that needed a good home and WOW!!

I have had the offer of three all ones that I could not find or missing.

Just in case there are anymore looking for a home I would love 2003 , 2004, 2008.

After my blog was published two returned home safely ... so at least I have traced those okay.

People are just so kind and generous in blog land ... THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.....

An update on the ornaments I have actually finished two stitcheries they are just awaiting construction.. so I am ahead of myself.
I am going to make up a few kits to take away with me to while away the evenings in the campervan. So by the end of February I will be way way ahead of myself ...yeah wishful thinking !!!

Where are they now.... and HELP

2012-01-27T09:33:00.001+13:00

I have been buying this magazine for about 7 years now... Even when living in Dubai I ordered it from overseas and received 2 while there ... I have used a few of the patterns but always had intentions of doing more you know how it is.... I kept buying them I knew one day they would come in handy... that day has finally come.
I have joined a group to make Christmas ornaments at the rate of one a month ...or that is the object of the group... great you may say you will have lots of ornament patterns as you have all these magazines.

WRONG!!! I have searched my sewing room not once but three times and so far I can find two of them. I remember lending a couple to someone ... now who ? is the question and it was a while ago..
The likely people I have asked ..but to no avail.

So looks like I am on the hunt for magazines....

If you have a copy of Just Cross Stitch CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS that you can bare to part with I will be willing to buy it or them off of you and pay postage.

I have tried Just Cross Stitch for back copies ... not available.

Still playing up....

2012-01-22T20:05:00.001+13:00

Is anyone else still having the difficulty with trying to comment on blogs.... ???

I have taken the tick off of "Stay signed in" as comments suggested and tried other blogs to see if it is particular ones but no it seems to be all of them sometimes and just a few at other times .... Oh! so frustrating to say the least ...

So I am not ignoring any one ... just not able to comment.

I have also noticed that my blog list is not updating very quickly when people post ... it seems to be an hour or so behind ... so may be it is "Blogger " errors not ours.

What happened to the house.... and marmalade

2012-01-22T09:08:00.001+13:00

I managed to design a small Christmas Tree to add to my Little house.. I am now not sure how to finish it off with the area around it ... but it will come no doubt in time.

I have also noticed looking at the picture it needs a chimney.

Finally a pot of boiling marmalade..... I really cannot believe it took me 3 days to obtain the sugar for it .. sugar is not a commodity that I keep in large quantities as I do not use much of it in a year in general day to day living. .. so buying it is not on my normal supermarket list.

A Quilters Brain

2012-01-21T18:24:00.000+13:00

I think this post needs no explanation at all.... Happy Stitching

Not allowing comments again

2012-01-20T12:36:00.000+13:00

Things are playing up again ... I go to comment on friends blogs and for some reason it opens the comment sheet and then as I try to type ...Whammmm off goes the whole blog and I am left with a blank screen.

It did this once before and someone gave me a tip ... for the life of me I can not remember what it was I had to do ?? Any answers PLEASE !!!

A Lazy Day for all

2012-01-19T23:36:00.000+13:00

Today was a child minding day as DS and DI L have both gone back to work and there is another 2 weeks holiday to go for the kids. So I have had them for just 2 days this week and 2 next.
The day started at 8am they were both in bed when I arrived at their house and seemed quite happy to stay there, at about 10am we finally had breakfast ... I cooked pancakes I will not repeat what they put on them but some concoctions that I would not have thought of.
Then the day continued with everyone doing something very quietly, there was no disagreements no shouting and play fighting, so Grandma had a great day also .... other than cooking breakfast and lunch ... I just sat and watched TV they have Sky so I saw programmes not normally available to me.... from 9am to 3pm I was stitching ... I tried to do a little 1 over 1 on my " sweet bag" but this was to tedious to do and difficult to watch TV at the same time.

So I started an ornament ... I am hopefully signed up for the 2012 Christmas ornament challenge here am starting early as I hope to do one a month as far as possible. I did not have a pattern with me but I did have Little House Neighbourhood WIP. plus extra fabric so I am adapting one of the houses and changing it to a Christmas picture.

I am going to put a Christmas tree with lights by the side of the house if I can work out a pattern to fit ... may be I will cheat a little and look in the Just Cross Stitch Christmas ornament magazines of which I have 6 ( but missed 2011 can you believe) and find one that I can adapt.

It is growing slowly but then I knew it would be slow... I must admit I spent a whole evening doing a large flower in the centre and then a whole morning unpicking it .. it did not look right some how to me .... the stitches were not looking good ... not my actual stitching just the technique that was used ... so have to give it some thought ... do I try it again as pattern says or adapt it.

Amazing ....

2012-01-18T15:46:00.000+13:00

No posts for a few days and then comes along 3 all at once ..... just like buses.
So keep reading .....

Happy Birthday Ellis

2012-01-18T15:45:00.000+13:00

My eldest grandson Ellis is 11 today ...
Gee he is good looking he takes after his grandma you know !!! yes I am modest as well.

At the weekend we went to Ohope for another surf lesson as part of his presents ... we stayed in the campervan along with his brother Harvey he is the one with the really happy face ( not) I did tell him this would go on my blog but it made no difference he was not going to smile.

Not sure what the problem was but guess he could have been tired after 2 long days at the beach and I believe it was getting way past food time ... which is very important when you are a growing seven and a half year old.

See what I mean

2012-01-18T15:22:00.001+13:00

See what I mean can't even get the graphics in the right place on my posts, goodness knows how I have ended up with 2 sets of them on and after the post .... oh well! time for a cup of tea.
I think I need my holiday roll on February 7th...

I am worried about me !!

2012-01-18T15:20:00.000+13:00

I made some grapefruit marmalade a couple of weeks ago ... ( always make my own) I had a few fruits left over plus some lemons from the garden... so decided to make some more, simple did the necessary things and boiled the fruit hey presto ready for sugar ..umphhhh ! not enough sugar.

So today I went for my normal daily swim at 8.30am ( yes I know you are thinking .... how highly commendable) after the swim I had full intentions of going to the supermarket for the sugar ... I know you are thinking the right things now!! YES! you can believe it I came back home minus the sugar, and this was the main reason for going to the market I could have managed with out all the other items for a few days .... I just don't seem to retain details in my brain any more, I can be doing something and half way through I get sidetracked , I can even start up the computer to search for something on Google and when I have finished on the computer I have not even searched for the original item .....
I used to remember phone numbers but now the mobile remembers them for me ..... Names they just elude me in fact I now just apologise if I can't remember anyones name and say so ... OH!! dear this must be age ... They say you are as old as you feel and at present my brain is making me feel in my dotage.

New Year Idea Number 1

2012-01-12T15:43:00.001+13:00

I recieved this by email and I'm passing on this idea because it is simple, cheap, effective and ingenious.

I hope it is of use to you ..... great for the freezer, sealing all those mishaped items.
Who ever thought of this should get a GREEN medal. or be given an award for originality!!!
What a great idea... no more twists and ties or rubberbands.

THIS METHOD IS WATER PROOF AND AIR TIGHT. GREAT!

Seal Plastic Bags with Old Bottle Caps

Cut up a disposable water bottle and keep the neck and top, as in photo.

Insert the plastic bag through the neck and screw the top to seal.

The bag is made air-tight, water will not leak,

it is easy to open and the top and screw cap can be used over again!

Retail therapy

2012-01-11T11:28:00.000+13:00

On yesterdays outing we had a fair bit of retail therapy ... a lot of it was just looking .
The couch in the family room is a red salmon colour and I have had difficulty picking the right colour for the cushions ( only had the couch 12 yrs ) I put my red work girls quilt on the back of it a bit ago, I had never thought of trying red on it so decided may be try red cushions but then as you all know there are at least 50 different reds ... but "Voila" yesterday there was the right colour red cushions in Whakatane .. so had to buy them.

I think another natural coloured "Corn Pad" embroidered one is called for as well ... oh well !! another to do to add to the list ... a thought !! may be a good project to take to South Island with me
Another thought may be need to change the curtains ... time to turn off the thoughts this is getting expensive these cushions and who has ever heard of changing the curtains to match the cushions......

Lovely Day and update.....

2012-01-11T09:45:00.000+13:00

Red rose is the emblem of Inner Wheel

Yesterday was International Inner Wheel Day ... for the uninitiated Inner Wheel is the original ladies section of Rotary, Rotarian's at one point in history could only be men and the wives and daughters of these men formed the Inner Wheel. The Logo will show you that all wheels have spokes ( the inner wheel) and the ladies are the spokes that keep the wheel from collapsing ( my theory)

My club here in Rotorua were invited by Opotiki Club to attend a celebration of the day at the home of the incoming International Inner Wheel Vice Chairman Carole Young.
Just two of us were able to go, so we took a lovely leisurely drive via Whakatane and Ohope stopping for lunch at the Berry Farm ...ummmmm delicious. and doing a little retail therapy in Whakatane .. then on to spend a lovely couple of hours at Carole and Ken's fruit farm.
One of the high lights were the wild turkey's a photo here but not to clear as taken from inside the house did try to get one outside but as soon as you approached they moved away.

They have to cull them every now and then, this was a first for me to see them in the wild ... it was also great to see them with their tails fanned.

UPDATE on stitching still on the laborious one strand over one thread very tedious so I do not do to much at a time but it is growing, 2 pictures could not decide which one to use so you get a double bonus view .....

Sorry no sign off for some reason ... I can not explain why it keeps disappearing on me. Will most likely appear again on the next post ??

Okay enough is enough

2012-01-08T21:52:00.000+13:00

Rain and gale force winds are lashing much of the country, as New Zealand's miserable summer continues.
MetService has issued heavy rain warnings for eastern Bay of Plenty ( this is where I live), and severe gale warning for parts of the lower North Island. I definitely did not need to know this at all ... I only have to open the door to see it for myself.. ugh !!

Photo from NZ Daily Herald I think it is so neat and just sums up the weather.

I believe enough is enough, we are floating here in Rotorua ... my large lawn has at least 4 inches of water on it and it is beginning to stay, normally it drains after a few hours but not now the water is laying and has been for a few days now. They have now told us not to hold our breath for a summer this year ....

View of Mt Ngongotaha from Lounge window.

All that water up there is going to land on us in a few minutes.

I bet the neighbours though I had lost the plot this morning .... I took the hose and cleaned the outside of the house ... I thought well! I will get wet any how and it was falling from the heavens "cats and dogs" and everything was wet / damp and loose ..... so easy to hose off, so all the spider webs have gone, all I need to do now is spray the outside to keep the little beggers away for 4 months. But of course can not do that in the rain, bet the beggers will all climb up again before it is dry enough to spray.
By the way I got soaked but after a lovely warm shower I was warm and cosy and I felt great to have not let the elements get the better of me.

Update .... stitching

2012-01-07T19:38:00.001+13:00

I have at last managed a few stitches on my "sweet bag" well ! in fact more than a few as most of it is done in 1 strand over 1 thread ... and gee it is taking it's time in growing. So how have I managed to do some more.....
With the awful TV programmes .. which is normal for summer holidays .... so I have been watching old videos to name a few ...
Hello Dolly , Paint your Wagon, Sound of Music, Sense and Sensibility and Emma by Jane Austin,
Little Women ( 1949) version and any thing I have with Julia Roberts in it .... which is quite a few.

Tonight I am going to re run Pride and Prejudice with Colin Firth .... BBC version ooooh! he can visit me any time that Mr Darcy .... so that will be about 3 evenings worth of viewing.

As I have seen them all at various times during the last few decades of my life, I don't actually have to watch them just listen and look up on occasions ... so I can stitch.

A Small Dilemma .....

If anyone can tell me how to keep the cat off my lap while I sit in comfort and stitch I would be pleased to hear it ... he is getting a little fed up with getting put outside each time I pick up my needlework. He is attacking my sewing box and really pulling at the fabric when I have hold of it .. all for attention I guess, may be he is an adolescent cat.

New Year ..... Healthy Snack

2012-01-07T15:19:00.005+13:00

Yes a fairly healthy snack ....
Now it is not often that this happens ... a healthy snack that is not carrot sticks or veggy stick of any sorts..... Now they can be boring especially when you are trying hard to loose weight,
but here is a snack that I picked up from goodness knows where on one of my searchings and surfings ages ago ... and have tried it a couple of times with different flavours.

Spice Roasted Crunchy Chickpeas

2 cans chickpeas
2 Table spoons olive oil
Dry spice seasoning

Pre heat oven 220

Rinse and pat dry the peas, place in a large bowl and drizzle on the oil and coat with seasoning toss together well.
I used Greggs Southern Style seasoning ... but you could use a taco seasoning or thai or any curry powder or Chinese five spice ... what ever flavour you or your family like.

Lay in single layer on a backing sheet and bake for 40 mins checking after 30 mins in case any are burning. They are almost done when they begin to shrivel and are half their size.
Use all 40 mins as they have to dry out. leave to cool

Store in a airtight container.

Wish I was Camping again.....

2012-01-03T09:20:00.000+13:00

Since I have been back from Christmas camping I have to honestly say I have not stitched a stitch ... not even picked up a needle ... I am getting with draw symptoms.
So I should be away in the van again, there I get so much stitching done.
So the purpose of this post is to say ... I am off again really this time to South Island.
Some may remember a back post, even two posts where I was planning a South Island Trips ... last year and the year before, I wanted to see the snow, a glimpse of Mt Cook ( on previous trips it seemed to have disappeared) and Lake Tekapo. A few life changing things stopped me going but that is all sorted now .
This return trip has been in my brain for 3 years now, I have had to put it off twice ... But hey!! not this time come floods or high water ...... what ever the elements wants to throw at me. The van has had a few jobs done on it and is all ready to go.

I want to visit the Otago area, I also want to see Christchurch again which I know will be heart wrenching after only just being there the year before seeing it in all it's glory.
Need to visit Nelson area and down the coast to Wanaka , then thorough the central area ( not been this way before)

So I am finally going to make it in February leaving around 8th ... just a few more bits of the plan to get into place, like seeing a house sitter, and final planning of the route.

So here is a glimpse of some of the scenery ... around Queens town I should add not taken by me.

I would also like to catch up with any bloggers who live down there so if you are from the South let me know and I will try and call, say hello and drink a cup of tea .... I will have all month to fill and I know it will be done easily

Christmas Stitching ....

2011-12-31T14:25:00.001+13:00

So lots of time to stitch over the Christmas actually almost 5 days well with a bit of eating between times of course.
I arrived at the camp ground on Friday a day before the family so I had a whole glorious day on the Saturday ...I just sat watching the world go by and stitched ...

Now I have loads of UFO's in lovely plastic zip folders would be embrassed to say how many but here are a very very small sample ..

So what did I do in my infinate wisdom ...yeah you guess I started something new ...

I had picked up an old NZ stitching magazine at Guild someone was passing them out before they went to the local Op shop and there was a pattern by Sharon Cohen in it for a Elizabethan Sweet Bag
Sharon Cohen of The Nostalgic Needle specialises in reviving historical hand embroidery techniques
- especially those used in Elizabethan times. So here it is her sample not mine.....

So I decided yes ! that was what I would do it is ony 4 x 4 inches so small enough to cart about with you ... I have a nice bright pink box that I use for my stitching while in the campervan it fits nicely between the seats and stores well when travelling ...

Luckily I had all the threads required with a bit of help from a friends thread collection and the fabric was in my stash just waiting for this particular project to come along ... most of this is worked in 1 thread over 32 count linen. ... thus the need for magnify specs over my glasses. So a long way to go yet, here is progress so far....

Happy New Year

2011-12-31T11:32:00.000+13:00

2012 is just about here, where has this last year gone ... was only a week ago I was rushing around to go away for Christmas and now it is almost gone and forgotten already. I had a great time with the daughter and her husband and grandkids .. weather was just glorious ... and I guess we ate to much it always seemed to be meal time, but that is what you get with children ... seems they have to eat regularly, amazing how you get out of the habit when there is only you and you can please yourself.

We had the Traditional Christmas Dinner for Ben as requested we had to have it in the evening as the kitchen at the campgrounds was full up by 9am with people organising their Christmas lunch. So we decided evening would be good and not so much hassle as it would have quietened down by then.
But we did the whole 9 yards, candles, crackers, and all the trimmings, both boys seemed to enjoy it, I know we adults did.

On the way to the Caravan around 6pm I stopped off at Bethlehem, ( no not the Israel one ) this one is outside of Tauranga in the Bay of Plenty, they have built a lovely shopping mall there all outside so you do not feel as though you are trapped with the shops, an advert caught my eye for a " Night before Christmas Concert and celebration" so I stayed around and at 7.30pm it started it was put on by combined Churches it told the original story of Christmas and had music Christmas songs and Carols telling the original Christmas story, there must have been 1000 people there, it was all finished off by a firework display ... it was a great start to my Christmas, as the real meaning sometimes get lost in the celebrations.

So now it is New Year 2012 I am sort of pleased to see it, this year has had a few ups and downs but things will be different starting tomorrow a clean slate as they say.

So I wish you all a prosperous and Happy New Year

I know still here...

2011-12-23T13:59:00.000+13:00

I know not supposed to be here again ... but thought I would just catch up as I sit and disconnect the computer to pack it in it's bag ready to go.

When I read my daughters blog posting for today ...

So all you folks who have fond memories of a Northern Hemisphere Christmas visit HERE and be prepared to have your heart strings pulled ......

These snowmen are for Kathryn ..... with love from Mum xxx

Merry Christmas Everyone

2011-12-22T22:50:00.000+13:00

Here he is again beavering away just as I imagine you all doing to get those last minute things done.

I think I am already ... well to an extent. I have organised the Neighbours to feed Chivers him being the VIP in this household,

I have cleaned the campervan and almost packed it, just a few pressies to deliver tomorrow and then food shopping .. I am then off to the beach with Kathryn and family.
I may even go a day early .. can't see any reason to just sit here waiting for the next day to arrive ... there that is the child in me talking ... I think as old as you get year by year Christmas always holds an element of magic.

Ben 8, has requested a traditional "Christmas Dinner" We guess he has been watching to much TV and DVD's etc.

So we are going to cook him one in the kitchen at the campsite ... wish us luck. I think we have remembered every thing the Crackers, candles, napkins and oh! the turkey ... but sorry Ben it is a very large chicken we just did not think we could manage to cook turkey at a campsite.

I will be back in about 5 days .... so I wish you all

Just in case you have time ... Cookies.

2011-12-22T12:37:00.000+13:00

How cute are these .. while "surfing blogs" I found these here COOKIES
So if you have time or need something for "little's" to keep them amused over the holidays why not give it ago.

Christmas decorations …they are up

2011-12-19T21:49:00.001+13:00

Okay Christmas has arrived at my house
Sorry that the pictures are not great …seems to be a flash problem in different areas of the house

The tree that hangs on the wall

The window lights from Denmark in 1970 ..... One in every window of the house.

A china Santa and snowmen from
“ THE 1 ” an American Store in Dubai, I just love these guys...

Suffolk Puff Christmas Trees

A Bough that hangs on the wall again from America …. the same decorations every year are put on to it … do you think I am stuck in a groove ?
Shame it did not photograph well ....

So I made it got them up today Phew !!! ... it is almost 10pm Hugs Laurie

Christmas Decorations

2011-12-18T21:47:00.000+13:00

Some how one way or another Christmas has crept up on me and I have not even gotten around to putting up any decorations.

So this post is to make me feel guilty and move my A into G tomorrow and do them ... then post again with pictures ... so if you do not see a post from me with decorations tomorrow please drop me a line to give me a shove in the right direction.

Oh! what a day....

2011-12-18T13:36:00.000+13:00

Oh! what a day yesterday was ... hope to never have to repeat it ..... will be one of those days that will live on in the memory for ever.

As I said in the previous post I went to the funeral ... in torrential rain from start to finish this was including graveside service ..... I came home to change and had to hang everything up to dry including shoes as I stepped out of the car the water was above my ankles at the funeral parlour by the side of the drive .... I just did not see it.

So dry and dressed now for a celebration I left the house for the drive to the wedding ... may be three quarters of an hours drive on a normal day ... but it was still torrential rain falling..
I drove for 30minutes to reach the Mangorewa/Kaharoa Gorge on SH36 (Tauranga Direct and Pyes Pa roads) between Rotorua and Tauranga ... which would have normally taken 15 mins max. the water had been getting deeper as I drove, but of course as soon as I hit the hills leading up to the gorge at Kaharoa the water was coming towards me at a rate of knots ... cars were beginning to aquaplane and it was difficult to control the car in a straight line ... by this time I was now approaching the gorge and I finally decided this was not on and I would have to abandon the drive to the wedding and find somewhere to turn around and head home .... I had to continue through the gorge as there was no place or likely hood of turning around ... finally found a gravel entrance and did a 30 point turn in the narrow space ( same as other drivers were doing) and headed back home.

I was devastated that I did not get to the wedding ... but I was really glad to be home and safe .... so after something to eat I finally packed myself of to bed with the electric blanket on to watch The Australian series " The Man from Snowy River " I have the complete boxed set of the programme, I loved it when I first saw it first time around ??? that many years ago, and when I saw it in the Warehouse I just had to treat myself to it.

I really will be glad when 2012 arrives I have a feeling that 2011 has been nothing but small disasters for me one way and another. Luckily none of them have been to serious, just enough to make a nuisance of themselves.

Windows Live Writer …

2011-12-18T10:44:00.000+13:00

I have just found this way of adding to your blog
From Jean visiting from Marton who is
All points of the compass

It is just great no more fiddling with photo's in blogger and I think I am going to enjoy this ...
A few things to sort out so will sort it like signature etc.

Hugs Laurie

How do you cope with this .....

2011-12-17T16:49:00.000+13:00

I have had an invite to a wedding of Jodie and Jamie for today 17th December ....They have only been in NZ for a couple of years and have made their home in Rotorua, Jodie is the Great niece of my sister in law Janet. I was so pleased to be invited a few months back....... have been looking forward to it.

BUT ... on Tuesday this week a dear friend lost her son Andrew after a very short illness he was just 32 yrs old the world was his oyster he was a great Graphics Teacher at Scots College in Wellington where they had great things lined up for him including head of dept.

Andrew

I am sure you have guessed my predicament by now ...Yes! the funeral was at 1pm today and the wedding is also this afternoon.
It has been one of the worst mind searching days I have spent .... with many hours debating which I should go to ... or can I conceivably go to both with a bit of juggling.

So here I am back from the most saddest funeral I have ever been to ... trying to get in the mood to go to the wedding in about an hour .. may be the wedding is what I need to lift me from my gloom... so although it is the wettest day of the year for this district I am off to the wedding taking place in a garden setting ... hopefully I will have some pictures later this evening.

Today is 15th ...Santa Sack Day

2011-12-15T17:28:00.000+13:00

Santa Sack swap ... today is the day to open our gifts.
But I would like to keep some for Christmas morning so I am going to open just a few...
Tra la la ...... drum roll .... boom boom boom..... and here they are

From Cheryll in Australia I received....

A Santa Sack

Today I opened......

Five little bags of lace and ribbons etc.

A Sweet note book

Some Christmas Fabric

A lovely wolly scarf / collar ready for next winter

A Leather thimble ( how did you know about my Arthritis lumps)

and that I need one of these.

A magnifier needle threader ( yeap! need one of those)

A neat draw string bag with the little pockets inside to keep these things in.

There are lots more gifts to open but will save them like a good girl till Christmas morning so the Grandsons can enjoy seeing Grandma open her presents as well.

Thank you so much Cheryll

What can a proud Mum Say .........

2011-12-15T16:47:00.001+13:00

How great to have such thoughtful and caring off spring.

What can a proud Mum say about her Children ...

I will not repeat it all to you

so I will leave it to my daughter to tell you it all .... go and see her HERE

Quilts of Michele Hill .. missing !!!!

2011-12-14T20:46:00.000+13:00

These type of posts make your heart stop with shock that there are such people around who would steal things going through the post .....
Michele Hill of South Australia has had some boxes go missing with in the postal service .. it is a lot easier for her to discribe what has happened so please go over to Michele's blog and look at her pictures and read her story.

Horray !!! I can report

2011-12-14T20:30:00.000+13:00

Yes !! I can report that today's morning tea was fairly healthy ... with cheese and biscuits, cucumber sandwiches and sausage rolls plus of course the inevitable cakes but I was able to dodge them.

BUT there was a great fudge slice ... the lady who made it was there and I obtained the recipe, so I give it to you, not a good one for the waist or hips ... sorry.

1 Can Condensed Milk
8 ozs Butter
6 ozs Brown sugar
1 pkt Rich tea or wine biscuits or any plain biscuit really
4 ozs chopped Apricots ( dried)
1 oz chopped Crystallised Ginger ( optional)

Melt the butter, sugar and milk in medium pan
Stir in crushed biscuits and Apricots and ginger if using.
Pour into a greesed shallow dish to cool
Place in fridge until set

You can ice the top or sprinkle with coconut before it sets you can also add chocolate to the milk if that is your choice ... you can also change the fruit to suit your taste.
Can be made ages before it is required .... will keep for a few weeks ... If the family will allow it.

I expect most of the Kiwi's who read this will say ... had it many times ... so we will ignore them and it is for all my friends overseas ... hope you enjoy it.

Christmas ... tis' afternoon tea season

2011-12-14T06:56:00.000+13:00

Now I belong to various groups and clubs and as Christmas approaches it seems one has to have morning coffee or afternoon tea, .. this "Silly Season" as they call it here really does stand up to it's name.

This is a fairly new thing for me as I have only been in NZ for almost 11 years and still trying to come to terms with Christmas in the middle of summer.
I have lived in 12 countries around the world and this "season " is not celebrated in anyone of them like it is here in NZ ... I guess this is because not only are all these groups etc stopping for Christmas but of course most are stopping for the summer break as well, so you have two things to celebrate.

Now my silly season started on November 24th when one of my groups finished for the summer so afternoon tea was the order .... and since then I have been to at least 3 or 4 morning or afternoon teas a week and it has not stopped yet.

.. now like most people the sight of lovely chocolate cakes and shortbread, strawberries laden on a cake or dipped in chocolate, scones with jam and cream get taste buds flowing and I try so so hard to resist them, but you are encouraged to indulge and someone has gone to a great deal of trouble to produce all this lovely home made goodies so you have to do it justice ....

Also the ladies of NZ are a nation of wonderful "home bakers" well that is my excuse and I am sticking to it ... but the trouble is it is sticking to my hips I can feel every mouth full of cream and yummy things just sitting there ... my intake of sugar, butter and cream must have quadrupled

or more in the last 3 weeks.

Plus NZ has the richest and best dairy foods in the world as most people of the world know and scramble to import into their country

So I am going to forget breakfast this morning as I have another morning tea at 10am

OH! how I dream of nice savory things or even just a slice of toast and pate'

My plan for next year

2011-12-13T08:04:00.000+13:00

I spend sometime when I can't sleep and when I sit down for a break ....surfing blogs and one that I have been following is Carol @ Stitching Dreams with the 2011 Christmas Ornament Challenge... So if you need to get into the Christmas mood pop over and look at her blog here is a taster of her pictures, I borrowed it from her blog hopes she does not mind. Her Ornaments for 2011 look great on her banister ... this makes me quite envious as I don't have stairs anymore ... but then I must admit the only reason I would want them is for Christmas decorations .. does not seem a good reason that would stand up..... to sell the house and buy a two storey one.

If this challenge continues next year I will be joining.

More pictures from the Exhibition as promised

2011-12-08T17:12:00.001+13:00

It has taken awhile to pass these pictures to the computer, seems they have been sat snuggly on the camera, and I had forgotten all about them.. Oh well !! that's life.

Beautiful Stumpwork this picture is about 6 x 8 inches

it is actually a lot smaller than it looks in the photo

This black work panel was stitched by Ruth who until just a few months ago had only ever attempted cross stitch

A flower on a wooden bowl is stitched in detatched needle lace this was about 4 inches across

This trophy was made by the Woodturners and Carvers Club of Rotorua for us.

the scissors almost work and the thimble is usable also is the cotton reels.

This is the lid of the box that was made to hold the trophy.

Flora and Fauna

Toadstools and mice all hand stitched using wools and all kinds of mediums

A smocked collar made for an exhibition of extensions ( sewing out of the square)

it was not made to be worn

Unable to Comment on blogs

2011-12-05T11:14:00.001+13:00

I have had a great deal of problems commenting on friends blogs for some reason ...completely unknown to me WHY !! I could write it etc but it would not go .. I even mentioned it to owners of the blogs to see if they had changed anything .... I was so frustrated and everyone must have thought I did not care anymore.
For it would not sign in with a profile ...so I spent a great deal of time on the HELP pages of alsorts of places and I finally came up with an answer that has worked for me.
Do Not tick the box that keeps you signed in to Google or Yahoo or who ever you use ....
YES it worked ... who would have believed it was so simple.

BUT why after about 8 yrs has this changed I have always been " keep me signed in "

Never mind great to be back.

Here I am back again

2011-11-27T20:34:00.000+13:00

This photo has nothing to do with my post it is just such a neat black and white picture of Ben 8, Grandson number 2

I have been working on the election for 8 days solid ... Gee!! I am not used to this working for a living ...
I was Manager of an advanced Polling Station all week full time and then on Saturday it was election day and work started at 7am ... I finally arrived home at approx. 11pm .
I was most of the time issuing special votes to people who were away from their own electorate area.

Now I could not believe the number of folks who could not remember where they lived 2 months ago.... or which area of the country they came from ... as in ... which district of a city or even the county name, not to mention the fact they had forgotten their street name .....
We dealt with people who were rather worse for wear on the drink and drugs, folks who were just passing through Rotorua and needed to vote, men who were on a fishing trip, ladies who were away for the weekend on a shopping trip. People who were at weddings or family celebrations.

I must admit it is amazing what people will tell you when they sit in front of you and you have an official badge on.. some of it is unrepeatable.....
Men who have been nagged by their wives to come and vote. 18 yr old voting for the first time ... one girl who was 18 that day and wanted to vote.
6 guys on a Stag weekend dressed up as The Flintstones ...

People who wanted to tell you long drawn out stories about their choices .... and folks who did not have a clue what or who to vote for ... I was asked many times who I would vote for and was it worth them voting for them as well !!
Now we also had a Referendum .... this confused the hell out of everyone ... should we keep the MMP process we have at present or change it to a choice of four other systems ... believe me the final conclusion on the voting for this subject is not a true picture of what people thought, wanted or what was best for anyone or everyone ... most were complacent about it all .... confused and did not understand the other systems ... so they said it was easier to say "keep the one we have"

Now if you want to see your fellow country men at their best and worst ... work on the General Election ... it is an education.

As Promised ...pictures

2011-11-17T19:36:00.000+13:00

We have a section on Vintage items

some amazing tablecloths hand made by a generation before ours.

The china is mine

For those who remember my Kina that I was making well here it is

along with a few others ... with the shells they look so life like.

Eliabethan Embroidery ( not mine)

Crazy patchwork ..bag ....... Carole Bates

Biscornu pincushion..mine

Cornpad embroidery cushions ..mine front right on seat

Hardanger purse by Merlene

Chickens machine and hand stitched ... by Carole Bates

Hardanger mat by Merlene

A Christmas cake ...raffle

what amazing sugar craft flowers " Christmas Roses"

More tomorrow .. for some reason Blogger is taking ages to uplaod the pictures.

Busy busy Day...

2011-11-16T22:35:00.000+13:00

This heart is just lovely ... may be on my to do list very soon ....

Today was set up day for my Embroidery Guild Exhibition, as I am on the committee this entails a lot of work. It was a long hard tiring day but it looked lovely when we left it at 5pm today. When I arrived home at 5.30pm I could not decide whether to have some dinner or have a sleep, so after a toss up I had some cold chicken salad and then set the alarm on my phone for 6.50pm as this evening was Guild night ... so I had a half hour sleep and then left the house again.

Exhibition is on for 3 days, this year we are having a section on work in progress and having ladies sitting and stitching .... I am looking forward to this as I will be at the show every day and I will be able to sit and stitch with no guilty feelings from 10 am to 4pm each day

We were so busy I forgot to take photographs ... pictures tomorrow I promise.

Yesterday 22 degrees >>>>>

2011-11-14T19:11:00.000+13:00

Yesterday Sunday was beautiful around 22 degrees and I managed to wash the house down getting rid of the winters spiders and their eggs all comfortably together in their cocoons now all washed away ....how is it that I destroy so many but they seem to increase each year ... I cleared up the now defunct pots and planted some things ready for the summer.....

Now today Monday started off amazingly and was warm and sunshine ... then it all went to custard....

The world went black and it thundered with lighting and hail the size of large peas, what Topsy turvy weather, I guess we should not count our chickens before they are hatched, like I dreamed it may have been the start of summer this last two days..

How about chapter 2 on the saga of the camper van....

The panel beater today started on the van by taking out all the windows ...whoooops!!! the windscreen shattered as he was doing it ...wheeeee!!!! can't wait for tomorrows episode, This is just becoming one big joke I have to laugh or I will cry..

Just realised why I am working on the election

2011-11-13T17:29:00.000+13:00

I have just had a thought ...I know why I am working at the election... to pay for the van work .... it was all planned by someone and they forgot to tell me or let me in on the secrete !!!!

Thank you every one for your good wishes

and your not so good wishes for

HYUNDAI IN ROTORUA

So the run of OMG's continues ....

2011-11-11T20:54:00.000+13:00

Not sure why I have put flowers here may be it should have been scull and cross bones. ... read on

The time has come to put the camper van on the road .... I do this for just 6months a year ...waste of money for any longer as I can only drive one vehicle at once and only use it in the summer.
So I took it along to the Hyundai Service centre ...yeah! the one who charged me an arm and a leg for a service on the car ... they had given me a 20% discount voucher so I thought I would make use of it and get the camper serviced and WOF ( warrant of fitness) easy one might say yeap ! they collected it for me and returned it ....then the shock came !!!!

IT failed its warrant OH "*!!**%^^%!!!" said I.

My van is same as this one ... only it is dark now so could not take picture

Now I could understand it if it was mechanical or the floor was dropping out etc etc. SO what has happened to it .... it has the minutest amount of rust along the black rubber trims on 3 windows ....
talk about "nit picking " and also NO water in windscreen wipers this was obviously a carnal sin.....( you would think they had a tap at the service station and would have topped it up for me ...Nope !! )

SO THEY FAILED IT.

I took it along to my friendly panel beater and painter today and he could not believe it .... it is all superficial and aesthetic to say the least. But because they have registered it failed with the Transport Agency folks .... I have to have the work done before anyone can pass it as fit for the road. Grrrr!!

I have been spitting house bricks for 2 days now and it still riles me when I think about it. They have just lost a faithful customer and it was not good PR for I can broadcast it far and wide and it is not the type of publicity they need. What is it about vehicles and me lately...

So that is now off my chest ... and I feel a bit calmer to say the least.

I am still here....

2011-11-03T22:30:00.000+13:00

I have been reading blogs every day but time has been at a premium over the last week or so ... topped off with a day or two indisposed with a tummy bug that has taken the stuffing out of me literally ... but all is good now.
Which was good as today I spent the whole day being bombarded with information on
"How to Manage a Polling Station" Yes!! for my sins I have been chosen to be the Manager of our local Polling Station for 8 days ... now I am not sure how I am going to be doing with this getting up and out every morning .. and the brain is in panic mode with all this information which should not be changed in any way at all ... as we were told " if you think you can think of a better way to do it, think again as it's carved in stone" you know the typical government red tape etc. etc.
So after 11 yrs in NZ, I am doing my civil duty as they say. Oh! by the way pays pretty good as well.

I have been reading some interesting blogs, it is amazing what you find as you blog hop ... each blogger has a list of the blogs they follow, and just a click brings you up something that sometimes is very surprising, amazing stitchers and patch workers but also some great gardening ones and it is so interesting to read how other people all over the world spend their free time.

One I think you may like to smile at is my Daughters over here I just love the last few blogs especially the "Worst Parent Award" go and visit she would love to see you.

Birthday gift...

2011-10-27T15:27:00.000+13:00

Today is my friend Sugi's birthday ... tomorrow at Friday Stitching we will celebrate with cake etc.
I have made this work pouch for her ...

the front has a Pukeko bird ( NZ bird) and the inside has lines of pockets for your thread cards a place for your needle and pins and a pocket for your work in progress.

I have added a Brizillian Embroidery Kit .. Sugi enjoys this kind of stitching.

Seems a long time....

2011-10-27T14:40:00.000+13:00

It seems like ages since I wrote a post and looking at the date of the last one it is.....

So why ... well life has been busy ... not sure with what but busy it has been, I know because I have been falling into bed each night quite exhausted. So let me look at my diary ...what did I do ??

So this could be boring ....

On the Monday I had a lovely lunch with my Brother and Sister in law, the same evening I had Charter Night Dinner with my Inner Wheel Club ... If I remember I thought to myself I don't need to eat another thing for at least a week.
Tuesday .. car to Hyundai to be serviced ...and no I did not manage get the price down and yes !!! it was more than they quoted, this really pee's me off I can tell you... mind they did give me car to use all day as I was so busy and they could not give me a definite time to collect my car.

Later same morning was Museum for an hour in my voluntary position as a guide.
Afternoon was stitching with a group of lovely ladies .... The evening was Patchwork group ... I think if I remember bed was welcome that night.

Wednesday was Embroidery Guild which is all day and evening ... no worries here as I enjoy Wednesdays this has to be my first love on the hobby side.

Thursday was a "boob squeeze" in the morning ... Ladies this is Breast Cancer month please remember to go ... I am a survivor of breast cancer of 26 yrs .... you can be one to ... if they get it fast enough.

Later same morning Committee meeting for the Arthritis Exercise Pool group of which I am the secretary.
If I remember rightly I may have managed a bit of house work in the afternoon and some food shopping.

Friday Morning shopping with a friend and then at 12 noon for an hour .... we went to a small concert that is put on about once a month ... supporting local talent.. this day was 2 classical singers lovely young ladies who are tutored by a local lady ... they need to get practice with an audience and a young pianist who is just 15 yrs old and amazing ... this takes place in a city centre church and the ladies from the church put on a lunch so that workers can attend in their lunch hour.
Afternoon saw us at the garden centre .... some geraniums for the front door step ( love scarlet ones) and two rhododendrons for a new bit of the garden
Friday evening I stitched regularly with a few friends we used to do a "late nighter" ... but we are all getting older now and the late nights do not work anymore on a regular basis.

The weekend Saturday and Sunday was spent at the caravan with the Hamilton Grandsons and their parents ....
Sunday evening I gave in to not watching the Ruby world cup bit ( 5 weeks and I have not watched a match ) So I sat through a boring match and watched France almost cream the All Blacks. I guess the boring bit is the fact that I do not like Ruby it is a licence to injure each other in my thoughts.
I know you are thinking ...how can you say such a thing in when you live in a country where the government will allow changes in the school holidays to fit in with Ruby matches. Uhmmm!! makes you wonder dosen"t it!!

Then we arrive at this week ... almost a repeat of the last except the committee meeting was for Embroidery Guild ..... I have managed to finish the by annual District Newsletter for Inner Wheel which I do as I am District Editor ...
Oh! and I have also managed 3 swims .
I can only function with a diary by the telephone ... basically if it is not in the book it does not get done.
What is it they say ... if you have a job for someone ask a busy person to do it ... I think I must be that busy person.
Oh !! by the way it is Thursday and I have to finish designing posters for our Embroidery Exhibition .. and do the Minutes for the Arthritis meeting,
So if you are still with me here at the end of this post ...you deserve a drink... tea, coffee or what ever is your tipple go on spoil yourself.

Very industrious.....

2011-10-16T18:06:00.001+13:00

Since living on my own I am getting very good at cooking for one ... I managed to get down from 4 to 2 when Kids flew the nest .... and now I am alone and I have to go from 2 to 1.
It is not easy ( as I am sure many will vouch for me on this ) but I have worked it out okay ( only taken 2 years) trouble is you see it's teaching old dogs new tricks that can be tricky.
I know of many people on their own who do not cook at all ...bar the odd egg or two or beans on toast or tin of soup.

Every now and again I have a Cook In Day I make either a beef casserole, a Chicken one , and may be a veg one and a chilli con carne.... each one of these I make for 4 portions.... I have collected take away plastic containers and I freeze them in single portions .... I then take one and defrost then add cooked potatoes or a dumpling or rice what ever the dish calls for etc.....and there you have a hearty meal in minutes when you are tired and can't be bothered.....

Today I have done the Beef casserole 3 portions for the freezer and one portion for dinner tonight of course and a fresh pizza sauce ready for the week ahead..

Beef Casserole just follow your favorite one but make sure it has plenty of gravy so you can add to each container.

I do a good line in pizza sauce which I keep in container in the fridge... this is very useful at lunch time or when hunger pangs strike .... and so much nicer than the bought stuff. A snack will take just 2 or 3 minutes to produce I also keep small size pitta breads in the freezer I split them from the 8 packet into 4 x 2 breads in zip lock bags and freeze. They will defrost when they are toasted.

I also keep ready grated mozzarella cheese in freezer .... you can't have a pizza with out the mozzarella ( I shake it up now and again when I go to the freezer to keep it loose)
I can then just take out just as much as I need for a pizza.

Simplest Pizza Sauce in the world.....

Chop an onion and fry ( but do not brown) also garlic if you wish but optional
Add a tin of chopped tomatoes
a teaspoon of sugar and any herbs you like .... ( you need the sugar believe me it makes tomatoes taste perfect)
simmer until sauce thickens stirring on occasions
once thickened add seasoning ( remember it thickens on cooling also) ...

Cool put in a plastic container with tight fitting lid ..... in coolest part of the fridge it will keep for a good week or more and come to no harm .... give it a stir each time you remove some..
Take a pitta bread and lightly toast it ... but not crisp ... large spoon of sauce on top and sprinkle with cheese and anything else you wish ...grill for a few minutes till cheese melts. Ummmmm!!
You can also use a thick crusty bread or french stick they both work as well.

It beats the proverbial cheese or ham sandwich lunch.

The master piece ....

2011-10-14T09:02:00.000+13:00

This is Alex's master piece ... I traced a picture from a colouring book of Lightening McQueen from Cars movie ... (now come on own up I bet you have all seen it at some time).
He actually stitched it using a frame hows that for good training from the word go he also had good tension and stitch length.

Well he has finished it and here it is all framed ready to take home

I have a companion for a few days....

2011-10-12T23:17:00.000+13:00

My Grandson Alex 6yrs old...
We think he has had enough of Holiday Care for a bit ...seems he gets tummy ache each morning and gives lots of reasons why he should not go.

So Grandma to the rescue again.... I suggested he came and stayed with me for the rest of the week ... to give him a bit of one on one with just me and the cat. This will be the first time he has been away by himself and he was excited about doing it

We had dinner tonight at the coffee table watching DVD of Nanny McPhee, he asked if that was okay that we were not sat at the table I assured him it was okay as it was a special time with Grandma.

This was all arranged so fast ... that I had things to do in my diary already so I decided he could just accompany me to everything.
So this evening he came with me .... and wowed the ladies of evening Embroidery Guild with his grown up conversation and stitched himself for an hour or so. A picture of this at another time.

After only being here for a few hours he has learnt to make a pot of tea and drink 2 cups himself ...seems he is a boy after my own heart, he also managed a cup at Guild along with a couple of biscuits.

So here he is all tucked up in bed and sound asleep, as tomorrow is going to be another busy day.

Somethings confuse and annoy me !!!

2011-10-11T21:32:00.000+13:00

I do hope you will not end up as confused as me by the end of this post.... I have to confess I am not up on cars and engines etc.... so here goes I will do my best to explain..

Two years ago I had a new car a Hyundai Tucson City .... nice, white and just a big enough engine to get me out of trouble when I need the speed also carries enough people for my needs...
Lucky girl I was ... and most likely the last brand new car I will have so it has to last me.

So what is there to gripe about I can hear you say... well I today booked it in for a service it will be it's second one ... I have done the correct mileage etc .... So off to the Hyundai Garage I go ..... when I asked for the service I decided to have the Gold one the top price at $180 advertised behind the receptionists desk..... I thought I was being really generous to my car thinking only the best will be good enough.

To my surprise the receptionist told me it will be $345 ... a little taken back I asked why it was so much considering their top service was only $180 .... She said " because my car was only 2 yrs old and still under warranty" , now may be I am just a mere female but for the life of me I could not grasp why this made a halfpence of difference. Surely they will give it the best service with the Gold one as that was their top service.
NO !! I was wrong that price was only for cars older than mine or out of warranty or not a Hyundai ... so because my car is still under Warranty it will cost double the price.

When I asked what I will get for the extra charge ... it was not very much more than the Gold Service BUT it will make my warranty continue for another year as I will have had it serviced at the Hyundai Garage.

I hope you are still with me and I have not lost you !!!

So it seems to continue the warranty I have to pay more for my service for 3 yrs, there seemed to be no argument that worked with the girl she just stuck to her practised spiel. It also seems that if I don't have the $345 service my warranty will be null and void from this day forth

For some reason it is still bugging me ... but you have guessed it I had to relent and book it in.
So really the warranty on the car is not given to you at all when you pay mega bucks for the new car ... you have to pay for it in the long run of things... sometimes companies get you which ever way you turn.
Hopefully by tomorrow I will have calmed down a bit and will see sense.... may be!!!

Some good ones here..... Paraprosdokians

2011-10-08T15:45:00.000+13:00

PARAPROSDOKIANS:

Definition: "Figure of speech in which the latter part of a sentence or
phrase is surprising or unexpected; frequently used in a humorous
situation." i.e. "Where there's a will, I want to be in it."

OK, now enjoy.

1. Do not argue with an idiot.
He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.

2. The last thing I want to do is hurt you. But it's still on my list.

3. Light travels faster than sound.
This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.

4. If I agreed with you, we'd both be wrong..

5. War does not determine who is right - only who is left.

6. Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

7. Evening news is where they begin with 'Good Evening,'
and then proceed to tell you why it isn't.

8. To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism.
To steal from many is research.

9. A bus station is where a bus stops.
A train station is where a train stops. On my desk, I have a work station.

GO ON SMILE YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO........................

Santa Sack Swap

2011-10-06T11:29:00.000+13:00

I can not believe that I am bang up to date with my swaps....

This Santa sack and pressies are off on their way to my swap partner in Australia
( I did say I was going to post last weekend but my life got in the way)
They are going to arrive very early ... we were suppose to send 2 parcels a month but my partners family life was interrupted and she had to take a long trip overseas ..... so I have not sent for the first few months as I was supposed to have done.

Now my making and purchasing is complete so they can all wing their way to their new home to be stored in time for Christmas .... I just hope Cheryl remembers where she puts it "oh so safely" when December arrives.

NO PEEKING .. just a little feeling and shaking is permitted Cheryl.

Amazing how you see yourself in your children

2011-10-06T11:02:00.001+13:00

A picture of scones that has nothing to do with this post other than it is food .... and makes the mouth water, think I may make some.

Now my Daughter is going to get fed up with me nicking her posts ...but I just have to show you this one... Sometimes we see our self in our children, sometimes good sometimes bad ... this one I had a good laugh at ... things that you think do not make an enormous impression on your children at the time show they do when they come back in later life.

Now I grew up the eldest with 3 siblings and my mother was very hard on us in all sorts of ways and she ran a very tight ship, my Father was away at sea so she was in sole charge so to speak ... but the one thing she did do was run a cafe in the kitchen not only for us kids but my Dad as well....

I sometimes watched her cook 3 or 4 different meals at once pandering to all our likes and dislikes ... I vowed when I had kids this would not happen and it did not with in reason just as DD says in her blog ... Read on all will be revealed.

NOT A CAFE

When I was little I always remember my mum saying at dinner time "this is it, I do not run a cafe"
Whatever was served for dinner was it, she was not making 26 different meals for 4 people just because 1 person didn't like/want/fancy whatever she had decided to cook for dinner.

Now I am a mum I am sticking to the same rule. After having to decide what is for dinner for the last 8 years, believe me when I say, I am not mucking around with dinner, this is it, like it or don't eat!

So we have stuck to the same rule, we cook one dinner and that is that.
However I am prepared to adapt what I am cooking, if it is simple, so everyone will eat this one dinner.

When the boys were younger they didn't like the chilli as hot as we did, so I cooked the chilli basic, took theirs out and then added more heat to ours. No worries there as we all still had the same thing just adapted slightly.

I have found 2 pasta bake sauces in the supermarket which we like. However Ben does not like them, so instead of not having this dinner anymore because of that, then I have adapted.
I cook the pasta and fry the chicken.
Then I serve his pasta into a bowl and place chicken on top. Then I tip the sauce into the remaining pasta along with the chicken and everyone else has pasta with chicken with sauce.

Both bowls then get baked in the oven and hey presto we have a dinner that everyone will eat and everyone is happy when going to bed as they are full and satisfied.
To me this is not bowing to their every whim, just adapting slightly to have a pleasant family dinner that everyone will eat which leads to a happy home environment.

Now if they said they didn't want it all together and wanted a totally different dinner then ........tough, this is dinner, eat it or starve!

From Kathryn @ Life Today

Gee it makes you proud as a Mum that something has made an impression on their life
What is they say ... if a guy wants to see his wife in 20 years time ...look at her Mother !!!

How did I name my blog

2011-10-05T22:25:00.000+13:00

Over at Sweet cinnamon Dawn has been wondering how people named their blogs.....

So here goes ..... here is mine.

It was about 7 yrs ago I had started to read a few blogs and was also about to go to Middle East again for 3 years ( Husbands work) my daughter has started a blog and I thought if she can do it so can I....
So in Bahrain where we started this period of time I started documenting our travels
so ER & LJ Travels ( Eric and Laurie) was born, I started with our doings and travels with pictures .... We then moved to Dubai and after a bit it became a diary for my Quilting and Embroidery and from there it has evolved I have often thought about changing the name ... but have not thought of one yet that I especially like ....

A request .. There must be one

2011-10-03T11:35:00.000+13:00

Good morning from a wet and very windy Rotorua ...

I have a request I need a pattern for a machine cover.

I know you are all going to say that's easy no problem ... there are hundreds of them on the market or even, Hey! come on design your own.

Well ! my dilemma is I have a Brother QC 2000 sewing and quilting machine ( as above) and it has the extended table ... it is far larger than all the patterns I have ever seen and I would just like to put out a feeler to see if there is one that is in existence before I have to get down to the drawing board myself... getting lazy in my old age..Ha Ha! Now the machine cover is no problem ... that only comes when I try to design the extension for the table part on how to support it. So if someone out there has or knows of someone else who has over come this dilemma I would love to hear from them.

I really can not believe that such a expensive machine comes with a silly flimsy plastic cover and it does not even cover the table as well..... which by the way is in situ all the time. My machine has now been waiting almost 2 yrs with no cover except a piece of fabric draped over it when I remember to put it on .. but if I had a really NICE machine cover which I am willing to make ..... I know I would use it..... I have even aked Brother if they have a cover or design and they said they are not in the market for covers just manufacturing the machines ... sorry.

The Little things...!!!

2011-09-27T12:09:00.000+13:00

The day did not start to well this morning and I got to the museum in a rush .... where I then had to wait for a college group who were booked in for 10am ... but did not arrive for another 40 minutes, but all went well in the end... I came home and decided to check the emails and blogs ...and "Voila" there on DD blog was this following missive so I thought I would copy it for you all..... so the next time things don't go to plan just stop and think on it.

Why people survived 9/11 in NY ......

As you might remember, the head of a company survived

9/11 because his son started kindergarten.

Another fellow was alive because it was

His turn to bring donuts.

One woman was late because her

Alarm clock didn't go off in time.

One was late because of being stuck on the NJ Turnpike

Because of an auto accident.

One of them

Missed his bus.

One spilled food on her clothes and had to take

Time to change.

One's

Car wouldn't start.

One couldn't

Get a taxi.

The one that struck me was the man

Who put on a new pair of shoes that morning,

Took the various means to get to work

But before he got there, he developed

a blister on his foot.

He stopped at a drugstore to buy a Band-Aid.

That is why he is alive today..

Now when I am -- Stuck in traffic ,

Miss an elevator, -- Turn back to answer a ringing telephone ...

All the little things that annoy me.

I think to myself, this is exactly where

God wants me to be at this very moment..

Next time your morning seems to be going wrong ,

You can't seem to find the car keys,

You hit every traffic light,

Don't get mad or frustrated;

It May be just that

God is at work watching over you.

May God continue to bless you

With all those annoying little things

And may you remember their possible purpose.

Sewing, sewing,sewing

2011-09-26T17:33:00.001+13:00

Life has been just one long sewing time lately ...lovely !!

After my visit to the Hamilton Craft and Quilt Show I got enthused and started on some of my UFO's .
I have made a gift for a friend for her birthday ... but has to be a secrete at present as her birthday is awhile away and she will read my blog before the day.
We have started classes at Embroidery guild and my "Corn Pad " cushion cover is coming along.

This weekend just gone I went along to the Waikato and Bay of Plenty Embroidery Guild Retreat at Tui Ridge

Where Your Adventure Begins!

Nestled in 170 hectares of beautiful New Zealand forest, with commanding views of Lake Rotorua, Mt. Tarawera, Mokoia Island and the surrounding countryside.Tui Ridge Park offers you the very best activities and facilities! Ideally suited for school, church groups, clubs, corporations for team building or families who want to simply "get away from it all".

They have some great facilities, the complex belongs to the SDA Church ... so there is no drinking on site and all food is vegetarian, but a few days with no wine is fine ....the food we had was good and nourishing and plenty of it ... everyone of the 50 of us took plates for morning and afternoon teas, wow !! what a selection, was hard to choose each time.

I took a class called "Same Both Sides" this was taken by Peta McMillan of Whakatane
This class meant you did the stitching so each side was identical to the other, easy some may say "Oh yes!" the small section of stitching in the picture took a day and a half.
The left hand side picture is front and right is back

How do I know ? well the strands left are on the back of work. To say the least getting your brain around this technique was a bit mind blowing .. but once you got the concept into your brain all went well.... must admit by about lunch time on first day I was beginning to think seriously about why had I taken this class ??
I defy anyone to try and do a cross stitch so it looks the same on the front and back ... if you try please let me know how you got on.
Just a small clue to the cross stitching it takes 4 rounds of sewing to achieve it.

I am sure these ladies of my group were saying " Do you think we could make a run for it at morning tea"

Me..... I am determined that I will finish this piece in the next week ... so watch this space ... for if it goes away into the UFO's I am sure it will not see the light of day again.

Whoops !! forgot these pictures

2011-09-15T17:48:00.000+12:00

At the Quilt show there was some entries of one of our club members Shirley Sparkes... she did not win anything with them but very eye catching they were...

This entry was woven fabric along the bottom section.

This one was called the night sky.

Long time no see ... or blog

2011-09-15T17:31:00.000+12:00

It seems to be ages since I did any blogging, but I have done lots of things so will show some pictures...
I have started a class at Embroidery Guild " Corn Pad embroidery " by Sue Thompson... so here are some pictures .... A Corn pad is exactly what you use to make the raised embroidery ... the ladies of Guild are walking to all the pharmacies to find corn pads ...I bet the pharmacist's are thinking that everyone in Rotorua has foot problems.

It is stitched with a cotton thread about as thick as crochet cotton, and it is very forgiving so if you make a mistake you just add another french knot to cover it up.... mostly it is used to make cushion covers or bags but some pictures and other items have been produced. At present I am making a cushion cover but will try a bag at a later date.

I also spent the day at Hamilton Craft and Quilting show.... where there were the most amazing quilts ... some from Australia and some from New Zealnd....
a few pictures .... to follow... sorry have lost the paper on which I wrote who did what and how and why !! so just some eye candy for you.
I did not buy a great deal did not really see anything I could not live without ... a few fat quarters of fabric that appealed to me , some needles and a couple of pieces of linen in colours that we do not see here ( from Australia)

This quilt was amazing it was all appliqued and over stitched by machine hundreds of pieces of fabric to make all the shading ...unbelievable... if you look closely in the back ground you will see buildings done in the quilting ... this was just stitching on the back ground ... Wow there are some extremely clever people in this world.

Things are bright and beautiful

2011-09-05T14:09:00.001+12:00

Every thing is looking bright and beautiful on my doorstep in the sunshine daffodils and polyanthus in baskets
I am feeling good my ribs are healing well, movement is still a bit restricted, but most things are possible as long as I do not bend down forward... driving is good as you are restricted on movement once strapped in the car.
I have not been swimming as such ...just dipping in the lovely hot water...oh makes me feel like a trip right now.

Yesterday ( Sunday ) was grandson Ben's 8th Birthday Party today the 5th is his birthday ... the old adage how time flies is on my tongue of course.

I guess it is the sign of the times that he had so many cards containing money ... children have so much in the way of toys and things it is difficult to buy for them also because times have changed so much on what 8 yr olds do and want now.

When I think back to his Mother and Uncle what they were doing at 8yrs old ... those things have nothing in common with today's kids .. technology has changed everything in the world , when I think of the changes that I have seen in my life time it must have been really confusing for my Grandparents for they saw twice the amount of change in their lifetime.

Wednesday last I went to Tauranga with my friend Prue to see the Tauranga Embroiderers Guild Exhibition, oh my what some wonderful work, some of it is going on the to do list for our guild ... and somethings I will just dream about and admire from a far... mainly because I do not have enough years left in my life time to do all the wonderful things I want to make.

These "Humbugs done in canvas work were so lovely , also this white work done with cord was amazing ( this is one on the list)

Also these Red Christmas decorations just polystyrene cones covered in red fabric with gold thread embroidery on them...I was thinking so easy so simple and so effective. I have also seen these done in black with silver thread decoration also very effective.

There are a couple of blogger friends who have had hospital procedures carried out in the last week and also a couple of my friends here in Rotorua so I send my hugs to enfold you all and hope you will all be up and about and partaking of a lightly boiled egg soon.

The sun is shining and I feel ....

2011-08-25T16:21:00.001+12:00

Yes !! the sun is shining and I feel so much better I can move quite comfortably now and put my arm out in most directions except backwards.... have managed to drop some of the painkillers as well. But no bending down yet ...ouch!

There are some freesia out now in the garden .... will leave it a few days before I try to take a picture then there will be enough to photograph. So spring is almost here, hopefully the frost are at an end, they have seen off my Orchids this year all burnt black by the frosts, such a shame as I have covered them every night Oh! well next year they will be okay fingers crossed.

I also had a go at driving today no problem ( God bless power steering ) I also had good practise at using only my mirrors as turning in the seat was a difficult maneuver to make ..... my car seat was very comfortable as it has lots of positions ..... including a lumber thing that supports you (hope you like the technical details ..things !)

I actually drove to the "Polynesian Hot Pools" and had a soak ...Bliss! and then stood under a very powerful shower that was piping hot .. Oh! gives me that lovely all over feeling just remembering it.

Yesterday I had the day at home (obviously no driving then) I decided to do a little bit of quilting on the machine ... silly move to make ... obviously not 100% mentally with it yet and made a complete hash of it .... so this evening is unpicking or reverse stitching. Although on the picture it does not look to bad ... believe me it is.

I have also managed to finish this needle case I was doing ... I like it very much .... but it will be winging it's way to a swap next week ... I think.

Reflections on life

2011-08-23T16:17:00.001+12:00

Gee that title sounds rather serious ... what I really meant was ...as I have time on my hands with the ribs thing, I have spent time strolling through blogs ...blogs that I can not ever remember seeing before and who I will probably never visit again.

One of these was a chatty blog almost about nothing in general, but there was a picture on it that brought back memories ..... flooding back in fact ... so I borrowed it and here it is ....

Well....almost 38 yrs ago when darling son was about to be born, I had a 21 month old daughter already and she had a small carrycot pram almost a carry cot on wheels ideal for the car etc. But two kids would not be possible with it for when she got tired there would be no place for her to sit ... remember the days when we walked to do the shopping not popped into the car... in fact popping into the car was not possible as we only had the one and husband needed to travel to work in it.

Well I digress.... back to the story ... so I saw an advert for
"a Silver Cross Pram Navy Blue perfect condition with extras only 50 pounds for quick sale"
a bargain I should say so as they were about 200 pounds to buy new ...this pram was every new mothers dream back in the 60's 70's period.
So I went off and looked at it and was amazed as the pram was perfect and the extras consisted of a complete baby layette (baby clothes) and bedding, you name it it was there, baby woollies all brand new and never been worn, plus a pram seat for the end of the pram for a second child to sit on ... as you can imagine I snapped it up.

I felt like the bees knees when I was out walking with that pram ... I looked after it like a chap looks after a brand new car, always wiped it when it got wet etc and cleaned the chrome wheels regularly. When I no longer required it anymore it was in as good condition as when I obtained it and I sold it on for 75 pounds ( due to inflation around that time) plus all the extras but this time they had been used,
The young mother to be who bought the pram had that " how wonderful" look on her face when she wheeled it down my drive to take it home.

But one thing will always stick in my mind "why was there so many brand new clothes in it when I bought it"
I never had the courage to ask at the time and it was most likely a very private thing as the pram was sold by a lady who was may be the grandmother ... I have a feeling there was a very sad story in there somewhere... but I will never know, amazing how some memories linger in the back of your mind until you see a picture or you smell a smell of something that reminds you of the past and they all flood back.

Thank you so much

2011-08-22T12:32:00.000+12:00

Thank you so much for all the lovely wishes and thoughts.

I thought the above picture was true to what I am doing today and may be tomorrow and perhaps the next few days ..... but after looking at it closely there is a lot that will not be happening.... curled up in a armchair, you have to be joking the wooden stool in the kitchen at the breakfast bar is more comfortable at present.

Other than that, it is walking and standing around... managed to wash up but the idea of anything else is not on the agenda for today ... climbing into the shower also did not appeal this morning oh! well will have to go dirty today.

I managed quite a bit of sleep last night ....Found a comfortable position and all was good getting in bed was okay ... but getting out was a bit of a problem as you can't push upwards with the right arm etc.. ouch! painful thinking about it. and I have been sneezing a bit this morning which is a bit of a traumatic thing to do.... but all is good other than that.
Have a couple of visitors coming during the afternoon so copious amounts of tea .. the panacea of all ills.

I think for one of the first times ever I am actually feeling my age ... my son reckons I should have an emergency button... you know the ones you wear around your neck ... but I really don't think I am at that stage in my age yet.... !!!!! So perhaphs I don't feel so aged after all.

Oh No!! I can't believe what I have done.....

2011-08-21T20:52:00.000+12:00

Just wandered out into the garden while the lunch heated up... whoops!! walking along the cobbled path don't know how but took a tumble and landed on the steps to the deck right across my right hand side bust area ... ouch!! graised knee, elbow and a small one on the head also hands where I must have put them out to save myself .... how many times are we told not to try and do that .

Upshot to all this ..... after an afternoon at ED...... X-rays and ECG ( just in case I had had a funny turn in the ticker area) I knew I hadn't but they had to check they said .... They believe I have a couple of cracked ribs...
Yes they said "believe" as sometimes rib cracks don't show on the x-rays ... so pain killers and rest was the order of the day .... Me! I am wondering how the heck I am going to get in and out of bed ... Oh! well we will see in a minute, electric blanket is on and a nice cup of tea is made ...so night night.

A quick prayer, please ... please .... surely nothing else can go wrong I have had enough ... what with the previous injuries etc. Oh! well must just be my turn, but I think I have had my fair share now.

Advice to help the kids of today.....

2011-08-17T22:08:00.000+12:00

After the post about Alex quitting school .... it bought to my mind this.
It has to be the best advice I have ever seen to give a older child, may be the back of the toilet door would be a good place to hang it in very large letters , May be with a captured audience one of them may read it.

OR This should be posted in every school or kid's bedroom.

Love him or hate him , he sure hits the nail on the head with this! Bill Gates recently gave a speech at a High School about eleven (11) things they did not and will not learn in school.
He talks about how feel-good, politically correct teachings created a generation of kids with no concept of reality and how this concept set them up for failure in the real world.

Rule 1 : Life is not fair - get used to it!

Rule 2 : The world doesn't care about your self-esteem.
             The world will expect you to accomplish something
              BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

Rule 3 : You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school.
             You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.

Rule 4 : If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss

Rule 5 : Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity.
Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping:
They called it opportunity.

Rule 6 : If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault,
so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

Rule 7 : Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were:
So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room..

Rule 8 : Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer.
*This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

Rule 9 : Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. *Do that on your own time.

Rule 10 : Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

Rule 11 : Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one..

If you can read this... Thank a Teacher.
If you can read this in English... Thank a Soldier!
And for life and everything else you have... Thank God!!

Now.... think about this and smile if you agree ...

Hamilton Bloggers NZ

2011-08-15T21:23:00.000+12:00

If there is anyone who knows any Kiwi Mums who blog in Hamilton NZ may be they would like to pass on my Daughters contact http://benalex.blogspot.com/ she would love to hear from them.

Quitting School .... no not me ..... my grandson

2011-08-15T16:36:00.000+12:00

The following is a copy of my daughters blog today...... I thought it was so funny and cute ...but read on ......

Kathryn writes .....

Yes that does say quit not quilt, and no I am not quitting quilting.

Alex however decided the other day that he was quitting school!

I, wanting him to accept the consequences for his own actions, agreed with him ...... however I did have specifications to go with it....

He had to inform his teachers.

He was a little taken back by this and asked me to explain. I simply told him that I was happy for him (my 6yr old) to quit school but that he had to go to school and tell his 2 teachers why he was quitting and then he also had to go to the Principle and tell him as well.

I then said that I was happy for him to leave school.

He thought this over for a few minutes and then happily annouced to me that he had changed his mind and would continue to attend school.

********************************************

Don't you just love the things kids say

A once in 50 years ......

2011-08-15T12:10:00.000+12:00

This morning I saw an amazing sight ... snow in Rotorua, this is the Museum ( where I am a guide) this is the first time in the 11 yrs I have been living here that I have seen snow fall in Rotorua ... yet alone lay.

This snow has come about because of a low from across the Tasman Sea ... so thanks a bunch Australia just because you did not want it ... you let it pass on to us ...just kidding.

Of course I have lived in snow areas in USA and France where the snow could be a meter deep on regular basis and more sometimes especially in Minnesota .. then the wind / air chill factor came into play.

The only good thing to say about snow ... while living in USA was Christmas ... everyone in Ohio went over board with the outside decorations and we used to go cruising around all the streets to see them ... a memory that will stay with me for ever.

The wet stuff .... and good news

2011-08-07T13:13:00.002+12:00

1pm Sunday afternoon the wet stuff is falling from the heavens so I am not feeling guilty about fiddling with this machine, but I do mourn the old one it was a good friend and travelled around the world a few times with me ... keeping me in touch with everyone.... not many pictures on this one yet but do have this one of my dearly departed old friend before it was sent by courier to Wellington for it's post mortem... looking at it one could be forgiven thinking it looks quite healthy

Friday I received a phone call from the company who do the "post mortem" and they told me what was wrong with the computer and what the coffee did to it ... it is amazing what damage was done by 150 mls of coffee ..... they said the hard drive was intact and the information could be retrieved if needed and they would return it to me by courier at no cost to me ....Whee! State will be picking up the bill

So yesterday I received my hard drive back from Wellington ... it is amazing how small it is and that a lot of my life is stored on it ...... oh! what a blessing I don't have to re-enter everything from goodness knows where in my brain, my son has a friend who will copy everything from it and put it on a memory stick or two and I can then upload it .....

But I will tell you one thing I will no longer store things on the computer everything from now on will be on a memory stick even if I have to have a dozen of them, when I think of all those patterns quilting and embroidery that were stored on there I shudder ... some were so special as they had been sent to me from all over the world.... also pictures of my work done over the last few years, although I could live with out all this stuff it will be great to have it back .. there was also hours and hours of work done designing newsletters and other documents, I know I could reproduce them but this will save me days of work being done over again.

So there is a lesson here not only for me but for everyone with precious stuff on their computer.

Second day catch up

2011-08-06T12:31:00.001+12:00

Here I am second day of new computer getting to grips faster than I imagined I could or would.....

So here is a preview of some of the things I have been doing over the last few weeks ...

When you need to take something to do with you or very little time, a pin keep or a scissor keep passes the time ... made these two last week. I always feel it is good to keep something small by, you just never know when you need that small gift in a hurry.

I attended a Mary Transome Agapanthus wall hanging class....which I thoroughly enjoyed.

The top is just about complete and not a hand stitch in it ... I also changed the colour from Blue or purple to a nice pink flower one of which I have in the garden ... I have promised myself I will finish it in the next 2 weeks... you know how it is ..... just have to set goals.

Also my Kina is finished .. due to the shine of the threads it did not photograph to well, I will try and take another of it, for all the hundreds of beads are not showing up ... so it will be experiment time with the camera.

A dried flower needle case one of those ones that has been hanging around for ages ... A Mum's Moments pattern, I had it as a gift from a friend and has been on the "To do" list for ever.

The cutest little owls you ever saw each one takes no more that about 45 Min's to complete, this one fits in the palm of your hand ... the pattern has 5 owls on it from small to doorstop size. The name of the pattern escapes me at present. I actually have done 3 but they would not all fit on the bench.

So I have fitted in lots of little bits in the last few weeks, I love the little things in fact almost becoming the " little bits and pieces queen"

Something to smile about at last ....

2011-08-05T23:34:00.000+12:00

This is what has put the smile on my face today Wheeeee!!!!

Did I ever believe that at 60 something a computer would be such a large part of my life

My new computer came today ...now I have to spend time working out how the heck you use Windows 7 after 5 yrs of XP.

Must invite grand son Harvey around he is 7yrs old and knows all there is to know about Windows 7.

So a nice new Toshiba laptop is all mine, it is white but I can live with that ... it is different but I can take change I guess ...... have lots to catch up with and a few pictures of stitching but will have to wait until I find out how to attach camera and down load.

Like many other pensioners it is a life line it has opened up the world to me and my family, it did not matter where in the world we lived we could be instantly in touch .. many of the people we know world wide are now on internet and many of them have come to the computer late in life some are in late their 70's and 80's years of age.

What a fantastic invention this machine is.......

Hello again ..... Help.!!

2011-08-03T22:49:00.001+12:00

Hello again... well life is ticking over with no laptop computer ... the frustrations of this "sit up and beg one " is driving me bonkers... it drops the broadband on a regular basis and takes minutes to open different pages. The only thing I have been able to do is check my emails as long as there is not to many and no attachments.

Update on insurance claim ... mainly there will not be one as computer is 5 yrs old so not covered, now this is news to me but STATE seem to think they told me in 2007 that my contents insurance had changed and they no longer covered computers on a replace basis ... even if accidental damage but they do if it is stolen ??????? even though I have full value replace insurance ... so I have no leg to stand on with them ..
I tried the stand firm bit, but they are going to win in the end as ignorance is not a excuse in there book ... so looks like a trip to the computer shop for a new one and it's all down to my bank balance...
Oh! plus the $170 they are willing to give for my trouble ... would like to say " No you keep it seems your need is greater than mine" but then I think NO why should they have it so by tomorrow my bank should be a little healthier.

So hopefully by the weekend I will have a new computer that I will not be able to use as it will have all these updated programmes and I will be confused and stressed trying to work out what is what and where the heck is that button I used to use and where has that piece of writing gone ... OH! help all those passwords to put in again and all the personal information ... plus all my favourites.

Take care hope you are all well and kicking up your heals ... I'll be back soon hopefully.

Another update ...unbelievable

2011-07-22T18:50:00.000+12:00

Today I had time to update a few items on the computer ... doing really well and thought time for a coffee...ugh !! wrong move.

Now I am always very diligent about not having drinks close to the computer .. so I was on the breakfast bar with laptop, coffee was on the shelf leading to the sink area ... CAT was eating in kitchen decided he had to be ontop of computer and the rest is history so they say ... so your imagination is most likely doing the right thing... the cup went flying as CAT ( god bless him) jumped up on to the sink and over the shelf bringing cup and contents down on to computer, me and the carpet.... Upshot of this whole story is now my laptop is DEAD... insurance claim is in so am using the old desk computer which has not been used or updated for at least 2 yrs. They have to send the dead one away to prove it is dead and why ....... and then decide about the replacement value. Talk about frustration !!!!!
This one is so ........ so .........so........ so.......... slow.....................................
I have also had to shampoo half of the dining room carpet.

A bit of an update.....

2011-07-21T20:52:00.000+12:00

The shoulder and arm are "getting there" not nearly as much pain now, have cut down the pills and only seeing the physio every other day now.

I can hold the "mouse" so am managing to to read the blogs and catch up with everyone's "Doings" so I am trying a post, as there is so much to catch up with.

Thank you all for your lovely comments and sympathy they were all much appreciated.

I have also managed a fair bit of stitching ... promise to do some photographs when I remember where I put the camera.

Have a Quilting class on this coming Saturday... a small wall hanging "Agapanthus" all machine work ... not done any real quilting for ages so easing back in gently.

Just like many other Grandparents I have had the 2 Rotorua Grandsons during the day for 3 days this week ... yes! it is the school holidays and both parents working.....we have had a great time swimming, sewing and generally being spoilt .. I am sure they have been on the PlayStation and computer far to much ... more than is good for them and eaten far to many nice things, but hey!! that's what this grand parenting is all about I believe.

"Grand Kids ......If I knew they were so much fun I would have had them first"

This coming week I have the 2 from Hamilton for 3 days, but they will stay with me night and day so it will be a bit different, days will be longer from "eyelids up to eyelids down" ... But I have all sorts of stuff planned

Just keeping fingers crossed for the weather to be nice ... when I say nice I mean "Not Raining" we have had the worse 2/3 weeks on record of rain ... I have not put a foot on the lawns as they are 3 inches under water .... there has been no clean up in garden at all, so hopefully the boys may be able to help me this coming week if the sun shines for us..

Last Sunday my car was so dirty that I finally succumbed to a car wash at the local garage, there does not seem to have been a dry spell long enough for me to wash it in or a day when my shoulder would have allowed me to do it .... I chose the top priced car wash , a pressie to myself and Wow Wee !! it looked great all polished and waxed, no water marks on the paintwork or windows so was worth every dollar ... I may be treat myself again in a couple of months.

Okay have over done the holding of the mouse, ache coming back in the arm so will sign off.

I can not believe ... what I have done

2011-07-17T19:13:00.000+12:00

Grandma to the rescue was last week ... this week it has been my turn ... although Grandma is managing her own problem or should I say still is !!

Ben with his broken foot stayed with me and on the final day he was here I lifted him into the car and PING goes a muscle in my back / shoulder and by Monday I am in acute pain, after blood tests ( previous Breast Cancer so they always check when I have anything wrong) X-rays and copious amounts of pulling about by Dr's and nurses and physios they have decided I have a trapped nerve in my shoulder area ... I can honestly say this is the first time ever that pain has reduced me to tears more than once in the week. ... so I am absent from blogging because I can not use my right hand with the mouse ( ouch !!) and using the internal mouse takes hours to write just a few words.

So I will be only reading every one's blogs for a bit longer.

Having Physio each day and doing the exercises as ordered to do ....so hopefully the release of the nerve will happen soon ... as my pain tolerance is getting low ... and am popping pills like they are going out of fashion.

Trying something new

2011-07-08T13:57:00.000+12:00

At Kathryn's house the other day she had cooked a whole chicken in her slow cooker ... and it was so tender and Delicious ... I vowed to cook one the same way.

Low and behold the supermarket had a special on Country style chickens today, this one was extra special as it was yesterdays and they had reduced it another 25% ...always an eye for a bargain me ... snapped it up and here it is in the slow cooker with in the hour of purchase. A chicken this large will most likely see me through the weekend and some.

It came in a "cook in bag" now I was not sure you could use this in a slow cooker so "Googled it " some said Yes, some said NO, the bag manufacturers said NO only use a slow cooker liner... I didn't know there was such a thing just goes to show you learn something new every day.

Christmas Trees

2011-07-08T13:43:00.000+12:00

In a previous post I mentioned the Christmas trees I was assembling, so far I have done 13 of them .. makes a nice forest and so colourful.

All ready for the sales table at the Christmas Embroidery exhibition in November.

Grandma to the rescue

2011-07-08T13:22:00.002+12:00

Ben ( almost 8yrs ) jumped down of the stage at after school care on Monday night (like he has everyday practically for the last 2 years) and then complained his foot hurt but not to much and could walk okay.
Next morning his foot was swollen and sore, so Dad took a couple of hours off work and took him for an x-ray.
Kathryn on the other hand called in the cavalry (aka Grandma)
They diagnosed a sprain and sent him home telling them to keep him off his foot for the rest of the week. So Grandma drove to Hamilton and did a snatch and grab and took him home to Rotorua to spend a few day with her.
While everyone else went to school and work as normal.

Don't you just love Grandma's?

Unfortunately we wish it was all just that simple.
Turns out after the Radiologist re read and reviewed his x-ray later in the day ...they called at 5pm to say he needed to be seen again due to actually having a broken foot.
Slight problem here, he was now over 1hr drive away.
Thus a quick call to Grandma .....

So I took him to local clinic here in Rotorua and they called Hamilton clinic who advised of the diagnosis.

Now we have a back slab, non weight bearing with crutches for 7 days, then a visit to fracture clinic and 4 weeks in a cast.

So here at Grandma's with DVD's and videos, reading and homework books, games and cards ... we are learning to gamble on the games with glass beads and having late nights ... not sure if this is what Grandma is suppose to be teaching him .... but Ben along with Grandma is enjoying it.

So we are having a great time doing on the most part nothing in particular,

Grandma has done no sewing or been to any of her normal activities this week. Even the computer has been forgotten.

"Good news" they say he can go back to school on Monday

Busy stitching

2011-07-03T13:50:00.000+12:00

Busy busy week or two.....
Last weekend I attended a class to make a Kina.... ..I can just hear all the sighs and blank looks " what the heck is a Kina ?"

KINA, a common sea urchin or sea egg considered a delicacy by Maori,

Here is picture of New Zealand Kina or Sea Urchin, as you see when alive it is covered in spikes but when dead it leaves a beautiful shell, here are a few shells.

NZ Kina Shells all sorts of sizes and colours.

A lovely member of our Guild Eileen made a Kina quite a few years ago ... photo here

Mine is still in the construction stage .....

So just watch this space !!

At Christmas we have our Christmas Embroidery Exhibition, a lot of work goes on all year to make items for the sales table ... this last couple of weeks I have been helping to construct

these Christmas trees ....

Yesterday we had a Regional Day for the Embroidery Guilds of Waikato and Bay of Plenty, lucky for us it was held in Rotorua so we did not have to travel to it.

One of the main attractions of the day was Ribbon Rose Embroidery shop who came with may be half his shop from Ellersley ( near Auckland) ... this was a great treat for the folks in this area as we do not have a shop now that stocks threads especially silk and speciality threads, everything has to be ordered by phone or Internet.... so to have all these threads here, to be able to touch and feel them was a present in it's self. So 100 embroiderers had a great day of buying up big time, including me...... but I was very restraint and only bought what I needed...

Last week I received my Santa Sack plus 2 gifts from Cheryl my swap partner ... the gifts are wrapped and I must not open them until Christmas morning ..... each month I will receive 2 more gifts which I have to add to the sack ... I think I can manage to not touch, not even squeeze or shake them ... well not to much anyhow ... I am getting excited already and its 176 days to go to Christmas.

So now you have caught up with what has been going on here ... although I have only told you the interesting bits ... on top of this I have been to Arthritis swimming exercise classes twice a week, swimming at the hot mineral pools at least every other day, a couple of committee meetings, looked after the grandsons, managed to fit in a bit of laundry and housework, sewing group and embroidery guild ... in between times have managed to get my hair cut, collect new glasses and a bit of shopping to hold body and soul together. I also managed to remember to feed the cat, who is not talking to much to me as he feels neglected ... I don't blame him either.

Oh! being retired is such a busy life ......the old saying that you wonder how you ever had time to go to work before ......is so so true.

AND

"I love every minute of it"

Why quilting improves your health in ways even exercise can't manage

2011-06-20T13:30:00.000+12:00

This artical was in the Mail newspaper in UK sent to me by a friend to read I thought you should all know about it as well ....... so it is offical the hours spent quilting is good for your health ... it is just the wallet that complains.

Why quilting improves your health in ways even exercise can't manage

As devotees of a quiet and contemplative pastime, they would be the last to make a fuss about it.
But quilters, it seems, have every right to celebrate their craft after researchers found that it is ‘uniquely’ good for you.
A study found quilting improved well-being in ways that physical and outdoor activities could not, and offered a creativity that had been ‘stifled’ in the modern world.
The University of Glasgow team concluded that all hobbies – ‘from reading to train spotting’ – should be looked at for their mental and physical benefits.
They interviewed quilters and found the activity helped their cognitive, creative and emotional well-being, particularly among older people.

The use of bright colours was ‘uplifting’, the activity distracted from the stress of work, and quilting offered challenges such as maths and geometry. It also increased confidence and had an important social side.
Professor Jacqueline Atkinson, co-author of the study and a quilter herself for five decades, said: ‘Doing something that engages you and that you enjoy is key. As adults, we don’t often do enough that includes fun and play.

‘We put a lot into studying the use of green spaces and that’s useful to individuals and communities.
'But maybe we need to say there are other things too.’
Graduate student Emily Burt interviewed 29 members of the group and the transcripts were analysed for the study, published in the Journal of Public Health last week.
Beneficial: The researchers said more consideration needed to be given to hobbies, from reading to train spotting, and their potential for enhancing wellbeing.
It concluded that: 'Whether it is growing vegetables, knitting a jumper or discovering a new scientific formula creativity may be fundamental for wellbeing and has received little attention so far within public health.

'Exploring creativity and what people do in their everyday lives, which they deem creative, may be an important avenue for wellbeing promoters.
'Additionally, more consideration needs to be given to all hobbies, from reading to train spotting, and their potential for enhancing wellbeing.'

Craft Scotland said interest in quilting amongst younger Scots was increasing but there was no measure for how many people take up the hobby individually or in clubs.
Emma Walker, chief executive of Craft Scotland, said the research backs up what they are seeing on the ground.

She said: 'We’ve definitely seen an increase in groups doing quilting socially but also individuals.
There’s an emotive connection as well as financial need to recycle.
'Historically older groups of women did quilting but women in their early 20s are getting together and children's groups are also taking it up.
'People are investing in quality pieces of quilting, but also looking to make items themselves and re-use materials they have in their homes.
'I can only see the popularity increasing.'
The craft industry contributes around £3 billion a year to the UK economy.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2002862/Why-quilting-uniquely-good-us.html#ixzz1Pm6xN1eB

Spring at Midwinter

2011-06-20T13:09:00.000+12:00

At the local supermarket they had boxes of bulbs for sale a few weeks ago

for some reason they were not selling so they put them on reduced sale @ 2 for 1

Here is one of the baskets I planted up with hyacinths the smell in the dining room is wonderful each morning ... how amazing that the blue ones have taken off so fast against the speed of the others.

At midwinter around about now at the Friday sewing group ...... we do a small pincushion swap with a few Ladies from Palmerston North ( a town further down the north island) who also have a small sewing group, one of our ladies used to belong to the Palmerston Group when she lived there.

Here is mine for this year ready to be posted all in one parcel but seperately wrapped .... we do a raffle type draw at each end when we receive them so you do not know who has received yours until they or we open their parcels.
I have received some lovely ones over the years ... Embroidered, patchwork and felt and non are repeated or anything like the same.

Busy Busy weekend

2011-06-20T12:32:00.000+12:00

This weekend was Rainbow Quilters Exhibition " Quilts of the Rainbow"

Here is some candy for the eye....

There was 70 plus quilts and it was very difficult to decide which ones to show you.

This small hanging was mine ...not a lot of quilting done here by me lately

This hanging is Japanese Origami fabric folding ... there is not one stitch in each of these Kimono's.

Just a thread or two to hold them on to the back ground.

Comments ??

2011-06-14T11:46:00.000+12:00

I was wondering if anyone else was having the same problem as me ... then behold I checked a friends blog in Tasmania and found she was having the same sort problem...

I try to comment on friends blogs and find that I can not post it... writing the comment no problem but the Blog company does not reconise my Google sign in or Yahoo one .... they seem to require a different type of something or other ... either an identity or Url / name not the one I give them ... so for the life of me I have no idea what they want.

I am wondering if there is a new comment thingy now being used by bloggers or has it changed in some way in different countries ??

so I am not ignoring you and would love to comment.

If someone can work this out for me I would be for ever in your debt.

Catch up time

2011-06-14T11:17:00.000+12:00

Good day everyone had a few messages "where are you "

Well here I am, been very busy with personal stuff .. which is now all settled and now it is time for me to move on with my life .. even get back to normal with hobbies and things with no distractions.... I might even get into some quilting again...have been doing embroidery more during the last few months as it was easier to pick up and put down.

This last weekend I was in sunny Napier for a District Meeting for Inner Wheel

where I presented my 6 monthly newsletter for distribution, so that is wrapped up for a few months before I start on the June 2012 one... I was very pleased with it ... all 16 pages.

This week I have treated myself to a new quilt for my bed ... the bit I have to admit to, is it is a purchased one ... but it is so nicely done with embroidery around the boarder as well.

the really best part of it was it was on sale at almost 50% off, probably would not have bought it at full price ... I would have admitted I could have made it myself ... but Oh! what the heck I liked it so here it is on the bed .. perfect!

I have visited with my Daughter and family, looked after grandkids, driven my friend to see her sister(84 yrs) who was taken to hospital an hour or so away from here ... she does not drive at night so I was the driver. Have actually managed some housework and remembered to feed the cat.

so hopefully now my feet are back on the floor and can get back to normal life ...what ever that may be.

My heart goes out to everyone in Christchurch after the day and night of bad earth quakes ... I believe there has been 2 large and 15 shakes over night .. please just hold on tight, if you need a break you are welcome here in Rotorua at any time.

Now I am off to sort out some stitching to do .. really should get into the garden but stitching sounds better to me, might even make myself a really nice coffee and have some ginger nuts my favorite. Ummmm!

Winter Swap has arrived

2011-06-02T09:23:00.000+12:00

Yesterday there was a lovely big envelope in the mail box .....

I had completely forgotten about the Seasonal Swap I had joined organised by Cheryl ...
( I had sent off mine a couple of weeks ago)

Don't you just love surprises !!

A neat little bag in cords and woollen fabrics

Pinwheel table runner in lovely autumn colours

This was the surprise inside ... I do hope Fiona does not mind me using her pictures, as her photos are just wonderful.
I have not managed to download my new camera upload stuff on to the computer yet
( upload, download notice the technical details gee I'm getting good, see education does pay off)

Thank you so so much Fiona they really brightened my day.

Fancy this all you NZ Quilting Bloggers

2011-06-01T22:20:00.000+12:00

Fee and Jo from Tasmania have thought of a retreat for next March.... Check it here

How about it ? We could make it a come and meet up for the Quilting Bloggers of NZ

with all the lovely Aussie Gals that have become our on line friends.

10 months to save, so get out your piggy banks and drop in a few $ coins each day

3rd Item hits the dust

2011-05-29T22:40:00.001+12:00

I am sure it is the same in your house ..if one piece of equipment goes wrong or dies you can bet your life a couple more will.... BINGO!!

Yes .. a few weeks back the freezer packed up ... so had to be replaced, no problem not a to expensive piece of house-ware.
This last week a new Mobile Phone see last blog post item...

So on Friday when I tried to use my camera to take some embroidery pictures things did not go well.

The batteries have been losing power very quickly ...thus I have 3 batteries... one on charge and one fully charged and one in the camera ... when going out with the camera you always had to take an extra battery in the carrying case. I tried again Saturday to use the camera and this time the pictures were not good in the colour or quality when I down loaded them to the computer.

So I had to succumb to a new camera ...luckily I had a few points on a reward card and used those towards it .... ( 10 out of 10 for good economics) so here is toy number 2 for this week .... that has got to be the end of spending for a while ....... so please join in ..... hands together eyes closed say after me ... Please let it stop here.

Just like the mobile phone the choice of colour was Black, black or black ... so guess what I chose yes!! go to the top of the class ......Black.

A Panasonic Lumix

New Toy

2011-05-28T10:54:00.000+12:00

Yesterday I bought a new mobile phone you know the kind all bells and whistles now I need 24 hrs to transfer every thing to it, It is so light not like the battery operated brick I have been carrying around for the last few years.

It was brought about because my daughter and her husband borrowed my car for 6 weeks and when they returned it they said " Why did I not use the blue-tooth it has fitted".... whee!! said I ( I did not know it had this before only had the car 2 years)

so son in law tried to set up my phone to it and my phone did not have the right workings ( notice the technical details )

So they said it was time for a new one ( phone that is not car) ... especially as we now have a law here about using phones in cars when driving.

so now I have to wait for their next visit so he can set it up for me....

Independent I might be but setting up phone and car to work together I think eludes me.

Just had to show you this !!

2011-05-24T22:12:00.000+12:00

I go to a stitching group on a Tuesday and we had a new lady start today .... June, she bought a couple of items to show us .... here is one , how the heck did she stitch that it is all hand done (there is not a machine small enough to do the stitching) he has moving arms and legs plus his head turns, Oh! by the way I have very small hands.

Bits and pieces of my day

2011-05-23T21:30:00.000+12:00

This post is particularly for my family in UK who got in touch with my daughter as I had not posted for two weeks as they were worried about me " Was I okay ? " ... so just to let everyone know I am alive and kicking here is a few pictures of "bits and pieces" of my everyday life.

How is this .. This Christmas Cactus last year and for a few years has just had one or two flowers in pale pink this year not only has it excelled it's self by flowering profusely but it is flowering in two shades of pink

Once again ... "if you are not going to use this bag I am !!"
I am sure I have a cat with a fetish for bags..... this is actually one of my sewing bags that I had just emptied to have a spring clean out of the odd pins and paper in the bottom, I just walked away to the rubbish bin and on my return it had taken possession....

Here is a picture taken by the Fire Service during a picture shoot for advertising the Fire Brigade
Of my Fireman son and his family ....
Two of my lovely grandsons Ellis 10 and Harvey 7 next weekend.

Here we have part of The Inner Wheel ( Rotary) Committee our presidents husband has a Model T Ford and we are having a Roaring 30 's Conference in Napier next year so here we are all getting in the mood. I am the one with the light fox fur over my shoulder.

The Singing Quilter

2011-05-17T22:35:00.002+12:00

This evening at Rainbow Quilters we were entertained by the Singing Quilter.....

Cathy Miller is a Canadian quilter and folksinger from Victoria British Columbia. Since September 2000 she and her musician husband John have toured a program of songs, stories and quilts to guilds and quilting events across North America, Australia and New Zealand, the UK and Germany

They have performed at over 500 quilting events for more than 50,000 quilters worldwide.
These include appearances at the International Quilt Festival in Houston, the AQS Nashville Show, Quilt Canada, the Quilters' Guild of the British Isles, Ricky Tims' La Veta Colorado gallery, Eleanor Burns' Quilting retreat, and on Alex Anderson's now defunct TV program, "Simply Quilts".

To date Cathy has released five CDs of songs about quilting.
These songs range from the historical, through the poignant, to the drop-dead funny!
This program was so entertaining and inspire both the quilters and non-quilters alike in the group.
With songs covering a wide range of topics including, History, Traditions, Superstitions, Hiding fabric, Quilt Lore and Superhuman Achievements.

Read more about Cathy Here

Here are some of her fabulous quilts... From her Trunk / suitcase

I just love this one made of Australian fabrics with a shadow behind the blocks...Picture does not do it justice as normal when it is a snap shot.

Reverse applique.....

English paper pieceing

This one is enhanced with beads and sitchery

Cathy was a musician and singer until about 1991 or there abouts and she then found Quilting the rest as they say is history

Hope you are all having a great day! Something To Think About!

2011-05-15T00:22:00.001+12:00

Hope you are all having a great day! Something To Think About!

Imagine that you had won the following prize in a contest:
Each morning your bank would deposit $86,400.00 in your private account for your use.
However, this prize has rules, just as any game has certain rules.

The first set of rules would be:
Everything that you didn't spend during each day would be taken away from you.
You may not simply transfer money into some other account. You may only spend it.
Each morning upon awakening, the bank opens your account with another $86,400.00 for that day.

The second set of rules:
The bank can end the game without warning; at any time it can say,
Its over, the game is over!
It can close the account and you will not receive a new one.

What would you personally do?
You would buy anything and everything you wanted, right?
Not only for yourself, but for all people you love, right?
Even for people you don't know, because you couldn't possibly spend it all on yourself, right?
You would try to spend every cent, and use it all, right?

ACTUALLY, this GAME is REALITY!

Each of us is in possession of such a magical bank. We just can't seem to see it.

The MAGICAL BANK is TIME!
Each morning we awaken to receive 86,400 seconds as a gift of life, and when we go
to sleep at night, any remaining time is NOT credited to us.

What we haven't lived up that day is forever lost.
Yesterday is forever gone.

Each morning the account is refilled, but the bank can dissolve your account at any
time....WITHOUT WARNING.

SO, what will YOU do with your 86,400 seconds?
Aren't they worth so much more than the same amount in dollars?
Think about that, and always think of this:

Enjoy every second of your life, because time races by so much quicker than you think.

So take care of yourself, be Happy, Love Deeply and enjoy life!

Here's wishing you a wonderfully beautiful day!!!

Just keep smiling, and walking if you have to....

2011-05-15T00:03:00.000+12:00

I have had a very busy two weeks and have been keeping up with everyones blogs but have not had a lot of time to post myself or send emails... I am the Editor of Inner Wheel ( Rotary) and the magazine is due out in 2 weeks so you can imagine the panic although it is not to bad yet still have 14 days....... so in the mean time a few smiles for you all to keep you going ......

The Importance of walking .... is just keep smiling

Walking can add minutes to your life.
This enables you at 85 years old
to spend an additional 5 months in a nursing
home at $4,000 per month.

My grandpa started walking
five miles a day when he was 60.
Now he's 97 years old
and we have no idea where the hell he is.

I like long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy me.

The only reason I would take up walking is so that I could hear heavy breathing again.

I have to walk early in the morning, before my brain figures out what I'm doing...

I joined a health club last year,spent about 250 bucks.
Haven't lost a pound.
Apparently you have to go there!

Every time I hear the dirty word 'exercise',
I wash my mouth out with chocolate.

I do have flabby thighs,but fortunately my stomach covers them.

The advantage of exercising every day is so when you die, they'll say,
'Well, he looks good doesn't he.'

If you are going to try cross-country skiing,
start with a small country.

I know I got a lot of exercise the last few years,...... just getting over the hill.

We all get heavier as we get older, because there's a lot more information in our heads.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

AND

Every time I start thinking too much about how I look,
I just find a pub with a Happy Hour and by the time I leave,
I look just fine.

If you are going to walk on thin ice you might as well dance.

My birthday cake

2011-05-02T20:21:00.000+12:00

No it is not my birthday again at least not till next year....

But I just have to show you these photo's taken from Kathryn's blog of the men in her life making me a birthday cake....

Now Kathryn is doing some studying for a few papers to boost her qualifications ... her first paper was due on the weekend of my birthday and as I had been invited for tea ... a cake had to be made, Kathryn was busy finishing her assignment so over to the boys to make a cake from a packet.

I just love the management levels going on here, obviously Ben was in charge of reading the instructions on the packet....

I have to tell you the secrete about the cake ... It was supposed to be chocolate but they bought a vanilla sponge oh well! white or brown it is a cake .....now it was cooked beautifully ... But they forgot to buy cream or something for the middle ... No sweat for the boys large and small ... they knew I liked chocolate so they used Hazelnut Chocolate spread ... must admit it was ingenious and different.

It is these little moments that tug at a Grandma's heart strings.

Have you used these threads?

2011-05-02T10:30:00.001+12:00

I have a couple of embroidery patterns that I have purchased over the years that I would like to get going on ... but they require silk threads, the colours are hard to come by here in NZ also overseas .... no shop keeps the full range

and also they are extortionately priced when I order from overseas.... due to the currency conversion. Some lovely ladies in USA helped me track some of the colours but one of the brands were never tracked down.

I have since managed to collect a few ... a lovely friend in Australia sent me some for my Birthday, you can not imagine the excitement coming from me when I opened that parcel. But still not the all colours available .... some had to be exchganged for others that were close in shade.

One pattern is not anything to special it is a "Hussif" ( for holding your sewing items) so it will be used on a daily basis.... the pattern and fabric has already cost in the range of $140 ... if I use the threads that come in a package to go with the pattern this will only give me enough thread to do the project .... the threads do not even come in full skeins.... the item will then be costing over $240.

I would love to work this hussif in these lovely threads but I have to be sensible about this.

Someone has suggested that I try Eterna Silks from China....

So my question is " Has anyone used or tried these threads ?"

Eterna Silk is manufactured, and distributed by Yodamo, Inc. worldwide.

I have read all about them on the net but first hand information would be appreciated, it seems the price is good and you can obtain them quite easy in many countries in the world, you can even buy a complete set at a very reasonable price .... BUT not NZ.

HELP!!!