Satisfied

I am happy. I have had an amazing holiday, seeing a part of New Zealand I had longed to go back and visit (even if we did not do everything I wanted to do, like go up the coast further north).

Boys seem happy and independant and running around the city with mates (and over to Waiheke Island by themselves to meet up with mates).

Most of the school stationery has been bought (cannot get my head around why a kid needs 3 different brands/types of coloured pencils for 3 different subjects!) and school uniforms too (BIG OUCH even for a state school where I know of parents all over going into debt to buy this - more than my weeks pay and don't get me started about i-pad which kid won't have because I don't need another bloody device in this house). Shoes still to get - two of the boys have not had new shoes for a year...(and opps a couple of sweet sets of retro notebooks fell into the shopping basket).

Husband rang up before and I went to meet him at a cafe for lunch - bliss.
Roses are gorgeous.
Vege garden blooming and cucumbers reaching out across deck.
Two cardigans finished (two in under 2 weeks!!!!) and well on the way with number 3. I have three orders for these - soooo excited to be knitting for others where it is much appreciated. I really adore the deep red one.
Dish cloths started (and bamboo needles found at The Warehouse even!).
Study notes going well and essay back from critique person to re-edit.
A month till exam but I am happy where I am at now.
Sweet stationery found at The Warehouse too for snail mail inserts.

All is good. Hugely satisfied with my month off school and another two weeks to go!

Ps the house is kinda messy, but I have been de-cluttering and dusting - dusting is a miracle! But I am satisfied with life. :)

Share Your Country Swap - the 2015 Edition

I was looking at my blog archives just now (yes - half an hour past midnight - I am trying to finish an essay and e-mail it off, as we have no power later today for hours...) and realised it was a year ago yesterday that I ran this swap. It was a whole lot of fun, so let's do it again!

New Zealand celebrates our national day every February 6 called Waitangi Day. Waitangi Day is based on our founding document/ Treaty signed Feb. 6, 1840.

It means a lot of different things to different people - can be contentious and I don't think we are that patriotic after spending several Australia Days in Australia. (that blew me away both times!)

Let's have a swap based on the country we live in. The aim is to send 5 things that symbolise the country you live in / were born in.

Some ideas include-

Something to eat 

something hand made by you that represents your country

a tourist nick nack like a fridge magnet, keyring

a stationery item ie notecards,postcards, a pen, pencils

a souvenir tea towel

an item made in your country (ie a book written by a local author, wool, kitchen items - craft fairs are good for this. Is there a designer that has little things? ie Cath Kidston etc...)

Sign up is by February 9 (a long lead time). I will post the swap partners on the weekend of February 14-15. It is up to you to contact your partner and exchange addresses. Please make sure you can be contacted via your blog.

Swaps are to be sent by March 15. That should give everyone enough time to get organised!

Open worldwide.

Please leave me a comment if interested and state if you are happy to post internationally or only in your home country. ( I will do my absolute best with this).

Have fun!

Sweet treats book giveaway

I found this book in Gisborne for 80% off the RRP. I already have a copy of it at home, so will make this my first giveaway of the year.
It is indeed a very sweet book with gorgeous cross stitch designs. While I do knit all year round, I mainly do cross stitching in summer.
Just leave a comment below, follow me and I'll pick a winner in a week or two - let's make the closing date February 2nd when most NZ schools go back for a new year. I am sure I can find some New Zealand sweet treats to throw in the package too. Open worldwide.

the heat is killing me...

Oh my goodness - it is HOT! Day after day, after day. Not as hot as Gisborne and surrounds but 64% humidity and 25 degrees here. *** it went up to 27 degrees - that is high for here! *** -  I know, I know, not hot like Australia, but I'm a hot person. I can handle 35 deg better in Melbourne when there is little humidity - with our humidity, I cannot handle it..  So I am inside - with 5 loads of laundry dry today. And an essay still to write...

Around the place today -

more roses blooming/garden has gone mental with lettuces galore and the apple cucumber going everywhere/we stained the deck/loving my new pillowcases/door stops around the place/jacandra blooming/many, many new books for school - get to Whitcoulls for an awesome 50% off sale on so many good things/I like stripes/living inside with all doors and windows wide open/ folding washing outside.

op shopping in Eastland

We have been away for a week, but are now home. Hideous traffic in this pat of the country! We have seen some gorgeous scenery - fabulous being away, but always fabulous to be home again too.

While I was away, I met up with the lovely Elaina, who showed me around her home town and a few op shops. I had a fun time and we chatted easily about all sorts of things -I am exactly how she expected me to be too - hee hee! It was a great few hours walking, shopping and eating! It is always the best being shown around a new place by a fun friendly person. I did well at the op shops picking up these sweet things in Elaina's town and another town - Crown Lynn pottery and gorgoeus embroidered mats.  Elaina is the first blogger I have met too by myself. We had a giggle about other people freaking out about this scenario. Lovley momentos of a fabulous trip. (photos taken at the lovely motel)

Rere Waterslide

Rere waterslide is in the middle of nowhere. Good free fun for the teens. No adults were game enough to partake. (boy are the kids GRUMPY - they are not really into Gisborne and want to go home... attitudes big time. I think we may have reached the end of the road with family trips somehow - oh wait - they will go somewhere if it is OVERSEAS... Sheesh.... we DO want them to see thier own country and they have seen a large chnk of it, but attittudes rile me...
Gone are the days when you just throw kids in the car and take them where ever whenever without attitude... sigh.)