sweet days at home

It's full on exam study season here - two of us doing university exams, another year 9 exams (waste of time he says) and another the first year of NCEA (NZ's high school exams, which I've mixed feelings about too).

We were surprised with this on Friday night - were only notified a week before that he was getting something at prizegiving, but since we were away, we didn't see it (and suited the kid fine , as he hates attention!). A pretty big deal in a massive school (with 600 in his year level and 3000 at the school!), but the kid said "whatever"... he cracks me up! First in an entire year is huge to his mum at least!

I've finished 3 pairs of socks in the last week - exam study and time at airports and on flights equals easy peasy! (and exam study on plane, stuck in a corner was good!!). Not all are for me. I've cast on another pair for an Aussie mate this afternoon.

The rose bush outside is something else still - I've put a few in a jar to stare at while getting junk in my head -

A cute biscuit from my favourite bookshop on Saturday. It was New Zealand Bookshop Day. I bought a few even after buying this pile in Australia last week...

 I think it's just as well I don't live in Australia as I'd have my own branch of a public library...

Books are stupidly cheap at Big W, although some of these were also found at cute little country town bookshops. There was another smaller pile for my old school too. (We were still 15kg underweight with our luggage!!)

I've a lot to read this summer...

Halloween is a non-event here - in this neighbourhood anyway. We usually get zero children door knocking - I hope the tradition continues, as I've nothing to give them anyway! My teens are too cool and their mates as well apparently and it's  a total non-event for them all too.

Ending the day with this...

Simple things like doing laundry on gorgeous days, watching the vege garden grow is perfect!

Sunshine and heat

I've spent the last few days in the sunshine and heat of the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. I adore travel. I needed sunshine and heat. I got it!

Lots more photos etc to come - and 9 more days of exam study. Ugh.

roses

oh! I'm already gushing over one rose bush already!

At home

I've just finished my first un-paid (unemployed I guess!) week at home. I l-o-v-e being at home. Okay, so we have basically lost my wage, but it was low and really only paid for food and power weekly, if that. We'll survive fine! We are lucky being able to live off one income.

I'm amazed at how fast the days go - if I get laundry and something else done, I'm happy!

I've been sewing in ends off the sock wool blanket -

 Finished knitting these for an ex-workmate (who has left too). Gone in the post to her for some surprise happy mail -

Started another sock to match this one -

 And part way through another matching one -

 $3.50 bargains from an op shop. Yesterday I dropped off 39 items of clothing from my wardrobe , 11 bags and some pairs of shoes (honestly I just threw it in the bag if I had not worn it this year and then closed my eyes when I dropped it all off!) -

 Made big progress on this - boy cross stitching is slow sometimes! -

 one more row to sew in ends and seven more squares to knit -

 Ends sewed in so many dishcloths which have been hanging around for months and months.... -

 Found another sock for another ex-workmate, which only had about 5cm started, so I finished that this week too and will hopefully start and finish the next one soon -

 One of my tomato plants has a wilting disease. I'll throw it out -

 And the roses are doing well this spring. A tinge of pink in this one -

 same rose bush -

 And here we are today, Saturday. Knitting while cramming stuff into my head! Laundry outside flying around as windy today. House pretty tidy. Half of NZ is so mad about the election outcome - it has been very humourous to me. Lots think NZ is now doomed. It can only improve from the state it was heading towards! Happy 3 day weekend too kiwis!