A mishmash!

Looking back on the last week, I am hard pushed to say what stood out, it was an 'itty bitty' week, lol.

Budget
 My grocery shopping was going to be just a few basics as I didn't really need anything.  However, going the rounds in  the supermarket while buying breads, milk and teabags, I noticed they had some real good deals on meat, especially the chicken  breasts and lamb shoulder chops.  I also saw that there were the white corm tortillas, which are hard to get here, so they also popped into my trolley, along with some tins of chilli beans and sour cream.  With these extras my budget for the week was exceeded.  But I am not worrying as  now I have a freezer fill of meat and the makings for some easy Mexican meals.

Tonight I had tortillas filled with chilli beans  rolled up and grated cheddar over the top and grilled til the top was nice and crunchy with side serves of sour cream and guacamole, yum!  Oh there was a small side salad, and a couple of figs for dessert.

Garden
It was such a lovely weekend weather wise that I got some gardening done mainly chopping back some bushes that were overgrown and cutting the grass, an never ending chore.  The next bit to attack will be the back of the house where I grow my pumpkins this year. I harvested them a week or so ago and they are hardening off in a sunny spot near the back door. Another week an d they can be stored for the winter.

Crafts
I finally got back to doing some crochet this weekend, a cotton afghan that has taken me months to do, I am so close to the finish 6 more rounds to go.

Instagram
I have an Instagram account which I use for keeping up with my family and following fellow crochet addicts.  In an idle moment I clicked on a picture that I really liked and found myself in a world of bohemian decor and a another thread with houseplants which I am crazy  about.  Last night I was thinking about what I saw and have decided to make some changes in that direction albeit slowly and much more restrained.  I have decided I want to create an oasis of peace in my lounge!  So watch this space as they say, no rush.

Plans for tomorrow
Put rubbish and recycling out early.
Go to Mitre 10 and buy an tarpaulin so I can drag the hedge clippings etc to the back where I burn a lot of my garden rubbish that cant be composted.
Washing
A round of my Liliana afghan
Bake a cake for Wednesday - it a public holiday  Anzac Day and I have visitors in the afternoon.

I leave you with a picture of Ambrose  snugging up to the Liliana afghan. Have a good week all
Sharon

A Beautiful Autumn Day

It was very chilly this morning but the sun was up, and as I have more or less been housebound over the last week, I decided I would pack a lunch and take a wander around the streets of my town and have lunch at the park and watch the ducks.  I also wanted to check out the prices of some appliances - kettle and microwave as mine are very old and starting to be very tempermental!   I planned to go to Briscoes, a chain here in NZ that has regular sales.  What most people do, is go in, and work out what they want and wait till it is on sale, as their sales have up to 60% off.  So it is best to plan ahead and not wait till it is an emergency situation.  

So I set off with my thermos of tea and salad sandwich and had an enjoyable meander around

my local area, by the time I reached the park, I was kicking myself as it was crowded, I had forgotten that it was School Holidays.  Actually, it was nice to watch the Mums with the kids running around squealing with delight.  I found a seat near the lake and watched the miniature train take the kids on a trip across the bridge and around the little island.   It was a beautiful sight with the autumn colours and reflections on the water, I would have loved to take photos but desisted as it would have been impossible to get one without kiddies in it and I wouldnt like to put them on the web.  So, I will go back next week on the next beautiful day and take some photos.

After having had my lunch I set off for Briscoes (I was on my mobility scooter), by this time I was getting hot as I had put one of new sweaters on.  Unfortunately, I had put on a old top that had a hole near the shoulder and I didnt want to sail through town looking like a tramp, so I stayed hot!

Well Briscoes had a marvellous bargain in the kettle line and I decided to buy it there and then as it was a model that I had been eyeing up for a while.  It was reduced from $139 to $39!  However the microwaves were all full price.  As I was making my way to the till with the kettle in my tight embrace, I was stopped in my tracks.  

Now, forever I have wanted a proper bench mixer, I have always made do with a hand mixer and a food processor. The last time I had whipped some cream it was agony for my wrists (the RA ).  I used to bake cakes for various people as a thank you for the kindness they have showed me. I have hankered after one of these machines for years, but they are so expensive here, anything from $400 to a Kenwood at $800.  Were my eyes deceiving me a middle range brand for $199.  I looked again yes my eyes were right. I stood there like a stunned mullet.  These mixers  seldom come on special, I dithered, shall I? Have I got room for it? In the end I succumbed, it would make cooking so much easier, it had all the latest things like a scraper tool and also a dough hook for making bread.  Also I would be saving $300!!!  It must be the end of the range but what do I care, lol.

Luckily, I had some of those bungee hooks in my basket on the scooter and I managed to attached them to the back  basket and back of the seat so the boxes wouldn't fall out.  I went home the back way so as not to give people a laugh, Oh why do manufacturers put their products in such big boxes?

I did manage to stop and take a photo of some trees showing the autumn colours, I am so lucky to be living on the edge of the old town.  The settlers planted elms, oak trees  and other deciduous trees. Newer areas have native trees that don't lose their leaves and stay the same olive green all year round.

Getting home I unpack the boxes, and have a little play.  Then I thought I would have a little rest on the sofa, you guessed it I fell asleep and got woken up by two of cats demanding food!  For my dinner I reheated the leftovers from yesterday - the barbeque stir fry.  My to do list didn't get a look in, but hey that is the joys of retirement, there is always tomorrow.

Have a wonderful day.

Sharon

Monday Thoughts

Didn't post yesterday because my energy ran out, so, I rested and did some knitting in between the snoozes. Did manage to go to church, but decided not to stay for the meal that is put on the first Sunday of every month.
A must do for today was mowing the front lawn, the grass is tickling my ankles, lol.  The forecast is for rain till the end of the week, so goodness knows how long it would be by then!  We have had such a wet summer, very warm and humid too.  No wonder the garden has  gone crazy!

As you can see it is a tangled mess!  I am seriously thinking of getting lawn mower people in and then I will have energy for the actual gardening.  Must get some quotes.

This week I want to go though my wardrobe and work out what i need for winter.  I didn't spend my clothes budget last year and I carried it forward to this year so have a nice amount to splash out. I know I need trousers and tunics, I have plenty of skirts and jackets but I feel I need a change.  I think i will buy a classic set and dress it up with scarfs and so on.Also, I think I might use some of my favourite dresses as a pattern for new ones in a more up to date colours. 

Later......

Well I have just mowed the lawn and I was finishing the rain started to fall!  Time for a cuppa and finish this post.  I am writing this on my tablet as my computer is playing up, thank goodness I now save everything to cloud! Learnt my lesson from last year when i lost everything. I think i will have to take it in as it is still under warantee.

It is quite strange using a screen keyboard.

Today's list

Mow lawn    done

Wash kitchen floor   done

Laundry  done

Prepare supper - chicken stirfry

Knitting

Genealogy research 

Tomorrow's list

AM  Eye Test at Optician

Grocery shopping

Put rubbish bag out and recycling bins

Vacuum clean lounge and hall

Relax with a book

Well that's it for today.

Have a wonderful day.

Sharon

A Rabbit Hole

Today did not go as I planned! It started with a phone call at 8.30, a dear friend wanted to visit this afternoon, I was pleased as we haven't seen each other for a few months.  Thankful I had made a stew yesterday I got on the computer and register for ancestry.com as I want to do a family tree on my mothers side for my brothers and sister as we know very little. Mum's father died when she was 8 and her mother married again and did not talk about him or her own family in England.  I had an idea that I could do a small family tree for my sister who has a birthday next week. HAH.........

Several hours later I was fully immersed in records and the excitement of finding out about my ancestry. LOL  I had heard that it was a rabbit hole, it is.  It is fascinating!  But really , when you got visitors coming and you are still in your nighty at 11.30 am, it is not a good look!  So I scurried about doing breakfast dishes, tidying the lounge and just sat down when there was a knock on the door.  I had a lovely catch up with my friend.  She left at 5.30, I had a quick bite to eat, and tried to find something on TV to relax with my knitting (I am knitting some socks! I have never knitted them before.) There that is my crafts element for the day, hehe.  There was nothing,  channels are full of the Commonwealth Games that are on in Queensland Australia. I like sport but don't find it relaxing!

So it was back to the computer, but I have managed to stay away from ancestry.com and decided to write a post so that I had at least one thing crossed of my list for today.

Not to say that I wont go there after a cuppa!

Yesterdays list 

Chop the mint back by the shed and fig tree - Done

Mow the front lawn

Pick some Apples - Done

Pick the ripe figs before the birds find them - Done

Wash the windows in the front

make a stew for the weekend - Done

Knit some of my sock - Done

Phone my sister in Australia this afternoon Done

Find a recipe (mint sauce) or what to do with all the mint I chop down (its needs chopping down as it is rampant, but I am loath to chuck it out. - Done

 

So 2 items are now to be transferred to tomorrows list

Mow the front lawn

 Wash the windows in the front

Write a blog post  with goals for next week

Go to church in morning

Relax 

 

I might flag the mowing the lawn if I am invited out to lunch as that can happen often.

 

So as they say the best laid plans of men and mice........

 

Have a Wonderful weekend  

Sharon

Taking Stock, Mint, Figs, Apples and other Autumn Delights

It is a glorious day!  You know the balmy, gentle breezes, not too hot, I love Autumn, it’s a time to take stock, and decide how to move forward.  For me, I need to work on some order!  Since I have retired my days are very open ended which is good but…. I find myself procrastinating over every activity! Shall I wash the kitchen floor or go out and do my shopping or do some crafting?  I spend so much time having a cuppa trying to decide what I want to do often nothing is done!  I am not going to beat myself up about it as I suspect after the year I have had it was necessary for me to wind down completely.  But now I feel the need for order and a plan of action.  I SHALL MAKE LISTS!  I used to laugh at my husband with all his lists with its bullet points and dashes and crossing outs.  I used to be able to keep what I needed to do in my head, but age has caught up, my mind wanders off in different tangents. Or, I forget completely.  I shall have to learn to keep the lists close by, the number of times I have made a shopping list only to leave it at home.  

I have been experimenting with lists, and I find a great joy in crossing off activities, what I still must learn is not to put down an impossible number of activities as it is disheartening to only cross off 3 when there are 15 items! LOL.  I think I need several different lists for the week and a list for daily activities. Also, I have decided to do what a dear blogger Bless does and posts her to do lists on her blog.  That means blogging daily or every other day, which is something I want to do.  I love writing and blogging but sometimes the procrastinating genie hits me there too!  Shall I blog about this or that, I have so many interests.  So, I think I will have a set day for different facets of my life, not rigid but general.

Monday – Homecrafts (the art of keeping a home)

Tuesday – General or whatever takes my fancy.

Wednesday - Garden

Thursday – Diet and recipes

Friday - Art

Saturday – Crafts

Sunday - goals for the week etc

This can e a moveable feast we will see how it pans out.

my list for today

Chop the mint back by the shed and fig tree

Mow the front lawn

Pick some Apples

Pick the ripe figs before the birds find them - Done

Wash the windows in the front

make a stew for the weekend - Done

Knit some of my sock - Done

Phone my sister in Australia this afternoon Done

Find a recipe (mint sauce) or what to do with all the mint I chop down (its needs chopping down as it is rampant, but I am loath to chuck it out.

That’s enough!  I could have kept on and as it is I think I have too many already.  Next on the list is the windows, after I had my lunch.

As it is Friday, art day, I am showing you a journal page I did last autumn. Funnily enough I called her Autumn Girl. Perhaps it should be Autumn delights

Wish me luck, I am off to have my lunch – salad and lasagne.

Then I shall carry on with the list.

See you tomorrow.

Sharon