Saturday, January 3, 2015

Happy New Year

 It has been very rainy here for weeks on end,  with more to come, and very little sunshine.   Ugh . . .  this, too shall pass, but it might be a while.   (Ack!)

DH and I went out with friends on New Years Eve to see a 4:00 p.m. movie (discount prices from 4-6p.m.! the place was empty!)   We saw "Into The Woods" and completely enjoyed it.   It gave much topic afterwards for dinner conversation.  We were home before 10:00 p.m. because, well, we are NYA (not young anymore).    In bed and sound asleep looong before midnight.  Well done!

Last night, DH and I watched the movie "Frozen"  on TV.   It's been a week of fairy tales movies!
(trivia ---  the movie credits stated that "Frozen" was inspired by the Hans Christian Andersen story "The Snow Queen")

 Marion in NZ - I love your photos because they make me feel warmer already.    Virtual summer.     :-)   Lovely living wall at the airport, too!

Hugs and a happy new year to everyone!


Thursday, January 1, 2015

A hot day here .

Thirty degrees, which is hot for us.  Fortunately we can irrigate the house lawn to keep it green. The lawn on the drive is the colour of cardboard !
I'm sitting in the shade listening to the Seekers Golden Jubilee Album.  I've always been a fan and this came out just before Christmas.  They were/are an Australian group, very popular in this part of the world.  They toured NZ recently.  Nice to have the disc, easier and cheaper than going to the concert ! 

Happy New Year

Can we believe another year has come and gone?  Very nice picks of the grand daughters and I love the wall hangings.  Funny how none of us make it up to 12:00PM!   DH & I went out to a late lunch (at a fancy place) with another couple and had a great time yesterday.
We did watch a little bit of the people in NYC time square, along with "Pitbull" in Miami Beach.  I wonder what his real name is?  Today is the big day for us.  His college football team is playing in the Rose Boll (in Calif).  His good friend and college roommate went to Calif. last year for the game, but this year they are coming over about 4PM for Mexican Food and to watch the game.
So, moping, cleaning up.  DH is out in the garage straightening and throwing out stuff.  We haven't taken down the little tree, but all the wrapping paper and such has gone in the recycling bin.  Tomorrow is OK by me to to take down the tree and door decorations.
I have been doing 30 min. at a time working on another wonky log cabin quilt in rainbow colors.   Don't know what I'll do with it, but it is colorful and fun.
Have an appt tomorrow to see another beach condo.  So tired of living in limbo--I'm hoping DH will go ahead and put in an offer on this place.  It is an below asking for offer, but it has been on the market 1 year, so they may take it!
Happy New Year.
Sara in Fla.

Went out today to purchase a couple of storage items to finish packing away Christmas.  The creche' doesn't fit anywhere so got a tree storage bag and will put a couple of other big items in with it.  Also got a wreath box.  Was prompted to put all away early as the house cleaner came yesterday.  Usually wait until NY Day but this is a season of changes.  The cleaner said Asians believe we should clean out our homes to rid them of bad luck and to make room for good luck.  Nice thought, isn't it?
 
A few 'me' items found their way into my shopping cart.  Now have a bamboo steamer for healthier cooking with brightly colored potholders, cutting mats, rubber spatulas and a cast iron skillet.  Needed an oven proof skillet last week when making a fritata so now have one.  Love the new cutting mats that don't slide and go in the dishwasher.  Aqua and red spatulas will be easy to find.  Also got a shelf with 3 racks for cookbooks.  Mine are always out of sight and reach...really, in the very top cupboard and behind the china.  
 
After a few chapters in a new Jodi Piccoult book, will try the firm new pillow. Funny how we wait to purchase necessary things until they are screaming to be replaced.  No such hesitation in the quilt shop....   Fireworks are already going off.  So glad the cats don't mind them.  Neighborhood dogs do; can hear them already.

Am posting a pic of Molly and Laura (grand daughters, an engineer and a doctor of physical therapy) holding the wall hangings I made for them.
Blessings, 

MaryJo


A living wall..

This is the reclaim baggage area at our airport in Christchurch . I hadn't noticed the living wall before, it's lovely isn't it ?

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

No regrets here either !

I suppose we've all had our fair share of standing around until midnight, and then having to be excited about the countdown at midnight !  No more...!!  We returned from Auckland yesterday and when we phoned our dog carers (and great friends) to say that we were home they said to go down later and stay for dinner...How nice was that ?  We did as they suggested and enjoyed a very good dinner, and a relaxing evening with them.  We were in bed well before midnight !

A hot day here to start the year off . .. I've taken down the Christmas decorations and made a start on tidying the garden which seems suddenly very full of weeds and dead flowers... Haven't seen anybody other than the DH., all day, but I have no problem with that ! The w/end will be here soon enough and people will know that we're home..

My best wishes to all for 2015.  Make the most of each day, they get more precious as we get older.

Marion.

9:32pm 31st December

I don't know how others are celebrating New Years Eve but himself and I ate a piece of cranberry apple pie in celebration, from the health food store (less sugar(.  He ate one piece as he is trying to loose weight due to his hiatus hernia issues; me, I went for two pieces...and then dealt with the discomfort afterward.  The dogs will now go out to go potty...it's bitterly cold tonight; then the tea kettle will go on and a hot cup of ginger tea, a good book, two Aussies, etc. and I will head to bed.  Asleep before midnight.  The way it should be.  I remember how much I disliked having to go to New Years Eve parties when I was in my twenties, having to deal with sloppy kisses from the opposite sex at the stroke of midnight from males I'd never give a though to agreeing to  kiss them otherwise...I often found an excuse to disappear around that time of night...bathroom, wherever, just to get away from that yucky ritual.  When my children were young, we used to share the evening with another family, go tobogganing, have them back for hot chocolate, those were the best times...and now...as one lady said serving me at the fish counter in the grocery store when I asked what she was doing tonight, she said the only thing to hit her head tonight would be her pillow.   Some special things, too, my late husband's brother who is now 87 and who has a serious tumour behind  his lungs, emailed me from his hospital bed...the wonders of the electronic world, which I complain about so much because I have to learn new things to deal with it.   I don't like special occasions...I feel every day is a special occasion...because I'm lucky to be alive in it.
Rosey who now has to get her snow boots on, her heavy down coat and face the frigid weather outside.  I wish the dogs could go potty inside.  I'm sure they do too at time.

Sunday, December 28, 2014

Come in Dad ,the water's fine !!

We are enjoying some lovely weather up here in Auckland. DD managed to get her father into the pool today.... I remained on the decking with the camera  !