Still hanging around…..

Wow, I cannot believe how long it has been since I posted here. I promise I haven’t been ignoring you all, just that life has taken over with other priorities as it does. And no that hasn’t been with anything crafty either.

Having started back working full time since I last posted has left me looking everywhere for extra hours in the day and as we all know, they are pretty hard to find.  I am really enjoying the new job but boy its a busy place to work. When I started there was a back log of work to catch up on from all the earthquakes but for the first time in quite awhile we cleared the decks of paper work last week and now we are just back to working with the day to day piles (which can be hard enough).

We are also working in temporary premises at present due to the earthquakes meaning the original offices are being rebuilt in the city. The good thing is the walls went up on the new building the week before last so progress is good. The sooner the better really as there are 10 of us working in one room about 6m x 6m – very close and at times very noisy!

What else to report????? Well George has grown a lot since I last chatted to you all and becoming a big boy. He is now 4 months old and growing into a very beautiful boy. Here he is having a snuggle with Bill, and below having a sleep in the most gentlemanly position!!

Last weekend I spent 36 hours over in Brisbane for a brother’s surprise 60th. Its been 6 years since all of us kids have been together. Here we all are below. Brother #1 in the middle, no #2 on the left, No # 3 and the birthday boy on the right then its me on the left and my sister on the right.

My sister was a real trouper and had all of us at her place, and her and her husband organised the evening. Not a small undertaking, it ended up being 30 of us. Only brother no 2 and his wife knew I was going as it was only decided that week.

But look who I got to see when there…..

…our gorgeous wee girl Addison who is now 20mths. Boy time goes quickly. Seeing her was the icing on my weekend. It was great seeing the other great nieces and nephews but they’re older and not interested in Auntie Deb wanting to snuggle.

Well I think that’s all for now, anything else that has been happening has been fairly mundane so I won’t bore you with it but I hope to get back here again soon because I do feel I have been neglecting everyone.

Hoping this finds everyone well and happy, Happy Mothers day to all Mum’s out there for Sunday.

hugs in friendship, Deb xx

 

Finally…..

Well at long last I have finally managed to achieve something. I have completed the baby quilt for DD to give to her boss. The pattern I used made a huge quilt so I actually ended up cutting it in half and now have another flimsy all ready to sandwich. A simple but effective pattern.

I had some lovely mail arrive from Melanie the other day. She spoils me rotten that woman and little parcels always arrive when I am having really down days and manage to bring the smile to my face.

This parcel contained some yummy Twinings Rose Black Tea and this beautiful mug which I had to model for you full of my David Austin blooms although now its my tea cup. Thank you Melanie, love ya heaps.

This little fellow we have had home for nearly three weeks. I had forgotten how puppies behave! I must admit though that George is an absolute delight to have around. He is full of mischief and is showing great intelligence, in fact a bit much at times. The kids adore him, Frank the cat is putting up with him.

These first two photos were when we put him down the back yard to play but he didn’t want to be behind the fence and jumped over landing in the bucket which was holding up the fence and was full of cold water.

Below is when he had an accomplish who sneaked him into his bed and here he curled up on Jack’s quilt.

Above playing with his tennis ball….

And here is my favourite….. George and his Dad. This is a common sight now.

And the other news of the moment is that I have a full time job again which I start next Monday so this week is making the most of the time and getting the housework up to date and trying to desperately get rid of this sinus infection which I am sick to death of.

I am looking forward to this new job. The people are lovely, a very small team but everyone is extremely busy and that’s me. I get a bit lost if I’m not busy as I start to think of what I could be doing instead. Of course having another wage coming in will be a great help.

Now the only other thing I need to come my way is for ACC to decide that having got my surgeons report stating that my back injury WAS caused by falling in the snow, they may change their minds and pay for the surgery and back pay me loss of wages otherwise it will be going to the Disputes Tribunal with lawyers involved. Its all such a pain.

Right better toddle, things to do, places to go.

Hugs in stitching, Debs xx

Meet George.

As most of you know we lost our 13yr old baby last year and we always knew we were going to get another dog but what or when we weren’t sure. We just knew we would know when the time was right. We had thought we would probably get an older dog, say 18mths upwards.

Well last night fate took us into her hands and changed all of those plans but we know it was meant to be. Meet George……

…. there is no way you could turn this adorable wee face down and leave him behind.

Now how did we know he was for us? Well, George’s Mum (black Labrador & Dad is a border collie) is called Ally and Ally was the name of our last baby. Also George was born on the 29.12.2011 which is the anniversary of a girlfriend’s passing, so we knew that was another sign AND George was my Dad’s name and our girlfriend’s (who passed) sister is Georgie.

Too many coincidences, you bet ya! Thank you so much Ally for having such a lovely lot of puppies and for being such an amazing Mum. We’ll let you have a rest when we come to collect George in about 3-4 weeks.

Here is George and all his brothers and sisters.

Hugs Deb xx

Progress of a sort……

Confession time. I have done no sewing! There I have said it. Oh well, life goes on doesn’t it.

Last week DD asked me if I would make a baby quilt for a friend of hers. Sure I said, thinking well that's easy enough. We went through the cupboard and she chose the fabrics. Lovely bright fabrics from the Spirit range……

……that's it folks. They have been placed on my sewing table and in my head the quilt is finished, what more do you want- lol. (This week maybe!)

I can say that I have been cross stitching. So I have done something I suppose. This is one of the kits I was given for Christmas.

BUT DH has had progress in his glasshouse…..

….. and the roses and lavender are blooming beautifully at the moment. He’s a good lad, I think I’ll keep him.

I must go out and chop more lavender to dry for this year as I think I will be using what I have dried already whilst doing Cheryl’s “It’s a Little Bit French” projects. Click on the image on the right and go and have a look, they look like they are going to be yummy.

Keep smiling! Hugs in stitching, Debs xx

Happy New Year….

Happy New Year to all of you. Isn’t it amazing to think that Christmas has been and gone in the flash of an eye. I hate to say it but it wasn’t anything exciting here this year. Of course, having a fresh round of earthquakes which started on the 23rd December didn’t help the mood much. And yes they are still going, we had another good one this morning. The feeling throughout the city seems to be one of complacency.  No not for me, I hate them and will happily admit to turning into a mad woman on the 23rd.  The sooner they calm down the better. Everything becomes tense and it puts a strain on everything we do and who we are.

Anyway onto something cheerful and less “It’s all about me”. I received some lovely gifts from bloggy friends for Christmas and felt very spoilt.

Julia sent me the most gorgeous pincushion and a cross stitch kit and some decorations for the tree.

Melanie sent me the cutest little Elf (as you can see below) and I have named him Willow. Melanie explained in her blog that he has brothers all around the world now.  Just imagine how exciting it would be for them all to meet up in a few years.

There were other goodies in Melanie’s box but I hate to admit that I have lost the file with the pics in it. Sorry Melanie.

Now an update on the spinal surgery I had on 7th Dec. I can’t believe its only been 4 weeks and yes I know I am expecting far too much too quickly (that’s who I am). The surgeon was really pleased the way the surgery went which is great as far as I am concerned. I am getting around quite freely although waist down is much slower than the top half. Having to get all of the muscles around my lower torso into action again is obviously going to take awhile. So I now have a prosthetic disc in my lumbar spine and the discs have been fused to fix everything. Wahoo! Now its just waiting to get the all clear on check up day at the end of the month and then it will back to work too. (yuk, I’d better make the most of the time off. )

Well everyone I hope that your New Year’s have all started on a positive note and may the year ahead be filled with lots of happiness, laughter, girly pursuits and stitching. May you keep your hearts and your arms open wide to lots of new adventures.

Hugs for 2012, Deb xx

A quick pop in……

I know I said I wouldn’t be back until the New Year but I have had so many lovely emails asking if we are all safe after the Earthquakes yesterday. I cannot believe it has happened again. Once again the sense of dread returned and we have thought, when is it going to stop. It was all very, very frightening but we are all safe and life has returned to normal amazingly quickly that I can look at the events of yesterday and it all seems so surreal 24 hours later.

Yes there are more cracks throughout the house, some have opened up more, things were thrown from shelves again. Amazingly nothing broke. Frank (cat) is spending a lot of his day outside but coming in for big cuddles and treats. BUT WE ARE SAFE! Thank you to the Angels looking out for us. I truly believe you are sitting on our shoulders and I love you for it everyday.

Well, I am heading back to being serenaded by Il Divo with their Christmas songs (if only if was in real life). I shall leave you with yesterdays photo of my beautiful mouse family I have in my header. Doesn’t quite look the same does it? Nose divers…..

So peeps thank you for caring, and have a marvellous Christmas day. Only 8.5 hours to go here in NZ and yes we get Christmas first through out the world –wahoo!

Hugs for Christmas, stay safe and may you all experience much love, joy and laughter within fabulous family times.    Debs xxx

Happy Christmas, see you in 2012

Hello all, just a brief visit to say I am going on a self induced break and stepping back from things for awhile.

I am into hospital as I mentioned previously for major spinal surgery next Wednesday and that will put me out of action for awhile so I will need to take thing slowly.

We are also having a few hiccups with DS and honestly I am not coping well with things. I have made the decision to hand him over completely to his Dad to deal with as I get too upset with some of the silly things his is doing. Just not thinking, not considering anyone else or the consequences of his decisions. (Who would have kids eh?)

I think I am really looking forward to 2012. It must surely be better than the past 18mths. Its funny, it makes you think long and hard. I have dealt with deaths of a parent and I thought that was hard. I have been through major health issues and many days find the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off and its a hard fight to flick it back on but we do it.

I think the trauma of the quakes has been harder to deal with as we have no control. No control on the effects it has on life and our loved ones, its a bit scary really, some thing’s take a long time to surface. Still I am hoping they have stopped now and its only onwards and upwards. The power of being positive!

Gosh what a horrible post, so anyway on that gloomy note, I want to say from the bottom of my heart, I hope that everyone of you, who I consider dear friends, has a wonderful Christmas, blessed with family and friends and filled with love and laughter.

See you all in the NEW AND WONDERFUL 2012. xx