Wednesday, July 13, 2022

On this date.... 4 years ago...

4 years ago today I moved into my little unit.  I know, I've been here for ages aye.... lol.  By far the longest I have lived somewhere since leaving home thats for sure (previous record was 2yrs 3mths).  

I found the photos that were taken when my unit was for sale so thought I would do some before and afters for you to enjoy.  Please note though that I forgot to take the after photos in the wknd (when it was lighter) so they lighting in them is pretty bad, took them before work when the sun wasn't quite awake lol.  Anyhow they are enough that you get the idea on what changes I have made, the lounge looks very much like it did lol, just with different stuff cluttering it up.  

Note: the before photo is the one on the left, and the after is the one on the right.








This one is just two afters, the laundry was so bad before there was no photo, and I like my little front area so took a photo of that for you guys :)







Tuesday, January 11, 2022

Christmas/New Year break

So Christmas and New Years has been and gone, just another year now really.  I had just over 2 weeks off work which was real good.  At the start I thought that is not enough time to do everything I want to do, and by the end although I still wanted longer off I had managed to get a fair amount done so I was happy.

Jo came to stay for a week over Christmas which was awesome.  It was the last time we will be seeing each other for quite a while (or atlst we assume its going to be quite a while) as she returns to the UK at the end of January.  While she was here we went to quite a few wineries, Three Wise Birds (a cidery), shopping in Napier, the beach, hung at home and of course went to Jarks.  We also worked out one of my 2022 challenges which is to visit the wineries (or atlst the cellar doors) I haven’t yet been to over here.  Originally it was to visit them all but the tastings cost money and you would need to do more than one a week, and there are a few I don’t want to go back to so it is just the ones I haven’t done now.

After Jo’s visit Bro came and we welcomed 2022 by getting up to watch the sunrise in Napier, then we went to Mum and Dads where I stayed for a few days (so did bro).  It was a nice chilled out stay, and I am sure Bro enjoyed the jigsaw I took over for us to work on hehe.

After coming back home it was me time for the rest of my holidays, much needed me time in some ways.  I got inspired, somehow, and got back into doing some crafting stuff and ended up working on some entries for the WI art and craft competition coming up in April, as well as some stuff just for fun.  Not everything I started turned out how I wanted, some turned out better than expected, some had to be rethought, but that is crafting for you.  I am hoping to spend more time this year crafting, it is often the thing that takes the backseat when I get busy and/or tired but it makes me happy so I really should prioritise it more than I do.

So that was my Christmas/New Year break, and my 2022 goals/challenges.  Well there is one more, I am aiming to send more letters this year.  Mailboxes need love too and there is a postbox on campus so I don’t really have the excuse of its out of the way to post a letter.  So if you would like a letter and aren’t sure if I have your address just get in touch :)

I hope your 2022 has started off all good as well, and don’t forget to put yourself first sometimes especially when things seem tough, you are number one <3  it is something I need to remember to do so figure some of you might need the little reminder as well.

Also thanks to those of you who let me know how many EIT's were in my wordsearch a month or so ago, your prizes are in the mail.  If you haven't yet done it but still want to enter it is not too late, you still have time.  Just flick the answer off to me and your prize will be on the way to you :) 


Some coolness at one of the wineries


 

Watching the sunrise with the bears (and Bro, photo courtesy of him)


Glenny modeling the hat that fits him and not me, and a painting I did over the break which is happily hanging in the kitchen, which we all know is the biggest obstacle to reading.... hehe




Saturday, January 1, 2022

Books of 2021

Me again, did ya miss me in the last few minutes lol

Here are my book totals for 2021, figured why not do it again this year then it could almost start being something I do each year, maybe....


Total books read - 55
Total pages read - 19,124
Shortest book - 119 pages (A Room With A View by E. M. Forster)
Longest book - 596 pages (Eat Better Forever, thanks bro for the loan)
Most popular genre read - Fantasy (duh)
Second place genre - Chick Lit (expected as was studying at the start of the year and thats my default when studying)
Books bought but not read yet - not counted but it's back to fitting on one shelf in my bookcase which is the aim.  I blame the Lions Booksale and Wardini Books for having too many books to still be read.... lol



Books by genre





Books in order of read (each line is a month)




Some things I learnt last year...

Decorating a lemon tree is just an exercise in getting stabbed multiple times

Changing name by deed poll is basically just a scam, but I would still do it
Paying yourself to do chores makes them more fun
Busing to work is actually not too bad, and saves way more money than expected 
I like black olives, whoda thunked it lol
Peter Pan had the right idea, growing up comes with so many catches it’s prob best avoided (never ending dishes for one)
Even my bear thinks I’m amazing so it must be true hehe
Set building is super fun, esp when they let you loose on the big as table saw brrrrrmmm lol
Colouring btwn the lines is basically impossible when listening to Bruce Springsteen, and Dire Straits, and Steve Earle, and Cindi Lauper, and Eagles, and so many others 
So far, EIT looks real pretty any time of year 
Burning a Holden jacket is mega fun
Marshmallow with cheese on crackers is amazing (yes it is, don't just screw up your nose)

Christchurch has an amazing riverside market

Helicopters are fun things to ride in

Study is only fun when it’s a topic you chose to study 

Belonging to 3 book groups is fun till 2 decide to meet on the same night each month which is a pain and it makes you have to pick one

And I think I have already forgotten a fair chunk of last year..... (whoops)

Thursday, November 18, 2021

Bit of fun for you all

I know it's not quite the end of the year yet, but the word search is ready so I thought I would share it with you now.  That and this way I wont forget to put it up for you all lol.

Just so you know there is more than one EIT in there, totally by accident but I'm rolling with it and have decided that for everyone who finds all of them, and sends me proof (ie don't just say how many but say where they are) there is a prize woot woot hehe.

Have fun all :)

Click here for A4 wordsearch (PDF)
This link takes you to a DropBox copy, it might bring up a sign-up thing but if you click on the X it should still give you access to the wordsearch.  The sign-up is for if you want to save a copy to your DropBox.

If you would rather me email you a copy to print just flick me an email and ask :)

 


 

Thursday, November 11, 2021

JB has been baking...

So decided I would add a new thing to my blog, and that is recipe reviews.  But only specific recipes, those being ones in the Women’s Institute Home & Country magazine.  What made me think of it was last night I was making a recipe from I think the latest magazine and I thought why not share what I think of it with people.  Then of course I had to think about who to share it with and I decided this venue of sharing was as good as any so you guys get the honour and privilege of getting it shared with you.  I tend to make atlst one recipe per magazine, and there are I think 4 magazines a year so there wont be heaps of recipe reviews coming, no need to panic there lol.

Disclaimer: I am not a baker so if a recipe doesn’t have the ingredients right I am not likely to notice and can’t adjust at first bake time.  Also I bake gluten free so some of these recipes might be all good with normal flour etc.

 

So anyhow, last night I made Apple Slice.  It was actually really easy to make as well.  I think getting the apples peeled, cored and diced took the longest, well other than the cooking part.  I did think when I was mixing it all together at the end that there was not enough butter mix and that it was going to be very crumbly, however I was pleasantly surprised and while it is crumbly it is no more crumbly than normal gluten free baking.  And even better it was yum as warm and potentially even more yum this morning for morning tea.  That is surprising as most gluten free baking (esp cake like stuff) is definitely better on the day it is baked.  I am not sure how well it will be in a few days time, also not sure if there will be any left for me to find out hehe.  This recipe is definitely getting copied to my recipe book for future baking :) nom nom

The recipe is below, as are some photos cos what is a baking blog post without some photos lol.  Just a wee note, the recipe doesn’t actually say when to add the sugar, I added it with the flour mix but am sure it could just as easily be done with the butter mix.

 

Apple Slice:

2 cups SR flour
3 Granny Smith apples, cored and peeled (I used Pink Lady I think they were)
1 cup sugar
1 egg
125g butter

Toss diced apples with SR flour in a mixing bowl.
Melt butter in a small saucepan, stir in egg.
Pour butter and egg into apple mixture.
Spoon in to baking paper lined Swiss roll tin (I used a slice tin after googling what at swiss roll tin was lol).
Bake 180 degrees for 35-40 mins.

Supplied to Home & Country Magazine by Rotorua Federation