Friday 31st October

Eden gave her parents a bit of an unsettled night so she and Marah were up around 6:45am for keeps!
I got up soon after and spent some time with them.
This is my kids way of keeping the stairs safe from Eden!
It worked.

Anson came out and helped to mind Eden while Marah made her some porridge.
But eating came second to terrorising Nonna across the table 🙂

Anson had to get his dog to the vet so he left before 9am.
The kids were staying with Marah and I was planning to follow Anson as we had a meeting to go to a bit later.

I had been thinking all night about the last house we viewed on Tuesday.
I had organised with the agent to take Anson & Marah to see it at 2:30pm today.
She told me that she had a viewing booked for 1:15pm so would stay at the house until we arrived.
I had this feeling that I really needed to act fast if I was going to get this house.
In my gut it just all felt right.
So without telling the kids why I left the house earlier than planned and high tailed it out to Richmond to her office.
On the way I called up via speaker phone,  the agent, bank, the insurance company and Sunni!
Needed some confirmation that I was making the right decision 😉
She said go for it Mum!!
All the pieces were just falling into place so I did.
I walked into the office and asked Christine what I had to do to secure the house.
This bike was part of the office display – it is identical to mine, so I figured that was a great sign 😉

Within less than half an hour I had signed for it!!
I couldn’t believe it, Christine couldn’t believe it.
I was so overcome with it all I was in tears and she was too.
It was so overwhelmingly exciting 🙂

I had to rush off to meet up with Anson as we had a meeting with another agent.
We have a lot happening at present – am going a bit crosseyed with all of it!
Then back into Richmond to talk to a surveyor.
Got all the information we needed an some!
Anson went off to see Ross and get his new phone sussed and I mosied off back into the city.
I got myself a baked potato for lunch and sat in the car and chilled for 20mins.
Anson met me at the bank and we had a really good chat with our team there, they were a great help.
From there we went around to MY new house – still cannot believe it!
I had text Marah earlier and asked her to bring the kids at 2:30pm so they could show her the house.
They knew nothing about what I had done.

They absolutely loved the house and had been talking about it constantly since we first saw it just 4 days ago.
Azzan has been dreaming about what he would do there and how he would decorate it etc.
He has been pouring over some home decorating magazines 🙂
When they arrived I suggested the kids show Anson & Marah around.
Then when they all came back into the kitchen I asked them what they thought about it.
They were all happy and full of its glory.
Then I said, ‘Well I’m really sorry but Christine sold the house this morning.’
Their faces were absolutely aghast.
Mahalia was stricken and Azzan nearly burst into tears.
Then I picked up the sales agreement and said to them, ‘It was bought by this person.’
They saw my name and could not believe it!
They just hugged and cried in excitement.

Marah took some photos of us out front of our new home!!

Anson & Eden had fun playing on the trampoline while we sat in the sun and soaked up the reality of it all.
Graham came to see us soon after so Azzan gave him a guided tour too.

So in 3 working days it will go unconditional (unless something terribly untoward happens and I am not even going to think that) and then 15 days after that we get to move in!!

Here’s a wee peek of it –
Of course the furnishings are not ours.
Azzan wants to have it exactly like it is now, but I’m saying that we have to make it our own home!

The lounge – the Sealord commercial was shot in this bay window!!

The kitchen/dining room

My bedroom – just love love love it 🙂

And three other bedrooms.

Lovely wrap around sunroom.

Just enough easy care lawn and loads of off street, inside gate, parking.

We are all so excited – can you tell? 🙂

The afternoon was getting on and Eden was getting tired so we all went off in our various directions.
Azzan & I dropped off the papers at the lawyers and then went to get him some late lunch.
Then back to the house to say goodbye to Anson, Marah & Eden.
Left Mahalia to rest and we drove to Tahunanui to visit John & Sally and show them all the photos.
Then we carried on out to Richmond to see Graham, David & Sasha.
There was an influx of dinner guests arriving while we were there.
Cat, Leeann, the French couple, Shane and Shanni ran in briefly too.
We had some nibbles with them and then left them to it as we were both rather tired after all the days excitements!
Stopped in at Hangar briefly to give Nathan his mail and get a smoothie before coming back to the house.
Mahalia was ready for bed so she and Azzan headed off.
I have been sitting here for the rest of the evening catching my breath.

Azzan came out just after 11pm very blurry eyed and looking upset.
We had a big cuddle while he cried on my shoulder.
He’s missing his Dad tonight, asking me what would be doing if Daddy hadn’t died.
He’s excited about our new home but sad that his Dad won’t be here to share it with us
I was looking around the house today and commented to Christine that Tim would really like our choice.
The ceilings are high, being tall he got a bit claustrophobic in low ceiling houses, and he would love the wooden floors and the wood fire to tend to and it has such character.
Its like a small version of a farm house but with the comforts of city.
It even has a cute pantry and a wash house.
Not a laundry or washing machine cupboard, but a real washhouse complete with double concrete tubs – love it!!

Thursday 30th October

After not very many hours sleep I was up and at 7am.
Zipped through the shower after I had addressed a few emails.
I woke the kids so they could get themselves ready while I went off to the chiropractor.
My back injury has been niggling again so I figured it best to get it seen to before it goes out completely again.
I’d called up several days ago and was given a 9:15am appointment, however on arrival the receptionist couldn’t locate me in the system.
I was thinking Id have to reschedule but she fitted me in.

John did some heat treatment and adjustments and gave me a call back in a weeks time.
I zoomed back to the house and pick dup the children.
Dropped Mahalia off at Nelson Beauty for her work experience day and then left Azzan at the library.
I met up with Pat of Tasman House Inspections at one of the houses I have looked at over the past few days.
He gave it a thorough going over, we had a good chat about the place.
It was great to have him there and for him to meet another real estate agent.
He does a great job and everyone loves his cherry manner.
He gave the house a pass rate of 150% and reckoned it was an excellent choice.
I was running late so I zipped over to pick up Azzan and then out to Crusoes Cafe to meet Peter & Chris for lunch.
It was lovely to see them, it’s been ages.

Rami did superbly yet again and filled our empty tummies with some really good food.
Can’t surpass his salmon salad!!
They were quite busy so not too much time for socialising with Anat & Ellie today.

Azzan & I come back into Nelson via the hospital so we could go up and visit Sarah & Bruce who are there with their young Rebekah who has been/is very sick.
It was great to catch up with them, Azzan especially wanted to see Rebekah, he thinks she is the cutest button ever and was devastated to here she was so ill.
It was good to see she was having a better day today.

Back into the city and time to drop Azzan off at Kip McGrath.
Mahalia was already there so I left him and carried on into the CBD to meet Anson, Marah & Eden.
They had just arrived in town and were in search of food.
Posted my mail and then found them in Cafe Affair.
Eden was enjoying being out of her carseat and was running about upstairs.
The chips arrived soon after I did.
It was difficult to know if she was eating chips with sauce or sauce with chips!!

She would get a messy hand full and then run off to eye up the high school students who were enjoying an after school drink 🙂
Had to keep moving so we raced off to the cars.
I reckoned they looked like incognito movie stars out on a family outing in slumming clothes & sunnies 🙂

Love this photo so much I have to present it in a larger size for you all to enjoy.

I gave Marah the key and instructions on how to find the house and then I headed off to my counselling appointment.
Marah took Eden to Founders Park for a run around and to meet up with Liz, while Anson went off to do some errands.
The kids walked up to the Winnington’s and I picked them up after my session.
We arrived back at the house only minutes after Marah got here.
It was so hot that we went about throwing open the windows.
Dinner was a shared affair.
We boiled up a pot of veges for Eden.
Mahalia put a couple of trays or roastie veges in the oven and made a salad.
Anson had brought out some whitebait that he had caught so I made fritters.
Marah & Eden got lost in the bath for ages.
A very happy place for them both after a long tiring day.
Then it was bedtime for Eden and dinner for us.
It was extra good because Nathan was able to come visit too, so he enjoyed a 2nd dinner with us.
Nice for Nathan & Anson to have some bro time 🙂
He headed off back to his abode and everyone settled down for the night.
After my late night last night I think it is time I called it quits for now too.

 

 

Wednesday 29th October

I was invited to a very special event this morning so I was up early to get myself ready.
I woke the kids just before I left and gave them instructions on what they were expected to do today.
Then I was gone just before 9am.
I arrived at the Civic Chambers and found Eare, Alan & Joan waiting for me.
It was the 2nd time this year that I have been invited to attend the Citizenship Ceremony with friends.
It is a really special privilege to witness this, and to see the peoples from many different countries who have chosen to become Kiwis.
Eare has ‘only’ been in New Zealand for 29 years and was pretty chuffed when Mayor Rachel commented to her that she was the first Papua New Guinean she had presented.

Each person was presented with a certificate and a native tree to take home and plant.
Afterwards there was a morning tea provided and everyone got the opportunity to have photos taken with the mayor and to wear her chains.
I invited Eare, Alan & Joan to come have a coffee at The Bakers to celebrate afterwards.
As they hadn’t been there before it was a lovely treat.
We each had a drink and a savoury which sufficed for a light lunch as it was approaching midday.
It was indeed an honour and privilege to be invited by Eare to be apart of her special day.

The weather had really decided to pack it in so we headed off to our cars and went our separate ways.
I went to have a very overdue blood test, then went and had a long chat with my Vodafone business manager.
At 2:30pm I went to see James so he could fix my tooth which had gotten chipped.
He was very pleased I had come sooner than later, it made for a much easier fix 🙂
Then I was off to Nelson Beauty Therapy for some treatment with Heloise.
I picked up some pantry items from the markets on the way home.
The kids had fed themselves an early snack dinner so were getting hungry by the time I got back.
I spotted dozens of small yachts heading out, followed quite closely by some rather intertesting storm clouds.
They made a very colourful sight against the black skies.

I made up some hamburgers using gluten free Turkish pied bread.
They were SO good!

After dinner it was clean up time and the kids headed off to bed.
I sat up late to get all the sale books listed and priced as I had been too busy during the past days to get them done.
It was very late, or very early, depending on which way you look at it, by the time I finally got them finished and crawled off into bed.
Good job completed, slept well even if it was only for a few hours!

Tuesday 28th October

All is quiet in this house when I get up except the floor boards that creak as I creep out to the living room.
A large older two storey wooden house doesn’t allow for much secret stepping.
But the kids are deep sleepers in the early morning hours so they don’t rouse easily.
Wish they were like that at the opposite end of the day!
I had an hour or two on my own once again before Azzan staggered out looking like death warmed up.
He was complaining all morning about the smell of the wedges I brought home last night.
Apparently when he has his recent vomiting bug it was after he had eaten wedges and now he cannot bear to smell them let alone see or eat them.
Such a terrible mother am I that I forgot this complaint last night when I was so tired and hungry.

He went back to bed, but I roused them both soon after 9am as I wanted some maths done before we left for town.
Azzan got stuck in to his lesson on my laptop while Mahalia & I showered – in separate showers 😉
When I came out he was sitting here very dejectedly wanting my help as he was learning about circles and angles and it was just not connecting.
So I worked through the lessons and he soon was away laughing.
The lesson on types of triangles got him beat for a wee while but by the time we left I think he had them sussed.
My one appointment in town mid arvo had grown to several appointments spread from Nelson to Richmond so I decided to make tracks before midday.
The kids didn’t need to come but they will not let me go to an Open Home without them.
So they had to endure the rest of the day in the car as well.
We zipped straight out to Richmond and picked up the gear Shoshannah had brought out for us.
Then to the real estate agent where I left my phone in the car for Mahalia to monitor calls for me.
That took a wee while but there was no complaints from the kids.
Discovered later that it’s not safe leaving my phone in the car 🙂

Mahalia was making the most of the time to chat with Jesika on my phone as she has today off between day & night shifts.
Then we zipped up to see Ross before driving back into town to the first Open Home of today.
It was such a cute place.
I loved it, location was perfect, the house was really cute, but there was a bit too much to be done and not enough room for visitors, for the price of it.
Then I went to post a heap of the books I have just sold.
That took ages so we had to go straight to the next Open Home.
Well, this one ticked so many of our boxes that the ones it does not tick are overcomeable – don’t think that’s a real word but you get my drift!!
Kids were ecstatic about it.
Time to go away and think, methinks.

We were getting very hungry and tired by now so I dropped accounts in to the accountants, visited with Bedelia for a mo to order some product, zipped into Warehouse Stationery to pick up some protractors to help with the current maths lessons and then we popped over to visit the guys at Chilando.
It’s always good to eat here, fresh food and friendly service and funny customers.
  
The day had turned very cold and rather damp so we zipped into the car after we had enjoyed our delicious dinner.
Drove across to Countdown to search out the Medjool dates we had been informed were on special.
Azzan baby sat the car and Mahalia & I went zooming around the supermarket filling the trolley with fresh fruits and veges to fill the larder.
We found the dates!!
Then it was homeward bound to unload and crash out.
I have spent the evening updating my blog and selling more books.
It is actually really time consuming, photographing, pricing, loading to site, then keeping track of the purchasers and their questions – whew!!
But great to be sharing the (book) love.

I have been having some very strong twinges in my back today – same area that was affected when I put it out last time.
I called up my chiropractor and managed to get an appointment on Thurs.
It has been very sore today so am hoping it will last till then.
Bought a hot water bottle to try the heat treatment tonight, hopefully that will ease the symptoms,

I am off to bed now as I have an important function to attend in the morning.
Will reveal all tomorrow.
Better put camera on charge before I hit the pillows  😉

Monday 27th October

I dreamingly heard rain falling in my state of semi consciousness this morning.
When I finally woke it had stopped but the evidence of it was all round.
  

I took my book and enjoyed a long peaceful soak in the bath.
It is such a gloriously huge bath, Im loving it 🙂

We had a very quiet morning.
I did a load of washing and put out the rubbish as it is Monday and Monday is rubbish collection day here.
Am turning into a real townie now 😉

Azzan made a smoothie for his breakfast.
I chatted with Nicola and Margaret.
Mahalia had a long soak in ‘my’ bath.
I had to laugh – when I went into wake Azzan this morning I commented to him that he has more shoes than a girl!
His response – ‘I’ve got three more pairs at home.’
and  ‘Well I would rather have lots of interesting pairs of $10 shoes than one pair of boring $100 shoes.’

We made wraps for lunch and then Mahalia cleaned up the kitchen before walking to Miyazu Gardens to meet Sophie.
Azzan vacuumed the house.
The girls arrived back about an hour later.
So the rest of the afternoon was very giggly 🙂

I spent a while sorting & taking photos of all the books Sebastian brought out for me.
Sally & Ray arrived around 3pm.
Nice to finally meet you Ray, and good to chat with my friend for a couple of hours.
It has been a bleak overcast day with rain showers moving in later this arvo.
Nice to spend it inside with friends.
When they left I did some more book sorting for a while.
I was waiting for Shoshannah to call me saying they were close so I could go down and meet them as she was bringing out gear for us from home.
I was expecting her to call by 5pm, but waited and waited.
Finally she called around 5:20pm to say there had been an accident and they were not stopping as they had to go unload their gear and go back and help.
Graham & Jeff were driving out from home not long in front of David, Sasha & Shoshannah.
They were towing a trailer with Graham’s old truck on it.
As they came down the Rai Saddle all of a sudden the trailer jackknifed and threw them off the road and over the bank.
Miraculously no other vehicles were involved.
A plea for help was sent and soon they had two ambulances, a firetruck and police there along with passers by.
Graham was brought into hospital by ambulance with concussion.
Jeff stayed at the scene and David & crew went back to help him retrieve as much of the gear as they could.
I took Sophie & Azzan down to Founders Park to the end of the Mexican Day of the Dead celebrations while we waited for news.
Sophie walked home from there and we went for a wander.
It was so late we didn’t have to pay an entrance fee 🙂
We bought some quesadillas to eat and Azzan was pretty chuffed to find a stall selling smoked chillies.
We didn’t stay too long as it was getting quite chilly.
I took Azzan home and then went to the hospital to find Graham.
He was being monitored closely when I arrived.
They soon took him off to X-ray and while he was gone I made some calls for him to alert his family and friends.
I was talking to Jesika when he arrived back and asked him if he would like to talk to her.
I was really shocked when he didn’t seem to know who Jesika was.
The concussion was obviously confusing him.
Thankfully it began to clear and he was soon more lucid.
I managed to hold it together okay, but had a few moments of déjà vu and had to fight the urge to crumble in an emotional heap.
Many people have been praying for him but I really think it is Graham’s angels that need prayer at present – I am sure it is not in their contract to be working so much overtime!!
Around 8pm the Dr came and gave him a final check over and was happy to sign discharge papers, so we waited an hour in the A&E area for Frank to arrive in and take him home to rest.
He took so long to arrive because he had stopped to get pizza on the way just in case Graham was hungry.
Only a bloke would be thinking of his stomach at a time like this 😉
I made sure both of them knew the discharge warnings and protocol for concussion and that no work was to be done let alone thought of for many days.
Not that they will listen to me I know 😉

It was nearly 9:30pm when I trundled off homewards and I was feeling somewhat drained and a bit hungry so I called up Nathan and he put an order in to the kitchen for some wedges.
Hangar 58 was in the closing stages of the night but they were okay to let me sit and eat in peace while they cleaned up around me.
Azzan called me to ask when I was coming home as he hadn’t had dinner!
I was rather vexed as my last instructions to them both when I left were to make themselves dinner and get off to bed early.
Got home to find they had been snacking so sent them off to bed.
I took a while to wind down and then around midnight just after I had turned off the light I got a text from Jeff saying they were both home and ok.
So all was good.
What a night!
Shoshannah sent me though some photos later and I am flabbergasted as to how both the guys walked away from the scene, let alone get themselves out of the vehicle.
It was indeed a miracle!

 

Sunday 26th October

 

Sleeping in just doesn’t seem to be an option these days.
I was awake around 6:30am today.
It was another clear morning, but a bit cooler today.
I turned on the heat pump, curled up in a blanket for a while on the sofa and did some more property searching on my laptop.
The kids finally staggered out and Mahalia got us some muesli.
Then we all zipped through showers and were ready to leave around 11am to go to the first Open Home.
It was a big old home on a hillside surrounded by a rambling garden and a few other things that didn’t tick my boxes.
We then went for a tiki tour to see the proximity of a few more houses I had found.
Got ourselves into a couple of very narrow dead end streets which involved some serious concentration and nifty backing skills to get out of!
We were going past Melrose House just after 12pm so I detoured into the carpark.
Called up Nathan and he popped up to join us for lunch at the cafe there.
He and I had the mushroom & kumara soup.
I don’t normally enjoy mushrooms in great quantities but this soup was really delicious.
Azzan bowed to his deprived carnivouristic desires and ordered the all day breakfast 🙂
Mahalia ordered a roast pumpkin wedge with salad.
I love the ornate plates they use there.

We only had a short time there but it was very pleasant and lovely to have Nathan’s company.
Our next Open Home was just a few minutes away so we farewelled Nathan and drove there to view it.
As we parked we saw Charlotte walking by.
Azzan ran to greet her so she came with us to view the house.
It looked more of a possibility but very close to a part of the river which could be suseptable to flooding.
We added the info sheet to our pile and then went walking with Charlotte.
Found Lyn at home so stopped in to visit her.
It was lovely to sit and chat a while, but the kids were getting a bit restless & Charlotte had a visitor arriving so we said our goodbyes and walked back to the car.
We meandered around the streets for a while, exploring, found several other Open Homes so popped into see them.
After seeing photos it sure is better to see them in the real.
Photos certainly do not portray sizes and shapes accurately.

It is certainly an enjoyable way to get to know Nelson better.
Even though we have been coming here for nearly 30 years I am discovering streets that I have never seen or driven through before.
We were all very weary so headed back to the house around 4pm and we all crashed out for several hours.

I finally roused some energy and prepared dinner.
I made a stir fry of veges and added a jar of Korma.
Mahalia cooked a pot of wild rice.
It made a delicious dinner.
Azzan went off to bed and left Mahalia & I to watch ‘Death comes to Pemberley.’
BBC has done it again, a great mini series.

Saturday 25th October

I was up early and had a couple of quiet hours on my own before waking the kids so we could zip into the Nelson Saturday Market.
We had had a late night last night so it was a bit of a struggle for them to get moving, but I wanted to get in there reasonably early so parking wouldn’t be an issue, plus I knew Sylvia & Lorraine were going in.
We got there soon after 9:30am and discovered Sylvie had left her phone at home!
But banged into her only a few minutes after we arrived!!
We wandered and sampled.
Loads of gluten free/dairy free/sugar free food stalls there now.
It’s great to see all the diverse foods available now – when I first began researching for my older girls around 30 years ago there was so little out there.
I remember coming out of the Dr’s office and bursting into tears at the thought of trying to feed them on a wheat free, sugar free, dairy free diet and not knowing where to go or what to do.
Now its so easy.
We bought some delicious crackers from The Shortbread House – will definitely be going back for more.
We topped up the larder up at one of the vege stalls with some cute wee tomatoes and fresh strawberries – so yum!
Then said goodbye to Sylvie and went to buy ourselves some Salmon & Avocado wraps for brunch.
Munched on them as we made our way back to the car.
Then it was out to Richmond to drop off some stuff to Ross.
Stopped for a wee while to chat with Andrea and have a prowl around her garden.
Most inspiring for me to see how easy it is to make it all easy care.
Makes house hunting a little easier now 😉
We drove back to Nelson via Stoke so I could go visit Estelle.
The kids waited patiently in the car so I wasn’t too long there.
Just had to go check up on my friend 🙂
We then zipped back into town in time to go to a couple of Open Homes.
The first one I knew before we got there that it wouldn’t be right but we are checking out everything and just generally casing the joint to get a feel for the city and the various areas.
It was definitely not for us.
The next place was a gorgeously restored historic cottage.
Such a cute wee place – fell in love with it.
Shame it had no garage or space for one.
Every time we have a look at a place Azzan has to check out the kitchen and see if the sink has a garbage disposal unit fitted – he is sold on them since coming to this house!
There was another lady checking out the house and we got to talking outside and discovered that she has only recently moved to Nelson and is finding her house has not enough garden for her.
So she suggested we come look at her house just in case she decides to move and we might like it.
So thats what we did.
And now we have made another friend 🙂
And we loved her house!

We were running a bit late so we hurried back to the house and found Martin & Sylvia waiting patiently in the driveway.
We enjoyed the rest of the afternoon with them.
It was such a glorious afternoon.
They left just after 6:30pm so we scurried around and made dinner.
I knew what I was making so it didn’t take long.
While Mahalia and I prepared the food, Azzan set the table and made it look just perfect.
I forgot to take a photo
Ross & Andrea arrived soon after 7pm and we sat and enjoyed a very delicious dinner.
No wheat, no dairy, no sugars and it was spectacularly wonderful.
Pad Thai and salad.


Azzan sent us away from the table so he could reset everything and presented us with a delicious dessert.

Fresh fruit salad and So Good vanilla ice cream.

We enjoyed a very pleasant evening 🙂

Friday 24th October

I woke up at 7:10am and all was quiet so I crept out to the living room and did some stuff on my laptop for a while.
It was such a beautiful morning.
Am loving the views and all the different moods you see from up here.

Seb came out with Sapphie soon after.
She had fun exploring.
She’s not crawling yet, but does an excellent bum shuffle, and somehow gets places without you realising she’s gone until she has a prang with a chair leg etc.

We had a very quiet lazy morning.
Seb went off to do a couple of chores.
Azzan made green smoothies for breakfast.
Then I began making a brunch dish.
Took a while cuz I was moving rather slowly still.
Fried up aubergine slices in garlic & coconut oil, layered them into an oven dish and smothered them with fried onions, mushrooms & tofu.
Added some slices of tomato, then topped it with another flayer of aubergine slices and scattered sesame seeds over it.
Then baked it.
Served it with poached eggs on top and a side of avocado.

It was pronounced to be absolutely the most amazing dish I have ever made by Azzan!
Everyone else agreed 🙂
Just as I was about to poach the eggs Seb got a phone call and they had to rush off quickly.
But when they came back an hour later the rest of the dish was demolished so I’m figuring Seb liked it too 🙂
The kids did some school work of their own volition.

I wasn’t planning to go anywhere today as I just wanted to recuperate, but I had the chance to go view a house I was keen to see at 2pm.
So we quickly hopped in the car and zipped off to meet the agent and have a viewing.
Seb & Phoebe came to look too, it was a great help having some extra eyes and thoughts.
It was a start, and also good for the kids to learn to look beyond the superficialities and think of long term practicalities.
Agreed it was not for us.
We had a list of possibilities so Mahalia programmed each on into my iPhone maps and away we went to look.
The only house we liked was in the wrong place.
The area I would prefer  to live had houses we didn’t like.
But as I am not in a hurry, and we are only beginning the search, I am not too worried.
It is just interesting to be looking at what is around and begin making a list of what we want and what we don’t.
I quickly ran into the supermarket on the way home and stocked up on a few things.
Found fresh strawberries and medjool dates – of course I needed both of those 😉
Arrived back at the house just after 4pm, just in time for a lady to arrive with her young children to look at some books.
She bought a few which was great.
Martin & Sylvia arrived with Lorraine who was staying for the night.
It was lovely to have them all come to visit.
Mahalia used my iPad to give Martin a lesson on how to use Facebook so of course selfies were also in order 🙂

Seb & Phoebe arrived back just as they were leaving so they had a quick catch up with Lorraine in the driveway.
It was 6:30pm and the sun was still pouring in the lounge.
Sapphie enjoyed a snack before they left for home.

It has been a funny day weatherise today.
Gloriously sunny most of the day, but around 12pm a small rain shower passed over and then at 2:30pm another shower but this time it included some small hail stones.
Very weird!

Marah was having fun with Eden on the beach at home and sent me some photos.
Looks like she was having a wonderful time 🙂

 

The sunsets here are just gorgeous, and they make beautiful patterns on the mud flats when the tide is out.
Loving it.

Azzan cut up a large bowl of pear & kiwifruit for me, by the time I had munched through that I wasn’t terribly hungry.
The kids weren’t either so Azzan served us all up a bowl of fresh strawberries, banana and So Good vanilla ice cream.
An interesting dinner 🙂

We watched some tv and then headed off to bed.

 

Thursday 23rd October

I woke up this morning feeling like I’d been hit by a bus.
Came out to the living room and curled up on the couch.
The kids came out a bit later and Mahalia told me what I had done last night.
She was a bit freaked out by it all as she had never seen anyone sleepwalking.
Still cannot believe it myself.
Never done anything like that before that I am aware of.

My stomach was so fragile, the smell of the reheated last nights roast veges that the kids were having for breakfast just turned me over.
I laid low for most of the day.
Mahalia ran me a bath and I managed to have a bit of a soak before getting myself dressed and ready for some visitors.
Debbie arrived at 1pm with her kids to have a look through some of the books.
She took what she wanted and then I went back upstairs to crash out.
Seb & Phoebe arrived with Sapphie mid arvo.
Seb left his girls with us and went off to do some drop offs.
I all of a sudden realised it was time to take the kids to Kip McGrath so we quickly loaded them in the car and I managed to get them there just a few minutes late.
Then I went straight to Hangar 58 to meet up with Nathan.
It was his 19th birthday today and he had invited a few folk to come join him to celebrate.
He was sitting chatting with Martin & Sylvia when I arrived.
Then Tommy arrived, followed soon after by Seb, Phoebe & Sapphire.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NATHAN – so proud of you my young man.
And so glad you returned home in time to celebrate with us xxxxxxx
Sapphie thinks you’re a pretty cool uncle too 🙂

Martin & Sylvia had to head home to feed their visitors just before we thought seriously about eating.

Mahalia & Azzan walked to meet us after their lessons.
David & Sasha came after work and then Shoshannah caught the bus in to join us too.
It was a very pleasant evening.
Lovely and sunny in the courtyard but with evening drawing in we opted to sit inside as it was warmer & less midges buzzing about.
Some of Nathan’s friends were in the courtyard and his workmate Lucas joined us for dinner.
I went really easy on the food, my tummy was feeling very fragile still.
Managed a small salad and a fruit smoothie.
It was good to sit and chat and catch up with each other.


There was some fairly typical family shenanigans, for some reason they always seem to follow David around 😉

We were all pretty weary so we called it a night quite early.
Lots of hugs goodbye well before 9pm, and then Nathan went to join his friends in the courtyard for a wee while.
David & Sasha took Shanni home, dropping Sylvia’s forgotten bag off to her on the way.
Seb & Phoebe and Sapphie took my room and I bunked in with Mahalia.
I was hoping for a better night tonight.

 

Wednesday 22nd October

Azzan & Mahalia had picked some grapefruit at home to bring out with us.
This humungous granddaddy was up the top of the tree.
I bagged it for my breakfast this morning.
It was so deliciously good.


I spent the morning in my pjs organising books to sell.
i spread them out on benches in the garage and photographed the ones I hadn’t yet recorded.
I loaded a lot of them onto a NZ homeschooling curricuum for sale FB site and it all went nuts!
I was trying to get myself into the shower and find clothes and I had people essaying me immediately wanting books.
It was great, just a little daunting.
I finally had to leave for town.
I dropped the kids off at the Winnington’s so they could go shopping with Sophie.
Then I headed to meet up with Katarina at 2;#0pm.
She had suggested The Styx and as I had not been there I was curious.
It was a bit cool so we sat indoors and ordered a late lunch.
We chatted away for ages and then realised our food hadn’t arrived.
Had to chase them up, quite slow considering the place was not at all busy.
I had the vege fritters with a poached egg which filled me adequately.
I was receiving calls from Azzan and discovered he had walked into the city on his own which I was not happy about.
But apparently Sophie had a change of plans and couldn’t go shopping.
Katarina had to leave at 4pm so I took off and found Azzan at the movie theatre.
Nothing appropriate for him to see so we went to Benge & Co and got some more fruit & veges, picked up Mahalia and then I brought them both back to the house.
They were going to chill out and make dinner while I went off to spend some time with Estelle.
It was really nice because she was all on her own so we had time to sit and relax and catch up on everything.
Finally I had to leave as I needed to get back for dinner.
Called in to John & Sally’s to pick up the port cot to have here for the g’daughters when they come stay.
The kids had a delicious 3 course meal ready.
We sat down and began on the very green entree served with an apple smoothie.

We watched ‘Psycho’ while we ate.
The main course was served – roasted potatoes, parsnip, pumpkin in oil and herbs.
I mixed up some cashew butter to add to it.
David called me up for a chat so I missed most of the movie.
But I can handle that 😉
It was getting late by the time we had our dessert – a bowl of fresh fruit
The kids cleaned up the kitchen – there were heaps of veges left for tomorrow.
I was so tired that I went straight off to bed and didn’t even read my book.
Mahalia recounted to me later that around midnight I was wandering up and down in the hallway muttering to myself for ages.
When she came out I was standing in my doorway looking really puzzled at her.
Mahalia had no idea what was going on.
She went to the bathroom and then came back and I was still standing there looking puzzled at her.
She said to me ‘What’s the matter?’
I said, ‘Why are we here? What are we doing? I’m lost.’
Mahalia told me I was at the Puklowski’s and I kept muttering to myself saying who are they and why are we here?
Mahalia explained to me that we are here so we could do school etc.
I kept on saying ‘Im lost’ over and over again.
Mahalia said to me ‘Mum, it’s late you really should go to bed now.’
I said to her ‘But I’m lost and I don’t know where I am.’
And I kept questioning why we were here.
I walked over to the curtains and pulled them aside and kept asking why we were here.
Mahalia told me over and over again.
Then I asked her ‘Where are you two sleeping?’
She told me they had their own rooms and told me ‘Mum why don’t you get into bed’ and put her hand on my back and guided me into bed and I kept on asking the same questions.
She got me to take off my glasses and and got me lying down.
I kept saying ‘Im lost. Halia is that you?’
She had to explain it to me several times before she turned off the light which apparently I must’ve turned on.

I have absolutely no recollection of any of the above and have never sleep walked before – that I know of!
Poor girl, she was a bit freaked out by it all

Sometime later on, after the midnight hour, I actually woke feeling absolutely terrible and ended up donating all my dinner to the toilet bowl – twice 😦
Went back to bed and managed to sleep through.