You can never have enough...

[Praktica]

Hunnihunni - make sure you include details of your parents, grandparents and so on, as far back as you can go. Future genealogists in your family will thank you.

[Roma]

Good morning. 

That was a wild night of rain, still going.

I started a timeline years ago of significant events in my life ... on paper. Life has got in the way to keep it going ... but the longer time goes on,  the more I'll forget so should get back to it. It would be transferred and continued on the laptop though.  My own mum wrote a short few pages of some of her life's important memories several years before she passed away. We read it out at her Memorial.

I have to venture out and collect my GD before long ... her brothers are with the other GP's on a road trip. It's looking like an inside day. Her long hair (french plaiting) and nail painting will no doubt feature in the days activities, lol!

Had better keep moving.

Stay warm and dry all.

[kiwimade64]

morning ladies Wow, that was some storm we had in the wee hours and the rain is much appreciated.

What a fab idea, OHH And why not exaggerate a 'tad' lol. I would tell the kids in my class to just write. Don't worry about mistakes until it was time to proof read. Just get the ideas down. Same principle for you My handwriting is also turning to custard, and I think it's because I type more rather than write. I had to fill in a form a while back and the lady said, what lovely handwriting you have 'for a left hander'. A back handed compliment lol. I thought my writing was rubbish compared to what it was but oh well... I've noticed MrK's lovely handwriting is becoming shakier now as well. They do say use it or lose it.

We need petrol and by chance Gull is having 15cents off today. Perfect timing as usually I have either filled the car or the $$$ were spent elsewhere.

This wet weather should give me more stitching time Am having an internal debate about the dragon's scales. MrK says just pick something and go with it. My idea of raised satin stitch dots is more labour intensive but will give the dragon more depth but then long and short stitch with laid stich on top is quicker.

Happy crafting

[Oh_hunnihunni]

Hunnihunni - make sure you include details of your parents, grandparents and so on, as far back as you can go. Future genealogists in your family will thank you.

That's already done. Years ago I found one of those universal diaries and started entering all the names and relationships on the birthdates of everyone I could find with a blood relationship, plus their partners. Then it got passed around the cousins so they could check and add their families, and just recently it went round again to add new grandchildren - and any 'Ancestry' bits that might have come up. The trick is to now find someone interested in continuing the tradition, not an easy one.

This new project is more about the life stuff, and possibly more about me understanding me and my life. The question of what to include is a very real part of that, every life has its shadows, so that is my first challenge.

That and getting better at typing, lol...

[Oh_hunnihunni]

morning ladies   Wow, that was some storm we had in the wee hours and the rain is much appreciated.

What a fab idea, OHH   And why not exaggerate a 'tad' lol. I would tell the kids in my class to just write.  Don't worry about mistakes until it was time to proof read.  Just get the ideas down.  Same principle for you   My handwriting is also turning to custard, and I think it's because I type more rather than write.  I had to fill in a form a while back and the lady said, what lovely handwriting you have 'for a left hander'.  A back handed compliment lol.  I thought my writing was rubbish compared to what it was but oh well...  I've noticed MrK's lovely handwriting is becoming shakier now as well.  They do say use it or lose it.

We need petrol and by chance Gull is having 15cents off today.  Perfect timing as usually I have either filled the car or the $$$ were spent elsewhere.

This wet weather should give me more stitching time   Am having an internal debate about the dragon's scales.  MrK says just pick something and go with it.  My idea of raised satin stitch dots is more labour intensive but will give the dragon more depth but then long and short stitch with laid stich on top is quicker.

Happy crafting

I have always enjoyed writing - as you can tell from my excessive internet posting! But it was university that bedded that in for me when I got involved in co writing articles with some of the staff. I really enjoyed that, not so much from the publishing aspect but from what I learned about form and construction. I have tried fiction, even enrolled in a creative writing programme, but that was a massive failure for a number of reasons. Did discover a love for haiku though, and still play with that from time to time. It's a good way of polishing up the need for brevity! Which is not a strength...

As for the dragon, for me scales beg for stroking, a bit like the patterns my fingers find in my quilts. Texture is important, so I think you are on the right track with layering to add definition.

[popeye333]

Morning everyone

We have had rain but nothing to call it a storm.

I think future generations would love to know the Warts and All stuff Hunni. We all have it. And in future generations they will love hearing about the earlier generations and how we coped without the things they will have.

I love writing, but dont do as much as I used to.. Ill always remember exam time in Form 5.. geography, others wrote 3 pages, I wrote 13.. I did get the top marks tho lol.. When I've had to do reports etc. I usually write then cut out the words not needed lol.

I found a photo on fb last night of the previous baby blankets I've done. So I know how many rows I need to do. Will only do a few rows or one colour a day. I dont want my crocheters rash to come back. Its weird I get it on my right wrist.

Shopping and a bit of crochet and painting today.

Have a fab day all.

Must add, if any of you watch American Pickers. Apparently Frank Fritz has died. His friend put a post up on FB last night. Not sure why. But here never struck me as being old or unwell.

He was only 60.. he had a stroke a couple of years ago. but they havent said how he passed. Mike was with him tho

[Mica]

Morning all 
Rained over night  looks like more to come

Creative writing not my forte but technical reports, how to guides, codes of practice and submissions were part of my last job. On the side I have co authored 2 books  every primary school received copies along with teacher notes. The third is a
How to care publication thats still used and accessed on TKI. Being vague don't really want to id myself on public forum.

My morning at warehouse, cat door being installed this afternoon so feline as safe place to get back indoors. The k9 lies in the doorway blocking  devious little B then next thing they are stretched out on our bed together.

Enjoy your day

[Outsider]

The typewriter helps. I can make mistakes and just keep going. It lets me just write without being distracted - the rainy day keeping me in was also a good thing.

I am wary about doing it digitally. All my uni writing is digital, but the stuff that will last is the essays and papers that were printed out or published in hard copy. So that's why I chose the mechanical method. And like you my writing hand is so bad these days. My school teachers would be appalled lol. Cursive it might be but only vaguely...

I will have to think on the honesty thing though.

Maybe if I put an R18 on it, lol.

Good luck with that. I've just completed my second book of memoirs - the first book took about 10 years and the second only 6!

I published through Blurb.com in USA; it was very very expensive but I wanted them to look professional, which they do (hardcover with dust jacket and premium paper).
I have 4 copies of the first and 3 of the second, for my 2 children and 4 siblings to share (I lost 2 siblings in UK last year so only 1 left).

I had so much information collected over the years - diaries, journals, travel journals, photos, and family history, but it took ages sorting it out.
I was honest about some things but not others that will be my secrets forever. 

What motivated me to do it in the first place was realising how little I knew about my parents and grandparents lives, even though I spent some time with my grandma when I was young. So I wanted my descendants to know about my early life especially as I came to NZ from Uk in 1973. First book was about Irish family and my life until I got married at age of 30, second book about my English side of the family and bringing up children in NZ up to the time they left home. Will carry on with a third book but not with Blurb, just WORD.

At least I have lots of photos in them as I knew nobody would want to keep all the albums and boxes of them that I've collected. And they now know something of family history.
I can relax a bit now!

[Oh_hunnihunni]

I am encouraged! Some of my motivation is to pass on the family stories. With my grandchildren being so far away they are separated from that family thing where the old ones bore them silly with repeat versions of 'when I was young...' and I have lots of those, having been raised in a multigenerational family. And some of those stories are full of risk and courage, I would like these new young ones to know that their oldies were such brave souls. And that they survived many challenges.

Family pride needs to be passed on, I think.

[kiwimade64]

morning ladies The fog is beginning to clear, still chilly though.

Wow, we have some hard working and talented authors here, how awesome is that!

Housework for me today and some baking. Our grandson arrives for a week tomorrow so better make sure the pantry has some baking in it.

The dragon's scales are going to be raised satin stitch 'dots', well more odd shapes, to make it fit lol. I stitched some around the neck and it should work. I think you are right OHH, it needs to be tactile. Especially as the dragon's head is so densely stitched.

happy crafting

[popeye333]

Morning everyone

Tis cool here too but the sun is out.

We dont have any family books or Journals, on Mums side I do have copies of the Letters my grandmother wrote on her Journey from England to NZ. I think I got my passion for writing from her. it sounds just like how I write. We have a family tree on her side, but sadly I figure if My Aunt couldn't get the birthdays of people still alive correct the rest probably aren't either.
Dads side my brother has done but everything is packed away so Im not sure how far he got with that.

But I think its good idea , otherwise families simply wont know.

Have done the first colour section on the blanket... Takes about an hour to do 6 rows , so that way I get to do some on the blanket and my painting.

But the weekend will be housework. Need to do an extra clean on everything. and I want to bake too.

Off to see the ladies today and to welcome Carmel to our dining group lol.

Have a fab day all

[Mica]

Morning all 
Fine day actually got too warm so have taken off a layer

Hope Li,lith OK down south

Off to city this morning haircut with a bit of window shopping DH off to hit some golf balls.

Back on cat feeding duty this weekend , dinner with friends tonight.

Cat door installed feline yet to use it. 

Enjoy your day

[Oh_hunnihunni]

I thought about a cat door, but then realised the disadvantages of an entry at ground level - bending can be tricky at times. So I set up a multilevel plant stand on the deck which forms a small staircase between deck and a window I leave open when it suits me, and closed when not, lol. She adapted very fast and seemed happy to use it. Other cat people neighbours have cat doors put in and I often hear them banging as their beasties whip in and out, but there is one door that never gets used. That cat just sits by it, inside or out, and bellows when it wants it opened...

He has a well trained owner. Male...

[Lilith7]

Some cats are master human trainers.


It rained most of yesterday, but really not too bad - it's apparently worse in Otago & Southland.

Out hunting again, managed to find a dress each for the great granddaughters for Xmas so now just need to get them each a small toy of some kind & that's their xmas gifts done.
Slowly getting there.

[kiwimade64]

hahaha OHH, the Furry One launches himself through the doggy door and it bangs away. He broke the window once when he flicked his back legs out as he jumped through. At least we know when he is out. If we are near the door, he expects it to be opened but will use (reluctantly) the doggy door to come back in.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

Well, it is glorious here in Auckland. Clear blue sky, masses of spring sun, and my fingers are freezing.

Got to love Auckland weather...

[Jan]

Afternoon from another warm day in the Bay - we need rain
I think I may have told my cat door story before - in Oz we had the cat door leading out into our cats covered yard area - a bloody opossum used to come every night and sit on top of his cage spitting and hissing - my Manx cat would fly off the bed waking the old boy then the cat door would go bang bang annoying the hell out of us - this would continue on for hours in and out bang bang! One night the old boy got so angry he shot out the back door picked up a spade he had been using in the garden and wildly swung at the possum and nearly had a heart attack as he connected and killed it - they are protected over there $500 fine for killing them - actually thinking back his look of disbelief was hilarious - the neighbours over the fence had a huge garden and were away for 6 weeks so the buggar threw the corpse into the next door rose bushes - I think Bob my Manx was disappointed it was his nightly excitement
Another time I saw him coming along the tunnel leading to the cat door intending to bring a baby rat inside to share with me - I quickly went to lock the cat flap but one rats foot got trapped in the door - it was gross seeing this pink foot waving around so had to unlock the door and let him in !
The kids bought him for me one birthday- my elder son saw him at a pet shop on a Saturday morning he was the runt of the litter and the only one unsold so they went halves .He crossed the Tasman with us and lived until he was 18

[Oh_hunnihunni]

We took our two with us when we went to Melbourne, Tomodachi had birthed and lost a litter six months before. One night about 2am she came in from outside, landed between us on the bed, purring her heart out and dropped a tiny big eyed possum between her paws and proceeded to wash it.

She was a truly beautiful beast that one, but not happy at being deprived of her adopted kitten...

[popeye333]

Its been a beautiful Day. Was a cold start tho.

The home was running smoothly and took mum to the toilet often. She has improved soo much she was telling jokes.

Lunch was Good, Carmel had a visitor so she will come with us on Monday.

I showed the ladies the colours for the Blanket I am doing from us. I told them I was channeling my Inner teenage Witch, and that we will keep it quiet from rest home Dianne, until we present it to Sharvana, which we will do when we have painting, cos Dianne will be there and will probably not be happy. But she's been nasty to Colleen so this is a little pay back.

Campbell was cuddling his Monkey today. I was sooo pleased. I took a photo. haven't heard a dickie bird from David.

Came home pushed the buttons on the washing machine and dishwasher and they did their work while I did the back lawn. Hung the washing on the airer outside for a change, halfway through the lawn.

Hunni have you had a letter from the Joint replacement people? They ask you to fill in a questionnaire about what you can and cant do... I got mine today, you dont Have to do it but we have always helped in anyway we can for future medicine.

Came inside and did the next colour on the blanket. So after a qu8ick check here Ill be painting.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

Yes, did the survey a few months back. Like you I like to pay back when I can.