You can never have enough...

[kiwimade64]

We watch Aljazeera for the other point of view with regards to the Middle East and it's a real eye opener. We see the full news clip instead of a partial view of the same clip on our kiwi news outlets. Not much local news of course but on the odd occasion we see our kiwi reporters and sometimes what is happening here is also reported. I think the trick is to widen your news sources and not just rely on good old TV1 & 3 to get that balance.

The freezer has been cleaned out and defrosted. OMG my fingers were numb lol. There wasn't too much to biff out but I know what MrK has stashed in there now. It took a bit of reorganising but everything is within easy reach.

The local book fair is this week can't wait. I might see what jigsaw puzzles they have, last year they were 20 cents each.

[popeye333]

Morning everyone.

The sun is up yay.

Shocking re the nurses. They work far harder than anyone else in the medical system.

Ill have my secretary hat on this morning. Ive been asking for letters for over two weeks and still dont have any.. Winz being the worst. Im afraid they might get the edge of my tongue, depending on what their excuse is this time.. It will be call number 4.

Then Ill carry on with the kitchen cleaning.. Which is the crockpot and air cooker lol

I tried rice bran oil yesterday. Its tasteless which is good. A little more expensive than normal cheapie ones but I got the spray one to try it. Now Ill get the bottles for the fryer. Im using the air cooker first but you cant batter fish in an air fryer lol.

Hope you have a good visit KM.

Have a fab day all

Edit to add. I stumbled across a post from the Museum in Thames last night. They put a photo of the pub we lived next door to on FB.. Such fond memories of that place.. and soo many more photos of the town..

[Mica]

Well the gardeners  turned up within 30 mins of me leaving a message. Seems prob spray drift from when they sprayed 10 days ago, lots aphids on new growth so they will treat and keep watch  cant ask for better service 

Just taken Belgium slice out of oven will ice it when it cools down going to sprinkle crushed freeze dried raspberries over the icing instead of jelly crystals.

[GJW]

KM
So pleased you can take the furry one in, Mr KM will be pleased and so will any other residents that see him.
My two go to all sorts of places, St John Therapy Pets, everyone is so happy to see them.
I did not know that about the nurse's pay, as for not being able to raise the issue, this is completely unacceptable.

Mica,
I am heading to yours, Belgium slice or biscuits is my favorite, my mum made the biscuits, just for me!!!, only because nobody else liked them. I have all her recipes and her mothers, but there is not a recipe for them or the rock cakes she made, i cannot make rock cakes like she did and if my memory serves me well I think she used lard for the biscuits, this would be 60 years ago so l could be wrong.

Have a great day, the wind is really cold today

[Lilith7]

That's excellent news about the Furry one being able to visit Mr K, & as to the state of nurses pay - I think what we need is a govt which will get off its backside & pay those hurses - & teachers,while they're about it - a decent wage, so that they don't have to move overseas to where their work is appreciated & paid accordingly.

Finally sunny here so line full of washing.

[kiwimade64]

The resthome cat made herself comfortable on MrK's outdoor area. He has a wee patio with a table and chair he can use if he wants to be outside. Puss is a generational cat. Her great-great (not sure how many greats there are here) grandmother was the maternity wing cat when I had our daughter. The maternity wing is next to the rest home

Lunch for mrK was curried pork with rice and beans and tiramisu for dessert. So yummy!

[Oh_hunnihunni]

I might have to prebook a place at this resthome. It certainly seems way above the standards of our locals...

[popeye333]

I might have to prebook a place at this resthome. It certainly seems way above the standards of our locals...

Makes our local look worse than a jail.

More like a pigsty.

[Mica]

Morning all 
Overcast  sky trying hard to appear

Up before the sparrows it seems.

Early start driving into city Tuesday always a slow drive for some reason. Back home for lunch 

Finished sewing binding on advent calendars  last night so thats another project ticked off

Enjoy your day

[kiwimade64]

morning ladies What a grotty day we have outside today. I'll take a guess and think the lawn won't be mowed today.

lol yes, OHH and popeye, this rest home is above and beyond what is expected. I think it could be because it's a rural hospital/care facility and also community supported. They are always fundraising, and the community comes to the party So different to these big commercial places. Oh, and the serving of tiramisu was huge lol. I'll take pics to show you if I am there while MrK has a meal. They have new cooks who only started yesterday so the meals weren't on time, but no body minded, and the nurses mucked in and helped out. I'm even offered a cuppa when the tea trolley comes round. MrK is offered tea, coffee, orange juice or lemonade and there is always home baking for morning tea. And it's spotless. Cleaned and vacumed every day. After knowing what happened to popeye's MrP, I was very skeptical about respite care and was ready to advocate hard for MrK. But there was no need which was a huge relief.

I'll be back up to the rest home today, hopefully will catch our GP. I missed her yesterday. And I need to grocery shop at some stage. It will be weird shopping for one. I was thinking yesterday, if MrK ends up in care full time, it will be the first time in my life I will be living alone. Left home to flat with others and then living with MrK, and then marriage. No 'alone time' in between. A new chapter for both of us.

Time to get moving. If the lawn guy isn't coming, I might as well do the groceries.

Have a good one!

[Oh_hunnihunni]

Silver sky again, but a new tui call this morning for our alarm clock, maybe one of last years babies coming into his first year. Just housework on the agenda for me, that and bringing the bins in, if there's a clear break in the weather I'll get the hose and the soft broom into them for a spring scrub.

I found a number of useful cast off structural bits for the tank project on TM last night, so will start looking for the next layer of gravels and soil, the driftwood pieces I have soaking in rainwater should be just about leached of salt now, so when the other hardscape bits arrive I can start playing with designs. Always fun to begin to play, mud pies and sticks, another childhood game underway. I have got in touch with a West Coaster who can supply some interesting mosses, so that will be handy when I get to that point.

On farcebook this morning an old art school friend shared her niece is newly diagnosed with MS, that makes three families in my circle, including mine, who have to deal with this ongoing challenge. But watching - even at such a long arms length - how my daughter copes with it gives me huge comfort. She posted a photo on instagram last night of her latest orphan adoption, a baby pigmy goat. I had to laugh, I suggested she get a couple of goats to deal with overgrowth and was told off soundly for suggesting more fence destroyers, lol, and now look at her, grinning from ear to ear in love with yet another baby who needs love. This country life thing suits her down to the ground, just as well she has a compliant husband, lol...

---

morning ladies   What a grotty day we have outside today.  I'll take a guess and think the lawn won't be mowed today.

lol yes, OHH and popeye, this rest home is above and beyond what is expected.  I think it could be because it's a rural hospital/care facility and also community supported.  They are always fundraising, and the community comes to the party   So different to these big commercial places.  Oh, and the serving of tiramisu was huge lol.  I'll take pics to show you if I am there while MrK has a meal.  They have new cooks who only started yesterday so the meals weren't on time, but no body minded, and the nurses mucked in and helped out.  I'm even offered a cuppa when the tea trolley comes round.  MrK is offered tea, coffee, orange juice or lemonade and there is always home baking for morning tea.  And it's spotless.  Cleaned and vacumed every day.  After knowing what happened to popeye's MrP, I was very skeptical about respite care and was ready to advocate hard for MrK.  But there was no need which was a huge relief.

I'll be back up to the rest home today, hopefully will catch our GP.  I missed her yesterday.  And I need to grocery shop at some stage.  It will be weird shopping for one.  I was thinking yesterday, if MrK ends up in care full time, it will be the first time in my life I will be living alone.  Left home to flat with others and then living with MrK, and then marriage.  No 'alone time' in between.  A new chapter for both of us. 

Time to get moving.  If the lawn guy isn't coming, I might as well do the groceries.

Have a good one!

My Mum also had very little living alone time in her life and once told me how challenging she found that brief period, but I actually got used to it early on and had the opposite experience when I combined households to make one multigenerational home. Both states take some getting used to, learning strategies that make the best of each as they come along. There are huge advantages in each way of living, but also costs. I think for me the most important thing was to always have someone to vent to, someone who knew to just make the right noises when required without judgement or advice, a good listener, but who knew when to tell me I was being an idiot while shutting up at other times. Substitute parent  or partner voice maybe, without the responsibility of sharing living space, a good support for our mental health.

And of course a good online community! 

[popeye333]

Morning everyone

Another thunderous start to the day.

I only lived alone for a few weeks between me moving to Mangakino and when my parents came down. But for some reason I knew I would love living my last years alone. I Love it.. although I am in a routine and I hate them, so some days I dont do things just to throw the spanner in the works.. Hardest time was when my mother moved in, I was the meat in the sandwich of a stroppy mother who loved control and a Narcissistic husband. But I realise now he asked my mother to move in to make him look good.

My Grandmother Fathers side loved living alone, but I asked her one day why she never remarried. she replied with cos I knew Id never love anyone as much as your Grandfather.. her mother split them up.

And having a group of online friends is terrific support. I wouldn't have got through all the rest home stuff without you ladies,, and a lot of other stuff.

KM your garden will be what keeps you going. We need something to occupy our minds. Make sure you eat well and keep your strength up for visiting.

I finished a border of about 10cms deep of black on the picture of the dragon yesterday. Will treat myself to some colours today. There's still a lot of black but having the border done means I can swap between colours and black. I've decided to give it to Dianne for her birthday next month.

A Memory came up on my fb last night of the sparrows in the trees I did. 6 years ago... that's gone fast. Thats one I could do again cos I loved it. But I gave it to Gayle lol.

Have a fab day all.

[Lilith7]

That rest home sounds ideal, KM - if only they were all like that.

Looking for Watership Down the other day,I accidentally bought a book called Unorthodox, about a woman who grew up in a Hasidic Jewish home & then left when she grew up - I knew a little bit about the Hasidim, having read Chaim Potok's books years ago. But they're far more restrictive than I'd realised - women must shave their heads & wear a wig for the sake of 'modesty', which seems bizarre. really interesting book though not up to tha part where she manages to leave yet.


I suspect that there really is no limit to the daft things we humans can get ourselves to believe.

[popeye333]

This is one I did 6 years ago.. One of the few I could happily do again. I gave it to a friend

https://trademe.tmcdn.co.nz/photoserver/...003707.jpg

Your book sounds interesting Lilith.. I must get my hospital bag out and put a book in it. Now I have good glasses i can read while there.

[Lilith7]

This is one I did 6 years ago.. One of the few I could happily do again. I gave it to a friend

https://trademe.tmcdn.co.nz/photoserver/...003707.jpg

Your book sounds interesting Lilith.. I must get my hospital bag out and put a book in it. Now I have good glasses i can read while there.

That looks really complicated Popeye, well done - it must have taken ages & looks brilliant.

[kazza]

morning ladies   What a grotty day we have outside today.  I'll take a guess and think the lawn won't be mowed today.

lol yes, OHH and popeye, this rest home is above and beyond what is expected.  I think it could be because it's a rural hospital/care facility and also community supported.  They are always fundraising, and the community comes to the party   So different to these big commercial places.  Oh, and the serving of tiramisu was huge lol.  I'll take pics to show you if I am there while MrK has a meal.  They have new cooks who only started yesterday so the meals weren't on time, but no body minded, and the nurses mucked in and helped out.  I'm even offered a cuppa when the tea trolley comes round.  MrK is offered tea, coffee, orange juice or lemonade and there is always home baking for morning tea.  And it's spotless.  Cleaned and vacumed every day.  After knowing what happened to popeye's MrP, I was very skeptical about respite care and was ready to advocate hard for MrK.  But there was no need which was a huge relief.

I'll be back up to the rest home today, hopefully will catch our GP.  I missed her yesterday.  And I need to grocery shop at some stage.  It will be weird shopping for one.  I was thinking yesterday, if MrK ends up in care full time, it will be the first time in my life I will be living alone.  Left home to flat with others and then living with MrK, and then marriage.  No 'alone time' in between.  A new chapter for both of us. 

Time to get moving.  If the lawn guy isn't coming, I might as well do the groceries.

Have a good one!

I agree KM, Pohlen is a fantastic asset to the community. My mum used to love going there when her GP admitted her to use the GP beds, she didn't want to come home from her 'holiday'. Sadly she wasn't able to go there full time when she needed full time rest home care.

[Mica]

Back from city bought summer rolls with satay sauce home for lunch they were yum.

Nice painting Popeye  you have eye for the nice ones

Lilith I enjoyed reading that book hard to believe such restrictive societies  exist.

Been sorting out clothes to pack for Melbourne . DD and I take off on Thursday morning will have to get up 3am to get to airport. Should go to bed in my clothes    no doubt I will have a few zzzz....s on the plane got my noise cancelling earbuds charging.

Still no Roma.

Pity not all care facilities not up to good standard so glad MrKM is being cared for in a good one. Take care of yourself KM

[Lilith7]

Back from city bought summer rolls with satay sauce home for lunch they were yum.

Nice painting Popeye  you have eye for the nice ones

Lilith I enjoyed reading that book hard to believe such restrictive societies  exist.

Been sorting out clothes to pack for Melbourne . DD and I take off on Thursday morning will have to get up 3am to get to airport. Should go to bed in my clothes    no doubt I will have a few zzzz....s on the plane got my noise cancelling earbuds charging.

Still no Roma.

Pity not all care facilities not up to good standard so glad MrKM is being cared for in a good one. Take care of yourself KM

It seems to me that all three Abrahamic religions have within them, various branches of religion which are all about control - particularly of women. Truly amazing, what some believe.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

That rest home sounds ideal, KM - if only they were all like that.

Looking for Watership Down the other day,I accidentally bought a book called Unorthodox, about a woman who grew up in a Hasidic Jewish home & then left when she grew up - I knew a little bit about the Hasidim, having read Chaim Potok's books years ago. But they're far more restrictive  than I'd realised - women must shave their heads & wear a wig for the sake of 'modesty', which seems bizarre. really interesting book though not up to tha part where she manages to leave yet.


I suspect that there really is no limit to the daft things we humans can get ourselves to believe.

Unorthodox was made into a film or tv series, I streamed in a few years back. It was an excellent watch, and I learned a lot in the process. Well worth looking for, maybe on dvd now?

[Oh_hunnihunni]

Funny how a day can turn interesting without warning. My neighbour came in to show me her birthday present at 2pm, to celebrate we had a wine and she had another... So I ordered pizza delivery at 5pm and finally ushered her out a few minutes ago...Well, you only turn 79 once in a blue moon, lol. She should sleep well!

First time I've order pizza for 15 years. And it was - well, shall we say interesting. But at least I didn't need to cook!