Cleaning Tips ......

Here is a foolproof way to get all your cleaning done in literally no time at all. I mean literally.  So here's what you do.  You find something more interesting to do than cleaning and that way everything is done in no time and you have spent a far more interesting and satisfying day than the one  you had in mind. So today at the market I bought fresh raspberries from Waimate and came home and made fresh raspberry jam. The smell makes the whole house smell like - strangely - raspberries. A simple clean and delicious smell now covers any other odours lurking around. 

The reason for cleaning is because the hosue is supposed to be going on the market next saturday. On Tuesday I signed up with a very nice real estate agent. On  Wednesday he died from a massive heart attack. So Im not exactly sure what will hapen now however the sale of my house pales into insignificance when compared with his demise. Im taking it as one of lifes unexpected events rather than a bad omen.  
Still it reminds of how to make the most of each day and it certainly reinforces the avoidance of cleaning.

Here are some shots of the newly painted house. Im really pleased with how it has turned out.  Anyone want to buy a house complete with many happy memories of the last six years? 

Anyway here's to life of making the most of every day.
Marg

Packing tips .......

  Are you off for a summer holiday? Well if yes, here are some tips from the travelbaglady.   Its been a travelling year. I've had 67 nights out of town not counting holidays.  I'm really good  now at packing in 5 minutes on a monday morning before I take to the road.  "Really good" requires a little qualification. I usually take just enough to wear for the days I am away with one change of old clothes for after work downtime. I now have a travelling toilet bag all good to go and a cooler bag with essential food items- a little oil, container of homemade meusli,  jar of chutney. container of crackers, box of meusli bars, box of UHT milk, box of plastic ziplock bags and box of mini glad wrap, also small container of washing powder in case emergency washing needs doing if I havent packed enough to wear after all.  I always pack on a Monday. I cant bear being pushed into monday on a sunday night. It ruins the weekend.  So if you adopt the same approach to going on holiday beleive me it can be done simply and easily. Less is more and you can always buy it or make do if you cant.  

Aside from travelling for work I have had a holiday in totaranui and and a mini break in Auckland.   These pictures below are from both those places. Both seem like distant memories but ones I will hang onto. These holidays are to be spent in Dunedin, packing up my house and hopefully finding someone to buy it.  I have had the last 2 days off work throwing much of my past into a skip which has proved to be too small. I didnt know my life had so much in it. It's been a tiring, nostalgic and kind of sad couple of days.  Anyway Christmas soon and a day of good cheer.

Heres to a restful pre christmas week.

Cheers Marg  

Object of Ugliness

You can't really tell but the cardigan in the book promises a lovely garment to however takes up the challenge of knitting it. This is not the case. This cardigan is both a testament to not knowing when to quit ( the story of my life I think) and ugliness. It is really hideous. It's like a horrible school cardigan. I've been knitting it for about 3 years. When dad was in Ross Home for those 12 weeks I knitted the front about 3 times and it is still full of unsightly mistakes.

So why carry on with this thing.? Well one reason is because I dont like to leave projects unfinished but also it has been quite literally keeping me sane when I've been travelling to some of the most obscure and at times unlovely places in the South Island. After the night meetings are done and all I have for company in the motel room is sky T.V and me , this knitting porject has become my friend. Now that it's nearly finished I am almost becoming fond of it. I may even decide that it looks beautiful on me after all.

I have been in my new job for exactly one year this week. I have also had a whole week based at home. This is very unusual  and Ive enjoyed cooking in my kitchen and sleeping in my own bed. Next week Im off to a lovely part of Otago. 3 days working in Wanaka. Now that will be a lovely spring treat.

Happy spring.

Cheers Marg

Objects of beauty include - woodpiles!

Is there anything more beautiful than than the sight of a wood pile. It holds the promise of cosy afternoons with a good book in front of fire - it signals more than one worry free winter - just as face cream advertisements sell youth - a firewood pile equates to comfort, warmth and always knowing there will be enough.  So while the sight of this pile might not move any of you to tears in warmer climates - In Dunedin it brings great joy indeed.

It's been a crazier than usual time. Tom turned 20 and Rosie came home for 10 days before heading back to Wellington.  We went to the Catlines for a few very cold but very relaxing days.

 It's strange to think that I no longer have any teenagers.  Probably just as well. A young whipper snapper called me Grandma at the harry potter movie the other day ! Still I was soon vindicated. Rosie sent me a text saying that her good friend Jade could hardly believe I was nearly 50 because I have such a young face.  But my age is what I am and I love every minute of it and am making the most of it.  Even if that means most weeks out on the road for work and a strange existence inbetween.

Heres to a week of keeping warm

Marg

Hobbies and Interests Include ... firewooding.

 Yes  it's been a while since I had anything to say ... for a great many reasons.  Glitches with technology, time and generally managing a life in what I would called "Transition"... but from what and to where...?  My anchors are loose right now. 
Even so a number of weekends of late have been spent at a work- mate's  farm in Dunback where we are  clearing a gully for the farmer in return for the firewood. The farm is set quite high up in the backhills. It is quiet, remote and beautiful. I find the physical work deeply satisfying.

 You might be a little upset that it is native wood going down - but reassured the farmer is a great conservationist and has mature stands of trees - set aside to keep- and has cleared the land of the predators so that the native birds have thrived. This gully is full of scraggly wood and it is hard to see or clear the stock.

 We take plenty of food and work as long as we can manage without overdoing it.

 At a guess I would say that fire wooding is set to become the new hobby for 2011.  It certainly is a good feeling to know that already next years wood is in.
Tonight I have the fire going - it is warm and cosy. Tomorrow I'm back on the road to live out of suitcase in yet another motel with no fire. So I'm making the most of it 


 So here's to week of pursuing all hobbies and interests.

Cheers Marg

the best 50 cents ever ............

This last week I have had more or less a week at home - that is not travelling for work and so have had time to check out some of my favourite haunts and finish various projects that have been on the go. But first here is what I consider the best 50 cents worth of fun I've had for ages. I found this CD at where else but Wiers and have had much amusement from it. Ive already used it as a joke gift for someone who will only dance when he is very drunk and Im sure I know a few more people in that category too who would love this CD if only they knew where to get one.

Ive been working on an easter craft project. It didnt come together as perfectly as I had hoped but the end result is cute enough.  

These little birds have a flap that opens at their rear ends and inside they are stuffed with mini easter eggs. Somehow I also find that very amusing. ...   SO there we have it ... making your own fun has a way of elevating that good enough life into a terrific one. Even better because it costs only 50 cents.

Heres to a lovely easter all for less than a dollar. 

cheers Marg

A good enough life.......

So what makes life good enough... I've been thinking about this and this week have had plenty of opportunities to think about what that means in practice...

 Take these two photos. The first is sunflowers which on their own have not come to much but nevertheless make a passable photo and the second is this bowl of tomatoes - clearly never ever going to ripen in any Dunedin summer outdoors - let alone this dismal one just gone. But they've become green tomato pickle and therefore proved their value.  So whats a good enough life? well  for me it is making the most of everything even when everything is imperfect. 

 One thing I really like about my job - is that even though it is busy and I'm often away these days is that when I am at home I have more energy to be creative because I have more room inside my head.  So with the April birthdays approaching and Easter coming up I am in full swing of making things. I can hear Rosie and Tom groaning  already!!

SO here's to a good enough week. 

Cheers Marg