I Got It!!

It took some looking as a few places had sold out, but finally from Patchwork Plus over in Australia I got my 2017 Simply Christmas book last week.....yay!!

I see a project I want to do so need to my stitching mojo into top gear and get onto it.

I Went To Fiji Part Two

Yesterday I showed you some of our pictures of the Fiji trip we went to last month.  Here are some more today.

It was a great holiday and I can't wait to go again.  Next time it will be the sons choice where to go for his 21st, so I wonder where he will choose.

I Went To Fiji Part One

This time last month I was basking in the sun in Fiji.  Left New Zealand and its frosts where we had to wait at 6am in the morning for the plan to de-ice due to -3 degrees Celsius temperatures to 30 degrees Celsius temperatures in Fiji. This trip was was to celebrate our daughter 21st birthday instead of having a party and it was a great compromise.

Beetroot Relish

For the A&P show here in October I also made some beetroot relish but OH NO!!! I forgot to put it on the entry form.  Always next year. 

 I love this relish and usually get scoffed down fast.  This time I used a different recipe to what I usually use and it is from the famous New Zealand Edmonds cookbook that I own six of.... you can never have enough.

You can find the recipe by following this link and enjoy this yummy relish too.

Marmalade and Jam

In a couple of months time the local A&P show is happening again and I have entered a range of items for the Home Industries section ..... 20 to be exact. Two of these items will be jam and marmalade, so have set about getting ready and made some raspberry jam and grapefruit marmalade. Having never made raspberry jam before I tried this first and had good success.

Then a day later I whipped up some marmalade. 

Now that they are out of the way, to do some more entries.

I Passed!!!! and a late Christmas in July Swap Post

First things first.  I passed my Master of Nursing with Merit.  I was just happy getting a pass, so with merit it was a bonus.  All those tears were worth it.

Party time happened in Fiji as I found out about my results just after the plane landed.  I just had my recommendations to do, which are done and passed on to my supervisor who has approved what I have done and is now with the head of the program and I just have to 75 word abstract to write up and I can print in book form....yay.  I now have time to do more things finally and I have been doing that, which I will show over the next few posts. Also last month I participated in Gone Stichin' annual Christmas in July swap.  I received from Kaye over at Kitten Stitching and received some lovely cross stitch Christmas items.

I love cross stitch and loved these so much.

I sent to to Lyn and she let me know how much she enjoyed my gifts.  

Roll on more sewing now for the local A&P show in October.

A Trip to Blenhiem

Two weekends ago hubby and I head off to the top of the South Island for Miss 21's graduation for her senior course in the Airforce.  The day we got to Blenheim where she was we had time to kill so headed over to Nelson for a few hours.
This was the first time I had ever been there and I have heard the beach was beautiful there and I was not disappointed.

The next day was Miss 21's graduation - 2 1/2 years in the making - and she is LAC instead of AC and got her wings as she puts it.

Fun time had by all and luckily for me, the flights were good so minimal travel sickness

I Want to Cry

I want to cry ...... cry tears of happiness. 

The horrid thesis has been finished.  18 months of my life never to be found again .....ever.

I have just submitted the draft version for feedback with final submission in three weeks.

I can sew again, I can stitch again, I can read my books again and I will bake again.

I never knew something like this could make you want to do nothing at all.

But I am happy it is completed and only to fix up what is fed back before final submission.

FNSI Result

I don't get to do much stitching these days due to my thesis which I have about 4 weeks to complete the draft for.  However who could turn down a quiet Friday evening for the monthly FNSI.

Not much was done again but another hexagon flower was finished, while sitting watching Pretty Little Liars on Netflix (what did I do before Netflix?). 

Then on Saturday Miss 20 turned Miss 21.  As she is up in Auckland we didn't get to spend it with her but will see her again the end of May where she will be getting a special gift from us.

The rest of my weekend was spent going to open homes.  I am finding it much harder to find a house to live in than a rental for investment and out of all the houses I have seen only two have taken my fancy which are a little bit above my price range.  But you never know what happens on auction day.