The Lovely Rusko

 The granpup Rusko is getting to be a big boy now and he loves coming to stay at his Nan-nans.  It might just be all the treats he gets and the pool he can swim in.

So here is a lot of Rusko love from a number of months

A Cross Stitch Swap

Last year I participated in  my first swap for a long time and it was held here within New Zealand.  The swap was a cross stitch Christmas ornament swap and below is what I received from my partner.  The tin of shortbread was so yummy.

This is what I sent to my partner.  I have not cross stitched for so long and this sort of got my mojo back slightly and hubby even bought me a kit for Christmas as he had seen me to this one

 

2023 Mother Nature Loves New Zealand

Hi everyone

At the end of last year I finally splashed out and got my self a new laptop but haven't really used it till the last few weeks, so I thought as it does not take forever to boot I really should focus on my blog again as I won't be screaming blue murder every few minutes. 

So what is happening so far for 2023?

Well what can I say Mother Nature sure loves New Zealand

Three weeks ago I headed up to the Coromandel again to Cooks Beach, however what I posted in my last post from last year, it was nothing like it this time.  We got cabin fever and headed home early as the weather was horrendous. It was the same weekend Auckland got hit hard.

I thought then this was the worse weather I had ever seen, but it was nothing compared to the last week where Cyclone Gabrielle wreaked havoc on us.  

The devastation is awful.  We were hit had up here on the East Coast loosing power, all communications, no eftpos, petrol restrictions (well unless you had cash you couldn't pay anyway) and now on a serious water restrictions, but what the Hawkes Bay has suffered is even more devastating.  There is just no words for it.  

Here at my place in Gisborne we didn't flood, but the night of the worse weather was not a good sleep, and then the worry for other family members or letting family members know you were ok as we had no communication, made for more sleepless nights.  Starlink was the savior for many, as power here in town came on pretty fast for most, so we could all huddle for a few minutes at the council and let people know we were fine.  I up until then had a massive stress headache and drunk so much coffee thinking caffeine will help but did not.  It was the knowing everyone you knew was ok that lessened it.

These photos are from the Wairoa to Napier road.  We will not be travelling down there for many many months to come.

If you go onto Facebook, Shelly Evans Photography has posted these, and hundreds more she has collated and acknowledged the original owners

https://www.facebook.com/shellieevansphotography

I Went On Holiday Again

 Last month I again had a week off and up to Cooks Beach again I went to blob out for the week at a friends bach with her and her mum.  Hubby came this time so he was our taxi and we went exploring a few times and done a lot of walks

Here is just a few of our places we went for walks on.

Cooks Beach

Cathedral Cove

Ferry Landing

Hot Water Beach

One day I do hope to go overseas again, but when that may happen ......who knows these days

FNSI Result

Last night in I joined in FNSI and completed half the top front of this Millie Cardigan I am making.

It is a design I have seen a number of times knitted up and wanted to do it for my self. So when I was away recently I saw the pattern and I had to grab it.

Then today I went to my local fabric store and grabbed this love Dusky Pink Merino skein to make another.  

I also received my parcel from Skeinz today.  They had a lucky dip sale on Thursday and I just had to get some. I have plans already what I may make.

Yesterday I also had a craving for some homemade spaghettis so I grabbed some tomatoes and a small lot of golden queen peaches and became productive today.

The sound of the pops is a very nice sound to hear.

 

My Granpup

 My daughter vows no Grandchildren from her (but she is still young), but she has given me a Grandpup.  He is a Spoodle and currently 19 weeks old and has a lot of love to give.

We only have one problem.  Snowy loves all dogs but Rusko is a bit to much for him and Snowy won't play with him when Rusko wants too.  Though I must say when I got home today they were best friends for once.

Such a cutie

Come join FNSI

 Well last year and blogging didn't pan out.  I note when I last blogged was when I had really just changed jobs and then straight into more post grad study and also a short course certificate, as well as learning my new job.  

But ten months later and my only sanity is currently knitting and reading.  My job is still topsy turvey with my colleague getting a different job and also my boss leaving so I am doing some of that too, but it is nearly over and I will be back to some normality.  It is all part and parcel of healthcare currently and I am just glad I am off the wards.

Anyway as I previous said I have been doing a bit of knitting and have a number of items that need finishing off, so this Friday I am taking part in FNSI over at Sugarlane Designs and I will attempt to get some knitting done this night while maybe watching a movie.

Hope to see you there.

Busy Few Months

On boy have I been busy the last few months

Not only have a trained for and done a couple of 1/2 marathons, gone away for a long weekend in atrocious weather, been vaccinated for both Covid and influenza, done vaccinations for both, read a few books, changed jobs, done some knitting, some reading, some baking, some stitching, enrolled in more study, I have also been in full swing with in my NZNO delegate role and participated in our first nurses strike for these negotiations.  Today our 2nd strike got withdrawn due to a offer coming in.  Will not go into the drama with that one, only to say there are many many nurses not happy.

Any way here are some pictures of everything

 

OPAM February

I’ve joined up to OPAM again this year to get myself working on some UFOs and starting new projects.

For the month of February I made two bibs that I gave as a gift for a baby shower I went to in the weekend.  Such easy items too make.

Since my last update on my stitchery I started in January I haven’t done really much in the last month, just little bits but at least I have one Elf done