Where have I been?

Hmmm ... so where have I been? No where exciting at all LOL ... I just seemed to lose my blogging mojo, not to mention my stitching mojo. I'm settling into a whole new routine of having all the kids at school and having 9am-3pm, 5 days a week, that is basically my own. It's not that I don't have lots to do, but the whole "being on my own" is still like a special treat :) I'm actually keeping pretty busy - I'm still doing my cricket job which took up a couple of days last week, basically catching up from things I've put off over the holidays. I'm walking four mornings a week with a friend - we leave at 6.30am 3 days during the week and walk 8km, and on a Sunday morning leave at 7.30am and walk 10km. I've also just agreed to input the accounts for DH's work - I'll be doing this on a Friday before I leave for my normal job - means I'm out of the house all day, and working all day - but it's a wee bit of extra money, means I'm involved in the business (which over the next few years I think the franchise's idea is for the present owner and DH's boss to become more of a silent partner and for DH to take over more and more working up to a profit share/part ownership) - so it's good for me to be involved too :)

So, definitely still busy - but also time to craft and smell the roses which has been lovely.

Charlotte has settled into school very easily - the teacher stopped me a couple of days ago to say she is doing really well and is such a lovely, happy, open child (not sure about the "open" - probably means she's been telling her stories and our secrets! LOL). She's already moved her up a reading group, we couldn't have hoped for a better start for her.

Okay ... on to the crafting, I've been bitten by the paper-craft bug, really really badly ... I have all sorts of ideas I want to try and things I want to do - it's probably just as well we're still waiting for a nice bonus from DH's work ... I have so many things I want to buy! LOL ... I think one of the reasons I'm loving it so much is the beautiful paper/card out there - it's very like the quilting fabric thing ;) I've set myself up a table in DH's garage (much to his disgust), and it is perfect for being able to leave all my stuff out and just come and go as I please and am able.

So, on to the pictures ...

Firstly - Ashley's Roses - all FINISHED!!! I started this, I think, maybe about 2000, I know that my last progress picture before I picked her up again was January 2001 - and there wasn't a lot done. It is so nice to have a Mirabilia/bigger piece crossed off my WIP list. I've promised the two girls this one for their bedroom - just need to find the extra pennies to get it framed.

Ashleys Roses - Stitched on Sky Blue 28ct Lugana

Started approximately 2000, Finished February 2007

Then there is Sampler Gameboard, another long standing WIP - I read on a blog somewhere, sorry, I can't remember who's or where!! that there was a SAL on the 20th of each month, so I decided to join in, I hope nobody minds - let me know if it is you I am gate-crashing :) So, 20th of this month, I did indeed pull it out and spend a couple of nights doing two squares - here is where it is at now -

Lastly, a couple of the latest cards from the latest obsession! The pink one is obviously a great little girl one, Rhiannon has told me that she is not giving it to any of her friends for their birthdays because she'd be jealous that they had it and not her LOL

Oh, and I should tell you all about my adventure, so you can LAUGH at me LOL ... I decided it would be a great idea to bike to the office on Tuesday, rather than drive - the office (sports office for cricket) is in Waikanae - which is across the river from us - I live on the other side of the river, just a hop, skip and a jump walking or on a bike, but a drive up to the main highway and back down if you go by car. Sooooo I couldn't quite work out how to bike down next to the river so biked up the road once I'd crossed the walking bridge - took a while, talked to the sports person at the office and he gave me some good instructions on how to get to the "walkway" down the side of the river, mentioned there might be a couple of places I'd have to carry my bike over some rocks. Ah, yeah - found it okay, found the rocks - HUGE boulders! LOL to carry my bike across, all was going well - just as I was leaving the stony part of the track and had come to the easy biking walkway/road I realised my tyre was flat :( ... I ended up walking the I'd say about 6km, all the way home ... in the hottest part of day, with no sun screen ... I was a hot and bothered girl by the time I got home ... BUT the river is so beautiful, we - the family - just don't spend enough time appreciating the great environment we live in! I need to replace my road tyres back with some good mountain bike thick ones, and I'll go back and do it again :)

Lastly, I've had three acquaintances - SIL, woman I work with, mother from school - lose one of their parents this week, they say deaths come in threes and I'll be certainly thinking of them and their families.