RIP Sandy

Once upon a time, before I left school, I worked at New World,  a supermarket in Havelock North. AJ did as well. I was on the checkout from 4pm - 9pm, four days a week. Also 10am-9pm on Saturdays. 

One of the fondest memories of working there (besides interactions with AJ), was working with a lady named Sandy. She was the bubbliest, nicest person you could meet. We would talk about all types of things and she would keep us all entertained if things were slow. We always had a running joke that I was "corrupting" her, even though it was probably the other way around :P

After I moved away to University, I would always pop back into New World to see her. She was always keen to hear how I was doing and would update me on her kids. She thought it was great when AJ and I started going out (he was still working there). She was even more pleased when we got engaged. Every time we were at the New World supermarket in Havelock North, we would make sure to go through her checkout and have a little catch up. She gave the best hugs.

And now she's gone. I'm not sure of specifics. I'm not sure I care. All I care about is a family that's without a loved Mother, Wife, Aunty etc. The world will be a worse off place without her. 

I'm going to miss her. A lot.

My blog plan

Hi guys,

So I've been trying to post three times a week recently; as I'm currently not working. However, this isn't working for me.

I'm going to now post once a week. It could be any day of the week. I might post more. It all depends on inspiration and what I get up to etc.

Instead, I'm going to try my hand at different activities. I might do some crafting (you never know, I might actually finish something). I'll try out some of the recipes I've pinned over the years. I might even do some writing and sketching. I also want to get the house and garden in check.


So that's my plan. I hope you'll stick around :D

10 things that make me happy

1. My husband. He is my soulmate and I love him so much. I don't know what I'd do without him.

2. Cuddles. Especially with family members. There's just something about a hug that automatically makes me feel better.

3. Tea. I love tea. I have a shelf dedicated to my different types of tea. It makes me so happy to sit down with a cup of tea. Currently, I have 18 different types.

4. Chocolate. I absolutely love chocolate and when I'm feeling down in the dumps, chocolate will always make me feel better. I'm loving all the new flavours that have been coming out recently as well.

5. Driving. I love driving. Especially in the country. There's just something so freeing about being in control of a car. I love accelerating, going around corners and having the music turned up loud while I do so.

6. Music. I have a very broad taste in music. I primarily go for metal and rock of different types though. Turning the music up loud and singing along (while possibly doing a silly dance) really makes me happy. 

7. The Beach. I love going to the beach. Living in Auckland we have the choice of so many. Sometimes I want the tranquility of the East Coast beaches - where you can look over to the Coromandel Peninsula. There's no surf, and they're generally surrounded by Pohutukawa trees. On the West Coast there's the ones where there's the pounding surf. I love going to both and they make me release the stress of whatever's happening and get happy again.

8. Mountains. I don't get to see them often, but I absolutely love it when I do. I love their magnificence. The towering over everything else. AJ and I dream of living someplace where we can have a view of the mountains. 

9. Snow. I just love the look and feel of the snow. I don't see it very often, but when I do I get incredibly happy. We used to make a trip every year to the Central Plateau for my birthday so I could see the snow, but circumstances haven't allowed recently :(

10. Board Games. This is a relatively recent discovery of mine and it is so much fun! We have quite a collection of board games now, and playing them is so satisfying. You can pretend to be different characters and relieve stress. Just choose who you play with wisely, as you don't want it to get so competitive that things get awkward.

Make sure your husband sees the Doctor!

Last year, my husband AJ was feeling extremely run down. He'd had a few bouts of extreme sickness (throwing up etc) and was very irritable. He couldn't concentrate properly at work and no matter how much he slept, he was still tired.

Finally, after lots of hassling from me, his parents and even some of his workmates, he finally made a doctors appointment. He was told to have a blood test and they would see what resulted from that.

A few days later he got a call from the doctor to make another appointment as there was something up. I actually went in with him this time - scared that it was going to be something serious. The Doctor said that he had a form of hyperthyroidism - possibly Graves Disease. His thyroid hormone levels were 3-4 times what they should be and the thing that regulates them had stopped working. He got prescribed some pills that he had to take twice a day - three at a time. He was also told to make an appointment with an Endocrinologist. About a month later, after another blood test, we headed to the Endocrinologist who confirmed that he did indeed have Graves Disease (though without the bulgy eyes thank goodness). His muscle strength wasn't what it should have been and he was prescribed more of the same.

For the next few months AJ kept getting blood tests and the Endocrinologist would call and tell him how his hormone levels were and that the medication was working. His dosage went down to one pill, twice a day and now he's been taking only one pill a day.

The Endocrinologist has now handed AJ's care back to his GP. AJ has to get a blood test every month and stay on a maintenance dosage of his medication for at least a year.

He's now much better. Still tired, but I think that's just because he's a light sleeper and has to get up really early every day for work. He's not nearly as irritable and his energy levels have increased. It's made us both much happier.

If you or your significant other aren't feeling the best - and it keeps happening - then see a doctor. It's worth it in the long run. The worst they can say is "we can't find anything wrong". But if there is something, then surely it's worth it.

If I won a million dollars...

Oh, it would be amazing to win a million dollars. I'd want to do so much with the money but I'd have to be sensible first of all and do the following:

• PUT THE MONEY IN THE BANK! Extra interest would be great :D
• Pay back both sets of parents all of the money we owe them
• Pay off the mortgage
• Pay back my student loan

After all of those debts had been paid off, I would probably do the following:

• Hire someone to fix all of the things that need fixing in the house and re-do the bathroom.
• Build a carport
• Landscape the garden
• Put the house on the market
• Buy a house that has enough room for our future family - hopefully closer to AJ's work
• Donate a certain amount to a charity (would all depend how much I had left - a certain percentage of leftover money)

Then, if there was any money left after all of that, I would:

• Buy an Audi R8 (my favourite car)
• Do AJ's dream trip of California and SW USA
• Go to Europe again
• Visit Geneva, NY (where I lived as a kid) and tour around the Eastern US
• Visit Canada
• Go on an Alaskan cruise

I definitely wouldn't have any money left after all of that (especially because I'd probably be shopping as well :P ). So since we'd have more savings, I'd put it towards buying a holiday home somewhere in the North Island where I could see the mountains.

Of course, once we have kids, these dreams could change...

Random tag thing

Here's a random tag thing that I got from here:

http://www.alwaysmadewithlove.co.nz/20-things-might-know-blog-tag/


Question 1: How tall are you? 175cm

Question 2: Do you have a hidden talent? If so, what? Nope

Question 3: What’s your biggest blog-related pet peeve? Bloggers who don't put arrows to go from one post to the next.

Question 4: What’s your biggest non-blog related pet peeve? People who break promises.
Question 5: What’s your favorite song? Glitter in the Air by P!NK

Question 6: What’s your favorite Etsy shop that isn’t yours? I don't really go on Etsy, maybe I will when I have more money.

Question 7: What’s your favorite way to spend your free time when you’re alone? Watching youtube videos

Question 8: What’s your favorite junk food? Chocolate. Don't care what kind. Any chocolate will do.

Question 9: Do you have a pet or pets? If so, what kind and what are their names? Unfortunately not. Though AJ and I are big kids with lots of stuffed animals.

Question 10: What are your number one favorite nonfiction and fiction books? I don't really read much non fiction but favourite fiction would probably be anything by David Eddings. I'm currently re-reading the Belgariad (for like the 5th time) and absolutely love it.

Question 11: What’s your favorite beauty product? Mascara

Question 12: When were you last embarrassed? What happened? I really can't remember. I get embarrassed so often and normally blush that I lose track.

Question 13: If you could only drink one beverage (besides water) for the rest of your life, what would it be? TEA!!!

Question 14: What’s your favorite movie? The Notebook. And I cry every time.

Question 15: What were you in high school: prom queen, nerd, cheerleader, jock, valedictorian, band geek, loner, artist, prep? I was myself. I was in the clique that didn't really fit any of the stereotypes.

Question 16: If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live? Ireland or Scotland. Somewhere in the countryside.

Question 17: PC or Mac? PC

Question 18: Last romantic gesture from a crush, date, boy/girlfriend, spouse? Bringing me home chocolate :)

Question 19: Favorite celebrity? Right now I really like Wil Wheaton and Felicia Day and am obsessed with Geek and Sundry

Question 20: What blogger do you secretly want be best friends with? None. As much as I would like to be friends with lots of them, my best friend is and always will be; my husband (corny I know, but it's true!)



So there's a random tag thing. I tag whoever wants to do something random like this on their blog or whatever.

Lament to my Favourite Tree

When we first bought this house, one of the things I loved was the flowering cherry tree that was hanging over to our side of the fence. It also gave some privacy from the neighbours.

The house next door was sold recently and the new owner decided to chop down the beautiful tree. Apparently it was too close to the house or something. Nothing trimming the occasional branch wouldn't have solved.

So here's some photos in memory of my favourite tree.

Yes, I have an overgrown yard (we're working on it - bit by bit).

Now that the beautiful tree is gone, I want to find something to replace it. I'm thinking of either a jacaranda, pohutukawa, or another (possibly fruiting) cherry tree.

Thoughts?