Looks like we made it

Well almost, there is breathing space while we watch this space.

I left you all in Silverdale on Saturday morning, and meet you here this morning (Monday) in Waiwera! I have all of what I want (from my four locations) a lot of what I don’t want and left stuff that I can’t even think about right now….but may need to when I have a second.

Friday night Christmas parties depleted my helper workforce for the shift, but the oldies held it together – my friend John and his massive trailer – Dan to load at this end, Jack to load at his end, and George joined the lifting crew for the big unload. Meanwhile back on the (new) home front, Jill and Lexi did a spring floor and bathroom clean before the shifters returned.

Jill worked with me all day and voila….

The never again moveables are in place (old stuff is heavy stuff)

The kitchen is waiting it’s finishing touches – Aaron arrived and managed to install the kitchen tap! The last critical piece of equipment.

Dans BBQ in place saw the first a Saturday night action with a BBQ and drinks for the workers! Except George, he headed north with his mates on a camping expedition.

Sunday brought more activity, a few loads of washing ( at the cottage down the road as can’t quite get to the back of my garage to hook up the washing machine), collecting some kitchen essentials from the cottage cupboards and then a stock up grocery shop! This took me two hours and racing around countdown, nose in list, throwing stuff left, right and centre into my trolley, exhaustion creeping in….oblivious to the fact I had actually stolen someone else’s trolley (and Handbag), of course very kindly leaving them my handbag and trolley. Until down the toilet paper aisle, this very frantic woman came dashing up to me and told me I had taken her trolley! First glance I could see my goodies on top then realised yes…..she was right. She was very upset, as she thought a real thief was at work and had raced her handbag off into the car park ( where she had already been) I Went to collect my trolley and others were standing guard, I think the entire supermarket (apart from me) had been alerted to the crime afoot! Anyway I gathered my trolley and handbag and my toilet paper (and various other bits) off the other lady’s trolley and moved on to the checkout….and as luck would have it I got the lad with trainer wheels just starting his holiday job!

Thankfully by this time George had appeared back from up north and could assist with the unloading of the 2 hour grocery shop!

Meanwhile on the building site in front…

A weekends work was producing rewards decking and inside painting well underway…another cause for BBQ – workers need to be fed!

And finally….

The roses are blooming, the grapevine (which Dan and I cut back to a stump three months ago) is taking over the driveway!

I took a moment….

And threw the Christmas tree together, it was too high for the window hole so cut off it’s trunk reducing it’s height by six inches!

It’s been a frantic weekend interspersed with dad moments, dad visits and me racing back last night as he was not feeling flash, Steve came to stay the night with him around 10pm and I hobbled back to my new home – too tired for the deep bath soak I had promised myself!

The working week begins, with a car service today and working from my new workstation…when I return from dropping car and checking on dad.