We are still waiting for 'Summer'

I'll put the jug on!

We are still holding on to winter here and day-light-saving is here in NZ, I'm getting a little excited.

 It's warming up, so that must mean Summer is knocking at the door!.

Looking forward to seeing all my pretty flowers that like to pop up every year
all by themselves, they're good like that.

It's like a garden of surprises' when you walk around, bulbs are showing their little heads and of course the weeds are pushing there way through too, but that's okay if you start picking at them early enough, bucket in hand.

So now that the weather is warming up and we have more day light to play outside
to get busy with the yard, was such a wet winter, it's time to get into this garden and 
knock arse. Thinking of changing...everything! what you see here... path is going to be a tiled court
yard, like the idea to simply walk out to more clear area for a social entertaining space.

Please, feel free to give me some ideas.

I would love to see some comments on new fresh ideas.

About to change this path!
Good idea or not?



'Life', it's all about change

Yes, change is a good thing!, Right!!

I've shared with a bunch of my close friends, all about a life changing adventure I've gone right ahead and brought!. ( so it's all too damn late to advise me differently now people😝 ) but, have you any idea how scary this is!.

Have you never let go of a long time comfort zone job that you have hold on to since..heck since, FOREVER!.

My day use to be full of  wire/machines/cold concrete floors/poor lighting and bad coffee!.

As from Monday next week, I will be my own boss ( WoopWoop ) zooming around in this little number you see below👇.

Air-Con here I come. Ask me, go on, ask me ," What the hell are you doing, Trina"!.

And I would stare back at you like a ridiculously panicked individual, with that long blanked look, when you see on someone, just before they bust into tears and they say, ' I don't know'.

But wait!, there's a really good side to this crazy move I've made, let me just say, ( I'll say it out loud so I can convince myself, its going to be AMAZING), 'its only when I leave, will they understand I was misunderstood all this time of my talent here, they will realize that after 30+ years of  reliable service, I should have got more recognition looking after this firm and have a mentioned to you, I haven't had a pay-rise for over 8years!'.

 So with that alone, I will be super reliable to myself and the people of Tauranga, will benefit from my loyalty.

Check out my Office!

Sunrise in Paradise

When you have the opportunity to start your morning so early you witness the most beautiful, breath taking moment of your day, it's right then when you realise, its going to be the best day NEVER.

No such thing as a free lunch!

Great day to stop in at the park for lunch with some hot chips and boom, the word was out, it didn't take long before we weren't alone.

Funny how seagulls just know, if you stop in at a park, you will come with food and hang around until you get comfortable at a bench, fold out that parcel and are happy to wait!. 



 You got a spare chip Sir!...

Yum, don't mind if I do!



'this one was so shy'



• 

Who doesn't love 'Lighthouses'

Manukau Heads Lighthouse

So here I am, at Manukau Heads, Awhitu Peninsula, Auckland NZ.

What a beautiful day to visit this sweet little lighthouse, views for miles, wildlife enjoying the peace and quiet on a picture perfect day.

We spent the best part of an hour looking for land-marks beyond this peninsula. We could identified exactly where the airport was!, that was easy, every two minutes an International Flight would amid straight for us!.

Yep, Auckland City was also out there in the distance.

We had some beautiful Maui Dolphin's swim by, there
was a great viewing platform from the lookout point, they were just enjoying there day like us.

I've got this thing going on, on my face-book page, #FindMeFriday it's fun, it's making me aware of my world around me. My partner reminds me, well, where are we heading to this week for your Fridays Pic, it's making quite an impression on this household, even have my daughters friends ask her, 'what's her Mum up to this week!', kind of cool actually.

Educational for some, remember-able for others. It's great when people comment to my photos and take a guess where I could be. No prize, just be first at getting it right, simply a 'Well Done, Congratulations' from me, try your luck again next week #FindMeFriday. 

Awhitu Peninsula

Look...that's me up there!

Easy hill with few steps to the top, phew!

Worlds rarest marine mammal, the 'Maui Dolphin'

'Conservation Week'

Okay, its 'Conservation Week' in the Bay of Plenty, we are going to finally crack down on these dog owners who, for years have abused signs that have been in place at the Mount Maunganui beach for years. As you can see, clearly, over due!! In respect for the little 'blue penguin' its about damn time.

 

 

 

 

Roadies Rule

Lets take a break!


 Just do it, the weekend is coming folks, so let's get ready now! I love an idea thrown together at the last minute, don't wait to plan more excuses, just do it!.


Chilly-bin filled with refreshments✅ tent ✅ & sleeping bags(& soft pillows)✅ chucked in the boot or in our case, the tray of the truck and head off .


 Better if you have a destination point to camp out under the stars ( like we did ) but sometimes it's fun too simply wing it and take a chance on the weather! What could happen is some fun memories to cherish, a road trip to remember. Cheap way to have some down time, a chance to return home refreshed.
 Who's with me?
#Fun / #Adventure / #Livingthedream

In Remembrance on 'Fathers Day'

I Miss You Dad.
28 years gone and I still miss you,
Why couldn't you wait to meet your granddaughter, you only had 3mths to wait!
The family has grown with more grandchildren ( and great grandchildren) that will never know you like I did, but they have learnt to understand you are missed so very much every day.

 Happy Fathers Day to my beautiful Dad.

Essential, for Goodness Sake

Yes, Usana...it's Essential.

Do you wish too feel better, look better?

Is there any products in the market place that can really take good
 care of me!

Should high-quality supplements, vitamins, skin care and nutritional weight-loss products cost so much you can't afford them!
Could there be any weight loss products that taste any good and work!

Well, if anyone can, 'Usana' is the one you should trust.

I've loved everything about this company, for over 3yrs now, I've personally taken the vitamins, love the skin care, enjoyed the health shakes also the fabulous shampoo/conditioners and great toothpaste. I've enjoyed their Nutrimeal health shakes( Dutch Chocolate is my favourite )they're all fabulously yummo :)
When you check out my wed-site https://trinas-healthy-side.usana.com 
Simply view what amazing products that are available too you all, you will also find there a True-Health 'Free Health Assessment' and a personalised supplement recommendations, just click to begin.
               

 

Usana...yep, it's Essential.

 

 

Crafty Or Just Crazy

When a trip to a little shopping centre close to home is in order.
What a fabulous treat we were in for on this beautiful fine winters day.

Tree's, all the tree's in Greerton were snug as little bugs. All dress nicely in there finest knit wear, yep, every tree in town were wearing beautifully handmade jumpers!.

Some club out that way, must have got thinking one day, over tea and scones, hey, these trees in town must be feeling the cold this year, it's been pretty chilly lately, should we make up some jumpers for them! If we enjoy knitting, ( they sure do ) lets put our knitting needles to good use. And knit they did, to there hearts content.

 I've never seen such dedication taking care of the environment.

 In the spring, these 'Ornamental Cherry Blossom Tree's' are full of fabulous pink blossom, so maybe it's this kind of loving that makes them shine so well.




Over 10 'Tree's' in total with knitted Jumpers on!.



Big, Bright & Beautiful

Domestic Bliss!, Ha, What a Joke

Domestics seem to come natural, if not willingly, to others but sadly not to me. Let me just share with you what's on my mind.

I've had the same vacuum cleaner for almost 20 years now and can I remember how to put it back in the cupboard!, without its pipes acting like a sex-starved octopus?

No, I can't.

Every time it fights me back, until I end up screaming obscenities and slamming the door no matter what bits of it are still sticking out. No wonder it hates me.

So too does the oven. It knows I'm a woman of a certain vintage and has therefore deliberately faded the already tiny icons around the controls so that I haven't a clue what setting it is on.

I'm challenged enough in the cooking department  without having the equipment turn against me, is it really so bad that I either undercook everything or burn it to a crisp? If I could see what I was doing with those silly little dials, maybe there'd be an improvement. I'm better off I reckon, to hiring an in house chef for our health.

I confess, I was delighted recently when an expert cook accidentally flambéed her famous chicken dish on fan bake! It highlighted the fact that we really don't know how fan bake works.

As for fan grill, this same expert cook has had her new oven for three years and still has to check the instruction book every time she wants to use it!

"There's also a setting that's good if you're doing two trays of cookies, but again, I'd have to look at the book to know which one," she says. So you see, I don't stand a chance with a new model stove in this house. Makes you think perhaps we're better off going back to living in tents and throwing some sticks on the fire to roast a pigeon.

I think I've told you before that our ancient Kenwood mixer is on a suicide mission and works its way across the bench-top so it can throw itself on the floor, but now I think the fridge is out to get me too!
It's started making the loudest, most horrible noise but only when I leave the room, when I come back in to look at it, it stops.

I've brought it on myself with my abuse of the vacuum cleaner and possibly also repeated threats to replace the Kenwood. But what have I done to the oven other than torture perfectly good food and loudly state my preference for barbecuing.

This Happened...

I'm going to bore you guys to tears with these updates, but it must come to an end soon, right!. To exciting not to share stuff that is finished with our little project 'the bus' , check it out...the Grill is going back on, Yay. #FixThePlus

Almost time to 'Hit the Road'

Dinning Table

The Kitchen

...and more about the bus... One way to test a relationship, is to work in confine cubbyhole like conditions, restricting your arm length to hit someone!, but we had passed the test...for now anyway.

This has surprisingly come together quite  well, we are on the same page, thank goodness.

The  piggy bank is still rattling, until it's not, we will carry on playing.
We love 'Trade-Me' for all the bargains, lead- light windows from Christchurch, plenty on the market place, result from the earthquakes back in 2011-12, brought two at $70ea.

NZ Kauri wood for our table top, donated kindly from a friend, thanks Grant.
Curtains: material also a trade-me buy, from Blenheim, South Island $20, gone throughout the whole bus, made by yours truly!, it's funny when someone mentions, hey Trina!, you could make those up, easy aye!. ummm sure, piece a cake, right!, well, they are still up, so let's just go with that for now. 

Peace beads are a must.. that's right aye, +S. Bradley Stoner , we have a good handful up there just for you my friend..

 

 

 

There's Progress

Yes indeedy, lots of progress is happening with our little Bedford school bus 🚌 camper.(still with no name).


Long way off finishing yet, but with the fine gap's in the weather, my partner set to work on getting some paint on the old gal.


Some panel work yet to be done on the front but that didn't stop him from slamming some cream paint on the side's. Picture if you would, where you see some black including around windows, we are thinking dark green!.

It's shaping up quite nicely to us. Lucky my partner is a painter by trade, hate to think how much this would have cost!


 Watch this space for more updates 😊

Remember the fun times

When a 'Carnival' is in town and you really feel the need to have a go on some ( most ) of the rides they have on offer, all you want to do is grab a kid ( grandson ) and go stand in the ticket line 😊

Got to love Weekends

If its only to stop at a park and relax for 10 minutes, in my day just for me, then stop I will.

Got to love Weekends

If its only to stop at a park and relax for 10 minutes, in my day just for me, then stop I will.

What is happening to our future?

 
It's wonderful to watch a baby sleep peaceful, with no care in the world, why would you wake such a beautiful sight.

 We watch on as they find their feet. We only wish them love and laughter in their life, to grow strong with very little to worry there little minds.

 

I struggle with what is happening in this weird and crazy world right now, what harm will come to all the children we bring into this one and only planet!, what are we doing out there!.

 

 It's scary to understand what will be left behind for my beautiful grandson.  Will he become a strong young man, a good man that will make us proud, have a beautiful family of his own and make them safe. We can only wish for the very best for his future in a more settled world then we have now.

 

We need more love and respect for each other.

 

Just a walk in the Park

 

I'd like to share with you what we came across a few weekends ago. A little bike show! cool when you are out & about doing nothing in particular, just walking through town on a Sunday.

BSA, Harley's the normally things you would find at a show with bikes, but this groovy dog got my attention, all set with goggles/scarf/water-proof vest, ready to hit the road, the owner was to shy too be in the picture, but he told me his mate has travelled with him everywhere and is the best companion on the road.

 We moved around the park, both thinking there is a lot of money in these toys (expensive garage ornaments, I call them), coz they don't look like the most practical machine you would ride every day! and we have one taking up space in our very own shed. So you can managing what the chatter was driving home. If we cashed up on the ornament back in our garage, we could go on a trip!!. Yep, it was the topic of the night alright, but has always, it came to an end. 

It's My Party

I'm all about a birthday party, me. The fairy bread, the cheerio's, the Fanta!...What's not to love?
Mind you, my first ever fashion faux pas took place at a birthday party, so it's a surprise that I don't run screaming from the room the moment someone puts a candle on a cake!.

The birthday girl on that occasion lived at the end of our street and I think she! was turning four. I don't remember her name!, but I remember my choice of outfit, as if it was yesterday..
.
A pair of clinging bright green tights and a very tight green polo-neck jersey. No top layer - just tights and a top. It was a thing. I'm pretty sure it was a thing,  Mum tried to talk me out of it, but I knew the look I was going for and remained determined to proceed as planned.

There are few four -year olds who could pull this look off and sadly I was most definitely not one of them, I must have looked like a giant frog covered in pond scum!!.

I have no recollection of the party itself, just of the walk home before it had finished. This may not have actually happened, but I hope it didn't, because it turns out tights and polo necks were so not a thing, I don't know where I got that idea from.

And while I've never worn so little ever again, I'm still just as keen on a birthday party, even though  these days, one can only fit so many candles on a cake before the presence of hairspray becomes something the fire department needs to know about.

But what becomes even more important than fair bread is catching up with friends and family. I don't know why, but the more you need this to happen, less it does!.

At least I am not dressed in clinging bright green stuff. My lovely sister out of the blue, took the bull by the horns and invited a small but perfectly formed group for a Sunday lunch a wee while back to help me celebrate mine.

These things are the memories we cling to, during the boring bit of the year when Christmas isn't happening. Who cares how blah the age you're celebrating is? Break out the Fanta and defrost some sausage rolls people and enjoy that age thing about life.

More Yard Work

Update: I'm excited to report back, well, both of us actually, feeling little proud, look...glass(harden plastic!)house working sweet, with lavender planted against the wall check, chickens happy, who wouldn't be in that classic hen house with cute little windows! check, rhubarb(what a weird word to spell)growing well check, my handy work mosaic brick freshly planted with my two favourite herds chives & parsley in the corner of the garden check and the potatoes in, in tidy rows. Yep, quite satisfied, now grow my beauties, grow.

Life is 'Cool'

 

Meet this coolest dude, 'Connor', my sweetest little grandson, 

this guy can get away with just about anything.