Holidays

Been a wonderful week weather wise.
So much so that I've had to break out the summer dresses.

 

Starting the day with a coffee and a beach stroll.

Sunday 31st December - last day of the year.

So I had forewarned my dear wife that Sunday the 31st was going to be a Rachel day.
Well it turned out to be a morning outing.
I was in need to feel the wind blowing through my wig and what better than a boat ride to the city.

Of course I had brunch in the city, helped out some tourists who were looking for the Waiheke ferry (one of our most scenic islands in the harbour, with lots of vine yards, wine tasting tours). Chatted to a young family on the boat ride back home.

Generally, just an amazingly good day out, relaxed to the max until.........
I got home and spent the rest of the day removing a structural wall, re-calc'd the load and prep'd for a new beam to slot in.
Sledge hammers are also fun, but not as much.

 

 

 

 

Hope you have a great New Year's eve, see you in 2018

Love from Rachel.

What a day

Saturday.
On the second day of Christmas my true love took me window shopping -
bought a new window for the bathroom.
and 90 meters of external wall weatherboard.
So I installed 1/2 the weatherboard and she wants me to install the new window......

But now it's Sunday - it's a day of rest and a day to wish you all a merry Christmas.

And one of the big stories in the National Newspaper, is being trans in a small rural village.

But I digress

So merry Christmas, may it be joyful and please be safe on the roads during this crazy season as I do enjoy your company.

Always on the go, no time left.

Got up early (I always do, it's a habit caused by my Monday to Friday job)

8.30 Coffee at a McDonalds in Penrose.
It was a bit sad to find a youngish (late teen) who appeared to be drugged up trying to sleep in the shop. Staff had trouble moving him on - why can't they just be crazy like me instead of consuming crap.


9 am and I'm at the "Trade Depot" shop buying a shower for my new bathroom.
Also picked up some electrical cable, junction boxes and a tap for the toilet.
With me returning an item for a refund, I ended up at the service desk for over 30 minutes, but at these prices I don't mind waiting a bit, the bathroom will probably end up 25% below budget.
(Yesterday I assisted the drain layer in running the new sewer pipes, piles of fun but it was stinky work)

While the sales staff were really cool, the dispatch girl was great fun.
As my name appears on the account, guess about 13 people who were in the area know my real name when she called me back to the counter to tell me about the back order parts.

The vast time I spent at the shop, made me late for a visit with my girlfriend and with the pressure of needing to return to the shop with a bigger vehicle meant I only had about an hour to visit. I was a bit sad about that, as it's nice relaxing with her and she's so interesting.
One day I hope to have time to start up our brunch outings again.

I returned later to the shop in my big work wagon and my wife.
The dispatch girl was shocked seeing me in male mode, she probably associated my name with a cross dresser, so to see a hot, charming male instead, made her jump.
After picking up the large and heavy shower glass, wife and I were having coffee at a local spot on the way home, when a transformer blew up next door, so we stayed to watch the firemen and women attending the fire.

Back home and I plumbed in an external tap that I had fitted 2 years ago, but I've been waiting on an excuse to open the ceiling to install 8 meters of pipe - the new bathroom gave me the excuse so now I have a hose near where we park our cars. Funny how some plans take years.

Spent extra time for you

Okay, so I was thinking about you this morning, not me, so instead of 3 minutes make up, I took a whole 10 minutes. Moisturized, colour correction, concealer, foundation, powder, eye shadow (3 colours), mascara, lipstick and lip gloss.
Personally, still think I look like an old man, but I felt really good and enjoyed a nice relaxing hour out for coffee and a read of the newspaper.

 

While I like my shiny top, I decided it was a bit showy, so I quickly changed my top for something a bit lighter before stopping at the grocery shop on the way home. I picked up some pancake mix (that I cooked for the kids for breakfast) and cat food.

Back home I wanted to show off my work around the home, earlier it was with the nail gun, this week I've been breaking up and removing about 3 cubic meters of concrete paths.
Wife took the photo for me, but she wanted me to hurry as we were expecting daughters boyfriend to wake up soon.
The down side is my hands are now covered in blisters and my shoulders and back are in agony, both with fatigue and sun burn on yet another unusually bloody hot, sun baked day.

Doing the manly stuff

Renovations - another great pass time

Yesterday I did manage a 40 minute swim (in boy mode), followed by an hour in the gym.
You have no idea how hard it is to put on black 3/4 tights, light blue lycra sports bra, apricot coloured sports top on, while your skin is still very damp.
Which reminds me, I hope Santa can bring me an A cup breast form to wear at the gym as my little enhances are to small and my home made boobs are too big.
Starting to go a little mad, gritting teeth, as I feel like I haven't had enough girl time.

Maybe I'll get an hour of girl time before hiring a big as jack hammer on Saturday morning to break up all the concrete around my house (think Arnie on the demolition site at the start of Total Recall).

Instead my spare time is taken up with digging trenches and a 1.5 meter deep hole for my new spetic line. Wife took this photo at 1 meter where the top of the pipe was visible, I've had to go another 50 cm to get under them.

The heat of our super early summer and all this work is helping me lose a few Kg, even with the extra beer intake.

been away for a few busy days

Sunday was a 7 am coffee

 Followed by a serious workout

 And another trip to the hardware for a new door and cavity slider

 All that work and it's time for a second coffee at Hollywood bakery (next door is a hair salon, so I popped in and had my hairy eyebrows waxed before heading home)

After 11 am I took one of my daughters to the city for Christmas shopping, while she found some good presents, we were also blocked for an hour from getting back to our car by the Auckland Santa Parade and the several hundreds of thousands of spectators.

By 7 pm, with 2 hours work, the new door was fitted - yes this is a pose just for you, if I was actually building I would have safety glasses and safety boots on

Building work in progress

I normally walk the dog in the evening, but due to time off to meet contractors, I've managed a few day time walks.

Saturday morning I made it to the gym. I would normally train for muscle build but recently found out I needed running speed, so the treadmill has become my best friend.

Went to the supermarket straight after for a jar of coffee, milk and some lunch stuff (we normally pop in daily as it's only 2 minutes by car or 10 minutes on foot). Checkout girl was chatting to me about workouts, the fun and the horrible bits.

Saturday after 10, was all about the build - ie. me running around with the biggest hand held (18 inch) concrete cutter, doing 150 mm cuts all around the house for 4 hours. Talk about workouts and muscle building -wife thought it fun but she forgot to take photos for you.

SUNDAY, the day of rest???

I got dressed real pretty in my new white blouse and a black skirt, took Miss 20 to a course she has to do for work, but took her through McDonalds drive through for her breakfast. After dropping her off I went back to the same McDonalds for a nice relaxing breakfast.
I had decided on a dark lipstick as I was over the lighter and pinker colour that is my normal, the girl serving complimented me on the colour choice which made me feel really good. What girl doesn't like compliments  :)

 

After about 40 minutes, I got bored and decided to get back to the renovations.

I'm not sure how or when, but just as I was leaving I noticed 2 large coffee marks on my brand new - never worn before, blouse. I raced into the ladies and luckily it cleaned up as good as new.

While removing an external door, my hammer struck the concrete floor slab, which fractured and got me in the eye (which in turn ruined my mascara).

Rest of the day I've been working with one eye shut and got a heck of a headache. So now I think I'll wear my safety glasses even when using boring hand tools.

Been a fun week

First of all Sunday, I tried (and failed) to be a bit sexy, for an admirer who likes tight outfits while I was out for my morning coffee and a walk around Mission Bay and it's fountain.
Normally I would have bare legs, wife likes hairy as she says they look more meaty although I think a leg wax is on my Christmas list as well as a drone for my video hobby

 

Funny thing, 2 large groups of cyclists went by, the guys first, sleek and swift, then the ladies who I heard 2 miles away with their loud chatting.
Anyway, while out, I remembered my cat needs cat food - well the gravy part anyway while the meat goes to waste, daughter wanted Coke and we were low on milk.

Tuesday and I have serious man flu.
Probably had 3 hours sleep during the night in a spare room so as not to wake the wife with my sneezing and coughing. While I had trouble concentrating on driving, I did make it to the shops mid morning for cold drugs and 2 new tops before heading home for some more sleep.

 

Hope you like my Paris top, my wife bought it as a souvenir in Paris a few years ago and I think it's probably the first time I've worn it in public.

I wish I had got food while I was out, as I found out Miss 19 ate my dinner that I was to ill to eat yesterday, while I was out.
I was looking forward to yesterdays left overs, it was a great dish.
I was too tired to go out again although it would have been an excuse to dress up again, I raided the cupboards and only had enough food for one of my favorite dishes - cheese soup (with baked beans for added protein).
Bread, cheese & tomato (tomato flavoured spaghetti or baked beans) would normally equal PIZZA, but this is an old dish that came around with food shortages during the war in England and France.

Anyway - 
Need more sleep again, really need rid of this man flu ASAP, hopefully chat to you again soon.

Rachel.














Once I got home, I ended up getting changed into my garden clothes and dug a trench for optic fibre. It included putting a cut through my concrete pat, so I ended up covered in concrete dust.

Got really scratchy

Yesterday, after quite a while without girl time but...
I did "under dress" most of the day with a pretty bra and thin t-shirt to try to subdue my inner girl, had coffee out at a local shopping mall - it felt very nice and natural

I even attended an accident where a passenger who doesn't like wearing a seat belt, attempted to break the windscreen with her head, she managed only to destroy the inside layer of glass and made the interior a nice red colour.

It did remind me to donate blood, so if anyone is keeping tally - that's 2 good deeds in one day.

Later that night, my lack of "real" girl time was driving me mad and making me really grumpy, so much so that I had to retire to bed early and meditate (helped a little)

THIS MORNING HOWEVER,
I woke at 5 and decided I really have to girl up if I'm going to stay sane.
Went to McDonalds which are open 24/7 for a quick morning coffee as girly as I could -
boob tube (without boobs or make up)  & mini-skirt.

Felt 100% better, went to work and had a great day there before coming back home and digging a 1 meter deep hole looking for my waste water pipe so I can connect the new bathroom -found heavy cement foundations for a post, found sticky wet clay, broke the spade and have blistered my hands.
Hopefully I'll find the pipe soon

All in all, a good day

Building Consent issued

For those that haven't read my earlier posts, I CAD up a new major renovation project for my house, submitted insulation resistances, light and ventilation calcs, weather tightness drawings plumbing & drainage drawings to name a few. I remember back in the 70's when my dad did great drawing for a shed, the finished lean to didn't look anything like the drawings - dreams are free, timber & bricks aren't.
Anyway, having consent has increased the excitement for my wife, who has had me view a dozen different show rooms this weekend looking at tiles, taps, showers and all the other nick nacks. Her new revised estimate only has us $2K short - lets hope I can save a bit on the build.

Did I mention that yet again, while I was in Australia, my house had another plumbing failure - always happens when I'm in Australia. This time it was underground and I had to open a few walls to bypass the leak. I'm planning to re-do the dry wall (gib board in NZ) as I need better water proofing during the renovations, so the new holes can wait a bit.

All this stress means I need to get out more - well that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.
Please excuse the top, it was free, so why not enjoy it

 

Did I mention my kids had a party, that finished at 3 am and left me picking up about 60 tins and bottles off the garden.
Can you tell I only had 3 hours sleep?
Luckily their empties only 1/2 filled my recycling bin as I remember a 21st that overflowed the bin.

Purge

Purge is a hated word in cross dressing circles.
Basically we throw out all our female stuff (clothes, breast forms, wigs, shoes).
Normally when we feel guilty that there is something wrong with us (there isn't), or pressured by family, or how I feel currently, which is happier as a male.
I've been there once or twice before, but know that with stress or time or whatever the hell triggers these personality switches, I will be needing my girl stuff again (the golden rule is we are stuck with this condition forever, so never throw away your girl stuff).

I made a commitment to have a girls brunch, so this morning I put my girl stuff on and waited and waited. It was about 15 minutes latter, while having a morning coffee that I was relaxed enough and felt like I was correctly dressed.
Before the manly cowboy time on the farm a few weeks ago, I would have woken as a female or if not, I could have switched personalities in milliseconds.

 

I would like to thank my wife for the loan of her skirt as my legs are too hairy to wear my shorter skirts and she has requested that they stay hairy - as if.

After coffee I visited KMart and tried on a few outfits, fell in love with this top but since I had already this weekend spent $150 on plumbing pipes and fittings (this time to bypass an underground leak). I decided not to spend my money just yet.

Eventually it was time to meet up with my girlfriend Josie, for brunch.
The manager did ask why we were away for so long as we used to be regulars, but sometimes real life gets in the way of fun outings.