When your out with a friend and just not worried about anything

Out with a friend and so relaxed, I was just me and not about trying to be glam.

We spent a couple of hours chatting over a lovely meal out at an Indian restaurant (isn't it always the way when your friends meal tastes nicer than the one your ordered)

The next morning, I had to head out early, luckily the great people at my hotel helped with a photo shoot at the breakfast bar. The food was so nice compared to my breakfast at home. While having breakfast, 4 other groups came in for theirs and I got to chat with a lady in a really nice dress - so wanted it :)

Summer time

 It's too hot to wear wig or make up after 10 am and since we have to wear masks when in shops etc, it's borderline pointless to wear make up anyway.

I had a bit of an incident, which at first I thought was ripped muscles and maybe a fracture but it turns out one of my neck muscles has tightened and is creating pain from my spine all the down my arm. The intensity is similar to having a tooth filling without pain relief and I'm current on week 3. This generally means I get about 4 or 5 hours sleep per night, which in turn means after 3.30 am I'm often awake. Rather than wake the household, I try to get out to a 24/7 McDonalds for a coffee.

Managed a 10am coffee

Being awake, also means I get to see my favourite time of day - sunrise

Trying to find time for myself

Monday 27th

First things first, I've damaged an arm while sailing when the yacht heeled over and slammed me against the stern pulpit (which was under water at the time). So for the last few weeks, sleep has been a bit of a hit or miss affair. The Google diagnosis implies a torn Deltoid and it's probably time I see a doctor instead of trying to tough it out.

During an early morning wake period, I managed to slip out for a 6am coffee.

By 6.30, I was already thinking about getting home to do some cleaning on the house and sort out the granny flat that wife and I will be moving into next week. The day was a very warm 27 degrees so while I changed tops, I kept the skirt on until around 2 pm (wife and I work working mostly in the private courtyard and only a few trips around the front or back of the house where neighours might have seen).

I was planning on getting out to have my eyebrows cleaned up, but wife asked me not to until after the family outing today (Tuesday) 

Tuesday 28th

Arm has woken me at 12:30am, 2, 3:30 and 5:30am and by this time I decided to go for coffee. The day is a bit cooler so I went for a more sporty look, unfortunately the sports bra straps is over the sore area on my shoulder blade.

So before picking up cat food and the like this morning, I decided to to swap into daughters dress.

Back home by 8am and it's time to switch modes for a fun day out with the family.

Christmas shopping, sorry no photos

So I know nothing about Anime, but while dressed in casual blue skirt and tight white top, big boobs and long hair, I bought a really cute pink haired anime character figurine for my son-in-law. I also went to H&M to buy a pretty pleated green skirt, but it was sold out and they only had a horrid blue/grey and a boring beige.

Anyway, getting home, daughter told me she had never heard of the series my gift was from, so she told me to get changed to boy mode and she will help me get the correct figurine. We get to the shop, the figurine he likes was sold out and there was a little sign on the counter saying no refund/exchanges, so we got nowhere.

We went home, had lunch and around 1.30, I decided to "girl up" and re-visit the store with yet another character name on hand. The shop had plenty and they were the same price, and I gusted they felt sorry the poor uninformed crossdresser (maybe) and they helped me out.

So finally, with an appropriate figurine under my arms, this lady says a big thank you to Anime 2 You.

I still don't know what the heck the character is about and I still need to find another little gift to make up secret Santa value for someone who enjoys watching anime.

Busy shopping week

 Kitchen renovations - I've been postponing my kitchen renovations for about 6 years now. Due to Auckland still being in a Covid lockdown (aka, not allowed to leave the area until the rest of the country has their vaccine jabs), I've had my second attempt to get lost in the Southern Alps cancelled.

It started off accidently, when daughter suggested tiling a kitchen splash back, using the tiles I bought 6 years ago for the job. Daughter wanted a bigger splash back than I had tiles for, so from then on every day I was either at a hardware or trying to relax at a shopping mall. We still not allowed to sit down at the mall with the meals we purchase from there, because sitting down spreads Covid (well it does mean a lot of people in close proximity without masks).

Everyone I interacted with - from hardware shops, the people helping me chose the correct paint and tinting it, tile shops, clothing shops and food outlets, have been absolutely fantastic and very helpful, people holding doors open an allowing me through first etc. Even in the busy shopping malls during the Black Friday sales, staff been amazing, customers starting random conversations with me about stuff in shops. 

One lunchtime, I was sitting with my daughter and granddaughter on the front deck, wearing her blue dress with plunging neckline (we both wear a little something under so our boobs aren't on display with this shared dress), and a neighbour walked by and had a long chat with us about the roses and flowers in the garden.

Mitre 10 hardware

New shiny skirt I'm probably going to buy

Getting dinner for the family, microwave food as kitchen is too messy to cook

Bunning hardware, coffee before buying paint

Bunnings hardware demo kitchen

Sylvia park shops, found a seat to relax on

So the old kitchen was dark red, with the assistance of two of my daughters who sanded and primed the door panels, the kitchen is now an off white.

13 cabinets and draws, dark red

new layout, nice and fresh looking

Total renovation (not including stuff I already had from other projects). Tile cutter $104, extra tiles $56, tile adhesive $20, paint, primer roller and brushed $110, cabinet handles to match existing kitchen unit $180

Total cost of new looking kitchen $470 NZD