Da Bird

Da Bird is the bestest toy ever.  I like to chase it round the garden and then just sit on it.  Mum tries to tug it away but I'm not letting it go.

We like the name Prince George, that was the name we guessed for the royal baby when everyone else thought it would be a boy.

Hope you are all having a lovely Thursday.  Mum went to the library and has a big pile of great books.  She has also got rid of some rubbish - she loves the shows on hoarders, they get her motivated to move some junk.

Wordless Wednesday

Lazy

The mumster and I were LAZY today.  She didn't sleep very well last night, between earthquakes and finishing night shift, and me waking her up at dark o'clock to let her know it was raining outside (by shaking my rainy furs all over her), she was a bit exhausted.

That meant it took her most of the day to get showered and dressed.  The dishes took all day to get done and she picked at leftovers for her dinner.  Mum is lucky though as she has tomorrow off as well, so she might get a bit more motivated to do some stuff.

Aren't we lucky to have had a lazy day!!

Isn't the new royal baby rather exciting?  We hope they get lots of lovely family time together.

All Shook Up

Thanks for checking up on us shaky folks.  Mum had to work night shift at the hospital last night.  The hospital building mum works in is very new and has the latest earthquake building techniques built in.  So there were lots of aftershocks last night, but mum only felt a few of the bigger shakes.

So she got to finish at 7am, and go to the supermarket for toilet paper and some cat biscuits - nom nom.  Then she had a snack with me and thought she would just lie down for a nap.  She managed to sleep til 2pm, and miss a big quake, but that's ok with her.

So the rest of the day has been lazing on the couch watching tv.

Our city is ok, only a few minor injuries and a few damaged roads and buildings.    Nothing like the Christchurch earthquakes that occured in the past two years, or indeed one in China today with 47 people died.  NZ has lots and lots of quakes, thousands each year, and most of us are prepared for them.  We have emergency supplies at home, including lots of food and bottled water, just in case.

Mum is looking forward to her days off to rest and relax with me.

Swarm

We wish we could say it was a swarm of da birds that we are talking about today.  Even a swarm of bees might be better, but we had a swarm of earthquakes.  Mum finished nightshift this morning and was getting breakfast in the kitchen, when it went a rocking and a rolling.  Nothing was hurt and it only lasted about twenty seconds.  We then had another couple of big ones, and something like thirty already today, but not so noticeable.  Again, no injuries or damage anywhere - so don't you worry.

Mum had a nap, but she slept with some pants and a tshirt on in case there was another one, and any noise kept waking her up.  So she got up at 1pm, and she did some gardening and household chores.  Then she thought we would have a play outside with my da bird toy.  So I'm a bit worn out - time for  a nap.

We had another big one tonight - 6.8 which was kind of scary.  Mum and her friends are all ok, although one has lost power at her house.  She has the power back on now, so is ok.
10pm - we are having lots of aftershocks, about every two minutes or so.  So many, that it takes a big one for Miss Pops to even stick her head up.  

Caturday

It's Caturday here at Chez Q - what have you got planned?

We had a little sleep in this morning.  Mum says that the flu medication gave her some uber crazy dreams.  She is glad that the flu is finally seeming to be leaving her although she still has a cough and blocked sinuses.  She had to go to the hairdresser today.  Her old hairdresser of six years Amy had left to go overseas, but she is pleased to report that her knew one Cushla did a fab job and mum feels like a rockstar with nice hair today.

Mum was sensible and thinking about budgetising  and bought some groceries instead of a takeaway for dinner, so that for the price of one burger she got to have two homemade ones for dinner and two for tomorrows lunch.  She bought lots of little treats, and then she forgot to buy me any more biscuits.  Luckily there is lots of feast in the little cupboard.

Enjoy your Caturday my furriends.

Shaky Quake Alarm Clock

This morning mum got woken up by a slightly big shaky earthquake that shook this part of NZ.  Mum jumped out of bed and grabbed her dressing gown just in case she needed rescuing.  Luckily it was just the ground and house shaking, nothing fell down and we are all safe. I was out in the garden hanging onto the picnic table.  In fact there seemed to have been no damage and no injuries - so it's all good.  A few more aftershocks today as well.

Oh and LURGY - that must be a kiwi term for germs or bugs.  Mums are getting better.  All of your well wishes are working.

Lurgy

Mum still has the lurgy, but she has been heading to work loaded up on flu medication with pockets full of tissues.  Now though she is home again with me ready to snuggle and sleep in our cosy bed.  We are lucky as the days have been lovely and mum has been soaking up some vitamin d, while she eats her orange and gets vitamin C.

Hope you are all taking it easy.

Wordless Wednesday

Kindness

Mum says thank you for all of your kindness.  She spent the day at home today as this feels like a bit of a nasty chesty cold.  You know when a cough seems to shake your whole body.  So after a bit of sleep, she hopes that she will be ready for the next few days of work, as they will be a bit horrid, but she will see how it goes.

We are off to bed early together to get some zzzzzzs.  Sleep well everybuddy.

Poorly

Mum felt a bit poorly on Sunday night, she could feel her cold coming on, a headache, earache, body ache and a cough. She lasted the morning at work this morning, then came home and climbed into bed with me.  It was nice to snooze with my mum on a chilly day.  So she is stocking up on lemon honey drinks and going to bed early.

Grim

Twas a bit of a grim old winters day today.  We awoke to rain and wind, and later had icy hail and 130km winds.  Ferry boat sailings and flights into our city have all had to be cancelled.  Needless to say that mum and I spent most of the day relaxing with the doors closed.  Mum read her book and watched the tv.

She was most annoyed too, as she watched the final of American Horror and then realised she had two earlier episodes recorded that she had not watched that helped explain the end.  Duh!!!  To make her feel better she made a tasty winters dinner.  Chopped onion, garlic, courgette and bell pepper were tossed in the casserole dish.  Chicken legs and salt and pepper and olive oil added, and cooked for forty minutes.  Then tomato paste and a tin of chopped tomatoes added.  Served with rice, mum said it was one of her tastier dinners, gives lots of leftovers for the next nights dinner and  was very easy to make.  Me - I had a feast and was very happy.

So our heater is roaring, the Antiques Roadshow is on the box.  Mum is going to choose between a rich chocolate or caramel steamed pudding and cream for her pudding.  She has to put the rubbish out and then it will be off to bed for us two girls.

Enjoy your Sunday everybuddy.

Wet Winter Caturday

Today was a wet winter Caturday.  Mum did some chores this morning after a little lie in with me.  I then let her head off to meet with her besties.  They went to see the movie Before Midnight. It is the conclusion to the movie  Before Sunrise    and Before Sunset.  Have you seen them?  They are slightly wordy, romantic drama,  quiet and almost mums favorite movies ever, especially Before Sunrise.  Before Sunrise is made in 1994, and is about Jesse (Ethan Hawke_ a young American travelling on a train, who meets Celine (Julie Delphy).  Sensing the attraction between them, they leave the train and explore Vienna overnight before they depart at sunrise.

In Before sunset,  Jesse is in Paris ten years later on a book tour, his book written about his earlier chance encounter.  Again, he ends up with some time with Celine, but only a few hours and they must part before sunset.  So in Before Midnight we get to meet them again.   Mum very much enjoyed the conclusion to this story and was glad she went to see it.  She can't believe that nine years have slipped by since she saw the last film.

So a cheap asian Chicken noodle dish for dinner, the same one she went to last week as well, a bus ride home, and a visit to the supermarket and she is back home with me.  Mum tapped on the window when she got home and I ran out to greet her.  I got my feast, and mum got the bed all made up for our cosy sleeps tonight.  She has a good pile of books ready to read.  Life is good.

Enjoy your Caturday - do something fun!!!

Winter Ready

We are in the midst of winter here and due for a rather coolish and wet weekend, with snow forecast in the parts that get a lot of snow, and cold in the other parts (that's us).  We are ready to go, our heaters are warmed up and due to budgetising reasons, mum will be keeping close to home.  She has one reason to venture out, and that is to join her besties for a cheap dinner and movie.  Other than that, it will be comfy clothes, couch and home.

Mum had been feeling a bit blah lately, and so she listened to her doctor (that would be Dr OZ), and bought some vitamins.  She got some Odorless fish oil + vitamin D that she swallows down at dinner.  Even though she is usually sceptical about vitamins, she does actually feel a bit better, and as a result her hair is now getting silky and feels much softer.  Her skin is also not as winter dry as it normally is.  She gets lots of vitamin C and other vitamins through the fresh fruits and veg she eats.  Does your person do any vitamins?

Hope you are all getting ready for your weekends and enjoying the sunshine if you have it.

Early Weekending

Mum and I are starting the weekending early at Chez Q.  A quick visit to the library to stock up on books and CDs.  Fish and chips for mums dinner and surprise surprise - it is the feast for me.  Tis a chilly night in our city, so mum has turned the heaters on and is about to swap her shoes for some fluffy slippers.

Mum is watching a program about extreme horders.  She is getting the urge to clean out the closets.  Time to clear out stuff she doesn't use.  The washing machine will be starting up soon, as soon as mum finishes work for the week, she cleans the uniform and dirty clothes straight away as they are ready for the following week.

Hope your weekending starts soon.

Wordless Wednesday

Tuesday Chores

Today mum got home before it got dark.  So she quickly changed out of her uniform and got into her casual clothes.  She grabbed her gardening gear, stuck a quick load in the washing machine, and did a quick twenty minutes cutting leaves and scooping lots of stuff out of the garden and into the bin.  It makes her feel better to have even cleared out a little bit, especially as we are due for some cold and wet weather.

I got the feast early cos I was hungry.  Mum had some pork chops and leftover mash for her dinner.  Now we are relaxing for a couple of hours before we head off to bed.  Mum is going to go and scrub the makeup off her face, get her uniform ready for tomorrow and get some items ready for her lunch and then set the alarm clock.  She has to finish drying the towels she washed earlier, and clean up the kitchen, do a sink of dishes and wipe the benches down.  She has some groceries to put away in the kitchen and some laundry to put away in her bedroom.  Some notes from her work bag need to be put away in her folder before they get crinkled up.

Phew -  mum is tired from reading all that, she better go and rest up on the couch.

My Monday

My Monday was a good day, I gotted up and asked my mumster for breakfast, then I smooched around her til she went to work and I went to bed.  I had a little stretch in the garden, dinner at 5pm when mum got home and back in bed by 6pm.

Sleep Stealer

This morning, I was a good girl and let mum have a wee lie in before I demanded my breakfast.  Then a bit later, I was Meowing at her, and she couldn't figure out my language.  I was telling her it was time to give up the bed, stop reading her book and let me snuggle in on the warm sheets.

Caturday Cold Shoulder

This morning the winds were super uber gusting , the clouds were grey and it was just miserable.  So - I woke my mum up early for biscuits at 7am and 8am.  I gave her the cold shoulder, cos I knew she was going out.  She rushed around getting ready to head out.

Mums said she was busy busy, she went to the market for a multitude of vegetables, and then went into town to  meet friends for a birthday brunch.  Then even though the rain was coming down she headed off to meet another bestie.  They browsed the shops, and mum picked up  a lovely blue scarf on sale and then went to the movies and had some amazing Asian chicken noodles for dinner.  Now, she has headed home and put the heater on and put my feast out.  Nice.

I might turn the cold shoulder off come bed time.  I need me somebuddy to snuggle with.

Big Night In

It's a big night in here at Chez Q on Friday night.  The mumster had a good day at the office, but she was glad when the weekending could begin.  Caturday sounds like it could be busy, so mum is trying to get some wee jobs done tonight.

Did you like my bed?  It is a bathmat which I like to rest on underneath the drying rack.  Classy!!!

Late Late O'clock

I is a bit tired today.  Last night mum went out to late oclock on a school night.  She went out to see The Great Gatsby at the movies.  She gives it a solid 7/10 - it was a bit long but it looked beautiful, and she thinks the director Baz made it glam without going too overboard.  She liked Carey and Leo in it, but they seemed to lack chemistry.  The story, we know is considered the great American novel, but mum thinks that it is a bit dated now, now people aren't scandalized by affairs and divorce, but can imagine how bad it must have seemed 90 years ago.

Tonight mum worked til late as well, so I only just got my feasts at 11.30pm.  Still we are still going to have time for a bit of tv watching before bed.  Mum is watching the final of NZs hottest baker, then she will peel the makeup off, a bit of reading and then a quick 6 and a half hour sleep before getting up and starting work all over again.  Then it will be the weekend.  Phew!!

Wordless Wednesday - Superfast

Betterer Day

Mum tried an early night last night, she tossed and turned for a while - middle age sucks.  Today we woke up to a wild pink sky, and a mild old winters day.  Mum went to the workhouse, then she went and got some groceries and a big pile of library books.

A quick dinner tonight, some mexican style mince and mum has some chores to do before a few hours of television.  It's a big night in here at Chez Q.  Me - well I'm in the doghouse a bit, as when mum came home I had a real stinky dirty butt.  So mum is hoping that I spend the evening cleaning up.  She has got the wet wipes out, but it is quite the mission to catch me and pin me down.  Just what mum is looking forward to doing this evening.

Hello July

Mum had a touch of the mondayitis today.  It was a good day at work, and she a nice evening at home.  The tough bit was getting up at 6.40am this morning.  Early starts after a weekend of sleep ins are not mums favoritist thing.  She could quite happily flick off her alarm clock and roll over and go back to sleep.  So a little nap was in order after dinner.  So now she thinks she will watch Greys Anatomy and then will head back to bed, a little read and then snooze off a bit earlier than usual.

Hello July - you look like you will be an interesting month.  Mum is proud of herself too.  Six months of taking lunch to work every day.  No more buying it, and saving a few coins means mum has more money in her pockets for weekend adventures.

Jungle Cat

Today was a lovely winters day.  All the clouds blew away and we had a gorgeous day that was even warm if you were out in the sun.   Mum felt rested, as I have finally developed a new sleep position.  When mum goes to sleep I crawl under the quilt and snuggle next to mum, not between her legs so she can twist and turn in the bed without kicking me off.  She says she sleeps much better and she thinks I like it, cos I stay there all night.

Mum went out to a friends birthday lunch which was very nice.  Then she went for a walk in the sun, then came back and did some gardening with me.  I spent the time making sure no intruders interrupted mums work, then I watched the shed roof.  Mum had fed the birdies some apple pieces and bits of banana muffins.  I was watching the birdies in case one or two fell off - no such luck.

Enjoy your Sunday everybuddy.

Caturday

Hi Caturday lovers.  Did you get out in the sun?  Did you get in 20 hours of snoozing, pester your parents, visit your food bowl ten times,  spend the night glued to your mums side between the covers?  Oh wait - that would be me!!

I let my mum pop out during the day to buy some stuff.  Then she escaped again to go our for a couple of drinks, as mums favourite hairdresser is off to travel overseas.  Now she is home and I'm hoping the fresh sheets go on the bed before midnight.  Two late nights in a row - does she think she is 20 again?

Anyway my friends - enjoy your Caturday!!

Lateoclockish

What you mean you getting home at ateoclockish?  I not getting my feast till then either?  The heaters is not going up till then either?  I putting in a protest.  Oh wait - I need a sleep first.

The mumster went out with her friends.  They went to a bar and had huge burgers and then went to a playhouse to see 'The Witches of Eastwich' which one of their friends was playing in.  It was a good show, very entertaining and then mum and the friends stayed to have a drink with their talented friend.

So home before midnight, a quick feast of the feast, then we are off to snoozeville.

Thankful Thursday

 We are thankful that it is Thursday.  When mum left work it was raining and cool again, but nowhere as bad as last week when the big storm hit.  Once the heaters are started up our little house warms up.

 Mum has put down a clean bathmat by the heater for me, and I usually snuggle on it, but tonight I am preferring my bubble wrap blankie on the bed for a while.

 Mum is whirring up the washing machine, and getting the clothes cleaned for the week.  She has a day off tomorrow and doesn't want to be doing chores.

Our new friend Karen wrote us a comment about our fire alarms last night.  We usually change ours on August 1st, but this years battery hasn't lasted a full year.  We have got a replacement and changed it already.  Unfortunately our landlords are overseas and not available to replace the batteries, mum has to take care of that.  We wonder what you think about wired in alarms like our friend Eileen has?  We have heard of fires that burn through the wires, turning the alarms off and put people at risk.  Most people in NZ have alarms with batteries and these seem to work just fine.

We are thankful that we have never had a fire - fires scare mum.

Inventor

Mum says that if she was any good at inventing stuff, she would invent a fire alarm that didn't start beeping at 5am. Especially on a freezing winters morning, and especially when the ladder is in the shed outside.  So she didn't actually get out of bed till the alarm went off at 5.45am.  I was not happy - she was keeping me warm.

Can you see how high up the landlords put the alarm too?  Mum is shorty, so she is just about standing on top of the ladder with the tongs in her hand to reach it!!

Don't worry - we haven't replaced the battery yet, but have another alarm in the kitchen as well.

Only Tuesday?

Is it truly only Tuesday?  It was sunny out today, so I went and soaked up some sunbeams.  Our old house holds onto the cold and it can be warmer in the garden.  Mum got to have a sleep in with me as she went into work at early o'clock and so didn't have to start her day till 1pm.

Mum then went to the supermarket again tonight.  Three times in four days - does that make her obsessed?  Actually she had forgotten to get toilet paper, and knew she wouldn't have time til the weekend to get any more.  She wasn't sure that two rolls would last her till then.

So a nice sunny day means a cool and frosty night.  Mum and I are getting used to the all night snuggle together.

Hello Week

Aww it is Monday already and the beginning of another week.  Mum almost was tempted to sleep in with me when the alarm went off for her at 6:45am.  She said that she felt tired all day, and as it was a bit quiet it was a long day.  Off to the supermarket after work for some essentials.  She has lamb with kumara (sweet potatoes) roasting in the oven for dinner.  Leftover mash and some peas will make it a good dinner that will last a couple of nights.

Now that the real winter has arrived I have been snuggling close to mum all night, lying right by her side.  Hope you all have sumbuddy to snuggle up with.

Sunday

Sunday is almost over at Chez Q.  The curtains are drawn, the dishes are done and the mumster and I are relaxing.  She has even had the energy to make some banana muffins, so that she has something to take to work tomorrow.  She decided that she had to stop buying her lunch a couple of days a week, as it was getting too pricey.  So since Jan 1st she has made her lunch each day.  Tonights 10 muffins only cost about $3 to make, the price that the shops charge for each muffin.  A muffin, some fruit and a small pottle of yoghurt will do mum for each lunch and teabreak.

The rain has finally stopped and we have a touch of sunshine today which was nice.  Last night, in the rain and under the cover of darkness, well mum snuck out of the house and dragged her two dead branches and dumped them in a skip further down the street.  Our street lights are out, so mum wasn't seen by the neighbours.  Their skip was fullish, and they hadn't put anything further in it all week.  So mum doesn't feel too naughty.

So we are just about to warm the bed up, and mum will plough into her book.  Winter is so good for an evening read.  Enjoy your Sunday everybuddy.

Caturday

This is a photo from last Caturday when we had some sunshines.  Our Caturday today is very rainy and quite cold.  Our town is clearing up after the big storm.  Around 30,000 homes lost power, but our house was ok, and the good thing is that nobody got killed.  The other good news is that yesterday was our winter solstice and the shortest day.  So three months of winter to get through and the days will get longer in the climb towards spring.

The mumster and I slept in.  Mum thought that she should brave the rain and rugged up, she headed into the local shops to go to the library to get a pile of books and some more groceries.  She bought a lotto ticket and a subway sandwich for lunch - nice little Caturday treats!!!

So back home with the heater on and a few chores to do round the house.  Mum has a new book to start and I have some snoozing to do.

Stormy

 Wow was it stormy last night.  They said there were 200km winds blowing through our city. The biggest storm our city has seen since mum was a bubba in her mums tummy, and that was a long long long time ago. Lots and lots of leaves were blown away and all over our back yard.

 The tree on the far right of the pictures had all of its branches blown off, and luckily they didn't land on  the neighbours shed.

Mum has checked in with all of her friends and family and they were all ok which was good.  Lots of her work colleagues lost their power, but nobody was hurt and in fact one girl got engaged to her partner last night, so everything worked out ok.