NEW YEAR 2013

I think you know by now that I am a full time nursing sister working in the ER of our local hospital.  At the moment I am on my week on working night duty. 

Working night duty over the holiday season is quite challenging!  I got to the conclusion that the recession is over in our sunny country!  The poorest of the poor has enough money to drink enough to be admitted in hospital with alcoholic stupor......the middle class has enough money to be admitted with the exact same symptoms, but the diagnose this time around is gastritis.......the rich stay at home, see a private GP and you never hear anything about it again....they rest at home and take enough fluids!

Together with all this alcohol we have our fair share of assaults, motor vehicle accidents and para suicides.  It makes me think....the drunk people are speeding causing accidents...my perfectly sober husband got a fine today for driving 95km/h in a 80 km/h zone on a national road! Hilarius!  What a way to end 2012!

On that note...have a great 2013!  A prosperous one.... a blessed one!

May we all use our God-given talents daily!  If you want to cook....cook!  If you want to knit....knit! Do whatever you love to do with passion whether others like it or not!  Taste is a matter of choice and and not everybody can love the same things. Just do what you are gifted with to the best of your ability and enjoy 2013 with your loved ones!

Love
   Sandra
       xxx  

PS! thanx for support 2012!  My technological skills did not improve much, but I enjoy what I'm doing!
Bye!  I'm off to work!

merry Christmas!

Just a short note to say "Merry Christmas" to you all.  I hope you all have a blessed Christ feast with your loved ones! Enjoy being with them and remember what this time is all about...a King that was born for us! 

Have a blessed day!

Love
   Sandra
     xxxx

project 138******jazzing up an antique necklace

This was one of my moms necklaces when she was a young girl.  Unfortunately it broke years ago and I've taken it to some jewelers in the past, but nobody was able to fix it, as the stuff they used years ago was not available anymore. 

For years it was lying in the jewelry box with no use.  One day I decided to jazz it up with organza ribbons and beads.  I removed the original broken chain and replaced it with the ribbons using crimps to fasten it.  I applied a fastener at the end using crimps again.  On the one side the ring of the original chain was broken as well, so I simply applied a small ring through a hole in the piece, and you have to look very close to see the difference.

I always get compliments when I wear it.  It was worthwhile  fixing it.

project 137......leftover lipstck

I am crazy about pink lipstick.....I think it is the only colour I have ever bought.....no I bought a red one once.....and has only worn it once as well!

I have pinks in all shades.... and leftovers in all shades of pink as well!  Then I got the tip of melting the leftovers in the microwave and applying it with a brush.  I've tried it, but didn't like the texture.  I then used some lipbalm, melted the whole lot for 20 seconds in the microwave....and voila!.... what a great colour of pink.....and you can not believe how much lipstick I got!  I've spilled some and still managed to fill the lipbalm container almost to the top!.....

Project 136:Growing an avocado tree from a pip!

We have done these as kids, but never got this far!

Make small holes on the sides of your clean avocado pip.  Stick a match or tooth pick into every hole.  Use a container(I used recycled tins) and balance the pip on the rims.  Fill the container with water, and fill it up with fresh water every other day.....and wait.......first the root will appear, and just as you think 'that's it' the leaves will appear!  It can be planted out now after some weeks, but unfortunately it does not grow in our climate.  But I am going to plant it in a pot for now and place it on the patio and bring it in during the winter.......

PROJECT 135......REMOVING PRESTIK FROM MATERIAL

When something goes wrong in church, it seems to be my problem to sort!  I am not the pastor....I am just married to him!  Happen to share a bed with him!  Raising the PK'S(pastors kids!)......seeing that there is flowers in church on a Sunday....seeing that my husband is going to his appointments...as diaries are for wives, I suppose......seeing to this.....seeing to that......

The other day I took the tablecloths from all the tables in church to come and wash them.......just to find somebody has put something with big blobs of prestik on one of the tablecloths........

Now, our church building is extremely hot.....and it was extremely hot the past few days.....and the sticky stuff has melted into the material!

I thought the tablecloth was ruined, but decided to see if it can be saved.....I save everything if I can!

I went to the net again....placed the tablecloth in the freezer for a day or two, scraped the sticky stuff off and then.....rubbed the marks with cooking oil.....and it came out!  I then used 'handy andy'(A  ammonia based household cleaner) to remove the oil marks!  Now isn't that pretty cool?

A awkward moment!

We live in a smallish town, and although you can get all your basics here, there are a few things you have to go for to the neighbouring town.  So yesterday was one of those days....As I am working as from tomorrow night again, we decided to go and buy the boys their Christmas pressies yesterday, as the week before Christmas will be my off week, and it will be too busy then.  So the whole family got in the car and dragged along the entire day......from shop to shop.....

Getting quite fed up with the situation, my middle son and myself strolled off to another side of the big compartment store......then the most awkward thing happened.......

I found myself in a department that is selling these exciting bra's that I have seen on TV....and now it is here where the male readers should switch off!  It is girl talk now!.......

Well, when I saw the add on the TV, I thought:"Now that must be one comfortable bra!" and decided to try them when I see them.....It was not planned for, but there was these amazing bra's right in front of me!  I told my son that I just want to have a look quickly, and he stood aside giving me a little privacy....Now, I did not have my reading glasses on and struggled a little to see the sizes.....but I would have managed.....

The next moment a hoarse voice asked me if I need some help.....and there in front of me A MALE shop attendant!  Quite embarrassed about the situation I found myself in, he just continued....."What size cup are you waring mam?"  Now that was even more embarrassing!  Having to tell a man I wear a DD!  Just as I started to accept for the first time in my life that I was first in line when they handed out boobs, I had to tell a MALE stranger "DD sir!"

Well, he took a size from the shelf, took it out of the box, and showed me the size!  I was not sure although the salesman tried to convince me.  I wanted one bigger!  I mean the say that they go back to their original size on the telly!  He did not have one bigger on the same shelf, and had to go to another shelf.  I just had to wait there.....

By this time I wanted to pack up of laughter, and looked at y son....he was cracking with laughter, and just said:"Awkward!" I had to admit....awkward!

The guy came back finding us laughing.  I apologised and told him I was never sold a bra by a man before, and found it quite awkward.  He started laughing and telling me:"Don't worry mam, times have changed!  Others are doing dishes and looking after the kids whilst the woman are at work!"

We had a good laugh!  I bought the bra's.....and should have listened to the salesmen and should have taken one smaller size, as this one is slightly too wide around the chest.....but boy, are they comfortable!  Next time I have to go to the neighbouring town again. I am definitely going to get some more....and I surely hope that they are not going to take them off the market...EVER!

AND A BIG THUMBS UP TO MALE BRA SELLERS! I SUPPOSE IT IS BETTER THAN WASHING DISHES!

Project 134.....steaming asparagus

Eating a fresh asparagus spear can not be compared to anything else......if you have never done it before, it is something to try!  No tinned one can ever taste the same!  When I was in the defence force years ago, the troops used to call these tinned ones....ELEPHANT BLACKHEADS!  Groace!

Unfortunately the season is very short and for only a week or two you get it at a good price.  It is very expensive when it hits the market, then goes a little cheaper, and became expensive again after about two weeks.

We can only find it in one local supermarket, and if you do not look for it specifically, you can easily miss it.  And that would be one of the saddest things that can happen to you all year around!

I steam them for 25 minutes in my steamer, then make a good garlic and cheese sauce to serve them with.  You have to try it at least once.......

project 133******pretty posy******

I love flowers, and if I had to make a career change, it would definitely be doing flowers full time!  Unfortunately many people don't even see the flowers around them.....like with this one......

I like to put some flowers in the foyer of our casualty department.....whatever the garden produces....

The other morning I could only find three small pink roses.  I then saw the Christmas roses(hydrangeas) are starting to bloom.  I picked one and a few of the leaves.  I placed it in a container and arranged the leaves around it at the bottom. and placed the three roses inside the hydrangea flower.  When the day staff came, they thought it was pretty and asked where I got the flowers....nobody ever saw the hydrangea bush at the entrance.....ever!  Quite sad to pass the flowers in life without seeing them!

Project 132...mini bagels in your doughnut pan!

I used shop bought bread dough and rolled it into strips.  I placed it in the mini doughnut maker, and perfect mini bagels after two-three minutes!  They were great buttered with grated cheese only, but I suppose if you have to make a snack tray, you can jazz it up with ham or salami, or even egg and salmon if you're from another part of the world.....

Project 131.....supposed to be ultimate braai pie!

As you know by now, we 'braai' in South Africa.  And yes we 'braai' whatever we can 'braai'!

The other day my husband got this recipe from a friend on Face book.  I don't do Face book.....but I think he is hooked on it!

Well, we had to try it out, but it did not work on the fire, so I saved it by putting it in the oven quickly!  And it was so great, I had to share it!

Take a roll of shop bought puff pastry....add a layer of steamed spinach.....add some chicken cut into pieces....add some bacon(I've cooked it slightly in a pan).....add a good layer of mushrooms.....and then some cheese......I've used blue cheese, cheddar , tussers and mozzarella......add another roll of puff pastry on top and seal the sides......paint with some egg....and bake until done.....super delicious!

I think I'll try it on the open fire again using bread dough.......

Project 130: Pretty cool headband

I crochet this headband in the early hours of the morning whilst most of you have been fast asleep!  No pattern at all again.....just a ball of yarn and a crochet hook......

I started off with 20 chain stitches.  I then did the band by doing 3 chains and doing a slip stitch in every second chain from my baseline.  On the turn I just used the openings to put the slip stitches in the next line.

I've fitted it around my head a couple of times to know when to end.  There is nothing so frustrating than to get a headband that is too big as it had a standard measurement!

I have sewn it together and ended it off by doing a row of single trebles all around and adding some crochet flowers.....just make your favourite ones....

Pretty cool.......unfortunately I've cut my hair quite short last month and it does not look well with the headband!  Am growing my fringe again now!

see my quilt...

                           

I have finished my quilt....took me just more than a year!  See how pretty it looks...

Project 129....rugs from recycled t-shirts

I paged through a magazine some time ago and saw they are selling balls of recycled t-shirt material at an upmarket shop in our mother city.  That gave me an idea....and I was definitely not going to pay the asking price for a recycled t-shirt!  So I harvested some old t-shirts from my boys, and started with the cutting....

I quickly mastered cutting one continues strip from a front/back.  I rolled it into balls and started making these rugs, just crocheting with a very thick hook.  I used the sleeves to make the ruffles at the ends.

The boys were disgusted with what I did, but soon pointed out their T's!  And I thought it is a cheap and easy way to give it to my boerboel to sleep on!  My mom even use two in her bathroom!

You can easily make it bigger,  or form lines.  I just used normal double trembles to crochet it.  At the moment I am knitting blocks with 40 stitches each for my other long term project I have mentioned earlier on.  But you only have so many old t-shirts!  It will still take some time to finish off.....

wot went wong!

Gee....I was just called by my darling hubby to 'please open the shampoo bottle' as he could not figure out how to do it!  I stopped to ask myself the question.....what went wrong!!!!!!  How did I manage to land up in this situation doing these little things for the men in my life?  I mean....really!

I remove frogs from the shower......I change plugs....I drill holes in the walls to hang pictures......I have my own hammer, screwdriver, jigsaw, tilecutter, a few different pliers and and a screwdriver.....what went wrong.....I am a tiny feminine woman living with four men and they can not even open a shampoo bottle! Did I spoil them to this point or can men just not do these things!

Two days ago I woke up finding my husband trying to put the radios speakers into the tv. ports as we have never done it since we moved.  He could not figure out why it was not working.....he had it in the wrong holes.....and the holes are even marked red and white!

The one speaker was not working then.....he had the wires the wrong side around again....and they have been marked as well.....red and blue this time!  Needless to say.....it is working now....

But the sad story is that this even happen at work!  Some time ago we had a busy day at work and around 15h00 I got time to run to the loo for the first time since the morning.  I just sat down when I heard the CEO calling....SANDRA!......SANDRA!.....just getting more and more intense.....I rushed to finish off to react to the emmergency call.....I had to bring him something to his office......any one could have taken the object to the office!  But I have just been called off the toilet........It felt like home.... 

I was on the toilet once before when I heard my husband calling.....BUNNY!....BUBBY!....  I came telling him....'I can't even go to the toilet in peace, then somebody calls BUNNY! Mamma....!'  The next moment the parrot called....BUNNY!

What went wrong!