My Teenie Genie by Wendy Brandes
(she even has a belly button!)
Seriously. Quality over quantity.
Amazing.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
New Year's Resolution: Quality over Quantity
My Teenie Genie by Wendy Brandes
(she even has a belly button!)
Seriously. Quality over quantity.
Amazing.
Monday, February 15, 2010
14-02-10
My Darling Husband and I are not big on Valentine's Day, in 2009 it passed without any comment whatsoever. We are beyond needing a day to profess our love with flowers and chocolate. We do it every day, in words and actions. Like grown ups.
But! when our wedding anniversary is horrible - rain and foul moods this year, LAX in 2008 - it is the perfect backup date for our celebrations. And so, on the bright and sunny Sunday just passed, Craig and I packed our picnic and went to Bolton St Cemetery where we ate cupcakes (& salad!) where we talked about where we've been & where we're going & took our (nearly) annual photo on the little bench by the chapel.
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
&
We'd been reading antiduckface.com just that morning.
It made us giggle.
But! when our wedding anniversary is horrible - rain and foul moods this year, LAX in 2008 - it is the perfect backup date for our celebrations. And so, on the bright and sunny Sunday just passed, Craig and I packed our picnic and went to Bolton St Cemetery where we ate cupcakes (& salad!) where we talked about where we've been & where we're going & took our (nearly) annual photo on the little bench by the chapel.
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
&
We'd been reading antiduckface.com just that morning.
It made us giggle.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Week Seven
Sunday
Another beautiful day, I went back to the River.
Monday
A trip to Karori Sanctuary with some people from my office.
Tuesday
Off work sick, I rallied in the afternoon and managed to photograph and fold a boxful of clothes to sell on Trademe.
Wednesday
Up early, making coffee.
Thursday
A week of valentine's day quotes at Bennetts. Thankfully not all were cloying.
Friday
Lights of the Hutt Valley seen through yet more fog.
Saturday
Coconut ice cupcakes from our flatmate. Delicious.
&
Listening to an Audiobook on the banks of the Hutt River.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Reason number (oh, innumerable) why I love my husband
For a programme which I do not understand at all at his work which I barely understand, my darling husband must use all CAPITALS. I love when he forgets to stop them when he's, you know, NOT using this one very specific programme.
An email exchange earlier today:
From: Sarah-Rose
To: Craig
Hey sweetness,
How're you going? Just thought I'd let you know that I'm feeling really really good. Woo! sick days work I suppose.
Also, considering a chicken pasta bake tonight.
xxx
Sarah-Rose
From: Craig
To: Sarah-Rose
WOO WOO SICK DAYS.
THAT SOUNDS AWESOME!!
Craig
Seriously! how cute is that? All enthused about pasta. Or sick days. But the pasta thing is more likely.
Adorable.
An email exchange earlier today:
From: Sarah-Rose
To: Craig
Hey sweetness,
How're you going? Just thought I'd let you know that I'm feeling really really good. Woo! sick days work I suppose.
Also, considering a chicken pasta bake tonight.
xxx
Sarah-Rose
From: Craig
To: Sarah-Rose
WOO WOO SICK DAYS.
THAT SOUNDS AWESOME!!
Craig
Seriously! how cute is that? All enthused about pasta. Or sick days. But the pasta thing is more likely.
Adorable.
Tuesday, February 09, 2010
Sunday, February 07, 2010
Week Six
Sunday
I spent a grey Sunday with the Tudors in Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel.
Monday
I put this creepy doll (from my grandmother) out in the day room. Adorably creepy.
Tuesday
I walked down to the sea on my lunch break. It was lovely. I don't know why I haven't done it before.
Wednesday
Finally, finally, finally, I did what I'd been intending since July 2008 - I decanted some of my Marc Jacobs Grapefruit into a little purse size spray.
Thursday
Graffiti in Masons Lane on the way to drinks with Petra.
Friday
There were too many people out on Friday lunchtime, in their costumes for the Sevens, and already drunk.
I did like the carebears though.
Saturday
I walked all the way down the hill from Park place and along the riverbank into our little city.
It was beautiful weather and I ducked through an opening in the trees to sit on the hot rocks and watch the water for awhile.
&
Sometimes I wear my Lady Gaga Hairbow to the office.
Wednesday, February 03, 2010
Spending Hiatus: Update One
Oh, dear Internet, I have a confession to make.
I slipped, ever so slightly, off the hiatus wagon (or, off my hiatus horse to use a painful punny metaphor).
But I must preface.
On the 6th January I wrote, hurriedly & rashly, that I would purchase No More until 14th April.
As I was writing the caveats our dinner dates arrived and I hit publish, sent a tweet, and thought more of it later.
But because I am (all too) rational, I knew that I would find a complete dearth of shopping difficult to maintain, and so my rushed caveats were amended thusly:
x No clothes. Unless repairing or replacing.
x No books. None at all. Seriously. Use a damn library darling covetous self.
x If a purchase is desired, it must be run past my moral compass (aka Craig).
x If a purchase is made without approval penance must be paid*.
x Penance is to be decided by said darling Moral Compass.
x Charity is exempt.
And so, I have a confession. I have slipped.
1. This beautiful beautiful top which I had coveted from afar, then found at a reduced price. Darling Craig approved of a 10 day cooling off period & if it was still available? then it would be mine.
2. Wendy Brandes, my second favourite jewellery designer (sorry WendyB! NZ designers Meadowlark hold my number one, but you are still have the foulest mouth!) is donating a significant portion of the proceeds of her Teeny Genie necklaces to Janet, a blogger who lost her husband suddenly & unexpectedly to suicide. The thought of that terrifies me (Love you Craig!) and this was perfect. Charity, for someone I truly want to help** , & a reminder of the larger WendyB piece for which I am (still) fervently saving.
3. A lovely lovely bag, on sale from $219 to $80. In a fit of low blood sugar and high caffeine, I purchased it. Without running it past Monsieur MC. When I got back to the office we had the following email exchange:
To: Craig
From: Sarah-Rose
I bought a bag. A pretty bag which was down to $80 from $219.
Please consider my penance. Covering dinner for your nights for two weeks? a week without V? something nefarious you decide? no penance as that was a really good deal?
I wait with bated breath.
To: Sarah-Rose
From: Craig
Penance must be paid, I will take your comments under advisement and pass my judgment in due course.
xxx
He deemed that covering 3 of his cooking nights was sufficient. That'll be just annoying enough.
Sigh. Overall? I have to admit that, for me, I have done pretty well. I have four boxes of clothes, shoes, jewellery, ephemera to donate to siblings & charity, my wardrobe doesn't bulge, my drawers are half empty, and I am getting through my "to read" mountain.
It feels good. Much like this confession. Cathartic.
I feel hopeful for the next seventy days.
And I certainly hope I have far fewer (0??) confessions to make.
* I did take holy communion at an early age and it seems something stuck. Ack!
** By the way, I do want to help many people & support many causes & donate donate donate, but this one involves the purchase of jewellery & as such, is a grey area under the Charity exemption.
I slipped, ever so slightly, off the hiatus wagon (or, off my hiatus horse to use a painful punny metaphor).
But I must preface.
On the 6th January I wrote, hurriedly & rashly, that I would purchase No More until 14th April.
As I was writing the caveats our dinner dates arrived and I hit publish, sent a tweet, and thought more of it later.
But because I am (all too) rational, I knew that I would find a complete dearth of shopping difficult to maintain, and so my rushed caveats were amended thusly:
x No clothes. Unless repairing or replacing.
x No books. None at all. Seriously. Use a damn library darling covetous self.
x If a purchase is desired, it must be run past my moral compass (aka Craig).
x If a purchase is made without approval penance must be paid*.
x Penance is to be decided by said darling Moral Compass.
x Charity is exempt.
And so, I have a confession. I have slipped.
1. This beautiful beautiful top which I had coveted from afar, then found at a reduced price. Darling Craig approved of a 10 day cooling off period & if it was still available? then it would be mine.
2. Wendy Brandes, my second favourite jewellery designer (sorry WendyB! NZ designers Meadowlark hold my number one, but you are still have the foulest mouth!) is donating a significant portion of the proceeds of her Teeny Genie necklaces to Janet, a blogger who lost her husband suddenly & unexpectedly to suicide. The thought of that terrifies me (Love you Craig!) and this was perfect. Charity, for someone I truly want to help** , & a reminder of the larger WendyB piece for which I am (still) fervently saving.
3. A lovely lovely bag, on sale from $219 to $80. In a fit of low blood sugar and high caffeine, I purchased it. Without running it past Monsieur MC. When I got back to the office we had the following email exchange:
To: Craig
From: Sarah-Rose
I bought a bag. A pretty bag which was down to $80 from $219.
Please consider my penance. Covering dinner for your nights for two weeks? a week without V? something nefarious you decide? no penance as that was a really good deal?
I wait with bated breath.
To: Sarah-Rose
From: Craig
Penance must be paid, I will take your comments under advisement and pass my judgment in due course.
xxx
He deemed that covering 3 of his cooking nights was sufficient. That'll be just annoying enough.
Sigh. Overall? I have to admit that, for me, I have done pretty well. I have four boxes of clothes, shoes, jewellery, ephemera to donate to siblings & charity, my wardrobe doesn't bulge, my drawers are half empty, and I am getting through my "to read" mountain.
It feels good. Much like this confession. Cathartic.
I feel hopeful for the next seventy days.
And I certainly hope I have far fewer (0??) confessions to make.
* I did take holy communion at an early age and it seems something stuck. Ack!
** By the way, I do want to help many people & support many causes & donate donate donate, but this one involves the purchase of jewellery & as such, is a grey area under the Charity exemption.
Tuesday, February 02, 2010
Another letter to The Internet
Dear The Internet,
Can you believe it's February already?
I can't. Truly, I can't. It just baffles me.
I think the reason that I'm having such trouble coming to terms with month 2/12 is that it hasn't really felt like January down this end of the world. We in the Southern Hemisphere are supposed to have some semblance of a summer - admittedly a more temperate version than most other places in the WORLD - and yet Wellington has not had 2 weekend days of sun in a row since November and that feels like an eternity ago. And it is now officially completely unacceptable. If it goes on much longer ... well, I'll just pout. But I will WISH I could do something about it.
In other not-so-interesting news, dearest, darling, The Internet, I have become obsessed with an iPhone Application called Sleep Cycle. For $1.29 and a little bit of panic regarding crushing the phone in my sleep (NOT YET!) it tracks my sleeping patterns and ... well, it tracks when I am sleeping deeply, dreaming, or sleeping very lightly. And then it wakes me when I'm pretty much awake already.
Oh and it's not arbitrary. You set what time you need to be awake - in my case, on exercise days, that is 4:30am (YES, I KNOW that's early.) - and it chooses the best time in the preceding half hour to set the alarm off. Like yesterday! it woke me at 4:09am BUT! I did not feel drowsy at all. It's like magic!
Boring boring magic.
Ahh, I do not care that it was 21 minutes earlier than necessary. Anything that makes waking up at 4:30(ish)am easier is oh, just fine by me.
Yours in geekery,
Sarah-Rose
p.s. February is my favourite month of the year. The weather is (or HAD BETTER BE) better than in January, I like St Valentine's Day* which is precisely one month after our wedding anniversary, and I simply enjoy the number 2.
* The roots of St. Valentine's Day can be traced back to the Roman fertility festival of Lupercalia. On Lupercalia, a young man would draw the name of a young woman in a lottery and would then keep the woman as a sexual companion for the year!
Can you believe it's February already?
I can't. Truly, I can't. It just baffles me.
I think the reason that I'm having such trouble coming to terms with month 2/12 is that it hasn't really felt like January down this end of the world. We in the Southern Hemisphere are supposed to have some semblance of a summer - admittedly a more temperate version than most other places in the WORLD - and yet Wellington has not had 2 weekend days of sun in a row since November and that feels like an eternity ago. And it is now officially completely unacceptable. If it goes on much longer ... well, I'll just pout. But I will WISH I could do something about it.
In other not-so-interesting news, dearest, darling, The Internet, I have become obsessed with an iPhone Application called Sleep Cycle. For $1.29 and a little bit of panic regarding crushing the phone in my sleep (NOT YET!) it tracks my sleeping patterns and ... well, it tracks when I am sleeping deeply, dreaming, or sleeping very lightly. And then it wakes me when I'm pretty much awake already.
Oh and it's not arbitrary. You set what time you need to be awake - in my case, on exercise days, that is 4:30am (YES, I KNOW that's early.) - and it chooses the best time in the preceding half hour to set the alarm off. Like yesterday! it woke me at 4:09am BUT! I did not feel drowsy at all. It's like magic!
Boring boring magic.
Ahh, I do not care that it was 21 minutes earlier than necessary. Anything that makes waking up at 4:30(ish)am easier is oh, just fine by me.
Yours in geekery,
Sarah-Rose
p.s. February is my favourite month of the year. The weather is (or HAD BETTER BE) better than in January, I like St Valentine's Day* which is precisely one month after our wedding anniversary, and I simply enjoy the number 2.
* The roots of St. Valentine's Day can be traced back to the Roman fertility festival of Lupercalia. On Lupercalia, a young man would draw the name of a young woman in a lottery and would then keep the woman as a sexual companion for the year!
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Week Five
Sunday
A weekend of terrible weather and then, on Sunday evening, just to tease, the sun came out.
Monday
Wellington Anniversary Day dawned dreary. A perfect day for switching between Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel and Qi Series One.
Tuesday
Driving home from work we saw the demons over Eastbourne.
Wednesday
At dawn on Wednesday we saw where the demons came from - Wainuiomata apparently.
Thursday
Bright orange flowers outside the Law School near my office.
Incidentally, I should have a photo of someone wearing an AC/DC t-shirt as they swarmed all over the city today - but I was too terrified that they might set upon me and tear me limb from limb.
Bogans believe photographs steal your soul.
Friday
These benches were beautiful. Now they appear to have been nibbled.
Saturday
A hot hot hot day (the first dry weekend since November, apparently) and I read more of Wolf Hall while Craig did odd jobs.
I helped though! I handed him the hose while he was on the roof.
&
Horseshoe for Luck.
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