#blog12daysxmas Dec 31 - Reading this year

Keeping track of my reading is so much easier with Goodreads.

This year I read 43 books.  Actually I read more than that but there were a few I didn't record via Goodreads for various reasons.  

Nonetheless, here is the list of books I read this year below. 

Stand out books for me according to my rating at the time were:

Cutting for stone / Abraham Verghese

The kashmir shawl / Rosie Thomas

Written in my own hearts blood / Diana Gabaldon
A dance with dragons / George R.R. Martin

14 books were non-fiction this year - 32% of the total.  Last year it was 40% so hardly statistically significant.  However, my total is down from 2013 and 2012 which is probably not suprising given the business of the year and the multitude of things I was doing.

#blog12daysxmas 30 Dec. new table

#blog12daysxmas Monday 29th Dec

This is my new remedy to survive stress... a colouring book for adults.

Back to work for me this day.  Surprising how many people were actually in the library on such a gorgeous day but I notice the computers being heavily used by our regulars who don't have their own computing power.  It makes one even more aware of the role public libraries play in the lives of some of our less fortunate citizens.  There were a lot of people looking for the JP service too which (of course) is closed.

It's really important that Aucklanders engage with the planning going on at present on how to spend the budget over the next 10 years.  The long term plan or LTP is coming up for consultation and there are some key things that need Aucklander's input.  Otherwise, the proposals made will go ahead without modification and they may not truly represent what Aucklanders want.  If you care about how your rates are spent - and from my experience there are plenty of people out there who are prepared to moan about it so they must care - then do something productive about it.

So have your say!  You may not get exactly what you want but at least your voice will be heard.  You can do this a number of ways.  The Shape Auckland website is one way.  You can make a submission through your local library.  You can go to the Auckland Council website.

Obviously as an employee of the council I have a vested interest in some of the proposed changes because they will affect me directly.  But I'm also a rate payer and a citizen of Auckland who cares about our city and what is happening in it.  I hope you do too.

#blog12daysxmas 28th Dec

Sunday - first day of the week and my meditations have been on kindness (specifically Eph 4.32 & Col 3:12).  Kindness always has an impact.

Lunch with the 'rents and then out to the new house to strew some grass seed on the the bare ground outside.  Hoping there'll be some rain to help it sprout before we move in!  (Which is supposed to be towards the end of January).

To that end I packed up some of my cupboards - the glassware, some crockery and my special tea cups.  I have plans to finally get a china cabinet where these can be displayed and more accessible... and therefore used.

#blog12daysxmas Saturday 27th December

On the third day of Christmas we travelled home from up north having feasted on Denheath's amazing custard squares - the BEST in the world - for morning tea. 

Apparently Miss7 was keen for us to leave so she could get on with her plans for complete domination of Grandad's attention.  She hid his piggy pea popper that he was annoying her with and I fear peace negotiations may be as difficult as that between the West and North Korea. Particularly as water guns have been stockpiled and it's a sunny day.

#blog12daysxmas Boxing Day

On the second day of Christmas I got frustrated by my crochet projects. 

My baby coccoon I was making for a January baby (started the project in July) has turned out to be too small for a full term sproglet - my tension is probably the culprit. So... It's most likely going to be sent to NICU. I will have to think of another present for the newbie. (Not mine btw, far too old for that).

I had made a couple of booties earlier in the year, managing to get two different sizes despite using the same pattern and (I think) the same hook. I managed to make one matching one to at least get a pair, but they aren't as perfect as I'd like. Oh well. My sister is expecting and she seems keen to have them anyway. 

I have started making an amigurumi Totoro (http://lucyravenscar.blogspot.co.nz/2012/04/all-totoros.html ) - let's hope I don't muck this one up.

#blog12daysxmas

On Christmas eve we visited with my family and my sisters and I recreated a photo of us... Spot the 33 years differences!

On the first day of Christmas the children woke at 5.30 but having learned from past experiences I had told them that they could open 1 present each before we got up. Naturally they opened the biggest ones which were Lego, so that kept them occupied until we got up! My cunning plan worked.

We then drove up north to have Christmas with DH's family. Lunch features high on my Must Do Properly At Christmas, so leaving it to someone else is always a bit of a relinquishing of control thing for me. Happily there were good things to eat, not to mention 3 desserts!  We left the pavlova for next dinner.
After that it was time for a nap...

Photo dump & new blouse

Pictorial representation of the books I read in 2013

Bow tie Blouse I made using Gertie's ( http://www.blogforbettersewing.com/) book for better sewing.  It is a test blouse - I have some other fabric I want to use to make another version but I am fairly pleased with the pattern.  It needs a few tweaks to improve the fit, but this one is chiffon so I don't mind the drape. My other fabric is cotton so I will adjust the darts a bit and take some width out of the shoulders if I can.

I paid for 5 buttons and when I got home I discovered there were only 3 in the bag so I used some teapot buttons instead. I didn't attempt the bound buttonholes... It isn't a technique I want to learn just yet. ;-)