just a reminder....my 5 favs

OK so excitement reigns supreme in our house tonight. Well in my brain it certainly does. I can not beleive that after all the planning..all the book reading..all the net surfing..all the everything 1 week right now and we will be being driven to Brisbane by Kim Tyson inc chauffeurs...and then 1 week tomorrow we will be in New Zeakand..so my 5 favs this week will have to be
1..New Zealand
2.. New Zealand
3..Land of the long white cloud
4..NZ
5 South Island Of New Zealand

O my gosh. I feel like it is so long since I have really been excited about something. I am just buzzing. This weekend will be busy getting organised. Lawns to mow, washing (so we can pack everthing) house to clean..dog to wash and clip all the boring things but rerally exciting cause we are going OVERSEAS!!!!! Yep OVERSEAS...I Mary Tyson who has never stepped out of this beautiful country is finally going to spread her wings..well sort of. I just thank God we can do this..

Have I mentioned I am excited?????
I hope to keep in touch via Facebook and Ginnysspot ...so keep tuned..Love you all..all my fans The myriad I have..Miss my presence..

5 favs this week and Naturally our NEW ZEALAND holiday

YAY 2 weeks and we will be in Christchurch and probably out at dinner wining and dining.

We are sooo excited. Really getting into the whole excitement thing now. I just can not imagine being in another country. Well OK NZ is not REALLY another country ...but it is to us..

So the update on our trip is.. We fly into Christchurch at 3pm (1pm Australian time!!!!) We will pick up our rental car from the airport and we are booked into the Millenium hotel Christchurch..check it out http://www.millenniumhotels.co.nz/millenniumchristchurch/index.html Quite nice. Al chose it..

So Sunday we head off to Hamer Springs which has thermal pools. Not sure whether we will stay there or on to kiakora...http://www.hanmersprings.co.nz/ After these stops its off to the wine country..the the following weekend we are booked into http://www.ropatinis.com/ where we will have 2 days and nights exploring fox and franz Josef Glaciers. Thwe following weekend we are booked onto the http://www.realjourneys.co.nz/Main/MilfordMarinerOvernightCruises/and that is all we have planned.

We r pretty stoked about it and I know its going to be a real blessing this time. A time of refreshment, time of joy and a time just having fun.

Ok so my 5 favs this week
1..again my iphone. Lovin it sick. I must admit the only thing I really hate (and Dan warned me) is the lack of ringtones. Only through ITUnes and I hate that..
2.. Feeling well. This week I have felt well. Last week I just thought I was lazy but now know I really wasn't well..but soldiered on. Comes from my Mum telling me you aren't sick if u haven't got a temp..my apologies to my own children. I here by give you pwermission to be sick without a temp...
3.. Al not having to have his mask.. Yes at great expense we have learnt to nose breathe (plus a bit more) and Al is sleeping relatively snore free..
4.. Our book week display. Yep we (Jodie and I and a few others ) have done an awesome job decorating Lismore Library..It has been fun..
5.. Kimmy and Bethy popping in. The last 2 saturdays Kimmy n Bethy have popped in. So nice to see them and lovely to catch up with them..
Thats it from me this week.
Just to let you know I will have my mobile with me OS but PLEASE NO RINGING..too costly..however txt as much as you like, cheap as ,,we will be contactible at various times and if you need us txt and we will ring you..Love to all..

MY FRIDAY 5 FAVS on Sat

OK so this week has been busy and full of stuff

Number 1...My new iphone. O my gosh I love it. It was a tough call as to what I should get..but now I love all the gadgets. I love the games, the graphics, the look..etc etc. What I don't love is the lack of reception where i live and its way worse with my new phone...learning heaps. Kimmy has shown me so much..and danny was a great sounding board. AJ has also gone to the 'darkside' and gotten one too...it is cool..

Number 2.. My new sunnies. Yep I got new multi focal..polarised sunnies. Have not had sunnies since I had my transplant as since then I have had to weaqr glasses and couldn't afford them. They cost a small fortune..but so worth it. there was a time when I was never without sunnies so I am stoked that i have them again..They are CK (Calvin Klein) so I am cool that is for sure.

Number 3,,,Spas. O my gosh lovin them sick in the cold weather. You get in and it is so beautiful and hot..you get cold shivers..love it so much, We have spent lots of time in the spa in winter..

Number 4.. Planning our OS trip. We booked an overnight cruise on mILFORD SOUND THE OTHER DAY,,AND ALSO OUR RENTAL CAR,,iTS ALL HAPPENING AND lOVE CHATTING ABOUT IT..PLANNING..whoops didn't mean to shout at you..but then I am pretty excited. 3 weeks tonight we will be in Christchurch.

Number 5,, Being MC at the trivia nite last week. I was so meant to be an mC..wrong body though to make it in the real world..but I loved doing it last Saturday...I would love more opportunity to do that sort of thing...

hats it for my week..I had a week of tiredness and not feeling quite right..but I also got my passport,,my sunnies and my iphone..so all that was good..but sad when heard of baby Nat. Our prayers are with Gemma and her husband and of course for baby Nat..

Hope u all had a good week and yet again ask that you kleave a message and I can visit your blogs too..that would be cool..

About my trip to NZ

I'm going to New Zealand in 3 and a half weeks. I have never been Overseas and I am stoked. I hope to FINALLY get my passport this week and then thats it... we will be off. The 5th of Sept we fly out. Originally we were flying out of Brisvegas at 6.35 PM and arriving in Christchurch at midnight. We decided that we would be wrecked for a few days..so on looking into the whole thing, if we paid another $220 we could change our flight and leave Brisvegas at 9.35 AM and fly in about 3PM. Much more civilized. So that is what we did. Now the idea is AJ is going to drive us to Clareys place on the Friday night and then spend Friday night with Clarey and then bright and early Sat morning about 6 ish Clare can take us to the "international" airport. Get that!!! The INTERNATIONAL airport. Not sure how Clarey will feel about that but I am sure she will do it for the love of us...

So although we have no itinerary, the idea at this stage is for us to have Sat night in Christchurch and then pick up our hire car (which we still need to book) on sunday then head off to Hamer Springs (thermal pools) and then on to Kaikora. Known for whale watching etc. Possibly have a night there and then on up to Nelson and Malborough to wine country. We MAY NEED to have a couple of days there..and after head down to the west coast to the Franz Josef glacier and Fox glacier. We have booked 2 nights at Fox glacier. Then head down to Milford sound where we hope to do an overnight cruise on Milford sound.

After that its off to Queenstown for a few nights and we will also fit in Dunedin and a few other places then back to Christchurch and the the MUST DO (cause Alan has been watching getaway for ever) go on the tranz alpine train to greymouth. We will possibly have a day there then back to Christchurch.

So basically we are doing the South Island in a anti clockwise direction.

Any tips from anyone reading this I would appreciate. I did score a bargain at Kmart the other day. I saw on Fri they had yukky but warm parkas on sale marked down from $80 to $50 so went to get one on Sat and it was $30, WOW> Bargain. At that price I will be happy to donate it to the local Salvation Army store in Christchurch when leaving so I can bring back all the booty I will have picked up!!!

A bit scared about the whole border security thing. I mean while Al has been watching getaway I however have been following with keen interest Border security..I am a bit scared that i will unknowingly try and bring something that I shouldn't in to the country....
So now come the slow wait for our trip but the fun that is going into the planning is cool too. I look around me and see people going everywhere but I am stoked about this trip. It was 4 and a half years ago, that I would often in tears read the sign I had on my bedroom wall..'for I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord..plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future' and as I read that and beleived it in my heart..as I was in bed on a dx machine, often the truth of this would seem unreal. And yet now I have this to look forward to. Who would have thought that nearly 5 years ago when I went to Mundubbera to await little Sammys birth and had to travel to Bunderburg a 5 hour round trip to dialyise that I could go OS for 3 weeks. yep it is happening...
Thats it for me and my trip. I will try and update my blog regularly with my travel plans...keep watching this space

5 favs

Well this week i have just been running under par..but as everyone else around me seems to be way sick..I do not think I will complain.

I have also been putting together a trivia challenge for C3 Ballina to be held tomorrow night and I do not think that rates as one of my favs...So hard to try and have reasonably easy, fun with a sprinkling of hard questions. I have read soo much trivia on the internet..amazing!!!

OK my favs this week

1..our holiday. Yep 4 weeks tomorrow till we are winging our way out of the country to New Zealand. Hope for every rare person that has never gone OS when they are 52. I am stoked..and even more so as now we have paid extra and changed our outgoing flight to 9.35am Sat and arriving in Christchurch at 3.30 pm..much more civilized then arriving at midnight which was our original time.. YAY so for all those years on dialysis when I could not go away or only for 2-3 days and or book into centres I am going away for 3 weeks..yep 21 days away..and I am going to drink till the cows come home..

2. um Alans love of his camera nad the session he attends each month. Each month has a theme and this months was collections. He did Molly and her collection of toys and coats, collection of rubbish bags at work, shelves of glasses etc at work and also more stuff at work. He comes home so excited and so happy it is good to see..

3. Loving Janet Evanovich's new book 'finger lickin fifteen'. O my gosh I laugh so much reading it. Mind you it is taking me forever cause when I start to read I get so tired but she is such a clever author. I think it helps thta I have listened to her books on TBCD with Loreli King reading..and her voice and the way she portrays Lula is fantastic... Yep very funny. Reccomend for a good light read.

4. Finishing doing the 72 plus questions for the Ballina Trivia night. I just spent all day in front of the computer doing them and I was just a little over it..but I ma looking forward to the night. Its on tomorrow night. Should be good fun...

5..So number 5 would have to be my new dressing gown. Yep it is sooo soft and warm and love putting it on each night..its pink (shock horror) and I got it in Coffs at Sussans when I was awy. Love it.

Thats my favs look forward to reading ALL your comments...come on Danny write something for me PLEASE

Tex's funeral and the rest of my week

This week has been an amazing week..It started off normal but went into a full speed ahead week...

Helens father in law tex died last week. and as I love Helly and Gazz and Stace and nath so much I wanted to be able to be there for them, at the funeral. As you can imagine as the funeral was in Newcastle..a mere 650 kms away that was where the week started gathering speed.

I organised to arrive inTuncurry on Sun, travel down with Annie (my sister who libves inTuncurry)and Rod (my brother in law who lives in Foster) on the monday for the funeral.

So Sunday morning I set off, with Collen Mcculloch and her book 'Angel Puss' for company. Enroute I also had 2 amazing hours with my friend Eleanor at the service centre in Taree. It was a great time and I loved every second spent with Eleanor. Found out that Emma has just (2 weeks ago) had a baby girl 8lb Amellia. It was great...photo included

WOW not such a crash hot picture..but we were in the midst of all these tourists and it was a wee embarressing taking a piccy

So I finally arrived at Tuncurry at about 6 ish and Suey and Rod were there too for dinner. Sue had swine flu..well she was unwell. It was a great night..

The next day it was off to Newcastle. Rod drove, Annies car and I sat in the back. Annie SLEPT in the front, but Rod and I chatted and had the best time. Its been a long time since Roddy and I spent time together. It was fun. We had a quick stop at Hexam Maccas..long time since I been there. i remember that it was here that I had my first ever caramel sundae on the way home from a NMAA (breastfeeding Aust) conference. Funny memories.

We then headed off to find the chapel, complete with Daisy (our nabman/person)..However when we still had 600 m's to go..I saw the chapel up a side street with helly out front. Such technology..

Anyway after a few shifty moves. that daisy was not impressed with we got there.

The funeral was so sad. sad for all the families. Tex ( his real name was Cecil cooksley..YIKES!!) was obviouslyvery ,loved. The service was so beautiful. Slides, poems and memories.. FYI Nathan is the dead spit of Tex when he was young..

. After the service, Gazz, Pat and a few others went to the crematorium, but Rod and Annie and I headed off to the place where the afternoon tea was.. followed by Stace and Helly and co.. yep Rod lost them. He 'forgot' they were following him. When I asked how did he loose them..he replied..'um could have been the orange light I went through!!!' Funny guy.. Anyway they did catch up. The afternoon tea was great..photo included. Sandwichwes, hot food, and tea coffee, cool drinks and cakes.

We headed off back to Tuncurry and made it home in good time. again Rod driving, Annie sleeping in the front seat and me chatting in the back. Rod then showed me his games he is making. I am telling know I so want one

This is Annie and Ians spa. very similar to ours, but they have it under cover and watch tv instead of the stars...

http://www.greatlakesamusements.com/page.html

this is his site and the game I want. He tells me he will sell it at cost, What that is I am not sure. I am investing in my children and grandchildrens future her...yep I am.

So then it was a quiet night and up early and back on the road home to Ballina for something new on Tuesday..long trip but so worth it. I came home buzzing..loved it. And loved being there for Helly and Gazz and loved catching up with my Brotherin law Rod who is really like a brother to me..love him heaps.

Thanks Annie and Ian for being so hospitable. U were awesome.

So that was it, Back to work and etc etc etc..

It was Mollys birthday on Wednesday and she loved her presents she got..a new plastic stick for the beach.. a dog toy that barks and a new ball..

So my 5 favs this week..would be

1...Catching up with Rod. It was so great loved it

2. Catching up with my friend Eleanor. She tells me they are organising a family group reunion. Should be fun.....

3..Clare intriduced me to Nova Moscato white spritzer wine..YUM..

4..My new KRudd insulation. We have had 5 degree nights and our house stays at about 18 degrees..without heating.. O YEAH!!!

5.. My bed. Yep while at the Evans the bed was a tad hard for me, so to come home to my bed was Heaven..It was so good..

Yep so that is it for this week..a bit of a loooong one. Hope u enjoyed it. I am also veruy excited as I have wotked out how to have a sale on Yovile..I know I am shallow..

Hope u all have a good week