Sheet shearing in New Zealand

Posted on Mon 25 June 2007 at 03:49

Ha! Bet you though I had mis-spelt that didn’t you?  No, that it what I meant.  My obsessive house-keeping has reached new heights with today’s crowning glory.  I had washed and dried the only set of flannelette sheets for our bed and wanted them back on today. Come on, it is winter and there is no central heating in our bedroom – “ it’s frickin freezing Mr Bigglesworth” - to borrow a line from one of the Austin Powers’ films.  But when I put them back on, they were all bobbly.  So there was nothing else for it, they needed a short back and sides.  Armed with my super-duper debobbler, I waded in there.  It took me 45 minutes to do 2 queen sized sheets and 2 pillowcases.  HOW SAD IS MY LIFE!!!!!  I am thinking on turning it into a competitive sport though so I lay claim to the world record.  And as New Zealand is THE shearing country, where better to hold the finals.  Come one, come all, entries taken now for the World Sheet Shearing Championships!!

 I know I hammer on about the weather a bit but here I go again!  Today is the 25^th June – so if the seasons are reversed, it would be the same kind of weather you would have in Britain on Christmas Day?  No, not a jot.  I put one load of washing out this morning and had it back already.  It has been more like Rothes weather on a sunny autumn day than anything else I can describe.  There are very few leafs left on the trees that shed their leaves but I think there is a higher proportion of evergreen here as not so many trees are naked at the moment.  It has been really windy and squally but still quite warm and sunny in between. 

Today has made me think about joining a gym though.  Once I thought about Xmas Day, it made me think about New Year resolutions and I need something to kick me out of hibernation mode.  I INTENDED to look into it last week but have been blissfully ignoring the ever growing spare tyre or two or ten that now festoon me……...  Oh dear, the weather has taken a turn for the worse and I may not make it all the way out to the car which is parked about 4 foot from the door……...  Ahh well, best not do anything too dangerous like open the front door eh, may get blown away………I will have to resign myself to not going today after all.

No 3 son Darren has been off work for weeks with a broken wrist and I only found out the other day.  It makes me sad that I know so little about his life these days.  He says the cast will be coming off soon so he will be back to work shortly, so that at least is good to hear.  And No1 son Shane has booked tickets to come over next March.  I am really pleased to hear that, already trying to think what he and Lisa would like to see and do and what time off we can manage to spend with them. 

I was regaling my Kiwi workmates with last weeks’ story of the telephone connection and how Steve had put Melissa up the attic.  I was met with really baffled expressions.  ‘Why didn’t you run it under the house?’  Because we are stupid is the only rational answer to that one.  I guess it just doesn’t occur to the British mind-set that it is a helluva lot easier to under rather than over.  So last night, the girl got put in the attic again, took the telephone cable back down and it now runs under the house.  We both felt really sheepish as it is so very very obvious.  I intend to fill the holes in the ceilings and paint over it, even have the filler, just haven’t got round to it today.  And I am very glad it has come down because it was really untidy-looking and I may have been obliged to clean it or something!

We went out yesterday and bought some underfloor insulation – the polystyrene block type.  We will wait until next weekend when we are both off for a change and see about fitting it then.  It means taking down the silver paper stuffie that is up at the moment so don’t want to rush in and do a half job and leave our bedroom colder than it already is until we can get it finished.  Watch this space!