Book Loving Kiwis discussion

Does anyone have a good idea for a new thread title? I was going to have Over the Tea Cups, but I thought that might date me too much! 😁

This is the thread for BLK members to talk about what is going on in their lives.

The It's .....Day posts have been given their own thread here https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

So, what does everyone have planned for Christmas?

We finally did a bit of basic Christmas decorating at our house. Having the (artificial) tree go up has made me feel a lot more festive! I've nearly finished my Christmas shopping - just my son to go as he is very hard to buy for!

We are spending Christmas in Auckland at my daughter's new home. Boxing Day we will spend with her in-laws.

I'm spending Xmas with my folks and sisters in Hastings. Hope for lots of sunshine so I can make use of the pool and hit the beach....taking a good book to read of course.

Christmas Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "Does anyone have a good idea for a new thread title? I was going to have Over the Tea Cups, but I thought that might date me too much! 😁

This is the thread for BLK members to talk about what is go..."

The Chatterbox Cafe
But I like Over the Tea Cups because I'm of that age too. It used to be a popular column in the Women's Weekly back in the day. The first place turned to after the knitting/sewing patterns as I recall. :)

Lesley wrote: "But I like Over the Tea Cups because I'm of that age too. It used to be a popular column in the Women's Weekly back in the day. The first place turned to after the knitting/sewing patterns as I recall. :)"

Yup that is where I got it from - very Kiwi!

@Erica - sounds like a lovely Christmas!

I’m going to be spending time with my family on Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day

Christine wrote: "I’m going to be spending time with my family on Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day"

Hope you have a wonderful time Christine!

I'm finding that a lot of people drink mostly coffee these days. I quite like the 'chit chat thread'.

Thanks Christmas Carol She’s So Novel and I never drink coffee Anna and I agree with you Anna

I'll be having Christmas with my side of the family this year. I'm making sweet soy chicken nibbles and I'm having PTSD. Two years ago I made these delicious nibbles and when I arrived at the lunch I opened the car boot and sweet soy sauce had spilt all through the back of my brand new car. I had put it in a big box but my driveway is steep. Sooooo I'm aiming to not have that happen this year ;-) I've switched to Decaf coffee so I can drink more without having a cantering heart. Happy festive season BLKs!

We're lucky and have all our family in the one city basically (Auckland), but if we're feeling it might make an overnight trip to Tauranga and see the bro and sis-inlaws new home down there. :)

We've gotten to that point in our lives now that we only really do something for the kids (nieces&nephews) and then eat too much and drink too much

I rarely drink tea - & when I do it's iced! Herbal tea is another matter! I even grow my own lemon balm (also delicious chopped over baked fish), peppermint & spearmint.

I'm a big coffee drinker (never touch instant though) & have to limit myself to no more than three cups a day.

So, since most people are happy with the current thread title, I'll leave it alone! :)

Claude's wrote: "I'll be having Christmas with my side of the family this year. I'm making sweet soy chicken nibbles and I'm having PTSD. Two years ago I made these delicious nibbles and when I arrived at the lunch..."

Did the stains ever come out?

Zellian wrote: "We're lucky and have all our family in the one city basically (Auckland), but if we're feeling it might make an overnight trip to Tauranga and see the bro and sis-inlaws new home down there. :)

We..."

Eating & drinking too much sounds a very worthy goal!

Hope you both have fun!

It took hours and hours and hours to get it all out. No stains but it leaked right down into the bit where spare tyre is and into holes there down into the under carriage of the car. I was so worried about the smell but I must have got it all because its fresh as a daisy.

Claude's wrote: "It took hours and hours and hours to get it all out. No stains but it leaked right down into the bit where spare tyre is and into holes there down into the under carriage of the car. I was so worri..."

I admire your persistence!

I can’t believe Christmas is next Sunday

I still haven't brought ANY presents yet, hope the kids don't mind some last minute warehouse toys and books lol.

Zellian wrote: "I still haven't brought ANY presents yet, hope the kids don't mind some last minute warehouse toys and books lol."

As long as it is wrapped & under a tree, kids don't usually mind!

We had our Xmas do for the local museum today. (I'm a volunteer & on the committee)

Usually the committee do it ourselves, but we have had a lot of small functions at the museum this year, which meant a lot of serving cakes, pouring cups of tea & doing dishes. So the Committee decided we would have a party that was fun for the committee too & booked a couple of tables at a local cafe.

We had a huge turnout (we were worried that just the committee would want to go!) but my word, some of the food wasn't the best.* Marty got a refund on his meal (the lettuce was old & the wrap tasted stale) but the others didn't complain. I just hope no one got food poisoning!

* My meal was delicious though.

Well our luck ran out & my husband has COVID. He isn't a severe case but he is unwell.

So it will just be the two of us for Xmas.

Oh Carol! I'm so sorry! Perhaps a zoom or Google meet christmas gathering for you?

Claude's wrote: "Oh Carol! I'm so sorry! Perhaps a zoom or Google meet christmas gathering for you?"

I hope so! Since Im not showing symptoms Im allowed out but Im staying home.

Oh thats unfortunate Carol but glad that he's not serious.

Got the kids presents all sorted somehow, a book each and a toy in some sort of variation.
Thankfully when you're on a budget The Warehouse is okay for books!

I’m sorry I didn’t wish everyone a Happy Hanukkah

IT’S WINTER!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Happy Christmas and happy holidays and happy new year too!

Here's hoping this Covid thing will know it's not wanted and go back to where it came from and sleep forever.

Well my period of COVID isolation is over - I'm just about to go for a very short walk. I was lucky- I had a very mild case.

Anyone got any NYE plans? I'm planning to have my first glass of wine in a very long time.

I'm on board ship and there are lots of choices of what to do - theatre, dancing, and so on. But we'll probably linger over dinner and then sleep!

Good to know you're out of isolation in time for the new year.

Happy New Year everyone! Heres to more good books and lots of time for reading in 2023 :) I'm about to go to my local cafe to get a hot choc and read my book, starting as I mean to go on haha.

Anna wrote: "I'm on board ship and there are lots of choices of what to do - theatre, dancing, and so on. But we'll probably linger over dinner and then sleep!

Good to know you're out of isolation in time for ..."

This sounds like a cruise ship (Sherlock Holmes has nothing on me!) Anna, do you want to share where you are?

Erica wrote: "Happy New Year everyone! Heres to more good books and lots of time for reading in 2023 :) I'm about to go to my local cafe to get a hot choc and read my book, starting as I mean to go on haha."

Ha, I did end up spending part of NYE with one of my favourite authors as my husband fell asleep at 11.30.

But I did see the New Year in!🍾

I'm just north of the Bahamas at the moment, on my way to New York and I'm very glad their heavy snow is melting. Yesterday, Carol, I sat on a table with 3 Carols!

I'm also able to do some reading - at flipping last.

It seems strange that you have all celebrated the New Year and I have another 6 hours to go. NZ leads the world!

Anna wrote: "I'm just north of the Bahamas at the moment, on my way to New York and I'm very glad their heavy snow is melting. Yesterday, Carol, I sat on a table with 3 Carols!

I'm also able to do some reading..."

Ha, I've met more Carols on Goodreads than I ever did in real life!

Did you make any stops in the Carribean?

Yes we stopped off at a few islands and the Caribbean islands are well worth seeing. Sunny, rainy, cloudy all in the same day and warm. I could rattle on for hours about the long and winding roads reminiscent of some of NZs. We have big jumpers and coats for NY.

There's a drawback of being on board ship and that is wifi time is rationed! Or the connection breaks altogether.

Anna wrote: "Yes we stopped off at a few islands and the Caribbean islands are well worth seeing. Sunny, rainy, cloudy all in the same day and warm. I could rattle on for hours about the long and winding roads ..."

Although time away from the real world can be very nice too! :)

Yes, definitely. I read somewhere that Bill Gates of Microsoft fame takes a 'Chill Week' sometimes. I decided that was a good idea!

Enjoy your cruise Anna. Some of my family are doing one soon around NZ and AUS.

Hope everyone had an awesome Christmas and New Years!
I ended up finding out I had covid on Christmas Eve, was super gutted as I had plans and had to miss out a few Church events :(
Only lucky part was that it had already run very rampant through both sides of our family who either still had, or had just gotten over it so they weren't too fussed if I came and said hello quickly.
Luckily my husband is somehow smart and made me basically sweat it out, by Christmas day I had nothing more than a slight tickle in the throat and a runny nose.

Somehow managed to make it through to the New Year last night, my husband, Dad and I watched 60s/70s/80s live music performances and then all headed straight off to bed a bit after 12am

IT’S MY MOM’S BIRTHDAY TODAY!

Christine wrote: "IT’S MY MOM’S BIRTHDAY TODAY!"

I hope she has a lovely day!

I had a good Christmas and a good New Years Zellian and oh that stinks Zellian and oh that’s cool Zellian and thanks Carol

MY COUSIN HAD A BABY BOY!

Wish me luck because I’m seeing a new pulmonologist today

I just got home from seeing my new pulmonologist and everything went well

Greeting from the waterlogged Coromandel!

While there is a lot of damage in my area with some very important roads closed, so far my town is fine. This will be a test for our new mayor - a test that so far Auckland's mayor is failing. (for those outside of Aotearoa we have had torrential rain & four people are dead)

I hope our Aucklanders are safe & dry!

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/3007...

HAPPY FEBRUARY AND IT’S GROUNDHOG DAY!

Christine wrote: "HAPPY FEBRUARY AND IT’S GROUNDHOG DAY!"

Thanks for the good wishes for February, Christine, but please remember the It's...Day comments have their own thread.

Did anyone else feel the earthquake last night. I slept through it, but my husband had got up to go to the toilet. When he came back to bed the bed was shaking.

I can't see any reports of damage so far.

& we didn't get the forecast rain last night. Sky still overcast but blue sky trying to peep thru.

Didn't feel any earthquake here in Welly...but did hear a lot of the Ed Sheeran concert :)

Hope everyone has a good Waitangi Weekend and reflects on where we are as a nation :) I read the Illustrated History of the Treaty of Waitangi last year and found it very helpful in building my understanding of where we've come from.

No problem Carol and I’m sorry Carol and no earthquakes where I live Carol and oh that’s not good Erica and thanks Erica and oh that’s cool Erica

I’m going to be busy this spring and this summer