Amaorican

"He-Who-Must- Not-Be-Named"

2012-01-30T23:39:00.004+13:00

No, not Lord Voldemort. It's worse.

Found him on my door arriving home after dialysis tonight.
My sister saw one at my parents place a week ago.

In our family, seeing a praying mantis means a baby is coming. They visit to let us know the scoop and we wait patiently for the culprit to reveal themselves ... so reveal yourself!

Quesadillas

2012-01-30T16:07:00.003+13:00

I use a panini press to make my quesadillas. The griddle method is by far the better technique, then you don't get the cheese and insides spilling out the sides.

We've gone through one Hatches green chili pack. Larry doesn't know I've opened a couple of cans and ate right from the can as if it were a can of tuna.
It's that good.

We're decided that Egmont cheese by Mainland is the best melting cheese in New Zealand, but Colby is better taste for Mexican food.

Despite my first critique regarding the use of a panini press vs a griddle, when the insides ooze out like so .. simply take the quesadilla off the griddle and let the cheese and chili burn into a cracker.

It really is the best part.

Red Velvets

2012-01-28T22:21:00.006+13:00

My baby brother doesn't believe I know how to cook/bake and that's quite true of pre-USA me.
Post-USA me has been educated! Even if I show him my certificate he wouldn't believe it unless he's standing in the kitchen watching me.

Today was a Red Velvets day.

I used shortening in the batter instead of butter.

I followed a different recipe that didn't have my secret ingredient in or butter just to see how this recipe came out.

Mix the red with the cocoa. Make it into a paste.

Always a messy process making Reds.

See the grit?
I could go on about Butter vs Shortening and the science of it. Long story short - I didn't get emulsified shortening (high ratio), which is meant for cakes. I just got the one that wasn't $6 on the shelf.

The creamy smooth velvetty batter just wasn't happening.
Never ever EVER use shortening in cake batter.

Marshmallow frosting on high.
I really need to learn how to pasteurize eggs.
The frosting calls for raw egg whites.

Fortunately, everything worked out.
The cake was surprisingly moist and fluffy.
If anything, less cocoa to bring out the power of the Red.

Chili for dinner.
Fantastico.

Last Friday

2012-01-27T06:15:00.001+13:00

Our two nieces spent the night last night and it was my bright idea to do an all nighter the night before 7.30am dialysis. Everyone was on board until 1am. The girls were the first to break, then Larry.

I'm still up and it's 6:15. In 30 minutes I need to wake Larry, feed him and get him to dialysis by 7.30am. If I go to bed now I'll wake up tomorrow afternoon.

Awake alone to see this mornings sunrise from the kitchen window.
It's the last Friday for January and it's going to rain.

Great-Grandbabies

2012-01-24T22:15:00.004+13:00

Leven is cooking.
She'll be ripe in 2.5 weeks.
She's great-grand-baby 69 of 70 for our family.

Above is her big brother Darrel, now 18 months.
Below is Darrel when he was cooking back in July 2010.

Enjoy.

There is no end to light

2012-01-23T23:11:00.005+13:00

Hanging the washing on the line tonight I looked up to see a familiar sight from rural-ville. I took for granted the sight after nearly 3 years of being back and I appreciated the visual. On the verge of calling Larry out to observe, it hit me that unless I hit him across the head with a baseball bat, he'll never see stars again.

I spent sometime outside tonight with my camera playing around with settings to get a decent shot of The Iron Pot, which is the upside down version of Orions Belt. With an ISO of 1600 the image was too grainy. It gets that way after about 400. Settled with 200 ISO. Opened the aperture right up and set it to a Bulb.

A 3 minute exposure got me the photo above using a 105mm wide angle lens with the focus ring set at infinity. He was able to identify Orions Belt when enlarged on our TV screen.

Perhaps this is why I got the itch to take up photography as a profession ... I really wanted to be a Princess.

End of the school holidays

2012-01-23T00:34:00.003+13:00

The Strongarm kids.

Carlos in the bucket.

Larell

She learned how to say cheese.

For the last 18 months I could never see my brother in his son Jaamin. I thought he looked like someone totally different, until I took this photo. I don't know how I missed it before.

4 of 15 grandkids.

The Min Craigs.

The Min Craig boys.

Daycare starts on Tuesday and school starts next week.
Very excited that the holidays will meet it's demise in less than 10 days.

Re: Larry

2012-01-19T15:48:00.002+13:00

Ophthalmologist appointment yesterday showed slight bleeding in the right eye, but no swelling. Good news. The left eye remains as it is - AWOL. Sight in the right eye may improve with glasses (glass since we'll only need one lens). We will take care of that next monthly possibly. Should his eye deteriorate, the next surgery on it would be a vitrectomy, which is the surgery that ruined his left eye. Plans now are to keep the eye maintained by way of drops to keep the pressure down.

Renal appointment today with a new nephrologist. We discussed our next move as far as dialysis is concerned and our nurse Natasha was happy to know that we were still keen on Peritoneal Dialysis (PD). I can't say it enough, it's a much better choice. Not as effective as Haemo, but it's flexible which adds to his quality of life. With haemo, we're stuck here because they need at least 2 months in advance to schedule you in at a clinic out of town. I'm fine with dialysis running my life, but we have the option to not let it run our lives completely and that is PD.

Tenckhoff Surgery requested today at a date sometime in the next 3 months. We requested another surgeon. The BEST news today was that Larry will be placed on the transplant list. For some reason, the last nephrologist we met with wasn't too keen on this and I'm pretty sure it had something to do with diabetes and Larry's attitude towards it's relationship to kidney failure. I haven't blogged about that before. The short version is: Kidney Failure, in a way, cures diabetes. Larrys blood sugar levels show no diabetes, but diabetes has been the purpose for the kidney failure. She wanted to give him time to accept the truth, which was: Diabetes caused his kidney failure. He needs to shed 10lbs, maintain that weight and his BMI and all will be well.

Both appointments were good appointments. Next stop, glasses shop!

Fire in Hastizzle.

2012-01-18T00:11:00.005+13:00

Surfing around on Twitter tonight, I happened upon a retweet that mentioned something about a fire in Hastings, followed by an iMessage asking if I knew about the fire.

I walked outside to pan the night sky and see what I could see. We live near a prison and those lights usually light up the sky. We also live near an aerodrome and, when night flight school is in session, the run way lights light up the sky too.

Town is 8kms away. I could see the fire, which was near 12kms away. Told Larry there was a fire somewhere, listen out for the baby incase she woke up, got in the car and drove towards the light.

2kms from the spot I was pulled up by a policeman who was stopping cars from going any further. Refusing to be bummed out, I told him I forgot my badge, but I was a photographer from The Dominion and told him I'd appreciate him letting me as far as I could go safely. He pointed me in a direction 1km closer and off I drove to get my shot.

I didn't drive 12kms for nothing man!

Re: Larry

2012-01-14T12:38:00.002+13:00

Haemo dialysis continues. He's been doing evening sessions 5pm - 10pm. This is better than 7am - 1pm, but our biological clocks are all out of whack because he sleeps at dialysis only to come home and stay awake until 2am - 3am.

He had an episode of "going flat" yesterday and his blood pressure, as of late, has dropped to as low as 70/65. Not sure exactly why, but we'll need a Doctors appointment this week to figure that one out.

This next week he has an Ophthalmologist appointment and a Renal appointment. Hawkes Bay does not have a Nephrologist locally. Twice a month the specialists or registrars come up from Wellington to see renal patients here. They'll decide what happens with Larry next. It's very possible he's on haemo for the rest of his life, but we are hoping his peritoneal cavity has not been damaged from the last 6 months of issues.

For those who have been skyping, private messaging, facebooking - many thanks for your continued support and concern. Larry very rarely sits at his computer. Now and again I read him skype messages. I try encourage him to 'try' look at LightWave, but I think he's embraced his blindness and is running with that.

Really, even though he's had years experience, what can a blind lightwaver do?
It's kinda sad.

The Australians

2012-01-13T23:39:00.002+13:00

The Australian kids (from two of my three brothers) go back to Australia next week. It's been fantastical having them here, but it had to come to an end sometime.
Coral Kaa.

Jeston (not an Australian kid) and Waimea.

Kiara Lee

Baby Jay

Zion

Novah Rose

Kiara & Novah

I will not miss the fighting.
I will not miss the teasing.
But I will miss them.
My sister comes next week .. yyyyeeeessssss! That means Larellyphant.

Taite - BBQ

2012-01-12T23:09:00.001+13:00

Rome & Spencer - In case you were confused, Spencer is the K9 and Rome is the other animal.

Swim at the creek earlier in the day.

Carlos & Rome

BBQ at the Parentals for dinner with the family.

(and 2 pots of boil up)

Boil up.

Steam pudding. It's basically the sous vide technique with a burnt sugar cake recipe.

Dessert

Sunset.

Crazy Kids.

2012-01-09T23:44:00.000+13:00

I don't know why, but these hats are all the craze right now.

Ngawi on the trampoline. He's pretty amazing.

There's our hubba in the front with no pants on.

A big fat Happy Birthday to Michelle who is 33 today. (Don't deny it, you're 33)

Cameras through the years.

2012-01-09T13:54:00.004+13:00

When my sister was 8 or something, she got a camera from (I think, and she'll correct me if I'm wrong), a missionary who was serving in our area for her birthday - they shared the same birthday. It may have been his old one. I don't remember. She never used it, so one day I took it out of her drawer and claimed it. I still have it see? She probably didn't remember that, but I paid her back last year when I upgraded my point and shoot and gave her my old one. Even.
A Minolta Premier 110.

I was 12 when I got this polaroid 640 from an op-shop. I begged for it, cried in fact.
It was $30 and back then I didn't appreciate the value of $30.
They still make films, but whats the point when you can get a 5x7 print out at a kiosk for 19 cents and a pack of 10 films for the polaroid are $54.

My first 35mm SLR was $1000 back in 1995. Again, didn't appreciate the value and wanted to take Photography for 6th form and Bursary (last 2 years at high school). It's an EOS 1000FN. I still have it because my name is engraved on the top and because I just can't part with it despite the fact that I don't use it anymore. One day when I have one famous photo, someone will put it up for eBay for a billion dollars .... and it will sell.

My trusty point & shoot. I've had several over the years.
My first digital camera was a white & blue Logitec piece of crap that took 640x480. He was lost during the Lightwave World Wide Tour. I saw around 5 or 6 point & shoot cameras before I settled with Canons Powershot SX series. I like that it does HD video and has editing features within the camera that are basic .. anything more and you may aswell have PhotoShop built it.

So far, I've been through 4 DSLRs. I've upgraded accordingly, and am due for another upgrade.
I'm partial to the new DSLRs that have video cameras built in to them. Both are Canon 400Ds, the other in the form of a Rebel XTi.

As far as I know, there have been two photographers in the family, both hobbyist, but great nonetheless. I had to chance to know some excellent photographers from years spent in California, in particular Lee Stranahan (not safe for work) and Stephen Burns both inspiring enough to push me more in the photographic direction.

Birds at Cornwall.

2012-01-07T00:57:00.004+13:00

We went to see the tropical birds today at Cornwall parks aviary. There aren't too many birds to look at, but it's something.

She was making her monster noises at the birds.

I can't remember what she got the giggles about.

The lazy tween didn't get out of the car.
She facebooked on her cellphone the whole time.

Another hot day in The Bay.
We're bracing for heavy rainfall tomorrow.

End of Thursday

2012-01-06T00:30:00.003+13:00

This was last night.

Today was one of the hottest days since summer began. The breeze was cool, which made the day bearable. We sat under the walnut tree at my grandparents place for a few hours.

Larry played spin the monkey with Jeston.

It was too hot for Grumpy Spice.

Shade bathing.

We ended the day with a BBQ hot dogs, salads and sweet corn.

All was going well ....

.... until this fool fell backwards off the trampoline and broke his arm. (He screamed louder than his sister). Off to the ER they went and home again at 10pm.

What are summer holidays without a casualty?

The first Thursday of 2012

2012-01-05T10:35:00.005+13:00

Doubt sees the darkest night
but Faith sees the day.
Doubt sees the obstacle,
but Faith sees the way.
Doubt dares to make a step,
Faith soars on high.
Doubt asked "who believes?",
Faith says "I".

Read this during my blog hop this morning.
Sometimes you read a post on someones blog that gives you the get-go for the rest of the day, like so. Other days you drink two red bulls and down a snicker bar.

2 minute snacks - Re: Larry

2012-01-04T00:32:00.005+13:00

Teenagers wanted to go get ice-cream and fries from Gull tonight. I didn't want to go anywhere. They complained about being hungry. I wasn't going anywhere and we had our dinner at 5pm. It was 10pm.
I don't like making do when it comes to food, but sometimes you just have to.
Marshmallows left over from christmas, M&Ms from christmas and cornflakes made a satisfying substitute for ice-cream and fries.

Teenagers.
I need a new password for our WiFi - this is all they did for HOURS.

Re: Larry
He woke up blind this morning. He seems to think his eye is bleeding again. It's been bothering him all day. He's been off Resveratrol for about a month now because it's too pricey and not subsidized at all. When we were in the US I shopped at vitacost.com alot for herbs and supplements. On a whim, I logged on to the site today to be greeted with international shipping fees and it's a keeper. 3 months of reseveratrol from NZ would cost us $120NZD from the store Health 2000. $120NZD on vitacost spent on the same product will give us 2 years worth. Score.

We hadn't been doing eye drops for a while either because they made his eyes hurt so we stopped. I restarted one drop last night and this happens. Could be a coinkidink.

He managed to overload himself with fluid during the weekend. Happy New Year grape juice will do that to you. It's a battle I can't win. As much as I bitch about his fluid intake, nothing works. He doesn't listen and I'm at peace with that. It's him getting told off by the charge nurse in the unit not me. They took off almost a gallon of fluid at Mondays treatment. Due in tomorrow afternoon for another round of haemo.

Men and teenagers are very much alike.
Neither listen and they're always hungry.

Journals

2012-01-02T22:05:00.003+13:00

Meet Rimu. He's the keeper of all my secrets.

I've been keeping journals since I was 8 years old. When I was 10, in 1989, I took a shovel to the back yard and buried 2 years of journals in a plastic shopping bag. I restarted journal keeping in 1992 just before my first niece was born and most of the entries began with, "Dear Tyler".

I've kept one every year since 1992 and most have daily entries. Larry has space in Rimu for the 2 he's ever kept. One while on his mission and another early on in his first marriage. Neither book is full.

I also keep shopping lists and organizers. They have space in Rimu too. I can tell you what I bought from Albertsons one winter night 5 years ago by pulling that shopping list out.

Larry's missionary handbook from 1984. (I was 5)

2011 books made their home in Rimu tonight. I have no pages left.
On Dec 31st, 2011 it had been:
4153 days since we were married.
2396 days without Aunty Hop.
841 days without Aunty Marva.
540 days since we were temple sealed.
485 days since Carlos was born and finally, 170 days since Larry got Residency.
All important dates to me.
I asked Larry if he thought I was a loser because I document this stuff.
"You're approaching that .."

Here are 2012s books, not including the trusty white board on the fridge.
One for photo shoot appointments and cooking orders, one for medical appointments, one's a personal journal, ones the shopping list, ones our 2012 to do list, one is for bill payments & finances.
Being organized is a type of cleanliness which is next to Godliness.

He thinks having 6 books to manage our lives for one year is loco.

2012

2012-01-01T15:46:00.005+13:00

Goodbye 2011, you bought me enough tears to fill Lake Tahoe twice and I was glad to see the end of you.

We welcomed the new year in with a midnight feast.

Then had left overs for breakfast.

Spent the rest of the day doing this. She's snoring louder than him, but not by much.

We spent Friday night writing out our "What to dos" for 2012. They range from getting firewood to monthly weekends away (Thanks psa.org.nz and bookabach.co.nz), but most of all, re-dedicating ourselves fully to church. Despite the horrific 14 months we spent after returning to New Zealand, we were never left alone after coming that far and we were given grace in July 2011.

It's going to be a good year for us because we're going to make it a good year.

Happy New Year Y'all!

12 Months with Larry

2011-12-30T11:52:00.000+13:00

January: Home from Auckland after 4 months at Nephrocare (love those nurses!).

February: Cataract Surgery as a non-resident.

March: Back to Auckland for needle training for PD Bags.

April: Back to Auckland again for what would be our final appointment with Dr. Voss.

May: The Livians bought our baby back from Australia after having her since September ;) Thanks guys!
Everything started to go downhill healthwise.

June: Blood transfusion as a non-resident. Health was pretty bad. Catheter stopped working.

July Part 1: Emergency Haemo dialysis. PD Bags had been out of order for 4 weeks and he had not been properly dialysed in that time. Very sick. Immigration residency denied. Appeal denied. About to hang myself with a pink florescent colored shoe lace.

July Part 2: We are going no where!
Immigration & Appeals Tribunal decisions overturned and Residency granted.

August: First Recormon shots as a Resident. First Recormon shot in months. No more $200 for one.

September: Spring. Haemo 3 times a week. Now a Kiwi.

October: First hospital stay as a Resident. Tenckhoff removed and new one installed.

November: Thanksgiving. It was all for him and he was asleep and exhausted post-haemo.

December: In hospital again. Tenckhoff removed, eye surgery.

It's was an uphill battle for the first half of the year, but after bombarding God with prayers and hopes, he heard us all and for that, it has turned out to be one of the best years of my life.

Thursday

2011-12-29T23:40:00.004+13:00

The gardens are finally doing something worth while.

Bell Peppers.

Cherry tomatoes.

Roma Tomatoes.

Braved the turn of weather and went fishing with the Parentals.

Took our grill and had dinner on the beach.

Cheese sausages, porterhouse steak (an abomination grilling it) and shrimp skewers.

Chef Larry.

The kahawai catch.

First of the season sweetcorn on the grill.
98 cents each at the moment, but in a few weeks they'll be 10 ears for $1.

Love giving this man the quality of life he deserves.
Dialysis tomorrow.
Renal appointment on the 19th.
Life is ok.

Clean up

2011-12-28T01:07:00.003+13:00

Spent the day cleaning up around my grandparents place.
Larry & Carlos laxin under the walnut tree.

Hot day today.
Kids went for a swim in the creek.

If she gets diarrhea tomorrow, we know why.

Karen and her Mum arrived from Wellington.

The cutest baby in the world.

Teenagers.

These two are in love.

Last night with the Nettles before they leave tomorrow.

Karaoke.

No one can pull of Whitney Houston but Whitney Houston.
No one.

Movie night at Ma's house.

2011-12-27T00:27:00.005+13:00

I really do despise summer holidays. Here in NZ, school ends around mid December for the year and begins in Feb. All our kids are loose until February.
God bless us all.

Movie night for family home evening at my grandparents place, which is right next to my mothers house and right in front of my brothers house and 7 houses down the street from our house.

I wanted to watch Star Trek, but I was outvoted and we watched a sequel to Big Momma's House. I left early because the movie was that awesome.

Merry US Christmas to family and friends there!

Merry New Zealand Christmas!

2011-12-26T00:24:00.008+13:00

It had been planned for weeks that we weren't being traditional this year by having the big family feast and lounging all day.
After spending christmas eve with family lastnight, we came home to watch bit torrent Terra Nova episodes till 5am and went to bed till 1pm.
Texts from my parents invited us to join them not-fishing at Awatoto when we rose from slumber.

That kahawai jumped into the chilly bin and broke it's own neck.

That's not a fishing rod nor is it a fish he's reeling in. *wink wink*

So. Hope our Bishop doesn't read this blog or we'll have some 'splaining to do next Sunday.
Home to open presents with Carlos.

Felled the christmas tree yesterday. I had to. She pulled it down twice and my older brother said my icicle decorations looked like crack pipes.
Christmas is done and I am glad!
Back into it with 5pm dialysis tomorrow.

Christmas Eve

2011-12-24T11:59:00.001+13:00

What a day, what a night.

Dessert at my Parents place tonight with some family.
26 of us.
Rosina & the Bannofee.

At the time, having desserts only at 9pm was a good idea.

Flavored milk.
Chocolate, banana, strawberry & lime.

Glad I have a year to get over tonight.

Rabbit, Chocolate, Pizza, Kids

2011-12-23T23:48:00.007+13:00

Coniglio al Cioccolato.
I told my Mum I bought a rabbit today. She asked if it was white with red eyes because she loves those kinds of rabbits. I said no. She asked where it was, she wanted to hold him. I told her it was in the microwave defrosting.
When I told the family I was making chocolate rabbit they asked about moulds, chocolate flavors and what time they'd be ready to eat
Gourmet to primates is a candy coated banana.

Start with the mirepoix.

Add pine nuts (holy christmas tree $80 per KG), raisins, cloves and wild fennel.

The Wabbit.
Move everything into a crock pot and add the wine.

I have a thing for this wine.
Ngatarawa Stables - peach, honey and turkish delight.

I added chicken too because rabbit is $39 per kg and I had to feed an army.

Cioccolato - bitter.

Let it sit for 2 hours on high.

Bellissimo.

Cranberry, Port & Pepperoni pizza.

Kids.
Without them, I wouldn't have a headache this christmas season.

Look at our hubba (baby on the right), shes the cutest in the bunch. I don't know what she's wearing, but she's still fantastic.

El Diablo has been opening her christmas presents for the last 2 weeks.
Love them all, but they do drive me bonkers.

Monday to Wednesday

2011-12-22T03:08:00.005+13:00

Monday night everyone marae styled it in the Parentals lounge.

Tuesday, despite the cold temps, 7 kids decided to play with water.

Coral's jumps were winners. (of course)

Rome Marelise.

Rome & Kiara

Bionic Ngawi

This is about as decorative as our town gets at Christmas time.
Late night shopping. The three major stores in town are open till midnight this week and its exciting because they usually shut down at 8pm.

Wednesday: Talent show/X-Factor/American Idol but in New Zealand night on Ma's patio.
All those chairs for 4 audience members.

Ward youth Christmas carollers crashed the talent show.

Home for dessert.
Pizzookie.

Cornbread ...

... with feijoas ...

... and white chocolate.

Good stuff.

Love christmas time .. but love it more when it's all over.

Tostadas con Asada and so on

2011-12-19T13:27:00.002+13:00

Lunchtime (on Saturday)

Dialysis today at 3pm.
Baby brother gets in this afternoon sometime with his wife and kids.
7 days till Christmas.
It's as if it's winter in Hawkes Bay right now .. lastnights temps were 6 degrees C.

Tyler & the waterfall.

2011-12-16T22:59:00.005+13:00

Tyler's our 18 year old niece. She's our first baby and now she's an adult.
The first time she met Larry, she bit him.

Her boyfriend (Siaso) travelled back from Australia with her and we spent the day roaming The Bay. We started with lunch at the bottom of the peak.

Then headed to Maraetotara for some stream and waterfall shots I'd been wanting to do for a while now.

While they roamed with one camera ...

Uncle Larry took this one, not too bad for a blind man.

I got the shots I wanted. (slooooooooow shutter, f30)

Then we came home to rain.

This week.

2011-12-15T11:52:00.003+13:00

My parentals have 15 grandchildren ranging from 18 to 1.
All, but 2, will be home for Christmas.

Tyler and Shai with Uncle Larry.

Jaamin, Rome, Carlos, Zion, Novah & Jeston.

Jaamin & Carlos

Kiara & Novah belong to my older brother, who won't be joining us for Christmas. They came home from Australia during the week.

Zion too.
3 more arrive from Australia tomorrow.
It's the best part of Christmas all the kids being here.

(Come on Ponz, jump in the car and gap it down here when Min comes. Your kids absense is going to ruin the photo of all the kids together!)

Taking Brittle orders.

Original peanut.

Banana Walnut.

Very tasty.

Ward Christmas Party

2011-12-10T23:02:00.007+13:00

I dreamt about doing these a few nights ago. I used jumbo marshmallows, flattened a wine gum for the base of the hat, which is a cut up marshmallow, and mini mallows for the arms.

Dragees for the buttons held in place with royal icing.

It worked out perfecto.

This one was more challenging. I had the idea with different edible materials, but they didn't work out so well.

I was going to use fondant for the eyes, but it didn't sit well on the icing I used (buttercream) so I used royal icing instead. Malteesers for the nose originally and a Jaffa for Rudolf. The Jaffa was way too heavy for the cake and I had to use pebbles (like M&Ms) to make it all look uniform.

The deer antlers were originally licorice.
No dice.
The licorice needed some serious viagra, hence the pretzels.

Santa's hat.

Our hubba was Baby Jesus.

We don't have a very big ward.
There are 33 families in our ward and 11 families came.
Pathetic, yes.

My reindeer cupcakes had fingerprints in them before the party began.
The culprits.

Workshops were:
Making gingerbread houses out of non-gingerbread cookies.

Macaroni frames for the nativity scene photos I took of the families.

Angels out of old magazines.

Shot of Ev, Nats & Darrel from tonights nativity scene.

A good night .. Larry missed another good evening.
He was called in to be dialysed at 5pm after missing yesterdays treatment.

Fry-Dee

2011-12-10T00:51:00.008+13:00

The Eye.

It looks way better than the day after he got his first eye surgery last year.
All is well with it.
No dialysis today. He is sick.

The Garden.
Everything is growing. First sign of Romas.

The Cucumber.

The Sugar Peas.

The Bell Peppers. (green)

The Unknown.
I don't know if these are peppers or tomatillos.

The Cherry Tomatoes.

The Cutest Girl in the World being the naughtiest girl in the world.

She mocks me with her eyes when I stoutly tell her 'No!'.

The Cherries.
First grade of the season.

The King Fish.
Jeston went fishing with Papa Greg this afternoon and bought home this. Without Papa's help, the fish's Aunty would be taking a picture of him holding Jeston.

El Diablo said she caught it ... but she was too busy upturning pot plants and throwing ceramic bowls at walls, because her TV priviledges were revoked at 6pm tonight, which was around the time they caught it.

You gotta love life sometimes, you just gotta.

Vetro & Silky Oak

2011-12-09T01:03:00.006+13:00

Vetro is a Mediterranean store in Ahuriri.
It's not very Mediterranean, but its still a great shop.
The prices are out of my range, but it didn't stop me today.

New Zealand made spices and extracts.

Dried fruits & nuts.

Heilala Vanilla..

I grabbed a 200g slice of aged gouda cheese ...

... to go with the chorizo sausage.

They have rabbit.
Now I know where to go when I want to make coniglio al cioccolato for the family and pretend it's chicken.

I've decided the menu for christmas lunch based on todays Vetro visit.
I've always said NZ has the best chocolate in the whole world.
Hawkes Bay has the best chocolate in the world.

Silky Oak is a chocolate factory bang between Hastings & Napier.
Expensive and worth it.

Coconut Rough Hedgehog. (My favorite).
These mouthfuls will cost you $2.70 each.

The Caramel Animals. (Larrys favourite)

The Marble Lamb. (Shai's favourite).

Re: Larry

2011-12-08T09:39:00.004+13:00

He had both surgeries yesterday .. at the same time. I have not seen him since his surgeries. The hospital closes at 8pm and he was in recovery at 7pm. No one is permitted to be in recovery unless you are a parent with a child.

I have 2 complaints about the hospital today to add to the complaints that are already sitting in my back pocket.
1. They did the surgeries at the same time. When he was being pre-addmitted for cataract & the vitrectomy they said it was a big no no at the hospital to do surgeries at the same time. This rule resulted in us paying for two seperate surgeries.

2. I can't go up there to see him until 1pm today, that's visiting hours. I will be turned away at the door if I attempt to go in any earlier. I'd like to sit there with him to be of some comfort during his discomfort.

The day before my aunty died, she was told her cancer had spread. I sat with her that whole afternoon from 1pm to closing time (8pm). She was irritated, quiet and defeated. She asked me what time I would be back the following day and I told her I'd ask a nurse if I could come in earlier. I asked the charge nurse and she told me I'd have to wait until 1pm when visiting hours start. There was no way around that, I would just have to wait.

... and because of that rule, my Aunty died alone the next morning a little after 9am.
I still can't deal with that.

4 hours till I can visit.

All went well with the surgeries.

10am update: Called the hospital to see how he was this morning. Nurse said he was discharged an hour ago.

Complaint 3: CALL ME. Stupid bastards.

Anti-Social.

2011-12-06T00:57:00.006+13:00

I was called anti social today because I declined an invitation for a rare get together for brunch. Today was the 3rd time I've declined in the last 2 years.
I was ok with the comment until it was followed by remarks like, "You're a hermit", "Get out of the house once in a while", "He doesn't need you 24/7" and "What's more important?".

People have no idea and when you say comments like that without thought, go figure why you get rejected. Not that I need to dignify your comments with a response ... but I know you all read this blog.

You're a hermit:
My second home is the Memorial hospital.

Get out of the house once in a while:
Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays I drive and from town four times. Thursdays are spared for our GP. Tuesdays are the day after his biggest dialysis treatment after a 2 day break from it and dialysis is exhausting. Saturdays are family days. Sundays are for God .. it's the least I can do because he answered two years of prayers.

He doesn't need you 24/7:
I promised him forever.

What's more important?:

We went to the hospital at 9am this morning for pre-admissions appointments for Wednesdays op. He was admitted to hospital today after his Monday dialysis treatment for emergency surgery tommorrow. He'll have an early morning surgery for the Tenckhoff and another on Wednesday, after dialysis, for his left eye. By Thursday he should be in some serious pain, so I'll sit with him in the hospital all day until closing time. Friday he has dialysis treatment and he'll most likely be in over the weekend, where again I will sit with him until the hospital closes.

Much more important than hot chocolate and a muffin.

"Fool of a Took! Throw yourself in next time, and rid us of your stupidity!" - Gandalf the Grey.

It's not being anti-social ... it's embracing my reality.

Breakfast of champions

2011-12-03T09:47:00.003+13:00

A typical breakfast in New Zealand is spagetti on toast or sausages and eggs.
Not this morning.

Day after cassarole with poached huevos.
Larry is in culinary heaven right now ...

Green Chili Chicken Enchilada Casserole

2011-12-03T00:35:00.006+13:00

Larry's Mom sent her magic recipe .. see above.
I made it lastnight with the family at my parents place and my sis-in-law Michelle said, "It's the best thing I've ever eaten" to which Larry replied, "Poor primate".

I'll keep the recipe secret. It's where it belongs.
Yeah, it's that good.

NZ don't have a sharp chedaar readily available in a the supermarket. Edam is ok, Mild cheddar kinda tastes like feet when melted. The best cheese in NZ to melt is Egmont, but $11 per 500kgs is a bit much for so little. Colby is your best choice.
I wish they had Marble Colby here.

20mins in the oven.

I added a basic paella to the bottom of the dish before layering.

It was fantastic.

The baby climbed all over Larry lastnight for a taste. Surprisingly, she was ok with the medium salsa verde.

Tonight's serving.

Like his haircut?
Yeah, me either.
I'll tell you why it's a good choice of haircut.
The tunnel line in his shoulder can't get wet at all. The catheter in his stomach is already infected and so, can't get wet either. His shower routine is particular and extremely careful, it has to be. An infection in the tunnel line will lead right to his jugular. So, the hair had to go because it was a pain in the ass to wash daily.

A taste of (new) Mexico! Re: Larry

2011-11-29T21:46:00.005+13:00

Christmas came early for Larry yesterday when we received a care package from his Mom in New Mexico. His christmas wish came true ... now he doesn't have to eat primate New Zealand food for christmas.

Excuse his closed eye. He had to shut it to keep it from falling out when he saw the giganto bottle of Franks hot sauce come out of the box.
Not really. That's his X-Files eye.

Burritos with Hatch's green chili this morning.

And Salsa verde.

Fish Tostadas for dinner with a Lemonade Ceviche.

Good Stuff.

Re: Larry
Despite the fantastic last couple of days culinary-wise, the happiness came to a halt this evening when we received an array of phone calls from the hospital.

He had an ultrasound this morning for the catheter that doesn't work. That was a complete waste of time. Nurses called all afternoon to make arrangements for his admission to hospital tomorrow afternoon post-dialysis. Fluid drained from his exit site a few days ago bought back traces of infection. Peritonitis. He is on the list for emergency surgery to go in and check out the catheter, probably remove it and replace it. This wouldn't have been an issue if they had done the job properly the first time. When he had his first catheter installed they waited 4 weeks for it to heal before using it. Here we waited 10 days. It's been a circus. He'll be in for a few days. That sucks.

He has an eye surgery on the 7th to remove the oil from the front of the eye to make it look less freaky.

My poor husband.
He deserves a lifetime of Hatch green chili quesadillas.

Friday & Saturday

2011-11-27T09:54:00.003+13:00

The christmas tree went up on Friday night at my parents place.

Kids were all excited about putting it up.

The excitement didn't last that long and they both went to bed with the tree incomplete and looking like ten drunken christmas elves had just vomited on it.

Carlos.

Larry & Carlos.

The wind has done some damage to some of my plants, but the cherry tomatoes are doing ok.

Thanksgiving.

2011-11-24T22:43:00.008+13:00

Long day. A Larry post will follow at the end.

Cherries are usually expensive this time of the year. I planned Boysenberry Tarts/Mini Pies. Found morcello cherries when I went to the store to buy boysenberries.

Wine cookie base. Similar to Marie cookies.

Tart filling.

Fondant lattice.

I tried my luck with pumpkin pie. The only way you eat pumpkin here in New Zealand is roasted and salted. Anything else is pure abomination.

The wind changed our plans during the week from a gazebo on the front lawn to the garage in my back yard. The size of my garage changed that plan to taking Thanksgiving 5 houses down the street to my Mums house. We were set to have it outside in her car port when it rained this morning and we went inside.

On the menu was:
Turkey
Cranberry Sauce
Korean style mashed potatoes (cold with kewpie mayo)
Mokato Asparagus (green beans aren't fresh this time of the year and I didn't want frozen ones)
Sweet Potato Salad
Stuffing
Cornbread

Dessert:
Smashed Pavalova with a Feijoa Coulis
Cherry Tarts/Pies
Mini Pumpkin Pie
Ice-Cream

It was all fantastic. I have sore feet and next year we'll go to Tommo's for a Turkey Burger.

Re: Larry
Believe it or not, Larry missed Thanksgiving tonight. We had an 11am appointment with the renal nurses in the AAU where they tried to flush his non-working new catheter. It wasn't happening. As she pushed the flush through there was a push of pressure against the inflow and as she withdrew fluid from it, everything turned pink. Blood. The appointment was to push some Urokinase through his catheter to unblock a possible blockage. That didn't happen after the initial flush bought back blood and gave Larry some internal discomfort.

He had dialysis today and I had a turkey to cook. I left him with the hospital and came home. 4.30pm, I send my brother to pick him up. Larry said once I left everything went down hill for him. They had to take him off of dialysis a few times so he could vomit and if he hadn't of fought his way out of it, they would have admitted him to the hospital because he wasn't doing too well. Just another addition to the growing list of, "When is it a good time to call the spouse and advise". Useless.

He's going back in for surgery to try and manipulate the catheter or insert a new one completely. It's not bad news, but it's not news to be thankful for either.

He had a fever, felt like crap and slept from 5pm - 9pm tonight missing Thanksgiving completely. So 24 Maoris had a US Thanksgiving tonight while the American slept. It's ok, we saved him some turkey.

Happy Thanksgiving USA.
I have sore feet.

Marae

2011-11-23T11:59:00.003+13:00

Went for a walk to the marae yesterday.
You'll be surprised how much scenery is in this podunk town.

It's still home.

School Photos

2011-11-21T22:37:00.003+13:00

Shot the school photos today. Took 2 hours in humid weather. Most of the kids are related one way or the other, but it was my nieces and nephew that were especially evil.
Shai's class (she's 5th in the back row from coming in from the right)

They all had individual photos.
57 of them.
These are the ones from our immediate family that I can share.
(You are welcome Nina!)
Atalya

Shai

Ashton

La'Mour

Furness

Jeston

The Weekend

2011-11-20T23:27:00.005+13:00

The centerpieces are done. After Dinner Mints were my first candy preference, but I couldnt find any suitable to stick a skewer in successfully. Pineapple lumps instead.

Lights off - LEDs on.
Due to the weather for the week, we may not put up the gazebo like I had originally planned. Weather permitting.

Possums are pests in New Zealand .. so this is ok.
A family of possums have been living in my brothers roof. His kids got use to the horrific sounds they make.
RIP Possum #2.

Shai.

Not only do we RIP the possum, but also the eel Jeston & his Dad caught at the creek tonight. This is a runt compared to the giganto's you can catch around here.

Our ward had their Primary Presentation today. Not everyone came, but we still rocked it. My piano playing was pretty tragic today because of my shoulder.

Carlos in her pretty church dress.

The many faces of our Carlos.

Zimma Pere had her debut shoot today at church.

She is cute.

Feijoa Cupcakes

2011-11-18T17:37:00.001+13:00

We'd (Michelle & I) been stewing on the idea for a few months now. Since feijoas (pineapple guava) are seasonal in NZ, I preserved some this year. Fortunately my family haven't raided my house and found the 12 bottles..

Rome helped. Not really.
There were a few secret ingredients we added, which will remain secret.

Added green to the batter.

Used a basic chocolate icing recipe and added chunks of feijoa.

Also a feijoa icing!

These don't do actual feijoas justice, but they were for decoration.

Done.

Here's Miss Piggy on her 3rd cupcake.

Thanksgiving

2011-11-16T20:46:00.004+13:00

I've been hunting for a turkey. The Mad Butcher told me I had to special order the bird a week before I required it. Stupid. I called New World supermarket and they've been telling me for a month that they'll have the birds in next week and it will cost between $25 - $30.
A day away from running one over on a back road, New World called to say they had the birds and there weren't many so I needed to be quick.
$60 later I have a turkey the size of a fat chicken. On the packaging it says it will serve between 8 - 9 people .. if you do the math, 15 - 16 of my guest will be eating chicken.
Of that, I am not thankful. It doesn't even have a thermometer in it's butt like the Butterball ones do.

On a happier note. My centerpieces have been assembled. The glasses were $1.50, the ribbon $2, Cellophane $1 and the LED flickering tea light candles from TradeMe, $10 for 12.

Lights off.

It's going to be amazing because it's all I have ... apart from Recormon shots in the butt and Dialysis clinics.

Gardens mid Nov and Tuesday.

2011-11-15T22:22:00.004+13:00

Got a lime tree to add to my row of Citrus trees at the back.
If you need lemons .. I have hundreds on my tree. The naveloranges should be ready in Jan.
Next on my list of 'to gets' is a blood orange tree and a mandarin tree.

The edibles.

Strawberries!

Found a stevia plant at the Mitre 10 Mega store the other day.
Got two.
Pull one leaf off, break it apart and put it in your tea pot instead of sugar.
To make liquid form, pull and crush 12 leaves and let it stew with 1/4 c of water.
Add to any beverage. I used 1 tbsp in 2 liters of KoolAid. I have yet to use it as a substitute when baking.

Tomatoes are flowering.

Nice day for a swim in the radio flyer.

The yard.

Freshly mowed lawns.

Carlos & Rome

Larry having an after-dialysis stroll with the cutest girl in the world.

El- A

2011-11-15T09:30:00.004+13:00

Mormons, typically, don't play lotto. I won't go into why, but that's just the way it is.

I need to win the lotto because I'm no longer enjoying the life of a low maintenance wife. A humbling experience it has been after stepping out of Los Angeles.

Living rural and living by family has it's advantages. Time stands still here and sometimes that's a beautiful thing. No snakes or any poisonous thing in the country is even better, but when dialysis runs your life - sometimes you just want more.

And so I miss my Los Angeles life today.

I miss:
Frys
$3.50 movies
Vasquez Rocks
Victoria Secrets
Sushi
WalMart
Overnight UPS Delivery
The Mojave Desert
Mexican Food
Lots more .. not enough space.

All materialistic, yes.

Sometimes I just need more than a $10 spree at the $2 Shop and a Big Mac Combo.

When I win the lotto, I'm moving back.

This photo has nothing to do with anything.
Enjoy the colors.

Re: Larry

2011-11-14T18:58:00.002+13:00

Eyes are doing well. Still can't see, but we need to see an Optometrist when we can to get some glasses that may improve his vision 20%. He'll have surgery next year sometime to remove the front oil from his eye and hopefully kill the blisters that irritate the eye.

Recormon has been upped to 3x 6000IU per week. His hgB is still below 100.

I have Bursitis in my shoulder.

Not an awesome day.

Family.

2011-11-10T13:29:00.001+13:00

It's been an interesting week this week with family. Things have happened here that have been a cause for concern. It happens in every family, but it sucks to be somewhat in the middle of it. These woes are secondary to maintaining Larry's health, but when you live so close it's hard to concentrate on that with everything going on.

No details, but it's nothing new. Family woes have played a part in our lives together from the get-go. Some are resolved and some aren't.

You can't live with hate in your heart. It will eat you up inside. You gotta let it go, it's the only way to find peace.

We've managed to do this and get on with our lives where past issues are concerned, but that doesn't by any means hinder future conflicts.

I love my family, but they're all insane.

Re: Larry

2011-11-08T19:33:00.003+13:00

Catheter isn't working. No one is sure what's happening with that.
Still a lump where his surgery site scar is, they're saying it's scar tissue.
I smell a fistula installation and haemo for the rest of his life.
People give up on haemo dialysis because it's depressing and restricts one from having a good quality of life. I know I've wanted alot this year and received alot, but I just want the catheter to work.

Of all nurses, dialysis nurses are the lowest paid nurses in NZ. It would be different if I were given the reigns of health care in NZ, most definitely.

Tuesday

2011-11-08T19:26:00.002+13:00

She's walking! She tried a month ago and didn't like it, but she's a professional now.

Teachers only day for school today in PA.
Kids went to the creek to build the damn that had been long waiting to be resurrected. We use to build it as kids during summer then swim in it.

It was hot today in the Bay - 25.

Guy Fawkes

2011-11-05T21:30:00.008+13:00

When I was little, the Halloween witch would fly by on hallows eve and drop me off some fire crackers. I never got candy, I always got fire crackers. This was ok.
Today is Guy Fawkes, so we made cupcakes for the occassion, because that's what we do.

Then we made hot dogs which tasted like pine because I fueled the coals with pine needles.
Bad idea.

My brother made his own fire crackers.

And this is what happens when you throw home made fire crackers out your kitchen window.

Guy Fawkes night.

TGIF

2011-11-04T13:38:00.001+13:00

It's a beautiful day in The Bay today.

Thanksgiving

2011-11-02T09:06:00.006+13:00

One thing I love about November, specific to the USA, is Thanksgiving. My first two years in the USA we had Denny's Thanksgivings, but I caught on after those two years and did the whole turkey thing up until we left.

NZ doesn't celebrate or observe Thanksgiving, there isn't really any NZ holiday similar to it either. Since we've been back we haven't celebrated or observed because our experience since being back hasn't called for anything to be thankful for to be honest. As you very well know, this year is much different and Larry asked if we could do something small. Me, him and my parents.

Something small in my family includes at least 20 people.

So we're going all out for it this year and I'm excited. So excited I bought stuff for centerpieces yesterday and sent out invitations this morning. I have the whole thing plotted out on pieces of paper on the fridge. In sticking with the traditional menu, I've switched out a few things to suit for the weather because no one wants piping hot mashed potatoes with gravy or candied yams on a hot spring evening.

PS. Please don't come, I maxed at 25.

I want my sister to come, but she has pre-arranged plans. So the labels are just for her, because I'm pretty excited about the whole thing that I feel it my duty to share ... and she's all the way in Auckland.

Happy Birthday to my nephew Jasiah who is 2 today!

Happy Halloween

2011-10-31T21:17:00.008+13:00

Halloween isn't as popular in NZ as it is in the United States. The good thing about living rural is that you know everyone so there is no stranger danger worry.

Michelle and I are losers .. we went all out for ourselves and not the kids.

We didn't have pumpkins so we used oranges.

Rome went as herself.

The Grave

The Red Velvet Grave

.. and again just because it's awesome.

Michelle's 6 legged spiders.

The Eye Balls.

October.

Re: Larry
Our first PD training was today. Using manual bags. I remembered everything except when to wash your hands, there are 3 different times to do it during the connection process.
On changing Larry's site dressing, an abnormal lump was visible in the section where they went in for surgery, the cut from the naval. Worrisome enough that the nurse took him to the hospital herself and to the X-Ray department. She insisted.

She isn't aware how severely blind Larry is and left him at the Radiology department telling him to walk to the Renal House, which is a short distance away, when he was done. So when I pick him up from the Renal Department and there are holes in his pants at his knees, I ask him politely, "What the hell".

He didn't know his way from the x-rays to the renal house. It was through 3 car parks. He fell several times getting to the renal house. He pretty much called out to anyone and asked which direction to go. The nurses must be blind too not to have seen someone struggling through the car park. Lesson learned, never let the renal nurse babysit again.

In-Studio Portraits.

2011-10-29T19:44:00.001+13:00

Carlos

Rome-Marelise

Jeston

Furness

Shailahzay

Re: Larry

2011-10-27T22:56:00.001+13:00

Winding down to the last few Haemo treatments. Monday we start training for PD, despite we already know, apparently it's protocol. Tuesday will be his last Haemo session and we should be dialysing from home on Wednesday.

Three surgery sites seem to be healing fine.

Sadly, he'll never have his vision back to anywhere near where he can work ever again. This is something we've accepted.

Still not the end of the road, but definitely a good direction.

Labour Weekend 2011

2011-10-24T22:34:00.003+13:00

Since no one wanted to brave the task of taking 5 kids to the annual AMP show/carnival, we did the Gypsy Fair today. A good end to the 2 week term three holidays and a celebration that there is school tomorrow for another 8 weeks before school ends for 2011.

We got Dutch Doughnuts, Oliebollens.

Michelle & The Sexometer.
It refunded her money .. she has no game.

Really don't know what these are, but aren't the colors fab.

These are similar to poi's.

Got our Christmas ideas from these.
Rock Art, very cool.

The Circus was in town.

We tried to leave the kids. Unfortunately, they weren't recruiting.

Garden Update

2011-10-23T19:17:00.003+13:00

I'm pretty proud of my gardens. When we first moved into the house I wanted to cement everything so I didn't have to do the gardens or mow the lawns, but it's surprising what a recession will do to you especially since vegetables and fruit are overpriced right now.

The Roma tomatoes.

The pots.

Since the last photos, I've added red onions to the mix.

And iceberg lettuce.

The herb pot.

Yep, the house is orange.
Can't miss it.
Not even from space.

It all ends tonight ...

2011-10-23T18:30:00.003+13:00

If you are outside of New Zealand, you won't know that for the last 7 - 8 weeks, the country has been host to the 2011 Rugby World Cup, an international event that occurs every 4 years. The first world cup was held in 1987. Both New Zealand and Australia hosted the competition in 1987 and that was the first, and only time so far, New Zealand took the Webb Ellis Cup when they played against France.

Tonight is the last game for the 2011 competition .. and we'll see if history repeats itself as The All Blacks take on France.

My favourite All Black?
The 1937 Lock chasing the ball in front.
(2nd from the left).

aka. Poppa Reid.

... and then Richie McCaw.

Got my toffee pops ready for the 9pm kick off.
Good luck All Blacks.

2011-10-18T22:15:00.003+13:00

Surgery Day. All went well.

The lure is always the worst part.

On another topic: Don't get the cookies & cream Shrewsburies.
Stick with Oreos.

Nessa's Birthday Party

2011-10-15T20:46:00.001+13:00

Pretty Carlos.

This is her new thing ...

Rome.

Nessa and the three friends she invited.

The three legged race.

The blindman game .. they had to run to the other side of the trees blind folded.

Winning medals

Jeston lost a tooth when Shai ran into him during the blindman game.

Wheel barrow race.

Shai

... ano

Nessa

The birthday cake

The Rustic Birthday Party

Presents

Pin the tail on the donkey.

Jeston

Shai

Blurry blow.

The End.

Re: Larry

2011-10-15T16:51:00.004+13:00

Dialysis today.
Dialysis Monday & Tuesday.
Tuesday afternoon a brand new Tenckhoff will be installed.
2 nights in hospital should see him right.
Unlike the first time they installed the Tenckhoff, it's not laproscopic this time. They'll cut him open, hence the 2 days in hospital as opposed to the 10 hours the first time.

He currently has a 24 hour bug from germy kids. This needs to subside by tomorrow or he'll be going to the Emergency Department to better himself by Tuesday.

A visit to the Doctors yesterday for both of us shows his Creatinine is still in the 700s, mine is 79.
He was given an inhaler for asthma that has flared up and he is back on high blood pressure meds.

Looking forward to Christmas.

Gardens & such

2011-10-13T20:43:00.005+13:00

It's that time of the year again. I tried a garden in California, but the Mojave desert wasn't our friend and it never worked out.
Seeding: 3 types of chilis, kamokamo (a type of courgette), Tomatillos & Romaine Lettuce.
Roma tomatoes on the right.

Yellow pepper/capsicum.

Strawberry plants were 99cents at Pak n Save last week.

We're trying something new this year. Growing tomatoes upside down. They're hanging from the front porch roof. These are cherry tomatoes.

The herb pot.
Cilantro didn't do well in our garden, but it's growing nicely in the pot (top herb).
The Parsley always does well in the pot and the Hot & Spicy Sage on the left is for pizza!

Two kinds of lettuce.
Romaine lettuce & Tom Thumb lettuce. There is also Dill in the Thumb lettuce pot.

I'm using pots this year because I truly do hate weeding the gardens.

Sugar peas in a hanging basket. they'll grow up the porch fence.

This is an As Seen on TV upside down tomato grower I picked up for $10 at a local store. Two Roma's are growing in this one.

My brothers seeds are growing. All the sprouts you can see are cos Lettuce.

They also got the 99 cent strawberry plants. Sugar peas in the back and Silver Beet on the left.

Rome.

Carlos fell asleep bouncing up and down on his knees.

Pizza for dinner.

Unloading Cameras

2011-10-11T16:43:00.003+13:00

Rome & Ma (Great-Grandmother)

Three brats, especially the one in front.

Larell & Ma

Olly & Rome mowing the lawns

My older brother Olly & Tyler.

My brother and his 18 year old daughter (left) and 19 year old wife (fooooooo Michelle).
Not really, she's the same age as me. 25 for the last 7 years.

Homie.

Ma & Jasiah.

Thursday.

2011-10-06T20:25:00.002+13:00

The cutest nerd in the world.

Bay Sushi is a fail in my book.
Not fresh.
45 minute wait for a cooked meal = Fail.

2011-10-05T21:44:00.003+13:00

Hog's Breath in Napier.

Sweet Chili Potato Skins - OK.

Chimichanga - FAIL.
It was supposed to be a Seafood Chimi. Turned out to be a Creamed Seafood Soup Burrito deep fried.

Salmon with a dry pepper rub - FAIL.
If I wanted sushi, I would have gone Sushi.

Ended the day with an Iced Chocolate from Silky Oak.
You really must go if ever you're in Hawkes Bay. Pass on Hog's Breath though.

Here's Rome at the new Warehouse.
We just told her she wasn't getting any of what she put in her kid size trolley.
She threw a fit that was just as devastating as the Japan Tsunami.

Re: Larry

2011-10-03T22:14:00.004+13:00

Tenckhoff surgery on the 17th.
At this point we still don't know if it's an adjustment or a complete removal and new installation.
Until then, lots of dialysis and pre-surgery appointments.
4 weeks after the tenckhoff surgery, we should be dialysing from home again .. very much so looking forward to that.
We still have a one month supply of fluids sitting in our garage.

September & Hells

2011-10-03T21:42:00.003+13:00

What happened in September.
Haemo dialysis and Recormon shots run our lives right now.

Hell's Pizza is a gourmet pizza kitchen here in New Zealand. New Zealand don't do pizza that well, but Hell's is our preference in Aotearoa.

This one is Pandemonium - My favourite.
Chicken, Cranberry Sauce & Feta.

This one is Cursed.
Honey Mustard, Ham, Onions, Chicken, Bacon & Smoked Cheddar.

Pride. Larry's favourite.
Vegetarian friendly.
Onions, Olives, Mushrooms, Tomatoes, Olives, Jalapenos, Garlic, Feta and Tomatoes.

This one is Brimmstone (never getting this one ever again Michelle)
Chicken. Sour Cream, Avocado, Tomatoes and Onion.

Carlos & The Aquarium

2011-09-30T21:00:00.004+13:00

Yeah, she hated it.

But she loved lunch time.

Clams

2011-09-28T22:24:00.000+13:00

There's a seafood place in Santa Barbara, CA that I managed to get the broth recipe from. When I asked at Red Lobster they acted like it was the end of the world.

It's the white wine that does it. So I had to buy some from Pak n Save tonight and all I could think of was what I was going to tell my fellow Mormons who may have happened upon me shopping for white wine.
I represented and got a local white wine from Ngatarawa Stables. A hint of peach, honey and something else I can't remember without looking at the bottle again.

For my spiritual well being, I boiled the broth double time just in case I wake up with a clam broth hang over.

I forgot the salsa .. but it wasn't the end of the world.

Good good stuff.

Fin.

2011-09-28T22:13:00.000+13:00

I've decided this blog is done. The story was an intense one, but the aftermath is quite boring to people who aren't family.
You are welcome to join us here for future updates on Larry (I'll make tags for informative info regarding him).
There will be no more posts to this one.
It's purpose has been served.

School Cross Country

2011-09-28T21:23:00.003+13:00

Here in Ruralville, our kids go to a school that has maybe 50 students. Best school ever. Today was cross country.

We made it a family day and all went down to support the kids.

Nessa's age group were first. She's in black.

I don't know the distance, but it was a 12 minute run.
She came first.

Jeston came 4th or 5th.

Atalya came 3rd.

She's in black too.

Three little coconuts, sitting on the grass ....

Ashty was first.

Shailahzay was 3rd. She's pretty lazy, I thought she'd walk the whole thing then text one of us half way through it to come pick her up.

This one's for Ninz. (you're welcome).

Lunch time with the family.

Uncle Larry didn't like the sunshine.

And just a little something to make one smile.

Go All Blacks!

The weekend

2011-09-25T21:11:00.000+13:00

I was sick over the weekend, so I missed the action of my sisters visit.

Saw Larell.

My big niece is home for Australian school holidays. That's her with sister Shai.

We had lambtails.

They're a seasonal thing in NZ. I hadn't had any for about 20 years.

I was reminded how they so are not a delicacy.

Jasiah still has a scream that will make you want to stab yourself in the eye ball.

Ew.

Rome loved them, but she also eats blue tack.

Larry had one.

Joel-sef is gangsta, he had lots.

I came home and had Cevichie de Camarone.
Thank you.

Monday Night FHE

2011-09-21T21:32:00.004+12:00

McGyver thought it would be awesome to test out our skills in the case of the Apocalypse coming sooner than we hoped.
He tried the Survivor Man way. - Fail.

Then we tried the flint.

It sparked .. but Fail.

Then we tried news paper using the flame from the gas heater inside.
Win.

We reheated stew using a mess kit and an A10 can made into a billy.

The kids didn't eat it. They flat out refused.

For dessert we had bananas with white chocolate in them.

Needless to say, we're all going to be pretty screwed when the Apocalypse comes.
Need Bear Grills.
And finally, she got teeth!

Blossom Parade

2011-09-21T20:52:00.003+12:00

Every year in September, Hawkes Bay has the annual Blossom Festival. It fell on the same day France played Canada in the Rugby World Cup here locally. We didn't go to the festival because we didn't want to. Photos are from Michelle's camera.

Rome.
She's evil.

Update.

2011-09-17T18:07:00.000+12:00

Still on haemo. It's very tiresome for him. The other patients are 70-80 year olds. Even if he could talk to him, he still can't understand the Kiwi accent. I still repeat myself in conversation with him.

Eye appointment on Monday. Hoping he gets into surgery ASAP as that left eye is not looking too fantastic. The iris is completely yellow, blisters in that eye irritate him and it's forever leaking. I do hate that this has happened to that eye all because of money, but I am thankful that after 2 attempts at residency, that failed, we were awarded it by the skin of our teeth.
Overall health is ok. There are good days and there are bad days. The restriction of staying home all the time, because he's too tired or I'm too tired to go anywhere, has crept up on him. The sight restriction get's him down .. he can't see the blossoms that spring brings, but we have residency.

Just breathe.
Things do get better.

Thanks to Ron Tang, who just found out recently re: Larrys Residency, for this! - He's about 100 lbs lighter than the portrayal in the image ;)

Regarding Cancer - X-Posted

2011-09-11T11:53:00.000+12:00

(25th May 2009 - Round 3 of Chemotherapy)
It's been 2 years today since the cancer took her.
She was the reason we came home and ultimately, the light that led us to the Doctors to check on Larry's health.
If we hadn't come home, he would not have been diagnosed.
She died, we gained a house.
Now we had a house, we may aswell stay.
You know the rest.

She enlisted in the New Zealand Royal Air Force in 1958, a year before my mother was born.

She was discharged and retired at 41 in 1979 - the year I was born.

Received a full returned service send off.
I miss her everyday.

RWC & DHB

2011-09-09T22:53:00.000+12:00

Nurses at the hospital passed around an email about how to get free tickets to the USA vs Ireland game on Sunday, which will be played here locally. They're total nose bleed seats. Larry is blind and I don't do crowds, but I love that the hospital offered after the months of crap service we received from them prior to Residency.

All Blacks beat Tonga 41 - 10.

RWC 2011 Party

2011-09-09T22:45:00.002+12:00

My sis-in-law and I planned a party .. and only we attended because the kids came home late.

We had smoked kahawai & maori bread.

Larry had hot dogs. He pretended he was at the Superbowl.

We had chips & Dip and brownies and lollies and that's all we needed.
The kids had lamb tails at Pop Jeffs.

Hubba was a witch tonight.

And we watched it at the Parentals because they have the bigger TV.
Front row seats at home!
Ireland play the USA here in Napier on Sunday.
We have free tickets and I hate crowds.
We'll be watching it at home thanks.

Surgery & RWC 2011

2011-09-09T15:41:00.000+12:00

The appointment with the Urologist/Surgeon who will work on Larrys Tenckhoff was today. We missed Wednesdays appointment and had to reschedule. Minor change, they won't pull out the whole catheter. He said the exit site looks fine and the tubing can stay in. He will open him up, like a C-Section, and attach the tube to the pelvis and make it stay. 10 days later he will be able to get back onto home PD. The only downside is that we need to be re-trained on Peritoneal Dialysis. They said it will take a week. No it won't. Surgery is set for anytime in the next 6 weeks. Larry will have to deal with Haemo for another 6 - 8 weeks.

In better unrelated news .. Rugby World Cup 2011 begins tonight. If you are not tuned into it by some means of technology, then you are insane. Remember I told you about there being 2 good things to happen this year? Rugby World Cup was 2nd to Larry's granted Residency.

Go ~~Australia~~ All Blacks! (I really don't think they'll take the cup, but I'm representing. Fo rizzle.).

The Rural Life

2011-09-07T22:56:00.006+12:00

The front fence is Yucca's and Camellia bushes.

17 houses that way.

22 houses this way.

The view across the road.

No one laughs at your back up vehicle .. even when you have two kids hanging off the back.

Yucca's look prettier in the rural country side.

Gumboots are a fashion ...

Even though your satellite dish looks off, everyone knows when someone has Sky TV.

No matter how many times you hit the mail box, a rock will always fix it.

You get plums, yellow & white flesh peaches, loquots and cherry plums from the backyard.

The view of Te Mata Peak is fab from here.

Everyone has "a drum", where you burn your rubbish outside of the fire ban time .. and sometimes during the fire ban period in the dark.

Every house has one of these for lamb tail season, which is now.

The lawn mower goes moooo. (can you see it? He's licking the iron fence)

Everyone's a farmer.

We have solar clothes dryers.

The Oranges are juicier from rural soil.

There's enough lemons on our tree to feed all of America.

You buy firewood in Summer, when it's cheaper, for Winter.

I gave up Los Angeles for this .. and I'm doing ok.

Appointments & such

2011-09-05T14:52:00.000+12:00

Recormon shots have been upped to 2x 6000mls per week.

Urology appointment for the Tenckhoff Catheter reinstallation on Wednesday (this has been sped up because the site of the tube coming out looks almost alien).

Opthamologist appointment on the 19th. This is the first one since he became a Resident.

6 weeks ago his Creatinine was 1449. His last blood work, which was done last week, has it sitting at 690. Excellent progress. Hgb is still down (89), hence the 2 shots per week.

We patiently await Spring.

Winter has been unfriendly.

1st week in September

2011-09-04T23:28:00.007+12:00

Hubba's birthday cake.

She really wasn't that interested in the candle scenario.

The Birthday Girl.

Thursday morning - 1st day of Spring.

Friday morning.

It's Fathers Day here in NZ.
Few people know Larry has children and even fewer know the story about why his children are absent.
11 years of marriage has shown me how one man tried to be the best Dad he could be. How he lived through trials and fabricated ideas from people he thought the world of. A testament to his being a good Father is observed in where he is today - happy and content knowing that he tried his best.
Any man can be a Father, but it takes a great man to be a Dad.
We have 5 kids here that can attest to his character where 2 didn't and one in particular who makes his heart melt whenever she's near.

Happy NZ Fathers Day!

Birthday Cake & Corn Bread - on different days.

2011-09-04T22:26:00.000+12:00

Michelle's birthday cake for Carlos.

Cornbread for dinner with Chili.

Slushies

2011-09-01T22:27:00.000+12:00

Larry's a slushie fanatic, so some kind person bought us one!(Thanks Mum, you told me not to tell my sister, but you didn't tell me not to show her).

Tried it with Coke Zero. It was a no go. I didn't learn till after I read the manual that carbonated beverages and the Retro Slushie Maker do not work together.

So we used Raro and it worked like a charm.

Spring Cleaning.

2011-09-01T21:03:00.006+12:00

These are mostly for my sister, because she doesn't think I'm a fantastic cleaner. This is ok because I don't think she's a fantastic cook.

The fire corner use to harbour all the bags we didn't need to see. When I cleaned the area, there were 5 bags full of stuff.

Aunty's Room. She's been dead for 2 years, but it's still her room just incase she want's to come home for a long weekend. It would be welcomed!

The big room. Our room.

Oil spilled in my cupboards a week ago and it was time to replace the lining.

Also threw out the expired bottles that were in there. One was a soda stream orange flavor that expired in 2001.

I didn't quite make it to working on the kitchen benches today after everything else.

Moved the filing cabinet and the brittle table. The slab of marble is now on top of the dining room table and if I move it with the slab on it, the whole thing will probably break and collapse.

Aunty Hop's room. I have not yet got around to calling it 'Larry's computer room', because I'm sentimental and can't bring myself to do so. Everyone still says, "The Aunties House".

And our Hubba is 1 tomorrow. We'll have a birthday for her on Sunday when Nan is home from work. She still can't walk, but that's ok because she's cute.

Remembering August

2011-09-01T20:11:00.000+12:00

US Immigration

2011-08-29T10:17:00.000+12:00

When I was frantic, I posted to several different immigration forums re: trying to get back into the USA after being gone for longer than a year. A few days ago after speaking with a friend, Larry threw out a possibility of moving back to the USA. Immediately I said, "We didn't just go through 2 years of hell just to move back there 2 months later", however, I'm open to the idea of being bi-coastal between countries.

Funny enough. A response came from one of the forums just a few days before that linked me directly to the US Immigration website for residents who have been outside of the States for longer than a year who do not have a re-entry permit who qualify, by way of extreme circumstances that were out of your control (eg: health issues), to apply for a re-entry permit based on the inability to travel at the time of the one year mark.

6 weeks late, but still very useful.

There's also no harm in querying being Naturalized. I can't remember if it was 5 years or 10 years to have held Residency before applying to be naturalized, but as my issue with US Immigration is full of technicalities, there is no harm in trying.

Eye appointment scheduled for a few weeks time.

Haemo Tuesdays, Thursdays & Saturdays.

La Vida Buena.

New Renal Specialist

2011-08-26T17:44:00.000+12:00

We met our new Renal Specialist today. She was so surprised by the overturned judgement re: Immigration that she wanted to see his passport for proof. I have only briefed the public about the overturned decision because it was requested that we not go public with the details, and I must abide by that. We didn't have his passport to show her, but this was ok.

Loved our previous Renal Specialist, but he's too far to visit once a month.

Diabetes has come up as the big reason as to why his kidneys failed. Because he has never been officially diagnosed here, it's become somewhat a mystery to some experts who don't understand why his blood work has always been good when he shows signs of diabetes causing all the problems. I know it's diabetes, but try telling Larry that when he's getting good bloods.

His catheter surgery is scheduled for the end of next month, but because his catheter site looks a little gross, they are hoping to have the surgery moved forward.

I've said it before that the eye people don't like us (Villa 3 at HBDHB) and I've been trying to get an appointment with his Ophthalmologist for 6 weeks now with no luck. The Renal Nurse told us today that he has an appointment next month. Good news. He needs work on the left eye, which we've been told several times before, is out of action permanently, but the right eye is the keeper.

He misses working.

He misses checking his emails.

He misses adding to forum bliss. I stopped reading them out to him. Sometimes it's like reading a script from The View .. and that show is like nails on a chalkboard.