Car service

 Our car has just done over 100k so times for its 100k service. We are a little over at about 103,000 as the service gets that we go to, couldn't fit us in for nearly three weeks. I guess with school holidays coming up, they were extra busy. They are very good also which means they gave a lot of customers. 

The owners are two brothers, not sure of other staff, Warren just refers to them as "the boys", they are probably in their forties.

They rang at 2.30 to tell us the service was finished and we drove to pick up and pay. 

Bill was over $500 and I jokingly said that it would be Weiner's and beans for a few nights as they had discussed the damage to the front end. Car had been backed into and it's an insurance job but we have to pay the excess of $1250, car was due at panel beaters today.

Back home and Warren informed me that we have gold plated or maybe even solid gold spark plugs. They were $60! and we needed four of them. Good news though, they should last the next 100,000ks.

Second tartan rug

 May, just finished well except one end of fringing, need a footy or tennis game to watch while I do that.

Again I made up the colours and only needed to buy the black. First is to make the "net". I used a bigger hook to do chains as long as I wanted, I tend to do my chains tighter so have learnt to use one size bigger then go down a size. First two rows of chain then single crochet was with a size 6,the rest with size 5.

The net is made by 3 chains at the start then double crochet, chain one and miss one stitch all the way along. I ended up with 90 spaces or holes. Once the net is as long as needed, it's time to fill in those spaces.

These are some chain lengths that I made for the first rug. Second rug I attached the end to foundation row and then chain the length of the rug. Chain length is then threaded through the spaces in an up and over pattern.

And hey presto, the result is a tartan rug!

I had in my stash, a 300 gram ball of orange, bought two balls of black and had the yellow. I did run out of the black and used a dark navy for the last couple of rows. This one took ten days

Tartan rug.

 In the first year that I went to crochet class some of them were discussing tartan rugs and said how easy they were to do.

I wasn't convinced, one of the more experienced crocheters bought in a pattern book to show me. I took it home but everything I read confused me even more.

I took it back and said that I would leave it for awhile until I could understand patterns.

After holidays, tartan rugs came up again and a couple of members had brought theirs in and again said how easy they were.

Always up for a challenge, I decided I would make one without a pattern. I bought the wool, yes, yes, I know I do have plenty but I wanted to ve sure that I had enough of each colour.

This was to be smallish and just for me so I choose navy, light blue, cream and white. I was keen to see how it turned out so I did rush it a bit finishing it in two weeks. I was go8ng to fringe it but then changed my mind, nah should have fringed it. Again I took the quicker way as I wanted to see the finished project.

I have started another so that I can improve on it, it's also a little larger. Blue one is 100 by 120cms. New one is 135 and hopefully to 140 oe 150 and fringed.

JFK airport

 Our flight to Honolulu was an early one. We were on holiday so booked a taxi to collect us at 4am. It was in fact an Uber but no bother. The day before we were advised who would be driving us. He arrived early and we were ready early so we left at 3.45am,  nice quiet drive that didnt take as long as we thought but better to be early than late.

Going through Customs, I had learnt before that it's shoes off for everyone over twelve so my shoes, perfume and tablet went in one tray handbag and backpack in another. First tray came through but backpack tray went to the side, they put it through again, same thing. Some young girl collected it and asked if I had powder in my bag, I said yes and then indicated that it was in my dilly bag with other toiletries. She took it out and then with the rest of the tray took everything to a machine and proceeded to shake some powder on to a square of kitchen paper and then it went through the machine. I didn't see a negative but she bought it back to me and said it was okay to continue. As I tend to get patted down or a wand passed over me 75% of the times that I fly, it was just a hiccup although that was new.

No other dramas and on to Hawaiian aircraft. I do like them, they have an announcement warning before the meal or drinks service, ten minutes prior saying that it will be commencing and last for approx 30 minutes and ask that no one uses the corridors in that time and surprising no one did and it was a quick service. Wish other airlines would do the same.

Newark day two

 Still suffering so it was a slow day with a short walk to Newark Penn Station and back again.

We visited a whole food market, all sorts of products , lots of fresh foods and also lunch or dinner options. We were looking for cough soothers as my cold had developed into a cough.

Nothing like that so bought some lunch and then we parted ways. Me back to hotel for z sleep and Warren to find z chemist.

Newark

 Our bus tour finished at either Newark airport or back at the New Yorkers hotel,  we had three nights St a hotel in Newark booked before flying home.

Not a great deal to do in Newark, Def didn't want to go to any museums so we took a walk to a cathedral. I was suffering the aftermath of a cold and felt that I was running z temperature but we got there and back, clocking up 8.75kms. 

Massive and so old.

This was another church building on the way.

We started with breakfast at Dunkin Donuts, our first time there as on tour everytime there was a DD at our break spots, the queue was very long.

Phili, last day of tour

 I went for a walk after breakfast, it was our lastest time to leave at 9am.

This was what I was after.

Nice little park alongside a fire house just 100 metres from the hotel

A mural on the side of the building

Then Beni Franklin.