Forgive me friends for I have sinned....

...it's been two weeks since my last blog! I have shown unblog like behaviour, I have not written a single entry in that time, I have not left comments on other blogs. I have been a spendthrift and had lustful thoughts of party things, I have coveted all things Hawaiian and of the beach. I have however thought of the poor and needy by buying my coveted things from op shops and have been mindful of the earth by buying second hand goods from the temptations of Trade Me.
I intend to do penance for my wicked ways and say 100 hail Caesers, I like salad! I will partake of wholly wine and not have impure thoughts of cake and other such evil things, the Sainted Jenny Craig would not allow such things especially as I have foregone 1KG in bodily weight this week.

So I ask of your forgiveness and hope that the following photos of such a plethora of coveted scrumptiousness will make up for my tardiness!

Right enough of that bollox......just look at this lot!!
Actually, first I should explain something, at the end of February I have a birthday, a BIG birthday, one with a '0' on the end, we had intended to go a cruise but that's been put of for a while as we're taking a trip back the UK later this year, so can't do both. The next best thing is to bring the islands to me!
We have a big barn, full of stuff of little or no use, so it's being cleared and will become party central, AKA Club Tropicana Beach, there will be a band, cocktails, lamb on a spit, a sandy beach and so much more, more of which I am about to show you...

Over the last couple of weeks we've managed to find the following on Trade Me, in shops and  in op shops.....

 

 a box of goodies

 plastic glasses for the p*ssheads!

 cocktail glasses

 lanterns, also in blue and green

 

grass skirts AND coconuts!!

I found this little lot today....

BUT and it's a BIG but...the way too cool and most awesome thing of all, 

found on Trade Me has to be this..

 

3 umbrellas in total 

annd they threw in a box of shells and a umbrella base too!

 

We have a HelpXer staying with us at the moment helping us with jobs around the place, her name is Alice and she is from France. She is a designer of childrens clothing and also is very good with computer graphics, she very kindly designed my party invite, she used one of my photos that I took in Rarotonga and did this with it...

I've had so much fun finding these things and I can't wait for the party, Joe is technically organising the whole thing but as he works I've been finding the props! I had an uncle that worked for the BBC in the props department, I think I may have inherited some of his genes, I reckon he might have been pretty proud of my efforts so far!

Other things found today, 

a petanque set $5

 

kaftany thing $6

fabric $1

necklace that matched the colours in my top perfectly, $3

and that's it, for now! Other stuff is going on but that's for another day! 

See ya soon, I'm off to cook dinner......