A small snapshot

The white hyrdrangeas are finally flowering - the last remaining bush. It was an experiment that didnt work too well but I may be able to salvage this last bush.

Keeping guard over the street. She surveys her domain either from our bed or with paws over the back of the lounge out the lounge room window. Woe betide anyone who ventures into her queendom.

The intrepid Lucy - my best mate (pretending I dont have a camera in my hand). She is at my feet at the moment under the desk, at my heels where ever I go and so much fun to have around I sometimes wonder what I did before she arrived in my life 4 years ago very soon.

This is called something like campanella I think. I runs riot and has just about consumed the front step and a couple of pot plants but I love it for its unruliness and the way it opens its purple little faces to the sun everyday. I know that when and if I cut it back it will come back with avengence as if to say - see you can't tame me.

The roses have been lovely this year. They are a mismatch of colours and scents but even though I think every year I may dig them out because they are very non forgiving if I weed too close to them I never do. I think they remind me too much of my beloved mother-in-law. She gave me the Confetti rose (orangey coloured one).

I hope everyone is having a good week. Am reading and trying to keep up with you.

Good News

After a week of following the "core plan", and remember it is the first week, I managed to shed 1.8 kgs.

I'm not sure I am doing it correctly but I must be doing something right. It is good not to have to think too hard about what I can eat or what I cant - it's either yes or no. Even with going out a couple of times I didnt use all my 21 extra points. Ive been managing about a litre of water a day (I can include tea, diet drinks etc for at least half but I dont count them in my water tally). At the party on Saturday night there was a smorgasbord/spit roast so I just had meat and mixed green salad plus a couple of glasses of wine, no nibblies beforehand and no birthday cake .

I have managed two alcohol free (maybe three) days this week. I really look forward to my glass of low cal wine while I am cooking dinner so even managing two days is a milestone for me I guess.

Except for one Lucywalk, one pilates session and one yoga session there has been no exercise this week to speak of. I have booked a session with a personal trainer next Monday afternoon so hopefully I will again begin to feel motivated.

Anyway back to the fray. I can hear those jatz biscuits calling me but I will be strong......

This week

I am going to have trouble keeping up with everyone. I have still been able to access and read everyone from work, but apparently now (or probably forever) my boss and people above him can access my internet usage and see what I have been doing and apparently even though I have been doing stuff in my lunch hour etc they don’t provide the internet for people’s private use. Not wanting to push the envelope I think it is better to keep my private internet use to home from now on which brings me to the other problem – Gareth is still there and monopolises the computer most of the time. He moves when asked but I still find it annoying that I cant just keep popping in and out of the study and have my computer whenever I want.

Now Jen, here is my reply to your tag

4 Dishes I like to cook (so many which to choose)
Lasagne (always better the next day)
Lamb Shanks and Mash
Crumbed cutlets and potato bake
Stir Fries

4 Qualities I Like in People
Friendliness
Kindness
Loyalty
Reliability

4 Places I have Been
Hawaii – Oahu and Mauii
USA – San Francisco to San Diego and lots of places inbetween
Melbourne (I love that place)
Hunter Valley (often)

4 Things in My Bedroom
My husband
My GHD
My perfumes
Lots and lots of shoes and bags

4 Dirty Words I use (definition hard because I don’t and it usually only in times of stress)
F**k (when I need to shock my children into listening because “Mum never swears”)
Damn
Dickhead
Shit
(All of the above usually muttered to myself)

I in turn tag whoever hasnt done this yet.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

Last night I went back to Weight Watchers. Jen inspired me to take the plunge and it took a lot of nerve because I felt like such a failure but I cant tell you the relief I felt after I had done it. Even though I haven’t been for yonks they remembered me which was nice (I think). I have decided that I am going to give the “Core Plan” a go. I actually like counting points and juggling them but time is my enemy and this time I think the Core Plan with its list of yes foods and no foods will suit better. Only 7 kgs to lose but they include 5 kgs that I have been trying to lose for years. I’d like to say that this time I will succeed but I know how unreliable I am but I am going to give it a good shot. I am going to recommit to the gym next week. I have only been going to pilates there lately but next Monday they are having a “sale” and I am going to buy 3 session with a personal trainer (after I read the conditions) which may help re-motivate me.

Now Catherine the low alcohol wine – I don’t think I am supposed to have it on the “Core Plan” but maybe I can include it in the 21 points. It is a nice light white wine not exceptional but still with enough taste to make me feel like I am having a real drink. I will let you know how I go with it. My problem, as always, is to stop at one. I am not one of those people who can sit on one glass of wine all night. I think the term is “guzzler”.

Well here I am today, feeling strangely optimistic about this week (thank you Weight Watchers). I feel less tired than I have previously felt in the past three weeks. Just goes to show that maybe it is all really in my mind.

I hope you all have a wonderful week too and I will be trying to catch up with you all soon.

Sun is shining and all's right with the world

The sun is finely back out and I am feeling a lot better already. Sitting in my study with a gentle breeze coming through the window - I feel so good (except for the damn itching still).

I realise that the weather does have a lot to do with my "wellness". I know we need the rain and my garden certainly does love the past week or so of rain but it gets me down after a while and activates all those extra aches and pains.

Daylight saving doesnt help me either. I love the fact that there is all this extra light at the end of the day now but I am jetlagged and in previous years I have been jetlagged for the six months (now seven soon to be eight) of daylight saving. Soooo, if anyone has any hints for coping with daylight saving let me know.

Damn, I just realised I am whinging again.

Food intake has good days, not so good days and extremely horrible days. Alcohol ditto.

Exercise has become almost non existant except for yoga and pilates. My yoga classes are run through the local community college and I have just realised that they will not be running through the summer holidays so I am going to ask the instructor if she can recommend a DVD similar to what how she teaches. I feel so good after Wednesday nights lately and I am hopeless at remembering the sequences so this may be the answer. I still do my stretching yoga some mornings but havent been doing the ones in the evening. Not enough hours and the TV and DVD is always being used which brings me to I have ordered a portable DVD player through Flybuys as I was starting to lose points and I like the idea of being able to follow the yoga DVDs anywhere. Hasnt arrived yet though.

The other thing I have ordered and received is a white wine from Trentham Estate called "Two Thirds". It is reduced alcohol (8.5%) and is okay for quaffing on a Sunday night with friends. Dont know the calories involved but know I dont get "merry" quite so quickly.

Biggest Loser (US one) has started again on Friday nights.

Hope everyone is travelling well this week

It has been a tough week or so. I became really complacent about my weight – I was doing okay, what’s the problem?

Well the problem is, if I’m not vigilant, I put on weight because I LOVE food and wine and everything and I will snack continuously if allowed. This week I have felt like “Gollum” from Lord of the Rings with a split personality. The good side says “no I will be good, I will cut back carbs I wont snack I will exercise and cut down on alcohol” the bad side says “it wont hurt – what the hell!” and we know the consequences of that.

Now my weight is not immense and I’m getting better at keeping it below 70kgs but even that is too much for my joints. I have rheumatoid arthritis and as I get closer to the 70kg mark the joints stiffen and swell especially feet and knees which makes day to day life a challenge and makes me distinctly crabby.

I’m not complaining (really I’m not) and I don’t want sympathy – it is completely and utterly my fault. I just needed to talk about it to people who are not too judgemental.

Gareth is home and my study and therefore my computer has been taken over and I am finding it hard to get time to read blogs and respond to emails. It is lovely to have him home except he is still jetlagged and cranky (especially at night) and we are back to me asking him to do something, him saying yes and just not moving. I end up nagging and cross and he ends up cross because he feels I am nagging. It is a no win situation and I guess it is easier for me to just do everything. He has two weeks at home before he needs to move out (or I may kill him) and he keeps saying he wants to move out. The lack of help, even clearing up after a meal, is driving me insane.

Oh well, it is back to counting points (or trying to) and trying to motivate myself to exercise. I am feeling stale at the gym and need to be assessed again but have never found that satisfying at my gym. I am waiting for a special offer for a personal trainer to happen and then I will do that as I have found out it doesn’t have to be every week – it can be once a fortnight or even I think, once a month and I wouldn’t mind doing some boxing.

A small highlight of the week was the arrival of my “swallow” necklaces from bomboulina in the US. They are lovely and I will be checking out more etsy shops in the future.

The weekend is here and looks like a rainy and stormy one. Sometimes nice to snuggle with a good book or maybe even an extra class at the gym.

Sorry for the whinge. I promise that this will pass and I will build bridges and move on. (How many clichés can I fit in one sentence?)

Amusez-vous bien

Post Script: This post was written on Friday and stored on my thumbdrive which I Ieft at work. This is the first chance I have had to download it to my blog.

Its November and the jacarandas are in full magnificent flower against stormy grey skies. Stunning.
Yesterday did not live up to the weather forecasters prediction and was one of those achingly beautiful sunny slightly cool days that makes your blood sing and be so so glad to be alive in this time and space. Today is windy, rainy and cool but the light is still blindingly beautiful and everything has been washed clean and sparkles.