Autumn ramblings

Okay have stuffed something up big time. Have hardly been able to walk, lots of pain. Am wearing my Ugg boots all the time because all other shoes hurt so much. Physio thinks it is just soft tissue damage and that it will take 3 weeks to mend and if it doesnt it is back to the surgeon again.

As a result last weeks weight loss efforts were dismal.

So on Saturday, I sat down with ice on my foot and went through the box of all the weight watchers booklets that I have accumulated over the years. Quite liked the "Time for Success" series which has weekly menus in them for the first 12 weeks. Discarded a lot of weekly pamphlets which I didnt read when I went so there is very little chance I will read it now and put everything in order and made a shoppping list.

I then went shopping on Sunday for supplies for the week. It was a very impressive shopping trolley with lots of great fresh food in it.

I made a "Zanna salad" for the week so I dont have to faff around every night and I set up a spreadsheet on my computer with my projected weight loss (still aiming for 500g a week) and a column for weekly weigh-ins. I dont think I will weigh in daily as it might make me complacent (something that has happened many times before).

Hopefully I will be able to control my eating as there is no exercise being done any more.

Contacted rheumatologist last week too via email and asked him if I could go back onto my medication before the 1st June appointment as I am living on painkillers just to have a normal day. Emailed reply - yes back on medication and have to see him this Friday.

Asked Mark last week to look at our pantry and devise a plan to rearrange everything because I can no longer get down to the bottom shelves where I actually kept all the canned goods and groceries. Darling man came up with a plan and I spent yesterday rearranging it all, cleaning and relining shelves and I must say that it seems to working well and looks so organised. Time will tell.

I hope you are all having a wonderful week. Finally getting cooler here in Sydney and sleeping is getting easier. The heaters will be brought back into the house this week and I will change to the winter doona next weekend. There will be some serious snuggling going on in my house. I love autumn.

Stick a fork in me, I'm done!

I am moderating my comments because I was starting to get some weird ones but as usual I do get a bit behind.

Have put on more weight so have re-evaluated what I am doing and have decided that to aim for 1kg a week may be a wee bit ambitious. Have scaled it back to 500g per week for the next 10 weeks. I am looking more and more like my next sister who I love to pieces but who is really really overweight and I dont want to look that much like her.

My ankle is really really sore at the moment. Have a feeling that the last couple of weeks have done a lot of damage. The wedding in Townsville was beautiful but it was very hot, I walked and, dont tell my surgeon, danced far too much.

Then had to, and I mean had to, accompanied my beautiful daughter to the Easter Show. Lots more walking but sat whenever I could. Saw the diving, racing pigs which were so cute and the agility trials for the dogs. Had oysters and wine and bought an "old lady" shopping trolley to carry our stuff around.

More swelling, more ice.

Then had to, and I mean had to, go shopping with aforementioned beautiful daughter because she has moved to a new division and no longer has to wear her uniform. So it was shirt, vest, coat, shoes etc buying. I was very envious of her. Everything she tries on looks amazing. Made me feel proud but really frumpy.

By the end of the day , more ice and more swelling and then had to go out for dinner to Kirribilli by public transport.

I'm back on the painkillers and hobbling. I'm back at work and flat out again. I'm hungry because I am trying not to overeat. I need help.

On a happier note, Master Chef is back on TV again. Started last night and I love it again. So sad for the ones that had to go home on the first show but they should be proud that they were in the top 50 of the thousands that auditioned. The pressure test was making a pav. I have never made one and it has made me want to try. Except I would probably eat it all so I wont.

Hope everyone is okay and having a great week.

Busy Time

If any of you get the chance go and see Carole King and James Taylor. We went up the Hunter Valley on the Easter Long Weekend and saw them at Hope Estate. From the opening bars of the first song I felt 18 again. So many great memories and their show was unbelieveable. Carole King at the tender age of 68 had so much energy she took my breath away. As an added bonus Lior was the support act. Great night was had by all.

We had lunch out on Sunday at a restaurant we have been to many times up there and I had the most amazing Lobster Bisque. If we go back to this restaurant in July when we go up for our friends weekend I will have this again so that my best friend Chez can taste and help me work out what is in it. I think I got most of the ingredients but of course couldnt get them all. It sounded like a taste test on MasterChef as I worked out what the ingredients were.

And speaking of MasterChef - woohoo it is back on April 19. Can't wait.

The latest Donna Hay magazine has arrived on my doorstep and it is full of wonderful winterish recipes. I can't wait to start experimenting. There are so many to try.

But it will all have to wait as we are off tomorrow to Townsville for a wedding. Poor Lucy - alone again. I dont think Gareth was much company last weekend but hopefully this is the last time we are away for a while. Between Jess and Gareth - hopefully they will be able to look after her.

Mark is easing into retirement and spending his time fixing windows and repainting them. If I had my way I would replace them all with aluminium but he is enjoying himself so be it.

Haven't hopped on the scales. Probably a bit scared too.
I will get there but I dont know how long it is going to take me. Seems like forever.
Have a good week
xxx