Mellowness in Autumn

This week's weight went up a bit - 100g but the thing was I didn't exercise at all and also the only things I restricted were wheat and dairy (except on Friday night I had cheese and have been paying for it ever since I think - when am I going to learn to say no when we go out.)

It is not as hard as I thought it would be. I know I am not exactly following any plan but I feel okay.

I know I am eating too much soy cheese and probably too much fruit but that is slowly stopping because I only eat fruit when I am hungry and the hungries are getting less and less. Trying to drink more water too because I could see I wasn't drinking enough.

Daylight saving has ended thank goodness. I love exercising in the morning when everything is fresh and bright but because it has been pitch black when my alarm goes off I haven't been out and about but for the last two days Lucy and I have walked. No problem getting up at 5:30 to go.

Problems looming - another two joints have collapsed. Cried all the way home from the doctors yesterday but then got on with it and made appointments with neurosurgeon and ankle doctor and then went and had my hair cut and surprisingly, felt better.

Driving home I thought (or should I say the evil subconscious did) I want bread. Just bread - didn't have to have anything on it. A month ago I would have eaten it but then I thought why? I'm not hungry and it really isn't going to make me feel better or solve the problem so I had a cup of weak black tea instead and didn't think about it again. Now that really is a giant step forward for this woman.

I have done a lot of reading of blogs on Google Reader and caught up with the blends that I read all the time. I must go through and clear out the ones I don't read often. Jenny T has a private blog and it has been a big help with links and recipes and just advice on what she is doing. I now have a special book which I have copied down some of her recipes and links so that I can find them easily. Plus other recipes which appeal. Can someone tell me how to put a recipe tab on my blog?
Anne (NZ) if you do read this, I have lost access to your blog yet again. I know I would try the patience of a saint. Could I try again please?
Thanks to Lynda I watched a video clip called "The Cure is U". Hopefully by next week I will work out how to put a link to it on my blog. Really worth watching.

(Looking out my window at work, autumn leaves are floating past - so pretty.) I know I have mentioned this a million times but I love autumn. Today is glorious, sunrise this morning was spectacular and orange. I feel like everything is now back in the right time place.

Except I think I have been attacked by sand flies, maybe on Sunday when I was gardening. I am soooo itchy. I always have a really bad reaction to them and I have heaps of bites - sneaky little buggers.

Seriously thinking that I will resign from Weight Watchers online. I don't think I will go back. I know I cant track. Have tried and tried and tried and I am not sure I believe in them anymore. There I have said it out loud. This is a personal decision mainly because I don't think I want to be on a diet anymore. I cant see myself dieting for the rest of my life because I am so crap at it and getting worse! My weight was just going up and up no matter what I did. Will be interesting to see if this new relaxed approach works. Only time will tell. I think we have to do what suits us individually and I am always interested in hearing what others are doing and what works for them.

Now can someone tell me what protein powder is and where you get it. I would like to add it to my smoothies. Mind you I haven't had smoothies for ages but I think I will start again soon.

My goals are
Reduce or stop blood pressure medication (under doctors supervision of course) but my question is how do I know that I don't need it any more.
I am going to start reducing HRT to every second day.
Maybe just weigh in once a month instead of weekly and definitely not daily as I am a master at sabotaging myself.

Now news in brief:
J won 1 gold, 3 silvers and a bronze at the Police Games swimming. So proud of her even if she can be a pain in the neck sometimes. So bossy.
G and his girlfriend are thinking of moving in with her parents (who don't mind) to save for a deposit on something. Not sure how that will work out but I guess only time will tell and at least they are not moving in with us. We would go crazy.
Because I came home early from work yesterday I know what M does with his day (or at least yesterday). He spends hours looking for things he has put in a safe place. My suggestion to him was that we get a big box and write "safe place" on it and put it in the garage. Then he could put stuff in it and know where it is when he wants it. You can imagine what his response to that suggestion was! LOL.
Lucy the wonder dog is fine - her cough has gone and she can make it up two or three steps just not the big ones.

Today is my second last day at work before the school holidays and then two glorious weeks off. This weekend is very busy - M going fishing with male members of extended family tomorrow night to hopefully catch enough fish for Good Friday. His family has been doing this for ever, long before he was born. A lovely tradition with lots of funny stories. Male bonding at its best.

On Friday we go to his brother's house so that we can eat the fish they caught and have family time. Lots of cousins and their children and a few of us crusty old aunts and uncles. I think there may be fish in the freezer just in case but they usually catch enough fish and as it is fresh it is lovely.

Saturday we are catching up with friends we have not seen for a while and probably watching some sort of rugby.

Sunday or Monday we might be going to Palm Beach for a meal. Some friends have a lovely holiday home there and they came around last night for a drink and invited us up. Just trying to fit it in is the problem.

And then of course Monday night is bake dinner night - pork this week I think. So the children will probably be there as usual.

In the next two weeks I hope to go and see that movie on at the moment about the elderly English people who retire to India and I would really like to go to the Easter show. M of course wants to do neither of these things but that is what girlfriends are for.

Sorry this has been so long - Had so many things to talk about. Life feels very exciting at the moment (except for the medical side). Hopefully you hung in there. Have a wonderful Easter and may the Easter Bunny visit you.
xxx