Time is Flying

Wow, it is over two weeks since I last checked in.  Slack slack slack.

Linda has inspired me to catch up.

Everything this travelling well.

The new physio is providing me with some really great tools namely how to use my body correctly.  I am virtually retraining it.  Following his advice I can now nearly walk up and down stairs pain free.  I am relearning how to get up from a sitting position.  Getting up from the floor is the next thing.  I have learnt how to breath with my diaphragm and not to shallow breath.  He can actually touch my left leg without me going through the roof.  Where has this man been all my life.  My walking gait has improved and strengthened.  It all takes a lot of concentration in trying to get my body to use the right muscles to do things but it is happening slowly.

Okay what else - Ocsober has progressed well.  Day 23 and no real problems except it really isnt fun being the only completely sober person at an event.  Hasn't made a great deal of difference to my weight but I think I am sleeping better.  Planning to do parched March but cant do dry July as that is our Hunter Valley visit month but will try and think of a witty name for June and do that instead.
Three months of the year completely alcohol free should do me good.

My girlfriend from Queensland, Chez, and her husband are visiting the first weekend in November. She is glad Ocsober will be over by then.

M has finished another plant stand.

It is not what I wanted there.  I wanted a raised garden bed to hide the fence and next doors dilapidated garage but these plant stands are growing on me.  He has made another one but now it is too hot for him to be out in the sun all day and they are so heavy he has to make them in situ unless he has someone (not me) to help him move them.

G has decided that buying a unit is all too hard and he cant find anything he likes in his price range.  He really is a Gen Y. LOL.  He is about to re-enter the renting market.  His life seems to have settled down again.  He looks well and doesnt seem so dissatisfied (at the moment). Sigh.

J is travelling along well.  She has been out to Bourke to visit a friend.  A long drive by yourself so of course I got lots of phone calls with "I'm bored".  I think she is looking at going overseas again in the near future.  Talking about doing Tough Mudder again in February.  She is a glutton for punishment.

Oh well, that is all.  Not exciting but at least I have checked in.  We have no Sundays free between now and December.  Let the madness begin.

Enjoy your week - catch up soon.

Brief update

Okay have completed 4 days of Ocsober.
Tonight we are out to dinner and trivia with friends.  Test time.
Don't think it will be a problem.

Physio yesterday introduced some simple pilates exercises.
Still having trouble with diaphragm breathing but I think I am getting there.
If I concentrate I can nearly balance.
Used pilates machine (not sure what they are called) for the first time and it was not easy.
My body is all skew-if when I walk. Similar to the way I hold myself when I walk up and down stairs.
About my body sending messages to my brain re pain and my brain compensating and trying to help me by twisting myself and favouring one side.
When I walked Lucy yesterday I tried to put into practice what I had been shown.
Probably tried too hard.
Very tired after the 30 mins and lower back is slightly sore today.
He (physio) still thinks he can fix me.  I have faith in him too.
If he shows me what to do I will do my best to do it.

While I have been wheat-free for months now I have been fudging on other things like carbs.
Probably too many carbs so have cut potato out of my diet at night.
Other things will follow.
I am not going to rush this.
I am still learning and with the help of Linda and Jenny,  I am getting there.

Holidays are nearly over.
Back to work next week - checked my work emails this morning and there are already people wanting to book for next year.

Today is quite warm.  Feels like bush fire weather.
Also read this morning about storm season starting and probably being quite bad this season from now until Autumn, especially hail wise.  I think there is one threatened for tonight.  I will stay home with Lucy the wonder dog until it has passed. Hopefully it wont go on forever as I am expected for dinner at 7 pm and I missed out completely last month because of sickness.
Still croaky and coughing a bit but a lot better.  My sister thinks my voice is husky and sexy. LOL.

Have a great weekend and enjoy yourselves.
xxx

Holidays are almost over

Today is a beautiful spring day. Warm, nice breeze blowing. Probably a bit too warm for Lucy who is still sporting her winter coat. Time for M to clip her I think.

Well I am 3/4 way through holidays. Back to work next Monday except I am attending a stop work meeting in the city. Job cuts, no redundancy, workers comp losses, leave entitlements being attacked - where will it end. I work in a professional typically prized by mothers of small children ( as I once was) but the future is looking gloomy for those who will follow me. Anyway that is a battle yet to be fought and one I dont think we will win as the work we do is not seen as "important".

I have accomplished a few things in this time I have off.  I have sorted our taxation papers out. Just waiting for the arrival of one more piece of paper and then it can go off to the accountant.

I have been referred to and started going to a new physio who specializes in backs, clinical pilates(?) and acupuncture. He thinks he can help me. Last week it was learning or relearning how to walk up and down stairs without looking like a penguin. A very stiff looking penguin. Yesterday was learning how to breathe from my diaphragm while holding my stomach muscles in and not tensing my neck.  I suck at this. I am supposed to practice twice a day for 40 or 50 breathes. As mentioned previously I suck at doing this and since I have the attention span of a gnat am trying to do it in lots of 10. Have a feeling I may be in trouble when I go back tomorrow.

J and I went to see Madagascar 3 last week and then sorted out my new iPhone 5 with Optus ( not the most helpful people) then had lunch at the Mooney Club.

On Sunday for my birthday we were to meet the children at Greenshades for lunch.  M and I got there first which is normal. J arrived about 5 minutes late - not too bad. We waited for G to turn up. J eventually rang him. He had forgotten. After she told him off ( as only a sister can do) and told him we were not going to wait for him as it would take and hour for him to get there we ordered lunch. These things happen.  He made it there in 40 minutes. I asked for hostilities to be put on hold and we ended up having a lovely lunch.

Lots of football finals last weekend.  The mighty Swans won the AFL grand final in Melbourne and The Storm won the NRL grand final in Sydney.  Of course the Wallabies lost yet again in South Africa.  I'm thinking of changing codes and becoming an AFL supporter.  Such a great game.

Finally caught up with Jenny from NZ this morning for coffee.  I didn't mentioned to M where I was going and Jenny's family were worried she was meeting up with an axe murderer.  Lovely catching up and going over the finer points of the eating plan we are both following (me a bit more loosely). Have actually found since I got home Dr Davis brief synopsis of do's and dont's. I really need to do a bit of revision as this spare tyre around my middle is driving me insane.

Am recovering from whatever I had. Voice still has it's croaky moments and cough has changed to a different cough but still very annoying at night. It's been over a month so surely must be on the downhill run now.

That's about all I think.  I am attempting Ocsober. No alcohol for the month of October. They all think I can't do it but that is just the encouragement I needed to prove them wrong. Hopefully my abstinence will also reflect in my weight. Meanwhile I will have to cut back on food intake too. A little bit here and a little bit there may make a difference.

I hope everyone is traveling well this week. I will use the rest of the afternoon to catch up on blogs.