Strange week

It has been a strange week. Have finally decided that I am not going to obsess too much about my weight and just try to eat well. Still following WW when I can but have had a couple of days when I have gotten the munchies around late afternoon but strangely it hasn't bothered me and even registered another small loss.

Have completed Week 1 of C25K. Had to do one of the sessions at gym on treadmill because of the weather but my running guru has assured me that it is okay and I agree Zanna, it is probably better for my knees although it still doesnt really feel like running unless I am outside. My heart rate goes through the ceiling but that could be a good thing????

DD's new car is gorgeous and IKEA was fun. She also took me out to lunch which was nice.

Parramatta Girls with Catherine and Sarah was wonderful. I really really enjoyed it. The seats were great, the actual show was incredible -laughing one minute crying the next and of course the company was wonderful.

The rugby was interesting. DH left me there at half time as he couldnt watch it anymore. Silly bugger missed the best part of the game. Luckily we were with other friends who made sure I got home safely. I was cross but I got over it.

The ballet was lovely too. My first time. Really enjoyed it. Looking forward to going again.

Work has been incredibly busy. I am doing my job and just working the hours I have to. After last terms revelations I am not going to put myself out again.

Have just heard that a friend has ovarian cancer - quite extensive. Has been operated on and they will find out more today. The news knocked me a bit. DD is definitely going to have the vaccination when it becomes available for her age group.

A friends son was savagely beaten over Easter by a group of 13-14 year olds 5 minutes away from where I live. I have always believed that my suburb was fairly safe so this has brought me up short and am now a bit hesitant about walking home from the station at night alone.

Have terminated (does that sound better than fired) my cleaner. It was a hard thing to do but I had to do it. Thank goodness I am not a person who has to hire and fire people. I dont think I could do it.

Highlights for this week:
Dinner on Saturday night at a favourite Italian restaurant at Glebe with friends
Week 2 C25K (my mind is telling me to do Week 1 again but onwards and upwards)
Rugby (last home game)
Will start swimming again this Sunday

Changes

Times seem to be changing. I have been brought up short by other people's observations this week. Blogs disappearing, people moving on. Sad but inevitable.

I like to live by lists. But, they can be counter productive too because it opens you up to failure if you dont achieve everything you want to do in a day. So, have scrapped lists yet again and am just trying to find some sort of natural routine which leaves me open to changes.

I have managed to tidy, hedge, weed, prune two gardens in the front yard so far but have run out of green bin space. Have rung the council and asked if it is possible to have two bins and the answer was yes so I have ordered it and it should arrive next week. Ive still got lots to do but nowhere to put green waste. The compost is full (happy little worms), the worm farm is full, the green bin is full, the weeding bins are full and I wont get them empty until tomorrow so I am kind of stymied.

Have also had a massive cleanout of the family room and a rearrangement, bought some new indoor plants, rehoused the canary and am generally feeling happier with that room too.

Have been a bit off with my eating for the last couple of days (read... eating all the biscuits). A bit bored really with being at home. I guess I do like being frantically busy and cramming as much into the day as I can. This does not augur well for retirement does it?

Have discovered custard apples. They are rich and creamy and so so sweet. Love them. Also have been having smoothies for breakfast with raspberries I bought when they were cheap and froze. Such an incredible colour and the taste sensation is wonderful.

Highlights for the next week:
DD picking up new car today and we are going to IKEA for some retail therapy
I will finish my book and be able to start another one
Rugby (not really a highlight but the social side is okay)
Parramatta Girls
The Ballet and dinner with friends
Back to work (a four day week)
Plan to start my C25K running program - podcasts loaded on nano and ready to go (thanks Zanna)

Not Happy (with myself only)

A gain this week. Expected after Easter I know especially by me but it has hit home this morning that I will never be able to relax in my eating which is going to make for a very dull life in some ways especially with the amount of socialising and entertaining we do. Looks like I am going to be the designated driver for the rest of my life.

I am moaning, arent I?

Stop it - there are millions of people worse off then me. Little problems really. Back on the horse/bike (or whatever I have fallen off) and off I go again.

No gardening done this week but I have cleaned two rooms of my house (excluding blinds, windows and curtains), rearranged furniture (with hopefully minimal scratching of the floor), taken a heap of stuff to Lifeline and managed to keep those two rooms tidy (can be a nearly impossible task with DD and DH and his piles of papers).

Lunch today with a sister, lunch tomorrow with friends. Engagement party tomorrow night and of course the rugby on Saturday night for another dose of disappointment.

Here's to a better week next week

A tiny loss but still a loss

Well the weigh in went okay. I lost 300g this week and I know a loss is a loss.
I exercised every day. I stayed within my points (I think - not sure about Saturday night when we ate out but did my best - grilled barramundi and salad but had 2 wines). Which brings to a total of four wines in the past four weeks - this is some sort of record for me.

Have bought everyone easter eggs and a tiny chocolate penguin from DJs for me. I mos well have something really really nice if I am only going to have anything. Also there is a packet of hot cross buns in the kitchen but I will probably give it to DD who is going camping this weekend.

DH has gone fishing with DS, one of his brothers and a posse of nephews tonight. Oh and a neighbour. They go every Easter (and have done for as long as I have known DH) and usually catch enough fish for everyone to have for dinner tomorrow. Mind you they used to go all night and come home tomorrow but as they are getting older they like their bed, as we all do, so I expect them home sometime late tonight. Usually it is a wild and woolly night but fingers crossed it doesnt seem too bad out there tonight.

I have go a stack of DVDs from the shop to watch over the weekend. Starting with the Lakehouse tonight when I get back from dinner with a girlfriend and DD.

Term 1 has now officially ended and I am on holidays! Yippee. It has been a tough term and I am glad it is over. Looking forward to catching up with people, gardening and giving my house a damn good clean. Plus I have a new book from the library to read - a chick-flick type book - nothing heavy and a new crossword book. Bliss.

I have downloaded the C25K podcasts as instructed by Zanna and am going to start them. I realise I cant run with Lucy. It is like dragging an 8kg weight behind me (someone is very unfit and I dont mean me). So I will have to add another exercise time to my day during the next two weeks. Also want to do some classes at the gym during the day. So many things, so little time.

Now I just have to survive dinner tonight, dinner tomorrow night, the chocolate penguin and the hot cross buns and I hopefully will not put on any weight this week. Once again, a loss, even a small loss would be okay.

Hope you all have a wonderful Easter break
Take care

New Look

Have gone for a new look to go with the new me. Ive got a bit of a green thing going lately. But have lost a few things off my sidebar so will have to try to work out how to put them back in the holidays. I am such a luddite but I am trying hard.

Weigh in today and have lost 600g this week. That puts me back into the 65s and I am aiming to be in the 64s by Easter (and then maybe I might go up again just a little).

Raining this afternoon so Lucy gets out of her walk. I may get the tramp out and bounce around for a bit. I havent really used it since I got it last mothers day because of all the problems I had last year. DH thinks it is just another useless acquisition but I will surprise him.

Starting to plan our trip to Europe next year. At the moment am thinking Italy, France and the Greek Islands with a short stop in London to visit friends. If anyone has any good websites that might be of interest in planning accomodation or places of interest feel free to let me know. Heard about a place called Cinque Terre from one of the guys at work. He has just been there, so that is on the list of places to investigate.

My MS has just found out she has an enlarged liver with lots of fat around it. Her cholesterol and blood pressure are quite high and she is carrying a lot of excess weight. So, no alcohol anymore which may be a challenge. She cant get in to see the specialist for two months but I think she will put that two months to good use by watching her diet etc. I wish I was closer so I could bully her (did I say that out loud).

Am going great guns with my walking with attitude. Am walking around New Zealand at the moment and have even reached an all time high of 14 in the standings. Woohoo! It is so nice to be able to walk again.

School holidays start next week and aside from the dentist and doctor visits I have a few lunches and dinners to contend with. Plus I am planning a major assault on the gardens. All this rain we have been having has made everything grow so quicklyand lushly including the weeds. So I am going to divide the gardens up into segments and do a bit each day (my new job) plus visits to nurseries at Galston, Ikea and Officeworks. So many things planned, so little time.

Went out to lunch last Monday and actually had a salad sandwich with no butter on brown and a skim flat white. Surprised myself. Then went to a network meeting and took my own green teabag and didnt eat the biscuits. Surprised myself again. Actually I am continually surprising myself lately. In the last three weeks have only had 2 glasses of wine and exercised daily and watched what I have eaten. Please all join hands and pray that this keeps up. I am like a woman possessed!

My ES wants to meet me in Melbourne in late May for her granddaughters 18th. I think I will, it will be a rush as I will have to leave work and head for the airport to get there in time but why not. DH hasnt committed yet to going but I am going with or without him. May even only fly down the Friday and fly home on Saturday depending on other commitments.

Anyway hope everyone is having a good week.

This week I am going to:
Exercise as much as possible
Eat well but sensiblely
Not remind my DD that it is time she moved out
Be more patient (need lots of help with this)

Me again

Im sort of back on track. You'll have to excuse any typing mistakes. Im wireless now so I can watch the rugby and sit in front of the TV and type.

Am back at Weight Watchers again and in the first week back lost a whopping 2.3kg but last week only managed 100g although I followed the plan again. The only explanation I can think of is that my body has gone into shock and is now squirrelling away any food that comes its way. Well I have news for it - its gonna have to give it up sooner or later.

Am exercising nearly everyday - either a gym session, a class, swimming or walking with Lucy. Even if it is only 30 minutes we do it everyday. Actually ran a little bit yesterday but it was a bit hard trying to run and dragging a very reluctant 8kg dog with me. She actually sat down at one stage and refused to move.

Am going to only go to pilates once every two weeks now as the class is being shared by two teachers and while I like both of them one takes our class straight after she has finished teaching a pump class and I think she is actually deviating away from pilates and more into balance and just plain exercising. Anyway, so I've decided to switch between pilates and body balance. Am also going back to tai chi next term.

DH has just come back from a 3 day golfing holiday with mates to the Sunshine Coast. Apparently he is planning another one in September to the Murray - 7 days 7 golf courses. I wondered why he was collecting allthose brochurs when we were down at
Rutherglen!

DD and I went to see "Music and Lyrics" or is it the other way around. Hugh Grant may be old (look who's talking) but he is still gorgeous and I enjoyed it in a very relaxed sort of way. It was a great brain drain.

One of my sisters has found out that she has an enlarged liver with lots of fat around it. Have googled it and it sounds very worrying. She cant get in to see the gastro guy until June but she is talking about modifying her diet and giving up alcohol now so that is good.

That's about it for the moment. Am still having problems at work, I cant remember whether I have mentioned anything but I am feeling very undervalued and looking forward to the Easter holidays.

Rugby not going well - DH is getting more and more upset. He wouldnt come with me a couple of weeks ago he is so disillusioned with the Waratahs. DS had to come with me which was a nice mother and son outing. But I doubt whether he will come with me again. I'll probably be the last Waratah fan at Aussie stadium and I promise to turn out the lights.

So sorry

If I knew how to turn off comments I would. I really dont want people to comment on this post.

I dont know how to verbalize my feelings at the moment but I know I havent checked in for a couple of weeks or read blogs or answered emails.

I am in a bad place at the moment regarding food. I am eating too much, but I have put a plan into motion to hopefully help me get over this problem.

I cant seem to say no to food - it is like an addiction. It makes me ill, literally. I cant eat this stuff but I also cant stop it. It has happened before and I know it will probably pass but I am filled with self-loathing at the moment.

Hey, how's this for a depressing post!

Had bad experience at work. You think you know people but you dont really, ever.

Im tired, overweight but still exercising slowly (a small positive).

Im a sad mess. Please dont worry about me, I am being self indulgent and I will move on. I need that switch to be triggered.

Here's hoping............................

Another week another kilo (not a good one)

A gain this week - bah humbug. All my fault. Have been following the "see food" diet and the scales show it. Zanna is putting me to shame - 6 weeks of no alcohol and good eating, she is soooo motivating and I am sooooo envious of her resolve.

On the positive side - am slowly getting back into exercise
Sunday - swimming
Monday - gym
Tuesday - walk Lucy
Wednesday - walk Lucy and small yoga stretch session
Thursday - walk Lucy
Friday - gym
Saturday - walk Lucy and pilates

These arent long walks or full gym sessions but am working my way back towards being fully mobile again.

(Lucy has to lose weight too. My two months of inactivity have meant that she has also been fairly inactive and needs to lose around a kilo. I got roused on at the vets when I took her for her yearly shots and check up.)

Got my new sneakers yesterday. After talking to my podiatrist last week, got runners rather than cross trainers. My new orthotics should be ready this week and he will fit them into the new shoes. Went for custom made orthotics this time which was an interesting experience especially the mold imprinting. He suggested that I get runners because they are lighter and the orthotics willgive me all the support I need. Picked Rykas because I liked the fact that they only make shoes for women but virtually had to arm wrestle the nice child in footlocker to get them. He was polite and pleasant and I am old and fiesty but I dont appreciate being lectured to about what shoes I should buy. I didnt get exactly what I wanted as apparently they were last years style - this years style was pink. Oh well - they look all new and sparkly.

DS is back from Thailand safe and sound. Have had yet another heart to heart with DD and hopefully things will get better here at home.

Off to Officeworks this morning with DH. Love stationery stores.

Have a great week everyone and will really try this week - I promise.

It's hard sometimes

To succeed at what we have decided to do we have to become selfish.

Putting ourselves and our needs first.

This can be a very hard thing for women (sorry if there are any guys who read this). There are so many things and people pulling us every whichway that sometimes it is just easy to say, "damn it, it's all too hard, pass the chocolate".

Well, someone once said "life wasnt meant to be easy"! Its not easy, its not fair but we do have choices. And most of us are making good ones most (but not all) of the time. We are not perfect, we stumble, get up, trip, get up, run, skip, stumble again - this goes on and on - this is life.

I read your blogs - your wonderful inspirational blogs - that have kept me going when times and circumstances seem so overwhelming.

I know you all struggle at some time, we all do, but we keep coming back to this place and saying help, give me your knowledge, support and do you know what, it always arrives.

This week:

• I am having my first day back at the gym tomorrow after an absence of over 2 months and I have worked out a program so that I can start slowly and hopefully build up to the levels I was at pre every thing going pear shaped last year.
• I went swimming today and improved on what I did last week and felt more comfortable doing it.
• I am going to take Lucy walking this week two or more times building up the distance each time.
• I am getting rid of my picture on my blog (when I can remember how to) because I look like a toothless old hag - my god whatever possessed me to put one up.

I hope you all have a wonderful week.

Good and Bad

So much for trying to be good over the weekend. I know I'm not alone in this - when confronted with food I eat, when stressed I eat, when drinking alcohol I eat, when unhappy I eat, when bored I eat.....you all get the picture. I think I may have had one or at the most two days since I last posted when I can say I stayed within the points. Bugger!!! My fault completely. Oh well Im have to start again.

Good news - aircast is off foot. Ankle is still sore and I think my calf muscle has wasted (apparently only takes two weeks) but doctor says break has healed well and I can start walking, swimming, cycling again. But start slowly and build up to it. I think I have forgotten how to walk and stairs are giving me a bit of a problem but I will try. Might even go swimming this Sunday.

Only my little finger is still in a splint. Apparently healing quite well. Back to surgeon in 4 weeks for another xray and evaluation. Seem to have forgotten how to type and my writing looks like a 5 year old but these too can be relearnt. I am mobile again and can drive myself.

DD graduated on Tuesday. I dont think I could have been any prouder and when the 799 marched onto the parade ground I got all teary. I know I wasnt the only one. Her graduation photos are beautiful. She has started work already and tonight is her first night shift.

DS sounds like he is having a ball in Thailand. I think a lot of alcohol is involved. Will be glad when he is home again. Im such a mother!

First week back at work and everything seems to be going well. Better than I expected. Everyone will be away next week at conference so I am looking forward to the peace and quiet to get some of those things I keep putting off done.

Hope you all had a better week than me food wise and your weekends are relaxing.

Naughty

I am weighing myself everyday which I know is not ideal and I shouldnt do it because I know it can be very disheartening, and I will STOP this Saturday but because I am not exercising I have been interested in seeing that if I can keep within my daily calorie intake whether I can lose the weight I have put on over the last 5 weeks.

I have been tracking religously except when I eat out (too hard to guestimate but I do try to be sensible). I am trying to keep within allowance although most days I find I just go over.
I have been drinking at least 6 glasses of water a day.
I have a little book to write everything down.
I have been wearing my pedometer again even though I cant get over 5000 steps per day.
I am surprised at the amount of carbs in fruit (are there such things as good carbs?).
I mostly have confined myself to one glass of wine a day, when DH gets home from work, but am aiming for every other day.

It is raining today and the bushfires are receding. We were okay here at home because the wind was always on our side but I was worried about work. Although over 900 hectares of my beloved park has been burned no properties or people were destroyed.

DS had his own fire to fight on Monday at work. They think kids started it as two were seen running from the area just prior to it going up. He arrived home for his weekly baked dinner covered in black soot and smelling like he had been smoked and extremely abuzz. Elvis was there too and apparently amazing to watch in action close up. The course staff concentrated on put out the spot fires that had jumped two fairways and were heading towards houses and left the main fire to the regular firies and of course the magnificant Elvis and friends. I gave him some of his fathers clothes, he went for a swim and I washed his clothes. So proud of him, he is growing into a magnificent man.

DD has her roster now and starts next week. She is understandably nervous and is not a person I would recommend talking to at the moment as she is a bit depressed or as I've come to classify these people "sunshine suckers". I know this probably seems harsh but she does not like new things or change, never has, from her first job at a fast food call centre at 15 when I had to drive her to work for her first shift after training and force her out of the car (she worked there 5 years). I dont think I can do that this time, after all she is an adult and armed and certainly does have attitude.

DS off to Thailand on Friday (I know he will be fine but he enjoys stirring me up by talking about skydiving etc).

Rugby season is nearly upon us again and I have just signed up for a tipping competition for the Super14s. I really have no idea, and DH will tell me so, but it will be really interesting to see how I do as opposed to those who "know" what they are talking about. Teehee. I have great aspirations.

A big weekend ahead - at least two long lunches (there goes the tracking again) but I will try. Early start tomorrow as we have to pick up DDs furniture and bring it back to Sydney and of course we have to fit in with DDs plans ie a hairdressing appointment in Sydney at 1:30 pm. Some things never change. I am just there for company as I am still classified as disabled, and once I am fully wake up will plug in my iPod and sing to DH to keep him alert. Nobody could not be alert at the sound that I make.

Hope all you Aussies have a great Australia Day. Make good choices and enjoy. Have a good week too.

A tag game....

I have accepted Zanna's tag and have probably done it the wrong way - there was probably an easier way to do this but I copied and pasted.

Things you may not have known.....

A) Four jobs I have had in my life:
1. Mail sorter
2. Secretary
3. School Assistant
4. School Admin Manager

B) Four movies I would watch over and over:
1. Sleepless in Seattle
2. Casablanca
3. Breakfast at Tiffany's
4. Under a Tuscan Sun

C) Four places I have lived
1. Putney
2. Gladesville
3. Gordon (very briefly)
4. Asquith

D) Four favourite T.V. shows
1. West Wing
2. Biggest Loser
3. Buffy the vampire slayer
4. Midsommer Murders

E) Four of my favourite foods:
1. Any starchy carbohydrate
2. Nibblies (cheese,dips, sundried tomatoes - you get the picture)
3. Thai
4. Freshly fried chips and spicy tomato sauce
(Now you can see why I am constantly battling my weight)

F) Four places I would rather be right now:
1. Actually quite happy here at home but .....
2. Work (I know but I am bored)
3. Having lunch with girlfriends
4. France

G) Four friends I think will respond: (sorry blog mates I know you have probably all done this before)
1. Caramelkitkat
2. Linda
3. Sue
4. Michelle

Two weeks.....

Two weeks to go -

Removal of the "pretend ski boot" for the broken ankle and the finger splints. Yahoo! I will be able to walk, drive a car, use my credit card, fill out forms, be independent again.

Back to work - DH is taking some time off, working from home and driving me for the first couple of days because I may not be quite there by the time I have to go back.

DD is graduating and going to be a real policeperson (a probationary one but nonetheless real).

DS is going to Thailand and I will be extremely tense until he returns safe and sound.

Now the bad news -
Have put on over 4 kilos since I have been immobile. Am bored, frustrated and prbably trying to do too much.

DD has been home on leave and has wiped out my internet usage for the month so everything is extremely slow and I cant see everyones photos as they take too long to come through if at all.

Good news:
Our holiday to Rutherglen was successful. Captured many bottles of wine which will be treated kindly and shared with friends. It was hot - 39 degrees most days but air conditioning makes it all bearable. They are in drought, as is most of Australia, at the moment. The grass broke when you walked on it! Hopefully the drought will break in 2007.

DS came up on his way home from work on Sunday and put a wetting agent on DHs lawn. I know lawns arent good things to have in droughts but DH is a lawn freak and usually has it looking like a bowling green.

Have actually used my time to catch up with filing and bill paying in my study. Will try to keep on top of it this year. Still have more to do but it is getting there.

French is progressing slowly. I see there are french classes starting in May at local TAFE so I will have to check that out. LOL - have been reading the french instructions on skincare products and trying to decipher.

Well DH is looking after everything - cooking, cleaning up and the big one - ironing! Friends think he is making an early run for "husband of the year". He apparently won the 2006 title due to having to organise another Christmas by himself. I say - since he is so good at it he might get the job permanently - hehe, no I wouldnt be that mean, he really is a treasure,

Off now to liberate a bottle of the captured wine while I wait for him home from work. He will be late so I may even try to make something for dinner otherwise we will be eating at midnight. Did I mention how frustrating it is to be incapacitated. Oh I did - sorry, will stop whinging immediately.

If at first you don't suceed.......

OK here I go again. Hopefully this will work this time as Im finding typing tedious and extremely hard.

I had my hand operation on 21st December. Pins inserted into the thumb, index and little finger on my right hand to fuse the first joint. The plaster came off yesterday and I now have individual splints held on with hot pink velco and exercises and pshysio for the next 4 weeks. My joints were so badly affected by the arthritis I had to have a bone graft (taken from my wrist). I cant work out which has been the most painful.

You would think that is enough wouldnt you but oh no
Last September I slipped over in the city and I thought I had just badly sprained my ankle. Guess the healing process meandered on because I wasnt doing much while I was awaiting my back operation in October but once I was over that I was off and running literally. Couldnt do weights but concentrated on cardio. Mid December lower leg blew up and I hobbled back to GP (who has now instigated a care plan for me) had it xrayed and guess what, old break (probably Sept fall) had shifted and of course all the ligaments I had damaged werent helping so off to foot surgeon the next day and now have one of those big boots because I couldnt have plaster or crutches as I was going into hospital the next day for my hand.

So here I am, yet again virtually housebound for another school holidays. Oh well the rest will do me good.

NEW YEARS RESOLUTION: No hospitals for me in 2007 (pray the ankle heals well and I wont need surgery).

DD is home at the moment from college and she has been driving me to drs appts. She goes back next Friday week and then it is only a couple of weeks to graduation.

DS is off to Bali in a couple of weeks. My opinion that he should not go was ignored as usual but he did ask me.

DH and I are driving down to Rutherglen next week using the time DD is in Sydney to mind Lucy so we can take the car for a spin.

I hope everyone had a great Christmas and New Year. I have caught up with most of the blogs.
Sharon I love your new hair cut. It looks amazing.
Zanna, the poem "Twas the month after Christmas" is winging its way to some of my friends who I know will relate to it.
Jodie, congratulations on the new teeth milestone.

Have read two books -
Whitethorn Woods by Maeve Binchy and The Dreamkeepers Daughter by Kim Edwards. Both completely different but both really enjoyable.
Enjoying listening to my Edith Piaf CD (Chrissie present from DD)
Have started my french lessons so hopefully by next year, if and when, we go to Europe I will be able to at least understand it and maybe speak it.
Am slowly working my way back to my sensible eating plan (notice the absence of the word diet). Exercise is a pipedream at the moment so I will have to rely on eating better and drinking less (perhaps another pipedream).

Take care and enjoy 2007 - I intend to.

Update and sign out

Heaven knows what happened to this post. Thanks Michelle for alerting me. Will try again tomorrow as I only have one hand working at the moment and it takes forever to type.

Living Life to the Full

Life has been a bit hectic lately.

Im a bit stiff in my joints and back but otherwise I feel good.

My middle sister turned 60 in October and because I was in hospital I missed her birthday lunch so I took her out to lunch on Saturday and then on to see "Woman In Mind" with Noni Hazelhurst. It was something she normally doesnt do and I think she enjoyed the day out.

On Sunday we had friends for lunch and it was an extremely long lunch with me finally getting into bed around 1 a.m.

Monday night I went to the last Sydney U2 concert and danced and sang the night away. Maybe not the best thing to do for a recovering back but boy did I have fun. Everyone keeps saying, including Mark, I dont know any songs that U2 sing so last night I tuned my ipod into the radio and played all their songs for him.... oh yes, he had heard them before. Have just ordered an ipod shuffle to complement the ipod 40gb one I have as I needed something smaller for walking. Sounds silly doesnt it but I find my normal ipod too bulky.

Finally bit the bullet last week and bought a ghd hair straightener over the internet. Good price, although not as good as, was it Mary?, but anyway I was pleased. Jess has had one for nearly a year and when she is home I use hers but she seems to be coming home less as the session goes on and her days at the college are getting longer. So, I bought my own.

Finally finished my "Walking Africa" challenge. Looking forward to the next one but as I have broken my pedometer, snapped the back off this one, dont know my own strength, I will have to wait until new one arrives.

IMPORTANT QUESTION: Now everytime I open my blog up it asks me to sign over to the new version. If I do this will it make problems for me, knowing I am not that computer literate. It says it wont but should I believe it.

Have instigated Shannon Lush's latest book "Speed Cleaning" into my life. Initially it was a bit daunting, because even with a cleaning lady, this house had not been cleaned properly for a long time but now it is easier and as long as I follow her tenets I think I will be able to keep on top of it. Of course having only two people here is a bonus.

My study (formerly known as Gareth's bedroom) is finished. Repainted, new carpet, all my desks, bookcases and some of my painting equipment moved in. Will have to get Optus to move broadband connection but am managing at the moment with a very long Cat5 cable run under the house. Just got to clean out his wardrobe of all the things he has left behind and then I can use that for additional storage. It is heaven.

Gareth is participating in "Mo-vember". Being so fair (but extremely cute) his mo is taking some time to grow but I sent off my donation today and am looking forward to it hopefully being shaved off on December 1.

Have gone to see a doctor re the dreaded menopause - a GP who is also a naturopath. I have to have a blood test done and then we will see where it goes from there. Didnt mind the "power surges" in winter but I think that they will be a bit hard to take in summer.

Back to the back surgeon next week for a final check. PT at gym says I cant go back to pilates for 3 months total (2 months to go) so I will have to rely on walking although my muscles feel like jelly and the first few walks felt like I was walking on marshmallows. I cant believe how quickly the muscles degenerate. I will know more after I talk to surgeon next week. I could kiss this man - I am so grateful not to be in pain anymore.

Anyway, enough rambling. Hope you all are having a good week and I will catch up with your blogs tomorrow and Friday.
Take care

I'm fine

Sore but not sorry. The nerve pain in the left leg has gone. Just operation sore now I think. Resting heaps, eating for more than 1 (even though there is definitely only one - damn here I go again). Will take my first walk on Saturday under supervision (DH insists). Looking forward to getting back to normal. Thankyou for the kind emails and ecards. Hope your week is going well.....
PS Have been trying to post this but either broadband is being difficult or blogger is. No Saturday walk because it is rainy and cold again. Progressing well though.

A Prayer

This prayer was sent to me by a dear friend. I am not a religous person but I loved the words and hence I pass it on to anyone who cares to read it.

May today there be peace within.
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be content knowing you are a child of God.
Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.
It is there for each and every one of us.

Im off tomorrow for the operation that I seem to have been talking about forever. I am not sure when I will be able to return to blogging because as usual I forgot to ask some important questions like when will I be up and about. I expect to probably be home on Saturday or at the latest Sunday.

Causes for Celebration

Today is the last day of work for this term. Yahoo. Once I finish up the BAS and final payments and end of term reports, back up computers it is time to kick back and just enjoy. Sleeping in is on the cards for the next month.

Sleeping in the next month because I have my back op on 12 October - under 2 weeks! So looking forward to it. Who would have thought! Two weeks holiday and then 2 weeks recuperating

Tomorrow is my 53rd birthday. I cant tell you how quickly the years are flashing past now. It seems to me that I am on fast forward all the time. DH is still in France. I was going to the races with friends but sanity has prevailed and they suggested that I might not be able to manage it without having my rock (DH) with me. I must admit I heaved a sigh of relief - I didnt want to be the one to pull the plug. So, I am going up to watch the Swannies win another grand final with friends (I will yell and shout and have no idea what in the hell is going on but will enjoy the atmosphere anyway) and then on to a special birthday dinner with more friends which is incredibly sweet of them.

DD is coming up from Goulburn and taking me out to lunch on Sunday. I suggested that she do this as I dont need any presents - maybe out to one of those nice plant nurseries out Dural way where I can buy some plants.

I will catch up with DS sometime on Saturday I think. He has been helping me with pool maintenance this week, especially after last Sunday - the backyard looked like a cyclone had gone through it. We had our roast on Monday night - my butcher made me the cutest little lamb roast - just enough for two. Yesterday he came up and put the garbage bins out for me as I just cant manage them at the moment.

Having lunch next week with M. I am going to the opera house for a matinee performance of The Tempest and we are catching up. I am so glad as I have missed so many meetings(?) over the last six months.

Middle sister is coming down for lunch next week and eldest sister is coming down to stay for a couple of nights at the end of October. They are still not talking to each other and while it did cross my mind to engineer a meeting ES has warned me not to or she wont come. It is so hard as I dont want to alienate her so I guess I will be a chicken and let sleeping dogs lie. (How is that for a group of cliches.)

MS is 60 this year, next month actually. Nothing has been arranged. Have tried to contact her partner but he is either never home or maybe on the computer. Dont want to leave a message as it would arouse her suspiscions. So have sent an email to her daughter asking if anyone was going to arrange something to celebrate her birthday. I am a bit annoyed. She does so much for her children and they should know that even if she says dont worry they should do something. I actually was thinking about having a surprise dinner for her until I remembered that I would still be recovering from op. What I have decided that belatedly, in November, I would take her to the theatre to see the new play "Woman In Mind" with Noni Hazelhurst. Have made the offer and am waiting to see what she says.

Anyway enough waffling. GO THE SWANS! Have a great weekend (a long one in NSW).

Missing DS

I got halfway through reading everyones blogs and have to give up.

It is all too much.

Im tired - pain making sleep impossible
My DH is now overseas - thank God or I would be keeping him awake every night too
Im in pain - seems to be getting worse and the demotivation is phenomenal (or however you spell it). Luckily only fairly heathly food in house at moment although I am eating far too much of that even.
Im lonely - God it has only been two days

Please stop the wind. I dont need the extra work of trying to keep the pool clean. (Im a whinger arent I?)

Spent this week at a conference and met some really inspiring women from all over the State. If I was in a better frame of mind it would have been awesome.

Off to bed.
Things to look forward to this week:
Last week of work before 2 weeks holiday and then 2 weeks sick leave
Being audited by the dept auditor (no not really looking forward to it)
Birthday on Saturday (either at the races or watching the Swannies with friends win another grand final)
Dinner with son tomorrow night - since he has moved out we are so close. Funny isnt it. I really look forward to him visiting. Now just have to get him to clean out his room (aka my study). Speak of the devil, guess who just rang to make sure I was okay and to sort out what we are doing for my birthday.
Second call, eldest sister(es) having a really bad time with Mum. Finally understands what middle sister and I was (were?) talking about.
Rambling now - bed time
Hope everyone has a great week
xxxzzzzz