An Inspiring Lady

Went to gym today to hear Dianna Williams, cofounder of Fernwood gyms, speak about her new book about why Women should do weight training.

It was opportune timing for me

1. On holidays so I actually could attend a mid morning event
2. Have been concentrating on weights since cardio has become a problem for me

She was an inspiring person and her story should be read by everyone who doubts that they cant achieve anything because it is too hard. Her advice - take small steps and nothing is impossible - hard yes but not impossible.

Am slowly starting to feel better - still lots of aches and pains but I think that is to be expected. The strategy I had to sleep in is not working. Unfortunately the rest of the world is not sleeping in. I have rediscovered the joys of reading books and even though I do enjoy listening to audio books in the car and when I am watering the garden (not lately due to copious amounts of rain) reading a book tucked up on the lounge on a rainy windy day would have to be one of life's greatest treats.

I even went out and bought two more yesterday. The new Marion Keyes one and Cathy Kelly's new one. Chick books I know but I love light reading at the moment.

Ordered new frames for glasses yesterday. Jess came with me to ensure I got something trendy and not too god awful. It certainly brings you down to earth when trying glasses on your daughter vetoes your taste. But the ones she said looked good on me luckily were ones I also liked.

Gareth and his new girlfriend came for dinner last night and it is lovely to see him happy and relaxed again.

Having lunch with Jess again tomorrow and then lunch on Thursday with my sister. I think I am working these meals into my "core plan". I have been using the planner on the weightwatchers website and it is really good. I also bought a Core Plan Cookbook from weight watchers meeting and the recipes are really nice and everyone seems to like them to the extent that any leftovers disappear from the fridge as if my magic. This is something unusual because they dont usually like "diet" food.

Anyway I am off to do the ironing and watch last Sunday's "Brothers and Sisters". Being on holidays makes me very disorganised and the ironing is threatening to take over the family room because I keep thinking there is always tomorrow.

I can see blue skies out the study window. Here's hoping that the rain eases enough for me to get some washing dried and finish the hedge clipping that I started last week. Hedges look like deranged poodles at the moment as they are only half done.

Enjoy your week

Day Two Holiday break

Slept in until phone rang with unwelcome caller. A teacher from a local high school wanting keys to our kayaks. How did he get my home phone number and no I am not going to work or lend him keys. Honestly the hide of some people.

Work has started next door on subdividing their block of land and they are putting in the new pipes. Digging digging digging, ripping our trees apart and damaging the side fences. Feeling uptight and decidely unneighbourably. Jus breather deeply.

Today is cool/cold, windy and rainy. But the light is glorious. A soft calming autumn light not the sullen swollen light of winter. Even though there is no sun it is bright.

I have self medicated this morning. Pain has been fairly bad lately and am having trouble walking. Rummaged in the cupboard and found Gareth's panadeine fortes and took one. I know I shouldnt have used someone else medication and I know I will have to take something later to counteract the codeine but I dont care. I can feel the edge has been taken off the pain already. I need to go to mall today to get more meds so I really needed to be mobile.

Todays other job, when I get back home is to sort out my study yet again and maybe do a little painting. Might even set up a table in the family room so I can paint while catching up on all the shows I have recorded over the past few weeks.

Am slowly catching up with everyone through google reader . Still over 90 posts to go but I am getting there.

I hope everyone is travelling well this week....

It's been a long time

I'm home sick today hence I have time to do this. Tucked up in bed, wireless. Bit uncomfortable as puppy wont move.

What has been happening? Have been having weekly injections and taking lots of meds for RA but it seems to be getting worse plus am having to put up with side effects like mouth ulcers and incredible tiredness. Last Sunday week, while hurrying for train, somehow hurt my left foot/ankle so have been unable to do any exercise because of the pain. Dont think I broke anything, maybe just a bad strain. Went to doctors and she has sent me to a podiatrist (?) because "he knows more about feet than me"!!!!!! Anyway I see him this Thursday so we will see.

No exercise and eating like there is no tomorrow. I know I shouldnt, I know it wont make me feel better, actually makes me feel worse, but I cant seem to stop myself. How lame is that?

I want to turn all this around but dont know how to start yet again. Need to shake things up. Feeling bored and despondent.

Anyway enough of depressing stuff. Autumn is here and the nights are cooler and there is that something in the air that lifts my spirit. I dont know what it is but I know I need to get out there more and inhale it. You know, the dampness, the smell of woodsmoke, the autumn leaves, the damp soil, the light - quite my favourite time of year.

I have been making a series of lists to try and help me get back on track but I really have to stop doing this. They just set me up for failure as there is no way I can keep them up. What did John Lennon sing "Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans". Note fromthe No. 1 list maker - THEY DON'T WORK!

Anyway I am off to read blogs for a while to catch up on those who have kept blogging. The list gets smaller and smaller.

Resting

X-ray guided injections of cortisone went okay today. Jess was able to drive and I took a sick day off work. Had lots of injections starting with anesthetics and they hurt like hell but a bit like childbirth, once they were finished the pain diminished quickly. At one stage I was crying my eyes out and heard the "work experience" doctor suggest that perhaps a bigger or longer needle would work better. I actually told him to hush!

Caught up with a few blogs today - am down to 130 to be read. Cant comment because of time constraints but rest assured I am keeping up with you.

Stormy and rainy and hot tonight in Sydney. Off to bed.

Weight has not been good but could be the medication. No who am I kidding its the food and alcohol from the theatre/rugby weekend, the anniversary weekend and should continue with the friends moving back to Queensland weekend this weekend. After that it might settle down a bit. Here is hoping.

Enjoy your week everyone

A Time to rest

I have woken up this morning in a fog mentally. I didn’t have a bad night just up a couple of times and in bed a tad too late but if I was a car I’d say the engine was “missing”. It took me a few attempts to leave the house this morning – I kept forgetting things. I hate feeling like this.

Today I go to see the rheumatologist to get the results of the MRI on my left ankle.

Weight is still going down but the loss is slowing down and just noodling along.

Exercise has been negligible since the MRI as ankle has been sore but really that is not a good excuse. I did some weights but because I went to see “As You Like It” on Saturday (it was wonderful) I missed Pilates and because I went to the rugby afterwards and had a late night I missed swimming on Sunday. Excuses, excuses.

This weekend we are off to Kiama for the rugby 7’s. A yearly event that coincides with our anniversary – 34 years! I think the man should get a medal!

Going off at a tangent –

There is a sign at my gym that says something along the lines of losing weight is 80% what we eat and 20% exercise.

Which leads me to Biggest Loser.

The weight loses this week by the red team were abysmal. Is it because they are not eating wisely? You rarely see them eating and preparing their meals. The show focuses on them exercising etc. which if you believe the above statement on accounts for 20% of their weight loss journey. One lost under a kg this week. She is overweight, is in a place that she can focus on herself without worrying about life and she only loses 900g. Please. The others were not much better.

The guy on the blue team with a heart condition who can basically only walk is going great guns and losing weight consistently every week.

A theme is emerging in my mind.

And last but not least, still on BL – I laugh every time one of them goes on “the walk”. The others line the driveway of the house at Terrey Hills and one of them solemnly walks down the driveway and out the gates. Next they are at Bobbin Head walking along the boardwalk. I know it is all illusion and drama but I see these guys coming and going from Bobbin Head in their big black cars so there is not a lot of walking going on. Admittedly it is a far way between these places but I love the illusion that they are walking there. I guess if they were they would be walking for a couple of hours and not look as fresh as they do for filming especially if they really had to carry that rock all the way back again.

Have a good weekend everyone…

PS: Rheumatologist has said that r.a. is destroying my right ankle and I have to start back on the chemo drugs again. Guess I will be testing my theory about eating and little exercise. I am booked in for xray guided injection next week and then weekly injections plus a myriad of other drugs, hopefully the side effects wont be too horrible. I'm a bit weepy and cant believe this is happening. I guess I will never run again - even walking Lucy will be a problem. BUT onwards and upwards (actually that sounds a bit more upbeat than I actually feel at the moment).

Well I'm back, sort of.........

I looked at Google Reader last night and saw that I have 170 unread posts to read. My God you guys are prolific.

I had a lovely relaxing Christmas and January. I did very little except try to whittle off the holiday weight gain and plan for 2008.

I had a small side trip to the Gold Coast to my girlfriend, husband in tow for 4 days in which we packed a lot of stuff. Many drinks and lots of food, a river cruise, the races, yum cha, bbqs. I dedicated the weight gain to her but in the end it only turned out to be 200g. I walked every morning and even inspired my girlfriend to take it up again. We now communicate regularly via email about our progress.

My plans for 2008 are:
Walk Lucy every day for at least 30 mins (she needs to trim down too). Rainy days I head for the gym and walk on the treadmill and Lucy misses out.
Lose those last 4 or 5 kilos.
Start the major renovations on my house finally
Help my son to move out of the house (yes he is still there – so much for needing two weeks accommodation 3 months ago)
Tone up my muscles

I have found a personal trainer I really like. The first one I tried nearly killed me. I could have told her I was a paraplegic and it would have made not one iota of difference. Sandra is perfect for me – listened to what I had to say, set up a weights program for me to be reviewed in 4 weeks time and made the whole session fun with lots of laughter.

I have a MRI scheduled for next week. My left ankle has swollen up incredibly over the last couple of months and the cortisone injections I had before Christmas only worked for a couple of weeks. The rheumotologist thinks it is arthritis but the MRI is just to check that something else hasn’t occurred. Hopefully another operation is not on the cards but if it is, it is.

Life is very hectic especially since I am trying to fit in exercise time. It would be a lot easier if I didn’t walk or swim or go to the gym and gave up pilates and yoga but after many many years of putting everyone else and their interests first I regard this stage of my life as mine. It may be selfish but I don’t care.

I’m not spending hours on the computer any more. I will try to read and comment when I can because I have become extremely fond of some of you and the support and friendship you have offered to me over the last couple of years has been phenomenal but life is moving on.

I’ll be in touch……

2008 is going to be awesome!

Happy New Year everyone. I dont know why but every since New Years Eve I have this feeling that this is going to be a special year. I'm tingling with anticipation.

Sad but true - I'm itching to be back at work. I want to get stuck back into it and it has only been a week and a half since I went on holidays. I'm sure I will get over this feeling. I am enjoying reading books and gyming and walking Lucy the Wonder Dog.

I meant to write this earlier while sitting on the deck enjoying the end of a spectacular day but for some reason even though my computer said I was connected it wouldnt let me on to the internet. After a hot day it has cooled down with a slight breeze and it was so nice to sit out there but here I am at the dining room table hearing son slamming around the house (I guess it has been broached to him again that it is time he moved out of the guest room). God give me strength!

Have put on some of the weight I lost before Christmas and I dont think this week has been any better but will find out tomorrow. Here's hoping I can hold steady.

Enjoy yourselves while summer is here.

On track

I like the core plan at WW. It is boring but easy. I lost another 1.2 kgs this week (as at last Thursday) so am still on track for Christmas.

Of course I have been a bit social lately so am not overly confident of another loss this week.

I went to the ballet on Saturday and saw "The Nutcracker" which was beautiful but trying to find something healthy for lunch was a nightmare. Settled for a ham and salad baguette which I cut in half and bought home for the eating machine that is living with us at the present. The ballet was summed up for me by the young girl I saw at the ballet and then again on Waitara station with her Mum leaping along like a ballerina (the girl not the Mum). Such exuberance was infectious.

It's raining again - it was actually hailing yesterday. I have pictures of our front lawn covered in white balls. I was gardening, in the middle of building a new stone wall for a new garden when I heard the storm coming. I just picked up everything and ran - thought it was the rain and wind I could hear but it was actually the hail. Luckily our cars were under cover and I rang the kids and warned them what was coming their way. Mark actually had red welts on his back where he got hit. Hmm, summer in Sydney.

Summer rain taps at my window.........

Well last weeks weigh in was a bit of a fizzer. Only lost 100g but at least it was a loss and it counterbalances the 1.8kg loss the first week so I guess I am more or less on track.

I have been writing down what I have been eating this week to see where maybe I went wrong. The “CORE PLAN” is easy to follow – maybe too easy.

We had an interesting experience last week. Went out for dinner with friends to restaurant in Neutral Bay. It was a degustation menu and as we got to the final course we had to evacuate the restaurant due to a gas leak next door. Nobody could pay but of course they had a contact number for all diners so my friend was duly rang the next day and fixed up the bill minus a discount (after her husband had a word to them).

Am off to the rheumatologist today for an emergency appointment as my ankle is quite swollen and painful and I think I need a cortisone injection before he disappears on holidays. Very nice of him to fit me in but I am sure his secretary is pulling her hair out.

The wet humid stormy weather continues. The garden is really lapping it up and seems to be growing before my eyes. It looks perfect. I have a section that looks a bit so-so and I have decided to plant it out with waratahs and minature kangaroo paws as the soil is poor and I have been inspired by a friends garden who has planted native plants in her garden even though the majority of my garden is planted with buxus, gardenias, azaleas, jessamine, roses and magnolias.

Talking about inspired – I have spoken to two friends about their gardens and have discovered that both of them did the stone walls around their garden beds including terracing all by themselves. So I am going to attempt to do the same in the back yard to lay the foundations for a new garden bed to hide an ugly paling fence. But first I am going to pick their brains and one has even offered to help me but I think I want to try to do it by myself (body willing of course).

My baby turns 23 this Friday. She came into the world in a rush, induced out of the cocoon because of toxaemia. Mind you she had been trying to fight her way out for quite awhile. I claimed her as my baby just after she was born and, even though we have a love/hate relationship we are incredibly close and there is rarely a day goes by when I don’t speak to her, sometimes many times. She was a screamer and did it nonstop for the first few months of her life. She is the reason that we have only two children because we were so exhausted we decided that we couldn’t do this again and that was even after the firstborn being a copybook perfect baby. She never learnt to walk - it was a run from her first step. She spent her early life wanting to be a boy like her brother, wearing his hand-me-downs, scorning dresses (I still have them packed away) demanding the same things that he got and trailing after him and his friends with the plaintive cry “wait for me”. I look at her in constant wonderment that I produced (Mark had something to do with it too) this firey,fiesty, slim build (didnt get my hips), fair skinned, green eyed redhead whose determination to succeed at whatever she chooses never ceases to amaze me. In the constant paradox she is, she wanted perfume and a multipurpose knife for her work belt for her birthday. I hope she has a wonderful birthday and knows how proud we are of her always.

Less than three weeks of work before five weeks off. Yahoo!!

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.

Term 4 - Back at work

Back at work now and the time is flying. Going to be a very busy term and I know Christmas will be upon me before I know it.

I have been shut out of my computer and study by a daughter doing a uni assessment which has finally been done and I can reclaim my possessions. I live in the hope that they get the internet on at home soon but there is some sort of problem about broadband not being available in their area and dial up is too slow. The funny thing was she was complaining about the lack of food in the house - no muesli bars or biscuits etc. I explained that since no child lives at home anymore I dont have to stock those things saving myself lots of money and keeping myself out of temptation. My only problem now is jatz - Mark loves them so we keep boxes of them and I have been known to attack the jatz container when I am having a munchy attack.

Mark home from France last Thursday night. So nice to have him back. Absence really does make the heart grow fonder. He came bearing gifts - a bottle of "Covet" perfume and another charm bracelet.

Gareth home from UK in under a week now! Looking forward to seeing him again. He is staying with us for two weeks max. Hope he settles back into life in Aus although I know he is planning on returning to London next April. I guess that will be crunch time as to whether he gives up his job here.

Okay Zanna, my top 10 things in my shopping trolley that work for me are:

Either some Lean Cuisine or Weight Watchers Frozen Meals (whatever is on special)
Weight Watchers Ice Cream - Berry mudslide is the current favourite
Rice Crackers
Weight Watchers cottage cheese
Weight Watchers cream cheese (to have with smoked salmon, capers, lettuce, bagels, onions)
Nestle Diet Yoghurt (Citrus and Pomegranate is new and yummy)
Lots of Fruit and Vegetables (hooray summer is here)
Weight watchers sour cream
Wholemeal crumpets and muffins
Diet Lemon Lime and Soda (brand escapes me at the moment but I think it comes from Qld)

I know that a few of the above have the dreaded 950 or 951 additives in them but I havent figured out replacements yet. And also note that this is my "healthy" trolley, sometimes there is an unhealthy trolley - unhealthy but yummy.

Weight seems to be slowly going down. Am not counting points any more just trying to make good choices because I know this is what I have to do for ever. Sometimes I fail miserably but I will keep slogging away. Am managing to drink at least 1 litre of water most days. 2 litres is a pipe dream I think.

Exercise has sort of settled down to
Monday - gym
Tuesday - walk Lucy
Wednesday - Yoga
Thursday - walk Lucy
Friday - gym
Saturday - Pilates and a good workout cleaning the house
Sunday - sometimes walk Lucy and yard and garden maintenance.

I dont always manage to do this program because I am listening to my body more and if other things crop up I am slowly learning to go with the flow and not sweat the fact that exercise doesnt happen.

Hope everyone is having a good week. Slightly cooler here today with a promise of some much needed rain.
Take care
J
xxx

A Saturday night

It's Saturday night, I am finally tidying up my study, with a glass of wine listening to my iPod playing Abby Dobson and all the other new ones I downloaded from iTunes yesterday very loudly.

Have spoken to Gareth and Mark who are having a serious father/son bonding experience in Toulouse. Jess is calling in tomorrow morning early, on her way home from nightshift and I can make her some more of my rhumba juice and give her all the things I picked up for her today.

Pilates was wonderful today and yoga starts again on Wednesday.

Does life get any better then this? (Did I say that out loud.)

Juice

I made the most beautiful juice for breakfast this morning. Raw beetroot, knob of ginger, stick of celery, an apple, a carrot and 1/4 of a lemon. It was the most heavenly colour and tasted divine. I am sure it will be good for me.

In all my cleaning and rearranging I found my juicer so dragged it out this morning as I have time to clean the fiddly little thing while I'm on holidays.

Didnt quite finish the pantry yesterday - I went to sleep knowing that if anyone broke into the house last night they would have killed themselves (or at least twist an ankle badly) walking through the kitchen. How many glass moccono jars does a person need? I have so many filled with dodgy things which have now been emptied and washed. Jess may want some, my boss may want some for his shack up at Bellingen otherwise it is off to the recycling plant for them.

Gareth rang this morning. Why else - needed a loan. The Bank of Australia is back in business. Mark has booked him on a flight to Toulouse on Friday which is great. They had a good time catching up in Richmond together on Monday night. Looks like Gareth will be coming home at the end of October now. Depends when he can get the cheapest flight. It was midnight over there and he said it was freezing. I mentioned that it was a beautiful day here and I was sitting in a sleeveless top having breakfast on our deck. Bad mother!

Okay back to the pantry and then my study needs a definite spring clean too! I have to start painting a Santa Claus that a friend gave me recently plus finish the starshape angels that I give my girlfriends each year for Christmas. I have been reminded that they didnt get one last year because of my hand op and while they understood not to let it happen again. LOL.

Take care.

So organised it hurts

Mark has met up with Gareth in London and moved on to Toulouse. Gareth is apparently flying to Toulouse this weekend for more father/son bonding.

I have used this time alone (except for the beautiful Lucy) to clean and organise. Have gone through my plastic container cupboard and downsized it to a small cupboard. Three boxes of containers for Jess to go through before shipping off to Lifeline. Moved all my electrical appliances into the old plastics cupboard. Looks tres neat but Mark wont be able to find anything when he returns.

Went through the medicine/first aid cupboard and got rid of all the out of date medications (some were over 10 years old!). They have been returned to the chemist today for disposal.

Went through the linen press and threw out anything that wasnt needed or looked to shabby. Good stuff to Lifeline, old towels to the vet. Have repacked shelves and labelled them so that others (Mark) can also put washing away. Found this treasure wrapped in tissue and a plastic bag in the bottom of the cupboard. Made it eons ago - quilted, handpainted, old lace etc. Might hang it up for Christmas this year and see what Santa brings me. (I could have ironed it before I photographed it.)

Cleaned oven as best I can. Note to self (and I know I said this last time): do not buy another self cleaning oven because they dont.

Prepared all our tax stuff for the accountant. It was a mammoth task especially all the medical bills covering all the operations last year. I nearly died when I saw how much my being unwell last year cost us. Megabucks!

The pantry is next on the agenda.

Won some money in Lotto. The most I have ever won. Another charm or two for my bracelet. Jess bought me a silver suitcase with Paris stamped on it (my daughter knows me well). Maybe it will be an omen. Her partner is also going to buy me one too - picked out all by himself.

Ordered some beautiful necklaces from bombalurinashops on etsy (will try to add the proper URL next time). Had fun trying to set up a paypal account. Sometimes I feel so computer illiterate but I got there in the end.

Have bought an external hard drive to store my audiobooks on. This will be interesting trying to instal it by myself. Might have to wait for the beautiful Jess to wander through before I try to do it.

Had a look at her new place last week. She knows what she wants and it looks great. So chic. I think Marc just gets carried along in her wake. Mind you I think we all do! We had a wonderful day at IKEA and Freedom and a dozen other places. Plus she took me for a drive around Gladesville/Hunters Hill/Woolwich to look at all the places I remember from when I grew up in the area. A long special day and I slept like a log when I went to bed that night. We are going back to IKEA again this Friday - havent quite finished or maybe we are addicted. Plus a visit to Habitat because we are still looking for stools. I bought her her own retractable tape measure and a book "No tattoos before you're thirty" by Sam de Brito which has some hilarious advice which I wish I had had early for her. She has been threatening me with a tattoo since Year 10 (me not getting one - her).

Last but not least some more photos - my baby ducklings at work are growing so quickly by the time I get back from holidays they will be grown ups and the waratah that came into flower this year at the Centre. Amazing flower.

No food or weight news this week because I'm not managing it well. Exercise is okay but the rest is blah. BUT and this is a big BUT, at the moment I dont care - I'm accomplishing other things and feeling really good about them. Have even caught up all the posts on googlereader (there were over 100 waiting to be read).

If anyone has lasted this long - I had a strange comment on my last post from Mustafa something or other in Turkish. Can anyone translate for me. It was quite odd.

Have a great week everyone, I'm off to clean the pantry out.

Been a little while.....

Havent posted for a while because I keep running out of time but have been reading and commenting when inspiration hits me.

Fairly uneventful time lately.

Had my 54th birthday on Sunday. Nice day but missed the kids although DD did call in between shifts and DS called from UK. DH took me out for lunch which was nice. My two best friends had a surprise dinner for me (DH had forgotten all about the arrangements so I was watching the news eating vegemite toast when the phone call came wondering where we were!) and some lovely aloe vera lotion from evelyn and crabtree and a borders gift card.

I wanted a pandora bracelet for my birthday but I didnt quite realise how hellishly expensive they are but what I have just done is ordered one over the internet with some charms and from now on the children and husband will not have any problems finding something to give me - they can buy another charm. Good plan. I know I am hard to buy for as I tend to buy whatever I want whenever I want which leaves nothing for special days.

I also downloaded some new albums for my iPod -
Joni Mitchell's new one - Shine
Kate Melua
Amy Winehouse
I love iTunes!

Put my car in for its first service today and I have a hairdressers appointment this afternoon. Nearly had a serious accident on the way to service centre and it would have been my fault. Turned in front of someone and I never even saw him coming. I was a bit shaky for a while afterwards. While car was being serviced I went to the gym - is this multi-tasking? Trying to get all my computer stuff done before DD turns up to do her uni assignment. Still hasn't got the internet on at home.

DD and I are going shopping to IKEA yet again tomorrow to buy her some new stools for her breakfast bar plus maybe a few things for me.

Thursday is staying at home day waiting to see if Optus manages to deliver my new phone which was supposed to come last Friday.

Friday I am driving out to my sister's to see her new home and give her partner a big hug as he has just found out that he has bowel cancer and it has knocked him a bit (as it would). My first trip out west on all the motorways (me driving that is).

DH is heading overseas on the weekend I think and will be away for a couple of weeks. He hopes to catch up with DS in either France or the UK.

Next week looms large and empty although I havent really tried to organise anything as I have been strangely tired and always seem to have some sort of upset tummy and nausea. If it keeps up I will go to the doctor and have it checked out. I might follow Anne's lead and start eliminating food additive(?) 950 and 951 from my diet.

I have been promising my self a trip to the city to look for some more work clothes so that could be on the cards for next week and also I want to get down to lulumans at warringah mall to check out the yoga gear.

Have rebooked for my third term of yoga but have decided to give tai chi a miss next term. There is only so much you can fit in a week isnt there?

Time to start painting Christmas decorations and gifts - will try to post photograph of the Christmas elf that is going to sit in my front window this year.

Oh well off to do housework now - it is so nice to have the time to do computer stuff, housework and read as well. Bliss!

Lack of oomph

What an up and down week!

Have been feeling, I guess, depressed lately. Don’t ask me why probably just hormonal – I can never work these things out.

I have been having trouble getting out of bed – missed taichi on Saturday morning – just couldn’t be bothered. Nearly didn’t go to breakfast or pilates either but managed to drag myself there, leaving the house like a bomb had gone off in it and was glad I did go. Got back home eventually to find DH in high grumpy dudgeon because he had to do some housework (mind you no one asked him to). Anyway, I just got stuck into cleaning the rest of the house and ignored him and he eventually got down off his high horse (which is just as well with all this equine influenza going around).

Same whammy hit me on Monday morning but I couldn’t take another Monday off so forced myself out of bed and made myself go to the gym after work and felt better.

Which brings me to the gym – I have gone from lots and lots of exercise to hardly any in a matter of a few months. Probably something to do with my mental state of mind. Realised yesterday that I had not been enjoying the gym because I had been continually pushing myself to longer and greater workouts so I sat down with my gym program and am back to basics and will try to get in an out of the gym in under 60 mins on the days that I go.

The other brightness has been blogs. I enjoy them so much. That “Lady in Red” M has had a birthday and is so bouncy at the moment it is catching. Suzy’s new lunch box was inspiring and I brought yoghurt and frozen raspberries to work today and it was so yummy. Thanks for the idea. Her post on sleeplessness hit home as I too am experiencing being awake a number of times a night too. I read somewhere once about the legion of women who are awake in the early morning all over the world so I know that I am not alone.

APEC is over and our beautiful city is slowly returning to normal although I am sure that there will be repercussions for many months to come. DD was showing me the pictures that she took on her phone when she was patrolling and they mostly were pictures of the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge and of course the fireworks.

DS has been to Holland and Germany on a long weekend trip and has managed to lose his mobile phone yet again. He lost his SIM card last week in Dublin. He is exasperatingly hopeless. He plans to visit Poland next.

Here is a picture of a corner of my garden showing the azaleas and the port wine magnolia (which smells heavenly when the flowers fully develop). To the right is an azalea that my beloved late mother-in –law gave me for my 25th birthday. It is called “Silver Anniversary” and flowers every year on my birthday and reminds me how much I miss her. The tree on the right is a turpentine tree which are native to our area. Nasty tree but aparently a local landmark so it stays and it does give the garden shade in summer but that is about the only good thing you can say about it.

Oh well, the weather has turned sunny and warm again which certainly helps my moods. Lucy and I will do a tour of suburban streets this afternoon to inspect the beautiful spring gardens and all the renovations that have suddenly commenced.

Off to see “Menopause the Musical” with friends this Saturday (how apt) and maybe out to dinner in Glebe on Friday night plus we have to empty the storage place of DS’s things into the newly empty (or nearly empty) guest room. So much to do so little time.

Hope you all have a good one – enjoy.

My thought for this week: You live longer once you realize that any time spent being unhappy is wasted. ~Ruth E. Renkl