Quick update for today

I managed to achieve two of my three goals for the day - drank all my water plus a little more and no sugar points. Didn't get out for any exercise but I knew that would happen before my day started so am not too worried about it.
Had a lovely dinner - thanks for the Chilli Chicken receipe Jodie - everyone loved it !!!! Plus I have some for leftovers tomorrow night.
Kitchen's tidy, lunches are made and I am just waiting for the bell on the washing so that I can get that out before I go to work. YAY for getting all the chores done and sticking to my goals for the day !!!
Take care everyone and have a great day tomorrow !

TFTD : It takes both rain and sunshine to make a rainbow.

TIAGF : The good health of my family

Update for tonight - this is a whinge so if you don't want to hear any of it, please close out of me !!!!
Had one of the worst nights at work tonight - these stupid roll cages are not working. The idiot who designed them obviously never packed a shelf in his (and I say his because I am bloody sure that no woman would have designed something so badly !!!!) life before. My back is absolutely killing me - I am about to take some Nurofen Plus and head off to bed - ggrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr I can't stand working like this. If my back isn't right tomorrow morning I am going to have to call in sick until I can get it sorted out.
The worst bit is I had two pieces of chocolate when I got home and was standing with the fridge door open thinking - what can I have to make me feel better ?????? My folks had bought some Willie Wonka chocolate and there were two little squares which they had left for me and I had said to K she could have - well they aren't there any longer for her to have !!!! I ate the damn things !!!! Worked out the points 1.5 which isn't the end of the world except that my goal of no sugar points until Saturday just went down the toilet !!! Oh well - you get that sometimes and all I can say is that I am grateful that that is all the chocolate there was otherwise I am sure I would have eaten more !!!!
Good night and take care everyone !

Reached my goals for the day

Had a rather rushed evening tonight - when I was planning on going for a walk this evening, I had forgotten that I had to collect Kaitlin from school as she has sports on a Tuesday. Anyway, we got home at about 5.30 and I quickly changed and went out walking - I knew that if I didn’t it would be another day down with no formal type of exercise and I really just had to listen to Amelia and ‘do it anyway’ !!!!! I knew that I only had ½ hour as we had to pick up some friends. I left home with a bit of a route in my head but when I got to where I thought I would turn I had only been walking 10 minutes so I carried on. At the next corner I was going to turn but realised that I still had another 15 minutes to go so went around the big block and managed to make it back just on 30 minutes which is what I had wanted to walk in the first place. K and I will have to cycle the route (we go through some pedestrian parts so can’t drive it to see how far it is) - I am sure that it isn’t very far but I really felt good for having gone. I am sure that if I continue I will be able to either do it quicker or walk further - now that it is staying lighter for longer I will be able to cycle as well (which is what I prefer to walking if I have a choice). K jumped in the shower as soon as I got home and then I showered and we left and we were about 3 minutes late for our friends but got to Sharks in time so that was the main thing.
We had a lovely evening - I had some salad to start, then went and had a little pasta with napoli sauce, a little bit of pork, some cauliflower and some pumpkin. For dessert I had the tiniest taste of K’s chocolate mousse - all in all a very successful evening. I was going to have some sticky date pudding (one of my favourites) but then decided that I didn’t really need it and that I would rather achieve my goal of no sugar points until Saturday.
I managed to stick to all my goals for today - drank my water, went for a walk and didn’t have any sugar points (I’m not counting the taste I had of K’s dessert as I don’t think that it was worth anything) - I won’t be getting in a walk tomorrow night as my folks are coming over for dinner but I should be able to drink all my water and stay away from the sugar points without too much trouble.
I spoke to Al just now - he had a frustrating day today - unfortunately there isn’t anything I can do except listen. They were off to dinner after he had finished talking to me and he was going to talk to the big boss to see the final dates that he is needed there leading up to Christmas so that he can make sure he gets his flights booked in time to get home. I would hate for him to be stuck there over Christmas because he couldn’t get a flight home !!!!!
Well I am off to bed now - take care everyone and have a great day !

Another ordinary day

The weather is rather yucky today – we have had quite a lot of rain during the past two nights but it is still raining (on and off) this morning – good for the gardens but awful when you have to cut the grass !!!!
Am feeling a bit under the weather (no pun intended !!!) today – woke up yesterday with the cotton wool head and sore throat / back of my nose feeling – it went away during the day sometime but I woke up like that again today – wish it would either develop into something or go away completely.
I am reading a book at the moment called “8 Simple Rules for Dating my Teenage Daughter” by W Bruce Cameron – if you ever get a chance to read this, it is so funny. Even if you don’t have children (or teenage daughters) – I am sure that you will appreciate the humour in it – just a feel good type of book. At the end of each chapter he says “You are the father” as if that makes any difference at all !!!! This got me thinking last night after eating a Twix bar (that I put in the freezer and ate bit by bit at work) and a chocolate covered marshmallow bear – I am the one who is supposed to be in control of what I am eating – how did those things make it into my mouth without me stopping and thinking about what I was doing ???? I couldn’t actually think of a reason except that I felt like I deserved them !!!! Now that I think about it – losing 0.2 doesn’t really deserve any sort of chocolate as a reward – actually no loss deserves a chocolate as a reward !!!! All I can do is put it behind me, get back on this stupid horse and keep on riding until I get to goal !!!! This also got me to thinking about what Kathryn said about people who say that they don’t have time to exercise – while there are nights when I battle to find the time, there are other nights when I could do something but I am just too lazy and can’t be bothered. So, my goals for this week are as follows :
1. Drink 1 ½ litres of water a day for at least 5/7 days – if I can at least get it right during the week I will do my best to have some water on the weekends
2. Exercise at least 4/7 days for at least 30 minutes
3.. Have no sugar points until our muffins on Saturday (there is normally fruit salad at Sharks so will have that for dessert if I feel like I have to have something)
Hopefully this will see those last few grams coming off !!!
I have quite a bit of fruit with me today – dried and fresh - so that should keep the hunger pangs at bay and at least make sure that I am not feeling completely starving when we go to the Sharks tonight – I hate going out to eat when I am starving as that normally makes me overeat or eat to quickly and not enjoy my meal.
Take care everyone and have a great week !

TFTD : We don’t stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing.

TIAGF : E-mail

7th loss in 8 weeks

Not much of a loss - 0.2 - but definitely better than a gain. According to my scales, I stayed the same but I will take the loss according to the WW scales as it isn’t very often that it works this way around !!!!
Have been feeling very ordinary today - not really sure why although it may have something to do with Al leaving yesterday. While I had a good week last week in terms of total points and sugar points, I have been dismal in my attempts to drink water, eat the correct food groups and exercise so I don’t suppose I can complain about the 0.2 loss.
I haven’t tracked for the past 3 days but know that I was way below points on each day - and, according to AJ, did a poor job of keeping my metabolism going with very few snacks due to not wanting to eat the wrong thing but having to wait until I could have something that I knew the point value of or until we were somewhere where I could actually get something to eat that fitted i.e. something that wasn’t going to count towards my sugar points.
Today I went to K-Mart to buy some foundation and some emery boards and came out with a Geurlain chocolate (and no foundation !) which I promptly ate on the way back to work - go figure how that happened !!!!!! But, it did and I need to just move on.
After weigh-in tonight, Kaitlin and I went and bought some grilled fish and chips for dinner - I dished up a fair size portion of chips but landed up only eating about ½ the portion. The dory was just beautiful.
Al’s flight was delayed an hour in Brisbane as they were waiting for people to clear customs - so it was an hour later before he got in that side and got to the hotel. He said that the flight wasn’t bad but then thought that they had lost his luggage because there were only two of them waiting for their suitcases off the carousel - eventually it arrived so that was good. When I mailed him this morning I said “1 down 41 to go” and he mailed me back saying “If I go back to sleep now for a while will that be 2 down and only 40 to go?” - if only it was that easy !!!! Anyway, he is back in the thick of it and enjoying doing what he is qualified to do - so that is a good thing.
Coles phoned me again today to see if I could work 10 - 2am - they just don’t get it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don’t know why they waste a phone call every Monday because I say no, sorry I can’t work 10 - 2 and they say Oh well - just thought we would try !!!!!!!!
Anyway, am off to get the washing done and lunches made for tomorrow. Tomorrow night we are going to a dinner at Southport Sharks so won’t be able to make pilates - rather sorry about that as I had to miss last week because of the tummy bug. Will make sure that I have enough points saved as it is only $5.00 (normally $20) for the buffet !!!!!! The good thing is that I can’t eat the same volume of food that I used to be able to eat so I am sure that the points won’t be too bad at the end of the evening PLUS if I wear my size 10’s I won’t be able to eat too much otherwise I won’t be able to breathe !!!!!!
Take care everyone and have a great week !

TFTD : One cannot get through life without pain ……… what we can do is choose how to use the pain that life presents us.

TIAGF : My loss this week

Another weekend over

Well Al is on his way and we are mooching around the house this afternoon. I think that the first couple of hours are the worst.
We had a great last few days together - had a good evening on Friday night catching up with some friends - did lots of talking and laughing. We got to bed at about 11pm and then lay there talking until about 2am - it was lovely. Yesterday we didn’t manage to have muffins as we worked in the garden before going to the mall and by the time we got there it was too late to have muffins as we had an appointment at 11.15 so we landed up having lunch, going to the library, going to the tip and then off to Australia Fair. Al and K had Baskin and Robbins - I was going to have as well but then I remembered the size 10 jeans and really wanted to wear them comfortably so just had a mouthful of each of theirs. What I did find out though was that I had to buy some new nickers - the size 10 jeans are lower than my others and I am not a fan of the ‘show your knickers outside your pants’ style so had to go and buy some new ones. So, my $10 jeans worked out a little more expensive after I had to buy the undies to wear with them - but it was great buying some new undies !!!!!!
We came home and fiddled around a bit before going out for Al’s birthday and Father’s day dinner - we couldn’t get into The Lost City so landed up at Oxenford Tavern and had a great meal - I had Tasmanian salmon, Al had a lovely steak and K had chicken nuggets and chips - all in all a great evening with lots of laughing.
I was going to have a muffin at the airport when we sat down to wait for Al to go through but they didn’t look all that appetising so we thought we would stop at Logan on the way home - we had muffins there at Muffin Break but they aren’t nearly as nice as the ones from our local Muffin Break so next time will wait until we get back home to have them. Had a wander around there before popping in to see my folks at the market. Then I dropped K at home and went to do some shopping before coming home to catch up with everyone.
I think that we will be having an early night tonight - unless the cricket gets interesting (although I can’t see that happening as the last I heard we were getting a big smack !!) - have got all the washing done so all I need to do now is get something done for dinner and lunches done for tomorrow. I am sure to hear from Al later tonight once he has landed - I thought the flight was 7 hours but it is nearly 9 hours.
I am hoping for another loss tomorrow night - maybe I won’t pay before I weigh - just in case I make it !!!!!!! Actually, I don’t think it will be that big - but there is no harm in hoping !!!!! I forgot to buy some more fruit when I was at the shops today so will have to get some tomorrow. Take care everyone and have a great week. I hope that things are starting to get better for those of you who have been doing it tough lately.

TFTD : Sometimes life is a rodeo, the trick is to ride and make it to the bell.

TIAGF : Clean sheets and warm pj’s

Size 10 jeans !

YAY !! Last night I went and bought a pair of size 10 jeans !!!!! I know that there is no ways that I have a size 10 figure (and probably will really only ever be a size 12 when I am at goal weight) but it is lovely to look at the label and see ‘SIZE 10’ on it !!! I did turn all the tags over trying to find the words “Generous Fit” on them - but to no avail !!! So I took the size 10’s home feeling very pleased with myself. (Mind you – there is a slight muffin effect – but, like M, I wear my shirts over and so nobody will see anyway !!) Al was busy trying on jeans and shirts when I was trying these on, so he didn’t get to see them in the shop but I put them on to show him when we got home and he just loved how I looked in them. He was saying this morning that he thinks I am disappearing and hopes that I am not going to get anorexic – I had to laugh at him because he knows how much I love my food – there is no way I could ever become anorexic BUT hopefully I will be maintaining nicely at goal when he gets home again.
Yesterday I was sitting at my desk dreaming of a Twirl chocolate. So, decided to take the long walk around to the vending machine (haven’t been there to visit since about March 05) but when I got there a found that they now stock Boost !!!! Stood for a while before actually buying it but then took a slow walk around the uni gardens eating it and thoroughly enjoyed every mouthful. I have counted the points and now have to choose one day for muffins – Saturday OR Sunday (normally we only have on Saturday morning but with Al flying at 10am – we may have on Sunday) Anyway, it is a sacrifice I will have to make seeing as I made the choice to have the Boost. I didn’t feel guilty about it because I did count the points (as opposed to my old trick of not counting the points because nobody saw me eating / I wasn’t sitting down when I ate / I didn’t track it so it doesn’t count / or whatever other reason you can think of for not counting sugar points !!). What I did find out though, is that I don’t feel very well after eating a whole chocolate by myself !!!! What happened to the lady who could sit down and eat 2 chocolates without even blinking ????? I think that I much prefer the option of a bite of each of Al’s and Kaitlin’s chocolates when they have rather than having a whole one myself and making myself feel sick.We went to school last night for the talk about the subjects which Kaitlin will have to choose next year – they have to choose 4 out of 24 – quite a difficult choice to make when you are 13 and really aren’t sure of what you want to do in life. The good thing is that she has made some good choices and we are happy with what she wants to do. We have some friends coming around for dinner tonight and a busy day planned for tomorrow – Al needs a hair cut and the grass needs to be done – two things which I really need to happen !!!!!!!
Take care everyone – have a great weekend and be good !

TFTD : When we recall the past, we usually find that it is the simplest things, not the great occasions, that in retrospect, give off the greatest glow of happiness.

TAIGF : Comfy shoes

Busy, busy, busy

There is so much happening at the moment I haven’t had a chance to even sit down. All in all things are going well, I have been eating some different meals again this week so here’s hoping I can drop this last 0.8 and save $14.95 per week !!!!!. I haven't been very good with my water this week - I think I need to change the water filter as the water has been tasting dreadful. I didn’t get to pilates on Tuesday as I was feeling too yucky in the afternoon. We did manage go for a lovely cycle on Sunday morning and we got Kaitlin’s gears sorted out which is great because that means that the two of us can go riding on the weekends especially now that the weather is so lovely.
I just want to say to all of you who are having difficult times at the moment – you are in my thoughts. I wish there was some magic wand that I could wave to make things better – remember that everything happens for a reason even if we don' tunderstand the reason at the time. Take care and be good to yourselves.

TFTD : Live not one’s life as though one had a thousand years, but live each day as the last.

TIAGF : The last few days I can spend with my best friend before he leaves for Taipei

Update : Sorry guys - I really didn't want to put the word verification on because I know it is a pain but with the amount of spam I have received today it just isn't worth it to leave it off. I apologise in advance for the hassle - you can always just e-mail me if you don't want to go through the schlep of doing the word verification thing.

I'm back

Where to start - sorry for the lack of updates. Things have been a little hectic around here lately. At work it has been so busy I haven’t had a chance to post during my lunch hour either but today, I am off sick with a tummy bug so thought I would at least be able to catch up on some blogs and get my latest update done.
First the good news - a loss of 1.2kg last night - I am now officially a 60’s girl with only 1.8kg to go to goal !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am sure that it was because I decided to have a real change around in the food I eat that I have seen this result - now I know I just need to be a little more organised and plan a little further than just my meals for today. It obviously isn’t enough to just eat the right points each day - our bodies need a variety of foods as well and maybe changing my food just gave my metabolism a bit of a kick start - I hope that I can keep the kick start happening for the next couple of weeks until I can get these last bits off. Al came with me last night and after the recorder had written my weight down, he stood on the back of the scale - she didn’t see what had happened but we had a good laugh when I looked down and saw the scale in the 80’s as Al was saying to her to look again - was she sure she had the right figure in my book !!!! Then she wasn’t sure but he told her he had waited for her to finish writing before he stood on the back of the scale.
After that we went to get some pizza (I only had two pieces which for me was good as I can normally eat 3-4 pieces and it also meant I stayed within my points), ate quickly before going off to the service at school. That ran pretty much on time which was great but when we left there I asked Al and Kaitlin how they were feeling and they both felt fine - well I didn’t and only just made it home in time. After going to the loo for the third time in about ½ hour - I asked Al how come I couldn’t have got the bug before I went to weigh - I might have made it to goal last night !!!!!!! Anyway, went off to work but the load didn’t get in until about 11.30 - so we were just kept busy with back-stock and not much else. Came home at 1am feeling absolutely lousy ( so lousy I couldn’t even eat a little Mars Lite chocolate) and said if I didn’t feel better in the morning I was going to stay at home. The accounts are all finished and I am just working on a few things before starting my August work so it isn’t as though it couldn’t wait a day. Am still feeling rather fragile - haven’t chanced eating anything yet as the thought of food is enough to send me running - will maybe try some dry biscuits or toast a little later.
I had a horrifying thought on the way to school last night - now that I am a 60’s girl - do my points drop to 18 ???? Had a look when I got home - whew - have to be a low 60’s girl before that happens - and I don’t know that I will ever get down to that again, and if, by chance I did, I think it is just too hard for me to maintain at that level. For me the plus factors of my goal as it is, are that I am happy with how I look (lets face it, I am never going to be a prance around the beach in a bikini babe - neither am I going to be the hipster and crop top brigade), and Al is more than happy with the way I look (he thought I had lost enough already). While my clothes aren’t comfortable (they are now too big) when I get to goal I will go and buy some clothes which fit me properly and they will be the gauge of how I am doing. I am not yet ready to get rid of all my fat clothes but if I can maintain for a while, I may just do that.
Thank you all for the comments and e-mails you have sent - the motivation and inspiration you provide is the reason I have managed to stick at it this time and for that, I am grateful. I have got to goal more times that I care to think about but I really feel that with the friends I have made through blogging, this time I will get there and be able to maintain there because I know that there are a few of you out there who will give me a swift kick in the pants if I land up falling off the rails and don’t pick myself up, dust myself off and get back on the rails (not mentioning any names - but quite possibly M, Mary, Anne, Jodie, Suzy, Kate, Emily Paulene, Michelle and of course, anyone else who sees it happen)
Take care everyone and have a great day !

TFTD : A man, as a general rule, owes very little to what he is born with - a man is what he makes of himself.

TIAGF : Soft toilet paper

Feeling lousy

Am not sure what it is today but I am feeling really yucky – hope I am not coming down with something as I really can’t afford to get sick. Actually – don’t know that I feel sick – more just out of sorts about everything.
Went to pilates last night and had a good class. Even better was when I was scratching through my drawers looking for something to wear I came across a Reebok tracksuit that we bought when we were in America in 1996 – I have worn the top on occasions but not the pants (since about 1996 !!!) – anyway, I put them on and they fitted me !!!!!! Actually – they are a little bit big but never mind – they are good to wear over my pilates gear when it is a little chilly (not that they are very warm but at least I am covered !!) So that was good.
Got home and we had left over meat and veggies from the BBQ on then didn’t get up to much except watch CSI before going to bed. Stayed awake until about 11pm before hitting the bed – woke up this morning with back ache again – so know that 71/2 hours in bed is too long – seems like my normal 4-5 hours is about right. The only trouble is that if I am really tired I can’t stay awake as late as I normally do when I work – will have to try to figure out how to get around that. My chiro is moving to Adelaide and so we are going to swop to a guy who is closer to us and I will speak to him and see what he can suggest.
Really feel like all I want to do is eat chocolate today – have to do some grocery shopping so better make sure I have eaten before I go otherwise I know what will happen – the fatal wait at the check out counter !!!!! Al has some Nestle chocolate in the fridge but I don’t really like that so it is generally quite safe there – of course if it was Cadbury’s or Guerlain (not sure how you spell it but hey, when it tastes that good, who cares how it is spelt !!!) or a Boost or Caramello Bear – any nice chocolate really would be in grave danger of being eaten. Maybe I should just buy something – count the points – see if I want to spend that many on the treat – eat it and be done with it rather than sitting here drooling at the mouth just thinking about it !!!! If only we had more sugar points for the week !!!!!

TFTD : Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered with failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the grey twilight that knows not victory or defeat.

TIAGF : Friends

I don't understand ......

how the scale gods work or what they think ? I am sure that they are just here to mess with my mind !!!! From Tuesday last week until Saturday I fluctuated between 68.8 and 69.4 on my scales at home – Sunday and Monday (weigh-in day) I was back up to 70.4 ! Last night I went to weigh feeling like I had put on although knowing that I was about 25 points under for the week and didn’t overeat my sugar points at all – and lost 0.3. Now I know that a loss is a loss is a loss but crikey – I can walk faster than these last few kilos are coming off !!!! Will I ever get there ??????????????? Only 2kgs to go until I am within the “1kg no pay to weigh” range and I am determined to get there – I just hope I can be patient enough !!!!!!!
My plan this week is to change my food completely and eat different things to the food that I normally eat. Maybe I can shock my system into getting rid of these last couple of kgs !!!! I would like to say that I will exercise more but I don’t know if that will happen so will just play that one by ear and if I get more exercise that will be great and if I don’t I will enjoy the time that I can spend with Al before he goes back next weekend.
On a more sore note – while I am completely mindful of the serious health problems which some people have – this is my problem today (and probably the next couple of days !!!) – last night I sliced open the top of my middle finger while trying to get a carton cutter blade out my pocket. I thought I was being ever so careful sliding my hand into my pocket as my blade had come out the carton cutter but I was talking at the same time and mis-judged the depth of my pocket !!!! Now I have a very nice big slice across the top of my finger and down the side of my nail – Al managed to sort a plaster out for me and fix me up but boy is it difficult typing and not using your middle finger !!!! Or else flinching every time I forget and do use it !!!! (Not that I have done that much lately – must be learning to keep it out the way !!!).

TFTD : What sunshine is to flowers, smiles are to humanity. These are trifles, to be sure, but scattered along life’s pathway, the good they do is inconceivable.

TIAGF : Leftovers so I don’t have to cook when I get home from pilates tonight.

Feeling bloated

Well – had a great weekend. We had our usual muffins on Saturday morning. We bumped into my folks at the centre so they joined us which was great. Then we did some shopping.
We spent the evening with some friends watching the rugby (pity about the result !!!) – we had curry and I made a hot apple dessert but took a WW apple and cinnamon dessert for me as the other was far too many points.
On Sunday morning K was busy with some assignments and Al and I went for a walk – the weather was just perfect (as long as you weren’t in the shade !!!) and I was wearing my boardies and a singlet and feeling really good. Then we bumped into someone I haven’t seen for a couple of months and she couldn’t believe how much weight I had lost so that made me feel even better !!!! We landed up walking for about 1¼ hours and if it wasn’t that we had other things to do, I felt like I could have walked forever.
My folks came over for dinner last night and Al cooked some meat and chicken on the Weber and we had broccoli and cauliflower with cheese sauce, butternut and oven roast potatoes. I made the same dessert again but didn’t have any as I was full by the time I had finished all the veggies that I had dished up !!!! The good thing was that I had been a little cold (once the sun had gone down) and was digging around for something warm to wear and came across a track suit which I had bought when I got to goal in 2000 and it fitted me perfectly !!!!
Al has been commenting on how much weight I have lost since he left. When he hugs me he comments on the fact that he can feel my ribs – such a good feeling !!!!!!! He said that he thought I had lost enough weight now but I explained that I still have a couple of kilos to go until I don’t have to pay anymore at WW and so he said that he would be happy if I stopped there and didn’t lose more than that. I told him that I would love to lose about another 8kgs but I know that I can’t maintain that weight and so I would get to the WW goal and then try to maintain at that weight – will see how I go because, first, I have to get to goal again !!!!!!!!!
I have finally worked out why I have so much trouble with my back – I am in bed too long !!!!!! I thought that the reason I hadn’t had any problems for the past few weeks was because I had managed to strengthen the muscles in my back, but no, that doesn’t seem to be the reason. It has been rather strange as my back has always worried me more on the mornings after I haven’t worked rather than after the nights when I have worked (we would generally go to bed earlier on the nights we don’t work). On Friday I was absolutely stuffed and was in bed by 8pm – well, when I woke up at 3am – I thought I was going to die my back was so sore. Then when I thought back I realised that while Al has been away, I have been going to bed between 12 – 2am and have had no problems with my back. But, when I went to bed earlier, I woke up with the most incredible back ache. Soooooooo I am going to have a chat to the chiro and see what he recommends in terms of the bed I should be sleeping on (except we bought a really good mattress and it is only about 6 years old so shouldn’t need to be replaced just yet). In the meantime I will just have to make sure that I don’t go to bed too early !!!!!! I have to say that I am so pleased to have been able to work out what is causing the back ache – now I just need to find out how is going to be the best way to fix it.
I am feeling really bloated today and not anticipating any good news at weigh in tonight although I have had a good week points and sugar wise. I probably haven’t done as much exercise as I could have but given all that has happened, I am happy with the exercise that I did manage to fit in.

TFTD : The greater the obstacle the greater the glory in overcoming it.

TIAGF : Al making breakfast and lunch

Lots of YAYS !!!!!

YAY for Al getting home safe and sound yesterday
YAY for being able to talk to him during the day – not because I need to tell him anything, BUT because I can
YAY for having to put toothpaste on two brushes and not just one
YAY for the lovely presents he brought for us
YAY for staying in control of what I ate yesterday even though I had nothing planned
YAY for all the cuddles and kisses I have been able to catch up on
YAY for a wide enough couch for us both to lie on
YAY for him waiting up for me (all be it sleeping in front of the TV) because he went to bed but it was too lonely without me so he went and lay in front of the TV
YAY for not having to work for the next three nights
YAY for being a 60’s girl on my scales at home for the past 4 days

As you can see – I have lots to be grateful for today. It is so fantastic to have Al home again – even if it is only for just over two weeks. I think that the time spent away from each other really makes us appreciate each other that much more – after nearly 20 years together I guess it is only natural for you to start taking each other for granted unless you really work hard not to let that happen – that is something I am going to work on when he gets back for good as I am back to feeling like I felt when we first started going out – getting excited to get home from work and see him or talk to him or just be with him. We are going to watch the rugby with friends on Saturday night (I am taking dessert so will have to hunt around to find something with a low point value) and we are having my folks over for dinner on Sunday night. They have a market on Sunday and don’t normally worry too much with dinner when they get home so I said to them to come around – we will probably have a BBQ – easy meal and also can be very low point with meat / chicken and veggies. I can do a dessert for them and then may have a WW dessert if I feel like it and have enough points available.
I want to try to get some walking in this weekend – I don’t know if there is anything in particular that Al wants to do – I am sure, like me, he won’t mind what we do so long as it is something we can do together. Last night after dinner he asked me if I wanted to bath as he was thinking of having a bath later – I said that it would be nice but I would rather sit in the lounge room with him – then he offered to sit in the bathroom with me – in the end we landed up lying on the couch together – the only problem was that K had changed the date on my phone so when he set the alarm for me to get up to go to work (he didn’t work as they didn’t have enough hours – he could have pushed the issue as he is permanent part time but it suited him not to go in so that was good as it meant he got to catch up on more sleep time) the date was wrong and it never went off !!! Made panic at 8.50 when I woke up and had to get changed and get to work in 10 minutes – made it with no minutes to spare !!!!!
Anyway – had better get started on the month end accounts plus I have a gazillion cheques and EFT payments to sign today. I have got all my food for the day that I need and have got my jug of water (had no water yesterday – bad girl !!!) but, you get that sometimes don’t you. Am back on my water track today which is the main thing.
Take care everyone and have a great weekend whatever you are doing.

Jodie, good luck for the Surf to City – will be thinking of you and sending any energy down that I can.

TFTD : Look at yourself in the mirror every morning and ask yourself “What do I want ?” Remember that you are responsible for your own happiness, and happiness is being comfortable with yourself.

Update : BIG BUGGER !!! Went to get my fruit for morning tea - I left my lunch cooler box at home - BUGGER, BUGGER, BUGGER !!!! Will have to just make the best choices that I can for my food for the day !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Quick post - great day !

Just a quick post today as I am working the earlier shift due to having to get up at 4.45 to collect Al from the airport - YYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYY !!! Finally - only 1 sleep to go !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Had a good day today food and water wise - didn't get any exercise but with 4 hours of packing ahead of me I won't have done nothing by the time I go to bed tonight.
K had APS (inter-school sports today) - came 8th in shot putt and fouled out in javelin - tried her best and had a good day so I was very happy with that. I managed to get down to watch her shot putt during my lunch hour so that was good.
Am off now as I need to get a load of washing done and lunches made before going to work - take care everyone and have a great day tomorrow !!!!!

TFTD : Nothing worthwhile is achieved without patience, labour and determination.

TIAGF : Only 1 sleep to go until my best friend comes home.

Hooray for AJ, hip bones & chunks of light !

I have had a great day food wise – lousy day work wise – an okay day water wise and a fantastic day exercise wise !!!! Had a great workout tonight at pilates – was thinking about giving it a miss but then remembered that I had given it a miss last week due to work so dragged myself off and had a fantastic time. I found a chunk of light ! M was saying the other day how she noticed a sliver of light – well when we were doing our exercises tonight – I could see part of the instructor through my thighs !!!! I was soooo excited about it !! I almost broke out into a chuckle – can you imagine trying to explain that to the class !!!! The other good news was when I got there the early class was still happening so I lay down on one of the beds – 5 minutes to myself !!! As I was lying there I moved my arms onto my tummy and they came across these two things I haven’t seen for a very long time – my hip bones !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Luckily nobody else was there otherwise they would have been really wondering what on earth I was doing – feeling my bones !!!!!!! What a great sensation – I am sure that they have been lurking around trying to come out from under the layers for a while and possibly have been out on one or two occasions but I think I might have been too busy at the time to notice and missed their appearance !! Anyway – it’s great to have them back again – long may they stay visible – more so when I am lying flat on my back but still there when I am standing up !!!!!
The other day I went to the library to pick up a book I had on hold and when I got there there were 3 books on hold – one of which was the second AJ Rochester book “The Lazy Girl’s Guide to Losing Weight and Getting Fit”. Paulene will support me on this one because she is the one who put me onto AJ in the first place – what a fantastic book. I started reading it before going to work last night but daren’t pick it up when I got home from work otherwise I would never have got to sleep – once you start you just can’t stop (sort of like Smarties / Cheese Twist biscuits / nuts / chocolate – am sure you get the picture !!!). Her mantra is what I would like to have at the top of my webpage but I am too stupid to be able to get it up there so here it is in the middle of my blog :

I commit to being the very best that I can be. I deserve to love, be loved and most importantly of all, to love myself. I deserve a healthy body and I will never give up on myself, no matter what happens, and I promise to do whatever it takes to make it happen. Today is the first day of the rest of my life. Shazam !!!!!

For those of you who haven’t read her books – try to get them. If you are not a reader – try to read it anyway as she is just so on the button with what she writes – it is entertaining while being inspiring and motivating !
On that note I am off with AJ to bath and then hopefully to have an early night.
Take care everyone and be good – remember – you are worth it !!!

TFTD : There is no failure except in no longer trying.

TIAGF : Going to pilates

Update and an apology

I would like to apologise to anyone whom I have hurt or offended with parts of my journal - the intention of this journal was not to do that at all. The intention of this journal was to inspire and motivate, as others have inspired and motivated myself. It has now become a tool which I am using to get to goal but more importantly, a means by which I can stay at goal when I get there. I have edited the entries which caused the hurt but if there is anything else which has hurt or offended - please let me know so that I can edit those entries as well - I really did not mean for this to happen. I am truly sorry for any hurt which has been caused - the reason for the comments in my entries was to reinforce feelings that other people have encountered and to show that we all experience the same sort of incidents. I have phoned and apologised to the person concerned and would like to think that this will not cause any friction in the future. I will take more care when posting entries in my journal. Once again - I am sorry for any hurt caused.
On a brighter note - I lost 0.4 tonight - WOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOO - a lovely surprise and not really what I had expected as I have been over my sugar points this week dreadfully !!! But, it is a loss and I will take it and say thank you to the scale gods !!! Only 3.3kgs to go now - roll on (or should that be roll off ???) the last few kilos - actually - only really 2.3kgs to go until I don’t have to pay each week - even better !!!!!
Take care everyone and have a great week !

Water

At least I managed to get some water into me over the weekend – not something that happens very often. I took a big bottle with me when I went walking yesterday and then had quite a bit last night. This morning I have managed to get nearly 1 ½L down so that is all good – the only problem is that I start off really well in the week but by Thursday or Friday it has all gone to pot and I am lucky to get down 2 glasses never mind 2L. Oh well – what to do except keep on trying.
Other than that – food has been good today – overate last night on the dried fruit on top of the lovely meal we had with our friends yesterday afternoon / evening so I went to bed feeling a little like Porky Pig – felt much better when I woke up this morning but am not sure that I am looking forward to the scale gods tonight !!! I really need to get my act together with these last few kilos – I think that part of the problem is that I don’t feel so overweight and awful and while I will never be skinny again, I am certainly feeling a lot happier with myself and how I look.
Probably won’t get any exercise in tonight as I have to go to weigh and Kaitlin needs to be taken to pick up something at a friend’s house – then it will be dinner, homework and off to work. We are starting a new roll cage system tonight – am not sure how it is going to work because it looks like it will make things more difficult (at least initially) rather than easier. The hours budget is getting cut (I can’t remember by how much) which means we are going to have to pack quicker than 48 cartons an hour – this should be fun for the people who are battling to keep up with the 48 per hour now !!!! So should be lots of fun and games at work tonight – will let you know how it goes tomorrow. Of course it also depends on how late the load gets in because, being Monday, it can arrived anytime from 3pm until 1am !!!!!
Kaitlin made me laugh on the weekend – she jumped into bed with me one morning for a cuddle and then said “Gee Mom – you are so warm” I told her it was because I had been under the doona. She replied “No Mom – you are sizzling hot – that is why you have to keep your wedding ring on when Dad is away otherwise the guys will be chasing you” – now, I KNOW FOR A FACT that no-one will be chasing me (apart from Al) but it was so precious to hear her say that. She really has been so supportive of me and how I am doing along the way – if she doesn’t come with me when I go to weight, she normally runs to the door when she hears the garage door opening ‘How did you do Mom ? How did you do?” – the lovely thing is when I put on she says “Well – it could have been worse it could have been (and then adds 1kg onto whatever my gain was)” – out of the mouths of babes !
Take care everyone – have a great week and ONLY 3 SLEEPS TO GO !!!!!!

TFTD : It is good to have an end to journey towards; but, it is the journey that matters, in the end.

TIAGF : Starting the week with all my chores at home done

The before back view












The after back view

This is the after shot - they seemed to have loaded the wrong way around










This is the before shot

Pounding the pavements at last

We have had a great weekend - what a pity it is just about over !!! Yesterday Kaitlin and I had our muffins (and my folks joined us which was really lovely). After doing some shopping we came home and went for a good 1 hour walk. On the way stopped off to see one of the Boys Town Prize Homes - quite nice but not nearly big enough for us and our furniture but lovely to win !!!!! After that I took K to get her hair cut before we came home and I landed up having a nap in front of the TV until it was time to do dinner before going to work.
Having decided that I wasn’t going to stay late at work, when the manager asked I couldn’t find it in myself to say no as I know that he was battling to get the load finished. Anyway, by the time I got home and phoned Al and spoke to him for a while it was after midnight when I got to bed. Managed to sleep in until 7am this morning and then got up and went for another walk along the Broadwater (1¼ hours) which was great as K wasn’t with me and I could really step it out. While I was walking I was thinking to myself “A 60’s girl. A 60’s girl” - no point in not being positive !!!!!! Mind you, after the week that I have had I don’t really expect to do that at all, but I can always aim high !!!!! I was also thinking about how I could get walking more and think that I may try to walk during my lunch hour - we have showers at work so I can probably change, walk for ½ hour, go back to the uni, have a shower and get back to the office within an hour. At first I was thinking that what was the point for only 30 minutes of exercise but then I realised that ½ hour of walking would be better than nothing. There are a couple of things which I have to get done during my lunch hours this week but it is certainly something I am going to try to work into the days ahead.
This afternoon we went to some friends (I thought for a BBQ but it landed up being a roast) with some roast potatoes (which I couldn’t resist) and some lemon meringue pie (which I only had a little bit of).
Anyway, am off to watch us last the last 2 wickets in the cricket and then watch the Broncos in their game against Manly - we should win that one but you just never know with footy !!!
Take care everyone - have a great week and be good to yourselves - you are all worth it !

TFTD : The only thing in life achieved without effort is failure

TIAGF : The typhoon which has moved on from Taiwan so Al’s travel arrangements home don’t have to be changed !!!!

LeisaB had the link to the Louise Hay cards - I have been picking one each day (when I remember) and they are really good to give you something to think about during the day. Mine for today was “I am at one with all the people on the planet” - how true is that with all the friends I have made through blogging - thank you all for being my friend !

Finally - some more photos

I have finally had the patience to sit here and load these photos - mind you, I have been watching the cricket while waiting so it wasn't like it was all that hard. Think that when I was trying previously I was just too impatient !!!! (the story of my life really)




This is a smellie pack that I got and have used some of already !!!!













This is the three generations - 13, 40 and 67 !! My Dad took the photo and was making us laugh so much we nearly fell off the ottoman we were sitting on - it was all we could do to stay upright until he had taken the picture !!! He is such a character and I love him to bits. Whenever he is around there is always something to laugh about.

These are the flowers which Kaitlin arranged to be sent to me at work



















These are the flowers from my surprise dinner

This is the ring which Al and K bought me in Airley Beach after I had said that I liked it. Yes I love jewellery - one of the reasons I had my belly button pierced - another place for me to wear some !!!!

Sorry the pics aren't a little clearer - but it is hard with the flash and the sparkly presents !!

These are my earrings

This is the bracelet I got for my birthday - very spoilt !!

Friday night update

We have just got back from our evening out - had a LOVELY time. The only thing was that dinner was a little rushed as we had to get to the movie by 6.45pm. But anyway, we made it. I had tomato tortellini - unfortunately I didn’t ask if it was a tomato based sauce and it came out as a creamy sauce with sun dried tomatoes in it - what to do but eat and enjoy. We didn’t have time to go anywhere else and I couldn’t really afford to pay for something else. I thoroughly enjoyed it so will do what I can to minimise the extra points I would have used. Actually, have no idea how many points it would have been but thought if I said 11 or 12 I would be safe as I didn’t eat the whole serving. We saw Mr and Mrs Smith - very light and entertaining (or in K’s words - rathe action packed !!) - I enjoyed it except for the bit when they were fighting and he was hitting and kicking her - that really didn’t appeal to me at all. I don’t suppose they could have left it out but just don’t like the fact that it had to be included to make sense of the story (to a certain extent).
Got home and have just got off the phone from Al. They didn’t work today as it was a typhoon holiday - second typhoon in two weeks.
Last night a friend at Coles told me about her brother-in-law who had been in an accident in Christchurch where a car hit him from behind and then landed up flipping over and landing on his car roof. She said that they had to cut the car in 3 places to get him out and it was only because he was a small man that he had survived but he has extensive injuries and will probably be in hospital for quite a while. This got me thinking and then I thought about Kim and then Mary’s friends and I realised that, while it is difficult with Al away, I have so much to be thankful for. What is the point of sitting at home and behaving like a sookie-la-la when I should be doing what I can to enjoy life.
So - my weekend plans so far - off to the doctor in the morning, then the library, then to Marina Mirage (because K wants to go there - not sure why - just because) and on Sunday we are going to friends for a late lunch early dinner BBQ. I have also promised myself some exercise - haven’t decided what yet as it depends on the weather. My shift at Coles tomorrow night is 6-9 or 10 and I have promised to look at some medical aid stuff for my folks and do their tax return for them. Maybe I should do ours at the same time although I think that I probably won’t feel like it and will put it off for another day.
Thanks for reading. While I always felt that I wanted this to be inspirational for people reading it and not just an account of my day, I really miss the e-mails I used to send to my folks telling them about what we had done. Now I get to tell them in person but I still enjoy the therapy of typing - sounds strange I know but, hey, that’s me !!!! So from now on, my blogs may change a little - for those who like the change - thank you for continuing to come back and leave the beautiful comments that you do and for those who don’t like the change, I want to say that I am sorry that I have changed but this is something that I need to do for me, so thank you for stopping by and take care in the future.

TFTD : Remember, happiness doesn’t depend on who you are or what you have, it depends solely upon what you think.

TIAGF : Being alive

Baggy size 12s

Today I woke up feeling half way human – something I haven’t done for quite a few mornings !!! As it is Jeans for Genes day today, I arranged for those who wanted to make the donation to wear jeans to work (our big boss is REALLY against casual day on Friday – something which most companies on the Gold Coast go with). Anyway I got dressed and walked through to the kitchen to have breakfast and K said to me “Gee Mom – those jeans are really baggy – you must have lost more weight” – yeah for daughters who are so observant !!!!!! They do feel much looser on my – while I don’t have to wear a belt just yet – it won’t be long before I have to if I want to carry on wearing them.
We just had a monthly meeting (with biscuits and snacks) and I managed to walk away with only have had 3 cheese twists – they are my favourite savoury biscuit but, oh so moreish when you get started on them.
I haven’t told K yet, but we are going to go out tonight – will have dinner at a local tavern and then go to the movies. She has been so good lately and has helped me so much around the house with lunches and breakfast and generally just listening and doing what she has to without me nagging – long may it continue especially now that it is almost certain that Al will be away for quite a few months. I know that I always say thank you for what she does but think that this would be a nice treat for both of us especially as I am not working tonight and only have to be there at 6pm tomorrow.
Hope that you all have a fantastic weekend – take care, be good and look after yourselves !

TFTD : Some people give time, some money, some their skills and connections, some literally their blood ……….. but, everyone has something to give.

TIAGF : My baggy size 12s as it means I am getting closer to achieving my goal.

Feeling awful

This isn't going to be a long post - in fact, all that it will be, will be the TFTD and my TIAGF. I have been feeling really lousy all day - think the fact that Al is likely to be going back to Taiwan and will only be back probably once until Christmas is getting to me. Like I said yesterday - knowing the possibility that it may happen and the reality that it is going to happen are two completely different things. I have been thinking of something to write which would be inspiring and motivating and I cannot think of one thing to say. So on that note - take care everyone and have a great day !

TFTD : If you must speak ill of another, do not speak it, write it on the sand near the water's edge.

TIAGF : Not having to work tonight in the hope that I will have an early night - I am feeling absolutely shattered tonight.

Loss of 0.6kg this week

Well I have to be happy with that - although I feel thinner the last couple of days I thought that the birthday celebrations might have come back to haunt me.
Have a great week everyone and take care !

Mondayitis

Well after a relaxing weekend (some of the time) it is back to the grindstone this morning. I really battled to get Kaitlin up (my fault for keeping her up late last night as I was at my friends house getting her son’s help in changing my webpage) so I couldn’t really moan at her too much. Plus she has been getting broken sleep with a silly cough that has started. We were out getting some groceries yesterday and she said that she was going to have a sleep when we got home – well, I nearly fell in the trolley I got such a shock. Normally when we suggest a sleep to her we have the biggest moans and groans about how she isn’t a child anymore blah blah blah – here she is saying she wants to have a sleep !!!! I will never cease to be amazed by my daughter !!!!!
I have a lovely morning of pampering on Saturday – have even made that my reward for getting to goal it was so good !!! Then on Saturday night my friend and her brother and sister arrived for dinner and she had my birthday present – a voucher for a massage – YYYAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY – another session of pampering for me !!!
Update on Kaitlin – just had a call from school and have been out to collect her and drop her at home – running a temp with blocked nose and cough getting worse. Wonder if she is a little run down as she never used to pick up all these bugs going around ?
She did really well at the athletics on Friday with all firsts (and a new record in the U13 girls javelin) and came third in the age champion competition. The girls who won do athletics outside of school and in the running races where in a higher division than she was. The good think was my folks said that for all that she came third, she was the most excited of the three – jumping up and down and whooping away much better.
On the food front I have been really good. Yesterday and today I have certainly felt thinner – I know that doesn’t count at the scales but I found myself walking taller and even glancing into windows as I go past to check that is really is me without the big butt sticking out behind me !!!! Having said that, I think that my saving grace has been that there have been no naughties in the cupboard to tempt me because there were times this weekend that if I had half a chance to get my hands on some cookies or chocolates – I would have scoffed whatever I could find (and I was too lazy to actually go out and buy some- yay for laziness this time !!!!) Also back into my water today – not as much as I should but more than I had on the weekend – what it is with weekends and water ? Is it just because it isn’t right next to me on my desk ? Can’t be that because I walk through the kitchen 500 times a day – surely I would be able to get a glass of water from the purifier 5 times out of that ??? Don’t know – seems to be a state of mind more than anything else.
Take care everyone and have a great week ! I will be updating my stats section tonight after weigh-in – have mixed feelings about how it is going to go – feel like I deserve a loss but don’t want to think about it too much in case it isn’t (for whatever reason the scale gods might find !!)

TFTD : The greater the obstacle, the greater the glory in overcoming it.

TIAGF : The beautiful weather we are having