Sofa??

200g down this week - it was 500g on Friday but you get that! Sofa so good! I've managed to maintain the focus again this week - exercise 5 days out of 7 with 3 mornings at the gym, been eating all the right things, not drinking any of the wrong things (that translates to another week alcohol free) and been drinking my water every day. We'll see what tomorrow morning brings. Not a lot else been happening this week - quite a quiet one really. Work has been good - really busy but challenging and fun so I don't mind that. Need to finish off my two assignments for my Dip Bus this week - presentation and review day next Tuesday. Spent yesterday in the garden doing a bit of trimming and pruning and hired a big trailer to cart it all off to the dump - that was yesterday's exercise and I can tell you I've found new achy muscles today! But it's looking quite good - the lawn could do with a bit of water but we're quite water conscious (and lazy) so tend to let the lawns take pot luck with whatever weather we're having - it get's really dry sometimes but perks up instantly whenever it rains. Tonight No 2 son flys in from Brisbane after his three week shut down in the south west - so I'm picking him up at the airport at 7.45 tonight. No 1 son and family arrived back in town this morning from their trip to Fiji so will go and have tea with them (takeaway since they've nothing in the house) and hear all about the holiday. And now a couple of photos to relieve the boredom ......

This is the downstairs area which we've been renovating - starting to come together quite well but still need to get the pool table back in - will have to round up the strong men first.

We put a new vanity into the downstairs bathroom - certainly flashed it up a lot.

View of the pool - after the tidy up

The other part of the garden by the pool

Shit - I'm boring this week - must be the lack of alcohol!!! Anyway onwards to another focussed week - and wishing the same to all of you.

Cheers,

Love Zxx

Squeaky Clean and a New Look

600g - n0t oustanding but my losses seldom are - slow and steady gets there in the end!! I've had such a good week - I do believe I might have some focus back. I started being serious last Monday - in other words doing it properly rather than kidding myself on I was doing it properly. I don't weigh in till tomorrow morning so will post my result then but it's been going good so far. And as you'll see I've given my blog a bit of a facelift - I get bored with it and need to liven it up! This week I have eaten properly - haven't actually tracked physically but have done a mental tally every night and I'm either under or bang on - I guess after all the years on WW I know what I should eat (and more to the point what I shouldn't). I've also sworn off the fruit of the grape - and doesn't that make a difference! So recapping - I've eaten properly, drunk my 2 litres of water every day(even on the weekend), had no alcohol (even though we went to a 50th last night) been to the gym three mornings and walked one night and am altogether feeling quite pleased with myself. I just need to keep it up now! Only 7 weeks tomorrow till Mum, Linda and Frank arrive so there's an incentive for me! Mum doing OK - was a bit down when I spoke to her last night - the funeral had gone smoothly but had been quite hard on her. So she's now focussing on her trip here to give her happy thoughts. No 1 son and family leave tomorrow for Fiji for 5 days - going to a wedding over there - so lots of excitement in that house when we went there for tea on Friday night. No 2 son was on the phone today from the Sunshine Coast - had popped over there for the day to catch up with a friend and catch a bit of sunshine at the beach. He's back here next Sunday then off a couple of days later to Brazil. It's like an international airport round here lately! Went to the hairdressers the other night - still persevering with growing my hair although it's so bloody slow - and so fine. Anyway had a light body wave which has given it a bit of oomph. Must admit I do like it a bit longer when I'm going to the gym - it's a sweaty drippy mess especially on the days I do cardio but I don't have time to wash it before I go to work so I just pull it up in a little band (which would look pretty silly on its own) but then I stick a big clip over it and it looks fine. Anyway here's a pic taken when I came back from the hairdresser on Thursday night

A little break there - Bloss and I zipped down to the beach with Zanna for a brisk walk - it was beautiful - we got up a bit of speed and now feel good (and virtuous).

Got out in the garden for a while yesterday and did a bit of tidying up - the golden cane palms were looking quite straggly and the 'Aussie Gold' bush was running rampant

So here's one garden bed - you can see the river in the background - not looking that good as the tides well out tonight

And here's the other one - just need to top up the straw mulch and we'll be right

And here's Zanna surveying her empire from the deck - lots of people walk their dogs along the path across the road so she takes a keen interest in every four legged friend who passes by! Her ear is almost completely healed up now and most of the swelling gone.

And thats the news for this week - will stick a line at the top to let you know how I go tomorrow. Have a great week possums!

Love Z xx

At peace

Just wanted to let you all know that Aunt Jean slipped away around midnight last night. I had a long long phone call to my mum last night and I kind of worked out from what she said and what I'd read that the end couldn't be too far away. Then this afternoon just as I got in from work Mum phoned to say that she'd just slipped quietly away. Guess we’re all glad that it’s over for her but just feeling the big hole she leaves behind. So just a bit down tonight - times like this you feel so far away from your family - although when I phoned No1 son and told him he listened to all I had to say about how Mum was and my Uncle and cousins and then in his usual caring way asked how I was - the tears fell then! And inside I was so proud to have such a wonderful caring son. Love Z xx

What's been happening?

Well it's sort of everything and nothing. There haven't been any major events in the last week or so but life seems to be busy nonetheless. Food and exercise? Well after my 10 days off with my sore throat and cough I started back at the gym and managed three visits last week - had been doing 2 days circuit and 1 day cardio but swapped last week and did 2 days cardio and really enjoyed that. Food - was fantastic during the week but had a few wines on Friday night and was out for dinner last night and had a few wines then plus yesterday I had a chocolate crave - fortunately not something which hits me too often - so I attacked the Rollos which I keep in the fridge for my grandchildren coming! Damn but that's it over! So weight really just holding steady and I really need to get my ass into gear and move a few kilos and I'd feel so much better. Work news - well my boss who was moving on decided that he didn't really want that move after all and had the courage to say so. Had a week of me stressing out as I had to act in his position (but because of the all his internal turmoil he hadn't been able to give me any kind of handover) so I was trying to keep my job going and his too. So major happiness when he decided that he's staying with Learning and Development rather than going to a Production role. I've been in fairly frequent contact with Mum in Scotland these past few weeks. We got the dreadful news about 4 weeks ago - totally out of the blue - that my aunt (Mum's younger sister) has advanced cancer - secondaries in her hip and lungs - haven't actually found the primary). She and her family have been key figures in my life - she's actually only 14 years older than me - so played with us as kids, I was flowergirl at her wedding, used to spend all my school holidays with her and my uncle on their farm, then once I was married her boys used to come and stay with me - including coming to Australia to stay once I moved here. She was the one who stayed with Mum at Christmas after her hip operation until I got there. She has tremendous faith so is quite calm but of course it's awful for her husband and family and so unexpected and sudden. Mum's coping well - helping as much as she can but the other dilemma she had was that they were told it was a matter of months, a few days before Mum was due to make full payment for her flight here at Christmas. Mum was in a real quandary - if Aunt Jean didn't make it till Christmas, then a holiday out here would be just the best thing for Mum, but on the other hand if she's still around Mum couldn't leave her little sister for 5 weeks and come to the other side of the world. However she's paid her flight anyway and will see what happens. My aunt is home with her family but is confined to bed and now has a catheter in as using the bedpan was too painful. She's been very confused and agitated these past few days and they've been trying to adjust her medication to see if that helps so such a terrible time for her family. She said to Mum last week "I hope it's not too long" and for everyone's sake especially hers I hope so too. It just doesn't seem right that you're subjected to such pain and indignity at the end of your life. It always seems bizarre to me that we're able to make loving decisions for our pets but can't help our nearest and dearest. No 2 son has gone off to do a 3 week shutdown at a power station about 5 hours from here. After that he’s heading back to Brazil for 3 weeks holiday to see his girlfriend. They’ve been in almost daily contact since he got back at the end of August and missing each other so much so he decided to do this shut which pays quite well then he’ll head off to see her. It definitely seems to be pretty serious – maybe Tiffany and I will get some more female support soon! She sound lovely anyway. And since posts without photos can be a bit boring, I thought I'd just do the bragging Granny thing - here's my younger grandson Curtis - taken at his Daycare Centre. The original is fantastic - I've just scanned it to share with you all.

OK guys I’m outta here – have a great week everyone Love Z xx