Slow Sunday

A bit of fun first

Your rainbow is shaded yellow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What is says about you: You are a joyful person. You appreciate optimism. You're good at getting people to like you.

Find the colors of your rainbow at spacefem.com.

It was No 1 sons 30th birthday party last night and it was a bit of a late night with methinks too many wines - I thought I had excercised some restraint but woke at 5am with a mother of a headache - jut ready to work into a migraine. I hopped up and took some pills and eventually managed to fall asleep again and fortunately when I wakened later it was almost gone. I suspect that each time I asked for a chardonnay it might not have been from the same bottle so I was maybe having a bit of a cocktail happening plus I had some crackers and salsa before we went but there were only hot finger foods which I also exercised restraint with and so really didnt have much to eat either. Anyway it was a good night. My D in L and I had got together so that I could make a slideshow of his life thus far and we had it playing on the flat screen in the function room - he was thrilled with it and doesnt know yet that Ive done another version with music included and Ill give him that tonight when we go there for tea. For me it was a great experience looking over his life and the person hes become - just like a tapestry of his life so far. On the eating front Im still doing well although only managed one gym day last week and still had too many wines! But the number is creeping up so Ill just keep trying to behave myself! Have been incredibly busy at work- cant remember if I said that I had moved to a new role - still based in the same office but now working for Rio Tinto Services and providing a service for our area hub. So this means a bit of scooting around the district - I was at one of our other sites a couple of days last week and that looks to be the norm going forward. Im still doing the same type of work but now at a different level so really enjoying the slight change of direction. We treated ourselves to a Nintendo Wii so have been having fun golfing, bowling and boxing - gosh doesnt that get a sweat up! Next plan is to buy Wii Fit which Ive heard a few of you mention - any feedback welcome! And now a couple of photos The Birthday Boy and his family Me just back from the hairdressers the other night Bloss and I at the birthday party

And thats the news for this week - hope you all have a good one. Toodles Zanna xx

Question 5

How did you meet Bloss and what was the moment you knew you were in love with him? I’d just started with the company I’m with now and he was in the same team. I was still married but had been unhappy for a long time and knew that I had to move on. Anyway this was a friendly team and several of us used to go to the pub for a drink on a Friday after work and we always got on really well but I didn’t ‘fancy’ him as such – just thought what a fun guy he was and how well I related to him. A few months later things came to a head with my marriage and we split up but I was still living in the house until I could find a unit.(meanwhile my ex worked away and was only home one or two days a week). Bloss was incredibly supportive throughout this time and I guess I started to see him in a different light. It all changed one weekend when my ex was going to be home for the long weekend and it was going to be a huge strain all being in the house at the same time. Bloss suggested that he take me away somewhere for the weekend. He actually booked a two bedroomed room as he wasn’t quite sure whether I was ready for anything else. But I was!! Anyway I found a unit and moved in. Bloss and I continued to see each other – but didn’t let on to our workmates for a while. We used to float between his house and mine then he went to France for 2 months for work. He phoned almost every day and I wrote long rambling letters to him. I guess around this time I realised how much I liked having him in my life. After about 14months we decided that I’d move in with him and give up my unit. Then in 2003 after having been together for 7 years we eloped to Raratonga in the Cook Islands. So there you have it. Don’t think there was a defining moment when I knew I was in love with him – it was just a gradual building of the relationship. I guess I think one of the good things is that we were friends first and had lots of things in common and it developed from there. We have had and can still have some major rows – something that never happened in my first marriage but I think overall it’s good that we do – he stands up to me and doesn’t let me have my own way all the time – something that needs to happen to me as I’m a bossy little dame. But we share a love of people – socialising and meeting new people. We discovered a mutual love of travel and that gives us huge pleasure. And if you’re interested in astrology – he’s a Pisces and I’m a Virgo – opposite sides of the zodiac but supposedly an excellent match – and I’m going to enjoy growing old with him I think – although have warned him not to turn into one of those grumpy old men!! So thats all five questions answered - thanks Lainey - I enjoyed doing this. If anyone would like me to pose them 5 questions flick me an email (its on my profile). Take care Z xx

Question 4

What's your tried and tested dinner party menu? The one you know that's a winner and you can always rely on? We don’t do that much formal entertaining – having our huge deck and the weather that we do means that a lot of our entertaining takes the form of a BBQ. But if I had to whip up something in a hurry – I don’t usually bother with entrees – quite often have some dips and crackers while having a pre dinner drink – then in summer maybe baked salmon, steamed asparagus, honeyed carrots with baby boiled potatoes or in winter home made steak pie with ‘smashed’ potatoes and steamed green vegies. Sweets – if I’m energetic I do a mean lemon meringue pie or apple tart or if I’m not then meringue shells with a blob of whipped cream and either raspberries au naturel or sliced strawberries marinated in something wicked like cointreau – or as I did at Christmas and they were to die for – Bundaberg rum liqueur – mmmmmmm! Week 2 of Counting to Ten and I managed to add another 700 grammes to the total. My food intake has been spot on and I started back at the gym on Monday and its actually 5.15am now and im just about to head off for my third visit this week. I just havent quite mastered doing without a couple of white wines of an evening so will work on that next week. OK my lovelies - have a great week Love Z xx

Question 3

What are you best at? What's the one thing that you really excel at? Is it talking to people, tap dancing thinking positively or mud wrestling? I think the answer to this one is organizing and in particular organizing people – actually Bloss calls this manipulating! But I do have the ability to get people to do what I want/need them to do. I remember once someone telling me that I should be in sales as they reckoned I could sell ice to Eskimos. So how do I get people to do what I want – I guess by selling them the/my idea so that they think it’s a good idea. I also am a bit of a people watcher and try to understand what makes someone tick so that when I’m ‘selling my idea’ I know what buttons to push to get them on side. I also don’t have a need to shout from the rooftops that it was my idea – for me the important thing is that I’m getting what I need. I had lots of practice of this with my Dad. Dad never really like being told what to do – so I’d plant the seed of an idea then just leave it for a while then occasionally ‘water’ it gently – by this time he’d be thinking it was his idea in the first place and bingo! Manipulative or persuasive – you choose!

Question 2

You're Scottish but live in Australia. Do you feel more of an affinity with one culture? Why? What do you miss most about Scotland (apart from your family)? I’ve lived in Australia for over 26 years and consider myself an Aussie (even though I don’t sound like one). It’s interesting to study some of the difference in the cultures – the Aussies have ‘laid back’ down to a fine art whereas the Scottish sense of humour – particular the Glaswegian sense of humour is in a class of its own. As to why my affinities lie with Australia – I made a decision many years ago to migrate here with my first husband who was an Aussie – it wasn’t a decision made lightly and I was fortunate enough to have a six week holiday here first before actually migrating. My decision was helped by the fact that I had two very young children, I didn’t work and wasn’t likely to and the week the second child was born was the first time in 5 months that my husband worked 5 full days. This was during the recession back in the Maggie Thatcher days when the economy couldn’t support people working 5 days. So Australia has been very good to me – I love the lifestyle and am very grateful for all the opportunities it’s provided me – which I don’t think I could have had in Scotland. And what do I miss most – I think probably Autumn and deciduous trees – all those golds, reds and browns as the leaves turn and fall off – and while I don’t miss the cold, we do live in a very tropical climate and so you don’t get those wonderful crisp fresh mornings.

Question 1

The Lovely Lainey had a little meme type thing on her blog and I decided to give it a go - have actually noticed something similar on a couple of other blogs too. Lainey has emailed me a list of five interview type questions - she did some deep thinking to come up with these questions. Since I've tried to answer them properly they're all fairly lengthy so I'll do the same as she did and post the answers one at a time. So here's the first question If you could go back in time and change one single decision you have made in life (in any area) what would it be and why? Interesting one this – I actually can’t think of anything. For a start I’ve had what I’d call a fortunate life, but also as I was growing up my parents were quite cautious people and now and then would refer to something by saying I wish I had or if I were 20 years younger ……. Now don’t get the idea that they where whiners or anything like that - I've been lucky to have had absolutely brilliant parents, but somehow this made an impact on me and so I’ve gone through life trying most things if I felt like it – guess I never wanted to be in the position of saying I wish I had and if I got egg on my face well at least I'd tried and I wouldn't die wondering. The other aspect of me is that I think I’m a very positive person and so I tend to focus on looking forwards rather then backwards. Sure I’ve made my share of mistakes and stuff ups – some probably more serious than others but my thinking is that from each one I’ve learned something and it's helped shape me to the person I am who incidentally I am quite at peace with. Sorry if this sounds a bit like Pollyanna! Have a great weekend everyone - oh and as you can see I'm off the mark on the Count to Ten project. Love Z xx

HMS Resolution sets sail

Zanna boarded HMS Resolution on January 1 and has set sail on a mission to lose 10kgs. The start to the mission has been plagued by several drawbacks but is managing to continue nonetheless. Yep thats me guys - actually resolutions work quite well for me - I like the order of a plan and a starting point with a definite goal. The only additional requirement is to have my head in the right place. Not sure that its quite there yet but I am working on it and hoping it will all come together. The past four weeks with my family here have been an eating and drinking fest - drinks and nibbles on the deck every afternoon and dining out so many times over the past few weeks. And while I have at times made the sensible choice - at other times its just been what I felt like! However I stood on the scales on New Years Day and that marks my starting point on the mission which Im calling Counting to Ten. So wish me bon voyage! On reflection the last 18 months has been maintaining between holidays but gaining a bit whilst on holidays so of course when theres not a losing spell in there the overall situation is a gain. So inch by inch, gram by gram its been creeping on and with the onset of menopause most of its round my middle!! Anyway today is Monday - back to work after four days off - Christmas and New Year behind me and my family leaving to go home on Thursday. So Im planning to continue my mission (even though the next four days are going to be a bit dodgy) and will make my weigh in day Thursdays. OK me hearties - this is a bit of a rambling pensive post but wishing you all a great year in 2009 and hope it has many wonderful things in store for you all. Will finish with a few photos of us all over Christmas, inlcuding some of the wonderful ones my son and DiL gave me. Talk soon Love Z xx

Bloss, me, my sister and Mum at the Australian Outdoor Spectacular Girls at the pub! At the top of Mount Cootha