Celebrations and Stresses

Sorry I've been MIA again - life is just chaotic at the moment - doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day.  OK so what's been happening.  Last time I posted I said that I'd just had confirmation to go to Brisbane with my manager for the MSQ Training Awards dinner and as those of you who know me on Facebook already know - WE WON!!!!  Terri (to the right of  me in the picture) and I were soooo excited - I think you can tell by our faces in the picture below.

Work is still crazy busy - can't remember if I've mentioned that amongst all my usual workload I'm currently organising an awards and graduation evening for about 350 people.  There will be the presentations followed by drinks and finger food - so of course lots and lots of organising - invites to go out, RSVPs to manage, trophies to source, gifts to source, decorations to organise, venue details to organise - sound, lighting, bar arrangements, then there's the catering and liaising with Community Relations to make sure all our protocols meet company standard and are right for all the 'invited guests'.  None of this would normally faze me - provided I have adequate time to prepare and do it properly - but when you have to go from whoa to go in a just under four weeks everything takes on a whole new aspect of urgency.  I'd a couple of sleepless nights at the beginning of the week - trying to get the invites out then trying to source a new gift when the one we thought we'd do turned out to be a bit ordinary looking when we saw it in the flesh.  So there I am ringing round suppliers - asking for ideas - need 100 of whatever it is and in less then 3 weeks and of course I'm trying to meet a budget - which initially I hadn't been given details of - bit hard to know what you're looking for when you don't know how much you can spend!!! Anyway about mid morning Thursday it started to fall into place.  Still lots of potential for dramas yet but at least I start this week with things organised thus far.

We went out for dinner last Saturday night with some friends to the local Thai restaurant - wonderful meal.  Here's Bloss and I above.

Yesterday Shaz and I went to Rockhampton for the day - one of the chemists up there has a huge perfume and make up sale every year and it started yesterday.  So we got a few bargains there - I wanted some small bottles of perfume for going on our trip - don't like having to take the normal sized bottles as they weigh so much.    Then we went to the shopping centre and I got some real bargains - some gorgeous really high black shoes - I do love high heels! and these were reduced by 30%.  Then I wanted a LBD - I have a little black dress which is good for summer but I wanted one with sleeves which would be more suitable for winter.  I knew what I wanted - something simple - no tizzy bits - that I could change the look of with a few accessories.  And I walked into Katies and there it was - exactly what I was looking for - tried it on and it looks amazing - and the best bit - they had  50% off everything in the store so I got it for $30!!!! I'm not posting a picture yet - I'll be wearing it to the Awards function in a couple of weeks so will get a picture then and post it.  I also managed to get a lovely white top reduced from $80 to $40, and a neat little silk jacket in a sort of oyster shade and it was half price too.  And then there was the 2 pairs of earrings - already reduced and with a buy one get on free deal thrown in.   So a brilliant day.

Had been having a few drinks last weekend and could see the scales starting to jump around so I pulled my head in at the beginning of last week and I'm down another 300g so feeling good about that.  I scrapped all the challenge lists on my side bar - I'd kind of lost count of what I'd done where and so I'll just keep a tally of my total loss since last October.

Decided to have a bit of a play in Picasa this morning and have come up with a new header picture for our upcoming trip - think it looks quite flash really.

So that's you all up to date.  Have a great week - I have only 20 more days at work till I go on leave - scary when I think of all I've got to do in that time frame - but then I'll be really ready for my holiday won't I?

Take care possums
Love Z xx