Not a lot to say

Sorry peeps I've been a bit slack - been busy at work but not a lot else happening and I keep meaning to update but time kept just disappearing -probably cos I spend too much time on Facebook!!

Anyway no new developments on the work front yet - the change I thought might happen isn't at the moment but might in a month or two so we'll just park that for now and see what eventuates.  I've got another function to organise - an award night for 100 people and as usual got lots of notice - 3 weeks.  It's been a challenge trying to organise the gifts and do the background presentation (with appropriate music).  Trouble is you do a good job once and you daren't make a tiny slip next time as everyone's expectations are high - and of course they expect you to top your previous effort.  One of the things we did for the last awards night was to have a song playing as the award winner was announced and it continued to play while they made their way up to the stage.  We had songs like New Kid on the Block for the 1st Year Apprentice winner, High Voltage for the Electrical Apprentice etc.  There were only 12 awards at the last one.  This one has 30!!! and I've been trying to come up with music that matches what they're getting their award for.  There's all sorts of different categories - Business Priorities, Leadership, Our Values and Community Involvement.  But I've had a bit of fun with them and hopefully we'll get a few laughs.  One of my inspirations was for a couple of teams who did such a good job of organising, cleaning and housekeeping in an area that the air readings are clear enough now for them to work in that area without having to wear a respirator which is what they had to do previously.  Anyway there's a few characters in those teams so I've chosen a song called The Tidy Song by the Wiggles - reckon it will crack the place up.  Another one is one of our medical centre staff who organised a Cooking for Health evening - "Hey good lookin - what you got cookin".  You get the picture.  The function is this Friday night so will be glad when I get the run sheet finalised for that.  I'm actually an award winner too - Terri, myself and two others from our team got an award for the organisation of the aforementioned awards night which we organised - so will be guest as well as an organiser.  Probably more of the latter I'd say.

Have been on the straight and narrow this last week and lost 800g last week - a little bit more to go though to get back to where I was before going on holiday but at last I've got my finger out and doing something.

A couple of photos - thought I'd show you just how well my hair has been growing lately - it was such a struggle for a while to get it past my ears but it's going like a train now - and I'm loving having it a bit longer.  And then one I took from the car as we were heading into town to go to the movies on Saturday night - there was such a beautiful red sky.  We went to see Wall Street 2 - can't say I was particularly impressed.  But we get vastly reduced Gold Room tickets through our company social club - so it's nice to relax in the big chairs and enjoy a glass of wine with the movie.

That's it from me - hope all's well with everyone.  Back soon
Love Zxx

We are the Champions

Well off I went to Brisbane on Friday - I flew down with Terri - my former manager.  We checked into our hotel then headed out to lunch.  After lunch she took off to the hairdressers - I didn't bother after my experience of last week!  Instead I went shopping and managed to get rid of a few hundred dollars!  Didn't actually go looking for anything but a lovely little top jumped out and said pick me in Katies, then I went into a bag shop where I just fell in love with this bag that winked at me from the bottom shelf, then just as I was heading back to the hotel to get ready, this beautiful blue dress leapt out from this little boutique and dragged me in to try it on - and of course it had my name on it so I had to buy it!!  Anyway off we went to the awards night - massive affair with about 600 people there.  We didn't think we'd win - we were up against Hamilton Island Enterprises and Dream World - and the Dream World synopsis in the programme sounded awfully good.  Add to that we'd been seated in a room of over 60 tables - at the very back on the right hand side - such a long way to the stage so we figured we weren't going to need to go there!!!  Imagine the feeling when they called out our name as the winner - we shrieked with joy then Terri made her way to the stage and I sat there with tears in my eyes - I was so proud.  And so a few photos



This was on our way in.  I put these photos on Facebook and Nola commented that she loved my outfit.  Little bit of a story to this one.  The top was one which Shaz bought in Italy during our travels.  She normally can wear just about any colour and it looks fantastic with her olive skin tones.  She bought this for about 10 euros at a little street market shop when we stopped for coffee one day.  When she tried it on the colour just didn't do anything for her so she suggested I try it and see what it looked on me - and as you can see the colour was good on me so I handed over 10 euros and it took up residence in my suitcase!

The lady in white is Terri receiving our award - you can actually see her on stage at the very left of the picture

Clowning around - we just couldn't stop smiling

Do I look like the cat that's been at the cream?

With the trophy and the certificate.

Next stage is the Australian awards - three entrants from the the six state finals will be shortlisted to go the nationals - and there's a few hoops to jump through before the actual award night which is in Sydney in November.  We should know if we've made it to the final three by the end of this month I think.

We flew back on Saturday morning,then Saturday night we'd the boys come to stay overnight - oh what fun they are.

Zanna doesn't normally sit on the furniture - but these two encourage her to get up to all sorts of things

Mr Poser

Look at those wonderful blue eyes

Much hilarity - Curtis pinching Bloss's chair and Bloss pretending to sit on top of him

More of the same

Bit of mischief in these eyes too!

Curtis just loves Zanna (and I'd say the feeling is mutual)

Playing silly buggars behind a cushion - think he gets it from his Granny!

Well was quite good all week but went a tad silly from Friday onwards.  But today is another day/week/month and I'm back to it.  Starting to get annoyed with myself for not getting it together - the weeks are just slipping past and I'm not knuckling down.  So I'm just faking it till I make it - hopefully one of these fine days I'll slip into the groove again.  Life is settling down a bit now and shouldn't be quite so social which usually makes it easier.  Nothing to report on the work front yet - we'll see - maybe next week - and then again there might be nothing to report.  Time will tell.

Till then have a great week everyone.
Love Zxx

Weekend in Brisvegas

Well another fun filled weekend.  I had Friday as a day's leave and we flew to Brisbane in the morning to go to a friend's son's wedding.  We had a leisurely lunch at the Promenade Wharf then checked into our apartment.   That night Bloss went to catch up with the groom's dad and I had drinks with a couple of Brisbane work colleagues one of whom is a close friend.  Then she and I had dinner together.  Saturday morning we headed out to the Direct Factory Outlets at the airport and I had a good mooch around - still only managed to visit about half of it in the two hours we had there.  Not nearly as many bargains as you'd think but I did get a couple of tops and a dress.  We then headed back into town as I'd made an appointment to get my hair done.  That was a bit of a waste of time - my hair is fine and not a lot of it so to get volume you need to blow dry with a reasonably small brush - but she used a large brush and just didn't get the lift.  I ended up combing the spray out and doing it myself.  So then we headed off to the wedding.  Haven't got any decent pics of the bride and groom but a got a few of us. 

On Sunday we caught up with Craig's eldest son who lives in Brisbane and had brunch then found this awesome wine bar where you can taste all sorts of different wines.  Then we headed back to his place to check out his new hifi gear - he's a real audio buff. And then it was time to head out to the airport to come home.  But a lovely weekend and nice little break.

Not too much else to report - eating and drinking was pretty crappy last week but as of yesterday morning I'm back on the wagon and eating properly and leaving the alcohol alone.  I've still got quite a lot of things on so it's going to take a bit of won't power to get shot of these kilos.  But my mind set is good!

Off to Brissy again this Friday - the submission which I prepared for the regional Training Awards - which we won, has made it through to the State finals so they're on Friday night so going to that with my old boss.

I haven't gone into detail here but there's been a few changes at work - upshot is that instead of providing service and support for both sites, I'm back to working solely at the site closest to here, working for the same boss as 18 months ago with the same two people once again reporting to me.  Not a bad outcome and much better than some of the others in my team.  However I'm feeling a bit stale and there's some other possible changes in the wind.  I'll update once I know where it's all at. 

Reclining in the bar in the Novotel while out for drinks on Friday night

Bloss and I at the wedding

A group of us at the wedding

Bloss and I

About the only half decent photo of the bride and groom

And now a flash back to me cutting my birthday cake!

Think that's most of my news for this week - hope you're all having a good one.

Love Zxx