It starts today!

What you ask!  12 weeks of careful eating, no alcohol and a damn sight more exercise - that's what.  The lovely Briony is putting me to shame with the effort she's putting in to getting in shape and feeling good before her trip.  I've been doing a bit of thinking over the past week or so and I've had a lovely break in Melbourne.  It's 14 weeks till we leave for our US trip and just over 12 till my birthday.  I know from previous experience that I'm really an all or nothing kind of a girl when I'm serious about dropping some kilos and I also know that it really needs to involve a distinct lack of alcohol.  So the pledge is on as of this morning.

We'd a wonderful time in Melbourne - weather wasn't too bad - a bit cool yesterday but nowhere near as cold as I thought it would be.  We caught up with Clive on Thursday afternoon which was fantastic - he's looking great - spends a lot of time in the gym while he's in Korea - as there's not much else to do - so has a marvellous set of shoulders on him!  Thurday night we went to dinner at No 35 - this was a beautiful restaurant - the veiws were amazing - I've tried to capture but it's a bit hard at night inside glass.  The food was delish too - I had salmon as an entree - pic below and John Dory as a main - forgot to take a pic of it.  Then we headed to Her Majesty's to see Dr Zhivago - just magnificent - such a powerful poignant story and the music and singing was outstanding - I still get goosebumps thinking about the power of the voices - Anthony Warlow was first class.

Friday we had a bit of a wander round the shops in the city then headed out to Bridge Road - I didn't go too crazy -( after all I bought a diamond earlier in the week - more about that later) but I got a couple of tops - one Cordelia Street - I really like her stuff.  Then we headed back to the city again and caught up with a former work colleague who lives in Melbourne.  So we met up in Fed Square and had a drink and talked a lot!!  Then it was back to the hotel and got ready to meet up with Clive and Jo (his girlfriend of the last year who we hadn't been able to meet yet).  The plan was that they would come to our hotel and we'd have a drink in the bar there then head for dinner at the Atlantic, over in the Crowne Casino.  However we hadn't reckoned on the footy which was on at the MCG - and we were staying at the Hilton on the Park right across the road from the MCG.  The traffic was horrendous and eventually after a few calls and texts, Bloss and I ran out from the hotel and crossed the road and hopped in the back of the car as they were inching slowly in the traffic.  We had an amazing seafood dinner at the Atlantic and a really fun night with Clive and Jo - she's just perfect and they seem very happy together. 

Yesterday we went to the Queen Victoria markets in the morning then did the city circle on the tram - such a nice way to see what's happening around the place, then it was time to head back to the hotel, collect our gear and head back to the airport.  We got back into Rockhampton around 7.30pm last night and home just after  nine.  What a lovely break!

Now about the diamond - some of you may remember that I bought one last year - we get the opportunity as Rio Tinto employees to buy them at wholesale prices.  So this year I bought one almost identical to last year's - just a bit bigger.  I absolutely adore the light coloured champagne diamonds - which coincidentally are considerably less expensive then the white or pink ones.  Anyway I got a C2 - the second lightest shade and it's about three quarters of a carat (last year's one was half a carat) and I'm going to get it made into a pendant.  I've found the design I like so just need to go and have a chat with my jeweller - the same one who made my ring for me last year.

So that' this weeks goss.  I'm off to be super good - going out for lunch today - but I'm already in the right mindset - mineral water for me!  Have a great week folks.

Love Zxx

Maw and her boy!

View from our room of the MCG

The view of the city from No 35

My salmon - served on the lawn!

Shopping in town - love the deciduous trees

The fascinating skyline with ominous clouds

Bloss and I out for dinner with Clive and Jo

Clive and Jo

Heading home as the sun sets

False Alarm

Yes I think the return of the mojo was a false alarm - I'm still plodding along but not getting anywhere really fast.  Our Melbourne trip is this week so maybe after that's past I might finally knuckle down and shed a few kilos.  It'll then be only be about 13 weeks till we leave for out US trip so that might get me moving. 

Last weekend I was sitting having a quite wine or two with my laptop on my knee and decided to see what shows were on in Melbourne.  A phone call later and we're off to see this show :

with dinner first at this restaurant :

No 35 at the Sofitel

So that should be fantastic - really looking forward to it.  That's Thursday night, then Friday night we're having dinner with Clive and Jo - who we haven't met yet so that's another lovely treat in store. 

Work is much better now - things have settled down a bit and whilst I'm still really busy every day that feeling of being on a treadmill which is going too damn fast has gone.  Long may it stay away!! 

Eight years ago today Bloss and I got married in Raratonga in the Cook Islands - we snuck off on one of our many holidays and just omitted to tell anyone that while there we were getting married.  So we got married in a little gazebo on the beach with a couple from England we had met the night before as our bridesmaid and best man - it was very simple but very special.  We went out for tea last night to celebrate but our real treat is this forthcoming mini break in Melbourne.  I've posted a couple of photos of our special day.

For Mothers day we went out for tea with Grant, Tiff and the boys - some photos of that below too.

The other thing I've been playing around setting up is a blog on TravelPod.  As you all know I usually post photos on here during our trips and I also post on Facebook and the feedback I get from both is always very positive - I'm always amazed by how many people tell me at a later date how they've vicariously enjoyed our holiday.  But the other thing I'm now trying to always do is to put together a trip report - particularly when we do a tour so that other people can get an idea of what's involved prior to going on the same tour.  I know how much benefit I found from people doing this so I kind of see it as my payback.  Anyway after our Central Europe trip I posted a report on Epinions and got some very good feedback.  But when it came to my last years's trip the way the site was set up meant it wouldn't let me post a second trip report under Cosmos Tours - which was where it needed to be and I couldn't get anyone from the site to respond to my query on what to do.  As it was very long and covered many places it didn't sit well with any one area of Trip Advisor - so I posted a note on the forum saying that I had done this report and if anyone would like me to email it to them to private message me through Trip Advisor and I'd send it.  To date I think I've forwarded about 25 versions.  Anyway what I've now done is put them both on TravelPod so hopefully anyone can find them whilst googling.  But as you can see I've also put a link to the site at the top of my blog if anyone is interested.  I plan to try and update frequently when we're on our US trip - I can also send a link to FB when I update so I'm thinking it will save me having to replicate the same information in two places as I've done in the past.  We'll see.

I know I'm a bit of a stop and start blogger at the moment and thank you all for still supporting me.  You all mean a lot to me.  Love Zxx

And now some pics

Mother and her wonderful No 1 son

Me with the closest I can get to my own daugher

Just after the ceremony with our bestman and bridesmaid and
our delightful marriage celebrant

On the beach

Love this shot





Could it possibly be?

Yes I think perhaps I might have found my mojo again - it's not full on yet - more's the pity but I do believe I'm seeing the light.  This past week has been pretty good - walked three nights, no alcohol on any week night and just eating what I should be.  The scales are creeping back down again and I just need to hold this focus.

Unfortunately the walking has come to a bit of a halt which is a shame as I was enjoying getting back into it and it's such lovely walking weather now.  But I had a little lumpy bit just above the inside of my ankle - have had it for ever and a day but my doctor spotted it one day and said I should just keep an eye on it and let him know if it started get any bigger.  Over the last few months it had grown slightly - still small, pink but it was sort of like a cyst but with a hard centre and I could feel the centre was a bit bigger so anyway when I saw him a couple of weeks back he said I should just have it excised to be on the safe side.  So that little treat was Friday night - it might only have been a little lumpy bit but I've got four stitches where it used to be and a definite dent in my leg.  Anyway he said not to do anything too strenuous for a couple of days until it had settled down.  But it's feeling fine now after being a bit pink and sore for a couple of days so I'm thinking I'll be back on the track tomorrow night,

I had a horrendous Easter - well probably not that bad but I definitely ate and drank a lot of stuff I shouldn't have but I went back to work on Tuesday and got myself back on track.  Easter weekend Bloss and I had a couple of 'yard' days and took no less than three trailer loads of foliage, fronds etc to the dump - we certainly had our own little rain forest happening here which needed some severe taming.  But all looking good now.

Can't really think of much else exciting to tell you so will just shut up.  Only one photo this week - I spent this morning updating my photo screen - hadn't done it for several years.  I decided this time to go all black and white so I chose some photos yesterday and popped them on a flash drive and printed them out while I was in town.



So Grant & Tiff, Clive & Jo and Bloss and I across the top
Curtis, Mum, Linda (sister) & I, Josh
Linda & Frank , my two nephews, George(brother) & Lorna
Bloss & I, Linda & I, Mum and George

And that's all folks - hope you have a great week. 

Love Zxx