New York, New York

Yes I know I've been slack again - I've kind of lost my motivation for blogging - not many people commenting and I also have been a poor commenter.  However I'm pushing myself to do the odd post as I feel that this is still one of the best ways to keep myself motivated when I want to lose some kgs,  plus I can't disappear off and leave all my lovely 'bliends'.

So the plan - well it went well week one, fell by the wayside week two and then back on the rails for weeks three and four.  I haven't entered this weeks loss - tomorrow is official weigh day - but so far it's looking good.  I finally got my WW At Home pack - was a little bit disappointed - I was looking for more in the way of menu plans as they used to do years ago.  I found it was good to encourage you to try new combinations - and they were usually nice and easy.  I don't mind trying new recipes but usually only on the weekend - during the week it needs to adhere to the KISS principle!  Anyway called WW the day after it arrived - and also gave them the feedback that it would be good to have some next steps advice included with the pack when it arrived - I know from a couple of others that they just hazarded a guess that they should phone WW.  Anyway I requested that my new At Home leader email me - I'm just too busy at work to field calls and having done it via email before I know it can work quite successfully.  However I got a call from Belinda at work a couple of days later - so had to explain to her that I wanted to pursue the email option - she had misunderstood the instruction left for her and is quite happy to go with email and I got a nice newsy and friendly email from her later in the day. 

So tomorrow is official WW weigh in day and I'll do some measurements this arv and kick off my 12 week programme. I do know that I need to up the exercise but I haven't quite got to it yet!!

And now to the title - I went to see Mark my wonderful trave agent on Tuesday and we've come up with a travel plan which he is off to get quotes on.  It looks something like this :

3 September - fly to New York.  Spend the next week based there but with a train trip and a couple of nights in Washington.

10 September - fly to Miami and embark on Oasis of the Seas for a seven day Eastern Caribbean cruise - calling to Nassau, Bahamas; Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; and then back to Fort Lauderdale.

17 September - spend 3 nights in Miami then fly to New Orleans for 4 nights

24 September - fly to Albuqueque, hire a car and drive to Los Alamos to see Reid, Christy and the three boys

30 September - back to Albuqueque, on to LA and home to Brisbane arriving Sunday 2 October.

So all very exciting - oh how I adore planning trips and researching!!!

Can't really think of much else in the way of news - I'm still crazy busy at work but I'm gradually feeling I'm more in control - some days it really stresses me - I'm such a control freak and I hate the thought of not being in control and delivering to what I think of as my usual standard.  But I was at a work function on Friday night and had a comment made to me by a couple of girls in the Accounts Department that they were so happy that I was in HR  - we do a fair bit of interacting making sure our expat payroll invoices are paid, and fixing up salary cost centres etc - often not changed properly when people move positions.  They told me that they had actually been discussing me that day and saying how great it was to have someone who followed things through to completion - so that obviously made me feel good.

Bloss's birthday is coming up this month and this is what I've bought him


The De Longhi Nespresso Essenza

 My friend Deb bought her husband one for Christmas and they love it - I've tasted the coffee and it's fabulous.  So since its always a challenge working out what present to buy for Bloss - and he's been making the odd noise about wanting a coffee machine - I just got him one.

And that my friends is it from me for this week.  I'll update my side bar tomorrow with my weigh in result.  Have a great week everyone

Love Zxx

THE Plan

Time to outline THE PLAN!!  Well the combination of my gain while in Europe in July (which didn't disappear) and eating all that good wholesome warming comfort food in the cold wintry wilds of Scotland means that I need to lose about 7kgs to feel kind of right again.  Truth be told a few kgs more wouldn't go astray but first of all I need to address the magnificent seven!  I've been sort of following Pro Points but haven't really got right into it so decided I needed to hit my pocket - that usually works for me! - and so I've joined up to WW At Home and I'm currently awaiting the arrival of my 'kit'.  I feel it will be good for me and help me 'bed down' the PP system.  I've been counting and weighing all this week - and managed to lose 400g which is really ?iss weak as if I laid off the alcohol I'd be so much further in front.  But as you all know I need to be in a certain frame of mind to do that - I'm working towards it!!

Anyway back at work - had my usual week of absolute fatigue - I can travel east to west with no jetlag but west to east gets me every time and it doesn't seem to matter what I do/don't do I still take the best part of a week to get my clock realigned.  But I think I'm back in sync now.  Work is still crazy busy and being the control freak that I am I was feeling a tad overwhelmed trying to pick up all the loose ends and get everything back on track.  Today is Australia Day here and a public holiday but Bloss was working as his project contractors were working today and taking Friday off so I chose to work too.  What a fantabulous day - no emails, phone calls or visitors and instead I caught up on all those ugly things which were hanging around on my task list.  In reality working a public holiday allows you to get through the equivalent of two days normal work.  So feeling so so much better tonight.  And of course that's another day in the bank for the upcoming holidays!

The delightful Miss A gave me this award - thank you  lovely lady!  Now since I'm a bit 'time poor' at the moment I'm going to answer the questions and invite any of you who are interested to participate - the conditions say I should nominte 15 bloggers - and to be honest I don't think I've got that many regular followers right now.  But I can say with hand on heart that everyone of you who ARE following at the moment are without doubt deserving of this award and are most certainly Stylish Bloggers

So revealing 7 things about myself (difficult since I've done a few of these over the years and you probably all know all about me already)

1. I'm a bit of a techno geek - guess that's quite unusual for a 55 year old granny - but I love finding out about new gadgets/technology.  Just sent off my 'virgin' Twitter today on my  new Iphone
2. I'm very much a surface tidier - the house might look spotless - but jeez be careful opening the cupboards
3. I have a wall of my office covered in watercolour prints of places I've travelled to - gets lots of comments from visitors - I tell them it reminds me why I'm here ...... so I can go there (or somewhere like it)
4. I have so many clothes they take up 3 wardrobes - but I very seldom pay full price for anything - I'm happy to wait till the end of season and buy at 50 or 70 per cent off - just look for classics.
5. It's taken me 3 years to grow my hair to the current length and after having short hair for the first 50 odd years of my life, I don't think I'll ever go short again.  I may vary the style but it won't be short!
6. My favourite colours are probably red, black and white - only have to look at the way I'm currently decorating our home to realise that.
7. And for years had lots of bits around me but after we did some renovations a few years back I've become quite minimalist - hardly any bric a brac, little ornaments etc around the place.  I'm liking the 'lean' look.

And now the customary photos:

The clock in our lounge room was rather dated and quite tatty and I saw this magnificent specimen in a gift shop the day before I left Scotland - cost rather a lot as it's a hand made design of glass - but it looks fabulous in our lounge. 

Now we all know I've a bit of a shoe fetish - aren't these gorgeous! I brought them and the two pairs below back with me

These are so sexy but also so comfortable to wear

And here we have the chain gang! think they might drive me nuts as the chains clank as you walk!

We all went out for tea for Grant's birthday on Sunday night.  Tiff had her 30th a week or so ago -  may have mentioned that they went to Hawaii to celebrate.  Anyway what can you get someone who's called Tiffany for her 30th - of course some Tiffany Jewellery - she loved the heart and chain I got her and vows she's not taking it off!

Josh - off to Grade 5 in the morning

Curtis - off to Prep in the morning

Granny - photo taken by Curtis

Bloss posing at his best - also taken by Curtis

And the birthday boy himself - can't quite believe (or don't want to) that I have a son of 32!

 

All right peeps -I didn't really mean this to be such a long post but I guess I'm all up to date now.  Hope all is well in all of your worlds - I WILL try and comment a bit more.

 

Love Zxx