Merry Christmas !

I am not sure whetheror not I will have a chance to post again before Christmas as I have a fair few things that I need to get done. Today I made the double chocolate hazelnut mousse - I hope that it tastes as good as it looks !!!

Just now we are off to get the alcohol and fruit and veggies. Tomorrow we have to go to get the turkey bon bons and the cob loaf and then, if I can't find the present that I bought for K and then hid so well that I can't find it now, I will need to go and buy her another one and hope that I find the other one soon so that I can use it !!!

Wishing all my blogging friends a very Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous 2012

Love, hugs and positive energy !

Things I Know

Right now I know that :

I work for a really great company - they gave me an iPad for Christmas

I am married to a really great guy

I have an amazing daughter who can drive me to drink just as easily as she can make me laugh

I am one lucky lady

Love, hugs and positive energy !

TFTD : Nothing is more difficult, and therefore more precious, than to be able to decide - Napoleon

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKK !!!!

My bosses just gave me an iPad for Christmas (on top of the REALLY expensive facial and Coles gift card) !!!  How exciting is that - NOW, I have to learn how to use it !!!!

A Little Loss !

This morning saw me jump on the scales in K's bathroom - for - the - last - time - becase we will be able to move it into our new bathroom today or tomorrow when we move all our crap stuff back into our bathroom.

Anyhoo - a loss of 0.1 - is not great BUT better than a gain and at this time of the year, I will take anything I can get.

Catch you all soon - love, hugs and positive energy !

TFTD : Your gift to the world is not what you buy or do.  Your gift is your happiness.  - Alan Cohen

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like .....

a bathroom !!!!!

Last night the plumber came so the toilet, basins and dropper are in.  Now to just wait for the arrival of the shower head.

The shower screen and mirror are booked in for lunch time today.

When I get home tonight, I might even be able to have a shower in my new bathroom - just in time for Christmas (well except for the missing shower head, towel rails, toilet roll holder and soap holders - still working on these) - but at least we can use it !!!

Last night before training I walked 700m and then jogged 400m - my knee did not hold up too well - bugger.  I am going to have to seriously think about setting myself a date for getting back to running otherwise I think I am going to just keep messing it up by trying when it isn't ready.

Off to Inala now - have a great Wednesday.

Love, hugs and positive energy.

TFTD : Character is the ability to win an argument without saying a word - Chard

25 Random Things About Me

Here are 25 random things about me.  I love doing lists like this - and I love reading lists like this - it makes me feel like I get to know more about the person and what makes them tick (I don't always remember everything I have read but it is always interesting to read !)

This picture is totally irrelevant to the post - I just liked it !!!!


1. I love reading - especially detective / lawyer type books (since I got my eReader - I love reading even more if that is at all possible !!!!)
2. I HATE getting anything on my glasses e.g. rain, dust etc.  I used to clean them at least twice a day - now I have aritificial lenses in my eyes, I don't wear glasses as much but I still HATE anything on the glass
3. I am very happy that we moved to Australia and sometimes regret that we didn't do it sooner
4. I love spending time with Al - just the two of us
5. I get really bad PMS and am as moody as hell
6. I get frustrated with companies who don't have the courtesy to reply to a job application you sent to them
7. I don't particularly like every day cooking
8. I would love to go in a hot air balloon except I am terrified of heights
9. I can't sleep if there is a light on
10. I will NEVER have a TV in my bedroom
11. I love the sun even though I know there is a chance I may get skin cancer
12. I hate shopping for clothes or groceries
13. I definitely don't like unpacking the groceries when I get home
14. I have never smoked a cigarette (or anything else now that I think about it !!!)
15. My parents have been married 51 years - I hope that we can achieve that too
16. I love watching Grey's Anatomy even though sometimes the people annoy me
17. I don't like biting into fruit
18. I shout at the TV when someone does something stupid on a programme
19. I miss our friends from South Africa and wish we could stay in touch more often
20. I enjoy having people over for dinner and experimenting with dishes
21. I wish I had an older sister to talk to
22. I love Baskin and Robbins ice-cream
23. I don't beleive there is any time that you can't eat chocolate
24. I would give up eating real food so that I could eat biscuits, chocolates and desserts
25. I don't drink tea or coffee but I love the smell of coffee beans

I am not going to tag anyone as some people don't like to feel pressured into making a list but if you do make a list - let me know as I would love to  pop along and read it.

Have the best Tuesday ever !

Love, hugs and positive energy.

TFTD : It is better to have a moment of something wonderful than a lifetime of nothing special

Pet Peeves

This is a list of things that really get to me :

• Dodgy trolleys with wonky wheels - can the supermarkets not afford to replace their trolleys once they have grown a mind of their own and go in every direction but the one you want it to go in
• People who wait for ages in a queue and when their goods are all rung up, only then do they start to rummage around in their monstrous size handbags, looking for their wallet so that they can pay.  Are they standing there in anticipation of the check out chick saying "Thank you for shopping with us today - all your groceries are for free.  Please feel free to push your over laden dodgy trolley with the wonky wheels to your car at any time" ?
• People who drive 100kph (or 90kph or 80kph) in a 110kph zone - move over people - if you aren't doing at least the speed limit, move over so that those of us who want to do the speed limit (or more) can be on our way.  We have things to do - if you want to window shop at Christmas time - pull over to the left hand lane.
• All the junk mail that comes to our home.  I know I could put a No Junk Mail sticker on my post box but my family wouldn't be happy - they love looking through the junk mail - I don't.  And even more than disliking looking through junk mail is either having to look at it lying around once they are finished with it, nagging them to throw it away or having to throw it away myself.
• Going to the shops only to find that the one thing that I really really really need, isn't in stock
• Waiting behind people at the ATM while they check the balance on every single account that they have - I am sure some of them even check their mortgage accounts - draw your money and move on people !!!!
• Electric salt and pepper dispensers that work for the first couple of times and then stop working (We now have three sets at home - I keep threatening to take them back to wherever we bought them from and, if I was more organised and had the slips I might be able to, but until I find the slips, they sit in the pantry and we continue to try to shake salt out of them.)
• Not checking what I have in the pantry and buying another bottle of grain mustard and garlic, only to be unpacking the groceries and find new bottles of both already in the pantry !!!!!!!  (I still have the slip for them so these ones I will take back to Coles).
• People who tell lies for whatever reason (unless you are trying to organise a surprise party in which case lies are OK).
• Along the lines of the above point, people who fake friendliness.  If you don't want to be my friend, that is fine, I accept that we can't all like everyone.  Geez, there are people I don't like but at least I don't go around pretending that I do like them - if I don't like someone, they generally know it - not because I am mean and nasty, but because I will choose not to socialise with them ! 
• Companies who make promises and then fail to deliver on those promises.  And then, not only do they fail to deliver on their promises but they won't go out of their way to fix the problem - this probably could go under the banner of lack of customer service.  If you don't want to provide a good service to the customer, don't go into the service industry.
• Retail employees and waitrons - again, if you don't want to make the customer feel like they are the most important aspect of your job, find a back office job where you don't have to deal with customers.  My time and $ are valuable to me and if you can't treat me as though they are valuable to you, choose another job.
• Muffin tops - on people.
• Normal bra straps under a top that has cross over straps at the back.
• People who clearly don't own a mirror otherwise why would they subject us to having to look at them dressed the way they are ?  I understand that we can't all walk around dressed in the best money can buy, but we can still choose clothes which are appropriate for our age and figure type.

Do you have any pet peeves you could add to the list ?

Love, hugs and positive energy.

TFTD : I am thankful for the mess to clean after a party because it means I have been surrounded by friends - Nancie J Carmody

Happy Anniversary Al !



"This day I will marry my friend, the one I laugh with, live for, dream with and love."

(Man, we don't look anything like this now !!!)

24 years ago I promised my bestest friend that I would love and cherish him, comfort and protect, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer 'til death do us part.  Today I am still married to my bestest friend and I wouldn't swop him for anything.

We have had our ups and downs as all married couples have but I can't think of anyone else I would rather wake up next to every morning, or anyone else who I would rather see last thing before I go to sleep.  Yes, during the night I am sometimes not that happy to have him sleeping next to me when his snoring kicks in, but I remember reading somewhere a while ago a letter from a lady whose husband used to snore a racket at night.  After he died, she said she couldn't sleep because it was too quiet and she wanted to hear the snoring again.  In all likelihood, I will be the same as her but for now, there are times when I have considered all sorts of options to stop the snoring !

I can't think of anyone else I would rather have next to me when I am watching a movie or training or cycling or just sitting doing nothing (although if I am honest here, if I am sitting doing nothing it is highly unlikely that Al will be sitting there with me - he doesn't do nothing easily !!!)

I truly hope we can get our act together and make it to Canada for our anniversary next year - for this year, a nice dinner out will be great !

Love, hugs and positive energy.

TFTD : Love is not how you forget but how you forgive, not how you listen but how you understand, not what you see but how you feel, and not how you let go but how you hold on.

A Totally Expected Gain This Week !

I would be lying if I said that I wasn't expecting a gain this week - I so wanted to lose all my weight without a gain but it is not to be. A quick synopsis and you will probably be like me, wondering how come it was only 1kg !!!!

• 2 extra large Anzac biscuits (which in hind sight I am glad I had because I realise that I don't like those particular ones anymore !!!!)
• 1 x street party where I consumed 1 x bottle of Amarula along with the marshmallows I bought for the children only their Mom's said keep them for us and don't let the children play near the fire !
• A lot of grainwave chips at above party because I didn't want to waste them by throwing them away (and I had had too much to drink and not enough to eat so thought it would be a good idea to get some 'food' into me)
• 2 x Christmas parties with too much food on offer and, having been too busy to eat during the day, meant I was starving and ate without thinking
• 2 x Magnum ice-creams - one of which I couldn't finish - but I managed to finish the second one last night without any trouble
• 2 x curly wurlies and 1 x chomp because they were on special at the servo when I put in petrol
• Too many pieces of shortbread at our mangement meeting
• 1 piece of custard and coconut bun (man this is going to be difficult to resist when I am up at that office next week)
• 1 x Cold Chisel concert after we had Nandos for dinner and ate our way through a packet of snakes while we were there
• 2 x mince pies
• 2 x very large chicken dim sims
• 1 x 600ml bottle coke

My knee is still worrying me.  I did manage a cycle on Monday and it did play up a little.  I have found that there are times when I am walking when it jars and is painful.  I suppose at some point I should take the x-rays back to the dr but right now everything is so busy I just can't be bothered to try to fit it in.  In the meantime I am doing sit ups and push ups and core exercise work on my fitball in at attempt to at least be doing something if I can't run.  Maybe I should set myself a date in a few months time and just not even think about running until then.  Will see how I go at training tonight and then decide.

I took Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons off from work - got all my Christmas shopping done on Tuesday and all the grocery shopping (except for fruit and veg) done yesterday so am hoping not to have to brave the crowds again until we collect the turkey bon-bons on 24th and pick up fruit and veg then (unless we go to the markets this weekend).  Even though A wasn't with me I had the most amazing luck with parking spaces - going to pick up tiles, pick up basin, drop off basin, order bon-bons, go to Bunnings, go to Harbourtown, go to Runaway Bay, go to Helensvale, go back to Harbourtown - and in all instances I found a parking space within 5 spaces from the entrance of the shopping centre - man I love it when the universe hears me !!!!

Have a fantastic day and take care !  Love, hugs and positive energy.

TFTD : The less you hear what people say about you, the more you succeed - Kazi Shams

Cold Chisel Tonight !

Tonight A and I are off to see Cold Chisel - an early celebration of our anniversary on Friday.  I hope that it is as good as I am expecting it to be.

My weight is recovering nicely after a weekend with a few indulgences.  Last night I cycled 8.8km at 23.4kph.  I set off on a 12km loop but only got about 4km before my knee started aching so decided to turn for home.  It was fine after that but frustrating that I still cannot exercise like I want.

Have a fantastic day !

Love, hugs and positive energy.

TFTD : Opportunities are usually disguised as hard work, so most people don't recognize them - Ann Landers

Wonderful Weekend !

I think I am going to do this in point form because there are too many things to put it all in a post without taking up an hour of your time to read through it all !

• Weather was fantastic for street party on Friday night - no rain until the last person was leaving when it started to spit a little.
• Met some fantastic people who live in our street.
• EVERYONE thoroughly enjoyed the night and most want to do it at least 3-4 times a year (wonder who will organise the next one ?)
• I drank a whole bottle of Amarula which is pretty much my drinking for the year done in one night - best of all no hangover yesterday morning !
• Had to make an emergency call to my folks to take K to work on Saturday morning as I think A and I would have still been over the limit if we were breathalized !!!!
• A and K were EXTREMELY patient trying to find me something to wear to A's Christmas party on Saturday night but we got there in the end - YAY !!!
• Q1 Skypoint is amazing if you can open your eyes while you are up there.  I couldn't open my eyes and I don't do heights AT ALL.
• A closed eyes, white knuckle ride up 77 floors in the lift lasting 42.7secs was 42.7secs too long for my liking.
• Sat on the chair closest to the middle wall - couldn't look at anyone because if I did I could see out the windows.
• Eventually had to go to the loo - didn't make it - burst into tears and the security guy came to see if we wanted an ambulance !!!!!
• Decided it might be a good idea to go to my Christmas party at Indooroopilly - over an hour away so left A's party and drove up to mine.
• Got there to find we had missed the excitement of fisty cuff fights, people being thrown out the venue and the police being called BUT it was good to spend just over an hour there with my work friends.
• Loved the compliments from friends who hadn't realised just how much weight I had lost - it felt good !
• Spent today working my way through the 6 feet of washing lining my laundry floor.
• Everything up to date for a new working week starting tomorrow with taking my car in for a service which I already know is going to cost a fortune because the crankshaft sensor for the computer has gone and costs about $300 to be replaced before they do anything else !  Just what I need the week before Christmas.
• No exercise because my knee is still bloody worrying me.  How long do I have to rest this before it is right ?  How long can I last before I am driven totally insane by not being able to run ?
• My food has been as good as it could have been given where we have been, what we have done and how I have been feeling - whatever my weight is tomorrow, it is, and I will deal with it.  Back on the L&E wagon - ready to get whatever crept on this weekend off again.

Have the best week ever !

Love, hugs and positive energy.

TFTD : People who love and believe in you do not need to be convinced and people who do not love or believe in you are not worth trying to convince.

Another Loss !

Well this week has seen me get on the scales daily (as I do !) and the number keeps dropping which is really strange because I have exercised less this week than the past 9 weeks.  A loss of 2.4 kgs - I did weigh myself 3 times to make sure I was seeing the number correctly - and it gave me the same number 3 times.

The tile place had the wrong code on the feature tile and so it will take another week to get the right tiles here.

The insurance company had the wrong car policy but are still arguing that K is only listed as a learner driver - she has had her licence for over 2 years - come on please QBE - this is a valid claim on a policy that is paid up - pay out like you should !!!!!  And then I am going to cancel all my policies with you and go somewhere else !!!!!

K seems to be doing fine - she talked to the counsellor at work and was more her normal self last night.

I knew that it was only a mini meltdown and that, in the greater scheme of things, I would survive - just lost the plot there for a while yesterday.  Of course, if the weather would just fine up for the period 4pm-midnight tomorrow so we can have our street party with good weather, everything would be just dandy !!!!!

Love, hugs and positive energy !

TFTD : The more you let go, the faster you move ahead !

Mini Meltdown

This is how I feel - holding on by the skin

on my teeth !

I know that in the greater scheme of things, my problems are not huge and they are not insurmountable but for me they feel like they are just getting a little too much - and I could probably deal with them fantastically if the universe saw fit to throw them at me one at a time instead of all at once.

Yesterday I saw the naturopath and she is REALLY happy with how things are tracking which is great except that I had to take 90mins out of my working day to go to her.  Then at 3pm I got a call from K to say that there had been a medical emergency at work that she was involved in and they had told her to go home so could I fetch her.  She saved someone's life which is think is just bloody amazing.

The insurance company have stuffed up the policies and now we are trying to work out what they have done with nominated drivers on the cars.  Then they lost the quote for the repair for the accident K had last week so have had to start from scratch so what should have been 7-10 days of no car is now looking closer to being over 2 weeks.  K has been really good about fitting in and cycling to work etc to get around but it is wearing me down.  Then there are issues with the bathroom - the drop in basins turned out to be under counter basins so the vanity we had designed wouldn't work so we have had to go back to the cabinet maker to try to work out how that can be changed plus the cost is going up because they need to polish the granite for the under counter basins which they wouldn't have had to do for the drop in basins.

Then A got the tiles last night and the feature tiles aren't the right ones so I have to go back after work to find out what they can do about getting the right ones - can they even get the right ones or do we have to go back to the bloody drawing board for the feature tiles ? 

Last night I tried to run on my knee - didn't even get 200m and it was sore, so, as I promised myself I would, I stopped and hobbled home and then went to training where we concentrated on upper body work.  It appears that I am going to have to be patient while my knee repairs and see how I go with cycling rather than running.  Man I miss my running (those are 4 words I never thought I would hear myself say !!!)

We are supposed to be having a street party on Friday night and if the weather doesn't break soon I don't know what we are going to do - I really don't want to have to open my home in the middle of the renos to a whole bunch of people - not sure we could even fit them in on the verandah as there are tiles and mirrors and taken apart vanities taking up that space !!

It will get better - I know - I just need to be patient and put on a happy smile !

Love, hugs and positive energy !

TFTD : People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel - May Angelou

Some During Photos

Some Before and During Photos

A Great Weekend (even if we have eaten into our contingency !)

Friday night saw the shower walls and tiles get ripped out and the vanity (after lots of discussions and debates and a little bit of  lot of swearing on my part) in pieces and outside.  My client arrived on Saturday morning to see the shower doors alongside the gate to our yard and the toilet on the grass (not the best look but she is also a friend and understood we were in the middle at the start of our renovations).  The plumber and A were very good about not making a noise while I was busy with her for which I was EXTREMELY appreciative.

I spent most of the day moving stuff that we had taken out of our vanity and filling 6 x 32L plastic boxes that I had bought on Friday afternoon and wrestled into the car while it was raining - along with our Christmas crackers (wonder if they will 'crack' or if they got too wet ?).  Who would have thought we could fit so much stuff into a vanity ?  Who would have thought that we could have filled 2 x 1620 vanities and 1 x 1300 vanity when there are only 3 of us in the house ?????  Where am I going to put my 'stuff' for the next two weeks so that I can go to work at least looking half way respectable in the make-up department ?  I found out today that I can fit a teeny weeny bit of what I need into a teeny weeny drawer in the bathroom vanity - might have to make do with 'half a face' for the next two weeks !  People may not even notice the difference !!!!

The plumber finished the rough-in yesterday and then kindly helped A with the pipe that he had sort of managed to fix a few weeks back.  I went to get K from baby sitting and take her to meet the family she is baby sitting next Saturday - only to get about 10 mins away from them and have a flat tyre.  I call A.  She gets into the back of the car, pulls out the jack and begins jacking the car up.  I ask her if she knows what she is doing and shouldn't we wait for Dad and she replies "What do you think ?  I don't listen when Dad is talking ?" (Yes ?") "When I got the flat tyre at work a few months ago Dad came and showed me how to change the tyre - you didn't need to call him to do it, we can do it."  And we did - I was just tightening the nuts when A got there so he tightened them a bit more and we were on our way.  I was pleasantly surprised - I never imagined that she (or I) would be able to do that - not because we are useless but because I have never had to !!!  At least I know in future I can do it (unless I am in a suit and high heels - oh no, that wouldn't be me then because I don't wear suits or high heels !!!)

Today saw A finish jack hammering the floor and I spent about 4-5 hrs weeding - our next project once what we can do in the bathroom is finished (which I think it is) is going to be to get our garden sorted out - again !!!  I really wish we could get it looking nice and then maintain it like that - seems like we do it and then other things happen and it gets out of hand again.  I managed to weed about 1/4 of it - will tackle it again next week.  A lot of what nees to be done is really physical work so it is hard for A to do it when he has been up and down masts all week - will see what happens.

I can't believe we are only 2 days into the renovation and already our contingency has been eaten into - change of mind on the toilet and plumber had to take an additional 3m x 1200 high of blueboard out to get to the pipes.  Take a deep breath - it is going to be OK !!!!!

This morning all three of us were trying to clean teeth, do hair and make-up (no no no - only two of us doing hair and make-up, three of us doing teeth before you start thinking A is a little strange) - luckily we have a vanity in the family bathroom and another vanity outside the toilet.  K asked "How long do I have to share with you ?" and when I replied two weeks she went "REALLY ? TWO WEEKS ?" - I am guessing she isn't that keen - well probably as keen as I am given that when I want to go to the loo and am in bed, I now have to walk down the whole passage - past our bathroom, the laundry and her bedroom to get there - by the time I get back to bed I have woken myself up !!!  A real pain - roll on the finished renovation !!!

Have a great week !

Love, hugs and positive energy !

Let the Renovations Begin !

Today I got to work just after 6am as I need to leave a little early today.  I have to pick up tapware and basins because tonight it all begins (well apart from the bit that A began on Tuesday night and then received a stern talking to for changing our arrangements !!!).  Move out the old vanity, pull the shower out, cut the wall tiles out, jackhammer the floor tiles up ready for the plumber to fit the mixers over the weekend so the reno guy can start on Monday.

In between all of that I have to get my knee x-rayed (still can't decide on whether there should be an 'e' in there or not - probably should look it up in case I have to use it again if I don't get it done today !!!) and try to get my eccentric loading done.  Oh yes, and keep the house all quiet for a hour between 9-10 tomorrow morning as I have a client booked in !

Have you got anything exciting planned for the weekend ?

Have a FANTASTIC Friday and an even better weekend !

Love, hugs and positive energy.

TFTD : Success is largely a matter of holding on after others have let go - Zig Ziglar

Another Loss and It's A Go !

Due to the early start of the bathroom renovation (see below for that story), my scale has had to be moved.  I am not happy about this because I know that moving a scale around can do funny things to how it works !!!!  But, I finally found another place where it was level (who would have thought there were so many places on a tiled floor that weren't level) and this is where it has lived since Tuesday night.  I am nearly hyperventilating wondering where I am going to put the scale once the 'rip out' begins in earnest.  I am a scale whore who HAS to weigh every single morning when I wake up.  I cannot get through the day without this (well I suppose I could if I had to but I would not be a happy veggiemite !).  Anyway, the point of this paragraph is that I am down another 0.5 this week which I am happy about especially with having to pull back on my exercising because of my dodgy knee.  (The same one that I have to go and get x-rayed x-rayd x-rayed (really not sure if there should be an 'e' or not - take your pick or let me know !!!) that I haven't been to yet because I am too busy !!)  I will continue to do what I can to keep up my exercise and not aggravate the dodgy one.

Al (despite our discussions about when we would start ripping our bathroom out) started chipping out bathroom tiles on Tuesday night.  I was not happy when we got home from training. Walking up the driveway I could hear the bang, bang, bang as he was chipping away and I said to K "If that is Dad chipping up the tiles I am going to be furious - why do we bother to have discussions if he is going to go ahead and do what he wants anyway."  Well she went down the passage saying "Dad, just giving you a heads up, Mom wants to know why you discuss things and then do your own thing," and then escaped into her room !  Anyway, I go into the bedroom - dust everywhere - into the bathroom - tile chips on the tiles and dust everywhere.  "You didn't think to move ANYTHING ?  What about closing the door to keep the dust in one room ?" "I was just trying to help."  OK - so the bathroom is now a go because even if I didn't want to go ahead with it, 1/3 of the floor tiles have been chipped away and so we are past the point of saying "No, we will rather go to Canada for our 25th wedding anniversary."  Now it may be that we sit in the bathroom (maybe we could do more than sit ??) and wish each other Happy Anniversary next year if it all blows out like renovations can sometimes do !

So our weekend is cut out for us - client on Saturday morning and then a fun time in the bathroom ripping out walls, finding somewhere to put all the stuff in the double vanity, chipping up floor tiles and getting the floor down to the bedding.  This has been a huge learning curve for me - who knew how many types of toilets, mixers, basins, pop up wastes and floor wastes there were and how bloody difficult it is to make decisions on which to choose !

Have a terrific Thursday.  Love, hugs and positive energy !

TFTD : For true success ask yourself these four questions :  Why ?  Why not ?  Why not me ?   Why not now ?  - James Allen

All Is Good !


Won't waste your time with a whole bunch of waffle !  All is good in the world for me.  K is cycling to work and getting a lift home with her bike in the afternoon.  Car is getting fixed.  My knee is not good - have to get x-rays at some point - in the meantime I am looking after it and not doing anything that makes it sore or stopping what I am doing when it gets sore.  Did the eccentric exercises last night - not as easy as I thought so clearly my quads are not working like they should and I need to develop them.

Off to see Breaking Dawn tonight - hope I enjoy it as I am a Twilight diehard - having read all the books three times over.

Love, hugs and positive energy !

TFTD : Don't wait until everything is just right.  It will never be perfect.  There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions.  So what.  Get started now.  With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful - Mark Victor Hansen

Bugger, Poo, Bum

Clearly the universe wasn't too keen on my happiness over the weekend because today I was brought right down to earth - yip, could have been worse, but also could have been a whole lot better.

Called the osteo this morning - he can only see me Thursday.  Called the dr - he can see me tomorrow so I book the appointment.  Then at about 11.15am I get a call from the osteo, he has had a cancellation for 12, can I get there - yes thanks I can.  Off I got - he is amazed at the change in my body shape - I can't see it.  He tells me about three times he can't believe the change in my body shape.  I start to feel good because I really haven't been able to see it myself but start to believe him.

The long and the short of my knee issue - I have tendinosis - chronic tendinitis.  Thanks so much for that Mrs Knee !!!!!!  Apparently I have put too much strain on it too quickly i.e. I have upped my training quicker than this old body can cope with it and so it is breaking down - once again, excellent work and thank you Mrs Knee !!!!  Treatment ? Take it easy and if I am doing something that makes it sore, stop and if it isn't sore - honestly - I can carry on.  I also need to do some eccentric loading of my quads.  He has recommended that I still see the dr tomorrow and maybe have a scan just to make sure that everything else is OK as it also looks like there is cartilage degeneration (thanks to my age for this one !!!).  So, I am going to have to start looking after myself just a tad more than I do at the moment otherwise I am going to be very sorry !!!!!!

Then, on the way back to work from the osteo, I got one of those heart stopping phone calls from K "Hi Mom, I've just had an accident.  I'm OK but the car isn't that good."  K, my dearly beloved, thinks she is totally invincible, know it all, 19 year old.  So, I tell her to call A to sort out where to be towed to etc.  Anyway, long story short, he goes to see what has happened and they get the car to the preferred repairer for the insurance company we are with.  Then she had to go to Caboolture with him because someone broke an antenna and he had to take one up there to replace it - they are still not home - not sure when they will be.  I was fine until I stopped to see my folks on my way home from work and then I lost the plot a little when my Mom came out and opened my door and she was crying !!!  Anyway, stayed there about an hour (no point in dashing home) and then came home after that.  Unfortunately I stopped to fill up and landed up buying 2 x Curly Wurly's and 1 x Chomp - because they were on special - and then got home and ate them and some grainwaves.  So figure in terms of calories my dinner is done - not so good from a nutritional value but figure sometimes things happen and I need to just accept what has happened and move on.  On the up side, I nearly bought a whole thing of Darrel Lee rocky road which was in the servo !!!! So maybe the CW and C weren't so bad after all !!!!!

Needless to say, no training tonight - I am sitting here icing my knee currently (this is to keep A happy more than anything else - I haven't noticed that it makes any difference and the osteo said that it may or may not help - I don't think it is helping but it makes A happy so I will continue to do it for a few nights) and balancing K's laptop on my other leg.  I was just thinking the other day about what I wished for - and one of the things I wanted was to start getting out of my comfort zones ?  It has just struck me that maybe this is me getting my wish - I wondered how I would deal with it if I was injured and couldn't train - what would I do ?  Well, that is sort of true - I haven't been told I can't train but I have been told that I have to slow my training down because my body is not changing as fast as I am expecting it to and this is the result.  How do I slow down when all I want to do is speed it up ?  I guess I am going to find out over the next couple of weeks. 

Any advice from anyone who has been really into their training and then had to pull back because of injury ?

Love, hugs and positive energy !

TFTD : Love does not require analysis, just appreciation.

Introducing .....

   Alfie

We have had Alfie for just over two years and he is a source of great joy to all of us.  He keeps us laughing with his antics and is so very different from .............

   Rosie

not only in colour but in nature as well.  We have had Rosie just under two years.  They are both staffies although Alfie seems to have more bull terrier in him than Rosie does.

He is street smart whereas she is more learned smart.  She will ring the bell hanging from the door frame so that we will open up the sliding door and let her out.  He will lie in front of the door for as long as it takes someone to notice he is there when they are walking past and open the door to let him out !  It is so funny how different they are.

Rosie had to have a knee operation in July this year which cost us $1,500 - thank goodness it fixed the problem that she had.

Do you have any animals that add flavour to your family ?

Love, hugs and positive energy !

TFTD : Only those who dare to go too far can possibly find out how far one can go - TS Eliot

Another Great Exercise Day !

Last night I stopped and chatted to my folks on my way home from work and then came home and I went for a run while A cycled with me.  I couldn't believe it - I did a 4.88km at an average pace of 6'29"/km.  How did I manage to do that ?  It was only on 7th November that I was bemoaning the fact that I couldn't seem to break the 7'/km - now I am breaking 6'30"/km !!!!  How did that happen ?  Maybe the regular exercise that I am doing ?

Got home from that and hopped on the bike and did a quick 12km ride - landed up doing that a little slower than normal 19.57kph but that is OK - I was so happy at breaking my running time, I gave me legs a bit of a rest during the ride.

We landed up watching Kung Fu Panda 2 and Transformer 3 (I think that was which one it was) - didn't particularly enjoy either of them but I did manage to get my blanket finished and have started a scarf with the leftover yarn that I have.  Hopefully that will be finished soon so that I can get started on my next blanket.

This morning we went to look at more bloody taps - hopefully we have found the ones we want - and then I caught up with a friend whom I haven't seen for ages which was just great - we talked and talked and talked.  Then I went to KMart to see if I could find some running tops.  I had bought two ($10) tops recently and A wanted to buy me more but I said no because I have heaps of T-shirts that I can run in.  The other night I ran in a T-shirt rather than one of these tops - man it was awful !!!!  So I went to see if I could find any more and I managed to get another 2 so that should last and give me enough so that I don't have to wash every day.

My sister has given me some great info about training and rest days so I am going to have a look at changing the days I train and rest to take advantage of her knowledge.  Well, I say I am going to change the days I train but right now I may not be training if I can't get my knee sorted out - it is doing the dodgy on me and I am extremely unhappy about it.  Last night when I was running, I walked so that I could blow my nose - my left knee was so sore while I walked but then when I was running, it was fine - very strange.  It was fine on the cycle.  I iced it during the evening when we were watching TV.  I have it iced now as I am sitting here typing this because when I was walking around the centre it was starting to get painful.  I don't want to have to try to explain what it is to anyone because I don't really know how to describe it - will see how I go tomorrow and then see if I can get an appointment with the osteo on Monday.

This is pretty much what my leg looks like except

it is on an ottoman and not up on a table.

K is baby sitting today - not sure when she will be home.  A is off on a brewery tour - not sure what state he will be in when he gets home !!!  I am having a wonderful 'me' day today - and I am loving it !!!!

We have had a couple of responses for the street BBQ and drinks so looks like it will be a go - I have got my bottle of Amarula chilled and waiting - I am going to make the most of the evening !!!!!

Have the best weekend ever !

Love, hugs and positive energy !

Baskin & Robbins

Last night K piked on going to training so I went by myself - and I felt it !!!!  When there is only one of us to concentrate on H keeps an eagle eye as to form and what I am doing and corrects me so much more than when there are two of us to share between him. On one level I am grateful for this because it does make me more aware of how I actually perform the exercises but on another level it nearly kills me - but that is OK - I can feel this morning that I worked out last night and I like that feeling !

After I got home I cooled down and then had a shower before having some dinner.  A and I were sitting watching The Big Bang Theory (man that show makes me laugh) and I was busy trying to finish the blanket I am crocheting (because I want to get on and start the next one !) and I had a thought - wouldn't a B&R ice-cream go down really well right now ?  It was so hot and so humid after the rain all day.  I asked A if he was interested (Is the Pope a Catholic ?) and so off we went - me driving in my jarmmies (who were we likely to bump into anyway ?) because I wasn't going to get changed just to go down the road to get an ice-cream at 8.45 at night  and A doing the hop out, go in and buy and then hop in the car and off we went home.  I only had one scoop (very proud for saying Only One, Only One when I really wanted to say - Thanks Love, I'll have two scoops tonight !) and I savoured every single little morsel of it - it was delicious !  I figure I may have to go for a 10km run tonight to run it off but I thoroughly enjoyed it and do, to a certain extent, feel that life is not about complete abstinence.  I am still doing L&E and feel in control which is why I suggested having the ice-cream last night - because I knew I could say I'll only have one scoop and I knew that today I wouldn't stop at the shop and buy any extras to have at work seeing as I am alone in the office for most of the day.


Life is good !  We aren't going to the 7's rugby today - figure we have enough expenses to cover if we go ahead with the bathroom so will watch it at home on TV instead.  The sun is trying to come out this morning which is good because I dislike the gloom of rainy days but it also means that the humidity is going to go through the roof.  Tomorrow A is off on a brewery tour and I am catching up with a friend I haven't seen for ages, then I am going to have some 'Me' time - sitting and reading my book or watching some DVDs.  K and I are looking at going to see Breaking Dawn next week so that should be good.  I have heard mixed reviews about the movie so don't really know what to expect - whatever it is it will be good to spend the evening together.  I figure there aren't going to be too many more evenings together now that she is nearly 20 - it really isn't all that cool to spend the evening out with your Mom !!!!!!

Have a fantastic day and an even better weekend !

Love, hugs and positive energy.

TFTD : Character is the ability to win an argument without saying a word - Chard

Another Loss and Feeling So Much Better !

Yesterday afternoon I started to feel so much better - and I am so grateful for this because I hated feeling so down - especially when there was no rhyme or reason for it (all I can think is that it is medication related so am going to see what I can find out about changing it).  But I am feeling on top of the world today - and not just because of losing another 0.5kgs this week (although that did help !)

Last night I went for a 4.85km run and did it in 6'43"/km - sooooooooooooooo happy about that.  Then A got home and we went and delivered invites for street party that we are looking at holding on 9th December.  Not sure how well it is going to go down as we have never done anything like this before but figured it is time for me to start stepping leaping out of my comfort zones and meeting new people is a big HUGE thing for me - A and I are both really shy and don't do 'new people' well so this will be an interesting exercise.  The neighbours that we are friendly with already are free on the same night so if nobody else is interested, we will have the party at either their place or ours and we KNOW it will be a good one - even if it is just the four of us as we always have a great time when we get together. (A bottle of Amarula will definitely feature high on the list of items required for said party !!)

After delivering the invites, we took the dogs for a walk and did a 4.5km walk - so by 8pm last night I was ready for bed.  Not that I got to bed then !!!  It was all good from about 11pm until the rain started at about 3am and then it was just toss and turn - between the rain and the spurts of snoring, I didn't get a huge amount of rest !

Sonia, we don't have a spare room (well we do but it is my therapy room and as much as clients seem to fall asleep reasonably easily on the therapy table, I can't sleep on it) but we do have a 7 seater corner couch which is REALLY comfy so I normally drag my doona/sheet and pillow down the passage, through the diningroom and kitchen and into the lounge room and sleep there.

Lady Daa Doo, that may be a really good reason to get an iPhone although I do love my Blackberry !!!!!

Well better get on with my day - listening to the rain falling outside and seeing it slide down the windows - it is good to have the rain after so much heat.  Here's hoping that it isn't raining tomorrow as we want to go to the rugby 7's which are being played at Skilled Stadium tomorrow from lunch time.


This is pretty much what I can see when I look out my window.

Have a terrific Thursday - the weekend is nearly here and we are only a month away from Christmas Eve - how scary is that ??????

Love, hugs and positive energy !

TFTD : Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, it's at the end of your arm.  As you get older, remember you have another hand : the first is to help yourself, the second is to help others - Audrey Hepburn

Snoring ?

I would LOVE to have this sign in our bedroom !

Does anyone else suffer with a snoring partner ?  It is enough to drive me INSANE some nights.  As he suffers from asthma, when he gets sick, he snores, and I am very accommodating in this instance. I don't like it, but I understand the reason for it.

When he has a few beers, he snores.  I am not so accommodating in this instance because it is self inflicted.



Some nights he snores for no reason - and not only if he is lying on his back - he can snore on his side, he can snore on his stomach, as long as his eyes are closed, he can snore - AND IT DRIVES ME NUTS !  No amount of pushing, prodding, rolling, tapping, kneeing or touching not so gently with my foot will get him to stop.  Maybe that is a little harsh because I am sure that in most instances he wouldn't snore if he could help it but nonetheless, he can't help it (except when he has had a few beers) and, after nearly 24 years, I guess I don't have much option but to put up with it.  It does make me very cranky - if I could just get to sleep before him, it would help because then he could snore to his hearts content and it doesn't worry me - but he has the gift of lying down, closing his eyes and within 5 secs - literally - he is asleep.  He can fall asleep in the middle of a conversation - when he is the one talking !!!! 

I cannot do that - I lie this way, I turn over, I lie that way, I turn back, I lie on my stomach, I turn over onto my side - I would have to lie in about 6 or 8 different positions before I come even close to falling asleep.  I have very bad sleeping habits which I am working on improving but, man it is hard work and so slow to change !

Any suggestions on getting him to stop snoring ?

Have a fantastic day - love, hugs and positive energy !

TFTD : The hardest thing in life to learn is which bridge to cross and which to burn.



Still Feeling Blue !

So, I won't bring anyone down to my level.  I will be back to post when I have something positive to say !

Love, hugs and positive energy !

Why So Blue ?

I wish I knew why I was feeling so blue today - in the past 2 days 3 people have commented on the fact that I am losing weight.  On Saturday I bought some size 14 togs - that fit me !!! And I have some size 12 pants that I am fitting into - why on why do I feel like it is all too hard and everything is getting too much for me ??????  Could it be just Mondayitis ?

This is just how I feel - blue and alone

 and I shouldn't, because I have so much going for me.

Update at 8pm : Went for a run when I got home - 3.4km at 6'29" per km - broke the 6'30" but still feel like cr*p - was really hoping that the run would help to get me out the funk and clear my head - it didn't.  I have had a shower and am going to go to bed very soon.

What Happens To Socks ?

Why oh why can I never find my socks ?  I have heard that washing machines and dryers eat one sock each time they are used.  Why do mine seem to eat at least one or two PAIRS of socks each time they are used ?

Now that I am exercising at least 5 out of 7 days, that is 5 pairs of socks that go into the washer and dryer.  At the beginning of the next week, I am lucky if I can find 2 pairs of socks.  Scavenging through A's and K's drawers has yet to net me any more pairs.  I don't know how many pairs of socks I have bought so that I have always got some in the drawer and I have to be honest, I am tired of spending my hard earn money on socks so that I can exercise - especially as I don't like wearing cheap and nasty socks - they have to be good, comfortable socks otherwise I might as well not exercise as all.  There is NOTHING (well maybe there are some things worse) worse than uncomfortable socks when you are exercising - actually, there is nothing worse than anything you are wearing being uncomfortable when you are exercising !!  I would love some help in finding the missing pairs of socks - if anyone has any ideas - please feel free to let me know !

I went and bought 5 pairs of Nike socks - so far three pairs have lasted one week.  Two pairs I am keeping up my sleeve for an emergency situation when I can find no pairs and I am ready to exercise.

Have the best week ever !

Love, hugs and positive energy.

Quiten The Mind

Quiten your mnd to listen to your heart.

With a quiet mind you will hear the truth

in your heart.

Feel your truth and let your true

feelings guide you.

Universal Symbols by Ken Dowling

A Sad Day and A Great Day !

Today has been a really mixed day for me.  Today I spent a lot of my day reading about domestic violence and abuse as a result of the Speak Out campaign organised by Kristin of Wanderlust - so much of it happens - and I had no idea that this happened in so many homes.  I knew that I had lead a very sheltered life but I didn't realise just how sheltered it had been. My Dad never abused my Mom in any way, shape or form - I never even heard him raise his voice to her or us kids.  We did get a good couple of smacks as kids but to me, there is a difference between discipline and abuse, and he never crossed that line.  My Mom would shout at us - as Mom's do - and she would smack us - as Mom's do.  I had a rule when K was little that I would not hit her with my hands because my hands were for loving and wooden spoons were for smacking - and it never did her any harm - well not that I can see.  Now when we talk she knows that we mean what we say and we don't have to use the wooden spoon anymore which is good because now she is 19 yo she is probably too old for a smack !!!!

I am going to be thinking about what I can do to help victims of domestic violence and will hopefully come up with a plan in the next week or so.

Then the great side of my day was coming home and exercising.  I was talking to a client the other night and he said that after 21 days things become a habit and I realised that that was what had happened to me - I am now in the habit of exercising - AND I LOVE IT !!!  I love the endorphins that it produces.  I love how they make me feel.  Tonight I did a mini bi-athlon (it took me a while to come up with the right word - actually I never even came up with the bi-athlon - I was thinking du-athlon and couldn't think of anything else until I asked A while we were cycling !!) I ran 3.38km at - wait for it - drum roll please - 6'32"/km - with no walking - go me !!!!  And then we got home and I changed into cycling pants and we cycled 14.4km at 20.6kph.  I feel so good.  I said if only competitions were in those sort of lengths - I don't think I will find any race that is only 3km run and 15km cycle - no way I can do a tri-athlon because if I had to swim anything further than the 8m of our swimming pool, I wouldn't be able to run or cycle - and they always have the swim first so I would be stuffed before I even started the other segments.  But, definitely something that I think I might look into - it would be so cool to train for an event rather than just running and cycling because I need to exercise.  (Quick question - if I run and cycle on the same night does that count as two exercise sessions ?)

When I uploaded my run from tonight - I saw the following statistics on my Nike+ site :
- I have had 20 recorded runs
- I have run for 8 hrs and 22 mins
- I have run 72.38kms in total
- I have run at an average of 6'56" per km
- I have burnt 6,019 calories

Yesterday I went to see a naturopath at the recommendation of the osteopath that I see.  She was amazing (and not just because of the nice things she told me !!!).  She took a sample of blood - I thought that I might be dead because my red blood cells were not moving - they are supposed to move - but it appears that I must be dehydrated which means they slow down stop moving altogether.  BUT I have great white blood cells and my omegas are great.  Then she took photos of my eyes - I have a strong constitution - don't get sick but watch out if I do get sick (absolutely me), like processes and lists and doing the right thing (killed myself laughing at this one as it is a joke at work that I don't want to know about things that they do that aren't right because I won't sleep knowing that we have done the wrong thing !!!).  I also have stress rings - not because I am stressed but because I find it difficult to say no and I internalise things rather than talk about them (never thought I would hear anyone say I don't talk enouhg !!!) - maybe it is just that I am talking about the wrong things !!!  She pretty much wanted to know how come I had gone to see her because clearly I was extremely healthy.  Well I made the appointment to get my metabolism, liver function etc checked out - turns out it is probably the Pill that is stopping my weight loss - bloody oath - definitely going to have to find a way around that.  I don't want to find that I am doing all this hard work and it is being negated by the means I am using to make sure I have no more cherubs !  That is something that we are going to investigate moving forward.  I can't wait to work that one out so that this weight can move - I am too motivated to let a little thing like the Pill stop me from achieving what I want to achieve.

I have so much more to say but figure if you have made it this far you deserve to have a chance to do something more beneficial like have a drink or a soak in the bath or possibly just time to veg out !

Have the best weekend ever !

Love, hugs and positive energy.

TFTD : The hardest work you will have to do is to learn to depend on your inner self  because you have been taught to look always to someone else - Venice Bloodworth

Speak Out Against Domestic Violence

I had NO idea that domestic violence and abuse was so prevalent.  Through blogs that I have been reading I have come across so many women and children who have been exposed to domestic violence and abuse and it is just heart breaking to know that this was happening and I had no idea.

Kristin from Wanderlust has organised for 18th November to be Speak Out day for people to tell their stories of domestic violence and abuse and not keep them hidden in places where nobody else can see them.  Like illnesses which can't be seen, this type of abuse is, more often than not, unseen too.  Hence the reason I hadn't realised just how much of an epidemic it was.

While I have no experience of this type of behaviour, I am totally sympathetic to women and children who are in this type of situation and feel awful that someone can inflict this type of behaviour on another human being.

Please, seek help if you are in this situation and don't ever believe that you are worthless and useless - YOU ARE NOT - we all have different talents and just because someone doesn't appreciate what you have to offer, does not lessen what you do have to offer.

In order to honour and show my appreciation for the fact that I married the most wonderful man in the whole world, who does not abuse me in any way, I am going to go home and tell him how much I love and appreciate how special I am to him and how I love and appreciate that he treats me as I deserve to be treated (or if truth be told, he probably treats me better than I deserve to be treated at times !!).

Finally - a 70's Girl !

I knew that if I just stuck with the program I would see the results and this morning I did - a loss of 1.3kgs to take me well and truly into the 70's - YAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This would definitely help show the numbers I want to see

although probably not so good at helping me fit into smaller clothes !

Hopefully there will be some good losses before I reach the next plateau.  I just LOVE being so motivated that I can cycle and walk in the same evening - they both helped my legs but not as much as my Epsom salts soak last night !

Off to see the naturopath today so will be interested to see what she has to say.

Have a FANTASTIC day !

Love, hugs and positive energy.

Release Potential

When you realise and accept who you are,

you will release this potential and yor gifts for all

to enjoy.

Discover your uniqueness and share your gift with

all on your path.

Universal Symbols by Ken Dowling

A Great Evening !

I got home from work and A wasn't home yet but that was OK - unpacked the latest L&E delivery and the dog food that had finally arrived (long story about Rosie and her operation - AWL recommended she have this special food - $153/12kgs - better bloody be worth it !!)  Anyway, A got home and got the bikes out and off we went.  You know how sometimes within about 5 mins you just know it is going to be hard doing ANY exercise - well I was like that on the bike - I really struggled the first 1-2kms - into a dreadful head wind (again !!!) and battling to stay at 17-18kph.  Anyway, kept at it and then got my second wind - plus I was trying the breathing that the osteo recommended - instead of in for two steps / pedals and out for two steps / pedals - to go 3 and 2 so that I am using alternate feet with my breathing.  I tried this when I was running and felt so unco and bloody awkward that I went back to the 2/2 that I was comfortable with.  Spoke to the trainer about it last night and he said to keep at it and it will feel right eventually.  So I did that with my cycling today and it was definitely easier than with the running - hopefully it will become a habit that will fit with my running as well.  Had a good cycle - 14.3km at 20.6kph - slower than the ride on Saturday morning - maybe a harder head wind (wish I could measure it somehow) and maybe my legs are a little fatigued after training last night.  Last Thursday H (trainer) really worked my arms - so much so that on Friday and more so on Saturday I battled to do my bra up and lift my arms much at all.  Last night he worked our legs - and I felt that today at work up and down the stairs - man I love that I can feel DOMS and know that I have had a good workout.

We got home after cycling and chatted for a while then A suggested taking the dogs for a walk so we got them and off we went - 5,5km later we were home and my legs could REALLY feel it.  Luckily A had a techie who had gone up to Toowoomba to the horse feed store there and bought me 2 x 5kg bags of Epsom salts - I ran out ages ago and won't pay $7/500g from the supermarket - so I was really glad to get the 10kgs for $40 !!!  Man, I loved my soak in the bath with a whole bunch of Epsom salts in it - and my legs loved it even more - they feel so much better now.  (If I cycled and then walked does that count as 2 execise sessions in the week ????)

K is out baby sitting and I am off to have an early night.  I still can't believe how I have got out of the habit of going to work from 8-12pm and only getting to sleep close to 1am most nights - it is SOOOOO good !!!

Pulled out some dresses tonight to see just how many cms I still need to lose before I can fit into them for A's Christmas party - if I can lose another 5-6kgs before 10 Dec it would be great but I don't think that will happen so will have to see what sort of corrective underwear I can find to hold all the wobbly bits in.  Any suggestions ????

Have a fantastic evening !

Love, hugs and positive energy.

Life Is Good !


Things have been a tad hectic in the M household BUT I have managed to keep up with my exercise, good eating and good drinking.  I am even managing to get through at least 1L of water a day !

Tomorrow I am hoping to be a 70's girl but have decided that if I am not, all will not be lost (no pun intended), because if it doesn't show this week, it will show next week or the week after or the week after that (geez, I hope it doesn't take that long !!!)

The good thing is that I have noticed how much fitter I am.  We cycled the other day and managed a good 22.5kph and my legs didn't feel nearly as fatigued as they used to when we cycled and we would never have maintained that sort of speed given the head wind we were cycling into.  So it is all good !!!!

And for that I am grateful.  (Plus K managed to sell her car last night - and I am EXTREMELY grateful for that !!!)

Love, hugs and positive energy !

TFTD : The first step to waking up is the discovery that you have been asleep - Alan Cohen

Kill the Friggin' Bird !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I woke (for no apparent reason) at 2.11am.  This bird, in the trees at the back of our home, was calling for it's Mom, Dad, brother, sister, aunty, uncle, cousin - NOBODY is coming you stupid bloody bird.  After nearly 2 hrs of calling - YOU ARE ALONE IN THIS WORLD and if you continue the way you are, you may not be of this world for much longer.

Nobody loves you - go to sleep - properly.  Don't lull me into a false sense of thinking that you have finally given your last call for someone to come and stay with you.  If I did love you at the beginning of the night, I friggin' HATE you now.  At 2.11am, I had had approximately 90 mins of sleep - it is now 4.10am and I have still only had 90 mins of sleep.

If we were still in South Africa, I would have taken our 38 Special and shot you, but we no longer own a gun so I have to make do with putting the pillow over my head but somehow you manage to penetrate that with your call of desparation.

I NEED TO SLEEP - can you please, pretty please, SHUT UP !!  I really would appreciate it - especially at 2 or 3pm this afternoon when I am trying very hard to stay awake at work.  Or even worse, at 8.30 when I trying to keep my eyes open to finish with my last client.

(Maybe the bird can read - I haven't heard a call for a couple of minutes so I am going to sneak back to bed and hopefully get another 90 mins of sleep before I have to get up and face the day !)

Update :   That stupid bird went to sleep but as, by that time of the day, dawn was breaking, all his 'friends' who had completely ignored him fron 2am - 4am, decided that they would get up and whistle us into a new day - BLOODY STUPID BIRDS - don't they know that some of us have to get some sleep so that we can work to put food on the tables for our little cherubs !

Today should be a fun day - not !!!