My First Award !!

On Friday I was honoured to receive my first award !!!  Thank you Lisa from mumofadultkids - I too have seen these around other blogs and thought that they were a little lame (sorry everyone !!!) - but now that I have been recognised as someone that others like to read and find inspiring, I am feeling really good about my blog.  It is strange because, while I love to read what other people are getting up to, I often wonder what attracts people to read my blog.

When I first started blogging, most of the bloggers that I followed were blogging to help them lose weight.  There was a wide range of ages / home situations / work lives but we mostly had the same goal - to stay motivated and lose weight.  Nobody got paid to blog.  Nobody (as far as I can remember) had adverts on their blog.  Some of the blog templates were fantastic, some were a little more ordinary.  But the content was mostly just what I needed.

This time around I seem to have found bloggers of a younger age group (or maybe that is just because I am a few years older now ??), a lot of whom have small children or no children and many of whom blog and get paid for it or have advertising on their blog.  Now please don't get me wrong, I am no knocking these bloggers at all - in fact I have got an advert on one of these blogs - but it certainly is a different environment to what it was 5-6 years ago.  I have often wondered if I could push my blog enough to get noticed so that I could get paid for blogging but given my nature, I figure that is never going to happen - I can't even ask my boss for a raise so how on earth am I going to ask someone to pay me to write about a product ?????

Anyway, I digress - AGAIN !  I felt very special when I read that Lisa enjoyed reading my blog enough to tell others.  So now it is my turn for me to pay it forward to 7 bloggers after answering 10 questions about myself and giving you 10 random facts about myself.

The Ten Questions

1.  What is my fave song ? Right now I would have to say Tonight We Are Young by Fun (nothing to do with the fact that my maiden name is Young either !!!)

2.  My favourite dessert - Creme brulee (NOTHING beats this !!)

3.  What ticks me off ? - People who don't keep their word

4.  When I am upset what do I do ?  Before running, I would eat junk - biscuits or chocolate.  Now I go for a run.

5.  What is my favourite pet ? I don't like animals - we have two dogs and I tolerate them.

6.  What do I prefer - black or white ?  Black - it is more slimming !!!!!

7.  What is my biggest fear ?  Heights - I CANNOT handle them.  I keep thinking I will conquer this fear - not going to happen, according to my family.  I have truly tried so many times, now I just accept that I can't do heights !

8.  What is my attitude ?  If it is out of my control, I won't worry about it.

9.  What is perfection ?  A newborn baby.

10.  What is my guilty pleasure ?  Chocolate and Amarula

Ten Random Facts About Me

1.  I love my feet.

2.  I don't drink tea / coffee / anything hot.

3.  I love running (this one you may have already picked up on !!!)

4.  My engagement ring is made up of diamonds from my Gran, my Mom and my engagement rings.

5.  I was 0.15 off being legally blind - I now have artificial lens' in both eyes.

6.  I would rather go out and eat desserts instead of having dinner.

7.  I would have been a surrogate Mom for somone if only they hadn't said I was too old.

8.  I hate having water on my face - probably the main reason why I don't swim very well !

9.  Some people had never seen me in a dress until they came to our wedding.

10.  I hate chipped nail polish.

Seven Blogs I Enjoy To Read

1.  Onwards and Downwards

2.  Colours of Sunset

3.  Welcome to the Family

4.  Julie's Journey

5.  A Happy Little Life

6.  Happy Family, Healthy Family

7.  Lady Daa Doo

Check some of these lovely ladies out if you aren't already reading them - they have amazing things to say and inspire me to continue to be the best person I can be or provide me with laughs that help me through the day (and sometimes they do both at the same time !!!!).

TFTD : Success means having the courage, the determination and the will to become the person you believe you were meant to be - George Sheehan

Fitness Friday

Today I am linking in with B at bbeingcool for Fitness Friday.

My week has been a good one from an exercise point of view - this is what I managed to accomplish :
Friday 6.93km run (47m11s)
Saturday I met the lovely A from Coloursofsunset where SHE had just run a 5km timed run - WITH NO WALKING !!!  I was so pleased for her - next time I go down I will take part as well - this was a look see visit.
Sunday 22.14km cycle (1h07m59s)
Monday 4.04km run (no walking 26m19s)
Tuesday personal training 30 mins by myself at home as trainer was away and K was being sookie sick
Wednesday 5.95km run (39m24s)
Thursday SHOPPING

Part of me did feel a bit guilty about not training last night but another part of me had so much fun I figured the world wasn't going to end if I didn't train PLUS I do advocate one rest day a week - that may just turn into being my rest day.

I am so motivated by what I am reading of the accomplishments of others - it really helps me when I am feeling like I can't be a*sed to get out there and do something.  Tonight may be a little different - the weather is miserable and raining but on the up side, at the moment, although it is raining it isn't cold and, as I have proved to myself before, a little rain never killed me so if I get home and it isn't pelting down, I promise to get changed and run - even if it is only 4-5kms.

Have a fantastic Friday and take care !

TFTD : In life, sometimes everything falls into place, and sometimes everything just falls to pieces.  The key is to begin creating with these fallen pieces.  By improvising, you'll create something magical that might be the best thing you've ever accomplished - Tori Amos

Thankful Thursday

Today I am linking up (albeit late in the day and nearly Friday) with Kate from katesaysstuff for Thankful Thursday.

I was thinking about this post when I was driving down from Inala back to the office today and I had a whole heap of things in my head but after the evening that I have had, I have had to change the original post about what I am thankful for - not because I am not thankful for the other stuff from earlier today, but because I am more thankful for my wonderful daughter.

I had asked her this morning if she wanted to go late night shopping tonight and she said yes even though she doesn't have any money to spend.  Winter means fewer shifts for her as a life guard at Wet n Wild so her $300 this fortnight doesn't go very far when she has to pay $110 board / phone / Suns membership / computer every week - leaving her $80 for the fortnight to put petrol in her car and not much else !!

Anyway, we went down to Robina as I wanted to go to the Lululemon shop - I was given a pair of socks on the weekend and used them during the week - they were lovely !  I wanted to look at a long sleeve top to run in as the evenings are getting a little chilly to run in a racer back top.  I found a lovely l/s top but at $89 wasn't sure that I could justify the cost.  (No doubt if A was with me we would have bought it !!!) 

After that we went and had some dinner and I said to K that I wanted to maybe look at some dresses with tights and ballet flats.  She was so excited at the prospect of me buying some new clothes that weren't jeans / T-shirts / jumpers !!!  So off we went.  She picked out all sorts of items for me - some looked really good - some looked awful (or maybe they didn't look awful, I just felt they did).  I am not sure who had more fun - her or me !  Occasionally I would say something or pick something out to try on and she would just roll her eyes and laugh and I would put it back.

I tried on a dress at Forever New in a size 16 - too big.  She brought me a size 10 - I asked her if she was off her head - no ways was I fitting into that - she gave it to me and said try it on - it fitted !! I couldn't believe my eyes.  I asked her if there was a size 12 as I just felt that even though it fitted me I would have had to stand in it all day as I didn't think I would be able to sit down without showing my knickers to all and sundry !!!  They didn't have a size 12 but their store at Pacific Fair had a few size 12s !!!  We had looked at some ballet flats which were comfy but I wasn't about to buy shoes without having something to wear them with !!!

She is wearing these leggings and in I can't remember how many stores we went into, the assistants commented on them and how awesome they were and asked where she had got them from (Black Milk in case you are wondering !!).  We were walking back to the car when this guy came out from nowhere and said "I'm not crazy - I work for Michael Hill Jewellers (and showed her this pamphlet for their sale).  I just LOVE those leggings where did you get them from" - poor bugger she looked like a deer caught in the headlights she got such a fright.  Anyway she told him and while they were talking another lady from MHJ came up and asked her about them.  Certainly - they have given us a lot of enjoyment tonight !!!

Anyway, we got to Pacific Fair and I tried on the dress in a size 12 - it really did look lovely - think I need to seriously consider buying it !!!  From there we went to Runaway Bay as I had to check on something at LeGassick and we went to a store SES and I did land up getting this cutest little red and black dress and then we stopped in at Coles and I got some black tights.  K was all excited (probably more so than me) saying "So, you going to wear it to work tomorrow" and I just looked at her and smiled - said "No, I can't because I don't have any shoes PLUS there is only me and the MD in tomorrow - so not worth while wearing anything other than my jeans" - "Yeah, you're probably right."

I am thankful for my 20yo daughter who still enjoys going shopping with her Mom.

I am thankful that she feels that she can offer me fashion advice.

I am thankful that I can still tell her that while it may be fashionable, there are some items which just don't suit me or are not suitable for a 46yo Mom to be wearing !!!

I an thankful that I get to spend this time with her because I know that it won't be like this forever - at some point it will stop. (Mind you, A is the shop-a-holic in our family and he often says "Let's go shopping" when I would really prefer to stay at home and relax !!!).

I am thankful that we can share these times together - laugh together - have fun together - and, in general, just have a great time hanging out together.

I am thankful that one of the most precious gifts that I have, continues to provide me with hours of enjoyment ! 

Thank you K - you have grown into an amazing young lady - I am proud to have you as my daughter.

TFTD : Why struggle to convince someone of something they're not ready to hear ?

Exercising vs Growing My Business

I am finding myself in a predicament that is not going to go away until I deal with it.  In 2009, I opened The Body and Feet Retreat which operates out of our home Monday - Thursday 6pm - 9pm and all day Saturday.  When I was trying to accumulate my hours, I offered treatments for free.  I was amazed at how many people would book in for a treatment, I would confirm the day before and then they would not turn up on the night. Anyway, I digress, AGAIN !

As you know, I have recently started to exercise - a lot.  K says that I am turning into an exercise junkie - I wasn't sure whether that was a compliment or a put down because she threw the name Madonna in there as well !!!  The thing is, I am REALLY enjoying exercising.  Even yesterday when my legs felt like they were about to stop on our cycle, I kept going - I love the endorphin hit that I get when I exercise.  I love that on Friday night I could get dressed and go running when I was upset over a spat between K and A instead of eating because I was upset.  I love that tonight I ran for 4kms without walking - not even once.  I love that people are commenting on how much weight I have lost even though I haven't lost any more weight - I must do my measurements again because maybe I have toned up.

But this has led to me wondering what I should be doing about promoting my business because (a) the time spent promoting my business could be spent exercising (I have done letter box drops previously which has always got me some new clients - at least enough new clients to pay for the pamphlets that we drop off) and (b) more clients would mean less time to exercise.  We have spent a lot of money getting me qualified and turning our spare room into a really lovely therapy room - one that people love to go into for a treatment because the energy is so good.  We have given up a lot of time as a family to get me qualified as well as the time that I spend with clients.  Again, this is time that I could be exercising !!!  When I exercise, generally A will cycle with me if he is at home and quite often K will start out running with me but then take off by herself - which is OK because she runs faster than I do.

I recently signed up for an advert on a local doctor's reminder cards - apparently they hand out / send out approx 150 cards per day.  I would like to think that this will generate some business for me.  I need to get my head around this dilemma - I really want to grow the business because the money is to be saved for things like holidays, a new car, extentions to our home - so I have to massage a lot of people or do reflexology on many pairs of feet in order to accomplish it as these are not small expenses BUT it also means that I will need to cut back on my exercising especially as it gets colder now and so more difficult to go out running late at night once I have finished treating clients.  As much as I would love to be a morning exericser, I am not.  In fact, I want to sign up for the GC Marathon 10km race on 30th June - but it starts at 6.30am - how am I going to be able to run at that time of the morning ?  Do I eat / drink before I go ?  I always have something to eat at about 3pm but then only start to run between 5-6pm - does this mean I need to get up at about 3.30am to have something to eat ?  Can I run if I haven't eaten since the night before ?  Sorry - again I digress !!!

So I am back to having to consider - still - how much time do I want to spend building up my business at the expense of exercising ? And, I guess at the end of the day, nobody can make that decision except me BUT I would love to hear your opinion if it was you in this situation.

Have the best week possible !

TFTD : The only person you have the power to make happy is yourself.  Do that, and you will be in the perfect position to help others do the same for themselves - Alan Cohen

Meeting a Friend .... and Other Things

On Friday night I was going to have a rest night - K had said that we could do a big cycle on Saturday early evening when she got home from work.  A few minutes later A and K were having a small altercation that seemed to go on for a while even though it was so silly so I went to my room to read.  Read for a while and then realised that I really needed to run it out and not lie there stewing over their differences.  Got changed, got my phone and off I set.  6.9km later I was home again - SO pleased that I had run - with a good time as I had only walked about 3 or 4 times and not for very long each time.  Nothing like a run to clear my mind.

Unfortunately when I got back I saw a tweet from @coloursofsunset saying that there was a 5km timed run on Saturday morning at Main Beach.  I said I would see how my legs felt in the morning and maybe join her and her husband.  I woke up on Saturday morning - they felt too tight to run so we got up and got dressed and went down anyway.  I watched her come in and beofre we left A said I should go and say hullo - trouble is that I am really shy.  Anyway, he nudged me along and said he would go and get the car while I said hullo - so off I went.  I am so pleased I did - she is such a lovely lady.  I am just sorry that A had to go to work and so we couldn't talk for longer.  While we were talking, two ladies from Lululemon came up and gave A a choice of two running shirts and offered her husband a pair of shorts.  We talked for a while and then A told them I ran as well and they gave me a pair of socks - can't wait to try them out tomorrow night - they look really comfy.

I popped in to see my folks yesterday - as always, we seem to find things to laugh about.  I found this picture taken last Easter when we went to Stanthorpe for the day.  Thank goodness, I am no longer this big !!!!!

No cycling last night - K got home from work and then sat on the computer until about 6.30pm before saying "Are we going to cycle?" - I said no because our lights aren't working properly.  A and I cycled this morning - down to Sunningdale Bridge then back up to Paradise Point before coming home.  My legs felt like lead for the first 5km - from 5-17km my legs felt great - I felt like I could have cycled forever - 18-22km - I don't know how I managed to keep my legs turning over - maybe the thought of falling off my bike kept them going.  I couldn't even stop as I wouldn't have been able to walk those last kms home !!!!!  But it was all good - so glad that I did it - the day was great - no wind, a little cool but OK once we got going.

Went to My Fit Fridge to see their meals and bought a couple to try out - mainly because with A going away and only K and I at home, I really can't be bothered cooking meals for just the two of us.  Plus I have a couple of clients booked this week and if I am going to exercise as well, I need to have decent meals planned otherwise I will land up eating toast every night.

Well another weekend nearly at an end - and another work week about to begin.  I said to Al when we were on our way home today - even though we don't know what is happening with his job - life is good I am extremely fortunate to have such an amazing family, the support and friendship of some amaxing people, my health and motivation to exercise and get fit - I LOVE LIFE right now !

Have the best week ever !

Our Long Weekend in Yamba

This is an aerial shot of the resort where we stayed - Angourie Rainforest Resort (calling it a rainforest resort was a bit of a stretch but it was in a big wooded area).  The rainbow was one we saw as we were crossing a brigde on our way just outside of Yamba.  The swamp lagoon was outside our unit !

The bikes on the back of the car - ready to exercise over the weekend. 

Our balcony overlooking the lagoon.

Our unit at Angourie Rainforest Resort

When we arrived at Yamba we unpacked and then went for a drive down to the beach where I took this photo.  Someone that works with A told him about a really good Italian restaurant but couldn't remember the name - not a problem as it wasn't difficult to find.  Had a great meal there before going back and having a good sleep.


Woke up at about 6am (as you do when you are away and can sleep in !!!) - I thought A might go back to sleep but when I said I was going to go for a run he said he would cycle with me so off we went.  Out the resort and turned left for 3kms and then 3kms back - the 'hills' were unpleasant - where I run on the Coast there are no hills - no inclines - nothing - it is absolutely flat !!!  Anyway, made it back to the unit, showered and off to breakfast.  I felt really good about being able to run while we were away - for me, the key is to keep the momentum and motivation going - I am always scared that if I stop I won't start again (having said that, this is the first time I have been away and actually exercised while we have been away !!!)


After that we jumped into the car and went exploring.  Got to McLean (about 10km from Yamba !!!) and saw all the lamp posts were painted with Scottish surnames and in the relevant tartans.  Found MacLaughlin and took a pic of it (that is our family name although spelled a little differently).

For some reason A wanted to look in all the second hand / antique stores so we were in and out the car numerous times !!!!  This is not something he is normally interested in and eventually I had to ask why - he didn't know except that we could !  So I then said he have 4 more stops he could make - we laughed so much.  Went to Grafton - really not much to see and while I would LOVE to live in Yamba, I wouldn't give you thank you to live in Grafton.



We caught the ferry across the Clarence River.



Got back to the unit and tried to find the Suns/Freemantle game on the TV but it wasn't being broadcast in NSW.  K called with updates every now and again and were following them on Twitter - such an exciting game.  Got changed quickly and tried to find the local tavern to see if we could catch the game there but couldn't find it so went to the Bowls Club - still couldn't see it there so stayed and had dinner - such good value for money and great food (if you are ever in the area try to make sure you go there at least once !).

Sunday morning we woke up and had breakfast before getting on our bikes and cycling down to the ferry across to Iluka.  Arrived there and cycled about 30kms all up - went to Woody Point.

Some of the beaches at Iluka / Woody Point and sunsets at Yamba



More beaches and another sunset

Cycling around there was great although our butts really felt it as it has been ages since we have cycled - the weather was magnificent which helped as well.  Actually I got quite a nice tan on my shoulders (and of course A's face got quite red as he didn't put block out on !!!)

Sunset at Yamba



We loved having the spa bath - a great way to finish each day.  We went back to the Bowls Club for dinner it had been that good the night before.

On Monday morning we woke up, had breakfast and packed the car.  Then we drove into McLean and had a wander up and down the main street.  They had a shop called Pot Belly Pies and we couldn't resist getting pies from there.  I am not a pie person - in fact I can't remember when last I ate a pie - I really don't like them - but these looked so good.  We bought them for lunch.  Left McLean and drove home as K was at home and we thought it would be good to spend the afternoon with her.  We had the pies for lunch when we got home - thank goodness we didn't have them any earlier when we were there as I would have bought a whole heap of them and put them in the freezer for another time - they were the nicest pies I have ever had !!!!  Again, if you are ever down that way, give them a try.

We looked at property down there (we were that taken with it) but then, on the way home, we spoke about it - K wouldn't move because she is at uni, my Dad starts his radiation treatment and would need to stay here and given that we have all moved half way around the world, we really want to be able to see each other and be there in need, so it doesn't make sense to move - for now.  But, give me a couple of years, maybe we can turn this dream into a reality.

It was a great weekend away - just what we needed - time to be together and reconnect.  It has been difficult with A working away so much.  I am really glad that we went on that weekend because the following week they were called into the office to be told that the company had been bought out and the buyers didn't want their division.  So A is working today on stuff that they need to take with them when they leave on Monday.  He will be away for about a month but luckily will be home a couple of times in that month and I will go up one weekend when they are working so that we can at least have the evenings together.

Have a fantastic weekend - I am having a great time even though A and K are both working today !!!!

Fitness Friday

Linking up with B from bbeingcool for Fitness Friday and Dorothy from Singular Insanity for Things I Know.

This is what I managed to get done this week starting with the MDC on Sunday :
MDC 4.2km in 24:27
Monday 5.6km run in 38:23
Tuesday 30 mins personal training
Wednesday 5.6km 36:57
Thursday 30 mins personal training

The start of the week was bloody cold and I so didn't want to run but I knew that if I didn't get out there one day could become two days could become the end of my training.  So I braved the cold and the sore chest from breathing in the cold air and just ran.  The good thing about the cold is that I tend to run more than I walk because it is too cold to walk !!!!!

I am really happy with how my training is going.  Three people this week have asked how much more weight I have lost and I haven't lost any more weight - I have maintained my weight for about 7 weeks now and I am happy about that. I have strategies for dealing with small gains.  I have strategies for dealing with a run of making bad choices - I know I can do this and I am going to keep on doing it because it is working for me.  I think that if I stopped training I would have to change my eating habits but for now it is working so I am going to stick with it.

Onto something more uncomfortable - I am sick and tired of these bloody hot flushes that I keep having !  Even taking the wild yam, I am still getting them - although I think they would be worse if I wasn't taking the wild yam.  How long are they going to go on for ?  My research on the internet says 2 - 10 years - I cannot do this for that long.  I am tired of having to strip down to the bare essentials multiple times during the evening/night and then having to get dressed again.  If anyone has any suggestions for combating these, I would love to hear from you.

Wishing you all the best weekend ever !

TFTD : You will not find fulfillment where you have been taught to look for it.  You will only find it where it lives, right where you stand - Alan Cohen

My Dad........ My Hero

Dad and Mom last year on Mom's birthday

Up until about 4 years ago I thought my Dad knew everything.  When I was little there was nothing he couldn't fix, nothing he couldn't make and nothing he didn't know.  Little did I know that most of the time he said what he said with so much confidence and not nearly enough knowledge, that I always believed him. I believed in him and what he could accomplish because he never led me to believe anything else.

About 4 years ago I started to question things that he said and slowly came to the realisation that he didn't really know everything - all he did was say everything with so much conviction that if you didn't know otherwise you believed what he said.  Since then we have had many laughs over what he says and whether it is actually true - it has become a family joke now and he doesn't mind that it is often at his expense (because he got away with it for so many years !!!)

In December 2010 he was diagnosed with a melanoma on his forehead and the plastic surgeon gave him 5 years to live - 5 YEARS - that wasn't long enough - I need more time with him !!!  They operated before Christmas to remove the melanoma.  In March 2011 he found a lump on his face in front of his ear.  The cancer had spread and they did a radical neck dissection in May 11, taking out 18 lymph nodes.  He went through 5 weeks of radiation and really battled to recover from that.

In December 2011 they gave him a clean bill of health.  Early in February 12, 6 weeks after the clean bill of health, they found another lump, further down his neck.  They operated in April 12 and took out the remaining 13 lymph nodes.  On 5th June 12 he will start another round of radiation and all the horrors that go with it - the sores, the lack of taste, the weight loss, the tiredness. 

But he is a fighter - when I was little I never remember him being there much - he was either running, playing tennis or working around the house.  He ran the Comrades Marathon in South Africa, a 90km run from Durban to Pietermaritzburg - 10 TIMES.  (Talking to him the other night he said that he used to train for about 2-3 months for the marathon so my idea that he was always running is probably not that true - it is just how I remember it being).  He ran the 100 miler TWICE - can you imagine that - running 100 miles around a cycle track and not going out of your mind - or maybe you had to be out of your mind before you actually did it - I don't know !!!!!  He wasn't a Dad who sat and read with us or played with us because he was always busy with the house or sport but that is what most Dad's did in those days.  He also wasn't a Dad who went to the pub with his mates to have a drink - in fact I don't recall him ever going to a pub to have a drink - if he wanted a drink he came home and had one with Mom or we all went out to dinner at a restaurant.  Having said that, I never remember him not answering a question when we asked it (even though now I know he probably made up the answer anyway !!!), not fixing something of ours when it was broken or building something that we needed.

He was the Dad who dropped me off if I was going out before I had my licence and then came back and picked me up when it was time to go home.  He was the Dad who patiently waited, after arriving at said pick up time of midnight, until 1am or 2am because we were having so much fun and nobody else was going home.  He was the Dad who took me to and from work so I didn't have to catch the bus, especially in winter when it was a bit cold !!!!

We have had many discussions since I have become an adult with my own child of how different we have been as parents to what he and my Mom were like.  He acknowledges that he often said no because he could and not because there was any reason for saying no - and he regrets it.  He acknowledges that he never played with us much - and he regrets that too.  And he has made up for it with his grand-children - more so with our daughter than my brother's child mainly because my ex SIL wouldn't let them see my nephew very much.

I know that leaving them behind when we moved countries was the hardest thing I have ever had to do.  My Mom was not very computer savy and I tried to show her before we left how to e-mail because I couldn't afford to phone them every day.  My Dad was the one who mailed me every day - telling us what they had been up to and how they were. 

My Dad is my hero - he has done some amazing things in his life and I am so proud to call him Dad.  He has been supportive without being over bearing.  He has offered advice and then stepped back and let us make our own decisions.  He has been there, no matter what, to catch me if I fell. 

I love you Dad and no matter what happens, whenever you leave, it will be too soon.

Linking in with Kate from katesaysstuff for Thankful Thursday and Dorothy from Singular Insanity for Things I Know.

Mothers Day Classic

Last night I had a dreadful nights sleep - even after taking a sleeping tablet - but, as Murphy would have it, it felt like I had just fallen asleep when the alarm went off and we had to get up and get down to Main Beach for the 2012 Mothers Day Classic.  We had had a great evening last night - organised a surprise for K at dinner by inviting her best friend from Brisbane - what a fantastic time we had - everyone laughing and joking - my Dad was on form and K's friend T couldn't stop laughing with us !

Anyway, K wasn't too keen to get up until I told her the time and then off we went. Managed to get a parking reasonably close by and then the waiting - oh the waiting - I just wanted to get started !!!!  We didn't go the route on the piece of paper they sent us but that was OK.  I started running and after the first km, my pace was 5 mins 35 secs and I knew that I couldn't sustain that pace but it was so hard to slow down because everyone was running past me.   I also realised that if I am going to run in the morning, I need to have something to drink before I run - not a lot, just small sips of something - big leasson learned !!!  I did manage to slow down - a little - not enough to slow down to what I had planned to run - but enough that more people over took me.  I think I was only just past the 2km mark when the leaders were already on their way back !!!!  Anyway, I didn't worry about them because there is NO WAY I am ever going to run at that pace which is about double my pace on a good day !  I turned, had some water and headed for the finish line.

My breathing was good.  My legs felt good.  The weather was great.  And I posted a personal best time for me - according to my phone 24:32.  Then I got the sms from MDC advising that I had come 374 (out of I don't know how many as the results are only going to be posted on Tuesday) in a time of 24:27 - either way, they are great times for me and I have a lot of confidence to enter another race.  I didn't come last. I didn't collapse along the way.  I wasn't the slowest on the day - not that that would have mattered but I really didn't want to be the last person across the finish line !!

Thank you to A and K for their support and encouragement.  K ran in just over 22mins.  Thank you also to all my wonderful blogger and twitter friends who have been encouraging and movitivating  and supporting me while I was training for this (coloursof sunset, lyndal, kate, jane) - you were all there every step of the way with me and I loved 'hearing' you encourage me to keep going.  I only walked about 3 or 4 lamp posts throughout the race when I needed a breather instead of my normal walk 250m run 750m. 

Last night we had an amazing dinner for K's birthday down at Alto Broadbeach.  We surprised her by inviting her best friend from Brisbane to join us - if you could have seen her face when T walked in - I'm just sorry we didn't take any photos - they would have been priceless !!!  We had such a good time - so much laughing and joking and the food was fantastic. I had a mushroom risotto and finished with a trio of creme brulee (my absolute favourite favourite dessert !!).

I have had a great Mothers Day today - starting with the race this morning, then dropping K at work, coming home and showering and then off to Mt Tamborine to take morning tea to my folks who were at the market there today.  Then a mosey around the shops while we waited for K to finish work so we could pick her up and come home for a leisurely dinner of nibblies and home made pizza minus the home made pizza because we had too many nibblies !!!!!

Have the best week ever - the first 5 day week - I hope I survive.  I have a longer run planned for tomorrow night.  I think I will have a 'steak day' tomorrow as my weight is starting to creep up a little and this successfully gets my weight down. 

Happy Birthday K and Some Cr*ppy News

HAPPY BIRTHDAY K

Twenty years ago at 8.45pm tonight K was born and our lives changed forever.  There had been ups and downs (just like in any family) but one thing I know, I wouldn't change this experience for anything.  I am not your  normal Mom (if there is anything like that) but I have done the best that I can with my limited maternal instincts AND I don't think that between A and I, we have done a bad job.  She is a good kid (can I still call her a kid if she is now 20 ???) who takes up so much of my heart I wonder how I can fit the love for her and A in the same place ?

Anyway, today is the day we no longer have a teenager in the house - how did that happen ?  How did I get to be so old that I no longer have a teenager for a daughter ?  However it happened - that is now my reality and that is OK.

A blog about our weekend in Yamba will follow once I can get my head around some things and get our photos sorted out - promise !

Onto the cr*ppy news - A (along with everyone in the division where he works) was called into a meeting on Thursday morning to be told that the group has been bought out and the new owners don't want to keep the telco division going - never mind that they have so much work they could keep working for another 2 years without even going out and looking for work - so, as soon as the projects they are working on are finished, he is out of a job - AGAIN !!!  This is now the fourth time since we arrived here just over 12 years ago that he has been out of work because there has been a closing down / reshuffle / change of plan on what the company wants to do and to be honest, I am a little tired of it !!!! Having said that, this time we are probably in the best position financially for this to happen so, once I got over the initial shock, I am more accepting of it.  I don't like it but I do accept that it has happened.

The upside is that he is a great techie and has made a name for himself in the industry so, we are hoping that he may be able to get another job before this one has finished.  He made a call to a guy he used to work with who now works at Ericsson to see if they had anything and this guy said that he hoped A didn't mind but he had already put his name forward to his boss.  Apparently they had heard the news and the boss had gone and asked if there was anyone who worked there who they should look at getting and A's name was at the top of the list.  So I am taking heart from that fact - I have put it out to the universe and the universe will provide when the time is right.

My exercise has been going well.  I had a great run last night - I just hope that I can reproduce that run tomorrow morning at the Mothers Day Classic - and if I don't, well that is OK too - I will go out and do my best and I can't ask for more than that.  On the weight front, I have been successful at maintaining my weight which is great but I think I need to measure myself again because people are still commenting asking how much more weight I have lost and I haven't lost anymore so maybe the measurements will be down from what they were the last time I took them.

Tonight we are off to Alto for K's birthday dinner - we have asked a her best friend to join us and my folks for dinner tonight as a surprise for K - I hope she is pleased !!!!!

Have a great weekend and take care.

TFTD : The head alone is a tyrant.  The heart alone is chaotic.  The marriage of the two is mastery. - Mary Guide, with Carla Gordan

Fitness Friday

Linking in with katesaysstuff  for Fitness Friday and bbeingcool for Team Friday.

I am really happy with how my training is going - this is what I have done over the past week :

Friday : 7.28km run in 52:55 mins in the rain at times
Saturday : Rest day
Sunday : 14.95km cycle in 48:09 mins in cr*ppy weather
Monday : 6.06km run in 40:43 mins
Tuesday : 30 mins personal training
Wednesday : 5.82km in 40:16 mins (hurt my calf)
Thursday : 45 mins matrix at home by myself - 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 reps of push-ups (knees mostly), sumo squats, sit ups, 600 punches, 16, 14, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 reps of push-ups (all knees) sumo squats, sit ups, 600 punches

I think that I may be able to run most of the MDC next Sunday and if I can't, well I will just give it my best shot on the day.  I am realising very quickly that some days I get out there and feel like I can run forever and others days I'm not that good - my breathing isn't right, my legs feel heavy, I just don't feel as comfortable - but I will continue to get out there and do it because I am loving feeling fit and healthy !

Have the best Friday ever - to those in Queensland, enjoy the long weekend.  Al and I are off to Angourie Rainforest Resort this afternoon and I can't wait.  Mind you, I have packed my running things, we have our tennis racquets (we have only played about 3 or 4 times since we arrived here over 12 years ago) and we have our bicycles so I hope the weather is good to us and allows us to be outside enjoying the great country air !

TFTD : Courage is the discovery that you may not win, and trying when you know you can lose - Tom Krause

Thankful Thursday

Today I am linking up with katesaysstuff  and Cami for TT.

I am thankful for being savvy enough to put money aside when we were working as contractors so that when our tax returns were done we had the money to pay the taxman.

I am thankful that once the returns were done I had put away nearly double the amount of money that I need to pay the taxman which means that we are well on our way to being able to pay for our 25th wedding anniversary celebration holiday in Canada.

I am thankful that this weekend is a long weekend and because we have this bit of extra money we can go away for the weekend and leave K at home to look after the dogs because she is working and so can't come with us.

I am thankful that she still likes to spend time with us even though she is turning 20 next week - and has gone to keep A company today on his drive out to Warwick and wherever else he is going.  They took over night bags in case they don't get back tonight - I hope they do get back - I don't think I want to spend the whole night by myself !!

Have the best day ever and if you are in Queensland, have a great long weekend !

TFTD : One person can make a difference and every person should try.

Not The Best Run and A Weekend Away

Tonight I ran but it wasn't the best run I have ever had.  My breathing wasn't bad but my legs felt like 10 ton weights - I noticed it at the 4km mark when I really started to tire.  Thank goodness A was cycling with me and gave lots of encouragement to get me home over the next 1.8km !

Onto something exciting - well exciting for me !  Yesterday I realised that we have a long weekend this weekend and, as I had received our tax returns back from the accountant and our tax bill is about half of the money that I had put away to pay the tax man, I was feeling a little flush (except that it is being put aside for our trip to Cananda next year) so I thought maybe we could just have a weekend away - so we are off to Angourie Rainforest Resort for three nights !

It will be great to have a couple of days away - after all the time that A has been away I think it will do him good to have some time not having to worry about cutting the grass or doing chores around the house.  Luckily K is old enough to leave at home to look after the dogs !!

Have a great evening and take care !

TFTD : The open hands of gentleness are always filled - A Course in Miracles