#vvow

What can I say, where do I start the debrief of the latest #vvow ? 

Firstly I think I should apologise for getting locked out of our party !!!  I did know about there being a daily limit of tweets because it has happened before (in my defence, it wasn't me that it happened to the last time !!!).  What I didn't know what (a) how many tweets per day we were allowed and (b) that I would ever get anywhere near that magic number of 1,000.  Now if I am totally honest, I didn't think I got anywhere near 1,000 tweets for the day (or even the 24 hr period leaving up to #vvow) but you better believe that next time we have a #vvow evening, I am going to cut down my tweets from the prior night and during the day leading up to #vvow (unless, of course, I completely forget about the limit, and land up getting locked out again because I have over-tweeted trying to keep up with all the conversations on the go !!)

I don't know about anyone else but I had A GREAT TIME (until I got locked out and then I had a sucky time following those who were left !!!).  Unfortunately we had a few sick children around so not everyone could make it all night - hopefully next time the children will all play along nicely and stay healthy and go to sleep when they should.  (BTW I am not suggesting for a minute that the children chose to disrupt the evening - it just happens - I get that !!!)  I also hope that all the little kiddlies are well and happy little vegemites by now !!

There were a few different tipples on offer - my favourite was Amarula (of course), we had some vodka, some wine, sugar free creaming soda, breakfast martini (apparently not as good as previously made).  And then cups of tea made an appearance.

I have just scrolled through the #vvow and realised how I really hi-jacked the conversations going - next time we have one, please would someone tell me to be quiet !!!!!!  Sorry - didn't mean to hop into everything like that !  (Maybe I did actually use all 1,000 tweets up last night !!!!)

But the conversations flowed - from what we were all drinking to what we were doing the next day - explanations of what #vvow was and how it all started - to what we were watching on TV and sick children - seemed to be a fair amount of pooping and vomiting happening (and I was so pleased that none of it was happening in my home - I don't do either of those very well at all !!!).  The conversation moved onto the topic of onsies and pj's and exercising.  Discussions were had regarding tweeting on the phone vs tweeting on a computer.  Children were put to bed.  Teletubbies were watched on TV.  Candy Crush came up for discussion as did AFL and the Lions/Suns game  - especially the plight of the Suns given Gary Ablett's calf injury !!!  Holidays were discussed and moving house.  How to wake children up when school goes back vs how late they sleep during their holidays provided some more points for discussion.  There may have been a few other topics that were covered but I can't remember them and I can't find them in my scrolling through #vvow !!!!

At one point we were trending second behind #LoneRangerAU and then at another point we were in first place (but I didn't get a photo of it before we dropped back to second again !!!)  The next morning we were in fourth position (clearly there wasn't much happening around the world otherwise there is no way our little #vvow party would have trended that high !!!) and, while this was not the aim of the party, it was kind of cool !!!!!

(Just imagine that a copy of the photo I took to show us trending second behind #LoneRangerAU is posted here - and if you really want to see it you can go to Instagram on my account @kal20m.  I have, once again, been challenged on a technical issue and cannot, for the life of me, or anyone else, figure out how I can get the photo from Instagram to here.  I have tried copying it and mailing it and sharing it and it gives me heaps of different options to choose from, none of which are "Paste this photo to this blog." !!)  So, if you don't have an Instagram account or don't want to hop over and have a look at it, you'll just have to take my word for it !!!

Again, I want to apologise for how many tweets I actually put out there on Friday night - it was only while scrolling through #vvow that I saw how vocal I was the whole night !!!  I suppose the up side is that it means I am really comfy with all of you (like as comfy as Maxine says !!!), otherwise I would have sat quietly, at home, by myself and not said anything (oh wait, I was by myself some of the time !!!  Well, you know what I mean !)

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I want to say a HUGE BIG THANK YOU to everyone who took part in #vvow and helped make it the success (that I think) it was !!! Thank you to @FrancescaBlogs who helped promote it but sadly, couldn't spend as much time chatting due to a sick MissyMoo.  I certainly had a great evening. 

 

It's funny because A called after I had been locked out of #vvow, and said that he had been lying in the bath thinking, this time last week, L (Me) had been up in Townsville and this time next week, he would be home.  Sadly it looks like he won't be able to make it to the Pink concert, so I may have a ticket up for grabs to her concert on Monday 22nd July in Brisbane.  We thought he would be able to make it as we had bought the tickets as part of my birthday present but I thought that the concert was the day before my birthday and not the day after - and, because we are going to Tassie on 12th August, he isn't able to ask to stay down a day longer :(   As cr*ppy as my trip to Townsville was the weekend before last, it certainly did help to break up the 4 weeks that he is normally away.  I won't be travelling up there for a while as he won't be pulling anymore 4 week stints away until we get back from Tassie - YAY !!!

 

It's Tuesday which means it's the day to join in with Essentially Jess for #IBOT.  Why not join in if you have a post on your blog today ?

 

Did you take part in #vvow ?

Did you enjoy it ?
Would you join in again if we had another #vvow evening ?

 

TFTD : It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all - in which case, you fail by default.

 



Introduction to Roller Derby

Last night I met some lovely ladies - C from musingnmayhem and A from Accidental Wonderland and Chaos (I'm sorry I don't have her blog address) at roller derby on the Gold Coast.  It was quite strange how it all came together - suffice to say that, while I don't do 'new' people well, I put my big girl panties on and went outside my comfort zone - and I am so glad I did !!!!  I had such a great evening !

A was busy working up on the Sunshine Coast and I wasn't sure when, or even if, he would be home last night.  I got down to the Carrarra Stadium and was sitting in the car listening to the Suns game against the Tigers when I got an sms from C saying that they were there and at the media entrance.  While my heart was racing, I knew that I had come this far I needed to actually get out the car, put my best foot forward and go and meet them.  I knew that they were lovely people but that didn't make it any easier - I really battle meeting new people, especially if I am by myself with no support from A.

We went into the stadium and it was so much fun even though I didn't know the first thing about what was happening.  The atmosphere was great.  Then I saw that Ames had posted a photo on twitter of the stadium and tweeted back asking her if she was behind the commentators (although when I had another look I saw that she was taking the photo from in front of the commentators - sorry Ames !) - we found each other and waved and a short while later she and her family came over and sat with me which was very nice as she explained the basics to me.  C & C came over and chatted for a while and then before the next bout we all went and sat on the floor up close and personal to the action !

 

I really enjoyed the evening and am so glad that I went - thank you for allowing me to spend the evening with you and for patiently explaining the rules and tactics to me.  It was a fantastic evening.

So, linking in with Dorothy from Singular Insanity with Things I Know - I know that there are many lovely people that I have met through blogging / twitter / FB and I know that, when I need to do things that I think I am not capable of doing, I am wrong - I can do them !!!
We are off for an afternoon of barefoot bowls - enjoy the rest of your weekend and have the best week ever !

TFTD : Your life isn't behind you, your memories are behind you.  Your life is ALWAYS ahead of you.  Today is a new day - sieze it !

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.

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.

The Weight Loss Gods Are Looking After Me !

Last night A and I went to see Moneyball.  We are a HUGE baseball fan family.  A started playing baseball when he was 3 and only gave up about 5 or 6 years ago.  He has played baseball and softball just about all his life and played softball for South Africa in the World Series in Michigan, USA in 1996 - it was an amazing experience.  I went over for the second week of the tournament and they made it through to the final 8 which was unbelievable given it was the first time they had played in the World Series.  Anyway, I digress.  It was a great movie which I think would be enjoyable even for people who didn't follow baseball.

After a lousy nights sleep the night before I had thought I would leave work at about 3pm so that I could either (a) have a nana nap or (b) go for a run or cycle.  I did neither.  My boss went out at about 2.15 and only got back at 3.15 so I was just packing up when he asked me to do a couple of things for him before I left so I landed up working until about 4.20 - so, no nana nap and no exercise.  Got home in time to get changed and leave to go to the movies.  We decided to have dinner at the movies - so I ordered the chicken wrap which came with some chips AND I ordered sticky date pudding with ice-cream as well.  On top of that we got complimentary popcorn and cold drink.  So, I had about 20 pieces of popcorn and left the rest.  I had the chicken wrap and most of the chips.  And then I waited.  And waited.  And waited.  And my dessert never arrived.  So after the movie we went to get a refund on the dessert that didn't arrive only to find out that they had delivered it to the wrong table !!!!  How lucky was that because as much as I would have enjoyed it, I probably would have regretted it once I had eaten it.  So now when I go for a run or cycle later this morning, I will be burning off calories that I have already eaten and not my dessert from last night !

Thank you to the Weight Loss Gods for delivering the dessert I ordered to the kids in front of us !!!!

Nothing too exciting planned for the weekend.  I am hoping to make a final decision on the bathroom renovation (or not) and we have someone coming around to see K's car which she is trying to sell.  As much as I love her, if there is anyone who would like to have a sassy 19yo living in their home, please mail me and I will arrange postage of said teenager post haste !!!!!!!  At what age do teenagers actually realise that THEY DON'T KNOW IT ALL - no matter how much they think they do ?????

Looks like I will make my 5/7 days of exercise again this week - gotta love being this motivated.

Have a fantastic weekend everyone and take care !

Love, hugs and positive energy.

TFTD : You do not know the weight of this self you are carrying until you put it down - Zen

Great Run !

Had a great run last night - the middle 2.2kms were run with no walks at all - WOOHOO !!!  Great news, I only walked 3 short lamp posts in the whole 3.4kms.  My time was unmonitored as I got 800m into the run when I realised that I hadn't pushed my watch twice to get it started !!!!  A was on the bike next to me (he has a dicky knee and so can't run) and he said that we were 800m from home - so all in all the run was my 3.4 route but I don't know the exact time - annoying but what can I do (apart from remember to switch my watch on properly you ask ??????)  Not sure if I will be running later this morning - A was talking about getting up early to do a tip run (no, not running to the tip, taking all the cr*p lying around the place to the tip !!!) so if he is up and moving I will get up and run.  Then home to shower and change, off for a mini facial with a client who is becoming an Arbonne distributor, then time to hit the bathroom showrooms and tile places so that we can do a costing for the bathroom and make a decision one way or the other - are we going to do the bathroom reno and maybe have to spend our 25th wedding anniversary sitting in the bathroom or do we maybe leave it for now and go to Canada instead !  Which would you rather do ?

Last night we went to see Warrior - what a great movie !  A bit cliched at times but I really enjoyed it - the one thing that I would have liked was maybe a little less fighting but that is purely for selfish reasons - I hate seeing people fight !!!!!  Other than a little too much fighting - I loved the story and the passion of the guys.  Thank you Lite and Easy for the movie tickets - so glad I waited until the last day to use them otherwise we wouldn't have seen the movie which only opened yesterday.

My food yesterday wasn't that fantastic - my boss and I went out to our factory at Yatala and got back only to find that neither of us had keys to get back into the office so we went to Subway to wait for someone to bring us keys.  I said I would just have a drink but he bought a foot long and gave me half and after protesting for about 5 mins I shut up and ate it.  Mistake Hiccup # 1 - I should have stuck to my guns and told him to take it home if he didn't want to eat it himself.

Hiccup #2 - went to Robina to get the tickets for the movie as I knew it was going to be tight getting home, going for a run and then getting down to the movies and my boss asked me to pick up something for him while I was there - not difficult to do except that I didn't know where the shop was and so by the time I had gone to information and then got to the shop - had to go past The Cookie Man and landed up getting two brandy snaps and two chocolate fairies - man I enjoyed them !!!  But then .........

Hiccup #3 - went past some bakery with snail hazelnuts and before I knew it - I had bought one and finished eating it before I realised that I had done that - mindless eating at it's best.  I get very disappointed with myself when I do this as I have tried really hard the past 4 weeks not to eat mindlessly - clearly I have to try harder with this lesson.

Hiccup # 4- sharing a packet of wine gums with A at the movies - I could have done so much better than wine gums !!!

Hiccup #5 (bet you are wondering just how many mistakes hiccups I can have in one day !!!!) - after the movie A said - would you like a milkshake - yes great idea !!!!  So McD drive through here we come - not only did I have a milkshake but I had a Chocolate Sensations with Oreos !!!  Again - gee I enjoyed it BUT I DIDN'T NEED HICCUPS 1, 2, 3, 4 OR 5 in my life.

Even if A doesn't do a tip run, after writing this all down - I need HAVE to go for a run so on that note I am out of here !!!!

Have an absolutely fantastic Saturday - anything exciting planned ?

Love, hugs and positive energy !

TFTD : Awake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving - Kahlil Gibran