100 Days of Gratitude

Day 60

Today I am grateful for friendly and helpful co-workers.

xox

Floods

Wow, what a few days it has been here in Australia. Flooding on one end of the country and bushfires on the other. I have spent the last 48 hours madly trying to make contact with all my friends in Qld. I loved there for 7 years so I know so many of the places that are lost and ruined. I was so happy this morning to hear from the last person I have been trying to contact. All are safe and well. Some property damage, but no injuries or lives lost and that is the main thing. When I got that last contact this morning I broke down.  The relief was overwhelming.

I am doing what I can to help, but like so many of us who are far away we feel helpless.  The lovely Lucky over at Stitch Selection is doing a Huggles Drive – Huggles are soft toys for kids.  As soon as I get home from Camp next week I am going to get sewing. It may not be much but it is something.

I would love to hear how others are helping out.

Question Day

1) What is your best childhood memory?
2) If you had 1 hour to evacuate, what would you pack up to take?

3) What foods do you dislike?

4) What exercise have you done this week?

5) What do you put in your coffee/tea?

100 Days of Gratitude – Day 59

Today I am SO grateful that all my loved ones are safe.

xox

Achilles Update

So I went to the Physio last night expecting to get the all clear to go back to everything except running as I really have not had much pain of late.

It turns out I have a lump on the back of my Achilles. The Physio is not sure at this point if it is still part of the injury or if a lump of scar tissue has formed. As soon as he touched it I was in tears just about. So...

I CAN

 - keep riding

 - walk on flat ground

 - go hiking as long as it is in a flat area (unsure where I will find a spot like that but I will look)

 - try body balance

 - try Yoga

 - try Pilates

 - swim

I CAN NOT

 - walk or hike up any hills

 - go for more than 2 walks in any week

 - run

 - try Zumba

 - do any high impact activity

Poop Bum Wee... Actually, the words I used were more colourful than that, but you know what I mean. :) Now I concerned about next week. I am meant to be going to Camp Quality but the place we are staying is in the hills and I am pretty sure it is on a slope. I am waiting to hear back from the staff to find out the lay of the land - if it is hilly I will have to pull out, and they are already quite short staffed. But I have to take care of me first. Although if I can't go I will feel guilty forever....  I should know by the end of the day.

100 Days of Gratitude - Day 58
Today I am grateful that I have got in touch with all my friends in Qld and they are all safe from the floods.

xox

Weigh In

Weigh in today and I lost 1 kilo. Before you get too excited, it is a bullshit number. I SHOULD have lost more. But for some reason my head went haywire and I used Saturdays ride as an excuse to eat anything and everything.  So while I acknowledge the loss, it is a bullshit loss as I could have done so much better.


Anyway, moving on....


I have joined a 7 day challenge on CK. Basically you set some goals and resolve to stick to them for one week. It is only 7 days, so it shouldn't be too hard.  These are my goals:


1) Stick to my calories
2) Drink 2 L of water a day
3) Stick to my cycling training plan
4) Go for a couple of walks.


Speaking of my training plan, I have revised it. It seemed sill to aim for 33 kms this weekend when I have already done 40.  So I have reduced it by a week and increased my weekend rides to get me there quicker.

I am sure this is completely manageable and I am looking forward to doing it.


100 Days of Gratitude


Day 55
Yesterday I was grateful for very little if I am honest with myself. My whole body was fatigued from the ride and I are myself silly. If I had to be grateful for anything it would be that there was very little crap food in the house, as I could have done a LOT more damage than I did...


Day 56
Today I am grateful for Emma, who this morning gave me the pep talk I needed to get myself back on track.


xox

My Ride

My bike ride this morning was awesome.  According to my training plan I was aiming for 30kms.  I met Megan in the city I got there early so I could have a bit of a rest before she got there. I took my time and just enjoyed the ride.  I rode 11 kms to get there, but it didn’t take as long as I expected. So I laid my bike down and sat myself on the grass to wait.

When Megan got there we had a chat so she could have a rest then got on the bikes and headed off for a nice comfortable ride. We did a loop through the parklands around the city. It was a gorgeous morning and just took our time, gasbagging the whole way around. Imagine our surprise when we got back to the start point to stop for a coffee and we had done over 15kms! We were aiming for 10. :)

We stopped for a drink and food (at least I got food) and gasbagged some more – we are good at that – before heading off in different directions home. I went home via the library so by the time I got home I had done…. 40.61kms!!!!!!

YAY ME!

50kms is not that far off. I will revise my training plan and knock at least a week off of it now I think, but it is at work so I will do it Monday.

100 Days of Gratitude – Day 54

Today I am grateful for the kindness of strangers. While I was waiting for Megan this morning a cyclist that rode past me while I was sitting on the grass actually turned around and doubled back to ask me if I was okay and needed any help with my bike. Very sweet I thought. :)

xox

This & That

Like I said in my last post yesterday - I was planning on smashing it on the bike on the way home last night. The aim was 15kms. Well, I wouldn't say I smashed it, but I pushed it pretty damn hard. I had a headwind nearly the whole way home, and I pedaled hard. My legs were fatigued and I was puffing and panting (which I don't usually do as I normally just cruise along). By the time I got home I was absolutely dripping with sweat and I was completely buggered, but geez I felt good! I did 16.47kms. I have no idea how long it took me or what my HR was, and I don't care. I know I worked hard and that is all I care about at this point. :)

After dinner (vegetable fritatta - YUM!) I went out to check my tyres, which I do every few days.  This is what I found...

Of course, I am out of spare inner tubes, aren't I...  Grumble, grumble...

So Ross is off to the bike shop today to get a couple of spares and to fix it for me (I really must learn to do that myself one of these days). And I had to catch a tram to work. The good news is, the 1.8km walk from the tram to work, all up a very slight slope, did not hurt my Achilles in the slightest. YAY!  I am back to the Physio next Tuesday and I really really hope he gives me the go ahead to start hiking again.

I did pretty good with my food yesterday too. Had some ice cream last night but it fit into my calories since I did such a hard ride. I was actually hungry too, not just mindlessly eating, so I figured it was okay. :) Am still feeling motivated and feeling good about it all.  Hopefully it lasts.

100 Days of Gratitude - Day 53
Today I am grateful that I am no longer living in Qld where all that awful rain and flooding is. My thoughts and love goes out to everyone affected by it.

xox

Question Day

I have borrowed my Questions directly from SpunkySuzi because they are pretty much the questions I was thinking of asking anyway. :)


1. What have been some of your healthy choices so far this week?

2. Is there anything healthy you haven't been doing or have been inconsistent?? Are you working on it?

3. What are you planning for dinner tonight?

4. How many meals do you make sure your having vegetables with?

5. Do you love to cook? Or would you rather eat someone else's cooking or eat out??


100 Days of Gratitude - Day 52
Today I am grateful for the beautiful weather we have been having this week which has made getting back into my cycling much much easier.


xox

Summer To-Do List Update

Time to revisit the goals I set for myself for the Summer.

1)  Start hiking again

Still waiting for the Physio to give the go-ahead

2)  Finish Couch quilts

Haven't done anything else on them, but hoping to have sewing time this weekend.

3)  Lose 12 kilos

4)  Ride 50kms in one day

Up to 27 - aiming to increase that this weekend.

5)  Ride a total of 1000kms

Up to 155 - not a lot, but getting there.

6)  Start Yoga

7)  Start cat stitcheries

8)  Send another childrens book to a publisher

9)  Take more photos for my cards

Got a couple more that may be good cards

10)  Push my World’s Greatest Shave Fundraising and get as much as I can towards my goal of $5000

Up to $1566

I am slowly making progress. Hopefully I will get a few more knocked off in the coming weeks. :)

100 Days of Gratitude - Day 51

Today I am grateful that I am a pretty good cyclist - saved me from getting squished by an idiot truck driver who looked me square in the eye before pulling out in front of me. Pity his number plate was covered or I would have been straight to the Police Station!

xox

100 Days of Gratitude


Day 48
Yesterday I was grateful for the beautiful sunshine. I had so much fun wandering around the gardens in the sun with my Mum.


Day 49
Today I am grateful for generous friends who let me take lots of photos of them. Thanks Em. :)


xox

2011 Goals

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, here we are, at the beginning of 2011. That came up so quickly. :) Where on earth did 2010 go?

So I have come up with my list of goals for 2011.

1)  Lose 30 kilos

2)  Ride 5000km

3)  Complete Photo 365 Day Project

4)  Complete my craft UFO Challenge

5)  Hike first 60kms of Heyson

6)  Finish 2 more childrens stories and send them to publishers

7)  Get my finances completely in order

8)  Find a nice home for Ross & I to live in

9)  Expand and nurture the veggie patch so we can eat lots of fresh veggies

10)  Try one new physical activity/sport every month

11)  Make meditation part of my weekly routine so I get to the point where I am meditating 3-4 times a week.

100 Days of Gratitude

Day 46

Yesterday I was grateful for good restaurant recommendations. :)

Day 47

Today I am grateful for the new year. A new chance to start everything fresh. :)

xox

10 for 10 Recap

I had an awesome day yesterday. :)  It started with a walk through the Botanic Gardens with my mum. We both took our cameras and wandered around snapping away.

We finally stopped for a coffee and relaxed in the shade watching the ducks.

From there we stopped in at Cathy's house to pick up a gorgeous gemstone necklace and earrings that she has made for my Greatest Shave raffle. I will post a pic when I take one, but I tell you, it is stunning, :)

We spent the afternoon just hanging out at Mums trying to stay cool. It was really nice.

From there I made my way back to the city to meet Megan for a coffee. And by "coffee" I do not mean Gelati and Iced Chocolate... :)  I got there a little late and when I got there Megan was NOT playing Smurfs on her iPhone... LOL

We talked, and talked, and talked. Then got up to leave and talked, and talked, and talked... LOL It was such a fun night!

Today has been pretty restful. Quick trip to Spotlight this morning but other than that, I have done pretty much nothing.

I thought I had better do a round up of my 10 for 10 challenge. I have been avoiding it as I thought I had pretty much failed, but having a look I did okay.

1) Run/walk the Mothers Day Classic in May
Done. Ran the 4km in 38 minutes

2) Ride at least 3000kms
Nope. I stopped counting around the 1200 mark because it came so late in the year and I was injured so I knew I wouldn’t get there.

3) Finish the knitted blankets
Done. I finished in September.

4) Lose 30 kilos
I only lost 2.…


5) Be in a financial position to sponsor a World Vision child
Done - we have a 3 year old sponsor child from India.


6) Send at least one childrens story to a publisher
Actually I sent 2 off, one of them to 2 publishers. Both rejected, but at least I was brave enough to send them.

7) Run/walk the 12 km at the City-Bay in September
Nope - I was injured


8) Start my novel
Well and truly started. I am up to about chapter 8.


9) Go on an overnight hike (first stage of Heyson if funds permit)
Cancelled as I was injured. Tentatively re-booked for May 2011


10) Keep in touch with my interstate friends in the old fashioned way - by writing actual letters with pen and paper.
Sent a couple of letters. 

Not a bad effort.  Next week I will be posting my 11 goals for 2011. :)

100 Days of Gratitude


Day 44
Yesterday I was grateful for a great day. Everythig was brilliant and I was just generally grateful.


Day 45
Today I am grateful for chocolate. No particulr reason other than I love it and feel grateful it was invented. LOL


xox

Xmas Wrap Up

Well, it has been a really good few days. Ross is back at work today, but I have until next Tuesday off, which is great (for me). :)

Xmas Day was spent with family. Often, this can be a trial, but it wasn't too bad. The kids were in a great mood and ran around like little nut-bags. They got water guns for Xmas so everyone got soaked. Considering how hot it was, no-one really minded. :)  The food was great - mostly healthy but lots of it. Ross & I got some new chickpea burgers that made us both a bit gassy. It was a bit uncomfortable (and smelly) but it meant we were still feeling really full and didn't eat dinner. LOL Note to self:- Never buy those chickpea burgers again...

Boxing Day we made our way down to the Bay for lunch with Em.  Em moved to Roxby Downs a few month ago so it was awesome to see her again. Glenelg was one of the only places open in Adelaide so it was insanely busy, but we still had a good time. Lunch was delish, and the company was great. Unfortunately she has already headed home so we have to wait for her next visit to see her again.

That night we headed to Thebarton to the West End Brewery for their annual Xmas Lights. It is always packed in the lead up to Xmas but going on Boxing Day was a good plan as there were a lot less people there. We had a really good night and have decided to make it a Boxing Day tradition.

Yesterday was Ross's last day off. The weather was great so we got out the bikes and headed out for a ride. I can't remember the last time I went riding for fun rather than just to get somewhere. We had no destination and no timeframe in mind. Just us and the bikes.  We ended up down at Seacliff where we stopped for ice cream.  We slowly made our way home along the foreshore.  By the time we got home we had done 27kms. Not a massive ride, but the longest I have done since I hurt my Achilles.

When we got home we celebrated the ride with a couple of drinks...

The Achilles held up really well which us great as it means I can get back into the cycling without having to worry that I am doing damage. I am really pleased about this as I have something to train for (which I will share details of in the new year) so I know I can get started now. :)

The rest of me didn't fare as well. It has been too long since I have gone riding and it hurt.  My butt bones feel swollen today! LOL  I was so exhausted when we got back I feel asleep on the couch. I pulled up okay today though - other than the swollen butt bones that is... LOL

This morning I headed to the Gym. Now that felt weird. It has been forever since I have been in a gym. Since the ride went so well I decided to see how walking up a slight incline went. I have only walked on flat surfaces for months.  I set the speed at a moderate pace and did a couple if stints at 1% incline. Not a lot, but something. My Achilles was fine until towards the end where I felt it starting to pull. Not hurt, I could just feel it. I stretched it out afterwards, and went for a short bike ride. When I got home I took some anti-inflammatories and iced it. Now it feels pretty good. A little tight, but pretty good.

This afternoon I am watching Sex & The City on DVD, and will be doing a little sewing later. Very relaxing. :)

100 Days of Gratitude - Day 43
Today I am grateful that I was sensible enough to follow the Physio's advice and look after my Achilles. The fact that it is clearly healing is incredible, and I am starting to see there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

xox

Xmas Lights

100 Days of Gratitude

Day 41
Yesterday I was grateful for the fact that Em has family in Adelaide so she HAS to come back for visits and I get to see her!

Day 42
Today I am grateful for a patient husband who is going on a long "test ride" with me to see how my Achilles holds up on a ride over 12kms :)

xox

Merry Christmas

100 Days of Gratitude - Day 40
Today I am grateful for my gorgeous neices and nephews who make days like today absolutely perfect.

xox

Merry Christmas!

I missed Question Day yesterday... Oops. :) I'll do it today.


1) How do you celebrate Xmas Day?


2) What are you hoping Santa will bring you?


3) Do you enjoy the Xmas season?


4) What are you having for Xmas lunch?


5) Is there anyone you wish you were seeing for Xmas that you aren't?

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their comments and support this year and to wish you all a very

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

100 Days of Gratitude
Day 38
Yesterday I was grateful for my MIL for picking me up from work since I had several bags of groceries I wasn't looking forward to taking home on the tram.


Day 39
Today I am grateful for the last day of work!!!!


xox

Daily Quote

Happiness is not a station you arrive at, but a manner of traveling.
            -- Margaret Lee Runbeck

I can not WAIT for this week to be over. This is by far the suckiest week to work in Finance (equaled only to the week before Easter). Thankfully only 3 more days left, but they will be long days...

Last night I was so stressed when I left here, all I really wanted to do was run. I just wanted to run and run and run. And of course, I can't...  I did have my camera with me though so I decided to see if I could clear my mind by taking photos. It worked. :)

100 Days of Gratitude - Day 37
Today I am grateful to be living in a beautiful city where I can easily go somewhere new with my camera.

xox

Thoughts on Fat

I was in the city the other night waiting for a tram to go to Ross's work Xmas dinner. While I was waiting for the tram a young girl came up and stood near me (I say young but she was probably in her early 20's, that's just young to me). :o)

Anyway, this girl was dressed kind of like Abby from NCIS - goth-ish with a bit of flair if that makes sense. I was watching her (not in a creepy way, in a people watching way) and I noticed that people tended to avoid her. They were walking around rather than past, and not stopping nearby if that makes sense.

This girl looked quite happy. Content. She also seemed to find amusement in peoples reactions to her. Like her outfit was doing its job of keeping people away. Almost like she was using it as a barrier of sorts.

It got me thinking...

In a way I am like that. Although I don’t use clothes as my barrier and I don’t find amusement in it. I use my fat as a barrier. It stops me from getting close. It gives me an excuse to remain at a distance. But it doesn’t make me happy.

Whereas this girl was making a conscious choice to stand apart from the crowd, I make an unconscious choice to do the exact same thing every single time I open my mouth and shovel food into it.

There are so many reasons why I am fat. I eat my way through sadness, use food as an emotional crutch, prefer to sit on the couch to exercise… But I have never before considered that this was yet another reason. I may not like it but it keeps me protected. And I like to feel protected.

The thing is, I am missing out. I often say I have never missed out on anything because of my size, but is this true? I use it as an excuse to avoid certain things.

And I don’t want to miss out anymore…

How do I break the habits of a lifetime? Especially at the moment when I am still fighting the residue sadness from the depression I have gone through this year.

I need to give this some serious thought and try to find a way to break through the other side…

100 Days of Gratitude

Day 35

Yesterday I was grateful for generous friends who are happy to pick me up so I don’t miss out on our weekly catch up.

Day 36

Today I am grateful for…. Ok, I am struggling today. Today I am grateful for chocolate. I know it shouldn’t but some days it just makes me feel better…

xox

Weekend Recap

The weekend started Friday night with Ross's works Xmas dinner. We went to Goodlife Organic Pizza at Glenelg. I love that restaurant. The pizzas are great. I got to meet all of Ross's workmates and their partners, and we had a really fun night. We walked home which was really nice, although the Achilles was a bit tender when I got home.

Saturday morning was spent at Harbourtown. Emma and I were volunteering at the Camp Quality gift wrapping stand.

The morning started slowly, surprisingly being only a week out from Xmas, Harbourtown was surprisingly quiet. But we did get some customers as well as some very generous people who were happy to donate without getting any gifts wrapped.

From there I made my way to my Mum's to pick out the quilts for my Worlds Greatest Shave Raffle and also to auction on Ebay.

This is the raffle quilt, valued at approximately $500, made by my Mum! It is a bit bigger than a single bed quilt, but not quite as big as a double. The applique was done by hand. I really hope that whoever wins it loves it.

This one I will be auctioning on ebay in the New Year.  It is valued at around $300.  It is a large lap quilt.  I really hope I get a buyer! :)

This morning I was up early with a whole day stretched out in front of of me. I love days like this where I have no plans and no responsibilities. It started out on the couch with a good book. After a couple of hours I was itchng to get out, so I grabbed the camera and hopped on the tram to Glenelg to take some snaps. I spent about an hour or so wandering around taking photos. My goal for the next year is to expand my photographic horizons and start taking photos of things I wouldn't normally. So I started just shooting whatever I walked past. I ended up taking over 100 photos (love digital) and a few of them turned out okay.

When I got home I pulled out the sewing machine and got to work on my Mug Rugs. They are nearly finished. Just some hand stitching to do to stitch down the binding and they will be finished! I am very excited. It's been ages since I have finished something I have sewn.

Now I am watching Sex & The City (season 3), blogging, and admiring my new red and green Xmas nails. :)

A great weekend.

100 Days of Gratitude - Day 34

Today I am grateful for true days off. They are so rare that I really do appreciate them when I get them.

xox

Musings

Daily Quote

Do you want to know who you are?
Don't ask. Act!
Action will delineate and define you.
- Thomas Jefferson

This is just rambling thoughts today.  Something that has been on my mind a bit lately that I need to muse over.

I have this person in my life who confuses me. Let's call her A. I don't really like her. I don't know why exactly, she just gets to me. I can't not see her as she is the wife of one of Ross's good friends. I try and avoid as much as possible, but these things are just sometimes unavoidable.

The thing is, she is perfectly nice. She is a good friend to Ross, and has been quite supportive of my Worlds Greatest Shave efforts. She has never been nasty to me or anyone I know. But I just get this vibe from her - you know. I can't really explain it. Just that despite appearances, I feel as though she is looking down on me and it really irritates the crap out of me. She has never said anything or done anything I can pinpoint to make me believe this, I just do.

I am not sure how to deal with it. I don't know her well enough to come out and ask her - hey do you hate me? Plus what are the odds of her admitting it if it is true? But she really grates on me. And the weird thing is, the nicer she is to me, the more it annoys the crap out of me...

How do I deal with this? Ross is aware of my feelings, but there are the occasional "couple" things I can't get out of - birthday parties, the odd dinner etc. The main problem is that once I see her she bothers me for the next few weeks. I don't know why - she just does.

Hmmm... Just needed to get this out. Thanks for listening. Would be interested in hearing any thoughts on this, on how I can see her or have communication with her, without her getting under my skin. :)


100 Days of Gratitude - Day 32
Today I am grateful for Facebook. Sounds weird but the amount of support I have gotten from Facebook sellers and "friends of friends" for my Shave in truly unbelievable. Social networking at its finest. :)

xox

Question Day

1) Are you married? 

2) What is your favorite time of day? 

3) What did you want to be when you were little?

4) How did you decide your weight goal?

5) Where would you want to retire? 

100 Days of Gratitude - Day 31

Today I am grateful for the sunshine. It really brightened my mood on the ride in to work this morning.

xox