Yesterday afternoon on our 'buffet hutch' thing, I found (after work) an envelope with my first and second name on it. Inside was this card (above). It's a "congratulations" and other sentiments card from hubby.. re: the job.
Speaking of re: the job.. I wanted to mention a sign that is on all the ladies toilet doors at work (on the inside). I thought it was in French because it was all in capitals with no punctuation etc. I had to read the opening title more than once..and keep reading the rest to realise it was in English. This is how it reads:
NOTES RE TOILETTE ETIQUETTE
*Please flush according to your individual needs (etc)...
Yes.. I guess that means half flush for 1's and .. well you know the rest. What if I feel the need to be mega-water conscious and want to 'let it mellow'?
That would never happen.. but yes.. the way the whole sign is worded is not supposed to be comical in any way but I read it as such.
Instead of writing "NOTES RE TOILETTE ETIQUETTE", why not just put 'TOILET ETIQUETTE"? Some would think "Who Cares?".. but for me.. it's noteworthy? Is noteworthy one word? ;)
Speaking of which.. I wasn't going to bother mentioning this but someone in my department called out to a co-worker "Is full length one word"? I wanted to pipe-up "No it's not!".. But the co-worker answered immediately with his "Yes".. so then I kept quiet because it was my first day on the job and I didn't want to appear like a know-it-all. Hubby thinks I would have done them a favour to have said "No, it actually isn't one word". He also added I was doing nobody any favours by keeping quiet about the proper spelling of something. Maybe in theory, yes.. but I didn't have that boldness on the first day to say "Hey.. I can be anal about spelling, even though I'm prone to typo's myself and forget how to spell the most simple things sometimes". I didn't speak up.. but I do plan on sharing the anal-spelling thing at some stage because I can spell a lot of words that some people apparantly can't.
So back to the greeting card... I asked hubby why my full name was on the front of the envelope and he said he wasn't sure whether to put the card in the mail.. leave it at my place (as he came and collected my girl and they bought some school supplies yesterday).. OR.. drop it into my work.
So yesterday was a mega-BLEH hot day with electrical blackouts statewide. I've made notes of this in my sidebar (ie. Twitter). Our power went out at 6.30pm (it was quite dark inside the house even then). So we couldn't open the fridge or freezer, not knowing how long the power was going to be out for. 
After 3 hours of no power and no dinner.. and two candles lit in a stifling hot house.. I took my girl (in the car) in seach of power. We saw other neighbouring suburbs had power and so did our local VideoEzy store. So we took our time (in the airconditioned surrounds) to pick 4 x weekly DVD's. I had the idea to go over to hubby's (he was finishing work at 10.30pm) - but we headed home around 10.25pm to see if there would be lights or blackness 4 hours after we lost power and there was still no power to our area. I went inside my house with only the light from my mobile phone (and a hungry, miaowing cat) and switched off the airconditioner and closed curtains etc. All in preparation for when the power did go back on. So the plan was to meet hubby at his place and have a really late night (if he was open to that). We watched a DVD there and got back around 1:30am and praise God the power was back on by then. Dinner was a couple of sushi rolls eaten in the car and a small tub of frozen yoghurt and some Vita Weat snack cracker things during the DVD.
From top left, working across and down;
*I was asked what I'm having for breakfast before work. Like lunch, I start off with fruit. That's Friday mornings little blue bowl with some pineapple, cantelope and quarter of a navel orange. That was followed by one slice of soy linseed toast (I bought 'mixed grain' yesterday, always grain of some description). On top of the toast, spread with half a mini-tub of light Philly cream cheese I had a mini-WW tin of baked beans (I drain/wash all sauce off, just my preference) & a few slices of tomato and cucumber.
*Then there's my lunchtime sandwich ready to wrap - another tuna and salad number
*Then I have my sandwich wrapped with some pineapple/cantelope which I ate before the sandwich
*The small pear and pink lady apple was for morning tea. On Thursday I had a couple of Ryvita's (with toppings) in addition to the two small pieces of fruit and it was too much food. Yesterday I was nice and hungry by lunch time and I was able to eat my whole sandwich.
*I'm thinking of taking something 'extra' for the afternoon. My team leader works 3 hours more than me per week, so she gets a 15min tea break every afternoon and I don't. When I've finished work, because I've been eating good food at good times throughout the day, I'm ready for an afternoon snack. I'm thinking it would be good to have half a sandwich or more fruit.. just something for the journey home. I recognise that being hungry and driving home, (I pass a lot of fast food places)- so I need to troubleshoot potential problems. Yesterday I had no food with me and had to go to the bank and pick up some things at the supermarket. So I bought a sausage roll because: I just really wanted to comfort myself because of the heat and because I was so uncomfortable in my work shirt and then Coles supermarket upset me and my mobile phone was flat and I wanted to get home to my girl who had been home alone two days straight for the first two days of my job!!
We talk about 'being prepared' for those kinds of situations at Weight Watchers. ie. carry a WW bar in your bag.. or another kind-of low point snack. I think it'll be good for me to have something healthy and nice in the fridge at work..ready to eat on the way home. Yes I only live 5 to 8 min's away by car.. but there are plenty of places I can drive to between work and home for quick food fixes. So anyway.. I did get the sausage roll (average 12 points) and I also bought one at the supermarket to microwave. In the name of 'reinforcing' the comforting when I got home. So easy to ruin a days worth of good eating. I knew I had leftover, chopped up fruit in the fridge at home.. but I wasn't interested once I got the sausage rolls.
Anyway.. today is a new day. I can't exercise because my lower back and left foot are out of whack significantly since Mondays beach workout which was a bit too rigorous. Will know better next time. But to my defense I was keeping up with hubby's 'personal training' calls.. "go, go go.. just a bit more.. a bit more" - 'Biggest Loser' style. Speaking of which.. I'm really looking forward to the new 'couples' season that is starting tomorrow night 6.30pm. Hubby will be taping it most Sundays for us as it conflicts with 6pm church and though my attendance is not 100% for the 6pm service, I'll be on a 'sales counter' roster from Feb onwards. I will be taught how to manage the EFTPOS machine and cash register (new skills for me). At our church you can purchase things like tic tacs, mentos, chocolate bars, packets of chips.. and CD's of sermon's etc. And instead of money in the old collection plate (so to speak.. or 'velvet bag') you can eftpos all of that stuff now. I only mention this because if anyone wants to communicate with me via sms or email about the Biggest Loser (which I like.. sharing and interaction is encouraged).. I will need a 'spoiler alert' if there's going to be one.
Keep cool/warm.. depending on where you are... have a good weekend :)
p.s. some things I've done at work so far:
*used Photoshop to manipulate photo's
*generated lots of photo's/data on my computer to produce a 'finished product'
*paperwork regarding photo orders
*donned white cotton gloves because certain products I was handling could not have any fingerprints on them
*with my naked eye spotted (repeatedly) an embedded microchip 'shadow or dent' in many 'items' that were needing photographic images on them - which was fun strangely
*You know the alchohol swabs that get wiped on your arm before a needle? I use a large one of those (from a foil packet).. to feed through that little machine to clean it. I've also learned to change the ribbons.. speaking of which.. the ribbons cost $196 each and can only be used for 500 'items'.. which means could need changing within 1 to 2 hours.
*I've tested brand new barcodes and magnetic strips to see if they are working before continuing on with a certain job
*I work with a lot of data and am often fascinated by some people's names and even their faces, hair-do's, make-up, jewellery, acne and facial expressions. eg. Is the lady with the surname 'CILMI' related to the singer Gabriella Cilmi I wonder? I found someone the other day who I haven't seen in 25 years, as in I recognised her face on a photo. I had access to her full name too..so it definitely was her. She has aged well.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Parlez vous heat wave rants? etc.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Day One...
What I took to work for morning tea: Three skinny bits of cantelope, about 3 bites size pieces of fresh pineapple, sliced Lebanese cucumber, half a mini-tub of light Philly cream cheese & 2 x Ryvita's. 1.5 points. It was so filling that I couldn't eat all my lunch later.
So I've come to 'check-in' before I check-out for the day, January 29th, 2009. My first day on a new job. I set my alarm for 6am and snoozed 15 minutes (mostly awake). I think 6am is a good time for me to get up for this job. It allows enough time for:
*Loo trip/s
*Bible reading/prayer
*Make lunch & morning tea (maybe I'll do some of this the night before? I'm not always good at that, but I can try sometimes? Maybe I can even prepare the fruit I'll have for brekky?)
*Shower
*Get dressed/hair/makeup.. gather what I need to gather for work (I spent 4 minutes at one set of lights this morning, so I can't plan to arrive 'on the dot' of 8 as that allows no room for unforseen things like 4 minutes at a set of lights). I pulled into the carpark today 10mins before starting time.
This is not the first paying job I've had or the first full time job.. but it's been a while since I did commit to something fulltime. Most work I've done since then has been part-time, casual or temporary. I've done full-time study (which was a commitment and involved much discipline..and it extended to my home life too.. with assignments and homework in general). But the last full time study I did was in 2003.
Tuna sandwich with baby spinach, cucumber, onion & light cream cheese on soy linseed bread. Small pear and yellow peach. I ate half the sandwich at lunch time and the other half after work on the way home. 6.5 points. I drank lots of cold water and no coffee/tea. Had coffee at home later instead. Work has cold, filtered water which is great for bottle refills.
So, in a nutshell, I survived! One thing I recognised today was that if I didn't have the computer and photo software/program knowledge that I do.. I'd have been lost today. Part of the job description was to have skills in those area's - so just aswell I didn't bluff my way into the job. At my second interview (early December) I showed them samples of my blog photography and talked about my passions and where my natural abilities lie. I am so blessed that they took a chance on me. I still have stuff to learn but so far, I haven't been shown anything that I think would be over my head.
So at work I have one computer monitor but two computers (2 x towers under the desk) and I work with a 'splitter' switching back and forth between the two. I actually worked on a third computer across the room also.
I don't want to go into what I do too much as it would provide too many identifying details about where I work. But I do work with photographs all day and one of the main programs I work with is 'Photoshop'.
I have a 15 min break in the morning and 1 x half hour lunch break. I don't get an afternoon tea break as I only work 7 hours. I say 'only' but it feels enough for me! This morning was soooo hot and windy and I was flabbergasted to see my team leader (who is training me) go sit outside with other colleagues (a few of which are smokers). I felt a momentary dilemma arise.. in that I didn't want to alienate myself from co-workers on the first day but I also knew that I wasn't going to sit outside. 1. It was ridiculously hot outside 2. I didn't want to sit around cigarette smoke. So what I did was prepare my morning tea food.. then I dashed quickly outside to say hello and let my team leader know I wasn't going to sit outside. But before I could do that.. she (my team leader) said I shouldn't sit outside in the heat if I didn't want to.. I wasn't going to offend anyone. Good.. I'm glad they're reasonsable!
I feel grateful for the cold, filtered water available on tap (easy to fill my bottle up). If I want to gauge the temperature outside, the toilets are a good place to do so because they aren't airconditioned and air flows freely in there from outside. But back to the kitchen, 'work' provides a range of tea's and 'high-end' instant coffee.. free for the taking. I spotted 'Cookies and Cream' tea bags among it all which I'm curious about.. just to try. There are also two giant plastic containers filled with biscuits. Free for the taking. One is full of sweet biscuits. I saw 'cream's' aswell as Scotch Finger biscuits and 'family assorted' style. The other container was filled with savoury bikkie-type things. I spotted 'Premium' type crackers and plenty of 'Cheds' (not cheap things). I saw staff members going for the bikkies.. but I didn't even consider it. I kept thinking today how my daughter would enjoy working there! She'd love the kitchen area and freebies and also she'd enjoy some of the things I do as part of my job. She's only 13 however!
I felt sooooo blessed to find some text messages waiting for me today during my breaks. If you include hubby and daughter.. 5 different people contacted me today which was so very heart warming. I couldn't help but think "By the middle of next week no-one will be texting me.. and I won't have any text-love.. boo-hoo".. lol !! There will be a considerable adjustment period in this job so if any of you know my mobile number.. please feel free to randomly encourage me with a text message during any work day. Hahaha! I laugh.. but I'm serious!
I received the most messages from my husband which was lovely. He had just completed 3 x 12hr night shifts (slept a bit today)..but came over tonight (in a "congratulations" gesture) to help out with buying dinner ingredients so I wouldn't have to cook anything. I already had a homemade potato salad in the fridge..and we bought a BBQ chicken from the deli and green-salad ingredients. He also brought over two of my girls school dresses as he'd dropped the hems in both of them during his night shifts. He also hemmed-up my work pants while he was here and went through my girls stationery list & made plans to buy the 3 or 4 things needed for school. He washed the dishes, cleaned my Brita water filter jug and 1 x pedestal fan and left me $5 in coins for my purse. He was grateful for the potato salad I made in yesterdays heat...and also that I made the green salad and cut up the chicken (dished up the food).. and made 'salt and vinegar' popcorn afterwards. I felt proud of my girl too for what she'd done at home today too. It was 'the best' way to start work.. to have a sense of being looked after. Even if it was just one day.
I can hardly wait for the temperatures to drop below 30degree's again (below mid 80's F) because 44C (110F).. is just about 'enduring' life.. not living it. It's about withstanding the conditions.. and suffering. For me it is anyway.. (as I know it's all relative and there is a lot worse suffering in the world). I have airconditioning in my lounge room and car. I lived for years without air con (and without a car too).. and I remember the countless cold showers and fans running to survive scorching summers. I just want to be in an exercise routine again. So far this week I've done the big beach workout on Monday but that's it. I'd feel better within myself if I could do some neighbourhood walks.. but not in this heat. No way.
Well.. it's really time to finish this now.. so I will. I'm wondering how I'll go next week.. 5 days in a row.. but I'll continue to give that to God because he's been my strength and has 'come through' with his faithfulness. I have to trust that I'll be ok.. and it will all be ok. I'm adjusting.. I'm doing something completely new.. I'll just keep putting one foot in front of the other.. unto Him. Thank you to those who thought of me today.. for those that prayed.. and those that messaged or left messages here at F.W. *Hand on my heart* I never take such things for granted.. it means so much!! Thank you!!
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
F.W. Corporate Part II - One More Sleep
A whole Bethonga pineapple for $1.20! I also bought a whole cantelope for $2.00 and (cringe) 2 x Pink Lady apples for $2.00! Plus other fruit. I'm not a natural fruit eater. I don't mind it, and it can be cool and luscious and tasty from the fridge on a hot day. But I haven't yet completely broken-out of my trashy food yearnings. I fight "the urge" most days. One habit that is evolving and something that works for me is having a couple of serves of fruit before breakfast and lunch. It can only be beneficial for the bowels because of the water content and fibre.. and there's no denying the nutrient-intake. Then, after I've finished my fruit, I 'assess' how hungry I am. Usually then my craving for multiple sandwiches or helpings of something has waned and I'm ready for a more sensible portion of food.
My phone rang shortly after 9 this morning and it was the uniform shop! My shirts were done! So after my 11.30am appointment I headed over to collect one of the (paid for) shirts and I tried it on. It feels like a 'roomy' fit but it's much better than what I tried on yesterday. So yes, I have custom-made shirts now, praise God! Excuse the blurry one-handed photography.. I had the shakes a bit after being out and about in the heat. My uniform has now been washed and dried and it's hanging up ready for the morning. No ironing required.
Well I should be heading to bed I guess. I'm not 100% sure about what time I need to get up so I'm going to try 6am.. ? *swoons* I first have to purchase a 'Pet Carrier' off eBay (hubby's account) as we don't have one should we ever need to take Phoebe anywhere. Like moving house in March. I feel sorry for my car that will be parked in the sun all day tomorrow. They're predicting between 43 and 44 degrees celcius.. which is around 110 fahrenheit. I'm blessed to have an airconditioned workplace at least. "Keep cool" Victorian/South Australian friends. And anyone else that may be in sweltering conditions. Keep warm if you're on the other side of the world and can't leave the house without a coat. I envy you. Sincerely, winter-person.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Foodie Wanderings 'Corporate'
I arrived home from Weight Watchers this afternoon, officially the last meeting working with my current leader, to learn my new supervisor had called. She wanted to know if I was still fine to start work on Thursday? And they had my uniform there ready to pick-up. Which meant my 2nd uniform was at the uniform shop waiting for the CRS people to pay for.
The navy-everything reminded me so much of nurses uniforms at the private hospital where hubby works. I call the fabric 'umbrella material'. It just doesn't feel nice on the skin at all.
But this is what the tags claim. "aerocool".. The claims might be true.. and they might be a 'comfortable fit'.. but definitely not a comfortable fabric. It has a "cannot breathe, hellllppppp" feeling to it. I tried it on in my airconditioned living room and it felt sticky and not nice. Both the pants and the shirt don't seem to need ironing and apparantly, the fabric is almost indestructable. Designed for longevity. Like a tent.
In this instance.. 'tent size'.. could be deemed a 'comfortable fit'. THEY GAVE ME THE WRONG FIT (I ordered the more fitted, shorter shirt.. not the long, square 'boxy' loose shirt). AND IT WAS THE WRONG SIZE.
I took some photo's to show you all....
This was the gift I received from my leader today. I'm not sure what the butterfly thing is? A ring holder? A bracelet holder? I have so few of those.. I don't need a holder for them. I've emailed to ask (nicely) what it is. The butterfly is significant.. like the keyring I received in November I think it was? Catepillar in a cocoon.. turning into a butterfly.. that was the analogy.
Pretty colours, it was wrapped up very nicely. White paper, lavender ribbon.
I found it strange how the card seemed to be cut in half by scissors from the front..and when I turned it over I saw writing missing.. to prove that theory? It's as if something was cut off the bottom part of the card. Like it could have been regifted? Or.. she wrote something, didn't like it.. chopped it off and decided to write in the top part of the card only. I know it doesn't matter.. It's just an observation!
Several hours after finishing the meeting...(I did shed some tears from the meeting back to the car).. I received a text message from my leader telling me she was filling in for an evening meeting in two weeks time and I had to come! So I've pencilled it in on the calendar. At the very least it will mean no meeting fee that week. It feels like I haven't left!
Monday, January 26, 2009
Australia Day Thong Challenge AND what Cheryl made!
In short, to explain (and quote) what this challenge was about: "Now in its fourth consecutive year, the 2009 Havaianas Thong Challenge will attempt to break the world record for the 'longest line of inflatable air beds in water', and in doing so help raise funds for Starlight Children's Foundation and the Surf Lifesaving Clubs".
For $30 you received a big, giant inflatable thong and waited until midday to be part of a world record (hopefully). I spotted a drinks van giving out free, cold bottles of iced tea aswell. After approaching an official to find out more info about the 'thongs' (ie. how can we get one?) she offered to give us a toddler sized inflated thong for free, which made my girl happy. (It's hanging on her bedroom wall rightnow).
The beach stairs at Torquay and Jan Juc were steep and plentiful and really challenged hubby and I. My silhouette is not the slender one on the right.
We left Torquay before the thong challenge started as we had that birthday BBQ to attend. My friend Cheryl's girl (Rebekah) turns 3 tomorrow (the 27th). After showering and changing.. and meeting up again.. we headed over for a nice, relaxing afternoon.
Cheryl said on her blog (yesterday?) that she's not a caterer.. but let me say she worked hard to produce lots of lovely things today for her birthday girl, family and friends. Check-out the butterfly cake made with a store-bought cake mix.. white chocolate and raspberry. It was moist and delicious. Since I took home a small serving of birthday cake to sample, I didn't get to try everything including these lovely looking butterfly cupcakes. My girl had one and I should have asked for a small bite!
Hubby makes 'quick vanilla slices' using 'Sao' biscuits.. but these are made with baked pastry.
Admittedly I wrapped one in foil before we left and brought it home to eat later. It was how I imagined it to be. Delightful.. genuine creme patissiere.. there's no comparison!
Trifle (above). I didn't take any photo's of the savoury food.. being the (very nice) roast beef and chicken skewers, sausages, hamburgers and salads. I figured the desserts were prettier I guess!
Posted out of order.. the chicken before the egg.. I mean the walk :)
P.S. A couple of people have wanted to see the 'banana muffins'!! But alas, none were baked (well, not yet anyway). Green's vanilla cupcakes were made instead..and not photographed as we've showcased them before :) Below, is my girls vanilla milkshake that she paid for herself. $4!
By now you would be sick of seeing cappucino's and latte's? - lol
And here's a loving moment on the couch. My girl and her beloved Phoebe.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
I want processed meat and white flour...
It's true. Have I had any? No. But I thought I should share with you the 'wrestling' that goes on within me at mealtimes. Not 100% of the time. But there is a struggle. The scene is Saturday morning breakfast: I have one continental frankfurt in the fridge and it's calling me. One of my 'Frankenstein' foods is white bread rolls or white bread. Meaning, if I have it in the house I will ceremoniously wedge lots of point-errifc things in the centre of the snow-white fluffiness and consume, consume consume. If it's a salad roll, I'll have a minimum of three. So just keep the rolls and white bread away from me in the home. The lone frankfurt begs me to wrap anything 'bready' around it. The tomato sauce squeezey bottle coo's... promising me a tangy, smokey hot ride (in partnership with the meat). So why do I have just one continental frankfurt in the fridge? Because I bought just one. I never buy just one. But I was meeting myself half-way. I really wanted to buy 6, but knew I should steer clear of processed meat because of my relationship with it. So I compromised and bought one. The photo above shows you what I just finished eating for breakfast (with the red papaya not visible). I have two pieces of one point 'Woolworths' toast waiting patiently (but cooling) and a small tin of baked beans ready to blanket the multigrain crunchiness. The lone continental frankfurt remains 'mummified' in butchers paper, in the fridge - with it's husky, sodium-nitratey voice silenced for now.
sodium nitrate
–noun Chemistry. a crystalline, water-soluble compound, NaNO3, that occurs naturally as soda niter: used in fertilizers, explosives, and glass, and as a color fixative in processed meats.
Photo of tomatoes... reminds me I need to make more tomato jam. I have pictures of the lovely condiment wrapped-up with the Mussel festival post I'm yet to do.
So I help my digestion & immune system etc by starting my day with any sort of fruit and this week's WW book reminds me to STAY ACTIVE. It's the 'activity' part of my journey that has made the difference in my weight loss. I WILL do the 2 hour river walk today and have a skinny cappucino along the way. I'm planning a WW recipe tonight (which I've photographed before in this post - "Chicken Souvlaki" which is really marinated chicken on skewers. Souvlaki pita bread is optional -and additional points, so we'll have vegetable side dishes instead).
Stand-by sweetness. About $6.25 a box now? Nice broken-up into pieces and put into yoghurt. However, I tend to have these in place of a chockie bar - if I can afford to have them on hand that is.
I'm surprised I let these get so overripe. I guess it's because I've been blessed to have other fruit in the house so I've mixed-it-up a bit. Banana's have been my stand-by fruit when I don't have anything else around. They've been reliable and filling.. and now these will turn into banana muffins today.Sharing amidst food that isn't my own...
White chocolate and raspberry muffin $3.50 made 'inhouse' at Barwonedge Boathouse (restaurant/cafe)My least favourite WW colleague, lets call her 'D' (who fills-in sometimes).. well she "filled-in" Friday morning. I made a beeline for D's weigh-in 'station' and despite her cold disposition and aloofness in the past, I made friendly conversation as I put my weigh-in slippers on and took things off that I didn't want to be weighed. I could tell instantly I had tapped into a 'new confidence'. Here she was, same weight (overweight) or heavier than last time I saw her and I picked up a 'double-take' from her as I walked in. I probably haven't seen her in 5 months. Now I'm not saying I was cocky. I'm not saying I felt full of myself. I am after all 105.5kg's!! Triple figures. But what flashed before my eyes as I went about getting weighed was my 'former self'. I used to be intimidated by 'D's' demeanor. She's had official (and unofficial complaints) against her in the workplace because of her 'tongue' you could say.
Private hospital food: Occasionally hubby will have a leftover evening meal, if he chooses and if he has time and if one is available. This is a mobile phone pic of his salmon with chickpea's and lemon and other things.This morning, after engaging 'D' in talk about herself, I learned she entertained 41 people in her own home at Christmas time and 18 stayed-on at her place. I learned that two of her daughters are in the military and that she and her husband are 'ex-military' themselves. No wonder she comes across as 'rough around the edges' and yes, militant (in the fragile-ego-arena of WW) because she herself was in the army for 8 years. One could ask if she's the kind-of person that should be around people paying for a caring environment in the form of weight loss tools & support? That ultimately is WW call. But I obtained understanding today about where she comes from. I was confident enough to give that much of myself and not be transfixed on whether she'd be rude to me again or not.
This was chicken breast in some creamy sauce.I was also encouraged by choosing not to be intimidated by her and I know it was my weight loss that gave me that confidence. And I have heaps-ways to go yet. One thing I know is I don't want to be one of those people who come across as more arrogant or selfish than their former fat self. Tell me I need to get a life, but I'm one of those people who thinks that obese Oprah was a far softer version of herself (and I'm not talking rolls and folds).. than the leaner, meaner, Bob Greene-r version of Ms Winfrey. There is one lady at WW who I have watched go from maximum weight to goal weight -and I have to be honest.... -personality-wise, I liked her warmer, fatter self. I don't wish her weight back and I heard & empathised with her pain about eating a packet of Tim Tams between the supermarket and home. Now.. it's like she's less giving.. less generous and more inward focussed. Is that the place one needs to be to keep the weight off? Or is it a case where obese people tend to 'people-please' more and want to be accepted for who they are so they overcompensate and fall over themselves to be appreciated as good people? Do I see myself in there? I count myself as less secure at a higher weight.. but no less loving at a lower weight. Just my opinion of course.
Entrance at Barwonedge Boathouse (cafe/restaurant)
Ok, onto the update I started a couple of days ago? Edited to reflect the later posting date!
*Had a luvli lunch on Wednesday with a friend (pics at end of post)*Had a nice toasted sanga brekky Thursday morning (same place as lunch yesterday, pics a.e.o.p.2) Feel very blessed to have eaten there two days in a row.
*Caught-up with rent arrears (ouch)!
Dips (Tzatziki & Beetroot) & crispy spiced lentils, house made lavosh & flatbread. My camera battery failed me, it was flat, so I took lunch photo's with my mobile. I had no idea it could take a decent picture, like the one above. It requires no 'shakes' though. I'd never eaten 'house made' lavosh before, which you can't see behind the bowl of bread, but it was very good.*Finally got my nails infilled, about 2 weeks late. Third time I've been to the same salon and this time they dropped their game! I wasn't pleased about a few things, but eventually left with 'ok' nails. That makes me think twice about going there a 4th time? For starters I didn't like the unqualified hubby starting on my nails while 'busy wife' finished her last client. He didn't know what he was doing and then promptly picked (I mean, really rummaged through) his nose for around three or four minutes as he walked around the salon. Turned his back at one point.. but he was still doing it. He picked while he sat, while he stood and while he talked to a friend. I know he touched my hands before that, but tell me, what are his hygiene standards in general? At a previous salon I didn't like a 30's male doing my nails.. I just don't like a man (other than a doctor or my husband) holding my hands and working on me like that. So.. yeah, as I said, that was just for starters...
Atlantic salmon salad: pieces of slow cooked Atlantic Salmon, asparagus, capers, crouton, lemon & Dijon dressing (Friend gave me a taste. This was a bit ordinary. Needed more dressing or at least a lemon wedge on the side).*I bought some black Mary-Jane style leather shoes as I need them for work.
*Remember how I went to a Mussel Festival? (Still have to do that video).. Hubby told me that there will be an 'Eel Festival' at the end of March, about an hour and a half from home :-/ We both like good, sweet, smoked eel. Not all smoked eels are the same. Unagi on sushi rice.. Mmmm.
Ricotta & lemon gnocchi, sautéed zucchini, fetta, toasted breadcrumbs. This was my lunch and like the best gnocchi I've ever eaten in my life. From the menu I wanted beetroot-cured ocean trout but they had none left so this was second choice. I feared it would be stodgey and floury on my palate and in my stomach. Instead it was the lightest, edible assembly of pillowy softness ever. Lemony & luscious, yet light. Also they must have ran out of fetta as there was blue cheese on this.
*I still haven't had a call from the hospital yet re: my colonoscopy appointment which means I'll have to take a day off work to have it done.
*Sunday will mark the 2nd anniversary of my time at Weight Watchers.
*Monday we are invited to a birthday bbq for a friend's daughter who turns 3 on Tuesday.
Breakfast at Barwonedge (with hubby). Here's our coffee's: my skinny cappucino, quarter-strength (half a shot) on the left and hubby's long black with FOUR shots of coffee on the right.
*I've been thinking about my job and hope I'm good at it & that God opens another door so I can land full time employment (year-round with them).
*Centrelink told me, according to them my hours are full-time which is 35 hours a week, so 'Newstart' will stop.
Lovely 'Vegetarian' toasted sandwich on sourdough $8. Filling was plenty of mushrooms, baby spinach and cheese. I also tasted real butter. Hubby detected eggplant? I only ate half of this because of its rich goodness. Not that I couldn't have polished it all off. Hubby finished it instead. And the salad garnish had too much olive oil mixed through it.*Coldsore on my lip is 2/3's healed. I'm so over it. It's noticeable at this stage, like a sore.
*I tried to park in a 'Loading Zone' on Thursday (just quickly), knowing I shouldn't. I was caught out when a van wanted to 'offload' something and I was getting out of my car trying to offLOAD my rent money at the real estate agent's. Doesn't that qualify? I moved :( *red faced*
*I tried Nigella Lawson's "Peach Melba" recipe Friday night. It's basically fresh peaches poached in a sugar syrup with cinnamon and vanilla and served with icecream. Except we had it with the 'Thick & Creamy - Homestyle cheesecake yoghurt' 1/2 tub each. The whole dish was 2.5 points. It was pretty good, but next time I'd have it as a snack or breakfast or something. I don't do fruit after a meal, only before.. otherwise I'm bloated and uncomfortably full.*Three sushi places could not give us raw salmon Thursday afternoon. Everyone had ran out of it. That's like saying Coles supermarket has run out of onions. Could happen, but it's rare.
On right: view from where we were sitting. The kiddies playground outside was well utilised that morning.
As we exited through the front doors, this was the view on the right.
The take-home raspberry and white chocolate muffin (refer to first photo) was superior in buttery goodness with real raspberries studded throughout, however this is what happened when I tried to cut it in half. It just fell into pieces. This tells me that the recipe needed more eggs and/or the muffin batter was handled/mixed too much. Even as I tried to pick up one of the bigger 'halves'.. that fell apart in my hand too.
I hope you all have a lovely weekend - thanks for reading this far! xox
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
"Hey Mum, J-Lo's the 'i' in Grazia"....
One thing I forgot to mention in my last post was the walk up and down the river was not hard for me to do. The first time I did the whole lot, it took 2 hours and I was quite exhausted by the end of it. This time, I was gone 3.5 hours, but I also stopped at the shops, as well as taking photo's and having a latte along the way. And I wasn't 'wrecked' when I came home!
I'm also wondering where my sore hip went? About 2 to 3 years ago I had to give up the idea of jogging because of hip pain and also walking on hard surfaces for more than half an hour. I wasn't at my heaviest weight either. I even had an X-ray which showed a 'shadow' on my hip. Two medical opinions later..(which my GP sought, not me) it was deemed 'inconclusive'.. and "could be scar tissue". The pain was only there with exercise. Well.. I don't have it at all now.. not even when I was 12kg's heavier 6 months ago.. or 16kg's heavier a year and a half ago. Praise God! So yes.. I've reflected on that time.. and I'm grateful that I'm even able to exercise. When I had a few 'detox' days a couple of weeks ago, it knocked me about.. I became weak.. and suddenly I felt my ability to walk for exercise was gone. And apparantly you should rest when detoxing anyway.. which makes sense. However when I felt physically unwell, I was able to appreciate better (as I do), just the fact that I can go out and walk for 1 to 3 hours and still feel I have energy afterwards. Eating right most of the time is essential to feeling well too.. especially as you get older. Well that's the case for most people I imagine anyway.
I had a cuppa today with someone who has joined a 'Contours' gym (30min circuit workout). She's older than me by just over a decade and is mindful of how she's needed to crank-up her health care efforts by a few notches simply because she isn't getting any younger. Losing weight is harder when you're over 50 (try "over 35" lol), your joints aren't the same.. and yeah, she wants to do what she can to avoid osteoporosis (and I can't believe I spelled that right the first time either.. w00t)! I'm leaving my 30's behind... and yeah.. in some ways I wish I could start from '30' again (in physical body only) because 40 is almost here and it's an age where you're higher-risk everything!
I think of my (5 years older) husband and I... and sometimes I wish we would have met when we were in our twenties. So we could have accumulated more years together. But then again, some people meet and marry in their 40's and 50's or even 60's and have longer marriages and lives than say my parents did. My parents were married 17 years only when my Mum died. I desire a lifelong marriage, so needless to say my desire is for both hubby and I to live long lives! Only God knows the timing of things and why things happen when they do.
Well, I would like to catch the Barack Obama inauguration coverage which is on now and will continue through the night, but if I don't go to bed, I'll suffer. I will do a teeny bit of reading in bed first.. probably my new 'LUXE' City Guide, New York, which came free with this weeks 'Grazia' magazine. I saw another copy of the mag had 'Milan' but I soooo want to visit NYC, I had to grab 'Grazia' (which my girl loves as it has plenty of fashion & celebs in it). I must say I'm enjoying this opinionated and tell-it-like-it-is guide! (Worth $10US).
In closing I will ramble: I just noted online that it's (minus)
-14degrees celcius in Toronto, Canada. Brrrrrrr!! And since when did Katie Couric cut her hair short again?.. Noooooo! Her coverage has just started.. I really must get to bed. I'll have to catch the replayed footage some time tomorrow?
And while I'm rambling.. is Pizza Hut really changing their name to Pasta Hut? You can have your say on their site.
Here is the end of our walk, at dusk Monday night (high tide.. we almost ran out of sand to walk on) Hubby & girl ((mwah, mwah, mwah))....
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Todays walk. And the walk so far.
Quite a few of these signs were posted along the banks of the river.
Walking to the river, I can see where my latte is waiting for me on the other side, more than an hour away.Life kind-of changed drastically for me last July and those closer to me would know why. At that point, hubby and I had been separated 11.5 months - and we almost split up for good. What followed was five months of no contact & then 'skeleton level' acknowledgment. We kind-of resembled a family again after scoring an invite to Christmas lunch with my parents-in-law. It was also significant that we went up in the same car together, hubby, girl and I. 11am to 3.30pm. Roast chicken, ham, vegies, plum pudding & presents. And the cauliflower gratin forgotten about on the kitchen bench.
Ok, hats have always apparantly suited me, but I'm not really comfortable wearing them, lest I 'stand out'. Hubby thinks I should build a hat collection. I had to artificially 'lighten' this picture a few notches because half of my face wasn't visible from being in the shade.
A summer of new beginnings seemed to follow. Trips to the beach. Meals together. And movies. We have enjoyed 'you and me' time in the form of planned 'dates' and would end up on unplanned 'dates' too --ie. sometimes because my girl would suddenly have plans with her Dad & she'd go to him, instead of staying with us. Once it even meant getting a refund on her movie ticket that was pre-purchased. God was in the details. And the dates haven't been mooshy-mooshy, sitting in the back row of the cinema. They have been about sharing the experience of the event and the conversation and relating to one another. Admittedly during 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button', I put my hand on hubby's hand (in the darkness) and he entwined his fingers in mine and didn't let go - until I went to the loo. It was a long movie.. but he grabbed my paw again upon my return.
Lots of rowing practice on the river today. This photo doesn't do the 'hot pinkness' justice. They were a 'breast cancer awareness' team.
We have been around each other when we aren't feeling the best. We keep noticing situations that would have caused the other person to 'rise up' in a confrontational way, situations that would have been the striking match on the flint of 'disturbed peace'. But we have not travelled down those other well-worn paths. Each of us has changed. And I can't explain fully the intricacies of that. It is also personal. But the difference is that as we look towards God and have mostly handed things over to him. And so we've moved closer to each other and subsequently God himself has moved.
Real lily pads. Can you see the birdy?
Friday evening I was dragging my feet planning a one hour walk & eventually stepped out the door at 7:50pm. Within 10 minutes I had a call from hubby who was on his way home from work (after doing a 12hr shift which is standard work hours for him). I turned my mp3 player off as I talked to him and ascended a steep cul-de-sac (puff-pant-puff-pant). That 'court' led to a steep laneway and another 'court'. It was in the second court, I saw hubby's car pull-up! He knew where I was walking and had found me.
After parking his car, he got out, still in uniform and started walking with me. A few minutes in, after explaining the reasons for showing up.. (like his desire to lose a few kg's) he concluded that he wanted to join me because "Ya-know I just LOVE you.... I love you so, so much!". He did the last 50 minutes of my 1hr walk with me.. and we ended up back at his car. From there he dropped me home and went home himself.
Rather than show you the view of the river vegetation, here was my cafe view.
Things are happening now that I couldn't have even dreamt of last year. There were so many times when I wanted to take matters into my own hands. When I wanted to fight the cause of "self" and dictate how I wanted things to be.. and how they should pan out. It was so, so hard... so hard to lose my marriage. That's what it felt like. And essentially that old marriage did die. I'd never cried every day for more than 100 days straight.. but last year I did. I don't believe I've ever taken stock of my own personal inventory the way I did last year. I had no choice but to live my life as if my marriage was over - but remain 'open' to all possibilities, without entertaining the idea of filing for a divorce. But I'd be lying if I said I didn't think of it. I was desperate for the pain to end and for something to happen. If things weren't changing then my natural response to that was to make them change. But things were happening. It was God's timing and not everything can be seen in the open.
A stop at the green grocers on the way home. I ended up having some orange, then strawberries & blueberries mixed with the best cheesecake yoghurt! The fresh fig was flavourless & a dud.
I had never let go of anything so big in my life. Sacrificially... fully trusting.. open to whatever outcome God chose. My natural-self tried to prepare me for the worst... I had evidence of that. It's not a peaceful feeling, living defensively. I struggled.. and I had pain. My girl would wake in the middle of the night and hear me softly sobbing in bed. But out of all that.. I grew. I kickstarted a healthier lifestyle and started losing weight again. I developed stronger spiritual muscles in various area's.. and my whole relationship with God changed.
3 points for the 170gram tub, better than full fat yogurts and much tastier than most diet yoghurts. I really enjoy the whole 'Thick and Creamy' range. Though this does not come with a biscuit crumb base, it really tastes like it's in there!
As a Christian, life still has struggles and tribulation. But the difference is where my help comes from - and where my hope is. As my husband and I join together now, in agreement about the way ahead.. gosh.. I see answers to prayer just about every day. All that I hoped for and prayed for.. is appearing before my eyes. Does that mean we will have a perfect marriage and be 'high as kites' with delirious contentment everyday? Not likely. But the fatal flaws have been passed onto God.. (and that could mean recommitting stuff back to him as often as it takes, eg. bad attitudes, offence, fears etc). What remains is our 'human-ness' and our commitment to put God first, then each other. Then there's our experiences & growth, our future hope and our love.. which never died.
Quinoa. Rinsed under the tap. Ready to be boiled in water + cinnamon + raisins & apple for porridge.
You know, when things seemed to go frighteningly 'belly up' last July.. I cried out to God in despair. Not just from my own shock, loneliness and pain..but because I didn't want my non-Christian friends to think that living for God was futile. My friend Gail brought Psalm 25 to my attention..and I prayed it as often as I could remember to because it was my heart cry... "Do not let me be disgraced, for in you I take refuge.. may integrity and honesty protect me for I put my hope in you". I needed to trust. Trust that no matter what the outcome, I would be ok.
Made from brown rice, I'm enjoying this milk in my coffee at home + when making porridge. It has a natural sweetness to it.
My praise goes to God that I have survived. And that I'm not in a marriage where I'm just 'surviving' or 'barely surviving'. I try each day (even if only parts of a day) to live purposefully. With intent, reflection & thanksgiving. That may sound profound and 'snug' from where I'm sitting.. but hand-on-my-heart it's the truth. It may sound like mumbo-jumbo to some.. "God this and God that" - but I am here, a living testimony to how change can happen when there appears to be no hope for change. I almost feel like I'm having an out-of-body experience.. that is how amazed I am by where I am today. Where we are today. Technically, hubby and I haven't discussed "telling people" anything yet.. but I guess our 'nearest and dearest' will get 'up to speed' soon. I don't usually share in this much depth when I blog.. but my heart is to share with my blogging nearest-and-dearest... and also be a witness to God's goodness. And that is what I didn't want to hold back on.
Just a painting I've always liked. "The Kiss" (1907-08) From Austrian artist Gustav Klimt. Friday, January 16, 2009
Fishermen's Pier Restaurant - Geelong
The view from where I sat.
Hubby's view. Apparantly this guy was doing a "great paint job" on the boat.
I've eaten better dinner rolls. Too floury in texture for me. I did take a shine to their cutlery however.
Six oysters for starters. Hubby and I had two oysters each of: freshly shucked with lemon $2.50, nahm jim dressing $3.00 and the last two were steamed with lemon grass and other Asian flavours. I forget the correct title and didn't write anything down. $3.00 each anyway. We had two varieties of oysters offered to us and we chose 'Pacific' from Coffin Bay, S.A. I even forget now what the other choice was! This won't mean anything if you've never tried an oyster or hate the idea of them.. but gosh.. they were soooo good! And probably the highlight of the entire dinner.
Coffin Bay Pacific oyster with Nahm Jim dressing.
I was surprised hubby chose linguine because I made a WW creamy smoked salmon and roasted capsicum linguine last Saturday, served with plenty of fresh mussels from the Mussel Festival that day. However, the description of this particular dish sounded enticing. It didn't read as: "Seafood Linguine".. it named the seafood individually, including the sauce (which I've now forgotten, but it was good). Hubby's verdict? He said my WW linguine with their seafood selection would have been ideal. At well over $30 a plate for this... I could afford to buy all those bits of seafood too. As it was.. I broke the budget a bit on Saturday spending over $12 on 240grams of smoked salmon plus $20 on 4 kilograms of Mussels and ice to bring them home in good condition. I'm glad hubby liked the low point WW linguine.. it encourages me to make it again one day.
I chose two entree's instead of a main course! It wasn't that I was after more food.. but I wanted more variety. Above we have 2 x zucchini flowers stuffed with "prawn mousse" and served with goats cheese and a bread crumb salad. $18. I would have preferred that the prawn mousse be described as 'Thai' or something with ginger/lemongrass and chilli. It may have influenced my decision when considering this dish. I wasn't in the mood for Asian flavours. Two of my three oysters had that covered for me.. I didn't need more. I don't know why I chose something deep fried while I'm trying to lose weight and struggling to digest food..AND I'm weighing-in tomorrow! The bread crumb salad with goats cheese and the salad leaves altogether were the best part of this dish.. quite lovely. The battered coating was good but just a tad too oily.
My other entree, Creamy Seafood Chowder $18. My girl chose this as her 'main' too aswell as a bowl of fries. The seafood in this was good..but the creamy broth was just too salty. In fact, I'm cross with myself for not letting them know it was unacceptably too salty. I'm a tad disappointed too that we actually weren't asked if we enjoyed our food. I don't like to be constantly asked, but still like to be asked. At meal times I add Maldon salt to my food if I feel it needs it. If it doesn't go on at the dinner table then it's definitely been added during the cooking process. So even for us.. this was just salty. It also tasted strongly of butter. And it probably had full fat cream in it too. Gosh I was feeling sorry for my liver and shaking my head (inwardly) because I should have known a restaurant chowder wouldn't be 'light'. I ate the seafood and half of the broth and hubby finished the rest.
Close-up of the green slicks in the chowder. Parsley oil? It didn't taste of basil.. or anything for that matter. I also didn't feel it was right that oil be drizzled on top of a soup that is already rich in flavour and fat grams. It looked pretty though.
"Mash" $7. Cooled down quickly and hubby described it as "too salty".
Pumpkin, Fetta and Rocket Salad $7. The fetta didn't taste salty to me at all after my chowder. Too much oil on this too.
Fries for the girl.. $7. Too salty on the top.. ie. no proper salt distribution.
Girl's lemonade (which ended up being x 2). Not sure how much it cost. Hubby had a light beer which I tasted and it was very good.. maybe a tad warm for me by that stage?
Looking above the bar near the front door.
When we arrived at 7pm it was still a bit quiet. It pays to ask for a good table in advance as we were seated right beside the biggest windows in the restaurant. The dining room chairs were very comfortable and nice and wide too.. thumbs up there.
Service and food and prices are better at the Barwon Boatshed.. which makes me want to go back.. to try their brekky's and dinner's too. I'm glad I experienced this 'local icon' restauarant that has been around for many years.. but I don't think I'd hurry back.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Food photo's arrived...
We have (above) Wednesday nights simple, quick and lovely WW lamb & vegetable stirfry from the 'Cheap & Cheerful' cookbook. I've borrowed the book from my leader and now hope to snag it on eBay as it's discontinued. Thing is, when it was available at WW, I probably picked it up and looked at it 5 times at least and each time I made the decision that I didn't want the book! When I lamented to my leader recently about wanting a WW cookbook with budget-type recipes, she said "How about 'Cheap & Cheerful'?". Since loaning it to me.. I feel like I never want to give it back - it's fantastic.. how did I ever snub my nose at it?
In my last post I mentioned hubby needed to email me some mobile phone photo's, so here they are! It's the meal we ate at the 'speedy and courteous' pizzeria before seeing the movie 'Seven Pounds'. 
This was a half chicken satay and half seafood pizza. We had leftovers to take home too. Doesn't look overly appetising come to think of it. Almost overloaded with toppings? I like to see distinct toppings on a crispy, thin crust - but this was still quite good. Just too easy to eat too much.
We shared this linguine entree which was a bit oily. Tasted good however and they were generous with their sundried tomatoes, artichokes and prosciutto.
We sat by the window and took a photo of the table next to us (outside). We thought the pizza with 'white pillow-marshmellow-looking things' looked interesting. Still don't know what it was? Surely that couldn't all be feta or tofu? Maybe ricotta? We came so close to ducking our head around the glass window to ask the peeps what it was (-we were also sitting by the door).
And hubby emailed me this photo too... His purchase not mine. He has a weakness for hot cross buns and licorice allsorts and thus (by his own admission) struggles to 'portion control' these food stuffs. His 'Frankenstein foods' as we'd say at WW. The foods I lose control around (and can't portion control with much success) are deli salads, white bread rolls, peanut butter, hot dogs and most things from any bakery section of any supermarket.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Time I caught you up?
Hiya everyone.. I was (sweetly) reminded that I hadn't blogged since Friday so I thought I'd put something here.. even though it's not the post I planned.
Last weekend (Saturday), my girl and I went to the Portarlington Mussel Festival and I have some pics and video footage from that day. I'm contemplating making a two minute YT video out of it, so stay tuned for that!
What else can I catch you up with? The summer holidays have been very good, praise God. I have been to the movies a few times and seen 'Marley and Me', 'The Curious case of Benjamin Button' and 'Seven Pounds'. I've now been awarded a free movie having seen 3 movies in a specified time period. I wouldn't mind seeing 'Bride Wars' (a comedy) with the family and probably 'Revolutionary Road' on my own? That's the new Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio flick. It's set in the 50's and has something to do with marital tensions/issues. I'm also blessed to have two extra free movies, if I can FIND the free movie tickets we received at Christmas time! And we also have a Gold Class voucher each to use.. so that's something to look forward to. Movie vouchers are a great thing to get me for a gift. My sister in Sydney has twice bought me a book of ten tickets (for Christmas).
Before 'Seven Pounds' last Friday I went for a beach walk with hubby and we had dinner at a pizzeria. We shared a nice entree.. being linguine with artichokes, sundried tomatoes and prosciutto. That was followed by a shared pizza, half satay chicken and half seafood. The service was excellent and the place you want to go to when planning to catch a movie (they're quick and politely attentive)! There are pics of that pizzeria food.. but I forgot to prompt hubby to email them to me (--they're on his phone).
For those of you who follow my blog, you'd know that I've had a poor computer work-station/set-up for a while. We are now sitting on a $10 KMart fold-up chair which is far better than the broken IKEA chair. But as of today.. we now have a humble, yet proper computer desk. Hubby rescued this desk from his parents place with us in mind and has modified/repaired it to suit our needs. It's wonderful! My body isn't twisted as I type, the keyboard is the right height -I almost don't know myself! Now I'm hoping mil & fil will give me their spare computer monitor which is apparantly in the throes of being taken away for recycling. I currently have a tiny monitor (that changes colours occasionally), so I eventually plan to get one of the current 'flat screen' one's. However, in the meantime, the bigger-screen 'chunky' monitor from my mil & fil would be great! At least I'll be able to see web pages properly and not have to scroll up and down just to view a single photo. Looking forward to it! :)
Friday, January 09, 2009
Friday afternoon fill-in...
Anyway.. I kept going.. and got to work .. only to find out I was going to be training the person who will be replacing me. She is the Mum of one of my leader's, daughter's, friends! Lovely lady. Teaching her was easy. Small world because she's a nurse too like my hubby and says his name is familiar to her.
Between the two meetings I had to move my car (as usual) and then dash to the post office to post my sisters birthday present. When I rang to tell her it was in the mail (long story why).. she kind-of scolded me for buying her something because apparantly I agreed not to? Apparantly I wasn't going to buy her a gift because I need to save my pennies for my 40th birthday celebration trip to Tasmania in March.
I weighed in one kilogram lighter this week. And I was wearing heavier clothes today as the weather was cooler.
I had sashimi for lunch. It repeated on me all afternoon (I'm just not digesting anything well). Hubby picked me up early afternoon and we went for a beach workout.. except I toned it down for myself. I didn't walk as fast and I probably only tackled 3 flights of stairs instead of 10..and I didn't go the whole way either. I noticed I got a bit dizzy and too out of breath.. so yeah.. I had to listen to my body. To top it all off I got my period last night.. so yeah.. I'm feeling DANDY, lol !!
My girl is with her Dad until later this evening.. so once hubby gets back from our local airport (dropping his girl off) we will pick up a bite to eat. My cat Phoebe thinks it's 8pm.. she hasn't stopped bothering me for food since I came home.
Some Weight Watchers facts from today:
*One lady didn't understand the Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms part on the registration form (so I explained it to her) and in the blank space, instead of writing one of the above choices, she placed a 'tick'.
*One lady has terrible body odour and when I came home, I could still smell it.
*One lady approached me and told me since starting WW, a whole heap of anger is coming out. Did that happen to me and how did I manage the anger?
*One lady measured in at a wee 145cm tall.
*I have been feeling like my leader keeps saying the same things over and over and over again and there is no 'fresh' material or 'life' lately in the meetings which is making me actually look foward to a new meeting with a different leader when I start work! That does not affect how I feel about my work there or my leader personally.
Have a great weekend everyone :)
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Wednesday night's WW Chicken Laksa - modified
It's been months since I made Laksa. I love this meal-in-a-bowl soup! I didn't have tofu or mushrooms at hand. So in its place went sliced carrot, onion and cabbage. And I only had half the amount of noodles in the pantry (not rice vermicelli either), so I substituted the other 60 grams with low fat Maggi, dried 2 minute noodles.
It was quick and easy to make and refreshingly lighter than the oily Laksa's you'll find commercially. Instead of Laksa paste I use 'Herbie's' brand Laksa spice mix. Quite a large, pungent and fiery pouch..not much spice mix is needed. I'm still on pouch #1.
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
Limited detox 'mussel'
I've done a few days of "detox" this week, being predominantly steamed vegetables (I ate the combo you see above), brown rice (below: seasoned with soy, lemon & "better butter".. being a combo of rice bran oil and butter), some fruit, decaffeinated green tea and water and that's about it. Plenty of it though. After two days some of my internal "pipes" start working again, which was a relief and it helped. But it still wasn't 'normal'. It was kind-of a desperate effort to aid my digestion. However, regretfully I can't stick with a detox at the moment as it affects my mood (makes me too anxious and unhappy) and I become obsessed with the idea of ordering a big KFC meal or similar.
I have worked hard to get myself to a place of being content in my circumstances. Detoxing seemed to thrust me backwards mentally. And though it's a temporary situation.. I have weighed the pro's and con's and I choose to stop. I will try where I can however to incorporate less processed foods within my points allowance. Borrrrring.. I know, but that's what it means to be "over 35".*Going to cook something with chicken thigh's tonight.
Watch my latest You Tube vid below to see last night's "achievement". Which for me is significant. I embrace every bit of progress and organisation in my life. Today I could not find two movie tickets a friend gave us for Christmas (not the Gold Class pair we received the other day). I felt so frustrated that I have every single Christmas card except the one with the movie tickets inside. I know I put them somewhere for "safe keeping" but I feel like I've turned the place upside down and have left no stone unturned. I fear that I'll find them after they expire!The music on this video is from South American muso's "Inka Marka" who will be playing at the Mussel Festival. I really enjoy them live.. and have one of their CD's.
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Too many cards, members & irregular moments...
So my doctor (this afternoon) ordered a colonoscopy for me. My first. I figured rather than put some 'wince-worthy' picture (above) that represented bums and bowels, I chose the curly slide.. and maybe you will appreciate the parallels?
Though I have successfully lost weight, I know my own body and it hasn't been 'normal' for a number of months. Considering the positive changes in my diet, the amount of water I drink and exercise I do, I believe my bowels should be outrageously happy by now (and I would have expected to be a few kg's less too). Basically I have been constipated for months. As a last resort I have sought artificial methods to help me.. eg. laxette's now and again, suppositories and 'Motillium' pills.. to push digestion along. Anything just to have one normal poo. In the past.. any 'healthy change' in my lifestyle meant I would be more 'regular' than ever. Instead, the opposite has happened. I am showing symptoms of toxicity at times.. I was told maybe a partial blockage could be the cause due to a polyp? That's what my doc is saying. And you know what? Though the whole idea of it is scary (what will they find?).. I have quietly been wanting this test for a few years. I'll be 40 in March.. (My doc refers to it as "over 35"). I've had digestive and gastrointestinal ailments since my 20's. For most of those years I over ate. My mother's sister died of bowel cancer at age 63.. so yeah.. it is best to get these things checked out. Our local hospital will be contacting me re: when I need to go in.. so I'll keep you posted.
Before my 2:30pm doc appointment I was at work doing my Tuesday meeting. At our new city location some days we have no new members.. sometimes one, two or three. Today we had NINE. We only had seating for five. It was crazy. And I arrived 5 min's late today so the new paperwork I was presented with was a nice (not) surprise. All eyes were on me, everyone needing to be weighed, heights measured, things filled out. Someone complimented my necklace (pictured below) and when I thanked them and replied.. it threw me right off what I was doing. It felt unprofessional.. to be struggling with so many at once because we aren't equipped for that situation. Everyone just has to wait their turn and I didn't get to sit down. Instead I hovered from lady to lady.. bending down, hunched over any tiny available table-space with pen in hand.
After the doctors, I was keen to pick up some quinoa (pronounced: keen-wah).. a wholegrain I've been wanting to try for aaages. I sought-out a local health food store because I didn't want to pay $7 for 350 grams. The prices at the health shop weren't much better.. but I was happy to find more than one type of quinoa on offer. On the back of the light coloured quinoa packet it lists a breakfast porridge recipe..and on the back of the darker quinoa it has a salad recipe. Do any of you remember a show called "You are what you eat?".. with a doctor Gillian someone? She overhauled people's diets and taught her obese, smelly-poo folk to make lovely things with quinoa. Yes.. she would often tell them how badly their poo smelled (she'd take a sample and get it assessed by a lab). The show was inspiring though. These two packs from Bolivia equal 800grams and cost me $11.50. Ouch!
Today I also bought myself a bottle of Body Shop Perfume Oil. I used to use 'White Musk' oil in the early 90's. But the scent of that reminds me of times gone by, best forgotten. I have been 'visiting' the cinnamon spice scent the last couple of times I've walked past The Body Shop. So today.. third visit.. I decided to purchase and declare it my 10% weight loss reward. Soon after buying the perfume, we were heading back to the car when we eyed-off a twirly-whirly rack of shoes with a "$5" sign over the top of them. And some of these shoes had $39.95 price stickers on them. I double-checked with a staff member about the $5 price and said it was true. It was then I noticed that I didn't want any of the impractical heels.. which weren't really my style (I have enough heels now, being 3 new pairs), but I picked up a pair of ballet flats for quick trips to the shop.. and informal occasions. Around the house? The original price sticker on them was $19.95. They are soft and light.
Rewinding a bit.. after the WW meeting and before the doc's my girl and I shared a fresh, fruit salad (not pictured) and this salmon sashimi (some pieces already eaten, soy sauce already squirted over it). I'm on a bread, dairy and meat free 'detox' at the moment (have been trying to improve digestion).. so the fish was out of place but I figured how harmful could it be to my digestion? I felt a bit light headed as it was nearly 2pm, so I think I needed it.
I ate every bit of carrot and lettuce garnish.
Rewind some more... the other day my girl and I spontaneously bought new purses at a sale. She also bought a new handbag with Christmas money from her aunt/uncle in Sydney.
One thing that is the bane of my existence is how much of a 'card' society we are today. I don't mind the cards as much as the need to keep them handy/carry them with me all of the time. I call a lot of them "frequent flyer" cards. Like for every pie you buy you get a stamp and the 5th one is free. Or for every $5 of bread you buy.. ditto. For every haircut I have at 'Just Cuts' I get a stamp and the third one is $5 off, then the sixth one is free. And on it goes. Nail card, coffee cards, juice cards, card cards (yes a greeting card store gave me a frequent flyer card). Those are the paper cards. The plastic one's are the video cards, ATM cards, the clothes shop cards, the cinema cards, the department store layby cards..etc. So in my wallet, aside from my drivers licence and Medicare card etc.. I have been carrying around 32 cards. It really bulks-out a wallet. So my wallet has been looking sad and sorry and like a 'brick'. And just not 'hip' enough. So I decided on a spontaneous wallet makeover. One wallet became two. One for the cards and one predominantly for money (and my licence and 'important' cards).
More cards in zipped compartment as there weren't enough card slots in the card wallet. The plastic cards are in there.
'Happy New Year' clipart conceals card details, oops!
Saturday, January 03, 2009
Friday, January 02, 2009
Pounding the sand...
January 1st agenda: Another beach workout. Third one in a week, in addition to some neighbourhood walking I've done. Photo above? It's a Google image but pretty much our January 1st surroundings and what we walked through. Very windy! It was high tide, so sometimes there was barely a foot of sand left to walk on without the water rushing in fast to lap your feet (I managed to stay dry). Waves thunderously crashing around us.. sand, like a dust storm.. forcing me to cover my nose/mouth with my hand. Rain, pelting on my sunglasses. My black jacket hood, damp over the top of my baseball cap. So much 'weather'.. so much air yet it felt harder to breathe today. It was as if someone had turned the workout intensity level up 3 or 4 notches. Hubby gave some scientific explanation for why the conditions were challenging us so much.
We found a pair! These were about 15 to 20 metres apart.
Over to the 'singles'.. I quite like these apple green polka dot thongs (flip-flops).
And another...
And finally this brand-new looking silver ladies shoe that we took with us (it still had the $20.00 undamaged price sticker on the sole). They were lovely and our size too (My 13yr old has the same size foot as me.. just narrower). By then we were heading back to the car, so we kept our eyes out the whole way for its matching 'other half'... but alas.. never found it.
Thursday, January 01, 2009
My New Years Eve - In Pictures
We saw 'Iron Man' with he's-been-working-out, Robert Downey Jnr (aka 'Tony Stark') in the lead and Gwyneth Paltrow as 'Pepper Potts', playing his personal assistant. Not my kind of movie but I still give it a 7/10. We had one other DVD, being 'Juno' (we've all seen it)..but it was late, so we called it a night. It's a 3-night new release anyway.
Prior to the movie there was dinner which I cooked (no stress involved as I started it early), but prior to that I was shown my newly installed car CD player. Now I have two new speakers in the back (I only had 2 up the front before).
I didn't take any photo's tonight (gasp!), so I've found some images on Google that are exactly the same or similar to what we ate tonight!
Baked Desiree potato in its jacket. Roasted Kent pumpkin: 1kg piece roasted whole for at least 2 hours, and basted with some of my 'Bride's Honey' towards the end (see post below this one). Wasn't at all like this Google-pumpkin. Ours was criss-crossed (deliberate knife pattern)..and caramelised. I cut the finished/baked pumpkin piece into 4 wedges.
Green salad. For dessert I had a 'one scoop' capacity small tub of frozen strawberry yoghurt with just a miniscule 'squiggle' of 'Ice Magic' and girl & hubby had a bowl full of icecream and more Ice Magic.
I bought a small, thin 'rectangle' of mild (Victorian) Milawa blue cheese, no more than 50 grams I think? from our local gourmet greengrocer ($2.50). I sliced it very thinly and placed it over the green salad and some on the pumpkin. It complimented everything nicely. And there was some of these bikkies on the coffee table too... (no special 'nibblies' tonight.. but that's ok.. dinner made up for it).
It was nice to get my car back because in hubby's Festiva we bounce up and down. It's a 'rough' ride compared to my Magna..which is smooth and powerful. Hubby's is manual, mine is automatic.. ie. less effort!
Before heading out for our New Year's dinner I did an early evening walk and noticed I barely broke into a sweat. I tackled the usual hills with more ease. It has to be the sandy beach workouts (with flights of stairs). Power walking in shifting-sand is hard slog for over an hour. Did it last Friday, then Monday and again tomorrow afternoon. The area we hike from Ocean Grove to Barwon Heads is so pretty, we're blessed to live here. Oh! forgot to mention, during our last walk, when we reached Barwon Heads, we came face to face with Andrew Daddo, who was with his young son?, both on bikes.. on the footpath.. going slowly as they passed the shop we exited from. Girl and I recognised him.. hubby didn't. The Daddo 'presence' is a huge 'nod' for our local area ie. that this TV presenter from the travel show 'The Great Outdoors' chooses to holiday here. Happy New Year everyone!!
