Weekend almost done and dusted

Something really strange happened to me yesterday.  You know that women's intuition that niggles at you and sometimes you just have to go with it.  I was popping into our local little supermarket and there were some people I knew out the front selling raffle tickets for their school.  $10 raffle tickets!  I just said to them can't afford to waste $10 on a raffle ticket which they completely understood.  I did my shopping, went back out to the car parked just up the road.  I went to turn the key in the ignition and something really pulled me back and said I needed to go buy a raffle ticket.   Ten flipping dollars!  Sheesh.  But the pull was so great, so I went back and bought one.   Call it an itchy palm, call it women's intituion, call it something bigger than I can explain.  But I wonder.  Maybe I won't have to go new car shopping one of these days after all.   Watch this space.  :-)

So getting to that time of the weekend I don't really like, Sunday evening, weekend is almost over.  It's been cold, it's been wet, it's been windy.  Yep, a pretty dismal weekend for sure.  The fire has been working overdrive and it's nice and cosy in the loungeroom and that's where I'm headed any moment!

How come at the start of the weekend I have all manner of things I want to get done, and yet here we are and hardly any of it is finished.  I seriously have to sit down with October's calendar and work out everything we've got coming up that's not down on the calendar, I have bits of reminder papers everywhere.  See, I have those beautiful Lang Calendards each year and I have one of those frames to put them in.  So when you want to pop over to the next month, the only pain is you've got to take the whole calendar out of the frame to do so.  So I jot down things on bits of paper so when I take the calendar out to update I can do it all at once.  Messy yes, but I like the way the calendar isn't flapping about everywhere on the wall.

Sharon was asking in the last post what podcasts I have been listening to of late.  These are the ones that automatically update onto my ipod that keep me company to and from work:

The Digi Show - my all time favourite listen.  I don't even erase them from my ipod when finished, I actually listen to them over again at a later date if I've run out of things to listen to.

Paperclipping Round Table - although I'm selective as to what episodes I download, not everything interests me, particularly if they are talking paper techniques as opposed to a theme that fits across all scrapbooking styles.

This Memory Keepers Life - a great podcast by Debbie Hodge.  I really enjoy this, hearing the story behind the scrapbooker whether it be paper or digi.

Creative Living with Jamie - there is something about Jamie Ridler's voice, I just love to listen to her pre-amble.  Sometimes I find the interviews are hard going listening, as it's taped differently, perhaps over a phone, rather than through a studio mike.  I have no idea.  But I do like listening to her voice.  Does that make me weird.

Michelle Bridges 12wbt - I download the videos from my 12wbt program and listen to them as podcasts, I don't delete these either.  If I feel I need a kick up the bum, I pop Michelle on and she can give me a schlacking!

They are the current ones I'm listening to.  Others have come and gone over the time, Hamish & Andy, Photofocus, Layout A Day, which I'm currently unsubscribed to for one reason or another.  I get a bit antsy when I have a lot of podcasts to listen to, I can't listen to them all.

So would love to know what you are listening to, just in case I need to add more.  Eeeek.

I've scrapped a couple of the shots from last Saturday's crater challenge.  I was reading my friend Jane's blog and she had me laughing when I read a reference to Mt. Vesuvius.  I swear I laughed for about 5 minutes and every time I subsided I giggled again.  I knew I had to "borrow" that reference for my journalling here.   A rare two page spread from me.

Credits Designer Digitals.

And with that I best go make dinner, a pre-cooked dinner in the freezer for me that I have made and stocked up on as part of my eating program, and marinated pork chops for Mike (drool) !!

Insert mindblowing title here!

Ha!  I sat here with my fingers poised on the keyboard and I couldn't for the life of me think of a title for this post.  So just insert whatever you think.

I'm madly downloading some podcasts onto my ipod so I can plug it in to the car tomorrow so I have some company when I'm driving down to Geelong.  Digital scrapbooking podcasts of course.  What else is there!! Thank goodness my calf muscles feel so much better now.  I couldn't even imagine sitting in a car, let alone using the pedals the way they were, ouch!  

I'm also looking forward to seeing my workmates at Geelong.  I've now lost 17.4 kg (that's 38 pounds my friends), and they haven't seen me since, oh, 17.4 kg ago!  :-)   I hope they notice.  Well they BETTER notice!!

Then when I get home I will be armed ready to bake about 100 cookies ready for a cake stall for CWA on Friday.  Dangerous territory perhaps, but I've been so strong in the past, I've surprised even myself, no taste testing the merchandise.

Oh I just dropped that in there.  I may not have told you my news.  I'm now a member of our local CWA (Country Women's Association).  And even though I might be the youngest by a good number of years, I'm really enjoying the friendships I'm developing with this small group of ladies.  I figure Mike has his secret squirrel stuff, I wanted something in this town to call my own.  We've been knee deep in knitting teddy bears for under-privileged children at the current time.

So youngest stepson turned 18, and I knew I wanted to use that photograph of him, the last time we saw him at 17, in a page that will go in his album.  Here tis.

Credits Designer Digitals.

And with that I best get this ipod charged up and packed away in my handbag ready for tomorrow.  A road trip awaits!

I took on the volcano and won !

I mentioned in my last post about taking on a volcano on Saturday.  Well we smashed it !  I did the impressive crater peak climb at Tower Hill, up and down not once, but ... wait for it ... FOUR TIMES!!!!

Not only that but each time we got to the bottom we did 10 push ups, 10 sit ups, 10 jumps and 10 burpees before heading up again.   Call us crazy huh?

Here we are looking all fresh faced and excited before we started, a lovely tourist stopped to take our photograph then told us quite frankly we were nuts and handed the camera back tut tutting at us!

As soon as I started off I knew I was in for a bit of strife when I saw the first set of stairs.  The climb to the top of the crater is a mixture of steps and steep paved inclines, some of which particularly at the top I did need to haul myself just about to get up there.   I'm wincing just remembering it.   I did take my camera up on my second climb up so I was able to snap some photographs on the way up and down, but I tell you it was so darn heavy to lug, it was a one time only, any other photo opportunities had to go begging.

And here I was further up the trail looking back at some of the girls on the landing there.  You can tell how steep it is from this, and it just kept getting steeper as we got closer to the top!

And here's my new friend Jane who I have met on this grand venture I am on, she was the one who devised this challenge for us.  Yes we are looking hot and bothered.  Yes we are looking very red in the face from exertion.   Yes we are looking hot and sweaty.   But what I am seeing more in this photo is exhilaration, pride, accomplishment, victory and pure happiness for achieving and smashing the challenge we set out to do.   

Oh and by the way, I realised on my third time up the crater that I had the hidden speed of an Olympic sprinter when I saw a snake sunbaking on the side of the path, I took off running!  Aaaarrgggh!

So this weekend took on a volcano and won!   Tomorrow the world!   Yahoooooooooooooo!

Okay, I have a confession to make

Forgive me readers because I am cheating on you.  Naaah not really, but I do have a confession.  I have another blog.

Shock ... horror.  You're not the only one.  Oh dear.

I have a separate blog to this that I have been using as a journal of sorts since I have been on Michelle Bridges 12wbt program.  Just a place to get my thoughts out, celebrate wins, dissect lows, all that type of rollercoaster stuff that one goes on when trying to change one's life.  However because I talk about specifics about my weight, I don't have it linked up here.  I really don't need friends and family and crafty buddies knowing how much I weigh, yanno.  If you are desperate to see it, drop me a line, I may or may not give you the link.  What can I say, I'm trying to protect the integrity of the scales, right?

So anyway, back to this mysterious blog.  During the rounds of 12wbt there are challenges every week.  This past week was for people on the program to nominate their favourite blogs of those doing 12wbt, and trust me there are a LOT of blogs people are writing about their experiences on the program.

I was really humbled to find out that some of the incredible people doing the 12wbt program nominated my blog.  There were a number of criteria to fulfill but Michelle had indicated in the challenge that :

"I will choose twenty blogs which I feel best embrace the 12WBT philosophies, really show the personality of the author and their journey - whilst still adding value to others."

I was even more humbled to find out that I was one of the lucky 20 winners.  Michelle's email on Wednesday said : 

This week’s Weekly Surprise was important not only because the winners are actively inspiring people but because the blogs nominated to win this week will also go on to be the nominees for the end of round Blogger Award. There were so many great entries that I got lost in a time-tunnel reading them all! Well done!!

SAY WHAT?!?!??  Michelle actually READ my blog.  Woah.  Well that set me off, jumping up and down and squealing with delight. 

She finished off the email to say:

Each of these amazing bloggers has won a ChiBall™ set including a ChiBall™, instructional DVD and CD worth $75 each!

Mish Xx

So today my prize arrived, I don't know what I was more excited with, the prize or the personal handwritten note that Michelle had added.  Yep, Mike did the whole holding it up to the light and declared it was not a print, that it was actually handwritten.  Yep, I'm smitten, Michelle is a rockstar and she has written to me!  And read my blog.  Does life get any better?  After all of that I realised I forgot to take a photograph of the actual chi ball, but needless to say once it was blown up I pranced around the kitchen like an Olympic gymnast!

Tomorrow is going to be an interesting day.  I'm meeting up with some friends and we are doing a mini milestone challenge.  It's us versus the volcano!   We are taking on Tower Hill running (read in my case: walking or crawling) up and down the crater.  Apparently we are aiming for four times up and down.  Oh Lordy Lord, what have I let myself in for.  I will be taking the camera, but depending on how steep it is will depend on if I take it up and down the crater with me.  With a bit of luck there will be photographs, unless I keel over with exhaustion.

And the birthdays keep coming!

No sooner had my stepson turned 18 and I was hot on his heels.   So yesterday yes, another year clocked over for me.   I spent a pretty low key day and a few nice suprises, not to mention this...

Trust me, flowers are a rare occurrence around here, so this was a big surprise.  Mike had gone over to the next town to do a few things and I heard him come home and when I walked into the kitchen I got this lovely bouquet full of pink gerberas and other pretty flowers.

Because I couldn't trust myself this year, not with my strict exercise/eating regime, to have a birthday cake (and not eat the rest of it myself!!!) I suggested perhaps two dessert cakes from the bakery for each of us to have after dinner.  I still got to blow out a candle and make a wish.  I still had something sweet and delicious and measured (although after one bite I knew there must have been a million calories in it!).   Absolutely scrumptious orange, almond baby cake.  

Dare I say I should have wished it didn't have a million calories!

So it struck me as a great idea for a scrapbook page yesterday, which I finished off this afternoon, was to list 48 things that I love right now at age 48.   Well I tell you, it's harder than it looks to make a list.  I struggled to start with.  But then as the list went on I kept thinking of more and more things I love right now and it made me be thankful for them all over again.  Even if you don't scrapbook, even if you just journal, even if you just want to do the exercise, it's a very worthy exercise.   So here's the scrapbook page and yes even the photograph was taken yesterday ...

Credits Designer Digitals.

And if you want to read the journalling and can't quite make it out, here it is (funny it's in no particular order, but chocolate made the number 1 spot!!):

white chocolate * exercising * Molly, Lucky and Bo * being married to Mike and knowing he'll never give up on me * our life in mortlake and the country closeness I enjoy * finally getting the bathroom up to speed * learning to run * losing weight and seeing the number on the scales going down * digital scrapbooking * being on the amazing team at Designer Digitals * that the children are all now young adults * loving the kids * that my relationship with mum is much better * clothes shopping * fitting into clothes I had long since forgotten is fun * Michelle Bridges and 12wbt changing my life * anticipation of my trip to Sydney with new friends from 12wbt and the possibility of meeting the amazing Michelle * penang chicken for dinner my favourite * the colour red * punjabi chai tea made in a teapot * knitting in the round * my Canon 60D and taking photographs * watching Lucky dream when his little body twitches * that we are now into Spring and the garden is coming alive with colour * blossom on the trees in the backyard * my (somewhat local) digiscrap buddies Esther and Jenelle * peace * my best friend forever Sonia * a glass of cold thirst-quenching water * going to the gym and knowing I've had a good work out * walking a few blocks from our house and seeing countryside stretch out for miles * the sounds of the nearby cows mooing and the sound drifting on the breeze at night * marshmallow MOR perfume * standing in the driveway and seeing the sky blanketed by stars * being able to finally say no and stand by my decision (I've been such a yes girl all my life) * the internet and connecting with my friends * my eternity ring that Mike gave me last year which I adore * that I finally feel deserving of the good things that the universe is giving me * when Molly comes up to me and puts her head in my lap and just looks at me, I melt * that I haven't caught a cold all year * the digi show podcast * my new bright emerald green coat * long hot showers * that I'm not afraid to cry * AROHO * sharing with Sonia our continued weight loss and encouragement and feeling fantastic about it * strawberry fruche * the fact that I am now 48 and am healthy and happy and alive.

Can we say procrastination?

I might not have said it, but I sure did a lot of it today.  I'm meant to be washing/sugar soaping the bathroom, toilet and laundry walls, getting ready for painting.  Hmmm, nope.  Didn't do that at all today.   I looked at the cans of paint I have bought in the garage a couple of times, and then busied myself with other things.  It was meant to be one of the main things I was going to be doing on my 2 weeks off work, and here we are into the second week already.  At least I've bought the paint and brushes and roller, right?  I guess it's not going to do itself.

Mike is having his last night "in the chair" at Masons tonight.  It's been a long year but a quick year.  He's done a lot of different things this year, the big open day where the Grand Poobah came down for it, the Scottish night, inviting all the local widows to the Christmas party, the Christmas Parade, lots of other things too.  I'm really proud of him, he's given it a red hot go.  But like many other similar type clubs, new members are not coming out of the woodwork and it's been an uphill battle.  

So today I cooked up a storm as there were going to be quite a few visitors tonight, being his last night in charge.  Hard to believe I've never done this before, but I actually made 60 sausage rolls and they were easier than I thought, and very tasty.   Then I made a very yummy slice (I only tested the crumbs, truly!)  I really enjoy the Exclusively Food website.  And in particular I made the Oat, Sultana and Choc Chip Slice and wonder of wonders it turned out exactly like the photograph.  Got to love a recipe that uses minimal dishes, turns out like the photograph and doesn't need icing!   Then I loaded him up with two big platters of sandwiches as well.   I may end up needing to duck out shortly to go pick him up if he has a few drinks, nothing like driving through town in my pjs!

Youngest stepson is 18 today.  Gosh, where have those years gone.  That means he was only about 7 when I first met him.  Wow.    I remember at our wedding and he was one of the "best men", all he wanted to do was wear a tuxedo and by the end of the day the rose he had on his lapel was merely just a stem, all the petals and leaves had either fallen off or been torn off in play.  I remember lots of random things over the years.  I remember he loved sleeping on my couch, even when he got too tall for it, he said it was really comfy.  He is so amazingly good to the animals, he would make a fantastic vet, although he has always wanted to be an accountant since he was a little boy, I wonder if the accountants out there realised they had super hero status in a little boy's eyes.  Even at this age he still gives his dad a hug and he doesn't mind if I kiss him goodnight if he stays here.  So as the last of the children slip into adulthood, I know Mike and I are so very proud of each of them.

Okay well that's it from me.  Mike is still not home so I dare say they are having a lovely time.  Must stay awake in case I need to do the midnight run to go get him!

A week just flew by

Anyone notice how quickly that went?  I'm on holidays from work for two weeks and one week has just gone whoosh.  Hmm what have I been up to this last week?

I've done a bit of scrapping, a bit of knitting, a bit of shopping, oh okay a lot of shopping!

I've bought paint ready for next week to start painting the bathroom, laundry and toilet.  I have all the disposable shower caps ready that I've nicked from various motel stays, they come in very handy when painting a ceiling, don't you know?

I've also done a lot of exercise, met up with a new friend and worked out at her gym.   I have actually gotten to the stage now, one of my goals, to running 1km on the treadmill without stopping.  Such a huge accomplishment for me.   I've now lost 16.5 kg and I dare say the running is probably getting easier with each kg that disappears.  But yes, running is one of my goals.  I've never hit the 1km mark before without run/walk/run the whole way.  So it was a huge achievement.

I went to Geelong last Friday on the train, decided I couldn't be bothered driving and took the train there and back.  So relaxing, it still gave me a good 5-6 hours to wander, lunch, shop.  I spent way too much money at the wool shop, there's a great wool shop in Ryrie Street, but I now have yarn ready for my next three projects, all Christmas gifts.

Speaking of Christmas, it was with a shock horror that I saw they were setting up the Christmas Shop in Myer!!!!!!  Come on Mr. Myer, it's the start of September for goodness sake.  No one, and I mean NO ONE is yet putting up their Christmas tree and need to buy decorations yet, I assure you.

In scrapping I've made a double page layout from some of the random photos I took at the Robbie Burns Festival from a few weeks back.   Or "Rabbie Burns" as the ol' bard was affectionately known.

Credits Designer Digitals.

Enjoy your week.  Wish me luck with the painting!

Father's Day

Sunday is nearly finished, Father's Day has passed by for another year.  

Mike has had a lovely day, although I ended up getting breakfast in bed, I don't know how I wrangled that one, but I did.  He received a lovely big Toblerone from the menagerie, how clever they were shopping for him!  

Brittany and Tristan came out for a late lunch, being that Mr. T had to work until lunchtime, so we had a yummy lunch of leek & potato soup and savoury scones.  Definitely not on the 12wbt menu, but probably not too bad.  A great recipe from my dear friend Tanya's mum, who I made the cookbook for last year.  Mr. T certainly thought the scones were a bit of okay seeings he polished off 5 in one sitting!  

I love watching Mike interact with the kids.  He's a terrific father.  And it's a new chapter of all their lives as the kids are young adults now, so the relationships have slightly shifted, but in a good way.  

I thought of my dad a lot today too.  I know that he's with me always, if not in spirit, always in my heart.  This photo is from a life time ago.   I was bridesmaid at a friend's wedding, please don't think I always have my hair in plaits and flowers like Heidi !  Mum and dad were invited to the wedding also.  And someone somewhere snapped this photo.  I love it.  No one could quite wear a tan suit like my dad!