Saturday:
Well, that was unexpected.
You may remember a while ago I applied for part-time work at my local group of libraries, I didn't even get an interview and I thought that was fair enough as I wasn't even half-way through my degree and they said they had lots of more qualified people applying. And I was disappointed but not devastated, and got over it.
Well this afternoon I'd just gone out into the garden to start planting all the things we bought yesterday, when my phone rang. And it was a librarian asking if I'd like to come in and talk to her about doing some casual work! Of course I said yes and we set up a time Thursday next week. I suppose it is an interview, although it sounded more like an offer. Oh my goodness, how long has it been since I'd done anything like a job interview? More than 20 years?! Suddenly I am very grateful for those two face-to-face exams I had to do last week! Very good practice in answering questions confidently on the spot.
But what do I wear!???
And how much am I willing to compromise on working at times inconvenient to me (like when I should be driving my children to activities)?
I'm sure the work itself will be very basic - putting books back on shelves, manning (womaning) the front desk etc. But it would be such good experience working in a real library, and wonderful for my future resume.
Time management would become a lot harder. Start juggling!
But really - what am I going to wear?
Friday, September 29, 2017
Plateau
Friday:
I know weight plateaus can happen for no apparent reason and it's normal, even if you are doing everything right. I will start losing again eventually. But it's so frustrating! I am the same weight I was 12 days ago, with only small fluctuations in between. After a week I thought there were reasons, on four days I ate 1500 or 1600 calories instead of my target of 1200 so apparently that was enough for maintenance (even though I was burning 2000 calories a day), and I wasn't well so I wasn't exercising. But this week I'm back on track with eating, and I'm doing a lot of really strenuous work in the garden. Yesterday about four hours - carrying buckets of rocks and big bags of manure, digging, raking, sweeping, planting, laying out watering system, setting up trellis, up and down stairs. Dripping sweat, muscles aching.
And overnight I regained the 0.3 kg I'd lost, back up to 78 kg. Back to where I was 12 days ago. How can I not lose weight, eating 1264 calories and burning 2534? Arg!!!!!!!!
I'm assuming my body is holding on to some of the water I drank yesterday, it can't be fat regained.
We spent the morning at a garden centre. We took both cars! Didn't exactly fill both with plants, but bought a lot. Aiden counted them later, and including the ones we put in already there are 50 new plants in the backyard. So I think over 30 today. I planned what to buy and thought it would be enough, but now they they are placed where they are to go (but still in their pots at the moment) I think we need a few more. Need to move them around a few times before I'll be happy with final placement. I didn't do any planting today, I did the grocery shopping in the afternoon then was feeling a bit tired. Carrying them out the back and giving everything some water was enough for today.
Meanwhile Tim went over to his dad's in the afternoon to help out. Jo came home from hospital today so I guess she is much better. Jasmine also seems to have recovered except for a constantly running nose.
I know weight plateaus can happen for no apparent reason and it's normal, even if you are doing everything right. I will start losing again eventually. But it's so frustrating! I am the same weight I was 12 days ago, with only small fluctuations in between. After a week I thought there were reasons, on four days I ate 1500 or 1600 calories instead of my target of 1200 so apparently that was enough for maintenance (even though I was burning 2000 calories a day), and I wasn't well so I wasn't exercising. But this week I'm back on track with eating, and I'm doing a lot of really strenuous work in the garden. Yesterday about four hours - carrying buckets of rocks and big bags of manure, digging, raking, sweeping, planting, laying out watering system, setting up trellis, up and down stairs. Dripping sweat, muscles aching.
And overnight I regained the 0.3 kg I'd lost, back up to 78 kg. Back to where I was 12 days ago. How can I not lose weight, eating 1264 calories and burning 2534? Arg!!!!!!!!
I'm assuming my body is holding on to some of the water I drank yesterday, it can't be fat regained.
We spent the morning at a garden centre. We took both cars! Didn't exactly fill both with plants, but bought a lot. Aiden counted them later, and including the ones we put in already there are 50 new plants in the backyard. So I think over 30 today. I planned what to buy and thought it would be enough, but now they they are placed where they are to go (but still in their pots at the moment) I think we need a few more. Need to move them around a few times before I'll be happy with final placement. I didn't do any planting today, I did the grocery shopping in the afternoon then was feeling a bit tired. Carrying them out the back and giving everything some water was enough for today.
Meanwhile Tim went over to his dad's in the afternoon to help out. Jo came home from hospital today so I guess she is much better. Jasmine also seems to have recovered except for a constantly running nose.
Wednesday, September 27, 2017
Relapse
Wednesday:
It looks like everyone feeling better yesterday was a false spring. Father-in-law Des and his partner Jo have some nasty form of flu, maybe swine flu, and Jo is in hospital. Jasmine has also relapsed and spent the day in bed, she has had four heavy nosebleeds as well. I hope she doesn't have the same thing, she's not too bad just needs rest.
It looks like everyone feeling better yesterday was a false spring. Father-in-law Des and his partner Jo have some nasty form of flu, maybe swine flu, and Jo is in hospital. Jasmine has also relapsed and spent the day in bed, she has had four heavy nosebleeds as well. I hope she doesn't have the same thing, she's not too bad just needs rest.
Tuesday, September 26, 2017
Health worries
Tuesday:
Things were looking very worrying here this morning. My father-in-law Des was very sick with the flu, and went to the emergency room last night with a high temperature and possible pneumonia. His partner Jo is just starting chemotherapy for her lung cancer which is obviously going to make her feel even more rotten than she already feels, and she needs to be driven to and from the hospital twice a day and probably help with meals and stuff too. Her family lives in another state. So they were in a pretty bad situation. Of course we were all going to rally around and help out, drive Jo back and forth and cook etc. Luckily we have few commitments this week and don't live too far away, Nick and Ping too but they have two young children. But we got news later in the day that Des is feeling much better and they seem to be able to cope without us for the moment. We're available if they need us.
Jasmine is much better today too and even went to her acrogym practice. I think she had hayfever, Tim and I have had symptoms too. All that spring pollen.
Tim and I spent a lot of today in the garden, more digging and digging and digging. My hands are stinging and sore from wielding a shovel, and Tim has a blood blister from using the pick. I rather enjoy wrestling with the stony soil. I hope to buy lots more plants tomorrow.
Things were looking very worrying here this morning. My father-in-law Des was very sick with the flu, and went to the emergency room last night with a high temperature and possible pneumonia. His partner Jo is just starting chemotherapy for her lung cancer which is obviously going to make her feel even more rotten than she already feels, and she needs to be driven to and from the hospital twice a day and probably help with meals and stuff too. Her family lives in another state. So they were in a pretty bad situation. Of course we were all going to rally around and help out, drive Jo back and forth and cook etc. Luckily we have few commitments this week and don't live too far away, Nick and Ping too but they have two young children. But we got news later in the day that Des is feeling much better and they seem to be able to cope without us for the moment. We're available if they need us.
Jasmine is much better today too and even went to her acrogym practice. I think she had hayfever, Tim and I have had symptoms too. All that spring pollen.
Tim and I spent a lot of today in the garden, more digging and digging and digging. My hands are stinging and sore from wielding a shovel, and Tim has a blood blister from using the pick. I rather enjoy wrestling with the stony soil. I hope to buy lots more plants tomorrow.
Monday, September 25, 2017
Stall
Monday:
I didn't lose any weight this week, in fact I'm 100 grams heavier than last Monday (I don't really consider that a gain, that's a tiny fluctuation). It's disappointing of course, but there was the nausea I was trying to combat with frequent carbs all week, and two parties on the weekend where I wasn't in control of the food served and where there were no good choices at all. I feel back on track today.
If anything I'm most worried that I have stalled right on that 78 kg mark, and have not yet broken into virgin fat. Again.
78.1 kg.
It still looks better than 84.7 kg.
I think no-one has noticed my weight loss yet (or at least hasn't mentioned it) because I am often around this weight. My shorts from last summer fit perfectly. I'm at the lowest end of my 'normal' weight variation.
Hay fever has hit here, going outside is a bit of a risk! We're all affected to some extent. Jasmine either has bad hay fever, or has the flu, not sure yet. I hope she recovers quickly.
More digging in the garden today. Tim does the back-breaking work first with a pick, then I go along with the shovel trying to incorporate some manure into the dust and rocks. Another trip to the garden centre soon for more plants.
Hay fever has hit here, going outside is a bit of a risk! We're all affected to some extent. Jasmine either has bad hay fever, or has the flu, not sure yet. I hope she recovers quickly.
More digging in the garden today. Tim does the back-breaking work first with a pick, then I go along with the shovel trying to incorporate some manure into the dust and rocks. Another trip to the garden centre soon for more plants.
Saturday, September 23, 2017
Acrogym win
Sunday:
Today was Jasmine's first ever Acrogym (acrobatic gymnastics) competition. This was a small one, just three gyms competing. There are some much bigger ones coming up, so this was great practice. I videoed the performance which I won't post here, but took photos of the warmup. She is the blonde one, and is the base in the lifts so is teamed with someone smaller.
Her pair came first in the Balance routine, first in the Dynamic routine, and first overall!!
Really excellent performance. She and her partner had practiced very hard and even amateur eyes like mine could see the difference, they were much better synchronised than some of the other teams and with smoother transitions between moves. I wasn't at all surprised when they won!
Now they've got lots of rehearsals during the school holidays, state trials in three weeks.
At lunchtime we went to my brother-in-law's for his birthday BBQ, relaxed time with family including five children under five years old. Quiet evening at home.
Today was Jasmine's first ever Acrogym (acrobatic gymnastics) competition. This was a small one, just three gyms competing. There are some much bigger ones coming up, so this was great practice. I videoed the performance which I won't post here, but took photos of the warmup. She is the blonde one, and is the base in the lifts so is teamed with someone smaller.
Her pair came first in the Balance routine, first in the Dynamic routine, and first overall!!
Really excellent performance. She and her partner had practiced very hard and even amateur eyes like mine could see the difference, they were much better synchronised than some of the other teams and with smoother transitions between moves. I wasn't at all surprised when they won!
Now they've got lots of rehearsals during the school holidays, state trials in three weeks.
At lunchtime we went to my brother-in-law's for his birthday BBQ, relaxed time with family including five children under five years old. Quiet evening at home.
Party
Saturday:
We did some gardening in the morning, and while Tim was digging out yet more tree roots he found that they were attached to a big tree stump under the ground! When we had the land cleared for the pool, several large trees had to be removed, and they ground the stumps down but only to 20cm below ground level (I think). I had to get someone to come and completely remove one stump that was in the way of pool construction, but this one was left. We'll just plant around it. It will rot down eventually. In fifty years or something.
We had a lovely swim in the afternoon. With the heater only on for a day and a half in was still a bit cool in the water but you got used to it. Lovely hot day. The weight I've lost makes a big difference to how I feel in my swimming cossie. We're going to work hard on the garden this week while we're all on holidays and then have a pool party the next hot weekend.
In the evening we went to a birthday party, one of Tim's lesser-known cousins. It was a 1920's theme, some people really dressed up but we just wore our best approximation of flapper fashion from what we had. The party was fine but the food was awful! It was dinner time, there wasn't a sit down meal but plenty of finger food, little pies and mini quiches and deep fried stuff etc. Unfortunately, as well as all being terribly unhealthy it was all cheap inedible frozen food bulk purchased, that none of my finicky household could eat. Even the pre-sliced cheese was horrible. On the other hand, the dessert table was magnificent! I had to have something (not home til late) so my dinner was a spring roll, a couple of handfuls of chips and some petite fours. The macarons were delicious. I'm sure I had plenty of calories but I didn't feel like I'd eaten a single nutrient. Oh, except one fresh raspberry that I ate off a little tart then threw the tart away.
I did take a Duromine tablet in the morning after only one day off, no nausea all day. Tim and I are both having some hay fever symptoms so I don't know if that was affecting the queasiness. Either way, hopefully that has passed. I've been eating too many calories for much of the week and I weigh the same today as I did Monday. Only one more day to see some kind of a loss this week.
We did some gardening in the morning, and while Tim was digging out yet more tree roots he found that they were attached to a big tree stump under the ground! When we had the land cleared for the pool, several large trees had to be removed, and they ground the stumps down but only to 20cm below ground level (I think). I had to get someone to come and completely remove one stump that was in the way of pool construction, but this one was left. We'll just plant around it. It will rot down eventually. In fifty years or something.
We had a lovely swim in the afternoon. With the heater only on for a day and a half in was still a bit cool in the water but you got used to it. Lovely hot day. The weight I've lost makes a big difference to how I feel in my swimming cossie. We're going to work hard on the garden this week while we're all on holidays and then have a pool party the next hot weekend.
In the evening we went to a birthday party, one of Tim's lesser-known cousins. It was a 1920's theme, some people really dressed up but we just wore our best approximation of flapper fashion from what we had. The party was fine but the food was awful! It was dinner time, there wasn't a sit down meal but plenty of finger food, little pies and mini quiches and deep fried stuff etc. Unfortunately, as well as all being terribly unhealthy it was all cheap inedible frozen food bulk purchased, that none of my finicky household could eat. Even the pre-sliced cheese was horrible. On the other hand, the dessert table was magnificent! I had to have something (not home til late) so my dinner was a spring roll, a couple of handfuls of chips and some petite fours. The macarons were delicious. I'm sure I had plenty of calories but I didn't feel like I'd eaten a single nutrient. Oh, except one fresh raspberry that I ate off a little tart then threw the tart away.
I did take a Duromine tablet in the morning after only one day off, no nausea all day. Tim and I are both having some hay fever symptoms so I don't know if that was affecting the queasiness. Either way, hopefully that has passed. I've been eating too many calories for much of the week and I weigh the same today as I did Monday. Only one more day to see some kind of a loss this week.
Friday, September 22, 2017
Exams
Friday:
I've had two oral examinations in the past two days (I mean one-on-one exams with a teacher, not dental work) and I was so nervous. I don't mind written exams, but having a teacher stare at you waiting for the specific answer they need... you never get used to that, even at my age.
I had one role-play in class (I'm the librarian, the teacher is a customer with a research request), we did a practice last week and I was a bit awkward so I practiced all week - thought up scenarios and went over and over everything I needed to say. And I nailed it! I remembered everything, spoke smoothly, friendly yet professional, my teacher said I was excellent. All the rehearsing paid off!
Then I had a weird one today over the phone while at home, for one of my online subjects. I was given some brief scenario notes but wasn't very clear on what was going to happen, so I didn't get to do any specific practice (except making sure I knew the course content, obviously). The teacher half-heartedly pretended to be a customer for part of it but mainly just asked me questions. I did stumble on one bit that I didn't know - until the teacher gave me a hint that I wasn't supposed to know how to do that bit (being only a junior nobody in the library) so I reassured the 'client' that I would get the problem solved and said I would refer it to a more senior staff member and follow up to make sure it was done. I think I did pretty well overall, certainly passed, maybe not quite as 'star pupil' as the other one but good.
Now I have four assignments to finish over the two weeks holiday, and a tricky written exam first week back that I need to study for. But I'm going to take a proper break from study over this weekend before I start on those. I need a rest.
I've had a bit of nausea on and off since I started Duromine, only mild after the first couple of days and I was prepared to put up with it. But the past three days were really bad, strong nausea for a lot of the day. I'd do a huge burp and feel a bit better but it would soon be back. Very unpleasant. It may have been exacerbated by stress, and Tim did have nausea when we all had the flu a couple of weeks back, but I think probably the Duromine. I don't know why it suddenly got bad. For most people it's the other way round - you can start with bad side effects but they reduce or go away completely after a while. I decided to stop taking it for a day or two and see how that goes, I didn't take one today. On the forums, some people had success with reducing side effects by taking a little break. I hope it works, I don't want to stop Duromine yet as I've been having good results, but the nausea was too much. Also, while nauseated I was nibbling dry carbs to settle my stomach so I wasn't sticking to my healthy diet anyway - and I certainly wasn't exercising - so it was kind of defeating the purpose.
Today I wasn't as bad, but still felt queasy straight after breakfast, and then again in the afternoon when I hadn't eaten for about three hours but worse after I did eat... I'm not seeing any pattern. I had a little nap in the afternoon.
I didn't notice being any hungrier today, but there was a psychological difference. A little voice whispering "You didn't take an appetite suppressant today, so obviously you're not 'on a diet', so why don't you just eat some junk food even if you don't really want it?" Shut up, annoying voice, I'm not listening!
Tomorrow is going to be really hot, so I've put the pool heater on today to warm up the water again and we can swim tomorrow! It will be a nice start to the school holidays.
I've had two oral examinations in the past two days (I mean one-on-one exams with a teacher, not dental work) and I was so nervous. I don't mind written exams, but having a teacher stare at you waiting for the specific answer they need... you never get used to that, even at my age.
I had one role-play in class (I'm the librarian, the teacher is a customer with a research request), we did a practice last week and I was a bit awkward so I practiced all week - thought up scenarios and went over and over everything I needed to say. And I nailed it! I remembered everything, spoke smoothly, friendly yet professional, my teacher said I was excellent. All the rehearsing paid off!
Then I had a weird one today over the phone while at home, for one of my online subjects. I was given some brief scenario notes but wasn't very clear on what was going to happen, so I didn't get to do any specific practice (except making sure I knew the course content, obviously). The teacher half-heartedly pretended to be a customer for part of it but mainly just asked me questions. I did stumble on one bit that I didn't know - until the teacher gave me a hint that I wasn't supposed to know how to do that bit (being only a junior nobody in the library) so I reassured the 'client' that I would get the problem solved and said I would refer it to a more senior staff member and follow up to make sure it was done. I think I did pretty well overall, certainly passed, maybe not quite as 'star pupil' as the other one but good.
Now I have four assignments to finish over the two weeks holiday, and a tricky written exam first week back that I need to study for. But I'm going to take a proper break from study over this weekend before I start on those. I need a rest.
I've had a bit of nausea on and off since I started Duromine, only mild after the first couple of days and I was prepared to put up with it. But the past three days were really bad, strong nausea for a lot of the day. I'd do a huge burp and feel a bit better but it would soon be back. Very unpleasant. It may have been exacerbated by stress, and Tim did have nausea when we all had the flu a couple of weeks back, but I think probably the Duromine. I don't know why it suddenly got bad. For most people it's the other way round - you can start with bad side effects but they reduce or go away completely after a while. I decided to stop taking it for a day or two and see how that goes, I didn't take one today. On the forums, some people had success with reducing side effects by taking a little break. I hope it works, I don't want to stop Duromine yet as I've been having good results, but the nausea was too much. Also, while nauseated I was nibbling dry carbs to settle my stomach so I wasn't sticking to my healthy diet anyway - and I certainly wasn't exercising - so it was kind of defeating the purpose.
Today I wasn't as bad, but still felt queasy straight after breakfast, and then again in the afternoon when I hadn't eaten for about three hours but worse after I did eat... I'm not seeing any pattern. I had a little nap in the afternoon.
I didn't notice being any hungrier today, but there was a psychological difference. A little voice whispering "You didn't take an appetite suppressant today, so obviously you're not 'on a diet', so why don't you just eat some junk food even if you don't really want it?" Shut up, annoying voice, I'm not listening!
Tomorrow is going to be really hot, so I've put the pool heater on today to warm up the water again and we can swim tomorrow! It will be a nice start to the school holidays.
Wednesday, September 20, 2017
Fluff
Wednesday:
I did a lot of running around today. Well, not actually running. Driving from place to place. Tim's phone's charger hole regularly gets clogged up with fluff from his pockets so it won't charge any more, so I took it into the Apple Store so a 'genius' could dismantle it and get the fluff out. The genius asked if my husband was in the construction industry (to explain gunk in pockets) - no he's a lawyer! I have no idea why this keeps happening, I keep my phone in my pocket and have never had this problem. Anyway, it's good now for another six months at least.
I bought myself a new pair of jeans in a smaller size, my current ones are baggy. The new ones look nice from the waist down, but are a bit too snug which creates a bulgy muffin-top above. I'm counting on losing more weight, and I have to put the jeans in to be shortened so I won't be able to wear them for a week or so anyway. Maybe it was a silly purchase, we're heading into warmer weather when I wear (long) shorts instead, but summer isn't quite here yet. And my baggy pants don't show off my weight loss.
Then I drove to another shop to get a couple of sun lounges to put by the pool - to be told they wouldn't fit in the car. So I didn't buy them. Finally a visit to Aiden's school to buy him a new sport's uniform. They change to summer uniform after the holidays.
Not much study today. I have an assessment tomorrow in class and one on Friday at home, so I need to do a bit more work tonight.
I did a lot of running around today. Well, not actually running. Driving from place to place. Tim's phone's charger hole regularly gets clogged up with fluff from his pockets so it won't charge any more, so I took it into the Apple Store so a 'genius' could dismantle it and get the fluff out. The genius asked if my husband was in the construction industry (to explain gunk in pockets) - no he's a lawyer! I have no idea why this keeps happening, I keep my phone in my pocket and have never had this problem. Anyway, it's good now for another six months at least.
I bought myself a new pair of jeans in a smaller size, my current ones are baggy. The new ones look nice from the waist down, but are a bit too snug which creates a bulgy muffin-top above. I'm counting on losing more weight, and I have to put the jeans in to be shortened so I won't be able to wear them for a week or so anyway. Maybe it was a silly purchase, we're heading into warmer weather when I wear (long) shorts instead, but summer isn't quite here yet. And my baggy pants don't show off my weight loss.
Then I drove to another shop to get a couple of sun lounges to put by the pool - to be told they wouldn't fit in the car. So I didn't buy them. Finally a visit to Aiden's school to buy him a new sport's uniform. They change to summer uniform after the holidays.
Not much study today. I have an assessment tomorrow in class and one on Friday at home, so I need to do a bit more work tonight.
Tuesday, September 19, 2017
RIP
Tuesday:
I've been consulting with my aunt about my father's gravestone, she lives there (12 hours drive away for me) so can compare gravestones in person. I think everything is decided now so I've emailed the details of the inscription to the company. It's been a bit sad, but also very funny fielding suggestions from Aunty Pat. Twice she suggested that I have my mother's name put on it; "beloved husband of Barbara"! My parents had been divorced for 40 years before they died within months of each other, mum knew as she was walking down the aisle on her wedding day that it was a mistake, and dad remarried and was with his second wife longer than mum (divorced again) and was with a new girlfriend when he died. Mum would have hated being on his gravestone! I vetoed that one politely.
I accepted all her other suggestions except the last one, to put RIP at the end. I felt that a Christian phrase was very inappropriate for such a staunch atheist as my father. My aunt is lovely but I guess she just had certain ideas about the way things should be done. And I did ask for her input! I went with most of her ideas but I'm paying for everything so I have final say when I think it's important.
I was thinking of mum today, too, as I watered the garden. She would have loved the pool and new garden, and having us live close. I miss my parents.
I've been consulting with my aunt about my father's gravestone, she lives there (12 hours drive away for me) so can compare gravestones in person. I think everything is decided now so I've emailed the details of the inscription to the company. It's been a bit sad, but also very funny fielding suggestions from Aunty Pat. Twice she suggested that I have my mother's name put on it; "beloved husband of Barbara"! My parents had been divorced for 40 years before they died within months of each other, mum knew as she was walking down the aisle on her wedding day that it was a mistake, and dad remarried and was with his second wife longer than mum (divorced again) and was with a new girlfriend when he died. Mum would have hated being on his gravestone! I vetoed that one politely.
I accepted all her other suggestions except the last one, to put RIP at the end. I felt that a Christian phrase was very inappropriate for such a staunch atheist as my father. My aunt is lovely but I guess she just had certain ideas about the way things should be done. And I did ask for her input! I went with most of her ideas but I'm paying for everything so I have final say when I think it's important.
I was thinking of mum today, too, as I watered the garden. She would have loved the pool and new garden, and having us live close. I miss my parents.
Sunday, September 17, 2017
More than 5 kg
Monday:
The weight loss continues. Another 1.0 kg, so I'm down to 78 kg!
I've talked before about how I have some kind of barrier to losing more than 5 kg, ever in my whole life. I manage to lose 5 kg, then somehow give up and put the weight back on with maybe a bit extra. Well this time I've smashed that, 6.7 kg lost! I'm excited to have finally got through that roadblock. Now I've got to another milestone. I'm pretty sure 78 kg is the lowest I've been since starting this blog seven years ago, and proabably for quite a few years before that. Up until now, I've been losing and regaining the same fat. From now all, it's virgin fat territory!
I spent the afternoon working on an assignment and trying to prepare for a 'role play' for one of my online subjects (in addition to the one in class for another subject), and I was given the scenario that I will be dealing with - and as far as I can see we've covered only half of the information needed for it! I got quite stressed about it, actually. I have emailed a query to the teacher. Have I missed something? If so I need to know right now! It's a subject where the teacher left and another teacher had to pick it up and I (and other people) have had endless problems with it. So disorganised. Coursework not available, teacher not responding for weeks, inconsistent information about when assignments are due... I've tried to just query stuff then get on with other things while waiting but it's been quite bad. And the online coursework itself is (I think) terribly written (I don't think this teacher prepared it) and I've basically had to teach myself by trial and error...
This is the last week of term, then two weeks off. I feel like I need a break!
The weight loss continues. Another 1.0 kg, so I'm down to 78 kg!
I've talked before about how I have some kind of barrier to losing more than 5 kg, ever in my whole life. I manage to lose 5 kg, then somehow give up and put the weight back on with maybe a bit extra. Well this time I've smashed that, 6.7 kg lost! I'm excited to have finally got through that roadblock. Now I've got to another milestone. I'm pretty sure 78 kg is the lowest I've been since starting this blog seven years ago, and proabably for quite a few years before that. Up until now, I've been losing and regaining the same fat. From now all, it's virgin fat territory!
I spent the afternoon working on an assignment and trying to prepare for a 'role play' for one of my online subjects (in addition to the one in class for another subject), and I was given the scenario that I will be dealing with - and as far as I can see we've covered only half of the information needed for it! I got quite stressed about it, actually. I have emailed a query to the teacher. Have I missed something? If so I need to know right now! It's a subject where the teacher left and another teacher had to pick it up and I (and other people) have had endless problems with it. So disorganised. Coursework not available, teacher not responding for weeks, inconsistent information about when assignments are due... I've tried to just query stuff then get on with other things while waiting but it's been quite bad. And the online coursework itself is (I think) terribly written (I don't think this teacher prepared it) and I've basically had to teach myself by trial and error...
This is the last week of term, then two weeks off. I feel like I need a break!
Saturday, September 16, 2017
Tropical
Sunday:
We went to a plant nursery yesterday and bought as many weird and interesting tropical plants as we could fit in the car.
Then we spent a good chunk of today planting them. It took a long time because no matter how much we work the soil beforehand, when we dig holes for plants we find yet more rocks, roots, and now a lot of shards of broken terracotta pots for some reason. And curl grubs.
Anyway, we got enough to go along one fence out by the pool, about a quarter of the total area we need to fill. The plants are still quite small of course, but in a few years they will be crowding each other in a lush tropical kind of way.
We did get an unpleasant surprise when we got home yesterday and I checked growing conditions for bromeliads, which we bought in flower (in the top picture the weird pink spike in the middle and the two with gold star-like flowers) - it turns out they only flower once, when they are fully mature at 3-4 years old, then die! So three of our plants will only live through the summer then drop dead. They are supposed to send out 'pups' (baby plants) as they die so maybe we will get some little ones in years to come. We also bought palms, several varieties of cordylines, and bird's nest ferns. It looks nice already. We need to get some mulch next, then move on to the next section. The part we did is the shadiest, other fences get a lot more sun.
We went to a plant nursery yesterday and bought as many weird and interesting tropical plants as we could fit in the car.
Then we spent a good chunk of today planting them. It took a long time because no matter how much we work the soil beforehand, when we dig holes for plants we find yet more rocks, roots, and now a lot of shards of broken terracotta pots for some reason. And curl grubs.
Anyway, we got enough to go along one fence out by the pool, about a quarter of the total area we need to fill. The plants are still quite small of course, but in a few years they will be crowding each other in a lush tropical kind of way.
Friday, September 15, 2017
Forgetful
Friday:
Yesterday was my long day, up early for TAFE and home late from driving the kids around to their various activities. I just pop home in between for a couple of very short periods. I was supposed to have an assessment in the afternoon but as I'd missed two weeks sick and hadn't had a chance to practice, myself and a couple of other people are doing it next week instead. It's a role-play thing where the teacher pretends to be a library customer needing help. Easy in some ways but the teacher has a list of very specific things she wants us to do and ask so it does take a bit of rehearsal.
Today Aiden forgot to take his backpack to school, he rode off without it and I didn't notice or see it sitting on the floor by the door all day. Turns out it wouldn't have made much difference - as I forgot to pack his lunch this morning! Very unusually disorganised. We weren't even rushing today. Just got distracted by Aiden finishing off some homework due today... which of course got left at home. The school could have called and I would have taken his bag up, but they just gave him some food from the canteen for lunch which I'll pay for on Monday.
Makes Tim look less bad for letting him go to school with his pants on backwards, as he quickly pointed out to me tonight!
When the kids were home this afternoon I made them come outside with me and we ate our fruit salad sitting my the pool. While Jasmine watched a YouTube video on her iPad. Oh well, I got her outside. Baby steps.
I tested the pool water and I've finally got the pH balance right! But the chlorine levels are still way too low, and the alkalinity too high. How do I reduce the alkalinity without stuffing up the pH? That doesn't make sense. If I add more acid, the pH will change! We have a 'mineral pool' which means we have some nice minerals in that make the water feel soft, and the chlorine is created by a machine thingy somehow instead of us adding it - but I still have to pour in heaps of hydrochloric acid to adjust the pH. Yes, you read that right, hydrochloric acid! H2SO4. Nasty stuff, it burns when you get a drop splash on your hand. I wore gloves once, a drop got on the glove and started sizzling and turned red. Easier to just quickly wash it off my skin than try to pull a sizzling glove off!
Yesterday was my long day, up early for TAFE and home late from driving the kids around to their various activities. I just pop home in between for a couple of very short periods. I was supposed to have an assessment in the afternoon but as I'd missed two weeks sick and hadn't had a chance to practice, myself and a couple of other people are doing it next week instead. It's a role-play thing where the teacher pretends to be a library customer needing help. Easy in some ways but the teacher has a list of very specific things she wants us to do and ask so it does take a bit of rehearsal.
Today Aiden forgot to take his backpack to school, he rode off without it and I didn't notice or see it sitting on the floor by the door all day. Turns out it wouldn't have made much difference - as I forgot to pack his lunch this morning! Very unusually disorganised. We weren't even rushing today. Just got distracted by Aiden finishing off some homework due today... which of course got left at home. The school could have called and I would have taken his bag up, but they just gave him some food from the canteen for lunch which I'll pay for on Monday.
Makes Tim look less bad for letting him go to school with his pants on backwards, as he quickly pointed out to me tonight!
When the kids were home this afternoon I made them come outside with me and we ate our fruit salad sitting my the pool. While Jasmine watched a YouTube video on her iPad. Oh well, I got her outside. Baby steps.
I tested the pool water and I've finally got the pH balance right! But the chlorine levels are still way too low, and the alkalinity too high. How do I reduce the alkalinity without stuffing up the pH? That doesn't make sense. If I add more acid, the pH will change! We have a 'mineral pool' which means we have some nice minerals in that make the water feel soft, and the chlorine is created by a machine thingy somehow instead of us adding it - but I still have to pour in heaps of hydrochloric acid to adjust the pH. Yes, you read that right, hydrochloric acid! H2SO4. Nasty stuff, it burns when you get a drop splash on your hand. I wore gloves once, a drop got on the glove and started sizzling and turned red. Easier to just quickly wash it off my skin than try to pull a sizzling glove off!
Wednesday, September 13, 2017
Swim
Wednesday:
Today was the promised hot and sunny one - and I believe it got up to 33C! Crazy for only two weeks into spring. But lovely. And I finally got into the pool!
Today was the promised hot and sunny one - and I believe it got up to 33C! Crazy for only two weeks into spring. But lovely. And I finally got into the pool!
It took me a long time to ease in but I ended up going in up to my neck. We've been heating the pool for the past few days and got it up to 25C. Aiden was cannonballing off the top of the waterfall (we waited until he got home from school). Tim was home too today. Jasmine didn't get home until late so didn't go in, but she braved it before when it was first filled.
It was so good to finally get to use the pool after a year of construction and delays and then a couple of months of winter. Today's heatwave was a one-off, the weather will be going back to normal spring for a while so I don't expect to swim again for another month at least.
I had some of my energy back today, I potted up some herbs in the garden - in the morning before it got hot - and went for a walk after it got hot which was a bit... hot. Otherwise lots of TAFE homework.
Monday, September 11, 2017
Grey and gloomy
Tuesday:
PMS plus post-flu sadness has left me rather down today. It was supposed to be a lovely summery day; and although it isn't cold, it's grey and gloomy. Tomorrow is still forecast as hot - but windy, so I don't know if that is any better. We've been using the pool heater for the past three days which has definitely taken the chill out of the water (the best we could hope for at this time of year, considering we turn it off at night and don't have a pool blanket) in hopes of being able to try out the new pool tomorrow. I haven't been in yet. We'll see.
I spent the whole day studying. No motivation to exercise or go outside, except to water the turf again. It all seems to have survived the first week, which is good. The vegetable seedlings all look healthy too.
Headachy and cranky. I'll get over it.
PMS plus post-flu sadness has left me rather down today. It was supposed to be a lovely summery day; and although it isn't cold, it's grey and gloomy. Tomorrow is still forecast as hot - but windy, so I don't know if that is any better. We've been using the pool heater for the past three days which has definitely taken the chill out of the water (the best we could hope for at this time of year, considering we turn it off at night and don't have a pool blanket) in hopes of being able to try out the new pool tomorrow. I haven't been in yet. We'll see.
I spent the whole day studying. No motivation to exercise or go outside, except to water the turf again. It all seems to have survived the first week, which is good. The vegetable seedlings all look healthy too.
Headachy and cranky. I'll get over it.
Weigh in
Monday:
Another Monday, another happy weigh-in. 1.3 kg this week, so a total of 5.7 kg lost in four weeks. Current weight 79.0 kg. And my waist measurement is down too.
I had a quiet day studying. My teacher for one subject finally updated things, so I was able to catch up on the past two weeks plus this week. I feel relieved to have got up to date with that one. Five other subjects to go! And I have an assessment this week - a mock reference interview (pretending she is a library customer needing help) with my teacher. I'm not worried about that, I did ten years of customer service.
I was feeling well today, but with none of the extra energy that I was hoping would return. Tim went to work, Jasmine went to school but not dance practice, and she's on antibiotics for her ear. Aiden is his usual bouncy self. I think we need a bit more time to get back to normal.
Another Monday, another happy weigh-in. 1.3 kg this week, so a total of 5.7 kg lost in four weeks. Current weight 79.0 kg. And my waist measurement is down too.
I had a quiet day studying. My teacher for one subject finally updated things, so I was able to catch up on the past two weeks plus this week. I feel relieved to have got up to date with that one. Five other subjects to go! And I have an assessment this week - a mock reference interview (pretending she is a library customer needing help) with my teacher. I'm not worried about that, I did ten years of customer service.
I was feeling well today, but with none of the extra energy that I was hoping would return. Tim went to work, Jasmine went to school but not dance practice, and she's on antibiotics for her ear. Aiden is his usual bouncy self. I think we need a bit more time to get back to normal.
Sunday, September 10, 2017
I see it
Sunday:
I took Jasmine shopping this morning and we managed to find her some cute summer things. Hard to find something nice though. Only a few places seem to sell clothes for young teens. I never choose for her anymore, she doesn't like the same things I do! She didn't get all black today though - except the new sneakers.
In the afternoon I was feeling really tired and slumped in front of the TV. Dozed off a bit. Tim was cleaning the house, which I though was nice especially considering we were going to my brother-in-law's for dinner this week so we didn't need to impress anyone (or rather, not shock anyone). But then he mentioned people would be here in half an hour. Arg! Turns out they were coming here for the afternoon before we all headed over to Nick's for dinner. So I woke myself up and did some frantic tidying. Still tired and headachy though. Maybe not completely over the flu, although I was feeling good yesterday. Jasmine also had a bit of a return of symptoms.
We had dinner at Nick's but didn't stay long, and by the time we got home Tim was feeling sick! Not boding well for the week ahead.
No one has noticed yet that I've lost weight, a bit over 5kg now. I'm feeling thinner, but obviously no one else sees it. Today shopping surrounded by all those mirrors, for once I didn't hate seeing myself. I've still got a lot to lose but my stomach doesn't stick out so much. Oh well, I see the difference.
[nb Tim and the kids know I have lost weight - I keep pointing it out!]
I took Jasmine shopping this morning and we managed to find her some cute summer things. Hard to find something nice though. Only a few places seem to sell clothes for young teens. I never choose for her anymore, she doesn't like the same things I do! She didn't get all black today though - except the new sneakers.
In the afternoon I was feeling really tired and slumped in front of the TV. Dozed off a bit. Tim was cleaning the house, which I though was nice especially considering we were going to my brother-in-law's for dinner this week so we didn't need to impress anyone (or rather, not shock anyone). But then he mentioned people would be here in half an hour. Arg! Turns out they were coming here for the afternoon before we all headed over to Nick's for dinner. So I woke myself up and did some frantic tidying. Still tired and headachy though. Maybe not completely over the flu, although I was feeling good yesterday. Jasmine also had a bit of a return of symptoms.
We had dinner at Nick's but didn't stay long, and by the time we got home Tim was feeling sick! Not boding well for the week ahead.
No one has noticed yet that I've lost weight, a bit over 5kg now. I'm feeling thinner, but obviously no one else sees it. Today shopping surrounded by all those mirrors, for once I didn't hate seeing myself. I've still got a lot to lose but my stomach doesn't stick out so much. Oh well, I see the difference.
[nb Tim and the kids know I have lost weight - I keep pointing it out!]
Friday, September 8, 2017
Vegetable patch
Saturday:
Today I had Tim home to help me with the vegetable patch. He attacked the bed with a pick and managed to break up the rocks/compacted soil deep enough for my little seedlings to survive. Lots more rocks emerged, of course. They breed in the dirt. Jasmine and I planted out the baby vegetables.
Today I had Tim home to help me with the vegetable patch. He attacked the bed with a pick and managed to break up the rocks/compacted soil deep enough for my little seedlings to survive. Lots more rocks emerged, of course. They breed in the dirt. Jasmine and I planted out the baby vegetables.
They don't look like much yet, but they'll grow! Tomatoes, jalapeno chilli, capsicum, beans, peas, snow peas and cucumbers. I have some herbs to put in pots at the end but I accidentally put the potting mix in the garden bed along with the manure yesterday. I'll get some more on Monday.
Jasmine's ear and throat seem to be all better, although she still has a runny nose.
We are going to run the pool heat pump for the next few days and see how much it warms up the water, a heatwave is predicted for the middle of next week, up to 31C!! That is summer temperature, not the second week of spring! Maybe Tim and I will get to try out the pool. But not if the water is still freezing.
More rocks, and a lost dog
Friday:
I feel completely better today, yay! But Jasmine is still home sick, not yay. However, by late afternoon she seemed a lot better so yay.
I was heading home from the grocery shopping this morning, only a few doors away from my house, and there was a dog sniffing around on the road. A little black and white spaniel that I hadn't seen around here before. It showed no inclination to move. I stopped, it didn't budge. I rolled the car a bit closer. The dog looked up at me through the windshield and wagged its tail hopefully. I honked. It stood there staring at me. I live in a narrow street and when there are cars parked on both sides, as there was here, there is no room to go around. If you meet a car going the other way, one of you has to find space to pull over to the side to let the other pass. Even a little dog was a formidable barrier. And I was pretty sure the poor thing was lost. I was going to get out of the car but then a man came over from a nearby house and called the dog which ran to him. It obviously wasn't the man's dog, we shrugged at each other and I drove on. But then I felt guilty. I'd just handed responsibility for this lost dog over to someone else. But I had groceries to get into the fridge and a sick child at home, and I had a car sitting in the middle of the road. I hope the dog was wearing a collar with a tag, or at least microchipped (which is compulsory in Australia) and it wasn't too much hassle for the man.
In the afternoon I got stuck into some heavy gardening work. I'd already mostly weeded the area beside the house that I am going to use as a vegetable patch, it used to have plants in it but after various heavy machinery drove over it (and over, and over, and over) to get to the backyard we were left with a heavily-compacted wasteland with a few weeds. Oh, and lots of rocks, just like everywhere else on this property. Today I picked up another bucket-full of rocks, then spread out several bags of manure and compost and dug it in and raked it out ready for planting tomorrow. It looks quite nice (smells a bit manurey though, as Aiden pointed out, and so did I until I had a shower) but the problem is when I was digging I kept hitting rock only a few centimetres down. Big rocks, like maybe attached to the earth's crust. There is not enough soil over the rock, in about a third of the whole bed, to really sustain anything. I'll get Tim to have a dig tomorrow, he may be able to pull out a few boulders. Otherwise I'll be planting around those areas, maybe putting pots on top!
I was totally exhausted after an hour and a half, had a shower and fell asleep in my chair. But I feel like I actually got some exercise today, first time this week.
I feel completely better today, yay! But Jasmine is still home sick, not yay. However, by late afternoon she seemed a lot better so yay.
I was heading home from the grocery shopping this morning, only a few doors away from my house, and there was a dog sniffing around on the road. A little black and white spaniel that I hadn't seen around here before. It showed no inclination to move. I stopped, it didn't budge. I rolled the car a bit closer. The dog looked up at me through the windshield and wagged its tail hopefully. I honked. It stood there staring at me. I live in a narrow street and when there are cars parked on both sides, as there was here, there is no room to go around. If you meet a car going the other way, one of you has to find space to pull over to the side to let the other pass. Even a little dog was a formidable barrier. And I was pretty sure the poor thing was lost. I was going to get out of the car but then a man came over from a nearby house and called the dog which ran to him. It obviously wasn't the man's dog, we shrugged at each other and I drove on. But then I felt guilty. I'd just handed responsibility for this lost dog over to someone else. But I had groceries to get into the fridge and a sick child at home, and I had a car sitting in the middle of the road. I hope the dog was wearing a collar with a tag, or at least microchipped (which is compulsory in Australia) and it wasn't too much hassle for the man.
In the afternoon I got stuck into some heavy gardening work. I'd already mostly weeded the area beside the house that I am going to use as a vegetable patch, it used to have plants in it but after various heavy machinery drove over it (and over, and over, and over) to get to the backyard we were left with a heavily-compacted wasteland with a few weeds. Oh, and lots of rocks, just like everywhere else on this property. Today I picked up another bucket-full of rocks, then spread out several bags of manure and compost and dug it in and raked it out ready for planting tomorrow. It looks quite nice (smells a bit manurey though, as Aiden pointed out, and so did I until I had a shower) but the problem is when I was digging I kept hitting rock only a few centimetres down. Big rocks, like maybe attached to the earth's crust. There is not enough soil over the rock, in about a third of the whole bed, to really sustain anything. I'll get Tim to have a dig tomorrow, he may be able to pull out a few boulders. Otherwise I'll be planting around those areas, maybe putting pots on top!
I was totally exhausted after an hour and a half, had a shower and fell asleep in my chair. But I feel like I actually got some exercise today, first time this week.
Wednesday, September 6, 2017
Ear and throat
Thursday:
Aiden went to school today but Jasmine is still home, now with an ear and throat infection. I took her to the doctor this morning, but they just said to wait and see. If it's still bad tomorrow she'll start antibiotics. But of course if it's a virus then antibiotics can't help. It's not just school she's missing, but also all her after-school sports and activities. It's only two weeks until her first acrogym (acrobatic gymnastics) competition.
I'd already decided before I knew Jas was still sick that I wasn't going to TAFE today, I don't feel great but at least I'm better than yesterday. It's hard to be patient while my body recovers. Sitting around. At least I'm getting lots of study done! I got those two assignments in, so I feel a bit more relaxed about that.
One of my online subjects is so disorganised though. There have been a few issues, the most recent was that I couldn't access last week or this week's content, although weeks after that were open. I contacted the teacher who eventually fixed it. On Monday I started last week's work, and it was something I had to start then the teacher does something before I can continue. And she hasn't done her bit yet. So I'm still stuck half-way through last week's task with this week nearly over. Going by the forum, it's happening to everyone. I'd forgive if it was one-off (who knows, she may be sick too) but this sort of thing has been happening since the start of the Semester. To be fair, the original teacher left and this subject was dropped in this teacher's lap two weeks in (but everyone knew the other teacher was leaving so very bad organisation).
I also did a tiny bit of weeding and pruning, nothing strenuous. And of course watering the new turf twice a day! It still seems to be alive. I've only been getting in around 4,000 steps a day while sick (instead of 10-12,000 recently), but ironically that was a normal day for me "before". And in the past a sick day would mean about 1,500 steps!
Aiden went to school today but Jasmine is still home, now with an ear and throat infection. I took her to the doctor this morning, but they just said to wait and see. If it's still bad tomorrow she'll start antibiotics. But of course if it's a virus then antibiotics can't help. It's not just school she's missing, but also all her after-school sports and activities. It's only two weeks until her first acrogym (acrobatic gymnastics) competition.
I'd already decided before I knew Jas was still sick that I wasn't going to TAFE today, I don't feel great but at least I'm better than yesterday. It's hard to be patient while my body recovers. Sitting around. At least I'm getting lots of study done! I got those two assignments in, so I feel a bit more relaxed about that.
One of my online subjects is so disorganised though. There have been a few issues, the most recent was that I couldn't access last week or this week's content, although weeks after that were open. I contacted the teacher who eventually fixed it. On Monday I started last week's work, and it was something I had to start then the teacher does something before I can continue. And she hasn't done her bit yet. So I'm still stuck half-way through last week's task with this week nearly over. Going by the forum, it's happening to everyone. I'd forgive if it was one-off (who knows, she may be sick too) but this sort of thing has been happening since the start of the Semester. To be fair, the original teacher left and this subject was dropped in this teacher's lap two weeks in (but everyone knew the other teacher was leaving so very bad organisation).
I also did a tiny bit of weeding and pruning, nothing strenuous. And of course watering the new turf twice a day! It still seems to be alive. I've only been getting in around 4,000 steps a day while sick (instead of 10-12,000 recently), but ironically that was a normal day for me "before". And in the past a sick day would mean about 1,500 steps!
Tuesday, September 5, 2017
Share it around
Wednesday:
I'm feeling a bit better than yesterday, but I have both kids home sick today. Looks like the flu has been shared around. Tim is achy too but went to work. Sydney is having a terrible flu season at the moment.
I'm feeling a bit better than yesterday, but I have both kids home sick today. Looks like the flu has been shared around. Tim is achy too but went to work. Sydney is having a terrible flu season at the moment.
Flu
Tuesday:
I woke up feeling like rubbish this morning, headache and all over body ache - especially my neck and shoulders. So I guess it's flu, not just a cold. Felt better during the day but awful again in the evening. I spent most of the day struggling to get some homework done. Two assignments due this week. Urg.
I woke up feeling like rubbish this morning, headache and all over body ache - especially my neck and shoulders. So I guess it's flu, not just a cold. Felt better during the day but awful again in the evening. I spent most of the day struggling to get some homework done. Two assignments due this week. Urg.
Monday, September 4, 2017
Another sunny day
Monday:
Weigh-in day! 80.3 kg, another 0.9 kg down. Nice steady loss. My eating has been on-point and I've been doing lots of heavy gardening work and getting in 10,000 steps just moving around, but I think it might be time to do some more cardio. Back to dancing in my lounge room maybe. But not today, I'm still not feeling 100%. Jasmine is unwell now too.
I've noticed a couple of unexpected side-effects of the medication. I have had some dry patches on my face for years that flare up when I have a hot bath or shower (ie most days) and become red and scaly. Since starting Duromine they have completely gone. My skin is soft and smooth all the time, even after a long hot bath. I've found in forums that other people have noticed an improvement in skin conditions. Unfortunately it seems to go away as soon as you stop the pills.
The other thing is my night sweats, that I've been having 2-4 times a week for a couple of years now. They've gone too. I didn't realise until the last couple of night waking in the night a bit hot because of my sunburnt neck and suddenly remembered I haven't been waking drenched in sweat, not for weeks. So that is a very nice side effect.
One that is not so good, although it is more a primary effect than a side effect, is I have a lot of energy which means I don't want to sit still. I don't feel manic or anything, just energetic and keen to be up and doing. This is, from one perspective, a downside because I am much less interested in studying. I haven't finished last week's tasks and I'm really going to have to buckle down this week. I've got some assignments looming. And I got a couple of things back with the comment 'Good work, but a bit brief' instead of my usual excellence. I'd just much rather be out in the garden, or going for a walk! I haven't been playing my favourite computer game World of Warcraft at all (I don't care about that!) even though some new content and 43 new pets were just released. I did notice the restlessness yesterday morning when I was feeling sick but didn't spend much time sitting around, I still got in 10,000 steps by the end of the day pottering around the garden and cleaning the house and making family dinner. Normally if I was feeling sick I'd be sitting feeling sorry for myself. Instead I picked up rocks and felt sorry for myself!
I buckled down today and got some homework done. But also spent time outside watering the turf (twice a day while it's establishing roots) and planting some flowers in a sunny spot.
Tim was at an all day meeting in another city today and they worked through lunch with no break and no food all day! They were offered a glass of water, that was all. That is not normal! I would be fainting, or hangry or something. I'd at least bring up the subject! Tim just got something at the airport on the way home. How rude of the organisers.
Weigh-in day! 80.3 kg, another 0.9 kg down. Nice steady loss. My eating has been on-point and I've been doing lots of heavy gardening work and getting in 10,000 steps just moving around, but I think it might be time to do some more cardio. Back to dancing in my lounge room maybe. But not today, I'm still not feeling 100%. Jasmine is unwell now too.
I've noticed a couple of unexpected side-effects of the medication. I have had some dry patches on my face for years that flare up when I have a hot bath or shower (ie most days) and become red and scaly. Since starting Duromine they have completely gone. My skin is soft and smooth all the time, even after a long hot bath. I've found in forums that other people have noticed an improvement in skin conditions. Unfortunately it seems to go away as soon as you stop the pills.
The other thing is my night sweats, that I've been having 2-4 times a week for a couple of years now. They've gone too. I didn't realise until the last couple of night waking in the night a bit hot because of my sunburnt neck and suddenly remembered I haven't been waking drenched in sweat, not for weeks. So that is a very nice side effect.
One that is not so good, although it is more a primary effect than a side effect, is I have a lot of energy which means I don't want to sit still. I don't feel manic or anything, just energetic and keen to be up and doing. This is, from one perspective, a downside because I am much less interested in studying. I haven't finished last week's tasks and I'm really going to have to buckle down this week. I've got some assignments looming. And I got a couple of things back with the comment 'Good work, but a bit brief' instead of my usual excellence. I'd just much rather be out in the garden, or going for a walk! I haven't been playing my favourite computer game World of Warcraft at all (I don't care about that!) even though some new content and 43 new pets were just released. I did notice the restlessness yesterday morning when I was feeling sick but didn't spend much time sitting around, I still got in 10,000 steps by the end of the day pottering around the garden and cleaning the house and making family dinner. Normally if I was feeling sick I'd be sitting feeling sorry for myself. Instead I picked up rocks and felt sorry for myself!
I buckled down today and got some homework done. But also spent time outside watering the turf (twice a day while it's establishing roots) and planting some flowers in a sunny spot.
Tim was at an all day meeting in another city today and they worked through lunch with no break and no food all day! They were offered a glass of water, that was all. That is not normal! I would be fainting, or hangry or something. I'd at least bring up the subject! Tim just got something at the airport on the way home. How rude of the organisers.
Sunday, September 3, 2017
Fathers' Day
Sunday:
Tim and I paid for all our hard work and time in the sun yesterday - aching bodies and sunburn today! We took it easier today but still got out in the garden, watering the new grass and tidying up a bit, moving some pots around. My cold seems worse today, and overall I felt quite unwell. I sat outside battling nausea and watching Tim vacuum the pool and wondered if I should cancel Fathers' Day dinner. Luckily by mid-afternoon I was feeling a lot better so it was still on. We had everyone over for a lovely family gathering. My goodness two babies and a toddler can be loud though!
I am proud of my efforts today. I was surrounded by snacks in the afternoon but I weighed out one treat and stuck to that. New-normal size dinner and no dessert. Only water to drink.
I spoke to my Aunty Pat on the phone, she is going to help me organise a headstone for my dad's grave as she lives there and I am 12 hours away. Also it's only a few years since she organised her husband's funeral so she knows what to do. But I have to think of what I want engraved. Dad was definitely in my thoughts today.
Happy Fathers' Day to all the dads out there.
Tim and I paid for all our hard work and time in the sun yesterday - aching bodies and sunburn today! We took it easier today but still got out in the garden, watering the new grass and tidying up a bit, moving some pots around. My cold seems worse today, and overall I felt quite unwell. I sat outside battling nausea and watching Tim vacuum the pool and wondered if I should cancel Fathers' Day dinner. Luckily by mid-afternoon I was feeling a lot better so it was still on. We had everyone over for a lovely family gathering. My goodness two babies and a toddler can be loud though!
I am proud of my efforts today. I was surrounded by snacks in the afternoon but I weighed out one treat and stuck to that. New-normal size dinner and no dessert. Only water to drink.
I spoke to my Aunty Pat on the phone, she is going to help me organise a headstone for my dad's grave as she lives there and I am 12 hours away. Also it's only a few years since she organised her husband's funeral so she knows what to do. But I have to think of what I want engraved. Dad was definitely in my thoughts today.
Happy Fathers' Day to all the dads out there.
Friday, September 1, 2017
Turf
Saturday:
This morning the rolls of turf arrived. We didn't know what time they would come, and it turned out to be while we were still in bed! I put on ugg boots and a jumper over my pjs and went out to direct the guy with the little forklift. He got them up the slope of our front yard, but Tim still had to carry them one by one to the backyard - and they weighed at least 10 kg each. Some a lot more, it depended how much dirt was attached to the grass.
Tim took Aiden to his tennis lesson and I measured the width of the grass rolls - the website had said 45 cm but they were 60 cm! This threw out all my levelling/smoothing calculations and I spent the next hour moving more dirt around.
When Tim got home we got stuck into the turf laying. It took about three hours. The grass is mainly a two-roll-wide strip around the pool, with an extra area in one corner for seating.
Before:
Neat rolls waiting in the shade:
And after:
Doesn't it look great! I was getting sick of looking at bare dirt. There is more than you can see in that picture as it goes around three sides of the pool, and Tim had to do a lot of cutting to fit them around the curves so it was a lot of work. Tim did all the carrying and cutting, I just helped place them, but I was still utterly exhausted by the time we finished!
The bare patches next to the fence will be filled with tropical plants, but we should probably wait until there is no danger of cold nights so they have a year to establish before they have to deal with winter. You can grow select tropical plants in Sydney ok but it does get a bit cold for them in winter so not a good time to plant.
While we were still working outside the heater guy came - luckily I had warned him that we might be out the back and if no one answered the door to come through the gate. He replaced the bits that needed replacing so we have a working heater again - although I don't know if we'll need it, it was beautiful today and is going to be 28C tomorrow! It will probably get cold again for a little while though before spring really kicks in.
I don't know if the plants are worried though, we have beautiful freesias popping up all over the place:
And our little peach tree in a pot is in flower:
Spring is a beautiful thing.
This morning the rolls of turf arrived. We didn't know what time they would come, and it turned out to be while we were still in bed! I put on ugg boots and a jumper over my pjs and went out to direct the guy with the little forklift. He got them up the slope of our front yard, but Tim still had to carry them one by one to the backyard - and they weighed at least 10 kg each. Some a lot more, it depended how much dirt was attached to the grass.
Tim took Aiden to his tennis lesson and I measured the width of the grass rolls - the website had said 45 cm but they were 60 cm! This threw out all my levelling/smoothing calculations and I spent the next hour moving more dirt around.
When Tim got home we got stuck into the turf laying. It took about three hours. The grass is mainly a two-roll-wide strip around the pool, with an extra area in one corner for seating.
Before:
Neat rolls waiting in the shade:
And after:
Doesn't it look great! I was getting sick of looking at bare dirt. There is more than you can see in that picture as it goes around three sides of the pool, and Tim had to do a lot of cutting to fit them around the curves so it was a lot of work. Tim did all the carrying and cutting, I just helped place them, but I was still utterly exhausted by the time we finished!
The bare patches next to the fence will be filled with tropical plants, but we should probably wait until there is no danger of cold nights so they have a year to establish before they have to deal with winter. You can grow select tropical plants in Sydney ok but it does get a bit cold for them in winter so not a good time to plant.
While we were still working outside the heater guy came - luckily I had warned him that we might be out the back and if no one answered the door to come through the gate. He replaced the bits that needed replacing so we have a working heater again - although I don't know if we'll need it, it was beautiful today and is going to be 28C tomorrow! It will probably get cold again for a little while though before spring really kicks in.
I don't know if the plants are worried though, we have beautiful freesias popping up all over the place:
And our little peach tree in a pot is in flower:
Spring
Friday:
First day of spring. And it was lovely outside. Still freezing inside though.
I saw my doctor this morning. She was happy with my progress and gave me a script for another month of Duromine. The first pack of 30 pills didn't last a month because I was taking 2 x 15mg a day. This time I got 30mg.
I did the grocery shopping and had lunch then waited in my frigid house for the heater repair man to arrive (any time 12-4), gazing longingly out the window at the spring sunshine. I tried doing some study, but honestly I got so cold sitting still that I couldn't concentrate. I did things that involved a bit of movement instead like folding the laundry, and washing dishes (mmm, hot water).
The guy turned up at 2pm, not as late as I feared, he investigated and found that the heater itself is fine but the control panel is broken. So it will be expensive but not hideously expensive to fix. Bad news is he needed to get the part and will come back tomorrow. At least he could come on Saturday. One more evening. Once I have a hot bath and snuggle under the covers I'm fine.
After he'd gone I was able to get outside and stuck into gardening. Tim came home really early, to attend a Fathers' Day thing at Aiden's school in the afternoon, so he was able to help. We finished getting the ground flattened and smoothed for the turf tomorrow, and Tim put together the high pressure water cleaner thing that we are going to use to deal with the mess of powdered concrete the tiler left behind, and he cleaned part of the area before he got too wet and cold, and I potted up some plants for our courtyard area.
Then I remembered that I hadn't actually taken my script to the pharmacy so I walked up to the shops and did that. Tired feet by the time I got home. I still have a runny nose from my cold but I seem to have bounced back quickly and didn't feel too bad today. I've been getting in my 10,000 steps every day as well as all the gardening. It's lovely to have some energy.
First day of spring. And it was lovely outside. Still freezing inside though.
I saw my doctor this morning. She was happy with my progress and gave me a script for another month of Duromine. The first pack of 30 pills didn't last a month because I was taking 2 x 15mg a day. This time I got 30mg.
I did the grocery shopping and had lunch then waited in my frigid house for the heater repair man to arrive (any time 12-4), gazing longingly out the window at the spring sunshine. I tried doing some study, but honestly I got so cold sitting still that I couldn't concentrate. I did things that involved a bit of movement instead like folding the laundry, and washing dishes (mmm, hot water).
The guy turned up at 2pm, not as late as I feared, he investigated and found that the heater itself is fine but the control panel is broken. So it will be expensive but not hideously expensive to fix. Bad news is he needed to get the part and will come back tomorrow. At least he could come on Saturday. One more evening. Once I have a hot bath and snuggle under the covers I'm fine.
After he'd gone I was able to get outside and stuck into gardening. Tim came home really early, to attend a Fathers' Day thing at Aiden's school in the afternoon, so he was able to help. We finished getting the ground flattened and smoothed for the turf tomorrow, and Tim put together the high pressure water cleaner thing that we are going to use to deal with the mess of powdered concrete the tiler left behind, and he cleaned part of the area before he got too wet and cold, and I potted up some plants for our courtyard area.
Then I remembered that I hadn't actually taken my script to the pharmacy so I walked up to the shops and did that. Tired feet by the time I got home. I still have a runny nose from my cold but I seem to have bounced back quickly and didn't feel too bad today. I've been getting in my 10,000 steps every day as well as all the gardening. It's lovely to have some energy.
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