The dreaded lurgy continues

Monday:

This week I only lost 0.2 kg, another puzzlingly small amount considering I’m eating way less than my tracker says I’m burning. I’ve decided not to ask my doctor for another script for Duromine, no point putting up with side effects and possible dangers when I’m not even losing weight on it! If I ever try it again (don’t know if i will) it would have to be after a much longer break than the two months I waited this time. It’s disappointing, because it did work well for me last year. I had one pill left but didnt bother to take it today.

Well, I shouldn’t complain too much, I’m now 72.6 kg which is 12.1 kg less than I was around six months ago, and the lightest I’ve been for years. I’ll continue trying to lose without the help of an appetite suppressant.

I’ve had the flu continuing most of the week, mainly aching back and general fatigue. I felt mostly better by the end of the week and since we had a cooler week I was able to get a lot done in the garden, but then I started feeling really tired again yesterday and woke this morning aching all over worse than ever! And at bedtime Jasmine said she was feeling sick.

Aiden went back to school (starting year 6) on Tuesday, and Jasmine (year 9) on Wednesday. Jasmine’s actual birthday was on Tuesday so it was just the two of us. We went out to lunch and saw the movie Pitch Perfect 3 (again). Her main present from us was a set of handstand bars for gymnastics - not as impressive as that sounds, they are two low stands like little footstools that you can grip which is more comfortable than hands flat on the floor. Jasmine’s final birthday celebration was an extended-family dinner last night. I didn’t enjoy it much because I was starting to feel sick again but didn’t want people to know because I had just served food I had prepared! Hope it wasn’t germy.

On the days I was feeling well I spent hours out in the garden. I had an exciting moment when I realised I had just disturbed a wasps’ nest in a neglected corner. I ran for it, and didn’t get stung. Over the next couple of days I made several lighting attacks with a can of spray, eventually the big paper nest was empty. I rarely use poisons but make an exception for wasps and red back spiders. Everything else gets to stay - as long as it’s outside.

My niece Emma started kindergarten last week, and as both parents work some days and they are still sorting out after-school care, I’ve been booked in for a few days of babysitting spread over the next few weeks before Ping’s parents become available. I find Emma quite exhausting - she is so full of energy! And today was tricky because I was feeling pretty awful and I also had to get Jasmine to dance lessons. But of course I am happy to help, and they don’t often ask me to babysit. I picked her up from school - the same one Aiden goes to, but he usually rides his bike as it’s not that far - and we kept her entertained for a couple of hours. It must have been ok as she didn’t want to leave when her mother arrived.

Hopefully Jasmine and I both feel better tomorrow.

Prance and dance

Sunday:

On Friday I should have been studying but instead slept most of the day except doing the grocery shopping, where apparently I forgot some stuff I needed to get. But three naps in one day seemed to help and I was feeling a lot better by the weekend. Still not 100%, but a big improvement. Lucky, because we had a super-busy weekend.

On Saturday morning Jasmine had her State Final Acrobatic Gymnastics competition. It's an enormous venue, you can only see about a third of it in the picture. Here the gymnasts are lined up ready to start, Jasmine is at the back of the line wearing black closest to the camera. See the group in red, twice as big as any other school, at the far side? Yeah, they basically won everything.

Jasmine and her partner didn't make it to the podium, but she did get a 'gold band' medal - I guess equal fourth? So that is still an awesome result. She also goes up a level next year. I didn't get a great shot of her receiving her medal. I do have good videos of her actual performances (they do two routines, a slow 'balance' routine and a faster 'dynamic' one), and there is probably a way to take stills from that but that's a bit too technical for me.

Then we had about an hour at home before my niece Emma was delivered. We were babysitting so her parents could go to a wedding. She was here all afternoon and stayed overnight. As it was her very first sleepover, and she is only four and doesn't hesitate to air her opinions and feelings, we weren't sure how it was going to go, but it was fine. Tim took all the kids out to an indoor trampoline place in the afternoon so I could study, then we watched 'Sing' in the evening, and she went to sleep quite easily in Jasmine's room on a mattress (Jasmine had to stay in the room for the going to sleep bit even though it wasn't her own bedtime yet). And woke after 6am so I call that a win!

After she was picked up by a slightly headachy and hungover daddy, we only had a short time before heading off to the local Entertainment Centre for a day of Dance Concerts. Emma had her concert first (lucky she got a good night's sleep) with all the pre-schoolers. They are not exactly stellar dancers, but very cute. And only three left the stage in tears over the course of the morning. A few did just stand there with fingers in their mouth. Emma got distracted a couple of times waving to us in the audience, but otherwise got through her routines with confidence. Each group had a couple of teachers or older kids with them to help them remember the steps, and get them on and off stage.

Then in the afternoon it was Jasmine's turn. Not allowed to take photos, unfortunately, we have to buy official ones if we want any. The dance routines were rather more professional than the morning, the serious 'troupe' kids were really excellent. Jasmine was with the 'fun' group, doing tap dancing, modern/contemporary and jazz funk. (Aiden thinks it's hilarious that Jas dances jazz). She did really well, very enjoyable to watch. She still enjoys dance, but I think her focus is more on gymnastics now.

It was a very long day/weekend, and I have an exam tomorrow morning, but I think I'm well prepared and I'm feeling a lot healthier than I was a couple of days ago so that is good.