Thursday:
I haven't had much to write about... life goes on as usual. I've been down with a nasty flu for the past week. Mostly better now except for a lingering cough. I stopped taking Duromine while sick, I hadn't lost any weight since the first two weeks on it anyway, and after a couple of nights the peri-menopausal night sweats came back! Every night since then. So the Mirena obviously hasn't made any difference there, not that anyone said it would, I was just hoping.
The Mirena (IUD that releases hormones, supposed to be safer than "the pill" at my age) is still uncomfortable, the strings jab and jab me. I couldn't get an earlier appointment with my gyno than the 3 month check up, the receptionist told me to see my GP if I needed help. Hmm.
Jasmine has her Year 10 end of year formal (dinner & dance) coming up, we went shopping for a dress today but didn't find anything. Most of her year got their dresses months ago apparently, all very adult slinky things which Jas thinks is inappropriate for her age and doesn't want. She rejected anything low cut or too clingy - not because she doesn't like her body but just because she is 15 and thinks it's silly to dress like that. We did buy a lovely sundress that she would be happy to wear but I don't think it's formal enough for evening.
It's school holidays, and when Aiden isn't on the computer or iPad he's out in the garden creating a bow and arrow out of sticks and vines. After a lot of trial and error it's pretty good! He's always loved sticks, they can become anything in his imagination. I had to make a rule when he was littler: "sticks don't cross the road" because he would try to bring them home from the park and I felt we had enough of our own.
We've also been playing board games and today we bought a jigsaw puzzle as we had all enjoyed the one Tim gave me for my last birthday. This one is of a bookcase (of fantasy books) with little fairies and dragons and other magical things scattered around the shelves. We've done all the edges.
Showing posts with label shopping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shopping. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 9, 2019
Tuesday, September 10, 2019
Butterfly mug
Wednesday:
Not much to write about today. I had the day off and spent part of it shopping for summer clothes for the kids (most of which I'll probably have to take back if they don't fit!) as we are visiting Queensland soon and it is much hotter there, and they both seem to have grown out of all their clothes. I might not have time to shop with them before we go. Early spring weather in Sydney wavers between cool and warm.
For myself bought a new mug for work. It has a weird-looking handle, but is comfortable to hold.
I've been doing some more gardening. So much to do! And have been spending a lot of time working on my novel. Still not actually writing the text yet though! I keep having thoughts about what religion is like there, the animals and plants, how you domesticate a cave dragon, what motivates my characters etc. I want to get all the backstory worked out. I struggle with making up good fantasy names, but I can't write properly until I do. I can't get inspired while calling someone X or 'father' or 'girl'. I'm well advanced on that side now and feeling pretty good about it.
I see my doctor tomorrow after a month on Duromine (phentermine). I lost 3kg in the first two weeks but then nothing since, in fact I've struggled to not regain. So I'm not sure what she'll say. I'm sleeping better and feeling better, so I'd like to stay on it for a while longer.
Not much to write about today. I had the day off and spent part of it shopping for summer clothes for the kids (most of which I'll probably have to take back if they don't fit!) as we are visiting Queensland soon and it is much hotter there, and they both seem to have grown out of all their clothes. I might not have time to shop with them before we go. Early spring weather in Sydney wavers between cool and warm.
For myself bought a new mug for work. It has a weird-looking handle, but is comfortable to hold.
I've been doing some more gardening. So much to do! And have been spending a lot of time working on my novel. Still not actually writing the text yet though! I keep having thoughts about what religion is like there, the animals and plants, how you domesticate a cave dragon, what motivates my characters etc. I want to get all the backstory worked out. I struggle with making up good fantasy names, but I can't write properly until I do. I can't get inspired while calling someone X or 'father' or 'girl'. I'm well advanced on that side now and feeling pretty good about it.
I see my doctor tomorrow after a month on Duromine (phentermine). I lost 3kg in the first two weeks but then nothing since, in fact I've struggled to not regain. So I'm not sure what she'll say. I'm sleeping better and feeling better, so I'd like to stay on it for a while longer.
Wednesday, August 29, 2018
Medieval
Monday:
I had decided to never buy clothes online again after a couple of unsatisfactory purchases, but then I decided I needed some medieval dresses and it is very hard to find them anywhere else. I chose three, from a costume shop (they are costumes and therefore much cheaper but not as good quality as a real medieval dress would be) with the intent of keeping them all if they looked good but sending back any that didn't. I've learned to base my size choice on my hip measurement, not my waist measurement.
They are all much too long of course, and will need to be hemmed up, but aside from that the fit was very good. The green dress looked great:
The purple dress didn't suit me at all (I sent it back):
The black and red 'vampire countess' looked nice but the weird grey flap hanging from the waist is uneven and I haven't decided what to do about it. It would not be easy to just remove. In the promotional picture it doesn't overlap the red stripe down the front at all, that would have been much better, on mine it goes too far and meets off-centre. But overall the dress looks nice and I'm keeping it.
Why do I need medieval dresses? My family goes to Comicon and places like that and all wear costumes, I've never been but I may go one day. And it's just nice to have a costume ready for any occasion that may come up.
My weight was 72.4 kg this morning.
I came down sick (again) on the weekend. It's been a trying winter in that respect. We had to cancel D&D and family dinner.
Thursday:
I am starting to feel better but Tim came home from work yesterday feeling awful and went straight to bed (very very unusual!) and is home sick today. I have some sores in my mouth that I don't know if they are from this illness, or dry mouth from Duromine (which I've stopped for the moment), or from too much sugar; but there is one on my tongue that is quite painful. It woke me a couple of times in the night feeling like a needle dipped in acid had been stuck in the tip of my tongue. Ouch.
Aiden will be starting High School next year and he's doing an 'Extension Exam' this morning to see if he gets into the top class. Jasmine didn't get the chance as we moved here right at the end of the year just before she started High School so they put her in the second class originally, but she was moved into the extension class the following year. Aiden is very good in maths and science areas and he has a great imagination, but his handwriting is like a five year old and I hope that doesn't hold him back. We've been working on it at home, and at school of course.
I had decided to never buy clothes online again after a couple of unsatisfactory purchases, but then I decided I needed some medieval dresses and it is very hard to find them anywhere else. I chose three, from a costume shop (they are costumes and therefore much cheaper but not as good quality as a real medieval dress would be) with the intent of keeping them all if they looked good but sending back any that didn't. I've learned to base my size choice on my hip measurement, not my waist measurement.
They are all much too long of course, and will need to be hemmed up, but aside from that the fit was very good. The green dress looked great:
The purple dress didn't suit me at all (I sent it back):
The black and red 'vampire countess' looked nice but the weird grey flap hanging from the waist is uneven and I haven't decided what to do about it. It would not be easy to just remove. In the promotional picture it doesn't overlap the red stripe down the front at all, that would have been much better, on mine it goes too far and meets off-centre. But overall the dress looks nice and I'm keeping it.
Why do I need medieval dresses? My family goes to Comicon and places like that and all wear costumes, I've never been but I may go one day. And it's just nice to have a costume ready for any occasion that may come up.
My weight was 72.4 kg this morning.
I came down sick (again) on the weekend. It's been a trying winter in that respect. We had to cancel D&D and family dinner.
Thursday:
I am starting to feel better but Tim came home from work yesterday feeling awful and went straight to bed (very very unusual!) and is home sick today. I have some sores in my mouth that I don't know if they are from this illness, or dry mouth from Duromine (which I've stopped for the moment), or from too much sugar; but there is one on my tongue that is quite painful. It woke me a couple of times in the night feeling like a needle dipped in acid had been stuck in the tip of my tongue. Ouch.
Aiden will be starting High School next year and he's doing an 'Extension Exam' this morning to see if he gets into the top class. Jasmine didn't get the chance as we moved here right at the end of the year just before she started High School so they put her in the second class originally, but she was moved into the extension class the following year. Aiden is very good in maths and science areas and he has a great imagination, but his handwriting is like a five year old and I hope that doesn't hold him back. We've been working on it at home, and at school of course.
Thursday, August 23, 2018
Handbags
Thursday:
I’ve always been a person who owned only one handbag. When it wore out, after maybe five years or so, I’d buy a replacement. Always a smallish over-the-shoulder style, reasonable quality (ie real leather) but nothing too pricey. I wasn’t much into fashion, and who wants to transfer all their stuff from one bag to another all the time? If I could get away with it, I'd shove keys, phone and a credit card in my pockets and go without a bag at all, or if I needed to carry a lot I'd use a backpack.
Suddenly I’m reading fashion magazines (and giggling quite a bit at the ridiculous things that surely no-one would ever wear), watching Project Runway, and buying multiple handbags. I own five! I know that is nothing to some people, but it’s a multitude to me. Still nothing pricey, I can’t justify spending $500 (or $5000!) but maybe I’ll get to that stage eventually.
It started with needing new clothes and shoes because I was returning to the workplace. And because I’d lost weight, I looked better trying things on than I had for more than ten years. My nice aqua handbag was still good, but I decided I needed a larger bag as well, and used that while in work placement. It was black, so a couple of weeks ago I bought a more summery blue and white one for variety. Then yesterday I bought a small vibrantly purple shoulder bag - and because a second bag purchase was half price also got a cute black one with gold bees on it 🐝. Five bags!
Maybe I need a pink one...
I’ve solved the ‘transferring things’ problem by putting essentials in a little mesh insert, so I only have to move that with my wallet and keys each time instead of a mess of small items.
Is it normal to match your clothes to the handbag you want to use instead of the other way around?
I’ve always been a person who owned only one handbag. When it wore out, after maybe five years or so, I’d buy a replacement. Always a smallish over-the-shoulder style, reasonable quality (ie real leather) but nothing too pricey. I wasn’t much into fashion, and who wants to transfer all their stuff from one bag to another all the time? If I could get away with it, I'd shove keys, phone and a credit card in my pockets and go without a bag at all, or if I needed to carry a lot I'd use a backpack.
Suddenly I’m reading fashion magazines (and giggling quite a bit at the ridiculous things that surely no-one would ever wear), watching Project Runway, and buying multiple handbags. I own five! I know that is nothing to some people, but it’s a multitude to me. Still nothing pricey, I can’t justify spending $500 (or $5000!) but maybe I’ll get to that stage eventually.
It started with needing new clothes and shoes because I was returning to the workplace. And because I’d lost weight, I looked better trying things on than I had for more than ten years. My nice aqua handbag was still good, but I decided I needed a larger bag as well, and used that while in work placement. It was black, so a couple of weeks ago I bought a more summery blue and white one for variety. Then yesterday I bought a small vibrantly purple shoulder bag - and because a second bag purchase was half price also got a cute black one with gold bees on it 🐝. Five bags!
I’ve solved the ‘transferring things’ problem by putting essentials in a little mesh insert, so I only have to move that with my wallet and keys each time instead of a mess of small items.
Is it normal to match your clothes to the handbag you want to use instead of the other way around?
Monday, July 2, 2018
Birthday!
Monday:
Happy birthday to me! 48 today. I like to think of it as 'going up a level', i.e. gaining experience, wisdom, skills etc, not as losing something (youth).
Seeing the doctor on Friday seems to have reignited my enthusiasm for losing weight, and despite it being my birthday weekend with restaurant dinner (with cake) on Saturday night and people over in the afternoon (with snacks) yesterday, I have lost weight this week and I am down to 70.3 kg. That is an official loss of 1.3 kg but last Monday's weight was a blip and I consider it an actual loss of 0.8 kg (still awesome) from my long plateau of 71.1 kg. The thing with the treats was, I didn't overeat. I had 2/3 or less of my restaurant meal, half my slice of cake. A few snacks yesterday. I enjoyed what I ate and stopped when I was no longer enjoying it enough to justify the overfull stomach/gaining weight. That is true progress.
I exercised hard for an hour on Saturday, including lots of big arm movements, and yesterday my upper back muscles were very sore! I felt quite proud of myself.
We went shopping for new mattresses for everyone yesterday morning. Our current ones are all pretty old, and Aiden had a few night-time accidents when he was younger... I did research online first to narrow down the choices and find End Of Financial Year sales, so we only went to one store and lay on a few beds instead of traipsing around all day. It will be a couple of weeks before they are delivered. Exciting!
Birthdays in this house always start with everyone piling into the big bed so the birthday person can open her/his presents. Because it was a work/school day, that was it for the morning, everyone had to leave. I made my own bacon and orange juice. I don't usually drink juice, or anything other than water and tea, but freshly squeezed is so good! Perfect for a special occasion. Then I faffed around on the Internet for a while instead of exercising, before going out.
I had thought of buying myself a new handbag, but the only ones I really liked were around $500! Maybe that is normal, I’m not really a handbag connoisseur (I own two, one big one small) but I couldn’t justify it to myself considering I don’t actually need a new one. When I do get one, I want something with a bit of personality. Regardless, I had a good time wandering around looking. I did buy a couple of books and some little pastries to share at home. I had a light lunch - anticipating afternoon tea with the kids and dessert tonight.
Oh, one thing I did that I got a lot of pleasure from, I went to the Lindt chocolate shop and chose myself some chocolates. They have a big display with bowls of all the different flavours of truffle balls and other individually wrapped treats. You can purchase by weight, or you can fill a gift box as full as you can get as long as the lid still closes and stays on, and the gift boxes were on special. I spent quite a long time carefully filling the littlest gift box with mathematical precision - I weighed it when I got home and I did very well! With the discount, I paid a third what I would have by weight. I haven’t eaten any yet, I just like gloating over them.
We already went out to dinner on Sat, so we’ll have one of my favourite dinners at home tonight and a quiet night in where it’s warm. It has just started raining so I think that was a good choice!
I got an email from the librarian who interviewed me a couple of weeks ago, asking me for my referee contact details. So that is a good sign, I am obviously still among the contenders. Hopefully a part time position will become available.
Happy birthday to me! 48 today. I like to think of it as 'going up a level', i.e. gaining experience, wisdom, skills etc, not as losing something (youth).
Seeing the doctor on Friday seems to have reignited my enthusiasm for losing weight, and despite it being my birthday weekend with restaurant dinner (with cake) on Saturday night and people over in the afternoon (with snacks) yesterday, I have lost weight this week and I am down to 70.3 kg. That is an official loss of 1.3 kg but last Monday's weight was a blip and I consider it an actual loss of 0.8 kg (still awesome) from my long plateau of 71.1 kg. The thing with the treats was, I didn't overeat. I had 2/3 or less of my restaurant meal, half my slice of cake. A few snacks yesterday. I enjoyed what I ate and stopped when I was no longer enjoying it enough to justify the overfull stomach/gaining weight. That is true progress.
I exercised hard for an hour on Saturday, including lots of big arm movements, and yesterday my upper back muscles were very sore! I felt quite proud of myself.
We went shopping for new mattresses for everyone yesterday morning. Our current ones are all pretty old, and Aiden had a few night-time accidents when he was younger... I did research online first to narrow down the choices and find End Of Financial Year sales, so we only went to one store and lay on a few beds instead of traipsing around all day. It will be a couple of weeks before they are delivered. Exciting!
Birthdays in this house always start with everyone piling into the big bed so the birthday person can open her/his presents. Because it was a work/school day, that was it for the morning, everyone had to leave. I made my own bacon and orange juice. I don't usually drink juice, or anything other than water and tea, but freshly squeezed is so good! Perfect for a special occasion. Then I faffed around on the Internet for a while instead of exercising, before going out.
I had thought of buying myself a new handbag, but the only ones I really liked were around $500! Maybe that is normal, I’m not really a handbag connoisseur (I own two, one big one small) but I couldn’t justify it to myself considering I don’t actually need a new one. When I do get one, I want something with a bit of personality. Regardless, I had a good time wandering around looking. I did buy a couple of books and some little pastries to share at home. I had a light lunch - anticipating afternoon tea with the kids and dessert tonight.
Oh, one thing I did that I got a lot of pleasure from, I went to the Lindt chocolate shop and chose myself some chocolates. They have a big display with bowls of all the different flavours of truffle balls and other individually wrapped treats. You can purchase by weight, or you can fill a gift box as full as you can get as long as the lid still closes and stays on, and the gift boxes were on special. I spent quite a long time carefully filling the littlest gift box with mathematical precision - I weighed it when I got home and I did very well! With the discount, I paid a third what I would have by weight. I haven’t eaten any yet, I just like gloating over them.
We already went out to dinner on Sat, so we’ll have one of my favourite dinners at home tonight and a quiet night in where it’s warm. It has just started raining so I think that was a good choice!
I got an email from the librarian who interviewed me a couple of weeks ago, asking me for my referee contact details. So that is a good sign, I am obviously still among the contenders. Hopefully a part time position will become available.
Saturday, May 26, 2018
It’s working again
Saturday:
I haven’t lost any weight for several (five?) weeks now, but the past couple of days have been better. I skipped taking Duromine (phentermine) while I was sick, and started again yesterday. It really feels like it’s having an effect again and really curbing my hunger and suppressing my usual avid interest in food. This afternoon we went out to buy Tim some new clothes, when the kids wanted a snack he took them while I did some shopping for myself. I ate nothing from lunch until dinner - unheard of! And I was only normally hungry by dinner time. So hopefully skipping a few days has reset my reaction to the medication and I get another good month out of it before my body gets used to it again.
Apart from getting Tim’s new suit, I did work on assignments and lodged two. Four weeks to go, three assignments left.
I haven’t lost any weight for several (five?) weeks now, but the past couple of days have been better. I skipped taking Duromine (phentermine) while I was sick, and started again yesterday. It really feels like it’s having an effect again and really curbing my hunger and suppressing my usual avid interest in food. This afternoon we went out to buy Tim some new clothes, when the kids wanted a snack he took them while I did some shopping for myself. I ate nothing from lunch until dinner - unheard of! And I was only normally hungry by dinner time. So hopefully skipping a few days has reset my reaction to the medication and I get another good month out of it before my body gets used to it again.
Apart from getting Tim’s new suit, I did work on assignments and lodged two. Four weeks to go, three assignments left.
Sunday, May 13, 2018
Centarian
Sunday:
Yesterday was my Poppa's 100th birthday. (My mother's father.) A celebratory lunch was held at a country club, all the extended family from near and far plus family friends. I enjoyed catching up with family, but all these older people kept coming up to me and knowing who I was but I had no idea who they were! Darryl? Um, maybe Poppa's cousin's daughter? Or lived next door to Poppa when I was a child? Who knows? I had long conversations with two different old ladies with no idea who they were. They assumed I'd know, and I felt it was rude to ask. At least 'Evan' explained he was a family friend, and the father of a boy I went to primary school with (and a good friend of Tim's old boss, which is a crazy co-incidence as we were in another state at the time!)
I wasn't successful in finding a new winter dress before the event so I wore an old one that was too big on me but looked ok. Actually the shopping process was depressing, for some reason I looked fat and dumpy in everything I tried on, very unlike my other recent shopping experiences, even though I'm the same weight! I refuse to buy anything that makes me look like that.
Group photo of Poppa with all the sons, grandsons, great grandsons and in-laws.
And with the granddaughters, great granddaughters and in-laws (I have my arm linked with Poppa, the only one wearing glasses).
It was also Tim and my 16th wedding anniversary, so in the evening we went out to dinner. It was a restaurant we hadn't tried before. The food was nice but we were right at the front where it was very noisy and also cold from people going in and out or the door being propped open. They couldn't move us to another table because they were full. I kept my coat on most of the time. We liked the food, but I think we'll save that restaurant for better weather or check when we book that we can be seated at the back.
Today is Mother's Day, I received some lovely presents - like slippers with inserts that you heat in the microwave! - and breakfast and lunch made for me. It was cold and rainy outside so it was a quiet day at home doing some study, watching Librarians Season 4 and trying to avoid the news (Eurovision was 5am our time and there are always spoilers about who won before we get to watch it in the evening) then in the evening - Eurovision Party! Every year we get family and friends to come over and watch with us. None of our favourite groups even made it to the top 10, I think. Oh well, it was fun.
Yesterday was my Poppa's 100th birthday. (My mother's father.) A celebratory lunch was held at a country club, all the extended family from near and far plus family friends. I enjoyed catching up with family, but all these older people kept coming up to me and knowing who I was but I had no idea who they were! Darryl? Um, maybe Poppa's cousin's daughter? Or lived next door to Poppa when I was a child? Who knows? I had long conversations with two different old ladies with no idea who they were. They assumed I'd know, and I felt it was rude to ask. At least 'Evan' explained he was a family friend, and the father of a boy I went to primary school with (and a good friend of Tim's old boss, which is a crazy co-incidence as we were in another state at the time!)
I wasn't successful in finding a new winter dress before the event so I wore an old one that was too big on me but looked ok. Actually the shopping process was depressing, for some reason I looked fat and dumpy in everything I tried on, very unlike my other recent shopping experiences, even though I'm the same weight! I refuse to buy anything that makes me look like that.
Group photo of Poppa with all the sons, grandsons, great grandsons and in-laws.
It was also Tim and my 16th wedding anniversary, so in the evening we went out to dinner. It was a restaurant we hadn't tried before. The food was nice but we were right at the front where it was very noisy and also cold from people going in and out or the door being propped open. They couldn't move us to another table because they were full. I kept my coat on most of the time. We liked the food, but I think we'll save that restaurant for better weather or check when we book that we can be seated at the back.
Today is Mother's Day, I received some lovely presents - like slippers with inserts that you heat in the microwave! - and breakfast and lunch made for me. It was cold and rainy outside so it was a quiet day at home doing some study, watching Librarians Season 4 and trying to avoid the news (Eurovision was 5am our time and there are always spoilers about who won before we get to watch it in the evening) then in the evening - Eurovision Party! Every year we get family and friends to come over and watch with us. None of our favourite groups even made it to the top 10, I think. Oh well, it was fun.
Thursday, April 26, 2018
Smaller
Thursday:
I did a little clothes shopping today, I’m about to start my work placement on Monday and I needed more autumn/winter variety in work clothes. I managed to find two warmer tops to go with my new trousers. One shop didn’t have a Medium in the top I liked, I tried a Large and it was much too big. Even the shop assistant commented how baggy it was - and usually they try to sell you anything! She apologised for not having my size. On a whim I tried a Small and it fit perfectly. When I took it up to the counter, the same assistant was very surprised that I was going to buy it (the Large, she thought) and it was nice to say I had fit into the Small.
Another shop, for some reason I tried the Large first again. Too big, tried the Medium. Still too big. Tried the Small. Perfect! Different shops have different sizing, I fit in anything from a 12 to a 16 at the moment, but it looks like I should be trying the smaller sizes first.
I did a little clothes shopping today, I’m about to start my work placement on Monday and I needed more autumn/winter variety in work clothes. I managed to find two warmer tops to go with my new trousers. One shop didn’t have a Medium in the top I liked, I tried a Large and it was much too big. Even the shop assistant commented how baggy it was - and usually they try to sell you anything! She apologised for not having my size. On a whim I tried a Small and it fit perfectly. When I took it up to the counter, the same assistant was very surprised that I was going to buy it (the Large, she thought) and it was nice to say I had fit into the Small.
Another shop, for some reason I tried the Large first again. Too big, tried the Medium. Still too big. Tried the Small. Perfect! Different shops have different sizing, I fit in anything from a 12 to a 16 at the moment, but it looks like I should be trying the smaller sizes first.
Thursday, February 22, 2018
TAFE stuff and bad karma
Friday:
I'm feeling as busy as a one-legged man in a ass-kicking contest at the moment. I finally have all my TAFE subjects available, I've only got three units but one of those is actually three smaller 'integrated' units, plus there is work placement to organise for which I had to fill out forms and update my resume. So I have six things to juggle. I know everything always feels a bit crazy at the start of the term, and only getting the integrated units a couple of days ago makes me feel a week behind already but it will settle down soon.
Yesterday a student friend posted info about a library job going at a school - and it was the school so close to me I can literally hear the announcements over their loudspeaker every day! I got a bit excited, a within-school-hours job two minutes walk away, how perfect. I wasn't familiar with the computer system they use but I found an online tutorial for it that I was planning to do so I could say I knew it. But with further investigation it turned out you had to have teacher qualifications, not just librarian. Some school jobs are like that. Oh well.
I don't have to find my own work placement job, the TAFE does that, although I might have to go to interviews. It won't be until next term, autumn/winter, so I guess the two floaty summer dresses can be party dresses not for work! The other navy one will be good with a jacket and the trousers and long skirt will be fine. Still glad I got the dresses, that pink one is so pretty!
One of the integrated units is customer service. I plan to apply for RPL (recognition of prior learning, it means you don't actually have to do the subject) as I have many years of customer service experience. I'm not sure if I'll get it though. My Centrelink experience was nearly 20 years ago - I have a certificate thing from 1999! - and I don't really have any evidence for my customer service work for my more recent editing business. I was my own boss, no supervisor! Maybe I can contact one of my old customers.
My cataloguing teacher from last term sent me feedback for my third exam - 100%. So over the total of the three exams I made one mistake, giving me a final result of 99.6%. Not bad! Not all subjects give a mark, many are just satisfactory/not satisfactory, but I made over 90% in the ones that give a mark. Cataloguing is my best. And my favourite subject. Since not many people like it, I hope I'll be able to get into the field. I'm feeling a bit jealous of Lauren with the cataloguing internship. What if it leads to a job? Reminding myself that I've been sick with flu which would have interfered with the internship anyway doesn't really help.
Today was Jasmine's school's swimming carnival. She's had an ear infection after her flu so it wasn't really appropriate for her to go (and most of her friends weren't going, although it's compulsory). So we went shopping. Jasmine needed a couple of things, I needed a couple of things. Like the belt for the navy dress I bought on Tuesday. Now there was an instant karma moment. The belt was supposed to come with the dress, when I tried the dress on I had to go down a size but the smaller belt was too small. So I swapped it with the other belt on the larger size dress which I still had with me in the change room. (Not so good for the people who would in future try on the bigger dress with a tiny belt.) Then I bought the dress. While folding my dress, the saleslady put the belt to one side. Then forgot to put it in the bag and I didn't notice. She called when she saw it, as I was driving home (I have hands-free in the car). It was too late to go back. Definite karma for my sneaky belt swap! The saleslady put it away for me to pick up today. She was so apologetic, but I felt just as guilty!
I had my eyes checked today, it's been about three years I think since the last time. Only a small deterioration in one eye. I though my eyes were getting a bit worse but it's only that they are taking longer to adjust when I look from near to far, symptom of age and glasses won't help that. It wouldn't be worth getting new glasses but Ping works there and gets a staff discount and wanted to get me new ones as some of the shading has worn off these. So she'll organise new lenses, I'll keep the old frames which I love.
I bought a new very sparkly phone case. My old one was very discoloured and yucky. The new one is so glamorous!
It looks even better actually on the gold phone (I had to take it off to take the photo), and the glitter moves around like a snow dome. It sparkles whenever you move it!
I'm feeling as busy as a one-legged man in a ass-kicking contest at the moment. I finally have all my TAFE subjects available, I've only got three units but one of those is actually three smaller 'integrated' units, plus there is work placement to organise for which I had to fill out forms and update my resume. So I have six things to juggle. I know everything always feels a bit crazy at the start of the term, and only getting the integrated units a couple of days ago makes me feel a week behind already but it will settle down soon.
Yesterday a student friend posted info about a library job going at a school - and it was the school so close to me I can literally hear the announcements over their loudspeaker every day! I got a bit excited, a within-school-hours job two minutes walk away, how perfect. I wasn't familiar with the computer system they use but I found an online tutorial for it that I was planning to do so I could say I knew it. But with further investigation it turned out you had to have teacher qualifications, not just librarian. Some school jobs are like that. Oh well.
I don't have to find my own work placement job, the TAFE does that, although I might have to go to interviews. It won't be until next term, autumn/winter, so I guess the two floaty summer dresses can be party dresses not for work! The other navy one will be good with a jacket and the trousers and long skirt will be fine. Still glad I got the dresses, that pink one is so pretty!
One of the integrated units is customer service. I plan to apply for RPL (recognition of prior learning, it means you don't actually have to do the subject) as I have many years of customer service experience. I'm not sure if I'll get it though. My Centrelink experience was nearly 20 years ago - I have a certificate thing from 1999! - and I don't really have any evidence for my customer service work for my more recent editing business. I was my own boss, no supervisor! Maybe I can contact one of my old customers.
My cataloguing teacher from last term sent me feedback for my third exam - 100%. So over the total of the three exams I made one mistake, giving me a final result of 99.6%. Not bad! Not all subjects give a mark, many are just satisfactory/not satisfactory, but I made over 90% in the ones that give a mark. Cataloguing is my best. And my favourite subject. Since not many people like it, I hope I'll be able to get into the field. I'm feeling a bit jealous of Lauren with the cataloguing internship. What if it leads to a job? Reminding myself that I've been sick with flu which would have interfered with the internship anyway doesn't really help.
Today was Jasmine's school's swimming carnival. She's had an ear infection after her flu so it wasn't really appropriate for her to go (and most of her friends weren't going, although it's compulsory). So we went shopping. Jasmine needed a couple of things, I needed a couple of things. Like the belt for the navy dress I bought on Tuesday. Now there was an instant karma moment. The belt was supposed to come with the dress, when I tried the dress on I had to go down a size but the smaller belt was too small. So I swapped it with the other belt on the larger size dress which I still had with me in the change room. (Not so good for the people who would in future try on the bigger dress with a tiny belt.) Then I bought the dress. While folding my dress, the saleslady put the belt to one side. Then forgot to put it in the bag and I didn't notice. She called when she saw it, as I was driving home (I have hands-free in the car). It was too late to go back. Definite karma for my sneaky belt swap! The saleslady put it away for me to pick up today. She was so apologetic, but I felt just as guilty!
I had my eyes checked today, it's been about three years I think since the last time. Only a small deterioration in one eye. I though my eyes were getting a bit worse but it's only that they are taking longer to adjust when I look from near to far, symptom of age and glasses won't help that. It wouldn't be worth getting new glasses but Ping works there and gets a staff discount and wanted to get me new ones as some of the shading has worn off these. So she'll organise new lenses, I'll keep the old frames which I love.
I bought a new very sparkly phone case. My old one was very discoloured and yucky. The new one is so glamorous!
Monday, February 19, 2018
Shopping frenzy
Tuesday:
We had a busy weekend. On Saturday morning Aiden has his tennis lesson, Tim always takes him so I’ve never even met the coach. More on that in a moment. Then we went to lunch to celebrate a cousin’s birthday and saw the movie Black Panther, which was quite good but a bit strange. One odd thing was a peaceful and technologically advanced civilisation using single combat to determine leadership!
On Sunday morning I was out doing some gardening when our neighbour called me over the fence. (Not the one that complained about our pool heater, the other side.) I’ve barely met her in two years but she seems nice. They have three daughters but they go to a different (Catholic) school to my kids. After some general chat she brought up Aiden’s tennis coach, she must have previously learned from Tim who we went to. She said she’d pulled her kids out of lessons with him some time ago because he’d once become very aggressive with her over nothing, getting right in her face and scaring her enough that she reported it but no action was taken because he wasn’t physical. She has since met other parents who’ve had similar experiences (obviously Tim hasn't). But now she’s heard he is going to court this week because he physically attacked a woman walking her dog, and gave her facial injuries! So, that’s scary!
Sunday lunch we celebrated Chinese New Year, my sister-in-law is Chinese so she organised it, making sure there was my favourite roast duck, but it was held at cousin Daniel’s new house. They only moved in a few weeks ago and it’s the first time I’d seen it. We considered buying that block of land but decided to buy an existing house instead, and I’m glad we did because it’s taken well over two years for them to get to this point! They had to rent in the meantime. But they got to plan the house they wanted.
Then our Christmas present to Tim’s brother was theatre tickets, that was on Sunday night so we babysit our nieces Emma (5) and Ashleigh (1). Ashleigh had had a nap after lunch, and it was quite an early show so we didn’t try to get them to sleep. We had a swim in the pool, dinner, and some TV. Ashleigh gave a wail as her mother left, but I was able to distract her quickly and either Jasmine or I carried her around most of the evening. No tantrums or tears from either child.
Monday afternoon we had Emma again after school - they’ve got after school care organised elsewhere from next week - I had a headache and did find the constant ‘why?’ and ‘what?’ a bit tiresome! But we got through it with colouring in, afternoon tea, cubby house construction, and quiet time on the iPad.
Today I spent most of the day clothes shopping, again mainly for work things although I did also buy a new swimming cossie (the modest kind with a skirt). I bought lots! Three dresses, and navy pants and a blouse. With the things I bought last week, I feel fully ready for work placement and job interviews. I’ve never had so many new things in my life! I still don’t know how the work placement thing is going to work. I’ve also volunteered to help at Aiden’s school library this term.
Here is a selection of new clothes...
We had a busy weekend. On Saturday morning Aiden has his tennis lesson, Tim always takes him so I’ve never even met the coach. More on that in a moment. Then we went to lunch to celebrate a cousin’s birthday and saw the movie Black Panther, which was quite good but a bit strange. One odd thing was a peaceful and technologically advanced civilisation using single combat to determine leadership!
On Sunday morning I was out doing some gardening when our neighbour called me over the fence. (Not the one that complained about our pool heater, the other side.) I’ve barely met her in two years but she seems nice. They have three daughters but they go to a different (Catholic) school to my kids. After some general chat she brought up Aiden’s tennis coach, she must have previously learned from Tim who we went to. She said she’d pulled her kids out of lessons with him some time ago because he’d once become very aggressive with her over nothing, getting right in her face and scaring her enough that she reported it but no action was taken because he wasn’t physical. She has since met other parents who’ve had similar experiences (obviously Tim hasn't). But now she’s heard he is going to court this week because he physically attacked a woman walking her dog, and gave her facial injuries! So, that’s scary!
Sunday lunch we celebrated Chinese New Year, my sister-in-law is Chinese so she organised it, making sure there was my favourite roast duck, but it was held at cousin Daniel’s new house. They only moved in a few weeks ago and it’s the first time I’d seen it. We considered buying that block of land but decided to buy an existing house instead, and I’m glad we did because it’s taken well over two years for them to get to this point! They had to rent in the meantime. But they got to plan the house they wanted.
Then our Christmas present to Tim’s brother was theatre tickets, that was on Sunday night so we babysit our nieces Emma (5) and Ashleigh (1). Ashleigh had had a nap after lunch, and it was quite an early show so we didn’t try to get them to sleep. We had a swim in the pool, dinner, and some TV. Ashleigh gave a wail as her mother left, but I was able to distract her quickly and either Jasmine or I carried her around most of the evening. No tantrums or tears from either child.
Monday afternoon we had Emma again after school - they’ve got after school care organised elsewhere from next week - I had a headache and did find the constant ‘why?’ and ‘what?’ a bit tiresome! But we got through it with colouring in, afternoon tea, cubby house construction, and quiet time on the iPad.
Today I spent most of the day clothes shopping, again mainly for work things although I did also buy a new swimming cossie (the modest kind with a skirt). I bought lots! Three dresses, and navy pants and a blouse. With the things I bought last week, I feel fully ready for work placement and job interviews. I’ve never had so many new things in my life! I still don’t know how the work placement thing is going to work. I’ve also volunteered to help at Aiden’s school library this term.
Here is a selection of new clothes...
Thursday, February 15, 2018
Valentine
Thursday:
So it was Valentine's Day yesterday. Tim and I exchanged boxes of chocolates (both Lindor balls, different flavours) and he made an effort to sit on the couch near me while I was watching my favourite show (My Kitchen Rules) last night, but otherwise we didn't celebrate in any way. I'm still slowly on the way up from flu and had that horrible night of little sleep, Tim was actually feeling worse again with his flu. So we just sat in the same room felling rotten and had to be content with that!
I'm feeling a bit better again today, slight improvement every day but much slower than I'd like. I've been sick three weeks now if you include a few days when I thought I was better before getting sick again. At least I had a great sleep, unconscious for about nine hours.
I was getting increasingly paranoid about the fact I had nothing to wear if suddenly called upon to look neat and professional rather than stay-at-home mother and student (I have worked since the children were born but almost entirely from home with no customer contact, only six weeks in an office quite a few years ago and in winter) so today I did a bit of clothes shopping. I found a nice khaki pant that will go with several tops I already own, so that was a relief. Also grabbed on sale a few non-work tops and a skirt that unfortunately goes with nothing I own! I’ll need a plain white top to go with that one. I tried on many things and was exhausted by the time I got home. I made the kids walk to their afternoon sport. Apparently the coach was dubious about their walking home again! It's twelve minutes walk away, fine weather, in full daylight along streets that are neither isolated nor too busy, a safe city in a safe country, the two of them always together, and Jasmine is 14. I consider myself an overprotective mother but even I thought that was fine!
So it was Valentine's Day yesterday. Tim and I exchanged boxes of chocolates (both Lindor balls, different flavours) and he made an effort to sit on the couch near me while I was watching my favourite show (My Kitchen Rules) last night, but otherwise we didn't celebrate in any way. I'm still slowly on the way up from flu and had that horrible night of little sleep, Tim was actually feeling worse again with his flu. So we just sat in the same room felling rotten and had to be content with that!
I'm feeling a bit better again today, slight improvement every day but much slower than I'd like. I've been sick three weeks now if you include a few days when I thought I was better before getting sick again. At least I had a great sleep, unconscious for about nine hours.
I was getting increasingly paranoid about the fact I had nothing to wear if suddenly called upon to look neat and professional rather than stay-at-home mother and student (I have worked since the children were born but almost entirely from home with no customer contact, only six weeks in an office quite a few years ago and in winter) so today I did a bit of clothes shopping. I found a nice khaki pant that will go with several tops I already own, so that was a relief. Also grabbed on sale a few non-work tops and a skirt that unfortunately goes with nothing I own! I’ll need a plain white top to go with that one. I tried on many things and was exhausted by the time I got home. I made the kids walk to their afternoon sport. Apparently the coach was dubious about their walking home again! It's twelve minutes walk away, fine weather, in full daylight along streets that are neither isolated nor too busy, a safe city in a safe country, the two of them always together, and Jasmine is 14. I consider myself an overprotective mother but even I thought that was fine!
Tuesday, December 12, 2017
Not a great day
Tuesday:
Today I spent three and a half frustrating fruitless hours looking for clothes for myself. Something pretty to wear on Christmas Day, and a new swimming cossie. Despite browsing in or at least poking my head in every single clothes shop in the enormous Miranda complex, I only tried on a handful of clothes. In two shops. I didn't buy anything. Everything was either hideous, or too small. Many clothes didn't even come close to my size. And if I go by what was on the racks, now swimming costumes are only made up Aus size 14 (US 12, Europe 44 I think) which I can't quite squeeze into. I tried. The two shops exclusively selling swimwear didn't cater to my size at all, nor did the department stores. Yet I'm not unusually large. Overweight, yes, but in a pretty average way. It seems larger people are expected to wear floaty nylon blouses, and never go swimming. Depressing waste of a day.
I know the big cheap stores like Target and Big W will have bigger sizes. (Target in Australia is not affiliated with Target in the US.) Luckily fat people don't care about fashion, or comfortable non-sweaty fabrics, or trying to look good. Why bother, right? Arg!
Feeling fat.
Tim pulled a muscle in his back at the gym today, and is very sore and walking around all twisted. He goes to the gym regularly at lunchtime, but had been too busy to go for a while, which may have contributed to the injury. I think it’s likely he’ll stiffen up overnight and be worse tomorrow, too.
In spring the pool heater took two or three days to get the water up to a nice temperature. More recently, only half a day. Today, when I checked in the morning it was already above the set temperature, without having to turn it on at all! We keep it at a lovely 29C. The kids and I went for a short swim after school (I stay out of the sun before that), then after dropping Jasmine at Acrogym Aiden and I went in again. And in the evening Aiden wanted to go in again, even though the air had cooled down a lot (water still warm of course) so Jasmine went out and watched him swim in the dark. We have solar garden lights and a pool light but they are all fairly dim so you definitely know it’s night time. I have a rule the kids aren’t allowed to swim alone, someone must be either in with them or watching prepared to rescue.
Today I spent three and a half frustrating fruitless hours looking for clothes for myself. Something pretty to wear on Christmas Day, and a new swimming cossie. Despite browsing in or at least poking my head in every single clothes shop in the enormous Miranda complex, I only tried on a handful of clothes. In two shops. I didn't buy anything. Everything was either hideous, or too small. Many clothes didn't even come close to my size. And if I go by what was on the racks, now swimming costumes are only made up Aus size 14 (US 12, Europe 44 I think) which I can't quite squeeze into. I tried. The two shops exclusively selling swimwear didn't cater to my size at all, nor did the department stores. Yet I'm not unusually large. Overweight, yes, but in a pretty average way. It seems larger people are expected to wear floaty nylon blouses, and never go swimming. Depressing waste of a day.
I know the big cheap stores like Target and Big W will have bigger sizes. (Target in Australia is not affiliated with Target in the US.) Luckily fat people don't care about fashion, or comfortable non-sweaty fabrics, or trying to look good. Why bother, right? Arg!
Feeling fat.
Tim pulled a muscle in his back at the gym today, and is very sore and walking around all twisted. He goes to the gym regularly at lunchtime, but had been too busy to go for a while, which may have contributed to the injury. I think it’s likely he’ll stiffen up overnight and be worse tomorrow, too.
In spring the pool heater took two or three days to get the water up to a nice temperature. More recently, only half a day. Today, when I checked in the morning it was already above the set temperature, without having to turn it on at all! We keep it at a lovely 29C. The kids and I went for a short swim after school (I stay out of the sun before that), then after dropping Jasmine at Acrogym Aiden and I went in again. And in the evening Aiden wanted to go in again, even though the air had cooled down a lot (water still warm of course) so Jasmine went out and watched him swim in the dark. We have solar garden lights and a pool light but they are all fairly dim so you definitely know it’s night time. I have a rule the kids aren’t allowed to swim alone, someone must be either in with them or watching prepared to rescue.
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!]
Sunday, March 19, 2017
A week
Monday:
Goodness me, has a whole week gone by?
Weight 79.4kg, up a bit again. Still losing and regaining that one kilogram.
It is the middle of the semester so I have exams and assignments due. Very busy. Having a little trouble with shoulder pain. Tricky to balance getting all my studying done with taking lots of breaks from the computer. I expect to pass everything, but I'd like to do a lot better than a pass.
Also three birthdays (husband, sister-in-law and niece) and a wedding so I've been shopping and hosting and going to parties with more over the next week. I spent all day last Thursday present and clothes shopping, I needed something to wear to the wedding and everything I tried on looked awful. Went again on Saturday with Jasmine and found us both dresses which was a relief. Jasmine keeps growing out of her clothes, she is delighted that she is within a whisker of my height now. Not that that is so very tall! She probably weighs half as much as me. She does seven hours a week of after-school sport!
After a superheated summer we've gone into autumn with a month of almost continuous rain. It's cooler, but so humid. You start to wonder where all that water is coming from, don't the clouds run out eventually?
Time to head off to the city again. I will use the train ride to study!
Goodness me, has a whole week gone by?
Weight 79.4kg, up a bit again. Still losing and regaining that one kilogram.
It is the middle of the semester so I have exams and assignments due. Very busy. Having a little trouble with shoulder pain. Tricky to balance getting all my studying done with taking lots of breaks from the computer. I expect to pass everything, but I'd like to do a lot better than a pass.
Also three birthdays (husband, sister-in-law and niece) and a wedding so I've been shopping and hosting and going to parties with more over the next week. I spent all day last Thursday present and clothes shopping, I needed something to wear to the wedding and everything I tried on looked awful. Went again on Saturday with Jasmine and found us both dresses which was a relief. Jasmine keeps growing out of her clothes, she is delighted that she is within a whisker of my height now. Not that that is so very tall! She probably weighs half as much as me. She does seven hours a week of after-school sport!
After a superheated summer we've gone into autumn with a month of almost continuous rain. It's cooler, but so humid. You start to wonder where all that water is coming from, don't the clouds run out eventually?
Time to head off to the city again. I will use the train ride to study!
Tuesday, January 24, 2017
Bunnies on the beach
Wednesday:
Our pool site foreman came this morning and we discussed various things, then we (we the family, not including Angelo the foreman) went off to chose the coping tiles. These are the tiles that are laid around the top of the pool edge. Not included in the contract price of course (although the laying is). We were sent to one particular company, I for one was happy to just go with their suggestion rather than visiting every tile showroom in Sydney. We picked some nice tiles, decided we'd be able to fit them in the car boot (trunk), got directions to the warehouse, missed the turn-off and got lost, found it with the help of the GPS. The tiles did indeed fit in the boot but the car certainly felt the weight! Scraped on the gutter on the way into our driveway later, never done that before. A workman has been here the past two days preparing the pool for the coping so hopefully they and the decorative rock bit can be done soon.
Then we went to the beach to have fish and chips with Tim's cousin and family. It was a cool cloudy day (lovely!), not one for swimming. The popular Cronulla beach was being set up for Australia Day celebrations tomorrow with a huge stage for live music, and rather oddly a cluster of giant inflatable white rabbits.
We had a very short walk before lunch, I was feeling extremely car sick for some reason and just wanted to sit and breathe the fresh sea air. I felt better after a while, especially after some fizzy soft drink which was always my mother's cure for nausea. Maybe because it makes you burp? We had lunch and a chat then we headed to a big shopping centre on the way home, Jasmine and I sat and had a cup of tea/iced chocolate while Tim and Aiden looked for birthday presents for Jasmine who unbelievably turns 13 next Monday. I can't have a teenage child! I'm too young!
I've been avidly watching 20/20 cricket for the past couple of months. Traditional cricket takes five whole days of play, but in the 1970s "one day" cricket (50 overs a side) became popular. A few years ago they brought in an even more restricted version of the game, 20 overs a side so it takes about three hours in total. It is much faster-paced and very exciting. There is an Australian competition called Big Bash, city vs city in a round robin that has been on almost every night, and my team is in tonight's semi-final. Hopefully they will make it through to the grand final on Saturday night! Go Sydney Sixers! (A six is hitting the ball over the fence for a score of six runs.) My women's team had their semi-final this afternoon and made it through to their final so who knows, maybe we'll get both trophies!
Our pool site foreman came this morning and we discussed various things, then we (we the family, not including Angelo the foreman) went off to chose the coping tiles. These are the tiles that are laid around the top of the pool edge. Not included in the contract price of course (although the laying is). We were sent to one particular company, I for one was happy to just go with their suggestion rather than visiting every tile showroom in Sydney. We picked some nice tiles, decided we'd be able to fit them in the car boot (trunk), got directions to the warehouse, missed the turn-off and got lost, found it with the help of the GPS. The tiles did indeed fit in the boot but the car certainly felt the weight! Scraped on the gutter on the way into our driveway later, never done that before. A workman has been here the past two days preparing the pool for the coping so hopefully they and the decorative rock bit can be done soon.
Then we went to the beach to have fish and chips with Tim's cousin and family. It was a cool cloudy day (lovely!), not one for swimming. The popular Cronulla beach was being set up for Australia Day celebrations tomorrow with a huge stage for live music, and rather oddly a cluster of giant inflatable white rabbits.
We had a very short walk before lunch, I was feeling extremely car sick for some reason and just wanted to sit and breathe the fresh sea air. I felt better after a while, especially after some fizzy soft drink which was always my mother's cure for nausea. Maybe because it makes you burp? We had lunch and a chat then we headed to a big shopping centre on the way home, Jasmine and I sat and had a cup of tea/iced chocolate while Tim and Aiden looked for birthday presents for Jasmine who unbelievably turns 13 next Monday. I can't have a teenage child! I'm too young!
I've been avidly watching 20/20 cricket for the past couple of months. Traditional cricket takes five whole days of play, but in the 1970s "one day" cricket (50 overs a side) became popular. A few years ago they brought in an even more restricted version of the game, 20 overs a side so it takes about three hours in total. It is much faster-paced and very exciting. There is an Australian competition called Big Bash, city vs city in a round robin that has been on almost every night, and my team is in tonight's semi-final. Hopefully they will make it through to the grand final on Saturday night! Go Sydney Sixers! (A six is hitting the ball over the fence for a score of six runs.) My women's team had their semi-final this afternoon and made it through to their final so who knows, maybe we'll get both trophies!
Tuesday, December 20, 2016
Trivial Pursuit
Wednesday:
Tim is home on holidays from today until the new year. Unfortunately he wasn't well today. Tim's brother Nick was sick when we saw him on the weekend so I blame him - that weird little surgical mask he wore did nothing! Jasmine and I had sore throats yesterday, I'm tired and grainy-eyed today, but Tim has had work stress and travel and late nights to deal with as well so it's hit him harder, he spent a bit of today in bed. As long as we're all well again for Christmas!
I did a partial shop today, all the non-perishable items like drinks. I'll do the big shop for meat, fruit, cream etc on Friday morning - and pick up the turkey! Then start cooking, I've got gingerbread cookies, a birthday cake, and two desserts to make ahead of time.
We played Trivial Pursuit this afternoon and Aiden won. We have an edition that has a box of questions for kids and one for adults and it is pretty well balanced for us, we all had 4 or 5 wedges at the end. We have a huge array of board games but we are more likely to play computer games these days, we play World of Warcraft as a family team.
Oh I can hear Jasmine coughing in her room. Should have bought more Strepsils.
Tim is home on holidays from today until the new year. Unfortunately he wasn't well today. Tim's brother Nick was sick when we saw him on the weekend so I blame him - that weird little surgical mask he wore did nothing! Jasmine and I had sore throats yesterday, I'm tired and grainy-eyed today, but Tim has had work stress and travel and late nights to deal with as well so it's hit him harder, he spent a bit of today in bed. As long as we're all well again for Christmas!
I did a partial shop today, all the non-perishable items like drinks. I'll do the big shop for meat, fruit, cream etc on Friday morning - and pick up the turkey! Then start cooking, I've got gingerbread cookies, a birthday cake, and two desserts to make ahead of time.
We played Trivial Pursuit this afternoon and Aiden won. We have an edition that has a box of questions for kids and one for adults and it is pretty well balanced for us, we all had 4 or 5 wedges at the end. We have a huge array of board games but we are more likely to play computer games these days, we play World of Warcraft as a family team.
Oh I can hear Jasmine coughing in her room. Should have bought more Strepsils.
Monday, November 14, 2016
Nap
Monday:
Today I weighed in at 79.2 kg, which is a loss of 1.1 kg this week. Excellent. Especially considering Thursday and Saturday happened. I was very good yesterday despite being surrounded by temptations.
Yesterday morning I took Jasmine shopping for several hours to get some stuff she needed, then in the evening cooked dinner for 14. Big family dinner. Ping's parents are over from China, Ping is due to have her baby in about four weeks. Her parents expect to stay for about a year. Which is lovely, but they stay in Ping's house which is a little hard on Nick. No matter how much you love your parents-in-law, having them live in your house for a whole year is a bit of a strain. Especially as they don't speak a word of English, he doesn't speak Chinese, and come from a different cultural background. They have some different ideas about child-rearing. They stayed before for about nine months when the first baby was born. Both very nice people, but it's still going to be awkward at times.
Baby Lucy was one of the visitors and I got to have lots of cuddles. Four weeks old. So cute.
It was a very big day and I was so tired today. I even crawled in to bed for a while in the afternoon, after I'd done the grocery shopping. I don't have many naps these days, but I needed one.
Today's drama with the pool; the tree removers ground down the stump of the biggest tree and left the rest in the ground, which is what they contracted to do. The excavator ripped it out of the ground and left it to the side, not taken away with the rocks and dirt because it's not "clean fill" (which can be used in other building sites). It's no-one's responsibility. It is huge. I've got to find someone to take it away and dispose of it somehow.
I think I need another nap.
Today I weighed in at 79.2 kg, which is a loss of 1.1 kg this week. Excellent. Especially considering Thursday and Saturday happened. I was very good yesterday despite being surrounded by temptations.
Yesterday morning I took Jasmine shopping for several hours to get some stuff she needed, then in the evening cooked dinner for 14. Big family dinner. Ping's parents are over from China, Ping is due to have her baby in about four weeks. Her parents expect to stay for about a year. Which is lovely, but they stay in Ping's house which is a little hard on Nick. No matter how much you love your parents-in-law, having them live in your house for a whole year is a bit of a strain. Especially as they don't speak a word of English, he doesn't speak Chinese, and come from a different cultural background. They have some different ideas about child-rearing. They stayed before for about nine months when the first baby was born. Both very nice people, but it's still going to be awkward at times.
Baby Lucy was one of the visitors and I got to have lots of cuddles. Four weeks old. So cute.
It was a very big day and I was so tired today. I even crawled in to bed for a while in the afternoon, after I'd done the grocery shopping. I don't have many naps these days, but I needed one.
Today's drama with the pool; the tree removers ground down the stump of the biggest tree and left the rest in the ground, which is what they contracted to do. The excavator ripped it out of the ground and left it to the side, not taken away with the rocks and dirt because it's not "clean fill" (which can be used in other building sites). It's no-one's responsibility. It is huge. I've got to find someone to take it away and dispose of it somehow.
Wednesday, November 2, 2016
Shopping
Wednesday:
It's been a busy couple of days. I spent all of yesterday (school hours at least) at the big shopping centre buying things like steak knives, presents for Aiden's birthday, and specific clothes for Jasmine to wear in her upcoming dance concert. Why, when she has to dance in "normal" clothes, are they never things she already owns?! And I have to learn how to do a double French braid in her hair.
I reeled back in horror a couple of times while checking prices. I was considering some wicking sports socks until I was told they are $35 a pair! And then did you know official Apple iPad cases can be nearly $200? They were selling the front and the back separately, I think the back was about $100 and the front $80 or something. I went elsewhere. Oh, and a set of four mixing bowls, quite pretty in different shades of blue plastic, $70. For plastic. Am I being unrealistic to think this is crazy?
Today included a trip to the hardware store to get all the weird lightbulbs that match the fittings this house has, and I did about 83 loads of laundry.
I was very excited yesterday to find that my weight had gone down to 79.9 kg. Under 80! A real milestone. This morning it was 80.0 but I know it fluctuates daily and will go down again. This WOE is really working for me. I never feel hungry except when I should (when I haven't eaten for hours and a mealtime is approaching) and I don't have uncontrollable cravings. I can resist snacking even when I'm bored, or watching TV in the evening.
I still don't enjoy my tea without sugar though.
And I'm still waiting for wonderful sleep and boundless energy.
It's been a busy couple of days. I spent all of yesterday (school hours at least) at the big shopping centre buying things like steak knives, presents for Aiden's birthday, and specific clothes for Jasmine to wear in her upcoming dance concert. Why, when she has to dance in "normal" clothes, are they never things she already owns?! And I have to learn how to do a double French braid in her hair.
I reeled back in horror a couple of times while checking prices. I was considering some wicking sports socks until I was told they are $35 a pair! And then did you know official Apple iPad cases can be nearly $200? They were selling the front and the back separately, I think the back was about $100 and the front $80 or something. I went elsewhere. Oh, and a set of four mixing bowls, quite pretty in different shades of blue plastic, $70. For plastic. Am I being unrealistic to think this is crazy?
Today included a trip to the hardware store to get all the weird lightbulbs that match the fittings this house has, and I did about 83 loads of laundry.
I was very excited yesterday to find that my weight had gone down to 79.9 kg. Under 80! A real milestone. This morning it was 80.0 but I know it fluctuates daily and will go down again. This WOE is really working for me. I never feel hungry except when I should (when I haven't eaten for hours and a mealtime is approaching) and I don't have uncontrollable cravings. I can resist snacking even when I'm bored, or watching TV in the evening.
I still don't enjoy my tea without sugar though.
And I'm still waiting for wonderful sleep and boundless energy.
Friday, October 28, 2016
New jeans
Friday:
Every year around this time I have to buy new jeans. I wear them pretty much every day all through the cold season, only switching to something else long enough to wash them. Jeans are so comfy when you work from home! Eventually the seams start to fray and I have to go through the torture of buying a new pair. Today I found some "crop" style jeans that would be mid-calf on most people but are normal jean length on me! I am vertically challenged. I think it's the first time in my life I haven't had to have my jeans altered because of my height. I did want to wait until I'd lost some more weight but my old jeans were about to fall apart. I could squeeze into the next size down but only with a very unappealing muffin top. These ones look much better, and I can sit down in them!
My old jeans were getting so saggy and baggy, and they never really looked that good to start with as I couldn't find any that suited my apple-shaped figure last year. Or the year before. It's really nice to feel like I look better than when I walked into the shop.
Every year around this time I have to buy new jeans. I wear them pretty much every day all through the cold season, only switching to something else long enough to wash them. Jeans are so comfy when you work from home! Eventually the seams start to fray and I have to go through the torture of buying a new pair. Today I found some "crop" style jeans that would be mid-calf on most people but are normal jean length on me! I am vertically challenged. I think it's the first time in my life I haven't had to have my jeans altered because of my height. I did want to wait until I'd lost some more weight but my old jeans were about to fall apart. I could squeeze into the next size down but only with a very unappealing muffin top. These ones look much better, and I can sit down in them!
My old jeans were getting so saggy and baggy, and they never really looked that good to start with as I couldn't find any that suited my apple-shaped figure last year. Or the year before. It's really nice to feel like I look better than when I walked into the shop.
Friday, September 30, 2016
Long weekend
Friday:
We have a long weekend here and Tim arranged to get today off as well for a four day weekend! A bit last minute though and we don't have any particular plans. Just some time all together.
I was doing the grocery shopping this morning and came across both good and bad sides of humanity. Two different people tried to "push in" in front of me in queues (it was very busy, long weekend plus school holidays) - one was prevented by another customer "I think this lady (me) was first" and the other was stopped by the cashier "I'm just serving this lady (me)". But on the up side I went to the bakery which only takes cash and I was 10 cents short for my order, I was asking the cashier to take out a couple of rolls but a nice gentlemen next to me handed me 10 cents.
I made pulled pork burgers with coleslaw for dinner and reassured myself that burgers can be yummy!
We have a long weekend here and Tim arranged to get today off as well for a four day weekend! A bit last minute though and we don't have any particular plans. Just some time all together.
I was doing the grocery shopping this morning and came across both good and bad sides of humanity. Two different people tried to "push in" in front of me in queues (it was very busy, long weekend plus school holidays) - one was prevented by another customer "I think this lady (me) was first" and the other was stopped by the cashier "I'm just serving this lady (me)". But on the up side I went to the bakery which only takes cash and I was 10 cents short for my order, I was asking the cashier to take out a couple of rolls but a nice gentlemen next to me handed me 10 cents.
I made pulled pork burgers with coleslaw for dinner and reassured myself that burgers can be yummy!
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