Landing on donuts

Sunday:

These past two weeks I feel like I've been slowly slipping away from my diet, and this weekend I went right over the edge of the cliff and landed on a pile of donuts. We went and visited family which means eating at other people's houses and also fast food on the road trip there. And donuts. And a late birthday cake with my mother. And roast duck, which is mostly skin and fat. I wallowed in everything.

But from tomorrow I have no more excuses. The kids will be back at school and my husband back at work (he had most of this week off) and I will get back into my routine and stay there. And be firmly enough in it that a slight change in circumstances won't derail me.

Taking Thor with us worked out ok. It was a problem we debated for a while. I used to put my previous dog in a boarding kennel when I travelled, but she was a sturdy outdoor dog (a collie, just like Lassie) who was used to being alone while I was at work. Thor is with people all day, and still only a puppy. And it is freezing here and he is used to being inside. It meant lots of time stuck in the car, and he was car-sick twice, but at least he was with us. He was very popular with my husband's family, where we stayed the night. My mum is allergic to dogs and doesn't like them, so he sat outside the back door at her place and stared in at us through the glass doors. But one of the kids was out with him most of the time. He is very glad to be home and went psycho with happiness.

Aside from diet issues and paying constant attention to making sure Thor didn't have an accident on someone else's floor or jump up on a toddler, it was a good weekend. Got to see lots of family and have a chat with my mum and see my sister-in-law who is having an operation tomorrow.

I spend time on the long drive thinking about the novel I am writing, and as usual I came up with some solutions to problems and ideas about what will happen next. I can get back into writing tomorrow, as well as refocusing on healthy eating.

Dogs and rain

Friday:

We have been waiting for our backyard fence to be finished so we can get a puppy. The fence has been done but another couple of weeks before the guy has time to do the gate. Our dog will live inside most of the time but I want to be able to put her in the backyard on nice days when I'm out shopping or something. We are planning on something smallish and cute and fluffy, probably of the spaniel x poodle variety like a Cavoodle or Spoodle. Today the gardener was trying to sell me on the idea of a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, apparently he has two-week-old puppies just opening their eyes. If you don't know Staffies, they are little balls of pure muscle. I'm sure they have lots of lovely qualities, but they also have the highest attack rate in Australia. So I was diplomatic, but no. Not quite what we want.

Our little girl is away at school camp this week, I hope she is having a great time. Unfortunately I think it has rained a lot where she is (here too). I hope she has enough dry clothes. We are going to a family wedding tomorrow (more rain) and then coming up we have a few days at the beach booked - not to swim, but it's a lovely area - and it's going to rain and storm there as well the whole time. Sigh. I don't mind a bit of rain, but when you are clambering over slippery rocks to see the famous blowhole or sitting on a wharf eating fish & chips you really don't want to do it in chilly windy wet conditions. Oh well, we'll make the best of it. Hopefully the tiny cinema has at least one kids movie. And at least we are not camping!

I've been sleeping much better, I think, starting to feel almost normal. Although I did fall asleep in my chair again yesterday afternoon. But I no longer feel like I really shouldn't be driving a car. I'm keeping the CPAP on basically all night now, or at least until 6am - then I have a short time without it so I can lie on my tummy. The new mask stays on my head much better. It's the older model (the new model that I tried first has only been out for about 6 weeks) and it is not as good in most other ways - it is noisier, and bigger so it makes my face sweat all around my nose - but I suppose staying on is most important. Why they took away the adjustable straps on the new model I don't understand! I might give the other one another try later, next time I go back they'll fiddle with the air pressure settings so I'll have tried a few different things before I have to decide to buy.

My husband was just offered a work trip to America for two weeks. But he's decided not to take it, two weeks (plus travelling) is a long time away from his family. And on my part, I'd be a bit scared for him. America seems so dangerous, everyone has guns and they have a murder rate 4.7 times higher than here (I just looked it up) and I don't know if I'd ever dare go there. I'd worry about him the whole time he was away. And I'd miss him of course. He's been overseas for work without us before but not for more than a week.

Last day of term before two week Easter Holidays! Yay for holidays. And Easter.