Our Last Monday, 12 yrs in Oz and the Heatwave!

Sunday Feb 6


It's still SO hot! It was 28 degrees at 11pm last night! Our poor fan is just blowing warm air around! So hard to sleep. So tired. It's been over a week since this heatwave set in. However, they are promising a cool change for early afternoon today. Can't wait!

Breakfast and then it's time to head up the coast to visit some friends.

The traffic isn't too bad on a Sunday! The temperature gauge in the car says it 33 degrees. I'm so hanging out for the cool change; it simply can't come soon enough! We're set to have a BBQ outside, but none of us are keen to leave the air-conditioned lounge room. About 12.45, the rain starts. Still not the blessed 'Southerly'.


Then it comes bucketing down!! At last!! And the wind sprung up out of nowhere, bringing with it the Southerly all of us had been longing for!! Relief!

We had a wonderful visit with our friends. And it was so lovely to get out of Sydney for the day.

I decided that I would relax my eating a bit for today. So, I ate some water crackers with chive cheese and a few pieces of cabanossi (BBQ nibbly staples!). And, when P came in with a plate full of Kranski sausage and haloumi freshly grilled on the BBQ,  I couldn't resist. It was absolutely beautiful!!

Lunch itself was fairly healthy. I settled for a piece of steak, a small serve of home-made Singapore noodles, 1/2 a piece of corn on the cob (no butter or salt) and garden salad with cherry tomatoes, 'apple cucumbers' (I'd never seen these before! They looked like a miniature white Australian footy and boy were they tasty!!) and green capsicum (no dressing).

About an hour later, we were offered coffee and dessert. I always bring Xylitol with me for occasions just like this! That way, I can sweeten my coffee and not feel guilty! We had brought some soft, chewy cookies- some with mini-M&Ms and some with Snickers pieces. They are beautiful and very reminiscent of the cookies you can buy at Subway. I didn't eat any. However, I could not resist the thin slice of Rocky Road. It was 'melt-in-your-mouth' divine. I savoured it. But, after about 15 minutes, the sugar headache set in. I felt heavy and yucky. Sigh...ripped off.

By the time we got up to leave, all of us were feeling a bit chilly, but none of us were game to say anything after whinging about the heatwave! I was glad to get into the car and out of the wind. Home to a very light dinner, blogging a bit of TV and then, bed, glorious bed!! I'm so looking forward to sleeping tonight!! It's been over a week since I have had a decent night's sleep.


Saturday Feb 5

Too hot to get a decent sleep in. Even staying up late wasn't enough to help me sleep past 8.30am. Breakfast, shower and then it's off to Marrickville Metro to get a haircut. With weather like this, it's tempting to cut it short, but I settle for just a trim of my bangs/fringe.

We spent a bit of time looking for movies at Sanity. I'd read on line that Disney had re-released Fantasia and I knew G was keen to get her hands on a copy. We walked out with more than just Fantasia! I've downloaded a movie app for my iPhone which means we won't ever buy the same movie twice!

Subway for lunch. We shared a foot long Tuna Sub-no sauce, no cheese on brown bread. Yum!! I love Subway- fresh, tasty and as long as I don't make bad choices- guilt-free! We shared a bottle of water. All in all, it was a good outing.

The temperature outside was +45 degrees Celsius!! Not an ideal day to drive a BLACK car!! Everything we touched was smoking hot! Even the poor air-con was struggling. I think everyone in Sydney who doesn't have air-conditioning at home was out either at the shopping centres or the movies! I was grateful to be one of them!

We stopped at Office Works on the way home to pick up some supplies.  College starts back next Wednesday night and I wanted to be ready. I have a huge weakness for stationary. I think it comes third behind food and music.  If I had the budget, I think I'd buy one of almost everything in there. It's heavenly!

Then it was home to change out of our sweaty clothes. I settled down to write some of my blog with a steaming hot cup of 'coffee replacement' (dandelion & chicory root), 30g of sunflower seeds and 15g of sugar-free 70% cocoa chocolate with Acai berries.  The chocolate was surprisingly yummy- for dark chocolate. Mostly I'm a milk-chocolate kinda girl.

G made us some yummy pizzas on our new pizza maker. Except for the processed ham, it's definitely a healthy option. I always feel way better after eating one of our pizzas than I ever did after Dominoes or Pizza Hut.

A few episodes of Dexter and then it was definitely time for bed.

Friday Feb 4

Considering the workout yesterday, I wasn't nearly as sore as I expected to be! My arms must finally be making the adjustment to the new Thursday killer routine. I feel great about that! I know that muscle soreness means I've worked really hard, but to work that hard and not feel sore means progress in no uncertain terms! I can feel it in my core muscles though! Feels like I've done a few sit ups too many! But that is bearable!

Still so hot. I have an interview at work today and I couldn't face going in all hot and sweaty on the train. We elected to drive in.  I spent the first few hrs worrying about the interview. The original meeting invite  was for 2-3pm. Due to all of the changes that had happened in our division and due to illness, the interview was pushed up to 11am.

I don't know how I went. 76 applicants for 25 available positions. Steep odds. If I am successful, I know I'll get a lot out of the personal & professional development side of the program. If I'm not successful, I can chalk the interview up to experience. Interview experience is always a good thing to have under my belt. So, I guess either way, it's a win-win.

The number of calls really picked up in the afternoon. It's a good thing I sorted out my banking just after my interview. We only had 4 out of 8 staff on today. Let me assure you, I was happy to shut my computer down come 4.30pm.

A quiet night at home with G awaits! G'night all!

Thursday Feb 3  'My 12yr Anniversary living in Australia'

Today is the 12yr Anniversary of me arriving on the shores of Australia. 12 yrs ago, I didn't think I'd be here for longer than 4yrs (the duration of my Naturopathy course). Now look at me! I understand what people are saying 97% of the time! I know my way around. I understand that an 'r' in the middle of a word is 'silent'! That's not something I can master without thinking about it first and I'm sure that the 'r' s are the things that give me away as a 'foreigner' the most! Some days, I feel like a stranger in a strange land - stuck between 2 shores. I don't quite fit in here and I no longer fit in back home in Canada.

5.20am. Time for me to roll out of bed and head off to group PT. Sunflower seeds and a small nectarine in the car should be enough to see me through this morning's session. Since eating a 'pre-breakfast', I haven't felt sick after training. That's enough of a convincer for me.

I was the only one who turned up for group today! I lucked out! It's nice to have the boys there to egg me on, but it's equally lovely to have J all to myself! The flip side of being the only one there, is that J can focus all of her attention on me. That meant TWICE through the triceps circuit--completely! All of the reps. Yeah, that's right-a total of 40 triceps dips!! Insane! It did mean that I didn't have enough time to make it through the biceps circuit more than once.

I felt great afterwards. There's something about spending an hour in the gym, working hard at +40 degrees that gives me a huge sense of achievement.

Off to work.

After work, it's time to fill up on supplies-particularly yogurt, fruit and a few new additions. Since talking with Jules on Tuesday about trying a detox diet, I've decided to stock up on a few things. So, 2L of soy milk, dandelion & chicory root 'coffee' replacement (caffeine-free), bananas and some cabbage. I'm a little worried about giving up coffee. Caffeine withdrawal will not be pleasant. Surely it can't be too much worse than giving up sugar. Can it?

Home for fresh broiled salmon, The Good Wife and then bed.

Wednesday Feb 2

Feeling a bit stiff in the legs today, but considering it's been over a week since I've had a true workout session I'm amazed that I'm not feeling it more. Apparently, I have built up some fitness over the past few months. That's certainly not to say that I want to make a habit out of not exercising. I'm keen to make this change.

G has already tested out our new treadmill. I decide even though the temperature is still hovering in the mid 30s I need to get my gear on. I settled on the interval training. It seemed the least scary of them all. Each training session lasts for 32 mins. This program starts out at 6kms/hr, then 8kms/hr, then 10kms/hr. I lasted the 2 mins for each of these. But when it shifted between 6km/hr and 10km/hr for the next 24 minutes I knew I couldn't cope. So, instead I slowed it down to 8. Then finally settled on 7.5km/hr. My intervals went 2mins at 6kms/hr then 2 mins at 7.5kms/hr. This lasted for 24mins.

Without J there to cheer me on, I had to rely heavily on my iPod to see me through. Once I found a song that had the perfect beat for 7.5kms/hr, I kept repeating it. I was sweating like a pig by the time the 32 minutes were up. My legs were sore. But I was elated! I'd done it!! 3.5kms on the treadmill in hot weather! That's awesome!!! As I get fitter, I'm sure I'll be able to increase that second interval. Bring it on!!

Luke-warm shower, dinner, TV and bed!


Tuesday Feb 1

Still reeling a bit from yesterday's emotional farewell. I try to push the thought of it out of my head but I'm not very successful. When J asks me how I am, tears well up instantly. It's so hard for me to even talk about it; it's still so raw. I understand how to turn anger into an energy to exercise, but I find grief and sadness very heavy. I just want to curl up in a ball somewhere and sob my heart out.

But that's not what I'm here to do. I'm here to face up to J and tell her that I haven't done any exercise since last Tuesday's session. I was expecting a flogging 'Biggest Loser' style. But J isn't like that. Instead, I knuckled down and gave it everything I could. I concentrated during the warm up to avoid injuring my calf muscle. And I took the extra laps without a groan or a whimper.

Today is 'B' day:  core muscles and, all up, 90 squats. The first set is always the toughest physically. It's like the muscles need a chance to prepare themselves and warm up. The last set is toughest mentally. Exercise is mental and physical. I think my mental muscles tend to give out first. I need to toughen them up!

At the end, J mentions a detox diet. Now, in my studies as a Naturopath, I've come across a few detox diets. I give J a sceptical look. She tells me that this diet has been developed by an English Doctor with an Indian heritage. Apparently his work is sought after by celebrities. People claim to feel amazing on this diet. It lasts for 3 weeks. J says his clients have had excellent weight-loss results. Only 5 weeks to go until my birthday; I could use some excellent weight loss results!!

J tells me that I'd have to forgo alcohol but knows that I almost never drink! Then she hits me with the big guns. "You'd have to give up caffeine."

Caffeine!?? Aw heck! I only just managed to give up SUGAR!! How am I going to live without caffeine for 3 solid weeks?! I think longingly of that first morning coffee and that hot cuppa tea before bed. This is gonna be ugly. Withdrawal city. Poor G.

J laughs at me and tells me that we can do it together.

I shrug and thing, aww why not!? What have I got to lose aside from some toxins and some kilos!

J tells me she'll bring the book to Thursday's group session so I can have a read of it over the weekend.

Monday Jan 31  'Our Last Monday'

Hmmm how does one spend the last Monday we have together before Kindergarten starts? Well, S woke up when G went in to her room to say good-bye. She crawled into bed with me for our morning snuggle. Then it was time for breakfast: Nutella on toast (and I had my usual muesli, yogurt & fruit).

After my shower, we decided it was Mosaic time!! S received a box 3 with Disney Princess Mosaics for her birthday. She settled for Belle and gave me Cinderella. It wasn't too hot outside yet, so we set up our stuff at the out door table and got started. We chatted a little bit about school and what it was like. I told her how much I loved school as a kid- and even as an adult! She wanted to know if her Uncle T liked school as much as me, and told her that I don't think he did--but even he went back to school as a grown up to become a pilot. She seemed satisfied with that!

About 10.30, the courier arrived with our NEW TREADMILL! Whoo hoo!! Unfortunately, the courier was only prepared to take the treadmill up the drive. It was up to me to shift the 90kg box from the backyard into the lounge room. S offered to help but I assured her that she would be safest making cookies & cakes out of playdoh at the kitchen table. It took a lot of wriggling and manouvering, but I finally got it into the lounge room. Crazy!!

Then I joined S at the kitchen table to assist with the playdoh baking! She received the baking centre for her birthday too. It's really neat! You can squeeze playdoh out so that it looks like icing and there are lots of different molds! Too cool!

About 1pm, we decided it was time to gather our things and head over to  Castle Hill. First stop: Lollipop Playland for some serious sliding, climbing, playing and perhaps even a little lunch! Then, it's straight to swimming to watch S at her lesson! It is so hot today. 38 degrees. Too hot for this Canadian!!

There's a super steep green slide that S is keen to try out. After stowing our shoes and my bag, we climbed up to the slide; S settled herself on my lap and we were off!! OMG! Talk about steep and FAST! S LOVED it!!! Again, Mumma Jay?? I think we managed to go down about 7 times while we were there! Heaps of fun!

S had a vegemite & cheese sandwich and a handful of fries. I settled for ham, cheese, & tomato on 'brown' bread (really, it looked more like white bread with wheat freckles!!). Half a sandwich later, I lost interest. I could have eaten the rest of the fries, but stopped myself after 10. Prolly could have tackled a pre-schooler for a Coke, but I had a cappuccino with xylitol instead. It wasn't the same.

Swimming. It was soo splash-tastic to watch S in the pool! She's like a little mermaid! But, boy was it hot and humid sitting there watching her! I was prolly just as wet as she was!! She did flutter kicking (face in and face out) and even dived to the bottom to collect her goggles.

Dropping her home proved to be a very emotional experience. I hung around whilst S and C went through my iPhone to look at the games that I've downloaded for S. C has agreed to download a few too. I played with S's little sister. As 6pm rolled around, I figured it was time for me to be heading home. S clung to me and refused to let me go. C had to pull her off, and even then, she squirmed and wriggled trying to get free of C's grasp. She was crying; I was crying.

I asked her what was wrong, and she looked up at me and said,"when will I see you again, Mumma Jay?'

I tousled her hair and told her that she would see me in 2 weeks just like always. I gave her another hug and left. It broke my heart. I knew it was going to be hard, but this was so painful. I sat in the car and cried for a bit. Then, backed down the driveway and headed for home.

G had managed to haul the treadmill from the lounge room to the back room and had it completely unpacked by the time I walked in at 6.45. The bedroom was strewn with cardboard and plastic bags. G was dripping with sweat. There's no airflow and it gets so hot in our unit. My first act was to turn on the fan. She took one look at my face and gave me a big hug.  Then we busied ourselves connecting leads and bolting the frame together. It has a longer running track than our old one, a wicked digital display, heaps of programs, speakers and a personal fan!

Dinner, TV and bed. G heads for bed sooner than I do. I intend to stay up until my eyes can't bear to remain open any longer. Otherwise, the events of the day will play over and over in my mind.

Sunday Jan 30

S sleeps in until 7.20am & then climbs into bed for a snuggle. G is exhausted, so we leave her to sleep and head out to make breakfast. All of us were pretty tuckered out after yesterday's festivities, so we mostly took it easy.

S and I played her new Disney Princess computer games, played with her new Strawberry Shortcake cafe set, played with the Playdoh cake & bakery set and watched some TV. It was too hot to go to the park or play outside.

We decided to have a bath before dinner to cool down. Then, it was time to settle in to watch Disney's  Mulan. Unfortunately, S was a little hesitant to continue watching Mulan once she decided to take her father's place in the Emperor's Army. I think she was worried that Mulan would come to harm. On top of that, S was very, very tired.  So, we turned off the movie, brushed her teeth, chose a story and assumed our usual 'story time' position. The fan was still in S's room from the night before, so we turned it on. I kissed her, gave her a big hug, and tried very hard not to think that this was one of our last Sunday night 'tuck ins'.

Birthday Girl, shopping dramas & Australia Day

Saturday Jan 29: The 'Birthday BBQ'

Today is the day we celebrate S's 5th Birthday!!

Up at 7.30am and then it's all hands on Deck! G cut up the mushrooms and the onions and packed as much of our picnic gear as she could last night but there are still things to do. We packed as best we could and then ducked out to get petrol, pick up some bags of ice for the cooler (or Eskie as it's known here in Australia), and the most important item of all: S's Barbie Birthday Cake! Mission accomplished!

K met us at home. Good thing. We needed to utilise her car to transport some items to the park. Sophia's Barbie bicycle and the folding table were monopolising a lot of our trunk space (I don't think I'll ever get used to calling it a 'boot')!! Only one last thing to secure: S's Birthday Tree! Fortunately for us, the park was deserted except for a few fitness fans. For a moment, I felt a slight pang of guilt as I watched one of them finish her run and start in on some curl ups. I haven't exercised since my last session with J on Tuesday. At least the new treadmill arrives on Monday (complete with personal fan, automatic incline and stereo speakers!!) I can't wait! I'm hoping to dive into my exercise regime with renewed vigor and dedication.

Picnic blankets: check. Streamers, balloons and a birthday banner tied to the tree: check. Table set up and laid out with goodies: check. In no time at all we had our special Birthday picnic all organised. My plan today, is to be a strict on my diet. That's not to say that I can splash out and be irresponsible. I know how hard it is to take off the weight, so I don't want to do too much to retard my progress. Before our other guests arrived, I ate 1/4 of a bag of cheese and bacon balls. I'm sure I could have eaten more, but it would have been out of habit and not because I really wanted them.

Our guests arrived around noon and S & L ran off to the play equipment: swings, climbing, sliding, etc. The grown ups started to organise the BBQ. I put out the usual BBQ fare: cabanossi, cheese cubes and Jatz (98% fat-free). I'd guess that I prolly ate 1 stick of cabanossi, 10 Jatz crackers and 10 pieces of cheese, all up. Not too bad.

Lunch was ready in no time: steak, lamp chops, rissoles, sausages, mushrooms and onions on the BBQ. Pasta salad, potato salad and all of the condiments lined the table. That was when the wind decided to part-take. Between managing paper plates and trying to keep things from blowing off the table, actually loading up our plates was a bit tricky!

Then it was time for sliced fruit: strawberries, grapes and rock melon. I think most people were hanging out for the birthday cake. I'm not much of a fan of birthday cake, so it was easy for me to pass that up. I settled for sliced strawberries instead.

L & S decided it was time to take their bikes out for an adventure. Helmets on. And we were off!! There's a nice wide sidewalk that forms a giant square around a portion of the park. It's perfect for young folks learning how to ride. L hopped on his Ben 10 bike and S hopped on her Barbie bike and 2 of us took them around the track. Very impressed with their skills.

Time to pack up the picnic and head home for a few games of Wii Just Dance 2! The competitive mood was palpable!! After heaps of hysterical fun, a few bruised egos and a lot of crazy antics, we decided it might be a good time to settle the kids down with a movie.

By 9.15, our guests were gone, S was tucked into bed and the clean up was underway. After relaxing in front of the TV until 11.30pm it was definitely time for be. I ended up with a decent sunburn on my triceps. Not impressed. I know better than to be out without sun block. Don't know what I was thinking today, but I'm sure paying for the oversight. Prescription: lots of water, lots of aloe vera & covering up if I need to venture out tomorrow!

Friday Jan 28

Hectic day at work today. With so many calls coming in, I'm unable to get much of my own work done. It feels like I'll never catch up. 

I finally hear back from our HR department regarding my Emerging Leader application. I've progressed to the next stage and they've asked me to prepare for an interview on Tuesday! I'm excited and apprehensive.

Late in the day I get a msg from C advising me of a change in plans. S's little brother is unwell and she needs to take him to the doctor. Rather than risk being late meeting me at the usual place, she asks if I can drive to her home to pick S up. It's no problem. Traffic isn't as bad as I expected and I arrive in good time. 

S is extremely happy to see me! She runs out of the house and into my arms!! 5. I can't believe she's 5! I tell her how grown up she looks. It's so nice to be holding her close! We're back home by 7.15. A big hug for G. 

We get dinner organised and as we're watching TV, we decide to give her a couple of her birthday presents tonight. She's over the moon with her Shnook!! It's something she really wanted at Christmas. I'm pleased we could find one! She's also pretty chuffed with the lip smacker and Disney Princess games that our cat Lestat picked up for her. All in all, she's a happy little vegemite when we tuck her up in bed. 

Big day tomorrow.

Thursday Jan 27

My alarm goes off at 5.20am. I don't press snooze. There is no way I have the energy to make it to my group PT session. And, facing work is so over-whelming. I get up when G's alarm goes off so I can msg J and call in sick to work. I'm so disappointed that I'm missing this training session. I look forward to these workouts- which, let's face it, is a little bit weird! Who would have thought that I would ever utter those words?

I sleep until 10am, stagger out of bed, get dressed and head off to order S's cake- one of the many chores that kept me up last night. I didn't want her to miss out on having the cake that she wanted. Once that's done, I feel lighter. One less thing to worry about for Saturday. Post office to pick up my aerobic step. Shop to pick up a couple of items. Home to rest. Breakfast. A bit of reading and back to bed.

I meet G after work at the shops to pick up our groceries for Saturday's pic-a-nic, as Yogi Bear would say. I'm still so tired and worn out. Dinner- which is still making me feel yucky. TV and bed.

Wednesday Jan 26  'Happy Australia Day'

Sleep in. It's hard to sleep at night these days due to the heat and humidity. At breakfast, we can hear the cicadas. It doesn't bode well for the temperature for the rest of the day. I know this Canadian isn't going to cope well with the heat!

Off to Roselands to pick up a wireless modem. I'm over my current provider. After heaps of phone calls and misinformation, it's time to find someone new. I'm loath to swap to Telstra, but I don't want a contract and I'm keen for some decent coverage. Dancing around the lounge room holding my laptop in the air in search of a 3G signal is wearing thin.

Turns out Telstra hasn't updated their 'shop locator' on the website and the store closed down at Roselands almost a year ago. Not impressed. Lunch at the food court: a burger on whole-wheat bun. And off to the next mall. We have more luck there. Modem in hand, we stop for coffee, but I find I can only drink about 1/2 before my stomach sends me the signal to stop. Sigh... Wish I knew what was happening with my gut. A quick stop at Kmart and time to head home.

I figure it's best to download the Princess computer games so that when S opens them on Saturday we can jump straight into playing them instead of waiting for them to install. Since I only use the PC side of my Mac for games, I haven't allocated much disc space. So, I need to find some way of re-organising things so that I can get the games downloaded. 

I decide to take a break and try installing the wireless broadband. Bad move. 90 minutes later I'm hot and furious! No one told me at the shop that it would take 24 hrs to set up an account and access the internet. What is happening this week!! From one bad customer service experience to another! I'm livid. The heat doesn't help.

I attempt to go to bed. No matter what I try, sleep eludes me. And to top it off, the longer I lie there, the sicker I feel. I'm so tired. Yet my mind is racing. This is my last 3 day weekend with S and I'm not coping.  Grief and panic simmer just below the surface. It's 4am by the time I finally close my eyes and find solace in sleep.

Tuesday Jan 25: S's Birthday

Coffee at the cafe. Time to ring S to wish her HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! The phone rings out. I sigh and pop my iPhone back in my bag. I know C has lousy mobile reception. Perhaps she'll ring me back. I kiss G and wish her a good day. By the time I reach my desk, my mobile is ringing. It's S!! I'm so excited to talk to her. I wish her Happy Birthday and ask her how her trip to Brisbane was. She told me all about it and then asked to speak to G. I told her G was on her way to work but that we had tried to ring so we could sing to her. 

S asked if I could sing anyways, and so I launched in to Happy Birthday, solo!  I love her so much! I can't believe I have to wait until Friday to give her a big hug and wish her happy birthday in person. It's the first birthday that I'm not celebrating with her. I'm at work, so I don't allow myself to give in to the tears that are lurking so close to the surface.

The day passes quickly and it's not long before I have to pack up my stuff and get ready for some quality time with J. My stomach is not feeling the best and I'm hoping it doesn't slow me down too dramatically. I offer my workmate a lift home and drop her off on my way.

It's 'progress photo & measurement' day. I've got my 'photo' clothes with me. So I change into them, J snaps some pics and then it's off to change into my work out gear. Measurement time! And, for once, I'm impressed! This is making a difference after all. It's even starting to show a bit on the scales. I'm liking it!

I told J that my stomach hadn't been the best since Saturday but that I would do my best. Warm up: the ski jumps weren't ideal for my guts. Off for the run: 8 times back and forth mural to mirror. On the last turn I felt a twinge in my left calf. Next thing I knew I was hobbling to the mirror. J asked if I was ok. I told her I wasn't. I tried to stretch it out on the step. Agony. I tried to do a star jump but one attempt was enough. J asked me if I wanted to continue. I opted out of the star jumps but was determined to give the circuits a go. J suggested I try the squats and hold for just 5 secs. I nearly fell over! I smiled up at her and told her that I'd psyched myself up for this and I wanted to go for 10 seconds as planned!

Squat and hold for 10 secs. The first set is always so much harder than the next 2. And, the further I got into the sets and the more I engaged my core muscles, the worse my stomach felt. Not ideal. Between sets I walked briskly across the Centre and back. Running was out of the question.

My arms are burning by the time we finish. My shoulders are aching. And my calf is agony. I try to make light of it because I feel like such a moron for injuring it during the warm up. Perhaps if I'd pulled a muscle doing something dramatic and interesting I'd feel better.

G is waiting for me in the car. I'm glad she's driving. An hour later when I go to step out of the car, it's not pretty. G offers to massage it later. I settle on the lounge and put some ice on my calf. Ice on. Ice off. A massage with Deep Heat. Dinner and then bed.

Monday Jan 24

Struggling today. The more I think about S starting school and not being able to spend Mondays with her, the sadder I become. I'm hoping today's session with V will help me clear my head.

Work is work. The only high light of my day is lunch when I get to read my Millennium books at lunch. The food itself is less appealing. Since Saturday, whenever I eat, I end up feeling queasy and unsettled in my stomach. It's uncomfortable and I find myself eating because I have to, and not because I want to. 

It's a tough one. They often are when it comes to dealing with my feelings- particularly in relation to S.  I end up in tears as much as I try to fight against them. It does help to share how I'm feeling. 

This worry and sadness is certainly zapping my motivation. I have no desire to run on the treadmill by the time I get home. It's not looking good. Aside from my walk on the weekend, I haven't done any other exercise.  Hopefully I can shake this off.

Sunday Jan 23

Another lovely sleep in. My body is much happier waking up at 9 than at 5.50am! Breakfast, shower, dressed and it's off to take care of the chores I didn't do yesterday. S has her heart set on a Rapunzel wig from the new Disney movie Tangled. We spotted it at Wal-Mart when we were in Canada back in September. Rather than pack it and risk it getting all messed up in our suitcases, I foolishly believed I'd be able to purchase it in Australia. 

The movie poster we received on opening night hi-lighted Target as the store to buy our movie merchandise- including the hair. 2 Targets and a phone call later, no joy. Target tells me they don't carry any of the Tangled merchandise. I lost the plot a little when the manager of one store told me they didn't stock it! I told him that I bought the horse Maximus, Flynn Rider & Rapunzel from his store at Christmas and, that even as we spoke, the horse was sitting in a box on his toy shelf. He continued to give me a vacant stare and insist that Target doesn't carry that line of toys. Unbelievable!!

Even a trip to Toys R Us in Parramatta did not yield much better results. At least they carried the tower and the lantern. We settled on the lantern. I knew it would not be a 'hair replacement', but I decide it's the best I could do for now. Things seemed ok until I got to the register, then it went pear-shaped in a hurry!! NOT ideal!

Sigh, shopping in Australia shouldn't be so hard! Sometimes I really miss Canada.

I headed straight for the computer when I got home. It was time for some 'Heroes of Might & Magic' to calm my nerves. Worked like a charm!

Saturday Jan 22

Much needed sleep in.

G has some stuff to take care of online and I have a package to pick up from the post office. I wonder which one it is. I've spent a bit of time on the internet surfing Deals Direct and I settled on an aerobic step and a powered USB hub. It's a gorgeous day.

I power up my new workout app on my iPhone, grab my headphones and set out on foot! Might as well get in some exercise and enjoy the weather at the same time. It's the USB hub. Nice one! Package in hand, I wandered down to the 'Out of Print' bookshop to see if I could find a book for G. Scored!! Very pleased with my purchase!

By the time I get back home, I'm not feeling that well. My stomach and guts seem to be unhappy with me. So much so, that I just don't feel like doing much. I finally muster up enough energy to head out to the grocery store to replenish our stock. 

Broiled salmon for dinner. TV, tea & then bed.

Friday Jan 21

Not much to report, aside from being sore all over. My shoulder muscles are so stiff that I'm unable to do my bra up behind my back. I really am Lactic Acid Girl.

Relatively quiet day at work. Off to take care of some business in North Sydney. Just as that was finishing up, I got the call about the delivery of our treadmill. It could arrive as soon as Monday!! But someone needs to be home to help the courier. Instead, I organise it for Monday Jan 31. It's hard to wait, but I know it will be worth it.

Home to relax.

Thursday Jan 22

Crawl out of bed wondering how I'll fare today at Group. My muscles are still so sore- especially my quads. Ah well. I'm sure I'll be fine. Breakfast on the go: banana and nectarine. It's about all I can stomach this early in the morning.

There's a new face in the Centre! A & I shake hands with B and welcome him into the group. Still no sign of K, but maybe she's only coming on Mondays. B is very fit and J's New Year circuits do not seem to slow him down at all. I make it through the triceps circuit-including 20 triceps dips without too much trouble. Time runs out before I can get all the way through for the second time. I got as far as the chest press. Only the squats and some running to complete it for the second time. I'm impressed!

One minute break, then on to the biceps side. Tricky! My arms are aching! Once through wasn't too bad, but by the time I got to the hamstring curls for the 2nd time through, the bell rang. Just pushups, star jumps and squats to go. Getting better every time.

Staggered down the stairs...and the muscle soreness did not improve from there. Even the hot shower at work was not enough to take the edge off. Lucky I'm just an office worker. Still, typing and working the mouse was tricky enough.

Bit the bullet and put in a 'Best Offer' on a new treadmill on EBay. I've been 'watching' this one for about a week and I think it's going to be the best one for us. It will fit nicely in the space occupied by our current treadmill and it's got some awesome features: auto incline, personal fan (loving this!!), speakers and a plug in for my iPod. Too cool!

About 7pm, I rec'd the news that my bid was accepted!! Wooo hoo!! Very Excited!!

Now for a relax and some TV.

Quaking Quads

Wednesday Jan 19

Geez...I was convinced that a long soak in the tub would be enough to make this morning bearable! Oh how wrong was I?! As I lay there wishing I could 'beam' myself out of bed and into the shower, I did some calculations: 3 sets of 15 medicine ball 'dead lifts' and 3 sets of 15 sumo squats gives me a grand total of 90 squats!!! No wonder my quads are killing me!

Of course, today is a train day. I hobbled up the stairs at the station, grimacing, but determined not to catch the lift. It wouldn't be so bad if it was just my quads that were hurting. My right knee is extremely sore too. I don't understand. I mean, I figured all the squats that I've been doing over the past few months would be strengthening my knee in some way. Just gotta hang in there, though. I'm sure it's making a difference.

Walking is a bit uncomfortable, but not as much as the process of sitting or standing. Now that is unpleasant!! G was teasing me on the train and telling me that I should have more compassion for her when she can't keep up with me. 

I smiled and jokingly said, 'Hey, if you can't keep up with the fat girl...." and shrugged.

She turned to me and replied, "Hmmm...you've got to stop referring to yourself that way."

I thought for a second and shot back, "Just call me Lactic Acid Girl!!" 

Both of us laughed. I wish I could fly...cuz man, walking is not ideal!!

Work was uneventful. My legs weren't feeling any better by the time I got home, so I decided to give the treadmill a miss. I know that all of me will get a full on workout during tomorrow's group PT session.

Dinner. The first of Oprah's Australian episodes. The new season of Fringe and then it's definitely bed.

Tuesday Jan 18

I woke up feeling very emotional. I'm grateful that we have training scheduled today at work because I'm not sure that I could manage speaking to customers. Our training is about stress management and how to handle, identify and manage stress-specifically in the workplace, but I'm sure many of the skills will be transferrable to our personal lives.

When it came time for lunch, I was nervous and excited. The sandwiches looked divine...but they were all made using *gulp* white bread! One of my favourite things. And, one of the things that mustn't appear in my food diary. Ohhh...what to do!!

They were cut into triangles and after much deliberation, I choose 2 tuna and 2 egg sandwiches. As the first bite touched my tongue, I closed my eyes. 

One of my work friends caught me in the act and quipped, "Don't speak, she's savouring her first white bread in months!!'

Everybody laughed!!

At first, I thoroughly enjoyed the taste. As I ate the 3rd triangle, the thought of finishing the last one became less and less appealing. My stomach was not happy with me. I'm sure it wasn't just the bread. I hadn't had butter in months either.  Add mayo to that equation, and it was no wonder I was feeling a bit queasy.

The fruit platter was spectacular! Yummo. I filled up on kiwi, apple slices and strawberries. Knowing I was only hours away from a training session made it easier to turn down afternoon tea: caramel slice, florentines, pastries, brownies and other delights.

Worried that I would be late for my session with J, I left the training as quickly as I could. Turns out I was only a couple of minutes late. A quick chat about my food diary, my knee and my left ankle and then we were straight into it.

The 'new' warmup: 30 seconds of ski jumps, 8 'laps' of the centre and then 30 seconds of star jumps. I'm puffing and sweaty. Stretches and then onto the core: curls ups on the Swiss ball to target my obliques, rolling on the ball and stretching forward without allowing my back to dip. Then it's game on!

15 medicine ball dead lifts, 15 jacknifes, 15 sumo squats and then running the length of the Centre and back. Repeat 3 times. Short break. 2 sets of 15 leg lifts, 2 sets of cobra stretches. Warm down stretches. And done for the day.

My legs are a bit wobbly on the way down the stairs and I have to hold on to the railing to keep my balance. I reckon I'll be sore tomorrow. Hopefully a bath with Raddox will take the edge off.

Bath. Book. Dinner and bed.

Monday Jan 17

Little Miss woke up early when G went in to give her a kiss good-bye. She climbed into bed with me for a cuddle. I love her so much. She's not one to lay around in bed, so it was up and into the kitchen to get breakfast ready. Fresh fruit and toast for S and my usual yogurt and muesli. 

We played in her room for a bit but she still felt like something was missing. When I asked her what she really wanted to do, she told me she wanted to do some painting. We have the paint; we just didn't have anything to paint. Time to shrug off our PJ's and head out to the shops to see what we could find.

We ended up with some canvasses and, after a quick wander through K-Mart, we picked up a sticker mosaic jewellery box. I wasn't convinced that S would enjoy doing the mosaic. WOW! Was I wrong! From 11.30am until 2.30pm, with only a 15 minute break for lunch, S dedicated herself to applying every last mosaic sticker! It was amazing!! I was so proud of her. It looked fantastic! We didn't have any other distractions: no TV, no music, just her and me and 800+ stickers! 

I love spending time with S. As Kindergarten approaches-it's now only 2 weeks away- I feel an over-whelming bittersweet sadness. I am going to miss our Monday's together. My baby girl is growing up.

I gave her a big hug and told her that I was so happy that she loved spending time with me. In a teasing voice, I told her one day when she was a teenager, she would think that hanging out with me wasn't cool. Much to my surprise, she burst into tears. I hugged her tight and asked her what was wrong.

In a trembling voice, she said, "You hurt my feelings, Mumma Jay."

I cuddled her close, apologised and tried to explain that I hadn't meant to upset her. When she had collected herself, I went to get the laundry out of the dryer. She followed me outside and said, "You have to promise that you will never say something like that to kid who is just about 5. I love you very much."

And it was then that I realised that in her mind, it was inconceivable to even imagine a world or a time where she would not want to spend time with me. That moment was very humbling. At not-quite-5yrs old, she is such a wise soul and she teaches me so much.

I hugged her tight when it came time to say good bye. She grabbed my hand, held it close to her cheek and for a few minutes, refused to let me go. When she finally lifted her head, there was one solitary tear on her face. It breaks my heart each time I drop her off.

Feeling sad, I made my way home, waited until G finished her workout and took my turn on the treadmill. Symbolism. I walk and walk. And, yet, when I look up, I have made no discernible progress. 

Progress

Sunday Jan 16

Wow! What a night!! I made every effort to be in bed at a reasonable time and it was probably a good thing too! It was so hot and humid that poor little S came in about 12.50am because she was too hot in her room. She climbed over me to her spot in the middle. I got up and turned on the fan. It made a difference, but with 3 of us (and a long-haired cat) on the bed, there was too much body heat for any of us to sleep comfortably.

I suggested that S take off her singlet and tucked her back into her own bed. That didn’t last long. 30mins later, she was standing beside me again. I rolled off the bed, turned on the fan so that S & G would be comfortable, and went into the lounge room. I figured the only way any of us would get a decent sleep, would be to take the black fan into S’s room. I get it all up and then picked her up off my bed and settled her into her own.

The fan did the trick and all of us managed to sleep the rest of the night through. Nights like last night make me think longingly of air-conditioning!

Breakfast, whilst watching the rest of Pocahontas and then it was time to play some computer games. We started with Barbie Island Princess, and ended with Leo’s Cool School. S practiced drawing all of the letters of the alphabet. Only 2 weeks to go until she’s officially in kindergarten.

Our plan today is to take S to see Disney Live at the Sydney Entertainment Centre. We promised her lunch at McDonald’s. I was not prepared to have McDonald’s appear again on my food journal, so I made myself a healthy pizza and ate it before we left.

By the time we parked the car, walked to the Entertainment Centre and found a table, we were running out of time for lunch. G went in to brave the crowds at McD’s and S and I sat and waited anxiously. I still needed to collect the tickets from the ticket office. Finally, I turned to S, asked if she could wait until after the show for lunch (she’d already had a snack of grapes before we left) and when she nodded, we jumped up from our seats and headed into McD’s to get G. She was the next person in line. I tapped her on the shoulder, explained the change of plans and we went off in search of the ticket office.

Collecting them was easier than I expected.  With the tickets in our hot little hands, it was time to execute a ‘quick change’. We slipped her Disney Princess Tiana dress on over her head and then, quickly took off her light pink trousers. Change complete!

There were heaps of little princesses strolling around! We saw lots of Snow Whites, a few Sleeping Beauties, some beautiful Belles, a few Cinderellas and even an Ariel or 2. As far as we could see, S was the only Tiana.

The show was fantastic! They enacted 3 Fairy Tales: Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs, Cinderella & Beauty & the Beast. Minnie Mouse, Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck & Goofy introduced each Fairy Tale and they engaged the audience as well. It was like being transported back to Disneyland for just a couple of hours! Magic!

S had a wonderful time and so did we. 

Saturday Jan 15

Today we’ve been invited out for brunch! To insure I wouldn’t over-indulge, I thought it best to have breakfast at 8 when we all woke up. We watched a bit of TV and then got ready to go.

Our friends put on a brilliant spread: poached eggs, bacon, English spinach, pancakes, and croissants. Divine! We had a lovely visit. S watched a couple of Disney movies while we chatted.

It was a wonderful way to spend the afternoon. G dropped us off at home and went out to face the crowds at the shopping centre. It’s amazing how quickly we go through fresh fruits & veggies! We seem to be at the shops twice a week to restock!

S and I played some computer games and then we popped her into the bath so that she would be ready for bed after dinner.

For dinner, we had broiled salmon with lemon juice and a healthy salad. S had 3 fish fingers with some veggies. Then we settled in to watch part of Pocahontas.

Then bed.

Friday Jan 14

And there it is. I thought it was too good to be true!! Some time during the night, the rest of my muscles jumped on the bandwagon- particularly those connected to any part of my arms, shoulders, back, neck and legs! I thought I was sore yesterday, but today, my arms are very unhappy with me! My left arm and shoulder seem to be worse than my right side.  That’s ok! Now that I can see some definition in them, I’m willing to put up with a bit of soreness!

Typical day at work. I’m a grateful that it’s Friday for 2 reasons: the obvious and the fact that it’s an S weekend!! I watch the arms travel slowly around the face of the clock until it’s finally time to tidy up my desk and hit the road!  Traffic is not as bad as I expected and I arrive at our drop off point 15 minutes early. No problem.

I rolled down my window, turned off the engine, grabbed my snack from my bag and settled in to get through as much of my novel as I could! I’m reading the Millennium series and I’m only part way through the first book. It’s got me hooked!

S isn’t as talkative today. Perhaps it’s because C and I chatted about her latest adventures. Strict rules for this visit. S had to have a molar pulled out due to an abscess and the Dentist is concerned that 2 others are at risk. That means: no lollies, no juice and extra teeth brushing!

Homemade pizza on our brand new pizza maker, an episode of Handy Manny and then time for bed. I have a surprise planned for tonight! Earlier in the week, I downloaded the Velveteen Rabbit on my iPhone. I remember loving the story as a child but both S & G have never heard it.

S cuddled up in my lap and G sat beside me on the bed. S held the iPhone and the 3 of us settled in for the story. There’s one part in the story where the little boy becomes very ill and once he’s recovered, the doctor orders all of his clothes, his bed linen and his stuffed velveteen rabbit to be burned. At this point, S burst into tears. G’s eyes were watering and my eyes had been leaking for ages! It took us a while to convince S that the rabbit was going to be ok. Both of them were very relieved that the story had a happy ending!

As I tucked S into her bed, we chatted about her stuffed animals and which ones we thought were loved enough to be ‘real’. It’s wonderful to have her here to tuck into bed. I miss her so much when she’s not with me.

Thursday Jan 13: ‘The new group circuit”

It’s just me and A today. J has designed a whole new program for us starting with the warm up.

warm up: medicine ball squat and raise to the sky x 10; lunge across the centre and back, run 4 times back and forth

new stretches:

cobra: lying on your stomach raise your chest and squeeze your shoulder blades close together

lower back rotation with medicine ball between my knees

The new circuits look very challenging. Some of the new things have already been incorporated in my ‘B’ day one-on-one sessions with J, so I know what to expect.  As she walks us through each exercise and demonstrates the proper technique, I’m convinced there’s no way we’ll be able to make it through the each circuit twice in 15 mins!

New triceps: 

20 x hip ext (back & chest on ball so that it forms a  bridge, lowering bum and raising it. Essentially it’s the reverse of the previous hip extensions that we were doing)

20 x triceps dips on weight bench: supporting my weight with my arms, I lower my bum below the bench, then raise myself back up. I can’t make it to 20 and J lets me stop after 15.

20 x leg extensions: lying on my stomach on the weight bench, I have to lift my legs until they are level with my body

20 x chest press on the ball keeping hips up: forming another bridge with my upper back on the ball and my knees bent at 90 degree angle, I have to keep my hips up, and chest press 6kg in each arm.

10 x running across centre

20 x squat & hold for 3 secs- not as bad as my new ‘A’ day Tuesday routine where I have to hold each squat for 10 secs, but by the time I get close to the end of the set of 20, my legs are definitely burning.

J takes pity on us and gives us a 3-minute break before we have to swap over to the other circuit. I think this one will be easier to get through.

New bicep:

10 x bicep curl with the same leg lifted off ball (balancing) as the arm holding the dumb bell.

20 x sword pulls per arm

20 x hamstring curls: I can manage 12 on a good day…so I’m not sure how I’ll get through 20 twice!!

20 x push-ups

20 x jumping jacks

20 x squats with 3kg bar on shoulder: the bar bell isn’t heavy, but 3 kg’s on my shoulders definitely make a difference

By the end of today’s session, I’m stuffed. The 3 minutes of BLISS are much needed and I flop gratefully onto the floor where I stood. No time or energy to make it to a mat.

A and I stagger down the stairs and out into the early morning sunshine. My arms are heavy and I’m hoping a warm shower at work will be enough to loosen them up.

No such luck. They feel like they’re made of lead. Lifting them shoulder height takes effort and even just typing and using the mouse is uncomfortable. Foolishly, I tell the girls that my plan is to go home and spend another 30 mins on the treadmill tonight. I know my arms are sore, but I figure I can still get a bit more out of my legs. Turns out I can’t. I’m happy to just relax when I get home.

Wednesday Jan 12

Remarkably, my legs still bend and getting out of bed is not the nightmare I was expecting. I’m pleased. This definitely means that my fitness is improving. My legs are tougher than I thought!

There’s a surprise waiting in my inbox when I get to work. J has obviously passed on my progress photos to V and she’s posted them on the Sacred Centre website.

At first, it takes me a minute to register what I’m looking at. Then it sinks in that the shot on the left of each pose is the ‘before’ and the shot on the right side is the ‘progress’.  The voice in my head tells me that the difference is due to the way J took the shots. After much inner dialogue, I convince that voice to ‘rack off’ and I am finally able to see and accept the changes.

I’ve lost 8kgs and I can fit into clothes that I haven’t worn for more than 3 yrs. That is definitely progress! My session with V on Monday really helped to cement that for me. Up until now, I’ve been very attached to the numbers-to the kgs—needing to get to 25kgs less before I see any of my success. Now, I’m thinking that maybe I can measure success in a few ways. If I can’t make 25kgs by my birthday, perhaps I can assess my goal by the size of the clothes that I’m wearing then.

Spurred on by my photos, I decide to work out when I get home. I know I worked out yesterday with J and I have a group session tomorrow, but a little more can’t hurt, right?

I walk 2.5kms on the treadmill and gently do the following weights. I know I shouldn’t over due it today: 2 x 10 bicep curls with 9.5kg,2 x 10 chest press with 9.5kg, 2 x 10 curl ups, lower back rotation 2 x 10. A quick shower, some TV and then definitely bed!

Tuesday  Jan 11

J decides to add a twist to today’s work out, starting with the warm up. I’m expecting to run across the Centre, but it’s not that simple. We start with running 4 times across. Then it’s 30 seconds of ski jumps followed by 30 seconds of star jumps. Thank goodness I forgot my work out shirt and NOT my sports bra!! I’d have been in big trouble!

It’s the normal Tuesday day ‘A’ but instead of holding each squat for 5 seconds, she’s increased the time to 10! OMG. That would be hard enough, but she’s also increased the reps from 12 to 15. My legs are jelly but somehow, I manage to hold all 15 for 10 secs in the first set, 12 in the second and 11 in the third. The remaining squats in each set, I hold for 5.

She’s also changed one of my arm exercises.  Rather than lift the barbell from a kneeling position, I now sit on the Swiss ball, a 3kg dumb bell in each hand, and leading with my elbows, I raise both weights until they are level with my nose. I feel a bit like a bird flapping its wings. 15 of those followed by the normal shoulder weights and my arms are shaking. I know I’m going to feel this tomorrow.

J put me through the paces today. I felt like crying at times-especially during the squats- but I survived. J always tells me that she never gives me anything that she thinks I can’t do. I’m here for the ‘tough love’ and that’s what she gives me. I’m always amazed and impressed with what she’s able to bring out in me.

I’ve got the best team ever.

Monday Jan 10

I’m looking forward to my session tonight with V. It’s been a month since my last appointment, and I can feel that I’m due for it.

True to form, she hones in on the difficulties that I’ve been having. I’m going through the motions, but it feels like something is holding me back. I need to get my head sorted out.

We talk a lot about my inability to see how far I’ve come. I’m feeling the pressure of my birthday being less than 2 months away because I’ve lost less than half of what I wanted to lose. I can feel that iPad slipping through my fingers.

V is persistent; she doesn’t let me off easily and I’m persuaded to see things from her perspective – a healthy perspective. It feels much better than the thoughts that have taken root in my mind over the past couple of weeks.

I walk out of the Centre, feeling like the garden of my mind has been thoroughly weeded; the unhealthy thoughts plucked from it and tossed aside. Much like a real garden, I know I’ll have to continue this process regularly.

Sunday Jan 9:

So tired. Not cut out for late nights anymore. And, 1am isn’t really late by most people’s standards. I feel hung over- but I think that has more to do with all of the cigarette smokers last night. It’s been ages since I’ve been around smoke for any length of time. Besides, water wouldn’t give me a headache like this.

Coffee, breakfast and a shower later, I’m feeling much more like myself. We have a friend coming over at 11 for a visit and lunch out. I’ve already decided what I’m having: 300g of rib eye steak, with pepper sauce, mashed potatoes and grilled veggies. If I can convince G, we’ll be sharing another order of mixed berry crepes. Ahhhh. YUM!

I do not add sugar to my cappuccino when it comes. I know that won’t make up for the ice cream, but at least it won’t compound the situation.

By the time we finish lunch, I’m stuffed! We strolled through the shopping centre to see if Target has a pizza maker. Ours finally bit the dust a couple of weeks back, and I’m missing it. As luck would have it, they did. It’s a beautiful black model and I can’t wait to use it. Won’t be tonight though. In fact, I’m so full after lunch I don’t eat another thing before bed. Not the greatest thing for my metabolism.

Saturday Jan 8:

The plan for today was to get up early, head off to Marrickville for a haircut, come home and work out, then head off to have a BBQ with my workmates. Well, we managed to get up early and get our haircut, but by the time we got home, I really wasn't feeling very well. The intention to work out was definitely there. While we were out, we picked up a barbell to add to our collection of workout gear and a couple of pairs of running shorts and a top for G. Rather than put myself through the paces, I drank some water, had a second cup of coffee and watched a bit of . It didn’t help that I was still recovering from Thursday’s session with J.

About 2.30pm, it was time to jump in the car and head out Campbelltown way to meet up with out friends for a BBQ. I packed 2 litres of water so that I wouldn't be tempted to drink anything else. When we got there, A had put out the standard cabanossi, Jatz crackers and cubes of tasty cheese, along with a bowl of salt & vinegar chips. I tried very hard to ignore the jar of my favourite lollies that were perched at the other end of the table. I finally succumbed to the cabanossi, cracker & cheese combo -eating more than should have, but much less than I wanted and was capable of eating! Salt & vinegar chips are a weakness as well and 3 small handfuls later, I had eaten enough to satisfy that itch as well.

There was much laughter and teasing! We exchanged work stories and chatted over the cheerful sounds of kids splashing in the pool behind us. About 7.40pm, the guys made a move and got the BBQ lit. A brought out lamb chops, sausages, onions, mushrooms, 2 different salads, rolls and condiments. Unfortunately, the bugs liked the smell of the BBQ as much as we did, and it wasn't long before flying ants of all shapes and sizes made their presence known. By 9.30, we'd made short work of the food. However, it wasn't until 11 when we finally got up to say our good byes.

Needless to say, it was well past my 10pm bedtime by the time my head hit the pillow. Sleep, glorious sleep!