Happy Birthday Deb

Me and my jabberwalk buddy Deb.

Its been a busy week, with lots of running around. On the weekend it was my my jabberwalk buddy's birthday so for our morning walk we decided to drive into town and walk along the foreshore, then have breakkie together. So we did....a hour of walking then we decided on a beautiful big bowl of  fresh fruit salad each with a yogurt topping for breakfast.

Back home to discover our hot water system had rusted out and was leaking....so back into town to see if we could get a replacement....yay Bunnings stocked them so that was a bonus.

From there it was down to DD's house and finish off the little floor bits that needed doing.....and then last night we took down the last of her furniture....her spare room bed and a small wardrobe. Not much more now that she does need....its just a matter of finding a home for everything as she unpacks.

Weigh in day...goodbye 100g's....its coming off slowly. 

Lets stop the yoyo 'ing

Weigh in this morning....700g down, so that takes me back to where I was when all this latest yoyo' ing started. This week I am going to work on getting down further....I want to get rid of the numbers starting with 8 and get into the 70's again, then I will know I am on the downhill run !!

Mrs cranky pants (my mother) is recovering well, sister says everyone is doing all the running around and she is resting. She has a check-up with her local Dr on Friday. I am still not happy that she left the hospital here so early but Mum has always been a very strong woman. Her life has been far from easy. I love her dearly but boy she does know how to press my buttons.

Kylee has moved, her dog Shera and cat Troubles too. We did the final move yesterday and last night all 3 slept in their new abode. My house looks like a bomb has hit it....but now I can get things back to normal and have 2 spare rooms again....and room for the grandies to stay over again without having to sleep on sofa beds and mattresses on floor.
And only one night down, and yes I am missing them all.

It doesn't rain...it pours

Mum and her beloved Ninny

That stubborn woman that I call my mother has been in hospital. On Friday afternoon I received a phonecall from my sister saying she was on her way up with Mum and could I meet her at emergency at the hospital as Mum had a suspected twist in her bowel. Mum has had a colonoscopy after getting bowel cancer and has only a small section of her colon left, and thus wears a bag. Anyways I headed off in and met them there, Mum's stomach was distended and tight and she was in agony, so we were fast-tracked into triage as mum had a referring letter from the hospital in Manjimup. After some x-rays, cat scans and seen by the surgeon I finally had mum settled up in surgical ward with a booking for surgery Saturday morning and I left for home at 11.20pm. (My sister had gone to my cousins in agony with back spasms) Mum had a hernia which was pushing up into the stent and causing the horrible pain. Surgery was at 9am and a success, Mum came through with flying colours...and I said I would take her home on Monday after recuperating in hospital. But Mum woke up this morning wanting to go home NOW! She was not staying in there any longer. She wanted to sleep in her own bed, eat her own food and cuddle her cat....she missed her cat! Her surgeon said she could go home, but after some blood tests and other tests, possibly late afternoon. But it was not to be....Mum got cranky, signed her release and my sister took her home at lunch time.
I was not and am not happy (nor was my sister). I told her she woke up and took cranky pills with her morning cuppa.
Just hoping nothing goes wrong now...she needed more time in care.

Mum

I realised yesterday that Mum is getting older. She has always been so young at heart, vibrant and healthy...but yesterday sitting with her at the oncologists office it hit home how fragile she is getting.
Mum is fine, the Dr said yesterday he does not like to operate on people over 80 (mum is 84) unless the cancer is life threatening so he was not going to operate just to see if the scaring on mum's liver and kidneys was tumours...or just scaring. Her blood is not showing any indications of cancer...she looks well so they are leaving things be.
I had a good day with mum, yes she was tired, her leg was sore....she hadn't had much sleep, worrying about Dr visit...but seeing 4 of her grandchildren brightened up her day.
We have our clashes, we are both stubborn,  but no matter what...I LOVE my mum  xxxxx

Don't give up....

Weight today...a small gain.  :-(
But I did have a small  big day on Sunday and ate a little bit too much naughty stuff !!  I have found just a little naughty stuff and my body weight yoyo's.  I was hoping that all the extra exercise I did on Sunday and being on track 100% since would counteract it...but it was not meant to be. Anyways its on we go to another week.

Dear hubby and I spent most of Sunday laying flooring in DD house....it harder work than I thought it was going to be!!!  AND we are going to do the same in ours !!!!
She is nearly finished painting....2nd coat in the kitchen/dining and also laundry to do and she is done. Hopefully we can finish the flooring this week....and by the end of the weekend she should be in her own lil house.

My new recipe was very yum last week, LOVE the cauliflower mash and the roasted tomato's were too die for. Haven't decided on a recipe this week but I received my new WW magazine yesterday so I am sure there will be something in there that I can make, if not I'll find something on the ww site recipes.
DD's b/f gave her a bunch of banana's when she saw him at soundwave last weekend...and unfortunately we aren't eating them quick enough. Going to have to look out for some ww/low fat muffin or banana cake/bread recipes so I can use them before they go black.

Went to water aerobics yesterday morning.....I had forgotten how much I enjoyed it. Guess where I will be heading most Monday mornings now :-)

Tomorrow is going to be a very busy day. Mum is coming up, my brother is driving her up as she has a specialist appointment, an oncologist as some of mum's blood results were not very good. After the appointment, we plan to catch up with my neice and nephew before Rod (my brother) takes off up to Perth ready to fly out on holidays with his fiancee tomorrow morning and I'll drive mum back to her home as she doesn't want to stay overnight.  Fingers crossed there is nothing major wrong with mum....she has had 2 bouts of cancer (colon/bowel 1993and then liver 1994) but has been in remission since.  

Weeks are flying by

 The weeks are flying by. Dear Daughter has the keys to her house already thanks to a quick and early settlement. One room has been painted....along with herself !!  She luckily had a good friend who with the offer of dinner supplied to come help her. 
Soundwave is on this weekend...and her bf down is also down for that so DD is spending time in Perth. She will be back today, her birthday and work tomorrow then its days off and more work on the house. She wants to get at least her lounge room and bedroom done before she moves in. The lounge room has an airconditioner to be fitted in on Thursday so that needed to be painted before then.  Its full steam ahead.

All paths are leading hopefully in the right direction at the moment. I have had a good week. No hassles on the home front....only Mr Troublesome constantly on the bum wanting something. I pray that one day he will see what he is doing to himself. At the moment he just can't...so sad.  Other kids are all going well, grandies are all groaning up and have lives of their own....can't wait to have them staying over again.

Anyways lost 600g this week.
Promised myself a new recipe once a week. This week it was Beef and Onion Pie...yummmo. Next on the list is beef with cauliflower mash and roasted cherry tomato's.

A busy week...

Phewwww its been a busy week....been mostly early shifts, having to get up at 4.45 so I can make myself a thermos of coffee, pack lunches for me and hubby...and have a sit for 10 minutes and drink my first cup of coffee before heading to work.

Its back to my usual couple of days tis week, long days where your're on the feet all day. 

Wednesday was my birthday and I had a wonderful day, was thoroughly spoilt by my family and friends. Even had a surprise bouquet of flowers delivered to me.

Dear Daughter has bought herself her own house. Finance has been approved, papers have been signed. Today she has a walk through the house as the tenants have vacated to make sure it has been left as it should have been. Settlement should be on the 7th March. Very exciting for her...
She has most things, but had to go buy herself a new fridge, lounge suite, tv, table and chairs as these things she did have to leave behind in Melbourne.
She is a lot happier girl than what she was when she came home last year. A lovely man has come into her life, she has bought this house, she loves her job....I love to see her smiling face.
She has lost over 20 kilo's since she has been home (well 25 actually but she put 5 on when she went to Europe) but that has come to a standstill now....and she is very concerned. She know she is way to big still and has made an appointment to talk to her Dr. She wants to have a family later on down the track and with her health problems losing weight can only help. If it comes to surgery of some sort to help her, so be it....

I have had a reasonable week food wise....even went up to Mandurah shopping with my girlfriend last Friday...and made good choices....and thats what it all about. I have not sabotaged myself since the last post.....and even managed to go to a engagement party and eat without making stupid choices. Tracking every morsel that goes in my mouth helps. Going to try and cook at least one new recipe a week, so many to choose from.  Exercise has been good...going to miss Shera when DD moves, she motivates me to walk. I will be still keeping up the beach walks when she goes.

My scales tell me....I had a very small gain, after self sabotaging myself last week it should have been expected...ahhh well can only do better this week.

Hmmmmm

Going well, then what do I do....miss tablets, get a craving and give into it....then continue on thinking well I have blown it now what the hell !!

Now today...got to get the damn halo back on and remember how good I have been feeling about myself....the mood I am in its not gonna be easy.  

A week of early starting shifts coming up...gotta get myself organised. 


PS.  Today has gone from bad to worse...then after reading a few blogs I decided I HAVE to stop putting myself down, I can do this. I am not perfect, I do get cravings and do give into them, I do make mistakes, and I will self doubt myself....again.....but I am no quitter and I will not give in. Then  realising this my day got better....

Monday morning 5.20am......self sabotaged myself again last night, but I ain't no quitter so continue on I will. I will eventually succeed....its another day today.

So how am I doing ?

Cuddles with Kaleb


I have had a quite a good week.....despite ending up at the after hours Dr at the hospital over the weekend with infected cat bites and scratches.  That whole situation would have been funny if it hadn't of hurt so darn much !!   My very timid cat was being over protective and thought he was protecting me from daughters big bully of a cat.....

I have had a very on track week...resulting in a 300g loss. Think not much of a loss as its been sooooo darn hot here and I have been drinking water non-stop. Anyways no matter, I am just happy to record a week that I have felt satisfied and content with myself.

Picture above is me enjoying a huggles with my youngest grandchild Kabeb....my little man is 4 soon and has started kindy. I miss all the little bubba's around and hope that one day in the future I will be a "Jenna" again when Kylee settles down and has the family she so dearly wants.

Day off

'Cos my feet is killing me.....

Blackwood River

Coast at Augusta

Coastline near Augusta

Glouster Tower at Pemberton.

I have struggled since Monday with my feet, they have just been killing me....honestly my feet sometimes ache but ohhh not this much. I have been putting it down to having the 2 weeks off, wearing no shoes for most of that time, and of course I have been walking but mostly on sand.  Anyways yesterday the pain in my feet was killing me so I asked my supervisor for a releif for today....so I could have today the weekend and Monday off before I went back to my usual 2 days a week.

Food wise I have been brilliant, I haven't weighed myself yet, but I have been happy with myself. Trying to keep a control of my portion sizes, using fruit as my snacks and exercising at least 5 days out of the 7 has been my goals.

I read this in my Weight Watchers magazine too.....

"Visualise you can succeed then keep taking baby steps"

and thats what I have been doing this week (even with feet that been killing me)

Above are a few more pictures of my holiday. Glouster Tree was my Dad's first lookout tower that he manned when he first started working for the Forestry in 1957. We used to live in a small hut at the bottom of the tree during the fire season in summer....and walk into Pemberton 5 days a week for school when we were kids. I loved it. We spent 6 summers in that hut. My mum was scared of heights and I learnt that at a very young age and consequently learnt to climb the tower before I was 2 and spend a lot of time up with my Dad.

I'm back...and trying

to find my mojo.

This is Cape Howe...an awesome view...and only accessible by 4x4, the views were so worth the visit.

Driving into Cape Arid, my most favourite part of my trip

Me and the extra 10 kilo's

Our holiday was fantastic, had the bestest time...only one phone call from the "troublesome" son to mar it. I diverted the call and his sister helped him out.
I weighed the morning I left and on the first morning back I weighed again, and I was so happy to record the same weight. 
Did try to keep up the effort but the "troublesome one" just had to ring, ring, and ring again and start his wanting. Trouble is when you say no he is liable to go and do something stupid and end up in more trouble. He has 4 kids he is a doting daddy to so I usually give in to him and provide him with his "wants" (which are usually smokes) so I can see my grandkids, I so look forward to the times he has his access visits here ....
I tried to say no this time, I really did....and the stress of wandering what he was going to do without the smokes sent the stress levels high...and I have eaten REAL bad all weekend. He is liable to do anything, he has psychotic tendencies and his moods swings are terrible, he can become moody and violent.
As soon as he rang and begged for me to meet him and buy him smokes I gave in and I stopped eating. I did meet him, damned if I do, damned if I don't. Strange how you can love someone so much yet hate them too...or hate that they continue abusing their bodies/mind by taking the drugs.

Anyways its back to work for me in the morning.....hopefully my week of work will bring a week of routine...a routine of me getting on track and staying there.

Going on holidays

yay....we are off on holidays over the weekend.

Have packed, and tomorrow we load up the Toyota and then wait for our good friends to arrive....and Sunday morning we'll be off. We travelling with the same people we did our Tasmania and Northern Territory holiday with.
Its only 2 weeks this time and we'll be heading to Augusta and slowly working our way from there to Esperance following the coastline. 
Lots of scenic walks like the one above to do, lots of fishing, lots of sitting around the camp just chatting and enjoying the relaxing time.

Weigh in was last night at our little meeting, a 200g loss.
Have packed lots of good healthy food to eat whilst away and going to try my best to come back with no extra weight. 

See you on my return....although I am taking my Ipad, so I might even manage a post on my holiday, depending on free wifi.

Happy Birthday Sonshine

Me and my Sonshine on his wedding day March 2011

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY SONSHINE

Simon is 39 today...gee where are the years going. He is my eldest biological child, my sunshine, the child I grew up with as I wasn't even 18 when I had him. 
He is the father of 4 now....and though he only lives a 45 minute drive away I don't get to see him all that often. He works 6 days a week, the kids all play sports on the weekends, Jessica espesially is involved in gymnastics with the YCPC and even competes at a national level with them. 
 I am incredibly proud of him and what he has become and achieved and love him to the moon and back.

Days off for me now, next Tuesday and Wednesday to work then its off on holidays we go.

Weight...welllll its dropping again after a gain over Christmas. I have gone off Kate Morgan, I tried it only because a friend was doing it and had lost over 10 kilo's....and although the first few weeks I did lose I realised it wasn't for me.  I am back to weight watchers, no meetings, just the little get together group I have been going to for the past few years. I know ww works...and I know if I am kind to myself, don't let myself continue on and have a bad week when all I have done is have a bad day then  I will get there.

Happy New Year.....

 This is my gorgeous grandsons, Luke and Matthew visiting us....big brother and little brother seeing each other for the first time in nearly 12 months. Paul and Luke's mum separated when Luke was 6 months old.....so Paul only gets visits when work and time permits. With luke now working we don't get to see him as much as we would like. Matthew adores him..as does his sisters.

 These adorable munchkins are Simon's four. They visited on Sunday and despite the heat stayed most of the day...even though they all wanted to get back home and dive into their swimming pool. They are all growing up so quickly. Jessica is 11 in early January, where have the years gone?

 My sweet mum opening a pressie we took down for on Saturday from one of her twin granson and daughter.  Mum will be 84 this year....and we are lucky she doesn't have too many health issues. Long may that last. 

To each and everyone of you all reading....may this year be full of happiness, good health and dreams come true. 

                         HAPPY NEW YEAR 

Christmas

Nicola, Adam, Pippa and Thomas

These four little munchkins are the kids of my twin niece and nephews....I adore them. They are loving having their Aunty Jen and Uncle Ted in their lives as much as we do them.

Our pressie from my neice and nephew and families

This gorgeous wall blue bird candle holder was given to us from Tam and Tom and families....I absolutely love it....and very quickly found a place on my wall for it.

Gorgeous Pippa in her Rapunzel outfit we gave her

This Rapunzel outfit is what we got our little Pip. We had our Christmas get together on the 23rd....and you can see from the pic above of the four of them together, the outfit was her chose of outfit for Christmas Day.

Beautiful Nicola in her fairy outfit we gave her

Nicola just loved her outfit too....she was sooooo excited about it and how pretty it was she just couldn't find the right words to say......

My brother with Adam

This is my big brother....he joined us on the 23rd....none of my other family could make it. Rod was nearly in tears on his way home...he found it very emotional. He had met Tom, Tam and Tash before but this was the first time he had met their husbands/partner and their kids. And he very nearly didn't come down for the lunch together as his fiancee had just had shoulder surgery.

Anyways a lot more gatherings are planned for us all....hopefully in the near future we can all get together. the new year is just around the corner so we have them to look forward to.

Christmas was very quiet in our household. It was only us and Kylee for Christmas Day.....the boys and their wives/partners all had made other plans. Paul and Tanya have been down to her Dad's place in Pemberton with her sisters and families and will be coming out with their kids tomorrow. 
I am working tomorrow evening so before I start work I will call in and see the troublesome one and drop his present off and those he gave me to put away for his kids. (he has his access visit at his house on the 29th). I will also drop around to his kids house and drop off their presents from me and their Pop. 
Simon and Tracey and kids went down to Manjimup to see his Dad....was meant to call in on Boxing Day on their way home, but due to the extreme heat we have had....and radiator problems on his car they are going to come down on Sunday to spend time with us.

Hubby and I don't usually buy presents for each other, we usually go in and buy something we both want/need. Before Christmas we went in to Harvey Norman and I bought myself a Macro lens for my camera....I love it and been having so much fun playing with it. Hubby bought himself  a crash cam for his 4x4...he has had so many close calls whilst out driving he decided one was needed. 

I went overboard on my eating over the Christmas break and felt absolutely fat and bloated.  it was my Kate Morgan weigh in today and every intention of NOT weighing in....but on going down the street I ended up going in and weighing. To my surprise I only gained 600g so I am so thankful I didn't blow it !!  The last 2 days I have been totally on track.

A quiet Christmas

Its going to be a quiet Christmas for us....
Hubby finishes work on the 21st and doesn't go back to the 3rd of January, but I work days and nights in between those dates..including Boxing Day and New Years Day.  I don't mind...the extra $'s will come in handy.
Paul and Tanya are going down south to Tanya's Dad place for Chrissy so we'll catch up with them on their return, Simon and Tracey haven't made up their mind where or what they are doing as they only have Christmas and Boxing days off work, Kylee will be home...and Shawn, the troublesome one,  will be out on the 28th for his access visit and Christmas visit with his kids. I WILL NOT allow him to bring his partner Shaz to this house, something she said to me will never be forgiven or forgotten. I always thought she being a lot older than Shawn would be good for him, bring some "maturity" into his life....boy did I think wrong!!

Anyways, "Kate Morgan" is still in my life....500grams gone, not a lot,  but after last weeks huge loss I didn't expect it to be. I'll plod along and hopefully by the time my holiday rolls around I will have lost a few kilo's and got myself back into the 70's.

Best get myself ready for work....

A good week

A real good week, plenty of exercise and good food.
To give myself a kick start in getting this extra weight off I have been doing Kate Morgan. They are meal replacements, yummy shakes and bars twice a day, and a normal evening meal, but can also eat fruit, soups and salads in between. I must admit I was skeptical as to how it would work, or if it would be enough to keep me full...especially with work. But other than a headache the first day I have had no problems. Will say I have had some chrissy parties and get togethers to go too so have done a little "cheating" but I am happy to report over a 2 kilo loss.
I want to get under 80 kilo's again but more than anything I want to be comfortable in my clothes and myself. We are off on our small holiday in late January, would be nice to get back into my favourite shorts by then.

pffffttt

Skye is 9


Wellll the week hasn't been the best, foodwise anyways....

First I had our little Miss Skye turn 9, her Daddy and her siblings celebrated here on their usual end of month access visit. Her Pop and I gave her the Cabbage Patch doll...which she loved. My daughter loved hers too when she was that age...and that got me thinking, where in the heck was hers? It apparently got left behind when we moved down from up north....only Kylee's favourite doll of all time and her bride doll made the trip. So I have been on E-bay and Gumtree chasing down old Cabbage Patch kids...

And talking about Kylee.....she bought a house on the weekend. Finance is to be arranged, but she has been told  from the bank there is no reason why she shouldn't get it as when she put a offer in on another house a week or so back they told her it shouldn't be a problem....and that was $23, 000 dearer than this one!  Anyways this house is an old one, double brick and tile, 3 x1...needs a lot of TLC but hey it won't be long and Kylee will stamp her style on it !!

Friday saw us heading up to Pinjarra to meet up with our best friends  (who are our travelling companions). Grant's mum passed away and Friday we supported him and his family through the funeral. Very emotional time for them, and us too. Anyways in just over 7 weeks time we are off travelling with them again. They are due over in Bathurst in early February so before they head there we are going to partner up with them again and do a 2 week trip around the south west coastline. So that gives us a couple of weeks to meander from here following the coastline all the way to Esperance. Fun times are a coming.

Soooo before we head off I am going to go on a weight loss plan.....and hopefully by the time we leave I will be have myself sorted out.  can't keep on going the way I am. I have days where I get it together, then I will eat something I shouldn't then think what the heck and end up binging for a few days before I get myself back on track....just a big vicious circle, which hopefully following a regimented plan I will be able to stop!!

Now thats over.....

Now I am in the clear, I can stop the stressing, stop the emotional eating and get my weight under control. Since the first recall back for mammograms I have some good days, some bad days and some goddamn awful days...but now this weekend is almost over its time to get myself under control. I have celebrated too well these past few days. 
I know, I know, I say it over and over...but hey one of these days, hopefully this time around,  I will manage to do it. Its a matter of having too...my weight has gone up to an all time high...I have hit the 80's, a good 10 kilo's plus over my goal weight. My goal is to get under 80 by Christmas...small steps...just small steps...

Yayyyy

I am HAPPY....

Yesterday I had my ultrasound. On it they could see the mass in my breast was a cyst, but because it had some "white" spots through it they decided to give me a fine needle aspiration and drain the cyst, which they did, and have sent it off to pathology. The Dr that drained it said not to worry as he is 98% sure it is benign and the "white" spots showing in it is more than likely caused through my thyroid condition. My Dr will ring me on Monday and tell me the results.

Hubby and I went out for dinner last night and celebrated.

ohhh boy am I glad that is all over.