Wednesday ... Yay!!!

I am officially knackered!! This is my third week in the infection control role and I am exhausted.

I have been getting up at 5.00 to exercise and daylight saving started this week so my body/brain thinks it's 4.00 am! But I am enjoying it. I was getting slack and wasn't happy with the way I was going. I don't know if I will ever get back the intensity I had when I first started this but that's OK as long as I keep doing something, the weight keeps coming off and I feel better.

I am missing Two more than I thought I could. We caught up briefly yesterday at the specialists to discuss his ongoing throat issues. He rang me today to say that further investigations have resulted in him starting on a drug which will suppress his immune system which will help reduce the swelling in his epiglottis but could also make him susceptible to other infections and reactivation of the varicella virus resulting in shingles. I would be happier if he were still at home but that is not to be so I just hope he can manage everything.

Golf was great fun. It turned out that Steff couldn't come so Himself, One and Fireman Sam played together and Gina and I played a hole behind them until we joined forces on the 6th. It was a quiet day for golfers and we let those that wanted play through. We started the day with breakfast for all who played and ended up having barbecued chicken and salad for dinner with Fireman Sam, Gina, Three, Tina, One, Himself and me. A lovely family day.

I have tried 3 times to upload a photo but blogger isn't cooperating so you'll have to go without.

I have had a large gin and tonic, a chicken burrito and have the first mango of the season sitting on the bench. Not sure whether to have it for dessert or take it to work tomorrow. Decisions, decisions!

It's also Halloween. This is very much an American festival which they have embraced and celebrated for years. It wasn't that many years ago that it was totally unobserved here but now we get kids trick or treating. At least some of them have made the effort to dress up and I have a bowl of chocolate bars which Three will polish off once the door bell stops ringing.

Tom has another abscess in his ear. He stinks. Oh, boy, does he stink. And he is spending most of his days huddled on our wardrobe floor which is where he goes when bad weather approaches. He is obviously not feeling very well. But he was able to go out in the early hours and kill a medium sized rodent and bring it in to Himself as a present when One and I were up at the park. But Himself didn't show appropriate gratitude and shut the bedroom door and pulled the covers over his head. To which Tom yowled, scratched at the door and put his paws underneath to rattle the door. And then disappeared leaving the beheaded rodent on the floor for me to discover when we got home. I knew there was a reason I have tiles at all the outside doors!

Two more days til the weekend. Hooray!!

Two weeks down and it's starting to make sense!

This was one of the views from the bush track down near Lakes' Entrance. It was beautiful.

Work. I am starting to find my groove and we are starting to catch up on the incredible backlog. A lot of the work is clerical. Data collection for government departments on infection rates and the like. But I quite enjoy it and so far I'm not missing the patient contact. I am still in two minds about the full time side of things, especially as we had some lovely days this week and could have played golf with Fireman Sam or gone for a bike ride.

Last night Himself and I went out to dinner. We thought we'd try the pub we used to frequent. After two appalling meals we remembered why we stopped going there. It was beyond mediocre. It was bloody terrible. Himself had the butter fish. It was $20.90 and the piece of fish was tiny and all but inedible. Literally. I had the greek salad and paid an extra $4.90 for bbq prawns. Which were 4 ALREADY COOKED almost shrimp sized things stuck on a skewer and 2 of them had tiny spots where they might have been waved over the grill. The Greek salad was uninspiring to say the least. Too much dressing over tired lettuce with not very nice fetta.

We threw some money at the pokies and left.

Today I bought a skirt. I had to get a size larger than the pants I bought 3 weeks ago (from the same store) but I'm cool with that as I am an odd shape when it comes to skirts and things. I bought two shirts in a size smaller than what I'm currently wearing so that sort of made up for it!! I also bought a pair of shoes, two new bras and a pair of knickers which claim to slim the tummy. It's the waist that's the problem but I'll see how these go. I know there are tummy shapers but they feel like you're wearing amour. I like to be able to breathe.

I also bought a lot of books. And a couple for Christmas pressies.

Then we went to the Apple shop and bought Two some softwear so he can edit in a professional role as he has a couple of things lined up. He can't use student softwear if he is going to make money with it. And he can't be seen to be anything other than squeaky clean. We also bought Himself a new computer. A huge step as he is going from PC to Mac. And we bought One a new laptop for which he was going to pay us back but we decided that as it's to help him freelance we would subsidise like Two's softwear as we have always said we would help any way we could to set the boys up in their chosen careers. Even though One is applying for the fire brigade he will always do some sort of design work. We are turning Two's old room into a home gym so I also bought a docking thingy for the ipods so we can all listen to our own music when training without tangling ourselves up in headphone wires (from personal experience).

And then we went and bought a piece of gym equipment that does lots of things. Lat pulldowns, pec decks, rows, and stuff. With pin weights. The X trainer has been moved in as has the weight bench and the weights. The Piece of Equipment will be ready to pick up early in the week.

A good day!! Expensive but good.

On Thursday night we had a big family dinner as Two and GGF came over. We also had Fireman Sam and Gina over and it was a great evening. Lots of laughs. I guilted Gina into coming training with us on Friday and we had a ball. We are both a little sore today but she is ready to go again on Monday. Tomorrow we are playing golf. Himself, me, One, Fireman Sam, Gina and Steff (a friend of theirs who is also a friend of One). Three was meant to play but has been called in to work for stocktake. We are starting off with breakfast here and then will go and play 9 holes. One, Gina and Steff have never played before so it could be a funny day. Regardless, it will be fun, Himself will be out and moving which can only be good and, hopefully, it will be the start of something semi regular.

Himself took himself off to the doctor and has had a barrage of tests. Blood work, ECG, abdominal ultrasound. He is going back to the GP on Monday for the results. I think he will be told to lose weight, stop drinking and to exercise. I don't know how he will take that advice but I think he is finally scared enough to listen a little bit. He has a referral to a hospital that specialises in drug and alcohol problems and I hope he follows that through. I thought I would never be able to drink again as I was (as you all know) a very heavy drinker. Getting fit and exercising has changed all that for me and I can still have a drink or several just not every bloody night! During a normal week I only drink on Friday and Saturday nights. If Himself can do that as well it will be fantastic. It used to be that we all drank far to much far too often and now it's usually only Himself who drinks midweek. Keep your fingers crossed!

OK. Dinner's ready and there's good stuff on telly.

I'll take some photos soon of early morning training and the new gym room and stuff.

Have a great week.

I love my new job!!

Different, challenging, exciting, exhausting!! Good feedback. Less gastro. Not that I can lay claim to the latter!!

Two moved out today.

This brought back many memories that I had squashed well deep about the time that I left home at the ripe old age of 17. And the reasons there for. I left home because I couldn't envisage living there any longer. Issues with my mother and other shit. Not the best way to embark on independent living.

Two assures me that he's moved out because he chose to, not because he feels he has to. It's something that he needs to do as part of the growing up process, not because he can't live here with Himself and me.

The logical part of me knows this is true and is glad that Two has grown into such a young man. The illogical part of me grieves for the immature, unprepared adolescent who left home all those years ago feeling that she had no other choice.

Needless to say, many tears have been shed. Two is probably the child I identify with the closest. He is certainly the one that knows how to press my buttons! I love the other two. They also bring me to tears. But there is something about Two that just tugs at my very being. And has done since the day he was born. I think other mothers will probably be able to identify with these emotions. When Mum says she loves all her children equally and the same? Crap!! She loves them all differently and specially.

Physio was OK. Need to look at ongoing pilates to retain my core strength in my back.

Golf was good.

Two and GGF live in a lovely flat ... lots of greenery even though the flat is tiny. But they aren't big people!!

Tomorrow I plan to shop a bit (shoes for work, shirts for work ... can't have too many!, and replace the cycling glove I lost last weekend which means a new pair - and hopefully a pair of proper cycling pants. With padding ... if you get my drift.

Then hopefully a bike ride although it's supposed to be very warm tomorrow.

And then back to work on Monday.

Life is good. Challenging, but good.

new job

Just a quick visit to thank everyone for their good wishes and to let you know how things are going.

We are at the tail end of a gastro outbreak (no pun intended!) so it has been a bit of a baptism by fire but not as bad as if it had been last week. A very steep learning curve but I'm loving it. There is so much to do every day.

I have managed to get up at 5.00 to work out. Yesterday on the cross trainer and this morning in the park with Fireman Sam and One. Early nights are essential!

I am enjoying wearing 'normal' clothes although I'm aware the novelty may wear off. And I have received some lovely compliments on how much weight I've lost. Still a long way to go and I musn't get complacent but a boost to the old ego, all the same.

I'm off the check the web and then put my feet up and watch some telly. Himself is cooking dinner which is such a help.

Talk soon ...

Observations from a bicycle

This view is not from a bicycle. It's from a walking track at Lakes' Entrance. Upon which I ran for a bit.

This afternoon I went for a bike ride. It was a glorious day and, therefore, many Melbournians and their families chose to take advantage of such a lovely Spring afternoon.

We are very fortunate in Melbourne to have many paths designated for walking and/or cycling. They are well marked both from a direction point of view and also with reminders of etiquette and acceptable behaviours.

Unfortunately, many people are either illiterate or ignorant. Or maybe both. But I tend to think the latter.

When a sign says "dogs must be kept on a leash" this means you. Just because you have a canine companion that is not much bigger than a large rat doesn't mean that it is any less annoying when it gets in the way of a bike. Or that its shit is any less offensive than any other dog's. That's why there are signs that say "please clean up after your dog". Which should be obvious but some people seem to need reminding.

When you are walking on a shared bike/pedestrian path and a cyclist rings her bell, that is an indication that said cyclist is approaching and would like you and yours to move to one side. It doesn't mean that you all stop walking, straddled out across both lanes, and turn to look in amazement that a bike might be approaching. Nor does it mean that your cute youngster keep riding along in the wrong lane ringing his bell in reply (although I did smile at that one!).

It seems to take longer to ride out than it does to ride back.

Some people shouldn't wear lycra.

And a certain man shouldn't walk along the boardwalk by the river in a pair of grungy undies and not much else. I know it was warm but please, have some sensitivities.

It was, though, a divine ride and I find that each time I go out my fitness is just that much more. I can ride up hills in higher gears (I think that's right) and today managed to ride up the huge overpass at the end of the ride that took me back to my car. Next time I think I'll ride from home and not worry about driving ... as long as it's not raining and there aren't too many nuff nuffs on the road.

Tomorrow I start my new job. Up at 5.00am (that will be a challenge). Now I'm off to the supermarket to get the ingredients for dinner (quiche and salad) and other bits and pieces.

I feel fantastic.

Have a good week, all.

we played a little golf

And there will be many more pictures but blogger is taking forever to upload and I am going to bed. I'll fiddle some more tomorrow.

It's good to be home.

Ch... Ch... Ch... Changes

But first .... Swans. Baby swans. And their parents. Aren't they just the cutest things?

I have many more photos but will share them judiciously. That way I will have something when my camera runs out of batteries or I haven't taken anything or MizS nags me for more photos. But she will have to wait for photos of me cos none were taken this trip and I'm not prepared to share the befores without afters.

It was a very pleasant few days away. I walked lots and ran a bit. We went on a couple of fairly serious bush walks. We had some good food and some mediocre food. I drank more than I should have and I think I have gained a bit of weight.

So. The changes. And, just to remind you, I do not cope well with change.

Two and GGF have found a place to live and will be moving the weekend of the 20th. That's next weekend. I knew they were looking but wasn't too stressed as a) they were looking around here and b) rental properties are like hens' teeth and I thought it would take them a fair while. I didn't count on a) them looking in a suburb a fair way away from here (but just around the corner from her parents' place and quite an expensive suburb) and b) her mother going to the real estate agent and brow beating them into giving them the place (well, that might be a slight exaggeration but she did go and speak with them). This is good for Two and I am really happy for him. After last week's result and now this and the positive influence of the psychologist he's started seeing ... how could I not be happy for him.

One is seeing a lot more of LGF. I am not happy about this but, it's his life. When I told him that Two and GGF had found a place and told him that he wasn't allowed to move out just yet (one kid at a time, please) he informed me that he is planning on moving out with Fireman Sam in the new year. This is good because I think Fireman Sam and he will have a ball and because LGF doesn't want him to (shaddup ... this is my son and I will be judgmental if I so choose). I just can't deal with the thought of both of them leaving on the same day. Not that they will be leaving on the same day cos Two will already have left but it's the thinking about it on the same day ... oh, you know what I mean.

Himself can barely hide his glee at the kids finally moving out. But that doesn't stop him being all mother hen and worrying about things and trying to tell Two how he should be doing things. Which, I suspect but Two denies, may be one of the catalysts for the move. I am still struggling with having Himself home all the time and find his controlling personality difficult to deal with. To be fair, that's my problem, not his.

All this plus starting my new job, working full time, losing my trainer, gaining weight, issues with my parents and a myriad of other things all conspire to create some very unpleasant emotions.

I do NOT cope well with changes.