Hi Niyah and anyone else who reads my diary! The old green-eyed monster only makes the jealous person look bad and the one they are jealous of looks even better in comparison.
I was awake for a lot of last night coughing, incl. from 4.30-6.00am when I got up as I didn't want to wake my LH & OGS. I feel a little better during the day & won't go out to 8-ball tonight as the night air makes me much worse.
I saw our neighbour who put the new steel plate in the top of our wood heater & he was going to come up this morning to have a look at it. He said they went away for 2 nights and birds got in & built a nest which blocked their chimney. When my LH got home from work I told him & he got up on the roof, cleaned the chimney & hey presto it's working well. It probably happened while we were in Hobart seeing ourson off.
I haven't weighed for a few days so will tomorrow. I'm relaxing a bit about my weight now & don't feel so obsessed. Food doesn't taste so good at the moment so I am just eating Cohen's 100% during the day & then having a smallish healthy meal at night(incl. a few carb vegies), followed by fruit & yoghurt usually.
If anyone sees one of those apple peeler/corer/slinky making things that schools have in their canteens at the moment (& you can sometimes buy one from school)I would recommend buying one. They are fantastic and are $30 or so. I got one for Mother's Day from my DIL & it's great. I have stewed a huge basket of apples & frozen them into small margarine tubs for the Winter. Yoghurt & stewed apple is still my preferred breakfast.
I'm off for a short but steep walk to the letter box. Be back later, cheers, cate

Well it's a bit boring in here at the moment. Everyone must be busy, unlike me!
I'm still sick & didn't go to Tai Chi this morning. They were having the class early & in a beautiful old home that is a B&B so I didn't want to spoil it for them & I didn't feel up to it. I had enough trouble trying to work out what to wear & gave up & rang. I instantly felt mentally better once I had made the decision not to go. My throat is sore again today, probably from all the coughing. These anti-biotics don't seem to be working very well.
I will weigh tomorrow. I had drunk 3 big glasses of water & had not been to the toilet so decided to weigh tomorrow. I feel really fat & horrible.
Our son- Is loving Peru & has just had a home stay with a village family. He dressed in traditional Peruvian clothes & was "adopted" for a night. He sounded quite overwhelmed by it. (In a good way!)
My LH's 60th birthday- We will be having a party because he doesn't want to go away for it. I thought I should "test the water" & drop hints by telling him about some very cheap fares. Lucky I did. I'll start planning it now because that's the way I am. I think we'll have it at our place & will cater for it ourselves but will have mostly cold food, pre-cooked, with perhaps some hot savoury nibblies. I'll organise it so that there is nothing that needs cooking on the day. At least I have some money put aside already. That will help for the grog especially.
Budget- I can't believe that the pension age has gone up! I'll never get it the way things are going. It's like the stick that the carrot is hanging from gets longer & longer. I was hoping they would lower it to free up jobs for younger people. Ha!
Today- I'm going to only eat Cohen's original food as I feel so fat & bloated. I'll come back later when hopefully someone is about. xo Cate

Hi Cate - yes I have been trying to get some work done. The bank statement is sitting there once again staring at me. I had a go for a while yesterday but it is mind-numbing work.

I have relieved the boredom this morning by booking a trip away for husband and me for this weekend - one of the very few weekends in a good while when we don't HAVE to do anything, and he doesn't have any school commitments. Found the cutest place down at Boyanup on a country estate, so hope it's a nice as it looks on the website! I love the south-west, even when it's cold and rainy! Plenty of interesting places to explore.

Last weekend was a cooking weekend for me - I had a go at two new curries, and was pleased with both of them, but especially the first one. The second took me about two hours to get cooking - assembling and grinding spices from scratch is hard work, but I had a lot of fun. I think it's time I extended the repertoire. Doing the dishes afterwards was very unexciting, but at least I now have a new sink and my dishwasher is once again working - was out of action for a month after being moved, as husband didn't have time to reconnect the plumbing etc.

Great your son is having such a special time. It's a humbling experience being part of another culture. My most humbling experiences involved very poor people giving up their bed for me, a fat Westerner, to enjoy whilst they slept on a hard floor or hard wooden bench. Would not HEAR of me not taking the bed - "this is our custom - it is the way it must be done". Even if you are giving them money to look after you, it's still an experience you don't forget easily!

I need a giant kick to get going on losing the rest of this weight. Trouble is, I'm very comfortable exactly where I am. Are you dispensing kicks today, Cate? I'm finding the diet is very easy to do some of the time, but we seem to have constant interruptions and unexpected events occurring. Never mind, the path is ever downward - only the speed of the slope that is the problem.

Niyah
Thank heavens for you!!
I'm going up the wall from sheer, unadulterated boredom today!
I'm sorry but I'm not in butt-kicking mode today. I need someone to kick mine!
I have spent about 2 hours reviewing books I've read on Goodreads on FB. That could take me a lifetime but I got sick of it.
Tomorrow I must get out of the house & do some exercise.I've forgotten what it feels like!
We are away this week-end too and are off to Melbourne. Thanks for reminding me. I got 1/2 price fares 6 months ago for this week-end. We go Sat & I have booked us into a show put on by a youth group on Sat night, we will go see St Kilda play Essendon on Sunday afternoon & come back on Monday afternoon when it's my 56th birthday. We'll maybe go to a yum cha on Monday. I want to eat at a really nice Italian restaurant in Southbank somewhere in that week-end!
I love WA & must go back there again one day. I would love to visit Kannadew & maybe also go back down to the SW. It is beautiful & I'm sure you will enjoy your week-end. It sounds nice!
Thank you Niyah. Just like that(Cate, snaps her fingers!) I got excited & am looking forward to my week-end!
Now I can kick your butt. I'll kick yours if you kick mine! LOL!
Get that a... into gear Niyah & get to the weight that you feel is absolutely right for you, not just maybe good enough & I'll do the same, after weighing myself tomorrow & get some more exercise & stop complaining because I'm bored! Deal?
Cheers Cate.

OK - deal!!!

I've had a good day today, but I just need to STRING THEM TOGETHER!!!!!!!

The curry-genie is now loose in my head and needs bolting in a secure place for another 3 months!!!!! Sigh!!! The Chicken Methi is calling....

I think I will be an expert on maintenance whenever I get there - I know EXACTLY how to eat sensibly and not put on weight, but at this point of the diet, that's not the aim!!!!

I think I'll just go easy on myself till after this weekend - I do actually want to enjoy this gorgeous place with hubby without stressing. Kingsize four poster bed etc - can't wait!!!! It wasn't even particularly expensive at this time of year. South-west is cheap in autumn and winter - a great place to go!

Hope you really enjoy Melbourne this weekend. I love Melbourne for a visit, though I'd hate to live there. Driving with the trams is not a feature I enjoy, and the "hook" turns in the city centre really do my head in! I love the really ethnic areas, though, and my SIL grew up in Melbourne, so hanging out in Richmond is a must, and eating at a Vietnamese place. Last time I got him to take me straight from the plane to Ha Long eatery... (no wonder I was 94.5kg!!!!)

Mmmm Nudge, nudge, say no more!
Quick Google- Ha Long Bay, 82 Victoria St, Richmond? Sounds like a plan. We're staying right in the heart of Melb in Ltle Bourke St, which is what was leaning me towards Chinese & will be tramming it about. I learned to drive in Melb but gave it away as a joke many years ago. We get such cheap fares it's not worth taking the car but probably will later in the year when I go up to see my Mum up on the Murray river for her 85th birthday.
Cheers for now, Cate.
PS I have had a 100% day so far- incl. lots of water. Now the weather is much cooler I am forgetting to drink enough water. Not good!xo C

Ha Long is not a place you'd probably choose for an evening meal, but it's good for a lunch. Heaps of food - last I was there it was $6 for a big plate, but that was quite a while back. But yes, I love that whole area - Victoria St & Bridge St. Love the Chinese tailors and BBQ places with everything hanging in the windows etc. Sort of grungy but very cute.

PS - close to the MCG too. Where is the game?

PPS - Yes, I'm certainly hoping that four poster bed comes in very useful this weekend! It'll mostly just be a privilege to actually share a bed for a WHOLE night, instead of a couple of hours!

Hi Niyah and anyone else reading my diary.
Going away for a weekend or however long is a tonic. I find we are more relaxed & almost instantly in good moods when we get away. Home is lovely but going away provides a spark. Going overseas is bliss!
Weight-Snuck up a bit but not at the top of the range so will cut down the carbs.
Mood- Excellent.
Health- Getting there slowly. I had a night without coughing which was good. An uninterrupted night's sleep. Sigh.
Today in Tassie- Windy & cold. I don't think I'll be going for a walk. I might have to dust off the exercise bike. Maybe.....
I'll be back later after reading the diaries. Cheers for now, Cate

Glad to hear the bugs are moving on now. Maybe by the time you get to Melbourne you'll be well and truly raring to go!

I've been fighting the bugs away all week. Both grandies were sick last weekend, husband had mild dose last week. This week I've had a bit of a temp, slight runny nose, but not a lot else. A few coughs yesterday. I'm swallowing horseradish and garlic, Vitamin C and hoping the bugs go away so I can enjoy the weekend!

I'm minding grandson at school whilst daughter is covering books in library. He's shouting away in his cot - about to cut another tooth and not too happy about it. I won't call her unless I think he's terribly serious - he'll just be cranky for her too today.

Solar power- totally off the topic!
I overheard a conversation in the supermarket yesterday re the Federal gov't subsidy for solar panels running out end of June & asked the woman who she is using to install hers. I rang the guy pm yesterday & have got an emailed quote for installng a solar energy photovoltaic system which would generate our own electricity & then sell any excess back to the power grid. I've been quoted $2,200 after the subsidy of $8,000. Does anyone know much about it? I have to decide in the next week.
Weight- Middle of GW range & no longer constipated. Phew!
Mood- Full of energy today & have not coughed for 2 days. Antibiotics finish tomorrow morning when we leave for Melbourne. How's that for timing?
Energy put to good use-
I have done quite a bit of housework, washed out my deep freezer & washed my car.
I'm excited about the weekend now that I feel well again. It is however blowing a gale, literally here in Tasmania, which does not auger well for flying tomorrow morning. Too bad. I don't get scared anymore flying though. I used to freak out when it got bumpy but my first trip to the US cured me of that.
I might pop back later. I still haven't packed anything. I only take a carry on bag so don't have to pack much. LOL.
Cheers for now, Cate

Hopefully it will only be bumpy for the first 10 minutes - after that you are usually well above it.

My husband is very keen on the solar stuff, only we haven't had time to chase it up. He's had someone come out and give a quote etc, but we just haven't gone on from there. Will also have to get on with making a decision.

I don't know a lot in detail, only it seems a really good option, and my husband who is a science teacher and right into all that seems convinced about it being a great idea. My son is also an electrical engineer and his firm is doing a lot of work in this area. They have a "green design commitment" and he's had special training. I don't ask anything technical as I am DEFINITELY not sciency, but if they say something is good, I go along with it!

I guess it depends on whether you want to make a commitment to the environment anyway, and hope it saves money, or whether you need to look at the figures in detail and work out how long it takes to get your capital back.

Solar- The $2,200 cost after the gov't subsidy will only provide a 1kW system which would provide<1/4 of our energy needs. $9,000 would double that(can't afford that anyway) & still only provide half so I don't think we'll be going with it yet. Hopefully the price of a fully stand- alone system will go down in price as the technology gets better. It's a bit disappointing but at least I understand it all a lot more after spending hours studying it today. We have 2 hot water services & that's a problem. We could only get a subsidy for one solar HWS. I'll give it more thought after the w/e.
I don't think much is more important than what we're doing to the environment & changing our ways but I think it really needs to be wholly supported by our government. These things should not only be for those who can afford them. Just like health & education. Hopefully the world recession will make the world a less wasteful place.
Eurovision-
Turkey were fantastic & so were Armenia.There is so much boring stuff though & the commentary is absolute drivel & fluff. I'm usually wishing my LH wouldn't watch somuch sport but I'm almost at the stage of suggesting he put the football on. Te he. I won't say it yet.
A weekend in Melbourne- Yay!! Better go pack something!!! Wee Hoo!!!!!
Love & hugs to all, xo Cate

Hi Kate,
hope you had a great weekend away ?
Do you mind me asking why do you have 2 hot water systems ?
We have just had a solar heat pump put in it only cost us $600 after the rebates we couldn't get a solar on our roof as it faces the wrong way the guy told us in winter we would be using heaps of power