Well what a day! I'm sitting in my chair using my laptop, connected to the Internet via a satellite without cords for the first time in my life. Job done! Half way through installing it & it not working I got a returned call from TAFE with the rest of the info I need for the TAFE course. I feel like things are well & truly on the move now. I told her what I was doing & she said that she wouldn't even attempt it. I said my middle names are "Never Say Die".
I feel very confident & positive about doing this course. Everything is just leading me this way. The only down side that I can see is that it will be on Tuesday's which is bush-walking day, plus Thursday & Friday. I must attend an info session & have 2 choices, one where I'm away in Melb but the other I can make(after a hard bush-walk) & will miss my husband's 1st 8-ball final. They always have many more people turn up & apply for the course than they have positions available but the woman I spoke to said she didn't think I would have any trouble.
This will be good for me I think. It's going to lead to work I know. Most people who do the course get offered work during the course. It has a great success rate. Friday's are often job placement days & I can choose to have some of those at our local Aged Care facilities. We have 2 different ones- 1 high care & 1 for those with some independence. It will be interesting if I can do work placement at both. I know quite a few people who work at both already. The hours of the course, when it's just at TAFE are 9.30am-2.30pm so that's good too.
I will be able to go bush-walking in the holidays as the course will run only in normal college hours so will have a long Christmas break & then resume Feb through to June.
I could probably get organised with a Concession if I could push myself to go near Centrelink. I think I'm allergic to them though. My LH only works casually & my hours count for nothing really. I think I would prefer to manage without. One day when I'm pension age I might reconsider.
Another thing re the course- You have to do a literacy & numeracy test & some other tests. The woman was trying to think of how to put the reasons why & I said "to weed some out" & she laughed & agreed. Apparently a lot of people turn up at the info session just because Centrelink require them to, not because they actually want to be there.
Back to weight-
Up .5kg to GW+3kgs so am back on 100% to shake those 3kgs. I had a sandwich yesterday for lunch & didn't drink enough water. I think my water intake has dropped quite a lot too because I drink green tea all day at home & consequently don't drink as much water. Apparently cold water increases your metabolism.
I have to think of some good alternatives for a take out lunch, especially if I'm going to be going to Launceston regularly with the course(hopefully). Sandwiches are so convenient but not if they are going to put weight on me. It's too cold for salads. I might buy a container that I can keep soup hot in. I think my son has the one my mum gave me. I'll see if he uses it.
Mum was thrilled when I told her that the money she sent me was going to pay for my course.
I got a call from her this morning to say that my nephew & his wife & 2 kids are coming over from the US at the end of this month for a few weeks. I sent them an email the other day but hadn't received a reply. Apparently their computer is broken. I don't know if they plan on coming to Tas or I will try to catch up with them in Melbourne. I gave mum a week-end that suits me to meet her in Melb to see them together & will leave it up to her to decide if she wants to do that. It would be so nice to catch up with them. I wish that they would send me the things my sister left me.Perhaps they may bring some of them with them.
Sorry folks for the long post today. It's the freedom of not being connected by cord, not being on dial-up any more plus I'm excited about everything. My life is moving in a slightly new direction. I like that I will have the independence to choose the work that suits me when I gain this certificate. It is also just good to be doing something new. It's so good to keep your brain active.
ok I'll think of you all & quit for the moment, cheers, Cate.
PS Plus the housework beckons!

Very quiet in here today! I did a little housework & then read a book. It rained most of the day but I was warm & cozy! Here I am with this new/old toy(my laptop that can now sit on my lap) & there's no-one here to talk to. Oh well, cheers, cate.

Weight - down 1kg, so GW+2kg
This happened without much effort. God I love Cohen's!
I'll skip bread for a while & maybe only take a sandwich on bush-walks from now on. It's easy to eat & provides the energy I seem to need for the walk but can manage fine without, especially at home.
I'm still a little excited about the Course but have come down to earth a little. I do get so excited sometimes but I need to to keep myself going with things. I often give up half way when I have lots of calls to make. This feels right.
I have ticked so many things off my 'to do list' this week.
I didn't say yesterday but my mum did not seem at all keen on my meeting her in Melb to catch up with my nephew & family. I rang my younger sister this morning & she laughed at me. Apparently my older sister used to get so upset with mum & my YS has always had to interpret our mum for her. Now she's doing it for me! Mum gets a plan & then if someone throws in an alternative she needs to go away & think about it before changing her initial plan. When Mum spoke to my sister she was happily telling her how she & I are going to meet in Melb & stay together at a hotel. All she said to me was that she would think about it! OMG. It's funny really. Our nephew had rung Mum & was keen to travel up to country Victoria to stay with mum but she put them off & said she would go meet them in Melb instead. I have no idea if they plan on coming over to Tassie to see me but I had better ring & make sure they're not before I book any flights.
My nephew & his wife named their son after my brother who committed suicide almost 28yrs ago. They don't call him by his real name though as she is Chinese & it is a custom for the children to have nick-names & that is what they use. I get on very well with the 2 of them and am really looking forward to catching up.
I had better go pay some bills now. I rang Telstra & xxl'd my Internet connection with them & also spoke to them about my mobile & I must say they were very pleasant & helpful which was good.
Bye for now, Cate.

Hey Cate,

Thats really great your doing Cert III in aged care, im a nurse and have worked in afew aged care homes and they are always crying out for dedicated caring people. You definitley sound like one of them so where ever you end up working, they will be lucky to have you. Some homes i have worked in have lacked dedicated caring staff, which is really sad. Too bad theres not more people like you. But, any hows congrats! Sure you will do fab.

Me, well im starting cohens again, nursing really made me stack on the kilos. I had lost approx 50 kilos. Then i became a full-time nurse and with the odd sleeping/eating hours and it started piling on (30 kilos). Its sucks, but i can get rid of it "again".

Thanks for the advice on the crackers. Anyways good luck with your course!

Chantale

Hi Chantale, Thank you. That's very sweet of you! I hope I can make a difference as I really do care about people. I'm at the age where I can choose which path I take, without the pressures you have when you are younger & have small children to look after, educate etc. I want to do something worthwhile & I do genuinely care.
Re Cohen's- I know there will be some who see people that have done Cohen's & put weight back on & rub their hands together saying 'told you so". For me I see people who have done Cohen's & put weight back on for various reasons who then re-commit to Cohen's & I see...."You know it's good, you know it works, so why try anything else!" We are only mere mortals. No-one is perfect. There is so much to learn about food, our attitudes towards food, our attitude towards ourselves............
Good for you I say! What a job you must do. I don't think I'm cut out for nursing. I admire you for that. Thanks for visiting my diary. Please come back whenever you feel like it. Cheers, Cate.

Hi Cate,

Good on you for taking control of your life and doing the certificate 111. It is a great feeling to have a focus and know which direction you want your life to go in. I'm sure you will be just great at aged care as you are so kind and caring.
I also started an accounting course recently and it is so good to shake the cobwebs out of your brain and get the "old grey matter" working again.
Your weight seems to be fairly stable and it looks like you have pretty good control of it now and know what causes what and what to do to balance your weight and keep it reasonably stable. It is great for me to read and gives me some insight for when I finish.
Sorry i haven't been in here for a while. I work at the end of the week and with running the kids here, there and everywhere, I don't seem to post as often. I still read every day but just don't seem to get myself into gear.
Have a great day.
Take care
Beck

Hi Beck- mmmmm about the weight being stable.....just kidding but the scales gave me a fright this morning. In 1 day I put on 2.5kg but I just realised no BM but, more importantly, I ran out of my BP pills which also have a diuretic in them & yesterday I hardly peed at all. It didn't click until last night why. My stomach is swollen & I feel like a blimp. I'll get my prescription today & take it straight away.
I had better go. I'm off to a book launch & meeting a friend from bush-walking(she's French). My MIL wants to go too so I'm picking her up.
Cheers, Cate

Not a fun morning yesterday. My MIL, much as I do love her, needs to be the centre of the universe. It's pointless wanting to talk to anyone else when you're with her or look at anything she doesn't want to. She's very bossy & impatient. I had to apologise tomy bush-walking friend & said I would catch up with her on Tuesday. She said "your mother-in-law is ferrny!" You have to laugh at her but sometimes it's hard.
We went out to 8-ball last night & my husband & son were a good chance to win but didn't. They're good sports though. It was a very late night & the frost was down on my car when we got out. I dropped one of the young fellows off at his home & we got to bed at 2.30 this morning.
My mum rang at 9.45 this morning & we were sound asleep. She has now decided that it is too much to stay the night in Melb so she is only going to travel down in the morning & then go back by train at night. I now have no idea what I will do. I should ring the US now & see what their plans are but I can't find the energy & enthusiasm required.
It's cold & miserable today. I was dragging my dressing gown & slippers on talking to mum so couldn't face taking them off to weigh. I usually weigh before putting them on in the morning, so today is the first day for at least a month that I haven't done so. I do know that it won't be good. I'm still retaining fluid a little plus I did not make good food choices last night. There was nothing much open nearby. I walked in the dark to a Chinese restaurant & they have a take-away food section where you grab a container & fill it yourself. There were all of these people cramming their containers chockers with fried chicken & bright sauces, fried dimmos etc. Ugh. I looked at their mini spring rolls & bought us 4 each. We ate those fairly quickly. They were ok-freshly cooked & not greasy but I'm sure won't be good for the scales. Then later on we were hungry & I asked a young guy if he would mind going for a walk with me as Subway was open. He had seen that I had gone for a walk earlier on my own & said he would have gone with me. When I told my son that I was going he asked for a capuccino. My LH asked for one too & then I decided at the last minute that I would have one too. Big mistake. It was mostly froth with a hint of coffee & today my stomach is churning. Hot milk- ugh! We never did eat the Subway as supper was cooked & we had a skinny sausage in white bread.
What a healthy(not) day for Cate. I also didn't mention the 2 glasses of cask wine(at about midnight) the can of Pepsi Max & the can of Coke Zero. Not much nutrition amongst that lot. Nothing Cohen's about that lot!
I will weigh tomorrow, of course, 'fess up tomyself & the forum & be back on Cohen's tomorrow 100% to get back on track.
You should see me- I'm sitting on my recliner with a woollen rug(not a granny rug-it's Mexican) on my lap, cushion & laptop, still in my P.J.'s, dressing gown(4 sizes too big) socks & ugh boots. Not a pretty sight at 11.09am. My husband is watching a silly sports show where they compete to sound the silliest. They all win.
It's raining outside, overcast & cold. Brrr. Winter!
ok. I had better drag myself away, have a shower, get dressed & ring the US. It's funny that my nephew hasn't rung but he only remembered to ring Mum because she sent their son a birthday card. He actually admitted that to her. My sister told me that she thought he had Aspergers Syndrome & I think she was probably right.
This is not getting me anywhere! Bye for now, cate

Hi Cate,

I can't think of a better way to spend a cold winters day. Sleep in and the curled up in PJs and dressing gown. Don't stress too much about the food. Remember you are at the other end of the tunnel and have to give yourself some lee-way and I'm sure you'll be back on track in no time. You're almost an expert on what to do.
Don't you just love "me, me" people. I am one to try and stay out of the limelight so find it very difficult to understand people who think the whole world revolves around them. Maybe it comes from being overweight for so long and wishing that people didn't notice me. You sound like you handle your MIL very well.
Have a great day
Take care
Beck

Hi Beck, You know, I sometimes wonder whether being overweight was the reason I tried to be invisible, or wanting to be invisible was the reason I put on so much weight. I have never liked being the focus of everyone's attention & would prefer to be in the background. I can handle my MIL but sometimes she is harder to cope with than others. I was a little embarrassed I guess. The woman I met does not have many friends as she has not lived in Aust. long & her husband died year before last so I try to make an effort for her. Some people find her a little bit full on, which she is, but I think she is naturally a gregarious sort of person & very, very French. She talks passionately about things & waves her arms around a lot.
I am not one to make bosom buddies & I do like to do things on my own often. I do try to have other interests than just the ones we share together as it's healthy for us plus you never know how long you have together. I'm hoping for at least another 30 years. I'll be 85 & my LH would be 88!! Who knows?
My mum is starting to get very anxious about things I've noticed. I hope Altzeimers is not looming. I have noticed with both of our mothers that they are getting mixed up with some things. They have always been very sharp so it's noticable. They're both in their 80's so it's to be expected probably. My MIL never has self-doubt though. LOL! My mum is getting very anxious & worried about her ability to cope with things. Poor thing.
I have rung my nephew in the US & left a message but have not heard back. Perhaps they are already travelling. They have not contacted me at all. I thought it was quite possible that they had a trip to Tassie planned as I know they would like to catch up with our sons & our OS's family as they both are only children.
My nephew's father(my sister's 1st husband) lives in Melb & I have not spoken to him for about 30 years. He rang my mother when his mother died as my mum always kept in touch with her. Mum used to let her know how my sister was going when she got cancer. It was thoughtful of him to let mum know I thought. I have his phone number & I think I will ring him in the next few days & see if he has a clue what their plans are. I wouldn't mind catching up with him as well. I lived with my sister & him when I first moved to Melb. I have mixed memories but nothing too serious. I won't go there.
My LH & I went to cut wood today & it was absolutely freezing. Snow was forecast down to 300m in the south of the state & we are 310m but in the north. We had chainsaw trouble & didn't get much but as we got back to the house it started snowing. It never settles here but it is beautiful. We can see lots of snow on the mountains.
I had better go read the diaries. It's nice to have some activity here!
Cheers, Cate

Whoops- I can't believe I forgot!-Down 2.5kgs so GW+2 again!
The joy of Cohen's! Food is no longer scary!

I have just got back from today's walk which was to Narawntapu National Park. It was a very chilly start to the day but was just beautiful. Some of us came back via the beach which was tiring but made you feel so happy to be alive. I love the sea & I especially love it in Winter. There was a huge expanse of beach & we were the only ones on it. Even in the middle of Summer this often is the case also. Gee I love Tasmania!
I am so very tired though & must go & have a bath before I seize up totally. 8-ball night tonight so will go with my LH & OS & drive them.
I feel really positive after a bush-walk & must go as often as possible.
I'll be back tomorrow as I'm not going anywhere, cheers, Cate

Hi Cate,
I posted to you earlier, but it seems to have disappeared.
Excellent weight loss. Congratulations!!!!!
I love exercise too, and the awesome feeling you get after exercising, but I still seem to have the "fat person" mentality of its much too hard but when I actually get myself motivated to go I really enjoy myself and find that it is not so hard after all. I need to get myself into a routine where I just go without even thinking about it.
Sorry I won't make it a long one today, I'm a bit tired tonight.
Take care
Beck

Hi Beck, That 'fat person' mentality takes ages to go away. I am only now getting used to not being so self-conscious about my body. I am starting to take pride in how I look & enjoy myself more in company. It is a long road back to feeling 'normal'.
Exercise is so worth the effort. The company is also a big part of that feeling of well-being. Bush-walking is not about competition or comparing figures or fitness levels. It takes your mind away from all of that. If I lived in a city I would find a lovely park & walk in that, preferably with a friend or friends & engage with the people you meet instead of listening to music & ignoring everyone.
It's another beautiful sunny day after a thick frost. We're about to head off to get some wood which will be good to stretch my muscles as I'm aching a little today. It could be because of the race along the beach! One of the women I especially like has a daughter who is Autistic & she is on holidays & came along with us yesterday. I like her & kept near her on the walk. As we were heading for the beach on the way back I said to her mother that I feel like a child whenever I go near the beach & she & another woman agreed. A little later I said to the daughter "want a race?" & we did & she flogged me but it was fun! I also wasn't puffed. I discovered how hard it is to run with with a fair-sized day pack on though. It was a thoroughly enjoyable day.
Last night's 8-ball was also good fun & my husband's team had a good win against a pleasant side. I caught up with a woman who lives down there who I quite like & we had a good yak & lots of laughs. We watched Le Tour until the end so have slept in again. I like the days my husband has off during the week & will make the most of this time until my course & who knows what after that.
I'm waiting for the washing machine to finish & then we'll head.
Cheers & healthy living, Cate

OMG- You are away for a day & look what happens? I really dislike bullying & silly pointless games! I often read other forums but I much prefer this one. It's good to know & see what's about, just like travelling, but it's really nice to come home.
Bread-ouch!After my small sandwich on the bush-walk I was in agony that night with stomach cramps(wind?) & have been badly constipated since. I have had to resort to drastic measures to go to the loo so that's it. No more bread for me!!
Weight GW+2.5kg I am not going to weigh every day from now on as I think it may be becoming obsessive & it does affect my mood for the day. Yesterday I felt like it would have been up because of no BM & having some supper late the night before, so did not weigh & then today it's back to 'normal'. New normal that is.
Constipation-more ouch!
I need to find some way of getting my system to work properly. I have tried Coloxyl(up to 6 a day!) & Metamucil(powder & capsules), eating apples (even though they make me hungry), prunes, licorice and sultanas (even though they're high in sugar) but nothing seems to work for me. The only thing that does seem to work is a Colon Cleanser (Magnesium Oxide?) but it is very harsh I am told so am trying not to buy it again. I might give up soon though & get some. Ihave to wait until the next time I'm in Launceston or Devonport.
What to do today?My LH is working today & I'm not sure what I will do today. I should go for a walk. I might do some wood tidying up on my own. I won't use a chainsaw though. I'll take my little handsaw & tidy up some branches that get in the way along our track. Because they are not big enough for the fire my LH doesn't cut them off & they scrape our old ute as we go past. You always have to make sure the window is shut! It's a steep walk & would be also quite a long energetic one if I did do the branch clearing.
It's cold today & the sun is hiding behind some clouds. I think it was -1 or 2 this morning as it was a thick frost. Brrrrr.
Alternatively I could be an absolute lazy bones & go nowhere & do little. I think that thought is the stronger of the 2! In the meantime I had better go have a shower & get dressed. I watched the Tour again until very late. It's very close & very exciting. Go Cadel!!
I'll come back later for a look, cheers for now, Cate