Ta-Da!!!! The completed project with new towels and all!!!

We are really happy with the results even though I had minor panic attacks throughout the process!! lol.

Pink towels in ensuite and purply eggplanty colour in main bathroom.

Merry Christmas!

Turkey's cooked, entree partly prepared, trifle perfected, table laid! Just waiting for all to arrive tomorrow ( today!! Yikes!)
Merry Christmas everyone- have a great day celebrating and keep safe

Wedding Anniversary

Our wedding anniversary tomorrow- 37years! Such a lot has happened in that time. I look back at the time we met and think....we had no idea then that 37 years later we would be here together with 2 children and 3 grandchildren and all the other stuff in between! I feel very lucky to have had such a good life. ( that sounds a bit final doesn't it???? lol- I'm not planning on going anywhere for some time yet!)

Mulling it over

The gym, where I work, is having a 'challenge' in the new year. An 8 or 12 week challenge ( not sure which at this stage) and I'm wondering if I might join in and give it a go. I don't seem to have very good staying power with these sort of things ( mostly the eating) so it might just assist me to keep on! It involves a personal training session and a 'weigh in' and advice and look at what's been happening in the eating department for the week.

Getting there

Not completed yet but well on the way!

We've christened the shower ( minus screens) and it's so nice to shower at home again!!

can you spot the differences from the previous pic????? It's starting to hang together! Obviously we can't get into our kitchen anymore so I suppose it's ok that we haven't got a floor anyway!

Update- getting there!

At least we've got some walls back- and a BATH!!!!! Whoooooooweeeee!!!

Alas- no kitchen floor:(((((

Our Bathroom

It is now!

It was

It will be..........................!!!

passports and circumcision

Tomorrow we renew our British Passports- hopefully got all the necessary docs for it. While I was getting all the stuff downloaded it made me think again about becoming naturalised ( yep- only been here53 years- probably time to make a 'decision'!). It's actually something I've been meaning to do for ages........but you know how it it................. and time just gets away with you!
Many years ago my parents decided it was time for them to "do it". Off they trotted and later my mother proudly announced to her friends ( whilst out at dinner) 'Charles and I have been circumcised'!!! hmmmmmmmmmmm...................not sure I can better that one!!!

rather than 'nailin' it!'- I think I'm 'screwed'!!!

DETERMINED!

I think I need to have a good hard look at what I'm doing! The past few days I haven't even thought about planning what I'm eating during the day ( therefore- read into that- 'bad, bad, bad, food!) I don't think I can factor a swim in next week and the earliest I've got to bed is 10.45pm. !!! Not a good start- HOWEVER- there is always the next day and what has happened in the past need not determine what is going to happen in the future.
A New Week= New Resolve!

Day 2

I promise I'm not going to give a day by day account of November, but the first few days might keep me on the straight and narrow!
I 'blew' the last goal for November- early to bed! lol. last night I was later than ever- but then it was a holiday the next day!
Day 2- okayish sort of. Went for run and gym ( but that's the easy part) Diet not all that terrifice cos I really didn't prepare. Tonight- hopefully , earlier than 12- got to get up at just before 5am.
It's going to be a LOOOOOOONG Month!!

Day 1

Day 1 started off well! Hit the gym at 6.30am- then off to SWIM! haven't swum in months and it was really nice to get back to it- as well as feeling mighty 'noble'!
Took food with me today, said 'NO' to cake or biscuit with coffee with hubby. Haven't gone to bed yet but then it's only 7pm!

'Nail it' November

Kek's idea - Nail it November is catching on! I think I'll jump on board too.
Things to 'Nail' in November are

1. NO more just hoping to 'wing it' for lunch! Preparation is the name of this game!
2. NO more avoidance of swimming- going to plan it into my fitness regime
3. NO more ultra late nights- try to get to bed a bit earlier so my alarm doesn't tell me I've only go 5 hrs 36 mins until the alarm sounds!

And I think that will be enough to start with!

weekend away

Quietly snuck away to Echuca for the weekend. I love these mini escapes- a real retreat from 'real life'! Didn't do a lot up there but enjoyed every minute of it! Went for a walk Sat. morning- just around the streets, checking out all the gardens. Always gets me inspired for about 2 mins!!!

Tafe is getting to the final stages for the year. It's this time you realise all the stuff you haven't done! I just love these students I've been teaching. I think of them and I smile! They have enriched my life and taught me lots- about their culture and an appreciation of what it must be like to try and learn a language that isn't your own. There is just a 'niceness' about many of them that simply fills me up and makes me smile:)))))

Suddenly 30

From this

to this...................took 30 years! Happy birthday Catherine!

We made it!!!! Couldn't go in the half marathon as it was fully booked, so we settled for the 10k instead. And jolly glad I was too!! lol. Had a great run, did it easy and pulled up well. Next goals- 'Run for kids' in March (15k) and hopefully next year- Half marathon in October! Catherine ( daughter) turns 30 on Wed- where did all that time go???? It was so special running with her- just delights me:)))

GRRRRR

You keep coming across a book that you don't need at that particular time- but you know it will come in useful eventually. That time has come- can you find it???? NOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Back to chaos!

The end of two weeks holiday ( from tafe) . I have really enjoyed a lessening of the pressure of preparation and teaching (it's actually been 4 weeks- 2 of them in PD) but now it's time to face it all over again! I love the teaching but always get that'school feeling' after having a break from it. You would think I'd get used to it- but no!! lol
We babysat the three girls on Thurs- it was lovely. I'm in the bathroom issuing toothbrushes to all and sundry. 13thmonth old is in my arms and holding her stubby brush- I'm brushing no. 2's teeth and no 1 is waiting. All very clean teeth here- with me singing my 'tooth cleaning ' song! Then it's off to bed for stories. Me in bed reading to no 2, Hubby listening to no 1 reading him a story and no 3 quietly 'reading' her story unpside down while sitting on the floor. She just tags along after the other girls- it was a lovely night. It still amazes me, thinking these beautiful girls are part of my son, part of us.

Zumba

Half of my 5o's class was dedicated to a beginners Zumba class today- as part of the gym's open day. So- it was also the first time I've tried Zumba! My hips don't wiggle, my back doesn't bend and I certainly don't shimmy!!! I just hope my ladies don't get the idea that they want me to put in Zumba moves- I have enough trouble not getting tangled up with a very gentle warm up!!

Emerging again!

Thought I'd better come out of my funk and start living again!! lol. Added some pics just to show you other Melbournites that while this part of Aus was shivering and freezing- other parts were not! For a short wonderful time I was a lizard on a rock. Now I'm hibernating again! lol