where'd they go???

I was given 4 bags of liquorice allsorts for Christmas but I think we may have had burglars cos I can only find 1 left!!! ( that's a shocking admission isn't it?- how many days since Christmas??)
We're off to Wangaratta for New Year's - so Happy New Year to all bloggers who pass by here. Have a safe and exciting welcoming in the new year. I can't get used to writing 2010 no matter how hard I try!!
When I get back on here I shall have a list of resolutions- you watch!!

2009 Review

I've been reading a few blogs where the year has been reviewed. What a great idea- at least it highlights what you have done ( and it always looks a lot more than you think) and would make for interesting reading later on. So- here goes. If it's boring to anyone else then don't keep reading!!

Family
New little granddaughter born in July. Just a lovely addition to the family. Both our children are doing well and I delight in seeing them independent and creating new families for themselves. I miss them both and have real 'pangs' at how they are now adults and their childhoods will never return. However I've had my delightful times with them and that's stored in my memory forever.

Career
Loving my over 50's classes. Took up an added one this year at another gym- a mixed class. It's different but gives real pleasure too. I didn't know work could be so much fun!
Tafe work continued this year and with it new challenges. Teaching a class of ESL students which was new for me. I found it a bit daunting but from the first time I set foot in the class it has been nothing but delightful. So good to get to know a group of people from different cultures and the learning has definitely been two way.
Also completed certificate 4 in Training and Assessment- phew!!!

Fitness
Loving keeping fit. Had some lulls over the year but not too many- managed to keep it going in some form or fashion. Haven't had any major injuries which has been terrrific.
Completed the Run for Kids for the 2nd time. A major major achievement as it has been the first big run after getting plantar faciitis- so a significant measure of it getting better!
I'm stronger, more muscled and weigh less than I ever have. Weight is stable ( unless I go on holiday!!) and I'm in a great routine.
Swimming is a bit hit and miss- but I aim to just enjoy what I can do.

Holidays
Been twice up to Port Douglas and hope for more in 2010

That's enough for the moment- I'm getting bored just writing it!
I'm going to set some goals for 2010 which will keep me keeping on!
It's been a great year

More Pickkies

Hmmmmm. perhaps this was responsible for the 1.5kg gain???

I'm hard at work here

The traditonal horse pic!!

The tranquility of the Daintree River

A Typical Day!!

My playground

This just confirms what I really know! View from balcony

A Typical Day whilst on holiday

6.30am- wake up, stretch luxuriating in the big wide bed after a restful and 'no getting up' night

7am- get up - yep that's right- a beautiful hazy wake up where you meander between waking and sleeping

7.10am- have a cuppa on the balcony, overlooking the pool, sitting and soaking up the heat in shorts and t-shirt

7.30am- walk 2 mins to the gym and have a jolly good sweat!

9am- into 'town' for cuppa and croissant- yep that's where the extra 1.5kg came from!!

10am- wander the shops then back for shower and the rest of the day 'just happens'

at no time did I consult my watch - this pattern just happened! Times here are approximate and can vary

Typical Day TODAY ( first day back)

5.25am- alarm

6.15am- drive to gym

8am- have shower then off to shops for vital things

8.45am- visit health care place to organise a wheel chair for mother in law who's chair is fading fast

9.15- 9.30am- buy coffee and toast and throw it down eating part of it in car as I drive to my son's plac

10-11.30am- have fun with 2 granddaughters- making biscuits and solving world war 3!!

12noon- fly to gym to train client who didn't turn up- grrr

12.30-1.30- coffee and plan afternoon 50's class ( well I didn't have time when on holiday!!)

2pm-9pm- work at gym

9.45pm-11.30pm- home , sort out stuff for early rise tomorrow- grab chrissy pressies for tomorrow and write blog

so- what I do know is that holidays don't suck!!!

almost over

2 more days and then we fly home. I'm about as ready as I ever will be to return. Just don't know how I'm going to get motivated to watch the clock again. Up here I haven't worn a watch and have o nly occasionally thought to see what the time is.
Been having some great workouts at the gym here. Combining weights and cardio for a super cardio workout! Good sweat being produced! lol. but then again you don't need to do too much to create sweat in this weather- I still love it. I also have only 2 more days of eating croissants for b'fast. oppps...that's right.....very naughty ...but very nice!

still here

Less than a week to go then we return:( It's been so good up here and I can feel myself getting more and more benefit as the days roll by. However in some ways it will be good to return to some structure and normality- I guess. Our son is now in hospital after running over his foot with the lawn mower! Kept all his toes which is lucky for him but required a skin graft and time off his feet. This is when you feel a long way away. Good news for me is that I've got more TAFE work next year- yaaahhh. Monday like this year and also 2 hrs on Friday and maybe Wed morning. I've really enjoyed adult teaching and I'm ready to tackle more.

it's a miracle!

we've been here a week and miracle of all miracles- I haven't injured myself yet!! been gymming. walking/running and swimming most mornings but being ultra careful and conservative and so far so good! and loving it! I really wish I could push myself harder but it never works for me now- slow and steady and I will get there. Swimming has been good. Its an outdoor pool but l ovely and warm. Trying to practise all that I learnt at the total immersion intro session. as I said before- slow and steady! lol
today is our wedding anniversary and can't imagine a better place to celebrate than up here on holiday in this glorious weather. its humid a bit rainy between the sun and quite warm- i love it.

paradise

well...we're here in far north queensland and i ask myself- why would I want to be anywhere else?????

and here we are now!

Here we are- 36 years ago!

best foot forward!

Now I feel as though I'm going on holiday! Got the 'holiday toes' (aka pedicure) and had the waxing ( and threading- great stuff) now just have to pack my bags and wait til Tuesday. Got a wedding to go through first ( no- not mine!!!!) actually talking of weddings- while we're away we'll celebrate our 36th wedding anniversary! I'll see if I can dig out a pic and put it on here.

All done!

All finished on the certificate 4 in training and assessment! Now I am fully certified! It was a good course but glad the pressure is off- the only thing is - now I'm all revved up and looking for more study- lol that will wear off soon enough! Tafe is just about finished for me as we're off to Port Douglas on Dec 1st for 3 weeks- yaaaahhhhh. I'm hoping there's more work at tafe next year- I;ve really enjoyed it and loved the people I'm teaching. Adults are fun and they actually want to be there!!!
Went back to cycle class this morning ( after about 4 weeks break) thought my legs would drop off in the first 5 mins ( they didn't) I'm trying to be much better on my diet/eating. It's a struggle though! Weighed myself on day 3 and had lost 400g.lol- one bag of liquorice allsorts and it'll be back ( nononononono- mustn't mustn't mustn't!)

Feel the burn!

Did a great workout session with my daughter at her gym tonight. Not sure what the class was called but it was a circuity sort of thing. Mega crowded with heaps of testosterone and all the accompanying sweat and grunts that go with it! Great for motivation. Didn;t know what quite to expect from the class but within minutes of being there we were pounding the 'red road' for our 1.5km warm up! Then back for kettlebell swings and d/bell punches x 3. Then it was pushups and burpees with hand clapping on between ( I cheated on the burpees after one 30 sec stunt! which almost killed me!) then it was punching bags and the 'triangle run' a mere 500 metres which we ended up doing 3 times. Then lots of pushups and crunches. And after that?????? chicken satay and rice with a big ice cream sundae for afters!! lol ooohhhhh..... I'm already feeling my legs!

It's over- almost!

basically had the final session at the course- it went well. Questionnaire and talk! now what? Got a demo swim training on Friday 20th, then we're off to port douglas on 1st- for 3weeks- can't wait! Training has been all over the place since I started this course and then this last week it's been non existent! Time to get back into it! Triathalon training here I come

The end is in sight!

Tomorrow is my big presentation for this course I've been doing then basically I'm finished!! It's gone so quickly and has mostly been very interesting and enjoyable. Once tomorrow is over I can relax.
Took dinner out tonight and had it by the river at Warburton- 30 mins away. Truly beautiful! I'll take the camera next time and just show you how beautiful it is. Don't you just love this weather? Melbourne has been awesome the past couple of days with more to come. I'm sure I was a lizard in a former life.

Learning to say no!

Does anyone else on here have trouble saying 'no'? I have all this course work to do and not a great deal of spare time- but when I'm asked to go somewhere or do something- before I know it that little word just slips out- 'yes'!! 'Yes' I'd love to meet for coffee" "Yes, I'm happy to cover that shift for you", "Yes, of course we can do dinner". Yes yes yes!!! and I am wanting to do all these things but I need to prioritise ( and perhaps learn how to spell that word- it doesn't look quite right) I guess all the work will get done- it usually does
anyway- today I had lunch and film with my sisters- and a lovely time it was! It is my middle sisters b'day next week so she got to choose the film- Julie and Julia. I had heard it was slow and boring- but I really enjoyed it. We had lots of giggles before it started (hmmmm....some of us never grow up) and each confessed to almost having a mini 'nana nap' sometime during the movie. As I said- lots of fun and I'm glad I said yes!

Goodbye Ash

Farewell old friend. You were with us for more than 13 years. It feels so very empty here without you

Gulp......this is it!!

Well I think I've now committed myself! Yikes! A clent of mine has just achieved her goal of cycling through France. On the way home she thought about what I said about setting a new goal and came up with the idea that she would like to try a triathalon- just a mini one. She told me about an event in Jan run by Ramsay Health Care re Breast cancer. Now that sparked my interest enough to throw caution to the winds and let my fellow runner/cycler/swimmer know about it too. Now it looks as though I've committed myself to this too!! The real baby event only has a 100m swim ( in a pool!!) the next level- a 200m swim and the next a 300m swim. Hmmmmm.....I did ask my client if flippers were allowed. She had the cheek to say 'no' but this could become a goal for you!!! ( who's the client and who's the 'master' here??????) lol.
so now I need to hit the pool and try and wean myself off the flippers. If you don't see me on here anymore it's cos I've drowned on the way!! guess it's good to have a goal

Mao's last Dancer

Went to see Mao's Last Dancer on Friday. Has anyone else seen it? I really loved it! Such an interesting story and what a fabulous dancer! ( at least the guy who played him was!) I'm now off to read the book and see what really happened! Saw it with my two sisters. My middle sister and I had a bit of a 'sob' while my oldest sister was fairly stoic! it's always good to get together with them. Had a bit of a laugh in the 'pre' film bit. lol- a bit like naughty schoolgirls sitting in the back row!

Great feeling!

Just finished organising the next two 15min presentations for Tuesday. I'm really enjoying the planning and the delivery.....well....just say it's not as bad when you do it as when you stew about it beforehand! These two presentations are about using office equipment ( laminator in my case) and customer service. I'm really hot onto customer service. Nothing gets me more riled than the rude ignorant people who SHOULDN'T be anywhere near a customer!!!! I'm SOOOOOO tempted to say something at times but as yet have just bitten my lip! I'm amazed at how some people can complete a whole transaction ( whatever it is) without once giving eye contact- pretty amazing that! They must have sensors on their head so they know where your hand is!!! Anyway- it's laminators and customer service for me on Tuesday. A little more out of my comfort zone- but I guess it's good for you!