try again

I have set up my puter in such a way I can click on all my fav sites. Why haven't I used bookmarks earlier? My daily reading of all the interesting blogs has given me incentive to get back to mine even if it is only for me.
Lots has happened and is happening in my life and now I realise it has been quite interesting when all the little daily incidents are added together to make the full story. I am kicking myself for this oversight.
It was the thought I had when I woke this morning making me realise I have come through a lot and I should be proud of all my experiences, the boys, dh's amputation, widowhood, weight loss, Mum and Dad [hence forth to be known as m&d] [and others by their initial] the garden, sewing, writing.
I will make this a first stop to make some comment about something.

Going to continue 33 months

Haven't been doing this for a while as family matters got in the way, but that is life. Life is for living of course but [I am only joking here] sometimes it gets in the way.
Anyways I found this site 101 tasks in 1001 days and I have decided to take the challenge. That means in 33 months I should have the goals done. Mind you I will be 33 months older and in a way that would be an interesting journey. The past two months looking after Dad and everything that goes with it has been interesting and thank goodness I did write down some of it other wise I would have forgotten how quickly things have deteriorated in such a short time.

I have been reading other blogs and the daily entries making for an interesting story about ppl over a period of time. In a way I want to add my story to the many that are out there.

Todays list :
clear ds2 room out of clothes and get them into some sort of order
clear clothes off dining table
do some patchwork
visit Dad

cul8r

Wednesday .. inside because of the weather

WOW what weather we are having at the moment. Yesterday was one for staying inside, warm and dry, but I did venture out to walk to the pool and try to do some swimming. Boy 25 m is a long way when you are not fit, but I managed to do a few lengths. I am going again today. It is becoming my time to chill out and just enjoy myself. This morning I have to wake all the boys at 7 - 7.30 am so I might be able to get to the pool earlier.

For the rest of the day, I cleared the sewing table and ended up hand sewing all the pieces of batting together to make one big piece. Made quite a suitable size too. Am pleased how it turned out. Then I decided to cut out the calico to make more pillows for the family = ended up cutting out five more. Will have to finish them properly and put them away.
If it continues with this bad weather I will spend some time washing all the sheets that I got from Dad which I want to use as under sheets for the beds. I am realising more and more things will not always be easy for me and it is time to start my "old-age" glory box.

And there is a new gym opening up in the next street over next month. might go and check it out

Feel sore in the arms. With the new goggles I now can see to do freestyle and I feel the weakness in my arms. well I will keep going and soon I will be able to be more 'freer' in the style

So that is goal number one for the day done, now off to see Dad and then shopping later in the day as I have run out of lunch food for the tribe.

Saturday 0733

Tried my goggles yesterday swimming and what a difference!!! Why have I waited so long == i never knew that I could get them and that they were so affordable. No more sore eyes and vision is really clear
It is 7.33 am and I have to wait until 9 am when the pool will be open again, in the mean time I will have to do other things. It is cold this morning - Skids [the cat] is under the quilt I have over my knees!!
I was looking at my subtitle and realise I need to make more of a commitment to writing about this lifestyle and to do more about it.
At the moment I want to get the place sorted out so I can live in it more comfortable.
I have all the clothes to put away = that will be easy as both boys are working today.
I want to start leveling the lawn at Dad's so we can get the grass seed down, so in summer there will be a proper lawn to walk on.

Middle of the Week

OK it is the middle of the week and for the first time my leg is not hurting when I walk on it. Now that the boys are up and have breakfast I am packing to go for a swim, then ring the optician to see if my goggles came in, [I wear glasses].

Do some housework, more cutting of fabric, and then the paper work.

Feeling better

Monday and the start of another week. I hope this one will be better than that last one.
My leg is getting better though by Friday of last week it was still sore and when IR rang I just burst into tears, but she made me ring the doctor and she took me in and got me sorted with tablets etc Following this new regime of medication I can see and feel a difference and I now know I am on the right path.

Walking is still uncomfortable = hang on got to get the paper rubbish out === it is 6 am and they are coming around NOW !!!!
Anyway walking is still uncomfortable I am still limping and there is still a certain tightness on and in my shin. At least I can move with a modicum of mobility which I do appreciate. First it is bed rest and no walking and now it is the other way keep moving to move the fluid build up.

The rest of the family saga is not good, except my youngest is back home, but that is another story.

Now I have a house to sort out again so that should keep me busy this week.
I need to sit down and organise a plan for this week otherwise it will fly past [the week I mean] and i will have not achieved any thing. I will just sit and procrastinate and in the end kick myself for opportunities lost.

I haven't done any sewing and that is starting to upset me. I guess the plan of 15 mins a day has to be brought back into play otherwise I just end up with a messy room.
I have three major projects: a large quilt I am tying and I do not have that much left to tie so I should get that done and the opening sewn down , take to drycleaner to get cleaned.
The second one is "Goosefoot" done with Thimbleberry fabrics. It is turning out quite nice. I have all the small blocks sewn and now need to sew them into larger blocks.
The third project is a red and blue logcabin sashed with black for WG. He really needs a large quilt as all his others are too small for him.

I really do not need to sit and sew everyday for a few minutes to get this pile [of other quilts] under control. Because these are not under control I feel my life is not under control.

ok that is long enough off to "work" I go.

Sore Leg

Saturday morning woke to what felt like a bruise on my lower right leg. By the end of Guild that day my leg had swollen and showed an angry red shiny leg. Many of the ladies there said it is cellulitis and I need to get to hospital now. Well these are ladies that tease and I tease back so did not really take it seriously, but when 6 - 7 ladies mentioned the same thing I thought well..... It was the driving home that made me decide to got to East Care, my leg was really stinging and I knew there was something wrong. Well It is celluitis and I have had to rest for Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. Today hopefully will be the first day I will more comfortable to walk again. I have had to have IV antibiotics for three doses/days.
It hit me when the doctor said I need to have IV treatment now and I am lucky that it can be done at East Care, if I left it until tomorrow [sunday] I would have to have treatment in hospital!!!
I have been in a state of shock once I did a google search on this disease and read how serious this is and the side affects if treatment is not administered quickly.
So I have done no exercise nor watched food for three days. Today I would like to do something but the leg is still sensitive. Mind you I did feel that I was hit by something as I do feel more like myself today than I have been for the last few days. I have to go back tonight for hopefully a last check up.

What this has taught me : look out for what my body is trying to tell me, things will go wrong with my body - I am getting older and the world I live in is changing daily, I am living an adventure and my life is an adventure and it is all worth looking after. Mind you I didn't feel like that while I was "sick" but I know now . This is going to be a turning point and a start point for my leg. I reckon it will always be "weak" point and will have to watch it.

ok going to get on with the day working around all my pinpricks and bruising etc
see you later

Friday

Just getting ready to go for a swim, but need to write down all that I have to do today otherwise I will forget.
Swim, and when I get back rinse out togs and towel, hang to dry
ring Insurance for Dad's house
ring re D/D
do WG's paper work and make sure he sends in his MC
clean out car and pick up Rimu timber from Dad's
get wrappers from Mum's place
write up membership cards for Guild, pack car for Guild,

Boy was it frosty this morning

Even cars that are black in colour were crystallised in white ice. Real two tone = looked nice but probably not nice to touch.

I was swathed in coat, scarf, hat, hand stuffed in pockets while walking to the pool for a swim.
The walking hasn't been touched since last time as I have been busy doing stuff about Dad so hopefully his life will be a little easier and ours less stressful. What I must do today is ring the optician about the swim goggles for me as I want to do more swimming but without goggles/glasses I can not see at all. It will make it easier to be able to do overarm instead of the "cak handed" breast stoke type swimming I am doing at the moment. At least I am up to 12 lengths of the pool where as only a month ago I could barely do two. The pool is the standard 25 m length so I am building up distance. It takes me about 2 mins to do a length; I am comfortable with that.

I will see if I can fit in a walk tomorrow, otherwise it will be Sunday which should be the 8 km but I may have to be flexible on that as I am getting behind in the training program. I am determined to do this 1/2 marathon and my goal is to finish it. I am not going to give myself the stress of a time limit as I think that would be negative if I did not achieve the time I set. I think any time will be great and, more importantly, it will excellent if I finished.

Saturday I will not be able to do any exercise as it is Guild and I will have to leave early and I will be late home. Mind you I could squeeze in a 2 km around the park before and after Guild if I took the car, but not if I took the bus. Will think about this as I have had two days off this week and I need to keep the momentum up of walking everyday.

ok that is enuf ==== off to Dad's to do some tidy up for him

Meanderings

Am sitting here trying to think of an interesting start but nothing comes to mind so I won't bother.
Yesterday tried to do th 5km walk but only got as far as about 3.7ish kms. It really need to work on the morning ablutions as it is not fun getting caught out. Got home in time, and as that broke my stride I did not go and finish the walk. I was supposed to go swimming today but the Course is finishing today and I have rubbish to put out and the dishes to do, I will treat myself to a break.
Cat has just come in and is helping with this writing - lol.

One observation about yesterday is ....I made no contact with anyone, I was totally on my own and I enjoyed every minute of it. I realised I do not feel any guilt over doing this exercise and taking time out for me. I am making ME the priority for the rest of this year.
This morning I woke with the thought I do not want to stay in bed any longer I want to get up and live life. I haven't felt this for many years - since Bill died at least - It is almost like the old me coming back. Already this walking and swimming is changing me, it is giving me time to think and feel about how I think and feel about my world. To me, this is quite a watershed, as I have always put others first, and finding out that it is ok to think of me first, is quite uplifting. I really feel I have moved forward in my life with this realisation, and now that I have realised this I intend to keep the momentum up.

For many decades I have kept journals and diaries, and I have been meaning to go through them and fill them out with full descriptions of the events that happened, I think I will make this a goal to start this project this year. I really must put my full list of goals up on this page so I can keep track of them all

foggy outside

Boy is it foggy outside. Can not see a thing even the next door neighbour. I can usually see if the light is on but not even that. Hope the rellies don't mind = they want to do skytower later today.

Today I do the swim thing, hoping to do at least 10 laps and 20-30 mins aqua jogging. Really enjoy that as it is so easy on the joints but I can feel the muscles working against the water and I do feel it in my buttocks. Yes I do have muscles there!!!!.

The rellies go home tonight but until then will enjoy their company.

I want to so some housework - well clear the rubbish out ; as it is a long weekend we get an extra day and that makes all the difference to have a chance to have a bigger clear out. And yes I do recycle everything I can; and I would like to so some sewing today.

As it is a new month I would like to finish 3 quilt tops, do all the mending that the family keeps sending me, and start on my new drapes. I have promised myself these drapes since the beginning of the year and now it is time to get onto them.

I amaze myself

Just did the 6 km walk : took 1 hr and 18 mins. I did it and that was my goal. I had to take a pit stop at the 2 km mark so will have to work on that one, "the 20 min mark". feel really great esp for someone who has not done any exercise for years, apart from normal daily activities. For the the rest of the week it is 3 x 5km walks which I have mapped out with the 2 km near a loo!!!.
Rellies are up for the weekend = they went to see a show in town last night.
As it seems it is going to be sunny and not raining I might get into the vege garden to check the brocolli to see if there is enough to freeze. Otherwise time to get moving on the rest of the day.

Getting focussed

Since the weekend I have not done any walking or swimming. I got stuck into my sewing and once I get that between my teeth, I am oblivious to anything else in the house and my life for that matter. This morning I woke up and I realised I really do miss the walk and the swim. I have/had written out the programme of what I wanted to achieve this week so I will "restart"/continue from todays programme. If I want to do this 1/2 marathon I am going to have to stick to the walking and the swimming. The main reason for the restart is I can see a change in my figure already and earlier this week I tried on a top that is a size smaller than what I wear and it fitted and looked nice on me and felt nice and comfortable. [ gee that is some sentence].
I must also write every day to account for what I have done. Now to get on with the day. Wake up WG, get him off to tech, get going for a swim, dishes, laundry, tidy rooms, paper work for Dad,
work out a timetable/schedule so I do not get upset over the pool opening later. How stupid is that. I let that get to me instead of getting of my chuff and doing something.

Darn this programme. The other cat we had jumped on the keyboard and ever since then it has affected some letters which causes the cursor to move elsewhere and sometimes whole paragraphs of work to disappear= just like now. And I can not remember what I wrote. One day I will get a new laptop with a new programme.

With Dad being the way he is I can see this going on for a long time and I will need to get some sort of order into my life so everything gets done and nothing is let to slide. I need more structure than I have at the moment, like making time for my patchwork/sewing and keeping the garden going. Also I can use this time to start on the changes I want in the house by getting the little things fixed up that will not be affected by the large alterations that will come later.

Any way on with the day.

weekend again

Tis the weekend I feel stink because I forgot the pool doesn't open until 9 am and that really threw me. I am an early bird and like to get going on my walks and swim by 7 am: as it is light then, it is still early when I get back. If I go now I feel it cuts into my day too much and then I feel cheated. Mind you I don;t really feel like doing anything today as I have enough to do catching up with stuff at home. Helping Dad with his stuff takes it out of me and a lot out of my day so I guess I can have a day when I catch up. I feel so stink about the pool and my attitude about the pool, I have just had 4 slices of toast with butter and honey and now wrecked my programme for the weekend. But then again out of 21 meals one has in a week, this can be the one odd meal for the week, so I shouldn't feel too bad. Since I started this weight loss since Levin earlier this month this would be the first "digression" . In that case make time for a brisk walk later today if you feel that guilty Carol.
Mind you last week I went to the pool later in the day and that was quite nice, esp as they had things out for the kids and it was great watching them having fun.
For the Rest of the Week I will do
Sunday 5 kms walk as per the 1/2 marathon training programme
Monday swim
Tuesday 4 kms walk that will be 2 x 2km walk in the park
Wednesday swim
Thursday 4 kms walk like Tuesday
Friday swim
Saturday 6 km walk
And if I stick to SMD lifestyle food plan I should have a good week.
and I also have to remember my family it supporting me, as they tell me how impressed they are and good on me for doing this especially for myself and no one else.
ok back to the house work and sewing

Walking makes life easier

Well not while you are walking and swimming. Yesterday I did both, 3kms walk and at least 20 mins aqua jogging and then 6 lengths of trying to do breaststroke in the pool. What amazes me still that I think: oh well that is all my energy used up for the day but in actual fact it is the opposite. It is like I make more energy and life is much easier.
This morning I will only do the 3km walk as I have appt with the optician and then the lawyers for Dad's stuff in the afternoon. Some where in between I need to get into the garden to clear the weeds and plant more seedlings. There is also a pile of mending for me to do and if the weather does break [it has been lovely and fine for the past few days] I can do that then.
ok that is all for now


just come home from the walk and one thing i have to work on is finding the loo stops!!!! mmmmmmm

Sorting Out.

Still trying to work out this blog = one day I will get there
Yesterday I tried to get to the pool to have a swim but Dad took longer than I realised and ended up helping Mum doing some pruning in her garden.
So even though it is still early in the morning I can start afresh and do the 3km walk today. Tomorrow I can just swim and Friday I will do the other 3km walk. Using Map my walk to sort out distances. Some of my walks I will just do twice or three times or what ever.

Updating

i tried yesterday to update but somehow it did not save. oh well i can do it now.

A rest day

rest day and it was great. had to go to course and then to Dad's.
I really have felt that I had done too much over the past two days but this evening after resting I feel really good. Am ready to do the next level of more work, i can see now that one level is easy when it is achieved and the next level is enticing.

Was looking for this entry not realising it had been saved as a draft as opposed to an entry

a test for me

it is raining at the moment and that will test me as i hate going out in the rain because i wear glasses and the rain on them is irritating. but with the rain it will be warmer. will wait until it is light before going out. it is 6 am and still dark. if it is too wet i will go for a swim instead so either way i will get wet. will try to do a bit more housework today = need to have a good tidy up.

weight and patchwork

the two topics i want to blog about.
the pool doesn't open until 9 am so have a bit of time to wait = and I have to wake W.
the patchwork i have done is finish all the blocks of the Majestic Mountains - just have to decide what I want to do with them. Make them into a top for community quilts or make a quilt for me.
read an article yesterday that push ups and sit ups are not done as exercise is concentrated on the heart and fitness side of things but strength is losing out. As I will be more on my own as the family grows up I will have private time space to do exercise in the house. Only a few at a time but I have all day to do lots of little bits.
might think about doing this = incorporate into my new lifestyle

later in the day
didn't make it to the pool, sat watching tv and surfing the net. a real blobbed out day and now i am feeling it. tomorrow i will have to get back on track, going to clean Dad's place and do some more in the garden

early morning

I went to bed early last night as I had a real lazy day and now I am wide awake. Have been watching TV about the earthquake and cyclone. Very sad.
Getting up early is normal for me but sometimes I wish it was not so early. lol. With the laptop having wireless now I can move around the house easier and watch TV at the same time. I have sewing I could do, but that is work and I am not in the mood for that just yet.
Getting back to my weight issues I guess I should have a food diary also. I am trying to follow the SMD but it is the sweet after dinner that I crave. I have worked out the 4pm issue. Start eating some of the dinner vege ie carrot/celery [which I will never take as a snack - that is an awful interpretation, but as a vege or part of dinner that I can do.] It is this early morning that I like milky coffee which I know is not in the "diet" but for me is a lifestyle thing.

I have worked out I have to change to this new lifestyle = i can never go back to my old life. This is one of the issues that stop me from growing forward. I really have to accept this new change even knowing that Mum and Sis do not really know what I am going through. They haven't lost a spouse yet. It is realising I am doing this for me and no-one else - I do not have my support partner-. It is still this selfish feeling and the taking time away from other ppl that I still feel guilty about. It is the finding the blocks of time where I am free and not needed that makes it easy to go to the pool and spend time there knowing I do not have to rush back to the boys. This makes it easier to focus on what I am doing and I guess - looking to the future - I will be able to do more. I would like to get back to a gym with the weights but I want to lose some of this fat and change my body shape before I go. I am uncomfortable with the shape I do have. I don't feel happy with it. I am getting more truthful about how things are really like.
as this is another day I should have a plan for today = ring for appt for bank, check on phone for Dad, sewing, start mending, pick up fruit from under tree, Get outside even if it is cold.
I hate the cold. I am not a winter person and soon it will be winter and I have 3 months to get through. what is worse I will have to watch the heating as I will not have the $$$ to have the full heating that I would like to have.

I intend to win against the weight

i guess one comes to a time in their life and they say enough is enough. mine is with my weight.
i am overweight and not fit. i have to change and i need a place to be accountable.
i have started to go to the pool every day the pool is free and has warm water, i am not going to school this term so i want to use this time to get started on this new adventure.

quilting next year

today i made my booking for quilt symposium 2009 for Wellington. I hope the hotel has the room as i would like to stay at that hotel. 135 for 7 days works out to $945.oo and that should include brekkie. I want to take the car so might have to book another place there and back, [might go via napier] but i what i really want is to be at my goal weight. that is 60 kilos. i am at 95 at the moment. reading another blog on how the person is doing it and seeing the results already i feel i can do it.

snowball's second one

didn't even remember i had this, was looking at someone else's blog and i clicked on the sign in button. must keep a record of what i am doing where