NEXT GOAL IN SIGHT

 I have my next Weight Goal in sight!

I just need to lose 4.2 kilos and I will be the lowest I've been in 13 years. 

THIRTEEN YEARS!

When I hit that magic number (not telling)... I am going to be so, so happy!

ABOVE:  Two months of mucking around... OVER.

I'm more determined than ever to get to my next goal now.  

Today I will be in the sewing room, working on those Fish Cushions.  They are bugging me now.  I hate having 'orders' hanging over my head.  And these cushion covers have been on the order list for a while now.

9.36 am:  Whelp, no sleep in for me, or rather, lie in.

ABOVE:  Two boys here today with sore throats.  Well... 100%  sure Archer has a nasty cold.  Dante?  Not so much.

But, if you take them to school and they say they have a sore throat, they are sent home.  Can't win.

Thanks COVID.

So, I'm sitting in the family room stitching tops to bottoms of Glasses Cases.   And I mentioned to Bex how hard I find it to pull the needle through the fabric while using a thicker thread.  And she suggested using these:

ABOVE:  Pliers!  OMG that works.  Though I might buy myself a pair of cute little ones, just for stitching with.  Those two are big and clunky.

I have finished 6 cases, only two to go then I will go into the sewing room.

ABOVE:  Step one done.  Get the fabric ready for quilting.  

After that will be making and arranging the fish.

I'm now looking at the clock, thinking it's probably lunchtime and I should go and check on the boys.

I've only been in the sewing room for about an hour.  Long enough for now.

Well, the boys were just fine.  Happily playing on their Chrome Books, and with the dogs.

I just had an open wrap.  So yummy.  And filling.

Having it 'open' means you can load it up with lots of free salad type veges.  I also had one chicken schnitzel and two eggs again.  All up 11 points, which isn't even half my daily allocation.

Not that I'm following that too seriously.  But tracking the points values means I can keep an eye on portions, and healthier options.

Tracking also means you don't 'forget' what you've eaten, and you know that you can have that nice hot, sweet drink at bedtime.  😊😋  And by 'sweet',  I mean I use EQUAL not sugar.

Bex will be here to pick up the boys soon.  Once she's left I'm going to the Chemist Warehouse to get some more eye liner.  I ran out last night.  

I might also have a quick walk around the Base, for exercise.

My afternoon was lovely.  I went to The Base and got my eyeliner, then had a quick walk around the perimeter of the shopping centre, before coming home.

I then had a nana nap! 

I have not been sleeping that well, cold/hot, cold/hot.  Bloody menopause is dragging on, and on, and on.  18 years for me now.  I shall probably go to my grave having a bloody hot flush!

I made Stew a lovely open wrap for his dinner, he LOVED it.  They really are a wonderful option.

Now.  It's gone damn cold again, so all wrapped up, feet up, watching TV while knitting some more tops for cases.

Catch ya tomorrow.

FISH CUSHIONS

 I have nothing 'pressing' on my agenda right now, so I think it's time I made the two fish cushions for my cousin Deb.

I've been putting it off, I don't know why.

So that's what I am going to work on today, and the next couple of days no doubt.

Stew is back at work today, so it's back to normal here.  Today is WW's, so hopefully I get a loss at weigh in.  I've been trying much harder this week to make better choices, and TRACK.

Maybe that change will do the trick?

I bloody hope so, I'm totally over the stagnation.

One of my Facebook friends suggested I do a Chicken Runner next.  So I've been looking a chicken pictures ... I reckon it would be another fun one to do.  So yeah, might do that after the fish cushions.

But for now... I will just stay here in bed a bit longer.

8.10 am:  And unexpectedly, I have Archer till lunchtime.  He's got a sore throat and can't go to school.  So Grandma has him while Bex works.

Which is fine, cos I'm home all day anyway.

Last night I was looking at the shoes I was wearing, I'm thrashing them because they are just so comfortable.

And I remembered some soft boots I have, but haven't worn in years because my calves were too big for them.

Hmmmm... wonder if they would fit me now?

So I got them out of my dressing room and tried them on.

ABOVE:  OMG! They fit again.  I'm so happy. They are not even tight. These boots are the most comfortable things to wear.  I just have to make sure Lacy doesn't nick them.  Purple is HER colour.  No way is she getting them.

In fact, I think I have about three more pairs of boots I should be trying on again.   It's boot season after all.

All my boots fit me.  Though it was only the purple ones that didn't to be fair.  I had just 'forgotten' about them, being far to used to living in freakin' sneakers.

ABOVE:  Because this little man is here, I've not been into the sewing room yet.  Plenty of time for that after he leaves.   Though, he's in 7th heaven, with the girls and his Chrome Book (kiddie Computer).  The girls just love having Archer here.  Marley is tuckered out from playing 'fetch the ball' with him.  😊😏

I have finished knitting all the tops for my current Cases.  Now I just need to stitch them on the bottoms.  There's 8 of them left to do, so might take me a couple of days, only doing them in the evenings.

I don't work in my sewing room in the evenings, I like to be in the house with Stewie.

Stew and I have decided to go out for an Indian dinner after I've been to Weight Watchers.  Kinda like a 'reward' for working hard at our diets this week.

Stew was starting to 'graze' at night again.  He'd get home from work, have a small dinner, then some fruit.  Then some nuts.  Then a piece of cheese, and so on.  I pointed it out to him and he has stopped doing that again.

So when he weighs himself next Saturday morning, he should have a loss again.  

He's doing so well, having lost something like 15 kilos, if not a bit more.

So very similar to my loss to date.

I LOST .900 grams.  Almost a kilo.  I'm happy with that.  I've now lost 17.1 kilos this time around, and I didn't even start back at Weight Watchers at my highest weight (in the past 4 years).  If that was the case, I'd have lost 23 kilos.

Now... I'm going to have a lovely Indian meal, then be good the rest of the week.

ABOVE:  Our dinner was amazing, as per usual.  We shared a Non-Vegetarian Platter then I ordered Butter Chicken and Stew ordered Chicken Tikka Masala.

90% of my Butter Chicken came home in a 'doggy bag'... cos I simply could not fit it in!

My ability to eat copious amounts is GONE.

And there is nothing wrong with that.

Now.... relax and watch telly.  Blankie on.  Feet up.  Might even get a hot water bottle too.

Catch ya tomorrow.

IT'S MY FAVOURITE DAY

 Yaaa. It's Monday.  My favourite day of the week.

It's also my most productive day... when I do the bulk of the housework.  So why the hell do I like Mondays?  

It's crazy really.  I should hate it.  But I don't.

Maybe it's because for many, many years it was the day the kids went back to school?  lol

Who knows.  WHAT is YOUR favourite day of the week, and WHY?

Now, I have a photo of Sharon and me from last night:

ABOVE:  Sharon and I.... I love this girl.  She's such a kind hearted woman.  I think I've known her for as long as I've been blogging!   

ABOVE:  Our Marley usually barks at 'strangers', and then ignores them while they are here.

Not with Sharon.  Marley sat right beside her, on her feet even, the whole time she was here.  She just loved her.  So, so weird.  But lovely.

We have NEVER seen Marley be like that with anyone else, outside the family. 

Once I've done all my housework, I will get into the sewing room and work on this:

ABOVE:  My Duck Duck Goose Runner.  I can start the stitching today.  And as you all know, that is what 'makes' it come alive.

I am really looking forward to seeing this one finished.  

I reckon it's gunna be rather fun, and cute.

11.58 am:   Ha ha!  I totally forgot that Stew would be home today.  He took today off as he still has so many holidays left to use.  So, we decided to go to ... the bloody supermarket!

Yep.

The weather is rotten, so we decided to just stay home and enjoy being at home.

I wanted to find more crackers with LOW POINTS, but seriously, there's bugger all out there low in 'points, aka calories'.

So I'll stick to the few I already have.

We did find these:

ABOVE:  Low carb wraps.  Three points, so not a bad option at all.

ABOVE:  Our lunch today consisted of:

1 wrap = 3 points

1 Pork 'n' Apple Schnitzel = 5 points

Basis Pesto = half a point

Lettuce, onion, tomato = 0 points

2 Eggs (supposed to be 0 points), but I give them 1 point each.

So our 'wrap' was a full meal of 10.5 points.

That's really good. 

AND it was delicious.

Tonight I will be having some crackers/tomato/pesto.

The Basil Pesto is fantastic at adding flavour without huge calories/points.

It's now time to head off into the sewing room and start on the latest runner.

Stew is going to watch a movie or two this afternoon, and just enjoy his down time.

ABOVE:  2.20 pm...  Progress.  I'll be working on this for a bit longer yet.

ABOVE:  Well?  What do we think of 'Duck Duck  ...  Goose'?

6.50 pm:   Grrrr.   Got a nasty headache.  I've taken panadol to no avail.  I tried taking a nap, cos that sometimes works.

But no.

It's a doozy.

So I'm going to sign off for the day and try and get rid of it by taking more pills.  In two hours.

Catch ya tomorrow.

FROM...

FAMILY... AND A MARKET

 Today we have Lacy and Keera visiting all day.  That should be lovely.

It's always so neat to see them.

Bex is doing a Market today, so Stew and I plan on checking it out.

ABOVE:  It's a one off market, and one I could have had a stall at.  But we needed a break from markets, so gave it a miss.

Hopefully Bex does well.

It will be nice to attend a market as an attendee, not a stall holder.

I got my Ducks and Geese patterns made late yesterday, so I might make a start on that runner today.

Last night I did knit another top for the Glasses cases.  It's not the knitting that is causing my right hand to cramp up like I thought.  It's the hand stitching when I'm attaching the tops to the bottoms.  That kills me hand!  So that is what I need to take a break from, for a few days at least.

ABOVE: This is the area that got changed when I moved one section of the lounge suite out of here.  I know you probably can't tell the difference, but we can.  It has opened up that area considerably.  I love it.  I can see me sitting in me Dad's chair, feet up, enjoying that room and it's warmth over winter.  The ottoman will become my coffee table.  Handy dandy.

And on that happy note, I'm off to start my day.

I will get quite a bit done before Stew and I head off to that market.

Stew has an ikkky job this morning...

ABOVE: our kitchen sinks are blocked. Stew thinks its a blockage in the insinkerator pipe.  So he's gunna have a go at fixing it this morning. 

Something tells me we are gunna need lots of towels. And a hose to syphone off that water.

ABOVE:  8.55 am. Still in bed. Oodie on cos its FREEZING. Might get up soon. 

OR NOT.

Waiting for cuddles in bed with Miss Muppet. Yeah. 

ABOVE: And just like that... I have company.

OMG... the smell emanating from our kitchen!   Its DISGUSTING.  I'm hiding out in me sewing room till its done and aired out. That insinkerator is to blame according to Stew.

12.21 pm:  And he fixed it!  Well done darling.

He's sprayed sanitiser/air freshner around, so it's not too bad in the house now.

ABOVE: Trying to get a decent photo of that girl!  She's like Dante, pulls silly faces so ya have to make her laugh.

Lacy got a good one at the park:

ABOVE:  Very cute photo of mother and daughter.

We are heading off to the market very soon... hopefully there's a few stalls worth seeing.  We might even find a new heart for the wall.

I have made a very good start on the Duck Runner this morning.  I can actually start stitching it tomorrow.

We just got home from the market.  It was one of the saddest markets we have ever been to.

There were more people involved in the market there,  than visitors to it.  Very sad.

And it's a freezing cold day, so I wouldn't have gone to it expect to support Bex.

A dear friend from Auckland (Tracy),  came down for a day trip.  She visited Bex too.  And I am expecting her to call in on her way home again.

I can't wait to see her, it's been a long time since I saw her.

AND today must be the day for it... I'm also expecting my friend Sharon, from Taupo, later on today too.  She's meeting up with her son for some shopping, so is visiting us later while she's in town.

What a lovely turn of events.  Two dear friends visiting us on the same day.  

ABOVE:  And just like that, they came, we yakked, and they just left.  Such a lovely visit, thanks so much girls.

I hope they have a good drive back to Auckland, it's motorway all the way now, so it's any easy drive.

Not long till Lacy and Keera leave, then we will await Sharon's arrival.

ABOVE:  I forgot Tracy's shoes!  I was rather taken with the bottom of them. ... how cool are they?  I am now going to be looking for some for myself.  Of course.  Totally funky sneakers.

My friend Sharon arrived not long after Tracy and her daughter 'S' left, and she stayed and yakked up a storm for a few hours.  Wonderful to see her too.

I'll post the obligatory photo of her and me tomorrow... cos I can.

For now, I'm freezing again, and am in me thermals and Oodie, and am going to just sit and watch TV till bedtime.  It's been a really lovely day.

Catch ya tomorrow.

FROM...

WE HAVE NO PLANS

 We have no plans for today.

Which is nice in a way.  We have done quite a few markets of late, so not having any for a few weeks is neat.

We can sleep in today.  I will really enjoy that.  Though to be honest, I could sleep in every day if I wanted to.

Last night I did some doodling.  We  had a white metal heart on our bedroom wall.  Our walls are white, so it really didn't stand out at all.

So I doctored it.

ABOVE: That should make it stand out!   I was tempted to put more colour on the very outside edge, but then I thought "less is more", so left it.

ABOVE:  I'm chuffed with how many Glasses Cases/Coin Purses I have finished.  No pressure to make more right now.

There's about 10 more to put the knitted tops on, but they can wait a few days.  My friggin fingers need a break.

(I have put a piece of cardboard inside each case so it stands up nicely, in case you are wondering what's popping out the top of some of them.)

ABOVE: This is the funky notebook I got yesterday to track my food in.  It's got a holographic effect.  

I was rather surprised at how many there were to choose from!  I looked at AT LEAST 40 at The Stationery Warehouse.

And then almost that many at TYPO.   Are notebooks that popular then?  Must be.  😃😂😅

Stew will do his little weekend grocery grab a bit later on.  While he's doing that, I might make a preliminary start on my Duck Runner.

Which just means drawing the ducks and goose so I've got a pattern.

And thinking about placement, and what else I will put on the runner.  It's always fun working on something new.

1.04 pm:  Stew and I went to town this morning.

We did a big wander around all the gift shops, looking for hearts.  We did not see any that we liked.

It would be nice to have a few in different colours/styles, but yeah nah.  Will have to wait till the next market, there's always someone selling some there.

ABOVE: We did find these things.  Pink thingees for the flower arrangement on the dining table.  Two shell tassels, no idea where they will go and yep... another melamine tray.  LOVE IT.

Now... home and about to have lunch with Steve, Bex and the boys.

ABOVE:  For you Kate:  The heart wall.  A work in progress.

We had a lovely lunch with the kids, then we spent some time enjoying their company.

ABOVE:  Stew and Steve moved this section of the sun room lounge suite into the garage, to be taken by Brylee sometime soon.

I've changed a couple of things in the sun room, so I could get my Dad's lounge chair in there instead of that big piece.

It can get so very nice and warm in the sun room, even in winter, so I wanted to sit in there with me feet up on me Dad's chair.

Sorted.

ABOVE: These two working together to detangle a skein of wool for me.  If left up to me, I'd have chopped it up with scissors and then thrown it in the bin in a fit of rage!

I don't handle tangles too well.  Just as Stew. 😅😆😂

I am now sitting watching tv and knitting.  Though I will have to stop knitting soon as my right hand keeps cramping up!  It need a break obviously.

Time to sign off.  It's been far too quiet on here today.  Makes me wonder if this blog should retire.  It's fairly bloody boring for anyone but family to read I think.

FROM...

FEAST... OR... FAMINE

 I'm struggling.

Maintaining momentum, motivation and just the desire to continue with this.

DIETING.

I've been on a diet, or yo-yoing 'on a diet' for over two thirds OF MY LIFE.

When, WHEN... do I say enough?

OR,  when do I say, OK... it's worth it to keep fighting the battle?

With me, it's either:

A FEAST, 

OR...

A FAMINE.

I struggle to maintain a healthy balance.  

I am literally worn out with thinking about goddam food and exercise THE MINUTE I WAKE UP, until the MINUTE I FALL ASLEEP at night.

It dominates my life.

That is something I've tried not to do these past few months.  But it still happened.

And I've stagnated in my weight loss the last couple of months.  Up and down, up and down.

So yesterday afternoon I decided to do this:

ABOVE: Barricade the kitchen.  And have a visual reminder why I want to keep on this path.

Even though it does my bloody head in.

Even though it DOES dominate my thoughts.

What if I actually succeed and get to my goals, and can stay there this time?

How amazing will I feel?

THAT is why I am going to try with the visual reminder.  The barricade!  The FUCKING CONES even!

Today, as far as I know,  Lacy is coming over to clean some windows for me.  Let's see if that happens shall we?

I will continue with the Glasses cases and Coin Purses.  AND I might even make a start on a Duck Runner too.

I have decided to go to the  Midday Weight Watchers meeting today.  I want to clarify a couple of things with the WW Leader, and just bolster my resolve to continue doing this.

AND I'm going to start TRACKING what goes in my gob ... so I know exactly how much I am eating, and try to keep within my 'DAILY ALLOWANCE'.  

Bloody hell, I might even end up following the goddam programme.

Anything that will help me move past this 'stagnation' is worth it.

2 pm:  Well I went out this morning and bought a lovely notebook to track my food in.  Then I went to the WW meeting.  It went well, I enjoy the Friday meeting.  

I talked to the WW leader about how to correctly red the barcode information when scanning foods.

ABOVE:  Lacy gets to take these crackers home, as they are way too high in calories/points.

Some are down right super high!

ABOVE:  Talking of Lacy, there she is, huffing and puffing, cleaning the sun room's windows for me.

Excellent.  I did warn her that there were A LOT of windows in there. 😂😅😉

She is getting grossed out by the number of dead flies/bugs there are in the bottom grooves.  Ha ha, rather you than me Lacy.

I am now stitching tops to bottoms (Glasses Cases), and will be for the next couple of hours.

8.30 pm:  Lacy did a good job of my windows, and then she vacuumed the house as well!  Such a good couple of jobs done.

Stew got home from work and since then we've had a nice quiet evening.

I took a complete break from knitting/sewing this afternoon/evening.  

I did a little doodling instead.  I'll show ya what I did, tomorrow.

For now, it's relax, watch telly, keep warm and look forward to bedtime.

Catch ya tomorrow.  

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