Questions you should ask.

When you visit your doctor, do you sit and wait for him/her to ask you a barrage of questions?

Or do you do all the asking?

Do you write down questions before your visit, so that you don't forget anything?

Or do you have complete faith in the fact that your doctor knows exactly what he is doing and will indeed do the right thing by you?

Considering that your doctor sees approximately 40 patients each day, for a maximum of 15 minutes (I'm being generous) each, and considering that he has approximately 500 patients on his books (am I being conservative?) - do you really believe that he can know your body well enough to make an informed, educated decision about what you really need?
These are the sorts of questions that you should ask your doctor:

• "When was the last time that you refreshed your skills?"  Doctors who graduated more than 20 yrs ago are 48% less likely to stay up-to-date on developments and are equally unaware of current treatment guidelines.  They will continue to prescribe medication that has been proven ineffective or dangerous.
• "What is that?"  Poor handwriting is responsible for 61% of medication errors and more than a million patient injuries each year.  If you can't read the prescription, chances are the pharmacist can't either.
• "Do I really need this test?"  Doctors often adhere to the 'better safe than sorry' philosophy and order tests to protect themselves in case of law suits.  Harvard researchers found that 16% of all prostate cancer screenings are unnecessary.  80% of PSA are false positives and thousands of men undergo needless biopsies each year.  Also, British researchers say that the radiation from CT scans causes an estimated 5695 cases of cancer each year.
• "What is the name of this drug and how will this drug help me?" 
• "How long before I should expect to see results?"
• "What are the primary short term side effects?"
• "Does it have any long term side effects?"
• "Do you monitor this medication?  Are there any specific tests that you run to help monitor it?"
• "How will I know when to either stop taking this medication or change the dose?"
• "Why have you chosen this particular medication over others?"

They're just a few questions to ask.  You can bet your bottom dollar that the doctor won't know the answer to some of those questions and will have to check his computer screen a number of times.

Recently, a friend of mine discovered that he was given a dangerous medication for his condition, and was rushed to hospital in the middle of the night, because his Dr had forgotten that he was treating him for a specific cancer and gave him something that reacted badly with his cancer medication.

It's up to you to take control of your own health.  Ask the right questions and try to educate yourself about your condition.

There is so much information on line and if you're not sure if you can trust that information, then write it down and ask your doctor or a nutritionist or naturopathic practitioner.  Trust your instincts.

*If you type into google 'medicines safety update Australia' it gives you pages and pages of information about all the different drugs and their updates.*

For example - a common diabetic drug has been linked to heart failure, oedema and bladder cancer.  This information is not provided to you, but is provided to your doctor, who has been advised to 'administer with care'.

And this shows how much more dangerous paracetamol is and the warnings that had to be corrected on their labels.

Proton Pump Inhibitors, which are taken for GERD and stomach ulcers, are one of the most widely used classes of drugs in Australia.  130 million prescriptions have been issued since 1992, yet these drugs reduce bone density and patients are experiencing fractures in the spine, wrists, ankles and hips.  They also cause chronic magnesium deficiencies (which explains reduced bone density).  PPIs are only supposed to be taken for a period of weeks, yet Drs are not monitoring and most people are on them for 6 months to a year, before Drs take any action, if at all.

You know that I could go on and on, but I think you get the drift.

Something else that you should consider is that when a generic brand is available for your issued prescription, generics do not have to be tested for safety.  Once a drug has been passed by the Australian authority, any changes to that drug and any generic brands that are produced, flow straight to the consumer without the requirements of testing.  (I know right?  Who knew?)

Generic brands may also have different information about side effects on their information sheet.

You can read all about it here.  In particular, the last paragraph under the section 'prescription drug regulation'.

To finish on a lighter note, a photo from my favourite cactus plant which burst into flower after the recent rains ..

.. and something for a giggle ..

Nite all.

Gut Feeling.

Do you eat well and take good care of yourself, but you still struggle with weight gain, sluggishness and various unexplained health issues?

It all has to do with the types of bacteria in your gut.

Most people think of bacteria as dirty or dangerous to your health, and bad bugs can actually make us sick, however, it's vitally important that we carry good bacteria in our gut to maintain good health and to heal us from illness and disease.

There is strong research suggesting that the gut is the key curing most illnesses and diseases, including mental illnesses and autoimmune diseases.

Humans harbour over 100 trillion bacteria, in and on, our body.  We contain ten times more bacteria than we have human cells!

Most of this bacteria lives in our gut.  Your gut is one of the most complex eco systems on the planet and if you don't look after it, you risk harming the health of your entire body.

Our digestive tract houses both good and bad bacteria, and in a healthy gut, the bad bacteria are limited and well controlled by the good bacteria.  If the good bacteria are weakened, the bad bacteria take control and your health is compromised.

What kinds of things lead to bad bacteria taking control?

• Sugar: It promotes the growth of bad bacteria in the gut and therefore hampers the good bacteria. Diets high in sugar, refined carbohydrates and processed foods basically provide an all-you-can-eat buffet for the bad bacteria to thrive. 
• Antibiotics: They are prescribed to kill bacteria but unfortunately they kill the good AND the bad guys. When the good bacteria die off,  bad bacteria take off, and can outnumber the good in no time. While antibiotics can be lifesaving, we need to be much more prudent in our use of them, in both medicine and agriculture.
• Stress: Stress can also greatly impact our gut bacteria. 
• Obsession with cleanliness: Our overenthusiastic use of antibacterial soaps, lotions, wipes and sprays weakens our good bacteria.

The good news is that there are simple steps that you can take that can help create a healthier balance of bacteria in your gut and improve your overall health.

Some simple things to help correct your gut.  

• Cut out sugar, refined carbohydrates and processed foods: This should be your number one priority because the gut can't restore itself while you continue to eat these highly inflammatory foods.
• Introduce fermented foods to your diet. Fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi and kefir are rich in beneficial probiotic bacteria so they help inoculate the gut with more good bugs.  This is a great place to find information about making your own fermented food.
• Eat plenty of prebiotic foods (i.e. foods rich in soluble fibre): Prebiotic foods are like fertiliser for the good bacteria in your gut. Sweet potato, raw onions, garlic, asparagus, Brussels sprouts and avocado are some of the best prebiotic foods to add to your diet.  Raw, unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar (like Braggs) is also fantastic.

So that's my advice on the subject.  Take it or leave it.

While BGWLBH and I were on our road trip in January, we stopped at a lookout at Wollomombi, east of Armidale, which overlooked the Wollomombi Gorge.

It was a massive gorge - not as massive as the Grand Canyon of course - but while we were standing there, on the lookout, a Wedge Tailed Eagle loomed from below us!  It just appeared from nowhere and there I was with my camera, panicking and shaking and trying to aim and focus and fire in the ten seconds that the beautiful raptor was in my line of sight.

I missed my opportunity.  I could have kicked myself because I dream of the perfect Wedge Tailed Eagle shot.

You can see by this shot, that he was very very close and if I had been on the ball, the perfect shot was to be had. *sigh*

Ah well ... next time.

Nite all.

Dog of a NIght

Yesterday, while working in the kitchen, one of my dogs (Colli - a Shihtzu/Maltese), shrieked as she walked out of the kitchen.

I wondered if I had inadvertently stepped on her tail or something, so I gave her a pat and thought nothing more of it.

Later that evening before we went to bed, she gave another shriek, so I checked her feet and all over her body to see if she might have a thorn or prickle embedded somewhere, but I couldn't find anything.

I put her to bed (she sleeps in the laundry) at around midnight and went to bed myself.

I couldn't settle at all and even got out of bed at 2am to have a shower, hoping that would relax me into sleep.

At about 3.30am, just as I was dozing off for the first time, we woke to the sound of her shrieking.

At first I thought it was OB (the lorikeet) because she shrieks like that all the time!

But then I heard Adoring Husband's very distressed voice calling my name, so out of bed I climbed, and found Colli cowering on the floor with her back hunched and looking very unhappy indeed.

Once again, I felt all over her body and checked her feet.  Her tummy wasn't distended and she didn't flinch when I squeezed any part of her body.  I had no clue.

Meanwhile, AH was searching online, for 'all night' vets.

I decided to bring her into our bed for the rest of the night and then we would take her to the vets first thing in the morning.

She found a comfy spot snuggling into me and fell asleep for about 30 minutes before she squirmed and whined and then found a more comfortable position.  This went on all night, until I fell asleep just after 6am.

As I tried to move into a more comfortable position, a bit over an hour later, she woke with more shrieking.  Sigh.

So, much to AH's horror, I began to fill the laundry tub to give her a bath.  I thought that if I could wet her fur down, I could feel her skin much better and I might find the problem.

Then I went back into the bedroom to get her and found her frantically licking one of her feet.  I checked to discover that the dewclaw on her right front foot had grown into a complete circle and had pierced her leg!

So I took her into the laundry and performed some delicate surgery to cut and remove the offending claw, gave her a bath, clipped her claws and gave her a bit of a hair cut .. moments later she was running around the backyard having a wonderful time!

What an ordeal!  Poor Adoring Husband came close to having a nervous breakdown!  He's not good with situations that he can't control and is especially fragile when it comes to his canine babies.

Here she is catching up on some much needed sleep ...

So I'm issuing AH an invoice for services rendered, with a family discount of course!!  I think $240 should cover it + a bit extra for the fuel that I saved him!  Maybe I should add a bit more, for the fact that he didn't have to miss out on his morning at the SES shed!

All's well that ends well.

Nite all.

Kitchen Success!

I woke with much more energy and motivation this morning!

We had a Sunday morning sleep in until about 8.30am - which is very unusual for both of us.

I spent the entire day in the kitchen and made:

• Seedy Bread
• Tangy Mayonnaise
• Key Lime Pie
• Four Cheese Spinach Tart
• Moroccan Lamb and Rice
• Nut Seed Spheres
• Coconuted Cream

I did stop for lunch, which was a slice of spinach tart, with fresh prawns and some of my mayo with lime zest.

Delicious.

Tomorrow, if I have the same level of energy and motivation, I want to make some feta cheese and some Greek yoghurt.  I definitely need to make something chocolatey too.  Oh and some ice cream!

It's well after midnight.  I need sleep.

Nite all.

Lazy Day

I woke up this morning to find that it was raining and the temperature had dropped by ten degrees.

What a relief.

I opened the bedroom windows so that I could lay in bed and listen to it.  It had that lovely fresh rain smell.

When I finally ventured out of bed, I felt decidedly lethargic.

I cooked up a big breakfast of bacon, eggs and tomato, hoping to find some energy to cook in the kitchen, but alas it didn't happen, so I spent the day on the couch, watching dvds and dozing on and off.

I've just been playing with some old photos ...

Now I'm watching the end of an old movie made in 1932 - Grand Hotel.

Tomorrow I hope to have regained my energy, because I have big plans for the kitchen!

Nite all.

Kitchen Joy

I think I mentioned a while back, that I had bought Monica Topliss's Cookbook.

Well, I tried another of her recipes today.  The Four Cheese Spinach Tart ...

Absolutely delicious!  Gluten and sugar free.

I'm trying not to eat it all before Adoring Husband returns from The Bay!

Chilli Lime turkey mince with coriander, garden salad and the four cheese spinach tart for dinner.  Delicious!

Bed time for me!

Nite all.

A Step Closer

I am in the middle of watching some videos of lectures, made by the Institute that runs the nutrition course that I've been looking at.

Those videos are fast convincing me to follow through and enrol for the February intake.

In the two hours that I've watched so far, they seem to be teaching along the lines of my food and nutritional beliefs, while providing even more compelling facts and data to support those beliefs.

It's kind of building my enthusiasm and motivation and I can feel some excitement stirring within!

So tonight, because my attention has been elsewhere,  I am sharing some quotes that touched me during the week.

I hope to spend the day in the kitchen tomorrow and I'm looking forward to catching up with the girls tomorrow night at the club.

In the meantime .. I need sleep!

Nite all.

Pinteresting Addiction

Pinterest is like having your very own online scrap book .. or multiple scrap books .. one each for everything that you're interested in .. recipes, home decor, fashion, quotes, crafts, hairstyles, jewellery, movies, photos, party ideas, cake decorating etc.

The fun part is searching other people's Pinterest pages and finding new recipes and new ideas for all sorts of things.

I've had a Pinterest page for some time, but for the most part, I've avoided it, because it's very addictive and time just seems to fly by until half the day is wasted!

However, just lately, I've been trolling through hundreds of recipe ideas (and I'm willing to bet that there are tens of thousands of recipes) and saving them to my Pinterest recipe board.

Each food photo is a link to it's recipe.

I've already lost count of the number of hours that I've lost in Pinterest since last Saturday and I have so many recipes that I want to try, that I just don't know where to start!

On that note, I'm leaving you with a photo of my lovely little Chicklet, taken on her birthday, and I'm off to Pinterest again to search for more food ideas!

Nite all.

 

Back to a Routine.

I was so looking forward to sleeping in my own bed last night, but alas, sleep eluded me til the early hours of the morning.

We have builders next door (right beside our bedroom), who start work at 6.30am, so I woke to the sound of hammers banging loudly.  *sigh*

It was nice, though, to go for a ride on my trike to The Seat of Knowledge this morning and spend an hour with my boys.

I then went to meet the girls for morning tea, but they didn't turn up (you know who you are!), but that was ok because I've been away and hadn't made any real arrangements to meet them.

I got myself a coffee and sat for half an hour.

A few people stopped for a chat, so it was a pleasant way to spend the morning.

I followed that up with a ride to the lagoon where I met up with three of the locals ...

The rest of the day was pretty lazy.

I spent some time in the kitchen (of course) and some time in my workspace editing a couple of photos.

I had a phone call from AIAS about the Diploma in Medical Nutrition.  I'm strongly considering this study option.  It means a four year commitment to study and the end result will be a qualification as a Nutritionist.  I have ten days to make a decision.

This is the result of a sunset shoot with the Nikonian while I was at the Sunny Coast...

Time to attempt sleep again.

Nite all.

Home again, home again, jiggedy jig!

Home sweet home.

Instead of rising early for a sunrise photo shoot, The Nikonian and I chose (with unspoken words), to have a lazy morning at home.

We kind of had a weekend debriefing session, a bit of brekky and a cuppa.

Her partner arrived home from his weekend at Tuan and not long after that, The Nikonian drove me to the train station.

It was a really hot day with a warm and uncomfortable wind blowing, so it wasn't pleasant on the station platform, but thankfully, I didn't have to wait too long until the lovely air conditioned tilt train arrived and I could escape the heat.

There weren't many on the train, so I had a double seat to myself and directly across the aisle was a lady from my town, so we chatted for the entire trip, which made it go a lot faster.

Adoring Husband was waiting at the station to pick me up and it was great to see his welcoming smiling face.

I unpacked, we grocery shopped, I spent some time in my kitchen concentrating on a good home-cooked hearty meal full of vegetables, a home made buttery gravy and lots of raw onion to help fight off any flu-ey germs that The Nikonian was trying to fight off all weekend.

Now I'm all relaxed, with my feet up, watching My Kitchen Rules and the new series 'Love Child'.

It's good to be home and already, my brain is working over what I'm going to cook in the kitchen this week!

Nite all.

Bellbird Cafe

The Nikonian and I went on a photo shoot with another photographer buddy, Karlbobsky, this morning.

We left at 6am, though we think an earlier start may have produced some successful morning light photos.

Our aim for the day was to spot a Wedge Tailed Eagle.

The first raptor that we spotted, thanks to The Nikonian, was a Spotted Harrier ...

I was farthest away from where the bird was perched on a fence post, so rather than try to get closer and disturb it, I left it to The Nikonian and Karlbobsky, who were much closer and getting some good shots.

I made my way down the road towards a bit of a bridge, where I thought there might be a nice stream, or something of interest.

As I got there, I suddenly heard a commotion behind me, and as I turned to figure out what was going on, in my peripheral sight, I noticed a large bird soaring above me!

It was the Spotted Harrier that the others had been photographing, and the commotion was them, trying to attract my attention, to tell me to 'LOOK UP!'

Just in the nick of time!  This was the only good shot I got.

It was quite a successful day, with a Kingfisher, Grey Heron, King Parrot, some honey eaters. a Bassian Thrush, a Peaceful Dove, a Spangled Drongo and way, way up in the sky was a Wedge Tailed Eagle .. too far away to photograph.

We stopped at the Bellbird Cafe near Kenilworth and had a delicious breakfast and coffee.  The service was very friendly and efficient.  The food was delicious.  The coffee, a bit weak - next time I'll ask for a double shot - and the location was lovely, with a big lily pond which attracted all sorts of different birds.

We spend quite a bit of time there, but the heat beat us in the end.  It kept most birds away and made birdwatching a little uncomfortable.

I'd definitely like to return there in the Spring, when the weather is nicer and the bird life more active.

We were home by lunch time and then enjoyed sharing our photos with each other on facebook.

The Nikonian and I watched a really bad movie this afternoon as we relaxed in the air conditioned comfort of the lounge room.  We don't recommend watching 'American Hustle'.

A nice glass of wine to finish the day off and now an early night.

I'm looking forward to a good night of sleep .. we both drank coffee in the afternoon yesterday, and consequently struggled to get any sound sleep last night, so the combination of lack of sleep and the heat of the day, was quite taxing.

I hope to share more photos from today, during the week.

Time to head home tomorrow.  I'm looking forward to getting back into my kitchen and sleeping in my bed, but most of all to seeing Adoring Husband.  Ten days is too long.

Nite all.

I've got nothin'

The Nikonian and I attended a 33rd birthday party tonight.

We didn't take our cameras.

We didn't drink too much.

The food was divine, although not all GF.

The live music was great, and the star of the show had a lovely night in her beautiful new dress and shiny red shoes.

I think a good time was had by all.

We have an early start tomorrow morning for some bird photography, so I am off to get some sleep.

Fingers crossed we have a successful day with the birds!

Nite all.

Until next time

I'm missing my little Chicklet very much.

It was difficult saying goodbye this morning and then it was difficult talking to The Nikonian about how wonderful Chicklet is.  I don't like the welling of emotions that the conversation triggered!

Not at all.

We'll see each other again soon.

I've had a really lovely day with The Nikonian.  We did some shopping at the Plaza and had a delicious lunch in Cotton Tree and she even dragged me into Bunnings .. of all places!

We tried our luck for a sunset at Sunrise Beach this evening, to no avail, and then also had a failed attempt at steel wool spinning.

We wanted something along the lines of this ...

... but what we got was this ...

and this ...

I can almost hear The Nikonian giggling to herself as she reads this.

We have both made better attempts in the past.

So we came to the conclusion that we need better planning for these outings.

A checklist might be a good idea:

• wearing clothes that are NOT flammable
• wearing a hat to protect our hair
• choosing a still night instead of gale force conditions
• buying the right sized steel wool
• remembering to bring the torch from the car

just to name a few!

It doesn't matter .. for every failed attempt, it makes us better prepared for the next successful attempt.

I'm now 'done' for the day.

Nite all.

Birthday Number Three

It's been a full, happy, and tiring day!

Starting bright and early when the birthday girl climbed out of bed to find her surprise Sea Creature lounge room awaiting her arrival.

She loved all the balloons, and it didn't take long to figure out that it was easier to wade through them, rather than step over them!

Finding all the hidden little sea creatures was definitely a highlight.

Adding to her collection of Octonauts also brought a big smile to her face.

Phone calls from special friends and family was fun too.

The traditional breakfast rainbow platter went down a treat.

Then it was full-on private party time!  Not a 'still' moment to be had.  So much to do.  So much to see.  So many things to play with.  So many new friends to talk to.  Delicious food and cake.

At the end of the day, a relaxing shower and some story time with Bozzy Wozzy, then off to bed.

Another very special birthday done and dusted.  I have loved every minute of this week, even with all of it's ups and downs .. a bit of a roller coaster .. but the love is ALWAYS there.

Oh!  Another highlight of the day was taking possession of a new car!!

Chicklet has named it GUP D (for those of you ignorant of important information - a GUP is what Octonauts use for transportation).

It's now time for me to collapse into a deep sleep.

Nite all.  

Deep Slumber

I slept solidly last night for 8 hours.

It has been about 7 years since I slept for 8 straight hours without waking during the night!  It was amazing!

Today has been a good day.

Tomorrow is Chicklet's third birthday and tonight we spent a couple of hours decorating the living room and stairway.

I blew up 160 balloons .. my mouth tastes very powdery and rubbery!

Here is what Chicklet will see when she wakes up tomorrow morning ...

She is having a Sea Creature party.

There are sea creatures stuck on the walls, hanging from the curtain rod, hanging from the ceiling fan and the rafter, on every step leading to the living room, on some of the balloons, sea creature confetti on the table around her gift bags, tiny sea creatures hiding all over the place for her to find during the day.

She has lots of Octonaut gifts to open, among other things.

I can't wait to see her face tomorrow morning.  She will be so excited!

So I'm off to attempt another 8 hours sleep tonight.  I don't fancy my chances, but I'll let you know.

Nite all.

When it Rains, it Pours.

The Bare-chested Chef and Vegan Chickie have had a rough week.

Things that I can't, (and won't) go into here, have gone from bad to worse and they struggle on valiantly, trying always, to keep a positive outlook and an open mind.

Today has been a particularly bad day.

However, we are all in good health (touch wood), with a roof over our heads and food on the table and love in our hearts.  We soldier on and hope that the bad energy disperses and life gets back on an even keel.

My day with Chicklet has been quite joyous with the continuous reading of a book all about SLIME.

Slime on amphibians, molluscs and fish/eels.  Frogs, toads, snails, slugs, eels, newts, salamanders, worms etc etc.  All of the things that little girls are renowned for loving!

We've kept it a quiet day.

I slept badly last night .. perhaps subconsciously knowing that something was in the air????

So tonight, I will try to make up for last night's 3 and a bit hours sleep, by attempting to sleep earlier.

Nite all.

Just a little hiccup

It all started out so well ... when Chicklet woke from her afternoon nap, she shouted "It's Palmersaur time!!"

We did Underwater World on Saturday and planned Palmersaurus Dinosaur Park today.

Just as we reached Coolum, where the attraction is situated (almost 30 minutes from home), the car told us, in no uncertain terms, to stop!  It had suddenly overheated to 'smelly' stage and it was necessary to turn the engine off completely.

We were in a bad spot, but at least we were able to pull off the road to a 'reasonably' safe position.

The Bare-chested Chef lifted the bonnet and took a look.  He's a great chef :)

After about 10 minutes, when the car still wouldn't start and didn't even sound like it would EVER start again, we decided to make a plan.

Vegan Chickie did a search online for the nearest mechanic or automotive place .. there was one very close!

We got out of the car and walked in the direction of said place.

We found it .. across a very busy road, which was the turnoff from the motorway, where there was also a large and busy roundabout.  So rather than risk our lives attempting to cross the road, BCC phoned them.

They were too short staffed to send someone over to us but gave us a phone number for a tow truck and also suggested that if we waited a while and let the car cool down, it may start again.

So BCC walked back to the car, while VC, C and I sat on a nice shady grassy spot and waited.

Within 10 minutes, BCC appeared, in the car.

We all scrambled into the car and we drove on, towards home.

Within 10 minutes, the car began to heat up again, so we found the nearest, safest spot to stop and played the waiting game again.

The challenge was keeping Chicklet amused.  She was already upset that we couldn't go to the Dinosaur Park and she was itching to get out of the car.  I think VC and I did pretty well to keep her distracted.  It was a recipe for the perfect meltdown, but we managed to avoid it.

Fifteen minutes later, the car decided to start again, so we continued on.

Ten minutes later, another stop.

We finally made it home safe n sound.  Whew.

I guess the Dinosaur Park will have to wait for another day.  At least Chicklet has been there before, so it wasn't a failed first visit and there is hope for future visits!

Our adventures, in the near future, at least, will need to be closer to home.

We were just discussing this afternoon that there had been a few hiccups since my arrival.  Things going wrong, receiving bad news,  scheduling problems, breakages ... things just don't seem to be on an 'even keel' right now.

We may need to do some 'cleansing' of our space!

Here is a pic of Chicklet when we were sitting on our grassy area waiting for BCC to come back with the car.  I think she's a bit excited about what Mama has in her bag for her.

Things look pretty calm hey?

Tomorrow will be a better day.

Nite all.

A Big Day In

What a wonderfully sound sleep I had last night and then woke to the sound of steady rain on the roof.  It was almost 8am when I opened my eyes!

I received a lovely happy greeting from my little Chicklet as I walked down the staircase as well, so it was a perfect start to the day.

The landlord will be doing one of his regular inspections here this Tuesday, so Vegan Chickie, The Bare-chested Chef and I chose which areas of the unit we wanted to clean and rolled up our sleeves for cleaning duty today.

After a few hours of cleaning and then a few hours of heavy duty playing, my joints and muscles are beginning to seize up, so hopefully I can sleep soundly again tonight and allow my poor old body to rejuvenate ready for another big day of Chicklet play tomorrow.

Here's one of the few front view photos I got of Chicklet yesterday .. mostly I got photos of her back as she raced off to see the next sea creature!!

Loving my time with her and the family :)

Nite all.

Bozzy Wozzy Returns

After an uneventful, but less than comfortable journey on the train, I arrived at the Cooroy train station to the beautiful sight and sound of my little Chicklet, with a smile in her voice calling "Bozzy Wozzy!  You're here!  I'm so excited!"

She makes my heart sing!

She knows that there is always a surprise in my suitcase for her, so when we arrived home, we opened the outside zipper to find some "Octonauts", which have taken over from dinosaurs as her favourite toys, at the moment.

We played Octonauts while Mama and Dadoo went shopping and had a peaceful breakfast date together.

After the regulation afternoon nap, we all headed off to 'Underwater World', which has been revamped since I was there last!

It was a great afternoon, until we began to drive home and I realised that I didn't have my camera!!

What a heart stopping moment THAT was! (as I'm sure it is for Adoring Husband as he reads this!)

We did a quick u-turn and headed back to Underwater World, while Vegan Chickie got on the phone to them, so that they could begin the search.

Luckily, it was exactly where I thought it would be.

Earlier in the afternoon, when we had arrived, their official photographer took a photo of the four of us together.  Then, just before the exit, there is a wall showcasing the photos, and a counter area to pay for it.  Well, I had stopped to buy the photo, and had placed my camera on the counter, but forgot to pick it up again, as we left!

Fortunately, the girls had found it and placed it behind the counter.  Whew!

I can't begin to describe that panicked feeling when I realised I'd left it behind.  The adrenalin was pumping, but I felt like my heart had stopped beating.  I couldn't breathe properly, the car couldn't drive fast enough and the my legs couldn't carry me fast enough to that counter.

Oh the relief when the young girl said "Yes" and reached behind the counter to pick it up and hand it to me!  I could have hugged her.  I SHOULD have hugged her!

Here is my little Chicklet after she called "Follow me everyone!"

This was my favourite thing at Underwater World today ...

This is my amazingly talented son-in-law, the Bare-chested Chef, creating a masterpiece...

... and that was my day!

Now I need sleep, so that I can be bright eyed and bushy tailed for Chicklet fun tomorrow!

Nite all.

On the Rebound

There was once a time in my life when sports and fitness were a slight obsession of mine, but these days, I'm not, by any stretch of the imagination, a fitness freak.

I like to ride my trike every day, but I do it with little effort, and only for about 30 minutes most days, 60 minutes sometimes, but it's a very leisurely hour.

I don't care much for walking, unless it's strolling along the the beach or wandering along the river path with my little Chicklet.

The idea of the gym scares the life out of me!

I only run if I am in danger.

I always wanted to try Tai Chi, but it wasn't all it was cracked up to be.

I have owned a rebounder for a few years now and it has spent most of it's time stored in the shed out the back - HOWEVER - it will be making an appearance upon my return from the Sunny Coast next week.

Rebounding:

• provides an increased G-force (gravitational load), which benefits the body by strengthening the musculoskeletal systems.
• benefits lymphatic circulation by stimulating the millions of one-way valves in the lymphatic system. This benefits the body's immune capacity for fighting current disease, destroying cancer cells, eliminating antigens and preventing future illness.
• circulates more oxygen to the tissues.
• increases capacity for respiration.
• strengthens the heart and other muscles in the body so that they work more efficiently.
• lowers circulating cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
• lowers low-density lipoprotein (bad) in the blood and increases high-density lipoprotein (good) holding off the incidence of coronary artery disease.
• promotes tissue repair.
• improves the brain’s responsiveness to the vestibular apparatus within the inner ear, thus improving balance.
• offers relief from neck and back pains, headaches, and other pain caused by lack of exercise. Rebound Exercise has been shown to benefit body alignment and posture.
• enhances digestion and elimination processes.
• allows for deeper and easier relaxation and sleep.
• results in better mental performance, with keener learning processes.
• minimises the number of colds, allergies, digestive disturbances, and abdominal problems.
• tends to slow down atrophy in the ageing process.

These are the three rebounding exercises:

The Health Bounce is gently bouncing up and down on a rebounder without your feet leaving the mat. It is very low impact and very effective at moving your lymphatic system. Most folks can easily do this for an hour or more while watching tv.

The Strength Bounce is jumping as high as you can. It strengthens primary and stabilizer muscles throughout your body, improves your balance, and moves your lymphatic system like nothing else. That’s what you want to work up to.

Aerobic Bouncing is jumping jacks, twisting, running in place, bouncing on one leg at a time, dancing, and any other crazy manoeuvres you can think of. Doing these high intensity aerobic exercises will get your blood pumping and your sweat on.

Do it outside in the sunshine before 10am to get your daily dose of Vitamin D at the same time.

Otherwise, there is this ...

That looks relatively easy!

Nite all.

Change of Plans

We woke up to steady rain this morning, so we decided that it was a good day to go to the movies.

We saw 'Last Vegas' today.

LOVED IT!  Hilarious and relatable .. especially for those of us over 50 yrs of age.  Great cast and I'll definitely buy a copy of the dvd when it's released.

So that meant that my cooking plans went out the window - although I did cook a chicken curry of sorts .. which I made up in my head .. which was very tricky because I've probably only cooked 3 curries in my life .. but Adoring Husband went for seconds, so I guess I did ok!

I also roasted a chicken.

I'm about to go cook some bread and make the Chocolate Hazelnut Pie as soon as I sign off here.

That will give me all of tomorrow to do my chores and pack my bags!

Being organised is not a good thing for me .. I always forget something important when I'm organised, so I need to make sure and procrastinate between now and then, just to put a bit of pressure on myself.

I do my best work under pressure.

It's been a while since I shared some quotes ...

Sniffing Rosemary improves memory

Now ... if only I could remember where I planted the rosemary!

We can't all do everything, but we can all do 'something'.

Ok I'm off to the kitchen!

Nite all.

 

My Kitchen Ruled

After a brief visit to the Seat of Knowledge this morning, I rolled up my sleeves, put my hair in a very fashionable green scrunchy and started a full day in the kitchen!

I made

• Braised Steak and Onions
• Beef Stroganoff
• Sweet Chilli Chicken Casserole
• Hot n Spicy Tomato Sauce
• Vermicelli Salad with Lemongrass Chicken

Tomorrow, I plan to make

• Chicken and Vegetable Casserole
• Chocolate Hazelnut Pie
• Coconut Love Cake
• Seedy Bread

After all of that, I have a few chores that need to be done before I go away on Saturday, as well as packing, as well as a movie date with Adoring Husband on Friday morning.

I'm looking forward to seeing the movie "Last Vegas" with Robert De Niro, Michael Douglas, Morgan Freeman, Kevin Kline and Mary Steenburgen.  It looks hilarious!

This morning I got to meet our new neighbour, The Lecky, who is currently in the process of building a home on the block next door.  For the short time that I spoke with him, he seemed like a nice man, which is a relief!

I also had a surprise visit from Woman of Many Talents this afternoon and we spent an hour catching up.  I got to see the latest pics of her beautiful little grand daughters, and we've made plans to do lunch when I return from the Sunny Coast.

So it was a day full of all things good and now I think I'm ready for a long nap!

Nite all.

Go the Girlies

I caught the bus into The Bay this morning to meet the girls for a movie date.

I think today's bus driver got lessons from the other driver, Rocket Rod, because it was another hair-raising trip into town!

Luckily, one of my neighbours caught the bus too, so we had lots to chat about, which made the trip go a lot faster.

I met the girls at the shopping centre, where we all partook in some retail therapy, before making our way to the cinema.

We watched 'The Book Thief'.

What a great movie.  A drama set in Germany, during WWII, and the story told from a different angle than the usual war movie.

We all wished that we had read the book first.

It was very moving, heart wrenching at times, but so full of warmth and compassion and love.

Emily Watson and Geoffrey Rush were brilliant, as was the main actor, Sophie Nelisse.

I think I'd like to watch it again, at home, alone .. which will give me the freedom to sob uncontrollably during the parts that tugged at my heart strings.

A photo from the archives ...

Nite all.

Plans

I had big plans for the kitchen today.  I even made a list.  Then I got all involved in this movie on TV and time slipped away, so I only got a few things on my cooking list done.

I have to say that it was all pretty delicious and even Adoring Husband commented favourably!

Now I'm all involved in another movie on TV, called 'The Words' with Bradley Cooper and Jeremy Irons, so this is just a short post, so that I can continue to indulge in this movie.

Here is a photo that I took in December last year.  The delicious looking drumsticks of an Osprey!

I hope to go to the Cinema tomorrow with the girls to see 'The Book Thief', so an early night is on the cards.

Nite all.

Afternoon Light

We spent our Sunday in The Bay and then at home setting up a new TV.

Adoring Husband did some calculations and it seems that our Plasma TV has been the cause of our high power bills.

What's more, the older a Plasma TV is, the more power it consumes!  Calculations for a new Plasma, shows an added $50-$100 per quarter on the power bill.  It seems that our 6 yr old Plasma was adding about $300 per quarter to our bill .. mind you, it's on for a LOT of hours in the day.

So, we are hoping that our new 6 star LCD TV will reduce our bill considerably .. it should only cost $75 per YEAR .. if Adoring Husband's calculations are correct.  If that's the case, it should pay for itself in a year. 

This afternoon, I pedalled over to the lagoon hoping to catch a decent sunset.  I got there early enough to see the local bird life in full swing, so I captured this ..

Within 20 minutes, the sky had changed to this..

So I think it was worth the effort.  Not a masterpiece, but nice enough to share.

Tomorrow will be a day in the kitchen, to make up for today 'out' of the kitchen!

Nite all.