Overdoing It

I felt so good this morning, especially after 7 hours of sleep and 20 minutes in the direct sunlight, I decided to go for a ride on my trike.

Fresh air, sunshine, movement/activity … it has to have a positive effect on my healing body.

I rode along the river path enjoying the view. High tide, blue skies, holiday makers fishing, dog walkers, sea birds in flight and feeding.

One of my boys from the old days under the ‘tree of knowledge’ was inspecting the original boat ramp as I rode by, so I stopped for a chat.

I felt the need for caffeine so I rode to my fave coffee place and put in my order. There I ran into a lady whose husband also has Parkinson’s disease - we chatted for a while but she had to be somewhere so we decided to meet up at the Bowls Club in 90 mins.

So I killed some time drinking my coffee while watching the river, then pedalled along the river path again and rode to the club. I arrived a little early so I checked my old keno ticket and discovered that I won $70! I replayed my numbers and played the pokies until my friend arrived.

We found a table for an early lunch. My meal of choice was garlic prawns and I had a couple of tonic waters with lemon. We chatted easily and she is doing it pretty tough at the moment so there was lots to talk about.

It was around 1pm when we parted company and on my ride home along the new path I heard a car horn beeping loudly about 6 times. As I looked up, I saw BGWLBH’s blue car drive past! She was on her way home from work. We waved.

By the time I arrived home, I was feeling quite tired and felt that I may have overdone it.

I reheated red curry chicken for Adoring Husband who had spent the day at golf, and made up a quick honey soy chicken for BGWLBH serving both with boiled rice.

By the time I sat down after dinner, I knew I was relapsing.

I lost count of how many times I sneezed and how many tissues I went through while my nose dripped like a leaky tap. My head felt fuzzy and my body felt weak and I gave myself an inner lecture for overdoing it on my first good day after being unwell.

It might take a few more days to properly recover now.

Ugh 😩 

It’s now after 10.30pm so it’s time to sleep.

Nite all.

On The Mend

More sunshine and resting today.

I am feeling much better this evening.

I made a tomato and vegetable soup today.

Ingredients (which I made up):

• 8 tomatoes
• 1 onion
• 1/3 red capsicum
• 1/2 zucchini
• 2 celery stalks
• 1 carrot
• 1 potato
• 1/2 orange
• 6 strawberries
• 1/4 cup cranberries
• 2 inches fresh turmeric grated
• 1 inch ginger grated
• 2 chillies
• 2 teaspoons mineral salt
• A generous shake of black pepper
• 1/4 cup brown sugar 
• 1/2 cup lentils
• 2 cups home chicken broth
• 4 cups filtered water

Put it all in a large pot on the stove. Simmer for 20-25 minutes stirring occasionally. Allow to cool. Use tongs to remove tomato skins then, in batches, blend in the blender. It will be thick and creamy. Toast some sour dough bread, break apart and toss into the soup.

Adoring Husband had some for lunch, requested it for dinner and then went back for more a couple of hours later!

BGWLBH also enjoyed a large bowl for dinner.

I had a big bowl for lunch and there is one container of it now in the freezer.

We’ve all had a very healthful eating day.

I’m considering heading into the bay tomorrow - I’ll see how I feel in the morning. I may need another day of rest yet.

I watched the most recent version of “Don’t tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead” and quite enjoyed it.

Now it’s almost 11pm so I’d best get some sleep. I slept a solid 7 hours last night and I hope to do the same tonight.

Nite all.

Resting Up

Still sick.

Apart from 25 minutes sitting in the sunshine for a strong hit of vitamin D, and a half dozen trips to the loo, I’ve been in bed all day.

Adoring Husband has been waiting on me, bringing me my morning coffee, topping up my water and feeding me lunch and dinner.

He’s a good man.

I’m feeling a little better tonight, so hopefully, after a good nights sleep, tomorrow will be another step towards good health.

Nite all.

Farewell and Good Night

Two things … 

On Saturday night just gone, Grannymus, my first mother-in-law, passed away at the ripe old age of 94.

Before her eyesight deteriorated, she used to comment on this blog often and the last text I received was almost exactly a year ago.

She was a wonderful lady who made me feel truly loved. I was married to her son and having babies from age 18 and I had no idea what I was doing. I can’t imagine how I’d have managed without the loving foundation that she laid for me.

At 94, she knew it was her time and she was ready, so I believe she has passed to a place of pure love and she will be so happy to be there and surrounded by loved ones gone before her.

RIP Grannymus ❤️ 

Secondly, I am not well.

Sore throat, runny nose, sneezing, coughing, fuzzy head, weak and feeling blah.

So, no meditation for me tomorrow.

It was suggested, to save me from having to cook, that we get fish and chips for dinner tonight, but sadly, the fish and chip shop was closed … as was the bowls club restaurant (they do takeaways) … so I cooked crumbed chicken and made a garden salad.

BGWLBH is also sick, so Adoring Husband might have to play nurse for a couple of days.

Happy with the results of the Irish Open Golf with the Irishman, Lowry, winning by a mile.

Happy with the results of the US Open tennis with Sverev winning - even though he was so focused on his game, he didn’t even realise that he’d won until the umpire announced it and the crowd cheered! So funny!

Now I’m off to get some sleep.

Nite all.

Snuffly and Sneezy

I may be coming down with something.

BGWLBH has been quite sick for a week. She thought it was just a sinus infection but I think she might have a cold or flu and has passed it on.

I’ve been filling up on home made chicken soup, raw honey, lots of water, Vit C and sitting in the sunshine for Vit D.

I probably need to focus on better sleep - I’ve been watching the US Open tennis and the Irish Open golf so I’ve not enjoyed any solid sound sleep for 2 weeks. Must fix that.

This morning I watched the women’s tennis final. A disappointing result with my fave, Sabalenka, losing to the new number one Rybakina.

Tomorrow morning at 4am, the men will fight it out. Sverev vs Shelton. I don’t mind who wins.

Today, I almost completed my patchwork jeans. Just one more letter to add because the original that I cut out, curled up and was impossible to attach. Photos tomorrow - if I’m well enough.

After that, I watched two movies. “Unicorn Store” with Brie Larson, Samuel L Jackson and Joan Cusack which I loved and “The Tall Girl” with Ava Mitchell, Griffin Gluck and Sabrina Carpenter. I loved that one too.

The footy was on after that with Penrith beating the Roosters.

Spaghetti Sunday was easy, as usual. I had my chicken soup.

Now I’m watching The Voice from my bed.

Nothing planned for tomorrow so I can have a relaxing, healing day.

Nite all.

Impractical Unmagic

 Dr T Seyfried - preventing, healing or managing cancer

So we went to the movies on Friday morning to watch “Practical Magic 2”which stars Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, Stockard Channing, Dianne Wiest, Maisie Williams and Joey King among others.

There were so many big names, so I was expecting big things.

My first comment when we left the cinema was “that was an extended advertisement for Ozempic or GLP1”

Everybody was too thin with sunken cheeks, collar bones poking out, Botox lips and obviously filtered faces, probably AI heavily involved.

The story was so slow, too long and totally predictable. Sandra Bullock’s love interest is, in real life, openly and proudly gay, so the movie relationship is completely unbelievable.

The special effects were bad.

It was basically a bunch of narcissistic movie stars on the big screen saying “Look at me!”

We LOVED the original movie! We hated this movie! Don’t waste your time.

What made it worse, as I was leaving the cinema, I suddenly felt very unwell and had to sit down, but then I had overwhelming nausea and luckily there was a large lined, open top rubbish bin very close so I quickly stood up and just made it to throw up!

Then, much to BGWLBH’s embarrassment, I had to lie down on the floor for ten minutes. 

Only one person asked if I was ok and did I require an ambulance? Somebody else bitched “She shouldn’t be ‘out’ if she’s sick!” Everybody else just walked by like this sort of thing happens all the time.

BGWLBH found me a cup of iced water, which helped and by then I was feeling well enough to walk to the car. We made a stop at Farm Gate because we desperately needed fruit and veg and drove home.

The nausea disappeared but I still felt a bit weak and shaky so I heated up some chicken broth and took myself to bed for the rest of the day. I have no idea where that sudden sickness came from, but I am better today (Saturday).

Today, I woke up early to watch the tennis. The men’s semi-finals were on, but the one that EVERYBODY wanted to see was between the two Americans, Francis Tiafoe and Ben Shelton. It was a great match and Ben Shelton was the victor on this occasion. He will play the number one seed, Sverev on Monday morning.

I made myself some brunch and returned to bed to finish watching the tennis, did some journaling, finished making my list of Spring cleaning jobs, had a nap, took Harley out to play, crumbed and cooked some chicken pieces and got comfy for the two football finals.

Now I’m watching “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape” until the Irish Open Golf starts.

Nite all.

Winter is Back

Today was NOT another perfect Spring day, and I have photos to prove it but google+ won’t allow me to post them.

That’s just annoying 😡

It was cold and wet and windy.

Luckily I had a blanket/wrap in my trike storage, so I used that to keep snug.

I met the art girls at the Lions Park and our usual 2.5 hour catch up was cut to one hour because the weather closed in. After they drove off, I had to wait half an hour for the rain to stop before I could leave.

I grabbed a coffee on my way home.

The house was empty because Adoring Husband was at golf and BGWLBH was at work, so I parked my butt on the couch to watch the end of the tennis.

Because the tennis was over two hours earlier than expected, they aired an Agatha Christie movie which I quite enjoyed.

For dinner, I took a lasagne out of the freezer for BGWLBH and a Lamb Rogan Josh for AH. For myself, I mixed leftover mashed potato with spring onions, tuna, avocado, lemon juice, mayonnaise, salt, pepper and pine nuts and dipped pumpkin crackers into it. Delicious.

I’m feeling a bit weary tonight. 

BGWLBH and I are going to the cinema tomorrow to see Practical Magic 2. It’s the early viewing, so I’d best get some sleep.

Nite all.

Oot’n’aboot

I rose earlier than usual, 7.30am, showered, washed my hair, dressed, applied make up, took Harley out to play and then decided to go for a ride. Out and about.

I packed my bag and my water bottle into the trike basket and rode to the river, along the path to the shops where I did a small shop and also purchased a coffee, which I took to the beach and sat on a bench seat for over an hour enjoying the morning.

The tide was on its way out and the sunshine was glistening on the water, people were walking their dogs, fishing and tossing bait nets. It was another perfectly glorious Spring day.

After I got tired of the view, I hopped back on my trike and rode along the new path (it’s a few yrs old but still known as the new path) out to the Bowls Club and back home. 

Just in time to watch the quarter final of Us Open tennis between Alcaraz and Shelton. Four and a half hours later Ben Shelton was victorious and it was his first win against a top 3 player.

It was a great match and a perfect way to spend an afternoon.

I reheated the chicken and vegetable pastries for Adoring Husband’s dinner and made chicken soup for BGWLBH, who is feeling a little under the weather.

I had a little soup and then filled up on my leftover smoothie that I’d made earlier. Strawberries, blueberries, banana, salt, Brazil nuts, pumpkin seeds, coconut ice cream and LF milk.

That was my day and I’m pretty tired - all that riding and sunshine and playing and cooking and exciting tennis!

Nite all.

Picking Fruit

I tried to make it to meditation class on time. I was sitting down at approximately the 5th word uttered from The Gypsy’s mouth. I walked into the hall before she started talking. Technically, I didn’t quite make it, but I was close.

My reason for being so marginally late, was because I was road blocked by the biggest kangaroo buck I have ever seen in my life! I stopped my trike some distance from him and waited for ‘something’ to either distract him or cause him to move on.

Thankfully, two cars came around the bend and he bounded into the bushes. I blame that giant roo!!!

Nonetheless, it was a great class.

Afterwards, I had 2 hours by the river with The Gypsy and it was a beautiful day again.

The tide was low, there were heaps of pelicans gliding in and landing gracefully upon the water, a few people on trikes riding in the sunshine and not too many tradies taking up all the seats in the park.

I had to be home before midday because I had booked a mulberry picking date!

On the weekend, JJJ had invited me for mulberry picking, but then disappeared from messenger so when I suggested a time, she never responded … until this morning … so we agreed on noon.

Adoring Husband drove me out there and between 4 of us, we picked 3/4 of a large Chinese container worth of ripe berries. There were much less than JJJ thought, so she felt a little disappointed for me. I was very happy with what I got, but she also gave me a dozen fresh eggs to appease her conscience.

I came home and made myself a large bowl of mulberries, banana, passionfruit, meringue and fresh whipped cream …

Delicious!

I was lucky enough to turn on the tennis and catch the last set of the Sverev match at the US Open.

Because the tennis finished earlier than planned, they aired an amazing program on ancient castles, fortresses, military strongholds, royal residences etc.

Oh the opulence, the grandeur, the enormity, the architecture, the design and my amazement at the skills of the old master builders and how some of these structures took 100 years to build!

Absolutely stunning.

I decided on GF pies with vegetables for dinner, so I chucked the pies in the oven and took Harley out for his afternoon play before making mashed potatoes, steamed snow peas, beans and carrots.

No current plans for tomorrow, so I’m considering journaling and perhaps finishing the patchwork jeans, going for a ride and enjoying a coffee by the river. All good options.

Nite all.

Partly Productive

I was awake early this morning - 5am - so I turned on the tennis.

While I watched the tennis, I started a list of everything I want to clean/do in the house - because it’s Spring.

I wrote down rooms in the house and then listed every small chore separately. That’s a LOT of chores! I thought it would seem less intimidating if I did it that way, and I could just tick off the chores as I did them.

Thing was, I felt overwhelmed before I’d even finished the list!

I need to convince myself that the world will not end if I don’t complete ALL the chores. It will be an achievement if I even get half of it done.

Just start. See what happens.

I got out of bed at 9am and played with Harley.

I emptied the slow cooker of broth, batched it and loaded it into the freezer.

I took my washing off the line, folded it and put it away.

I made myself some creamy, cheesy, prawn and mushroom crepes for brunch. They were delicious!

I sat down to watch more tennis but the ‘free to air’ signal got lost so Adoring Husband found something else to watch. That was my cue to go to my room and wait for the signal to return so that I could continue watching the tennis.

After the tennis, I watched a Netflix movie “What a Girl Wants” - an oldie but a goodie.

I made chicken and vegetable pastries with a garden salad for dinner.

I made myself a smoothie with strawberries, blueberries, banana, pumpkin seeds, Brazil nuts, a pinch of sea salt and a generous scoop of coconut dairy free ice cream. I used lactose free milk. That was my dinner and it was deliciously filling!

I did not do one single thing on my Spring cleaning list.

Tomorrow is meditation day and catch up with The Gypsy, followed by some fresh mulberry picking! 

Time to sleep.

Nite all.

Lazy For All

None of us could be arsed to do anything productive today.

BGWLBH and I each did a load of washing, sat under the Bali hut reading, drinking coffee (thanks to Adoring Husband) and playing with Harley.

I set up the new slow cooker with a big batch of chicken bone broth which is still cooking right now.

Most of my day was spent watching tennis, followed by the football.

Easy ‘spaghetti Sunday’ for dinner.

Sunday done and dusted.

Nothing planned for tomorrow and I’m hoping that I can sleep soundly all night - there is no tennis capturing my attention tonight so I shall turn off the TV and my room will remain in darkness until the sun rises.

Nite all.