The weekend begins...

With a trip to the gym straight from work with GA who is such fun to be with. Some cross-training, good for burning calories and hard on the thighs. Some weights for our arms and a brisk power walk. It is so nice to be at the gym WITH someone. For years I went in Japan and while people would nod at me, there was never any interaction.

Home to Big J and the girls. He has been working hard and Han-Solo was off sick, so he kept an eye on her too. He also managed to make a protein intense meal for us all.

I heard from a lovely friend in the States today, who said she was happy I
was back at the blogging. I am so thrilled. I will do my best to make it good!

Long road

Pig to twig is the goal and I have just read that 'one only sees obstacles if they take their eyes off the goal'....mmmm
Not fun living on eggs and fish and meat. Something caveman about it, and I am not even following it to the letter. Am convinced nothing is happening but do not want to add butter, cream and other things to the menu. Find it really hard to believe that they will do me no harm. (That is what Daleks said before 'EXTERMINATE'). Anyway I ramble. 10 more days of this and we will then decide how to move forward.
Tired because of the diet? Normal.

Water levels are dropping in Brisbane and that is good.

Fairs and fish

The antiques fair was worth the trip in the mist and fog and I got to wear my aubergine coloured Hunters! (Wellington boots, but posh ones). Lots to see and to admire, lots more to wonder at.....had a few Kirsty Allsop inspired moments when I thought I could make something from what I was looking at. Came away with two pieces of paste that will make earrings and a long string of freshwater pearls...not antique, but I love pearls. I also bought a nice little cheese knife as we have been without one for a long time. I forgot to take my camera, very silly for a blogger!

For dinner I got 4 fat sleek makeral and we had a very Japanese meal. Bowl-Head (my lovely 2nd daughter!) made HORENSO NO GOMA AE....wilted spinach, soya sauce, toasted sesame seeds and a tiny bit of bonito stock, mirin and a pinch of brown sugar. All with steamed rice and seaweed sprinkles!
Big news is that we have booked the hotel and tickets for ROME.

Water rising

All day I have been flicking to news about the flooding in Queensland and am concerned now that parts of Brisbane are threatened. I was in Toowoomba in 1974 when the Brisbane River flooded and the aftermath was terrible. School was closed for a week, although some of us borders who had arrived back from New Guinea made it and were there alone. Then there was a major outbreak of 'flu and I was in sick bay for a week.
We all have good friends in Toowoomba and Brisbane, and Gympie, the rural town where my parents shop is also flooded.

On a brighter note, see if you can see this YouTube link. Han-solo and her friend perform a song! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7axNtdWtzU

Sweet 16 and ZUMBA

Han-solo is 16 today. She is lovely to look at, a delightful young woman and has many talents. We have had a low key day for her though. A Chinese takeaway tonight and she went to her volunteering job after school as usual.

Friends at school made her this amazing cake:

I had my first ZUMBA lesson, a sort of latino dance/aerobics form of exercise. Loads of fun and shaking of booty and hard, hard work. I have attempted to add a YOUTUBE link to this blog entry to show you, sort of, what it is like.

Crisp and even

The sun shone this morning and there was a heavy frost overnight so everything sparkled. One of those days when it is easy to think that winter is on its way out and we are in for warm weather. John and I set off for walk past the Gullage at Imberhorne Farm. We saw four squirrels, (not red ones), dozens of birds and some very mucky dogs out with their owners. We want a little dog, we talk about it all the time, but we have Bosley and it would be unfair to him to introduce a rival.

Sadly, John's calf problems worsened, he has been in a lot of pain and cannot walk on it for too long. He went home and I carried on and completed the walk alone.
Winter is not over yet, we have a while to go, but today was a lovely respite.

My parents called tonight. They are in Queensland, south of the major floods, but they too are now flooded in to their small village. They say it has rained since November. Grim.

Girl Friends

Leaving Japan meant leaving behind my dearest friend. She was with me through thick and thin, she used to make me tonjiru (pork and tofu soup - it is heavenly) and rhubarb crumble when I stopped eating, which was my reaction to severe stress and was a meal she made more than once for me when my marriage ended. She listens like no-one else and is an absolute hoot to hang around with.
This morning I walked into town to have coffee with two of the women I have made friends with since being at the hospital; one whose marriage has ended recently in a particularly painful way, (all endings are different, and there are some I would not want to have). It is a girl thing, rallying when one is down and being there for the hard parts and meaning it when we say that they can call anytime and we will do what we can to be there. It is good to be able to be there for someone else.

Big J and I have a date tonight, we are off to see The King's Speech. Mmmmm, that Colin Firth is ok!