Peace be with you

I know this is late and I have no nice family picture to put with it but:

I hope all who read this little blog have a wonderful Christmas and a very happy and safe New Year.

Big love to you all

Ex

Eating Like Daisy

No wonder I love the Guinea Pig so much ... we have the same diet.

I know at least one person is slightly interested in what I shove in my mouth (Hello Mother Goose) so I will continue to bore the rest of you with my thoughts on a Plant Based Diet.

First a few questions answered.

The beautiful and hard core running Jessica said :
I'm asking you the same question that I ask everyone: is it true that you don't crave the bad stuff? And a new one: when you "mess up" the Diet, why did you? Or how do you avoid messing up?

I am not a big sweets eater. We don't usually have desert after tea and I don't do a lot of home baking (other than all the meals I prepare EVERY day). I am a huge savory fan and I did crave salty foods like potato chips before I started the plan. The salty cravings have disappeared. I imagine the sweet cravings would lesson too. Eating this way fills you up and leaves you feeling very satisfied (low GI?) so its not like being on a diet where all you think about is what your next meal is. Also I think looking back that the preservatives in some of the processed foods I ate made me a bit "addicted" to them. Once I stopped eating them and went through the awful 3 days of withdrawal I didn't crave them anymore. Also fruit tastes really sweet to me now and satisfies the sweet need for me.

Messing up : When I first started eating this way I was consumed (haha) with sticking to the plan and of course it did my head in. Now I stick to it about 85% to 90% of the day and I am very happy with myself for achieving that. I try not to see it as messing up that way and its also more flexible. For example I know my purchased marinated mushroom and salad wrap from our work cafe has butter and egg mayonnaise in it, but it also has lots of great stuff and is so much better for me that the ham and cheese melt I use to have.

Really Messing up: This for me means being unorganised and having to eat something with lots of dairy or meat . This has only happened once when I left my lunch at home and realised at 3pm and the cafe only had a ham sandwich left. I ate it and I didn't die. On that note eating this way makes me look at meals differently (obviously). I can have a fruit and veggie salad for lunch with nuts or sultanas and its enough to fill me up where before I would have to have a sandwich as well and the fruit salad would have been a side dish.

My lovely Mate from High school Matt said:

wow I should try this one .....might drop a few mega kg's...lol....you go girl keep it up....




Firstly Thanks Matt! I think this diet is used for peeps who need to drop weight fast pre surgery for example because you WILL drop the kegs quick sticks. But its not a diet you can dip in and out of (IMO) because once you stop eating lots of crap and go through the annoying withdrawal you wont want to keep eating the stuff that makes you feel crappy. I have lost about 5KG ( most of it off my boobs... such a winner NOT).

Other Very Random Stuff

I'm still nervous about Christmas but hope to keep the 85% method going. We spent last weekend with at my In laws and David's very generous Brother Stevie made a special trip to the cheese shop to get a selection of very expensive cheeses ( truffle pecorino at $150 bucks a keg anyone???). Yeah I didn't say "oh no eating dairy gives me this nasty mucus drip down the back of my throat ... you should read this book..." What I said was "oh yum thank you my Sweetie".

Before the Plan I would make a salad with tea almost every night. I love salad but I actually eat less salad and more veg now.

I have found all milk substitutes way too sweet. So I still have a bit of skim milk in my coffee. Its not killing me.

I have one coffee a day. I think 2011 will see me get off the crack for good. This is a good susbtitute.

If you are thinking of doing this Plan, organisation is the key. Also talking to or emailing other veggie freaks is really useful and helpful. Tips like buying spinach in bulk and freezing it or making up a veggie pizza at the start of the week to grab and go have been invaluable (Thanks again Celia Fae).

I take an Iron supplement (everyday) and a multi vitamin (when I remember). Its probably all in my head but I think I feel better when I take these.

Don't read this if you are my Father or my Father in Law.

Before eating this way the main pmt symptom I would get would be sore boobs. Very Very Very Very Very Very sore. I'd also go up about 2 sizes so my chest would arrive at functions 2 minutes before me. Sore boobs are not really as much fun as they sound and my Dr's advice was panadol. I took a lot of panadol. Since eating this way...no sore boobs. At all. Those last two sentences should be highlighted and in sparkling flashing font... but I do have some class.

Lastly here are some of the food I eat.

Spinach smoothie - I like orange , watermelon and spinach the best. I make up about a litre of if and freeze half so I have a few frozen shakes in the freezer to grab and go. I don't like adding frozen berry's cos the pips get stuck in my teeth! Frozen bananas sweeten the smoothie but make it pretty thick.

Veggie pizza ... Capsicum, olives, marinated artichoke, coriander, onion, mushroom, chilli, anything else in the crisper. Cook in the oven no cheese required I promise.

Vegetable pasta sauce with pasta. If you use a potato peeler to make long peels of carrot for the sauce it is both yummy and crunchy and filling. I also use this sauce with mince meatballs and Dave and the kids eat that with the pasta too.

Wraps with salsa and veggies. Wraps with humus, Wraps with kidney beans and salsa, wraps with salad... I love wraps (obviously).

I have also tried the prepared lentil patties from the shops. Some are ok, some are foul beyond words. I think I am on to a good one now - chickpea and coriander. I did try to make a chickpea patty myself and that was worse than foul!

I keep a nut muesli bar in my handbag (which is no doubt loaded with sugar) and also some fruit just in case I feel like I need to shove more food into my mouth whilst I am running around. I haven't died of hunger or malnutrition yet so I think I am probably doing the Plan ok.

and then Oprah came round for tea

Okay not really but everyone in Oz is gaga for Oprah ... and if she did come round for tea she would probably bring me a nice pressie. Like a car.

Was the O for "OMG Tourism Australia has spent a bomb on this shite?"

I get that promoting Oz to Americans is a good idea (would probably have been a better idea to do it 5 years ago when our dollar wasn't pounding theirs) but unless our wide brown land is going to move closer to the USA then the loooong boring cramped expensive flight from mainland USA to Sydney is never going to make us a viable holiday destination for middle America.

Australians live in South South Asia so maybe we should target the tourist dollar to our north.

No segue here. I watched this on the weekend. It was great. A very long time ago I used to go to the movies A LOT. Now I watch dvd's when they go to the weekly section of my library ... one day (in my twilight years hey Brooke) I look forward to seeing a movie the year its released.

Same deal. I watch a lot of DVD's when I cant sleep (actually I usually just watch Dear John over and over again but who would admit to that) and this one is worth mentioning. It's beautiful. It's heartfelt and funny and a gorgeous way to spend 131 minutes.

This is what real people really look like at a wedding. Thank you Emma Thompson.

Again no segue but its Christmas. The first year apprentice's Mum made these little beauties for the workshop. I ate most of them. I am going to try and replicate them for Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

From now on all first year apprentices will be employed on the strength of their Mum's Christmas cooking skills.

Other stuff.

* I have received three Christmas Cards. The Christmas Card is dead I tell you. This makes me cry ... I love Christmas Cards.

* I keep buying Christmas presents for the same people... and by the same people I mean me. I think I better stop its not a good look to be opening more gifts than your kids or Husband on Christmas Day. What can I say I'm a good shopper (for myself).

* David has taken the children to Wet and Wild water park with his family. I only have another 14 hours to hyperventilate over them killing themselves on the rides or in traffic. Its so relaxing staying home.

* What exactly does sex on the radio sound like Good Charlotte?

The End.

Wanna buy a goat?

I ummed and ahhhed about posting this. But I figured that if one person reads and thinks its a good idea and is also in desperate need for a gift idea ... then it was worth all my other readers thinking I'm a tosser ;-)

World Vision Australia have a great Christmas idea where you donate some $$$ and they will put it towards items or programs people in developing countries need. Like a goat. Then World Vision Australia send you a Christmas Gift Card to give as a gift for Christmas. I probably am not explaining the concept very well but if the idea of giving your Mother in Law a goat for Christmas appeals ... Check out the website .

This year Lulu is getting a goat gift card and Bear a sporting goods for kids gift card. For our family its a fun way to spread the Christmas cheer and hopefully make a very small difference to others.

And the goat thing just appeals to my weird sense of humour.

1970 called and wants its shoes back

I got these yesterday at the Plaza. I couldn't resist... actually I didn't even try.

Daisy Olivia Rose

We have a new member of the family. She has three names so she is probably quite posh.


Daisy is Lulu's reward for an improved school work ethic. Lu wasn't really travelling so well at school this year and her mid year report was AVERAGE to say the least. David promised her a Guinea Pig if she got better marks and stopped talking in class. Even though her end of term report wasn't stellar we are still proud of her for working a lot harder and improving her attitude.

So the gorgeous Miss Daisy has come to stay and she is a treat. We have all fallen in love with her. I call her Squeaker because she makes little squeaking noises when you cuddle her.

She should really be called Fluffy Valium because when you hold her all your troubles fall away! Its been a brutal week here in E Land and I have cried almost every night and most mornings (its all good... just life... and Christmas...and children getting older) but every night when I sit with Daisy on the couch I feel better about the world. Who knew Guinea Pigs were the answer.

DJ'S BDAY

My gorgeous Niece had a Birthday so we went out for tea to celebrate.

I'm smiling but Dave has just told me he has deleted all the photos off my camera. Good thing I back up my pics to a hard drive hey.

The Mo Bros.

and then my head fell off.

As our camera is still having a holiday in the city this is a random thoughts / ramble through my brain post.

• I don't like this time of year. I start to get sad when school finishes and after school activities wind up. I know the kids are very ready for their summer holiday break but I am filled with melancholy at the thought of packed up classrooms and break up parties.

• Its raining. I do not like the rain. Its been raining for a week already and the weather people say its going to be a wet Summer and Christmas. Awesome.

• Bear has officially completed Year 8. He did well. David and I did well. I don't think he got his head flushed down the toilet (too much).

• I am way too young to have a child in Year 9.

• Last night I went Christmas shopping. I was not successful and I am starting to get anxious about the gift buying and giving that will be here in the blink of an eye.

• No shopping completed last night but I have nice shellaced toenails. It was a present to myself.

• Today at work I have had to listen to David go off at people on two continents. The German made machine in the workshop has stopped. Parts are coming ... from Germany or Italy. Not quickly enough for David.

• I have discovered the Sushi Train at the plaza. I am in love with the Sushi Train at the plaza. I am trying to devise ways off getting back to the plaza to eat more Sushi Train.

• Lulu put our Christmas Tree up this week. It looks hideous but it matches the rest of the house nicely. I didn't bother with my table pieces or Christmas decor. The house is a construction site and this weekend I am packing it up ... like taking all pics off walls and putting the bookcases etc into storage. The hideous Christmas Tree will be all that's left in the middle of the hideous lounge room.

• I have a massive headache today (too much Sushi Train?) so this post is just a little bit crappy.

• My friend Vyc bought the yummiest perfume last night. Whoever invented perfume really did the world a huge service.

• Life is Good.

• Life is very Good. Really.

The Ashes 2010

David and Bear have spent the last 5 days at The Ashes cricket test in the city. I think it was a good game I only pretend to listen when they talk about a sporting event that last 5 days and goes all Summer in numerous cities.



Not to mention Australia and England are slogging it out for the most pathetic trophy in sporting history. Yes this is its actual size.




The English may have the Barmy Army but we Aussies know how to party.




Just one more diehard Green & Gold Fan.


Other things I want to remember :

• Bear came home with no voice. They were sitting in amongst the Barmy Army and sang and shouted all day long. He also came home with a large repertoire of songs no 13 year old should be singing in public. He likes to sing these to his sister to annoy his mother.
• He was CHUFFED when the Barmy Army made up a song about him!!! Something along the lines of

"Does your Mummy know you're here?
Does your Mummy know you're here ?
Does your Mummy know you're here?
Hey Boyo does you're Mummy know you're here?"

• The other funny song (imo) was

The Barmy Army sang "You all live in a convict colony " to which the Aussies replied "You all live in a shite economy".

• Bear also appeared to grow about 10cm in 5 days and come back looking taller.

• David purchased the ugliest cricket supporters shirt I have ever seen. I would attempt to lose it in the wash if I hadn't seen the receipt for it.

• It was fun to track David through his internet banking purchases. I was comforted by the fact that a lot of purchases at the Gabba kiosk probably meant Bear was being fed.

• David left our camera behind at his brothers. The sound you are hearing is my head falling off in frustration. I have a lot of Christmas themed photos to take.
  

Lulu and I made the most of our free time and shopped, ate, and watched a lot of TV. It was bliss. I text Vyc at least twice a day telling her that just having the one kid was BLISS. She appreciated it.

I thought I was doing a fairly good job at keeping the home fires burning until I told Lulu that we were going to Aunty Caths for tea as Uncle Andrew was home.
To which she replied "Oh that is so good that Uncle Andrew is cooking ... 'cos all you have been feeding me is chicken nuggets and noodles since Dad left".


I hope she likes Cricket 'cos next time she goes too!

You had me at Post Nasal Drip

***Warning this post is completely self focus and all about ME ME ME. You have been warned***

When we got back from the Wedding/Thailand excellent adventure in August I really struggled for a while. It was more than post holiday blues. I was tired and anxious most of the time. I actually started to put on weight (who puts on weight after their holiday?) and for the first time in a long time I didn't want to exercise or run. I then developed a sinus infection and the post nasal drip I often have got worse. 2 lots of antibiotics didn't touch the sinus infection. I was taking antihistamines and flushing out my sinus's twice a day and not getting much relief (I'm lazy so spending that much time on my nose and getting half an hours relief pissed me off the most). I was miserable. My heart was telling me my life was hard when my head knew my life was a cakewalk.

I already realised that some foods like dairy and caffeine made all my sinus and anxiety problems worse so I was sort of eliminating them from my diet (sort of ... I would still have killed anyone standing in the way of me and my coffee).

I then read two blogs and a book that has made a huge difference to my life. I say read when what I really mean is inhaled.

The book is called Eat to Live by Dr Joel Fuhrman. The shortest explanation is that it is a vegan diet.

I have been following it principles about 85% - 90% of the time and I LOVE it. I feel so much better about everything and my sinus problems have all but disappeared. Goodbye constant worsening Post Nasal Drip that threatened my sanity on a daily basis.

I have been on this plant based way of eating for about a month now. I am new at it and still feel like I am just jumping on the latest bandwagon. But its good and even if I gave it all up tomorrow I would still like to follow some of its tenets.

I am worried about Christmas. Both my Cath & Andrew and my Mother in Law show their love through cooking and food. My fear is offending them. This is most likely unfounded as the world really doesn't revolve around me (gasp) and no one really notices what you eat. We went to my MIL for David's birthday celebration and I ate really well whilst sticking to the plan and no one noticed ... I imagine Christmas will be the same. (Strangely people get more annoyed that I don't drink).

I didn't begin this plant based diet with the express purpose of losing weight, as always it was more a control issue. I felt like my relationship with some food was controlling me (or I was putting way too much emphasis on controlling it). I also knew that some of the foods I craved (like salty salty potato chips) made my body feel like crap (pmt anyone?).

I'm no poster child for the plant based diet but I have learnt a lot about what I shove in my mouth and how it effects my daily life. And I am REALLY enjoying eating this way and the benefits I am feeling.

The benefits for me:
I get to eat this (as an example)
Breakfast - Fruit and Spinach smoothie
Lunch - Multi grain Wrap with homus and roast veggies
Tea - Vegetable Curry with Rice

I wake up with energy and look forward to exercising. I don't collapse into bed at 8.30pm exhausted from my pretty cruisey life.

I am less anxious. Hallelujah Brother.For this alone I love this way of eating.


The Down Side:
It is a time commitment. To not lose your shite you have to prepare lots of veggies in advance so you can grab and go. You have to seek out new plan based recipes and not be afraid to try new things. Case in point. I now eat a lot of brussel sprouts in lots of different ways... and I enjoy it. I really should re read this last paragraph to myself as I have been too scared to buy tofu. What can I say I am a work in progress.

I felt crappy for the first week of eating this way. All my symptoms got worse and the post nasal drip turned into a really sore throat. I took a lot of panadol.

Other things worth mentioning:
David and kids are not on the plan. They all laugh at my green smoothies.
This post and the gorgeous Vyc are the only peeps I have told about the plan. It will probably stay that way.
I have one coffee a day.
I feel great.
If I can do this anyone can.
David (who once went 24 hours without noticing I has cut about 15cm of my hair off) said he thought I had a "sparkle" about me since I had been eating on the plan. I don't even think he was trying to get me into bed by saying it ;-)
I think its worth making any changes for the better to your diet.
The End.

PS Feel free to ask any questions - I wont know the answers but I have contacts who will ... wink wink nudge nudge.

Movember

It's Movember. The time of year when men grow mo's to show their support for and encourage conversations about men's health issues.

I guess the organisers went with the catchy title of "The Month of Movember" because ...





the title "Looking like a 1970's Porn Star Month" didn't quite sound right.

Linseed is the new beige

We are choosing exterior paint and colourbond colours. Dave painted some swatches yesterday... and nailed them to the house. As you do. Do you think we were having a hard time visualising the look?

No Retreat Baby No Surrender

I love the Boss. I have loved him ever since I heard this Album ... on vinyl 'cos I'm old school and just old.

Back in the day when I looked like this and was in Year 8 (bring back any memories Nicolee?) I use to babysit for a young groovy couple who had this album. We would crank it up in their lounge room and dance trying not to jump around too much on the wood floors so as not to bump the needle and scratch the record.

I was young and groovy myself No? ... NO!!!


The Boss has seen me through some pivital ages and stages of my life. As a teenager I remember going to Bali and buying all of his back catalogue on cassette and spending the whole trip with my Sony Walkman headphones attached to my ears... good times (for me not my Mother who spent the whole trip yelling at me).

Prophetically titled album

Needless to say I was thrilled to get the DVD of Bruce and the Band playing live in London's Hyde Park.

London Calling is a rocking good watch and listen. The Boss is still wearing the jersey boy rocker well. He is gorgeous and I am slightly alarmed that he is 60. He doesn't act it.

The set list is chockers with classics like B.T.R and Dancing in the Dark whilst having some slower more soulful and less well known numbers.

Two of my favourites are No Surrender which is co sung with Brian Fallon from Gaslight Anthem (had to google it ... they are punk ... sort of) and The River.

Half the joy of watching these two was how awkward Brian Fallon looked on stage ... brilliant voice dodgy wardrobe choice.

The River was performed at the Glastonbury Festival.

The Boss had me at the first rip of the harmonica. The clip is amazing and features a very sweaty and buff Bruce with steam coming off him singing his guts out about the lost dreams of youth ... or what happens when you get a Union Card and a Wedding Coat for your 19th birthday....

If you love the Boss you will love London Calling ... run don't walk to see it.

Good Man Cheesy Lyrics

David had a birthday. He is as old as me now. I like that. He never reads my blog so for that and many other reasons I'm not going to do a million dot points about him.

But of course I'm going to have my say. He is a very special man and I wish more people (meaning me) had more of his qualities. He is so many things to so many people...

Brother in Law David

Funny David

Nervous Groom David

Uncle David

Ski loving David

Family David

Baby David (& Baby Lulu)

More Family David

Dadda David

When the waves

are flooding the shore and I can't

find my way home anymore
That's when I,

look at you
When I look at you

I see forgiveness, I see the truth

You love me for who I am

like the stars hold the moon

Right there where they belong

and I know I'm not alone.