The thirties...

Cue scary music Den den derrrrr... I turned 30 a week ago. Eeek. I think I'm ok with it, mostly.

Many years ago I had a list of things I thought I would've done by the time I turned 30. Some I've achieved, others not yet.
These I've checked off:
- Married the love of my life - very happy about this one
- Have a well paid, stable job - it's a job and like any job somedays I hate it and other days I tolerate it. Occasionally I'm happy with it.
- Have a dog - I love having a dog. She makes me very happy. It's a brilliant thing for mental health to have pets. The chickens are lovely too, as are the cockatiel and the canary, but Tilly is just so cuddly and full of love.
- Bought a house - we have a nice house on a big suburban block. Ideally I'd like to live up in the hills one day on a bigger block, but this'll do nicely for now. I have a list of renovations as long as my arm to do to this house, but none are urgent. This summer I am taking up the carpet in the living room though!

 Here's what I haven't done
- Travelled extensively-  well I have travelled a little bit but I thought I would've seen more of the world than Bali, NZ and various parts of Australia :-/ The places still on on my list are Europe, SE Asia, South America, parts of North America and maybe India and Japan. You know, just most of the world... hmm.
-  Had children - I'd hoped when I was younger that I would have 3 children and that I'd at least have 1 or 2 by now. We'll see what happens on that front over the next few years.

So I've done most of the things that were on my list.

I have to say I also set a mini-goal 3 months ago that I would not be over 90kg when I turned 30, and through the 12 wk challenge at the gym I achieved that goal by a couple of kg. I'm now feeling much fitter and stronger as well, and I need to buy new clothes. Always a good thing. BUT I have a long way to go. I would very much like to lose another 10-15kg. The challenge was the start of a long journey and what I know will be a healthier lifestyle for me. My twenties were marked by yo-yo weight and fitness, but I'm determined to remain fit and healthy now, because I want to have children some day and I want to be around for them and to be able to enjoy life to the fullest with them.

So, 30. Just another number, and I'm ok with it. Mostly.

Oh yeah.. I have a blog!

Woops, another 6 months passed without a blog entry. Time gets away from me VERY quickly!

Where are things at? Well, here's the breakdown:

Weightloss: been doing the 12 week challenge at the gym for the last 12 weeks, final weigh in and measurements on Saturday, final fitness test tomorrow (eep!). I know that I have lost more weight since starting the challenge (I had lost 3kg at the halfway point) and my measurements have also gone down which is great. I tried on a pair of sz 12 jeans this morning that I used to fit into before I put on the last bit of weight - back in them! Woohoo! I'm now swimming in all my sz 14 pants, with the exception of the 2 pairs of Cue brand which are small sizes. This is a good thing. I have been training with my brother most weeks and also started a weekly 30 min session with the PT who's been running most of the challenge workouts, plus I've gone to every one of the 12 challenge sessions on saturdays. Really pleased that the PT is going to keep those up for a group of us who want to keep going. It's hard work but lots of fun.

House: No progress!

Craft projects: A couple of blankets crocheted for babies

Counselling course: Still no progress - have to get onto that!

Grad Cert: FINISHED!!!! YAY YAY YAY YAY! Yes I did a dance when I got the last assignemnt back and it'd passed.

That's it for now.

Dang Pipes!

Had plumbers out today. We've been having some ongoing issues with our bathroom not draining too well and have had to clear the pipes every couple of months ourselves. Thought we should get the plumber out and get it done properly. They put the hydrojet blaster thing through. That cost nearly $400. It improved things significantly but they think that the old terracotta pipes under the back verandah are probably damaged, so they 'll be back on Friday with a special camera thing. That costs another $350. Then we'll probably have to dig up the concrete out the back and get new pipes laid. That will cost many $$$ I'm sure!!!

Why did we buy a house again? Gah!

Sit. rep. - April.

Ok, so it's been a few months. Now it's holidays again and I have time! I can't believe how busy this term has been. Getting a puppy didn't really buy me any extra free time either! I did manage to make a little coat for her a couple of weeks ago, but she's grown so much I think it won't fit her now! This photo was just after I'd made it.

We've gone to 2 puppy pre-school sessions so far and she's doing ok. Definitely the smallest dog in the class, but plenty of attitude to make up for lack of size!

Progress report at the 1/4 mark:
Weight loss - 3kg down on the start of the year, so that's something. Just joined WeightWatchers again, so hoping that will hasten progress.
Gym attendance - not so good. Carrying an injury (hip strain) and lacking motivation. Need to get onto this one. Paying the membership but not going. Hmmm. At least I'm still seeingthe trainer, but she goes interstate indefinitely in a couple of weeks and I'll be on my own. Gotta move it to lose it!
Counselling course - no progress yet. Plan to get onto this next week. Will have time, and will donate some time to it!
Craft projects - Made the dog coat. Not much else as yet. Many quilts waiting in the wings.
Cooking - got a bit more inspiration most of the time. Made a yummy gluten free cake recently that went to work for a colleague's birthday - first go with gluten free flour and it was not bad. Hoping to make some healthy wholemeal banana bread today.

Also, have decided that I want one of these:

And that darling husband will make it. I'll decorate it. ;-)

The end of another holiday

As we get closer and closer to the end of January, the end of the holidays approaches. Back to work on the 23rd, sadly. Not really looking forward to going back to work, I quite enjoy not being at work! WE've just got back from a 2 week trip to Tasmania, which was great. Unfortunately we missed out on seeing some of the places that I was looking forward to (Freycinet Peninsula and Port Arthur) because of the horrific fires that were going on, but we did see a lot of other things. Just have to go back there sometime!

Now that we're home, there are a few things that I want to get onto.

1. Lose weight. 25-30kgs to be precise. This one is more of a have to and need to rather than want to.
2. Get to the gym at least twice a week. This is closely connected to #1.
3. Complete at least 3 workbooks of my counselling course. I need to get on with this, I've been enrolled in it for nearly 18 months and I've completed 1 workbook. I have done about half of workbook 2, but I want to have workbook 4 finished by years' end, hopefully more!
4. Do more craft/sewing/knitting/crochet. This is my creative outlet. I can't be bottling it up.
5. Get reinspired with cooking. I love cooking, but everything got a little bit routine and boring recently. Need to mix it up and find yummy new recipes.

So, that's my main aims for the year.

Let's see how I go!