Jack the gnome

It was a garden book launch - what other possible reason could there be to look so cute?

Flight of fancy

Today on my run (which was exactly 6.0771km, according to this fun site: Gmaps pedometer) I saw a pair of sparrows flirting.

There was a low fence running alongside a field and the sparrows were slaloming in and out of the fence posts just ahead of my feet. They would whisk in and out and pause, I would catch up and they would whisk in and out - twittering away.

It was the most enchanting 100m I have ever run.

Walkies anyone?

The pedometer challenge has been going for four weeks now. Luckily for MD it coincides with the huge increase in exercise he is doing as training for a karate grading in December.

Because you can’t count the steps for many activities the ‘powers -that-be have allocated step amounts for such things at swimming, canoeing and biking. This adds dramatically to our step tallies, with martial arts being give an enormous tally of 9091 steps per half an hour.

Now I don’t begrudge MD having those steps because his training is extreme and strenuous. But an hour-long kata class does not really push my heart rate up that much. And so, I take only half the amount and feel guilty at that. Add three karate classes, three sessions of weightlifting a few runs and our 2 – 2 1/2 hour weekly walk and I have been hitting the mid 30, 000s!

Now, they recommend 10, 000 steps if you want to lose weight and keep fit, so why am I not fading away to a shadow? Am I so metabolically challenged that my body doesn’t understand the maths? Do I really eat that much more than I should? It’s a little distressing at times. What on earth do I have to do to change me? Because I really don’t think I can do anymore.

The desk has docked

It might look messy but this is actually a desk at rest! Look, no books, no study material, no pens (maybe one?) no scrawled notes, no cups of coffee, no lolly wrappers, no scrumpled up paper - nada, nothing, empty!

My third and final assignment has flown away for marking. Probably won't hear for at least a month, but do I care a whit, No!

Free, I am free, I am free!

Free to be a sloth, free to do housework (ha, ha), free to play tennis and to go for walks and to go shopping and to READ! No stupid deadlines slumped on my shoulders. Ohhh, a nice massage would just do the trick. A seven hour stint at the desk today has left me with a backache and tight, tight shoulders. Off to karate in a minute and then to the movies with Kate. Hurrah, hurrah, hurrah.

Sigh.

Labour day weekend

Traditionally this is a gardening weekend. Late October is the time to get the garden in in chilly Dunedin - still time for new potatoes and carrots for Christmas.

But not here, I have been assiduous in my dedication to my library diploma. Sore eyes, sore back and a non-communicative holiday weekend. All for the greater good I am sure. I can't wait to push that button and whizz these away to the markers. Probably about Wednesday night at 11.42pm.

No more blogging ;-P

Fitness

I suppose an update is due. I am still fitticising. During our holiday in Noumea we went for four runs had two or three karate sessions in the gym and I also swam lengths in the pool, but only once as I had no goggles and had sore eyes for a day after the swim.

So, the routine for now is personal training once a week on Fridays, same routine alone Mondays and Wednesdays. Karate Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings. A long walk on a Sunday with MD and a 20 minute cardio session Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday on the treadmill.

Sounds mighty!

If I didn't eat so much I would be superwoman, but I do and so I am not.

I'll attempt to cut back on the lollies, chips and other crap that have crept back into my diet. I have the karate camp in December to aim for. Oh, and my fathers birthday when I get to see older, thinner sister again, yee bloody hah.

Wedding inanity

Kim and David are now married.

She looked lovely and he looked young.

The speeches were abysmal and the music was (if possible) worse.

The food was delicious.

I forgot my camera, so no pictures.

It was a paint-by-numbers wedding, with all requisite parts in the right places at the right times,

I suppose it was special to them.

Seemed a little pointless.

I think I am jaded.

A+

Oh well, I suppose it's slightly encouraging. I received my 2nd assignment back in the post yesterday and got 87% - not such a bad effort after all. An A (83%) for my first one, and so even if I completely fluff this assignment, and get a C, I should still get a B pass for the paper???

Whatever, I sit here at the computer desk with notes surrounding me and my heart sinks. So much effort required and so many books are sitting beside my bed, calling out to me. "read me, read me, read me....." I am not designed to be a student. However, with Monday being a public holiday and me not working Tuesdays and Wednesdays that means I have a clear run through to Thursday to make some progress.

So, I'll sign off this monumental time-waster of a site and get to it!

Little goals

I’m feeling a little overwhelmed with my study efforts (again). I am not a good student, I dither and prevaricate and make everyone’s life a misery until my wee effort is over. I get no satisfaction with gaining good marks or having finished. The only thing I look forward to is the not having to do it next year.

• October 21st - Kim and David's wedding
• October 29th - Peg's 80th birthday
• November 10th - Dad's 75th birthday
• November 10th – Assignment due and my life begins again :-)
• November 11th Kate leaves Dunedin
• December 1st – First ever karate camp
• December 1st-3rd – MD’s Yondan grading
• December 5th – Zoë’s 15th birthday
• December 11th – Jack’s 10th birthday
• January 12th – Ben’s 19th birthday
• February 4th – Jed’s 17th birthday


The art of finding balance

Glowing in the dark

This is my mate, Kate! She has just been stunned by camera flash. This after peering intently at glow worms up near Nichols Falls in the Leith Valley, so her pupils were fully expanded. It was very funny as she couldn't see for quite some time. However, I do have to say that the doggie poop she managed to step in happened prior to having been blinded :-)



This is Kate again, struggling with a nine-year-old for possession of a toy gun. She won, but only because underneath those lovely overalls are....camouflage pants! Has she had secret training?

Step on by...

We were all given pedometers last week at work. The theory being that we will record our steps and life a long and healthy life. It isn't a competion but there will be spot prizes. It's a good idea to encourage people to do a little more activity each day.

The trouble is that I am starting to feel bad on 'low' days. I vary during the week between about 3,000 steps (study days) and today's high of 25,000 (gym, karate and a two hour walk). The aim is to hit 10,000 a day. Balance, always balance. But life isn't always balanced.

It's very addictive watching those wee numbers climb up and up.

Re focus

Well and truly back into the swing of ordinary life in Dunedin. From the snow showers on Tuesday to a thirty year record of 29.7 degrees on Friday, this is the Dunedin I know and love. It certainly gives everyone something to talk about. Moan, moan, moan, too cold, too hot. It's all OK though, gives me a chance to break out the summer clothes at the same time as getting a last use of lovely winter jackets.

The children are back into their summer uniforms, which for some reason look much smarter than the winter ones. I think it is just little boy's knees that I like. Zoë refuses to change to her summer kilt however, it doesn't have a pocket. This is crucial to her life as her school bans cellphones and no pocket means no way of hiding her lifeline. It's one of those daft rules that is not enforced and so is completely ignored by everyone.

MD is well on track with his karate training and I am doing bits and pieces. Still on the treadmill and keeping my speed up and doing weights a couple of times a week. Just enough to be stable, but hoping to up the ante and have another burst of enthusiasm before Christmas. In the vain hope that we may get more hot days and may end up at the beach in Dunedin in that bikini! I have some Personal training sessions all paid for that I need to arrange times for and I'll make that a wee goal for next week.

Also I'm on to my last assignment of my last paper to complete my library diploma. November 10 is the date to have it off by but I'm going to push and try and do it all by the end of October. What a weight of my shoulders (and MD's) that will be. I am not a good student. I am a moaner who takes twice to three times as long to do everything and in the meantime achieving nothing at all around the house. It is my excuse for doing nought. Oh, I have study to do. No, I need to study. Bollocks really. Just sit down and do it!

Just another spring day in Dunedin

This was the view out of our window yesterday morning. And, yes, that is snow you see!

Click on the picture and you can really see how chilly it was.

The bikini was worn :-)

The best things about Noumea?
• Meeting Julie and her lovely family - Lunching on their balcony.

• Watching MD converse in French.
• Snorkling! The fish! The coral!
• Seeing a sea snake or tricot rayé.

• Eating crepes at Le Rocher.
• Finding Le Rocher!
• The warmth.
• Just chilling out on a beach with a book and a man, bliss.

Home from paradise