My shameful secret

Kim Kardashian's rear end

Winifred, you have discovered my shameful secret!!!!!  Lina was so appalled when she discovered not only I, but another 'intelligent' friend of hers, was (were?) looking at the online Daily Mail that she herself started looking at it, too.  And now I learn that the philosopher Alain de Botton is also in the club!!!!

He has even started his own Philosophers Mail:  http://www.philosophersmail.com/
under the pretext his interest in the Daily Mail is a philosophical one!!!

Seriously, though, we 'intelligent' folk do look at it through utter disbelief that people not only behave so appallingly but that a newspaper would print such rubbish!  Makes me wonder how 'evolved' homo sapiens is.

Time for thyme

Yes, Winifred, I wonder who these people are, telling us what and how much to eat.  But I'm choosing to take notice now as I need a bit of a kick up the bum to get me going!  And I find that if my meals are well organised, my entire days seem to be better organised, too.

For example, this morning I dropped Emma at school and continued on to a shopping centre where I bought both kids a pair of winter pyjamas (our autumn nights are getting cooler), had a coffe while reading a book (about spelling) I bought there a couple of weeks back, then went to a green grocer for some vegies.  I came home and heated up some leftover chicken in thyme and white wine I cooked last night, added some whole potatoes done in the microwave and served with sour cream, and some frozen baby peas and thoroughly enjoyed my lunch.  That's nowhere near the recommended five veg, but better than the usual bread and cheese.

Now, after reading that book on spelling I feel motivated to do a bit of Japanese, then practise the piano. Usually I would have a nap and get depressed and unmotived.  Being alone is what makes it easy to slip into despondency and slothfulness.

So far I'm not losing any weight.  It's really annoying, when I eat properly, exercise, stand up all day long and still get fat!!!!  Mind you, I don't know why I want to lose weight, as I'm scrawny enough as it is - weight always goes from my neck and arms.

Getting fat again

Last year I was very pleased with myself for standing at the computer and exercising during TV commercials. I went down from 70kg to 63, month by month.  This year I was tired of standing at the computer, so starting sitting on my ball again, and generally became very slothful and, of course, starting putting the weight back on.  So the other day I got some more boxes to put my computer and mouse pad on so I can stand again, and am making an effort to move more.  But it seems I have to lose the weight all over again as I'm back to 70.

And now they tell us we should be eating not just five fruit and vegetables a day, but seven (including two pieces of fruit).  I'm fine with the fruit, and eat more than two pieces a day, but always fall short on the vegetables.  I'm now making an effort to eat more vegies, but will never make seven.  Even the experts realise this is just a dream.

Over the past few nights I've cooked myself some delicious meals.  I have dozens of cookbooks, so am never short of inspiration, and there's always the internet for recipes. It's never much fun eating alone, so I frequently have the family down.

What you say about not being lonely is correct, Winifred.  Frank, you are lucky, too, to have family so close.  I saw a new doctor - a middle-aged woman - the other day and she was very caring and asked, 'Who do you live with?'  I'd never been asked that before, but it's a good idea for your GP to know whether you're alone and might be lonely and depressed or have somebody keeping an eye on you.

The big problem

I have had the greatest difficulty with time ever since I retired.  When we work, we don't have time to think about it, we just rush about, fitting everything into somebody else's timetable. But our own timetable requires a lot more effort.

When I wake up in the morning I think of all the things I have to do, and sometimes become so overwhelmed I do nothing but lie about, undecided.  Will I practise the piano, learn some Japanese, dust and vacuum, have a swim/a nap, do the shopping, cook something, visit friends, go to a movie/a gallery/the zoo, read the paper, do the crossword, cuddle the cat, pay some bills, Google around, answer dozens of emails, read a book (in English/Italian/French), tidy up, watch TV, make some phone calls, do some online jigsaws, etc, etc??????

The only things I never have to worry about are what are imposed on me by others, like walking Emma to/from school, giving an English lesson, and having my piano lesson.  This is a sad state of affairs, given that I have been retired for almost 15 years, and am still unable to discipline myself and order my days.

Oh dear, what a laugh!

I remember commenting ages ago, when I first started listening to the BBC, that I was astonished to hear real-life baronesses and lords actually talking on the radio!!!  To us egalitarian Aussies, it is unbelievable that such titled folk really exist.  But now, can you believe, Tony Abbott has brought back Sir and Dame!  He did it without consulting anybody and has been a laughing stock ever since.  Both sides of parliament have called it ridiculous, the opposition has had fits of the giggles and the cartoonists have had a field day!

I specially love the new Australian flag, the one Sir Pository of Wisdom would like!
(For anybody who hasn't already heard about it, one of Tony's first gaffs was when he used the phrase 'suppository of wisdom', instead of 'depository'.  We laughed about that one for months.)

No offence to the British people - but the vast majority of Australians want a republic when the Queen dies, and an Australian-born head of state.  This present PM is a huge embarrassment. (He was born in UK.)

We have reached a new low with this current crop of politicians and, for the first time in my life, I voted for nobody in the last election.

Sleepless nights

Most nights this is Muffy and me.  She's snoring away while I'm lying in bed, hour after hour, wide awake.  I've tried everything.  Nothing works.  Some nights I don't sleep a wink, and have to drag myself upstairs at 7am, mind the kids till 8, then walk Emma to school at 9. I come home and go back to bed!

Most of my life I'm like a zombie.

Every cloud has a silver lining

No, Winifred, I don't blame you for the rain!  I still think of the photos of the worst of the UK's recent downpours (and our Australian floods last year) and realise I have nothing at all to complain about.

Damn and bugger!  I just lost an entire paragraph.  Gremlins in my laptop again.  What I want to say is that, having taken everything out of my bedroom when the carpet was wet, I am now not too keen on bringing a lot of it back.  The perfect opportunity to get rid of some stuff, or at least put it in the store room.  (To be perfectly honest, I still struggle with actually getting rid of stuff!)  Though I have learnt that once I put anything in the store room, I immediately forget it exists, so might just as well get rid of it in the first place.

Anyway, I've completely reorganised my walk-in wardrobe and feel much better about it. I need two dozen or so new coat hangers as I've decided to put my trousers in a different place.  I won't make a special trip, but will get them next time I go to Westfield.

The other day I washed all my winter jumpers and folded them neatly before putting them back into drawers.  Now the entire room has been washed, and what's coming back has been dusted and/or folded and put neatly away!

Oh, what a feeling!

Something to lift the spirits:

http://twistedsifter.com/videos/injured-dolphin-approaches-diver-for-help/

Bugger!

On Wednesday night I was still awake at 2am when I decided to turn off the radio and enjoy listening to the pouring rain.  After a while I wondered where Muffy was, so stood up to look inside my walk-in wardrobe.  Squelch.  I stood in a puddle and immediately thought she must have done a wee, though that would have been a first for her, as she always goes outside into the garden.  I took another step and there was another squelch. With sinking heart I realised my whole bedroom was awash, so I flew upstairs to get Philip, not noticing that as I went through the bathroom it was also awash.

We realised the drain outside my bedroom window was not running, as it could not cope with the huge volume of water.  The only place for the water to go was into my bedroom and bathroom, as the previous owner had foolishly and inexplicably built the paving stones sloping towards the house instead of away from it.  But as we stood there, open-mouthed, the drain began to run again.

There was probably 2 inches of water covering my bedroom floor, so we did our best to soak the worst of it up in dozens of towels, and carried everything into the living room, which fortunately was not affected.  The wet bathroom didn't matter, as the floor is tiled and there was the drain at the bottom of the shower.

Philip hired two professional blowers and had them running in the bedroom by 6:30am, and had to take the day off work.  I was completely overwhelmed and slept all day on the sofa to get away from my misery.  The blowers stayed on from Thursday morning till 6:30am Saturday and did an excellent job.  The carpet is OK - does not need replacing.

Oh my god!!!!!!  As I write this, another thunder storm has suddenly hit.  i dashed outside to bring in the washing but didn't make it before I was nearly blown away by tremendous winds and drenched by pouring rain.  Philip is working today to make up for Thursday and now I suppose the pool will overflow!!!!!!!  As the saying goes, it never rains but it pours...

How does my house get so untidy??

I don't know why, but being away made me want to have a huge spring clean (even though it's autumn here)!  My new motto is THROW SOMETHING OUT EVERY DAY.  I've been thinking about doing this for a long time, but now I am actually doing it!

My New Year Resolution of not buying anything had a little slip up the other day, when I bought myself a doona cover and pillow slips, in spite of already having at least six sets of perfectly good ones.  And I bought myself a new top for my birthday because the shop had sent me a $25 gift voucher and you're only 71 once.  But I haven't relented with the kids - not a thing have I bought either of them this year.

I've been vacuuming and dusting, cleaning out drawers, tidying up and throwing things out for the last few days and feel so much better for it.  There's no doubt, living in a tidy house is good for the soul!

Yes, Winifred, Hugo has been forgiven for his tantrums.  I think travelling must be simply dreadful for kids, so I can't say I blame him.  Always feel like having a few tantrums myself when I'm stuck in a plane.  People often ask if I'm scared the plane will crash and I tell them I wish it would when I'm on a long-haul, to put me out of my misery!!!

Frank, I'd love to get a puppy for Emma, but we don't have a fence.  Philip has contacted the council to see if we are allowed to put one up, but the answer was such a lot of jargon he can't work out if we can or cannot.  It seems ridiculous to me not to be allowed to have a fence, especially with young children.  If we move the swimming pool to the front we'll be forced to have a fence, so that might be one way of getting round it :-))