Whine, congratulations and an update!

Have been feeling a little... down over the last couple of days. Not sure if it was the whole Valentine's day thing or not, but feeling a little overwhelmed! [/end whine]

Anyways, the trip has FINALLY been paid for in full, just waiting for the final invoice and itinerary. These will more than likely come with the tickets for the Rail component, but now I can relax a little. All that remains (really) is where and what attractions will be had! I would have loved for mum to go on the London Eye, but she has an aversion to heights, but I hope she can summons up the courage for the Eiffel Tower!

The Itinerary, 42 days, is as follows:

• Manchester, Liverpool, York, Bath, Windsor and London.
• Paris and Angers
• Venice, Florence, Pisa and Venice
• Naples Capri Italy, Piraeus (Athens) Rhodes Greece, Kuasadsi (Ephesus) Turkey, Alexandria (Cairo) Egypt, Messina (Sicily) Italy and back to Civitavecchia (Rome)
• Dubai

I can't wait to get onto the plane (44 days from now, but I am not counting (MUM is though)) but to get some great photos as well!

My journey to a healthier lifestyle is going well, as I mentioned, I have lost 2kg and 20cm overall on my body measurements. Yesterday, I started a boxing session with the trainer and felt OK after it! My eating is going ok, even good, and I have started to eat some vegetables including Broccoli! I am currently going twice a week, and from NEXT week, I will be throwing in a class as well on the Wednesday! I am still walking of a morning, and cycling of an afternoon (when it's not TO hot) and I go for a walk in my lunch time.

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Success!!

Some good news... I had my first weigh-in and measure up, and I have lost 2kg, and a massive 20cm in measurements! I was so stocked in getting to that point!

It has been a lot of hard work, learning to eat vegetables for starters, but I am getting through them. Not to mention, seeing the trainer twice a week, this week it was three. But I now have the momentum and drive to continue on. So hopefully, by the time I head off in March, I will be not only a lot fitter for the trip, but a lot less of me as well!

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A new lens!!

Firstly, I just HAD to post this pic from the movie, Avatar... I heard that Mr Bean had auditioned, but when they did a CGI of him, they thought against it!

Bean Avatar, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

But, in the mail yesterday, I got a new 'toy'. Well, ok, it may not be 'new' but it is to me!! I have been looking at getting a bigger lens for some time, but the price (C. $1800 AUD) has put me off it. I did see one in Doha last September, and the exchange rate was good with the price, but I just couldn't come to buying it, and with hindsight, I am so glad I didn't! It is a Sigma 80-400mm lens with Image Stabiliser, so if I have a slight movement when taking a photo, it will compensate for it! It is also VERY heavy as well, but I am so looking forward to using it! Here is a photo (taken with my old 'point 'n' shoot' Olympus) of it on my Canon EOS 400D (I also have a X 2 converter, so it gives me up to a total focal length of a massive 800mm!).

New 80-400 lens & x2 converter, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

And, here are a couple of initial shots I took very quickly during a break from doing my Tax, yes I know it's late, VERY late, but mine is now done and a few minor things are needed for L's!

Cicada Shell, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Bottlebrush, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Have a great day!!!

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A night out with the girls!

Last night, after MANY attempts to have a 'get together' we finally all caught up to have dinner at 'The Vintage Cafe' in 'The Rocks' and a chat. There was Mel, Sheryl, Geri and Clare. Sheryl is still at my work, where as the other girls have all gone to greener pastures...

Out with the girls 04022010, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

We originally met at Löwenbräu Keller (also in 'The Rocks') for a drink where I had a German Beer, which really, was not that nice for me... I think mainly it was to malty?

Anyway, we had a starter of Garlic Bread, yumm (there goes the diet!) and then, needless to say, we had a Seafood Paella with Crab, Prawn, Calamari, Mussels, Fish, Chicken & Chorizo. It was a MAJOR yumm!!! It wasn't until after we had finished, that I remembered I should have gotten a photo, DOH! After dinner, since I knew I had already blown the diet, I thought blow it, in for a penny in for a pound (or two or three) I would have a dessert. It was the most wicked Dark Chocolate Cake, served on a chocolate, raspberry and a sweet syrup that was to DIE for.

Thank GOODNESS for going back to the trainer today to work of all of the calories I had put on last night alone!

Thanks girls for a wonderful night, I totally enjoyed myself... We must do it again, but a bit more frequent OK!

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WW No. 1: - Doha Inland Sea Dinner Table

Doha Inland Sea Dinner Table, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

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A Road Trip South...

Last week, I had a bit of a road trip to get my mind back into, well, horticulture stuff. So I headed down to the South Coast to visit my old boss, Dr AH. He has a lovely property on 6 acres. I was asked ordered to bring Mr Macc with me, so I folded down my seats, put his bed into the back of the car and we headed off. Now I could have taken the F6 south down past Bulli Pass which overlooks the Illawarra:

The Gong from Above Bulli Pass, originally uploaded by .sarahjane.

But instead, I took the M5 down south to Picton, turned left, and headed past Cordeaux Dam:

Cordeaux Dam, originally uploaded by titancatwoman.

Cordeaux Dam, originally uploaded by Daniel O'Connor.

Again, I could have taken the easy way and re-joined the freeway, but instead I headed down the escarpment via Mt Kiera and Mt Kembla, through Kembela Heights and then onto the Princess Highway at Dapto.

Lookin South, originally uploaded by e0nn.

Mt Kembla at Dusk, originally uploaded by Momentary Glimpse.

And finally, arriving at Meroo Meadow...

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Happy Birthday to the F-I-L

Today, we celebrated (early) the FIL's birthday... Now I am far to much of a gentleman (cough cough I hear you say) to mention his age, but the card I got him went a little something like this

"Age is like a game of golf, The higher the score, the more you lie"

Now, naturally, this was taken with the pun to which was intended, and the celebration lunch was quite good. A morning rain shower did make it incredibly steamy though, but a great time was had. I guess you could really tell by the way the kids enjoyed themselves! I & O have also done a wonderful job on the house and gardens, not to mention the cubbyhouse and Chook House!

Sedgewick House, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Sedgewick Cubbyhouse, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Michael, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

The Boys, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Cousins, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Will & Rosie Swing, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Riley 2, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

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Happy Australia Day!

Just a quick one as I am about to go out to enjoy Australia Day, and have a BBQ followed by Australia Day Fireworks this evening!

And whilst the makers of Vegemite (an Australian icon) KRAFT is no longer an 'AUSSIE' company, there isn't much more that typifies Australia...

Happy Australia Day, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Have a great day everyone!

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On yer bike!

Today, I went for a ride... Partly as I was invited, but to also clear my head... I had been sorting through L's crafty stash of material for quilting and chenille. I have only cleared out one room, and there is so much junk stuff!

Lous Crafty Stuff, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

So, A,S and the kids arrived at 11.30am and were hit the road at just on midday. It is a cycleway I had done a few times before, so as I used to it. But only when I was a little fitter than I am now and also a little lighter! We joined the cycle way not far from home, and by the time we reached 'Pipehead' we were now on what was Sydney's water supply before being decommissioned in 1995 and converted into the cycleway in 2004.

Boothtown Aqueduct - 1883-1907, originally uploaded by yewenyi.

So we rode along the 7.7klm odd cycleway and were greeted at the picnic area by S, M & W with lunch, we were so spoilt! I actually didn't feel to bad either after the ride! W was feeling a little out of sorts, tired mainly, but he is the one who enjoys staying up much later than bedtime! But this was more out of sorts than normal, maybe he's coming down with something...

Alex and William, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

So we hit the road back home, and the first hill was a killer for me, but it was all 'downhill' after that. I say downhill, as it was a canal that carried water down to pipehead, but it was such a low gradient that it felt flat ALL the way! And I was so glad to be home with a cold glass of water (or four!) to drink!

Now I had been thinking of ways I can either keep the outdoor lounge clean, and/or Macc of it, so I went to the linen press and got an old odd quilt cover, so hopefully this will work! I will still be shoeing him off if he is so stupid to hop back on, but at least I will be able to pull of the slip cover in a second for a party or similar!

Lounge Throw protection from Macc, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

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Training and eating (and GREAT Neighbours!)

For those of you who know me, you will know that I have not been a fan of vegetables... Not only do I not like them, I have a very strong DISLIKE for them. My mother had failed, my ex had failed, and to some extent even L (and her mother) even failed. But prior to L dieing in April, I had started to eat peas, at least it was a start, right?

BUT, where L had failed in life, she has some what succeeded in death and I have started to eat 'veges'! Yes, this will come as a shock, but it is all part of my get fit regime! I started with a Personal Trainer on Tuesday, and on Wednesday, I ate healthy (or as close as I could) for the day. This included five meals, culminating in NO carbs after 3pm. So what was I going to have for dinner now? I went down to the supermarket and did some shopping, and I could not believe I was buying Broccoli... All cooked, I had a steak, corn, tomatoes and yes broccoli!

Dinner, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

After my first session, I was in pain, real pain... My arms were sore, my legs were a little sore, but it was all in my arms! I felt good though, a bit better in my mind as I had been feeling depression filtering back, but I actually managed to get a good nights sleep... I went to bed at around 8.30pm (unheard of normally) and slept solidly until 7.30am!

And in this mornings news, with it going to be at least 40c here today, I managed to get up early, run an important errand first and I was home by 7am. I had breakfast, and I got straight to doing the lawns. Whipping and cutting done, and I got quickly to watering the Garden, mainly things that I did not want to loose, and it was now coming up to 9am. As I was rolling up the hose, my neighbour D was coming in the gate. I have such GREAT neighbours... Anyway, he came with my morning (weekly) paper and some 'morning tea' wrapped in foil... He was in a hurry himself, and I quickly went inside to see what treasures were within! OMG is all I could say! See what I mean:

Neighbours Scones, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

I quickly put the kettle on, got the butter and jam, and had two (YES TWO) of these for my mid-morning snack/meal. They were heavenly! Thanks L & D for looking after me, and blow the diet for the day, I sweat it out, and more, today in the 40c heat with the Personal Trainer!

Have a great weekend everyone! ------