Long Weekends

I love long weekends. That wonderfully, delicious feeling you get when you know you have time at home, with no commitments, nowhere to be, nothing pressing that needs doing. Don't get me wrong it doesn't mean we're not busy, but we're happy just to potter around home and to just be together. I went to a baby shower yesterday. Carlie my physiotherapist who has become a friend is having a baby soon. It was lovely seeing her and being among her nearest and dearest girlfriends to celebrate the coming of her new baby. I felt quite honoured to be there.

I'd slept in in the morning, went and picked up the kids from the golf course, because it was raining (AGAIN), and headed into Woolies to buy a couple of things. When I got home I put a Beef Osso Bucco together. I browned all the meat, celery, onions and garlic and put it on in the slow cooker. I served it that evening with a lemon and parsley gremolata and a parmesan polenta. It was delicious. Dear Bunny is looking forward to left overs tonight. We had a nice evening last night, quite a romantic one actually which is always special. Bunny went to bed earlyish, and I should have too, but stayed up and watched a movie. 'Pay it Forward' with Kevin Spacey. I loved the movie and the message within it, but had no idea it was going to have such a tragic ending. I went to bed after midnight and started listening to my new audiobook, by James Patterson, 'Daniel X'. It's a stupid story and I won't be finishing it!! I downloaded a Desmond Bagley book today, called 'Night of Error'. My Dad always had great books and I read most of them in my teens. I remember Desmond Bagley was one of my favourite authors during that time, so I look forward to listening to this one.

Today I got up late, could have slept longer, but Sammy kept going outside slamming the screen door, in his bid to find the jets which always fly over on Anzac Day lol.... So for the last two hours I just laid in bed, snuggling and feeling very content that nothing and nobody was needing my immediate attention. Bunny and I spent the day so far doing jobs. I've done two loads of washing, we've tidied, Bunny vacuumed, and has fixed a light in the lounge and pottered around with his car. He's tidying the 'hutch' up downstairs and is no doubt listening to the races or watching the footy while he's doing it. I've baked some Anzac cookies with the kids. They tell me they are delicious. I love the smell of the house when something is baking.

My new internet modem and connection was all set up during the week. I was so excited. It was quick easy and the new speed is AMAZING. I am so rapt that I'm spending the same as before but am now getting 25GB on ADSL2. I'm very very pleased and still can't believe that I've gone back to Telstra after all these years. I've never had an internet connection with them or a mobile phone because they've always been so much more expensive than everyone else. I left them for my phone years ago, and was always peeved that they never tried to offer me anything to stay, and yet they'd always ring trying to get me to change back, but yet they were never competitive. After my DoDo episode a few years back, I won't go with anyone who's not amongst the top few ISPs, and changing then left a really bad taste in my mouth for a very long time.... It's taken me 3 years to get the courage to go to someone else!! I'm already keeping a close track of the usage though, as we're very close to the limit I've allowed for each day. The download speeds are incredible. I still can't comprehend that my first internet package was for 80MB!!!! That was ten years ago, so much has changed since then.

Healthwise I'm not doing too badly. My sleeping is still up and down, but overall is better than it was initially. I alternate between prescription sleepers and no prescription ones, so that at least when I awake at 2am I can take something and I do go back to sleep. Not ideal, but I know it's only time. In three weeks when I go back to my GP and have the dosage doubled, I'll be back to square one, so I need my sleep now, so that I can get through this, and I know I will. Within myself I feel better. My weight is good, I'd still like to lose another 4-5 kgs though, but I'm not fat anymore and my confidence is soaring. I look nice in my clothes again, and not like a frumpy nearly 50 year old!! The best thing is that I'm not breaking my neck exercising, but just eating sensibly and eating smaller portions. I have never lost weight this quickly before and am so glad my body is finally doing what it's supposed to be doing. All these years I've been so frustrated because my body wasn't reacting to my eating/exercise patterns like it should have. A simple (well not so simple but in theory) change of medication and things are happening as they should. To say I'm happy about that is an understatement. Now to fix the pain issues so that I can actually exercise will be the next thing. My shoulder still gives me grief. It aches at night when I lie on it. It catches when I do certain things. It's not as bad as it was 12 months ago, but it's far from good. My achilles is still the same....... I'm hoping that the increase in my new medication will help the pain levels. It will be interesting. It's certainly helped in my pressure point areas so far in my thighs and forearms which is great.

I'm still suffering some side effects though. I'm so hot all the time, when everyone is cool. Dear Bunny has to have the fan on while I'm sitting there in a pair of shorts and a singlet top and he's in his dressing gown!! I hope that gets better. My feet aren't so cold anymore, so that's improving. I'm looking forward to the cooler weather.

Photo iPhone Hipstamatic

Anzac Biscuits

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups plain flour, sifted
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 3/4 cup desiccated coconut
• 2 tablespoons golden syrup or treacle
• 150g unsalted butter, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon bicarb soda

Method

1. Preheat oven to 170°C. Place the flour, oats, sugar and coconut in a large bowl and stir to combine. In a small saucepan place the golden syrup and butter and stir over low heat until the butter has fully melted. Mix the bicarb soda with 1 1/2 tablespoons water and add to the golden syrup mixture. It will bubble whilst you are stirring together so remove from the heat. Pour into the dry ingredients and mix together until fully combined. Roll tablespoonfuls of mixture into balls and place on baking trays lined with non stick baking paper, pressing down on the tops to flatten slightly. Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Recipe from www.taste.com.au