This week

I've had a good week at home. Enjoying cooking and baking and doing my Daisy work. It's winter now, and I'm enjoying the respite from the heat. I set the timer on the oil heater and when I get up in the morning, it's toasty warm in the morning. I set it so when Peter eats breakfast at 5am it's warm for him too. I always love this time of the year.

Last week Bunny made me something which I've been after for ages. He felt guilty because I always remember when he wants something done, and I reminded him thus! Two days later he came home and presented me with my menu board. It's probably not as ornate as what I would have bought, but he made it for me with his own hands, and that's what makes this so special. I love the idea of having a board where I can write on the board - no more - 'Muuummmm what's for dinner???', this especially from Billy-Joe two seconds after he's civilly asked me how my day was? Now I have a board where the week's food can be documented, and they can look forward (or not) to the meals. I love cooking for my family. I always try hard to cook different things and to make their diet interesting and never boring.

The board was hung up on the weekend, and while the family was out I wrote all our initials on it inside a big heart. The kids got a real buzz looking at it, and seeing their initials. I even had to include Izzy as they said I'd forgotten her! (So ISO isn't just a setting on a camera, or netspeak for in search of lol.......)

When I wrote the week's menu on it, I wrote All meals served with <3 on the bottom of the board, in keeping with 'All meals served with salad and chips'. Billy-Joe thought it meant 'served with hearts'. So when I was in town on Monday exchanging a handbag with a broken clasp, I went to a lolly bar and bought heart shaped lollies for my boys. I served these alongside Monday night's dinner. They naturally laughed and I was so pleased I went to the effort.

I've had a busy week at home, it didn't start well as on Sunday night I tried a health shop remedy for insomnia which did sweet FA!!! I was awake at about 3.30am after finally falling asleep after midnight. I got up with Bunny at 5am and sad with him while he ate breakfast. I went back to bed and dozed for 20 minutes until my alarm went off. Needless to say after I went into town, and did some jobs at home, I laid down. Whilst out I bought some chemist sleeping pills. I will have to go back to the doctor and see if there's any ramifications of taking these long term. I sleep so well with them. I wake up after about 3 and a half hours, take two Dozile and then I sleep again until about 5am, but I can go back to sleep. I feel much better during the day, although the drowsiness side effect of my antidepressants often catches up with me. Often I try to work through it, I'll get up, and do a job or even go out, but sometimes I give in to it, it depends on how weary I am.

I had a physio appointment this week. My shoulder is strapped. It's hurting me so badly. Even just hanging by my side the pain through it was almost unbearable. I currently have it strapped and yesterday it felt much better, although today it's giving me a bit of trouble, but I have ironed for about an hour. It's frustrating when all the normal tasks are just too much for the wretched arm!! I also had my achilles treated yesterday and the physio has advised me to walk and start at 5 mins a day, so I did that, and have no ill effects today. I'm to do 5 mins daily and then increase it a minute a day. Sounds painfully slow, but I'm willing to give it a try.

I've used the slow cooker twice this week, the cooler weather is just perfect for this type of comfort food. I've got lamb shanks for Saturday night and my mouth is already watering thinking of it. I'll do them in the slow cooker too.

On Sunday I'm off to the Papercraft Show to help Barbi and the girls. It will be a good day. On Tuesday next week I will do my Copic Marker course and come away as an accredited instructor which is pretty exciting. I'm so fortunate for this opportunity to do it. I've seen some gorgeous digi stamps which are just crying out to be coloured in. The sky is the limit. New stamps are always coming out and it's so much fun.

My shoulder is paining me, I will have to stop typing as I've procrastinated long enough and my Daisy work does not get done by itself.

Time to Update

I'm having a very quiet day at home today and I'm pleased about that. I've done my chores and am a little down because my shoulder is giving me a lot of trouble today. Whenever I do something a little repetitive it hurts so much. I had to put the MacBook down, take some painkillers and lie down :( Not good. I've been using the Emu Oil a bit again of late, for my shoulder and my achilles, hoping for it to work and help.

I've enjoyed not having doctor appointments in the last two weeks, well that's not completely true - yesterday I went and had my spots checked at Solarderm, and again got the all clear which is always encouraging. I'm sure my sun worshipping days of old, will come and bite me in the bum one day. I'm just thankful for my olive skin, I'm sure that's saved me.

I've got letters to go and see an exercise physiologist and I have some free visits to go back to the physio. And I've done neither. On the exercise front, with a sore shoulder and painful calves, there's naught I can do at home, and I just don't have the money or inclination to attend a gym. I know it would be good for me and if I really wanted to go, I'd go. The money is a slight issue, but I could put it on the fantastic plastic and then pay it off when my Tax comes back. I want to walk and then jog again on my treadmill. I want the pain in my calves to get better. This is now the longest I've ever had it. I've even started wearing shoes again inside, as getting around flat footed in slippers is actually making the pain far worse.

Other than my onging pain issues, I'm feeling really good. I am good within me, and while the pain is frustrating and it does hurt, I'm coping okay with it.

Thank goodness for blogo, I can write my blog, and forget about it. That was started four days ago

It's now Sunday and I will finish the post. My shoulder is still not good, although my calves feel a bit better. Wearing shoes with my orthotics inside is definitely helping. Would be good if I headed down to the treadmill this week.

I changed health funds during the week. Bunny and I have had the same cover for 19 years, two single basic ancillary covers. I well and truly get my money back each year, between physio visits and my glasses. I wanted a better extras cover though, as I want new orthotics. Mine are ten years old and they really updating. Peter needs his checked too. It wouldn't surprise me if the kids will need them too one day. Their shoes always wear unevenly which isn't a good sign. The kids don't go to after school care anymore, so I invested the extra money into health insurance that I'd be saving from the after school care. I don't need it anymore, not working away from home.

I'll finish this post with some photos.
Only Sammy can eat a cake that's dusted with icing sugar and have it look like I dusted him as well.

My gorgeous boy raising his eye brow at me.

And they never used to eat my baking!

Techno family. What have I started??

Dinner last night. I cook something good every Saturday and they don't often enough end up on my recipe blog. These lamb cutlets are encrusted with a potato rosti mixture and then served atop rosti. The sauce is a green peppercorn and horseradish cream. Deliciously divine!

The boys are at golf today. Billy-Joe and Mickey are playing in the Junior Open Competition and Sammy and Bunny are caddying. I'll go out later for the presentation.