Down

I lost 0.6 kgs. This makes me very happy! Nice, sustainable progress.

So I'm now 105.3.

Cannot wait to crack the hundred mark, though at this pace, I'll need to be patient!

Besotted

I don't usually post on a weekend, but I am lucky enough to be able to say that I spent today in the sparkling company of Suspira, and just had to boast about it!

All women should aspire to be half as wonderful as she. Talented, funny, and scrumptious to look at, Suss is a treat for the senses. And she makes a perfect coffee!

What a day. It flew past, and I'm beaming from having had such a great time.

Oh, and do go see Pride and Prejudice, should you be so inclined. I shed a few tears, so beautiful was the crescendo. The cinematography, the soundtrack - delish.

*swoon*

A fact and a photo

The very smallest I have been as a fully grown person is 79 kgs.

This is still more than my current goal, but at the time, I was between a size 12-14, and was thrilled about it. (I would still be thrilled about it!). I can just see all the slimjims recoiling, thinking, 'You're proud of that?' Well, yes, I am. I was in great shape, though a little part of me thinks my face is prettier when it's fuller.

I can't find a good picture of me from that time, but here's one of me at about 85 kgs.
I personally can see a huge difference between now, and then. This picture is my inspiration, something to motivate me towards what I deserve. It's not the end point, but shows me that I'm going to look and feel noticeably better along the way.

If I find myself getting to a point where I look and feel great, but am still above 69 kgs, then I'm happy to stop, and maintain that weight. It's about health, and what my body can sustain, it's not a competition.

Quatro photo

The lovenest -



Note absence of lawn. This makes me very happy. The garden is more lush now, I have been giving it a lot of tenderness.

So, if you happen to pass this house on your travels (unlikely), knock on the door! If I like your blog, you can come in and we'll share a coffee! If you don't have a blog, well, get one!

Photo week, day three

I've managed trois! *hee*

Anywho's... people often wonder why, since Samurai is such a rascal, did we get him in the first place?

This is why.

I also have the cutest picture of kitten Sam and Stu having a nap together, but Stu wouldn't let me show it to you (fair enough, too!). But I swear, it would make you melt!

(Oh, and by the way, we don't live anywhere near that carpet any more).

Photo week continues

Since we're getting all up close and personal, I thought that I might take the plunge and show you my pussy.

Shame on you if you thought it was going to be anything different. Shame on me for making such a crude joke!

Photo week

When reading other people's blogs, I find myself imagining what the writer looks like. I create physical representations based on their personalities, their interests, and little clues the blogger might leave along the way.

Not too many bloggers will put a picture of themselves on the net, and that's understandable. Privacy is a golden asset.

But I thought I might offer you an indulgence. Please be gentle. If you don't have anything nice to say, you know where to stick it!

Oh, and as you might have noticed, half of my head has attached itself to the top of the page. If you're after prettier fare, try here.

Nil, nada, zip

Not a single gram up or down in either direction.
I counted, I abstained from naughties, I walked my butt off. Alas, it was not to be.
*Grumble*

Weight Watchers is generous with giving explanations for why you may not register a loss, despite hard work.
1 - The female cycle - At certain times, the body retains weight, because women are cursed.
2 - High salt intake - Lots of salt in the diet means retained fluids.
3 - Muscle gain - Muscle is denser than fat, so gaining muscle can cancel out any fat loss.
4 - Not enough sleep - The body burns fat most efficiently both during and after a good sleep.

All of these apply to me right now. The damned cycle thing, had two salty meals yesterday, my muscles are sore from working them hard, and I endured several nights of insomnia in the past week.

I am happy to say though that my clothes are looser, so we're rolling along nicely, really! Onwards and downwards.

Friday Fact

Despite my having used many an overpriced pen in my years, for me, nothing beats the feel of a Kilometrico on low GSM paper.
You know that cheap, slightly brownish paper they use in colouring books? It's got a lovely amount of give, and a Kilometrico just glides across it.

End of stationery advertisement.

Oh, another fact! I can not stand it when people can't spell stationery properly. E for envelopes, people!
Stationary can be defined as such -
1 - a. Not moving.
b. Not capable of being moved; fixed.
2 - Unchanging: a stationary sound.

Newsagents do this all the time, and should have their licenses to sell paperclips revoked.

Okay, I'm done.

Hair

Don't worry, this won't degenerate into a hippy musical. Though if a nude romp to express your lust for revolution is just what you're after, by all means, be my guest!

Have you ever noticed that your hair is at it's most fantastically glossy manageability during the week leading up to your hairdresser's appointment? That it seems to be just the right length, and the style is perfect?

I think that this is hair's defence mechanism - making you ponder the idea of cancelling the appointment means that the ends might just get to hang around for six more weeks.

I've been getting compliments all week, but I won't be fooled, these ends are to be chopped tomorrow- no matter how nicely they behave!

What goes up...

A few months ago I was scouting the real estate websites, just to see what property values were like in our street. This little hunt turned up some interesting news - the old brick house next to ours was to be levelled, subdivided and sold off as three double storey town houses, each worth $530,000. *gasp*

This raised a few issues for me.
First - building houses is noisy business. If I could live in the cone of silence, I would, so I'm not happy that all of this unwanted noise will be going on at, presumably, all hours, and is completely beyond my control.

Second - this patch of land is slightly up the hill, plus, they are going to be two storey, where the old house was single. They will be able to see into my courtyard! And my dining area! Y'know, sometimes, I might find the need to be at the other end of the house, when I don't have any clothes on. Now I'll have to be fully clothed, all the time! And what of spontaneous fun with my fiancee? Grumble!

Third - five hundred and thirty thousand dollars! They will have exactly the same appointments as ours - same number of bedrooms, bathrooms, etc. There are also three residences on our block. The only difference is that they will be taller, and ours are three years older. We had entertained the idea of purchasing the unit we're in if ever it became available... but even if they may have depreciated by $100k, it is still a lot of money for a unit an hour away from the city.

Yes, yes, it's all about the lifestyle. Property advisers in the know are touting our area as 'The new Brighton' (which is ridiculously ambitious, though locals know it's a lovely place to be). The council has initiated lots of (sometimes misguided) projects to revive the image of the less desirable areas, amenities are plentiful, shopping is above average (though for labels, you'll need to go further), the views are amazing, and the peninsula is a hedonist's wonderland. But really, it's not there yet, if it will ever be, and outsiders are all too aware of the stereotypes perpetuated by those whom haven't visited in years. We know that it would be prudent to purchase asap, but the wedding means that we will need to revisit that idea in a few years. By then, prices may well have escalated as predicted, and our hilltop lovenest will be just a dream.

I know I'm only 23, but I get this tightness in my chest when I ponder the thought of moving into a house I don't like, in an area that means nothing to me. I'm sure we'll one day achieve the bay views I so longingly covet, but at what cost?
Eh, looks like it's a renter's life for me.

Anywho's, I was relaxing in the quiet afternoon on the weekend, conquering some sudoku puzzles. A quiet rumble in the distance grew louder and louder. The ground vibrated ominously. The plants protruding above the fence from next door trembled in fear. CRUNCH! BANG! ROAR! I was seriously cheesed - my serenity had been destroyed!
And then a monstrous mechanical arm, loaded with serrated teeth pulled down the wall about 6 metres to my left. It was like something from War of the Worlds, this uncontrollable beast hell-bent on destruction. Samurai and I just stared, eyes wide and mouths agape, in the dubious safety of the dining room, as this house was demolished in no more than an hour.

So, it begins.

Oh oh oh!

I don't know why I didn't post about this immediately, but given my limb-flailing excitement, I'll forgive myself.

The Big Yin is definitely coming. In January!
I was so worried that he would only visit melbourne on April 8th, which is the day of my sister's wedding, such is my luck. Eh, I'd go interstate to see him if I had to.

"I think tonight I'll have multiple orgasms!"

You have to take up the tax before you pull up the carpet.

I never have any luck with tax. I always just break even, except for the one year that my employer didn't withold money for HECS, and I had to pay a year's worth in one lump sum. I was living on my own at the time, and I was devastated, but I made it happen. Surely, this would never occur again?

Heh, never say never. This year I had a firm idea of which bracket I was within, and planned my budgets as such. So I'm plugging all of my data into the Etax programme, and it was telling me that I would get a tidy amount back. Then, I entered the amount relating to the payout I received when leaving Fabcorp. This was more than enough to push me over to the next bracket. The tidy credit became a terrifying debt of several thousand dollars.

Tears were stinging my eyes, I was so upset. Sure, I have savings, but of course they're allocated to the engagement party, the plastic surgery I want to have done, and the wisdom teeth I should have removed soon. Not to mention the actual wedding, and the fact that I like to have some left over for a rainy day.

Stu was by my side when all this happened, and without hesitation he offered "You can have my tax return". Now, his return was equally commensurate to the debt I'd just incurred, so that would have been the perfect solution. But I couldn't possibly take his hard earned money, he deserves each and every cent (and then some). Though this showed me once more how much of an angel Stu is, so generous, so loving.

Luckily, I'd not yet entered my deductions. Thank goodness for charitable donations - including those, I ended up a hair's breath beneath the threshold.
Crisis averted, and I will now be the happy recipient of $57.

And now, for something completely different...

I gained 0.2 kgs. So I'm back to 105.9 kgs.

But don't fret my pretties, after my weekend of unbridled consuming, I was expecting to pack on all that I have lost so far. So I'm actually fairly happy with this week's result. Besides, slipping into that bridesmaid's gown put it into perspective for me.

I'm cutting my rations down to 18 points again this week to compensate, and we'll be back on track.

Aw, thanks guys!

Thanks to all those who sent me well wishes by phone or comment or email or whatever - much appreciated!

Oh, and Sussy has really set the benchmark for kindness with this - she's such a doll!
(By the way honey, if I'm illegally linking, or just being plain annoying - let me know!)

Whirlwind

I just had a great weekend - I hope you can say the same!

Friday night Stu and I went out for Japanese and bowling. It has been ages since I last bowled, but we had sooo much fun. At first, I was doing really well, and poor Stu was sending the ball to the gutters again and again. So I won very convincingly in the first game... but by the second, Stu had tuned his technique to a fine art, and pins were flying. But my mojo was lost, as was the game.

Saturday, I was was prepared for the worst. I walked along the beach in the sun on the way to the bridal store where the bridesmaids' fitting was to take place, just to make sure my mood was as good as possible. But whereas last time I had to wriggle into a very snug dress, this time it fitted beautifully through the hips - my widest feature. *beam* Alas, it gaped around the back, waist and bust, I'm probably a good three sizes smaller in those areas. After it was pinned in all the right places, it was really flattering, though I was trying on a chocolate brown version... I just don't know how I'm going to look in the pale pink.
Mum, Bec and I enjoyed coffees and solved the world's problems for the rest of the morning, until Stu and I spotted each other (he was doing errands). He wanted to send me off for a spa treatment, as an early birthday present, but unfortunately the dayspa was all booked up, so now I have a three hour appointment booked for the day of the engagement party.

Saturday night, birthday celebrations with my family. I received Alicia Keys' Unplugged album, a huge bottle of Ralph Lauren Romance, and the cutest cards! Bec also baked me a white chocolate mudcake, using the pattern from the Women's Weekly birthday cake book, in the shape of a pink butterfly - gorgeous and delicious! We spent the evening listening to old gems from dad's record collection, imbibing far too much of my favourite dry white, Christobel's, and laughing 'til it hurt - good times!

Sunday morning, Stu and Sam sang me a happy birthday, and gave me Stephanie Alexander's Cook's Companion - the must have cooking bible for any foodie - it's luxe! The card they gave me contained some of the most beautiful words, I'm so grateful for my boys. Oh, and Stu's parents sent me a lovely designer card with a crisp green hundy inside - nice!
Stu wanted to treat me to a nice lunch, so off to Mornington we went, so we could suck in the sea air while we dined, and peruse the boutiques. But as soon as we pulled onto Main st., something was amiss - the road was closed. A food and wine festival - what fun! But there wasn't a parking space free anywhere near where we wanted to be.
I'd heard good reviews of a restaurant in Hastings, and was eager to sample it, so we drove across the peninsula. I gotta say, Westernport Bay is rather dreary in comparison to my beloved Port Phillip, but the restaurant wasn't bad. It's kind of a training ground for aspiring hospitality staff, so they're all trying their hardest to please. Very inexpensive too. If ever for some crazy reason you find yourself needing a bite to eat in Hastings, try the Pelican Pantry.

Ummm, I think that's all. I have a dear friend coming down my way in a few weeks, and I'm hoping and wishing that the weather is as delightful for her visit as it was over the last few days. I want the water to sparkle, the sand to glisten, and the view towards the city to be as pretty as a postcard. She deserves good weather!

The good, the bad, and the ugly

Good - It's my 23rd birthday on Sunday!

Bad - Bridesmaid's dress fitting tomorrow. I am filled with dread.

Ugly - After writing that post about feet this morning, I realise that I am in serious need of a pedicure.

Early gift

Today I received an e-card from iSubscribe.

Mum and Dad bought me a subscription to OK! Magazine! It's the gift that keeps on giving!

A year of frivolity, I love it!

Friday Fact

I am a shoe size 9-10.
To add insult to injury, they are also wide, and each has a strange bump on the outer edge.
I love shoes, but it's so hard to get the pretties to fit!

Hopefully I keep people distracted with the jewel tones I choose to paint my toenails!

Boobie-non

Sorry guys, I forgot all about it by the end of the week.

But if you're extra nice to me, I'll let you have a look!

Hump day

Thank goodness we're already halfway through the week!

Last night, when Stu went out to get some milk, I took advantage of the opportunity to put the bins out for collection the next morning. Normally, they live in a place which is obstructed by cars, spare furniture and the clothes dryer. With one car out, I rushed the bins to freedom, making sure not to hit the automatic garage door button on the way out, as is often my subconscious response to leaving the house - I didn't want to be locked out in the cold!
Unfortunately, I'd forgotten to apply the same thinking to the back door. It's an easy push-button lock, which I'd obviously engaged without thought.

Ummm, what to do? It was dark, it was cold, and I didn't want my neighbour to see me hovering around outside without purpose, she'd think I'd chucked a tanty!
"Aaahh - I can get into the courtyard!" So there I stood, pressed against the glass of the dining area, watching Frasier.

Imagine Stu's reaction, seeing me on the outside steps, straining to hear the television. You probably thought he rushed over, let me in quickly, and fussed over me a little? Neh! He stood there for what seemed an eternity, a look of utter consternation on his face, as if to say "Why has my nutty fiance chosen to watch television from the porch?" I had to usher him to come and release the latch, and then almost had a head rush from the change in temperature. Brrrr!

In better news - the bunnies are back! All the way through Aspendale to Keysborough, bunnies nibble at the grass, and make me squeal in delight. Sure, they're a nuisance for farmers, but they're so darn cute!
Baby duckies will be hatching soon, and wandering past my office window.

I love working in the sticks!

Yoghurt crusades

After my shocking discovery about the points content of Yoplait Light yoghurt, I've swapped.

I'm now trialling Yoplait's No Fat varieties. At 1.5 points per tub, it makes it a lot easier to include sufficient dairy into my diet.

There are a few criteria a yoghurt has to pass to become a winner though. This one passes on flavours - they are accurate and varied. So far I've tried watermelon, lemon spritz, strawberry spritz, coffee brulee, vanilla brulee, and honey creme. All lovely.
At first the texture isn't perfect, a bit slippery, but once you stir it a few times, the consistency is nice and smooth.

I'm also going to give Nestle's Diet varieties a try soon... I switched from them a while ago, but they've added some flavours.

If only I could find Yoplait's Hazelnut Creme again... it would probably be 5 points per tub, but oh, it was good. Doesn't beat Connossieur... mmmm, custard yoghurt!

Oh, and if you've seen advertisements for Nestle's new Refresh citrus mousse, you might want to give them a try. Fairly large tubs, only 0.5 point each... I personally didn't adore them, but as a light dessert, they're not bad.

Better is Nestle's Creme Caramel, or the chocolate mousse. Yummm. Oh, and you can't beat light jelly for a filling, zero point dessert.

Is anyone else really hungry now?

Oh! And...

...I lost 0.5 kgs.

So I'm now 105.7.

Happy days. Well, for me anyways, if someone was 60 kgs, they might find that prospect quite horrific... sorry if I frightened you, skinny folk!

The weekend was too short

Friday night, I settled in with some Billy Connolly. This was a good start to the weekend, though I did doze off towards the end of the disk... so tired!

I was half dreading Saturday. We were visiting Stu's grandparents, and his grandma has a habit of slipping insults into the conversation. There were none that I could detect this time, though she has taken to calling me her Mona Lisa. At first I thought that this too was a thinly veiled insult (ie. round and pale), but I'm sugar coating it with the thought that the Mona Lisa has captivated the imaginations of men throughout the ages... that ain't half bad!

The funniest thing about this grandma is her sense of propriety. She started a conversation by saying "Oh, I hope you don't mind me asking this, and don't answer if you don't want to..." and the dread rises in my gut "...is your mother a tall woman?" I breathe a sigh of relief, and answer easily.
And then, in the middle of us showing her pictures of our cat, and the unit, and the day we got engaged, she just drops a "Do you take naked pictures of each other?" Que?!
Why is asking about my mum's height a more sensitive question than a direct enquiry about our bedroom antics? Heh, makes me laugh.

I also learnt to play Gin Rummy... I really like it (mainly because I won a few times)!

That night was great. I went out to dinner with some high school friends to celebrate my friend's birthday last week, and my birthday, next week. I received a beautiful set of Japanese ceramic dipping bowls and serving plates, glazed in an irridescent shade of blue tinged jade. The details are key with these girls though, so they were beautifully wrapped, and accompanied by the cutest cards!
Two of the girls came back to my place, and though I had intended for us to partake of some kind of entertainment, we just chatted all night. I climbed into bed at 4am, and dreamed heavily until morning.

The sleep I had was insufficient though, as I was feeling moody and rushed all morning. We were off to my parent's house for lunch, and once there, Bec started enthusing about the bridesmaid's dress fitting I am to endure next weekend. Already I've been dreading the idea of a stranger wrapping a tape measure around my curves, knowing that my measurements will be hollered out to all and sundry. I know that my size is no secret, but I could get along quite nicely without being appraised.
But now her fiancee's mother will be there, in addition to the other blonde size 10 bridesmaid... virtual strangers privvy to this most mortifying of rituals.

Add this to my tiredness, plus some other things that have been weighing on my mind recently, and you have one unhappy girl. I cried and cried, but mum, thankfully cushioned my fall. Stu was horrified to come through and see me sobbing, so once adequately comforted, he took me home and wrapped me up in his loving.

Calm and contented, I took to the roads for a driving lesson, and then came home to the deceptively monstrous job of weeding our garden. Well, our patch was fine, but the landscaping either side of the driveway leading up to our unit, and another, had also become overrun. It doesn't belong to anyone in particular (least of all us, as the other units are both owner-occupied), but it's not aesthetically pleasing, so out it all came! A bit of Jill Scott in my ear, and a lovely breeze made it quite enjoyable.
But the best part - my cyst burst! I was using the hedge trimmers to carve through a stubborn branch, and as they snapped back together, I felt a strange sensation in my wrist. "Oh, just the cyst", thought I, but when I surveyed the damage, there was nothing to see! My wrist had shrunk down to almost its original size, just a small bump remains. Still a bit hurty though.

I could do with one more day to kick my heels up, but today's flying past... not long until another weekend (compared with say, Christmas)!

Friday Fact

The last time I smoked a cigarette, I was four years old.

It's a Boy!

Well, we knew for a while that a boy was on the way, but I'm overjoyed to hear that Sussy's sister, MS, has delivered a whopping, healthy bubs, Phoenix.

I have the deepest, most heartfelt wishes for everyone's quick recovery.
It all sounds a bit hurty to me, though I'm sure if Phoenix is anything like his aunty, he will be a joy to behold, and it will all be worthwhile.

*gush*

Oh, another glass of chamagne? Don't mind if I do! *hiccup*
Cheers!

Pleasant Surprise

My uncle has always been the epitome of bachelorhood. A soldier for over twenty years, being untethered was either a convenient choice, or an unfortunate product of his lifestyle - I could never tell. He seems nice enough, and his work as a chef means he can prepare a fantastic meal, but his dense beard means he resembles Ned Kelly, with the smiling eyes characteristic of my father's side of the family.

His freedom meant that he could offer his services in Timor in times of need, which happened to be both humanitarian and very lucrative. Out of the profits he made from his tours of duty, he built and furnished a house in a lazy bayside town in Queensland. Now retired from service, his pension funds a life of pool competitions, televised cricket, and more than his fair share of drinking. This drinking means that he has chosen not to acquire a driver's license, but as a reliable taxi service operates in his area, this is of no major consequence. I believe that he has joined the army reserves, and serves infrequently, I suppose as a way to remain an active member of the army community, as he is in no desperate need of funds.

My grandparents (his parents) live nearby, and try to ensure that his clothes are put away, the bathroom is hygenic, and his meals consist of more than beef and gravy. At 43, many would say he's living the good life. He's set, and can spend the rest of his days pursuing each and every one of his whims. But murmurs on the periphery suggested that he may have reason to harbour some envy of my father, who left the army to pursue the career, wife and kids expected of a respectable man.

But purported envy will no longer rap at the window of my uncle's consciousness. No more than a few short months ago, Granny reported that he had found himself a 'long haired friend'. Just this week, he has proposed marriage! I've not had the privilege of talking to, or even seeing a picture of my new aunt to be (I don't even know her name!), but I hear that she's a mother to 12 and 15 year old children, and a keen pool player. So my uncle now has an instant family, and a partner who shares his interests. Good on him!

Though this uncle has not personally extended his well wishes to Stuart and I on our engagement, I still feel obligated to send some form of congratulations his way. I've always felt that he preferred my sister and brother to me, for reasons multitudinous, but sharing his joy seems the natural thing to do. I'm not sure if we are to be invited to any celebrations of theirs, but he, and his fiancee, are certainly welcome at ours.

So, I'm raising the symbolic glass of bubbly to their ongoing success and happiness together. Cheers!

Fugly

I'm in such a fug today. The sky is grey, as is my mood. Various reasons.

My daily chat pal is away has been away from work a few days, pursuing more interesting things, understandably. I miss her witty repartee.

The cat is still on his rampage, yowling and clawing my feet mid snooze. Closing the door results in more yowling. At least if he's attacking my feet, he's only waking me up, and Stu can indulge in peaceful slumber. We found today from a consummate cat lady that fixing him (which is due to be done about now) should put an end to his 'cheekiness', so I guess that's sunshine on the horizon. But at this moment, I'm tired and listless.

I also feel bad because my friend's birthday was Monday, and I didn't get to celebrate it with her. This coming weekend, we will have a combination celebration, including my own birthday, as it's just too hard getting everyone together, so hopefully that will lighten my guilt.

A few months back, I was promised a promotion from '#1 phone lackey with a whole load of other responsibilities' to '#3 phone lackey, able to concentrate on other responsibilities, with potential for further career advancement to managerial position'.
Nothing has changed, other than me taking on more work from other assistants with plenty of time to spare. I am still harassed by at least 50 of Australia's finest rejects per day, all of whom believe that I am simultaneously responsible for every problem they have with our company, and am incapable of summoning an independent thought. Please, someone, divert the phone lines! That's all it would take to put a comfortable distance between myself, and the great unwashed. I'm biding my time, but my patience is waning.

On the upside, I received a voucher from my favourite dayspa, in recognition of my impending birthday. That might be just what I need...

Don't take me to JB Hi Fi

I left last night with two CDs (Michael Buble and Vanessa Mae), and 4 DVDs (all Billy Connolly).
I have been hiring Billy from the video store, whenever I need a pick me up. I owned one of his videos and one DVD before, but I have to leave a bit of time between watching them again, because I laugh loudest when a joke is a surprise. No more hiring for me! Though I'll still be hunting for some of his older stuff.
I almost spent more than I had to, as I'd bought the four disks individually packaged, but on the way out of the store, saw that three of them were available in a box set, cheaper as well. The sales person offered to exchange, though I felt silly because it was only about $10 different, but as she said, better in my pocket than theirs.

I could very easily have also left with a new Playstation game. They've realeased a new one for Eye Toy called Kinetic.
I was saying to Stu a few weeks ago as I waved my appendages about in front of Antigrav, that Eye Toy is exactly the thing we need to solve the childhood inactivity issue. I also mused over the potential of training programs for adults, designed to encourage movement and perfect technique.
Someone in software development land is psychic, as Kinetic is exactly what I had imagined. It's like a personal trainer in the TV!
Some people might say 'But workout videos have been around for years!'. But can a video tell you when your technique is good or make sure you keep up with the tempo?
I want it! But I'm running short on ideas for people to give me over the coming gifty season... so that's now #1 on the list.

Boobiethon

Should I enter?
Are there any pitfalls that you could think of to deter me from submitting my breasts to cyberspace?
I know there are plenty of bosoms online, mine would be no life saving contribution...

Stu might get a kick out of it! He's always teasing me, saying that he's making a tidy profit from janetnude.com. (If that site does exist, the woman on it is not me!). Though he says he prefers to look at women, with faces, not just chests.

Either way, I should give dollars.

Bubbles, bubbles everywhere...

Oh, the weekend was lovely.

When we signed on the dotted line to book our ceremony venue months ago, we were rewarded with a bottle of sparkling wine, and dinner for two in their partner restaurant at Docklands, Medici. We took advantage of this as a way to celebrate our six years of togetherness.

So, as we were going to the city, I thought that I should book us some accommodation, so that Stu could indulge in a drink or two should he so desire, and we could meander home at will.
My criteria were that the hotel had to be a reasonable proximity to the restaurant, have an impressive rating, and dammit, I wanted a spa! This left one option - Crown Towers.

Very nice. Check in was a breeze, the valets dealt with everything, and the view was fantastic. We could watch as the fire show blazed from the columns along the river - I'm a sucker for it, must be the pyromaniac in me! The room was sumptuously furnished, and generously proportioned.

Dinner was delicious. I had marinated chicken on steamed rice and salad greens. I can't describe how heavenly the sweet honey mustard dressing was, all soaked through the rice. Yum. Dessert - fneh. I tried some creme caramel, but it was a lot more bland than I expected. However, it was also a lot better for me than the other desserty offerings. The decor was Italianate slick, and the view captivating, so come summer, they should be doing a roaring trade.

We wandered through the Crown complex on the way back to our room. Well, I should say 'jostled' as every man and his dog, plus his kids and nanna had descended upon the facilities. Back in the relative calm of the hotel, we enjoyed the chocolate covered macadamias included in the turn down service, settled into the spa, and created a mess. Bubbles covered everything! We had to enjoy the spa jets at intervals, so that we could see each other. But, oh, it was good.

TV1 was having a 'Just Shoot Me' marathon, so I enjoyed a foot massage while Stu giggled the night away. And other activities... Can't say I noticed much of a difference between the king size bed and the queen at home, but oh, the sheets! Must have had a thread count of 7000! Divine. And the curtains - the blockout was so effective, I was convinced that it was still 3am, at 8!

The room service breakfast was just what we needed, toast with condiments, fruit smoothies, coffee and tea. More 'Just Shoot Me'. Perfect.

What wasn't perfect was the queue for checkout. But there were staff serving guests in the line, so we were out in two minutes. But we were greeted with yet another queue, as the valets hurriedly returned cars to the impatient throng. I filed my nails, voiced my displeasure at the offerings in the windows of Versace and Burberry, and giggled as Stu gossiped about toe cleavage.

As we were nearby, we stopped by the South Melbourne market for my all time favourite - the homemade dim sims. These are sublime. The size of a small fist, packed with spicy pork and cabbage. I used to work a two minute walk away from this dim sim Mecca, and every market day the office would be ripe with the intoxicating smell.
We didn't buy them to eat immediately, instead we bought a bag of ten cold ones to freeze and savour later. The temptation got the better of me and once home, we steamed one each for lunch... tasty!

Um, dinner with my family that night - all good. We watched 'Spaceballs'. Fneh. It was a plethora of Jewish jokes, so we felt a bit alienated. Hee - a space movie made us feel like aliens!

Cleaning frenzy the next day. Enjoyed a walk along the cliffs to a secluded beach nearby with Stu's parents, the weather was brilliant! Alas, the tide was too high for us to continue down the beach, so that I could covet the beachfront house of my dreams.

That's all I think!

Hmm, I'm sure I left it here somewhere...

My friends, I have lost something.
2.3 kgs!

Hurrah!
So I'm now 106.2 kgs.

I'll increase my daily intake to 21 points per day.
If I have any parties or other gatherings to go to (of which I have many in the coming months), I can save points during the week - up to four per day. Easy!

This kind of thing helps to make you more optimistic, that's for sure!