A Modern Day Essene

We are having a very slow start to Spring this year, one day it is warm and sunny, the next cold and wet. We tend to have long summers that last through till May/early June so I shouldn't really complain!

The garden doesn't look the best right now. It is recovering from the winter and although there is new growth the plants look tired and the grass is full of spring weeds. In a couple more weeks the growth will take off and hopefully we will have a beautiful, blooming Summer garden.

I have planted a new variety of tomato, which apparently looks like a berry but taste like a tomato..........sounds interesting!

My Avocado tree is blooming with flowers. I only hope that means I will get fruit this year. The lemon tree has already rewarded us with some beauties but the citrus trees are struggling..........strange.

My white mulberry looks awful right now, there is little life to be seen except for a few new buds opening up at the bottom. I am prepared for the parrots this year! I have bought a tree net. I will be mad if the birds get to the berries before me again this year.

Our faithful passionfruit hasn't stopped fruiting throughout winter! Considering how expensive these are in the supermarket I am grateful for each and every one.

This is my second week at weight watchers. I started at 90.5 kilos and today I weighed in at 88.7kg. I am really happy! I am eating lots of lovely food, plenty of variety and yet still the weight is shifting.

What I struggle to understand is just how nice variety is! For a long time I put myself on a meat and veggie style diet............with little result. Now I am eating a large variety of food and the weight is slowly coming off. I love browsing the website each morning for tasty new recipes. My children have been great and are eating everything that I eat! and hubby isn't complaining either.........

I am looking forward to being a little bit lighter for summer. Usually I hate the heat because I am always overdressed, trying to cover up the fat! I no longer set myself goals such as 'by December 25th I want to weight 10 kilos lighter" Instead I am taking one day at a time. A lot of women vary in how much weight they lose. Some women have lost 50kg in one year and others struggle to lose 10kg in the same amount of time. I don't want to set goals that are going to frustrate me and cause me to lose interest.

I feel more energetic. My moods are more stable. So far so good!

Why is it that every time I try to 'pretty' my blog the entire site stuffs up? Is it too much to ask my computer to allow me to make my blog look nice with lots of pictures and links etc etc. I love having my favourite food websites listed on the right hand side where I can access them easily. But no, here I am once again stuck with the 'classic template' which allows me to do NOTHING. I am having a Basil Fawlty moment here where I feel like finding a big tree branch and bashing the computer with it (the famous bashing the car scene in fawlty towers)
I will not let it get me down! My weight is sliding down the scales only five days into WW online so I am happy regardless x

Do you like Green Tea? Everybody that I know drinks Green Tea, most admit that they don't like it but drink it for the health benefits!I
I am attempting to introduce Green Tea into my diet. I honestly can't tell you that I like it! It has an odd taste, almost bitter. But, regardless, I am drinking it for the same reason that everyone else seems to be drinking it.
I met an odd lady the other day. She was drinking Green Tea whilst at her desk and I asked her if she liked it. She looked at me oddly and then replied with unending enthusiasm that it was the 'only' thing that she drank!
Maybe it is something that has to grow on you..........like mold.

O.K, this is all about accountability so am posting some photos that I would rather not see! Front and back version. Not a pretty site but better than the side version that was tossed in the bin..........I'll attempt to get a 'better' shot later. And don't you just love the red top with the pink skirt! I must be a fashion guru or something.
The journey begins............... Saturday 12th September 90.5kg

I am trying to cut down my internet time..........but.......it is hard when I keep finding a wealth of information and support from the Weight Watcher's website! This morning I was trying to decide on a recipe for dinner and found myself at one of the many WW members cooking blogs. I am so inspired! knowing what to cook, how many points it will cost me is the key to success. There is no need to eat boring food when dieting. Life is colourful, exciting, so why does our food have to be boring?

Another 'secret' that I have discovered to curb the hunger pangs is Jarrah Choc N Toffee for just one point per serving it fills the craving for chocolate! I find that about 3.00p.m in the afternoon is a bad time for my sweet cravings and this drink really seems to fill the gap. Don't look at the ingredients, it is probably........no definatly full of rubbish!

Just an update. I decided to join online weight watchers! It cost me $75 for a three month subscription. That enables me to keep an online diary/tracker with my allocated points. There is a fantastic tool that allows me to check the points value of everything I eat and drink so that I can watch my points and keep a check on them throughout the day. There is also an exercise tracker which shows me how many points I am allowed for certain exercises. There are message boards, recipes galore and lots and lots of support and help articles. I feel very excited.
I have just tallied my points and only have 7 left for the day!!! so that tells me that although I have been eating 'healthy' I have been eating a little bit too much in portion size. I like the visual aids, it really helps me to see where I am going wrong. Because I could see that it was easy for me to sit down and work out a nice filling tea that won't cost me too many points. I have my day planned!
I'll let y'all know how I'm doing from time to time. Hope I don't bore anyone!

I haven't blogged for a while. Life still goes on but there seems to be less and less time to sit at the computer and share!
Our schooling is going well. I have started DD4 and DS5 on the wonderful programme "little Hands To Heaven" by Heart Of Dakota. What I like about it is the gentle approach to learning. It takes very little time, maybe twenty minutes a day. Yes! it is a curriculum but like I have said before, I will use whatever I need to help me along the way. It takes the pressure away from me having to come up with creative ideas on how to teach letter formation, bible study, art and craft etc etc! Basically the book is full of ideas, some of which I may choose to follow and others that I may choose to ignore! What is most important is that the children really enjoy it and can't wait to do their work each day (although this week we only managed two days worth of work!.......but that is o.k, it still works that way!) I was introduced to this programme after buying "Beyond Little Hearts For His Glory" from a secondhand homeschool site. Even though it was too old for my four and five year old I loved the idea and started looking at the Heart Of Dakota website for more information. The other thing I like is that although the author suggests using certain books to implement English, math, handwriting etc, you are free to use your own programme if it suits your family better.
My weight loss battle continues. I have been eating predominantly meat and veg for four weeks now. I am so very very bored! I miss things like pizza, home made chicken pie, lasagne. Yes! I can eat something like that on a treat day but for the other six weeks my choice is limited to meat and veg. I can understand why my husband has given me a glass of wine without me asking, a box of chocolates as a gift.............he is tired of his cranky wife!!!!! In a man's simple way of expressing his thoughts these 'gifts' are a cry for a return of normality! He wants me to lose weight but not at the sake of swapping his usually placid wife for Mrs Cranky 'give me the chocolate or else......." So today I have woken up and my thoughts are directed towards Weight Watchers. The only diet that I have ever succeeded on (although had to finish three times due to pregnancy!) This would be my fourth time back if I were to join. I hate the thought of spending money, attending weekly meetings but at the same time I like the thought of eating 'normally' again.........