An Update.

About once a year (usually preceding summer when bathing suit exposure is imminent) I get in a "being good" phase when I try to "be good" when I'm eating - ie cut out the crap in between meals. Now as my packet of Grain Waves arrived at the start of this phase, I can't yet justify cracking them open unless (a) I decide eating a whole bag of Grain Waves could replace a "meal", or (b)when I inevitably fall off the wagon and start eating chocolate just after (or sometimes before) breakfast, which means I'll swiftly work my way through the bag over a phased 48 hour period (more than likely two 4.30pm sittings when getting kids dinner ready).

So folks, just to re-inforce how much I'm anticipated opening them, I just thought a quick update was appropriate to show how much self control I'm capable of if I put my mind to it.

Shall I post a photo of the new house, which we settle on today? The canary yellow walls with the large blue square where something has been painted around, the hot orange feature walls, and the scummy, filthy cupboards are such a highlight.

Meeting Vince the painter there tomorrow at 10am.

Sheesh.

Wildlife

I can't remember if I ever had a large black and beige cockroach running across my hand when I got mail out of the letterbox in Auckland. Guess it must be a Sydney thing.

I did it!

I have many friends who compete in all sorts of events like Iron Man, Coast to Coast, marathons for a bit of fun, and as I mentioned a few posts ago, this was to be my year of doing an event or two (and getting over my phobia). So yesterday was the day of the13km Pub2Pub race - basically a soft sand beach run followed by a couple of nasty hills and 10 kms or so of road. I'd trained a bit, I had my ipod loaded, I had a lift there and back sorted, and I had my friend Mia (who did a cracking good time). And I did it! And it felt fantastic to be part of an event. I get it now! So I've already lined up the Sydney Harbour bridge run in a month and a small triathalon in October!

After the run we had a work lunch thingee to go to, and part of my strategy to make sure I actually finished the run was to tell a few people I was doing it. So we rocked up to this lovely lunch at some friends house and everyone asked how I got on, which was cool until I met a woman who does a 24km run at least once a week with a 50 year old friend at 4.30am in the morning. Sssh, ssh, I tried to say, shutting down all conversation that involved my little jog.

But I think for me and the people who know me, it wasn't about the distance or the training, it was about getting over the hurdle in my head about "competing" with other people, and that it's ok to do your own thing and run your own race.

The Husband took a photo as evidence (I'm in the white tshirt). If you can see (he forgot to zoom) there is a kid just ahead of me. He was about 11. Young legs I thought. My age does come in handy sometimes.

Two Mistakes

Gorgeous Flora has just come back from a visit to her home in Brazil and brought us all back some beautiful gifts. She gave me a lovely ornament, carefully carried in a towel to protect it, and she bought each of the boys a bottle of sand with their names in it and a scene - apparently some old guy on the beach makes them by sticking a stick in it and moving it around until voila, a piece of brazilian beach art. Flora had carefully carried each back in a towel. They were heavy and cumbersome.

So my first mistake was having a shower. And I should know that this mistake of having a shower has happened before with many instances of mischief or scraps happening during this time.

My second mistake was leaving these gorgeous bottles within Smith's reach. Smith loved his bottle and carried it carefully around when she gave it to him. I thought the bottle was safe. Wrong.

So I got out of the shower and saw Smith rolling something along the floor. To my horror I realised that he was rolling his sand bottle along the floor like a ball. And the sand drawing inside did not like this. Gone was his name and gone was the picture. Gutted, I then noticed Will's bottle had also had the same treatment, and he was eyeing Rafe's up as well.

I felt sick. In a flash (or a roll!) these bottles that had been made specially for my boys and carried all the way back from Brazil by Flora, were ruined.

I almost feel like I shouldn't post about this as I still feel sick and absolutely to blame.

Poor Flora.

A New Blog?

The website is cracking ahead, and unfortunately for my web developers, i have become an instant "expert" on web maintenance as they have given me the tools and the training to do add my own content, pictures and stuff. It's a little tricky but am slowly getting it. But inspired, I'm thinking of establishing another blog, which is less about me and my kids and my life (and food preferences) but more about philanthropy, different causes and that sort of stuff. All in a "this is my personal opinion" kind of bubble but which is a reason to keep visiting the site and getting a bit of an online "community" going. I'd still keep this one going coz it's nice to have an outlet for useless bits of info that pepper my life.

What do you think? Would you read it?

Best Friend EVER

..or "Grain Waves Part 2"

A courier guy has just dropped a parcel off. It was light, it had familiar handwriting, and when I ripped into it there was a big green and gold packet of ....Grainey Mustard GRAIN WAVES. Yes!!!!!

So to all those who jokingly tsk, tsk 'ed my friend Sheree, redirect those tsk tsk's to me! I feel so guilty that I'm not sure if I can even eat the worlds most expensive packet of Grain Waves (inc $6.49 postage and a box).

Yes I feel stink.

Thank you dear friend.

I know I'm living in a different country..

...when the only Olympic viewing available is Australian stuff - aussie swimming in particular - heats, replays of heats, finals, many replays of finals, awards ceremonies, maybe a bit of australian equestrian, a bit of australian beach volleyball, maybe some random snippets of other sports and other countries, but largely a very focused, extensive coverage of ...australian stuff. My Sister even texted me the other night to say "quick turn on the TV there is some kiwi rowers on", excitedly I left the boys mid story and milk to catch the last glimpse of black, before coming back to find milk on beds, jammies and crying boys - that will learn me! My American friend Kristin is having a worse time though (as lets face it, coverage of kiwis even in NZ is pretty sparse - especially kiwis doing well, let alone getting medals), and she said that even in the States they still see other sports and countries not just what the States are competing in. She said she even raved to her sister back home the other night for an hour about the indecency of it all!

Anyhow the extent of the parochialism was felt at Mia's fancy dress Olympic party I went to last weekend (which was so much fun - will try and find some photos!). Apart from a fellow kiwi, a couple of badminton players, The Husband and a horse rider, almost everyone else was in green and gold. Now this wasn't like the kind of gear you get from a fancy dress shop or new from a $2 shop especially for the event, but lovingly well worn stuff fresh from their wardrobes (apart from Mia in her lycra green and gold one piece - if she actually owned that then I'm not sure if I can continue our friendship).

I'm pretty positive I'll never go there. Where's my black jersey?

Saturday

Has anyone else had the TV on sports all day like we seem to have?

House

oh, and we bought a house. And it's a do-up with bathrooms so gross I didn't even enter the rooms properly. And with a kitchen that I promise I will NEVER, EVER use.
As my clever friend Kate said "I thought you said you weren't "do-up" people?" She's right, we're not. But we are very handy with the Yellow Pages. Anyway, it will be about the time of the next Olympics before we start to do anything so plenty of time to stress.

Tenants to be found in the meantime!
BTW this does NOT mean we are staying here indefinitely, but it is a great city!

Grain Waves

I didn't think it was much to ask.

My dearest friend Sheree was coming to Sydney for a work trip and managed to find a few hours to fit us in. Awesome!!! "Did we want anything brought over from home?" she asked. I think the e-mail response from me was something along the lines of "Yes please!!", Maybe some shrewsberry's, Big Cookies and Grain Waves (I LOVE Grain Waves)".
Food parcels from home are very exciting, and for those unfortuntae enough not to have experienced a Grain Wave, it's like a big solid chip thing with yummy flavours like Grainy Mustard (My personal fave). Grain Waves have got me through the first 13 weeks of the last two pregnancies and easily the first if they'd been invented then. Pregnant or not, I can swiftly get through a large bag in one sitting (preferably without sharing any).

My expectations and taste buds were heightened. I even started talking them up to the boys (they weren't going to get any) and to my Sydney friends (nor were they).

The great Grain Wave day (otherwise known as the day Sheree was coming) arrived and the boys and me whizzed over the bridge to get her (no easy task in inner city lunchtime traffic), and of course I was absolutely excited to see one of my bestest friends from home.

But she had a suprisingly small handbag (only) with her.

No supermarket shopping bags bulging with multiple packs of Grain Waves. Just one very small handbag. Gulp.

Swallowing my disappointment, I LET IT GO, drove back over the bridge and had a lovely afternoon with Sheree. It was only after a glass of late afternoon wine did I summons the courage to ask about the GrainWaves(ok she had brought chocolate fish for the boys and I consoled myself by eating Smith's (- he doesn't know what one is and it has no meaning to him ok!). She laughed it off (too easily I thought!).

So I threatened her with posting on my blog about it.