HERE'S TO THE 30's!!!!!.............

G'day! It's been a couple of weeks hey! Yep, I've been busy. I've had my car, my birthday, my photoshoot, my party, have had my Dad over and in general have been busy. I move up to BF's in 1.5 weeks.

I have been incredibly spoilt this year for my birthday I must say. Very much so!
I've got the help with the car from my Mum and Dad! My family also got me a red icebreaker jacket, a black icebreaker singlet, pyjamas, bracelet, earrings. Little sis got me a 'flirty 30' glass to drink from, will take a pic of that soon and a keyring and a beaut peach dress. BF got me a Polar heart rate monitor/training computer! It comes with a waist band and foot pod! I need to read up on it all, - as well as heart rate it tells info such as cadence/speed per hour, averages and calories burnt etc. You can do a fit test by wrapping the band around your waist, wearing the watch and lying down which tells you your VO2 Max. I haven't tried that yet. My work mates went together and got a generous voucher for me to spend at Lululemon Athletica, - the Canadian chain store specialising in bright coloured yoga, gym and running gear! I have always said I loved that shop!!! Grandma sent me one of her beautiful paintings. She's a professional painter/artist and I'm rapt with it! I also got a Coles Myers Voucher from BF's family, a Roadside Assistance Voucher if needed by BF's cousins, a cake, food and heaps of beautiful favourite wines, a wine rack and a voucher for wine!!!
Very nice!!!! :-)

OK, - will start with my actual birthday! One of the guys snuck in a couple of bottles of Riccadonna to smash open as we were working..........at 9.30am!!! So we all probably had about 1/3 to 1/2 a bottle each! Now that made work more fun!!! I had icecream cake brought in for me, candles and wine!!! BF and I went out to a famous pizza restaurant for pizza that night!

Dad arrived last Wednesday night and I managed to score an extra day off work with annual leave at the last minute! Great to see him! He stayed at a hotel near me that night, (as my apartment is kinda small).

Thursday Dad bought a TomTom for my car and me and so he could get around Perth!!! Then we went up to BF's. He gave Dad a tour of his area and Dad drove off to my Uncles 1.5 hour drive into the country that night!

Friday was photoshoot day! Have to say the experience was fun! I ended up ordering 4 photos, (photographer took well over 100!) One of them is standing in my green dress! The other 3 are seductive ones on a black background and the 3 of them are going to be presented in a frame, 2 of them nude, one in a bikini! OK, you can't see anything too rude so I will take a pic of that tri-plex in the photoframe and post it up on this blog, - not facebook though! It will be ready in about 4 weeks! Then it was party food shopping that night after getting up to BF's!

Last Saturday was party day!!!! Spent the day cleaning and doing party and food prep and making sushi, cutting up lamb and chicken for kebabs and marinating it, cutting up vegies, making savouries, cutting up fruit for the fruity champagne drink!, doing vegie sticks, dips, cut up cheeses, salami, peanuts, crackers, savoury toasts, garnishes. My best mate made quiches. Party started 7pm, BF was awesome help with organising eskies, BBQ, setting up gas heaters and doing lots of outdoor cleaning and arranging party lights amongst stuff! Guests were helpful! BF's cousin made the most beautiful birthday cake. Another of his cousins is a pro shooter maker! A top night it was!!!

Sunday, - a little hungover!!! Spent morning cleaning. Dad, BF and I visited BF's parents for coffee down at their beach home then went out to an awesome steakhouse for tea!

Monday, - I was lucky not to work! Dad and I went to buy a chest of drawers which will be delivered to BF's the day I move!

Tuesday, - Caught up with Dad for tea at a restaurant, - was great! Not sure when I will see him or the family next. I put on some jeans to wear out for tea thinking they may be totally impossible or too uncomfy, - actually they felt the same as a couple of weeks ago which was good! OK, not loose but wearable with a dark pretty much non clingy top!

Wednesday, - decided on a weigh in today. I did one on the morning of my 30th birthday so I had a number to register, I have done that in a roundabout way since 17th birthday. 75.0 on 19th July, that day. 75.7 today. (kg that is)...first thing.

One thing I'm gonna nail from now on is..............not whingeing about my weight/fitness etc if I'm not being pro-active, not whingeing about emotional eating if I choose to do it and not whingeing about having no money if I've spent it on junkfood, booze or un-necessary unbudgeted impulsive luxuries! My new motto: - it's a choice! However I may allow self to whinge if I think I'm doing the right things best I can and things don't go as hoped!

As for the photos I've selected a few. My birthday cake, pavlova, spirits for shooters with the Run for a Reason pic, party dress and work mates, view from Perth Hills, one with BF and Dad, my newcar, pic of me on my 30th birthday in red fleece and others! :-)

Pip :-)

NEW CAR NEWS................GOT ONE!

Howdy!

I put a deposit on a car today. After yesterday saying I would get an auto......guess what! I bought a manual hahaha!

It's a 2003 Toyota Corolla Ascent manual 4 door, 5 speed hatch in silver and has done just on 60 000kms. It has a little spoiler on the back. I got it after it was reduced in price which was I think due to it being a manual and a few years older. 2005-2008 autos seem to get snapped up really fast and are quite notably more expensive.

The bike will fit in the back easily with the back seat folded forward and the front wheel removed, - one of my main requests of a car! Other bags etc will fit around it. BF has liked this car from day dot and has test driven it a few times on 3 different days at the dealer. I have loved this car too but was looking out for autos, and maybe in a slightly later year, - but unwilling to pay the extra money!

I hope to improve my driving skill level. I think manuals could be good for that. I will feel a sense of accomplishment when I feel confident in driving a manual again well. My first car in NZ was a manual, then I had an auto. In the last 4 years I've hardly done any driving except sober drive BF in his manual ute about 4 times on quiet roads. I am hoping to keep out of really tight busy small inner city areas.

Talk soon! I pick it up on Saturday!

Pip :-)

CAR THOUGHTS............

Hello team!

I received a great present as a 30th pressie from Mum and Dad in the form of $$$ to buy a car. So am feeling very very lucky!

BF and I are searching around to see what is available and to find out what deals best suit my perceived needs/wants or whatever!

I will be living up at BF's in 4 weeks, (wow). That is 25km out of the city up in the hills. I am not anticipating driving into the city daily and parking with such a car. However it will be handy for picking up groceries for 2, (and a dog). Nearest supermarket is only a couple of kms away so cycling (and a few trips) could work. Vegie markets are only a few kms away too..............general convenience of a car will be great. Also taking my bike away to places to go riding and to have the means to drive to possible cycling training, triathlons and in general will rock. I haven't had a car in 5.5 years, (since being in Australia). However when I first moved to West Aussie before moving to Perth for the first 1.5 years I borrowed my Uncle's Ford Falcon wagon to get around and about in on days off. I took it down south to Dunsborough/Margaret River with my bike. In the last few years though the only driving I've done is sober drive BF maybe 4 times on quiet roads in his ute.

I have pretty much decided to go for an auto! BF and I have decided on some model of Toyota Corolla. For body shape at this stage I'm torn between a 4 door hatchback or a wagon. I am perfectly competent and confident with taking both wheels on and off my bike, (although not till I really tried to do it tonight!) It is really easy though as BF said it would be. To fit my bike in a hatchback I'd need to remove the front wheel but it would fit then. I could fit other bags and stuff around it. As for a wagon I wouldn't need to remove any wheels and there is in general lots of space that would be useful! Wagons would be great if away for a while with bike, or for carrying anything outdoorsy or camping, - all things I wanna partake in. Could prob even get a small kayak in a wagon. The wagon I'm looking at isn't a big wagon, but just a bit bigger/roomier than a hatch. However a hatch may look a bit snazzier and be easier for a not so confident person to drive! Hmmmmm!

A week tomorrow till 30. Pity I have to work tomorrow and get to bed, just thought I'd give an update!

Pip :-)

MID 2010 REVIEW...........

I'm coping Magda's idea here, (cheers Magda) and have decided to give a bit of an update on 2010 to date, - although it's 4 days late but never mind!

I don't have a list of goals for 2010 still posted on here but I do remember what they are...........and they are still the same.

Work: not much change really, am 2IC at a shop that opened this year for my current company. Recently a franchise have bought it, but I will still have a job somewhere in the company. I was offered weekend managing recently for a shop, (having 2 days off in the week) but for the sacrifices involved in my weekends have decided not to go for it. I would need to worry about driving/parking as public transport won't start early enough at weekends and I would only get $40 a week more.
Pretty much just the normal otherwise.

Fitness: I started a novice triathlon training course with great intentions, but without a car and with working full time it was quite a struggle to get to all the training locations on time on my bike! I did well for a few weeks then hurt my back, then sort of got out of the momentum, and it was getting darker/into autumn and cycling out in the evenings was feeling less safe. But I still carried on training on my own. One accomplishment I'm pleased with is a 2km run time trial I did. I did the first km in 4:55 but did slow off slightly in the second km to finish that one just over 5 mins. Also I did the 14.5km Run for a Reason at end of May in 1 hour, 28. Have been a bit inconsistent with training, but quite active in day to day doings.

Weight: Started off 2010 at 78.8. Was under 75 by end of Jan and peaked at 68.6kg on 3 April. I lost my way a bit and got up to 75.7, (see pics below) and this morning weighed in at 73.5kg. My cut off point used to be 90kg, but when I got under 85kg last time, (about 22.5 months ago) I said I would never see 85 again and have stayed true to that! So if we drop another 5kg off that and not see above 80 in 2010 that is a success in a way, - I can do better than that though!
However more than weight I'd love to get my body fat to under a seemingly modest 25%, if I do enough resistance training consistently and get under 68kg I don't think I'd be too far off that.............aim for end of 2010! That's as well as tri training.

Finances: - am doing a bit better here but must work on consistency! One day at a time as I can still go well, then blow it! I have decided if I aim to save less, but just more regularly that could result in a better result in the longer term!

Otherwise: 2 weeks till I turn 30 tomorrow. I had been feeling a bit annoyed at myself recently because there was all this stuff I was hoping to achieve by 30 but hadn't! Body wise, fitness wise, finance wise, experience wise etc and it was often an issue of not finishing what I started. I have a photo shoot in 2 weeks, 5 days and my party is in 2 weeks, 6 days. A year ago I had thoughts of being in the shape of my life, looking like a sports model in my photo shoot ladeda............and never having a weight issue beyond 30!
However while I won't have under 20% body fat in 2 weeks I have let go somewhat in the last week. What will be will be at the time, and if I stay true to my values and goals on a daily basis that will be fine! While I'm a bit overweight it's not hugely so and it's common for athletes to even get that way occasionally, (if their training but not eating drops off). 6kg fat gone I'd be very happy and 10-12kg fat gone I'd be rather lean and prob size under 20% body fat! But if I'm happy with day to day actions, control I'm good with that, - even if it takes 6 months to remove 6kg although if I stay focussed I'm sure it will happen a bit quicker than that! Oh, another success for 2010 is that I went 6 whole consecutive weeks without a drop of alcohol, and seem to have got into the habit of drinking only on 2 days a week if I do now.

So now am looking forward to the party, Dad coming over, the photoshoot. Will get a car, (thinking 5 door Toyota Corolla auto hatch)! Will move to BF's in 5 weeks. Next planned race is City to Surf 12km run on 29 August. I do want to do a couple of at least Sprint distance triathlons over the summer. Other tasks I need to become capable of are: taking bike tyres off/on, pumping up bike tyres alone, being able to change a tyre on a car if needed by myself. I also intend to try growing at least one variety of vegetable in a pot or similar when I move to BF's and have more space.

Pip :-)