Everyday Systems

Thanks ladies! Yes, I am disappointed at the waste of government time and money (Dept of Commerce investigation, Magistrates Court and she made a false report of police corruption that we had a call about from a senior Sergeant). I am always reading news about some poor person who had to wait hours for police to attend after a burglary, and yet all these resources are being spent chasing down a fantasy world. Sigh.

The Registrar unfortunately has no powers to dismiss a case, so the next step in the process is to go before a judge. We are hopeful that he or she will dismiss the case quickly once they see the situation. If our tenant behaves again as she did in mediation I suppose she could find herself in contempt of court.

Anyway, I'm hoping to forget all about it until December - fingers crossed!!

In positive news, still green all this week, and did weights yesterday and cycled to work today (Friday). I am continuing to just let myself enjoy the current upswing and not analyse it too much

A very happy weekend to all!

Not analysing is a wise move, I think. (I bow to your spelling.)

This makes me laugh oolala, I am always using Australian English spellings (analyse, organise, neighbour, etc) and getting myself picked up by online spell checkers, which I think use US English or some form of international spelling.

It seems at 38 I am able to change my eating habits, but my spelling habits are just too ingrained

I think spelling variations are valid. Just like SOMETIMES for you-know-what.

oolala53 wrote:I think spelling variations are valid.

Shakespeare did too! But apparently not Webster...

It just depends on where the dictionary is published. You won't find "analyze" as a valid option in the Cambridge English dictionary, I think. Anyone know?

My lowest key weekend for a long time. Apart from a dessert after roast lunch with the family on Saturday, not really many S treats. And that's fine with me.

Green so far today (Monday). I cycled in today along the river, just beautiful. So peaceful, ducks, swans and pelicans everywhere. Also very pleased to see lots of new trees being planted on the foreshore. Really loving my city at the moment.

ironchef wrote:My lowest key weekend for a long time. Apart from a dessert after roast lunch with the family on Saturday, not really many S treats. And that's fine with me.

Green so far today (Monday). I cycled in today along the river, just beautiful. So peaceful, ducks, swans and pelicans everywhere. Also very pleased to see lots of new trees being planted on the foreshore. Really loving my city at the moment.

Sounds beautiful! Congrats on a low-key weekend too

Sounds like a great weekend. Envious of your bike riding. Way too hot here !

Yes, we've been lucky, with a very mild and rain free start to the Winter. 24 and sunny, woohoo (except if you are a farmer).

Wed today and still green so far this week. Happy to ride this wave as far as it will take me, and hopefully in future if.when things are tough this will be something to look back on and remind myself of.

Ended the week green, then a relatively large weekend, especially Sunday (scones with jam and cream afternoon tea at my parents' place). Anyway, back to green today (Monday).

I have caught a cold from my kids, so exercise not really happening at the moment while I try to recover.

Hi Ironchef:
Hope you feel better soon & sounds like your week and weekend went well.
Scones with jam & creamy tea sounds like a perfect winter-time S Day treat to me! Cheers, Elyssa

Scones and tea sound good to me right now.

Green mostly this week, but red yesterday - a hazelnut wafer after dinner with the kids. I am still pretty ill and so are the kids, so no one is sleeping well - fun!

No exercise at all, as I'm barely managing normal life with this hacking cough.

Other news: I made contact with aged care mental health services in our city, and asked for help for our tenant. They have been out to see her, and she has refused to speak to the nurse or doctor who were there to make an assessment to see if she qualifies for assistance / housing / additional services. They have no powers to compel her to have an assessment, so there is nothing further we can do. I feel better knowing we have done our best to get help for her. From here I feel we can move towards our court date (now set for September) with a clear conscience.

That's too bad that she wouldn't talk to them. I hope your cough gets better soon!

Amazing Winter Solstice dinner last night - quail, truffle, salmon, just epic. Will not weigh today, will wait for Monday

Brilliant news - the Dept of Housing has been able to offer our tenant a unit, similar to ours. She'll have a lower rent, access to aged care services on site and she will be gone from our place!! Yay! I'm so pleased that all my phone calls and emails have ended up getting her this placement.

On the downside, she wants us to waive all penalties for breaking the lease early, but while she is happy to ask us for this expensive favour she is insistent that she still wants us in court in September to try to get money off us. At this point I've told our agent to just give her what she wants and get her out, but I'm still amazed at her cheek. I wouldn't have the guts to ask someone for a financial favour while I was suing them.

Anyway, everyone I've spoken to said that the court will throw out a case like this, as all her applications are bizarre claims like we stole her colander, then broke in a second time and put it back, but in a different cupboard. No one seems to think a judge will give this crap the time of day.

Meaning you can't make no penalties for breaking the lease contingent on her dropping the suit and relinquishing all rights to sue in the future? How is she affording an attorney? Or maybe I forgot that she is representing herself.

But this is still better than it was. Whew.

ironchef wrote: .

bizarre claims like we stole her colander, then broke in a second time and put it back, but in a different cupboard.

omg! lol!!


i'm glad this weid story is coming to a happy end...

Haven't been very consistent lately - mostly ok, but small fails almost every day. I am finally shaking off my cough, so that will help.

I keep on trying for those greens. I'm off tomorrow for a school holiday camping trip with my kids, so no electronics for 5 days. Will check in when I get back, hopefully with a bit more energy and motivation to get back on track properly. Especially with exercise, which has gone by the wayside lately while we were all ill.

Yes, oolala, you have it right, our tenant wants to reserve the right to pursue us in future for cash etc, and doesn't want any of the favours we do her now to be contingent upon her dropping the magistrate court case. In one of her submissions she has stated "they own two real estate [sic] and still cry foul". In her mind I guess we don't have mortgages or dependent children, so none of this should matter to us.

She is now asking us for a signed letter guaranteeing her a zero cost break lease. This is difficult, because we have yet to have final inspection and I don't want to cloud a bond money issue if things are damaged. We have already agreed to waiving advertising costs, and waiving the lost rental costs until it is re-tenanted. But somehow, she needs more. I guess because she is the kind of person who would sue for all she can get, she assumes we are too. What she doesn't understand is that I don't WANT to be involved in court cases with her at all. If I never see her again it will be too soon.

She is representing herself in court, as no lawyers are allowed in small claims unless one of you is a company or you are a lawyer yourself. She is, however, availing herself of free advice via the tenant's hotline in our state, so I think that may be where her legalese is coming from. Of course the person on the hotline can only advise based on the stories our tenant tells, and who knows what she has told them? Unfortunately free advice is not available for landlords, as we of course are all swimming in our Scrooge McDuck money pool and thus can afford lawyers. As you can tell I am becoming a bit cynical about this situation.

Bad luck. It does sound as if it isn't a permanent situation.

Aren't there any online landlord groups that share info?

ironchef wrote:Amazing Winter Solstice dinner last night - quail, truffle, salmon, just epic. Will not weigh today, will wait for Monday

Brilliant news - the Dept of Housing has been able to offer our tenant a unit, similar to ours. She'll have a lower rent, access to aged care services on site and she will be gone from our place!! Yay! I'm so pleased that all my phone calls and emails have ended up getting her this placement.

On the downside, she wants us to waive all penalties for breaking the lease early, but while she is happy to ask us for this expensive favour she is insistent that she still wants us in court in September to try to get money off us. At this point I've told our agent to just give her what she wants and get her out, but I'm still amazed at her cheek. I wouldn't have the guts to ask someone for a financial favour while I was suing them.

Anyway, everyone I've spoken to said that the court will throw out a case like this, as all her applications are bizarre claims like we stole her colander, then broke in a second time and put it back, but in a different cupboard. No one seems to think a judge will give this crap the time of day.

Great news!

People don't usually think of "businesses" in personal ways--she may not even realize that waiving the "penalties" actually "costs" you (a person) money or that the penalties are there because her actions affect you financially (that there is a "price" to pay for those actions). She doesn't sound real balanced anyway if she thinks you're breaking in to steal her colander! But I hope the court will just throw it out. Crazy case.

Oh boy, being a landlord is so stressful! We finally got a property manager because I just couldn't deal. It's actually pretty cheap (at least here) and has really been worth it for us.

Hoping it all goes away soon & you guys can put this behind you.

Thanks all! I'm sure it will very soon be put to bed.

Just back for 5 days in the beautiful south west with my family. Back to work (and N day!) today, Monday 10th.

Now we're fully recovered from coughs and colds, time to get serious about exercise again. Cycling to work and weights at home seems to be the easiest, so that's where I'll start. For now, I'm going to start with doing at least 1 thing (whether cycle or other) on every N day.

I recently took a road trip with a friend from Minneapolis through Utah. She spent 10days here in San Diego, then drove back, this time with her mom. She hit terrible heat that kept us and them from spending much time out of the car to enjoy the feel of the environment in addition to the visuals. Such a shame. What about you? Did you not get affected so much?

I was in the South West of Western Australia (about 3 hours drive south of my home here in Perth, WA), in a little area called Margaret River. It's winter here, but pretty mild, so apart from a bit of rain our time in the bush was lovely.

I've read about the incredible heatwave you have been enduring (planes that can't fly!). What a shame for your friend.

Duh! How US-centric of me to assume you meant our southwest! All I had to do to remind myself was look under your username. Your trip sounds fulfilling in more than one way.

Have a great green week.

No worries, I usually try to edit my posts for "international clarity", as I know most posters are in the northern hemisphere I wrote my post vacation update a bit too quickly!

Green yesterday, but a heavy dinner plate as it was late and I was very hungry! Green so far today, and walked to work.

Man the work cookie barrel is looking tempting today, but I am going to get a cup of tea and stay clear!

Phew, a bit of an overeating Sunday afternoon - a big group for afternoon tea, with ginger cake, chocolate truffles, muffins, oh my! Definitely overdid it.

Very pleased to be back to an N day today!

Hmm, bit of funny business yesterday evening - ate a bit of egg and noodle with the kids, then a small plate of kangaroo sausage and mash with my husband. I could try to hand wave it away as "virtual plating", but I'm going to call it a red, because it felt like one.

Today, aiming for the letter of the law!

Also, cycled to work - woot! Back to exercise at last

Wed - run, Thurs - cycled to work.

Also green!

Very pleased that I'm finally getting back to some exercise. I wrote out a planned schedule for the next few months and stuck it on our fridge. This is both to keep me accountable and so that mr. chef can see what I have planned and help me stay on track. Also, he can see when I might need some time to complete something - i.e. if I want to do a run on a Sunday morning, I will need him to be home with the kids.

ugh, spoke to soon. Had a nasty headache this afternoon and needed something in my stomach in order to take medication. Nothing with me, so had a cookie from the work jar. Bleugh.

Shoot, that was a bit of bad luck, but Sick days are exempt. If you didn't use the cookie as an excuse for more, you're ahead of the game.

Great job with the exercise! Sorry about the headache situation but overall looks like you're doing great!

Thanks ladies!. I really don't feel like I'm doing to great, but perhaps that's just due to a big Friday night and overeating weekend. Three days can feel like a looong time when you are stuffed full!

I did still do my planned run on Sunday, and cycled to work today.

Eating on the other hand is all over the place. So, here is my Monday mid-morning commitment: I will wait until lunchtime and then eat my one plate lunch. Then I will not have anything else until dinner time, and will have my one plate dinner.

I'll deal with Tuesday later!

A little "self pep talk": I am lucky to have a beautiful healthy family and an incredible and supportive husband. We live in an great community in an amazing and stable part of the world. We are blessed to be surrounded by an overabundance of food, and managing how I deal with that surplus is in some ways a lucky problem to have. Don't get gloomy, get motivated!

Just got back from a Tuesday morning run, so still going well on exercise.

Did stick with 2 plates yesterday, but somewhat dense ones.

I have been invited to a coffee today in what I think is a bid to offer me a job and get me to leave my current job. I really love my current job, but haven't had a pay rise in a looong time (big downturn here the past few years). If it's more money it will be a more complex decision...

Interesting times.

Keep us posted on the job possibility. A tough call if you like your current job, but it's nice to be wanted & in a position of strength.

Thanks Larkspur! Was a good discussion, but not sure if it will go anywhere. But as you say, nice to be wanted

Green so far today, feeling really good about that early morning run (in the dark). I think exercise for me is less about weight loss by itself, and more about the motivation and self esteem boost that kind of makes me WANT to eat healthier, YKWIM?

In BRILLIANT news, we have had two applicants to rent our unit! And one applicant would like to move in next week!! So, looks like it may only be 3 or 4 weeks of lost rent total (plus advertising costs). Likely will cost us around $1k, which, while a bit of a hit, is nowhere near what I was fearing. And of course, can't put a price on the lowered stress of not having our crazy tenant in there.

Yay--such good news about your rental property!! I'm so glad you won't have to be dealing with that tenant any longer. What a nightmare!

I agree about exercise. It always puts me in the right frame of mind for eating healthy & staying away from snacks. So many benefits really to exercise. I think you once said that you never regret exercising. Sometimes I think about that when I need a little extra motivation.

Here's to a green week. We got this!

Linda

I also agree about the exercise thing! It is good for my mood and helps me feel more powerful.

Wed was green. Phew. Feeling less overwhelmed already. Scale has yet to realise things are back on track however!

Yesterday was a strength day, but I had lots of other tasks while Squiggle was asleep. So I waited until later and involved the kids in my exercises. I uses Squiggle as my "weights". She is 12 kg, so relatively challenging!

It's actually been shown that exercise doesn't do much in itself for weight loss, but it has mental and physical health benefits that some people claim are their reasons to lose weight, so it's definitely worth the time. And some people DO find it makes them feel more like eating better food. I know I usually feel peppier after a streak.

Have not checked in for a while - life has been a bit of a whirlwind, but in a good way.

Monday, green. Cycled to work along the river, beautiful. Saw the most amazing group of cormorants and pelicans feeding on a school of fish in the river. Incredible.

Tuesday green so far. Walked part way to work, then jumped on a bus to get out of the rain!

Phew, still very busy, but going ok.

It remains a bit of a challenge to get into a regular exercise routine. Other than cycling to work, I just seem to end up with fits and starts, but no ongoing pattern. I'm still unsure how to remedy this. The best laid plans get messed up by unexpected household work, office stuff, family commitments, illness, life stuff. I get a lot of incidental exercise, but routine time for weights or running doesn't seem to work out. Hmm, onward I guess?

Back to work Monday after a 3 day weekend trip to Mandurah, on the beach just an hour south of here. Was lovely, but heavy going (drinks, eating out for breakfast, etc).
Cycled in today, green so far!

Sounds wonderful! YaY, for N days!

I love that you have a built exercise most days. How far is it to work?

Thanks Linda - if I worked more than 3 days a week it would be even better, but it is definitely good to have automatic exercise on 3 out of 7 days. My cycle takes me about 25 - 30 minutes depending on whether I take the shortest route or follow the river. So that's about an hour total if you count there and back.

I LOVE riding along the river in the morning - seeing all the birds and hearing the frogs singing in the wetlands. It is also great because the river bike path means there is no sharing with cars, which I find quite stressful. I am not a quick cyclist, so being on busy rush hour roads is tense for me.

We are just starting spring here at the moment, and it is lovely.

Tuesday 29th August - cycled to work. green so far.

Yesterday was a very hardwon green. I ate lunch at work around 12:30, then due to a combination of chores and other factors, did not eat my dinner with mr. chef until 9:15pm. The temptation was strong to pick at the kids' dinners, or to tell myself it was "virtual plating". But I held on and ate my yummy chicken and pumpkin curry with mr. chef. Phew! 9 hours between meals, with a cycle home included, is not my idea of fun, but I've proved to myself it was possible and not the end of the world. So next time I'm jonesing for a snack a few hours after lunch, I can remind myself that I actually would be fine for another 6 hours.

Yay--great job!! Those are hard days but feels so good when you get through them. Hopefully you won't have to do that for awhile.

You're rides sound beautiful. Such a lovely way to start your day.

Thanks Linda, it is really lovely, most days. Except today, when I was stuck in driving rain! Oh well, I'm not made of sugar

Wed: exercised with my new phone Nike app and my at home free weights. Happy with myself for getting this done. Went out for special dinner with old friends, had 1 savory plate then split a small dessert. Felt very happy with this compromise on an N day.

Thurs: Cycled to work, green so far.

Oh what I'd give for a little rain!

What kind of exercises do you do w/ the Nike app?

The Nike app is free on my iPhone, and you can select from a range of different exercises and plans, so everything from yoga stretching to doing weights in a fully equipped gym. I'm enjoying it so far, I've chosen a strength and flexibility plan that plans out 3 workouts a week that can be done with minimal equipment.

I've heard a lot of tales from people who've paid money for apps and been disappointed, so I'm trying to make the most of the free one So far, so good.

Monday 4th: Green so far, did a benchmark fitness test for my Nike app. Phew, hard work. The idea is to do it, then follow the recommended work outs for 8 weeks, then take the benchmark test again. We'll see how we go...

Which Nike app? There's a few. Is it the Nike training club?

Yup, NTC is the app. Despite my technical job (or perhaps because of it), I am not a phone savvy person

Finished Monday green. Today will cycle to work. Ouch, legs are a bit sore from yesterday's benchmark test.

Finished Tuesday green, cycled to and from work and also did a quick 7 min yoga thing from NTC.

I've signed up to go along to a community weeding day this weekend at a local parkland that we really enjoy. It has some amazing native plants, but also some invasive weed species, and after a long time trying to get the local council and other landowners to agree on tackling it, a resident has just decided to form a resident's group and do it ourselves! I'm really excited - a form of exercise, a way to meet some local people, and an improvement to a local area that our kids love. Win-win-win

Our court date with our ex-tenant is tomorrow. Hopefully the very last time we hear anything about her!

Oooh that sounds fun!

Thanks for the Nike app tip. I'm really enjoying it and yes it's free--yay!

Sending you good wishes on your court date!

Linda

How did the court date go?

Thanks Linda and Merry. Court went really well! It was sloooow, waited almost 2 hours to go in, then spent the best part of an hour sitting there while the magistrate worked methodically through our ex-tenant's story.

Finally the judge took his glasses off, put his pen down and looked out at us all and said "I must say this is frankly bizarre". So I gave a big mental "Phew!" and tried not to show how relieved I was! He described her accusations as "inexplicable" and said he had been "very patient" is listening to all the evidence "or better to say, speculation". So I guess that is polite judge-speak for "this is BS, stop wasting the court's time".

So, we all filed out of there, shared the Most Awkward Silent Elevator Ride of All Time(TM) and went off to enjoy the rest of our lives in peace! Yay!

Had a lovely weekend. Saturday was great, but Sunday was a bit of an overeating afternoon and evening at a big family party. My digestion is happy that today is an N Day!!

Still keeping up with my Nike TC app, did another strength and mobility workout on the weekend. Ironbaby (now 5 years old) joined me and it was hilarious. His power-to-weight ratio is excellent though!

Spent Sunday morning at a community weed removal day at one of our big local reserves. Met some really lovely community-spirited people, and enjoyed hacking out some big weeds. We found an 80-inch television thrown in the wetland - seriously people! What kind of doofus disposes of large electronics by throwing them in the nearest pond?

ironchef wrote: Finally the judge took his glasses off, put his pen down and looked out at us all and said "I must say this is frankly bizarre". So I gave a big mental "Phew!" and tried not to show how relieved I was! He described her accusations as "inexplicable" and said he had been "very patient" is listening to all the evidence "or better to say, speculation". So I guess that is polite judge-speak for "this is BS, stop wasting the court's time".

ROTFLOL!! LOVE this! So glad the judge "got it!"

I'll bet the elevator ride was A.W.K.W.A.R.D! I'm glad this is all behind you now.

Wow on the 80" screen TV (At that size, I'd have it delivered and the old one removed! Not that we have money for such a beast! Goodness!) Obviously people who don't care enough to find out what they SHOULD do (or who know and still don't care...)

Monday was mostly green, but I tried a bite of chocolate amaretto biscuit that my work colleague brought in. Oops. But I did manage to avoid eating any of the fresh strawberry puree cake that I baked and served with cream and strawberries. So, kind of a half win?

Green so far today.
Cycled to work today. Hoping to do a NTC strength workout tonight or tomorrow at home.

There is banana and walnut bread in the kitchenette here at work, but it is NOT a special occasion, so I am NOT going to have any. Are you listening, self??

Omg, you have a lot of yummy temptations at work! One bite doesn't sound so bad. Now I wa t strawberry 🎂!

I used this strawberry cake recipe from addapinch: https://addapinch.com/strawberry-cake-recipe/

But I halved the sugar, used oil because I had no shortening, and did not put any frosting on it.

It made 2 cakes and I took one to my mum's and the other to work. She says the recipe serves 12, but it would easily serve 20 or more.

I love the idea of using strawberry puree, because whenever I have baked with cut up strawberries I don't like the colour or texture of the strawberry chunks at the end.

Wed green so far. Did 30 minutes strength workout with my Nike app, so pleased with myself for fitting that in while Squiggle was napping.

Kept Wed green, although a heavier dinner of pizza and salad with my sister and her family before they leave for Italy.

Thurs green so far, cycling to and from work today.

For some reason feeling more motivated and on a bit of an upswing (perhaps the additional exercise?), so I'm going to enjoy things feeling easier for a while.

Stayed mostly green Friday except for one par cookie with me chef after dinner. I made it myself and really savoured it, so the best kind of red (if that is a thing?)

Big activity day today, but not based around eating, so hoping for a moderate S day

Did 30 minutes of NTC exercise with my 5year old! Really fun

Saturday same as an N day so far. I will probably have an oar cookie with my mum later. We are out to dinner tonight for mr chef's sports wind up, so if there is a good dessert I'll have one. Other than that, just a savoury plate of dinner. I'm so tired of feeling stuffed on SDays. Could it be that after 5 years I finally want to be moderate??

Wow, I've typed par and then oar. But what I mean is OAT. Stupid phone

I know, I'm starting to finally see the light on S days. I'm really tired of feeling sick on those days esp since it's usually time spent with family or friends. I want to be able to enjoy that time. This weekend I'm keeping to my three plates but allowing a small desssert. If something comes up like I'm offered a treat or a sample at the store I can partake (or not) but no more waking up on Saturday & beginning my 12 hour snack-a-thon. I think the idea of S days is to allow you to partake in more social eating if one would like to do so. Last time I checked there was no party happening in my kitchen every sat afternoon. 😊

Not that you do that but just sharing my experience. Here's to a great (moderate) weekend for both of us!
💕

Linda

Spot on Linda. It's the all day snacking that is so unsatisfying. My pantry is not a social occasion!

We had a lovely dinner out - enjoyed a plate of duck rendang with coconut rice, and then a creme caramel with green tea ice cream. I was full, but not sick, and apart from one glass of wine I drank heaps of water all evening. The restaurant is on the water in south Perth, so we could see all the city lights and the ferries going back and forth.

I need to record and remind myself how nice it is to indulge without being stupid, for next time I'm eating "just because I can". Eating a yummy dinner you are hungry for and then STOPPING is so good.

A busy Sunday today with my niece turning 1 and friends over for the afternoon. I'm aiming for three normal meals and then a piece of birthday cake if it's a nice one. My SIL does a lot of sugar free / fat free cooking which is very healthy, but not always appetising, so I want to remember that I don't need to have the cake if it isn't nice. I've done it before and it is the height of pointlessness, overeating a treat that doesn't even treat me!

Sunday finished up great and exactly how I hope S days will be (and often aren't).

I didn't end up eating any birthday cake, because it wasn't very nice. I had my normal breakfast, lunch and dinner. In the afternoon my son and I made a mini vanilla cake with chocolate glaze to share with some friends. I had a small piece as dessert after my dinner. It was much nicer and more satisfying than a big piece of something I don't enjoy. I need to write this down and remember it - these are the kinds of S days I actually ENJOY! I need to make sure I take steps to shape my weekends like this more often, and not fall into "for the sake of it" eating.

Monday today - green so far, cycled to work. Beautiful, beautiful Spring weather here, just lovely.

Yay you! Sounds like a great day! Sugar-free, fat-free cake? What is the point? I hate bad bday cake.

Enjoy the rest of your day!

Linda

If you follow the American show "The Good Place" (highly recommended)-- the angel Michael muses, "It's just like people to take something wonderful and ruin it a little bit so they can have more of it."

Sugar free cake... noooooo....!

Lol! It's like fat free cheese - can I just have 1/4 the amount of the ordinary cheese please?? Glad people understand that I want cake that is cake

To be fair, my SIL makes amazing salads - really creative and delicious. It's just that when you bring the principles of great salad and try to apply it to cake...

Monday finished up well, but a looong gap from lunch at work until dinner in the evening. I had a Dr appointment after work, so cycled from work to surgery, then home, then put kids in bath and bed, then made our dinner. But well worth the wait, as I had nice steaks, some homemade coleslaw, and some sourdough rolls that I baked just in time, so they came out of the oven just in time for dinner.

I am just starting to do sourdough breads instead of dried yeast bread and so far I am really enjoying it. It takes longer to rise, but that actually suits me as I can need and set for first rise over night, knock back, shape and set for second rise before work, then bake after work. Ironbaby and Squiggle still prefer my ordinary white loaf, but that's normal for little kids I think.

Squiggle quote:
mr chef (arriving home): Hi everyone!
Squiggle: Yay, Daddy!! Mummy, your wife is home!

Ok, enough rambling, better get the kids out of bed (7am here in Western Australia).

Tuesday, cycled to work, green so far.

I'm also hoping to fit in an NTC workout tonight.

I was thinking on my cycle home yesterday about how I'd love to meditate more and start my day with some stretching or yoga rather than chores or news. And I found myself daydreaming a little fantasy world where I'm retired and the kids have left home and each day I wake without an alarm, do some yoga in dim lights, eat a leisurely breakfast, find time for the garden, walking, reading, meditation.

And then it occurred to me what rubbish this line of thinking is! I may not retire until 65 or 70, and even then I'm sure there will be other demands and commitments. So, last night I did a bedtime meditation and this morning I started the day with a few minutes of yoga instead of checking the news on my phone. Life is here, available to me now, not in 30 years

I don't want to convince myself I can't be happy and live as I wish until some mythical future time or circumstance.

I'm reminded of the line from The Way of the Peaceful Warrior:
"Where are you?"
"Here"
"What time is it?"
"Now"

I love this so much. I feel like I'm always putting my happiness or other goals off until some mythical perfect moment in the future. Very inspiring--thanks for sharing.

P.S.

Love the "mummy is home" line. Adorable.

ironchef wrote:And then it occurred to me what rubbish this line of thinking is! I may not retire until 65 or 70, and even then I'm sure there will be other demands and commitments. So, last night I did a bedtime meditation and this morning I started the day with a few minutes of yoga instead of checking the news on my phone. Life is here, available to me now, not in 30 years

I don't want to convince myself I can't be happy and live as I wish until some mythical future time or circumstance.

I'm reminded of the line from The Way of the Peaceful Warrior:
"Where are you?"
"Here"
"What time is it?"
"Now"

This!!! I have been feeling really envious of a lot of my friends lately. They are a bit older than me and and many of them had government jobs (and lived very frugal lives) so they are retiring now.

I will daydream about retirement a LOT and I'm not even sure when that will be for me.

I like how you realize that we won't even know what our circumstances will be then. So true. Anyway, here we are, where we are. We might as well enjoy it.

Eckhart Tolle said to live your life circumstances as if you had chosen it.

Ironchef, I have been letting my starter lapse. I like the chewy sourdough bread and because everything has to have health tacked onto it (gah!) I fancy it might be better because the long rise supposedly does something desirable to the gluten, what I am not sure. Buys it flowers maybe.

Lilybug, I will be a late retiree too. But I think work (if not too stressful) is good for you. Social connections, usefulness, using your brain. I hope to work part time as long as I'm able.

That said, I cut back from full to part time for this year. My plan is to give myself a midlife health boost in this brief period before we are paying for college again. I am working in the garden more and the housekeeping/meals are better, but I feel like I'm hoofing it most of the day and not finding time to write that novel or finish the quilt. I spend a lot of time helping my older and younger family members. It's all good, but it's not gardening in the morning and writing in the afternoons LOL.

"Eckhart Tolle said to live your life circumstances as if you had chosen it."

Love that Lilybug. One time I asked DH how we would know if we had made the right decisions. His response was because we'll make it be the right decision. No point in living life on what ifs, maybes and somedays, right?

Thank you everyone for chiming in with such thoughtful words! Can I say again how much I appreciate this board.

Absolutely Linda, no point living in a someday.

Lilybug wrote:Eckhart Tolle said to live your life circumstances as if you had chosen it.

I love this Lilybug, and when I look at it, as a person of privilege living in a rich and peaceful country, I actually have chosen a lot of the things that are in my life. The thing is to enjoy them now I have chosen them. mr chef and I always joke that we have dreams enough to fill 50 lifetimes together, but perhaps the key is to make sure to enjoy the dream we are living?

Larkspur wrote: the long rise supposedly does something desirable to the gluten, what I am not sure. Buys it flowers maybe.

Too funny!

I meditated again yesterday evening, and started my day with some stretching and yoga poses. It's not "gardening in the morning and writing in the afternoons", but it's a step in the right direction.

Thursday: red - I baked an experimental chocolate coca cola cake for work, and wanted to try a corner. Just to make sure it was ok before I served it to others (yeah, right!). So anyway, that's a fail, but a small one, and the goal now is to make sure there is no WTH and I stay on habit the rest of my day.

Tonight I've got a 30 minutes NTC app workout scheduled.

No WTH! Finished the day green, did my 30 minutes NTC. Even resisted very temptations to share dessert with mr chef 😀

Yay! You're doing great!

Thanks Linda!

Friday green. Took the kids for a after school swim and did 7 min NTC stretch. Bedtime meditation.

Saturday is my Dad's birthday party. My aim is a green day with a nice piece of cake after lunch.

Saturday turned out really well, three squares plus a slice of birthday cake. Lots of walking with the kids and my folks.
Sunday we had a 5th birthday for one of iron baby's friends. Managed again to make it just a normal day plus one slice of birthday cake. Really pleased, and sooo much more enjoyable than a Sunday snackathon. Did 30 minutes NTC workout.

Monday was a public holiday here, but as it was Queen's birthday, and not associated with food / eating I just made it an N day.

I was meant to do an NTC workout, but instead took the kids swimming in the morning and to the Zoo in the afternoon. Will try to fit in NTC today (Tuesday).

Green for Monday, green so far today (Tuesday). Cycled to work today.

It's school holidays, so at the end of this week I'll be heading away camping. Unlikely to check in over the weekend. Hopefully will be lots of walking, and maybe can do some no-equipment NTC workouts.

Taking the kids to the zoo and swimming sounds like a busy day!

What does NTC stand for? I'm sure you've explained, but I haven't been checking the boards much lately.

Hi auto, NTC is the Nike training club app that I've got free on my phone. I'm actually finding it very easy and motivating, because I always have my phone with me and can choose short or equipment free workouts. I have finally accepted that at this point, with 2 little kids and 3 days a week work I can't commit to regular outside the home sessions at a gym or class, and also can't afford it.

Tuesday finished green and did my cycle and NTC.

Today will be a normal day, but I'm allowing an S event this evening. My best friend is here from London, I haven't seen her in 4 years!! I am so excited!! She's coming to our place to meet Squiggle, then we're going for a drink and tapas. So, I'm giving myself permission to enjoy some extra tapas without worrying about virtual plating. Or perhaps a sweet that looks really special.

Definitely sounds like an S worthy event. So exciting--have a wonderful time!

Thanks Linda! It was wonderful, but kind of heartbreaking that we don't live in the same city.

Had a few nibbles of almonds and fennel salami on top of my actual dinner, but no sweets etc.

Off to the forest today, so probably check in next Monday/ Tuesday. Have a good weekend all!

Are you going camping?

hey auto! Yes, kind of. My parents own 40 acres of bushland, but there is a small shed there, so we don't have to pitch a tent. Glamping I guess! We do build fires for cooking etc, so that part is still authentic.

It was beautiful, and the bush in springtime is really amazing - so many orchids! Glad to be home though - hot showers, gas cooktop, shops, etc.

Back to work and N day today, actually really looking forward to it after a few treats this weekend. Didn't do my NTC while I was away, but heaps of bush walking (and carrying Squiggle when she got tired!).

Cycled Mon and Tuesday. Green both days.
Tonight (Tues) going to try to fit in a no-equipment NTC workout.
Day off work tomorrow, really need it to catch up on all the house and garden stuff after 5 days away!!

Crazy busy week and weekend. Overate on sweets on Saturday, bleurgh!

Cycled in today (Monday) and green so far. Soooo much better!!

Yay for N days. I overdid it this weekend too and am excited to eat reasonably today!

Thanks Linda! This week has been a little bit crazy with work stuff, on a very busy job at the moment but still trying to manage it 3 days a week. Oof!

All green so far (half way through Thurs), but I did have a small taste of lemon meringue pie on Monday because it was handmade (including pastry) by a work friend. I did, however, manage to make a batch of linseed and oat cookies and not eat even one, even though they are delicious!!

Totally random Thursday night fail. Normal dinner, then fell for leftover custard with sourdough apple cake, and a slice of toast with like marmalade. No real excuse, just a screw up.

Back to normally scheduled programming today (Friday) hopefully. Also want to exercise if I can fit it in.

After the school run I’m off to meet our state government environment minister - exciting 😉

Why are you meeting with the environmental minister? Are you going to run for office?

Oooh I want to know too!

Haha, nothing that exciting. I’m part of a local community group, and my fried Kate is running for local election. This meeting was the community group, the local shire officials and the state government, and the purpose was to look at possible funding for our local area from state grants. Looks like we can apply for some that will be available next financial year.

I’m quite excited, as we all work for free so far. Kate will be paid a small stipend if she’s elected, but it’s a “don’t quit your day job†scenario. Very pleased for our community group president, as he’s been working hard for several years out of community spirit. I really love our area, the people are so great!