Cool, dark and quite wet here this morning. I hope it fines up later as I am going out to see Bruce Almighty with my friend. I could do with some light relief around here as it's a bit like walking on eggshells at the moment. I also have several days of babysitting coming up. I'm minding Andrew and Tora for the weekend while their parents have a weekend away for their 7th anniversary. That is sandwiched between two days of Mya. They are going to Queensland for a week and Bec's days have been changed to fit in with that. Usually she has Monday off. It means I don't have her on Thursday, but I'm not particularly looking forward to such a concentrated burst of little children. I suppose I can always sleep in on next Tuesday.

I had butter chicken last night. Certainly not low fat, but very yummy for a change. There's enough left for two small lunches, so that's handy. Now I have to work out what I will cook for tonight. Husband is so erratic in times he gets home. It's difficult to have something that won't spoil, but will also not take too long to have on the table after he gets home. He was so late twice last week that I ate and told him to heat his own in the microwave. I don't appreciate eating at 9:30pm and going to bed shortly after. Stomach doesn't like it either. I tried it once and had dreadful indigestion.

When I detailed my babysitting, I forgot I was supposed to have Tora for five hours today. However, her mother let me know that she can't make it. She usually has her nails done every two weeks and then has some time to herself, but has something else on today. Whew! I bought some sticker books in the local bargain shop for $2 yesterday. Andrew and Mya will love them. Literally hundreds of stickers.

Husband is at home today. He has had a cold for a while and was totally pathetic last night. Son rang and told him to go to the doctor. Wouldn't have listened if I'd said that. Doctor told him to take two days off and go to bed. Exactly what I would have said, but again he wouldn't listen. He's at work all day, out running around half the night and out most of the weekend. Then he wonders why he gets sick and doesn't recover quickly. He also has some antibiotics to take.

I enjoyed Bruce Almighty. I certainly wouldn't call it a wonderful movie, but it was a good bit of stress relief. We laughed and enjoyed it. Not really a kids movie but there were some quite young teenagers in there- first week of private school holidays, I suppose. They sat in a row behind us and were very quiet. My guess is that they just didn't get a lot of the references.

When it was finished, we went for a bite to eat. I had a BLT and enjoyed every bite of it. Some coffee and we went walking around the shops looking for a few things.

A week gone! Babysitting was OK and the baby slept all night which was good. Not so good was the fact that she had a really dreadful cold which she quite happily shared with me. I've been carefully making sure I didn't catch both the colds my husband has had this winter. Washed my hands constantly when I was minding Miss Two when she had a cold. However I couldn't avoid this one. Her nose dripped like a tap with a bad washer and she coughed too. She was miserable and wanted lots of cuddles, so guess what? She coughed in my face, slobbered all over me etc. etc.

I'm just beginning to emerge from the fog of a really nasty cold. My head is still fuzzy, but I thought I'd better update. I did a fair bit of walking on the weekend with the baby. Pushed her to and from the shops. She was well rugged up and I needed the exercise. I bought some fish for me and she ate quite a bit from my plate at dinner time. There was plenty of food left for me, but lately I really don't feel like eating meat. A tiny bit of thin pieces in a stir fry is OK, but more than that and I just can't eat it. Chicken and fish are OK, just red meat. I'm just as happy at the moment eating only vegetables.

Got my husband to bring in Vietnamese the other night. There was no way I could even think about cooking and I wanted something tasty but light. He was a bit offended. He wanted to cook vegetables (read platefuls of mashed potatoes and onions),and BBQ meat,(read large pieces of steak.) I couldn't have eaten either and then there would have been the mess to clean up as well. The night I came home I got him to cook some ravioli which I had in the fridge and heat up a sauce. Not too bad and well within his capabilities to do.

It's a lovely day today here. Beautifully sunny and clear. I woke up this morning thinking that I feel much better than I have all week. Slept well last night and what a difference that makes. Then I remembered that I should be going up the mountains for a week today. However, that has been postponed till mid-October. It would be beautiful up there now.

Went shopping in the sales yesterday. Some new curtains and a skirt I have been looking at all season but wouldn't buy because it was $50. Half price yesterday, so I bought it. It's denim, mid-calf length, and very comfortable. It's slightly A-shaped, not straight but not full, and has a spiral of pieces in it. It's longer than my other denim skirt but looks really good. I'm very pleased with it.

Husband is bringing some people home for lunch as well as his mother. Fortunately I had plenty of meat balls leftover and will do some rice. If he wants salad he can get it himself. I won't be here, I have a meeting to attend with my friend. The meat balls were very nice. I bought a pack of veal mince on special and put a lot into it. Leftover cooked rice, a couple of eggs, a packet of french onion soup mix, onion, garlic, lots of pepper,some chopped shallots and a finely chopped apple and a bit of celery. Think that was all. I made fairly large balls, almost rissole size and put them in a baking dish. Covered them with some Ardmona thick and chunky flavored tomatoes and cooked for about 90 minutes in a slowish oven. It was the first meat I've eaten in about two weeks and I enjoyed them. I'll add some more tomato to the mix today for them.

He's out now, so I'd better tidy the table so they can find a place to sit.

Another lovely day although the morning has been quite chilly. Beautifully clear and sunny.

I know I speak of my husband's bad eating habits, but he just never learns. MIL didn't come home for lunch on Sunday because she knew I had told him to serve rice! Must remember that one. That sounds horrible but I sometimes really have trouble coping with her here every week, fidgeting to get moving and telling me exactly the same conversation about her breakfast each week.

However, he did bring home a couple from church. This couple look unhealthy. Hard to describe, but they are both quite overweight, (look who's talking!) and look pale and pasty as my mother would describe it. Obviously not fit either.

When I returned home in the evening I discovered almost all the meat balls had been eaten. They were quite large and a whole one was more than enough for me. Each of them had had at least three. Then I saw a couple of takeaway containers in the fridge. One had a small amount of KGC coleslaw in it and a chicken wing, also KFC. He had put the leftover rice into another takeaway container, but it was easy to see it had had KFC mashed potato and gravy in it. (I mean, I don't have any plastic containers???) Down the bottom of the fridge I found a cardboard KFC pack with just a few chips in it. So they all had rice, very large meatballs, KFC chicken, potato, gravy, chips and coleslaw. Just for lunch. I know he had pizza for dinner because he told me.

When I went down to the laundry, I found a shopping bag. Two large packs of those awful Tip Top fake lamington fingers, a pack of Anzac biscuits and another of chocolate biscuits. These two were from the Woolworths bakery and had 24 biscuits in each pack. Then on the desk next to his computer was an almost consumed pack of Coles equivalent to TimTams. I just can't get through to him, not even the dietitian seems to be able to do it.

I was out shopping at lunchtime yesterday and had a chicken sandwich and a coffee. As my husband was out for dinner, at a banquet no less, I decided I wouldn't do much. I used a bit of leftover rice and stirfried a lot of vegetables to go with it. Added a bit of soy sauce, oyster sauce and some sesame oil. No points for the vegetable, one for the oil and possibly one for the rice, only about 2 tablespoons of that. I really enjoyed it and it was very tasty. Today I will have pumpkin and leek soup for lunch and haven't yet thought about the evening.

I can't believe it's just on a week since I last wrote in here. I meant to update at the weekend, but never seemed to find the time. Can't quite work out where it all went, but I was busy most of the time. I do remember going shopping on Saturday for a sportscoat for my husband. Couldn't find one under $300 that would look reasonable on him, so we didn't buy any. Look reasonable I mean, until he stuffed the pockets with papers and letters and a mobile phone and a packet of lollies and whatever else he picked up and had nowhere to put it. Salesman asked what sort we were looking for and I said,"one without pockets." He looked at me to see if I really meant it.

Anyway, we had a cup of coffee. I had coffee, he had a big mug of hot chocolate with a marshmallow on top and scones with jam and cream. The unused cream was added to the chocolate drink. The night before he had been working late and wasn't sure when he would finish. He rang to see if I would come over, so I caught the train to St Leonards. He met me at the station. There are quite a lot of food outlets there and we chose Indian. I had chicken tikka which is dry and non oily and it came with salad. Very nice too, although I only ate half the small size. He chose the two curries and rice option and paid extra for a third dish. When told that lamb korma was creamy and rogan josh wasn't, he chose the korma. Also butter chicken and mango chicken too and rice. A large cheese naan and mango lassi. Probaly enough points in that for three days eating.

I have decided that it is just not worth the hassle of speaking to him about it. He will not listen.

I just remembered I did a lot of cooking on Saturday afternoon to take out on Sunday. I made an enormous chocolate cake, melted chocolate, 4 eggs, cocoa, the works. I burnt myself as I took it out of the oven and dropped it upside down on the floor. It broke into lots of small pieces, almost as messy as my favourite wine glass which I knocked in the cupboard the day before. I was not impressed with either mishap.

That said, it is a long day. I leave here at 6:30 and neither of her parents is usually back from work till about 8:00. I've been minding her each week since she was about 8 months old. It was two full days a week for about eight or ten months and then one day weekly since. She turns three in a few weeks time. I'll miss her very much, but there have been things I've had to turn down because they were on a Thursday.

I decided that I just had to get back into exercise, arthritis or not. I walked quite a bit on Saturday and have walked to Ashfield shops and back tody, as well as around the shops. Bought salmon California roll for lunch.

I am making lamb shanks for dinner. I'm not very fond of these, but my mother assures me I will love them done her way. She browns them very well in a heavy casserole, takes a while she says, then browns onion too. Adds chopped parsnip, some rosemary and pepper and salt. She uses one cup white wine, covers the casserole and cooks it at a very low heat for at least a couple of hours in the oven. Sometimes she takes off the lid for the last half hour and they crisp a bit. I bought two which have been sawn in two. The total weight for the two is a bit under 6oogm, but there is a lot of bone. I think I will serve myself half a shank. That means about 125 gm for the quarter shank, but at least half of that is bone. Will let you know what they are like.

Just a very quick update before I head off to the doctor's for a blood pressure check and my flu vaccine which is now about a month overdue from last year.

The lamb shanks were very nice. They were sawn in two when I bought them, so I had the larger piece and gave my husband the tail and a whole one. I cooked them for a long time and the meat fell off the bone. I also tried those new frozen baked veges with flavour sprinkles. I liked the flavour but thought the carrots and pumpkin were very watery when bitten. I wouldn't buy them again. They are supposed to serve four, but they would be small servings. I found them expensive and not worth the money.

Made a very nice tuna pasta bake last night with lite cheese and skim milk. Everyone enjoyed it, so I didn't tell them. I did use eggs in the sauce which turned out really creamy and smooth. Very nice for a change. I had hoped there would be some left for today, but second helpings by others at the meal cleaned it all up.

Must fly now.

Saturday, July 26th

Windy and quite cold here today. I've actually hung washing on the line for the first time for ages. My shoulder has been so sore and dodgy that lifting washing up to the line has been almost impossible.

The doctor finally convinced me the other day to have an Xray and an ultrasound of it. He thinks there's some damage done which might perhaps be able to be fixed. I'm not so sure. I've heard too many stories about shoulders being difficult to repair except by a reconstruction. He thinks a cortisone injection would give enough relief for some physio to strengthen it. Again, I know people who have had wonderful relief from such an injection, and others who have not been helped at all. Still, I suppose I have to give it a try. At the moment, I'm prepared to try anything for some relief.

It's not as cold here as it was in Katoomba on Thursday. My husband took a rostered day off and we took Miss Two and my mother up there. We had planned on having a picnic..."We sit on blanket?" she asked. I think the temperature was about 2 degrees Celsius and there was a strong gale blowing off snow, so the wind chill factor would have made the temperature a lot lower. It as also sleeting. Our picnic was in the car in the parking area and we bought pies and sausage rolls. It was that kind of a day. I really enjoyed my steak and mushroom pie. I can't remember when I last had a pie. However, my stomach wasn't as impressed. I had bad indigestion all afternoon from it.

I went yesterday again to the annual Greek drama at Macquarie Uni. A really high standard from all the schools. When Andromache's young child was ripped from her arms to be killed, even the many teenage boys in the audience were obviously affected by the very real raw emotions the excellent acting raised. So many topical issues come up even from these ancient plays. Those women who refused to sleep with their husbands because of their attitude to continual war... I'm not suggesting that similar action now would work, society's different. But what can be done by the ordinary person? The women left lamenting their dead and their wartorn city could well be the women of Baghdad today. I found it a stimulating, provoking day.

Lunch was in the Macquarie Staff Club with my friend and my DIL who came with us. Mindful of the results of the pie the day before, I was more careful in my choice. Salad and what was called "rustic Greek pie." This was actually spinach on the bottom with baked haloumi cheese on top. It was very nice. We had a bottle of red wine among the three of us. Very pleasant with the sun shining in the windows onto us.

I'm going to a meeting this afternoon where I will be teaching one of the sessions. There will also be dinner served. I'm fairly sure this will be pizza. I hope there is some salad with it, but I'm not too sure of that. I'll just have to be careful.

Sunday, 27th July

I was just in that delightful state this afternoon. Almost but not quite asleep on the lounge with the heater on. Just about to drift off to sleep. I was very tired. I've had some fairly full days lately and not much sleep last night. Suddenly the door opened. OOOPS! I had totally forgotten I had promised to mind Tora, who is just one, this afternoon. Just as well we hadn't gone out shopping or anything like that. This was just before 3:00. They thought they would be back not long after 5:00...they were taking Andrew to a show, Cindrella on ice, Disney on Ice I've forgotten what it was. So when did they return? After 7:00. It finished much later than they were told.

She was funny. Fairly tired but thrilled to be walking. Then my husband came in. She doesn't see much of him. The lip trembled, the chin trembled, the eyes filled with big tears that slipped down her face and then she ran to me. I picked her up and she leant up me and put her head on my chest. In a couple of minutes she was asleep. I wasn't wonderfully comfortable, but wasn't using my shoulder to hold her. She slept for 50 minutes like that and then cuddled some more as she woke. About 6:00, I thought I'd better feed her, so gave her the food they had brought. She was still hungry so she then had bread and vegemite. Fresh bread, so I didn't use butter. Probably wouldn't have hurt her anyway.

Andrew was thrilled when he returned. Not only had he been out for a treat with just him, but he had just won his first swimming race today - the four year old dogpaddle. I pretended to feel the swimming muscles in his arms and he beamed.

Freezing cold morning here today. The thermometer showed it went down to 2 degrees. Not very warm considering we really are quite close to the harbour. It's been a beautiful day here but quite chilly. I think tomorrow morning will be cold too.

Another week without MIL for lunch on Sunday. I'm not too sure how long this will last, but I'm not at all worried about it. She just doesn't understand the need for diabetics to eat at regular intervals through the day.

It's only fairly early, but I might have a warm bath and go to bed. Catch up on the sleep I missed earlier.

Tuesday, July 29th

I have always loved Eeyore, so when I saw this, I couldn't resist him. I'm not a fan of the Disnefied version with gopher etc. In fact I much prefer Warner Brothers cartoons to anything Disney. I have some lovely purple PJs with yellow TweetyPies on them and Road Runner was a favourite too. I think we all probably know someone like Eeyore. My mother is a bit that way, never happy unless she has something to worry about. Not really a pessimist but definitely a worrier.

I had to revise my plans fpr dinner tonight. we sre going out and here will be supper. I had thought of something light lie pumpkin soup and rolls. Then my husband could have supper. He probably still will. However a phone call alerted me to the fact that there would be three extra for the meal. These are all fulltime dance students, always hungry. They eat huge meals. So I defrosted some lamb mince and will make lamb koftas and add tomatoes and onion on the skewers. Raita to go with them. Broccoli and rice as well. I've added some potatoes and a tin of tomatoes to the soup to make it go round as an entree. Don't know about dessert - I might not bother. Hopefully that will fill them up. I've also made an apple teacake to take out. Actually I might serve that. It's going to be a bit messy to eat as supper.

Another lovely day here. I went for a walk earlier and it was beautiful. Had a cup of coffee and nothing more at the local cafe. I've aired some bedding which had been stored for a while and smelt stale. Put some Febreze on them and the wind has done the rest. Some very old silky eiderdowns from the place mum and dad bought when they built up the mountains. This old place was built by friends of both my grandparents and we had holidays there when we were young. These eiderdowns were there then. When Mum sold, she brought all these things down with her. My boys would have been horrified if she'd left them!

Looks like another cold day tomorrow. Supposedly snowing at Bathurst, although it's more likely to be Mt Lambie or Orange, both of which are higher than Bathurst. Snow forecast down to 700 metres, that's about Lawson in the Blue Mountains.

Thursday, July 31

Don't you just love this little animation? Sometimes I know just how the one taking the dive must feel. Everything's going well and then, something comes along and I'm face down in the dirt.

Later...

I've just walked to and from Ashfield. KMart have 20% discount on socks and underclothes. I bought Miss Two some of both and some Bonds singlets to add to her birthday present. After all, a three year old can never have too many pairs of panties. Also bought her a pair of long pants, slightly flared at the ankles with a bow on the outside. Very dark purple and I can see them on her. She likes smart clothes and often chooses a well co-ordinated outfit herself. That said, I've seen her change into some appalling mixes too. I don't really like KMart clothes but branded things like Bonds singlets are the same anywhere.

I walked a lot around the shops and walked home again too in quite a strong, cold wind. I bought myself another notebook to track in with a plastic cover. I think I'll allow 3 points for the walking. I walked more than an hour, but some of it was just around the shops. For lunch I had a small Subway roll, no butter or cheese or dressing. Lots of vegetables on it. Probably 4-5 points. I've lost my Subway information that I used to have.

I was home by myself last night so treated myself to some smoked cod which I really like. Husband makes such a fuss about it that I just don't try to serve him. I microwaved two small pieces and had a lot of steamed vegetables with them. I even had a very small potato. Haven't liked them much for quite a while, but this one was nice with the fish. For tonight's dinner, I am making a casserole with some diced lamb, garlic and a lot of vegetables. I've got it all ready with some wine, both red and white and will put it in a slow oven about 5:00pm. I would have used all red wine, but I had less than I realised. May add tinned tomatoes later. I like the Ardmona Thick and Chunky mixes of tomatoes. Lots of flavour and no mushiness. May not be actually called thick and chunky, but it's something like that.

I had the ultrasound and x-rays on my shoulder yesterday. Height of fashion in a sleeveless paper gown. Actually off the shoulder for the ultrasound and nothing on my top half underneath. Darn cold, even though the place was heated. I was able to get an appointment with my doctor later, so that saved another trip, although it meant I was out a good part of the day. I had lots of incidental walking and also walked from the doctor's down to Leichhardt Market Town, about 25 minutes.

The results? Part of the ball on the top of the bone is flattened. There is also quite a large bony growth and several smaller ones. All of this could cause a sudden catching when I move the shoulder. The sheath around the muscle is inflamed. What can I do? Hydrotherapy would probably help free the joint, but there will still be the sudden, very sharp pain when one of the growths or the flat bit causes the joint not to work properly. Otherwise, keep on the celebrex when necessary. At the moment, I'm taking it daily so that I can go walking. Even with it, I still can get problems in my feet and ankles. Ah, the joys of getting older.