Our dog

Our dog has had to leave us. She has been a challenge from the day we got her. She was a rescue dog, her mother didn't survive the birth of her pups so she was hand raised by the Vet nurses (one being our next door neighbour).

When she was 5 weeks old she got parvo virus and thankfully as she was in the care of a vet nurse she got the treatment she needed very quickly. We brought her home when she was recovered at about 7 weeks old.

She has always been a bit biteish (a word invented by my kids) but she has been getting worse. She knocked my 6 year old daughter over, stood over her and bit her face. That was the final straw for me but it took me a week or so to actually do something about it. Out of courtesy to my neighbour I wanted to speak to her first. Unfortunately she was away and wouldn't be back before our holidays.

Winnie was going to be looked after for us while we were on holiday by a family friend but she has small children and I was too scared to put them at risk. So I called one of the Vet nurses, who wasn't surprised to hear from me (my neighbour had been letting her know what was going on). She took the dog back right away and has found Winnie a new home with a couple without children.

My kids - well I have told them that she has gone to do some intensive training and provided she passes she will come home. I will tell them soon that she has had to go to someone else.

I feel bad about it but mostly I feel relieved that my kids can play outside without being bitten.

Beautiful Blogger Awards

Thanks Kristy for tagging me.

7 things you don't know about me.

1. I am a Chartered Tax Advisor and have worked for "both sides", as a tax agent and as a tax investigator, though I haven't practiced tax since 2003.

2. Jon and I got married in Barbados. We took a few close family members and friends with us and then had a big party for everyone else when we got back home.

3. Each of my 3 children were born in different countries and have different passports, England, New Zealand and Australia.

4. I have been identified several times by people I have never met before, just by my eyes. Apparently they are exactly the same as my fathers and grandfathers. Freaked me a bit at the time but now I think it's pretty cool.

5. My first car was a pink Citroen Dyane. Just like this one but my dad painted it pink for me. Yes it is a "convertible". I loved it and Jon was so proud to be seen it it!

6. I luuuurrrrved Jon Bon Jovi until very recently. I saw picture of him recently and he now looks a bit erm - "plastic". Think I need to reserve judgement and do a bit more research!!

7. I once slept through a Metallica concert.

I am pretty sure everyone has done this already but if not, I look forward to reading about you.

Memories and Millionaires

Was just browsing the web this morning catching up on emails and blogs and got distracted with flickr.com.

I found this picture that reminded me of my childhood.

Picture by renown

Sunny days, the bus at the Town Hall taking passengers over the bridge to the beach at Bigger Bank. The Bingo Hall in the background. The picture was taken around 1980 when I was living in the town so has big memories for me.

I am also reading a book at the moment about a student nurse training in North Lonsdale Hospital in the 60's. This is probably what sent me off on a tangent looking for pics of home.

I also watched the episode of 'The Secret Millionaire" that I missed. It was in my home town and actually the run-down flats that the secret millionaire had to live in was in the same street that I was raised in for my first 5 years of life.

They don't paint a pretty picture of my home town at all. It is pretty bleak but not as bleak as that. Most of my family still live there, actually the only ones that don't left before we did.

It was an eye-opener though for my son to see where his dad and I lived and grew up.

Happy New Year

Losing weight

How interesting is that?

Nowhere in that long list of goals is losing weight. I was sweeping the floor when I realised that. With three children a shiny clean house doesn't last long.

However, even in a list of 'off the top of my head' goals, losing weight wasn't there and it's not that I couldn't stand to lose a kilo or two, I am 100% sure I could but, do I need to? Will that make me happy? Has my unconscious mind finally learnt that losing weight is not a goal but a result of achieving some of the other goals? Maybe it has.

Feeling so much better & goals

Yeah! I am feeling heaps better today, which is good as we have visitors arriving this afternoon. My neck is still causing me grief but it doesn't bother me as much today.

I haven't yet decided what to do about tonight's party. I have been considering for some time being the designated driver. That way I will still feel good tomorrow. But, I love a good party and I will be honest, I like having a drink at parties.

I've been thinking about what my goals are for the coming year. There are so many things I would like to achieve, such as

having a regular training program

eating a healthy diet

take my supplements

not bingeing

cooking healthy meals for my family every day and at every meal time

increasing my number of clients

taking on trainers to work with me

taking the kids on an overseas holiday

visiting my family in England

putting a pool in the backyard

mediating regularly

drinking more water

having a bit more 'me' time

becoming a more positive person

accepting me for who I am now

living my life now - not later

living in the moment

learning to trust myself

learning to trust others

keep my house tidy

keep my house clean

keep on top of household filing

I think I need to stop there.

There are so many goals and I haven't reviewed them yet but I am pretty sure that by achieving just a few of them, I will either achieve them all or many will become irrelevant.

I don't need to decide on my goals today in preparation for tomorrow - The New Year - I have 12 months to achieve them - but nor will I procrastinate. I will pick two or three and focus on them for a period of time, once they become a habit, I will add more goals.

One think I need to continue to work on is my all or nothing attitude, this has held me back on my goals for so many years. I am improving and I will continue to do so.

OK - I have decided that to start with I am going to take my supplements daily and I am going to drink (at least) one glass of water with every meal.

I really dislike the physical aspect of taking supplements so I will get a small container that I can keep with me and take them throughout the day. If I take more than 2 at a time I feel physically sick. In the past I have decided to spread them out through the day but usually forget. This way, I can have them with me and take them with that glass of water, wherever I am.

Feeling sorry for myself

OMG - here I was thinking that I am a positive person most of the time and was just dropping in to say how sorry I was feeling for myself and then I saw that yesterday was a complaint too.

I think I need to have a close look at myself.

Anyway, I feel yuck, I have been feeling yuck since the 27th, in fact I missed a party on the 27th because I felt yuck. On a positive note I could have gone, but didn't want to eat or drink or have to constantly explain myself so I chose not to go.

At first I thought I had a food and alcohol hangover even though I didn't think I had had that much, but now I don't think it can be. I have a nauseous feeling, sore throat, drippy nose and any inclination to do anything has definitely left the building. To make it worse I have woke up with a restriction in my neck, not too much and normally it wouldn't bother me too much - but today it does.

Whinge whinge whinge I am boring myself.

On a positive note, the cleaning fairies visited my house yesterday (they were v expensive, but worth it) my house is sparkling. One exception though, that I have to deal with, my stainless steel cooker and the ignition knobs are now a dirty gold/bronze colour. I hope it is not totally ruined but something the cleaners used did not agree with my cooker. And, the little markers that tell me which hob is which have been removed.

But the rest of my house is clean - and all at the same time.

Today I am drinking lots of water and trying to figure out what I need more, training or sleep.