Cate's Diary

Great to see you are still doing so well, and learning new things every day too. Learning to believe we are worth befriending and putting time into loved ones is great too. That's a lesson I still have to think a lot more about these days, especially my son too.

My life is plodding on, every day is slowly getting a little easier at the moment. Had one slight hiccup earlier in the week that stressed me out a bit, but back to better days right now, which is good!
 
Hi Niyah! I am so happy that your life has eased a bit. I know that it will never be plain sailing but am happy to hear that you're enjoying better days. Thanks for your visit. I know you are very busy and I appreciate the effort you make xo Cate
My walk- ended up being a 50 minute walk over 3.5km of ups & downs. I got out the area map last night & a ruler & have charted some of my walks. My LH says the road up to our driveway is about a 15o angle. I know that it is very steep. Today I walked to the top of both of the steep hills without stopping for the first time. Feeling really good. I stopped to let a neighbour know that he had stray sheep in his front yard & we herded them into a run where they could be contained until their owner goes looking for them & I cooled down a bit so did some Tai Chi when I got home as I started to stiffen up. If I dress too much for the cold air I am sweating too much by the time I get home. I usually wear polar fleece pants, a thermal t-shirt, a long-sleeved zip necked thermal & a sleeveless vest both of which I can unzip or zip up depending on my body heat. I might go have a bath I think. I may have to have 2 showers a day the way I'm going, especially as the weather warms up.
Logic tells me to go walking first thing in the morning but just after lunch feels right for me. I think trying to change to a morning person was expecting too much. That New Years resolution lasted one month!
Bath or shower time I think. Have a great w/e everyone, cheers, Cate
 
OMG- I can't believe I just wasted about an hour reading garbage on this forum. Elsewhere I might add. At least I know it's not solely directed at Cohen's & I'm glad I did some homework. I'll leave it to the experts, like Steve. I don't pretend to be one.
I'll be back later. I'm off to our local market & my laptop battery is almost flat.
Cheers, Cate
 
Thanks for the tip - I've now done the same. "If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail."

Enjoy the Saints tonight!
 
Niyah- I like that. I haven't heard that one before but it's very appropriate. You don't need a kick up the bum, by the way, you need TLC. That TLC includes looking after your health. You need to do something that will make you feel better & I think that looking your best for son # 2's wedding might do the trick. What do you reckon? It would help. Sometimes I think when there are things you cannot change concentrate on those you can. Sending you lots of love Nyah, xo Cate.
I have felt quite lazy today. It was horribly windy. I went to the market but had to come home to do someone a favour. I read a book- "The Book Of Emmett" by Deborah Forster. I think I had read a good review somewhere. It was an excellent book but at times a little bleak. Worth reading though but not if you are looking for a light-hearted read.
The Saints are not on tv here tonight. They are currently 3 goals in front. They are truly awesome this year.
I forced myself to ride the exercise bike for 15 mins & then did my weights at about 3pm & then went back to my chair. At least I did it!
I may not be about tomorrow as we are going in to watch the last day of the state 8-ball try-outs. I think our OS will make the team but won't go to the nationals as he would not like to leave his little family for 2 weeks plus it is expensive. My LH's horse is racing as well so we'll watch that. He's partners with 7 others & it doesn't cost much.
I'll say goodnight, xo Cate
 
A full on day today but without any exercise really which does not feel good. We went in to Launceston to watch the final day of the State 8-ball team selection. We also went to the races briefly & my LH's horse came 4th. One of our good friends has taken up smoking again. It's like she has a death wish or something. She is constantly eating garbage but saying she wants to lose weight.
Because we went first thing I did not go to the toilet at home & subsequently still haven't & feel really bloated & uncomfortable. My feet have swollen as well & I am retaining fluid & feel over-full. It's a revolting feeling. I hope I wake up feeling good. I'm going to eat Cohen's 100% tomorrow without any added carbs at all. Crackers only.
Cohen's is the best medicine!
Hope everyone had a great w/e. Cheers, blimp-like Cate. (I feel like a blown up balloon!)
 
Didn't feel too bad this morning- not as bloated anyway. Rode my bike & then did weights , showered & then went off to the op shop. Didn't enjoy my day much & came home very grumpy & with a splitting headache & asthma. The irritating woman worked again today & there was not enough to keep 3 of us busy. She also wears a very strong perfume. I'll come back tomorrow when I'm in a better frame of mind. I had better get out some of my affirmations I think. I feel like tossing it in I'm afraid. I don't like giving up. The manager was also in a bad mood for most of the day, possibly for the same reasons. I feel really tired & very flat.
Catch you tomorrow, Cate.
 
Hey Cate

Hope your feeling much better today! I know what a good nights sleep can do for me so try and relax a little even have a little "night cap" a glass of wine or something. Sorry to hear your not enjoying working with the other people at the moment. I know it can make your whole life suck when the people you work with aren't nice. In my last job I felt the same and came home crying a few times from their harsh and rude words :-( One of the ladies I worked with even said something about me having a problem with my weight that really arked me up! I am nearly at a healthy weight BMI wise for my height so her saying that really upset me. I think some people just dont understand that their word have power (wheather we give it to them or not). Some people are just a little insensitive.

Hope your feeling so much better today and are enjoying life! Here's a big hug to put a smile on your face.
xx
 
Nicole- That worked! You did make me smile! That was sweet of you. I'm hopeless when I'm really tired. I did have a glass of wine last night & buried myself in Facebook looking up quotes to put on my page. ie I just filled in an hour or so playing basically. It's not that the people I work with are not nice people really. The boss is grouchy & fairly negative & I find that can drag me down after a while. We didn't have enough to do. She was going to try to put the other woman off working Mondays but obviously couldn't & we were struggling to fill in our day. at about 2pm I said I might leave early & she snapped at me & said "I don't care what you do!" I think she would have preferred to have left herself. I get on very well with her & just laughed & said I should "give her a kick up the bum for saying that" and then said "in that case I'll stay" which then made her laugh. I left about 30 mins early though & was pleased to get out of there! Apparently she got talked into coming out of retirement to get the shop tidied up & operating smoothly & has said she will give it until Christmas. I'm not sure that I will though. The other woman is a bit of a drama queen/victim. She's probably ok but I'm not into melodrama & soap operas. I don't watch them on tv & can live without them in real life. I don't like being negative about anyone but sometimes certain people irritate me. It feels like a failing in me & possibly is. I guess you don't have to like everyone.
I had a fairly good night's sleep although my little dogs woke me a few times freaking out as there was a storm. They don't sleep in our room but I could hear them & I got up a couple of times to calm them down (one of them anyway.) She gets hysterical!
My LH has gone to work & I am going nowhere which will be lovely. I will go for a walk later. After lunch seems to suit me best.
I feel a lot better physically & am unclogged which feels sooo much better. TMI-sorry! Whatever it was I ate, & I think it was half a sandwich on Sunday at the 8-ball, really made my stomach hurt & bloated me up. I probably have a wheat intolerance. I can live without bread although the nutritionist wants me to eat grains somehow. She is happy if I eat rice, lentils & pasta & certain crackers so I think I'll stick to them.
Low GI mainly- Is how I'm aiming to eat from now on. I can still follow Cohen's maintenance guidelines & be low GI.
Younger son- Has had his South African tour cancelled due to insufficient numbers which has thrown him a bit. He was really looking forward to it & seemed a bit down about it. He's in Amsterdam at the moment & has been really ill. He was on FB Sunday night so I got to catch up with him. He got wet a few night's ago, with jeans on & got a really bad chill with a chest infection. He was so ill he was going to go to a hospital but on Sun he felt a little better. I reminded him that he had a puffer if he needed it. "Is it in that first aid kit you gave me mum?" Ahh yes.... that would be the place. Sons.....I was amazed that he actually took it with him as he was always telling me that he was no longer asthmatic. Someone had told him it might be handy in Peru & that's why he took it. Unfortunately wishing asthma will just go away is just that-wishful thinking. I hated hearing that he had felt so ill so far away but as secret part of me was relieved that it had curtailed his adventures in Amsterdam a little. I shared that secret with his GF who agreed that she had been thinking the same. She & I were having a "chat" while they were chatting as well. Funny thing is I don't find it strange that I do this now. I love the technology that allows me to communicate with my son wherever he is. I also don't get offended that I am sharing his attention. I miss him & enjoy all contact.
Today- Is lazy bones day. I will fit in a 30-45 min walk, perhaps bring in a Ute load of wood but will do little else except maybe the dishes. Dinner is organised, meaning ,my LH says he has it organised. West African Chicken with rice & vegetables.
I have had yoghurt & fruit for breakfast with just a little Bircher muesli on top & will have soup for lunch. It's full of vegies & has lentils & Hare I think. I got it out of the freezer. My husband makes great soups. In fact he cooks great just about anything. Unfortunately he is not at home much to cook these days but then he is providing our income. You can't have it every which way!
I just remembered that I am probably having visitors today so I had better whip out the vacuum cleaner. We have a Lopi wood heater in our living room & there is always a mess from the wood. Not that our would-be visitors would care I'm sure but I still will have a quick vacuum.
Cheers for now, no-longer-grumpy-after-a-good-sleep, Cate.
 
Cate, have you tried Quinoa as a grain? A lot of naturopaths rave about it being an excellent grain for those who are wheat intolerant etc. From the wilds of South America. My daughter is keen on it, being fairly health conscious. Health shops have it in boxes.

Nothing worse than giving freely in a place like an Op Shop but then having a bad day. If you are getting paid for a job, at least you can justify hanging in there through any unpleasantness for some benefit!!!! I hope everything sorts out soon. I would have thought an Op Shop a relatively un-stressy place to be, so not nice to have a highly strung person in there winding everyone up.

I think sons regard mother's medical kits as secret boxes full of mysterious remedies that only mums know where to find and dispense. They don't seem to realise that if they just took a moment to think logically and examine the contents, they too would discover the secret to having the right remedy at the right time. At least my YS is now sorted, being a nurse, but the OS is still quite hopeless.

Well, back to my lazy day. Hope you are enjoying yours!
 
Hi Niyah! Quinoa? I will write that on my shopping list! Ahhhh! Lazy day. I'm loving it but I had better get out of here as the day is deteriorating before my eyes & I have not done any exercise whatsoever except for exercising my fingers! I have a funny feeling this day might just end up being very lazy & I am going to enjoy it. Why not?
As for sons & first aid kits. I actually wrote on the front of each section what was in that section & one said "Puffer." I should have written on the front "Open to see what is inside!"
Bye for now, xo Cate
 
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Today-
Was not a lazy day at all really. I went for a 3.5km very hilly walk after lunch, brought in a Ute load of wood, did all of my ironing, some washing, dishes, made some calls & ordered some more books & read the paper.
I feel good because my day was productive and also because I enjoyed it all. Even the ironing was ok as I did that while my LH watched the cricket 'highlights.' He is now out at 8-ball. It's his last home and away game & I will go to all of the finals. They have a full car most weeks (5 players)that travel from our area, which is why I don't go often these days. I don't like the venue tonight as it's very dingy & they don't have any red wine at all or any bottled wine. No light cider either. I am trying not to drink diet coke very often but sometimes it's almost the only option. I usually drink a bottle of water. It will be the same venue for the finals unfortunately but I'll stick to water as I'll probably drive most weeks.
I'm enjoying the friendliness of the forum at the moment. There is an interesting mix of people & that's good for all of us. I'll pop over to Facebook & see if my son is about & see if he's feeling ok. I think he must be as he's headed for Berlin today & back to London on Friday. Busy boy!
Cheers for now, xo Cate
 
Hey Cate,
It’s great to read your diary and see how active you are! I remember a time when i used to like going for walks around the Country Park or woodland areas!! Would just walk for miles until we got tired and then had the walk back! lol – Now I don’t enjoy it as much as I end up in paid and feeling very worn out before we get any where!!!

As for the lazy day, we need them once in a while dont we!!!

How active was you before you lost the weight? Do you have any before and after photos on here cate?? Would love to see the old and new you!

I am really looking forward to being more active again! It will be great!
 
Niyah- You are so funny and also sweet!!
'Jim'- my before and after photos can also be seen if you click on my username, view my profile & there you will see more albums. All the befores were taken in Vietnam within 3 weeks of one another. I don't have many befores as I used to hide when cameras came out!
Re: exercise before losing weight....when I was a teenager I lived for sport but when I moved to Melbourne I was too scared to go join anything & stopped altogether. I did work on my feet for 7 days a week, for 18 years, running a country pub with my husband but any exercise I got there was undone with overeating unhealthy foods. I was too scared to exercise after leaving the pub for fear of having a heart attack.
So I am now trying to make up for lost time.....
Speaking of which I had better go hop on my exercise bike & do my weights & then have a shower as I have to head off to Tai Chi & then have an ap't with my exercise physio & I don't want to have to report that I haven't done my weights today! LOL at myself. It's good to feel that I have someone else to answer to who is very positive & encouraging. I can't wait to see what the next step is! I so wish we had a gym nearby.
I'll catch up later on today. Thanks for the visits! Cheers, Cate
 
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Just a quick note to let you know why I've been MIA today- my first ever migraine( I think that's what it was anyway) Starting to feel human again, xo Cate
 
I used to get them quite a bit - a lot better on Cohen's! I haven't had a real stinker for a long, long time fortunately.

Have a good night's rest and hope tomorrow is a better day.
 
Niyah- Thank you. I think mine was not high on the Richter scale but I now have a good idea of what that must feel like. I can imagine what a brain tumour must feel like. Scary thought. It is horrible pain & the eye distortion was freaky! My husband used to get them but doesn't anymore. It was always when he had been under stress & then had the chance to relax.
Migraine- It took me a while to realise that is what it was. I was telling my LH when he got home from work about my day & how I felt & when I was saying how weird my eyes had been(blurred & distorted around the edges of my sight) it twigged that it had been a migraine. It still hurt a lot but nowhere near the indescribable pain it had been an hour earlier. It is still there this morning but only faint.
Reasons? I had been to Tai Chi & was OK there but had decided to quit the op shop so felt a little stressed about how to do it & what to say. I did Tai Chi OK but was nervously chattering & I know that that is irritating & distracting. I then had to rush off to see the Exerc. Physio straight afterward.
Exercise Physio- Was lovely & so impressed with what I had done in the 1st month. She told me I was her star pupil! She gave me some new exercises & I need to buy a mat and a resistance band. She noticed that I had developed muscle already & I have dropped size from my chest & waist, although I have added a little weight, which she said is usual at the start. My BP was also normal. I told her I have been eating some bread & other grains but that I am going to cut them out again as I feel so bloated. I'll stick to crackers, a little rice & occasional pasta from now on.
I asked her how many sessions I can have with her & if I could make it stretch out so that I feel accountable for longer & she said 5 more. Usually she sees people once a fortnight but we will make it once a month. She told me as I was leaving that I should be very proud of what I have done which was really nice.
I went to our local sports store & there were no resistance bands & the exercise mat was almost $50 so didn't get it. I'll have a look online I think. eBay?
Opshop- After having my lunch in the park I went to the op shop to pay for a shirt I took home on 'appro' on Monday & to drop off some books & magazines for the Friday book sale. I wasn't feeling well & chickened out of quitting but as I was leaving the boss said "See you next Monday" & I went back & said that I was thinking of not working any more. She asked "Why not?" & I answered in such a pathetic way that it ended up in the air somewhere with me saying that I would give it some more thought.
Instead of coming away with a clear-cut decision I was still left with indecision & was feeling really down. I went to the supermarket & shopped in a daze, with my list still sitting on my fridge at home. Whilst in the check-out the line to the bank went down & I had to use my 'hidden' money to pay for my groceries.
I got home & my vision started getting really strange & my head started throbbing. I put away my shopping slowly, after taking some Paracetamol, which I chewed to make them work faster. I felt I couldn't sit down so I cooked some vegetables for dinner. As soon as my LH got home he took over & I went & put my PJ's on & sat in my chair & barely moved for the evening.
He asked me to check his work email for him later when my headache had faded to almost nothing so I did & then I saw that our younger son was on FB. I went into chat & said hi but got a quick "hi, sorry, can't talk now but will soon," I felt like crying & wanted to tell him how bad I had been feeling but instead just said "sure,xo Mum."
Yesterday-
I will write off.
Today-
I will ring the op shop & tell her that I won't be returning to work as.....
I am not enjoying it,
I go home with a headache every time I work,
I suffer from my allergies for at least another day afterward,
I would prefer to be able to come in freely as a customer,
I would prefer to be available for babysitting my grandkids more often.
I won't mention that her negativity drags me down as that's personal & I don't want to offend her or hurt her feelings unnecessarily.
I will come back later & report on this call. Saying this helps me to be accountable.
I'm still in my PJ's & dressing-gown. I may go for a walk later but will skip weights until tomorrow as I feel that my headache is lurking in the background. I had also better not spend too much time on the computer.
I'll feel better after I make this call so will go do it now.
Bye for now, Cate
 
Made the call. Tick!
Had a very pleasant, open & honest, positive & personal (but in a good way) conversation. Tick!
Job done. Head throbbing. I'll try some straight lemon juice this time.
Bye Cate
 
Hi Cate

sorry to hear about the headaches...hope it goes soon.

I just wanted you to know I started back on Cohens today.
I can't talk about it in the other forum, as you already know...so this will be a good release for me in here.

I do love the people over there though and we actually have a meet and greet happening every few months for us Brissie girls...and this time we have a couple flying in from NSW, so really looking forward to this.

Sad to hear about your job at the op shop...no use working somewhere if it's making you sick and depressed. I'd much rather spend time with the GK if I had any...anyway.

Keep well now - Sam:)
 
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