Cate's Diary

Nice to hear you sounding more positive and upbeat even in sad circumstances. I agree about it being nice to be useful. I think it is much nicer to do things for people that don't expect it of you and are truly grateful. You must have made yesterday so much easier for everybody.
Have a great weekend. xx
 
Hi Val-Thanks. It is much better to help when it's not expected. It's more rewarding all 'round- for them & for us. :) I'm feeling much more up-beat & positive. I think too many things happened at once & my mum's visit made me feel so many conflicting emotions all at once. I started to feel better once I had a big cry last week & that spurred me on to sort things out. It feels so much better not to feel stressed. Hope your treadmill comes soon sweets, xoxo Cate
 
Oh boy, Did I have a bad day yesterday. It was another case of "helping" but was hell. My LH had "volunteered" me to do this day & I have helped the last few years. It was a nightmare in the kitchen. I honestly can't be bothered relating the day or will only get crabby again. Can you imagine someone saying "the lettuce needs to come out of the fridge" whilst doing nothing, but expecting some lackey to run & get it? Hmmm. That was just one little thing amongst a squillion. Apparently I was spotted, hands on hips, standing up to her. Whoops! I had to get through the day & almost left mid morning. Last year her & her husband were in Queensland & we breezed through it & had fun. Actually we had a ball, laughing & smiling the whole day. This year was the total opposite. Another woman & I managed to salvage a few laughs but I doubt she will want to help next year either. She & I worked together the year before last & got on really well. She said she had heard that last year was fun!
It's the annual veterans golf tournament & runs for 2 days. I will try to think of a way around it for next year. It's very difficult. You need volunteers or it won't work. At least I am not out there today. She will probably bitch about me all day but that's ok. I don't think many people can suffer her.
Enough bitching from me.
I was aching from head to toe last night & was exhausted. We weren't "allowed" to eat yesterday(except for bread which I don't eat) until after all of the golfers had been fed, even though there was plenty of time & opportunity, so I ate way too late. We then had to stay on for yet another golf tournament in the evening & supper, which I had to get together on my own, while my LH played, was only sausage rolls & toasted sandwiches (which I also don't eat.) We didn't get to eat a meal until we got home at 9pm. We ate a vegetable soup & some biscuits & cheese. I realised before I went to bed last night that I hadn't taken my meds & vitamins in the morning. Of all the days I really needed them I had forgotten. I try to eat my breakfast before taking them as you aren't meant to have them on an empty stomach but I may have to. Also I used to always have them with a glass of juice & that's another thing I don't have past-Cohen's. I felt terrible last night so must ensure I take them religiously every morning. Perhaps a mini juice?

Today-
Is a blank canvas & I must start walking again!! It's a habit I must get back into & I must start today.
I really must tell you that I am still in my nightie & dressing-gown. Yesterday took it out of me. I can't believe how much I ache. I would have been worse if I hadn't stopped the silly woman spraying fly-spray! As it was 2 of the 4 in the kitchen wore strong perfume. It doesn't seem to matter how many times you tell some people they just ignore it. I think most people think I just don't like perfume. I now tell people that I have to stay at home for a day or 2 after being exposed to it to recover. It's an uphill battle. Mostly they just think I'm a crank.

Ouch I'm bitching today. I'll stop now & go have a shower. That always makes me feel better & takes away a lot of the aches & pains. I'm really hungry today. I have only had yoghurt & fruit for breakfast & will have a nice healthy but substantial lunch. It will be a salmon steak & salad for dinner tonight. Is it lunch-time yet?
Bye for now, not really crabby any more, even though it may sound that way,Cate
PS I actually have an upset stomach too today & have been rushing to the loo. Hope it wasn't something I ate (& 68 others)
 
Quickly popping in to say I went for a walk!!!! It was cold, it was windy but I went for a walk!! That's it- I have officially turned back into a walker.
&-
the woman was just as bad today but I was not there!
Feeling a little under the weather still am heading in the right direction again. I think my blood pressure went through the roof together & I will be very careful from now on to take my medication.
Bye for now & love to all, Cate
 
I loathe that sort of woman, that somehow think that they are more important than everybody else. It's one of the attitudes that I most dislike in people. Whatever anybodies, talent, race, wealth etc it doesn't make them any better than anybody else!!!!! You did the right thing keeping away yesterday.
I've officially turned back into a walker as well but I want to soon officially turn back into a runner.:)
Hope that you are feeling better today.
 
Hi Val, That's probably the thing I dislike the most too. No-one is any better than anyone else. A runner hey? I used to love running as a teenager. I was athletics champ every year of high school. I will admit to being scared of running now. I have had a few jogs when I was feeling fighting fit, about a year ago but haven't even attempted it for ages. I'm not sure what I'm scared of- hurting myself, looking like a goose, feeling like a goose if I hurt myself.... I just love my walking but do get sick of feeling like I have to pick up every little bit of rubbish I see. It's too rough on our block to run at all so the only way of getting any speed when I walk is along the gravel road, which is not conducive to running. It also gets lonely. I have got over the caring how whacky I look on my walks- floppy Colorado bush walking hat, bum-bag with water bottles, rubbish bag hanging off that, gloves, bush-walking pants, & boots etc. Somehow I can justify looking like a Dag in that gear at my age, but not in jogging gear, running around a track. Or is it that I'm too scared of hurting myself. I exhaust myself sometimes analysing everything! I'll stick to walking for now. I am going in a Cancer Council Relay For Life at the end of this month & am tempted to try the whole 24 hours. I'll do it in memory of my sister & her husband who both died from Cancer 5 years ago, plus our friend who died last year & our old friend who died last week. I will be in the team with the wife of our friend who died last year & they will be walking on his behalf. I will wear my "Cancer sucks" badge that I was given by an Oncologist at Johns Hopkins Hospital, after I admired it & said I would love to have one.
I miss my sister as she used to have so much faith in me & encouraged me to have more confidence. I seem to have lost some lately.
Health-
I don't feel terribly healthy at the moment. I have asthma & am encountering "fragrance" everywhere I go. The hotel where we went last night for an 8-ball GF stunk of something weird. I asked as we were leaving what the smell was & the publican who I know well & get on with very well told me they use one of those squirty room deodorisers. No wonder I'm suffering. They are evil! I had scanned the room including the toilets & couldn't see the cause & thought it may have been a combination of over 30 'scented' deodorants. They are being found more & more. Why oh why are people doing this. We are all being poisoned.
My mum rang me early this morning while I was still in bed. She said that my brother had rung her last night & asked if I had rung her yet. I asked my mum did he say why I was meant to have rung her & she said that she supposed it was to do "with the thingy," meaning, I guess the aged care assessment. She sounded totally lost & confused. I told her that they should be notifying her direct & then letting me know when it is. I then asked her if she would like me to ring them to try to hurry them up & she said yes. That brother of mine is being very annoying, to say the least. Perhaps he doesn't understand the process either, although I have explained it to him. I don't like the thought of my mum being anxious. I'll ring soon.

I don't like myself when I'm complaining & lately I seem to be doing it a lot. Getting back into regular exercise would be really good. Tai Chi was cancelled yesterday as my teacher had to go to melb. I could have gone to an earlier class but we had a young journalist coming to our house at the same time to interview us about nick-names. That was enjoyable but no exercise yesterday at all!

Better scoot. I'll come back & add a saying after my phone call, xo Cate
 
Yesterday-
I made the call about my mum & gave them a hurry up. The woman seemed embarrassed that she hadn't moved with it. I had spoken to her boss, not her so I think she will organise an assessment now. I gave her some more info re my mum & how everything has changed now my mum has decided not to hide how she cannot cope & that she really wants to go into a home. Things should move along now. I rang mum last night & told her & she was really bright & cheerful. At least I have given her something to look forward to, even if it doesn't happen. Hopefully I can get her over to Tassie.
Exercise-
Yesterday I made up for the day before. My LH came for a walk with me(has he been secretly reading my diary? LOL.)We then cut up wood for a couple of hours. It was an excellent day, topped off with the call to my mum. It was lovely hearing her laugh on the phone!
Today-
We went around to our son's house to cut up some wood from a big tree that the local council had fallen & left in big logs, next to his drive. It took us a couple of hours to cut & cart up to his wood shed, ready for splitting. It just so happened that he was home, expecting to have a quiet day with the littlies. He & my LH ended up splitting all the wood, while I demolished their lavender/rock garden & built another rock wall, this time in front of the shed. He had loved my 'temporary' rock wall, along the side of the shed so I continued it. The wall across the front I built so that the kids could sit on it. We stopped for a quick bite & I was having so much fun that I suggested that we(he & my LH) emptied his wood shed so that it would be ready to store all the wood we have been getting for them. A couple of hours later, at about 3pm, my LH persuaded me to go home. What an excellent day!
It's the old formula-
Exercise + healthy eating= happy Cate :D
I'm back!!
 
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Hi doll! :grouphug: I'm sorry to hear about all these people around you dying. :( Really makes one appreciate life, doesn't it?!

I am happy to hear about that book about Lance Armstrong,...I think I might go buy it for myself today as a gift! It's funny, when I ran my first marathon, I would ALWAYS envision that he was my running partner. I would tell myself, "Lance overcame cancer! He is here!! He can do anything!! You overcame cancer! Are you going to let yourself down? Are you gonna let him down!?.... HELL NO, was my answer!" And I would push harder.

I forgot about that for a long long time. Thank you for inspiring me to bring back Lance as my workout partner!!
 
Hi Alta, my sweet friend. He may seem like a pain in the butt but his story is truly inspirational. He even admits he was! I was moved to tears often but, more importantly I was moved to action. It makes you realise that you can fight whatever bad things come your way or you can lay down & give up. I really hope I fight like he fought (albeit without his resources!) You just never do know. I would like to think so.
Sweets, you are inspiration on your own. Hell yes! You have run a marathon! I wish you knew how good you are. How focussed, how sweet, how funny. You have it within you to achieve whatever you want. Don't seek perfection. It doesn't exist. You are excellent as you are. You are always seeking to improve but don't be so hard on yourself. I think you're lovely. (BTW your BF is cute! LOL- unless his sunnies hide evil eyes!) You are a gorgeous couple. I don't see fat when I look at photos of you. I see fit & shapely & gorgeous. Just my opinion. Please don't aim for the skinny or stick insect look. You would be ill if you achieve it! Lots of love to you Alta, xoxo Cate
 
:grouphug: Thank you, Cate. This coming from a lady abundantly filled with wisdom, I do take it with heavy weight what you say. In the depth of learning, of course. With that happiness, everything comes in lightness though. :)

I'm on page, 88 today, Cate! Got the book, and many others. Borders had a sale of 30% off ALL THEIR BOOKS, and I bought 6 books for me + 2 for my brother! $67 dollars I didn't expect to circulate into the universe at that moment, yet the knowledge of knowing what these people know and practicing overtook me, and I bought them all! :D!! Just got back from my killer workout today and am going to sit down with Lance and gobble him up. I'm at the part where he has heard that the cancer has spread to the stomach, the chest, and that he is in phase III already. Omg, Cate. This man is INSANELY inspirational. I thank you for recommending the book, inadvertedly to me ;)! :) Wouldn't have bought it if it wasn't for you!

***deep sigh*** Wow. Off to go read. :grouphug:! Thanks, doll!
 
I finished it, Cate!! WOW!!! The best 300 pages to eat up in a weekend! :beating:!!!! Talk about inspiration.

Persistence-Faith-Fighting odds-Patience~!
 
Alta818 said:
:grouphug: Thank you, Cate. This coming from a lady abundantly filled with wisdom, I do take it with heavy weight what you say. In the depth of learning, of course. With that happiness, everything comes in lightness though. :) ......
Omg, Cate. This man is INSANELY inspirational. I thank you for recommending the book, inadvertedly to me ;)! :)[/B] Wouldn't have bought it if it wasn't for you!

***deep sigh*** Wow. Off to go read. :grouphug:! Thanks, doll!
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Oh Alta, When people are really sweet to me I am lost for words. I never got many compliments during the earlier part of my life & have to learn how to accept them. I usually feel teary & lost for words. I'm so happy that I can inspire you. Wise. Wow! I would hope so, but I don't feel wise half the time. Sweetie, you have made me feel really good once again. If we can do that for one another our friendship is worth more than any money. I'm also really glad that you loved the book. I cried, I came out in goose-bumps. It is a book I must buy & keep. Lots of love to you Alta xoxo Cate

Relay for Life-
I'm going to participate in a Relay For Life at the end of this month to help raise money for Cancer research. It's one of those things that I have meant to do for years, but this time I jumped at the chance & asked a friend if I could join her team, in memory of her husband, who died last year. In my mind I will also be walking for my sister & BIL who died in 2005. It will be an emotional 24 hours, including a "survivors lap." Being in a family's team will be very emotional as theirs; will be raw. He was a lovely, happy man & fought his Cancer, tooth & nail, right to the end. He was inspirational. Emotion & friendship are good. I won't hide from it. If I cry, so be it.

Today-
My LH & I have spent all day getting wood, building big stacks & then lighting them. I am blistered, bruised, grazed, exhausted, aching & deliriously happy!

Bird face-off!
We just got treated to a very rowdy bird face-off. A big flock of Magpies & another of Currawongs were just above our house, making an enormous racket & we figured that it was a territorial dispute. Neither bird variety is really common up our way. The magpies won. I love the trill of magpies, but this was a cacophony of sound! Fun though to be this close to nature & to experience it every day in some way.
If it sounds like a contradiction with our wood-cutting, please know that many more trees, either get planted or self-sow, than the number we cut for firewood. :D

We are enjoying a crisp, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc (after having some cheese- a-la-Cohen's maintenance) before having a dinner of roast, free-range chicken, sweet potato, carrots, stir-fry zucchini & greens, a small baked onion & some hot beetroot. Yum! We had this dinner last night & it was scrumptious.
I will never stop loving good, healthy food.
It's the crap we have to cut out.
Love to all of you.
A special hug to Eloise if you are reading my diary. xo
xoxo Cate
 
Hi Cate. I've just been and ordered the Lance Armstrong book. Inspirational stories like that really help me when I am feeling lethargic.
I really admire your energy. You always seem to be outdoors doing something, building walls, moving rocks, chopping wood. They are all things I leave to my husband but should get a lot more involved in.
I am doing a walk for life in May. We did it last year but this year I would like to run it instead. I'll see how fit I am when May comes round.
My treadmill finally arrived and I love it. It will keep me exercising as I loved to run last year when I went to the gym. I'm so glad that we bought it. Everybody that has visited so far has got on and had a go. It is also good for my dad as well. He struggles even with the slowest speed but I think it could help to get him a bit fitter. :)
 
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Hi Val, I think it would be hard not to be inspired by this book. It helps to put any pre-conceptions of the man behind you (isn't that the case with everyone though.) I'm a big lover of Le Tour De France. I love almost everything about it, right down to the way they eat as they ride (& do everything else.) I even call my ducking behind a tree when caught short, out wood-cutting, my "nature break." I'm not a sports fanatic, but Le Tour has captured my imagination. The scenery is just superb- the castles, the beautiful mountains, the cobbled streets.....I could go on. I dream about being there & enter competitions to try & win a trip to see it. Nothing wrong with dreaming! The reality of France would probably be different for someone who is allergic to perfume(most fragrance) & cigarette smoke-lol.
I'm so glad that your treadmill has arrived. See- you are a runner, I'm a walker & I get wood & cart rocks. Your exercise is no less inspiring than mine.
I pictured your dad on the treadmill & that was really nice. My mum rang this morning. She can't complete her sentences any more but sounds really happy. I think she now has her heart set on moving over here. I hope she won't be disappointed. We still have to wait for the assessment. I had better ring the other aged care facility (low care) to get some more info in case that is the one that she is assessed as ready for.

Yesterday's exercise-
Was so vigorous that I slept through the night for 8 &1/2 hrs, without waking even once. I am aching a little & am bruised & scratched, but otherwise feeling on top of the world.
I am also down .5kg :D
I have been eating healthily, with the occasional piece of dark chocolate or gluten-free Macadamia shortbread thrown in & a glass or 2 of wine most nights. My weight feels stable & I feel like I'm not missing out on anything. I'm not comfort eating & am quite active. Life is back in balance. Not eating any rubbish is vital to my mental state. Not that I do really- my 'comfort eating' or stress eating comprises varying combinations of dried fruit incl 'naked' ginger, dark choc biscuits (Le Petit Ecolier,) molasses licorice & dark chocolate. I try to have fresh fruit whenever I fancy something sweet. We have a small fruit platter each, every night after dinner. We also share a large pot of herbal tea, once or twice a day. It holds 4 cups.
When I'm ready for it I know now that I can drop a few more kilos. I want to before next Summer, so should do it soon before the cold weather sets in & we eat more casseroles & less salad. Mind you, we eat salad all year 'round.
I have had the gasbags lately. It's a good sign that I'm feeling really well-lol!
Love to you all, xoxo Cate
 
Hi Folks! It's a foggy, dismal-looking day here in Tassie but it's my Tai Chi day & I am going to have lunch with them as well. I was going to just have coffee & come home & have lunch with my LH but he knows how much I like their company & the soup that our local deli has so said I should have lunch with them too. I'm trying to save money. We haven't used our credit card for 2 weeks :D We had over $3,000 worth of bills arrive in one day! Freaky. I haven't paid our insurance yet & am going to get some more quotes. I think the time has come to start paying bills monthly, rather than annually & start spreading it out so I don't get down about it. At least that way there is not so much pain after Christmas. We had both our car registrations, our home & car insurance plus a much bigger Christmas credit card bill arrive at the same time & also had just lent our OS some money to pay a bill. We don't have much income with my LH hardly getting any shifts from his work (<1 per fortnight.) I am inclined to worry about money and I know it is not that important. Not having much does make me very anxious though & I don't like the feeling. We live in a lovely home & it is our asset. It's just that we don't have much in the bank. I must not worry!

I had a good day yesterday, including talking to our YS for ages. He is coming up our way in a couple of weeks but I told him that I may be going to a Blues festival that week-end. I had contacted an old friend, via her daughter, on FB one day when I was wondering where she lived, how she is going these days etc & she rang me the other day to say she was coming to Tassie for the blues festival & would love to catch up with me. When I told our son this he said he would love to go with me as he has never been to it & loves blues. My LH is playing golf all week-end & I was thinking of going on my own but it would be lovely to go along with our YS. We'll see what happens.

Better go & get showered & dressed etc. I had to iron my Tai Chi gear. Our teacher & a friend designed her own logo & we could have some of our own clothes printed up with that logo. Mine are black pants, with a rollover top & black tee-shirt. It only cost $5 each to have them done & it feels great to have a "uniform."
Lots of love to you all, xoxo Cate
 
Tai Chi-
One of the Tai Chi'ers forgot my allergies & wore Arpege perfume. I had such a strong reaction to it & had to go outside. I would have gone home but figured that would make her feel even worse, so stayed but on opposite sides of the hall. My teacher was sneezing all through class as well. It is so strong! It took over an hour to feel ok again. I had lunch with my usual friends & bumped into one of the local hairdressers & asked if if I was a chance of an instant haircut & if anyone was in the salon having a perm. She said I was in luck & to give her 5mins & she would do it. I have had a great cut & am very happy with it. I told her that I can't usually go in their salon because of the smells. She said I can ring any time & they will try to fit me in when no-one is having anything smelly done. Maybe first thing in the morning. :D Otherwise it's a 120km return trip for a haircut at a place that only does cuts & nothing else. This is a good plan!

We are going out to 8-ball tonight & are going to give blood (plasma from me) tomorrow(80km return trip)& then our OGS for the night tomorrow night, so I probably won't be in here for over a day. Love to all, xo Cate
 
Hi Anna Gail & anyone else reading my diary.
My husband plays 8-ball (pool) & I love to watch & he loves me going with him, so I do. I'm the only wife that does. We have always done stuff together so I figure while he really wants me to & while we still have one another I should try to go even when I don't feel like it. Who knows how long you have?
Giving blood-
We also go every 3 months to give blood because the blood bank is always short of blood & plasma in Tasmania. We only have a small population. You know that you are possibly saving someone's life so it feels good to do it. We have known so many people that have had Leukaemia, Cancer etc who have needed transfusions to keep them alive. My LH gives blood(he's O- the universal donor) & I'm A.B.+(<3% of the population-I can only give my blood to other AB's so instead I give plasma which takes much longer.) I took a book yesterday & the time flew so I'll do that from now on. I have my LH reading again, now that he's not working much, so he read while he waited for me. He's a slow reader usually but I recommended "The Good Daughter" by Honey Brown & he read it in 2 days! It's a tense & emotional book & at one stage I had to put it down & have a break. It is, however an incredibly well-written book & now I must read her first. I felt like I knew her characters for real. They could have been people I grew up with. It is set in a small country town in Australia, similar to where I grew up. Don't read it if you want a light, fluffy book or an inspiring cheerful book. I will be thinking about this book for quite some time. It was very powerful.

Housework to do-
I dropped our GS off at the school bus this morning & picked wild blackberries. I feel really lazy & am going to go sit in my chair & finish off a book that is a bit of light-hearted fluff [the Last Summer (of You and Me)] by Ann Brashares. It's not worth reading really but I may as well finish it now. I needed something light & it sure is that. Fairly predictable & corny. The blurb got me- "An unputdownable beach book...love, deceit, and sex." LOL!
Bye for now & love to all, xoxo Cate
 
Yesterday-
Had an excellent day. My LH went off to golf & I pottered about, read for a while & then rang my sister. We spoke for about 1.5 hours & while I was talking to her I went outside to check on a large stick insect that I had seen the day before. Mid sentence a whip snake slithered past my foot & down a small hole between the concrete & our stone house. My heart didn't even race. I'm happy about that. I would have freaked out once upon a time. After my call I went & checked & they are venemous- all 3 Tasmanian snakes are but they are small & their bite is ineffectual as their jaws are so small. I'll have to tell the GK's never to try to pick one up or go too close though.
After lunch I decided to get out & do some more rock work. My rock garden would encourage snakes as it encourages skinks which they love to eat. That's ok though as I love reptiles. I always make sure I am covered well when I'm working outside but I'll be more aware from now on. It was funny as every time I saw movement I wondered if it would be a little snake but every time it was a skink. I would have seen at least 20!
Link to details & photo of the Whip Snake-

Skinks-

Photos attached-



 
That's brave. Snakes of any description scare me. I can't even look too closely at the photos. When I have taken students to Central Australia, there is usually a reptile man who brings all these snakes and lizards. I have to be at least 5 metres away.
eloise
 
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