science!

One thing I desperately need to add to this time off is regular exercise – definitely feeling the need!

Minor wardrobe clear out today (rediscovered a couple of shirts I’d forgotten I owned – which I think is a testament to how much my brain is consumed with work and little else) and caught up on a bit of very much overdue housework and tidying. Thought I should try on my hiking shorts (just in case) and then rushed out to buy a cheap replacement pair because mine are way too tight for comfort (another reason for exercise!). While I was out grabbed a new bathing suit – and a hat. Also made a huge batch of cuban black bean soup and started gathering items together for the weekend away.

Tomorrow – yoga.

And I need to start thinking about Life.

Today was reasonably restful. 

IKEA for a frame for Bess, two cushion covers and a one cup coffee press, Birkenhead Point unsuccessfully seeking fabric and overalls/dungarees, Local Fish Store unsuccessfully seeking a piece of driftwood which would not leech tannins into the fish tank, and grocery shopping (successful).

I spent the afternoon listening to my audiobook, making a giant batch of spaghetti bolognaise,   changing the water in the fish tank and making cake.

I only sent one email and slack message to SML in the early morning so the issues wouldn’t prey on my mind for the whole break, I did not wait around for a response.

This was actually completed WAY back in September 2016, but I wanted to capture it here as done with a bit of detail (the blog tends to be the record of a lot of when-we-did-what).

When we moved into ThePalace(OfLove) the walls and trim were shades of horrible vomity-poopy-yellow. It was depressing and ghastly – so we resolved to quickly repaint everything a cheery, bright white (except our bedroom which is now a cheery dark grey).

before: a more cheerless yellow, you’ll never encounter

Of course the quickly part didn’t eventuate and it took way too long to see the entire job through to the end – hence the project!

While w did the majority of this ourselves, we kind of copped out a little with the very last stage. While we were in Japan, we paid Joan paint the 7 doors that we’d been putting off (and off and off). What I learned from this is that Joan is very good at very boring detailed work and that I should throw a paint-brush (okay, a roller) at her more often.

Honestly – so good to see the end of that miserable yellow!

It’s probably time for a touch up in some areas – but that can either wait for the professionals, or until the 60 list!

Even though there are still 8 days to go, I’m calling this one complete. I’m fairly confident I’m not going to gain any significant amount in the time remaining – even with being on holiday!

Sure, 3.4kg might not fit everyone’s definition of well under – but I’m taking it! #mychallengemyrulez

I’ve gained about 10kg in the last 18 months which was absolutely not where I wanted to be – I need to have a good talk to myself about my relationship with that nightly block of chocolate. When I set this challenge I was still drinking alcohol and I think the chocolate has slipped very nicely in as a comfort substitute – I probably need to examine that too!

xxx

I was very surprised to learn I was exactly the same weight around months ago (I thought I’d posted about this, but appears I didn’t) – clothes are a little tighter at the minute.

Today was my last day at work for 23 days!

While I’m gone I hope to carpe all the diems – and plan to return a slightly older and hopefully more relaxed old lady. Possibly one who has used her time wisely and made some life decisions.

My last break was wonderful, this is 3x as long, so hopefully 3x as fabulous.

Will report back.

The top 3 most bicycle-unfriendly vehicles on the road which try to kill me on the regular:
➕ taxis

➕ Giant Utes with P** plates affixed driven by tradies

➕ luxury vehicles – particularly, but not limited to, soft-top/convertible sports cars

At times I wish I had a go pro attached to my helmet!

In the spirit of positivity I will say that majority of other drivers are courteous, share the road and give the required 1 metre when passing.

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** provisional license

Go Australia!

Like most people, I’m delighted by the outcome of the marriage equality vote (a vote which we should not have had to have – because do your jobs, politicians)

I’m rather less delighted by the cluster of electorates returning resounding no votes in my allegedly very progressive city. Even traditionally conservative rural areas voted yes.

I’m really very intolerant of intolerance, but I will chose to focus on the excellent outcome – not the unpleasantly ignorant and hateful.

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maps from here

Hey! Wow!

Today marks 12 months of no booze!

I’d have to say that from the 9 month mark, things were relatively easy. Before that though? It was really (sometimes impossibly) difficult and I struggled a lot at the start and at various points throughout. 

My tips to get through the first awful bits – read lots and lots of sobriety blogs and sobriety books; completely stay away from occasions where you might be tempted; expect some people to be dicks and try to make this some sort of judgement of them or try to convince you to “just have one” (this could be just an Australian thing); chocolate; treats; accept that whatever your brain tells you, moderation is unlikely to work; be really stubborn.

I really don’t think about alcohol at all anymore and have survived almost every type of occasion on which I formerly drank. I do now mostly avoid work-related (and other similar) social functions because they all revolve around drinking – and watching people getting smashed is really boring. And it’s pretty amusing that I feel slightly nauseous even thinking about wine – though I’m very happy to cook with it.

I wish I could say I was more slender and healthy, but not a chance!

I went out at lunch today with the intention of buying myself something celebratory to mark the occasion but came up empty-handed. I’m sure something will reveal itself.

But yeah – look at me!

xxx

I’ve been operating under the assumption that the anniversary date is 14 November, when this post on 17 November last year tells me I hadn’t been drinking for 5 days #mathsfail

Four working days until I’m on leave for three weeks.

Seems endless.

I like to make things, so why not expand into dangerous-making-things-territory? 

I didn’t really have anything particular in mind when I decided on these separate projects. The soldering could have actually been part of jewellery or something else unrelated, I just knew I was keen to give it a go. Fortunately both came together in a neat little package!

I was initially really keen to make a nixie clock kit, but they are quite expensive – and the tubes burn out quickly and replacements are difficult to find. I really wasn’t enthusiastic to make something that wouldn’t be useful, so I sat on this for a while and idly searched for beginners electronics kits on and off – though the idea of sirens and animated bells and electronic dice didn’t really do it for me.

I can’t remember when it was (maybe August/September) when I happened upon the elenco fm radio kit – but, genius! I like to listen to the radio and don’t actually possess one outside the one in Panzo-the-car. I found the kit on amazon and I think it cost me about AU$30 (including shipping).

I’d been dithering since about getting started for a while, but time’s running out – and as I worked most of yesterday (pah!), I decided I needed a fun diversion.

Don helped out initially by giving complicated technical explanations of what each component did, providing moral support and handing me things (oh and saving us all when I carelessly soldered a capacitor in the wrong place – oops). Then he left me to it and went off to hit golf balls.

I hadn’t actually soldered before (though I had observed on occasion) – it all happens very fast things can go wrong pretty quickly. It requires a steady hand and rather brings to mind terminator 2 with all of that runny silver liquid.

Behold – my very first solder join (a bit too fat but did the job):

Passed the first test – the on light works! That IC at U2 was probably the most difficult – the pins were very small and very close together – and you can’t let one blob of solder connect with another blob – else Bad Things happen.

It was all extremely fiddly, but actually very enjoyable (definitely needed the reading glasses) – all that sewing seems to have held me in good stead for fine, close-up work.

There wasn’t much time for progress shots, but after a couple of hours – behold:

FIN! ZOMG! I BUILT A RADIO!

And it works – I could receive many stations, including ones I’ll actually listen to. Great quick and fun project. I feel quite the sense of achievement afterward.

Will I build something electrical again? Possibly! Maybe even a clock.