This time Joe/Frank accompanied me because he has, after attending OT, developed an interest in exercise and becoming fitter.

He is now so very tall and his legs are so very long that his walk is roughly the same pace as my jog/shuffle, so he went on ahead. He gave up at the 500m mark¹ – much further than we imagined he would get – and walked home while I ploughed on. We do so need to work on his form – all lanky thrashing limbs.

I, however, was amazingly so motivated that I managed to get to an unprecedented 3km! Yay me!

I am totally thrilled about the extra 500m and that I could breathe and speak when I arrived home rather than collapsing in a heavy-breathing, red-faced heap for 30 minutes. And my shin-splints seem to have disappeared, which gives me great hope that I can pursue more lengthy running in the great outdoors, which has been a long-term goal.

Clearly, exercise is the key to unfattening, because although I have consumed a good deal of wine this week, I have walked to SML every day, walked home 3 days, ran 3, yoga 2 and my measurements are a good deal reduced.

My waist shows the most loss at 9cm – just! what?!

Also reduced is belly is 3cm, hips 2cm, thigh 4cm. Upper arm remains constant. Clearly I am some sort of shape-shifter, because these were absolutely not the proportions of a week ago.

Crazy stuff. I blame hormones.

Well, mostly nicely. I’m afraid I have been less than strict about the wine consumption, but I been a slave to the exercise – religiously walking to and from SML and running / yoga-ing with alarming regularly.

I’ve also tried to be more mindful of my work attire. It would be difficult to count the number of compliments on my outfit I received on Monday because there were so very many. I wore a size 20 katies shirt (sourced from St Vinnies) as a dress with footless tights, chunky necklace and flats.

The compliments also came aplenty on Tuesday when I wore a dusky-pinky baby-doll dress I bought back when I had my hair cut short.

Clearly this just confirms that the look needs updating. Unfortunately when I went searching for new items in DJs on Tuesday at lunch I came up with nought.

The quest (and the exercise) continues.

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Being a teen in the 80s¹, I avidly collected every edition of Dolly magazine from 1980-1982.

I pored over each issue, I cut out pictures and attached them to my walls and ceiling, I spent a good, long while sketching the fashion photographs. Dolly was (utterly horrifyingly in retrospect) an inspiration.

So it came to be that I was nostalgically browsing through this amazing blog and came across this fashion shoot from 1981 (I totally had that issue).

Regular readers will know that I am dead keen on the local history (if nothing else, you should totes click on those links).

So I was delighted to recognise our immediate surrounds amongst the fashion!

only the crane remains on the foreshore

aforesaid crane in modern tymes

My powers of observation, they are astounding. Truly, the Private Detective industry is all the poorer by my absence.

It was a relatively uneventful weekend, where not a huge deal was achieved.

I did manage to cook a wee bit and to complete a yoga mat carrier for Don, crafted from bits and pieces from the stash (including some leather I’d long ago snipped from a pair of old sandals).

It took hours and hours and hours (and hours): I sewed a bit, thought a bit, unpicked a bit, thought a bit more, sewed again (repeat).

Joe/Frank modelling the bag

Denim from retired jeans, leather from old sandals, linen straps from an old pair of pants

I was quite pleased with the results. After all that thinking, my (matching, of course!) bag should be a great deal easier to complete!

What promises to be a marvellous beef stew with parsley dumplings is simmering in the oven, afterward I will laze about and reading all the very interesting, articles I have sent to kindley from longform

It would seem that it is the time of year for FAT anxiety, because I embarked on roughly the same project this time last year.

Unfortunately, one year later, I am more than 5 cm bigger in the waist. I didn’t measure my thighs a year ago, but most assuredly they are much more giant – because I can no longer fit into pants I wore at the time.

When embarking on the 2012 project (please, TheUniverse, do not let there be a 2013-14 &etc one), I did not make a similar mistake and measured everywhere I could think of.

Admire my mad sketching skillz. Clearly the art world is all the poorer from my absence

I will post periodic updates of my progress as the month progresses, but be assured that I will try to avoid hitting you over the head with it.

To avoid the aforementioned head-hitting, I will be tracking on some sort of calendar device similar to that shown below:

This has proved surprisingly effective to track vitamin, medication (Don) and breakfast (me) intake (and far too many As for Alcohol). Exercise, not so much – clearly it requires a dedicated chart of its own.

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In other news, I desperately need to update my look.

I’m totally rocking the frump, primarily because I can no longer fit into anything. I am down to 6 outfits which could barely be constituted as professional. I’ve even taken to wearing baggy, linen elastic-waisted pants to SML on days other than casual Fridays. I know!

What really brought it all home was post-staff-meeting drinks last Friday. AnxiousMum and I were chatting to MrT and he commented that AnxiousMum must be really into clothes and fashion because she had such an extensive array of outfits, he then turned to me and said, “and … yes, well, you’re buying a house!”.

Upon de-briefing this with my lovely husband, he took a deep breath (or two) and noted that I did now-days mostly wear highly unflattering clothing which made me rather resemble a lumpy sack.

Donaldo then recommended that I just stop faffing about and actually buy some nice clothing that could be adjusted downward should I need it.

Very, very, wise words I think.

I blame the mirena entirely. While it has proved quite effective in preventing me from bleeding all over the furniture, 3Xtr3m3 weight gain impacts less than 5% of users and it looks like I have won the fatty lottery. I’ve put on at least two dress sizes since having it inserted and the enlarging shows no sign of abating.

So I have been very much thinking that perhaps it is time for another ute surgery, but of a more permanent kind.

What is giving me pause is that I feel more healthy and have much more energy than I have in years – despite the chubb.

Is it pure vanity that is making me consider quite serious surgery? Probably, yes.

And so, before booking myself in for a post-financial year operation, I’ve decided to take one final stab at weightloss, to really make certain that it is the mirena.

From Saturday, for one month, it will be All Exercise All The Time, embracing healthy eating (not a stretch, we generally eat healthily) and consuming very, very minimal amounts of wine (which will be much more of a stretch).

I will take measurements and keep all manner of stats. And on 17 April, I will decide if I need to book that appointment.

Messy

After experimenting with all manner of plastic bottles (which were invariably too small), a milk bottle came to my rescue.

Much better!

Originally intended as an interim solution, it is inoffensive enough to stay happily where it is.

So, earlier today, we dragged ourselves out to spotlight at Birkenhead Point to locate a pattern and fabric for her first assignment.

The theme is 60s: mod or psychedelic. Bessie was super-keen to make a mod-ish coat and after a great deal of searching through pattern books, she arrived at this pattern.

Clearly, she is not one to shy away from a challenge

Initially she was planning a cream coat (much like that in the pattern) with a fabulously psychedelic lining. We found the perfect lining, but (insert whinge here about the complete and utter lack of decent fabric available in Sydney stores) couldn’t find any remotely suitable cream fabric.

So then, with reservations (about pattern-matching), she settled on a lovely pink and grey plaid, with pink (with ever-so-tiny spots) lining.

And Holy!Goodness! we could have bought 4 coats with the amount we spent on materials¹.

While we were attempting to escape the complex, we were forced to the elevator and while in the queue, were quite taken by the store next door:

Do you really need those shoes? Wouldn’t you rather have a drink? Free wine tasting

Truer words were never spoken (though it was a smidge too early for indulging).

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¹Not to harsh on your mellow, but I feel really quite uncomfortable about this. We are in the very, very fortunate position to be able to afford the hundreds (and hundreds) of dollars this subject will cost, but what of those very talented students who are not in the same position? Who maybe have not taken up the subject because of the expenses involved?

Fortunately, because I am an utter genius, I managed to complete everything way, way ahead of time and will return to the normal levels of crazy next week AND will have the weekend to regain my grip on normality.

In other news, after 19 years and a very nice redundancy payment, today saw the last day of DishyBoss at SaltMinesLimited.

I’ll admit that I shed a few tears.

Unfortunately, though I am sure it is entirely coincidental, I appear to be coming down with something – I’ve a sore throat and am feeling generally blech!

I abandoned yoga, made bangers and mash for comfort and am planning an early night.

Thank goodness that hell week is almost at an end and by golly this quarterly process (which was part of old role & supposed to be long gone) will be handed over to someone else, quick smart!

Though arriving at the SaltMinesLimited ridiculously early, I was fortunate enough to break the day in half by taking Joe/Frank for a refresher to the Speech Therapist, where I got to wander about Balmain.

It was very pretty.

I even managed to slip my shoes off and stand quietly in the (almost) sunshine for a while in the long grass.