Ticking along if not down.....

Well life is ticking along but my weight loss ticker is not going the way I want it to. I seem to be on an eternal plateau. I guess the main thing to be happy about is that the plateau is so much lower from where I used to hover 18 months ago!! I have just completed my latest personal challenge - cycling 100kms! (that's about 62 miles for those of you who aren't metric). It was a big challenge and it took me around 4 hours and 50 minutes to get from the start to the finish - but I did it and I was thrilled to add that to my list of personal achievements. That time is not a speed record I know (my husband did the ride in 3 hrs 10 mins) but I'm still pretty pleased with my result. The race was called the 100k Flyer - I wished I could fly on a few of the uphills..... oh well - I have a time to beat for next year now. In band news, I had to have an unfil last month after having an unexpected tight week which culminated in me not being able to get anything down - was really odd and happened 3 weeks after a 0.1ml fill. Ended up having to fly down to the clinic and have 0.4mls out before the gurgling stopped and I could actually swallow! Needless to say after everything settled down I have been hungry hungry hungry. I have had 2 tiny re-fills so far but I'm going slow cos I don't want another drama like that. The weight loss over the week when you can't eat looks great but is not real and actually quite depressing when it climbs back up once you start drinking and eating again. Hope everyone is well out there in blogland. We are heading in to winter now here in NZ. Daylight saving ended on Sunday and that is always a bit sad. Will have to find more indoor activities now to keep me out of trouble!

Jenny and I went on holiday...

Last month Jenny and I went for a 3 day trip to Sydney, Australia - it's a 3 hour flight across the Tasman. We left behind husband, kids, work and responsibility and celebrated our new post-band lives. Here's Jenny at Manly beach (just after we had managed to share a piece of fish and half a scoop of chips by the beach)...check out those collarbones, Jenny!
Here I am ready to hit the town and go and see the Michael Buble concert - which was fabulous. If I ever leave my darling husband (not going to happen - he's a keeper), and Michael ditches the Argentinian actress, we are definitely going to be an item.

And just to show we are definitely not model bandsters - here's lunch at the Lindt cafe - not only a mochachino but also a teeny weeny chocolate sundae!!!! Ice cream is always easy to eat. We were on holiday, after all...

We had a fabulous time and I definitely noticed how much more energy I had walking around all day with less weight and it was hot and humid and I definitely didn't suffer as much in the heat as I used to. Need to plan our next trip, now.

Bad blogger - and keeping things in perpsective

I've been a slack blogger - really I haven't had much to say. I'm getting used to having a band now and eating small amounts and don't feel I have much of interest to say. I do still read your blogs - but I've been bad at commenting -I will try harder.

Today in New Zealand we've had a stark reminder of how the extra 2 or 3 kgs I want to lose is not a big deal. Christchurch has had another huge earthquake less than 6 months after a 7.3 shake - this one was smaller but shallower and has caused serious damage and at least 65 people are dead - with many trapped in buildings and many more to be counted, no doubt. It's a shocking situation and I haven't been able to think of anything else or watch anything else on TV since it happened. Fingers crossed for a miracle for those who are trapped.

Good grief - January is almost over already!

And this is the first post I have done all year... sorry all you fellow bandster bloggers.... the month seems to have got away on me! Happy New Year - hope you all had a great holiday season. I've had a very busy month starting with my husbands 50th birthday celebration with a BBQ for 80 people at our place on Dec 23rd, follwed by a noisy, family and fun filled Christmas with 17 of us at our home enjoying each others company, the food, drink and the sun.

Since then I have spent a lot of time on my bike! Training and taking part in 2 great events cycling around the beautiful mountain Mt Egmont/Taranaki which is the centre piece of my home province in New Zealand. It is a 150km circuit around the mountain on the road course. On 15th Jan I rode the last 64km as part of a team with my husband and 3 girl friends. It was a great feeling to cross the finish line and to be able to say I did it. Then this weekend I conquered my biggest challenge so far - the first 75km of the course as part of a 2 person relay with my cycle-buddy Carolyn. There was a horrendous 40km/hr head wind all the way round the coastal road to the 62km turn and it was a serious battle of strength and will at times on the hills but I made it. I got back on my bike for the last 5kms so Carolyn and I could ride together as a team ("The Diva and The Dancer") over the finish line with our family and friends cheering us on! It was a great event and I'm so happy I could do it.

And just in case you are wondering - I am the "Diva" NOT the "Dancer"!!!

And just to prove I really do wear lycra - here is a photo of my husband and I after our Lake Taupo cycle ride late last year. (He had finished a while before me so had had time to change into real clothes.....)

Missing in action

I haven't blogged for three weeks - we've just started massive renovations to our house and have had to move out for at least 6 months so between moving and not having internet access at our new place yet (a long and infuriating story!), I haven't been able to blog.

The renovations are super-exciting (and super-expensive *gulp*) and I'm so pleased they've finally started.

Band-wise, not much to tell. I've stayed steady over Christmas and the holidays despite eating and drinking fairly liberally - I need to rein it in to lose the last 3 kgs but I'm celebrating not putting on weight.

Better finish up as I'm at work so not a lot of time for blogging. Take care all!

Happy New Year!

9.30 pm on New Year's Eve and I'm rapidly fading - once again I'll be in bed before midnight. Since I had kids staying up until midnight has lost its allure - knowing there'll be a 7.00 am wake up call no matter what. We've had a great night with old friends from out of town and their kids - and now we're winding down and cleaning up. Just wanted to wish all my blogland friends a great 2011. I don't have any big resolutions -but I would like to lost a last 3 kilos to get to goal - and if I stop all the holiday treats, I know I can do that. Peace, everyone - and bless the band!

I'm on holiday!

I finished work today - just taking a break from packing to go away tomorrow. Presents are all wrapped and in the locked suitcases (nosey children!) and I think we're nearly ready. As always I have a few lists on the go - love me a good list. The girls and I are booked to fly at 11.15 tomorrow while the darling husband drives the sleigh (well it's a stationwagon but I prefer sleigh) the 360kms to my hometown. But the airport we're flying into has been closed with low cloud most of today - so fingers crossed for us. I have seen the website and flights have gone in and out tonight so here's hoping. Otherwise we'll all drive but a 50 minute flight is more fun with two 7 year olds than 5 hours in the car.

On the band front, I cancelled a fill appointment last week - I'm definitely in the green zone and didn't want to be too tight over Christmas as they're not back in the office until 17 Jan (everything closes down over Christmas in New Zealand - it's the big summer holiday). I haven't been making great food choices - too many treats but haven't put anything on (yet) - haven't lost anything either!

Best wishes to everyone in blogland for a happy Christmas. It certainly feels good to be another 15kgs down since last Christmas.