Now that I'm moving through menopause I don't notice the rhythms of my body in the same way that I used to. But they're still there. The monthly ebb and flow of hormones still continues and will, I guess, until I have finished menopause.
My hubby says he knows when I'm in the throes of a hormonal rush - I get a bit more intense. And grumpy. The plus side is that as I move towards what would have been my period my tolerance to alcohol increases (this has always been the case) and I find myself putting away a few drinks with little or no reaction. The downside (also always the case) is that my tolerance to alcohol post (my now non-existent, so hard to determine when) period is pretty much zero. Overnight I go from bar room hero (aka lush) to wowser.
I'm going to miss the ebbs and flows when they eventually disappear. But I won't miss the effects they have had on my body over the years - sore boobs, bloating, moodiness (did I mention the grumps!), feeling out of sorts. I'm enjoying this generally peaceful state of being - I hope it continues.
Friday, October 12, 2012
Monday, October 8, 2012
Recently read
"Rumour has it" by Jill Mansell
http://www.jillmansell.co.uk/index.html
I'll admit it, I love Jill Mansell's writing. It's just so accessible. And she makes me laugh. I haven't read her entire back catalogue. But I'm sure give me enough time I'll work my way through it.
"Rumour has it" didn't disappoint and had the requisite happy ending, although the reader was left hanging until pretty much the last page!
http://www.jillmansell.co.uk/index.html
I'll admit it, I love Jill Mansell's writing. It's just so accessible. And she makes me laugh. I haven't read her entire back catalogue. But I'm sure give me enough time I'll work my way through it.
"Rumour has it" didn't disappoint and had the requisite happy ending, although the reader was left hanging until pretty much the last page!
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Lazy Sunday
After a week of frenetic activity - we've had my husband's mum visiting from interstate, along with one of his nephews, plus a long weekend trip to Rotto with the whole family, and working - we're having a lazy Sunday. Well, as lazy as you get finishing the clean up from last night's good bye dinner, doing the washing that should have been done yesterday, tidying up the the bedroom, and other bits and pieces. Hubby has assumed the position on the couch. (But he's entitled to - he fell over not once, but twice, yesterday and so is feeling a bit sore & sorry.)
It has been really nice spending time with my mother in law - she's one of those people who looks for the upside in everything. An inspiration for me. And we spent more time with my brother in law and his kids than we have for ages. His son & the nephew stayed at our place the other night and decided that letting our dogs sleep with them would be fun. Actually we could have told them it would lead to sleeplessness and bed hogging, but boys will be boys. Needless to say we had two very tired boys in the morning!
It has been really nice spending time with my mother in law - she's one of those people who looks for the upside in everything. An inspiration for me. And we spent more time with my brother in law and his kids than we have for ages. His son & the nephew stayed at our place the other night and decided that letting our dogs sleep with them would be fun. Actually we could have told them it would lead to sleeplessness and bed hogging, but boys will be boys. Needless to say we had two very tired boys in the morning!
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Recently Read
"The Ugly Sister" by Jane Fallon.
http://www.janefallon.co.uk/
I don't know why I downloaded this book, perhaps it was under my $10 limit and had enough reviews that I was confident it would be a good read. I wasn't disappointed. The novel is about perception, sibling rivalry, love and family. All those emotions we are all intimately familiar with. The ending left you thinking "what happened", which path did the heroine's life take and was it the path you hoped she would take.
"My Big Fake Irish Life" by Caitlin McKenna
http://caitlinmckenna.com/little-white-lie/
When I shop for books on Amazon suggestions are made as to other books I might like. And this was one of them. A highly enjoyable rom com, easy to read, with an interesting premise - what happens when you abandon your normal persona and successfully adopt a completely fake one, fooling a whole range of people. How will it affect your family, or your career, or your love life for that matter?
I've downloaded "Manifesting Mr Right" so I hope I'm in for another treat.
http://www.janefallon.co.uk/
I don't know why I downloaded this book, perhaps it was under my $10 limit and had enough reviews that I was confident it would be a good read. I wasn't disappointed. The novel is about perception, sibling rivalry, love and family. All those emotions we are all intimately familiar with. The ending left you thinking "what happened", which path did the heroine's life take and was it the path you hoped she would take.
"My Big Fake Irish Life" by Caitlin McKenna
http://caitlinmckenna.com/little-white-lie/
When I shop for books on Amazon suggestions are made as to other books I might like. And this was one of them. A highly enjoyable rom com, easy to read, with an interesting premise - what happens when you abandon your normal persona and successfully adopt a completely fake one, fooling a whole range of people. How will it affect your family, or your career, or your love life for that matter?
I've downloaded "Manifesting Mr Right" so I hope I'm in for another treat.
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Golden
Recently my parents celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary. What an achievement. I haven't managed to get out of bed for 50 years yet, let along spend that amount of time with my spouse. It was a bittersweet celebration, though, as my Dad has dementia and so lives in a hostel (soon to be nursing home).
Mum pressed on with the celebrations though, and organised a small afternoon tea with the bridal party. Well, her bridal party. She accidentally sent my uncles invite (he was one of the best men) to the wrong address. Senior moment? Freudian slip? We'll never know, but we were concerned when they didn't how up. During the afternoon I rang my cousin, who went to investigate, tracking my aunt & uncle down to the tennis club bar. Phew! At least they were OK.
The whole day was very emotional for me because I felt Mum shouldn't have had the celebration (based on my prejudice about their situation), and sad because of the state my Dad was in (he was very incoherent that day and had had a fall in the morning). I spent most of the afternoon ensuring that Dad was OK and trying not to burst in to tears.)
After we took Dad back to the hostel I took my dogs for a walk along the river (I tried out a new bit of the river near Mum's and really liked it - nice & quiet!) and then caught up with Mum for a bit (and took the dogs for a second walk with Mum - lucky dogs!). When I got home I found that my husband had cooked a fabulous pork roast (with crackling to die for). Being cooked for is rare treat and was just the balm I needed. It was a delicious end to what had been a stressful day.
Mum pressed on with the celebrations though, and organised a small afternoon tea with the bridal party. Well, her bridal party. She accidentally sent my uncles invite (he was one of the best men) to the wrong address. Senior moment? Freudian slip? We'll never know, but we were concerned when they didn't how up. During the afternoon I rang my cousin, who went to investigate, tracking my aunt & uncle down to the tennis club bar. Phew! At least they were OK.
The whole day was very emotional for me because I felt Mum shouldn't have had the celebration (based on my prejudice about their situation), and sad because of the state my Dad was in (he was very incoherent that day and had had a fall in the morning). I spent most of the afternoon ensuring that Dad was OK and trying not to burst in to tears.)
After we took Dad back to the hostel I took my dogs for a walk along the river (I tried out a new bit of the river near Mum's and really liked it - nice & quiet!) and then caught up with Mum for a bit (and took the dogs for a second walk with Mum - lucky dogs!). When I got home I found that my husband had cooked a fabulous pork roast (with crackling to die for). Being cooked for is rare treat and was just the balm I needed. It was a delicious end to what had been a stressful day.
My social life continues
This weekend is another busy one! Yesterday I walked the dogs in the morning at the park (where we met a gorgeous American Staffy, also called Indi. She & my Indi had a great time together, mostly long runs). Then I met a friend for a spontaneous shopping trip, and then I picked up my Dad and took him to my Mum's for lunch.
As Dad & I drove down the highway he kept commenting that "it's all the same, nothing has changed". I don't know what he was expecting, that the world had moved on and become completely unrecognizable? But he couldn't remember how to get to Mum's place.
They had a nice time together and I think we will probably repeat the little outing from time to time. My mother rang later in the day to see how dad responded to going back to the hostel where he lives - he was fine, thank goodness. I think she thinks he misses her desperately all the time, but I think he just lives in the moment and reacts when he sees her (saying that he wants to go home, and crying - it must be very difficult for her).
We then had good friends over for dinner. Years ago we used to see each other all the time but children and life have overtaken us and we don't catch up nearly enough anymore. We had a lovely evening, talked, drank gorgeous wine, and ate delicious food. They have two lovely children (I remember when the first was born going over to their house for the first time, it was slightly fraught to begin with, but once she was settled in her gorgeous wicker bassinet (a family heirloom, I think) and we'd eaten and relaxed we stood around admiring her perfection!). I've committed to taking them to see Madagascar 3 at the movies in holidays - a first for all of us!
And this afternoon we're off to my cousin's for lunch. So a busy time! Such a relief to be doing things, rather than staying at home feeling that life is passing us by.
As Dad & I drove down the highway he kept commenting that "it's all the same, nothing has changed". I don't know what he was expecting, that the world had moved on and become completely unrecognizable? But he couldn't remember how to get to Mum's place.
They had a nice time together and I think we will probably repeat the little outing from time to time. My mother rang later in the day to see how dad responded to going back to the hostel where he lives - he was fine, thank goodness. I think she thinks he misses her desperately all the time, but I think he just lives in the moment and reacts when he sees her (saying that he wants to go home, and crying - it must be very difficult for her).
We then had good friends over for dinner. Years ago we used to see each other all the time but children and life have overtaken us and we don't catch up nearly enough anymore. We had a lovely evening, talked, drank gorgeous wine, and ate delicious food. They have two lovely children (I remember when the first was born going over to their house for the first time, it was slightly fraught to begin with, but once she was settled in her gorgeous wicker bassinet (a family heirloom, I think) and we'd eaten and relaxed we stood around admiring her perfection!). I've committed to taking them to see Madagascar 3 at the movies in holidays - a first for all of us!
And this afternoon we're off to my cousin's for lunch. So a busy time! Such a relief to be doing things, rather than staying at home feeling that life is passing us by.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Health
I've worked out if I do the following then life is pretty good:
The number of days when I feel full of energy and want to spring out of bed, walk the dogs, come home and whizz around doing all my chores I could count on one hand, may be two. It would be wonderful to wake up and want to get out of bed, but it just doesn't happen. Any tips on how to get me waking up energized would be appreciated!
- Drink enough water so I don't get dehydrated - dehydration for me can spell a swift descent into illness, which obviously isn't a good thing
- Eat healthy foods - Fresh vegetables, in particular for me, enough protein, some dairy - you know the drill
- Don't eat too much wheat - or my insides rebel. And I feel yukky.
- Don't over do the carbs - if I eat too many carbs without enough protien I feel really awful (tired, mainly)
- Don't drink too much alcohol and have the occasional alcohol free day
- Exercise regularly - It helps keep me fit (sort of, as I only walk) and helps with weight management
- Wear my orthotics and sports shoes when I walk my dogs - otherwise my right ankle and foot give me lots of grief
- Get enough sleep - I'm a 7am to 10pm girl. If I go to bed much later then getting up is so much harder. I wish I was a morning person, but I'm not.
The number of days when I feel full of energy and want to spring out of bed, walk the dogs, come home and whizz around doing all my chores I could count on one hand, may be two. It would be wonderful to wake up and want to get out of bed, but it just doesn't happen. Any tips on how to get me waking up energized would be appreciated!
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