Back on Track

Well I had a few relaxed weeks on the old Healthy Eating plan and put on and lost a couple of KG's, but finally this week I lost another 0.5kg. I have to stay on track if I want to get to my 20kg Christmas goal.
I am still excercising as though I will be competing in another Rowing event in Geelong in Feb, which will keep me motivated, the only thing that will stop me from going to this event is if I fall pregnant.
Hope all my other weightloss friends are going good with their goals.

Moving into the Shed

Well all the talk is finally almost over the shed is complete, we have lights and we moved some stuff in. We spent the weekend finishing a few coats of paving paint on the floor and stacking the shelves with all the crap that we had in the house (that should live in the shed). Not long now before I will be scheduling in a scrap night for all the girls.

This coming week we are going are getting started on a new driveway to really finish off the shed (and allow us to get into it, it's a bit like a bullock track at the moment).

Tonight we had both sets of parents come over to christen the entertaining awning. It was so lovely to be able to sit and relax undercover and to finally dig out the table, chairs and BBQ. We cooked up some chicken, marinated in lemon and olive-oil, some steak, sausages and a nice salad. I also whipped up some apple crumble for dessert. It was tops, I can't wait to have a few champas or margarita's out under the awning.

Row, row, row your boat!

Well Friday saw me heading off to Melbourne for a spot of shopping and the Australian Indoor Rowing Championships.

An early start we were on the 8am flight, my friend Naama picked us up and we headed for a little pamper at the Nailbar with a pedicure and afterwards a spot of lunch and a drop of wine at the local Pub. The Caulfield Cup was on the next day so we put a couple of bets on to try out luck. Later we headed to Chadstone shopping centre so Colette could find herself a Fascinator for Melb Cup day.

Friday night we caught up with Ian our personal trainer and his wife Viv and had a nice meal at an Italian restaurant in St Kilda.

Saturday morning we got up and headed of to Caulfield Grammar School the scene of the rowing event. I had 3 events to compete in, the first was a 4 minute event, where you see how far you can row in the 4 mins.

Last year I did 997 m so my goal this year was to crack the 1000 metres. Thankfully I did a PB and did 1012 metres and came 8th out of 13. Next event was the relay where we had to row 4x500m, we did a really good time and came 7th out of 12 teams and beat the team that won last year.


Last event was the 2000m event and this was hell on a rower, the afternoon sun had heated up the Gym to ridiculous temperatures, my mouth was dry before I started and it only got worse. My goal was to beat last years time which was 8min 58 sec, I got 8min 44 sec, so I had achieved another PB.

No medals for me this year, but the competition was stiff. Our team of 10 came home with a few medals though.

Sad Day

Mum just called me this morning to say they had to put my old horse down.

Comet has been in the family for over 25 years. We estimate he was 35 years old, the same age as me. Everyone in our family has ridden and competed on him over the years. He has been retired for about 10 years and has enjoyed a life of luxury roaming with the cows at the farm. He was not well earlier this year and we didn't think he would make it through the winter. But with a bit of TLC he bounced back. 35 is a really good age for a horse, normally they live to about 25-30 so he was a ripe old age.

I remember 1 day when I was only about 12 or 13 when I was at Pony Club Camp and we were doing showjumping and Comet dumped me off about 6 times in 1 day. I think he taught me the "tuck-n-roll" that day.

He was a great horse and everyone loved him. I have many great memories with him.

1 WEEK TO GO

Well it is only 1 week to go before I head off to Melbourne for the Australian Indoor Rowing Championships. I just had a really good training session this morning, I had to do 3 x 1 klm rows with a 5 minute rest in between, well not really a rest but a cool down on the spin bike. My first try I beat my PB time by about 15 seconds and then my next 1 I beat again and then the final row I beat by about 1-2 seconds which is a bit of a feat as the muscles were really starting to fade in the last 1.
I am feeling a lot more confident this year and am heaps fitter and should do better times, hopefully come home with a couple of medals but as long as I get PB's I will be happy.
It will also be nice to have a few relaxing days in Melbourne, perhaps for a spot of shopping and I hear Paperiffic is in town so will have to find out where that is on and go for a bit of a look.

What "Rachael" Means

You are wild, crazy, and a huge rebel. You're always up to something.
You have a ton of energy, and most people can't handle you. You're very intense.
You definitely are a handful, and you're likely to get in trouble. But your kind of trouble is a lot of fun.

You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection.
You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive.
You have the classic “Type A” personality.

You are very open. You communicate well, and you connect with other people easily.
You are a naturally creative person. Ideas just flow from your mind.
A true chameleon, you are many things at different points in your life. You are very adaptable.

You are truly an original person. You have amazing ideas, and the power to carry them out.
Success comes rather easily for you... especially in business and academia.
Some people find you to be selfish and a bit overbearing. You're a strong person.

You are friendly, charming, and warm. You get along with almost everyone.
You work hard not to rock the boat. Your easy going attitude brings people together.
At times, you can be a little flaky and irresponsible. But for the important things, you pull it together.

You are relaxed, chill, and very likely to go with the flow.
You are light hearted and accepting. You don't get worked up easily.
Well adjusted and incredibly happy, many people wonder what your secret to life is.

Never a Dull Moment

From 1 extreme to another, last weekend very uneventful, this weekend started with some drama.

Jamie and I were planning a weekend down the coast at his parents holiday house, just the 2 of us for 2 nights and then some friends coming to stay for 1 night. We were planning to leave at about 3pm Friday afternoon. About lunchtime Jamie called to say a tree had fallen down at his parents place (they are overseas at the moment) and all the cows were out in the neighbours property. So he headed over to sort out the dilema. Turns out it was about a 60ft tree right across the fence. So chainsaws out and he cleans up the tree, mends the fence and gets the cows on the right side of the fence. He had the help of his brother and his 2 nephews. When heading back to the house he was in his dad's 4wd ute and spun it out in the mud and ROLLED it. Jamie and his brother and the 2 kids were all in the car without seatbelts on as they were just in the paddock.

At about 3pm I get a call to tell me that they have just crawled out from the overturned vehicle, but everyone is ok. So I left the office to go and make sure and thankfully apart from a few bumps and bruises everyone was ok. They all went to the doctors to be sure. The car I would say is totalled.

Jamie had to call the folks in Malaysia to tell them what had happened, they were ok, just thankful that everyone was alright.

So despite all of this we packed up a few hours late and headed down the coast for a nice relaxing weekend at Sanctuary Point. Saturday we drove further down the coast past Bateman's Bay to visit Jamie's Uncle Reg, I had never met Reg's wife because they own a Motel, she always stays there to manage the place, so it was good to finally meet. We also caught up with Jamie's cousins and we all had a nice lunch and then headed back.

Sunday Adam and Checka arrived and we hung out at and played Wii games, I am totally addicted, my brother and his wife and kids popped over for lunch and it was an arguement who got to play first.

After the kids left we played heaps of games. Checka and I were playing Olympics and Wii Sport til about midnight and our arms were killing. Then Sunday Checks and I went for a paddle on the Surfski's around the bay for a bit and then went back to play Wii. Like I said I am totally addicted. We played Tennis, golf, bowling and baseball and Mario Kart. I thought people were joking when they said playing this gives them sore muscles, but I am, as I type this, aching all over, arms, shoulders, back, abs, it is CRAZY. I am getting 1 of these and Wii Fit as well, I think this would spice up my excercise routine.

Boring Weekend

What a dull and boring weekend I had. Friday night I was supposed to go to Kims to do some scrapbooking, but mum and dad called and wanted to come down for dinner and a catch-up, and have a look at the shed we went to Outback Steakhouse, the place was packed and the ribs and sweet potato were awesome. It was a good night.

Saturday I had to work for a few hours at Corrimal Shopping Centre and finished there with a major grocery shop including, butcher, baker and fruit and veg, took me hours. Got home to find Jamie on a mini-excavator digging a trench for the electricity to be connected to the shed, so I got on the shovel to help clear the trench, damn hard work and our driveway is now well and truly trashed.

Well today (Sunday) I had to work yet again at the Bridal Expo at Rydges hotel. The day started quite busy, then went pretty quiet, so it was a little boring with 3 of us sitting around and no people coming through. When I finished there at 3.30 I came home and worked in the yard for an hour before going to my personal trainer for a session. He had me do 3 x 3klm rows, plus warm up and cool down, so I did over 10 klms. To say this was the funnest part of my weekend was sad but true.

I cooked a lamb roast on Sat night so we had left over roast for dinner, still good second time around. Made our lunches for tomorrow and sat down to watch TV.

Dull boring uneventful weekend. I am looking forward to a long weekend off next weekend, with no work, no buggarising around the backyard, a nice relaxing weekend down the coast with Jamie.

On Target

I am hopefully on target for my 20kg weight loss goal before Christmas. 13 kgs to go and 13 weeks til Christmas. Santa could buy me some new clothes then.

Dad's 60th Birthday

We had a great party for Dad's 60th at their house in Camden, 70 of his closest friends and family were in attendance for the BIG Event.

It was a great night, I did a slideshow for him like the 1 I did for the wedding, I was very proud of it but had a technical glitch when I tried to play it and the sound wouldn't go via the stereo, an important part of the show was the musical and sound files I had added to the production with music from Star Wars, Indiana Jones and James Bond plus many more. We had to play the sound from the laptop which was dismal due to the number of people in the room and as soon as someone laughed then nobody could hear the rest of the sound. Anyway these things happen. I made Dad and everyone who was still around on Sunday watch it again on the big TV downstairs so that everyone got the full effect of the music.

The roasting he got from many of his friends was great, some of his friends he has had since before Kindy and in his early years of school. Plus many good friends he has made in later years of his life. Mum said a very heartfelt speech, they are still sooo IN LOVE.

There was a special guest in Frank Bobo who is an 80 year old retired Master Distiller from Jack Daniels in Tennesee, he was staying with some friends of Dad's so they brought him to the party. Some of the boys got their collectors bottles of Jack signed (aparently this increases the value of the bottles by about 40%).

The Broome Family L to R; Rachael and Jamie Griffin, Mum and Dad, Jamie and Janet Broome, Aunty Marilyn Broome and FRONT; Isaac, Kenny and Lauren.