Today is my 9th day without sugar. It has been the hardest most tempting thing to break my resolution, especially with people at work handing me chocolate and lollies, but surprisingly the benefits of not eating sugar are so far outweighing the deliciousness of what I could be enjoying.
The first night it was like my body was going through withdrawals, I felt sick and nauseous like I was going to pass out, ended up sleeping at Mums coz I didn’t feel like I could drive home safely. The next day I felt so much better. I had more energy and I had a really good sleep (compared to the insomnia I had been experiencing for the last month or so). The good sleeps continued, until the fourth night when I had a couple of bread rolls just before bed. Kept waking up through the night and was exhausted at work the next day.
On the fifth day I tried some sushi. Within twenty minutes of having it I felt like I was going to crash out at the wheel. Not a good sign. I guess white rice is going to be added to my no go list. So my plan was to cut out sugar the first week, bread/pasta/rice the second week and potatoes the third week. Not sure about potatoes though, I had some last night and they didn’t make me tired at all. But maybe I should cut everything out, temporarily at least, so then I can experiment with them later and see what affects me in a negative sense.
I am amazed at the negative impact sugar has had on me. I wasn’t aware of all the highs and lows I was going through on a daily basis until they stopped. I would have something, feel good, the sugar would leave my system, I would feel tired and need more and crave more sugar, and so the cycle continued. Feeling really good right now though.
Monday, April 2, 2012
Friday, March 30, 2012
Hot Air Balloons
This morning I went to the Hamilton Lake to watch the hot air balloons going up. Couldn't get a park nearby, so ended up going for a nice relaxing walk around the lake just as the balloons were beginning to be inflated. My favourites were the kiwi and the kangaroo. They went up at about the same time. It was a lovely start to the weekend.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Observing children
It was my nephews 4th birthday a few days ago. It makes me feel old. He doesn't look that much older, but he is definately getting smarter. Its so funny seeing a kid that could only give you a yes or no answer not long ago, now coming out with full sentences and saying astonishing things.
Hes very eagerly awaiting the soon to be arrival of his little brother (he did initially say it was a girl but they had the scan recently, and its a boy). I don't think he realizes his brother won't be able to play with him for at least a couple of years - he'll be at school making new friends, and his brother will be at home demolishing his stuff. Hilarious. I don't think anyone wants to upset his anticipation by mentioning any of this to him, I certainly don't.
I just really like seeing the stages of his progression and observing him learning new things. And now I wonder, maybe thats how God feels about us? Delighting when we learn new things or good things happen to us, and feeling for us when we fall down.
Hes very eagerly awaiting the soon to be arrival of his little brother (he did initially say it was a girl but they had the scan recently, and its a boy). I don't think he realizes his brother won't be able to play with him for at least a couple of years - he'll be at school making new friends, and his brother will be at home demolishing his stuff. Hilarious. I don't think anyone wants to upset his anticipation by mentioning any of this to him, I certainly don't.
I just really like seeing the stages of his progression and observing him learning new things. And now I wonder, maybe thats how God feels about us? Delighting when we learn new things or good things happen to us, and feeling for us when we fall down.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Art Journalling
Have found a new hobby and am really loving it. Art or visual journalling. Its been a long time since I got my hands dirty with paint and I am surprised how much I am enjoying it. Found a couple of library books about it, plus a random comment from a girl at church and thats what got me started. Have pulled apart a spiral bound blank scrapbook and am going over it. I just like mixing the colours and smearing them on the page and seeing how it looks. Collaging, stamping, using up all my old scrapbooking and craft stuff that has been sitting in storage for the last several years. Mostly i just like the part about writing down my thoughts on paper along with photos and pictures. Its very therapeutic.
Monday, March 5, 2012
A Short History of Nearly Everything
I just finished this book, written by Bill Bryson on the recommendation of a friend. At first I didn't like it, with end of the world scenarios of being hit by meteors, or blown up by volcanoes. However, by the end of the book, the sensation I have been left with is one of gratitude. Grateful to be alive, thinking and doing well. Even though I disagree with some things he writes about, I still enjoyed this book very much.
He explains very well in summary form many of the principles of science and different scientific fields and theories. The stories behind the "facts" are revealed in some cases to be quite hilarious. There are anecdotes, dramas and disagreements, people who discovered things but never got credit for it, scientists ripping each others ideas to shreds. In some cases the truth of science is little more than one persons interpretation, or a best guess at a point in time, or "what we think we know," ideas which may potentially be over written by future analysis or discovery of another person.
He reveals the personalities, background, foibles and quirks of the scientists whose learnings developed our understanding of the world around us, which is so much better than just cold hard information.
I found the book intriguing and highly enjoyable (which is why it was overdue at the library - I couldn't give it up until I had finished it). I like its attempt to make science accessible to the layperson (in that respect it reminds me of the DVD "What the Bleep do we know" about Quantum Physics).
He explains very well in summary form many of the principles of science and different scientific fields and theories. The stories behind the "facts" are revealed in some cases to be quite hilarious. There are anecdotes, dramas and disagreements, people who discovered things but never got credit for it, scientists ripping each others ideas to shreds. In some cases the truth of science is little more than one persons interpretation, or a best guess at a point in time, or "what we think we know," ideas which may potentially be over written by future analysis or discovery of another person.
He reveals the personalities, background, foibles and quirks of the scientists whose learnings developed our understanding of the world around us, which is so much better than just cold hard information.
I found the book intriguing and highly enjoyable (which is why it was overdue at the library - I couldn't give it up until I had finished it). I like its attempt to make science accessible to the layperson (in that respect it reminds me of the DVD "What the Bleep do we know" about Quantum Physics).
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Courier Problems
Last week I ordered a 10kg box of stonefruit from an orchard near Palmerston North. I wondered where it had got to when it didn't arrive by Monday morning so I emailed the orchard. The girl I was dealing with, who has been great, said it was sent on Thursday for overnight delivery and it should have arrived Friday. I was so confused. Just as I was responding to her - I wonder where its gotten to? my neighbour to the side knocked on the door and there was my box. She was really nice about it, she'd just found it on her doorstep. She said "It does look a bit worse for wear."
And it did. The box lid was open (possibly she grabbed it by the top and it accidentally came undone) and half the fruit was rotten and moldy or next to moldy fruit and therefore contaminated. It stunk. One of the peaches was half eaten. I was horrified. I spent the next half hour pulling out the fruit I was going to bin and freezing most of what was left (to stop it going off before I could eat it).
I made a yummy dark purple plum smoothie out of some of it and taste tested a couple of items which were so divinely delicious that I really think I ought to buy direct from orchards from now on. Theres such a difference in taste between food at a supermarket or even fruit and veg store and buying from a local producer. I think thats why the popularity of farmers markets.
I wasn't going to do anything about it but the next time I checked my email the orchard had written asking when it was received because it should have arrived friday.
I went on the PBTrace courier website and put in my trace number - the fruit was picked up thursday 5pm, arrived in hamilton 10:20am on friday, sat somewhere for the whole weekend, and was delivered (to the wrong house) at 1:30pm on the monday. Then when my neighbour got home a couple of hours later she brought it over to me. I can't believe they would just dump a perishable item for the whole weekend when they had all day friday to deliver it out to the correct address.
I vented and texted a couple of friends and family members, then in the end I emailed the orchard. It wasn't their fault at all, but i was disappointed in the courier and I told them so.
I just received an email apologizing for the condition of the fruit (even though it wasn't the orchards fault) and offering to send a replacement batch - which offer i am completely delighted with, and I've just sent an email to say yes and thank you. She said they have repeatedly told the courier company that the items must be delivered overnight as they are perishable - but obviously the company is not listening at all. What a bunch of idiots.
So that was a good result from a bad situation.
And it did. The box lid was open (possibly she grabbed it by the top and it accidentally came undone) and half the fruit was rotten and moldy or next to moldy fruit and therefore contaminated. It stunk. One of the peaches was half eaten. I was horrified. I spent the next half hour pulling out the fruit I was going to bin and freezing most of what was left (to stop it going off before I could eat it).
I made a yummy dark purple plum smoothie out of some of it and taste tested a couple of items which were so divinely delicious that I really think I ought to buy direct from orchards from now on. Theres such a difference in taste between food at a supermarket or even fruit and veg store and buying from a local producer. I think thats why the popularity of farmers markets.
I wasn't going to do anything about it but the next time I checked my email the orchard had written asking when it was received because it should have arrived friday.
I went on the PBTrace courier website and put in my trace number - the fruit was picked up thursday 5pm, arrived in hamilton 10:20am on friday, sat somewhere for the whole weekend, and was delivered (to the wrong house) at 1:30pm on the monday. Then when my neighbour got home a couple of hours later she brought it over to me. I can't believe they would just dump a perishable item for the whole weekend when they had all day friday to deliver it out to the correct address.
I vented and texted a couple of friends and family members, then in the end I emailed the orchard. It wasn't their fault at all, but i was disappointed in the courier and I told them so.
I just received an email apologizing for the condition of the fruit (even though it wasn't the orchards fault) and offering to send a replacement batch - which offer i am completely delighted with, and I've just sent an email to say yes and thank you. She said they have repeatedly told the courier company that the items must be delivered overnight as they are perishable - but obviously the company is not listening at all. What a bunch of idiots.
So that was a good result from a bad situation.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Spillages and Breakages
Today I accidentally dropped a whole big jar of Jaffas and got to see all the glass shards splatter across the floor, sending the jaffas scurrying in all directions under chairs, tables and all over the carpet. This was in the VIP lounge at work just as people were starting to enter. I felt so dumb. It took forever to scoop them all up, especially as they had a tendency to run away again just as they were being collected. My workmate was so nice about it, but I felt really bad.
It wasn't the first thing today I dropped or broke. It started after shopping this morning when I was grabbing my things out of my sisters car to go put them in mine. Somehow the grocery bag hooked on something in her car and snagged and when I went to pull it the bottom fell out and spilled my recently purchased food items (luckily nothing perishable) all over the road.
Not long before that I was in the public toilet at the library trying to use the liquid soap dispenser. I couldn't figure out how there was a full bag of soap in there but none of it was coming out. I thought if i made a small tear in the bag it would start working, however my "small tear" inadvertently became a "large rip" and before I knew it all that soap was spilling out of the bag into the sink and down the drain. I felt bad that I was the only one who got any use out of the soap, what a waste.
So yes, by the time I killed the jaffas, I was used to being a klutz, it almost seemed like a normal and natural thing to have happen. I was so gross and sweaty and tired from walking around all day that it just seemed like one more bad thing wouldn't matter that much.
Coz after that it didn't improve - we were short staffed, had several delays in our arriving flights, which meant flights tomorrow delayed, spending a few hours ringing people to give them the bad news that their flights tomorrow are delayed or cancelled, as well as a number of bags that never showed up off the flight, all made for a very interesting evening.
It wasn't the first thing today I dropped or broke. It started after shopping this morning when I was grabbing my things out of my sisters car to go put them in mine. Somehow the grocery bag hooked on something in her car and snagged and when I went to pull it the bottom fell out and spilled my recently purchased food items (luckily nothing perishable) all over the road.
Not long before that I was in the public toilet at the library trying to use the liquid soap dispenser. I couldn't figure out how there was a full bag of soap in there but none of it was coming out. I thought if i made a small tear in the bag it would start working, however my "small tear" inadvertently became a "large rip" and before I knew it all that soap was spilling out of the bag into the sink and down the drain. I felt bad that I was the only one who got any use out of the soap, what a waste.
So yes, by the time I killed the jaffas, I was used to being a klutz, it almost seemed like a normal and natural thing to have happen. I was so gross and sweaty and tired from walking around all day that it just seemed like one more bad thing wouldn't matter that much.
Coz after that it didn't improve - we were short staffed, had several delays in our arriving flights, which meant flights tomorrow delayed, spending a few hours ringing people to give them the bad news that their flights tomorrow are delayed or cancelled, as well as a number of bags that never showed up off the flight, all made for a very interesting evening.
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