Smoulder and burn

Woohooo.... chest, stomach hips.... wave upon body wave against the pole... change sides and repeat. Hip thrusts, now work it down. Butt circles...come on ladies really stick that butt out now ... Keep it low... now work it right back up. Figures of eight... move those hips... change sides...Move those hips deeper... Right arm high and salsa.... wooohooo get those hips moving.... move that left arm up and down your body seductively... remember the higher you keep it the higher the heart rate the harder you're working it...

So began the one hour, sexy, high cardio, low impact Smoulder and Burn class.

I had two hours to wait between work finishing and yoga class starting. If I headed home, I would have ended up on the sofa and wouldn't reappear out of the house until the next morning.

In a way this wasn't a bad option, as I had struggled to keep awake towards the end of the day, and I could just see that sofa beckoning...but then there was the other side of me, the one that argued and urged me to get out and get some long needed physical activity.

Impulsively, as my nature can be, I phoned the studio to see if there were any classes I could participate in... and just as I was justifying sofa time to myself ... I was enthusiastically told yes it wasn't too late to attend the S&B class.

A change of gear and off I headed.

Different routines: pole routines, chair routines, ab routines, hip and thigh routines to different, get-you-moving tracks. I smouldered and I burned for an hour, silently dreading the next morning, at the thought of every muscle still burning and smouldering.

Discoveries, disappointment and murder

As Dad (Chief aka Dad) has grounded me, because of The Weed's giveaway, I thought I would continue with the decorating this weekend as I'm not allowed to go out and enjoy myself.

I've discovered I am pretty good at this painting and decorating business. And ok, all the insinuations that "I get paint everywhere" and have never been taken up on the offer to help paint (yes I somehow managed to get covered in paint just doing the paint run to the shop and bringing it back for my sister) may have some truth to it... I'm sure my painting attire isn't too badly covered, well no worse than a professional painter's overalls (ok they paint all day every day, I paint when the mood takes).

I've discovered carrying a damp cloth while painting is a great way to clean up spills and no one will ever know how messy a painter I really am.

I've discovered paint effect paint is good fun and not that hard to apply.

I've also discovered that when fixing the cracks in the ceiling, where the plaster boards have moved, you need to use flexible filler, not the normal poly filler, as you get disappointed when the cracks reappear and the time and mess spent sanding back poly filler, to have to apply correct flexible filler can drive one mental.

I've discovered that when tidying up paint job and mopping slate floor, the slate looks really great when wet... which means yes I'm going to seal the floor.

So, it was while in the process of prepping slate floor, that the vacuum dislodges a plastic covered package from behind the fire. The package had been tucked away, deep at the back, where the metal was bent to form the stand. I have a gas fire, which looks like a slow combustion wood fire, with glass front, logs and coal.

I drag the package out with the vacuum. I've never really considered myself to be a drama queen (that is my mum's forte), or to have an over imaginative imagination, unless of course messing around with friends.

But here lay this package.

As I continue to vacuum I keep looking at. It keeps drawing my eye to it. Not sure really what is in the package. Not sure whether I really want to know what is in the package. But it keeps drawing my attention to it.

There is of course a reason for this hesitation to open the package and find out.

The previous tenant of my house is a friend. Now I know friend well enough to know he is not into drugs or trafficking, or the like, and there would be no reason for him to hide anything. However, prior to my friend getting married, he had a housemate.

His housemate was a quiet, introverted person. Not like the previous one that was accident prone and nearly managed to burn the house down. When my friend had people around for a bbq, although housemate was welcome to join us, he would often than not make himself scarce back into his bedroom or would go out.

It wasn't long after the housemate had broken up with his girlfriend that he began to act strange. One evening when my friend had a female friend over the housemate started to get quite abusive to the female friend. So my friend told him to pack his things and to leave, otherwise he would get the police involved. As a precaution my friend had the locks changed to deadlocks. Not only because of the violent tendency, it was discovered in the bedroom the housemate had used, was evidence of ritualistic type going-ons. A few weeks after this incident, the now ex-housemate murdered his ex-girlfriend. He is fortunately locked away.

So the reason for my hesitation at not opening the package straight away, and yes my mind was going a little wild as to what could be in the package, I will admit. Drugs? a knife? a left behind ritualistic type item? And what was I going to do when I found out?

Eventually, curiosity out won the initial hesitation. I slowly unwrapped the carefully wrapped item. I'm not sure whether immense relief or immense disappointment washed over me at that moment. In the package were spare pieces of fake coal for the fire place.... mmmm maybe my imagination is a bit wilder than I first thought.

Friday sweet friday

Ahhhh Friday... Today couldn't come soon enough. After the break and the short weeks, this week just seemed sooooo long. Not that it has been a bad week and I fortunately work with an awesome group of fun, unpolitically correct people, however Friday's arrival is always something to look forward to.

Today was a mixed bag of goodies. The morning consisted of volunteering to help copy information for some research work - mind destroyingly boring. Doing the final proof and edit to a publication, so much more interesting, especially choosing the pictures and the placement of them.

At lunch time I finally booked a flight to Sydney, yipeeee. I've had to put the trip off a couple of times for various reasons, so decided why not go over during the Australia Day celebrations. So in just over a week's time I'm off for a break ... ummm now just to let the boss know, hope he agrees, sure he will, won't he?

Then in between sorting out some policies for a Manual update I decided to quickly catch up on any blog updates. And it's celebration time!!!!

To celebrate reaching 100 followers, The Weed is having a GIVEAWAY.

Excitingly it's not just one prize but two.

He is prepared to part with his much beloved (unopened) Little Thumper and a gift card to the Cheesecake Factory. Unfortunately, as the Cheesecake Factory has still yet to make it to these shores, if I was fortunate to win I would have to decline the gift card, as I'm sure there wasn't mention of an air ticket to collect the prize (are you open to bribery Weed? If I win, the gift card is yours :)).

The motivation for winning the Little Thumper??? No, not quite the motivation that you are thinking! More my sense of humour at the thought of showing off Little Thumper, and telling the guys I work with the delightful story of how I was sent it by a man I hardly know, all the way from the US.

Stop procrastinating! And get back to it

How lethargy slowly creeps in and procrastination wins every argument.

It's been about 3 (please tell me it's not 4!!!) weeks since I've exercised the body. Of course I blame Christmas and New Year time... too busy shopping, partying, celebrating Christmas and of course the bringing in of the new year.

Then of course the corporate side of our organisation closed for 10 days, so I didn't have my usual work exercise buddies to join after work for a few sessions.

The gym classes I enjoy were put on hold (ummm but I still could have gone to the gym and done my own thing, gosh why did I only think of that now?), pole dancing classes had finished for the year (still to resume next week), where I have moved to there really isn't any awe-inspiring-get-my-toosh-out-of-bed places to get up for a walk (wow what an excuse that is!). And then of course the determined, I AM DEFINITELY GOING TO START AGAIN NEXT WEEK, except next week arrives and .... yes you get my point.

Finally one of my friends and I got our poop together and did it. We decided enough was enough and no more excuses, so headed to one of the nearest park lands for a brisk walk around the 6km (3.7m) lake.

Yes, the sun was shining brightly and it was still hot at 5.30pm (by the time I got home at 7pm it was still 32C / 89.5F). I could feel the sweat form on my back, causing it to go itchy. The water fountain at the half way mark, while providing a much needed drink, provided only warm water.

I will admit the last 1km (.62m) the legs started to ache (to think we usually include jogging into this cycle but not tonight) and it felt like we would never reach the car park. Delusions started with visions and craving for take-away chicken and chips (I'm vegetarian... work that one out?) to ease the hunger (salad for lunch sometimes does not cut it).

At the last 500m mark we had reached the grassed picnic area and headed under the shade of trees. A lone man was on one bench overlooking the lake area (unfortunately with our lack of rain, the lake has started to dry out), playing a clarinet, picnicker's were unpacking baskets, drifts of cooked onion came from the bbq's.... and to think I could have missed being out on such a gorgeous evening, all because I procrastinated.

Life is good

Life is good, actually it is brilliant and is for living.

Wow, what a fantastic way to end the weekend and start the new week, by discovering you have been bestowed an Award! I would just like to say an extremely big thank you to the gorgeous Jumble Mash for even thinking of my blog, let alone giving me this Award.


Now there are some rules to this Award, which are:

1. First thank and link back to the person that gave the Award (done, and hopefully correctly).

2. Answer the 10 survey questions.

3. Pass the Award along to other bloggers whom you think are fantastic.

4. Contact the bloggers you have chosen to let them know about the Award.

Well, lets get started...

1. If you blog anonymously, are you happy dong this? If you aren't anonymous, do you wish you started out anonymously, so that you could be anonymous now?

I blog anonymously and prefer to blog this way. This is one of my other little worlds outside my real world and lets me express freely without any restraints, or possible restraints.

2. Describe an incident that shows your inner stubborn side.

I am a fairly laid back, easy going person. A stubborn side, who me??? Mmmm, well ok, maybe perhaps a little bit... I find sometimes when I'm told I can't or shouldn't do something, the little devil inside me appears and edges me on, that I go and do it anyway.

3. What do you see when you really look at yourself in the mirror?

Do I need to wash my hair, straighten it or put it up today? No, seriously, I don't tend to self analyse. I am happy with who I am and think life should be for living and experiencing rather than wasting time staring at myself wondering about all the what if's.

4. What is your favourite summer cold drink?

At the moment, Brown Brothers' Moscato Rosa ... light, fun, sparkling and pink, served with strawberries, yummm, just perfect for summer days.

5. When you take time for yourself, what do you do?

I enjoy de-stressing with pilates, I enjoy the challenge of learning to pole dance or attempt a mad mountain bike ride. I totally love sourcing new recipes to try on unsuspecting friends and is there any way better to start Sunday morning off than by lazily with coffee and breakfast in bed?

6. Is there something that you still want to accomplish in your life?

There are way too many things I still want to accomplish (or at least try). Lets see, improve my photography skills, enjoy wine appreciation classes, learn to mix the perfect cocktail, hot air ballooning, become an accomplished writer (don't we all), learn more about web and graphic art design... and the list goes on.

7. When you attended school, were you the class clown, the class overachiever, the shy person or always ditching?

I enjoyed school for the social aspect of being with friends. I loved learning too, so maybe at one point I may have overachieved and perhaps things were a bit too easy, but, put that together with a low boredom threshold and well... you get it.

8. If you close your eyes and want to visualize a very poignant moment in your life, what would you see?

There are two very poignant moments in my life: my sister and me being with Dad when he passed away; and the other looking after my niece at the hospital while waiting for my sister to deliver youngest niece and taking eldest in to see her mum and baby sister for the very first time.

9. Is it easy for you to share your true self in you blog, or are you more comfortable writing posts about other people and events?

Do you really want to know that I eat porridge for breakfast? And as I have already shared my knickers with everyone in blogsphere... what else of the true self is there to know :).

10. If you had the choice to sit down and read a book or talk on the phone, which would you do and why?

Reading a book, in a bath full of bubbles, a glass of wine, candles, singing at the top of my voice to whatever is playing on my ipod... total, heavenly bliss.

Drum roll please, as I would like to pass on this Award to:

Mynx @ Dribble for being the impetus for my own blogging and getting me hooked.

Sandra @ Absolutely Narcissism I just love visiting her family.

While I pop off to let these people know about their Award, I thought I would just remind you who allowed me to pass it on :)

DJ

This is DJ.

I admit I have a soft spot for anything furry and cuddly, or as in this case, feathery.

DJ came into my life under two weeks ago, when neighbours asked if I would look after him while they headed down south for a break.

So...DJ's pad is set up at my place and the neighbours waved goodbye to.

DJ now becomes know as DJ. I think his real name is Dusty, but really, that just doesn't do it, so I've renamed him DJ Attitude ++.

DJ is a cool dude with attitude and spunk (no not that....this is Australian for showing courage/spirit, which counts, as he doesn't bat a feather when I decide the best way to clean up his feathers and discarded seed shells is by using the vacuum in his pad).

DJ has a constant habit of checking out his coolness in his mirror (um wait, that's three mirrors... what the??? I have one!) , blatantly. None of this quick sneak from the corner of his eye,while no-one is apparently looking, it is a full on gaze, head twirling, preening, followed by a wolf whistle when he finishes.

His cool dude moves are awesome enough that he should be appearing in Chris Brown's video Yeah 3x. I am attempting to teach him to say jump (rather than peek a boo, as this doesn't really cut it for such coolness). And the descending angel pole move ... well that puts me to shame.

As with any star, he has demands.

Demands to visit outside his pad, transported around in luxury.

Demands attention by calling out, what's happening? (he learns quickly).

Demands to be cajoled and stroked in the way that HE likes, with a nip and screech if it is not done correctly.

But hey who am I to argue with such demands as he gives me a wolf whistle as I head out the door to work.

Last day of freedom

As the last day of freedom from work closes in, what a better way to spend it then another day in paradise with friends at a beach cafe (sans spiders), enjoying local seafood (dukkah crusted barramundi) and white wine. Today has been humid so the breeze off the sea provided much welcome relief.

As a couple of my followers have ex-military backgrounds, I hope the following pics, may be of some interest (I acknowledge that it is not from the same Service they served in, but hey nothing wrong with a bit of inter-service rivalry :)).

The view from the table, not bad! The land mass in the background (trust me it is land in the way distance there) is Garden Island, connected to the mainland by a causeway. This is the Royal Australian Navy's main and largest fleet and submarine base, HMAS Stirling.

In an effort to walk off lunch is, a brief sojourn through the Naval Memorial Park. Aligning the walkway, plaques dedicated to the men and women who served on (now) decommissioned ships.

The submarine fin from HMAS Orion and the gun turret from HMAS Derwent.

And then a final look at the ocean before the afternoon ends, *sigh*.