My New Ticker

I did it!I signed up for Weight Watchers. It was a big step but I did it.

I have always struggled with my weight. It has been my friend and my enemy but I have decided that I need to do something about it. There have been times when I have been quite happy with myself and other times when I realize what a slob I can be.

Nige and I have talked about health and a healthy weight for a long time. I decided that I wanted to be fit and healthy by my 40th birthday so I've got 2 1/2 years to do something about it.

Last week I went to my first meeting and got lots of info. I have done pretty well during the week and not even been hungry (most of the time). It seems to be a good programme and Nige has decided to do it with me. Tonight is my first weigh in after beginning the eating plan so I hope that I have lost soemthing. I think it would be quite demoralising if I haven't.

Some of you may think I'm mad to be telling you all this and to have my wee ticker up top but I figured that it would help keep me on track and accountable. We'll see how it all goes. 38.1kgs seems a long way off but little by little I might even get there. A brand new me!

The big thing for me will be adding exercise into my routine. I have been such a sloth for so many years. Last week I went for 2 walks first thing in the morning (once kids and hubby were off for the day) but so far this week I haven't been out. Maybe tomorrow.

What does my car say about me?

I'm enjoying tootling around the city in my wee car. It is nice to not have to move the seat out every time I get in the car and to have the stereo blaring at just the right level. Nige has a work car which is a real blessing so, by default, the one we bought upon our return has become mine. I looked at the back of it the other day and wondered what it said about me. So here's what I came up with:

1. It's a Mazda Capella, a Japanese import. It's not flashy and neither am I. I feel like an import most days as things seem quite strange to me at times.

2. It's white. So am I

3. It's Christian. So am I. We put the fish symbol on it as a reminder of Ecuador and as a statement. Most christians in Ecuador, dare I say all who own cars, have this fish on the back. I don't really know what it's supposed to prove as they are all appalling drivers but nevertheless it's there so we added ours as well. Not many people in NZ have them.

4. "Don't Mess with Texas" is the bumper sticker. This reminds us of our good friends that we left behind in Guayaquil. The Garzas (who gave us the sticker) and the Muse who are also Texans. We have learnt a lot about Texans over the past few years of working together. They are a very generous, loving, encouraging and caring bunch of people. They love to eat (so do I) and have lots of tex-mex food which is just yummy. We miss them all.

5. "HELP! Dad farted and we're trapped!" This is the surround of our license plate. The kids and I bought it and giggled all the way home. What a hoot. It's nice to see people's smiling faces in the rear vision mirror, when they read it. I have a bit of a naughty sense of humour which can get me in trouble sometimes but I love to giggle away with others.

6. The inside is a bit higgeldy piggeldy. There are map books, drink bottles and empty shopping bags everywhere. I even think there are several odd socks. A bit like my life. All a bit untidy at the moment but a good clean up will change the look of it completely. The thing is....do I have the energy to begin the clean up?

So there's a little insight into who I am through my wee car. What does your car say about you?

Meet Santiago. He is so cute I had to introduce him to you all.

As many of you who have been reading me for a while will know, we had to leave our beloved cat Hine behind in Ecuador. It was a heart wrenching moment when she was taken from the house. The boys literally threw themselves on the ground in despair. They didn't know how to handle the pain in their hearts at their loss.

We had said to them that when we get into our own home we would get a cat so it was time to keep our promise. The boys and I tootled off to the SPCA here in Auckland and looked at heaps of cats and kittens. We even found a boy cat that looked exactly like Hine. We had already discussed that if we were to get a cat like her then it would have to be called Dos (Two) as we really couldn't call it Hine (much to our youngests disgust). In the end we happened upon 10 week old Santiago who was up at the window checking us out. We all agreed that he was to be our cat so we paid all we needed to and brought him home. That was 2 weeks ago and he has turned out to be a real snuggly, smoochy little fellow. He has also decided he likes to climb my pot plants so I think I'll be buying a squirty bottle to train him out of that habit. We just love him. Now our home feels like a home with our newest member of the family.

Yesterday the boys started their new schools. They were both very nervous and a little scared but they did such a good job of settling quickly and I am really proud of them. I have to admit to a few tears as this was so unlike when we hit Palmerston North. There they had friends, knew the school and teachers. Here they knew nothing and no one. It's hard to watch your little ones (well not so little now) go off into the big, wide, uncertain world. I know that they will do well and we have been preparing them for months for this to happen.

Today they went off unfazed by anything (even their ugly sandals!). We even managed to find a shortcut for them to take to school. I'm letting them walk home by themsleves this afternoon so that will be nice for them. They are keen to show how grown up they are now and I guess I have to let them do that. They are truely great kids and I'm proud of them.