The List Girl

When the girls were little and I was a stay at home mum, every night I would make a list of everything I wanted/needed to get done the next day.

The list was pretty thorough...everything from "finish ironing and put away" to "fruit and veg shopping" or "ring Nan" was on that list. Needless to say, there were days when not all the items were ticked, but they made their way onto the next day's list and so on.

I wrote those lists down on paper, usually a pretty notebook that someone had given me for Christmas or a birthday, or the type you get for free with magazines like Country Style.

I've kept many of those notebooks (horder, me?) and they are fun to look back on as I sometimes used to write down stuff like the weather, and how much I weighed that morning (daily weighing goes back a long way with me)


Then, for some reason I stopped writing my lists...I still plan my workday in a big plain notebook every morning, but that is just work tasks. I like the structure it gives my day and it also serves as a record of events if ever I need to recall something.

I guess I thought I had my homelife/housework down pat and no longer needed my lists...but in reality it's more like work took over and personal/family life took a back seat, something to be fitted in around work. I hear it's not uncommon when running your own business from home.


This morning as I was hanging out the washing, I realised I miss being really organised and on top of all things domestic. I also realised I need my lists back.

So I decided I will start doing my lists last thing at night again, and hopefully reap the rewards of being more organised in this area of my life...


***********************

On a totally different note -


My mother in law has gained about 25kg since I met her in 1992. It has been a fairly steady gain, I recall it all started when she sprained an ankle, then retired, so she wasn't as active as before and being home all day with a husband who has a sweet tooth and controls the grocery shopping is as good an excuse as any to let yourself gain weight...

She has joined Weight Watchers more times than I can remember, usually loses about five kilos max and then of course there is a wedding/birthday/funeral/Easter or Christmas party where apparently people are just there to hold her down and shovel food into her mouth so she loses count of her *Points* and the five kilos (plus some more) go back on again...

When we caught up with her and my father in law just after Christmas, she was complaining that her surgeon would not consider a knee replacement and apparently his advice to her was to "take it easy" and wear a band around her knee...I suggested Krill Oil, as both hubby and I are having a lot of success with it. I also tactfully suggested that if she lost some weight, the stress on her knees would be eased and she may experience some relief. So she accepted my advice and I gave her some guidelines to clean up her diet and hopefully see some results.

She and my father in law went on a three day cruise to celebrate his 80th birthday and got back last Sunday...I've been sending her weekly suggestions and updates, so I was a bit disappointed when I got a reply this week that went along the lines of - "With all the eating on the ship and B's birthday, I lost all sight of diet. Monday will be a new beginning"...
Here is my gripe (I suspect I'm beating a dead horse here) - eating well and for weight loss is all about choices, you can choose *what* you eat, and you can choose *how much* you eat...if a cruise that costs you $2,000 for a couple of days around Sydney Harbour does not offer you any fresh produce or leaner alternatives, then I want my money back...and even if the food on offer is not the most conducive to weight loss, then you can control your portions the *how much* to eat part of the equation. The other thing that bothered me was the statement "with all the eating on the ship"...was it an "eating cruise"??? Surely there was swimming, walking and other activities available? Or did they go there just to eat?? It certainly sounds like it...
Apparently, the week that followed was one celebration after another for my f-i-l's 80th, their Rotary Club, their neighbours, their choir, their church, ALL put on a celebratory lunch/dinner/afternoon tea...I know it takes some discipline, but if she were serious about losing weight, she could have said "NO" to cake - I am no weight loss guru or wonderful example, but I only eat cake on *my* birthday, and then it has to be a cake of my choosing, and a small slice by most people's standards, and hubby and the girls know that I want that cake out of the house and out of my sight within ten minutes...
And the final gripe about her message is - "Monday will be a new beginning"...what's wrong with *TODAY*??? Why wait til Monday???

aaargh!!! I should just butt out, I know...but it really angers me that she is just another contributor to the stats that place Australia as one of the most obese countries in the world.

The one good thing she has achieved is that her son (my hubby) has always said he will not be in the same state of health as his parents, and so far so good. He has never been overweight, his blood pressure is always normal and he is a very fit man.

At least we can break the cycle....


Rant over.

Did you know...?

Hello there - I found this over at Norma's blog and decided to do my own version...just to show my face around here :-)


1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?

Yes, my grandmother was a big fan of all things Hollywood. She named my mum Norma after the 1930's actress Norma Shearer (google Marie Antoinette movie of that era) and when I was born, she chose Sandra after the 1960's star Sandra Dee...even though my maiden name started with "L", my nickname has always been Sandra Dee, so it was appropriate that my married name starts with D...

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?

I cried yesterday - one of our kittens got very sick and died last Sunday...I nursed him for about three days and he finally gave up the fight, he was resting on my lap and we were looking up at the sky and the big tall gum trees he never got to climb...my eyes are welling up as I type...
(RIP little Freddie)

3 DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?

I've never thought about it - although I use it less and less these days...if I'm trying to write thoughts down, it's a mess because my brain is faster than my hands, but I do a nice job when writing a Thank you card etc


4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?

Hot Spanish salami


5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS?

Yes - two gorgeous and talented teenage girls. One is arty and gifted musically (courtesy of her dad) and the other is crazy about dance and also gifted musically...they are both very kind and compassionate human beings, and that's enough for me.


6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?

It takes a very special, awesome sort of woman with no hang-ups to be friends with me...I don't like copy-cat or twin/joined at the hip friendships...

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT?

Is there any other form of entertainment...?


8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?

Yes.

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?

Not even if you paid me. Absolutely NOT

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?

Not a fan of cereal...does oatmeal count?

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?

No

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG?

I'm told I'm a bit of a "rock" emotionally, physically, I'm getting stronger with age

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM?

Not a fan of ice cream at all...I can (and have) lived without it for years...

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?

In women - their hair.

In men - their shoulders.

15. RED OR PINK?

Red

16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?

I find something to critisize someone for just about every day...

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?

My dad, and my little girl who never got to grow up (still-born ten years ago next month)

18. WHAT IS THE TECHNIQUE THAT YOU NEED TO WORK ON THE MOST?

Consistency ...

19. WHAT COLOR SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?

Hot pink Havaiannas

20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE?

A handful of almonds

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?

A pot of soup bubbling away, the fish tank.

22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?

Red

23. FAVORITE SMELLS?

Chanel No 5,
my husband's neck,
freesias

24. HOW IMPORTANT ARE YOUR POLITICAL VIEWS TO YOU?

Very important

25. MOUNTAIN HIDEAWAY OR BEACH HOUSE?

I live in my dream mountain hideaway but I'd like a beach house to run away to for three weeks every year...

26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?

Basketball and soccer

27. HAIR COLOR?

Brown

28. EYE COLOR?

Brown

29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?

No

30. FAVORITE FOOD?

Right now - pears

31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?

Classics

32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?

Lincoln

33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?

Black tank top with a multi coloured "hippy" top (brown, red, pale pink, pale green)

34. SUMMER OR WINTER?

Autumn, but if it has to be Summer or Winter, then it's WINTER!

35. FAVORITE DESSERT?

Tiramisu

36. STRENGTH TRAINING OR CARDIO?

Running and RPM classes by choice, strength training by necessity

37. COMPUTER OR TELEVISION?

Computer

38. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?

Lost by Cheryl Strayed

39. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?

A 2012 calendar

40. FAVORITE SOUND?

The birdlife around here first thing in the morning

41. FAVORITE GENRE OF MUSIC?

Hard to choose, but right now - anything 90's

42. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME?

South America

43. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?

I speak four languages apart from English, it's a hobby...
Knitting,
I'm good with strangers' kids

44. WHERE WERE YOU BORN?

Uruguay - South America...my parents and theirs before them were "explorers"...my background is French/Spanish

45. WHERE ARE YOU LIVING NOW?

Blue Mountains - 2 hours west of Sydney, Australia

46. WHAT COLOR IS YOUR HOUSE?

Grey weatherboards with white trim and a dark red front door

47. WHAT COLOR IS YOUR CAR?

A dark red called "Seduce" by Ford - it goes a lot faster than the white version...

48. DO YOU LIKE ANSWERING 48 QUESTIONS?

...oh no, is this it???