Blogs, awards, cold chicken salad or hot chicken salad

Helena awarded me the thinking award - thanks! Also Helena mentioned I help her out a lot. Well I'm returning the compliment here. I find her entries always inspire me! In fact she is an amazing woman with what she has achieved and how hard she is working towards her goals. (LOL I should have taken on board her entry this morning about fast foods - more later!) I've got quite a few favourite blogs I read, I don't want to start listing them in case I miss someone out!! Without you all I feel maybe I would have given up on this long ago. Also I meant to pass this on to five others - is there any one left??

Blogging - does also get you thinking why we do it? I started after I had lost the bulk of my weight, I was feeling really great with what I had achieved, yet knew this was going to be an area of my life that I would have to keep working at. Because I was feeling so good I wondered if my blogging if I could maybe encourage others in my age group to take the plunge and do something and reap the benefits I discovered of being healthy, fitter and slimmer. My bigger days are now a distant memory, to be truthful I've almost forgotten how bad I used to feel! Some days now when I'm feeling a bit tired, sluggish - occasionally I think - how would I be feeling if I was 25 plus kilos heavier! For instance thinking about a holiday coming up is exciting, (they always are) but even more so now days. The thought of dragging my bigger body around in soaring temperatures, the chaffing, sweating (or glowing) how much more effort everything is when you are big and it's roasting hot, trying to keep up with Peter as he strides out on a walk, lack of confidence when meeting people on trips - well life is a whole lot better these days!

Also then I discovered by writing down my thoughts, my initial idea of maybe helping out others changed a bit when I discovered I was helping me! Writing down the struggles, thoughts, successes, changes that I've experienced has helped me understand and get to know me better. I've discovered weaknesses I didn't know I had, also discovered strengths in me. It's helped me see potential problems I have to deal with and then cope with it. Can't help myself either as every now and then I share bits of our family life and those four little characters of grandsons.
Then as life plods on, other events come up and hit us, and I've discovered so much support from you all when we have had to deal with sad times. Reading other blogs sometimes make me laugh out aloud - or just think snap that's how I feel today! The comments too - they always help, nice to know people are out there, they care enough to encourage or just to say well done. Hope I can do the same! Also as time has gone on, I've got to meet some of you! Great to be able to do this. My kids were asking things like - how do you know these people? LOL I think they may have worried about Mum meeting up with people she has met on the Internet - well you never know do you! The weird thing about me blogging - is my family don't read this - well I don't think they do? Doesn't bother me, but they haven't asked me how to access this so I haven't said - except for Peter!! Wait for this - a couple of weeks ago he asked where my journal was - I asked why. His reply - was in case anything happened to me - then he could read what I've written - Cheeky! Also friends - I haven't told any. Once again I don't care if they read it or not - but I initially felt self conscious about doing this so kept it quiet - bit hard to come out now and say - oh by the way I have this blog going..... - maybe will break them in one by one.

Being school holidays I usually take our grandsons out for lunch. Last week we took the older two to a cafe. Today was the younger two and they love McD's - I don't but I know how much they love the playground. On the way we were thinking where else we could take two active little boys, not much choice really when all they want is a quick bite and to get in the playground. So my plan was trim coffee and a Chicken Salad. We ordered the new pasta meals for the kids. I got my salad - opened it up and stuck the fork into the chicken - it was frozen!! Disgusting really, so I took it back - no fuss, just went back to the counter and said "this salad is frozen" - ''oh - did you want hot salad?" was the reply. "No thanks - I wanted a cold one". They looked at me a bit funny as if to say - stupid woman that's what you've got. So I repeated again "this isn't cold - it's frozen''. The assistant yelled out to the kitchen staff, - the chicken salad is frozen!! They very nicely offered to whip up another one. I just asked for my money back. Went back and sat down and next thing the assistant came up to our table, apparently the manager insisted that I have something to replace it and they wanted me to order. I didn't want anything else - they weren't taking no for an answer, even to the point of asking the people next to us if they wanted something else!! So that's it for me -never have been a fan, won't be eating there again! Maybe if the kids go I will sit with a coffee but that's all. The pasta meals looked a bit limp, the boys looked a bit shocked at getting them. Where were the chips,the burgers - the nuggets! The playground was fill of screaming kids, some far too big to be in there. We escaped quite quickly.

Thursday - I'm up with my exercise for this week, also eating well. Love it - someone asked me if I had lost weight yesterday at the gym. I don't think I have - in fact seeing as I've really been on track again this week I doubt it - but maybe I could be toning up? Maybe I'm in line for another little award here, last night at aqua someone also said I was the most consistent person that goes, no matter what the weather is I'm there! Only two more nights outside so I'm making the most of it. Tomorrow night will be a mad rush though, out of the water around 7.00pm, quick spa, 20 minute drive home, back out to a party and be there 7.30pm - I think we will be just a little late!

Busy day - and I should be working!!!! Catch you later.