TAKING CHARGE 16 Jan 2006

My plumber just left which is why I'm running a little late. Sorry to anyone who thought they might be able to wriggle their way out of this today...

Food so far:

Breakfast - crunchy nut cornflakes (packet recycled, will be buying today!) with semi-skimmed milk. Not organic. Tea also with milk, no sugar.

Lunch - wholemeal slice of supermarket bread, ketchup and a fancy pork and leek sausage with far too thick a skin. Sausages are just total disasters for anyone who really wants to know what they're eating. The packaging was gone from mine (leftovers) but it did say 73% meat. That's relatively high on sausages, but for those who didn't know, 'meat' can include all kinds of nasties. There's an allowable level of fat anyway, but it can also include all kinds of gristle and tendons! Glad I finished lunch before starting here, and I'm not going down for a second one.

Here's an unexpected ingredient - turmeric in my hard (boiled) sweets last night. They have some goodies in like vitamin C and fruit juice but the turmeric surprised me, even in sweets from Singapore. I assume it's for colour (they were apple flavoured, so green). I'd far rather they use turmeric for colour than a chemical derivative.

Anybody found anything nasty yet?? I'm going grocery shopping later so I shall try to take my awareness with me, though I don't have a huge amount of time for reading labels.

Maybe by the end of the week we might have all found something so revolting we can actually cut that item out altogether... That's not a challenge, but if you do resolve to cut something out as a result of this, or to buy differently then then of course we all want to know.

Just saw an article about the connection between what we eat and our mental health. The reseachers admit that this is only an early finding but it's certainly nothing we don't already suspect. To boil it down - eat more fatty acids (fish!). For the full article:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4610070.stm

no major surprises, but we still need the reminders. There was another article linked from that about one man's fight with chronic depression.

So what's going on in your house/head this fine Monday?? Doesn't have to just be food. If you haven't checked in from last week's challenge perhaps there's something you can discreetly do to fix that. You can still take your action even if you're too shy to tell us about it.

Kerri.

So far I have had bran flakes with a sliced banana and semi skimmed milk, so no nasties there. DS14 has offered to make eggy bread for lunch - organic eggs, but white bread I'm afraid!
Dinner is an unknown quantity as yet.

Food so far has been

Breakfast peanut butter (crunchy kind) and organic strawberry jam on brown spelt bread made by DH. With earl grey tea and milk.

Reward for doing housework all morning - two ginger oat biscuits, they have partially inverted sugar, but nothing else obviously dodgy.

Lunch - Lentil soup leftovers (made by DH last night), and a Russian chocolate, but I'd have to apply to a Russian speaker for the ingredients!

Bit of a naughty morning, so far It's all those rewards for housework done. But at least the housework is done!!

My challenges for this week are STILL the bed times, can't quite crack that one. Will try harder. Also sort out my desk, which is one big chaos right now.

Off to make supper - farinata (chickpea pancakes), organic lamb chops and some other vegetable, depending on what I can find in the fridge or the pantry!

Zillah

I had one cup of Kashi Go Lean Cereal and a cup of Simply Smart skim milk. They take some of the water out of the milk, so it's kind of concentrated and therefore supposed to taste richer. It also has more protein and calcium.

I had my usual big cup of coffee with 2 tablespoons of light cream and....splenda (blush). I know that stuff is terrible, but sugar gives me headaches, and I do prefer my coffee sweet. Any suggestions?

I also had an omega3 supplememnt.

I passed my physical on Thursday with flying colors mostly. Blood pressure was great, resting pulse very good, urine glucose great, iron a little low, hearing fine, vision as to be expected for someone who's legally blind, weight not as bad as I thought. Dr. said I was down 22 pounds since last time I was there, and he recommended a loss of only about 18 more pounds, which surprised me. I figured the need was for 25-30.

Dr. also suggested I take a B complex supplement, but I don't remember for what. Does anyone know the value of B vitimins? Oh, and he said he would order the blood test for a determination on the Rhumatoid arthritis whenever I'm ready, although he agrees that's probably it.

Friday I go for an eye exam and to get new glasses, something else I have been putting off.

there's all sorts of them and they cover so many things, but briefly they prevent certain types of anaemia, they help your body use the energy provided by your food, some are related to nerves and brain development. Folic acid comes under B complex and also affects the brain and also foetal development. Basically if you aren't getting enough it can affect all kinds of things. They aren't quite as easy to find in food as some nutrients. I think there are some in meat, fish, certain veg and yeast extract (Marmite to the rest of us). Deficiency of some of them can be quite serious - I have a B12 shot every 3mths (or should do - I'm well overdue) because my body no longer stores it properly thanks to the Crohn's. I think, and I haven't checked this, NONE of the B complex vitamins can be made by the body, meaning they can only come in through you diet. I think that's right, unless it's just a few of them. Certainly B12 is one of them. Well done on doing so well with your physical overall though Jo - even fit people aren't always healthy!

So that's my excuse upfront for not having the energy to do what I need to do - no B12!!!

I found myself being very virtuous in the supermarket today. I did read labels, but I wasn't really buying much overprocessed food anyway - fresh produce, frozen basic items (chopped swede because it always goes off before I get round to chopping it fresh!), dairy products and orange juice. I noticed the lady in front of me at the checkout had the most basic OJ (from concentrate) but paid for fresh chilled soup - struck me as odd somehow. Probably how come I forgot to pick up my cash afterwards and had to go back!

tonight's dinner is a dish of German origin which is a chicken broth base (I've made some from last night's roast but it might not be enough) with chicken, veg (leeks, carrots, swede, celery, potato, etc) and rice, all in together. If my chicken had been organic free range it would have been even more virtuous but it wasn't!

I've definitely become more aware since I've been in the UK because there's more options. Organic was a LONG way away in Singapore and excruciatingly expensive, just as an example. Here I 'shell out' (pardon the pun!) for free range eggs, but haven't quite edged myself up to organic yet. If a product is only a little more expensive I'm buying the organic version, and if I think it will affect the flavour I'm trying the organic too. So I might try organic chickens some day this year... baby steps!

Zillah, the routines don't get established overnight (too many puns today!) so remember just to keep on keeping on. If it's a big change you'll have to gve it more time, and I think you're not on your own in the house, am I right?? You're sharing with DH's mother?? So that makes it harder. Try just correcting the bedtime and the morning will probably sort itself out. Or if earlier mornings are more important to you do it the other way round. The rest will follow because your body will eventually have had all the sleep it needs, though it might take some catching up to start with!

this post could go on forever at this rate. Remember, nobody should be eating better than normal just to show up better on this. Eat whatever you normally eat - make the changes later when you have a really good reason for doing so. My breakfast cereal and the one the kids have are both pretty reasonable, but I already knew neither were too heavy on sugar, no nasty colours and reasonably whole grains. No horrible surprises.

Kerri.

= metabolism/energy, cell support, immune system support, hormone balance... Here is a good overview.

Well it's Monday, isn't it? I'm "taking charge" of my kitchen cupboards this week...thinking about rearranging a few things and moving some things to my storage shelves in the basement. For example: I use my blender maybe once every three months...and when I do, it is for something "planned." SO! I'm sending the blender to the basement which will free up a chunk of space in a base cabinet, to where I will move the cereal...so I can add a double row of canned stuff to the lazysusan...where I can see/reach/use it easily!

The other "mess" I need to sort is my storage containers/lids.

Cleaning the oven is also on the "must do" list, as I haven't done that since last summer. YIKES!

I've done most of my regular Monday "sweep-and-swipe," so I need to finish that...I'll probably give the DDs an extra chore-or-two later.

My plans for the MLK event today got pushed aside: DD10.5 spent the night with MIL and DD15.5 left early this morning to spend the day helping friends of ours who are getting ready to move into a new home.

That leaves me quite alone at the moment...and not at all inclined to get working...

Somebody crack the whip!

Blessings,
Lenora
"...if woman's work is never done, why bother about how much of it [isn't] getting done at any given moment?"
~ Claire Fraser in The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon

You don't need to write it out HERE, but I want you to write out EVERYTHING that's in what you eat. ALL of it, not just the dodgy parts.

Lynn Siprelle, Editor

I just posted on last week's thread. That's what I get for working from the bottom up!

Julie
"We must have patience for love, born of an accidental look." --Me

Now I remember why I don't watch much television - it sends me straight to sleep, even when it's good stuff: intellectual quiz programme (University Challenge) followed by etymological wordhunts (Balderdash & Piffle) then 10mins of Joanna Lumley hypnotising me. It was only 90mins but it's had more effect than last night's bottle of beer! It got to the point during Ms Lumley's monologue that all I could see was her face and the rest of my living room disappeared.

Welcome Julie - you know you're more than welcome. We've all of us got something we need to get more in control of, and whilst we can't expect to control everything in our lives we should be putting in more effort for the things we can. DH knows the best way to get me cleaning like a maniac is to make me really cross. Sadly he just doesn't have the knack, unlike my father! I could do with getting that kind of angry once a week every week, preferably Mondays! Did you try calling the bank to tell them you're mailing the cheque immediately?? Try not to phrase it as "the cheque's in the mail". It's worked for me several times when I've forgotten, but it'll depend on your bank, how late you are, how much you owe and how grovelling you can be in your apologies!!

So much detail Lynn?? You bully! Well ok... But the summary is that it wasn't a bad day on the whole, but I did round it off with the only chocolate left in the house - a few pieces from a box of Roses. I had a thought... related, sort of, in so much as it's what goes into our bodies. The New You'ers will remember Hope's obsession with us all drinking more water and how most of us were always struggling. Like any other memory habit we have to link it to something, and I just had a flash idea of drinking a glass of water every time I think of TNH (unless that would lead me to toxic levels, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it!). Since threads like this help us to be more aware on many levels (like Lynn's challenge had an effect on my grocery shopping today) maybe it can be the trigger that reminds us to drink more. And fill the glass the moment you empty it so you can go grab it the next time TNH flashes across your mind. This will work best for those of us with grasshopper minds that frequently buzz off sideways to the wrong thing at the wrong time, rather than the better-focussed among you who come on here once a day and don't give it a thought any other time. Could be worth a try. So I'm going to force my sleepy self back downstairs and drink a glass of water. Not juice or milk or something fizzy... just water.

I know this is all going to go pear-shaped when I go back to Singapore at the end of next week. I have to build up enough momentum to help me survive a totally chaotic week and still come back and want to do anything constructive! That's why I'm cracking whips now so somebody else gets enthusiastic enough to whip me into shape when I get home! Is this making any sense - get water, go to bed.

Kerri.

I drink lots of water in the summer, but in the winter I just find it unpleasantly cold, and room temperature water tastes yucky to me too. I don't mind hot water, so maybe I'll have some of that. You can forget 8 glasses a day, though..I might manage two! Other than that I drink tea, coffee, oj (the basic one, Kerri! It's all got the same vitamin C ain't it? And it's much, much cheaper) and fruit squash. I hardly ever drink carbonated drinks now, since Hope scared me silly with some horror stories, but I do admit to having a bottle of lemonade on the go at the moment, the first one I have bought for months, but I fancied it so there. (Ok Lynn, I'll go and write down what's in it )

We didn't have the eggy bread after all today, but had ham sandwiches instead. Dinner was a mix and match kind of affair of various things that were lurking in fridge and freezer - sausage rolls, pickles, hummus, cherry tomatoes, bacon rashers wrapped around cheese and baked, french bread, carrot sticks, crackers and cheese. Weird but quite tasty, and used up some things that were lurking around since Christmas.

Tomorrow DS14's friend is coming to stay for a couple of days and he is an incredibly fussy eater, so expect me to be tearing my hair out trying to think of something he'll eat

I made three phone calls today that I have been putting off for ages - one to a friend, one to arrange an extended warranty for the PC and one to the local council to arrange collection of some furniture I don't want.

I am still working on the bedroom, and seem to be getting nowhere fast. Why is this room such an obstacle to me? Argh.

That's your deep hidden secret reason Honey... you don't deserve a nice bedroom. Not my opinion of course... yours.

blow the psychobabble - I have to stop checking if anyone else has posted or I'll never get to bed!

Kerri.

last to post at night yet still first in the morning - sad indictment of my life really.

I've changed my PAP smear appointment to next Tuesday since it couldn't be done today. At least it still (just barely) gets done before we leave and is out of the way. I'm also about to start planning the most procrastinated item in my agenda - a honeymoon! Well okay... DH and I will be celebrating our 10th anniversary at the end of January and I haven't even bought a card yet. Since we'll be in Singapore at the time it was beginning to sink beneath the mire of other problems (as usual - it's always been annihilated by either CNY or the company AGM!). So I suggested we go away. Just us. Just a few days. My parents had already offered to take the kids, and since DH will barely be back for half-term and expects to be up to his eyeballs I'm planning for Easter. Better weather and it'll be set in stone so he can plan round it come hell or high water. We went through a number of places but I think we've actually settled on somewhere in this country although I'd rather not say where for awkward reasons.

I also have to figure out our income tax situation really fast because it's looking like we really will be taxable in the UK. Fortunately we have a few accountant friends as well as a few lawyer friends (always handy!). Plus it looks like a HUGE change may be coming up concerning DH's work - more on that later.

Food?? Are you kidding?? Same breakfast and I just had the last caramel shortbread square my cousin brought over at Christmas. I think the water will have to wait till later in the day because I think I'm too cold early on. That said, I had two big glasses last night and ended up going to the toilet a dozen times. I'm a total zombie this morning because the kids were restless last night too and I got a call at 2:30am from DH to discuss work! I also need to go give tanks of blood to be tested in a few minutes - yippee!

I think I'll spend the afternoon in the bath and I don't foresee anything good for lunch so I'm taking a raincheck on taking charge of today. I got dinner plannde - forgotten what already - and that's as far as it goes!

anybody else bubbling over with enthusiasm this wet morning??

Kerri.

No, really, it is sunny today!

I had a good PhD hour this morning, so I'm feeling a bit bouyed up by that. Having said that, at the moment I'm drinking the think I was meant to cut down this new year - instant coffee. I am basically down to one cup a day now, so things are improving.

Kerri, sounds like you need to spend some serious down time this afternoon. How about a nap?

Bed and up times are improving, we're getting much better at getting into bed by 10.30 and getting up is getting better

I can see some of the wood on my desk!!! I did some stuff yesterday I'd been putting off for ages, hope I might have another session today, but I've got to do some reading for a study session at our old Meeting House tonight, so I may not get round to it.

My only thought to add to vitamin B discussions is that I took them for a while, but they gave me PMS-type symptoms (grouchy and blue! ), so if you do take them and suddenly find yourself biting everyone's head off, it could be that.

Zillah

I am excited about the food goal! Makes the brain really digest what we are putting in our tummies!

This morning and organic fruit and nut bar. I love these things. They are made by Cascasdian Farms, a branch of General Mills, and are called Chewy Granola Fruit and Nut bars. I buy a box a week and stash them in my desk for breakfast. I am not much of a breakfast person and usually I am busy so these are perfect.

Lunch will be leftover tacos from home. My mother made a big batch Saturday and I will make a nacho lunch today! YUM!

Dinner - well, I am searching that one out!

Stressful weekend were the family is concerned but I think this week should calm down.

Jana

Well, I've been healthy, I go to the doctor, and I get sick. I have a bladder infection and a sinus infection. Sheesh.

I don't feel like eating anything. But when I do, I will write down everything. The thought of *that* makes me want to eat only fruits and veggies and some meat-you know, easy unprocessed things-which I guess would be exactly the point.

See Ya.
-Jo

Last week's "pick one thing you've let slide" was to start taking my thyroid meds. I'm pleased to report that

a)I still have some pills left in the bottle,
b)they're not past their exp. date, and
c)I've taken one every day for the past week, haven't missed a dose.

I'm feeling a bit better already, probably just psychological, but I'll take what I can. The "refill by" date has passed, so my "pick one thing for this week" is to call the Dr.s office to arrange another Rx. At the same time I will try to reschedule the ultrasound that I completely forgot about and missed almost two weeks ago. (It's a pelvic ultrasound to try to find out why I've got pelvic pain. Rather important. It's probably just some cysts, but need to find out.)

Anther thing I'd like to do, today, if possible, is to make a little chart where I tick off whether I've taken my thyroid Rx each day. Sometimes, around noon and I'll start to wonder if I've taken my pill yet (today, for example). It can be really hard some days to remember, so I want to make a little calender sheet and tape it to the inside of the cabinet door where the meds are.

So, other than the "pick one thing", I've taken charge of the floors, vaccuming/sweeping each Monday. Makes a huge difference. With eight carpeted rooms, two hallways, one set of carpeted stairs, a kid, two cats, and a hairy dog, having some kind of schedule like this is key. Have I ever mentioned how much I detest carpet? Who is the lunatic who invented wall to wall carpet? I want him flogged. Well, not really, I'm mostly pacifist, but I want him given a stern toungue-lashing at the very least.

Taking charge of that one thing, taking my meds, has made a big difference in my attitude. Which is nice, I need all the reinforcement I can get. The last of the Christmas decorations are one end of the dining room table waiting to be boxed up. I haven't done it yet, though I took down the Christmas cards and the tablecloth on the kitchen table yesterday. So all the decor is down, most of it put away, except for what's on the table.

The Bad News is, I'm coming down with a cold, so I'm not going to be getting around to it today. I've got a head cold coming on that's making me feel lousy. I'm starting to feel dizzy and am worrying about picking up DD today from Kindergarten, driving in the rain.

I've taken elderberry syrup and oregano oil, and will make some tea, and rest today. I think I'll spend most of the afternoon horziontal. Hopefully this is just from my allergy attack yesterday.

Anhata
www.familynaturally.com
Your Family's General Store, Naturally

Me, that is... telling everyone else what to do and being so severely anaemic that the doctor told me he didn't want me to fly (that would be 14hrs next Thursday!) and I have to go in tomorrow to see what they can do. Serves me bloody right. Why don't we ever learn Anhata?? We know it's doing us no earthly good to skip them, and after a week or two of enthusiasm we let them slide all over again. We'd nag our husbands into taking tablets, but who nags us every day??

no, no point nagging me from here because it has never ever helped. My Dad has had seriously bad news about two colleagues this week (very short term prognosis in both cases) and he is having a biopsy done on a mole tomorrow so I don't think he's feeling very chirpy.

I'm going to have a hot bubbly bath and read for a while... I'll probably still be up when DH arrives home at nearly midnight.

I nominate Jana to be on Sergeant Major duty because she seems more lively than anyone else at the moment. Maybe sending everyone to see their doctor at the same time was a bad thing for morale!!

Kerri.

Today DH took charge of the getting up time by being convinced in his head that it was Saturday. When the alarm beeped he turned it right back off again and when to sleep thinking 'fantastic, it's Saturday'! An hour later we woke up. Whoops

Bad luck on those infections Jo. I hate a bladder infection

Anhata, that's good work on taking the pills. The calender sounds like a good idea to keep track. Have you done it yet?

Kerri, what can they do to sort out the anaemia? And what happens if they can't?

Today I have to take charge of the kitchen floor . . .

Zillah

You aren't handing over the hat yet! You take care of you and you come back in full strength! Well, at least TALKING full strength!

Ladies, we have to expect some bumps. We have put these things off and put them off so that we can't not expect, just because WE have decided to finally do them that everything will be peachy and easy. No, No!

We must push on and continue. With our heads held high. Knowing full well we could have saved time/money/stress/health and anything thing else had we done them in a timely matter but we didn't so here we are! We are doing them now and that is the best we can do at the moment.

Kerri - do let us know the options you have on the flying thing.

Anyone have ideas for Hata? We must think of something. Hang in there, we will think of something. We have how many minds at work here? I would think a little sheet that you sign off on when you take the pills, hanging right by the pills might work. Do you wear a watch that has an alarm? You could set it to always go off at say 9am and take them then.

Zillah - you will love the feeling of clean kitchen floors! Even if they just last for a moment, as it is at my house!

Jo - hope you feel better soon!

"Enthusiasm, like measles, mumps and the common cold, is highly contagious." - Emory Ward

Jana

I don't know if this is helpful for anyone else, but it works for me..

My meds, vitamins, and bc pills are located right there with my deodorant, moisturizer, panty liners, etc., so that I'm sure to take them every morning as I'm getting dressed. It's as second nature as can be. Even if you're supposed to take them with food, you could keep a jar of mini pretzels right there as well. "Food" does not necessarily mean an entire meal--which could lead to procrastination and forgetfulness.

When I was in Jafra, we also suggested that the ladies keep their moisturizer right by their toothbrushes, so that it could become habit alongside that daily activity.

Julie
"We must have patience for love, born of an accidental look." --Me

I have a cookbook holder in the kitchen where I keep a composition book open and I log the date, the weather, any general health notes, and the time I took my meds. It's the only way I can make sure I take them, and for me missing a pill means a trip to the ER.

Lynn Siprelle, Editor

I've been needing to keep something like that...combo of reminder notes and journal stuff. Maybe I'd be better at it if it was on my kitchen counter.

Julie
"We must have patience for love, born of an accidental look." --Me

I lOVE cookbook holders. My kitchen just doesn't have enough counter space. Almost wish I had a butcher block table on wheels that I could roll around and store things like cookbooks on. You know, once we're done fixing the wall and get the kitchen nook set up, I just may measure and shop around for one. DH will be cantankerous about it, I'm sure, but I think if I can find a little one, it'll do.

I've made a calendar for the whole year one one page of paper with my nifty desktop publishing program, just need to tape it up to the inside of the cabinet door, take my thyroid med for the day, and mark it off. (Forgot to take one this morning, I have an empty tummy right, now, will go take it right away.)

Still haven't called the Dr.s office, will try to do that today before they close.

Anhata
www.familynaturally.com
Your Family's General Store, Naturally

If I'd have thought I'd have showed you today.

Lynn Siprelle, Editor

Kerri, can't they just shoot you up and you'll be good to go?

Jana, it does feel good. I even did a hands and knees and scrubbing brush job at some points!

My little book that I keep my week's meal plans and to do lists in is just about to run out. I think I might get a bigger one next, I like the idea of a little log of stuff. I can't do journals, but that might be just the thing.

Today is desk day. I've got a new friend with a DD same age as mine coming this afternoon, which is a great incentive

Zillah

Yes Becky, they did indeed shoot me up with the B12 yesterday morning, which seemed far less dramatic than the blood transfusion the doctor was muttering about. Good job I'm not the type to freak out. And now I know the system I just make my own appointments with the nurse every 3mths and she gives me a note each time to tell me when I'm next due so I know when to book. The doctor didn't even have the information to tell him which of the 3 deficiencies was causing the worst of the anaemia. Not impressive on the whole.

I got back from the doctor and DH said I have to go down to London with him immediately to meet with one of my best friends who is now our accountant. For us that's a long journey and certainly not one I could return from in time to collect the kids. So we had to rely on my parents. Except tey spent he whole morning in the hospital with my dad having a mole chopped off and dissected. We were phoning them increasingly desperately and they eventually got back to us just after midday... when we were two thirds of our way to London. We got horrendously lost on our way in, DS was throwing up all over my parents (who took the whole thing really well) so at 9:30pm we arrived back at their house to collect the kids, although my parents had offered to keep them overnight. DS has been off sick today, and crawled into our bed last night and kept us all awake.

so really, not good over here at the moment. Kaos rules! In the middle of all this and trying to navigate our way through London, Dad dropped a total bombshell about wanting to invest a surprsingly large amount of money in the enterprise we're considering setting up. I say it was a bombshell because it just wouldn't have occurred to me that he'd want to, so neither I nor DH would have asked him. I guess he probably knew that. The size of the sum was also pretty shocking because I've just never known him invest more than chicken feed in anything.

Just as well I got my B12 yesterday because i'm still bouncing along, never mind the 'struggling to get up the stairs' measure the doctor used. Also glad Jana's being perky and enthusiastic for a while because I don't know whether I'm standing on my head or my hands at the moment, and not posting in two whole days should probably tell you that!

I bow gracelessly out of the challenge because food tis week has taken on nightmarish proportions at times and there hasn't been time to write anything down. I'm still trying to be more aware generally but things are going to be getting a LOT worse round here before they get better, and the week in Singapore is actually a very tiny blip of comparative sanity on my radar in the next few weeks or so. I know we can't wait till everything's perfect and the calm of early January wears off really fast, but I was just hoping yesterday was a surreal dream I might wake up from. But I haven't yet!

The irony of me starting a thread like this is absolutely laughable at the moment because everything is up in the air for us at the moment. Not that I'm going to give it up exactly, but I shan't be functioning on all cylinders.

Kerri.

We have TG and Christmas in the US; you have Christmas and CNY in your household. How Chinese Americans manage I'll never know. But I think you count as being in the midst of official Holiday Madness.

Kerri, that is a cr*ppy couple of days you've had. Just take it as easy as you can - Covent Garden Soups, filled pasta shapes, houmus/tarama salata/cheese/bread/salad, FISH FINGERS AND BAKED BEANS. Just get though this bit, then take charge.

Zillah

My friend, be sure to "inhale", now "exhale", now repeat. Take care and we will hold down the fort!

Yearly check up today. She is sending me to a neurologist (sp) for my migraines. I have had them for years and it is getting to the point that they are interfering with my day to day when I have them. I agreed to go, but I am also doing my own research.

Check in later. I am heading to bed!

Jana

Maybe it would be a good idea to go back to the Christmas Countdown archives and read through the pre-Thanksgiving ones. You might find something helpful there.

it's minimal effort this year. I just gotta pack and go. I have a few things to do when I'm over there which are pretty cramped because I'm only there for a week but that's really not the biggest problem at the moment.

DH is seeing one of his franchisees head towards administration at the moment. There's a lot of tussling back and forth, and we're sort of expecting it to happen before the end of the week, assuming the bank doesn't want to let it drag into next week. That said, the franchisee thinks he's come up with a plan to save the business. Actually it won't work because the business is failing thanks to his weak management and everyone knows it but him. Also his main source of injected finance won't come because it's a govt dept and I have insider information that they're very picky about who they give their money to. What it will do is get some money by refinancing his house and the bank figures they'll get their debt paid off. Once that's done they'll move in. The reason this is particularly chaotic is because DH's boss is asking us to move in personally with security from his own personal money as well as mony from various other sources (inc. my father, which is why I was so shocked). I'm not entirely convinced but there isn't any easy way to just say no either. And DH would theoretically love it because he's always wanted his own business and because he'd like to prove that if his franchisee had done what DH told him to do there wouldn't be a problem. If we do take this on it will be huge, and the investments are anything but chicken feed, plus DH doesn't really have much in the way of staff to help him out.

So really, CNY is nothing this year. Just a short, busy holiday. Apparently my MIL wasn't at all worried when DH said he might not be able to go. As long as I was going. And the kids too of course. Poor DH wasn't too chuffed to find his wife was of more interest to his mother than he was!

I've given in to the nap attack this morning briefly, but on the whole I feel quite okay. DS is still off today, although he's clearly on the mend. He again slept with us last night although he wasn't quite as restless so at least there was some sleep to be had. I have a feeling the doctors were expecting me to be crawling across the floor somehow, and they haven't even met my kids. I expect that the B12 will have taken care of most of the problem, and now I'm a bit more on track with at least some of my tablets, so that's good. I've found a new home for my tablets, down in the kitchen near the kettle. This way when I think of having another cup of tea I usually remember that I need to take my tablets and have a glass of water or orange juice instead.

it's not a horrible disaster or anything, nothing tragic, just very messy. It's also very up in the air and out of our control, which is always very frustrating. DH is hoping it doesn't break before CNY too, so we can at least get that out of the way first and then it will be just that little bit less complicated. Of course DH needs to go back to Singapore anyway because if he's to get money he needs to sell his shares and transfer the money, so it's easier if he just goes back and lets everyone here rot for a while.

I'm trying to keep up with whatever basics I can though. No laundry on Wednesday as planned, thanks to the impromptu 4hr drive into central London, so I did it on Thursday. Sadly it hasn't made it out of a heap in the basket so it's probably horribly crumpled. The menu planning is a total lifesaver so I hope I can keep that up. I also did a quick swish round the bathrooms yesterday which was overdue, so it's not the end of the world. The living room is a bit of a pigsty - we've recently had piles of stuff arrive for the previous owners and whilst most of it has been junk mail to open and recycle I do actually have to get to it.

my posts are getting ever longer on here...!

Kerri.

was this week's challenge too tough for everyone (I'm sitting here eating treacle toffee!)?? Did you all just decide to chicken out after the first week?? For goodness sakes... I have a few days of chaos and EVERYONE falls to bits?? I don't believe it.

so what about next week?? I'm leaving on Thursday but if you think I'm not going to check up on you while I'm gone you've got another thing coming. We need a challenge that is so easy even I can do it in 3 days. Something we all need to do but which isn't too scary. Something which will make us feel good about ourselves when we achieve it.

I've got it... next week will be about routines. Some of us have more than others, some are more consistent than others, but I think we all need them. They get us through the rough patches when we can safely go onto auto-pilot, they keep our body clocks regular, they give us one less thing to think about. But how good are we with our routines??

We know Zillah has been working on her family's sleeping patterns and making them more regular. We probably know that Honey could do with something similar. I've been trying meal planning and laundry this year so far and it has been wonderfully helpful even in a few short weeks.

We can talk about our routines, share ideas but what's our challenge?? I'll bet we probably all want to make something more routine, more regular. If you're already working on something new I'm not sure I'd recommend trying to squeeze in an extra, but perhaps we can plan ahead for it. Like I suggested with our first challenge, if we aren't able to do something right now, perhaps we can commit ourselves to doing something specific in the future. Maybe after half term, or during Easter... is there a particular time period when you could say you can start a new routine?? Stick on your calendar and plan what you intend to do, then come back here and share your good news.

How does that sound?? We all want something to make life easier, right?? And routines really do help... once we've got them consistently in place, but we often need a nudge to get them started and keep them going until they really become 'routine'. I think we should revisit the food awareness challenge a bit later in the year once the rest of our lives are a teensy bit more organised. It's perhaps a bit too much while we're running round like headless chickens after Christmas trying to be 'perfect' at everything to add on an extra job which is almost guaranteed to make us feel guilty. We'll wait till we've got ourselves a bit more in order then try again.

Anything else to report for this weekend?? We went shopping and bought most of the little bits and pieces we want to take back with us for the kids, bought loads of birthday cards for various people (I bought an anniversary card for DH at last!). DH also got an extra suit and a leather coat, both of which he's been after for months if not years, and he got them in sales. I'm quite chuffed with our day. Tomorrow, weather permitting (oh God, please send rain!) we're out on the bikes in the morning before going to my parents for dinner.

Kerri.

When he was about 7 DS went on holiday for a week with my parents. He came back able to swim and ride a bike. Worked for me!

http://www.local6.com/news/5917330/detail.html

Reading this thread, I just realized that it is the key....routines. Like the Nike commercials...just do it! You have to get into a groove doing these things to keep order and keep chaos under control. Thanks Kerri for the pep talk

Oh and Honey, that link that you posted makes me get up and get rid of more stuff! Yikes!

from my plumber the other day... he couldn't allow the guy to have his gas turned back on while there were piles around because of the fire risk. Not surprisingly he'd also be in trouble if anything happened that he had okayed. Reading about it in the news is scary enough, but hearing a real tale from your plumber about someone in your town??

the kids didn't do badly on their bikes this morning, especially DD9. Since she's that bit older than most learners I expect she's got better balance, control, coordination (not that you'd think it sometimes!). She was cycling on her own a bit but she's pulling left all the time so that's not helping. I think my dad did most of the swimming teaching to where they're at now, but he's got his lifesaver certification as well as umpteen diving qualifications (rescue diver I think too) so you'd think he'd be ok. DD9 is currently panicking because she's found out they'll be having swimming lessons with school after half term. I have to write a note to her teacher to encourage her to discuss it with him!! Neurotic child!

The realisation that routines are the key to time management comes at unexpected times. It's usually one of those 'doh' moments! Sometimes it creeps on us gradually though as we realise that a particular habit is making life easier for us. By making a specific time for these bike rides every week I'm less inclined to put it off (God brought me no rain!). Much of my daily life is very topsy turvy, and I haven't written my morning pages for all of last week, so routines are what keep me anchored. I find that writing every morning, sorting through my thoughts a bit, listening to what's really going on in my head (like giving a good friend 45mins or so of your undivided attention every morning) is really what anchors me in the day. These other routines are definitely helping though.

It's funny that I've always been quite consistent... maybe even strict about my kids' routines but my own work hasn't really been categorised so much. I find that because as housewives we don't have deadlines like other workers we tend to let things slide. WIth routines we are giving ourselves a kind of alternative deadline and hopefully it will be a good way to make more efficient use of our time.

Should be on here at a good time tomorrow. DH is off to Spain really early, back on Tuesday. I will do my morning pages, get some laundry on and then come and boast about how wonderful my routines are. And try and figure out which is the next thing I need to create a routine for. Gotta set an example, and I'll be gone from Thursday, so I need to get mine in quick!

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday and get a good rest before tomorrow.

Kerri.

I have heard, over the many years that my dad has been a fireman, that a cluttered house is the worst for fireman. There are 2 fires in recent years that people have not been found due to the large amount of CRAP/CLUTTER they have in their houses. When someone goes in with smoke and heat and not knowing the house and faces stacks and stacks of stuff that is falling and burning it can be almost impossible to find someone. These 2 occasions it caused the fireman loads of stress and trama after realizing they passed the person and just didn't know it because clutter had fallen on top of them or something like that.

So one thing this week.............get rid of a stack of something. Something you have been walking by for weeks, something that is stacked to go somewhere else, something that is waiting for a new home. Just get rid of it. Just one stack or pile. Big or little. Something that just keeps getting pushed aside.

And routines. Very good. I could use that challenge.

I went grocery shopping and looked at all labels and made some good choices!

Jana