So many things to tell...

Firstly, the Re.lay for li.fe went really well.  Lots of our team stayed all night and raised funds for Cancer.  I couldn't walk due to my foot injury but helped out all day and this morning on the info tent so I feel I did my bit.

I hit a new low this morning .....19.8 kg down (43.56lbs) just .2 kg (.44lbs) away from 20kg down.  I am very happy about that and plan to do a Vlog ...about who knows what....when I hit 20kg down.  My new restriction is super tight.  Can't eat till about 12 midday and can even hear fluid going down but it is so hadr with my Dr being and hour away and they do appointments monthly so I have to take the fills if I need them when I go.  I know it will ease soon and I love the weight loss that comes with it.

At the RFL they have the local Ulyss.es club come down and give free rides to Cancer survivors and carers.  This club is International but if you haven't heard of it...they are Bikers...not bikies....who have rides together and promote bike safety etc. You have to be over 40 to join and their motto is 'Grow Old Disgracefully'.  Now many years ago when dad was in his fifties we asked him what he would like to do with his later life and he said 'Learn to ride a motorcycle' and he did.  He joined Uly,sses and soon became involved with all they had to offer...he went on rides and then led them, went to the meetings then ran them, he took mum on the back of the bike for weeks at a time and she did it....she no longer does because of the cancer....but now my dad is the Australian National President of the club and of course everyone knows him.  So yesterday I decided to face my fears...after all I am coming to Chicago and you guys have promised to love me...a big fear is tha you won't.....and I went on a ride.  The lady organising it said to the bikers 'This is Denis ***** daughter.  She has never been on a bike who wants to take her???'  Well they all feigned horror lol and then Ken said he would take me.  I had the best time ever....it was so exhilerating and freeing.  I loved it.  And I think losing so much weight made me feel more confident.  I plan to go on a ride now with Dad and I just want you all to know how proud I am of him.

This morning I also told my family that I am coming to Chicago to meet some internet friends.  They were really supportive.  I told them I knew Roo from Scrapbooking in Australia and she now lived in Dubai and I had the opportunity to meet her and Sandy Lee and a whole other group of friends I met thru her who have been through similar experiences.  They thought it was great and that I should go for it.  So a little lie about the scrapping and knowing Roo but the rest was true and now I can show them all the pics etc...what a weight off my chest.  Mum said she can move in for the week to help with the kids...she is a trooper and loves us to have great experiences and my girls love her so it is all working out well.  Now if Roo ever meets them in Oz she will have to proclaim her love of scrapping.  (Side note:  I was hugely into scrapping about 3-4 years ago...I have been in many mags and even had a front cover as well as my own DVD and taught classes and was on Design Teams in the internet sites etc...so that is why the scrapping part worked so well) 

However, I had half a 200gm yogurt at Mum's and coughed about 3 minutes after eating and PB'ed at the table.  I ran to the bathroom with my hand over my mouth but some ended up on the table and when I came out they were worried I had vomited.  Well, I just said I had a sore throat and coughed up some of the yogurt...my aunty asked why hadn't I swallowed it???  I di my best to make up a story but oh so embarassing....so they might guess my story soon.  One of my friends asked me after I rushed to the loo...that she was worried I had bullima....oops

I have a recipe I want to share with you.  It came from Donn.a Hay's kids cookbook and is very quick and simple.

Mini Bacon Meatloafs

Ingredients:

500gm pork or chicken mince

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1/4 cup BBQ sauce

6 slices of short cut bacon

Method:

Mix mince, breadcrumbs and sauce together and spoon into muffin trays.  Top with the bacon.  Bake for 30 mins.

This mix sometimes make 8 muffins in which case you would need 8 slices of bacon....it just depneds on the size of your muffin tray.   And sometimes you need to 'tuck' your bacon in!!!! I serve with vegies or a salad.

This one is a little burnt but you get the idea...perfect Bandster size and freeze very well too.

Thanks to everyone especially Jen - Southern Belle who puts out heaps of recipes at Grits, Greens and Everything in Between .  I love the recipes and made the slow cooker Monday Asian Chicken and my daughter professed it was the best chicken I ever made....I also made a curried zucchini soup this week  from someone's blog (thanks!!!) and we loved it!!!  We also made Amy's Pulled pork Taco's posted on the blog and my family loved them except that hubby thought the pork was too good for taco's!!!!  I appreciate your time in posting recipes.

I need to do a post about my insecurites but don't want to make this one too long....some are creeping up to the surface through blogging and I now remember why I stopped my last blog...about Scrapbooking ...and I so don't want that to happen with you guys....but another post.

My sister is self absorbed....no nice way to put it.  She lost some weight a few years back and yes she looks great.  She claims not to be vain but has since got botox and her boobs done and not vain people don't do that AND live for the compliments.  Now jealousy you may say????  Yep....there is some but I also want some recognition because I have lost way more than she ever did and NOT ONE WORD!!!  Nothing.  But I am supposed to notice her new pants and her walking efforts and everything about her...and it shits me.  Especially when HER friends make my family feel uncomfortable on the weekend....arghhhhhh....OK off my chest!!!!!  Thanks for listening....like you had a choice.....

Here is my BYOC.....just for mama pimp who I wish I had noticed that she needed something from us this week ...but I didn't...just like my sister!!!  Sorry Draz...I will do BYOC to make up!!!

1. What is your favorite smell?

I can't smell many things so unfortunately I can't really comment on this one.  I do admit to feeling envious of your answers though.  Occasionally I smell petrol, or the salt from the beach gets up my nose or cigarette smoke if I inhale it but otherwise...nothing.

2. What is your all time favorite movie and why?

I Love the escapism of movies...so one is too hard and I am following Joey's lead and naming a few....Shawshank Redemption, Sense and Sensibility, Get Shorty (it is so clever), Usual Suspects and more recent ones include The Girl with a Dragon Tattoo, The Blind Side and Avatar.  I love movies...oh and I loved the Time Travellers Wife...Chicago was in it too


3. What's your trigger food?

Wine....and freshly made slices....yummmmy

4. When someone you love is going through a difficult time – what are your go-to words to make them feel better – in just a sentence or two?

I am not going to lie...I talk alot!!!  But when someone is hurting I shut my mouth and use my 2 ears and 1 mouth in that porportion...more listening than talking.  I back that up with care....emails, phonecalls and sms  I am not perfect but I love my friends and try to be there when they need me.

5. This one is always the same. Who is your nominee for the blog of the week for YOU? Which blog OR comment touched your heart, spoke to you, stuck with you all week?

Ok...breaking the rules again...Roo for her courage...Gen for her thought provoking skills, her SOB with Judi and for making me spend more time with my kids, Catherine for moving on, and finally Band Babe for sharing her story and taking the time to answer my questions.....
That was hard for me because these things often lead into my blogging insecurity...anyway....you all rock...thanks.

If you don't follow my new bestie Sandy Lee then you are missing out.  She is a gem and very caring so get on over to her blog as she needs one more follower to hit 100.  ( I am sure she is already there but as followers won't appear for me atm I don't know)

As the followers won't appear I can't follow a few of you that i left comments saying I would so if I am not following you please let me know.

I want to leave my Aussie readers a great pic of me with some of the funniest guys I love:

Yep...H.amish and And.y...we met them at Melbourne airport on our recent visit and they are the best!!!  So nice and cute to boot and yes I have my hand on Hamish's bum...yum!!!!  Oh and those 2 girls are cute too...yes they are mone...hubby is taking the picture

And here is the view from our room on my bnirthday weekend....yes just 20 min from our house...

...this is the weekend hubby told me I could go to Chicago...what a view and April to boot.

Thanks for reading.....