Thursday, August 22, 2013

Post No. 500!

 
 
hi!
 
i was just about to write 'good morning'
but the morning has escaped already...
&
it's already past noon!
 
 
 
this is my 500th post.
they've been written over nearly 3 years.
my 1st was in august 2010.
it was written with as much angst
as anticipation.
it was a scary thought
that anyone but family might read my writing
&
i didn't know what family may think either!
 
 
 
now
we are old friends, my blog and i
&
all the people i've met and spoken to.
i look forward to spending time here...
some days more time than others.
 
 
 
my creative mojo has waned
but that's just part of life.
i've crocheted, sewn and knitted here
&
you've seen it all.
today i'm excited about my daughter's
garden transformations.
i'm her assistant
&
todays task as been to water all her babies
as they sun themselves under our bright blue queensland sky.
 
 
 
i do have a tiny jumper to finish knitting
&
with life a little less chaotic
maybe my creative mojo has just temporarily
ducked out for a cuppa...
here's hopin' anyway!
 
 
naturally Carol xox
 
 
 
 


Monday, August 19, 2013

A Bit About This & That!

 
hi!
how are you?
 
today i feel the need to just chat a bit...
 
 
 
life is full of little opportunities,
like the time the sun was just shining perfectly
on this tiny spiderweb
&
despite its broken unevenness
it made a moment beautiful.
 
of course not all moments are beautiful are they?
 
mr m has had a heart infection over the past few weeks
fortunately after many tests
the most recent tell us he's on the mend
and his heart size is back to normal...
 
then mr m's dog became very unwell...
it turned out that she had a two cancers in her uterus.
a week and a half ago
she had a hysterectomy and the vet took out the aggressive cancer...
the size of a baseball!
she's on the mend
&
bouncing about like it never happened!
 
 
 
ms b is transforming our garden
she's truly a green thumbed girl
like her auntie jill and both grandmas.
she's planted this pot of sweet Williams
&
tool boxes full of pansies and renunculas
to bloom in spring.
lavender and mondo grass to withstand the summer heat
&
fuschias, hibiscus and frangipanis
now grace our garden as well.
what a treasure a good gardener is!
 
our tiny kai is now 3 months old!
it has sped by and he's growing up
faster than a weed...hehe!
check out this bright baby boy...
 

he's the apple of his grandma's eye.
 
how are things at your house?
we have plenty to be grateful for.
 
 
naturally Carol xox
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 


Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Sweetly Said...

 
good evening!
 
thank you for all your sweet comments yesterday...hehe!
 
 
 
i couldn't help but notice
that most of you commented that
you don't think you would have enough
willpower to do it though.
 
i didn't think i had enough either,
that's why i decided not to 'go on a diet'
but after watching the youtube video...
sugar: the bitter truth...
i was struck by the chemistry
showing that sugar acts like a poison in your body.
 
who would look after themselves
by eating poison?
 
i would be interested to hear
what you have to say
when you watch the clip.
 
i can honestly say
that when i have had my 'day off'
i actually feel so sick
that i am longing to go back to my non-sugar state
the very next morning
&
feel it's now my more natural lifestyle!
 
 
 
maybe you have found like me
that i was craving carbohydrates,
becoming bloated and full
but not satisfied.
i don't feel this way now...
the cravings have gone.
 
however
my once a month sugar/floury treat
is to satisfy any feelings of deprivation
that have arisen over that month
when i look at what people around me are eating...
it's the social thing.
after all, eating itself is more than nutrition
and is a very social activity.
 
when i do get to eat my 'treat'...
the deception goes and i see once again
that sugar just tastes sweet
and i think...oh, that's all...
not really worth feeling deprived over!
 
if you really are interested
in being sugar/refined food free...
my best advice is
just take one meal at a time the first few days.
if you fail
just keep doing the best you can.
don't punish yourself
or call yourself a failure.
write down every meal you get through without sugar
so that you can see them adding up into days.
 
before long
you'll trust yourself
to continue
without writing everything down.
 
if you believe in God
ask for help...
 
 
give yourself some timeout
once a week/once a fortnight/once a month.
you will realise you're not missing much at all.
 
it gets harder
before it gets easier
but it's worth it!
 
 
 
wishing you all the best
with your sugar free journey...
{if you want one}
 
 
 
naturally Carol xox
 
 
ps...aren't the sweet peas a treat? a local florist put together this posy for me on monday, a small thank you from me for a job well done by my daughter in law.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

No Sugar Please!

 
hello!
 
 
 
today i am celebrating
having been {almost} sugar free
white flour free
practically processed foods free
for six weeks.
 
i say 'almost' & 'practically'
'cos
i allow myself one day a month
to indulge in anything i may be totally yearning for
&
sometimes a little tiny bit of white flour or sugar may
creep into a meal
as a thickener or to enhance a flavour
but
for as much as possible i have stuck to it.
 
was it easy?
not at first.
it was ok for the first few days
then it got harder
before it got easier again.

the best video inspiration?
go to youtube,
watch "sugar: the bitter truth"...enlightening!
 
meals were not much of a problem...
basically meat or protein with veges/salad.
 
snacks...
i have learned to love nuts, raisins, dates
& fresh fruit,
sometimes a bit of cheese.
 
desserts...
my favourite is
greek full fat yoghurt, banana,
a tsp honey and a bit of fresh cream...yummo.
this satisfies all my sweet 'n' creamy desires!
 
have i lost weight?
yes...not really fast but it's going.
 
what are the advantages then?
i sleep better.
i'm happier with a clear conscience knowing
my body is getting vitamins and minerals it needs to thrive and heal.
i am more energetic.
i'm setting a better example for my family.
 
i want this to be a way of life, not a diet.
it's early days yet
but
i've got this far!
 
what good things are you doing for yourself today?
 
naturally Carol xox
 
 
p.s...what did i indulge in on those two days?  first day in july, american marshmallows and sausage rolls for dinner....second day in august, sticky date pudding with caramel sauce and cream! i wonder what september's will be?
 
 
 
 


Monday, August 12, 2013

A Pretty Blue Parcel!

 
hi there!
 
i've managed to wrest the computer
from the grip of my son for a few hours
so that i can say
 
a
 
big
 
 
thankyou
 
to jane green of planet baby fame
for her delightful gift.
 
a few weeks ago
she emailed me
to ask me whether she could send kai
a gift.
 
i was touched.
 
 
 
last week
this gorgeous liberty wrapped
 
 
 
'kai' sign
came in the mail.
we all loved it
&
it will be sent on to taiwan
very soon.
 
i just can't resist
including another little 'kai moment'
to round this post out....
 
 
 
taken from the latest batch of pics
sent over from his dad.
 
 
beautiful blogging mates
are the best...
 
cheers to all of you!
 
 
naturally Carol xox
 
 


Monday, August 5, 2013

Twelve Weeks Old!

 
a new week!
i feel as though they're racing away this year
&
baby kai
my first and only grandson was 12 weeks old
on saturday.
 
look at those bright eyes,
they were blue at birth but are turning brown...
 
 
 
it has been so hot in taipei
that he gets around in his aussie bond's singlets mainly...
 
 
 
but i was thrilled to see
him wrapped up in the blanket i knitted
&
sent over before he was born.
 
this is my favourite pic.
 
just look at the way he gazes
adoringly at his dad.
his mum has had to go back to work
but
dad works from home
so is there with him every day.
it's an arrangement that's working for everybody.
 
i've just noticed the church across the road
has put up a sign
for a 'trash & treasure' day
next saturday...yay!
 
 
i hope they have some goodies for me...
have you found any lately?
 
 
enjoy your monday!
 
 
naturally Carol xox