Painting Project

Wow, can’t believe it’s been about a month since I last posted!

Work has been keeping me busy, and in between I’ve been making plans for my new office. My current office is under the stairs, and it’s pretty cold and dark

I decided I wanted to move my office upstairs, where it’s lighter and warmer. The only problem? The room I want to use looked like a paint shop had exploded in it.

There was a young girl in this room when we inspected the house before buying it, and it looked like she had been given free reign with the choice and application of paint. The wall around the window was dark purple (applied in swirls), the rest of the walls were pink, and the window trim was lilac. And she had definitely coloured outside the lines – no painter’s tape for this girl.

I had to sand back the purple swirl effect around the window, and sand the gloss off the window trim before I could even start painting. LOTs of undercoat was needed to cover up the purple paint and lilac trim.

I finally finished the painting earlier this week. The green skirting boards are staying for now, until we replace the green carpet

Ta da!

Now I just have to furnish it!

B-day!

Weight loss over the last 12 weeks
12 weeks: 64.5kg
11 weeks: 63.2kg
10 weeks: 63.1kg
7 weeks: 62.7kg
5 weeks: 62.2kg
4 weeks: 61.7kg
3 weeks: 61.3kg
2 weeks: 60.4kg
1 week: 60.3kg
Today: 59.8kg
Yay!

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Pics from today

(It's Rob's birthday today too)

Monday’s Inspiration

I’ve always been interested in design. I studied technical drawing, art and photography at high school, and wanted to be an architect when I was growing up. While I didn’t end up going down that path, I still enjoy reading house and garden magazines and looking at pics on the internet for inspiration for our house. Here are a few things that caught my eye today.

Open plan living (designer Jason Landau)

Bathroom (via The Diversion Project)

Dining area (photographer Paul Barbera)

Kitchen (via House of Turquoise)

Liquid Polymeal

I was at the library a couple of weeks ago and picked up a copy of Jonny Bowden's The Healthiest Meals on Earth. In it he talks about 'polymeals' (ideal meals that maximize intake of anti-inflammatories, antioxidants, fibre, good fats, protein, vitamins and minerals). The book has a range of recipes, including a template for creating a liquid polymeal (smoothie).

Liquid Polymeal Formula

1 cup (235 ml) milk, such as cow, almond, or rice

1 scoop protein powder (whey, egg protein, hemp, rice); 1/3 cup (75 g) silken tofu; or 1/3 cup (80 ml) pasteurized egg whites

1 cup (140-170 g) fruit or vegetable, such as fresh or frozen berries, melon, kiwifruit, cherries, papaya, guava, mango, or peaches, or 1 to 2 tablespoons (13 g) cranberries (with a sweetener), or 1/3 cup (75 g) cooked pumpkin or skinned baked sweet potato

1 to 2 tablespoons (15-30ml) great fats, such as avocado, flaxseed oil, coconut milk, coconut oil, almonds, pecans, cashews, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, or nut butters, or 1 teaspoon fish oil

1 to 2 tablespoons (7-14 g) extra fibre, such as ground flaxseed or flax meal, raw whole oats, wheat germ or bran, or a fibre supplement

Optional extras, to taste, such as dried coconut, dried goji berries, prunes, maca powder, fresh bee pollen, raw cacao, cinnamon, cardamom, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, nutritional yeast, powdered ginger, ginger juice, 1/3 banana, 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon (20 g) agave nectar or raw honey, sprinking xylitol, or 1 packet or 2 drops stevia

Place all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.

Yield: 1 generous or 2 small servings

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This morning I made a smoothie for my breakfast based on the polymeal template. I put in rice milk, rice protein, blueberries, almond butter, chia seeds, maca powder, cinnamon and banana

It was tasty and filling - a good combo!

One Week

...until my birthday

Progress so far

12 weeks: 64.5kg

11 weeks: 63.2kg

10 weeks: 63.1kg

7 weeks: 62.7kg

5 weeks: 62.2kg

4 weeks: 61.7kg

3 weeks: 61.3kg

2 weeks: 60.4kg

1 week: 60.3kg

Only 100g less than last week, but I'm taking it, especially since I've been busy with work and haven't had a chance to do any exercise apart from walking with Rob and TJ in the mornings.

Powered by Hot Cross Buns

Last night I prepared some gluten-free hot cross buns. When I got up this morning I just had to preheat the oven, pop them in, then make coffee when they were nearly ready.

I ended up having two hot-cross buns and two cups of coffee. I very rarely have coffee these days (usually one cup with Rob on a Sunday morning), so, fueled up with carbs and caffeine, I decided to tackle the area down the side of our house. It was a mess when we moved in nearly two years ago, and has barely been touched since, apart from Rob occasionally going in with a weed eater.

I pulled out bricks, roof tiles, sticks and weeds, and a few hours later it looked much tidier

There’s still a pile of broken bricks near the ducted heating unit, but I think I’ll need a wheelbarrow to do any justice to it.

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Thought I’d throw in a few pics of some other food I’ve enjoyed eating this week…

Leftover roasted veges with hummus

 

Green Goddess Smoothie

 

Spanish eggs with tomatoes and chorizo sausage. (Our friend Luke stayed on Friday night and made us all breakfast on Saturday morning.)

Enjoy the rest of your Easter!

Two Weeks

...until my birthday

Progress so far

12 weeks: 64.5kg

11 weeks: 63.2kg

10 weeks: 63.1kg

7 weeks: 62.7kg

5 weeks: 62.2kg

4 weeks: 61.7kg

3 weeks: 61.3kg

2 weeks: 60.4kg

Treadmill Fails

Got to thank my Dad for sending me this. Has sound so you may want to mute if you are watching at work.