New header for blog

Just a quick update, have just added a new header to the blog, not sure if I like it 100% yet, but if any interest, the photos are, from left to right:
Halong Bay - We WILL get there one day!
Mulbring - a shot I took on a Sunday arvo drive, looks so serene I love it
The Pug - our lovely puglet, need I say more
The Horse - our gorgeous filly, the first foal we've bred

Damn u treadmill, but ok results still

Mr Mel & I awoke at 6am, to start our exercise regime.
We spent much of Sunday menu planning to eat better, and setting up the spare bedroom to be exercise central, but we forgot to check if the treadmill worked.

I assumed it would, it's moved around 6 houses in Melb & NSW, so I thought it would start as usual.

Well it didn't, 6am, in a freezing bedroom, ready to get going, step on the blasted treadmill, and it comes up 'Err 2', what the? We try turning it off and on, turning it off, waiting a few mins, on again, nothing.  

Mr Mel found the manual while I got stepping with the Wii, thought he had the fix after 10 mins, it turned it on, bought up the program option, we could set the time/speed/inclination, but when then hit start it came up with error again. 

Soooo annoying, damn damn treadmill, raining on our motivation.

I did 30 mins on the Wii Fit (step, step plus, hoolahoop, core strenthening exercises), got a fair sweat up, heartrate got to mid 120's.

Not all bad, but very annoying that the treadie isn't playing, hoping Mr Mel can work some magic while I'm at work, or we'll have to get a technician in!

So Day 1 of exercise was a bit of a false start, but still got 30 mins in.  Yay. Plus I had cereal & juice (with Vit C powder) for brekkie, usually don't feel like eating till after 9am.

Day 6 - some ok results after almost a week
Weight - 132.6kg (-.6kg)
Bust - 123.5cm (-.5cm)
Waist - 118cm (-2cm)
Hips - 143cm (-1cm)

Till tomorrow

Quick CM loss challenge!

Well this should be interesting!
I've just been told I'm working in Sydney on 23-24 June, and had to go and order a uniform (shirt & vest) today, well the only ones available in our colours that could be embroidered in time, were a size too small.
SO.................I'm on a CM loss challenge.
I need/must/have to/would like to, lose around 3cm from bust & 3cm from hips, so the shirt & vest aren't sticking to me like a wetsuit!
Day 1
Weight - 133.2kg
Bust - 124cm
Waist - 120cm
Hips - 144cm
Wish me luck!

Can we do it update

Have just realised I haven't posted anything on our 'can we do it' goals, so hear goes:

Mortgage
Our mortgage when we bought in July 2009 was $272,000, it currently sits at $182,229, we held back $60,000 from our deposit to get us into a higher discount on interest rates, so paid that $60k off the mortgage straight away.  We have a 100% offset account, and keep every $ as long as we can in there, we pay for nearly everything on VISA then pay that off in full from offset each month.


We're hoping to have our mortgage paid off in 7 years from starting out, which would make it July 2016.


Start of mortgage (July 2009) - $272,000
As at today (May 2010) - $182,229 (reduced by $89,771)


Other debt
Our total non mortgage debt is $16,050, which includes a car loan (as part of mortgage package, at same interest rate, and a VISA we've since closed).


Start of car loan (May 2010) - $15,000
As at today (May 2010) - $14,794.90 (reduced by $205.10)


Start of VISA (Dec 2009) - $4,920
As at today (May 2010) - $1,255 (reduced by $3,665)


Total non mortgage debt (May 2010) - $16,050


Weight
My weight covers a few areas, getting healthy & fit, getting my body in the right place to conceive (and fit in a near 'normal' wedding dress!!). I am easily distracted from weightloss, so hoping this blog can keep me on the straight & narrow!! C'mon me, you can do it!!


Weight as at 1st March 2010 - 136.6kg
Weight as at 26 May 2010 - 133.2kg (lost 3.4kg)


Business
Our business is chugging along ok, currently equating to around .6 of a 'normal' wage, we're hoping to grow the business in the next few months, plans are afoot!!


Till next time,

Train, Plane, Bus & New car

A busy weekend, I caught a train, then plane then bus to Ballarat, then drove our new car home to the Hunter Valley. I left home at 5am, arrived at Ballarat at 2pm.

Was meant to head off at 6.30am Saturday, but because our new island bench wasn't ready in time, didn't get off until 12.30pm, it's a 1100km trip, so the original plan of driving straight through went out the window.

Got to Tarcutta, 1/2 way between Melbourne & Sydney, and stayed the night.

I wish I'd driven on an extra 1/2 hr to Gundagai, as Tarcutta was let's say 'interesting'!

The motel reminded me of year 6 camp, just enough room to swing a cat, plenty of flies to kill, and bleeping well freezing!

Headed off from Tarcutta at 6.30am and arrived home at 1pm.

A long long trip, but worth it, the new car was a dream, yay, the 5 month wait was worth it!!

Till next time,

Saving on car insurance - woohoo

We've just bought a "new" car, a 2007 station wagon, and shopping around for insurance, I was surprised by the variance in quotes:

NRMA - we have 3rd party on 2nd car, roadside assist & membership with them also - $727
AAMI - we don't have anything with them - $845
GIO - we have house & contents with them - $546

GIO gave a 15% discount for taking out the policy online, and another discount for multi-policy

Sooooo happy I did a bit of research, would have normally gone straight with NRMA

More moula in our pockets is always a good thing :-)

A Week Off - Nice!!

With my last holiday (more than a long weekend) having been in 2001, I had a week off, with today being my first day back at work.

We had Monday/Tuesday at home, catching up on some housey stuff, and getting my hair cut. Then Wednesday we headed off at 7.30am, dropped the pug at the kennel, then hit Sydney.

We left our car at Mr Mel's parents, and caught the bus into Sydney (about 1/2 hr trip), we got a good deal on a hotel in The Rocks - the Holiday Inn Old Sydney  ended up getting 2 nights for $415, a bit of a splurge, but we don't do it often (remember 2001 last break heehee)

We dropped our bags at the hotel, then walked down to Circular Quay (about 5 min walk), wandered around, had a look in the window & at the menu of ARIA restaurant. We were suprised at the prices, we thought it would be astronomical, given the location (a couple of hundred metres from Opera House), and the profile, Matt Moran.  A 2 course dinner is around $67, which for a very special occassion isn't totally over the top. One day we might venture in the door!! :-)

My pathetic attempt to get a self portrait of Mr Mel & I at the Circular Quay Ferry Dock!  

It was Australian Fashion Week, so there were plenty of skinny pretty young things, and plenty of hangeroners wandering around, we had a peek in a makeup tent, but Mr Mel wasn't overly interested!

We had dinner at the Lowenbrau restaurant, a Bavarian Bier type of setup, excellent service and the food was delish, Mr Mel had a Swinerhaxen or similar, a pork knuckle, and he could hardly walk afterwards :-)  I had a goulash and it was yummo.

Thursday we hit the ferry (my first ferry ride) and went to Taronga Zoo, was a great day. We saw the little miracle elephant baby, soooooooo cute!! Will add some photos and more info shortly.

We went to a little Italian restaurant on George Street for dinner, basic and a bit pricey, but nice.

Friday we caught the ferry to Manly, walked around the beach, had a peek at the Hugo's menu, run by Pete Evans, it seemed very expensive, especially for lunch, so we skipped it and went to a little cafe over the road, very yummy, cheap and pleasant.

We caught the bus back to Mr Mel's parents Friday afternoon, and prepared for a big weekend of family birthdays and Mothers Day.

Shall be back to update :-)