Jo

Wednesday is my day off and after ‘dabbling’ at the housework, I decided to cook up a few things in the kitchen. I’ve made Ed’s mum’s vegetable pie and some Thai pumpkin soup! I’m now feeling very smug especially as the catering in this house has been a bit on the slack side since we arrived. I’m not sure why but now I’ve made a decision to get our diets back to normal (i.e. healthy) although I have to confess to a chocolate rope from Brumby’s earlier We’re also both on the wagon at the moment too so I’m sure that will help – the waistline if nothing else! Oh, just remembered it my birthday next week! Not sure I can manage a ‘dry’ birthday
Yes – I’m feeling a lot better now and thank you so much for the lovely comments and emails I’ve had since my wobbly moment at the beginning of the week. I really appreiciated them and it’s so good to know I’ve got friends here as well!!
I’m even feeling better about Sandown 10K but I reckon I’ve been a bit under the weather anyway (good excuse, eh ) I feel much better now so, back to training tomorrow night my girl!!
My foot seems to be fine (I couldn’t even use that as an excuse on Saturday) so I’m really pleased about that. I did my longest run since my injury today (60 mins along the Coastal Trail – lovely) and everything was tickety-boo
Jaykay – yep, we saw the Warby Trail several times and will come back when we get our acts together for a pootle along there on our bikes.
Em – a run along there one day would be fab.
Ed’s back seems to be coming along well at the moment which is SUCH good news!! I’m so pleased for him as it was definitely getting him down. Not being able to even walk for more that about 10 mins without getting pain in your hip is dreadful but we’ve done a fair amount of walking recently and he hasn’t had any twinges! This means we can dust off the bikes again and start some gentle rides (hence the Warby Trail – not quite Coed y Brenin but a good start) We are also planning to get the train to Stony Point and then the ferry to
French Island for a day cycling around Koala spotting!
And to my dad and my brother – a parcel would be GREAT!!! Any post from the UK will be most welcome (apart from the Tax Return I got the other day )

Well a bit of a strange weekend this one. I’ve been feeling sooooo tired recently that I had to pull the plug on the cinema on Friday night, had a shocking run on Sat and woke up this morning feeling………HOMESICK!!! OMG, I don’t understand it! Whenever I think of the UK, I feel so glad that I’m here – I certainly don’t want to go back. I think I’m starting to miss a few people – y’know the sort of friends you’ve had for years that you can really be relaxed with etc etc. Uh-oh, getting another lump in my throat…………….
Anyway, we went to see Miss Saigon on Sat night which was very good (more emotion though!) once we could understand what they were singing. There was a great scene where the GI’s where being evacuated by helicopter. The chopper was a film projected onto the back of the stage and the noise was incredible!! I think they actually have a real helicopter in the London production (not taking off I assume!!). Do you think in 30 years time there will be a Miss Baghdad musical??
On Sunday we went to the Yarra Ranges. It is gorgeous up there! Lunch in Warburton and then an excursion up Mt Donna Buang (1250m) where it was freezing cold (bracing!) but very refreshing. I think a weekend in a rented cottage up there is called for soon as it was stunning. The best place we’ve been to so far I reckon!

And the 10K? Well I finished it that’s all that can be said.

And I don’t know who it is! They are in the UK so have my suspicions – come forward whoever you are!! Stuart?? It’s you isn’t it?
Him indoors and I went off for another exploration at the weekend. This time we set off to the Mornington Peninsula and ended up around Flinders. We went to Coolart which is an historic house with gardens, woodland and lagoons (dry at the moment) etc. But guess what we saw??????????
A KOALA!! A live, wild koala up a tree and really close to us! And here he is…..

What a cutie It made my day I can tell you. Anyway, after that we went over to Flinders for some lunch and a walk on the beach where we spotted this beastie

I thought it was a rare discovery but later found out it’s bl00dy common. Boo. Nice anyway. By this stage I had a thumping migraine and was feeling decidedly sick so we called it a day and headed home. I’ve suffering with a headache/migraine since Sunday morning and had to go home sick from work yesterday. I’ve been getting these for about 6 years and have identified that it’s something in wine that I’ve got an intolerance to. Yeah, yeah – I’ve heard all the jokes thanks! I stopped drinking white wine about 5 years ago and now I’ve decided to stop with the red too. The end of an era but I’m sure my health will benefit
Has anyone out there ever heard of this before? It doesn’t matter if I have 1 glass or 3 and it doesn’t happen every time. It doesn’t seem to be any particular grape/blend either. Headaches usually last about 4 days and nausea is common with it.
I went out for a run earlier and that certainly helped.
I’m running the Sandown 10k on Saturday and feel very unprepared for it having been out of action with my foot. I shall just be taking it steady (is there any other way to do a 10k?) but maybe I’ll see some Ausrunners there??
Good luck to my bro in the UK – thinking of you & love you…..

Well almost!! Who will be my 1000th visitor???
I’ve got a long way to go until I get to the dizzy heights of Em’s blog but it’s a start!!

Phew – I’ve been so busy. This ‘working for a living’ certainly eats into your life doesn’t it??
Anyhoo, I’m sure everyone is desperate to hear about my foot (not!) so the latest is that I have just done an 18 min run!! I went to see the doc who poked about with the joint until I screamed and had to scrap me off the ceiling where I was hanging by my fingernails. The conclusion was an inflamed joint (synovitis?) and the treatment was some anti-inflammatory pills and a shot of cortisone. So after an x-ray to establish there was no tumour she stabbed me with the sharpest needle in Christendom! I didn’t cry though so it was deemed a success! My body isn’t designed to be punctured by needles – it’s not natural! Anyway, after a week off running I set off today to try it out. Everything seemed to be OK so I assume I can get back into training again. I know, I know, slowly slowly catchy monkey – but at least I can start!
What else? Work is really good!! It’s the best job I’ve had in years and I’m really enjoying it I hope it continues to be this good. I particularly like having Wednesday’s off
Ed and I had an outing to Werribee Zoo last weekend to look at some animals, our favourite pastime. We’ve got more pictures of animals than we have of each other! They are more photogenic They had rhinos, hippos, lions, antelope, zebras and my all time favourite animals, GIRAFFES!!!

Apparently, you can feed them by hand in the morning if you join the Tall Encounter tour. It’s my birthday in a couple of weeks – hint hint Ed!!! It was a really nice day out but I was so over other peoples kids by the end of it! It was Mothers Day in Australia so they were out in their droves.
Talking of animal days out and birthday’s – Ed fed me to the wolves one year for my birthday. I was pretty scared and smelt of wolf for about 2 weeks afterwards!

I’m the one sitting down before anyone tries to be clever!! And you didn’t think I was a natural blonde did you??
And I’m adding this ‘cos I like it

They’re here!!! Our container was delivered on Thursday and I spent the day up to my nostrils in boxes, boxes and few boxes! Now, I was under the impression we (I) had sold, thrown out or given away most of our books. They have been breeding on the ship and are now planning a take over of the entire house! Where the h3ll have they come from??? Oh yeah, the UK! It’s very bizarre but I tell you – they are going in the garage! I salvaged my massage book and few carefully selected sporty ones to go on the shelf.
Apart from books, it was great to have everything back – we’ve got stuff at last and our house now feels more like a home. We have a PC, CD’s, spare towels and beds!! I even cooked for Martin and Jennie last night as my cooking enthusiasm has returned now that I have something to cook with. Oh, and bikes! I nearly forgot the bikes! Can’t wait to get out in the hills somewhere especially as my foot is still not working
So I’m still not running which is very disappointing and upsetting but I’m trying to be patient and good and grown up. I’m seeing a magic doctor on Tuesday so hopefully she will sort me out.

8ugger! My foot hurts like Billy-o and I had to drop out of training tonight (didn’t even complete the warm up!) It’s been hurting since Saturday and I’m paranoid it’s the same thing as I had on the other foot – but at least I know what the treatment will be. A cortisone jab in the sole of my foot I’m more embarrassed about crying tonight in front of Tim and Lou!! What a baby. However, a ‘comfort’ Crunchie and a glass of red wine (coach’s orders I’ll have you know!) have me feeling better already.
I also think I need new shoes and have ordered some from the US (I think) but haven’t heard from them to confirm yet. I might have to buy the overpriced Australian versions instead.
I also broke a contact lens in half this morning and had to hurriedly find an optician which does Ortho K and perrsuade him to get 1 lens made up for me. I found somewhere close to work and hopefully I’ll get it by the end of the week. I might be a bit blind by then though Blind and limping??!? That’s an attractive look
I hope tomorrow goes better – I fear I will in the pool building up those shoulders again.

No – Marty Pellow hasn’t decided to move in BUT the rain did arrive yesterday as promised!
I did my long run with the training group this week again and this time we went to somewhere along the Yarra – that’s about as specific as I can be (Kew?)!! It was FAB!!! Started off along a nice bit of singletrack (can you ride an MTB along there – it would be great??!) which reminded me of somewhere like Derbys – rocky! It was a great run in a lovely loaction as I felt totally fine after Saturday’s race. I obviously DIDN’T run hard enough on Sat as I could have done another 3km apart from the fact it was absolutly hoofing down with rain by the end!! We couldn’t have got any wetter but it was still good. Feeling better about Sat now although I haven’t seen the individual results so don’t know how I compared to the other ‘old ladies’. Maybe I’m better not knowing And thank you so much for your comments about Saturday – I have a fragile ego too, Em!
After my run on Sunday, we rounded up Martin and Jennie and headed into the city to be tourists for the day.

We went and looked at my new office block (ooo, the excitement is never ending!), went on trams, trains and the big wheel at Birrarung Marr. In the UK we would probably have got a couple of turns on this thing and it would have cost twice as much. However, in Melbourne it was cheap and went on for ages and ages. It also went really fast!!! Ed had to prise my fingers from the bars for the first couple of turns!! We also went to Crown Casino and made a profit on the Roulette table before heading home so I could collapse in a heap on the sofa, sorry couch!
Ed’s gone swimming on his own tonight as I feel a bit pooped and might have a little cold so I’m resting up and pretending it’s not there.
Our furniture should arrive in the next 7 days!!!!!!!!! I’m so excited about sleeping in a bed again and eating my dinner at a table Oh, and mountain bikes too
And here are some photos from a couple of weeks ago:
Ed’s birthday book – How to identify Killer Spiders!!

Can we have a kanagroo please?? Pleeeeeeeeze??

Even the trees are bigger here!

And here’s a few more

Warning #1 – this is just about running so if you’re not interested in running, you probably won’t want to read this.
Warning # 2 – this is a whinge
I’m gutted about today’s run (AV Winter Series Cross Country relay at Jells Park). It started well. The weather was great despite all the dire rain warnings and it was warm and sunny. The course was great, undulating, dry and interesting with lots of places for supporters to shout at you. I was running the final ‘glory’ leg for the Sandy O40 team and felt really up for it. I started off steadily so I didn’t blow up too early and was nicely picking people off. Only 1 female went past me and I went past quite a few. I managed to keep the pace steady on the 2nd lap and did 2 identical laps times so at least my pace judgement is sound. I finished strongly and once I stopped I just knew I hadn’t run hard enough and when I saw my lap times I was SO disappointed. Oh well, it was the first race in a long time and I know I’m race rusty and maybe I’m not as fit as I thought I was
Anyway, I perked up when I was told that we were 3rd and had won a medal!! We got the medals, had our photos taken and were feeling quite chipper when they came and took them away from us again!! There was a mistake in the calculations and we were actually 4th. Still a good result but on top of feeing I had let myself down with my run I now feel very deflated.
I feel like I’m acting like a spoilt child and not a reasonable mature (hmmm….!) 42 year old woman!!!
Don’t worry, I will have gotten over it by tomorrow and will bounce back but I just needed to have a gripe.
There, that’s better
BTW, the medal thing? The other team won fair and square – they were quicker. It’s only on top of feeling I hadn’t run my best.

Ooops – wrote this a couple of days ago but it ot stuck somewhere!

Well after just 2 days in my new job – I got a day off!! Hooray for Anzac Day
The new job is going well although I haven’t actually done very much yet. The office is very nice though, on the 33rd floor with 360 deg views of Melbourne. I think I might be spending a lot of time gazing out of the window. Oh yeah, that’s what I normally do anyway
Hit the track with Em on Tuesday night for a 600’s session. I was very pleased with the session too and managed to keep them all consistent although we were getting more recovery than we should have I led (the 2nd group!) on most of them with a few youngsters snapping at my heels. Looking forward to the first XC on Sat
Today is Anzac Day which means a/ a day off work b/ loads of stuff on TV about war veterans and c/ a Dunkirk re-enactment on Hampton Beach! Well, there were a few kids being ferried about in boats in the bay. Still, we met some friends on the beach for some Anzac biscuits so it was a pleasant afternoon. Oh, and I squeezed in 12km this morning. I’m going to take it easy now in preparation for Sat.