We're Off!

I'll be back here early next week with lots of photos of fun, sun and relaxation! xo

Gratitude

I've been feeling a bit discouraged the last couple of weeks. As I mentioned in a previous post, I've been feeling quite tired again. It's been frustrating because I feel so much better as long as I do nothing out of my daily routine, making it difficult to balance my health and having an enjoyable life. Today, I got the results of my most recent blood work and my iron levels have not really come up, even with taking lots of iron tablets, eating lots of iron rich food and just taking good general care of myself. So, my doctor has scheduled me to go for an iron infusion, which basically means they will pump me with iron through an IV for 5 hours. I'm feeling positive about it because it may just be what I need to get my energy levels up for good. I'm optimistic about any new thing that might mean feeling strong and healthy again. Anyhoo, I don't want this post to be all about the discouraging bits, so instead I want to use this chance to be grateful for all the wonderful things in my life at this moment. Here's my current top 10 list...

1. Steve. Seriously, he's been amazing.

2. Jesse. He's been such loyal company during the days and is happy to do whatever I feel like doing. He's basically the perfect dog, even if he does indulge in Vaseline on occasion.

3. Eggs and gluten/dairy/sugar free bread. The diet I am on at the moment is very limited and doesn't leave many breakfast food ideas. This is what I eat every morning and it's so yummy, I'm thankfully not sick of it yet! Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day and I feel it's important to wake up to something you enjoy. It helps to set the mood for the rest of the day!

4. The time I've been able to take off work to rest, relax and just breathe...

5. The friends that I am making in Melbourne that are helping me feel grounded and connected again. I really believe that those social connections are what makes a city feel like home.

6. The book club that my friend, Alida and I have started. At this stage we have about 8 fabulous ladies involved and it's such a great excuse to get together and chat. This is the book we're reading this month.

7. I have finally started watching the much talked about Madmen and yes, I'm addicted. I'm just about to finish season one. It's been a terrific way to pass some very rainy days home alone! Oh, how I love the dresses the ladies wear!

8. Natural medicine and natural medicine practitioners. I see a few and they are all so helpful, understanding and inspiring.

9. Blogs that inspire me and help me to feel connected to people all over the world.

10. Our holiday that we're taking to Yeppoon, Queensland. We leave tomorrow and this is the resort we're staying at. I know, right? Wow. AND it's calling for sun the entire 4 days we're there. I'm planning nothing but strolls on the beach, laying by the pool and of course, cheering on my hottie hubby as he does his 2nd half Ironman race:)

Life really is good.

What are 10 things you are grateful for?

All photos found here.

Our weekend away in photos...

On Friday, I hosted the first meet up for the book club that my friend and I started. There were seven ladies, lots of food and great discussion, although not much about the book! hehe:) Afterward, Steve and I decided to head to the cottage that our neighbors own on Phillip Island. It's a 2 hour drive from the city and we didn't arrive until around 3am but it was nice to wake up and already be there. Plus, it wasn't a big deal for me because I slept the whole way anyway! We spent Saturday chilling on the beach, I explored the town and Steve went cycling. Then, on Saturday evening our friends, Bruce and Claire arrived for the night.

Everyone, including Jesse had a very relaxed time!

On Saturday evening, we enjoyed a BBQ dinner, a game of Scrabble (girls against boys) and great conversation and laughs with friends while sitting by the fire. Good times!

Sunday, we played on the beach with Jesse...

...went out for breakfast...

...and explored the island. Claire and Bruce did a bus tour of the island in the past, so they knew some of the best places to see, which was great for us!

We went to a couple of look-offs...very pretty...

...and wandered down a steep hill to a beach that doesn't usually get any company.

Steve was like a kid in a candy shop and found lots of beach treasure!

The puffer fish and seahorse skeleton were pretty cool!

That's "Pyramid Rock" out there.

And that's Steve out there on that rock.

It was a really lovely weekend! We lucked out and had beautiful weather. It's always so nice to get away, even if it's only for a few days! I feel so grateful for our neighbors who are kind enough to let us use their adorable cottage. They really are the nicest people!

Oh, hello!

Oh my, I've been a wee bit out of touch lately. I've been very tired again this past week and haven't had a whole lot of energy. We went to Phillip Island this past weekend for a bit of a break from the city and a much needed change of pace. Our neighbors offered us the keys to their cottage once again and we were happy to take them up on it! It is such a beautiful spot, right on the ocean. I'll post more photos from the weekend tomorrow, but for now I just wanted to check in and thank you for popping by, even if I haven't been!:)

Jesse's not having a good day.

Jesse has spent the entire day looking completely miserable, sleeping on a pile of dirty clothes I had planned on washing. He ate a tub of Vaseline yesterday while I was out. This is the second time he's done this in his lifetime. He obviously really likes it. I have been using it as lip balm before bed and accidentally left the tub on my nightstand. He must have sniffed it out and managed to chew through the hard plastic cover and container and then proceeded to have himself quite a snack.

I decided to leave the laundry for today and let him have his rest. It beats having a dog with a very greasy bum snoozing on our bed! Not sure what it is about laying on the laundry, but he'll only leave the pile long enough to have a drink of water and go outside, always returning to the same lazy spot.

He's so depressed looking that it's bringing me down! I tried explaining to him that it's his own fault for overindulging in such unhealthy substances but he didn't seem to want to hear it.

Before you feel too sorry for him, feel bad for us! Steve was up at 5 am cutting off nearly all of Jesse's bum hair because it had become a greasy slip and slide through the night. I've cleaned up two piles of dog vomit already today and have been stuck at home puppy-sitting in case he needs to get outside in a hurry. Seriously, the things we do for our pets, eh?

Okay, fine, let's go back to feeling sorry for Jesse now because it really, truly is pretty sad to see him so under the weather :(

Kokoda Track Memorial Walk and 1000 Steps...

Yesterday, Steve and I headed to the Dandenong Ranges Fern Tree Gully National Park and did their Kokoda Trail, which just so happens to be 100% uphill from the minute you step out of your car. Not only that but it involves 1.5 km of steps...I thought I was going to die. Clearly, I'm not in the greatest shape. While I walk everyday with Jesse, mountain bike on weekends and do yoga once a week, I was not prepared for this hike! Steve on the other hand, he practically skipped to the top. It was quite depressing, really.

Click this image and make it big to read why they have such a trail in existence. It's hard to imagine soldiers traveling and fighting on a trail like this during WW2. It was a very steep climb!!!

They have interesting plaques along the way with information of what took place during the Second World War. I liked reading them, it was the perfect excuse to stop and catch my breath!

The top was a little bit of a let down. It had....benches. No look off or impressive anything really. I guess you're just meant to enjoy the fact that you made it to the benches without taking a heart attack. The forest along the way was pretty though.

I thought going up was tough and couldn't wait to go down, but I honestly I think that was harder! We took a different trail down, which involved walking down a VERY steep hill for 2 km. Do you know how much walking down a steep hill for 2 km hurts??? I can hardly walk today...my poor bum muscles!

If you want to know about the hike from someone who clearly has more physical endurance than I do, visit this blog. He seems to know what he's talking about.

Meanwhile, I might go take a hot bath with Epsom salts and try to recover from our adventures yesterday...

Random weekend happenings...

We had such a fabulous weekend! It pretty much had everything you need for a recipe of fun...yummy food, drinks and good times with friends. Here's a few pics snapped with my trusty iPhone...

I had dinner with my pal, Alida on Friday night. Can you believe that it's the first time I've ever had duck? It was really tasty!

After dinner, we met up with the boys who had gone to see "Inception". Lots of laughs with the gang, as usual!

Deep fried cheese. This was one time I was thankful I don't eat dairy. Yuck.

We had dinner at Nathan and Sue's place on Saturday night. They served an amazing meal and lots of wine! I was driving, so Steve did the drinking. He was very hungover on Sunday! It's been a long time since he's had more than a beer. It was pretty funny...for me!:)

Sunday was a pretty chilled day, but we did make it to Wagamama for a late lunch/early dinner. I loved the tea pot my sencha tea came in...so pretty.

The best part of the weekend was that it was a long one! Steve took today off and we slept until 9:30, ate a lazy brekky and then ventured to the Dandenongs for a hike. I'll post those pics tomorrow. For now, I'm going to go watch Steve cook dinner and savor the last few hours of our long weekend:)

Presents from home...

I received a parcel in the post a couple of days ago from my friend, Shannon. It made my day! Even the box it came in sparkled with Shannon-ness! It had my address written in colorful marker and pretty flower stickers on the box. It made me smile because even though it's been ages since I've seen Shannon in person, she is still the beautiful person I remember. In high school, Shan was one of my closest friends. She was the girl who wrote "Live, Love, Laugh" on everything, always went first in 'rebellation order' (don't ask!) because she believed we could do anything and always greeted you with a big smile and a chipper hello. It's been 12 years (yikes!) since we graduated high school and I feel very blessed to still have friends like Shannon a part of my life, even if it is from quite a distance!

Along with lots of butterscotch chips and graham crackers, Shannon also sent me an awesome beach towel! It's a Nova Scotia towel, the province where I'm from in Canada. I'm a very proud Canadian and an even prouder Nova Scotian, so this was just the best gift ever! It's funny when you move to another country, you become the poster child for patriotism! I have never owned so many pieces of clothing, bags, mugs, you name it (!) with 'Canada' boldly printed on it. I don't, however have very many Nova Scotia articles (aside from pillow cases another friend bought me awhile back), so this was just perfect!

A lot of Aussies have been to Canada, but rarely the east coast, where I'm originally from. A conversation I can have almost daily goes something like this...

Them: "Where are you from?"
Me: "Canada".
Them: "Where in Canada?"
Me: "The east coast, Nova Scotia."
Them: "Oh. I've been to Vancouver."

The end. Well, not really, I'm too polite for that but I've yet to meet anyone who knows much about the Maritime provinces! Therefore, I will proudly lay my new beach towel on as many beautiful Aussie beaches as possible:)

I've posted this before but since we're on the topic and I LOVE it, I'm gonna post it again...



If you've never been to the east coast of Canada, you should go! It's very pretty and the people are lovely!

Thanks Shan for the fabulous parcel! You really are the best! xo

Gluten and Dairy free brownies...

As most of you know, I've been following a gluten, dairy, soy and fructose free diet for awhile now. Some of you have commented that you're in the same boat as me, tummy troubles, low energy, etc...and you're also on a pretty limited food diet. I do really well with this way of eating most days, mostly because I'm feeling so much better on the diet and I'm scared to screw it up! However, I still crave a sweet treat sometimes and when I discovered these, I was beyond excited! I modified this recipe to make it dairy free as well as gluten free. For any of you also following a fructose free diet, these have brown sugar, which is a "try" food, as per this chart. They don't seem to bother me, if I only have one or two a day. They are very rich (almost like a fudge), so that's usually all you need to feel satisfied. Here's the slightly modified recipe, in case you want to give them a go! You'll be glad you did!

You will need:

• 200g unsalted dairy free butter, chopped (In Australia I used Nuttelex, but any vegan butter/margarine would work)
  
• 200g dark chocolate, broken into pieces (I used 70% Lindt chocolate bars)
  
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup gluten-free plain flour (In Australia I used the Orgran brand)
  
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 190°C. Line a 5cm deep, 18cm (base) square cake pan with non-stick baking paper. I usually grease the pan first, so the baking paper sticks and stays put.

2. Heat butter, chocolate and sugar in a saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until melted and smooth. Transfer to a heatproof bowl. Set aside to cool slightly.

3. Add eggs and vanilla to chocolate mixture. Mix well. Sift flour and cocoa over chocolate mixture. Stir to combine.

4. Pour brownie mixture into pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until just set. Set aside to cool. Once cooled, lift out. Wrap in plastic wrap. Place into an airtight container. Stand for 1 day. Cut into pieces. Serve.

I think next time I make these, I will lessen the brown sugar, as I think they would still be quite yummy!:)

The worst thing about these brownies is waiting until the next day to eat them! But, trust me, especially if you've been on a restricted diet, they are well worth the wait! :)

Online Sewing Class

I've joined another online course. This one I am really excited about! I've been wanting to take a sewing class for awhile, one that can help me learn new skills and take my sewing to the next level. When I saw this one, I couldn't pass it up! The projects we will be making are listed here and here and each project preview specifies what skills/techniques you will be learning, everything from button holes to reading a pattern. The projects get harder as they go and from having taken one of this girl's classes before, I am confident the directions will be easy to follow. I can't wait to get sewing again and these projects look like they will really suit my style and home! What I like best is that you can work at your own pace, in the comfort of your own little craft room!

Anyone want to join with me? We could be sewing buddies:)

A Sunday morning run...

Yesterday morning Steve and I went on a little 18 km run. I thought I'd join him to keep him company and yell at him to hurry up when he dropped back. "C'mon Dude! My Grandma runs faster than you!", you know stuff like that...

It seemed to work a charm. I think he's a bit scared of me;)

It was so pretty along the Yarra river, I couldn't help but take breaks and snap photos.

Steve wasn't allowed to take breaks. Not on my watch. NOT ON MY WATCH!

Oh, did I mention that I was riding my bike the whole time? Sorry, yeah. See, I get out of breath running to answer the phone! I'm a terrible runner but love a good bike ride. It's the perfect way for Steve and I to exercise together! He runs like the Ironman-to-be that he is and I bike beside him and yell occasionally but only for fun. He's too cute to yell at for real:)