- I got diagnosed with Inner Ear Infection yesterday and got some blood work done, as the doctor think I might have anemia. So that’s not good.

- A thing that was über cool regarding the blood work, is that the nurse could find a vein on my arm. When I was obese, nurses and doctors always struggled to find veins in my arms to use and then they would use the veins on my hands. So this was very cool, now that I have lost the weight.

- This was also a full week regarding school. First full week of school for my son, finished.

- Some exciting things have happened with hubby this week. More on that later. Sorry.

- My daughter was so happy to re-join ballet again this week. She was in heaven and all the way to the ballet class, she sang

- I learned this week, that although you keep the peace, other people always make it difficult for you. The neighbour and her landlord is making things difficult for us and the owners of our rental property. We are “invisible” people but then you get people like the neighbour and her landlord, which make things just difficult. Sucks. The landlords of our property, is so scared that we are not going to sign another rental agreement again this year because of how difficult these two people make it for us.

- Have missed the sunshine this week. Although it was still warm while cloudy, I could not see or feel the sun

This coming weekend will be a boring weekend for us – me going to recover from this Inner Ear Infection and just chill.

What’s your weekend plans?

I remember the days (when I was obese), where I got a headache each and every day. I drank Paracetamol tablets each and every day to calm the pain. I was certain that the headaches was caused by constantly looking at a computer screen the whole day at work. I should have know better …

Since my whole lifestyle changed, I have only had one headache every other week! Now this is great especially for someone who got a headache every single day of her life.

Another thing which came with healthy living, is the aches and pains are gone in my joints and ribs. I constantly suffered from pain in my joints and in the areas of my ribs. I thought that this was due to my children rheumatism but since my lifestyle change, this have also gone out the window. I no longer have any joint pains or pain in my rib area every single day of my life. I still have pain in my joints in the winter months but the doctor told me that this is in fact the children rheumatism and not the constant pain I used to have in my joints. That was caused by my obesity.

Lastly, since my lifestyle change, I feel younger. I feel as if I have the World’s energy and that I can go on & on & on. Feels good to be able to move more easy, live more easy.

I remembered when being obese, everyone was looking at me. This is no joke. When you walk in the public, watching people, you are sure to notice a beautiful person, or in this case an obese person. I admit it – now and when I was obese, never have a missed a person who are beautiful or are obese.

Now that I have lost the weight, the most wonderful thing have come true, which I have wished for so many years. I am now a normal person who aren’t attracting everyone’s attention. I don’t feel everyone staring at me anymore. I walk in the public and everyone just walk pass me without looking twice.

I can’t tell you how unbelievably great this is. To be associated as “normal”. A person with a normal sized waist, normal sized body. This is something every obese person wants and to achieve this, is heaven.

I remembered when we visited Cape Town. It was so great to just walk on the beach without attracting attention to yourself. Everyone was passing you and I felt normal.

Scenario: A friend is too drunk to drive home after partying the whole night at a local club or bar. So the other friend offers to drive that person home in their car.

Reality: This can’t always be done. It can be done when that person don’t have insurance on their car. The reason for this, is that Insurance companies (in South Africa for that matter), will only payout the insured amount on the car (if in accident), if the driver or specified drivers, drove the car.

If it is a person who is not specified on your cover, then the Insurance company will not pay out the insured amount when in an accident.

I do understand that one wants to help that person and that if you are sober, then the chances of getting into an accident, is minimal. But sometimes you can get in an accident  by someone else’s fault. Then what?

I think that I would rather call a Taxi for that particular drunk person and then leave take the keys of that car with me, leaving a note in their wallet for when they are sober the next day.

What would you do?

When I was in Cape Town (Cape Province), I enjoyed walking and running on the beach. It is a much different kind of terrain than roads and treadmills and feeling the sand spilling over your feet, is heaven.

Me and my daughter took a lot of walks throughout the days on the beach. 3 times I went for a run on the beach. I could feel how much more the loose sand on the beach and different terrain, was working my buttocks and legs. It was wonderful! I am yet to find the type of exercise which give me the same result than running or walking on the beach.

Another thing which I noticed when visiting Cape Town and it’s beaches, is the difference in how I coped in moving over this terrains.

The last time I visited a beach environment was in 2008. I was obese and it was so difficult and exhausting to walk over the beach. My legs were getting so tired just moving over the sand for a couple of meters.

I knew that visiting Cape Town, that I would have to move over beaches again and I dreaded it because of how difficult it was to me the last time.

But I was pleasantly surprised to find that this was not the case this time. Mobility over the sand was so easy this time around. I did not get tired by just walking over it for short periods of times. It was such a pleasure to be able to walk over the beach terrain without becoming out of breath after a couple of meters. This is where I decided to take long walks with my daughter and even running on the beach a few times. It was such a great milestone in this journey of mine and this is what I so desperately miss about Cape Town.

I believe that some day, paperback books will be gone some day. Especially regarding the rapid rate that people these days, get themselves Ebook readers like the Kindle. Ebooks can also be read upon iPads, tablet PC’s and normal laptops/PC’s as well.

I think it’s great how books are now made digital because not only does it saves you the trip to a book store or library but we also save trees in this process.

I believe that someday, libraries will also die down. Looking at this elderly woman I saw at the dentist the other day, I believe that it is mostly elder people like this woman who still goes to a library to rent a book.

My father-in-law have achieved in teaching his 79 year old mother-in-law, how to use an Ereader after many, many struggles. But I believe that we can also teach elderly people to use technology like Ereaders, thus saving trees & money.

What do you think?

1. What, or who inspired you to start a blog?
To blow of some steam, get advice/opinions and connect with people.

2. Who is your foodie inspiration?
Marcelle.

3. Your greasiest, batter – splattered food/drink book is?
None – I like to use the internet for recipe inspiration.

4. Tell us all about the best thing you have ever eaten in another country, where was it, what was it?
Have never visited another country.
6. What is the one kitchen gadget you would ask Santa for this year (money no object of course)?
A mixer

7. Who taught you how to cook?
My mom

8. I’m coming to you for dinner what’s your signature dish?
My whole wheat pasta dishes.

 9. What is your guilty food pleasure?
Croissants.

Finally…tag 5 other bloggers with these questions…like a hot baked potato…pass it on!

I tag:

Angel, Supermom, Bestoffates, Fuchsiafever & Themommyjourney

A really nice complement came my way yesterday, that I am a good writer and that I should consider becoming a writer for a publication. How great is that?!? I do consider myself a writer. I write here on my blog and also on my website. So a writer I am.

School is starting today. Although it is my son’s 4th year in school, I’m still pretty nervous with each start of the year. New things, teachers, school work and more. I also do see that my oldest is nervous with each start of the year. All I can do is pray for strength, for him and me.

My BFF told me such a true thing, yesterday. She told me that the only thing that make us sane throughout the working days in a week, is too keep dreaming about weekends. Isn’t this so true? Well in my case it is. Dreaming about upcoming weekends do keep me sane.

It’s that time of the year again, where I am an extremely busy bee regarding some top-secret stuff in me and hubby’s personal life. To which I can only tell more as soon as things are finalised. There is only one person who knows about this. You know who you are. Sorry my dear readers, as soon as this is finalized, I will post immediately. That’s a big positive

A last thing. One thing I believe in with all my heart is:

“Where there’s a Will, there’s a Way.”

The above is so true for me. When I want something so bad (The Will), I will always find a way to get it together with God (The Way). Do you believe this is true? Where there’s a will, there’s a way?

The show is about a physician which do gastric bypass surgeries on Morbidly obese people, to give them a second chance at life.

The show is interesting to watch. If you ever were obese, you will understand where these people come from, many confessing how they are addicted to food, how food are ruling their lives and how they can’t stop obsessing over food.

Many people have their own opinion regarding people who do take this route to weight loss and I had too but after watching this show, hearing these people’s cries to how they want to stop but can’t, make me sympathize a bit better now towards people who choose this route to weight loss.

I too was there where they were. I too was addicted to food. I too could not stop thinking and obsessing over food.

The one woman said: She just want to zip all of the fat open and step out of it. I too felt like this.

For many, diets don’t work. For others, like me, it does. I’m not here to judge these people, choosing a route which many people have so much to say about. At least they are searching for a way out of it and if it is surgery, then so be it.

People who have a weight problem, have a problem with food. They are food addicts just like addicts of alcohol and drugs. Obese people can either lose the weight by themselves or they need help to do it, like these people who opt for gastric bypass surgery. Other addicts (alcoholics/drugs) do it by themselves and others need help by going to a rehab. Bypass surgery are like a rehab for these people.

Watch the show – it’s really an eye opener regarding gastric bypass surgeries and how food can be a burden.

The first thing I noticed when we got to Cape Town, is the wind. I have never experienced anything like it. Everyone in Cape Town drive at 80km/ph (49 miles/ph). It hit me like a rock, realising that the reason why the people in Cape Town drive so slowly (not just because the speed signs instruct them to), but also because of how the wind have such a massive effect on your car while in motion.

I went a bit faster than 80km/ph (49 miles/ph) and then I could feel how the strong wind, throw my car from one side to the other. Slacking off immediately and then it was better.

The other thing is sunrises and sunsets.

In the upper provinces in South Africa, summer sunrise is at 05h00 and summer sunset is at 19h00. In Cape Town though, summer sunrise is at 05h00 as well but summer sunsets are at 20h30. Yes, 20h30!

On Christmas Eve, we went to one of the shopping centers to get some food and their signs read: “Closing time at 19h00.”

I told hubby that we have enough time left because it is now only 17h00 (me judging by the sun.) Hubby said: “No! It’s 18h55 already.” I could not believe this and when he showed his watch to me, I was in shock. He had a good giggle at me, being so confused.

I rather liked it that the sun sets so late. It means the day feels and are longer, giving you more sunlight time to do more things. I also assume that you don’t need electricity until 20h30 by switching on lights, so you also save on your Utilities bill.

Also, with the sun which sets later, it gives you time to go out for a run after 19h00 because it is still light outside … this is not possible in my province though. So people in Cape Town can enjoy their runs/walks and training at 19h00 with sunlight. Now that’s great!

I like Cape Town and it is such a different world compared to the one I live in daily. Especially the weather

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