Nearly Christmas Already!!

Well your all probably wondering where I have been right???  Been 4 months since I last posted..slack on my part...but so much happening!

VANUATU BABY!!  The girls and I went on an P&O cruise of the pacific Islands....If you have never done a cruise..DO IT!!  It is the best holiday EVER! Everyone on board, mums, dads, kids, auntys, uncles, nan's pop's EVERYONE is in holiday mode and love it! 

 About to leave port....We were SO excited!!

 Happy little sailor girls

 My Fav Island

 JET BOATS BABY!

 Villa

 Parasailing - this is Nat...she was NOT impressed with the parasailing hahaha

 One of the bazillion cocktails I consumed!

Had the best ever holiday!  Didnt get seasick...just bloody loved it.....until I got home..... While I was away all hell broke lose on my Lapband page and I lost some very loved and missed members through it....I just couldnt sort it out, got angry and lost 3 friends I thought I would have for a lifetime.  Hurts like hell but I have no idea how to fix it and I wont go on about it any further :'(

Anyway, moving on.....What else has been happening?  Well I have been scooting off again to the mainland and went to see Heart, Choir Boys and Def Leppard recently in my fav city Melbourne....Was a great weekend with my cuz Karen....jager again was involved but managed to not get locked up so all good LOL

Off to see Stevie Nicks ont he 10th Dec...I have loved this woman forever..can NOT wait to see her live....Squeee!! Nearly as good as the 8 DAY CRUISE AROUND THE GREEK ISLES AND THE WEEK IN ITALY we have booked and paid for in May next year!!! OH YEAH BABY!!!!  Topped off nicely in July by seeing one of my most loved musician's Mellisa Etheridge LIVE in July....busy year ahead as you can see!!

Well the weightloss has stalled a bit...Im at about 80kg....it goes up and down a few kilo's all the time, but only have 2 mills in my band atm so not having anymore in now til after Christmas as I am taking the kiddies on a roadtrip to Western Australia for Christmas break.....I must need my head read...3 kids all the way to WA in a car together...any travelling tips GREATLY appreciated!!.....someone shoot me now LOL


Have a Great, Safe and Merry Christmas everyone...thank you for reading my blog this year...I will definately get off my NSA (now smaller arse) (Thanks Pete! xx) and update more reguarly!

Stay safe and DRINK UP! Its Christmas!!


Love Meeg xxxxxx

The Blue Funk

Its not often I get down...I mean we all have our shit days, but for 41 years I have always managed to pick my head up and get on with it...having kids makes that easier because, especially as a single parent, you just HAVE to move on...But I am down today....I lost an Uncle on Monday and the bullshit that families gather around deaths has made me reflect heavily on the loss of my wingman, Nan...She was the fighter of my battles and co-conspirator on paybacks haha....I miss her terribly today more so, as I do every year on the first day of Spring.  Nan's favourtie season, she was a very keen gardener....renewal, new beginnings, fresh starts (and Spring lambs...she loved to see them in the paddocks)....So I am finding it hard to pull myself out of this funk...you would think the upcoming cruise to Vanuatu Saturday morning would help..but its not...Everyone keeps telling me not "to worry" and just enjoy your trip....I am struggling with that too....

What do you do to de"funk" yourself?  I visited Nan's grave today as I do on the first day of Spring every year and will continue to, as I want her to have some of the Daffodils and Freesia's that she loved so much, to help ring in the new season...I will get over this (probably as soon as I get on the plane to Brisbane) but really on Struggle Street right now.

Even after the longest, darkest Winter...the promise of Spring renews.....

Statewide Meet-Up Campbell Town Tas

 As you all know, if you have been following my blog, is that I started a support group called Tassie Lapbanders.  We have over 150 members now and quite often arrange lunches and meetups, clothes swaps etc.  This year our annual meetup was at Campbell Town and what a day/night we had!

I am so privilaged to know these amazing people!  They have given me so much support and love through out my journey...I couldnt imagine my life without them now!  No-one understands a lapband like a fellow lapbander!

A few of us decided to stay the night, as we do, and didnt we run amuk!  The poor old pub didnt know what hit them when we got there...but they loved us! The staff at the Campbell Town Hotel were AWESOME!  They looked after us bunch of crazy pissed women day and night....Outstanding service!  They even let me "plank" on the bar!

There was a fair bit of planking going on:

 

I cant explain how much these women mean to me....They are a constant source of support, amusement and love and its a bond that I doubt will ever be broken and I am so blessed to know each and every one of them.

Thank you to all that made the trip to Campbell Town.....THANK YOU for your friendship, generosity and care....I would be lost without you xxxx


Til next time....

Meeg xxxx

PS: Remember to do a random act of kindness today!! :)

 I just won TAS KENO.....$6!!!!

TOUCH ME UP DARL!! bahahahahaha

SPD-What is it and how did my boy get it??

Today, my son Joseph was finally given a name to his "meltdown" problem.
He has SPD - Sensory Processing Disorder.

"People with SPD experience their world as either Hypersensitive (over reactive, sensory avoidance) or Hyposensitive (under reactive, sensory seeker). They may also present with motor skill problems. They may react with strong emotional behaviours and experience what may be described as ‘melt downs’."

Poor old Joe was labelled with having "anger" issues at his last school, I have had him to pyschologists, doctors, counsellours, anyone who would listen and finally today a wonderful paediatrician told my son that he doesnt have anger issues, he has SPD.
 
Next week we are beginning Occupational Therepy to help Joe cope in his world.  I have a heap of reading to do tonight and have just ordered the book called "Sensational Kids" by Dr Lucy Miller.


Sensory Integration (S.I.) is the term used to describe the way in which the brain sorts out and organizes for our use the many sensations which we receive. 

Dr Jean Ayres defined sensory integration as, ‘the neurological process that organizes sensations from one’s own body and from the environment and makes it possible to use the body effectively within the environment” (Ayres, p11, 1989).


Sensory Integration is the body’s ability to:

1 Receive or take in sensory stimuli
2 Interpret the stimuli
3 Process the stimuli into a response; and
4 Adaptively respond to the stimuli

The sensory system takes information from the surrounding environment through touch, smell, sound, vision, taste, movement and gravity. It processes or interprets these sensations together to make sense of the environment. The process of sensory integration lays the foundation for efficient operation of the nervous system and other parts of the body that respond to the signals sent by the nervous system. The child then responds to these sensory inputs and makes appropriate responses to perform skills required.

These difficulties put children with SPD at high risk for many emotional, social, and educational problems, including the inability to make friends or be a part of a group, poor self-concept, academic failure, and being labeled clumsy, uncooperative, belligerent, disruptive, or “out of control.” Anxiety, depression, aggression, or other behavior problems can follow. Parents may be blamed for their children’s behavior by people who are unaware of the child’s “hidden handicap.

So, to all the staff at Joes last school......NO he HASNT had his medication....Because HE ISNT ON ANY!  He has SPD! Dont you love it when our educators think they have a degree in Medicine too!!

Hopefully now Joe's life will settle into a more calm and easy routine....our marvellous doctor will even be writting to Joes new school to explain his SPD.


Me, Im just happy to know he will be ok! 

Its MUSIC HALL time!!

For the past ten years I have been a cast member of "The Bagdad Music Hall".  I was thrown in the deep end when I first moved back to Tassie by my friend Marie.  I had heard great things from my mate Steve Hildebrand (or Homebrand as we call him...better known in these parts as "Coon").  I was so nervous that I had to be pushed on stage and can I tell you I have never looked back!  We are like a family now and every year it rejuvenates my sense of humour!  It is getting more and more "tongue in cheek" every year and is so much fun.

Here's a taster....we made youtube!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iesvgu_FmDU&feature=share

Rehearsals start in March/April.....We put a hell of a lot of our own time into it...Rehearsals in Winter can be "fun" but when the curtain opens all the time and effort is worth it.  We have a ball and so do our guests!  You arrive to a gorgeous scene of candlelit tables and hot soup to start your meal....Then a full carvery meal and dessert between acts....you dont even have to leave your table for a drink...our fabulous "beer runners" bring you a fresh jug as soon as you raise it!  Half time we have a sing for your supper.....and those of you that have an URGE to get on stage...this is your chance!  It is a loved tradition in the Midlands and all proceeds from the show goes back into the community.

Young and old are involved....no previous experience required....alcohol is provided for inspiration LOL.  I am proud to be a member of the club and very proud to be a member of this community.  This year is our 30th Anniversary!  30 years this great show has been running....lets make it another 30!

If you live in Tassie and would like to come along.....book now!  The show runs from the 12th August until the 27th.   Fri and Sat only.  Call Maureen on 03 62686 170 to book!


Til next time...........

Break a leg! xxxxx

REUNION TIME!

At the marvellous age of about 16...I found a new world.....the one where you could have this little black box in your bedroom and talk to everyone in AM world on a CB!  Man we had some fun.  The next year was even better because I could go MOBILE and drive around in my little Datsun 200B (all hotted up I might add...goodrich wide tyres, sunroof, spoilers and mags) and have "eyeballs" and meet other radio enthusiasts!  I made some of the best mates I could ever imagined and most are still to this day.  We had fox hunts, specific names for areas...Corny Bay....Moose Hill (Rosny Lookout) which was "Rust Bucket Warriors" spot, Bucket Boulevard (which was the domain) and Dodger Drive (my spot where putt putt adventure golf has a car park now hahahaha).....We all had "callsigns" mine was Dodger 2.  Being the sexually charged teens that we were, there were plenty of romances, breakups, marriages and divorces LOL......So.....

It seems most of us have gone (over 20 years later) from CB to FB (facebook) I set up an old CB'ers facebook page and it was great to catch up with some old and funny mates...technology!!

So I thought why not organise a reunion...so I organised an EYEBALL back where it all began at Corny Bay (Corneilan Bay) , fired up the BBQ and off we went.... what a fantastic day!  Was awesome chatting and reliving the memories...not many of us have changed that much (except me who is now 90kg lighter haha)....we laughed and reminisced and mate...it was a great day....

And of course there had to be an after party....we stoked up the fire pot and poured the drinks and partied until the wee hours....like we had all seen each other yesterday....(insert warm and fuzzy feeling here lol).

We will definatley do it again...maybe Christmas for the next one...Best call of the day was Dario (Shadow Raider).....This would be the first time this many CB'ers are in one spot and the cops havent turned up LOL

Love you guys....see you all soon!

Til next time.....Be nice to each other :)

Meeg

Being Sick Sucks!

It got me....and boy is it making me pay....Have been off work all week with the dreaded flu and you dont realise how important it is to be healthy until your sick.

My house smells like a football changeroom....vicks rubbed to the soles of my feet...electric blanket on 3 trying to sweat it out but alas...nothing is working...I am feeling very sorry for myself, hardly ever get sick like this..head cold now and then but not the flu....I am definatley having the flu shot next year!

I have become so desperate that I have even tried a few old wives tales remedies...I boiled onions covered in Manuka Honey and drank the liquid...I gotta say it did indeed help my chest....well soothed anyway....Im off for a chest xray at 12, having finally surcumbed to going to the doctor, who prescribed antibiotics, then going to pick up some olive leaf extract that my cousin swears by....Im happy to try anything to feel better.  I have 2 boys at home that still need to be fed and readied for school (last day today for term thankfully) so cant just crawl into bed and stay there..URGHHHHH.....thankfully they know Im crook and have been trying to help me bless them.

So what is your get well quick remedy for the flu?   The old vicks on the feet isnt really working but it a bit on the chest helps with the sleeping at least...


Hope this finds you all well.....When I shake this I am going to put steps in place to take better care of myself.  A multi vitamin is due (especially being a bander) and daily vitamin C....

Thankfully I have my books to while away the hours.....special thanks to Kaylee...who always passes her read ones on to me and saves me a fortune xxx

Til next time....cough cough cough

Burlesque Night

Last night Donna, Deb, Danielle & I went to The Beautiful & The Damned Burlesque Revue at the Playhouse Theatre in Hobart.  We decided to go dressed up for the occasion....so on with the pearls and faux fur coats we went.....

I have never worn fake eyelashes before...I LOVE them! Hahahaha....We all felt very glamorous... I got to wear my Aunty Bess's Mikimoto pearls for the first time since they were bequeathed to me and I am sure she would have been proud.

How much fun is a dress up night?  Will definatley be doing it again soon!  I love the clothing and style of the 30's and 40's....so feminine and glamorous! Unfortunatley none of us won a best dressed prize but we had a ball anyway!  There were plenty of "flappers" and sparkly women and men and they all looked fantastic!

The show was amazing...the girls all looked incredible, it was well choreographed and of course Miss Kitty's meow http://www.misskittysmeow.com/ ,Scarlett Jezabel http://www.scarlettjezebel.com/ and Ms Lucy Sky Diamond http://lucyskydiamondburlesque.blogspot.com/ were my favourite performers on the night.

Miss Kitty's Meow run the burlesque classes Donna and I attended last year....it was such a hoot...it makes you feel very feminine and sexy..was great for the self confidence....neither of us want to be on stage (at our age lol) but so glad we did the classes.....check them out if your interested....Hell learn to do it for your hubby's birthday! He will never forget it LOL and you will never feel sexier!

Ms Scarlett Jezabel....described as Swinging Socialite, Original It Girl and Remote Royal.......was graceful and beautiful as always and Ms Lucy Sky Diamond...Tasmania's Bonfire on Leg's... is just amazing with her aerial rope work!  What a cracker of a show!  So many highlights....If you ever get a chance to see Burlesque in your area...check it out....

The Australian Burlesque Festival kicks off soon....here's the details.....
http://australianburlesquefest.com/

Next weekend it's a Great Lakes trip to see my Wolfe Brothers......

WOOT!!

Til next time.....And hey....do an act of random kindness this week....the world needs more kindness!

It's detox time!

Last Saturday night the local footy team had a Ladies night.....We met at my friends (sisters) Nat and Mel's for pre dinner drinks before the evening to find a tray of red and green jelly shots....I have about hmmm...5-6! We then hit the club and were given a glass of punch on arrival....Now I cant do fizz so I was drinking Baileys Irish Cream....and they were serving me not a nip or two but a full tumbler on ice....as you can imagine...I ended up quite pissed lol.  Then a friend was having a particuarly bad night so she suggested a shot or 5 of jagermeister (my fav!) so we did that too....(rememeber I dont eat so very little but alcohol in my system)....when we walked outside the cold air really hit me and I was pretty smashed....I fell over walking home (the sideways walk) grazed my hand and back and my knees and vomited profusely (something I NEVER do from drinking) hahahaha.....I woke up the next morning WISHING I was dead....cringe factor about 100 and thought "Thats it! I need a break from drinking"

It was Mothers Day so I HAD to get up and do the luv my Mum thing and go to the cemetary and say hi to Nan...it was the hardest "struggle" day I have ever had.....

So I have decided to go on a 2 week detox!


Now I know it sounds like I am a big drinker, but the truth is I have always only been what is classified as a "binge" drinker....I dont drink through the week at all but make up for it on weekends. Which, as I have read, is worse than if you drink a few glasses each day.....Dont worry Im not giving up my party weekends at all, but I do want to limit the amount of alcohol I consume as I am getting a bit older now I am already lacking in a few vitamins due to limited food intake.

I have to say...I am not struggling at all.....Luckily for me the kids are away for the weekend so I get to have some "ME" time....I went and popped in to see a few friends I haven't seen in ages after dropping of the kids last night, came home, had a bubble bath, got the house organised, cooked a feed of sweet potato fries, made myself a milkshake and sat down (in between facebook) and watched a chick flick!  I am not a romance/comedy sort of girl but this was a pretty good one "Valentines Day" with HEAPS of big name stars and some really funny quotes...What a great night...this morning I woke up just because I had finished sleeping...not because the kids were fighting over which cartoon to watch or the colour of the sky and without the dreaded head.... I think after having a shower I might hit up Salamanca Market for a look and come home and get stuck into my book!


Sounds boring?  Sounds like restful, relaxing and bliss to me.....I wont be going to Will's footy match tomorrow feeling like death and I should be refreshed and ready for a new working week.....Will let you know how it goes....Might even turn into a month detox ......BAHAHAHAHAHA...Just kidding!!

Til next time......♥

What are the rules of dating in your 40's?

Good grief....Its all new to me....

If you have been reading my blog you will know that I have been single for the last 8 years.  Through choice mostly...but after some of the train wrecks I have endured I thought it was time to take a break and find "me"....I was exactly where I left myself so that didnt take long (lol) then I must admit I began to like having a life to myself, where I didnt have to answer to anyone and could spend on my credit card to my heart and wallets content!  I know I can survive just fine on my own but the last few years and losing weight, I am now getting a lot more attention from men than I probably have ever had in my life and I must admit...I LIKE IT!

So into the world of dating I am throwing myself again at the ripe old age of 40 odd!

It hasnt been all that bad...obviously I havent met Mr Right just yet but its been fun looking....lol.  But it seems to me the rules have all changed now....Girls are a LOT more confident and forthright and I find that all a bit scary!  Shouldnt men have to put a little effort into romancing you or have the confident girls killed it off?  I expect effort....I still love flowers and texts for no other reason than to say hello....I like nice restuarants and live shows.....I like a man to be presented well and smell good....am I expecting too much in this age of the "Naughties"??

I have never been confident in this area, so the chances of me initiating a date is probably never gunna happen...I am a bit out of my league....LOL

So what are the rules these days?  Should a girl approach a guy she likes?  Or should she wait for him to do it?  Is it really a world of meet..go home and have sex all in the same night?  I am feeling old LOL

In the mean time I will keep kissing frogs and hoping for the prince LOL

Til next time...............xxxx

The Dreaded BLOB!!!...A Shitty Conversation

Remeber when you were a kid and one of your uncles would say to you "Hows ya bowels?".......

If there is one thing that I hate about my lapband it is the constipation that comes from not digesting enough fibre (or food for that matter).....We, thanks to Margie's inept sense of humour, call it the BLOB (Back Log Of Bog).....I suffer badly with it, to the point of tears and time off work.  I have tried heaps of products to fix it....benefibre, dry fibre bla bla bla but nothing works....in the end its 5 coloxyl and a lay down til its time to give birth, so to speak...and it sure feels like that sometimes!

I wish I could eat more and have a regular bowel but really, even when I was bandless I only did number 2's once a week...ONCE A WEEK??? I hear you say...yep!  But my doc told me that if thats the way you are thats the way you are....I wonder if I had been able to poo every day whether my weight would have been more stable, but its pie in the sky theories...really I ate too much hahaha....

I am not a coffee/tea drinker, never have been, so there is another stimulate I miss....I dont have a coffee and a poo first thing like most "normal" people.  I dont eat very much at all, so no fibre....no poo!

So lappie people of the world...what do you do to avoid the BLOB situation?  I'd love to hear your success stories!

Shitty conversation..but hey....there you are.....she says as she reaches for the coloxyl once again..........

Dont forget to add your email so you dont miss this shit LOL

Easter at St Helens 2011

Well readers...As you all know I run a facebook group called "Tassie Lapbanders" and this year we decided to have a meetup at Easter on the beautiful East Coast, so I packed up the family and off we went.  I hadnt been up there for over 20 years!  We booked a unit and packed the car...the MacQueen's were on a road trip!  Took us about 2 hrs from Brighton....was worried about the traffic being it was a long weekend but no hassles at all...was an easy drive.  We got there..booked in and unpacked and looked forward to welcoming drinkies at the gorgeous Lisa's that night....and what a night we had!!

 We had some VERY yummy food and of course it wasnt long before the Jager was pouring and we were all well on the way HAHA.....

Bahahahahaha.....we had a great night catching up and laughing and drinking and laughing some more! How would St Helens ever cope with us!! LOL.....The next day we caught up again for lunch at Binalong Bay Cafe.....gorgeous spot!

Sat night we planned to go to the RSL for dinner then on to the Bayside Inn for KARAOKE!  Well none of us actually karaokied....but we DID drink and dance and laugh til the early hours...they stopped selling shots at 10pm...so because we are older and smarter...we were ordering sambuca with a small dribble of lemonade because guess what! THE PUB HAD NO JAGER!! Was a fantastic night with some amazing people!

St Helens wont forget us in a hurry and I will certainly be back to do it all again soon!!  The next day we had a free day to wander around with our families and check out the gorgeous scenery....we went to the Bay of Fires for a look..the kids loved it.

Thanks to all that came and enjoyed Easter with my family and I....you girls and your fella's are all so very special to me and I love partying with you all xxx

Bring on the next Meet-Up I say!!  Happy Easter to everyone!