Good morning everyone,

Neil, nice weigh in and excellent blood results!
I am so glad you are feeling a lot better. keep looking after yourself carefully until that cough is completely gone.

I keep reading how little exercise has to do with calorie burning and weight loss, it does take an enormous brain shift to accept that, but hooray that it means you don’t have to stack on weight when not exercising.

I had a terrible time at the movies. It was freezing cold, even though I had my big coat on, and painfully loud, even though I had borrowed some noise cancelling headphones. The movie was cute and with a good heart but so, so long.

Anzac, I do hope your neck is a lot better and your posture exercises do what they are meant to (she writes, straightening her spine now you have reminded me). Are you still keeping your eye out for other jobs that might allow you to give more time to your health? I hope so. You deserve better health.

I am keeping my weight stable, which is my aim, and hoping that my brain will refigure it to normal. I have been finding it pretty easy (touch wood and whistle) except in the evening, but even that is not too bad.

Sending out good wishes to everyone

Hi all,

Well, finally back home to a very warm spring-like September day here in Christchurch. We can’t top your 32’c Thin, but it’s up to 18’c today, so not too bad for the time of year.

We arrived home safe and sound around 10am last Thursday morning and it’s taken since then to try and get our body time clocks sorted! I was still awake at five this morning, finally got up at 8.30, fed up lying there!! Getting up early to watch the rugby hasn’t helped, (nor the score,) but I think I’m finally getting there.

It was absolutely brilliant catching up with all our friends and family back in the UK, we had so many laughs, and we visited so many places we have never been to before, which I always love to do. One of our highlights was finally completing the South West Coast Path, all 630 miles from Minehead to Poole! It’s taken us the best part of 10 years to complete, just walking sections as and when we can when visiting and holidaying in the UK. I just need to collate all the photographs now, putting them into the SWCP file, instead of each years holiday. That should keep me busy for a while! I am busy editing the holiday images at the moment as the friends we are staying with here want to see them, so I’m putting together a slideshow, highlighting the best of the trip. Unfortunately no blue streaks of any kingfishers but there is a beautiful white heron, and an awful lot of seascapes and heritage architecture.

I have been reading and catching up on all the posts whilst we’ve been travelling, just not finding the time to post often myself. Some of you are doing it so tough right now, be kind to yourselves.

I finally took the plunge and stepped on the scales Friday morning and when I could steel myself to eventually look at the reading weight I was at first shocked at the increase, then I was surprised it wasn’t higher. So after this mornings reading I have already lost a kilo, down from 74.2 to 73.1 kg. I’ll take it.

Off to walk the dog, do some laundry, and photo editing, hope you all have a more interesting day than me?

Take care, Turn

Hi all from a VERY smoky Sydney (burn-offs)

So glad you are back on your bike Neil but I do worry about cars. That path sounds lovely

Welcome home Turn, your trip sounds amazing

Thin, 32 degrees in the UK is the equivalent of about 40 here. We are bracing for a very hot summer that will dry out all the undergrowth then the forecast for the following summer is terrible fires again. Who would be a farmer in Australia?

Sorry to hear about your terrible trip to the movies Cinque. Fancy having the air-con so cold?

I’m just back from the physio as my neck is being stubborn and is incredibly sore. He loosens it and it feels great but I have no strength and it soon locks up again. He has given me strengthening exercises this time so fingers crossed

Weight is stable which is frustrating but must keep on trying

Take care all

Morning all

Well backing lunch packing and subsequent lacking of snacking has got me tracking in the right direction. I was down 1.1 kilograms from last week. It’s a good start, now to see if I can keep it going.

Have a great one everyone

Evening all

Turn, apart from the sore muscles, it must feel good to be back out riding again.

This weekend was a weird one. I had a bit of a relapse of my flu symptoms so I was off work on Friday. Saturday I was feeling a bit better so I tried to do some gardening, but I ran out of energy so quickly. Sunday the weather was really foreboding all day. Weird grey threatening skies all day, but warm and calm. I got a lot more gardening done, and as soon as I had finished there was lightning, thunder, torrential rain, and howling wind. It blew through really quickly and then we had the brightest double rainbow I have ever seen.

I should be able to get back to work tomorrow, but I really just want to be fit and well again. I’m sick of being sick.

Great job Neil! So happy for your run of weight loss – what a boost.

Hi Cinque, thanks for answering my question and I’m sorry I’d forgotten that you don’t have scales so I made it tricky for you.

Anzac, how’s your neck?

Hello Turn. I’m laughing at the slide slow. Super amazing photos or very tolerant friends!

Anzac, sorry about your neck. These skeletal things can take so long to heal properly. I imagine it’s easy to become absorbed in your work on the computer and you’d need an alarm to remind you to break away every ten minutes. I wonder if a standing station would be helpful for part of the day? Dreaming of a heatwave, even an English one.

Morning all, I just did a big post but apparently lost it.

Anzac, sorry to hear about your neck. Necks and backs can be really troublesome, and I often have issues with mine. Your heatwave sounds oppressive, our weather has been really weird recently. We’ve had hot days, but then we’ve also had lots of cold days, and over the weekend apparently the ski fields in Queenstown got a whole meter of snow. In the last week the South Island has had EARTH quakes, bush FIRE, gale force WIND, and flood WATER. I quipped that if we get something to do with HEART, we get to summon Captain Planet.

Cinque, sorry to hear your reflux has been worse recently. I hope you have fun with the grandkids, and lots of time to recover after the grandkids 😉

Lasy weekend was pretty busy. I had an Elders’ retreat for our Church most of Saturday, it was out at the beach 18kms away so I biked out there and then home again afterwards. Sunday we had a family lunch to celebrate all the September birthdays in our family. It was the first family meal we’d had since my mother passed away, so it was kind of weird.

I hope everyone is well, I’m hoping to continue my streak of losing weight this Wednesday, but I’ll check in then and let you now how I get on.

Good morning all. I’m sorry I’ve not been on lately. Some tough times here. OH is OK, so that’s the main thing. Me? not so much. But, upwards and onwards.

I was so sorry, Neil, to read that you’d lost your mother. To have a family celebration without her must have been doubly difficult. I remember the first Christmas without my parents. They leave such a big gap.

And Intesha, to lose your Dad. So sad, particularly as the past years have been quite hard. But what a daughter you were to him, and such comfort in that.

And dear Cinque, you have lost Miso. Pets, be they dogs, cats, play such a big role in our lives, with their funny little ways and demanding our attention. Hope you are okay.

So, friends, hope to be back on more often now. I’ve only been reading from time to time – not at all like me; even when I don’t post, I always read.

I did catch up with your neck and back troubles Anzac. So sorry to hear that. You spend so much time at your computer, it must be dificult to get relief.

Turn, welcome home from your holiday. Your slide night and dinner sounds like fun. Well done. I am sure it was nothing like the ones we as children were put through by an uncle, who travelled extensively overseas for work, and came home with so so many slides. I used to hear Dad joke that he must have been up at dawn to get shots without people. He was a very early visitor to China, and even there he managed to avoid people in his pictures.

Thin, kingfishers. How beautiful. How long have you been on the water now? It just seems such a short while ago when you were teasing us with selling up in WA, and waiting to announce this wonderful adventure you’ve been on.

On that note folks, off to do more ironing (no, just a Cinque joke…we are the only ironers left in the world).

Take care friends.

Morning all.

Yes Thin, I did report our spamalot spambot, I assume others did as well, but it’s always annoying when they show up.

Well I shouldn’t have said it out loud and jinxed myself, because I broke my streak of losses and gained half a kilo.

Thin, every time you post it sounds like you’re looking at a chocolate box cover.

Lindsay, good to hear from you, even if it’s been tough times for you at the moment.

Cinque, I also had to cut my caffeine consumption down since it had crept up to 2-3 coffees a day as well as a couple of cups of black tea. My blood pressure had started to rise again. I managed to cut it to one cup of coffee a day, and a couple of cups of green tea, reducing my daily caffeine intake from 270-360mg per day down to around 130mg per day

well, 3 more days of work and then I get a week of holiday. Have a good one everyone.

Hi all, life can get so difficult at times. We all just want an easy life without too many dramas but it seems that’s not to be. So sorry to hear everyone struggles. Unfortunately I am one of those people that eats when I’m stressed so like you Anzac I’ve put on 10kg over the past 2 years and struggle to get myself back into the zone.
It’s a month today since my Dad passed and I’m still struggling with the loss. He was a difficult man but he looked after me during the 9 yrs he was with me and I miss his presence. My very Christian brother came to see me less than two weeks since he passed and informed me he was contesting the will as he didn’t think it was fair that Dad had left me his very modest savings. I was absolutely blindsided and couldn’t believe the things he was saying or accusing me of. He even had a letter he had composed with a list of demands and gave me until the 30th of this month to respond. If he had of approached me and said he was disappointed he was not left any money I probably would have given him some but the way he did it was disgusting. I have been the main carer for both Mum and Dad since 2014. My life was on hold while he travelled the world. He has two rental properties and has just bought a 1.1million house. All I have is the pension and this money would give me a cushion.
I have retained the services of an estate lawyer who says he is not entitled to anything but he can still approach the courts within 12months but he has to justify why he thinks he is entitled to anything.
I have been physically sick with worry but just hope the legal system works as it should.
Sorry to ramble on but at times I feel like I’m losing my mind. I hardly leave the house unless absolutely necessary.
Take care everyone like Lindsay I read the posts everyday when they are there and enjoy them all, good or bad🌻

Dear Intesha, I had to read your post twice to comprehend what your brother has done. How can someone be so heartless? My uncle did a similar thing when my grandmother died and left more to my Dad as he had looked after her all his life. She was not a very nice person and drove my poor mother to drink plus Mum and Dad had very little money and dear Uncle was so very wealthy. I’m happy to tell you he didn’t have a leg to stand on so I hope your brother faces the same

Sending many many cyber hugs your way – both Lindsay and Intesha xxxx

Wow, we all seem to have major issues at the moment.

Intesha, Death always seems to bring out either the best or the worst in people. My mother’s passing made the rest of us club together even closer, but there always seem to be some that are just out to get what they can. The annoying thing is now you’re probably going to have to pay a fair chunk of the money on legal fees fighting for the money left to you. When my grandmother passed, my mother told us kids we could choose one thing to remember her by. The only thing I wanted was her bible because I didn’t have one at the time. But my uncle stormed over and snatched it out of my hands, saying that it was the family bible and it should go to him as the only son, so he can pass it down and keep it owned by someone with her family name. He wasn’t even Christian himself, and it’s not like it was an old expensive bible, just a plain old one that my grandmother had happened to own.

This, really sorry to hear of that. Some injuries just need complete rest for a long time to allow to heal, but that’s practically impossible when it’s your foot and you’re living on the barge like you do. I had issues with my rotator cuff 20 or so years ago, and I ended up having to give up all sport for 12 months before it finally completely cleared up.

Well on with the week. Just 2 more days of work left before holiday. I’m looking forward to having a week off to kick back and relax. We’re hoping the weather is nice as we’re spending 4 days in Temuka, a small town halfway between Dunedin and Christchurch.

Have a good one everyone

Good Morning, I have been reading posts on and off and wanted to say sorry to those who have experienced loss over the last few months. I’ve been keeping quiet on posting but after reading Intesha’s post I felt I should write about why I have been absent.

Like Intesha, I have been dealing with a contested will. A week before my late husband’s estate was due to be settled a child he had when he was younger, but had never been part of his life, claimed she was entitled to an equal share of the estate. My husbands will specifically states the child is not entitled to any of his estate and he also signed separate legal documents specifically stating that the child was never in his life, and he was never asked to be responsible to provide for the child (the mother took her away from him) and therefore he was not responsible to provide for the child in his death.

However, it appears that a persons will is utterly worthless in the eyes of the law.

Not only was this person entitled to contest, but the costs of going to court are all born by the estate, not by the person contesting. We were given an estimate of a minimum of $20 to 30k just for the initial costs to fight it. Can you believe that a 1-hour mediation session between the parties (mandatory for a contesting will) costs $10k. Then there are lawyers’ fees, application fees, affidavit fees etc and this is all before it goes to court. Then if it does go to the Supreme court because mediation has failed it costs a minimum of $2k for each court session, with the number of sessions needed unknown.

I had already paid out, prior to the contest claim, in excess of $10k in fees (lawyers, taxes, lodgement fees etc) to get the estate to the point of distribution so to add another minimum of $30 plus thousand dollars was ridiculous, given the estate is small.

Sadly, even though we were able to prove that this child played no part in my late husband’s life, we were told there was still a fair chance the Supreme court would rule in the contestant’s favour. When we worked out the sums, we were left with no choice but to give this person a share of the estate because by going to court, we would have been each left with less money than what we would have by giving this person a share. I mean really, where do these lawyers get off – $550 per hourly consult, $350 per letter, $50 per base phone call and extra $$ depending on the length of the call, $250 per hour for the work of the office staff (typing, filing etc) – it’s just a total scam and the sad thing is that there is no option, to get the estate finalised you have to use a lawyer.

For a will that was straight forward and simple, with no complications and a small monetary value, I am utterly disgusted with the law and how it operates. To disrespect a person’s wishes, to go against the words of his will and to allow someone who is clearly not entitled to anything, to can come in and so easily be given what is not theirs. This person lied on their legal documents (which we were able to prove were lies) and we were also able to provide evidence that this person stated publicly that she played no part in her biological father’s life, but still, we were told there was a fair chance this person could win. Even if she didn’t win, there was no guarantee the court would make this person reimburse the estate for the all the costs of the contest.  Either way, we would be the losers. 

To say my stress levels have been high is an understatement. I’m exhausted both mentally and physically, unable to sleep and have disengaged from the world. We did not want to give this person what they wanted, we wanted to fight it and prove that they were not entitled and to uphold my late husband’s wishes, but how could we when the law is such an ass, the system is so wrong and the costs utterly unaffordable.

I am so angry that this person is walking away with a share they are not entitled to, and we have to pay for all the costs to make it happen because of course, it’s not as simple as just giving them their portion, there is so much legal paperwork that has to be done at yet again, an exorbitant cost to us.

I have lost all faith in humanity and all trust in people. I now see the world differently, and yes, I know it is only one person, but for that one person to show so much disrespect by demanding a monetary right from a person she wanted nothing to do with in life but feels they are entitled to a part of his estate in his death is just beyond me.

And it’s not only that, but how can a person feel it’s okay to cause distress and take away the entitlement of the people he loved, the people whom he wanted to benefit from his estate, how can this person think they are entitled to a part of that? No conscience, no morals and no values that’s what this person has, just total greed, someone who has seen an opportunity to get money for nothing with no care at all for others.

Sorry for my rant but I am just so totally gutted, I wish my brain had an on/off switch so I could just switch off from everything and rest and reset, no thoughts, no stress, just rest. You know I was feeling okay a few months back when I knew the estate was about to be settled, I thought yeah, in one week it will finally be over after 12 months of all this I can finally sit back and get my life in order and not have to think or worry about lawyers, estates etc again. Just goes to show yet again, you never know what is coming around the corner and what life will throw at you.

Intesha, I sincerely hope, from the bottom of my heart, that your father’s estate settles quickly, and the outcome is as you want it to be, sending you lots of love and best wishes xx

Yes Intesha I am the executor. We also argued that because the contesters mother and stepfather are quite wealthy and the contester is the beneficiary of that wealth, as well as lived a very good lifestyle because of that wealth, the contester should not receive part of the estate of someone they had no relationship with because they will be well provided for in the future estate of their mother/stepfather. But the counter argument was that the mother and stepfather may squander all of their wealth before they pass therefore leaving the contester with nothing so that is why they are entitled to a portion of the estate now because it is a guarantee of an inheritance, whereas a future inheritance is not guaranteed. It seems to me that logic, reason, common sense and ‘doing the right thing’ is not what the law is about in my opinion.

I can’t believe this, I’m so sorry G’day, after everything you have been through. I simply cannot comprehend how someone could do this, in their time of grief. Nor did I know that the courts are so blasé about the wishes of the deceased. Honestly what is the point of a will?

And my final level of dismay is the sheer volume of greedy parasites that are out there

My heart is breaking for you Intesha and G’day

You passed Cinque. 🙂

I have been wondering where you have been, and how you are. Is everything okay with you?

Evening everyone.

Well the insane weather is continuing, we had snow on and off all Saturday, tomorrow is supposed to be gale force wind and rain, but today was calm and around 20 degrees. I made the most of the break in the weather to get out for a big ride. I trialled a route to the start of the new cycle trail, trying to stay off main roads as much as possible.

Intesha, that sounds like a brilliant idea. Doing something for yourself to help hit your reset button. My Aunt died a couple of years ago, a year after she passed, her partner did a cycle tour of New Zealand as his reset. After 9 years of caring for your Dad, you deserve to do something for yourself.

I hope everyone else is doing well, I’ll catch up with you later.

Here is my post from a couple of days ago

Hello everyone,
Oh my goodness, what a lot to catch up on. So many dreadful things.

Not going badly here, I am glad to say.

Lindsay, I am so sorry the hospital apology and restitution is not over, or even moving along quickly. It is so cruel that they would know how much their behaviour would burden a family who are trying to heal from medical and mis-medical trauma, but they are making it as bad for you as they can.

And I am so sad that your health has been hit. Sending lots of good wishes. I do hope it is something/things that you can soon recover from.
https://bearloonsg.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/5-Tips-For-Choosing-The-Right-Get-Well-Soon-Flowers-1.jpg (haha don’t read the link, just click on it! 😀 )

Thanks for your thoughtfulness about Miso. I do still miss her and have so many daily reminders of her presence. That is nice though, they are reminders that I gave her the best life that I could.

Best wishes to you and Mr Lindsay,

PS Planning to do some ironing this afternoon! 😉

Cinque, I must have missed the post about Miso. I am so sorry to hear that. My daughter had to have her beautiful Burmese cat put down at the weekend. She had been with them for 13 years and when my daughter had a home birth with my grandson the cat never left her side. She was devastated as I am sure you are🌼

Anzac65, yes I am doing organised tours. They are for solos only and limited to a maximum of 16. Bit expensive but I would not feel safe on my own in those countries although years ago I travelled through Egypt on my own several times but never felt threatened just constantly hassled. Times have changed and the world has changed considerably. I will meet the other travellers on arrival in each country. When I booked the Turkey tour I knew it went to Gallipolli but didn’t realise it also included the dawn service on Anzac Day. That will be so special as my Dad was in the Navy and was in the Korean War. I know it’s about the First World War but is also dedicated to all who have served.

Good morning everyone

Well after a very good FD on Tuesday I lost……..nothing. Then after a reasonable (but not fantastic) NFD yesterday I gained 300g. I know I must be patient but honestly

Great news on the loss and awesome pattern that is developing Neil. Have a lovely rest of your holiday

I also would love to go to Gallipoli Intesha, you must tell me what it is like after you go. It all sounds wonderful and just what you need after so many years of stress and now more stress. Hopefully it will all be over soon and you can look forward to your amazing trips

Cinque, the last visit to the physio absolutely did the trick. He said there was one part of my neck that did not want to budge and he finally got it moving. I have had no pain at all since then. Hooray! Thanks for your kind words

Lindsay, G’day hope you are ok

LJ, would love to hear from you

Thin – hope you are ok too and your feet and shingles are somehow getting better. After Mr A had shingles I asked for the vaccine and had to wait a few months for it to be in supply again. But have had it now and phew, I am not good with pain and it looked VERY painful. I hope Mr Thin is recovering from the dog bite…what a nasty time you are having

The heat has gone and it is a lovely 23 degree sunny day today. We had a lot of rain yesterday and it was badly needed. I can’t believe I am saying that after 3 years of near constant rain. What a strange country this is – summed up beautifully by Dorothea Mackellar in ‘My Country’

Take care everyone

Good morning, it’s Sunday, so this must be a FD. I’ve woken to a sunny day forecast for 23C. In October! There are sheep opposite and a moorhen family squeaking for food. Moorhens can have five sets of chicks per year.

Thank you for your kind thoughts Anzac, Cinque and Neil. Spot on Cinque, I followed the instructions implicitly, even giving up alcohol in the weeks prior to the surgery to give myself the absolute best chance of healing. Three months after I first reported the complication (a hard, growing nodule), I’ve yet to be examined by anyone medical but, from photos submitted to various healthcare professionals, there’s either been a foreign body left in my foot during surgery; one of the two screws has come loose or it’s something totally unrelated. I’ve resorted to returning to the NE to see the operating surgeon, four hours by train, more hotels, etc. We’re zooming (at 4mph) from Oxford to Rugby to get near a train station with a more direct route and, fingers crossed, the train drivers aren’t striking on my appt. day.

Shingles is a different story. I was very fortunate to be given access to powerful anti-virals within the first
48 hours so it wasn’t bad at all for me. I’d urge anyone who’s eligible for the vaccine to have it as, like Anzac said, it can be very painful. Poor Mr Anzac.

Neil, I’m so pleased that your weight is under control and you’re mostly on a downhill slide. And great that you’re back on your bike. What crazy weather you’ve been having.

Anzac, I’m delighted that the physio has fixed up your neck pain. How are you getting on with travelling in to work? I’m sorry that you feel your big travel trips have come to an end but I’m starting to feel the same way about travelling. I’m grateful that I’ve seen so much of the world in an authentic way as a backpacker and living like a local. I no longer have the appetite for budget travel and tourist style travel doesn’t appeal to us at all. With social engineering to make everyone and everything in the world exactly the same, we may as well just settle somewhere and let ‘diversity’ come to us.

Cinque, it must be so hard for you to strike that perfect balance between helping the family and looking after yourself. I bet the grandchildren are such a pleasure for you and hopefully they’re getting to an age where they can understand your limitations and help you. I’m pleased that you’re learning to handle that awful reflux and that the symptoms have settled down of late. I made mung bean soup the other day and thought of you. Even OH commented that it’s filling and nutritious – a far cry from looking around for the meat.

On the subject of Wills, it’s idiotic that you can pay good money to a lawyer to draw one up, only to have it contested after your death when you can no longer speak for yourself. The best way we know to counter this is to set up a family trust. It costs a fair bit to set it up but nothing compared to the cost of defending a Will. Money and assets pass seamlessly to the intended beneficiaries (or so we hope).

Have a great day all.

Morning friends

So I lost 400g last week which was disappointing as there is normally a fairly dramatic water loss when you make a change like this. Oh well

Thanks Thin and Cinque, I struggled a bit on the FD’s but I got through and yes, I did feel lovely and light the next day

I’ve managed to fight the good fight Thin and am mostly WFH again. However not long after I convinced my boss that this was necessary he took off to another project and I have a new boss starting soon. He is not new to the company but I just hope against hope that he is open minded. I do go in once a week/fortnight to do some whiteboarding with my SME so I hope that will suffice

FD today, number 3 and for dinner I have chicken marinating in yoghurt, fresh thyme/coriander/oregano, paprika, cayenne and lemon juice. I had this last week and it was delicious and ready in 25 minutes in the air fryer. A huge salad with some light dressing and voila. I’m having some fresh spring rolls with crunchy veges for my late lunch

I’m so sorry about your ongoing feet issues Thin and it must be so incredibly frustrating that you can’t seem to get any help. I hope that going back to the operating surgeon does the trick. Fingers crossed

Please make sure you take care of yourself Cinque and not overdo things with the family. It’s lovely that they have you but I’m sure they understand when you need to put your hand up

Have a great day everyone

Morning all, quick Wednesday check in. I’m back at work, and down another 300g this morning. It’s slow progress but still moving in the right direction 7 out of the last 8 weeks. I’ve lost a total of 2.7 kilograms

I’ll catch up with the rest of the posts later.