The WORST Four Letter Word…….DIET!!!!

Hello fellow bloggers!!  Been a while……been busy, been sick, been full of excuses – you know how it is, right?

Anyway…..here I am, ready to share my diet secrets with you all for the low, low price of……Absolutely NOTHING!!!

Yep, you heard right!  Zero, zilch, naught, nothing, nada.

Why??  What’s the catch you ask?  I’ll tell you.

I got nothing!  No secrets. Actually…..no diet either!    Bazinga!   LOL

Seriously though,  I have just this morning started on this interesting new way of eating and I would prefer not to jeopardize me even starting this by calling it a “diet”.

I watched a program on the telly the other night called “Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead” where the dude has some chronic skin disease that itches day and night, is on all sorts of medications, is sick,  overweight, tired, grumpy, no energy to exercise, yada, yada – pretty much what I feel like actually.  He decides to go on this 60 day fast where he has nothing but fresh juices – veg, fruit etc – and nothing else.  Well long story short, he lost bucketloads of weight, gained heaps of energy, lost his skin disease and is now off all medications!!  Well – I was INSPIRED!!  Didn’t think much about drinking juice for 60 days straight though!  So I “Sandy-fied” it a bit and this is what I came up with……SMOOTHIES + NIGHT TIME MEAL!  Perfect for me, I think.

So I came across this most AWESOME web site:-  http://www.incrediblesmoothies.com/          The young woman has her own wonderful story to tell and loads of receipes to get you started.

This was my first smoothie this morning – and while it looks radioactive, it tastes wonderful!!  Even my hubby – who was brave enough to dip his finger in the green mush – didn’t keel over!  It’s made up of celery, spinach, kiwi fruit, mango, mint leaves – Have a look at this baby!

I can’t belive how good something so chronically “green” could taste!  Preaching to the converted now!  lol

Have a great weekend!

Cheers – Sandy

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More on Organising……

Good morning Guys ‘n Gals!!

You all know how much of a brilliantly organised person I am (NOT!!!  lol)  – I just wanted to quickly share this blog I found while trawling through Facebook this morning.  What a brilliant idea!!  Although I reckon I would have to do daily purges, at least to start off with until I get my enormous pile of hoarded “stuff” under control!!  LOL    Anyway….go check it out for yourself – great ideas!

http://orgjunkie.com/2012/10/how-to-make-weekly-household-purges-happen.html

Hoping to put pen to paper (or fingers on keyboard…he he) shortly for some new bloggy news.  I have been super uber busy getting ready for my Annual Sandy Pandy Jewellery Party and it is now OVER for another year, so I have a small window of breathing space before I get back into full swing, giving my son the extra tutoring he needs to make it through end of year exams etc…..   Chat soon!

Have a great weekend!

Cheers – Sandy

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These Are A Few Of My Favourite Things….That Annoy Me!

As I whirled through my housework today during a period of what can only be described as something akin to “cyclonic activity”…… I was distracted from my work by certain minor/intermediate annoyances.  Normally, whilst engaging in tedious work of this nature, I am more than happy to be distracted from the task at hand.  However, it just seemed to me, that the universe was conspiring against me because it really wanted me to go and play with my bits of metal and rivets and inks and glass beads – well, anything shiny and bright really – instead of making sure my family came home to a clean, orderly place of residence.  I’m happy to say that I perservered in my quest to provide floors fit to eat dinner off and a dunny that sparkles…..and I DARE anyone to find a single solitary cell of staphylococcus bacteria on MY phone!!

Anyway……says she who is easily distracted……here is a list of:

“Things That Just DO My Head In.”

1. Someone gets a new bar of soap to put in the shower…..but still leaves bits of the old soap in the dish.  *Growl* – C’mon guys!!  Everyone knows that the old soap bits NEVER stick to the new soap……just take ’em out, throw ’em away ……. or something…..
2. Leaving 4 sheets of toilet paper on the roll…..and NO SPARES in the roll holder next to the dunny!!  Very inconvenient..ok.
3. Halfway through vacuuming….the disposable bag’s full so I throw it out, then discover I don’t have any spare ones and it’s an hour long round trip to buy more….Doh!
4. Seeing teenage man-child’s clothing drawers open – for the 97th time this week….. I mean, how hard is it to just close the drawer after you take your jocks out for goodness sake?????????
5. Really dirty hands, NO HAND SOAP!!  Guess that will be me that fills that up huh?
6. Having to put away the DVD’s laying on the TV unit…..again.  I swear I am one step closer to implementing my threat where everything that’s not put away will go into bags and be dropped off at the op shop.
7. Finding 1 tiny, lonely piece of cold meat left in the container in the fridge – not even enough for a quarter slice of bread.  Guess if you leave it there that means the next person who comes along (Oh!  That would be MUM!) opens it and therefore the rule where “The last person who touches it has to wash up the container” now applies.
8. Finding a pile of dirty socks stashed under a pile of clean clothes in teenage man-child’s room. Why they appear to be strategically hidden from something/one is beyond me?  Are the sock Nazi’s in the neighbourhood this week?  I counted 9 steps from his room to the dirty laundry basket – not exactly a marathon distance – yet he happily trudges the 16 steps from his room to the TV much more often and with much less whinging!  Go figure…..
9. Someone leaves a tissue in their pocket and it goes through the wash!  Ok….so this is usually ME (looking sheepish…. 🙂  ) -but it still annoys me when it happens.
10. Four drops of milk left in the container at 9 o’clock at night.  Shops are shut – that means no milk for brekky…..or coffee!
11. Having to ask 18 times for teenage man-child (who’s sitting on couch watching Simpsons….very comfy thank you…while I’m trying to do 10 million things) to PLEASE feed the dogs before they forget the saying about “never bite the hand that feeds you”…….
12. Driving all the way into town with various catalogues stuffed under one’s armpits, in full battle-dress and ready to brave the hoardes of desperate shoppers determined to buy anything with a red spot special…..only to find out the sale ended ……    yesterday…… 😦
13. Why, after a hearty meal of roast beef, roast potatoes and yummy vegies, would you bother to leave 7 peas on your plate and then complain because Mum asked you to finish them off?  Annoyed….because the above-mentioned peas are quietly and surreptitiously fed to the drooling dog, desperate for any handout off the dinner plate……even if it is only 7 measly peas.
14. Having a fridge full of food and no earthly idea what to have for dinner?????

Ahhhh – and on that note, I will retire to stare blankly into the fridge – silently willing Jamie Oliver to suddenly turn up on my doorstep out of the blue and inform me that I have won a whole month’s worth of his kitchen services!!!!  YAY!!  Oh well – no point in having small, achievable dreams, is there?  lol.  Best I get back to working out what’s for tea…..

Have a great weekend, fellow blog-landers…..

Peace & love.

Cheers – Sandy

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NOPE!! NEVER!! CAN’T MAKE ME…Um – oh, well – maybe just a little then….

Have you ever dug your heels in about something that you really DIDN’T want to do?  And I don’t mean when you were a kid and were determined not to cut in half the last red jelly snake to share with your brother!  (Although thinking back….that would be right up there  amongst the top things to dig your heels in about…)

No.  I’m talking about knowing you have to do something – sort of  life or death (well almost) – with the knowledge that it’s no longer a democratic decision on your part.  You know…..the choice is no longer solely yours to make, outta your hands etc etc.   Of  little comfort is the fact that knowing the outcome will benefit you and therefore probably others around you,  knowing that you will get used to it…..eventually (sure! yada, yada…etc)…..and maybe you won’t even hate it so much anymore.

I’m talking about EXERCISE!  *sigh*

I hate exercise!

Ok, I’m lazy. I know that.  I love to be a couch potato.  I love to watch the telly.  I love to dawdle around when I’m doing my shopping.  Any sport that involves sitting on my butt….I’m your man!  Er, well….woman 🙂   Even my work involves sitting down – either making beads, or making jewellery or book keeping etc.  Actually I used to be incredibly active when I was growing up, continuing all through my teens and early twenties.  I think that’s the problem – I’ve used up all my energy in the first 20 years of my life!!  LOL   Or maybe it’s because I have Fibromyalgia and it hurts  to do much else than sit,  some days.

Either way…….apparently 71.5 kgs for my petite frame is way too much, as is my cholesterol level of ……(mumble, mumble – not telling!) . Oh and don’t forget the fact that I can’t seem to run the fur babies around the back yard without collapsing into a heaving, wheezing, coughing mess.  Add that to my various sleeping issues etc etc and my  doctor’s orders are that I slide that chair under the table, put up the foot rest on my comfy recliner, turn the computer off,  lace up my joggers and move my butt (and my legs) towards the great outdoors.  Or the treadmill.  Whatever is my preferred option – that choice is actually up to me!

****GROAN*****

How does one start this new-fangled exercise stuff?  Actually, I did start walking a few months ago.  For a couple of weeks anyway.  I am a self-confessed “night freak” BUT I got myself out of bed at 5.30 in the morning (what the hell was I on??  And where can I get some more???  :)) and joined the army of “morning freaks” for their daily dose of dawn torture.  And most of them even looked HAPPY at that time of the day!  Pretty sure my face told a very different story to theirs….LOL    Several mornings, I even walked in the rain!  Now that’s dedication!!  It was on one of these rainy mornings when I was hurrying home, that I strained my foot and ended up  with a foot spur – which was incredibly painful.  See!  I knew exercise was damaging to your health!  This would not have happened if I was tucked up in bed!

Not that I’m really fat or anything – I just need to lose enough weight so that I don’t have to succumb to Number Two on my list of things that I really HATE doing……………CLOTHES SHOPPING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyway……….I’ve procrastinated enough.  Time to just “man up” and get stuck in.  Maybe I’ll start nice and slow.  Just a few laps around the lounge room and then I might have to have a little lie down on the couch with a cuppa. 🙂

Catch you all later!!  Hope you’re having a great week!

Cheers – Sandy

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A De-Cluttering I Will Go!!

I’m motivated!!  Yep. I am.  I have been procrastinating for quite a while now – languishing between “don’t wanna”, “don’t feel like it”, “can’t be bothered”, “too busy”, “don’t feel well”, “have housework to do”……and just about any other lame excuse I could formulate in my brain.  But today, I was trolling through facebook and accidentally tripped over a post made by one of my FB friends showing this awesome little cupboard laundry where everything had a place and was actually stored there – even down to shelving in the doors!!!  (I mean…how cool is that!! How come I NEVER think of cool things like that?)

Anyway, this lady’s organising skills are no less than “incredible, amazing, awesome”  etc, etc,  and she has single-handedly inspired me to…..wait for it and don’t die of shock…….clean up my pigsty!!   I have accumulated sooooo much stuff over the years and in particular, beads, jewellery and lampworking tools, glass rods (but of course, a girl cannot possibly have too much glass!!  Can she?), more beads and findings, books, books, books, tutorials, photographic equipments, storage containers for beads….ooohhh – I am just dying under the weight of it all.

So I figured I’m prolly never going to get my coveted “girl’s shed” – like ever – and I’m also prolly never going to move into a much bigger house with many more storage rooms in which to hide my treasures, so best I get to it and decide which stuff I can’t live without for the next few months.  At the moment, I can’t actually get to my workbench because I have boxes of stuff and tool boxes full of tools and metal and wire and glass bottles that I’m going to cut up for recycling –  so I figured I needed to start right there!  Now I’m just about to head off to the shed ‘cos I know there are some plastic storage boxes down there that will come in very handy.  But what I really need is someone to materialise in my house and give me a really good pep talk along with some face to face tips on how to straighten out my mess!  Here are some “Before” shots of my pigsty….ahem….studio.

Behind the desk

In front of the desk

Kiln and computer area

Under the desk

Any takers?  Anyone……at all??

No?  Not surprising really after looking at these horrible pics!   Oh well, it’s up to me, I guess.  Wish me luck.  Don’t s’pose you’ll see me for about 2 years!!  LOL  In the meantime, check out Becky’s wonderful blog about organising etc  – she even has a son with Autism, just like me!

http://organizingmadefun.blogspot.com.au/

Well, here I go. I’m doing it!  Who knows…..maybe I’ll find my missing creative streak in amongst my “stuff”!!  And then when I’m done with my studio, there’s a cupboard in the spare room that’s in desperate need of a makeover!!

Have a great one, even if you’re cleaning!

Cheers

Sandy

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Good ‘Ol Aussie Lingo!!

I guess that I never realised how “odd” our language here in Australia must seem to be to those visitors to our fair shores.  I recently attended a workshop with renowned American lampwork artist – Leah Fairbanks – and it was during dinner on the last night of Leah’s time in Brisbane, when we were engaging in fine food, drink and conversation, that it struck me how different our Aussie language is compared to other English speaking countries.  We were having a discussion about a person who had been dealt with in a “not-so-nice” way and I happened to say that the experience had “ripped the fork out of his nightie” – when our overseas guests erupted in laughter…..much to my surprise!  I’m a bit of a “bushie”  and this is everyday “speak” for me so I was a tiny bit bemused by all the mirth.  It did inspire me to think about some of the strange things we Aussies say – particularly those of us “bushies” who don’t live in the big cities – and if I hadn’t grown up with most of these sayings, I wouldn’t have a clue what I was talking about either!!

Here’s just a few of my fave’s….some were a little bit TOO rude to post though:-

Rip the fork outta ya nightie  – Give someone bad or devastating news/treat someone badly….

Havin’ a dingo’s breakfast – Have a pee and a good look around….

Within cooee of here – Close or nearby….

Give a cooee when ya ready – Usually refers to let someone know when you’re ready to leave….

Been hit with the fugly stick – Not very attractive….

Bumpin’ ya gums – Talking, chatting….

Fits like a finger in a bum – A tight fit for something….

Do ya lolly – Get angry, chuck/throw a tantrum….

Rough as guts – Crude/rough……

See ya ’round like a rissole – See you later……

About as useful as a back pocket in a T-shirt – Not very useful/useless…..

Few snags short of a barbie – Not very intelligent…..

Busy as a blowfly at a barbie – Very busy….

In two shakes of a lamb’s tail – Very soon…..

Happy as Larry – Very happy…..

Sillier than a two bob watch – Pretty stupid…..

Was ya father a glassmaker? – MOVE!!  I can’t see through you!

Tough as a Mallee bull – Well built/fit, damn near invincible…..

He’s as game as Ned Kelly – He’ll have a go…..

Sink the slipper – Kick literally or bring a person down while they’re vulnerable….

Ran like a hairy goat – Refers to a race horse not racing very well….

You smell like a gorilla’s armpit – You need a shower!

Man’s not a camel – I’m thirsty! Hurry up and get me a beer!

Freeze the balls off a brass monkey – Verrry coooold!!

Bread & Catch – A response to “What’s for dinner”?  Means “catch” your own and make a sandwich or whatever you want to make for yourself to eat….

Couldn’t drive a knife through soft butter! – Very bad driver…..

It’s a wigwam for a goose’s bridal – Means “mind your own business” and is usually in response to a question starting with  “what is……”??

Bum nuts or Cackel Berries for breakky – Eggs for breakfast….

Crooked as a dog’s hind leg – Not a very honest person…..

Trouble and Strife – The wife/missus……

Tin Lids – The kids or children…..

Paddywhack ya drumstick – Smack a naughty child’s bottom….

Harden up – Eat cement! – Learn to be tougher and not be a sook!

Talk under water with a mouth full of concrete – Talks incessantly – won’t shut up……

Don’t get ya knickers in a knot – Don’t get upset or angry…..

Livin’ out in the Digleys or Sticks – Living in the bush or outback Australia….

Time to hit the frog ‘n toad – Time to hit the road/drive away/ leave….

FIGJAM – @#%& I’m Good, Just Ask Me……Sorry, this one’s a bit rude – I’ve left out a word, but I’m sure you get the idea…. right?  🙂

And this, dear fellow blog-landers,  is the reason I tell people I don’t speak English – I speak AUSTRALIAN!!!  LOL

Have a fantastic week/weekend and let me know if you have any more Aussie – or otherwise – Slang Phrases to add to the mix!

Cheers,  Love  &  Peace to you all

Sandy

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De-Stash Beads #1

Ok – Roll up, roll up – come one and all!!

Here are the first beads available from my Mega Beady De-Stash Pile.  I’ve made smaller piles of beads to keep the price down and make them more affordable for everyone.

Prices as follows:

• Bead De-Stash #1 = $25 + postage to your area
• Bead De-Stash #2 = $27 + postage to your area

If your purchases total $120 or more in the one sale – postage to ANYWHERE in the world is FREE!!

(I will refund your postage costs back to your Paypal Account)

And you can find these here on my website…..   My Website

De-Stash Beads #1

Bead De-Stash #2

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Oh No!! I did it again!!

I don’t know why I have such an addictive nature.  I’m forever grateful that I don’t gamble.  I’d be living on the riverbank under the bridge by now.  But I just can’t help myself!!  I’m an addict……and all you bead and glass junkies out there know EXACTLY what I’m talkin’ about…..

THE NEED FOR GLASS and BEADS and MORE GLASS!!  I’m insatiable!  I have about 900 kilos of the stuff and I just ordered more!!  Should be here tomorrow.  Just in time for a torching session on Friday – woohoo!!  I figure at the rate I buy glass, I’m gonna need 4 more lifetimes to use it all up.  I told myself last time I ordered glass (about a month ago), that this would be IT for a very long time.  That was before I realised I had the attention span of a goldfish – about 3 seconds – and that one month in a goldfish’s world was indeed a very long time!!   Anyway…..how can I help it when the glass companies keep bringing out all these “to die for” colours!     Must…..have……more…..colours……

Anyway,  because I’ve got such a massive stash of beads – both my own lampwork goodies and store bought treasures – I have decided to have a massive de-stash of lots of stuff.  Mainly because I’ve got no room left to put anything – my little studio is busting at the seams and spilling over into the rest of the house (which as you can imagine, impresses my DH no end!!  NOT!!!  lol).  I can’t find anything and my head is all cluttered up too…….so time for action!  I’ve spent the last couple of weeks sifting through my bead pile and stringing some bits together – it’s dawning on me what an ENORMOUS job this de-stash is going to be!  But has to be done.

So no pics just yet……but watch this space – there’ll be some bargains to be had!

Hope you’re all having a great week…..if not – get busy being happy!

Cheers – Sandy 🙂

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Wise, Wise Words

There’s an old saying that “you should not put off until tomorrow, things that can be done today”……or words to that effect.

I’m reflecting on those words right now – thinking just how true they are.  In fact those words seem to be screaming at me.  I’ll tell you why.

A friend of mine has just passed away.  She had been sick for a few months.  I knew this.  I just didn’t realise HOW sick.  Of course I would have  – and should have – except that I was caught up in my own problems.  What a miserable  excuse.

I have been going to call in when I was in town.  I seemed to be always busy.  Too busy to drop in and say hi.  I didn’t feel well. I had shopping to do. Or errands to run. Or the child needed picking up from somewhere.  Or I had simply run out of time.

I didn’t realise that my friend was the one running out of time.

And I’m sorry. I’m so very, very sorry that I didn’t make the time for you my friend.  That doesn’t make me much of a friend – and I’m sorry.  For being selfish and for being busy and for not thinking of you when you needed me to.  I thought about dropping by so often….. I thought you would get better – but I was so wrong.    My plans to actually visit tomorrow came too late and  now there’s absolutely nothing I can do about it.   I feel like a complete mongrel.

For my other friends,  I promise you this:-

• I will pick up the phone and ring.

• I will visit first – the other errands can wait.  Since when were groceries or chores more important than people?

• I will email and let you know that you are in my thoughts and prayers.

• I will put my own bad day aside and hold your hand through yours.

• I will have no more regrets that I didn’t do these things.

And I will miss you, my friend.

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Tourette Syndrome.

Today my heart is hurting.  I want to talk about Tourette Syndrome – a subject close to our family.  Some of you may have it or know of someone who has.  Some of you have heard of it.  Some of you have never heard of it.  (There’s a website at the end of the page for those who wish to embark on a course of discovery, or you could google it yourself….)

My teenage son has Tourette Syndrome.  Of course, we have known this for quite some years.  He hates it.  I hate it…..more so ‘cos he hates it.  If I could take it off him and carry the burden myself, I would do it in less than a heartbeat.  And it is a burden.  Can you even imagine how incredibly irritating and disturbing it must be to be shaking and twitching and flicking and clicking and snorting and sniffing and blinking rapidly and having to make all sorts of  facial, neck and limb movements all of the time?  Every waking moment.  No respite.  It only stops when he sleeps.

That has gotta SUCK – BIG TIME!!!!!!

I tried to imitate him once.  Just to try and walk in his shoes for a while and gain some understanding of what he was going through.  I shook my head. Twitched my eyebrows. Flicked my head. Blinked rapidly.  Wiggled my mouth.  Snorted.  Made faces. Tried to do all of this while watching TV and reading a book.  I lasted 12 minutes.  Longest 12 minutes of my life!  Had a splitting headache and a crook neck afterwards.  But my boy does this – all day, every day.  He even manages to play computer games, watch the telly AND read his books. How GOOD is HE!!!

But here’s one of the down sides of Tourettes.  People can be cruel.  Children and teenagers can be cruel.  Even their mums and dads can be cruel.  I gotta tell ya that  I expected a whole lot better than sarcastic remarks and horrible facial expressions from some of the adults in our community.  These people stare and point or nudge their companion and whisper and  make fun of someone else’s disability or disorder.  And when I see this happening or my son tells me that kids have been chucking off at him at school – it breaks my heart.

And then it makes me REAL MAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But I have to believe that, in general, most people are not horrible, nasty to the core, goblins and instead are just ignorant and uneducated about Tourette Syndrome.

So, I’ve put pen to paper in the hope that every person that happens to read this will find the motivation to become educated –  along with their wives, husbands, partners, their children, their neighbours, their friends, their school-mates, their work colleagues – about Tourette  Syndrome.   The people who suffer from this disorder are NOT mentally handicapped and while some may learn to suppress the symptoms for a short period, they’re certainly NOT able to stop it from happening indefinitely!

I ask, plead, beg – whatever – you to become more informed about Tourette Syndrome.   Make my son’s life a little easier by telling your kids or students (if you’re a teacher) that he’s not a “retard” and that it’s totally unacceptable to call him one!  My son looks “different” and that makes him a target for all sorts of nasty school yard pranksters.  I know it upsets him. It upsets me enough.

Will you pass this on?

I hope so.

Sandy

For more information on Tourette Syndrome, copy and paste this link into your browser…..

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/tourette/detail_tourette.htm

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