Run, tea, bubbles - yay for Saturday's!

I promised I would make the most of this time away from home so I am! I had a lazy Friday night in and slept so well, I rolled out of bed at 930am. After an hour of faffing, I headed out for 5km as per the plan. It was nice. Felt good. And felt like I can easily pull my times up soon. 

Next up was a yummy bagel with lox and cream cheese and coffee from my old reliable Gloria jeans - reliable. 

Then time to get clean and smart is for an afternoon of high tea with my lovely girlfriends. 

It was lovely to find that the Burnt Orange uses products from Avoca Ireland - my Mum has a set of button design cups - as the lovely Sarah is modelling below. 

A very delicious selection of goodies!

And a very lovely selection of girls!

Sarah and I finished out the day with some bubbles and an anti pasto selection and chats til late. 

Lovely lovely day!

Gear review - belts

I'm a short, curvy runner. Fabulous but short and curvy. 

I say this as I've spent some time looking for a great belt to hold my phone, keys, gel etc for short runs to half marathons. 

I've had a go with a Nathan belt (didn't like how it felt), a flipbelt (lost my iPhone) and finally bought a spibelt and am SO happy!

SPI belt stands for small personal item belt - which doesn't really cover how awesome (I think) this belt is!

Firstly and 1) it stays still. It sits wherever I put it - hips, waist, tummy - and doesn't move. Not at all. 

Secondly, it fits lots! So stretchy! I usually just have my phone and keys but it also has capacity for enough gels for a half marathon and an inspiration note - you should always have one of those :)

Thirdly, it looks good, great in fact! 

As my training runs get longer for the marathon,  I think I'll have to upgrade  to the energy belt with gel holders. 

Run, jog, repeat

Interval day

Run 4, jog 1, repeat x 4 = 20min intervals this morning. 

Not fast, not long, but I'm doing it!!!! 

Round and round...

After flying from England and arriving at 5am yesterday, I had a great night sleep. 

My work is putting me up in a lovely studio apartment near the office. I'm 5mins walk from work, have my own car to use and lots of me time. 

 Today was a days work - meetings meetings - and home at 5 and off for a 5km run. I'm glad it did it - I was going, then not, then going and finally just did it. Yay for me. 

It was a slow but steady hilly circuit of Macquarie university. I know I have a lot of work to do so I've gotta get started and keep going! 

My photo in the lift was...eye opening. A lot of work to do. 

My girl!

She truly is my daughter! We love eating out! 

Working mum - travel time

I'm incredibly lucky to work for an Australian company while living in Woolpit!

But right now, tonight, as I stare at my packed suitcase, it's hitting home that I have to leave my husband and daughter for three weeks to go back to Sydney for work. 

I'm not sure how I will handle this. I'm not sure how they will handle this. I know we will all survive it. I know there will be no lasting (emotional) scars. 

I'm just wondering how Ms P will handle me not being here for a meltdown. Or her  need for mama hugs. Or her laugh and story of the day or...argh. 

I know every mama out there will understand how much I love her. How, in three weeks, so much will happen and change for her. How missing those weeks will mean I can't get those moments back. 

How the hell will I handle school and college???

Two decisions made then!

First, I will be more present when I with her. I will put my phone down. I will be in the moment with her. Not every single moment -reality bites - but not half there/half working /face booking or whatever. 

Secondly, I will make the most of my time away. Physical, mental, emotional health get prioritised. For her and for me. Marathon training gets started in full force. Time with my soul mate friend Lady S. 

I'll be a mama she can be proud of. 

Who wouldn't want to be for her!

3 and three quarters... Life at...

I got my first "you're not my best friend anymore" this morning. Hilarious! 

This day included two huge meltdowns, a lovely lunch at a high tea spot, a haircut by a student (who, while lovely, didn't really get that she was cutting a child's hair - a 3 3/4 yr old who doesn't know how to hold her head still for minutes), buying lunch boxes for her friends in Australia, more meltdowns, cuddles on my bed, trampolines, kisses, packing for three weeks away, laundry and outfit prep for Pippa. 

Some days need a wine - or three. 

Step one

I started. Last night I went to my first training session with the Stowmarket Striders. 

I joined the beginner group - about 8 of us - away from the big group of...80? Or maybe 40. Either way it seemed like a lot.

It was a sprint session and fun! More than I expected. I didn't fit well into my running gear - too many chocolates - but I ran and had fun. 

I've also just put together my marathon plan. 

So tomorrow i will run again. I also will be biking Pip to daycare which is fun for both of us! It's only 3.3kms but a bit hilly and definitely enjoyable. 

Dreams by a 3.5 year old

Every morning I ask Pip if she dreamed last night and what was it about. 

Most nights it me and her, jumping in muddy puddles. 

This morning was a little different!

Pip - "I dreamed of you and me and daddy and nana and grandad and all my cousins jumping in muddy puddles" 

Me - "and who was jumping the highest?"

Pip - "Grandad. There was a kangaroo teaching him how to jump!"

Me - "wow! And did anyone else have a teacher?"

Pip - "my cousin Rua had a frog teaching him how to do a frog jump."

I love her imagination!

Marathon training - week 1

Well I'm going to do it! Sign up for, train for, and run a marathon! Why not, eh?

I'm doing this for a few reasons - after saying for years I would run a marathon, so here goes. 

1 - I can. Working from home allows me some flexibility so when the training runs get long, I can see a way to do a 3.5hour training run

2 - I want to do something big! I've noticed Pip struggling at times to control her world...or parts of it. While she reacts with (massive, earth shaking) tantrums, I'm hoping to avoid this. She's 3.5. I don't have this excuse. 

3 - I want to commit to something. And follow through. 

4 - I want to meet people! And that is going to happen through running by...wait for it...joining a running club which I started tonight!

I'm going to follow a plan (work in progress) and train with a group - Stowmarket Striders - but I'll be on my own for a few weeks in Sydney. I leave England on Saturday for three weeks work. Back on June 7. 

More to come on this with weekly updates on progress to the plan. 

Yay me! I can do this!

Malteasers, Kit Kats and rainbow checkers - cake -tick!

When Pip has had her three birthdays I have made some pretty awesome cakes (if I do say so myself). 

First year was a beautiful rainbow cake under a white icing layer. 

Second was a coloured inside cake pop cake. 

Mid year we had the heart christening cake...

And third was a Gaston the ladybird cake with Ben and Holly on top!

So when it came to my 40th birthday, I bought it was time for me to make a fancy cake for myself!

Mum and I were chatting about the kind of cake and some words popped up repeatedly - malteasers and colour. But classy. Mmmm how's that going to work? 

We ended up deciding on a classy outside with a colourful inside - and it worked out a treat! 

Malteasers, Kit Kats, layers of coloured cake.... Easy peasy! 

Ping me for instructions!!! 

Fabulous at 40... Same same!

Turns out I decided that I was already fabulous and wanted to enjoy my food no social occasions without worrying about calories. And I did.

I turned 40 last week and had a ball. Starting with a family holiday party in Ireland - 2 grandparents, 10 parents and 9 grandchildren plus my "almost a brother" cousin were all in attendance at my parents home for a fabulous get together.

There was a malteaser/kit kat / rainbow /checkered cake (a whole seperate post). There was wine, beer, gin and more. There was a bbq extravaganza. There was rain and shine - in true Irish weather style. Mostly there was a lot of laughs from everyone.

Mr T was there for a couple of days (Pip and I were there for nearly a week).

All in all I felt a lot of love.

And the presents - oh I'm a lucky girl. My brothers and wives bought me a beatiful Thomas Sabo necklace and mum and dad a ring to match.

Mr T and Pip bought be a push bike!!!!! With a child seat so I can drop Pip to daycare and go from rides to the local duck pond.

We finished off my actual birthday with dinner at Wagamama and more cake.



Lucky 40 year old me.

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