Update

Well I have been quite slack at updating this blog lately. We have been very busy. I am still working for Fiskars as one of the two Australian Lead Ambassadors. I love this role. My focus is on media and creative development. I am also still working for the YMCA a few times a week. Mainly evenings and a day on the weekend. Love both jobs.

J is nearing the end of his job. Only another month or less and then he can take some time off before the next one begins. We would love to go away on a holiday. We Might head up to QLD via the Kidman (love this highway) to visit the family and then go off touring around. Would love to go and see Tony and Mim's place before they move. Tony and Mim sadly have had to sell their farm as Tony has to have a back op that will require him to take a year off work. I feel so sad for them selling their farm as they love living there. They have purchased another place with about ten acres.

This month marked my two year anniversary of my diagnosis of Breast Cancer. I feel grateful for these two years. I think differently and feel different. I am thankful for the doctors, family and friends that were there for me on my journey. It was a time of reflection this month not in a sad way but rather more thankful for being diagnosed. The alternative I would rather not think about. They told me I would have been lucky to have had six more months as my cancer was very aggressive. Check your boobs girls.

Ok happier thoughts...............

This week has flown by. I spent today going into head office in Melbourne to work. Love going into head office and catching up with everyone. Today I got to see many of the Summer CHA releases in real life. Man they are yummy. My favourite would have to be the new Kimberly Poloson range. Black, cream and white. Very nice.

About a month ago we (meaning J, myself, Kady and Leah) joined a local Karate group. So much fun. We are learning Kyokushin Karate.

Kyokushin kaikan (極真会館, Kyokushin kaikan?) is a style of stand-up, full contact karate, founded in 1964 by Masutatsu Oyama (大山倍達, Ōyama Masutatsu?) who was born under the name Choi Yong-I (최영의). Kyokushinkai is Japanese for "the society of the ultimate truth." Kyokushin is rooted in a philosophy of self-improvement, discipline and hard training. Its full contact style has had international appeal (practitioners have over the last 40+ years numbered more than 12 million]).
Kyokushin has influenced many of the "full-contact" schools of karate, emphasizing realistic combat, physical toughness, and practicality in its training curriculum.

This week we attended two classes on Wednesday night and then tonight. Classes go for 1.5 to nearly 2 hours. I was quite sore this week as we did a full on class on Wednesday and another not so intensive class tonight. We will feel it on sunday. Way too many sit ups and push ups that I care to count. Lots of punching, punching bags, kicking. In a month I can feel the difference already. I am hoping this will build up the strength on my left side that was lost from my breast cancer surgery. I can already feel where my muscles should be lol. Bring on feeling fitter. Tonight we all got our Gi's. It's great to be able to partake in a sport as a family. The instructor claims Leah is a natural as she is so flexible and can do a kick and turn that most black belts struggle with. He told her to practice and perfect it.

We came home tonight to see a large male roo in the back yard munching away on the grass. He didn't hop away until we went onto the verandah to open the back door. It's so nice seeing all the wildlife here. We seem to have two to three males here all the time.

During the week J was driving home from work and stopped for a roo knocked down by a car in front of him. He rang the local wildlife shelter and they sent someone out to shoot the roo. so sad that people don't stop. In the roo's pouch was a pinkie ( a baby without fur). J thought it was about 30 - 40 cm long. The babywas going to be taken to our local wildlife shelter where Mich helped out.

Ok all for now. I actually have a full weekend off. The first in many months. We have to go and cut firewood though. It's cold and damp so not looking forward to it. 4.2 degrees tonight. I started this post hours ago. Time to head off for bed. Night.