No sugar for a month? Who's crazy idea was that?

Call me crazy, but I decided to have no sugar for a month. No sweets, lollies, cakes, desserts, biscuits, cookies, no fizzy drinks. None. The intention was to stop the cravings and break the habit.

Of course I knew I couldn't avoid all sugars, but I have, for the entire month of June, avoided most and have declined any offers on the afore mentioned goodies. And it's nearly killing me!

It sounded like a great idea at the time. Of course, these things always do sound better in ones own head. So I have no-one but myself to blame.

It has not been easy. I am a person who includes chocolate in the major food groups. And here at day 25, it seems even harder than days 1, 2 and 3. Right now, all I want is chocolate. Forget the cakes etc, I'm not really bothered. But chocolate is infiltrating my every thought.

Last night I even dreamed I ate chocolate. As I was half way through I realised what I had done. I even felt guilty! And this morning I woke up wanting it even more.

Roll on next Wednesday... July 1st is chocolate day!

No sugar for a month? Who's bright diea was THAT?

Call me crazy, but I decided to have no sugar for a
month. No sweets, no lollies, no cakes, desserts, biscuits, cookies, no
fizzy drinks. Of course I knew I couldn't avoid all sugars, but I have
declined any offers on theafore mentioned goodies.

It sounded
like a great idea at the time. Of course, these things always do sound
better in ones own heads. I have no-one but myself to blame.

And
it has not been easy. I am a person who includes chocolate in the major
food groups. And here at day 25, it seems harder than days 1, 2 and 3.
Right now, all I want is chocolate. Forget the cakes etc, I'm not
really bothered. But chocolate is infiltrating all my thoughts.

Last
night I even dreamed I ate chocolate. And as I was half way through I
realised what I had done. I even felt guilty! And this morning I woke
up wanting it even more.

Roll on next Wednesday... July 1st is chocolate day!

Etsy goodness...

Today I received a package in the post which came all the way from South Carolina, USA. It was a little bag of wooden acorns from "Wee Wood Natural Toys."

I love them and I love Etsy!

Reason for Celebration...

Today is the shortest day of the year. And this, for me, is reason for celebration.

With sunrise at 7.36am and sunset at 5.08pm, there will be just 9 hours and 32 minutes of daylight in Melbourne today. This in comparison to the summer solstice on December 21, when there will be 14 hours and 47 minutes of daylight.

Winter is my least favourite season. The days are short. It's cold (and I hate being cold). And it's not Summer. Don't get me wrong, I love snuggling up next to a roaring open fire. I actually quite like walks in the quiet of foggy mornings. I love getting into my cosy bed (pre warmed thanks to my trusty electric blanket). And I certainly like steaming bowls of soup and mugs of hot chocolate as an antidote to the cold. But give me the bright sunshine of summer any day.

And so, as the shortest day is here and we begin again the journey toward Spring and Summer, I celebrate the passing of the shortest day in the Southern hemisphere. Because it means we are heading in the right direction. It may be some time off yet, but there is light (and sunshine) at the end of the tunnel.

I blame the TV...

I don't watch a lot of TV. Even the amount I do watch is too much. It takes up too much time, does not stimulate my mind and if I allow, it manages to fill my night. Before I know it, it's time for bed and I have wasted another night. It is a trap.

Quite a few years ago, my partner and I got rid of the TV for 6 months. And I loved it. I read more. I listened to the radio more. We talked more. When the football season began, I was convinced that the TV come back into our home. And it infiltrated into our lives and much of our spare time again.

The TV I own now is only tiny. Small enough to be hidden in a cabinet and not take over the room or the conversation. It can be closed away completely when I please and I like it that way. In fact, I would quite happily not have a television at all. And so, when people realise what viewing I am 'reduced' to, and they ask me why I don't upgrade, I tell them it's not a priority.

Of course, it does make watching subtitled movies pretty much impossible. And whilst I could blame that on the fact I could really do with getting my eyes checked, I blame the TV.

Small things...

I have been struggling with my blog recently. For months in fact. I want to write but my heart has not been in it and now I just don't know where to start. I've lost the path.

So last night, when I caught up with Jason from seven a.m, he gave me some advice. It is not the first time I have heard this and I know I have given it to others... but sometimes the simplest of advice is the hardest to take - especially for oneself.

So, you want to know. What was his advice?

To start.
That's it.
Simple, yes?

Start small.
Write.
A story.
Nothing major.
Nothing ground breaking.
Entertain myself.
Have some fun.

Start doing. Start writing. Begin. With anything.

I am also doing The Artist's Way. It's hard. Inevitably, it's bringing up a lot of stuff. Stuff that in the most part I manage to ignore or hide away. But now I am getting on with that too. Again. Not trying (because let's face it, that implies an acceptance of failure)... not trying - DOING.

Small things.