*sings* "Happy Birthday to me, happy birthday to me....."

Yep, it's my birthday today! I'm now officially in my MID 40s!! 45!! Nooooooo! Oh well, at least I look and feel a damn sight better than what I was on my 44th!! So I started my birthday celebrations by getting up at 5.20am and heading off to boot camp! Whilst we were running up and down the hill, a friend of mine was walking round the lake with her mum, saw me and called out "Happy Birthday". Consequently, after hearing this my fellow boot campers then sang Happy Birthday to me whilst I blushed (and sweated!) profusely.

Darling hubby bought me some new runners (I was with him when he got them) but I couldn't wear them this morning 'cos he wrapped them up so the kids could give them to me when I got home from boot camp. So I'll wear them on Wednesday, but I asked Jen (trainer) if she could make sure we don't do our session in the sand or on the wet grass (which is generally covered in duck poo!) 'cos I want to keep them nice. LOL. She said fine, we could just sit in our cars for the session, hehe.

Russ and the kids also gave me a CD (The Fray - I like them, but strangely, so do the kids!) a DVD - Six Feet Under Season 1, and even stranger, a PS2 game - Buzz, the sports quiz! Mmmm, interesting presents, don't you think!

My darling mum and dad spoiled me yet again - I got some lovely earrings, a pretty blouse, some perfume (Versace Woman - divine!) and some spending money. They are so good to me.

Anyway, no celebrating for me tonight - Russ and I will be using our Gold Class tickets tomorrow afternoon, we'll probably have a nice lunch beforehand (after weigh-in, hehehe).

Naughty Julie!!!

Well! Three days before weigh in I ate out on EACH OF THE 3 DAYS!!!! And I still somehow managed to lose 300 grams! I don't believe it. I did make good choices, but with the wine etc., etc............

Russ and I celebrated our 22nd wedding anniversary on Friday. "You don't get that long for murder!" he always says. Because the girls both had basketball games on Friday night, we decided to go out for lunch instead - just a pub bistro. It was nice, but we had to take our son Josh with us - he was home from school due to a curriculum day - hardly romantic!

So Saturday night we went out for dinner - that was supposed to be our romantic date - but our favourite Thai restaurant was particularly noisy that night, so you tend to lose the romantic feel when you have to yell at each other across the table to be heard! Anyway, the food was good.

Then on Sunday night we went out for a barbecue with the "girls" from my basketball team (we're called the Tri-Hards, 'cos that's what we do - when we're not laughing!) and their husbands. We had a terrific night, ate too much, drank too much and laughed all the time. And I had dessert(s) - pavlova, which I haven't had for AGES! and some home-made apple pie which was the best ever! I only had really small serves of each, so I was sorta good!

So Monday morning it was back on track - boot camp nice and early! I was sooooo good with my points as well, so I think that's how I managed to lose. Sometimes I just don't get it though - if you think about it too much it'll just do your head in. Que sera sera!

I was thinking about something my WW leader said some weeks ago, and it really applies to me, when I go "off track". Old "Naughty Julie" was waaayyyyy worse than new "Naughty Julie"!! A year ago Iwould've eaten a HUGE slice of that pav and apple pie, and gone back for seconds!! And eating out I wouldn't have hesitated to order something that was deep-fried or in a creamy sauce. Not now! But even when making good choices, if it tastes good you can't help feeling guilty....................

Boot Camp #2

Well I managed to survive my first boot camp, and in a moment of madness, signed up for Boot Camp No. 2! So another six weeks of getting up at 5.20am every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I wonder if at the end of this boot camp I could get myself some boots like these? Actually, forget the boots, I'd be happy with legs like that!

I know it's sounds crazy but I really do enjoy the discipline of boot camp (if you know what I mean). I don't think I would work so hard if I went to a gym, unless I had someone standing over me, watching me all the time. This morning we did upper body work, so my arms feel like jelly, but hopefully soon I won't have those flabby bits that sway in the breeze!

Last night we (Russ, the two girls and Kaysie's friend) went to the Zoo Twilights concert and saw Daryl Braithwaite. It was fantastic!! Yes I'm a dag, an old Sherbet fan from wayback! I was amazed at the variety of age groups there, thoroughly enjoying it like we were. The girls were hanging out for Daryl to sing Horses, which he did for an encore. He also did a tribute to Billy Thorpe "Most People I Know Think That I'm Crazy", which everybody loved. What a night!

Joel's back at uni (thank goodness!) so he's now out from under my feet, so I can actually get some things done. Only problem is today I'm really lacking energy and motivation. I've got heaps of washing to do, but my machine's playing up and has flooded my laundry after the first load! I think that's a sign that I'm not meant to do much today! Sounds good to me............