Invitation to Diversity Drama

My daughter Jeandre' is involved with this project. Exicited to see what they have come with.

Second Photography Assignment

Apparently I forgot all about composition in this assignement and I have to redo it :(

So this week the theme will be out and about and portraits........after that I will be learning to use Photoshop.......lets see how I improve.

Blog for Peace

For more Peace Globes visit : http://mimiwrites.blogspot.co.uk/

Through a Cultural Lens: My Home

In the process of doing a communuty pphotography course organised by NICEM for Black & Ethnic Minorities in the Derry/Londonderry area. This weeks focus is on froming, using light, rules of third etc......
I need to choose 5 photographs to take next week Wednesday .......Decided to print 10 and then I will decide......

 Window View......gift from Patrinne

Table decor .....gift from Lorraine

 Birthday gift from my bestie in New Zealand .....Durban Curry Powder .....smells and taste divine......wonderful to have a bit of my homeland in my Northern Irish kitchen

Walking The Walk – That’s Impressive!

Walking The Walk – That’s Impressive!



I love the the thoughts shared and expressed in this article.



As I continue on my path to healthy lifestyle, I embrace the fact that I am not only making physical changes but emotional, relational, spiritual improvements as well. Though I will never be perfect, I will always strive to walk my talk.

Missing Robert Peterson

This week I have celebrated being married 15 years. When I started dating I was determined that I would not be hurt by a man, As a result I ran a way from relationships as I thought I might get hurt. The second week into my dating relationship with Weiers I was ready to run again ! Robert made me stop, he made me think and encouraged me to talk to Weiers. He took it a step further and create a space in his Mom's home for Weiers and I to eat and talk. Now 16 years and about 9 months later Weiers and I are still talking and working through life together.

I am thankful to God to allowing Robert to be part of my life. The story of above is just one of many ways he was a blessing.

Below Simone, Robert and Lisa

Sleeping over after his 21st birthday party

This is where cooked and served dinner to Weiers and Me 3 years later

A tribute to Robert Petersen from Siyabonga Media on Vimeo.

Blog for Peace by Mimi Lenox

Creator and Founder of BlogBlast4Peace, an online global peace initiative which hosts 176 countries and has been celebrated by thousands of people online, - See more at: http://mimiwrites.blogspot.co.uk/p/about-mimi-lenox.html#sthash.TFEuExbM.dpuf

Mimi Lenox Peace Blogger

Savouring the Moments

Do you sometimes extreme low and high moments in matter of minutes. This past week has been full of both.

After last week's weigh in I just felt like this coming week would be good. Then i got sick and was off work for two days. I thought there goes my good week. The exercise has come to a stand still and I have not slept well. Missing my husband.

It seems like I am allergic to him going away for last few years I gotten sick when he was away ...probably just a co-incidence. 

We went out to celebrate our 15th Anniversary - its only on the 24 September 2014 because his one week work assignment has been extended for another 2 weeks. We shared dessert Oreo Pie.........

Got home today and realised I left important documents at work and I could not go back to get it. Distracted by that i burned the pasta :(.........the first thing that ran through my mind was that after weigh in at Slimming World I am ordering Domino's ...........Then I got my results 4 1/2 pounds loss reaching my 2 1/2 stone award YAY.....no way I am going to ruin that with Takeout........

relishing learning and experiencing  life........

On Sunday in Bull Park learning to shoot hoops

Photography of NI and Ireland Lanndscapes

A collection of photographs taken between 2008 and 2014

Decisions ,challenges and Progress

What a week. I have being try to take small steps to being more organised. Work and school are now in full swing. Being celebrating the success of daugther at school. Recovering from outings and late nights.
I think I have now completed all the paper the for registering to study my Masters in Education.
A great opportunity has presented itself to do a free 12 week photography course. Now the challenge is that I cannot do everything something somewhere has to be given up or reduced.
Listening to an audio book entitled NO MATTER WHAT has helped in making this decision.

Want to say that I am looking for to this school year but it still feels so strange to be starting school in September/October instead of January/February. Its like I now have two starts to the year :).

I am on track for losing 6.35kg/14lb/1 stone by Christmas.

Before: September 2013

At Present: Sptember 2014

Weightloss Journey Update

Its been really busy start to the school and working year. Weddings and Girls night out in between.
My challenge  came the night before weigh-in ..... Dominoes Craving.... part of it was tiredness and emotions....I didn't manage the two bite and throw away principle but I did have 2 slices instead of 4 and only 2 pieces of garlic bread instead of 4.

This past week I lost 0.5 pounds (0.23kg).......its weight in's like this when I am really happy it is in pounds and not kilograms. Increased my exercise and water in take.......
Looking forward to weiging even less next week :)

On Days 15-20 of 100 Days of Weightloss

Days 11-15 of 100 Days of Weightloss Journey

The one thing I have noticed this week is that i really need to slow down and take more notice of what I am eating. I have slow down as soon I became concious of what I was doing and when I had already eaten my meal I waited for a while before deciding to eat or drink anything else.

Days 11-14

So this week I in a sense checking my relationship with food. On Monday night I had a really strong urgh to buy Dominos ....I cold taste the garlic bread..........I delayed ordering and read through my Slimming World book. In the end I decided on making a tuna and mayonaise snackwich instead and really enjoyed it as well.

I think Day 15 is going to really be interesting for me to attempt.

Day 15 First two bites

With any food that you love, eat the first two bites very slowly, noticing details such as

the cinnamon in the apple pie or the soft caramel swirl in the cheesecake. Allow yourself

to completely absorb the texture and flavor of the food. After you finish those two bites,

decide if you truly need more. In most cases, you don’t.

Doors

Some doors may close the evidence of the door still may still be visible like memory.

The memory is just that ........good or bad.....happy or sad........ what will I do with it.

Will I mourn it, will I gladly move on, will stand by it trying to break it down or will I search for a new door........ will I create one?

How can you help?

I think this is a very useful quiz it helped me think about how I would like to be supported and how I could support others.

Tomorrow is my Slimming World meeting. Its great to get support from the consultant and other members but its really at home and at the church potlucks for where i need support.

Day 9 of 100days of Weigtloss

In the quiz below, pick out the answers that fit best for you. If the answers don’t exactly
work for you, come up with some different ones that match your needs.

I have put my answers in bold and italics.........

1. If you see me eating something that’s not on my diet plan
___ Ask me, “Should you be eating that?”
___ Ignore it entirely
___ Ask me if I’ve had a bad day
___ Give me a hug

DISTRACT ME......MOVE THE FOOD AWAY FROM ME - I WONT BE OFFENDED :)
In fact my friend Lorraine did this few weeks ago I was half way through eating a second piece of Baileys Cheesecake after trying really hard to ignore it and she took it out of hand. Thank you Love I needed that.

2. When I’m making progress, such as losing weight
___ Compliment me on how I look
___ Praise me in front of others
___ Never comment on my progress in front of others
___ Give me non-food gifts or rewards

3. When I’m struggling or gaining weight
___ Tell me you notice and really care about my struggle
___ Ignore it entirely
___ Hug me and show me extra affection
___ Ask me how you can help

4. When I’m making progress you can’t see (such as improving my self-esteem)
___ Ask me how my efforts are going
___ Compliment me on how I look
___ Ignore my efforts and my changes
___ Give me non-food gifts or rewards

5. When I’ve maintained my weight (even though I may still want to lose more)
___ Tell me you are proud of my current efforts
___ Ignore the subject entirely
___ Ask me if I’m struggling or feeling discouraged
___ Compliment me on my looks and my efforts

Today
• Complete this quiz, and then read your answers out loud to one of your support people such as your spouse or a good friend.
• Post your answers on your refrigerator or in some other location where your support people can be reminded of what you want.
• Write the most important answers below. Add any other answers or requeststhat fit your needs. Be sure to read these to your support people as well.

Day 8 of 100 Days of Weightloss

Do you find sometimes that peoples good intentions actually throw you off track or when you are going in one direction your partner is going in the other?

Its funny how difficult it is for me to know and verbalise what my own needs are sometimes. I didn't know where to start with Day 8's challenge so I decided to google and I fowung the following Blog entry very helpful in triggering my own thoughts

To read  the rest of the blog.........

Day 8: "Help Me Please" View ELASTI-GIRL's Sparkpage View All Blog Entries from ELASTI-GIRL

Thursday, June 25, 2009

"Do you ever wish you could get more support from people around you? If only the "helpers" in your life knew exactly what you wanted them to say! With good intentions, people grab cookies out of your hand as they scold you, "should you be eating that?" Or they ignore you and don't say anything, even when you wear much smaller clothes or weight 30 pounds less than you did a few months ago.

"Decide what you want - To get support instead of criticism from the people you love, you may have to train them. Instead of begging, "Please help me lose weight" or "Be nicer to me", clarify exactly what you mean by those words, and then be more specific in your requests.

"Please don't say ---. Be sure you also let people know the things you don't want them to do or say." 

http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=2180126

Days 5,6 and 7 of 100 days of Weightloss Challenge

Update on my weightloss....Monday's are my weigh-in at Slimming World I lost 2.5lbs/1.1kg.

Some interesting concepts shared in the book that I definitely will be using. I think with Slimming world I have already being exploring the idea of following a Narrower or Wider road. I am still on the road to weightloss even though I have intially chose the wider road and now I ready to make my boundaries narrower by switching from the Easy Plan to Green Plan. ALong the way I amanged to get my family motivated to join me and they becoming great encouragers.

Keen to see if the magic note idea will help me with my food temptations/cravings:
When a food thought crosses your mind, remind yourself that you don’t have to act on it. Instead,
write down the name or even a description of the food, and then anticipate the pleasure
of eating it sometime in the future.
......

Anytime you feel pressured to eat something, sidestep the food pusher by saying, “Not just yet; I’m going to wait a little while.”

I think the most important lesson I have learned over the last few days is not just to be interested in my weightloss but to be committed as Lisa Nichols says NO MATTER WHAT .......

Day 7

i can do it

I can do it

I Can Do It

I CAN Do It

I CAN DO IT

Day 4 of 100 Days of Weighloss

At the begining of the is challenge/book...it stated that i should list 10 reasons why I want ot lose weight and then put them up where I can see it....to help motivate me when I feel like giving in or giving up.........

This reminded of the time I did lists of 100........I don't like to think that what I right done is necessarily the most important....but here I go:

1. To be healthy
2. Not get diabetes 2
3. Buy clothes in any store I like (not forced to buy online...)
4. Be able to wear the style of clothes i enjoy not florals !
5. Be able to go on walks with my family
6. Lesson the pain in my ankles and feet
7. Not have to ask for an extra belt on the airplane
8. Do walking tours without too much hassel/heavy breathing/pain
9. Sleep better
10. Look great
11. Get into scuba type suit for snorkling and the like
12. Be a good example to my daughter
13. live longer
14. Finally be able to say that years ago I had a list of ten things I wanted to do and now I have done all 10! (instead of 9 out of 10)
15. Have more energy

Day 3 of 100 days of weightloss

Identify the task you don't feel like doing and do it anyway.....

Today that was eating a healthy home cooked meal instead of eating out......I looked at what vouchers that could make eating out cheap, considered the bad decision s I already made in the past week with eating on the road .......
I don't know what the scale is going to tell me tomorrow but today I ate healthy and exercised......today I decided not to just be interested in health but to be committed :)

GraceLink : Primary

GraceLink : Primary

Day 1 of 100 Weightloss Challenge

I started my weightloss journey in February this year with Slimming World and I have lost 2stones/28lb/12.7kg so far.

This is hugh because I have not let the usual things that throw me off keep of this path. For the last 15 years I have started the journey weighloss and by Christimas I find myself a slight bit heavier but this year is going to be different.

Its the start of the school school and the countdown to Christmas. It is  also almost a year beafore I visit home-South Africa and turn 40! For all these reasons and more I have decided to add another tool my arsenal for change. A book fromt the Overdrive NI Libraries: 100 Days of Weighloss

Actions I will complete:

10 Reasons why I want to reach and Maintain my goal weight

Day 1: I used to be that way ..............
"I used to be that way, but now i'm different"

Slimming World......Sedway Reward

I started Slimming world in February this year. It has been slow and steady progress. I have been adapting my diet. Starting weight 125.6 kg / 19.12 stone...........followng the Extra Easy plan I have finally met my mini-goal goal of being under 18stone so that I can ride on a Sedway and I am only about 2 pounds away from my 2stone sticker :)
Thinking of switching over to the Green plan........

The amazing thing for me is that I have through illness and an ankle injury and managed to stay on track........three weeks i gained weight and 2 weeks I maintained as a result a steady loss......that is WIN for me on a mental level.........

The joke is that I have had to admit to myself that my trousers were larger than size 24 and the oes that were 24 and fit were stretchy and made differently so the next goal is to get to Size 22 and then buy a new outfit but in the mean time I am planning my Sedgeway reward and celebrating the loss I have achieved.

Photos to follow soon.......

Interesting article for leaders

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.churchplants.com%2Farticles%2F7030-ron-edmondson-5-goals-every-leader-needs-for-vacation.html&media=the_post_thumbnail()&description=Ron%20Edmondson:%205%20Goals%20Every%20Leader%20Needs%20for%20Vacation%20-%20ChurchPlants&layout=

all in

Stellar Kart - All In (Apologize) [Lyric]: http://youtu.be/Emldxwuco6g

And the Best Country in the World Is...Ireland! (U.S. Ranks 21st)

And the Best Country in the World Is...Ireland! (U.S. Ranks 21st)

Together in Pieces

Changing landscapes, changing mindsets.

Just attended a screening of this 20min. documentary. Quite a lot was covered in a very short space of time.

I thought it was well excuted. Great imagery, music and content. I only heard half the dicussion afterwards because i forgot my hearing aids at home. Managed to put together some of the questions from how the panel answered. Thank goodness they used mics.

If you are interested in hosting a free screening of this documentary you can send an e-mail to e-mail: togetherinpieces@hotmail.com

http://www.togetherinpieces.co.uk/watchfilm.html

Claudy Country Park

Great little walk ....took us 30min to walk about 2.2km.............lovely river............kids playing in in it.........walled playarea for the little ones...

Slimming World Bean pie

Syns 4.5

for the lighter ready made puff pastry

Tasty meal.....

Pie filling:

Potaoes

Bake Beans

red peppers

onions

baby marrow

salt

corainder leaf

squirt of ketup 

Calvary the movie with subtitles

Arghhhhh have you ever chosen to go to movie and darn I didn't read the description properly or felt you wanted to walk out but because you were with others you didn't.........

If you into black comedy then I am sure you could enjoy the movie......
I did love the nature scenery....... The dialogue and characters felt a bit predictable.........

If I want to be philosophical about it there were one or two interesting thoughts that came to mind.........comparing a fallible priest to Jesus , forgiveness and acceptance.,.,......

I take solace in the fact that I supported the Action for Hearing  loss campaign to movies more movies subtitled

knitting project

Completed knitting two hats this week........

while listening to audio books from NI Library on Overdrive app :)

Now the challenge is to try to follow a pattern......oh the structure LOL

Reflective Poetry # 1

Taking in the view

Taking a moment
enjoying the gentle breeze
absorbing the sun's het
basking in the light
birds chirping
trees rustling
calm river Foyle
reflecting
liquid gold crops
rays
Blessed

Simone Coetser
21 May 2014
Creative Commons

Mutterings # 1

1. Warning ::  danger, red, caution


2. Resume :: here we go again


3. Meeting ::  of two minds


4. Squares ::  caramel


5. Alternate ::  rock


6. Prison ::  Break


7. Swamp ::  Florida


8. Games ::  galore


9. Months :: of the year


10. Share ::  alike

http://subliminal.lunanina.com

Walking the Gransha Woodland

This is small patch of space between a hospital area and my daughter's school (Oakgrove Integrated College).
Its a dog walkers haven. There were also lots of runners using it as part of the training route.......
Its amazing how full of life it was ans yet so peacful at the same time. The trees and bushes were teaming with bird and insect life.

Connection

Its been a great few days because I have been able to reconnect with some friends and family.
I also have the promise and the potential to make some new connections in the community in which I now live.
The one thing that keeps me going is to have a plan then to work it, adapt it and move it forward. But I am also learning that just being still in the moment with no plan is possible. I thought that I was getting stuck in that moment....maybe getting lost.......but the connection I had on Skype, on the telephone, int he community walk, at work, at eh slimming club have alll been little stings pulling up and helping me forward.

Music Inspiration #1

Casting Crowns - Thrive (Official Lyric Video): http://youtu.be/qQ71RWJhS_M

Sunday Matters

What are you doing
today?

I have reconnected in a meaningful way with friends in South Africa and Dublin via Skype and Facebook.

Plan to have a long chat with my mom, a good brunch with my family and then go on a Community walk with the Prehen Historical society.......

Some where in the midst of this i must get washing, ironing, online grocery shopping and a bit cleaning done...........

Camera ready, blog post done...... let the day continue :)

Wordless Wednesday

Inner Excavation

I have startd reading a book, making some lifestyle changes and this is motivating me to start blogging again....

I look a the cover photo of this blog and realise that I have not changed it for about 6 and half years!!!! Does that mean I have been in a cacoon state  for that long??  I don't really want to analyse that for too deeply...,.that might just make me stumble in my journey..,

The e-book is Inner Excavation by Liz Lamreax..,..taken out of NI library using Overdrive Media.
Also listening to a book Called The Depression Diet Book by  Theresa Cheung
Attending Slimming World Club
Considering doing a podcast project (been in pregnant state for a few months now)
Got my camera and new walking shoes

Now all I need is community...................