2012 is going to be a good year!

Hi everyone

So much for my idea of writing this blog every month as it is now nearly three months since the last one - doesn't time fly.  Actually if I did write every month it would be rather boring as it would just be an account of work with the occasional highlight so perhaps every three months will work out better.

Christmas was spent at Kate's and we had a great day.  The turkey was succulent and the vegies just right and whilst it was hot it was not unbearably so.  Fudge, the puppy, was the star of the show with his reindeer antlers and he enjoyed all his presents.

Fudge the Reindeer

Aren't I cute?

The Peterson family and Michael

Kate in the kitchen

New Year is never my favourite holiday but I did go to a party and vowed next year I would stay home with a good book. 

My new year's resolution was to get off my diabetic medication and with that aim in view I went to a nutrionalist and started on a very gruelling diet, the first part of which lasted for 24 days.  I was able to stop taking my pills but after I went on to the maintenance the blood sugar crept back up and I had to restart them again.  However, I did lose 6kg which was good and never actually felt hungry.  I could almost wear a bikini now but not sure I will go that far!

I went to see several movies during January and February - the First Grader which was a wonderful feel good movie set in Africa about the oldest person in Kindergarten.  I can highly recommend it.  Also saw the Ides of March with George Clooney (great), The Descendants with George Clooney (mediocre), Le Sud (Italian Film Festival - very enjoyable and funny) and a rather depressing Aboriginal movie which name escapes me.

Work started on 23rd January amidst the most awful weather. As I was training down in Brisbane, I was very happy to be staying with my friend Clare and not having to drive up and down the highway in torrential rain.  It was bad enough getting to her place which once I learnt the route was quite close but I did manage to get lost in both directions on the first day.  During that week we had Australia Day so it was an easy start to working again.  The company I am working for sells stationery so it is like going back 20 years to my own company.  It has been a fairly steep learning curve with the computer system but I did reasonably well in my first month and it should get easier.

Aoife, from the Odyssey Overland trip, came and stayed for a couple of days.  We spent a night at the boys and had a barbeque and the following day drove up into the hinterland to do a bit of sightseeing.  It was lovely to see her and get a chance to talk about the trip and all the adventures we had. 

Aoife at Sunshine Beach Surf Club where we gatecrashed a wedding

The Winery at Montville

View at Kondallila Falls

The thing that has taken up most of my free time during the past three months is the business I have become involved with.  It is very exciting and my hope of an early retirement - Christmas 2013 is the goal.  If you want to take a look, you can view my website at www.sallypeterson.max4u.com or go into www.themaxbiz.com.  Last week I spent the weekend at the Gold Coast attending the conference.  It was disappointing that Greg Norman was not there but maybe next year.  However, being a total groupy I did speak to Steve Scott, the founder of the company, and got his autograph.  It was wonderful to spend time in the company of such positive and enthusiastic people.  Again the weather was awful with very heavy rain but as we were inside the whole time it did not matter.

I have a friend living next door for a couple of weeks doing a housesit which is rather nice.  I went out for dinner with her and some of her friends last night to the Loaded Lizard down in Mudjimba and we plan to go to the market in Yandina on Saturday and then up to Boreen Point to look at a house she is interested in and to have lunch in the pub there.  I have not been up that way in years so I am looking forward to that.

So on that note, I will finish