Can anyone tell me what plant this is

I have many of these plants in pots, as you can see below, and we don't know the name of the plant.  We divided the original one about 2 years ago and this is the first year they have flowered.  I can't remember buying the plant so maybe someone gave it to me but it sure looks beautiful now in flower.

Can anyone tell me it's name please?  Remember though that I am in Australia so it is Autumn (Fall) here and not Spring.

Crunch time for my weight problem

I have finally come to the realization that I have to lose weight if I want to remain healthy.  I am in my mid 50s and my feet and legs are complaining about the weight they are carrying.

Before I get to the point where I start to have health issues which I can see are just around the corner I have decided to do something about it.  The weight has come on gradually so that is how I plan on losing it as well.

I don't want to go on a diet as such but want to go on a new eating plan that I can continue for the rest of my life.  I have been on diets and some of them have been good but I don't want to be obsessed with food like I have been before on these diets.

The eating plan I have chosen and researched is THE DIET SOLUTION.  I watched their video, I looked at their material and I think this eating plan is for me.  You download the plan so that means I can start on it straight away.

I will keep you informed how I am going and about the program in another post but for now I am moving forward this week to be a more healthy and lighter person.

Friends are important

I had some girlfriends over for a luncheon on the weekend and we had a relaxing time together.   I don't get to see them that often now but when we do get together we have a lot of catching up to do.

Friends to me are important as they make me a more rounded person.  I am not only a partner, mother, grandmother but I am also a friend.

I love this verse that I have on a tile trivet on my desk.  I don't know who wrote it but its very true.

Friends are like diamonds precious but rare
False friends are like autumn leaves found everywhere
 
One of my friends bought me these lovely flowers pictured below and I had gifts of chocolates as well.  

I am very lucky to have such precious friends.

Preparing for Easter

Image by Stitch via Flickr

 I have been doing some spring cleaning (although it's not spring here) and wonder why I wait till the house looks like a bomb hit it before I decide to give it a good spruce up. 

I am tired now and I have only really done the kitchen, cleaning everything down and making the benches look uncluttered, even throwing things out and that is saying something.

I have lunch to cook on Easter Sunday for the family so I need to start on that tomorrow.  I can see I am not going to get too much done before then.  Maybe I can start on the dining room and have that in a half decent state by then.  It is not a big mess really but I hoped to get everything gleaming before then.  I realize now I didn't allow myself enough time.

I started all this as I have 4 days off work over the Easter break so thought it would be a good time to get things done I never have time for otherwise, but I can see I will go back to work exhausted.  Maybe not such a good plan!

Oh well, these things have to be done and I am the person to do it.   
Happy Easter everyone!

Happy St Patrick's Day

Image by Loci Lenar via Flickr

I wasn't born in Ireland but neither was St Patrick.  He was Romano-British and was captured by the Irish and taken as a slave for many years.  After escaping he returned to Britain where he entered the Church and as a Bishop returned to Ireland.

I am from Irish ancestry like many Australians are.  My great grandmother Bridget and her sister Catherine came to Australia from County Clare in Ireland and married my Great Grandfather Patrick (who was also Irish) in Brisbane in the late 1800s.  He was a Railway Fettler by trade. They had my Grandmother, Mary and she had my mother Eileen, all very Irish names.

Today in Australia many celebrate St Patrick's Day by wearing something green or a green ribbon.  It isn't a public holiday but the hotels/pubs serve Guinness and sometimes green beer and many restaurants serve an Irish lunch.  There is a street parade but for some reason it isn't held on the actual day.  We had green cupcakes for morning tea today at work to get into the mood of the day.

I will wish you "top of the morning" and hope you have a nice St Patrick's Day today.

My favorite travel pic of me

I would like to share with you one of my favorite photos.  It was taken in Cabo San Lucas on our cruise of the Mexican Riviera.  I loved that cruise and enjoyed the ports we called at.  It was a Carnival cruise for 7 days from Long Beach return.

Excuse the hat (I dont suit them) but I wasn't going to have an iguana sit on my head without one.

I love traveling and when I feel a bit down I look at this photo and smile.  I hope it makes you smile too. For those who ask....yes they are real live iguanas and I was careful handling these lovely creatures so as not to hurt them in any way.   They didnt seem to worry at all about me.

My Darling cooks for me

I love cooking but during the week when I am working I would rather leave that task to my darling partner/fiancee/best friend.  He cooks our dinner about 3- 4 times a week and makes some great meals.

I would like to thank him publicly here for all he does to make my life easier.  He is a gem.  I work full time, do a part time course and blog in my spare time so I really appreciate that he cooks dinner those times. 

He has his favorite meals like steak and salad, pork chops with apple sauce, and my favorite being spaghetti with seafood marinara (see pictures).  He is retired now and so he can produce a great dinner at his own pace, that is, when he can drag himself away from work in the garden or a good book.  He even cleans up after himself.

As it is summer here in Australia we like to eat outdoors and we have a small balcony that overlooks the lake so we sit out there with a glass of wine and a nice meal and relax.  

Thanks Darling for all the meals you have cooked for me.