CARTOON LAGOON: May 2016

Hello! I am back! I've finally recovered enough to be back on track with the exercising again!

So, how have I been? Have you been following me on INSTAGRAM?
My IG nick is FIONACYEO
Go look for me. I mainly show my meal pics over there.

I thought that as we move into the week we celebrate the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ, that it be apt that I also climb out of hibernation to do this long overdue post.
First, let's get it over with photos from Nov 2015 to April 2016, shall we? You might want to know how I have been doing weight wise.

I have not been exercising since my appendectomy (read about it in previous posts). That's maybe 5 or 6 months. But I have lost weight! I actually hit a new magic number earlier this week! The lowest since I started exercising in July of 2015.

APRIL 2016
Here I am with my naked face all flushed and sweaty after a run. Arms and thighs flabby but still maintaining the weight which I had lost before my surgery.

Above pic. Right after a run (end April 2016)

In the below pic, I was trying on some running shorts which were on sale and realised that I hadn't taken a full body shot of myself for quite some time. My fringe / bangs were in the way so I had them clipped up in the horrible fashion which is the way I do when I am doing housework or like now when I'm typing! I think me shall cut me fringe real soon because me wrinkly frown lines are showing! I also realised that I have several pics of me in this same blouse. I guess I find the cut flattering, that's why. It accentuates my curves in all the right places! As you can see from the pic below, all those months of not exercising have caused me great flabbiness, especially to my thighs! But, not to worry. I am on the road again and should be back on track if I keep it up.

Above pic. In a changing room (Mid April 2016)

Above pic. (Mid March 2016)

Above pic. End February 2016

Above pic. January 2016

My hair was really long by the end of last year. I had trimmed off inches here and there but I cut off about half the length at the end of February because I thought I was going to take up a job offer (which I eventually declined after some discernment). I'd just gone to the S$10 hair salon and said, "Just cut!"

Above pic. December 2015

Above pic. November 2015

Ok, so now you have seen my photos of the months I had been missing in action. I haven't taken any flattering photos lately so that first pic of this post where I am all sweaty will have to do! It's how I look when I am exercising any way! Truth!

I didn't mean to hibernate on purpose. Just got carried away by things to do on a daily basis. I've officially been a stay-at-home mum for 4 complete months. It took me a while to get into a routine. At first, I had been nursing pain from the slow recovery of my appendix surgery. Then things got better and I was able to go back to my usually carrying of fairly heavy stuff. So I've started to get into a routine of being the family chauffeur, cook and maid.

The early months of 2016 saw me kept busy with administrative matters. I had stuff to do, especially where it came to my daughter's Uni Exchange placement in Germany and her subsequent Visa application. To say it wasn't a stressful period is to lie. Please, if you ever choose to go Germany to study, read the fineprint thoroughly and apply for your VISA and Bank account as early as you can. The problem is not that you are inefficient. The problem is that you rely on replies from other parties who may not be able to respond to you by your deadline. You're pretty much left in the lurch; not knowing if it's going forward or not.

Anyhow, I was busy helping her to shop and pack for her right up till the hours before her departure. You can only imagine, squeezing all your Asian condiments (and bolster) into a luggage within the weight limit of the airline. We had to pack, weigh, unpack, re-weigh. You get the picture. When she finally arrived at her beautiful dormitory in Germany, I could finally heave a big sigh of relief.

I'm not a confirmed stay-at-home mum. I know that I'll have to go back to work sooner or later. That puts me in a sort of odd situation. I can't seem to work in a temporary kind of setting. I mean, I could get used to this lifestyle but I know it's only temporary. That makes it hard to make any sort of commitment as a 'homemaker'. I don't sign up for classes because I have housework to do and I am also on the look out for job openings. However, I must say that after a few months, my routine is getting better and I may be able to start attending classes or courses now if need be.

I was typing on my tablet all this while and it really wasn't very convenient for blogging! Now, I'm typing on my kid's old notepad which annoys me too because it's a little cranky. Up until now, I have stopped myself from buying a new laptop (old one broke) because I'm not earning an income and it's a purchase I can stave off for a little while by borrowing equipment from my kids!

By the way, speaking of not earning an income.....hubs has been encouraging me to be a full-time cabby. I am hesitating because I think someone in the family needs to have a more stable income but then again, it depends on what the Lord has in store for me.

I would like to end by saying that sometimes, life throws you off track but it's always good to dwell on the little happy and joyful things in life and to keep your head held high. No one and nothing can get you down if you don't allow them to.

God bless!

4 May 2016

Out of Hibernation and a new magic number