Goal Changer!

Meniscus tear will not slow me down!

I can not remember the last time I was in a hospital for my own care.

I remember watch a movie with my mum as a young kid.  Not sure who the women was, but I think she must have been some kind of athlete.  She got injured, could not work any more, confined to a wheel chair.  Instead of sitting around feeling sorry for herself, she started an Upper Body exercise routine resulting in an amazing strong fit body and mind, and went on to be a motivation speaker at schools.

I remember mums words when I said 'If I am ever in an accident, I'm going to be just like her'!
Mum said, you don't find motivation after an accident, you have to have it already before.
 
When I was sitting around feeling sorry for myself after my Meniscus Tear, (that means no running for me for a long while), I knew it was up to me to change my thoughts!
Stop feeling sorry for myself, pick myself up, set new goals, get on with life just differently.

I was shocked when the doctor said I had to go home on crutches!

In my 2018 goals I wrote I wanted to run 8km 8 times this year.  I guess that is how this all started, pushing myself too much too soon.
In my next blog I wrote about how it is ok to change your goals.  Life and idea's change, and your goals should change to match them.
In my last blog I wrote about 2018 being a year of LEARNING.
Well it's all come together now hasn't it just!

In one second my year goals have changed again, and I am learning a whole new set of life skills.

I will not be pushing myself to run at all, 8x8km will have to wait.
But that doesn't mean I am just dropping my fitness goal.  Nope, just changing it!
Today I wrote myself a knee rehab program, to do while I work on my new 'Bring Back the Big Gun's' goal!  Along with swimming and cycling, both of which are GOOD for meniscus recovery, I will focus on strong arms and shoulder!

A few days with my feet up gave me plenty of time to reflect on what happened and why,
as well as where to go to from here...next steps.

I'm not sure if it was denial, or just lack of knowledge, but the day after my injury I thought I would be up and running the next week.
Six days later reality is starting to sink in.  If I want to be running when I'm 50 (I do want to be running when I'm 50), I have to slow down for a few months now.  As hard as it was at first to even think about slowing down, just when I have found my long lost motivation, I am now excepting this fact.  Not that I plan on slowing down, just changing direction: full steam ahead with rehab and new goals!

Thankfully a have a great bunch of ladies at Boot Camp at the moment. For one: they were able to carry me off the Oval when I couldn't put any pressure on my knee.  Their show of physical strength and team work blow my mind!!! Awesome stuff!  And two: they are prepared to work with me over my rehab days.  I have a whistle and can shout loud, so there will be no excuse's for them to slow down.  However as most of them also have trouble with their knees they are interested in doing my modified options when needed.

Only one tiny part of my body is injured.

Summary: I am going to use this experience to reinforce my love of my awesome strong body and MIND!

I started an Upper Body workout routine today!

On a positive note: time with my feet up has given me time to read, which was another of my 2018 goals.  AND my first Home Brew has been bottled! Tasting will have to wait for another 3+ weeks, but i'm sure I will be writing a blog about that soon...unless it's shit, you will know if you never hear about it that it was shit. 😛

Luckily you don't need strong knee's to fish from the tinny!
Fish number 42 for 2018: 44cm Mangrove Jack caught on Popper.
42/800!

Learning & Doing!

First update on 8 goals for 2018

Fish number 16 out of 800?
Queenfish caught on Popper last weekend.

I talked in my last blog about how setting goals changes things, you have to change your lifestyle/habits to reach the goal you have in mind, that's the point of setting goals.

'If nothing changes, nothing changes'
'A goal without a plan is just a wish'

I left Derby 3 years ago (yes time flies!!), with the thought I was going to leave goal setting, life planning etc behind me.  I wanted the free life, no commitments, no time limits, no counting reps/km's/hours etc etc.  That was then, this is now!
It's been a wonderful relaxing 3 years, I did what I said I was going to do...I always do ;)
Now it is time to get my life and my head space back on track, out of the roaming wonderland and back to thinking and learning.
Don't get me wrong, I have no intentions of changing this wonderful relaxing lifestyle we have created for ourselves, on the contrary, I am going to build on it, grow and expand.

Learning and doing is the theme for 2018.

I've started the year hitting my 8 goals hard, some of them a little too hard!

Goal 1: Read 8 books

I read a lot when we are on extended beach holidays, but never seem to 'find the time' when living a 'normal' working life.  But part of my Learning in 2018 is to not always be in a hurry, to slow down, breath and enjoy the little things in life.  I loved reading about this local mans life, so inspiring and motivating, I do believe I will write a book about my life when I am 85 as well!

Goal 2: Run 8km's x8

This was my undoing!  I was meant to be building up to this at a slow steady pace.  Not going out and running it on my first run for the year (I haven't run consistently since I left Derby)!  I was feeling fantastic from my healthy start to the year, and motivated after already ticking off a few goals and things on my To Do list.  The run was actually ok, I enjoyed it.  At 7km's I knew it was just a matter of 'just keep going' even though it was getting uncomfortable then, I was telling myself I was close enough to finish this even though my body was starting to tell me I should be stopping.  I finished with very wobbly legs and soaked in sweat, I looked like I'd just walked out of the ocean, water running off me.
The next day at Boot Camp, I was aware my legs were stiff, sore, tired and not working how they should be, just tired.  I jumped up twisting my knee, I knew straight away this is not good, thankfully  I have not done any damage, it was fine after a complete rest day, I did go to physio to make sure and got the ok to continue running etc .  BUT silly me did the same thing again this week.  I didn't run on Thursday, so instead I did 50 minutes on my Cross-Trainer.  At Boot Camp on Friday I was again aware of my tired legs not working as they should....I am sure I used to recover a lot quicker than this, hahaha, what is happening!! (If anyone mentions the O__ A__ I will dis-friend them!)
Anyway, just a reminder to slow down and ease into these things, which I was meant to be learning anyway!

Goal 3: Write 8 blogs, has definitely changed to write 18 blogs, as this is my 4th for the year already.

Goal 4: Send 8 gifts: I'm pretty sure this will change to 18 as well.  The joy of giving has found me!
I posted off one little gift yesterday and my heart was singing at the thought of the beautiful people receiving it unexpectedly.

Goal 5: Learn 8 new things!  Yes, this is my favourite goal for the year, and what the year is all about.

Last year I started, very irregularly, Yoga classes.  This year I will continue them, hopefully more frequently, as I think that is the point with yoga practice.
From Yoga I have discovered MEDITATION!  It's fabulous, and I can't believe I have never done it before!  I guess you do not really need to 'learn' meditation...i'm not sure, i'm still learning. 😉

Learning to smoke fish.

I'm not counting Smoking Fish as a recipe in the below goals, as there is way more to the technical salting and smoking of the fish.  I did like hearing from all my friends who smoke themselves, I've learnt so many different techniques that I want to try...now just to catch more fish to experiment with!

Learning to Brew my own BEER!
First brew on my own will be ready to go into keg in a couple more days!

Goal 6: Master 8 new recipes!

Master them, as in, get them right, get really good at them, and then remember how to do them without a recipe book or directions.

I've heard about Beer Can Chicken for years, another thing I can not believe I haven't tried before.  I always thought cooking a whole chicken on the bbq would dry it out too much, or it would be under cooked.
But that is what the beer can is for, to keep it moist...unless you drink too many beers while it is cooking and you leave it on too long worrying about it being undercooked (worrying about it being undercooked is my excuse, and I'm sticking to it!).  So yes my first chicken was cooked a little too long, but that is what learning is all about, and I'm looking forward to another Beer Can Chicken soon!

Beer Can Chicken: winner winner!!!

Marinating a cooking Pork Fillets

Slightly over cooked also, for same reason as above.

Fresh herbs from my garden, I'm looking for interesting ways to use these.
Please message me with ways you use fresh herbs.
:)

Goal 7: Catch 800 Fish! Yes will that changed straight away, see last blog for details.  But with the beauty fish pictured above being my 17th fish for the year, I do think my new goal will be to catch 8 Big Fish.

Goal 8: Set small monthly goals.  January Goal was/is to start a regular workout routine, more than just my 3x per week boot camp sessions.  Yes I have done that, I haven't run again since hurting my knee, but my Cross-Trainer is getting plenty of use under the air con.


With an awesome start to 2018 I'm looking forward to the year ahead (as always).  I have set a few other financial and personal goals for the year, but they are too boring to write about in this fun blog.

I'd love to hear from people who Brew their own Beer, or smoke fish, and/or use fresh herbs in cooking.  
What fun it is going to be learning these things and more over the year ahead. 

800 Fish in 1 year: What was I thinking?

Sometimes you are aloud to change your New-Year goals!

The Bustard caught on BAIT!

8 goals for 2018: Goal number 7 was/is to catch 800 fish this year!

Having a specific number/goal changes everything: that's the point of goal setting, so you take steps towards reaching that goal.

When writing my last blog 8 goals for 2018, I had not thought up my last (number 7) goal fully.  I pulled it out of my head at the time of typing the blog, not much thought involved: catch 800 fish in one year!

Once the reality of how many fish that is started to sink in (66 fish per month, 15.5 fish per week!), I realised I'd have to do some serious fishing!!

I have changed a lot of my running/fitness goals over the last few years, so I would not get obsessed with numbers/outcome.  We do not fish in comps because we do not like the pressure of having to catch fish.  But yet here I was bait fishing for the first time in years, just to count up the number of little fish I could catch.

Every fish counts when you are trying for 800!

A normal day at the BOR (Johnno's favourite fly fishing spot) for us would be more along the lines of me popper fishing over the reef for Mangrove Jacks while Johnno searches for the big Blue Bustards or Blue Bone.  Or me waiting for the big Queenfish while Johnno searches out the allusive Permit!

We can go many trips without catching a fish, and this is not normally given much of a thought...well kind of, not really, ok we think about it a lot!  We analyse and learn from every trip, each time getting us closer to Johnno's target!  But the point is we don't normally go out to catch as many of any fish we can, and we have not bait fished for many years (since live baiting for Barra in the Kimberley).

Last weekend however I was determined to catch LOTS of fish!  

We had been stalking a big Blue over an open area for some time, Johnno got plenty of great casts in, and had a couple of takes, but couldn't keep it hooked.  I was joking that he only gets 100 casts, then I'm throwing my bait at it, and keeping it for dinner.   Out of frustration I'm sure, Johnno said 'Go on then', so I did. 

 As soon as the weight hit the water the fish swum over, circled the bait and within moments I was on.  Straight away we realised it was a Bustard, not a BlueBone, just the fact that I was still attached to such a big fish.  We have both caught plenty of BlueBone in Broome, so we know how hard and dirty they fight, I'm sure I would not have landed one on my light gear.  Saying that, the Bustard still gave me plenty a run around, making me scream when I thought it had found a way to free himself a couple of times.  Johnno's a great skipper, driving me and my fish to a safe landing spot.

Releasing the Bustard for Fly fisherman to 'follow' for many more years to come.

I've heard Bustards are not good eating, but one look at those big brown eyes and he was safe anyway...next minute my hands were stinking like spew (honestly, like a week old throw up!!), so he was back in the water quick smart.  Yes if it was a BlueBone I would have kept him for dinner!

Johnno reckons he learnt a lot for this capture, how the fish behaved before and after hooking, as well as a good look at his very hard mouth and rubbery lips, hence why he could have been having trouble hooking it, even though it was taking his fly.

After a great fish capture, I always seem to go into a bit of a relaxed lull.  I'm not the kind of fisherman that can just pick up the rod and start fishing again straight away, I like to savour the moment, reflect on all that has just happened, and thank the fish gods (with a beer toast).  

Slowing down to savour this beautiful fish, and wonderful moment in life, I started to laugh at myself for my obsessively large goal I'd set for the year.  I started to contemplate what I could change it to, still sticking with the theme of 8 for 2018: 8 quality fish Johnno suggested.  

Great idea, but What is a quality fish? Had I caught the Bustard on fly it would be considered a quality fish, I could even write a magazine article about it.  But caught on bait, it's just a big stinky fish.  Everyone has different styles, techniques, idea's and goals with fishing.

I like relaxing by the water, catching a few fish for dinner sometimes, catch the big prize fish sometimes.

When I go fishing I like relaxing on the water, catching a few fish, but not so fussed if I do not.  Which makes Johnno and I compatible fishing partners.  He ONLY fly fishes now, which means HOURS of sitting staring at the shallow waters, waiting.

A couple of years back I took part in a year long Fisheries survey, recording all the fish I caught, where, when and using what.  Luckily it was during our extended camping trip along Manari Road, so we caught heaps of fish to record.  It is the only time we have recorded our catch (yes we should do more of that, to learn from our captures as well as our misses).   

I enjoyed looking back on the fish we had caught, so I am only slightly modifying my 2018 fishing goal.  I will keep it at 800 fish, but only to record every fish I catch.  I will not obsess about getting 800 fish this year, it was just a number I pulled out of my head.  

I will simply remember/record EVERY fish I catch.

Currently I am at 15 fish for 2018:

1: Trevally

2: Trevally

3,4 &5: Mangrove Jacks on popper, kept for dinner!

6: BBB: Baby BlueBone

7: Big Cod (would have kept for dinner, but jumped out of my hands while trying to get a photo)

8: Shark

9&10: BBB

11: Blue Bustard on BAIT

12: Baby Spanish flag

13,14 & 15: BBB

*different colours equals different days: note all fish in blue caught on same day on POPPER, seems I don't need to bait fish anyway ✋

Relaxing swim after fishing: no crocs here WAHOO!
I asked Johnno to take a photo: so he had to get out of the water to go to the car.

8 goals for 2018

 

Goal setting, and continue steps towards my goals, means I am living my dream!

2018: The year of CONTINUING to Live My Dream!

Message from a beautiful women!

I learnt half a dozen years ago the importance of setting goals and working towards them if you want to get what you wish for. 

I got very good at it!  

So good I AM living my dream!   

My focus in 2018 will be about moving forward in this wonderful dream life I have made.  

This year will be about appreciation of what I have, building on what I love, and doing more of that.  

As a good friend told me: Do More Of What You Love!

So Keeping It Simple Stupid, but yet still SMART; 

my 8 goals for 2018:

* 18 goals was just too much, keeping it simple remember.

1) Read 8 books

2) Run 8km 8x's: this will be my longer SLOWER runs, so I do not get obsessed with numbers again.
Longer, Slower, Enjoying the running, not continuing to push myself to the next level.

3) Write 8 blogs: This should be easy as this will be number 2 for the year.  Maybe this should be 18.
They say every person has a story.
I say: Every day has a story/adventure, and I want to record and remember all of them!!

4) Send 8 spontaneous gifts: I have not sent birthday or Christmas presents for years, and am not about to start again now.  But I do want to spend the joy of receiving special surprise gifts.

5) Learn 8 new things.

6) Master 8 new recipes.

7) Catch 800 fish!!  Ok so maybe this should be 8 or 18! hahaha.... I am up to 6 for the year so far :)

2nd 2018 fish: hopefully they get bigger!

My 1st 2018 fish

8) Set small monthly goals, to work towards above goals or what ever is needed/wanted in my life at that month:

     January: Return to regular exercise routine, not just 3x week boot camp!
     February: Regular AFD's, setting up to continue for rest of the year.
     March:
     April:
     May:
     June:
     July:
    August: take Johnno fishing for his birthday!
    September:
    October: Look into house insurance options, due next month!
    November: Birthday celebration MONTH!! (life is to short not to party!)
    December:

One very lost lizard

Gonna resting under front deck of our tinny.

The day we found a Gonna out at sea!

With 3 Mangrove Jacks in the eski already, and a big cod released, I was feeling pretty happy with myself.  Until I seen a brown speckle floating on the water further out, my heart sunk, what if it was the cod I had released, floating around still recovering.  It had looked so VERY healthy when it jumped out of my hands before we could even get a photo of it.

I couldn't leave it there, chances where more likely that it was just a stick floating around with the big tide that day, but we had to be sure.  On approach I was convinced it was my cod, 'look you can see it's big tail'.  Nope Johnno thought that looked more like a lizard head?  The closer we got the more confused we got.  It was not until we were right beside it we were sure it was a lizard just floating around out there.

Moments of hesitation, do lizards swim out to sea? What if he is using the current to get to the other side?  But realising the poor buggar was buggared we thought we better help him.  He didn't even try to swim away as i scooped him up in our net, he held on, I could feel his sigh of relief.  But then the realisation of what i was doing, what the hell am i going to do with this sharp clawed, big toothed fast moving creature?  I didn't have time to think about it.  He woke up, stood on his back legs, and while I screamed he jumped on the boat, dove straight past me and wedged himself at the very front of our tinny.

I thought we were going to take him straight to shore, but oh no, true Johnno style 'the fishing is still good, he will be alright there for a while'!  But he is so close to me!!  Thankfully he was more interested in resting and hiding from me then jumping out and clawing off my face.

Back at shore, I thought it would be as easy as pulling out the life jackets and letting him run into the mangroves, but no he wasn't ready to leave his rescue boat yet.  He flow to the middle of the tinny, and straight under the back seat.  We couldn't move him.  In no hurry ourselves we sat on top of the dunes hoping he would get himself out.  Couple of tinny's lately we couldn't see him and were feeling happy about our safe release of a Gonna, good finish to a great days fishing!

Driving home on the very corrugated road we did question a few times if he could be hanging on under the seat where we didn't see him, and if so then surely he would jump out from a hell ride like this?

The next day Johnno went to work.  He text and asked me to move the tinny so he could do some work on it.

It had been parked it too close to the house, so I was getting hot and flustered while trying to move it.  I thought the dogs where barking at me swearing at the tinny.  In hinds sight I now realise they were barking at the Gonna jumping out of the tinny and INTO my living room, through the window that I quickly shut to stop the noise of my loud barking dogs...shutting the gonna in the house with my excited dogs!!!!

A while later I came home to some strange acting dogs, I just thought they were too hot, like ME!

I opened the windows again, but realised that was not going to cut it, I was cooked.   Turning on the air con,  I went to shut the windows again, it was then the gonna jumped out from behind the blind!!

Gonna in my house!!!

You can imagine the mayhem!!  I was screaming, the dogs were super alert and jumping around, the gonna with his sharp little claws skating around my shinny tiles trying to find some where to hide.

I got the dogs outside, opened the front door, grabbed the broom, and tried to encourage him in the right direction.  Man those little buggars are fast!!  He was in the couch before I even had time to lunge at him...not that I was going to do that hahahah!

Gonna in my couch!

That's when the fun begun!!  Those buggars are hard to move!!

Hiding from the gonna in our lounge!

I pulled the couch over beside the open front door, shut all the other doors, and left the room.  My hoping was he would get himself out of the couch and just run out the front door.  After a little nana nap I woke to the realisation that this was a BAD idea.  

One: it took him all night to decide to leave the tinny, he could be there all day!  

Two: what if he gets out of the couch but not out the front door (funny enough that is what happened in the end!), if i wasn't watching I will never know where he is!

I tipped the couch upside down, easier to get at him.
Thankfully he squeezed right through to the safety of the cave made by the up turned couch.

But my fun wasn't over yet!!  He was on the floor at least.  I slid the couch over so the end was facing the open door.  I expected when I went to the far end he would run out to the open air, his big wide world!  BUT NO!!

He ran into my kitchen!!!  I cornered him, throw a blanket over him, and dragged him hissing at me, to the front door, but still he would not leave!!  He tried to climb the wall instead of running out the door....I think this lizard wanted to live with us!!

Finally, and very quickly, he made a break for it to my jungle of a garden where I lost track of him very quickly due to all my garden waste/mulch! 

YouTube clip from my saved SnapChat clips: