Tim's Birthday Morning Tea

10am.

"We" being - Rowena, Andrew, Catherine, Susan, Callum, Rhoda, Ross, Len & Magnus.

Met Tim at Regis Chelmer.  Susan bought sandwiches and cheese etc and a Carrot Cake.  

Park Run Walk

Took the road less (not) travelled. Park run (walk) ....wander today. Behind the tail walkers. Observing nature. An outing for Mags without intensity. Kookaburra sits in some old tree.

Kids for dinner

Had the kids for dinner. 

Chris

Jemma & Max.

Phoebe & Fletch.

I did spag bog. 

Phoebe put corn on the cob in the BBQ and made a salad. 

Dessert was rock Mellon and 70% dark chocolate. 

coaching

Centenary AGM

AGM was pretty relaxed. There were no vote offs except for the junior leaders. 

President = Tanya

V-Pres=Peter

Secretary =Caryn

Treasurer = Sean

Members=

Mary Galea

Kerry Tickle

Cameron Dugdell

JUNIOR LEADERS

Centenary has a male and female captains and vice captains.  There were 6 or 7 girls vying for two positions and only two boys for the two male positions. 

I was saddened that a mother proposed that the junior leaders not be gendered. Her logic was that there were lots of girls and few boys. 

My thoughts:

1 is this leadership?

2 or a participation award. 

5kerg#13

The day began sipping coffee on the verandah and watching people carrying oars past a light that emphasised the fog. 

5kerg#13 21:53 14-Jun-2026 sunday@cent. 6am

2 minutes off the pace. 

"The day the music died"

Literally! 

Twice! The Bluetooth dropped out and it was a bit of one hand only rowing to get it to reconnect. 

blood sugar

The Primary goal of weight loss is slowly being achieved with [just] sub 100 weights being seen more often. 

Erg times are ok 

PB at park run 33:09. A 2 minute improvement over my previous.  More importantly I think it felt good. 

Just got blood tests back from the doc. 

Blood sugar dropping (should be less than 6.0) was diebetic with 8.0 in April '25, 7.9 Mar '26, 7.1 now.  So good to see on the way down. 

Cholesterol however is a rising issue. Should be less than 5.6.

Was 6.0 in Apr'25, 6.0Mar'26, 6.2 now. 

To get the weight and sugar to go down I had to give up potatoes, pasta, rice,  ice cream, chocolate,  milk & alcohol.  (With the occasional relapse)

Now apparently I have to give up dairy - milk,  Yoghurt, Ice cream, cheese,  butter, cut fat off meat. 

One wonders what's next. 

Thanks for sharing those numbers. Based on what you've provided:

Age: 63 years

Weight: 100 kg

Fasting glucose: 7.1 mmol/L (this is in the diabetes range if confirmed on repeat testing)

Total cholesterol: 6.2 mmol/L (elevated)

LDL cholesterol: 4.0 mmol/L (higher than recommended for most people)

No current medications

These results suggest it would be worthwhile to discuss treatment options with your GP, because both blood sugar and LDL cholesterol are above desirable levels. Many people benefit from lifestyle changes, and some also benefit from medication depending on their overall cardiovascular risk.

Diet priorities

Eat more of these

Plenty of non-starchy vegetables (broccoli, leafy greens, cauliflower, zucchini, capsicum)

Beans, lentils, and chickpeas several times a week

Oats or barley for breakfast

Fish (especially oily fish) 2–3 times a week

Skinless chicken, tofu, or other lean proteins

Unsalted nuts in moderate portions

Olive oil instead of butter

Limit these

Sugary drinks and sweets

White bread, white rice, and refined breakfast cereals

Pastries, cakes, and biscuits

Bacon, sausages, salami, and fatty red meats

Butter, cream, and large amounts of cheese

Deep-fried takeaway foods

Sample day

7-Day Meal Plan

Day

Breakfast

Lunch

Snack

Dinner

Monday

Porridge made with rolled oats, topped with blueberries and chia seeds

Wholegrain sandwich with grilled chicken, tomato, lettuce, and avocado

Small handful of unsalted almonds

Grilled barramundi with steamed broccoli, carrots, and a small serve of brown rice

Tuesday

Plain Greek yoghurt with strawberries and walnuts

Lentil and vegetable soup with a slice of wholegrain toast

Apple

Roast chicken breast with mixed vegetables and green beans

Wednesday

Two poached eggs on wholegrain toast with grilled tomato

Tuna salad with mixed greens, cucumber, capsicum, and olive oil dressing

Carrot sticks with hummus

Lean beef stir-fry loaded with vegetables, served over a small portion of brown rice

Thursday

Overnight oats with unsweetened milk, cinnamon, and raspberries

Chickpea salad with cucumber, tomato, spinach, feta, and olive oil

Pear

Baked salmon with asparagus and roasted pumpkin

Friday

Wholegrain toast with avocado and a boiled egg

Leftover salmon salad

Plain Greek yoghurt

Chicken and vegetable curry made with tomatoes and spices, served with cauliflower rice or a small amount of brown rice

Saturday

Porridge with sliced apple and cinnamon

Turkey or chicken wrap on a wholegrain wrap with salad

Small handful of mixed nuts

Grilled lean lamb with a large Greek salad and roasted vegetables

Sunday

Omelette with spinach, mushrooms, and tomato

Bean salad with tuna and olive oil dressing

Kiwi fruit

Roast skinless chicken with Brussels sprouts, carrots, and sweet potato

Shopping list

5kerg#11

I had offered to coach Thursday afternoon at Centenary as one of the usual coaches is away so took an early mark from work to do an erg. 

Now erg times are in, needed to find a new focus. I've the privilege of rowing in the regatta on Saturday and we did a race sim rating 29 on Wednesday so figured hooking along at a decent rate would be a suitable focus. 

5kErg#11 20:39 11-Jun-2026 1 sec worse than last Sunday and 13 sec off pb.

"It's harder than it looks"

https://youtu.be/g-qkY2yj4_A?si=epoXFtN-cha3P9KX

#11 20:39 11-Jun-2026 @Cent. 2:15 pm DF115 w=100kg

#10 20:38 7-Jun-2026 @cent 6:15am df115 tried some high rating bursts.

#9 20:47. 31-May-2026 @centenary 6am 27spm

#8 20:50 27-May-2026 @home 4:30pm 26spm variable

#7 20:38 24-May-2026 @cent 101kg DF115. 27spm

#6 20:26. 17-May-2026 @Centenary. 102kg DF116 28spm

#5 21:26. 10-May-2026 @centenary 102kg

#4. 20.57 6-May-2026 101.6kg

#3 21:17 26-APR-2026 @Centenary 101kg

#2 21:26. 22-Apr-2026 @home

#1 21:45 15-Apr-2026 @home

100.3

Thai with family

Tonight I will be a bit tight for time.  Coaching at Centenary and then home for dinner with kids. 

It's gonna be takeaway:

07 3162 7949 Bann Suan Thai Restaurant

1 Beef green curry

2 Pad Prik Khing Mu Grob

3 Roast duck with Tamerin sauce

4 Chicken Pad thai

5  mixed veggies (ask for stir fry else steamed)

Steamed rice x3

1 Phoebe 

2 Fletch 

3 Chris

4 Dan

5 Jemma 

6 Frank 

2026 Rowing Coaching Reacreditation

 ReAccreditation needs information about coaching activities over the last 4 years:
2023, 2024, 2025, 2026

It asks for Practical experience and Personal Development. 

I note in my previous reacreditation submission, 
https://thomsoneu.blogspot.com/2022/02/rowing-coaching-acreditation.html
I had done some on line course and also done some self evaluation of video.  I guess I could do that again.

 In the meantime, I think I will submit and pay and see what happens.

 

 

 

First Aid Certificate

 

Winter Racing Series #1

 2026 WRS#1

 For the first time in living memory I got to train in the same boat that I raced in. It was a great race-

The boat sat up 😀

We clashed oars 😀

We beat them!

(Normally it's the opposite 😂)

 SATURDAY 13

To remember for next year:

State high kids launching in the same time frame as us. 

At the end, be back to the pontoon quickly as lots of other boats both masters and state high want to land and there's a huge queue. 

4:45 rise

5:00 drpart home

5:17 parked near cafe.

6:00 launch

7:01 start 

7:20 ish finish.

Back to shed. 

Wash boat

 buy sausage from state high fund raiser. 

8:20 walking across the oval to the coffee shop

 

 

 

 WEDNESDAY

We did a race sim.   It was drizzling. We took the boat off the rack and put it on trestles inside the shed.

Rowed up to near the start line and raced back.  It took about 15 minutes and we rated 29.  The boat sat up.  It was a good row

 

The Road Not Taken

The other night Phoebe and I were reading poems to each other.  Phoebe read "The Road Less Travelled"

I was thinking I'd like a poem "The road Not Taken".

I was talking to Dave Nix and I mentioned I describe my life as "A life of mediocrity and under achievement".  Dave responded that I (Frank) had had a great life and achieved a lot.  It reminded me that we can't see ourselves. 

I was thinking that as we go through life we choose "roads" and therefore there's roads we don't go down. Then we see others and look at their lives and jealousy kicks in. I see bigger houses, more income,  yachts and so on. 

By coincidence, I was listening to this YouTube video on how Google maps locates routes so quickly. In essence by pruning routes from the search options.  I guess, in a way,  we prune routes from our lives.  Sometimes consciously and in my case unconsciously. I'll take options but not see or follow others potentially better options. Yet harking back to Dave's comments, that maybe I did choose well (or maybe luck?).

Now bring in the concept of God and Christians discuss the idea of what is the path that God wants them to follow.  Then I was talking with Phoebe and she mentioned her image was not of choosing a road but rather of being in a field. 

I thought that resonates with me that choosing a road implies someone has been here before me.  At least someone built the road.  

 My life is unique. Msybe it's not choosing roads as that implies following in the footsteps of others. 

Perhaps the image is more that I'm walking through the bush. There's trees and boulders that limit how far I can see. There are obstacles that I have to walk around or climb over. At places I can see the sky or reach the top of a mountain or the edge of a cliff and see a great view (analogous of the future) but there's danger of course. Don't fall off the cliff.  At other times it's a gentle down hill or across a plain. 

Phoebe lays turf

Phoebe bought some turf and laid it.  She also bought rocks and things that she put round the fire. 

Erg#10

Today started at 6 with 5k erg #10 coming in with a time of 20:38.

 9 sec better than last Sundays but 12seconds off my pb from 17 may.

Then a lovely couple of hours coaching rowing.  

What a stunning morning. Big blue skies, a slight chill in the air and lovely and warm in the sun.

No Mags as she is recovering from her recent hospitalisation and figured keep her quiet and away from river water. 

Park Run PB 6 June

Phoebe and I lined up for park run this morning.

Phoebe beginning a comeback after being knocked a bit by the flu. Both of us had the objective of running the whole way. 

The run felt good and got a PB of 00:33:09.

Previous PB 35:03

Phoebe making a comeback and happy with 43

My worry is she'll chase me down. 

For now though I'm happy that fitness and strength are going well. I saw 99.3kg on the scales for a brief dehydrated moment.

Rowing

Today I rowed in the #1 crew. 4 seat.  It was blowing a gale. We had an outgoing tide and wind in the opposite direction. This whipped up some decent waves. It was heavy going. We turned just before the aerial. 

In the way back we took on some water and stopped a few times. 

On land, the wind chill kicked in. The hot shower was great but fingers were still somewhat numb.

$10 000 dog

Sunday evening Mags was out for a walk with FM and suddenly vomited and poo'd.  Then passed out on the footpath. 

FM called and I grabbed my car and drove to the location and picked her up.  I had to carry her to the car.

Picked up Phoebe who lay in the back with Mags. As we drove to the vet, Phoebe spoke to them and examined and reported on the condition of her gums and lips. 

We went to the 24hr vet at Stones corner.   They rushed her out the back. While we waited I contacted my crew and cancelled Monday rowing.  About half an hour later we were ushered to the back area and Mags was lying on a table.  Upon hearing my voice,  She looked up and wagged her tail. She was weak and her heart beat was over 200bpm.

We left her and went home. 

Next day (Monday 1 June) they called early and provided a status update. 

TUESDAY 2 JUN

Went in after gym in the morning,  came back middle of the day and they got me to take her for a walk. 

It was lovely to see her able to move but she was not eating and lacking stamina. 

 Came back in the late afternoon. Megan came in too.

Heart rate down a bit.  They were pumping Lignocane into her to try and stablise her. 

WEDNESDAY 3 JUNE 7:30am

After rowing.  Dropped in. 

Took her for a walk. 

Wednesday 3 June 1:30pm

She didn't want me to leave. 

Wednesday 5pm

She had faded. No energy. 

it was decided to keep her overnight.  Observation. 

THURSDAY 4 JUNE

No rowing and Ben not available for coffee.  Got up at 4:30. Showered and dressed and drove in. I advised she was right to take home.  Great news. 

FRIDAY 5 JUNE

First full day at home. Phoebe feed her multiple small meals of chicken.