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Hello all. I'm confined indoors this evening because of a heavy rain so no more garden work for me today. I can't say I'm disappointed as I've been working hard every days for the past several days and have the sore muscles to prove it. I did get a good bit done earlier before the rain started. In fact, I worked through a light rain in the morning as I really had things I wanted done. I'm still cleaning beds and now we've had some warm weather plants have started mushrooming. However, it is much easier to clean and topdress with new soil if the plants are not too far advanced. I have quite a lot of hostas and they really shoot up quickly once they have poked through the earth. I also have some plants that need to be moved or split before they get too advanced. Then there is the fishpond. This comes under the category of "be careful what you wish for." When I was a child, my mother who came from England would describe her childhood home and garden including a fish pond. For some reason I developed a great desire to have one when I got my own house. By absolute coincidence, there was an old, original fishpond here when I moved in. It was probably built in 1949 when the house was built and is in ground and quite large, kidney shaped and about 5 feet across at its narrowest and 14-15 feet long. I've always liked it but it is something of a white elephant and has some unfortunate design features. It is not very deep so fish can't winter over ( I've had fish most of the time so there is the whole getting the fish indoors issue). I believe it was probably used just for aquatic plants and apparently with the right balance of plants a pumping system is not necessary. I should also mention when I moved in it was painted the most garish turquoise like a swimming pool. This led to many efforts to repaint it a more natural shade (the paints I was told to use never were as durable as the turquoise) and recently to use a rubber based coating which also had to be painted on. When I first came here, I could grown waterlilies but over the years as the trees around it grew, I learned they actually require a lot of sun so no more waterlilies but a lot of leaves to clean out every spring. Because of the threat of mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus now here, we are now told
not to have standing water in the garden. I have had a small pump to keep the water moving, but now I have to consider Nellie who will plunge into any body of water and worse, drink from the pond. The real fix would be really expensive as it would involve installing a large pump and filter but that would also require a new electrical outlet to be installed. I am also not comfortable having an electrical cable on the ground as I'm sure Nellie might chew it! So the cable would have to be either buried or encased in a tube, apparently possible but not inexpensive. So for this year it looks like I'll have to drain the pond. Better safe than sorry. I do have some lovely water iris which will bloom. I am planning on taking them to the stable which has a huge natural pond so they can be re-homed as it were. I also feel somewhat badly because a lot of birds like to bathe in the pond and seem to prefer it to the birdbath I have.
LMV, I expected you were busy with your FIL and it's good to hear that you have a solution that is so good, especially as he is positive about the move. Still I'm sure there is lots to do for you and your OH until he is settled nearby. Nice to hear you are coping with your basics plan despite everything else going on.
PB, your account of the horse show reminded me of times when I was doing the announcing. You are certainly correct about people who have no compunction about holding up the show for a long time. Hope everything went well at your meeting with HR.
It's good to see other Crackers logging in to record formidable accomplishments with exercise. Congrats, MITM on your weight loss too. Will sign off for now as I am yawning. I woke up quite early this morning and couldn't get back to sleep so have been busy all day.0 -
Evening Crackers!
Well like you Bracken my days have also been spent madly in the garden burning calories. I'm very pleased with my progress, my balcony flowers are safely potted up but with the sudden change of weather on Sunday when it poured for over 12 hours and I discovered in the morning there was fresh snow on the mountain peaks they are back in the basement! It's so cold here.
This week I'm finishing off my paintwork as I've become a woman somewhat obsessed with the removal of all milk chocolate coloured paint in this house, not just in the hallways! In fact I have succeeded in stripping it all but I've just got to second coat parts and paint the inside of the front door and I'm done. I'm saving my next major project for the Autumn months when I intend to paint the kitchen on my mother-in-law's old floor and the walk in store cupboard but come the end of this week, the paint brushes are really going away for the summer which I hope is on its way as it presently feels more like Autumn here than Spring!
Along with all the bending over the past week I have also start to salsacise with Rosemary again. Although I'm 'thrilled' with my recent 2 pound loss in total, I'm still carrying around an extra 2lbs of chocolate on my thighs which I am dancing off slowly! BM you asked how I calculated my calorie level, my formula comes from my original dieting bible 'diet trials'; RMR (resting metabolic rate) x Activity Factor minus 600 = calorie target for steady weight loss. Mine works out with a moderate activity factor I can eat 1447 calories and still lose weight which I know works for me from years of experience. I also know I cannot eat several bars of chocolate and do no exercise and hope to get away with it!!!! However I did wear the tight cords today.
PB - hope the meeting went well.
LMV - care to join me for 15 minutes of salsacise and slimmer thighs?!!
Well Crackers be good!0 -
Hi All....
A quick pop in, but can I just say....please keep the gardening stories coming. To wake up in the morning and read all about the spring flowers and even the difficulties and hard work involved in keeping a lovely garden keeps me sane until I can have one of my own! I was reading about the cold returning and it was 44c here. I could almost breathe in your fresh air! It really is so lovely to hear of a life in a country with seasons. It feels like home to me no matter what part of the world you are writing from!
I am having lunch in Jamie Oliver's tomorrow. Not looking forward to it too much, the company will be nice but pasta is something I love and I know I will go over my calories no matter how hard I try. I have planned just an Olio Aglio and side salad. Shouldn't be too bad although no matter what you ask the chefs they merrily do it their own way!
I then have a bit of last minute shopping and a final quick hoover and clean through, clean bed linen etc before the parents arrive on Friday. They are absolutely no trouble at all, they have been here twice before so have seen quite a lot of the touristy things. They just want to relax I think after the dreadful year of bereavements they have both been through. So will be quite happy in the pool or on the balcony "just chillin". (so funny to hear my Dad saying that!). I am looking forward to the company and hopefully OH won't be out of the country too much so we can all be together. It also means I can do some baking again, I have missed that as both OH and I have been eating healthily for a while. (Actually I never ate the cakes but I do miss the baking part!).
Off to bed now, I want to be out early with the dog before the heat becomes intolerable.
Hope everyone is well LMV and MITM, cracking losses from both of you. Very happy for you, you deserve it x x
PB, really hope your meeting with HR goes well, I will be thinking of you x x
Bracken, I so admire you for doing all you have with your pond. I had a large garden pond and you are so right they are seriously hard work! I unfortunately at one time lost quite a few of my Koi to a heron. I think I cried for days, some of them had been born in that pond. The risks to holding on to yours with Nellie and the mosquitos far outweigh keeping it, but I understand you have worked so hard for so long it must have been a difficult decision for you x x
Take care all, BM x x0 -
Hello everyone.
MITM, we seem to be in a similar weather pattern. We've had some real downpours this week and last night a violent thunderstorm with very high winds and after some recent very warm days, Friday is predicted to have a high of only 9C so I'll be also bringing in some tender plants already purchased. You must surely be ready for a rest from painting after your latest marathon. Nice to hear the tight cords are back in action.
I noted formidable achievements in diet and exercise on the home page. Congrats LMV on your big weight loss. I'd be interested to know a little more specifically what your basics plans entails. Do you focus on a set calorie goal? I believe you once said that a low carb diet did not work for you.
BM, it sounds as if you are set up for a relaxing time with your parents. That should make it a little easier to keep looking after yourself as well.
I'm still scurrying around to get garden work done between the rains. Today I was also trying to put some plants together for my brother who teaches a horticultural class at a high school. The school always has a plant sale to raise funds to run their greenhouse and buy seeds etc. because there is not enough money in the school budget to fund the class. I managed to take some divisions from quite a few plants and pot them up. But since it was such a hard winter, I've noticed some of my perennials are not returning. That of course, is one of the great joys of gardening in the spring- to see what has returned and sometimes be surprised. This year I have noticed some of the native woodland plants that I brought from my brother's woods have done exceptionally well. There is a lovely plant with feathery leaves that has white flowers shaped like the flowers on a bleeding heart (I don't know the name) and which I presume is related to it. This year I have the nicest clump ever.
Nellie and I managed a nice 1 1/2 mile walk earlier in the evening but all the rain has curtailed my riding today and yesterday.
I have a couple more tasks that must be done this evening so off for now. Regards.0 -
Hello Crackers!
well time for a bit of an update I guess. The meeting with HR finally happened at 5.00pm on Monday and they made an offer that I decided to accept. I'm now waiting to see the reference and they are going to ACAS to get the COT 3 agreed. Until yesterday evening I had hoped that the whole thing would be sorted out by the end of the month - however, I heard last night that Phil the GP who had been the main bully has resigned and this time its been accepted. The senior partner is on 3 weeks holiday so I suspect its a complete mess there. My heart wants to go and help - my head says they do not deserve my help and I must listen to the latter.
In the meantime, I have started job hunting with some urgency and applied for a job yesterday morning as a temporary project manager - it made me laugh when I got an email back in the afternoon with the job spec and I realised that the job was with the CCG - which is this government's way of managing GPs!!! I can do it - but do I want to???? Can I afford to be choosy? Its good money so if I could put up with until November - that would be OK.
I'm having a lovely time playing with the horses and its only a month till we go to Holland on the Choir tour. But when I think about it I've really not been working since January and I need to get back into the swing. At least they have to keep paying me until we settle.
After a couple of weeks of very unreliable weather they are now offering us a few days of calm, warm, sunny weather - which is lovely - although it will bring out the adders in the forest not to mention the flies. My friend is slowly getting better but has been reluctant to come out - until yesterday when her mother noted that her horse had gone a bit lame and she had to come up and give him a 'bute' (painkiller). Which mean't when I went up to groom him and Merlin she was sitting in the sunshine reading. I suspect she is a bit depressed and has been sleeping a lot. A loss of confidence is there too. Anyway, she was much better for a little trip out even if only to the stables.
Its lovely to hear about all the gardening that you do Bracken, MITM and LMV. I don't really like gardening so I have a lady who comes and does it but if I don't get a job soon I won't be able to afford her so I shall have to manage the veggie patch myself - I should add that its about 6X4' and the rest is mostly lawn with a lovely wisteria growing up next doors garage which has flowered properly for the first time this year. tomatoes are coming along well and my gardening lady brought me some strawberry plants as mine had failed completely. Still, who knows I think I am actually starting to get quite into it - what will happen if I have to is another matter!
Well that's quite an update so I wish everyone well in their efforts - we all seem to be better now that winter is finally behind us - although BM I feel for you as I couldn't handle the heat at all!
take care and keep in touch
PB x0 -
Hello Crackers,
Well, after my week of back to basics I was thrilled to get rid of that 2.5lb gain from last week and to ditch 4.5lbs this week. That's a net 1lb a week loss which I am more than happy with. Bracken you asked what "Back to basics" means for me. I didn't count calories but stuck to lean meat, fruit and veg, beans, brown rice and pasta, very limited oil and butter, eggs and fish. Very little alcohol, probably 1/2 bottle the whole week and lots of water. Breakfast was porridge with a bit of stewed apple or berries, or a boiled egg with one slice wholemeal bread (no butter) or mushrooms and tomato on toast (no butter). Lunch would be soup or a wrap filled with bean salad or tuna or hummus plus salad and dinner generally a vegetable heavy casseroley type thing with brown rice or baked potato. Had a roast lamb dinner on Sunday. I didn't count calories but kept my portions down, so small baked potatoes and more casserole than rice, lots of veg etc. Really I'm cutting out sugar and anything processed. Seems to work for me. I'm giving it another go this week but don't expect to lose so much. I think my weight was artificially high the week before because of the cheese and wine I had the night before weigh in. I'm glad to be back on a downward trend again.
MITM and Bracken your exploits in the garden put me to shame. Like you PB I am relying on the services of a gardener at the moment. I am having some fun planting up some new beds though. I am creating a red and purple bed and have added the following to it: Rosa moyesii 'Geranium', Buddleja 'Black Knight', geranium Roxanne, Lavandula angustifolia 'Hidcote' some scarlet Geums (can't remember the variety Mrs Bradshaw?), a mauvy bluey clematis climbing up a frame, Berberis thunbergii 'Rosa', Sambuca "Black Lace', Salvia (forgotten the variety), Ceratostigma,and some red Hemerocallis. I'm quite pleased with how it is looking and it will be even better once it has filled out a bit. A Cotinus and Philadelphus which I planted last year have sprung into life and put on a load of growth which is great to see. In the veg patch, the carrots, leeks, tomatoes and beans are all coming through and the asparagus bed is finally establishing itself. I think the wind and rain over the week end has taken a lot of our apple blossom so not sure we'll have much of a crop is year.
PB, I'm pleased to hear that negotiations have reached a conclusion as it'll enable you to move forward. If you are still being paid, so what if it takes them a few weeks to pay you off. Good luck with the search for work!
BM, it'll be lovely to have a chilled time with your parents. They arrive tomorrow our time so that must be almost today for you now. Enjoy your baking, but don't let yourself be led astray on the eating and drinking front!! I'm sure they won't want to be carrying an extra few lbs home either!
My husband comes home tomorrow with a car loaded with his father's belongings. My FIL is staying with a friend for a couple of weeks and then we shall go and get him and bring him back here until his flat is ready. I think it has been very draining for my husband so I shall have to spoil him over the week-end.
Hope everyone is well
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Hello Crackers - just wanted to let you know - I have another interview - this time with the CCG - but not until a week on Friday as someone is on holiday!
Weather here is fabulous so I've washed the car down and watered the plants. Off to play with horses this afternoon and then possibly a walk before singing tonight.
Had a bit of a bumpy weekend. Sat OK but yesterday had a bad day which ended with me buying a kitkat and a pack of fig rolls and eating the lot. Whooops. Not sure why other than I didn't do very much so I probably had too much time on my hands to think about food. have been really good otherwise and back on track today.
Is everyone alright? Not heard much for a few days???
PB0 -
Hello Crackers,
I'm fine PB, and I expect BM is busy with her parents and MITM with her schlipstuff. Not sure about Bracken.
Like you I have been singing. We have our annual concert coming up in June so we had choir practice last night and tonight. We're singing some fun stuff this time so rehearsals are fun too. I've just remembered about my slim leg black trousers - better try them on to see if they still fit. Choir concerts is the only time I wear black!
I've been pretty good again this week on the food front so hoping that I might see a loss again this week. I haven't been doing an awful lit of exercise though so I really need to get going with that.
Well, I'm off for an early night as I have a busy day tomorrow.
Be good all
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H Crackers - well yesterday was rather better - I ate properly and I also looked after horses, took a short, but fast, walk and went singing. It was very clammy last night so changed to the summer duvet too. I'm off to help Maria this morning as her horse was diagnosed with a bout of laminitis last night so we had to remove all of his straw and put him on shavings - so plenty of sweat! I feel very toned!
Yes you are right everyone is having a busy time at present just hope they are all OK!
Good luck with the weigh in LMV - those lovely black trousers are beckoning!
What sort of thing are you singing? Our programme this summer is quite light (mostly). We are off on our little tour to Holland in a month - I'm very excited about that - although he's pulled my solo as the programme was too long. We are also singing the Beatles 'Yesterday' which is a problem for me as I am absolutely against singing 'pop' songs in choirs - it never sounds right to me! The sopranos are currently not in agreement on the notes either. I'm getting quite frustrated by it and with only two rehearsals before our first concert which is at the Landguard Fort at Felixstowe the Monday before we go to Holland. EEEk.
Need to get organised for my day so will stop now. Take care Crackers
PB0 -
Afternoon Crackers!
I'm on my lunch break having just finished preparing a batch of potatoes ahead of tonight's schlip shift (we're behind!) and I thought I must scribble a few lines!
Well I'm not sure if my 1.5lb loss last week was down to gardening, painting, salsacising or from the sheer stress after my conversation with the passport 'helpline' concerning my daughter's passport, which might not turn up in time for our trip to Amsterdam next week... How I wish I had ignored the 90 days required on passports when visiting The Netherlands and taken a chance....
Depressed and fed up with everything including the weather, we had the heating on over the weekend (!) and feeling very sorry for myself, the husband was doing a wedding (poor wedding party) so I got stuck in and ate a tub of ice cream, a family size pack of crisps and a loaf of olive bread... Yesterday I gave myself a good talking to; at least we don't have floods, we can always go to Amsterdam another time and I made myself have a session with Rosemary and then I got back on the straight and narrow concerning food.
There is a saying 'the difference between want and need is self control' so very true.
And then in the afternoon I received an email from the passport office saying they had printed my daughter's passport so there is a glimmer of hope. Fingers crossed. And the weather forecast I've heard is 30°c later this week..... That I will believe only when it happens!
Be good Crackers!0 -
Good morning all. I've just had a good catch up with all the news here. I've been forced indoors by some rain that was not at all predicted. MITM, I'll commiserate with you over weather again as ours too has been less than ideal. Last week it rained constantly and the weekend (a holiday officially still called Victoria day) was cold on Saturday, chilly on Sunday and finally quite warm yesterday. Today it is chilly with the rain. It was a busy weekend with visits with two of my siblings and on Sunday evening the stable owner invited me to come to their fireworks display in the evening. It was quite spectacular. It was lovely sitting out overlooking their large natural pond in the evening. Everyone was quite bundled up though as the evenings are particularly cool. The BO's husband managed the fireworks from the far side of the pond and there were lovely reflections in the pond. I was amazed to see four hummingbirds at the flower baskets. I usually do not see hummingbirds in my neighbourhood and had not been thinking of them returning already. Of course, by the calendar it is time but with the weather we've had, I had to feel sorry for the little birds. I'm not sure if there are hummingbirds in Britain. The common ones here are so very tiny, only a couple of ounces and are known by their needle-like beaks and their wings that beat extraordinarily fast, so fast you can hear them hum. When I commented on how lovely it was to see them, the BO told me to ask their visiting friends from Indiana about their hummingbirds. Apparently, they will have between 100-150 at their feeders and go through several litres per day of liquid feed! Despite the weather, I spent a lot of time on garden work. I am still wrestling with the overgrown ivy and have been dividing hostas to fill in where the ivy has been taken out. Most of the hostas I've planted have been split from ones I have but I did buy two at a garden centre which were on special and a good size. Hostas are really expensive and the plants are often quite small and so don't grown much the first year planted. I like the expression about how they grow: The first year they sleep, the second year they creep, the third year they leap. I think that is true as I see with some I overwintered in pots. I have eight pots of hostas and have split a couple already. The plants are actually root bound in the pots so last year they really grew a good roots system and I'll split them, plant one half in beds and replant the other in pots as I like them on the patio. It's good to see that everyone is coping well with diet and exercise. Thanks, LMV for detailing your eating plan and good to hear that is working out. by the way, I'm very impressed with your knowledge of plant proper names (are you a Latin scholar as well as Welsh?); the new garden sounds beautiful. I've managed to drop over five pounds of that awful gain in the past two plus weeks and definitely feel better for it. It is not easy, of course, and I really understand your lapse, MITM, but as I would expect you have quickly put the brakes on it. PB, good to hear you have secured another interview and that you are getting some satisfaction from your dismissal case. Congrats on the weight loss. I had a very nice ride on Sunday but with the rain it will be back indoors for me today to ride. BM, I hope you are enjoying your time with your parents. Time now for me to leave for the stable. Take care all.0
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Morning Crackers!
.... I was skyping with the daughter late last night when my brother suddenly knocked on her bedroom door and handed over to her, her new passport - no rush but oh the relief!! I can breath again!
Woke up this morning drew back the curtains to be blinded by bright sunshine!
Stepped on the scales (it's a daily habit!) and that extra day of panic and the 'will it or won't' the passport arrive in time - worked to my advantage, I've burnt off all the excess calories with worry and I'm back at 9.8 and one pound from target YES!
Well I must crack on, I'm going to head for the garden and make a start on the grass and put up my balcony flowers so they can enjoy this warm sunshine! Then my friend is coming this afternoon to highlight and hide all my new grey hairs from the passport saga!
What a difference a day makes! Hope everyone else is having a good day!0 -
Afternoon Crackers!
I find it rather interesting the pattern of postings amongst the Crackers!! I don't post for a week and then 3 times in as many days....
Well I have been very productive, inspired by the sudden bright sunshine of yesterday I sprung into Spring cleaning mode and washed the net curtains - this is a 'Heidi' not a 'blinds' house but I only have them up on the bedroom windows, as I want to see the wonderful mountain views from the many windows! That then led me to the decision I really had to clean the windows before putting back up my now very 'white' nets! The windows are double windows to keep out the cold in the winter months... quite a bit of elbow work as another thing we don't have in my part of the world is window cleaners. It's a housewife's duty and the windows open inwards to allow for cleaning without accidents! Anyway so pleased with the results I continued cleaning all of the windows on the one floor...
My husband coming in from the vegetable garden in the evening, innocently asked would I have time to 'run' the lawn mower over the grass before leaving for England. 'Run'?! Cutting the grass is not quite the same as a spot of hoovering especially not where I live and with a flymo that no longer flys!! In any case the cheeky so and so had come home from work earlier, walked through the front door, across the freshly cut front lawn without realising or noticing the sudden appearance of all the window boxes of flowers and balcony blooms and then added would I be able to put up the flowers as well?! Blind bat!
However I'm well aware of all the exercise I did as when I woke this morning I could hardly lift my arms! Who needs Jillian at this time of year?! Well I am now heading back out to finish the grass before my master returns!
Be good Crackers!0 -
Oh Dear MITM - he clearly needs a few lessons in observation! I just got back from a Nordic walk in the forest. Its been a beautiful day after a rather wet night last night with a few claps of thunder and some lightening. Hoping it will be a decent long weekend now.
Also spent some time grooming this afternoon rather than riding today. So feeling a little bit less bad about having a bad week foodwise.
There has been a delay on the settlement with the surgery but should all be sorted out shortly.
Take care Crackers and I hope you are all enjoying good weather.
PB0 -
Morning Crackers,
Weighed in on Wed and was delighted to have list another 3lbs. I think I've already put those 3lbs back on though! Someone who I used to work with who now lives in Sydney was over in the UK for a visit. She came to see us, and although it was only for 24 hours, we crammed a lot in and I ate out for two lunches and dinner. After dropping her off at the station on Thursday afternoon, we drove to Cardiff for a Barry Manilow concert. I'm not a particularly big fan of his but thought it would be a good show. It was! What a night! We stayed over in an hotel and I had a few drinks - first alcohol I've had for a fortnight. Yesterday, there was the obligatory trip to John Lewis as we were in Cardiff and then we went to Ikea to start sorting out some household bits and pieces for my Father in Laws new flat. So, more meals out. The only good thing is that IKEA is enormous. I was wearing my pedometer and walked nearly 4 miles around John Lewis and IKEA!
We got home early evening yesterday, and yes, I did have more wine last night and as a special treat a little bit of cheese and biscuits. So, with all the eating out, wine and treats I think that 3lbs has gone straight back on. But, back to it now. I'm going to get back onto my eating programme between now and my next weigh in and hopefully I'll manage to STS this week.
Bracken, my family weren't big on gardening so I didn't know anything about it. But when I moved into a house with a reasonably big garden I had to start learning so I took myself off to horticultural college and did the RHS general and advanced certificates and then a couple of garden design courses. As a result of that, I only know the Latin names of most plants because that is what I was taught and I had zero knowledge of plants before that.
We're off out to a friend's birthday bash this evening so I need to think about rustling up a plate of nibbles to take with me. Have a good week-end everyone
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Good morning all. It has been lovely weather here for the past few days. Spring really is my favourite time of the year and it seems there is birdsong from before dawn (usually wakes me up but I the go back to sleep) until dusk. I had mentioned previously that I had a robin nest in the elbow of a downspout under the eaves. She hatched out three eggs and I watched both parents flying in and out with grubs and worms. Last Thursday, a very cool and windy day, I looked up in the afternoon and saw all three young robins sitting on the edge of the nest. Despite the weather, sure enough an hour later they were gone. Sadly, I don't think I have seen two of them since but the third one was clearly very strong and from the first day could fly several metres and I saw it land on a wheelbarrow. Sometimes when they leaves the nest they can only hop along the ground for several days, obviously a very vulnerable stage. Saturday, I saw the young robin about three quarters up a high maple tree and then saw it again yesterday so I think it has a good chance of surviving. It is lovely having birds nest but it can also be quite sad as there is a lot of mortality in the first ten days. Raccoons, skunks, cats, and even the lovely looking blue jay will all kill young robins. I have been continuing with garden and outdoor work and have the sore muscles to show for it. Along the side of my garage, I have a border bed of hostas. The edging had gradually sunk very low so I have dug up the whole area and installed new border bricks which are nicer than the old edging. It was quite a job as I had to lug three 40 pound bags of gravel/sand mix for a base. The bricks were heavy too, perhaps ten pounds each. I have also been edging around the area where there was ivy and I am now putting in more hostas. My sister and I found a place where we could pick rocks so I have also been hauling a lot of rocks around. I do hope this is toning up some muscles besides making them sore. I have planted my vegetable box garden with lettuce, spinach, yellow beans, red chard, zucchini, peas and tomatoes. I'm now onto some touchup painting outdoors and if I find it onerous I shall think of all the painting done by MITM. It has been lovely to ride outside the past few days and I'm very fortunate that my horse has been well behaved- it is not uncommon for even the best horses to get spring fever and act out of character!0
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This is in line of a PS for my post below. On Sunday, I wrote a rather long post which disappeared into cyberneverland somehow. I then wrote a short note about that but had to leave. Just checking, I notice that that note is not here either so not sure what happened. Must sign off for now as it is stable time soon but had wanted to comment on some things I had lost on Sunday.0
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Hi Crackers = Oh Bracken your garden must be lovely - so much work and effort must be having the desired effect on your waistline and, I'm sure, after such a long hard winter being able to get outside must be a real pleasure. Its good to hear you are out riding! It has been very wet here for the last couple of days which is a major problem for the Suffolk Show which starts today and my garden is currently waterlogged. Still the veggie patch is doing well.
I've had quite a busy few days and the food and wine has flowed but feel back on track today.
I just answered the door to the postman who handed me a box containing a bouquet of flowers (and chocs - Oops!) from my fellow Practice Managers! What a lovely surprise. I'm quite choked. Will need to go on line and send a thank you note after this.
In the meantime, I rode yesterday (we managed to pick a moment between the rain fall - although it was too muddy and slippery to do much more than walk except for one trot on a relatively good track - I shall go down this afternoon to give Butler a groom as he is very bored being box bound. Susie just rang me to suggest a walk later this morning so I will be able to try out the new walking boots I bought yesterday (they were half price to begin with then a further 20% off so a real bargain!).
I'm impressed by the weight loss going on at present - well done especially to Saffy who is currently very focused and motivated - that 10K is a long way - I might walk that far but I definitely couldn't run. You are inspiring me completely at the moment.
I hope MITM is (has) having a lovely time in Amsterdam. I shall be there myself in mid-June.
take care Crackers
PB xx0 -
A short pop-in before Nellie and I head for the stables. Thanks for comments on my garden, PB. It has been a particularly busy year because of trying to make some improvements and because of extensive winter damage to groundcovers like ivy and vinca. I feel as if I've done so much but look around and there is more needs doing. Yesterday I started dismantling the wide bed at the front of the house in preparation for the worker who is going to install new wooden ties. I can't expect him to come and carefully remove plants to save or replant (I don't think he actually knows much about gardening). The bed is somewhat overgrown and/or filled with plants that are well developed and which I want to be able to replant. Some needed splitting so I found places to put them in and others I am preparing a nursery place for in old boxes and planters. There is some ivy that survived the winter so I have been transplanting bits of it to try and get it started back along the fences where it died. Two days ago I was surprised to have an worker from the Utilities Company at my door to tell me he was here to detect buried lines and cables and mark them out because my neighbour directly behind me is going to replace the fence there. he has not contacted me about it. The fence is wooden and over 20 years old but except for one section behind his shed, it is in quite good condition. I certainly have not planned to make that a priority this year. Usually neighbours share in the cost of a joint fence. Last year my neighbour on one side and I did put in new fencing- that fence was much older and really needed replacing. You might expect that wood would be relatively inexpensive here in Canada, but not so much. That section cost almost $2000 for materials and my neighbour and his friend did the installation so it was a very good deal for me. I'm not sure yet how this venture is going to work.
I spent part of the morning, substitute teaching today.
PB, it must have been a lovely pickup to have the surprise of a gift of flowers from former colleagues. Glad you are doing well. Will you be doing any judging at the Suffolk show?
LMV and Saffy, good to see your achievements and also those of NEW82 which I recall recently. Have run out of time- off now!0 -
Afternoon Crackers!
Well I've had a nice cup of tea and caught up on all the posts - everyone is doing so well it makes me want to join in! I got back from the UK Monday evening after a 15 hour journey from my parents' home leaving at 4.30am to mine and I do believe I probably ate the most calories during that long day sitting on my bottom! However I haven't stopped since getting back and there has been no further resting on my expanding backside!
Amsterdam was wonderful and still as delightful as when I last visited 20 odd years ago - I always worry my memories will be ruined. With my mother and daughter we were staying in the Jordaan district which is a peaceful area with picturesque canals and tall gabled buildings. Our hotel had no lift and a steep, narrow staircase of 60 steps to our room which with cases was a workout! We went on 2 canal trips as we had a 24hr ticket, climbed the tower of Westerkerk (not my mother!) which was 181 steps but well worth the view especially as this was the tower Anne Frank could see out of their attic window and we could see that window. The main purpose of our trip was to visit Anne Frank's house and to see the tiny hide-out. I'm glad I booked tickets in advance as the queue was never ending no matter what time of day we were passing and it was open until 9pm. The day we went they were expecting 4000 visitors! It really is heart warming to know over a million visitors go each year and mostly coming from abroad. My daughter enjoyed the whole trip even if it did rain a little (a lot) for the first 2 days but she and I still pounded the charming little streets doing up to 20,000 steps a day.
I'm quite happy with my gain of 3lbs I think that is quite acceptable considering the amount I ate and I did at least stay away from the Cadbury's chocolate for a change! Plus that has made it all the more easier just to get back to basics again - I'm not having withdrawal symptoms! Unfortunately the weather is still un seasonally cold with snow still on the mountain tops - unbelieveable. My balcony flowers are enjoying this weather as much as me and are looking very sad and miserable however it is suppose to improve on the weekend when I will head for the garden. In the meantime I have started another huge job repairing the windows damaged by the cold winter. They are wooden and need sanding and repainting which I have discovered I quite enjoy doing but I have told the husband I am taking my time and luckily as all our windows are double we are never completely without. This is a time consuming job but it keeps the fingers occupied and out of the biscuit tin which is great as I do want to hit target before I pick the daughter up in July..
Well I must get on I have a schlip shift to prepare for tonight as the freezers are completely empty! Be good Crackers!0 -
Hello all. MITM, glad you had such a nice holiday in Amsterdam and you certainly did an impressive amount of exercise. Your comments on the Anne Frank house are very uplifting and gratifying to hear, especially when there is so much on the news here at the moment about the re-writing of the history of the Tiannamen Square massacre and how the younger generation of students in China either know nothing about it or, perhaps more disconcerting, if they do, believe the government was justified because at all costs stability must be maintained and that they are only concerned with their own pursuits. At present there is a lot of press about remembrances of D-Day and a lot of recognition of the sacrifices of so many lives but there is also critical reporting and analysis of these events, not just an exercise in glorifying war and for that, I am thankful. We have leapt into summer weather for the past few days with high temps and the return of high humidity. I have continued with garden work and finally pumped out my fishpond. I will leave it dry this year because of Nellie, the first time I've ever done so. It really is quite a chore to do so was glad to get it done. I've still got a number of hostas to be divided and various other garden jobs but it is not quite so intense or time sensitive as the other jobs were. I am planning on doing some significant exterior painting of my windows so will think of you, MITM, if the job seems overwhelming. I've also asked one sister if I could engage her to help me during the summer with some of the painting. I decided to make changes when I had the new front door installed; it is black and I think very effective. I have already painted the frame of the small leaded glass window glass window black as well as a 2' x 2' venting panel and am very pleased with its look so the plan is to paint the outside wood of all the windows black. I'm pleased with the black I am using; it's not glossy or too intense black. When I am picking colours, I usually go to a paint store where one of the owners is actually a former pupil of mine from many years ago. She is well trained in colour and has at times been a representative on that group in the U.S. that chooses the focus colours for a certain year. Until I learned about that from her, I did not know that there actually was a business of determining the dominant colours that then appear everywhere. I probably wouldn't have picked the shade of black she chose for me from the paint chips in the store but it is nice to feel it is right. This afternoon one of my nieces and I are going to the stable and she'll have a ride on Briar too. When she was 8-10, she took some riding lessons and was quite a natural but her involvement with hockey meant ultimately, she had no time for riding. I really enjoyed taking her to lessons. It is amazing to think she has now finished University and Teacher's College and next year will be teaching for at least a year in England at a school in Buckinghamshire. So time to get ready.0
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Amsterdam sounds exhausting MITM! I will be there myself in a couple of weeks (although I'm seriously considering bunking off to go for a swim in the pool and a leisurely lunch in the hotel instead!
Yesterday was a bit of a sad day for me as I met with my former colleague Julie to get my personal stuff back. We met for lunch and it was actually rather awkward. Difficult to find topics that weren't about work. Oh dear. Made me feel quite sad and out of sorts in the afternoon - but off I went to the stables and 'doing up' and that made me feel much better. Had a chat with Maria too about it and she is also quite good at lifting me out of my 'down mood'. Its been a while since I had one so it was a bit of a shock.
Otherwise this week has been OK and I have not been too naughty on the 'vino' front. Just one small glass of red this week when I went out with Susie to the pub quiz.
Some lovely rides as I noted on my home space. Especially yesterday when we saw the Roe Deer Doe. I've concluded after discussion with Maria that it was, in fact, a big dog fox that we saw on the way out of the forest. I do so love living so close to a natural environment - how on earth do people cope with living in towns and cities?????0 -
Good morning all. I'm having a check-in while I let my breakfast settle before going out and tackling a bit more gardening- still digging dead ivy and dividing/planting hostas but am getting to the point where I do not feel so compelled to make it a priority; this has not been a good thing in part because my structured exercise has suffered and so has my structured eating. Too many times I have not had proper breakfast and/or lunch because I don't like doing the bending and digging on a full stomach. So too often this has led to bad snacking and poor meals later so I too need to get back to basics. Part of the problem was that we had a run of hot and humid weather and I wanted to get into the garden early before it was too hot to work at all. Today it is considerably cooler so that will help too. I am quite pleased with my back garden; yesterday morning (at 7:05!) I was awakened by Nellie's barking and then the voice of my brother under the bedroom window ("Aren't you up yet?). He had brought coffees so we sat in the back garden. He was considerably impressed with the work I have done. But it is time to focus on my exercise and diet. I am down from the worst of that recent gain but a couple of weeks ago I was down further. When I checked a couple of days ago I had gone up a couple of pounds. I mentioned previously that my niece was going to have a ride on Briar. Oh to be so young. She had not ridden for ten years but managed really well. She was very relaxed and quiet, kept her hands down, could post, and got the correct leads at the canter. Now she thinks she might like to ride a few more time this summer before she goes to England and then perhaps be able to hire a horse and go for some hacks. She will be teaching in Chesham. I've looked on the web and there seem to be a lot of stables in the vicinity. If anyone has any knowledge/advice about doing this, I would appreciate it. I thought perhaps, you PB, might possibly have something to add. PB, as I commented on your home space, your rides sound so lovely. Seeing wildlife is an added bonus for sure. Like you, I feel so lucky to live so close to the countryside and of course, to have access to a stable and my brother's farm. But even, at my home I am fortunate to have so many birds around. My brother actually commented on that yesterday which is something because he gets a spectacular array of birds. Must get to the garden now, enough delaying. Regards.0
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Hi Bracken - lovely to hear your news about how good the garden is looking - we too have had a few hot humid days with some thunder and lightning thrown in - but I think it will be a bit cooler tomorrow (I hope so anyway!). You do seem to have gone from snow to mid summer pretty much over night though.
Re: your niece, Chesham is not far from London so probably plenty of stables around - the best thing to do is try a few out. Its usually about £45 an hour these days so not cheap (may be more that close to London I'm afraid). A British Horse Society certified stables is generally a good option. I looked on line and Shardeloes at Amersham looks pretty good with a cross country course and indoor/outdoor schools. they also offer loan horses/ponies at reasonable prices which might be a better option once she has settled in. But in the end its important to go somewhere where you like the people and the horses.
take care and if your niece would like my details let me know for when she comes over in case she needs help in the early stages - I'm sure she won't but that far from home its nice to have a life line within driving distance
speak soon
PB xx0 -
Morning Crackers!
Well with the arrival of summer (finally!) my lovely spot jacquard jacket got its first outing outside of the bedroom.... I was meeting with my 'Joan Collins' friend so it was a full make-up and under control hair day for me!! Sadly my smart navy bistro crop trousers I wore, still fitted as snugly as they did when I tried them on back in March but fortunately I had a very forgiving sleeveless, silver birch hip length top hiding the extra inch I'm carrying on my waist, stomach and hips...
However it was a timely wake up call as this is the difference between doing Jillian and not! So food for thought!
Be good Crackers!0 -
PB, thanks for comments re riding in England. Glad you enjoyed your swim - you really are intrepid! MITM, your outfits always sound so well put together- I like the description of a silver birch top. Hope you got your hair under control; we have had a lot of humidity the last few days so my sleek bob is now a curly something by nature. It is impossible to keep it straight and smooth in this weather. I did try wearing it behind my ear on one side, curled under and thought that it looked a little more styled than just random waves or curls, depending on the amount of humidity. I have several anti-frizz, anti-humidity products, none of them inexpensive but none really satisfactory! Nellie went to the vet's today for her annual shots and to get preventative treatments against fleas, heartworm, and some other parasites. It seems as if there are a lot possible threats and it is hard to know exactly which ones are best protected against. We also are getting lyme disease here and there is a vaccine, but my vet did not push it so I did not take it. Apart from the expense, I get uneasy having her get so much medication. Today is also a provincial election day in Ontario so I did my civic duty and voted but like many felt there was not really a good choice. It is perhaps telling that the national newspaper, the Globe and Mail, which usually endorses a party in its paper, was so unimpressed by all parties that it declared that none deserved a majority. These past few days seem to have carried an air of sadness, both personal and in the larger realm. Monday was my Mother's birth date so I went and planted a flower on her grave. I think the news of the shooting of the five Canadian Mounties, three dead, made international news. There was a huge regimental funeral, televised live; I only saw about 15 minutes of it (must confess I had tuned in to watch Coronation Street in the afternoon as it is displaced from the evening because of hockey and now soccer events) but it was very moving and so sad to see, especially the three widowed wives, all with children under 9, one pregnant. I am always amazed with how people can maintain their composure in such situations. The wives were presented with the Stetsons of their husbands and then were walking with their children behinds the caskets. One of the Mounties was a dog handler and his dog was at the funeral, something that appealed to me of course. There was a very poignant photo of the dog, Danny, standing up and sniffing the hat of his handler on the casket. All this came on after we have had a lot of reporting and stories from the remaining veterans of the D-Day remembrance celebrations. Because my father was in the forces and because my mother lived through the war in a suburb of London (Croydon), and because of my age ( I have a god few years on all the Crackers), I do feel connected to what is now becoming quite remote to many people. As I said, a lot of sadness in the air; however, I won't dwell on it any further and hope this hasn't been too much of a depressing post. If so, please excuse.0
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Bother, had just written a long piece and it disappeared. Rats!
Bracken I'm feeling for you - its obviously been a very difficult week. the shooting is something you expect to happen in America not Canada.
I too have voted (European elections) in the last couple of weeks. Sat in the polling booth wondering who to vote for. Not the neo Nazi UKIP was about the only thing I was sure of!
Your comments about the WW's reminded me that my Canadian cousins were posted to England during WW2 and did in fact turn up on my Grandparents doorstep. (Granddad's brother Albert had emigrated after WW1 and it was he and his son Josh who came). Granddad and Albert had both been in WW1 but thankfully (somehow) both had survived. Granddad was at the Somme where he was wounded and taken prisoner. Thankfully he survived and lived to a ripe old age. Albert left to make anew life in Canada. Hence the branch of the family (which is currently growing big time) in western Canada.
The war graves cemeteries in France and Flanders are quite moving.
The weather here has been pretty good in recent days (hence the sea dip) and is set to continue but I must admit I don't really like the heat and humidity - I much prefer spring!
Well as I'm up rather early I have plenty of time to finish getting ready for my parents arrival later today. I wasn't expecting them until Sunday but Mum suddenly announced yesterday that they would be arriving this morning. So I baked a fruit cake and a sponge yesterday, cooked a chicken and some new potatoes for lunch and did the shopping in a bit of a hurry. Its pleasantly cool at the moment but the sun is starting to develop some heat I can see outside. Still need to hoover though.
My work search continues with a few applications this week but no interviews on the horizon at present. Maybe today will bring me the job of my dreams! I shall be searching when I get back from riding. We are riding early to avoid the heat and the flies which Harley hates. Maria tells me that yesterday when he came in from the field she had to give him a shower as he was roasting in his fly sheet. I shall spray him before we go off the yard today. It doesn't stop the flies completely but does help a bit. I had a slightly scary moment on Wednesday afternoon when Ed decided to spook and made Harley jump - he 'squeaked' and shot forward but I managed to stay in the plate and sort it out. Its amazing how much my confidence has grown with Harley's help.
Anyway, I'd better stop now before I lose this post as well!
take care Crackers
PBx0 -
Afternoon Crackers!
I've had one those really stupid 'groundhog' weeks when you keep making the same mistakes over and over but for me to finally come to my senses I have to see a gain on the scales!
It was a long, hot, bank holiday weekend and we spent it working round the clock (we had to) - so the only exercise I got over the 3 days was a finger workout, my bottom didn't shift from the chair so I burnt no calories.
Because my husband did the bulk of the cooking over the weekend, I haven't logged my food this week which somehow gives me a green light to cheat. Instead of having just the one yogurt a day, I've taken to sneaking in a 2nd because whose counting? Well my log book might be blank but it does all add up at the end of the week on the scales... And for some reason I've started treating fruit like it's a vegetable only 4 juicy nectarines or a punnet of strawberries is not the same as chomping on 2 carrots - the sugar does all adds up, day in, day out.
The weather has been crazy and because it was so hot every afternoon/evening we've had massive thunder storms so no walking with my friend. And very little in fact next to nothing has been done in the garden as it's either too hot or too wet to go outside!
And because my friend is going away shortly for 2 weeks we did our weekly shop a day earlier so yesterday evening I could be found mindlessly eating a family sized packet of crisps - I scoffed half the packet before coming to the conclusion, I wasn't even enjoying them! I gave the other half to the husband before I stuffed them down too but that is the worse kind of eating in my opinion...
And even more worrying as I also (seduced by the price tag) purchased a new ice-cream honey and almond. Feeling down and fed up and this was in the afternoon, I stuck my spoon in and with every spoonful I was somehow hoping my mood would improve and the flavour, quarter of a tub later I gave up it was disgusting and I was disgusted with myself but it didn't stop me eating the crisps in the evening....
So this morning WI and the scales registered a 2lb gain which I justly deserved! I've had an unstructured lazy week after the weekend and this is the price, as you are what you eat and I feel like junk at the moment! But then having read your post Bracken (and I saw that man hunt) it made me suddenly aware my eating patterns have lots to do with how I'm feeling and I've been worried about my friend who whilst I was away had a breast cancer scare and this morning I went with her to the hospital for her 3rd scan. Sat in the waiting room I was then reminded of my mother-in-law and the many trips we made to the hospital and I felt such gloom until my friend returned beaming from ear to ear, she was absolutely fine.
I got home exhausted not having slept well last night either and I decided enough is enough, I'm going to take a nap as when I'm tired I overeat, my friend is going away on her well deserved break and I'm going to concentrate on me, getting back to basics and logging and exercising daily because I now have 5lbs to lose and this week is over! As Becks says 'draw a line'!0 -
It is always interesting and even comforting to come here and see how much in common we Crackers have, even if it is problems that bedevil us! On a simple note, MITM and PB, you can always add me to any complaint about hot, humid weather and the draining effect it can have on one's being. We had such weather early last week. This weekend however has been gorgeously wonderful- low 20's, no humidity, cool nights, sunny days and today not a cloud in the sky. But by Tuesday, 28C and humid. I just feel so much better when it is moderate temps and without humidity. Today was perfect for riding in the morning and fine for doing some gardening, mostly weeding in the afternoon. Then I took Nellie for a walk and came back and even had enough energy to do a short bike ride. (I finally got my bike out and oiled etc.) It was only between 15-20 minutes but I thought it is a start at adding another exercise component and should use some different muscles from walking. MITM, you have done a very thorough and rigorous audit of your week and I think that can only help you to get back to the way you want to be. It was of course also instructive to me because I could see so many places I could insert myself into your account. I too always struggle if I am not logging. I had a better week this week but not the best I can do- I logged but not always as specifically as I like to ( funny just before I came on here I had logged for the day and put a comment about having done well at just eating structured meals but had not always detailed well so a snack was a piece of cheese rather than an ounce and you can bet it was more than an ounce) And yes, I know the frustration of realizing you have eaten something and it was not even that good- or good at all. You are also right on the mark about how much eating can be affected by emotions and being tired. I can understand the emotional impulse but it always befuddles me how being tired can completely throw off my proper eating but it really can. PB, I recently lost a post so share your frustration so very good to have you repost. You are clearly busy with having your parents visit and doing a lot of prep for that. Very impressive to hear that you have prevailed over Harley's spook ( I don't think that is the first one you have mentioned so well done!) When I was riding this morning, I was ready and went out ahead of my friend. Briar quite likes to have a companion with him and at one point he stopped and gave the most tremendous whinny; I always find it amazing how you can feel a horse's whinny sort of vibrate through the whole body. Well it is almost time to take Nellie out so must leave off. Regards to all Crackers and hope everything is going well.0
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Morning Crackers!
I have just lost my post and I was on my final line!!! How very annoying, now where's the biscuit tin!! I logged on this morning with my cup of tea looking for inspiration which I have found in the form of Bracken on her bike and Saffy losing 2lbs since I myself, have not lost so much as an ounce when I stepped on the scales this morning not that I had any reason to think I might have!
However I am now feeling determined that this week is going to be a good one and that I am going to do some form of exercise each day... I found myself quoting Beck at the daughter last night something alone the lines of 'If I can't exercise for at least half an hour, it's not worth doing anything.' To which Beck replies 'any exercise is better than no exercise! Five minutes is better than zero minutes. It's important to prove to yourself that you can stay in the exercise habit even when you have limited time.' Talk about the pot calling the kettle black - I have done precisely 2 15 minutes sessions of Rosemary since my return from the UK 2 weeks ago that is it!
Well I've been sat on my posterior long enough this weekend and my tea is finished and if I'm not careful this will disappear before my eyes again! Bracken I can't take credit for the 'silver birch' description of my top, that was the colour code but it is a perfect match to my silver birch trees in the garden!
Be good Crackers!0
This discussion has been closed.