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A quick pop-in as I must get to the garden. leaves are now at that lovely stage of being half-out- everything so full of promise. Hostas are finally pushing through which fill up a lot of empty space. Also some lungwort- I'm not sure of its proper name but really like it not only for the pink and blue small flowers on one stem but the mottled leaves continue to look nice after the flowers have gone. That is why I also like columbine.
I have my Fitbit up and running and so far am very pleased. The store clerk told me there was quite a high rate of return because people felt they were inaccurate but so far mine seems quite good. However, I don't wear it if I am in the house much as I consider that hand movements might skew the step calculations too much but do use if for incidental walking aside from my planned walks with Nellie. So far it is motivating and pushes me to do just a little bit more. My friend was able to set it up for me from his home computer for which I was grateful.
MITM, enjoyed your post. Very interesting about the Maypole - you have very lovely traditions where you live. Had to laugh about the ice-cream- so easy to be seduced by a bargain or the unexpected. Most recently, my younger sister who is very kind ( she will drop me off a box of the first pansies she sees or make up a little Easter gift) had been to a nice bakery in Toronto and gave me a special cookie- it was unbelievably rich and rather large but I hate to ask her not to give me food as I think she likes to because I always give gifts to her three girls for birthdays and Christmas and a little in between but I do not have children. Your daughter's bedroom sounds as if it will be a wonderful retreat for her when she comes home. MITM and BM, you are both doing very well with tackling weight- congratulations. PB, I hope you are well. Regards all.0 -
Another quick pop-in. Suddenly it is not just warm but getting hot and by Friday, Saturday, it will be 28/29 degrees. I really hate to complain after the cold but everything seems extreme now. Even this afternoon, 26C, it was hot working in the garden under the sun. However, I got a little more done and when it got too hot I went to a garden centre to buy some new cocoa mat liners for a couple of hanging baskets. Nellie and I went to the stable and I finally got on my horse again. Hardly anyone rode much this past winter. I had not ridden for so long that I needed some help to get back to it; the stable owner has kindly offered to have herself or her daughters ride my horse first to settle him and to help get him fit again. It is only fair that he returns to work slowly after a long layoff but it was really lovely just to be back in the saddle again, even it I was mostly just walking. I took my Fitbit to the stable but found that the grooming action is enough movement that it is interpreted as steps so my today's log is not very accurate. However, that is what I am trying to do- experiment with different activities to see how it affects the calculations. I am finding it really good for distance walking and other incidental walking as I mentioned earlier. I also got my bike out today, gave it a good cleaning and added air to the tires- good to go now. I'll try the FB with it to see how it responds to cycling.
Must get Nellie in as now dark out. Regards.0 -
MITM and Bracken, thank you both for the kind words and support during this difficult time with my Dad x x I am so pleased to say he is much improved. My Daughter told me yesterday he looks and sounds so much better and is returning slowly but surely to his old self. It's going to take a while but we are optimistic.
Bracken, I am delighted you have a fitbit, yours is much more advanced than mine. I am happy you have it all worked out, I find it does give you the extra nudge sometimes needed to do that bit more.
MITM, it felt like all was well in my world when you hit the ice-cream! lol x it reminded me of when we all joined at Tesco and you telling us of your fondness of both enjoying ice-cream and then maybe enjoying it a bit too much and too often! (I am still like that with cheese and crackers).
This week Harry, after recovering from his head wound had developed a limp. It came from nowhere, no cause could be found and then it went as quickly as it came. 2 days after that he got his head stuck in railings. He ran after a lizard who slipped through the gap and Harry tried to do the same and got stuck. Suffice to say the fire brigade were not needed but it was a close call. It really is like having a very naughty child!
Happy Mothers day to you both, I had a bouquet of white roses off Harry and a lovely card. MITM I'm not too sure when it is celebrated in Austria but I hope you have a lovely day . Bracken, hopefully Nellie and you can get a lovely long walk and she will not get up to mischief today for you. Although I am positive she is a much better behaved dog than Harry can be!!
Take care and enjoy the weekend, PB hope you are OK?
BM x0 -
Hello Crackers. A rather long post has just inexplicably disappeared into cyber land-very frustrating and as I am rather tired, not to mention sore from a lot of gardening I don't have the heart to redo tonight. Will try again tomorrow. Regards.0
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Good morning Crackers!
... and I was so looking forward to reading your post Bracken! How very frustrating!
Funnily enough BM - I thought my love of ice-cream was diminishing after no longer liking my old trusty favourites, however my faith has been restored as over the weekend (on offer!) never one to give up, I came across a new cappuccino brand which was delicious. At 750ml and 918 calories I think I can fit that in as my future weekly treat!
Well Harry maybe a cheeky little dog but he knows how to make up for it with white roses! It was Mother's day here and I discovered my daughter had left behind (after her Easter trip) a beautiful Mother's day card (they have dreadful cards here not worth sending in my opinion) from England of a pile of brightly, coloured teacups because I am a teabag! And 1064 calories worth of dark chocolate from Hotel Chocolat; Pecan Brownies, Burnt Caramels and Salted Soft Caramels. Fortunately they are individually wrapped and being dark chocolate I don't think even I can eat too many in one sitting and I will share with the husband if he behaves!
Unfortunately I registered a gain this week (not a shock!) but I'm surprisingly feeling up beat and motivated! Maybe that is down to the glorious weather but far more likely because I allowed a rare photograph to be taken, whilst out walking with my husband on Sunday and it shocked me! Talk about 'middle' age spread, I looked a blob that last half stone has got to go, 4/12's of the year have vanished and I've been carrying them round doing myself no favours for the last 4 months. Plus the husband asked if our outdoor pool has opened yet and that sent shivers down the lumps and bumps as I visualised myself beside the pool! It's time to exercise again, time to find time! Rather than delete the photo (my usual reaction!) I'm keeping it on my mobile as a constant reminder....
So I intend along with the general gardening to do my 8 minutes with Jorge, walk and salsacise as in 5 short weeks I'm off to the UK again.
Be good Crackers!0 -
Here I am again, making another stab at a post after last night's cyberfiasco. I've been very busy in the garden of late. Until Sunday, this was during very hot and humid weather, far from seasonal. However, with the heat we also got some much needed rain and plants and trees seem to have mushroomed overnight, especially my hostas. I have spent a lot of the gardening time (and have the sore back to prove it!) pumping out and cleaning my concrete fish pond. I have written about this pond previously under the banner - "be careful what you wish for." It is now clean and empty. While I was working at it, I did take some pleasure from having a robin close by, watching me and hoping that I would bring up some worms with the leaf debris. I have got my planters and pots quite well organized, filled with new soil. I have some planters already filled with annuals. It is a bit early here but the garden centres seem to have them at their best now. I find that much later they are root bound and leggy so bought some particularly nice ones which were also on special offers. I also bought several hanging baskets of begonias, again at a great price and really lovely plants. However, last night and tonight I have had to put everything in the garage because now there has been a sudden drop in temperature (5C tonight) On Saturday, I was supposed to ride my horse with the help of the stable owner but when I got to the barn, we decided it was too hot/humid to ride. It was 30C. horses can become quite ill from sudden changes in temperature and unaccustomed exercise. It is all rather frustrating. Oh for more temperate weather.
BM, I am pleased to hear that your father is on the mend but I'm sure his health is an ongoing concern for you.
Well, Harry has certainly had a time of it, hasn't he? As for Nellie's behaviour compared to Harry's- I'm not sure she would win a contest! On Sunday, I took her to my brother's. He has a lovely rural property. Nellie was wild to see his dog, Syrius but ran amuk through flower beds which my brother and his wife have worked really hard on. Then there was the swimming pool incident. She lept into the pool which was still covered but had a large puddle of water (from the snow melt), causing my brother to mutter about the threat of damaging the cover. She finished off by tearing down the embankment and plunging into the natural pond- at least, the only problem was that she then needed a thorough bath when we got home. And now I shall tell Nellie about Harry's roses!
Congrats to both MITM and BM- I've seen you have both posted recent weight losses. MITM, your naming of those chocolates conjures up some of my favourite flavours, especially salted caramel. However, I too find that dark chocolate is self-restricting. I've often wondered why. MITM, your comments on the photo are interesting. One often reads that motivation should be positive but I think that sometimes either negative or positive motivators can work though I would say that pervasive negativity about oneself is not a good motivator. You seem to be using the photo without letting it get you down which is good. I've been trying to keep up my walking and biking along with the garden work and am quite pleased that I am feeling somewhat physically more fit than a few weeks ago.
Must leave for now. PB, I hope all is well with you. Regards all.0 -
Hi Ladies, a quick pop in, we are taking Harry to the park soon before it becomes even hotter. I absolutely loved having both your posts to read. I don't watch any "soaps" (none on here) but I love a dose of the latest happenings in your lives. It's like my own personal real life soap! (but in a really good way:)).
Bracken, I laughed out loud at the thought of Nellie jumping on the pool cover. Lovely to hear another dog has "moments of madness" too! MITM how thoughtful of your Daughter to leave a card, and the chocolates sound amazing. I rarely eat ice cream or chocolate, but funnily enough my favourite ice cream from our Ben and Jerry's at the moment is the coffee one. Also last week whilst out shopping with a friend, she had saltedcaramel ice-cream at the Haagen Daaz (spelling?). I had a teaspoon full and it was really good. Shewas amazed I had a ginger and pear iced tea and said no to all the different ice creams and concoctions they have there. I'm just thankful I don't have a sweet tooth or I would be the size of a house. I have enough trouble saying no to cheese!
I STS the same this week, not too sure how I feel about that, I am losing weight so sloooowly. However I started with a Jessica Smith DVD this week. I thought "it's just walking, how difficult can that be?". I have done it 3 times and by Thursday I couldn't lift my legs into the bath or sit down without grunting with the pain in my bottom and thighs!! It really is just walking in a small area to music, albeit different steps and directions etc. If the no pain, no gain, method of exercise is true I am onto a winner! lol x I have only completed the 1st 30min walk but Oh how I ache! I clock up over 4000 steps with just the 1st part and I am so hoping I can stick with it. I had to peel my little cotton t shirt off my back, so if sweat is fat crying, whoo hoo!
Ok Harry is trotting around here waiting impatiently so I will pop in again later.
Hope you both have a lovely Sunday, (PBWHERE ARE YOU???? I would love to know how the interview went and if you are settled in your new house x x)
BM x x
PS I am sorry for the words with no gaps between them, my lap top is doing it's own thing again. If I try to put a space there it just wipes everything away!
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Hello Crackers. Well it seems as if I am alternately complaining about the heat and then the cold but that it is the way it seems to be here at the moment. Last week was unseasonably hot, although the weekend was quite lovely for our Victoria Day long weekend holiday. However, it was hot and humid enough on Saturday that again it became an issue of my horse not being able to do much work so I did ride him a bit but the barn owner's daughter who would also ride him a little more to get him into shape did not because of the humidity. Although I am only doing a short ride, it has been enough that my riding muscles are definitely feeling it. Now today and until Saturday, it has become much cooler again with expected overnight temperatures of only 2C- so I spent a lot of time this evening covering up plants with a tarp or moving potted ones into the garage again. It seems as if I might as well just keep them in groups or by the garage for the next few nights. Also because of this change in temperature, I have not been able to do some touch up work with the coating on the pond as it needs 24 hours to cure and it keeps threatening to rain though in fact it has not actually rained for several days. A brother from Calgary and his wife are visiting here for a week so it has also been busy with either entertaining him or going to a barbeque at a sister's with other family members. Today as I mentioned was cold and threatened rain so I was happy when I had a phone call from a former teaching colleague who was in town for a dental appointment about stopping by. We had a lovely couple of hours visit and it was really nice to sit and relax- something I don't seem to have done much of lately with so much gardening work everyday. My friend is a great dog lover and indulged Nellie's exuberance so Nellie also had a good day. This was in contrast to last night when she was really freaked out by the noise of neighbouring fireworks, so much so that she would not eat her dinner (she eats her last meal late) and ran to lie down at the foot of my bed with her head almost underneath the bed. BM, I shall take some solace that a fellow Cracker is also dealing with aching muscles. Also, I'll second your thoughts on PB- I'm missing her too and wondering how things are going for her. Regards.0
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Good afternoon Crackers!
Apologies for my absence ladies although I do always pop in, I've just had no time of late to linger!
Well like you Bracken our weather is all over the place - my window box flowers are all planted up ready but are also in the garage, alongside the potted plants as the temperature is suppose to really drop in the next couple of days, with even snow forecasted on the mountains! So I'm not chancing putting anything up just yet and the tomato plants are doing a merry dance between the shed and sunning themselves on the terrace! However the vegetable garden is all planted up and as we obey the rules of the moon all is growing well!
My daughter's room is now finished. I laughed when I read about your aches BM/Bracken as I too was in pain from painting all that up and down and then the ceiling almost finished me off! I have sent off for some samples of fabric to make extra cushions to contrast with those that are the same as the cranberry red poppy curtains and the light fitting. If I can find what I'm looking for and my daughter approves I will also get new shades made up for her old table lamps. I also painted the inner window frames which desperately needed doing I discovered, once I had removed the net curtains! The outer also need painting but are currently hidden from view by the apple trees so can wait until I've more time in the autumn. Instead I have moved onto a lovely little window 2 floors below.
We have a new post box provided by the Post, which we agreed to have positioned under the window, which is below the front terrace, beside the garage. So the Post who are now so time pressured, can drive down the road and almost drop the post into the box rather than run up across the front garden, up the steps to the front door! The good news for me I won't need to clear the snow, during the winter in time for the postman each day as I can reach the new post box via the basement back garden door, under the covered terrace. But having to now collect the post daily in an area where I've only ever noticed what is going on in the garden, I'm now having to look at this window and seeing for the first time the peeling battered paintwork! I'm so ashamed! So this is my current project keeping my fingers occupied and fortunately (or not!!) as all our windows are double framed I can just take them down and do the work inside which is just as well as it is currently pouring here. My late father-in-law whose been dead now for nearly 20 years, use to have a pair of window frames continuously to work on in the basement workshop (before I lived here) and I'm beginning to understand why now, as there are 56 window frames alone on the 2 floors we mainly occupy and as they are wooden frames they need constant care with the extreme elements.
Well my frames need a second coat of paint so I must press on - be good Crackers!
P.S. It has been over a month since PB last logged on should we send her a message which might pop up in her normal email account?0 -
A very quick pop-in here. MITM, it is interesting how parallel our weathers have been running. All your painting makes me exhausted just hearing about it- 56 frames no less. I managed to get half my pond recoating work done today. MITM, it would be great if you could message PB- if you do so, could you add my name as a Cracker who is also thinking of her. Regards.0
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Hello Crackers - when I received the email from MITM this morning I hadn't realised how long it is since I've been on MFP - so firstly an apology for being absent for so long. I can only say that I have no excuse other than things have been happening rather fast and I really don't know where to begin!
The house is settling down nicely the only thing I really need to do is get a cat flap fitted and that is being measured tomorrow.
I have today started a new job. I've been working as a PA at University Campus Suffolk for the last couple of months. In the meantime I'd applied for a permanent job there. I was interviewed but there was a bit of a mismatch in relation to one part of the role so we agreed it wasn't for me. I carried on being a PA as another PA went off sick. Then another PA decided to hand in her notice and I ended up working for the Executive Dean who had interviewed me for the permanent role. The next thing I knew they were offering the job to me again - minus the boring bits I didn't want to do and would I like to work 4 days a week? Well, as you can imagine I bit their hands off as by now I'm fully engaged in the team. So my new role is a senior administrative role: Business & Contract Support Manager (Health) which basically means I am the liaison between the University and the commissioners and the hospital trusts etc. I have been inundated today with congratulations from my new colleagues who seem very pleased to have me so I'm feeling absolutely wonderful.
I still find that Fridays' are quite busy but i'm hoping that in time I will be able to relax a bit more n a Friday.
All the changes I have made over the past year are beginning to come to fruition now and I must start to focus again on my health and fitness. Sadly, I've put pretty much all the weight back on which is disappointing but not surprising really.
Parents are coming tomorrow for the long weekend and I have no major plans (although we have just arranged for my brother and family to come on Sunday (its my Sister in Law's birthday) so we'll go to the pub across the road for lunch. The village is fantastic - it has a lovely pub and the village church is utterly beautiful. We had a beacon on the green for VE day commemorations which was lovely (although it rained) and then went to the pub for a nightcap.
So on to you Crackers - how are you all? MITM I wish your daughter the very best of luck in her exams - she must be a very strong young lady with being away from home so much for school. Bracken you really have had a horrible time in recent months and I admire your dedication to trying to keep fit and be healthy as I'm definitely a food addict. Glad Harry is OK too - how on earth did he manage to get a fish hook in his head? I thought it was cats who were supposed to have nine lives!
Well knowing that MFP will probably kill this post if I'm not careful, I will close now - take care and thanks MITM for calling me back into the fold - I miss you too and need to get myself back into good habits.
Lots of love to all
PB xx0 -
PB, Welcome back, you were definitely missed, and what fabulous news with your new career!! Some things are just meant to be x You are definitely on the up, if you take just one tiny measly minute to look back and see how unhappy you were in your previous posts, you will know this is for sure exactly where you deserve to be now. I am so happy for you x x
MITM, Bracken, hope your aches and pains (window panes MITM lol, pardon the pun!) are all better now. I am certainly not complaining about mine again. Even though the scales have only moved a tad I had a lovely day yesterday trying on all last summer clothes that have not fit since. in fact I had never even worn some I had bought and had to remove the tags. So today I will be washing and ironing, sorting out the wardrobes and being very thankful for my lot..... It was a pleasure to sit down with a cup of tea and catch up on both your lives.I feel blessed with my very good Cyber friends!
Happy Friday all,
BM x x
PS Bracken, I have just bought a set of six Portmeirion Botanic Gardens tea cups and saucers. I was so fortunate to find ones with a bird on each instead of just flowers. I thought of you when I saw them and am sure you would love them! A cup of tea and crackers posts are even more enjoyable now! x x0 -
Afternoon Crackers!
I've just had my lunch break, having cleaned the house from top to bottom ready for my guests - yet another clever brother-in-law coming, who is going to install the boiler and get the solar heating running again (with the snow on the mountain tops ha ha! but who cares hot water!) and I thought cup of tea time now and a catch up with the Crackers!
What brilliant news all round - PB I am delighted for you the job sounds absolutely perfect for you! So pleased for you. The village also sounds lovely where is it that you are now living? And BM - what a wonderful treat for you, walking into your wardrobe and discovering clothes not yet worn that now fit! How did you come across Jessica Smith and how is it going? Exercise is very strange, I know from doing the dreaded Shred or just salsacising for 14 minutes a day - my shape will change even if the scales only move slightly. My daughter as she hasn't had time to do her gym classes since the new year, she has been doing the Shred and her abs are now absolutely amazing she has a 4 pack although she has lost no more weight, which she doesn't need to. I keep telling her, as her year round goal is to look good in her bikini (or boarder shorts) at our local out door pool (which opened today - snow on the mountains!!!) it doesn't matter what the scales say you don't wear a notice around your neck, your figure will do the talking!
PB - the daughter is at the half way stage in her exams. English literature she thinks went well and today is poetry so I was glad to have my endless cleaning to do, to keep me occupied as I'm a bundle of nerves! My daughter does have a very strong character, my husband and I often joke she must have been swapped at birth as neither of us is academic but her Great Grandfather was the first headmaster of the village school here and her Grandmother (Mutti) was an intelligent lady but in the days when you were not even allowed to read the bible and she could only sew - but beautifully! However at the beginning of autumn term my daughter started her revision and since Christmas she has been getting up at 6am to revise before school! She is use to getting up early as school here use to start at 7.30am. So I do hope she does well in the subjects she wants to take at A-level she certainly deserves to.
Well young nephews due to arrive so that means I've got to bake a cake!
Be good Crackers!
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Afternoon Crackers!
I've just had my lunch break, having cleaned the house from top to bottom ready for my guests - yet another clever brother-in-law coming, who is going to install the boiler and get the solar heating running again (with the snow on the mountain tops ha ha! but who cares hot water!) and I thought cup of tea time now and a catch up with the Crackers!
What brilliant news all round - PB I am delighted for you the job sounds absolutely perfect for you! So pleased for you. The village also sounds lovely where is it that you are now living? And BM - what a wonderful treat for you, walking into your wardrobe and discovering clothes not yet worn that now fit! How did you come across Jessica Smith and how is it going? Exercise is very strange, I know from doing the dreaded Shred or just salsacising for 14 minutes a day - my shape will change even if the scales only move slightly. My daughter as she hasn't had time to do her gym classes since the new year, she has been doing the Shred and her abs are now absolutely amazing she has a 4 pack although she has lost no more weight, which she doesn't need to. I keep telling her, as her year round goal is to look good in her bikini (or boarder shorts) at our local out door pool (which opened today - snow on the mountains!!!) it doesn't matter what the scales say you don't wear a notice around your neck, your figure will do the talking!
PB - the daughter is at the half way stage in her exams. English literature she thinks went well and today is poetry so I was glad to have my endless cleaning to do, to keep me occupied as I'm a bundle of nerves! My daughter does have a very strong character, my husband and I often joke she must have been swapped at birth as neither of us is academic but her Great Grandfather was the first headmaster of the village school here and her Grandmother (Mutti) was an intelligent lady but in the days when you were not even allowed to read the bible and she could only sew - but beautifully! However at the beginning of autumn term my daughter started her revision and since Christmas she has been getting up at 6am to revise before school! She is use to getting up early as school here use to start at 7.30am. So I do hope she does well in the subjects she wants to take at A-level she certainly deserves to.
Well young nephews due to arrive so that means I've got to bake a cake!
Be good Crackers!
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I don't know how I managed to do that blame MFP!0
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Sounds like you are being very productive MITM! I've had a busy day too sorting out all of the final boxes and putting things in the loft. There is now space in the garage for the car too! Its been sunny all afternoon but still rather chilly. There was, apparently, a tremor in Kent yesterday (very early in the morning) which was meant to be felt round here, but I have to say I never felt a thing - I was obviously fast asleep throughout the whole thing.
I'm in a village called Friston, which has a beautiful church and a pub but is otherwise very quiet. In June there is a classic car rally on the green and for VE Day we had a beacon on the green too. Its all very quintessentially English - but there are quite a few holiday cottages. Mum and I just went for a walk round - the spring flowers are absolutely beautiful in the hedgerows and there are lots of lovely cottage gardens.
Brother and family are coming for lunch (we shall go to the pub) tomorrow - its my sister in law's birthday.
As my mother put it though there is no point going to Aldeburgh as it will be full of Chelsea tractors. We shall amuse ourselves somehow!
Take care all
PB X0 -
well a lovely weekend Crackers - followed by a rather strange day at work! I've been told to sit in an office with one of the Heads of Dept. She was out last week all week and nobody had seen fit to tell her that she was sharing an office with me so I was a bit surprised by her reaction which included a 30 min conversation with HR. Not sure why she was so upset - seemed a bit of an over-reaction to me. Next I switched on my PC to discover that IT had removed my old profile and given me a new one - complete with a new email address. It took me half the morning to re-establish most of the connections and apparently the email can't be sorted out until next week (I don't believe this) because the person who deals with it is on leave....
Have a new friend who has joined a gym down the other end of the Waterfront so I think I'll be joining too - we'll then be able to go together a couple of times a week. Main thing is going to be my currently frozen shoulder. Physio says I won't do any harm by exercising it and pushing it a bit.
Its a tough one as this gym doesn't have a swimming pool but on the other hand we can push each other as we are similar age and size.
Lets hope tomorrow is a better day!
Take care Crackers
PB xx0 -
Good evening Crackers!
Well another busy, busy week - it's gone so quickly.
After snow on the mountains, it's been the complete opposite this past week - super sunny weather and hot running water provided by the once again up and running solar heating panels and spanking new boiler blissful! It's been that hot the water has been scorching! Well having had guests last weekend and so much rich food and big meals which my brother-in-law enjoys and my husband the 'chef' rightly, felt obliged to provide for all his hard work installing the boiler, plus my cakes (yes plural) I felt quite strange and not at all alright!! So once they left with all the remaining left over goodies, I got straight back to my way of simple eating and was surprised and very relieved to see the scales STS.
This week we've had to work hard to make up for the time missed 'entertaining' and after all the rain, the previous week, I had to cut the grass which was one almighty work out. That evening in bed I couldn't find a comfortable position all night long, as I literally ached from head to toe! However with this glorious sunshine my window box flowers are now all up and the garden is in full bloom and just makes me feel happy looking at it! All is once more under control....
I met up yesterday with the ex pats and my 'Joan Collins' friend who keeps me on my toes, I manicured my nails specially as after all the gardening work they looked a right sight, and I put on a full face of make-up and I made the effort to 'dress up'. Like you BM I had a wonderful moment, my smart, fitted, cropped bistro trousers (last worn for the sister-in-law's graduation) slipped on so much easier - won't be a perfect fit until I'm at target and then today I put on my capri jeans for my shopping trip, which I haven't been able to wear since last summer. So even though I'm ending this month the same weight as I started it, I'm feeling happy as I know I too have lost inches from working out in the garden/painting.
However I've just over 2 weeks until I go to the UK and I would like to hit 136 - to give myself a cushion!! Talking of which my sample fabrics have arrived and match perfectly so I'm ordering material for more cushions and new lamp shades. It's all go here.... PB - hope you enjoyed your Friday off and your new colleague has chilled! BM - hope you've been throwing yourself around the room and Bracken - where are you?!!
Well be good Crackers.0 -
Afternoon Crackers!
Just a very quick pop in - I've been catching up and reading the blogs and I've learnt something about myself from 'What I learned on Vacation'; I too am 'rich food intolerant' (that was the term I needed in my last post!) and it dawned on me slowly I also 'have stopped judging myself and celebrate life in the moment' but hadn't realised until I read that blog. You learn something new every day!
Be good Crackers!0 -
well done MITM - great insight!
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Hello Crackers. I had a good read through posts last night and now hope to write some more today as the weather is keeping me indoors - and with a long-sleeved sweatshirt on. After most of May with virtually no rain and worrisome dry conditions, we have had rain over the last three days. It rained most of last night and until late this morning and only now is tapering off. Most of my plants are quite happy with this, particularly the hostas- I can almost see them growing before my eyes. I have been jockeying several hanging baskets of begonias in and out of the garage; I have learned through experience that they do not like to be directly rained on much although they are a plant that needs to be moist. Last year my begonias were rained on a couple of times and by mid-June they started rotting away despite being in well-drained pots. I can also see from my window a single lemon coloured iris which is looking quite bedraggled. I do not have a lot of iris because of lack of direct sunlight but cherish those I manage to coax into bloom as besides their beauty, they remind me of an old friend who gave them to me from her garden and who died of breast cancer. There are a couple more of the lemon iris in bud which I hope will bloom after these rains. One of the first hostas I ever bought I bought with this friend on a trip to a nursery that only sold hostas. At the time it seemed very expensive but over the years I have divided it a number of times- the six large hostas that make a bed alongside my garage all came from this plant.
MITM, I hope you are doing well with that Olympian-sized paint job. I will think of it next week when I begin to stain and verathane the mini-ties (12, each 8 feet long) that are for the beds at one side of my rear patio. Last year I did a similar job for the front of house beds but that was an even bigger job. My brother has said he will install them for me as these beds are not as demanding as the ones at the front. MITM, thanks for referring to helpful blogs again; I shall check that out. Congrats to you and BM with your dieting results and glad to hear that you are having the satisfaction of feeling comfortable in your clothes. MITM, I hope your daughter's exams go well for her. It is certainly commendable that she has learned to revise steadily and not just cram at the last minute. Developing good work habits is so important. I have taught too many really bright students but who have never developed good habits and it does catch up with them. PB, I too am so pleased to hear that you have found a position which you are enthusiastic about and which will allow you to use your skills and talents. Your new home and village sound lovely. I did do a quick check on Wiki to get an idea of your geological location. It looks very historic too.
One thing that baffled me was your expression "Chelsea tractors"- not sure what that means. I'm going to sign off for the moment, also in fear of a MFP malfunction!0 -
Good Morning ladies. Hope its a good one for you. Apologies for my absence, I have been a little unwell. My bloods have been playing up which resulted in my fainting twice whilst out on Monday afternoon. Thankfully OH was with me and able to get me home safely and quickly, so I haven't exercised which quite surprisingly I have missed (only a little......but still. lol x)
Lovely to read the posts with my morning cup of tea,
MITM, a magic, precious moment indeed when something fits! I always think at that particular time, "nothing tastes as good as this feels". An old saying but true. Very impressed with your material purchases. I am going to learn to sew next year for definite. Last year I learned how to knit more than one stitch, and this year I am quite proud of learning to crochet. I have used youtube and bought lots of books so it has been good. I also joined Ravelry which is a free crochet/knitting community. Nothing at all like Facebook/twitter etc which I personally won't use. So it was interesting to hear you speak of handmaking your own house hold furnishings. It would be lovely to hear some details of what you are making.
Bracken, how lovely to read your descriptions and plans of your garden. I had to google Hosta's, such beautiful leaves but so many different varieties how on earth do you know where to start!
Also googled Iris and then realised I see them a lot here and am familiar with them back home, just never knew the correct name (I am ashamed of my gardening ignorance and will definitely remedy this when I eventually have more than a balcony). It is a beautiful plant, the colours are gorgeous. In fact I ordered a tunic from White stuff (UK) yesterday and it is called "Iris". the colour being described as Persian purple!
I had to smile at your "Chelsea tractors", I have always known them as that but thinking about it made me realise how confusing it is. They are the huge SUV's (4X4"s in the UK) that the wealthy city ladies drive the 100 or more yards in to take their children to school! Sort of a status symbol. the irony being these massive off road vehicles will never even see a country road let alone be driven for their real purpose. (Chelsea being a common place for this alleged one upmanship and the vehicles being as big as tractors!). Hope this has explained it. x
PB, hope your teething troubles at work soon get sorted. Also hope your office mate realises she is being an idiot and apologises for her behaviour! I am sure you will soon be well settled in. I have been busy on Google this am! I checked out Friston and is so pretty. It reminded of the James Herriot landscape, he was an absolute hero of mine growing up, I badly wanted to be a vet for a long time! There is not much about Friston on WIKI which is a shame, (It does show a beautiful old country Church though), it all looks a lovely place to live I hope you will be very happy there x
I am off to walk Harry now, bless him we are confined to the gardens in the grounds until my bloods settle, sensible I know but I miss my ocean walks. The sound of the sea is just so relaxing and its vastness always makes me realise that in the grand scheme of things my problems are not so big or bad after all!
Take care all,
BM x x0 -
Hello Crackers. A perfect way to let my stomach settle after lunch before heading back to yardwork- reading your post BM. Very sorry to hear of your fainting episodes. I hope you are feeling better. How fortunate you were with your husband at the time. yes, there are many varieties of hostas, over 3000 I believe. I haven't actually counted how many varieties I have but should do so- probably more than I think. Thanks for enlightening me on the Chelsea tractors- we certainly have some here and probably even more in Toronto. Hummers seem to be a vehicle of choice. Have these people no sense of irony? I too have been a James Herriot fan. My mother and I went to Thirsk where he had his office which was said to be still open at the time but the day we went it was closed. Nevertheless it was a lovely train trip and we enjoyed Herriot country. I still have several of his books, including a large one with photos of Herriot country. Also, I checked the internet and was able to see pictures of the Portmeiron china you bought. I am also very fond of botanical patterns and also birds on china which seem to be much less common. I also have seem birds on wallpaper which I liked. On the subject of birds, this morning after I walked Nellie and did a short bike ride, I decided to have my breakfast on my back garden patio. I spend so much time working there I am trying to remind myself to relax there too! I was quite thrilled to have a mother robin and two of her young sitting on a fence just a few yards from me. It was particularly nice as a couple of weeks ago I found two dead fledgling robins in the garden. It always makes me feel so sad. Birds have such a hard time of it. The two dead ones were well developed and looked as if they had been almost ready to leave the nest. I can't know for sure, but it is likely they were attacked by another bird, the blue jay, a very pretty bird but one which will attack the nest of other birds, eat eggs and even young birds. There are jays around here. Well, I have used up my break time and must back to some jobs. Regards.0
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Hi All - thanks for the explanation of 'Chelsea tractors' BM - you are absolutely right these are the ridiculous 4X4/SUV's which unfortunately go a little further than the school run at weekends when they come down to their 'holiday home' in Suffolk - they drive much too fast along country lanes killing animals including deer and basically being very aggressive. they also tend to take up two parking spaces because they can't park it properly (despite all the tech they have). It is also said they spray on dirt to make it look good. Ah well I need to stop ranting about them!
Friston Church is, indeed, very pretty. It has a lovely painted ceiling which sadly is in need of repair at the moment, and a choir/organ loft that is very pretty. Services so far have been very enjoyable although I was intending to go to the benefice service on Sunday which was at the nearby village of Aldringham. Unfortunately, I couldn't actually find the church! it is, apparently, hidden behind a wood. I love Suffolk!!!!
I'm off to a cottage near Thirsk in October - for a holiday and am very much looking forward to exploring Herriot country - I'm a big fan too and especially loved the original series. I assume Bracken that the robins you are referring to are the Canadian ones? not our small british ones. I'm watching our springwatch programme at the moment which is coming from Minsmere - which is only about 5 miles from here (if that). Its quite fascinating.
Unfortunately, the woman I'm sharing an office with is still struggling so its a bit tense at times - but I can't do anything about it. Otherwise its going really well.
Its a beautiful evening here although its clear so I'm expecting it to get a bit chilly tonight. My frozen shoulder is not too bad at the moment after a couple of very bad days weatherwise with major wind storms. They are threatening thunderstorms on Friday.
Well that's all for now - take care Crackers!
PB x0 -
Evening Crackers (what a lovely cup of tea!)
Twice now I have read the posts and put my hands up to cover my open mouth in horror! Firstly if I gave the impression I was painting all 56 of my window frames - I must make clear, whilst I do intend to work my way around the house, it will be very slowly and a couple of frames at the most every few months, so it will take me years to complete! Secondly I did word my last post very badly (I checked) yes, I am ordering fabric; for my good friend to cover my existing cushions for me (!) and the lamp shades are from Laura Ashley, from the custom made shade range. Painting is the absolute limit to my DIY skills....
I've been watching whilst having my lunch 'All Creatures Great and Small' every day this past month! How weird is that? I too love the scenery and the simpler, tranquil times. Most definitely no Chelsea tractors in those days! Sorry to hear PB your office colleague hasn't yet chilled and BM I hope you have recovered after your fainting spells and your bloods have been sorted? Bracken I love the idea of you relaxing on your back garden patio because I too have taken to sitting out on my terrace at the end of the afternoon after my weeding sessions, as otherwise I never get to relax or appreciate my garden.
This week has been stressful and not a good dieting week. The exams in the subjects my daughter is 'expected' to do well in, 2 haven't gone quite as she planned or hoped and her disappointment is huge. Massive! I can feel and see her pain but I can't do anything from here to comfort her not even find the right words. So I don't feel like I'm being a very supportive understanding mother at the moment although I seem to have no problem eating! In fact I could get an A* in over-eating!
Be good Crackers!
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Afternoon Crackers!
Well I have excelled myself - as according to the scales this morning I have managed to gain 4.5lbs! I have decided against checking this weight in until I have re-stepped on the scales on Monday when I have to weigh in with my 'challenge' group. However I am making it public to the Crackers so I don't stick my head completely in the sand!
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Hello Crackers. It's so nice to know there is a lot we have in common here (although it would be boring if we were exactly the same) as a fondness for James Herriot (even a knowledge of same) is now rather uncommon, at least here. I too have watched DVD's of the series from the library and enjoyed them. With that in mind, I will mention a very interesting interview I heard yesterday on CBC. Whoops, I have forgotten the name so am going to check the internet and will return.0
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Back. The interview was with James Rebank about his book, The Shepherd's Life. Has anyone heard of it? It is well publicized here. I found his interview really engaging. He is a shepherd in the Lake District, a man who has a degree the Oxford but who always intended to return to shepherding as his father and grandfather and many generations of his family had done before. He talked about his sense of satisfaction from following this lifestyle (he isn't just up on a mountain alone with his sheep, he has a wife and three children) and his reflections on life and the values he has found doing what he truly wants to do. He probably covered a lot that is in his book but I will definitely buy it. He said a lot about the sense of community that exists among the shepherding tribe.
PB, I'm glad the new job is going well. I hope the office woman soon comes around. How could she not like you? I hope she is soon able to see how interesting you are and what a lot of different interests and talents you have. Yes, the robins here are not like the English robins. My mother always said they were the size of a thrush but they do have a reddish breast. As much as I sometimes grumble about my old trees (lots of leaves to rake in the fall and now buckets of maple keys, the seeds), they draw the birds. I truly love the early morning birdsong, even when I wake before I really wanted to.
MITM, I'm relieved to hear that you are not painting all those windows at once. Even doing them over time is formidable enough. I seem to be improving my exercise but am having an awful time with diet at the moment. I keep losing and gaining the same five pounds it seems. That would not be so bad if it were 5 pounds at the lower end of my weight. As it is I have some nice summer clothes that are frankly too tight. I am reminded of what a good feeling it is to try on clothes and find them fitting loose again as BM has been doing recently. I have not been making my eating plan the central focus recently and it seems that it has to be a really conscious effort to get significant results for me. More on that later.0 -
Quick pop in. Bracken your mention of James Rebank rang a bell and I wondered if this is the same man I read an article about back in March which stuck in my mind because his son Isaac who is 3, is also sheep-mad and I thought how cute! I looked him up and it is, I didn't know he had written a book. Very interesting man, let us know if the book is good.0
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Good Morning all! I have been in my element here with a cup of tea reading these wonderful posts. Wish I could stay longer, but will hopefully pop back in later. I have an emergency appointment in an hour as unfortunately my bloods are not under control. I am not even going to weigh myself this week as I have not been logging my food (first time in ages) so don't even want to think what has happened with my weight, also at the moment I am not too bothered as my clothes still seem ok so I am hoping it may not be as bad as I think
Take care and enjoy a happy weekend,
BM x x
PS MITM, there is no weigh you have ate over 15000 calories extra this week. I am 100% certain that weight is incorrect, be it sodium, hormones, or newly used muscles retaining water to recover! I have every faith you will be back to normal soon x x0
This discussion has been closed.