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Bizarrely, it is currently snowing here. I don't think it will last long. The sun was out 5 minutes ago. Its extraordinary!
My orgy of eating and drinking LMV starts with a snacks and scrabble evening on Friday - that's not so bad as I can stick to one glass of wine and a limited quantity of crisps etc. Saturday is, however, more difficult. I suspect it will start with a full English which isn't so bad as it will be brunch. (and I'll still get my banana and grapes). In the evening, we are going to have an alternative to the Hunt Ball. We decided to boycott the Hunt Ball as we weren't happy with the venue. They decided to go to a hotel they used last year. It was a beautiful venue, but the service was slow, the band were playing before we had had dessert, my friend Maria has never stopped complaining since last year about the lack of vegetables - being a Suffolk country girl she isn't impressed by a minute potato rosti and a bit of spinach. And by the time we had been served dessert the band had all but finished playing. It was not good.
So - we decided to go out for dinner instead. So we are going to a local pub in a group of 10 and the wine and champagne will flow and we will have lots of lovely food - and no dancing this time (which is a shame as I usually use this to switch to water and work off the calories).
On Sunday, I expect there will be a roast but I don't know who will be cooking it - maybe me???? control of my kitchen again. yay.
I can't believe that it is still snowing as I finish writing this. It isn't settling but it is not helpful as I had hoped to go for a stroll down at Aldeburgh today - not having been out yesterday and feeling a bit down as a result. In fact I haven't really been out since I went to Church on Sunday and I must say I was very tired after sitting on a too narrow pew in the choir stalls for nearly 1 1/2 hours.
Like the cartoon LMV - so true!
Good luck with the weigh ins. I will weigh myself on Friday morning when I don't have my cast on any more and find out what the damage is. This will be after I have a) shaved the forest on my left leg and b) rubbed in half a gallon of moisturiser! I cannot imagine what sort of mess my leg will be in!
I've just tried putting an emoji in here but can't seem to make it happen (it was a wry one for you Bracken knowing that you will be laughing at my pathetic little snow shower).
How nice for you too LMV to have dinner cooked for you. You do enjoy life.
well that's all for now crackers
PB xxxx
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Hello Crackers,
A half pound loss for me, but a loss is a loss and I am extremely satisfied as I think I posted a bigger loss than I should have done last week and if I put them both together it averages at 1 7/8 lbs per week which I am delighted with.
We are having a new heating system put in today so the house is in uproar with no water. We went out for breakfast and I celebrated my loss with mushrooms, tomatoes and a poached egg. Delicious! We are checking into a local hotel this evening where there will be heat and hot water and they have a very nice restaurant so I have done something I don't usually do. I have skipped lunch and am saving my calories for a meal out this evening. BM, we are going to the King Arthur in Reynoldston which you may well know. It's an old pub / hotel wth beams and log fires but all the rooms have been refurbished so it is a very comfortable place to stay and will be a treat. We have been without proper heating for a year although we do have two log burning stoves. I won't bore you all with the sorry saga but after this cold snap I'm looking forward to having our under floor hearing up and running again!
PB, your week end sounds lush and I'm sure you are raring to let your hair down after being captive in your cast for so long. I think it is probably just as well there is no dancing otherwise I could see you doing yourself another mischief by going wild with your new found freedom to move. With alcohol as well I have a very vivid picture of you strutting your stuff and shaking your booty! In fact, it's as vivid as the picture I still have of MITM in her Kylie gold hot-pants.
I can report that the chicken and mushroom dish coked by the husband was very good. Like a lot of men, he didn't learn to cook when he was younger and apart from steak and chips with all the trimmings and a full English he never did much in the kitchen. I have always loved cooking so since we've been together I've done it all. Since we've been doing the cooking evening class his confidence in the kitchen has blossomed and he is actually a really good cook. His signature dish is a pancetta, leek and pea risotto which I think he has now cooked for all our friends. A few years back he would never have dreamed of cooking for anyone other than me so he's come a long way and it is lovely to see.
Right, the workmen need tea so I'd better get the kettle on. Be good Crackers
xx
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Well I know I said "Be good Crackers", but I totally failed to take my own advice. Having put that cartoon up about no one made me eat/drink it I do if course totally blame the husband! So we check in to the hotel and we are staying in Guinevere's cottage which is an oldy worldy beamed outbuilding which has been converted into a hotel "room". Downstairs is a beamed living room and kitchen with inglenook fireplace and upstairs is the bedroom and bathroom. Absolutely gorgeous. So I say "Shall we have a cup of tea and relax for an hour before we go to dinner?" The husband says "Well as it's our anniversary I thought I'd buy you a glass of champagne at the bar". (Re "Our anniversary" we are soppy enough to celebrate in months so today is 302 months together and 254 months married. I can hear the collective groan at that from here!). Anyway, my head was saying "No, let's have a cup of tea" but the words which actually came out were "Oh, that would be lovely". So, 3 glasses later, my resolve is shot. I had a sensible main - poached salmon with a Pak choi salad and new potatoes and then had a desert. I rarely eat desert but I found myself ordering 2 scoops of Turkish delight ice-cream with one scoop of Caramel crunch. It was fabulous, but why did I order and eat it? Well it was obviously the alcohol. Hey ho, onwards and downwards, that's me back to a dry February!
Do as I say, not as I do Crackers!
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Hello Crackers. I have had a busy couple of days so won't detail it all at the moment but will start with our weather which has been very mild for the past several days, and today was a record breaking 12+C. It was made even nicer being sunny as it has been for several days. Typically here in January/February we get little sun so this makes everything seem nicer. Nellie and I had a good walk again and I did some other sustained walking for a total of 9421 steps. So PB, you have actually had more snow than here recently. Tomorrow however we are back to a wintry zero degrees and winds. PB, your 'cabin fever' (not sure if that expression is used other than Canada) is very understandable and you must be just chaffing at the bit to kick off that cast and kick up your heels. But LMV, is probably right in advising caution. So I hope you enjoy yourself with good food and good friends. LMV, you are really doing so well with your 15.5 total loss so deserve to celebrate a bit extravagantly on your anniversary. The dessert sounds yummy; I have never actually heard of Turkish delight ice-cream here. What would the flavours be in it? Your main was surely sensible so probably you haven't derailed yourself much at all. And it is very sweet that you and your husband celebrate the months you have been together. Thanks for posting the cartoon for us too. BM, I hope you are coping with those sore knees. You have posted a lot of steps on the exercise thread so your knees have been getting a work out. I also get sore knees sometimes after longer walks and like you hope that less weight will improve them. That 7 or 9 pounds of pressure per pound of weight is certainly instructive, LMV.0
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Bracken, I feel such a fraud putting those steps on here. I have actually done them, but they have just been Harry and I tootling around the marina and grounds. Not fast walking or exercise steps. So I doubt very much they are burning as many calories as I would like! My knees feel better today, but I may just hang on and try again with the walking dvd next week. I should start Swimming really, but am way too self conscious at this size.
Turkish delight ice cream........wow! I adore it. I rarely eat ice cream and then coffee is pretty my choice of Flavours, but the Turkish delight is so good. (I like the chocolate bars too, but we can't get them here). I think one of the Flavours is rose water, but with my cooking skills please don't quote me on that!
LMVyour night away sounds perfect. Who can blame you for enjoying your night, you have done so well weight wise and just been poorly. Good for you for enjoying yourselves. You haven't fallen off the wagon, just leaned out a bit. You are obviously in the right frame of mind and I would put money on those calories not even registering on your next WI. How lovely you still celebrate in months, I thought that was beautiful.
PB, I am excited for you to be rid of that cast! Your weekend sounds like it's going to be a "Cracker". (Pun intended). I hope you have a wonderful time xx
MITM, I hope you are OK, if you are still doing all those cooking shifts please look after yourself xx
I am off to have another long soak in the bath, luxury!
Take care all, BM xx0 -
Good Afternoon Crackers!
Apologies - it's been over a week since my last confession - oh no I've actually been good!!
I had hoped to post last Sunday, in my head I had a relaxing, leisurely day planned out but then because of the lack of snow the hotel where my husband covers for the Head Chef, decided to close for the day so I had the pleasure of him and yet another long day of potatoes.... In fact we have set our own personal record working 23 days in a row and I'm now sick of the sight of potatoes. Today is our first day off since I returned to Austria and the only potatoes I'm coming into contact with will be those I'm cooking for a potato curry tonight if I can bring myself to handle them. I'm hopeful for a few potato free days as the husband is working in Italy all next week as it's half-term here so this hotel will be busy regardless of the weather. We did actually have a sprinkling of snow yesterday but today it's all melted and it looks just like my profile photo; absolutely glorious more like Spring. Well although I haven't had time to linger and post I have been checking in daily and keeping up to date with everyone's progress. I am so impressed, we're now into February and you are all still going strong well done!
BM - first things first, before I forget, I don't own a single 'Nigella' book however if you google 'Nigella salted chocolate tart' it will appear like magic. Any pounds gained from eating it I can assure you will not disappear like magic - oh how I wish! I often just use her website. And I really don't think a standard format apology from John Lewis is acceptable. If you've the patience and time you should email Head of Customer Services as I cannot believe they are aware of the appalling service being offered in Singapore. It's not good enough to simply cancel your wanted order because someone is not protecting it from getting smashed. If they can't deal with fragile goods it wouldn't be offered on their website someone is not doing their job correctly on route.
Plus what decision did you make about the Hobbs jeans? I would go for it! Like LMV suggested I'd order 2 sizes because you can easily get a credit note on returning a pair when you're home in April and no doubt have no trouble re-spending! My own jeans LMV (style number T50/5158) I checked on the website - for some reason they are down as jeggings although no where on the jeans does it call them that and on the label it says 'style 2 skinny sits on the waist' however if you look at the last photo; size 8 model bum I think explains my predicament about the tightness!! Although I wouldn't be making a fuss if I had a size 8 bum! Oh how I did giggle over your comment BM!
For National Holocaust day last week my daughter was indeed at an 'event' she took my Mother who found is most interesting. It was held by the Parkes Institute. The institute itself is based on the life work of the Reverend Dr. James Parkes who campaigned against the rise of racist nationalism in Europe starting in the 1920s. The guest speakers were 2 Jewish elderly men who survived the war escaping on the Kindertransport one was German the other Austrian. The Austrian was now in his mid nineties and spoke without notes which impressed my Mother but as my daughter pointed out that is an Austrian education for you! My own daughter can memorise huge chunks of passages by heart and do presentations without reading her notes - for fear of punishment when growing up of having to stand on your chair or in her old Italian classes do a press up!! But his life story and his treatment and experiences after the war back in Austria where he couldn't stay for hatred, confirmed the views my daughter often came across in the classrooms here and both returned to live in the UK.
LMV - you once asked what my daughter hoped to study at university, she wants to do a BA in History with a minor in German cultural studies but it has to be at Southampton university as they are one of the few in the UK that cover the Holocaust in depth and offer Jewish studies and have excellent links with the Parkes Institute. But she will need an A at A-level History....
Bracken - Sunday here was so grey and miserable... anyway the husband insisted we still did our Sunday walk/climb and all I could think as I heaved one foot in front of the other, this is my own 'Everest'! Then is started drizzling... Fortunately it was a long hike because also my words were coming back to haunt me about mindless eating! I was so tired, cross, my day had been messed about and if I'd have been home at that very moment I'd have ate whatever I could have got my hands on, I'm sure of it! Luckily with time my mood improved no doubt with fresh air and walking in clouds that I managed to hold it together and survive the day and just as well as on my weigh in the following morning I'd lost the grand sum of 0.8lbs. What hard work! Still this time last year according to my records I went right off track whilst in England and it took 6 long months to undo the damage so I'm determined not to make the same mistakes. I've just got to keep putting one foot in front of the other...
PB - I shall be thinking of you this weekend. Enjoy your orgy of eating and drinking but do take care no falling over. And remember whatever the scales say, you lost 15 pounds painlessly before Christmas so you can do it again!
Final word before I prepare my potatoes - the Turkish delight and caramel crunch ice-creams sounds absolutely yummy, I could be tempted!
Be good Crackers!
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I have just logged on to put my February plans on the other thread as it is now the 4th already but had to pop-in here for a good read. I have actually gone through my January log and accessed what I've done. I must admit that previously, even when using my log regularly that I have not examined it and accessed at the end of a month. So progress, I think. I have done some treadmill today but have reached my exercise goal so plan to be back later.
BM, you should not apologize for any of the steps you take. There are certainly times when my daily steps include some "tootling around." I think every step you take helps you to take more demanding steps later. When I got on my treadmill in January after a long layoff, I had to begin at a much lower intensity but now I have increased it quite a lot. Lovely to hear from you, MITM, though exhausted thinking about your marathon battles with all those potatoes. Your walk/climb seems to have done you good with your .8 weight loss and triumph over a mindless eating potential situation. I enjoy hearing about your daughter's involvements, this time at the Parkes Institute.0 -
Evening Crackers,
It's so nice to come to the Cracker group and find lots of interesting posts. Bracken, I really enjoyed reading your assessment on the monthly objectives thread. It certainly helps me to take stock at the end of a set period and look at what has been achieved. Because I have quite a lot to lose AGAIN, it can feel like a relentless battle with no beginning or end point so breaking it up into small targets and setting a time frame helps me focus. It stops me looking too far ahead and keeps me concentrated on the job in hand. I am definitely an individual who responds to goals and challenges!
You made the most of the mild weather Bracken and achieved a fantastic step total. Was that your highest so far? Cabin fever is a term which we are familiar with in the UK so I'm sure we all understand what you mean. As BM said, The Turkish delight ice-cream is a beautiful pink colour and is flavoured with rose water and contains dark chocolate chips. It is to die for! I did enjoy it.
Well, after the champagne and ice-cream last night, I reigned myself in at breakfast. I had a small glass of orange juice, some grapefruit segments, a poached egg with tomatoes and mushrooms and two pots of tea. Given all the delights on offer and access to a help yourself breakfast buffet, I was extremely restrained - unlike last night!
BM, I second Bracken in saying you should not belittle you stepping achievements. A lot of my steps are attributable to pottering around as well and every step counts. It's all being active rather than sedentary and little and often is just as good as one long walk. I'm pleased to hear that your knees are improving but I would urge you to get into that swimming pool as it is such good exercise and less pressure on your knees. I know you are feeling self-conscious but, in all honesty, I doubt if anyone else will be that interested in looking at you, they'll be concentrating on themselves. Keep yourself covered up in a wrap until you are by the pool and just slip into the water quietly. I do understand that it is hard but the benefits to you in overcoming your embarrassment will be enormous. The absolute worst that could happen would be someone seeing you and thinking to themselves "That woman needs to lose weight" - well good for you, you are doing something about it. We have exactly the same taste in ice-cream. I don't eat it often but my three favourites are coffee, Turkish delight and black cherry. Joe's do Turkish delight and cappuccino but sadly not black cherry and Joe's is the best ice-cream as I'm sure you know (outside of Italy of course). For everyone else, Joe's is a Swansea family ice-cream business set up by some Italian immigrants. I hope you enjoyed that bath.
MITM - great to hear from you. Congratulations on your weight loss and walking off the urge to "stuff your face!" You've been working so hard you poor thing and you must be feeling potatoed out after 23 days of it - what a marathon. It is so interesting to hear about your daughter and how definite she is about knowing what she wants to do. Where does her interest in the holocaust come from? I remember you visited Anne Frank's house in Amsterdam a few years back. Was that because she was already interested in it, or did her interest arise from that visit? I'm not sure if I understood your comment about views expressed in Austrian classrooms. Are there anti Semitic views expressed in Austria in this day and age? Most impressed that you are wearing jeggings - I shall check them out in due course.
Well, after the champagne and ice-cream last night, I reigned myself in at breakfast. I had a small glass of orange juice, some grapefruit segments, a poached egg with tomatoes and mushrooms and two pots of tea. Given all the delights on offer and access to a help yourself breakfast buffet, I was extremely restrained - unlike last night! I ventured out into our dank weather today, but at least it wasn't raining, and walked to the next village. I stopped for a bowl of soup - parsnip and pear which was surprisingly delicious - and then walked back. The house is still full of workmen dealing with our heating system so I haven't managed to do any salsasizing but tonight we have warmth and hot water, hallelujah. This is the first time our radiators have worked in over a year!
It was the book group meeting tonight and we had an interesting discussion on this month's book The Sunrise by Victoria Hislop. It split the group with half voting it a hit and half a miss which always promotes a good debate. It is based in Famagusta, Cyprus in the 1970's and is based in historical fact. Famagusta was evacuated in 1974 when the Turks invaded and unbelievably the city is still empty and fenced off today. It wasn't my favourite book of hers, as for me the plotting in this book was weak and I felt dissatisfied at the end of it, but the history was fascinating. Her debut novel, The Island, is brilliant though. Again, it is a story woven around actual history, this time in Crete, where a small island was turned into a leper colony. I would recommend that book for anyone who hasn't read it.
I had better stop rambling. PB, I hope your cast came off successfully and that everything is OK with your leg.
Be good Crackers,
xx
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Hello. Dropped in to post my steps which I couldn't do earlier and of course, could not resist coming here when I saw a new post. I haven't checked my steps total but suspect it is my highest so far. I agree with you, LMV, about the importance of setting smaller targets which is what I am trying to do. I will say that it is not a natural inclination for me but something I have to work at. I see setting goals and targets all part of the discipline you were talking about earlier. I completely agree that discipline is more important than will-power which almost seems an unclear concept. I think it is easier to break down discipline into some concrete actions whereas will-power to me seems like an uncertain thing that may come into power in an emergency; I think of it in terms of a person who sees someone in distress, say pinned under a car, and somehow manages to summon great strength to lift the vehicle enough to be moved from it. I think discipline has some alliance with habit and I know that recently there have been a number of books written about habit formation, not just in terms of dieting. I believe there has been some serious research on the topic.I have read some short articles in the paper about the concept too but think I'll try to do some reading on the topic, maybe check out the library. Well done on snapping back so quickly to your plan after the celebrations of the night before.
I will mention regarding the topic of ice-cream and favourites one of mine. It is an ice-cream that I haven't seen here for years and years. But when I was in high school, one of the first Italian restaurants opened in our London (Canada at that time was very conservative in its food
choices); it is where I first had pizza and my memory of that is that I never had better pizza than there too (of course, my memory may be coloured by time) The ice-cream was spumoni. I remember it as a creamy chocolate and green (which I now think was pistachio) with walnut pieces and pieces of dried fruit like cherries and citrus peel. I was reminded of it recently when I saw in the paper that the man who started the restaurant, an immigrant from Italy, had died at age 88. We do get very good black cherry here though. Glad to hear your heating situation is improving. It is easy to take such amenities forgranted until they aren't working. I had to get a new furnace three years ago and remember the day the old one stopped working.
I have a wood burning fireplace that I virtually never use but am considering having it changed over to gas for next winter. So, time for me to log off now. Regards.0 -
One of the things I love about this group is that we are in different time zones and all post at different times. When I get up in the morning and there is a fresh message to read with my breakfast, it's like having a chat with a friend and it motivates me afresh for the day. Thank you Crackers, your support is brilliant xx0
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Whilst my bread is proving I sat down and checked out your Jeggings MITM (infinitely more interesting than ironing the sheets which is what I should be doing). Wow!
"For a streamlined silhouette, these jeggings are perfect. Our Dual FX technology allows denim to keep its shape hour after hour. This means no more bagging or sagging - just a perfect fit, all day long."
My new goal is to be able to wear a pair of jeans like that! I'm aiming for a streamlined silhouette. Could be a while!!
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A day of many distractions which kept me from doing anything besides walking, although I did manage to get above the 6000 steps. Of course, all distractions are not bad; my sister dropping in for a visit after work was welcomed. However, running out to replace a pot that I had completely ruined- burnt beyond redemption- was rather annoying. I was trying to multi-task and was steaming some cauliflower for soup and left the room for a few minutes which turned into much longer. The cauliflower was in a steamer in the pot and was so dry that it looked as if it had been roasted. The reason I went right to get another pot is because that one was the only one that my egg poacher tray fitted and I have poached eggs or whites two or three times a week. It was also the pot I use most often to steam veg too although I have others that would work. I measured the lid for diameter and thought I had found one but when I got it home it is a hair too small. The morning was taken up with mundane floor cleaning and such. I will mention here that before Christmas (in the so-called Black Friday sales which we seem to have imported from the U.S.) I bought an iRobot vacuum. I was not really familiar with them until my sister bought one and was really pleased with it. Perhaps all of you are familiar with them or perhaps have one. They are a robotic vacuum, circular shaped like a disc. I had decided I wanted one as Nellie has long hair and routinely sheds. I have found that it is really worthwhile; I like being able to press a button and let it wander around the rooms while I do something else. My floors are either cork or wood so I'm not sure how effective it would be on carpet.
Further to my comments about my sister's daughter-in-law contracting a gastro illness from eating the Dole bagged salads, she was released from hospital but is still not well, still has gastro complications. In two weeks, she has lost 11 pounds (sounds like a quick way to lose
weight but definitely not worth it. My sister has taken the last days off work to help her with her 4 year-old and year-old children. They live about three hours away. A scary situation.
Good for you, LMV, setting a new goal for those jeggings. Would you wear them with high boots? I love that look but would never be comfortable unless I had that streamlined silhouette you mentioned. I do however see no end of woman with anything but a streamlined silhouette wearing leggings and tight, high boots. I suppose there is an argument that if one likes a look, one should be able to wear it but I would never have the confidence to do so.
I hope everyone has a good weekend. PB, thinking of you and how it must feel without your cast. Take care all.0 -
Afternoon Crackers!
All this talk of my silhouette jeggings I felt the urge to try them on again today! Your comments Bracken sum up exactly what I feel when I put them on. Presently I would not wear them outside of the house, in fact I wouldn't wish to wear them inside of the house!! Although they fit and I'm no longer self conscious about my bum it now looks fine (thanks Rosemary!) but when I look at my legs... However I will battle on as I'm very aware that the extra 2.8 pounds I'm currently wearing are sitting on my thighs so I will continue to salsacise and as I mentioned on the 'Objective thread' I'm going to dig out my Jillian DVD and I will see how I feel about the jeggings (I haven't removed the tags) come the end of the month. I intend to wear them with my ankle boots, I'm too short for high boots.
Bracken so sorry to hear about your sister's daughter-in-law, I hope she fully recovers soon. Lucky her 4 year old didn't get it too. What does Nellie think of your iRobot vacuum?! I have to confess I get some sort of buzz from doing my housework!!! Mind you I read recently someone saying 'cutting my grass has improved my mental health more than I can express, it lifts my mood and decreases anxiety' well for me somehow cleaning is just like gardening and both do absolute wonders for me!! So no iRobot vacuum for me.
Well it's another glorious day here, I do feel for you LMV with the endless rain, so I'm off now to make the most of it and to climb my mini Everest. We have actually been forecasted 1/2 metre of snow next week which looking out of the window I cannot believe is true.
Be good Crackers!0 -
I suppose there is an argument that if one likes a look, one should be able to wear it but I would never have the confidence to do so.
Don't know if anyone else has seen Cindy Crawford and James Corden recreating her Pepsi Super Bowl advert?! Both wearing identical outfits but 2 very different figures!!0 -
so I'm back on both legs. there is an enormous quantity of dead/dry skin to remove which is going to take a few days. I am walking unaided which is great - but a bit ungainly. I weighed this morning and have put on 5lbs which isn't too bad considering..... I slept very well again last night - with no cast in the way I can get really comfortable.
Off out to my hunt ball alternative this evening so will be going to start getting ready soon. Need to work on my nails.
Shower decided to play up this morning so I am hoping it will have recovered from its strop by now. (Every now and then it refuses to work for no obvious reason.
Had a lovely time at our snacks and scrabble evening (first of the month) last night and have arranged to go to a fine art lecture in March. If only I could retire I would be able to fill my time very well.
My parents remain with me as I still find a lot of tasks very difficult and I haven't tried driving yet. I have some physio exercises that I have pulled off the internet and I hope this will help. Basically, there is pain in trying to move my ankle in certain ways.
Its nice to hear about these lovely outfits - I look forward to being able to get on with some proper weight loss (although I don't fancy the gastro thing thanks Bracken - I hope she is well again soon). The conductor with my choir is currently down with a gastro enteritis bug too (but that's probably cos he's trying to do far too much).
Well that's all for now Crackers - keep well
PB xx0 -
Lol!! xx0 -
OMG! And no I do not look anything like that!
PB - so pleased to hear that you are up if not yet running. Enjoy tonight!0 -
Just a quick pop-in and wasn't going to write but that picture did it. It make me exclaim aloud!
I have seen tights that looked that tight but never in a flesh colour and probably not on someone with such a large bottom. I wonder if she has any idea of what it looks like.
PB, you must be so happy to have that cast off and also discover you have only put on five pounds during that time in which you were not eating according to your previous plan. You must have be exercising some portion control with all that comfort food your Mother made for you. Don't expect too much at once with that leg and mind that pain in your ankle. Hope you enjoy your alternative Hunt occasion.
MITM, all your 'Everest' excursions should tone those legs by March. I don't much mind housework, although I wouldn't say I get a buzz from doing it. I do like that feeling though when I've cleaned through of having a really clean house and never like it being really untidy. The iRobot is really good for days when a real clean is not necessary but I know it will pick up any unseen bits, mostly hairs. I have not yet had Nellie in a room when it is roaming around; I keep her in the den but her ears really perk up at the sound. I suspect she would really bark at it as squirrels and birds in shrubs certainly elicit barking. I'm curious now and will try it next time! I'm going to check out that Cindy Crawford video; I'm curious about that too.0 -
Later the same day. I have felt a bit under the weather since morning. My stomach and reflux have been really bad. It is particularly frustrating as it has been much improved for some time.
Figuring out what has triggered this an be a challenge but it may be the bread I had this morning. I went with my brother and his wife into London to the very nice farmer's market. They often go there on the weekend for good local produce and products (excellent cheese place) and have breakfast at one of the number of food stalls (all local, not part of chains). I was happy to be invited along but thought I might have trouble finding something to eat properly. I was quite satisfied to order coffee and some rye toast. I had brought some almond butter along much to my brother's amusement. The rye bread was not like the kind I eat at home with is very solid and contains only rye grains and no additives; it was rather airy and light and I immediately thought that it probably had additives, preservatives and maybe more yeast. In any case, I noticed soon after eating that my stomach did not feel right. The other possible culprit is edamane which I had for the first time ever the night before. Since it is a soy bean product it is a suspect. So all very frustrating. I did try to get something done with the rest of the day. I thought of you, BM, when you recently said your walking was "tootling around the gardens." Well, today I would describe my walking as "cobbling together 6000 steps." No long stretches but the sum of the market walking, making a first foray into my Heart and Stroke canvassing route to do a number of houses, parking some distance from the Library entrance, likewise the one store I had to go to and taking Nellie for a short walk. Well your "tootling" must have helped with your 1.8 pound loss so I'll hope mine is of some help too.
This week has been very busy with my Writing Group. We had the meeting on Tuesday where we discussed several works in progress including mine. The instructor for the class from which this group has spun off came; she seems very interested in our little group and offered some of her expertise; everyone feels quite fortunate with how it has worked out. Still it is somewhat stressful letting others examine your writing. And there was another stress- lots of sweets were brought. I was worried that I would badly succumb but actually only had one biscuit, a digestive type with a chocolate coating on top. (I've had them before and think they are about 85 calories so not too damaging and the first baked goods I have had since Jan1.) There were other very rich tarts that probably had a good 300 cals; of course, one of the thinnest members had two plus a couple of other pieces!
The next day, I had another writing related meeting. I think I mentioned earlier a book called "Above All Things" by Tanis Rideout which I was reading. It deals with George Mallory and his final quest to conquer Everest. The author is writer in-residence at the local university and also through the public library until March. I took the plunge and made an appointment to discuss with her a piece of my writing. (the instructor had encouraged to take advantage of the opportunity) I had not really been familiar with Rideout's work before but learned her novel had been on a New York Times list of excellent books, shortlisted for the CBC literary awards, chosen as a books for a program called Canada reads, and won another significant award. I felt quite intimidated going in knowing all that! However, she proved to be extremely nice, said some very positive things about my writing and took my little story very seriously in her discussion. It was really exciting for me and I felt I had really learned a lot. So my story still needs some polishing before its public debut to my Cracker friends. I was also able to ask the author how long it took her to write her novel. She told me that it was written over a seven year period with four major drafts before it was accepted.0 -
Evening Crackers,
Guess what? Yes, it is pouring with rain AGAIN! It's been raining now for virtually 48 hours apart from short breaks. It's very dismal and not very conducive to going out but it's been quite a busy week-end so I've had to don the waterproofs and get on with it. I went with a friend to have a manicure on Friday afternoon and had gel overlays. My nails have been in such bad condition recently, I think it might be the cold weather conditions making them brittle. Anyway, the gel overlays have made such a difference. I chose Black Cherry Berry as my colour which is a shiny deep dark red a bit like morello cherries. I don't normally go for such a dark colour but it makes a change and I love the result. On Friday evening there was a quiz night in the village hall which was great fun. We came a respectable 3rd out of about 12 teams so we were quite pleased with ourselves. I didn't manage to get much exercise in on Friday though given all the sitting down for the manicure and quiz night!
Yesterday we were at the hospital and as I am still coughing and blowing my nose all the time I didn't visit my FiL so pounded the hospital corridors again. We had a football match in the afternoon and because we were longer at the hospital than expected we were parked further away than usual so I did at least get some more steps in then. I felt really sorry for the footballers having to play in all that rain. It's a long steep hill from the stadium back to where we park the car but we marched up it in the quickest time ever because it was so wet so that will have done me good!
There was a break in the weather this morning so the husband and I ventured out for a walk. It didn't last though and, of course, it started raining again so we trudged home through it. This week's storm has been named Imogen and the wind is getting up now so I'm glad I don't have to go out again. It's actually getting quite serious as I know of three local areas which are flooded. My friend had to abandon her car as the water was too high to drive through. A farmer took her home in his tractor - thank goodness for our friendly farmers.
I hope the picture gave you all a laugh. It popped up on my iPad and I couldn't resist copying and posting it after all our chat about jeggings and boots. MITM, I didn't for a minute think you would look like that! I've seen the picture of James Corden and Cindy Crawford - hysterical. I think the actual spoof advert airs after the Super Bowl this evening. Talking of James Corden, has anyone seen any of the car share snippets from his US show? You can find them on YouTube. They make me laugh. He basically drives around in a car with a celebrity singing their songs with them. The Stevie Wonder one was funny and I also liked the Road Stewart one. I haven't seen them all but they are worth dipping into if you have a spare few minutes.
BM - congratulations on another fantastic weight loss this week. You must be thrilled. That must be getting on for your first stone now isn't it? Did you see the match today? The boys did so well after going behind and it's such a shame Ireland kicked that last penalty, but a drawer is better than a loss. We can still win the Championship even though the Triple Crown and Grand Slam opportunity is gone for this year.
Bracken - really sorry to hear about your reflux problem and I hope you are improved today. Meeting that author and having the chance to discuss your writing must have been so exciting (as well as nerve wracking) for you. I like the sound of your iRobot and it reminds me of a video my godson showed me of their cat and an iRobot. The poor cat didn't know what to make of it. It'll be interesting to find out what Nellie thinks of it. I don't have an iRobot, but I am ashamed to say that even though I am retired, I employed a cleaner about six months ago. She is a godsend. I hate cleaning so much and so my life has been transformed by not having to think about it or do it. When I used to work we had a cleaner but when we retired and moved to Wales I felt it was a bit of a luxury and that I should do without. Eight years later I've changed my mind, I would rather have the cleaner and do without something else! Sending good wishes and positive thoughts for your niece in law's speedy recovery.
PB - freedom!! Glad you enjoyed your scrabble evening and will look forward to hearing all about your alternative hunt ball in due course. I'm so impressed that you only gained 5lbs in such trying circumstances and with all the goodies your mother prepared for you. Well done. You'll soon get that off again.
MITM - as I marched up the hill from the stadium yesterday and again today from the marsh up to our house I thought of you and your mini Everest. Hope you conquered it again today if you went for your usual hike. Good luck for your weigh in if it is on a Monday as I think.
Before I go, what day does everyone weigh in? I think BM is Saturday, MITM Monday, I'm Wednesday what about you Bracken and PB?
Be good Crackers
xx0
