Monday Monday....looks good to me.....

It reminded me of those creepy American films with the lone tree on the horizon...especially with the seagulls flying around it.

That's more like it, back to pretty Derbyshire territory again.

Olly and his Audi

Curbar Gap

A truly terrible photo of me. Why am I standing iwth my tummy stuck out like that?? In my defence, it was very windy and the guy taking the photo was making a bit of a hash of it so I think I'd just about given up on him and was about to move....not good!

Shelagh in a hollow scoured out by wind and rain.

View towards Grindleford and Hathersage.

View towards Baslow.

Late foxgloves lurking under a rock.

Pretty Highland cow in a field of heather, I had to wait AGES for her to look up from her munching! I like her blonde fringe.....

Once again, loads of photos; but it was a really long walk and lovely with varied scenery. I had to take lots!!







After doing the bare minimum of gardening yesterday afternoon I said "sod it" and headed for the hills! It was just too nice out not to and you never know when the weather is going to change in an English summer. I'm pleased I did as today is nice but it's going to rain from tomorrow onwards apparently.







I picked a walk at random from my book and, being a dream, I didn't spot that it took me right past the front door of my friends. I only realised when I turned into their lane. Doh! Anyway, luckily they were in so I popped in for a quick drink and a chat and Shelagh and Minty behaved themselves reasonably well when faced with a pre-toddler! Minty was fascinated by the small person but, fortunately, he was cool with dogs so not fazed at all.





The rest of the walk was very dramatic, up a steep hill to Curbar Gap and then along Baslow Edge with views across the whole southern section of the Derwent Valley. It was very blustery but exhilerating. I was tired out when I got home, not so much from the 6 miles I'd walked but more from the wind and sunshine, it always seems to finish you off.





I'm working from home today but got an early start so will be able to fit in a good few chores too...naughty but nice! I have a dental appointment at lunchtime which I'm NOT looking forward to as it involves an extraction. Hope I'm in a fit state to go for a run this evening!




Foodwise, having said I'm not going to do packs, it just seemed easier to go the whole hog and do them this time. Having gone to the first meeting and not bought any, I then did a day on them from spares I had hanging around and, at my pop-in on Saturday morning, picked up some more. It feels totally different to when I tried the Cambridge Diet back in May. Then, I was very much doing it as a quick fix before the wedding and I really only stuck it out for 5 days to a week. It then sent me into a bit of an eating spiral and was NOT a good thing.




Obviously, I'm only on day 5 now so can't judge how it'll go this time but I'm optimistic. Last time I was already starting to cheat by now and was champing at the bit to eat. This time, my head seems to be in much more of a long term place, well 6-8 weeks anyway. I'm not feeling hungry, have plenty of energy and feel quite relaxed about the day to day privations of abstinence.


I want to get back down to the low 11 stones or even 10 stone something mark and back into my beloved size 12's. The fact that I'm going to classes again is another MASSIVE factor. I can't express how much that seems to be helping me, and I've only been to one class and pop-in. Maybe because my previous classes weren't great, this one seems much better. The LLC is very enthusiastic and has a background in counselling etc. She is very slim, which itself is an inspiration after my previous LLC who was a very large lady. She's only been doing it since January so is trying hard. It all seems to be working.


Looking back, I found the Cambridge Diet to be a very exposed place. I know some people get on with it but I need the accountability of turning up to a certain place at a particular time and talkng to others. With CD, I always felt that I could shift appointments round and just miss this week, etc etc and very soon I was manipulating the system and, inevitably, failing. It never felt like a proper process to me, just an emergency stopgap.

So, wish me luck. I'm not thrilled to be back on the packs after only a year but, if it keeps me from going right back up and helps, then I'll take it. I hope that, when I get back down to my fighting weight this time, I'm better prepared not to make the mistakes I made last time. Fingers crossed.