Wednesday 10 June 2009

Day 1 in Big Brother household....

Slightly unseasonal bluebells from our trip to Ireland. I don't think I've posted these yet.

The usual poorly framed self-timer shot..


Mental Minty in a blur of motion.

Racing towards me through the bluebells.

I liked the way the sun shone through the newly unfurled leaves.

Doesn't Shelagh look like butter wouldn't melt here? So sweet.
Me and the girls in green gorgeousness.
A pictureesque old gravestone covered in ivy in Hollywood approved fashion.

More greenness

The sun just caught Minty's face

Well, I've got off to a good start on the scales this morning. 13 stone 10lbs. That's 2 lbs down, only 12 to go!


As always though, every rainbow has a cloudy lining and I must guard against my tendency to take the good times and turn them into bad. Ie. When I see a drop on the scales my pesky chimp says "Excellent, now we can slack off for a bit." rather than "Excellent, a good start, now let's really push on."


So, what am I going to do about weight loss today? I thought I had a free evening tonight so I was going to get a full-on bike ride out of the way straight away and then take the dogs for a nice long walk to warm down. I was then going to go back into the kitchen and bake muffins and flapjacks (yes, I know, I can explain).


I believe I have mentioned that I'm part of a group raising funds for refurbishment of the play area in my village (despite not having any ankle-biters myself - how did that happen??). Well, usually I'm on the legal, filling in Lottery application forms side of things. Now, that is out of the way, I've been roped into the hands-on fund raising stuff. There is a big Mountain Bike Challenge weekend being held on the Recreation ground this weekend and our group is going to be serving refreshments to the hungry bikers when they come back from their exertions on the Saturday and Sunday. To whit, we have to bake stuff and then sell it. So, I'll be indulging my love of baking but for a worthy cause and with no (and I mean NO - chimp, y'hear?!) indulgence myself.


However, the best laid plans etc. I've just realised that I arranged weeks ago to go into Sheffield tonight to visit a friend who I haven't seen for many moons. So, instead of the perfect evening at home, I'll be racing home, getting on the bike, dashing into the shower and racing back into Sheffield. Still, I'll get to see Bernadette and catching up with her so it'll be fun. I'll have to do the baking tomorrow night after my french class even though I had wanted to go running then. Can I do both? Time is against me. I know what will really happen is that I'll end up madly baking on Saturday morning!!


Or (inspiration strikes as I write) I could make up a batch of muffins, put them in the oven, then get on the bike?? I'll let you know how it goes.



Life strikes all the time and I think the key to coping with it is to plan ahead as much as possible. That way my chimp doesn't panic and offer me inappropriate responses to stress like "Panic, we're all doomed, eat everything in sight, get depressed!!". I can calmly say to her "No worries love, we're in control here; no need to eat or fight or curl into a ball and hide". She'll still try and derail me from time to time and then I need the other techniques, the distractions and the Stop Signs but it's best to avoid those as much as possible and keep her happy and content.

On the plus side, the more observant (and depraved) of you may have spotted this little nugget above: there are going to be hundreds of fit and hunky mountain bike riders camping on the Rec not 200 yards from my house for the whole weekend. I may be walking the dogs in full make up and more fashionable than practical clothing a lot this weekend!! LOL... he he he


Hope the Challenge is going well Lainey and anyone else who is "in the game". Keep it up.

3 comments:

Peridot said...

A glammed up Lesley bearing muffins - what right minded man could resist?!

Btw, what flavour muffins? Drool, drool!

I'm making my patented non-nut brownies tonight for my boss's birthday (I like her, it's not a suck up) - instead of nuts they have marshmallows, crushed crunchie bar and crushed Werther's Originals! I will be having a small one (and I suspect I'll be licking the bowl out too - although my very efficient spatula means there's little left to lick! Both a good and a bad thing!)

Happy baking! And letching...

love
Peridot x

Lainey said...

Yaaaaaaaay! Go Lesley!

2lbs off is fantastic! Well done - so impressed. Here's hoping I can match you on Saturday.

Sounds like you're still totally determined with the run and bike rides planned. I'm sure you'll do it all - bon chance!

Sure, if you spot any hot bikers then send them over the border my way!

Peridot - I NEED that recipe. It sounds amaaaazing. I promise I'll bring them into work for my co-workers who will snaffle them all up!

Pam said...

That sounds like a very tempting lot of baking. But we have faith in you!