It has been mega busy getting ready for our hols but we're here (Montrose) now! 7 hour drive yesterday and then supervising the dogs' integration into a new house.
No idea what we're going to do today but no doubt there will be pics!
Things I have already realised I have forgotten - scales and big camera. Doh!!
Diet wise am going to be good but have some treats...and write stuff down!!
Saturday, 14 July 2018
Tuesday, 10 July 2018
Week 14 weigh in result (if you can call it that)
Actually, it is a result. An exceedingly modest drop of just 0.2lb taking me to 15.9.6. However, in context I dropped 4lbs last week and have held onto that drop despite a challenging week.
I've seen 15.8.6 a couple of times of the last few days so I hope that I'm trending downwards.
In other good news, I went for yet another cool morning run with the dogs over to Pindale and back over the cement works golf course which is around 4.2km. No pics as I was trying to keep my speed up which is tricky enough when faffing with the dogs, especially the deaf, obstinate one - Shelagh, I'm looking at you!
It was overcast anyway so not as photogenic as it has been recently.
I also seem to have renewed my relationship with my Honesty Diary which is refreshing. That renewal has nudged me to get my recipe books out. While it has been so warm and we've been so busy with golf and other events, cooking has taken a backseat. There have been a lot of BBQs and "something with salad" or, worse, sandwiches.
Today I have plucked Tom K off the shelf and am going to prepare his One Layer Lasagne for supper. It should be the perfect accompaniment to the France/Belgium semi-final this evening!
Also, and this is a small thing but telling, I have become used to having crumpets and peanut butter or even toast for breakfast over the last few weeks. Today I got back to my fruit and yoghurt routine and it was DELICIOUS! What is not to like about pineapple, raspberries, yoghurt and a sprinkling of homemade muesli??
Changes are afoot.
I find I prefer my blog with pics so here are a few more flowers from my garden. The Astilbes are coming out nicely.
I've seen 15.8.6 a couple of times of the last few days so I hope that I'm trending downwards.
In other good news, I went for yet another cool morning run with the dogs over to Pindale and back over the cement works golf course which is around 4.2km. No pics as I was trying to keep my speed up which is tricky enough when faffing with the dogs, especially the deaf, obstinate one - Shelagh, I'm looking at you!
It was overcast anyway so not as photogenic as it has been recently.
I also seem to have renewed my relationship with my Honesty Diary which is refreshing. That renewal has nudged me to get my recipe books out. While it has been so warm and we've been so busy with golf and other events, cooking has taken a backseat. There have been a lot of BBQs and "something with salad" or, worse, sandwiches.
Today I have plucked Tom K off the shelf and am going to prepare his One Layer Lasagne for supper. It should be the perfect accompaniment to the France/Belgium semi-final this evening!
Also, and this is a small thing but telling, I have become used to having crumpets and peanut butter or even toast for breakfast over the last few weeks. Today I got back to my fruit and yoghurt routine and it was DELICIOUS! What is not to like about pineapple, raspberries, yoghurt and a sprinkling of homemade muesli??
Changes are afoot.
I find I prefer my blog with pics so here are a few more flowers from my garden. The Astilbes are coming out nicely.
Monday, 9 July 2018
Looking back
I have had a decent day today. Good exercise, reasonable food and I recorded everything in my Honesty Diary as it happened which is the first time for a couple of weeks. Hopefully it will be the first of many.
The exercise was the promised early morning run sans dogs. I was out by 6.45 but it was bloody hot even at that time! All my brave words about how nice it was in the morning cool felt a little hollow as the sweat pumped out of me!
I had been aiming for 5km but realised the extra distance would make me late for work (and it was roastie!) so I cut it down to 4km. A lot quicker without the dogs though - down to 8.12 pace per km (which is v slow but still a lot faster than I used to be). No time for photos obviously and it was a boring road run anyway.
It was strange though, it was still hot when I left home so I dressed as I have become accustomed to in a short sleeved summer dress. I set off with the top down on the car in the glorious sunshine but a couple of miles down the road a thick layer of cloud rolled into place. The temperature dropped by 9 degrees and I was suddenly chilly for the first time in weeks! I had to stop and put the roof back up.
It has been refreshing being cool for a change. I'm hoping it will stay cool through tomorrow morning so I can go for another run. If it is I'll take the pooches up Pindale which is a 4-5km route. It will be easier tomorrow as I'm working from home so have an extra hour to play with.
The "Looking back" title came from a whim I had to look through my blog to work out when I last weighed my present weight. I had an idea, which proved to be correct, that it was during my last ill-conceived foray into Lighter Life. That was in the spring of 2016. I dropped a stack load of weight (well over 2 stone) in 8 or 9 weeks (might have been 10). I got down to 15.3 from memory.
The trouble is it just didn't last. The weight returned with the same indecent haste eith which it had left (17lbs in the first 2 weeks!!!) I'm only a few lbs over that weight now but it feels a lot more sustainable this time round.
God I hope so. I'm sick of working hard to drop weight then gaining it back over and over again. How many times have I see-sawed between 15 and 18 stone over the last few years (don't answer that)?!
It is going to be different this time and the first sign of that difference is going to be sticking to the damn Honesty Diary!!
The exercise was the promised early morning run sans dogs. I was out by 6.45 but it was bloody hot even at that time! All my brave words about how nice it was in the morning cool felt a little hollow as the sweat pumped out of me!
I had been aiming for 5km but realised the extra distance would make me late for work (and it was roastie!) so I cut it down to 4km. A lot quicker without the dogs though - down to 8.12 pace per km (which is v slow but still a lot faster than I used to be). No time for photos obviously and it was a boring road run anyway.
It was strange though, it was still hot when I left home so I dressed as I have become accustomed to in a short sleeved summer dress. I set off with the top down on the car in the glorious sunshine but a couple of miles down the road a thick layer of cloud rolled into place. The temperature dropped by 9 degrees and I was suddenly chilly for the first time in weeks! I had to stop and put the roof back up.
It has been refreshing being cool for a change. I'm hoping it will stay cool through tomorrow morning so I can go for another run. If it is I'll take the pooches up Pindale which is a 4-5km route. It will be easier tomorrow as I'm working from home so have an extra hour to play with.
The "Looking back" title came from a whim I had to look through my blog to work out when I last weighed my present weight. I had an idea, which proved to be correct, that it was during my last ill-conceived foray into Lighter Life. That was in the spring of 2016. I dropped a stack load of weight (well over 2 stone) in 8 or 9 weeks (might have been 10). I got down to 15.3 from memory.
The trouble is it just didn't last. The weight returned with the same indecent haste eith which it had left (17lbs in the first 2 weeks!!!) I'm only a few lbs over that weight now but it feels a lot more sustainable this time round.
God I hope so. I'm sick of working hard to drop weight then gaining it back over and over again. How many times have I see-sawed between 15 and 18 stone over the last few years (don't answer that)?!
It is going to be different this time and the first sign of that difference is going to be sticking to the damn Honesty Diary!!
Sunday, 8 July 2018
Finger tips
Nervy times: I am clinging onto a good week by my finger tips and England have their finger tips grazing that Jules Rimet trophy. If I'm honest I think that France or Belgium might have too much for us assuming we beat Croatia but I would certainly not write them off.
If we do make it to the final our holiday plans will have to change. We are due to be driving north to Scotland to stay with my niece and her boyfriend in Montrose for a week. However, neither of us can picture ourselves watching our first (and possibly only) England appearance in a World Cup Final in Scotland!
While I know there are many exceptions, the Scots are not known for their generosity towards English sport and tend to support whoever England is playing against. If we make the final, we will just want to enjoy the experience with a crowd of like-minded folk, not have to either stay at home or mind our Ps and Qs in a pub and risk some nutter picking a fight.
So, if we make the final, we will head up north on Monday instead and take the following Monday off to travel home. This is serious business!!
Yesterday was a strange day. We had been invited to my colleague Sumera's wedding reception. She is of Pakistani heritage so the bride's day was to be an intimate gathering of 800 or so close friends at Magna Science and Adventure Centre! It was between 1 and 5pm and she said that you could come and go as you pleased within those times.
Once we discovered that England would be playing their quarter-final at 3pm, it pleased us to turn up at 1pm and leave at 2.30pm so that we could get to a pub to watch the match! Mt colleagues were largely of the same opinion so it wasn't helpful that me and my team were lead to a table directly in front of the giant gold and silver dais with sofas and chairs for the bridal party.
After an hour some food appeared so we tucked in. Curry, delicious. But after an hour and a half, still no bride or groom! We did it, we fled. We met the groom's party (100-200 strong with drummers etc) as we slunk out but no sign of Sumera or her party!!
Hey ho, I doubt our absence will be noted....
We dashed into Sheffield and made it to our football local just after the national anthems. It was a great afternoon. The thought of England finally making it to a semi-final after all these years! It is awesome. Happy days.
I had a couple of pints and there was some somewhat erratic eating but not toooo bad. We were tired out after the day so didn't make it to the pub in Hope for the Russia v Croatia game and just vegged at home. That saved me a LOT of calories!
Today has been pretty good. Lie in, 18 holes of hot and sweaty golf, pastrami melt (mmmmhmmmm), cool afternoon preserving energy, gardening as it got slightly less pppressive and, eventually, an evening dog walk over the golf course and back around the fishing ponds.
It was a stunning evening: the sounds of the swifts chattering in the sky; the golden light and long shadows; the brave wildflowers fighting the endless dryness and the shady cool.
Hazel asked how I'm running in this heat? Answer, I can't manage the evenings as, by the time it is cool enough, it is too late and I need to eat or have just eaten. I do seem to be able to run in the mornings though. It is cool from the night before and just lovely.
I'm going out tomorrow morning. I am in the office tomorrow so have a dog walker booked so I won't have to take the girls. I'm actually looking forward to getting out for a proper full on run. Who AM I???
If we do make it to the final our holiday plans will have to change. We are due to be driving north to Scotland to stay with my niece and her boyfriend in Montrose for a week. However, neither of us can picture ourselves watching our first (and possibly only) England appearance in a World Cup Final in Scotland!
While I know there are many exceptions, the Scots are not known for their generosity towards English sport and tend to support whoever England is playing against. If we make the final, we will just want to enjoy the experience with a crowd of like-minded folk, not have to either stay at home or mind our Ps and Qs in a pub and risk some nutter picking a fight.
So, if we make the final, we will head up north on Monday instead and take the following Monday off to travel home. This is serious business!!
Yesterday was a strange day. We had been invited to my colleague Sumera's wedding reception. She is of Pakistani heritage so the bride's day was to be an intimate gathering of 800 or so close friends at Magna Science and Adventure Centre! It was between 1 and 5pm and she said that you could come and go as you pleased within those times.
Once we discovered that England would be playing their quarter-final at 3pm, it pleased us to turn up at 1pm and leave at 2.30pm so that we could get to a pub to watch the match! Mt colleagues were largely of the same opinion so it wasn't helpful that me and my team were lead to a table directly in front of the giant gold and silver dais with sofas and chairs for the bridal party.
After an hour some food appeared so we tucked in. Curry, delicious. But after an hour and a half, still no bride or groom! We did it, we fled. We met the groom's party (100-200 strong with drummers etc) as we slunk out but no sign of Sumera or her party!!
Hey ho, I doubt our absence will be noted....
We dashed into Sheffield and made it to our football local just after the national anthems. It was a great afternoon. The thought of England finally making it to a semi-final after all these years! It is awesome. Happy days.
I had a couple of pints and there was some somewhat erratic eating but not toooo bad. We were tired out after the day so didn't make it to the pub in Hope for the Russia v Croatia game and just vegged at home. That saved me a LOT of calories!
Today has been pretty good. Lie in, 18 holes of hot and sweaty golf, pastrami melt (mmmmhmmmm), cool afternoon preserving energy, gardening as it got slightly less pppressive and, eventually, an evening dog walk over the golf course and back around the fishing ponds.
It was a stunning evening: the sounds of the swifts chattering in the sky; the golden light and long shadows; the brave wildflowers fighting the endless dryness and the shady cool.
Hazel asked how I'm running in this heat? Answer, I can't manage the evenings as, by the time it is cool enough, it is too late and I need to eat or have just eaten. I do seem to be able to run in the mornings though. It is cool from the night before and just lovely.
I'm going out tomorrow morning. I am in the office tomorrow so have a dog walker booked so I won't have to take the girls. I'm actually looking forward to getting out for a proper full on run. Who AM I???
Friday, 6 July 2018
Quiet week
It has been quiet weight wise rather than in my social life but that is to be expected after a drop of 4lbs last week. I'm holding steady though so am still hoping for a modest drop on Tuesday.
One thing though, my Honesty Diary has been even quieter! I've missed whole days and am really struggling to make myself keep writing everything down. It has become an irrelevance to me which feels dangerous. It is a lot easier to slide treats and booze into the mix when I'm not recording the fact!
Since writing the above I have just broken off and tried as best I can to catch up the last couple of days since Tuesday evening. Although there has been some contraband it has not been terrible. So, maybe not too much harm done.
I was feeling a little disconnected from the endeavour, partly as I went over to Dad's Wednesday and Thursday and partly as the World Cup match on Tuesday night led me to old ways involving pints of delicious bitter!
So I was pleased that I managed to banish the disconnect this morning and take the dogs out for an early morning run. It wasn't entirely sucesssful. It certainly started badly with Minty tripping me up as we crossed the main road in the village leaving me sprawled out in the middle of the road. Luckily no traffic and no grazes to knees or palms.
I was a bit stressed getting up and sorting out leads etc. The dogs were jumpy too so, while I was checking my hands out, Minty and Shelagh fell out and Minty bit her mum. Not badly, just a spat but a slightly bloody ear and more stress. The 2 chaps at the bus stop found the whole episode entertaining but poor Shelagh was shaking like a leaf.
I debated taking them home at that point but decided to see how they went. I could always convert the run into a walk if need be. They were fine but I did take it easy as it was getting warm and no water until the end of the run.
Gorgeous though:
Rich and I played 11 holes of golf this evening. Just a fun comp early evening before the Brazil vs Belgium game. Another stunning afternoon.
One thing though, my Honesty Diary has been even quieter! I've missed whole days and am really struggling to make myself keep writing everything down. It has become an irrelevance to me which feels dangerous. It is a lot easier to slide treats and booze into the mix when I'm not recording the fact!
Since writing the above I have just broken off and tried as best I can to catch up the last couple of days since Tuesday evening. Although there has been some contraband it has not been terrible. So, maybe not too much harm done.
I was feeling a little disconnected from the endeavour, partly as I went over to Dad's Wednesday and Thursday and partly as the World Cup match on Tuesday night led me to old ways involving pints of delicious bitter!
So I was pleased that I managed to banish the disconnect this morning and take the dogs out for an early morning run. It wasn't entirely sucesssful. It certainly started badly with Minty tripping me up as we crossed the main road in the village leaving me sprawled out in the middle of the road. Luckily no traffic and no grazes to knees or palms.
I was a bit stressed getting up and sorting out leads etc. The dogs were jumpy too so, while I was checking my hands out, Minty and Shelagh fell out and Minty bit her mum. Not badly, just a spat but a slightly bloody ear and more stress. The 2 chaps at the bus stop found the whole episode entertaining but poor Shelagh was shaking like a leaf.
I debated taking them home at that point but decided to see how they went. I could always convert the run into a walk if need be. They were fine but I did take it easy as it was getting warm and no water until the end of the run.
Gorgeous though:
Rich and I played 11 holes of golf this evening. Just a fun comp early evening before the Brazil vs Belgium game. Another stunning afternoon.
Tuesday, 3 July 2018
Sporting successes and Week 13 weigh in results
I did play golf yesterday evening after all. Having found my opponent somewhat off-putting during the arrangements for the game and had several negative reports about her, and having condemned her crying off playing on Sunday as lame, she turned out to be really nice! Not only that but playing in the evening was lovely; cool, a bit too breezy for my liking, stunning golden light and long shadows and a quiet course. I take it all back!
It helped that I played well and won handily. If she had played really well and the wind had affected my game I'm sure I would have been chuntering. But it is a lesson to me to not judge the book by the cover and to keep an open mind. She was bloody SLOW though! I was pleased I had been warned about that as it helped me to not get stressed and to stick to my own game.
So I'm in the semi finals now with a tough game against a doughty competitor called Morag. If I can beat her, I can beat anyone. We have til the end of August so plenty of time.
The course was beautiful at that time. I obviously didn't take pics during our game (although I had plenty of time) but snapped a couple once I had won and we were playing in.
I was bouncing after the match so went to the pub to see how the lads were getting on in their darts match. Amazingly Rich was playing well, winning games and scoring stars (awarded for throws of 95 and over). He's not been doing very well this season so that was good news too.
This morning dawned cloudy and cooler. We had had a disturbed night due to the heat so I sacked off the possibility of a run and approached the scales with trepidation.
Misplaced as it happens - 15.9.8 as I've seen once already this week. That is 4lbs off last week and a total drop of 30lbs exactly. To say that I'm chuffed would be an understatement. I've weathered a couple of storms and I'm sure there are a few more on the way but 30lbs shed is 30lbs!!
But how narrow are the margins?? Even now, happy from a good drop and full from a jacket potato and pot of tea, I've just spent 10 minutes arguing with my chimp. She wants a slice of cake. See, I weakened and let her have one a fortnight or so ago and she never forgets! Even though the cake was far too big and I was uncomfortably stuffed, she still wants a slice. I went as far as picking my bag up to go and pick one before resisting. So, go me but you can't let up.....
In celebration, here are some pretty flowers from my garden:
Sweet Williams.
Courgette flowers.
Penstemon
Achillea
Goura and hypericum (clashing vibrantly!)
It helped that I played well and won handily. If she had played really well and the wind had affected my game I'm sure I would have been chuntering. But it is a lesson to me to not judge the book by the cover and to keep an open mind. She was bloody SLOW though! I was pleased I had been warned about that as it helped me to not get stressed and to stick to my own game.
So I'm in the semi finals now with a tough game against a doughty competitor called Morag. If I can beat her, I can beat anyone. We have til the end of August so plenty of time.
The course was beautiful at that time. I obviously didn't take pics during our game (although I had plenty of time) but snapped a couple once I had won and we were playing in.
I was bouncing after the match so went to the pub to see how the lads were getting on in their darts match. Amazingly Rich was playing well, winning games and scoring stars (awarded for throws of 95 and over). He's not been doing very well this season so that was good news too.
This morning dawned cloudy and cooler. We had had a disturbed night due to the heat so I sacked off the possibility of a run and approached the scales with trepidation.
Misplaced as it happens - 15.9.8 as I've seen once already this week. That is 4lbs off last week and a total drop of 30lbs exactly. To say that I'm chuffed would be an understatement. I've weathered a couple of storms and I'm sure there are a few more on the way but 30lbs shed is 30lbs!!
But how narrow are the margins?? Even now, happy from a good drop and full from a jacket potato and pot of tea, I've just spent 10 minutes arguing with my chimp. She wants a slice of cake. See, I weakened and let her have one a fortnight or so ago and she never forgets! Even though the cake was far too big and I was uncomfortably stuffed, she still wants a slice. I went as far as picking my bag up to go and pick one before resisting. So, go me but you can't let up.....
In celebration, here are some pretty flowers from my garden:
Sweet Williams.
Courgette flowers.
Penstemon
Achillea
Goura and hypericum (clashing vibrantly!)
Monday, 2 July 2018
Hard at it
As I suspected the scales did not keep going at the same trajectory (it would have been impossible for them to) but I have managed to hold onto the drop (despite it not making sense linguistically speaking).
I think it was my desire to have a really good week which made me get up this morning and go for another cool, morning run. Actually it was a re-run of Friday's run around Hope as Rich needed a lift in to work again. The dogs were happy again although not quite as giddy as they were then!
My chosen route is about 3.6km of which most of the first 1km is a gentle up hill incline. I will try for some longer distances soon but not with the dogs. That is plenty for my older girls, especially in this heat.
I didn't take many pics this morning, to keep my pace up, just a few when we stopped for a swim at the bend in the river. I say "we", Shelagh only really although Minty did jump right into the deep bit and then paddled desperately to get her feet down again. I have no idea why she suddenly launched herself in but she looked more surprised than anyone!
Shelagh is the proper swimmer though, she's still got it!
I MAY be golfing this evening. I had scheduled my quarter final knockout game for yesterday morning but my opponent asked to change it as it is "too hot"! I''ve often had golfie ladies trying to get out of matches due to rain but this was a new one on me! I agreed then rang back to say that ot was forecast to be cooler on Sunday morning than Monday evening but she insisted. I played yesterday with Kate and it was perfect!!
So we left it that she would let me know if she wanted to play this afternoon. It is warm and windy so who knows?! Strange woman. If she doesn't play today I will claim a walkover. She has had her chance....
I think it was my desire to have a really good week which made me get up this morning and go for another cool, morning run. Actually it was a re-run of Friday's run around Hope as Rich needed a lift in to work again. The dogs were happy again although not quite as giddy as they were then!
My chosen route is about 3.6km of which most of the first 1km is a gentle up hill incline. I will try for some longer distances soon but not with the dogs. That is plenty for my older girls, especially in this heat.
I didn't take many pics this morning, to keep my pace up, just a few when we stopped for a swim at the bend in the river. I say "we", Shelagh only really although Minty did jump right into the deep bit and then paddled desperately to get her feet down again. I have no idea why she suddenly launched herself in but she looked more surprised than anyone!
Shelagh is the proper swimmer though, she's still got it!
I MAY be golfing this evening. I had scheduled my quarter final knockout game for yesterday morning but my opponent asked to change it as it is "too hot"! I''ve often had golfie ladies trying to get out of matches due to rain but this was a new one on me! I agreed then rang back to say that ot was forecast to be cooler on Sunday morning than Monday evening but she insisted. I played yesterday with Kate and it was perfect!!
So we left it that she would let me know if she wanted to play this afternoon. It is warm and windy so who knows?! Strange woman. If she doesn't play today I will claim a walkover. She has had her chance....
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