Day 234 - Chatsworth Country Fair

It was another freezing summer Sunday so we decided logically to spend the entire day outdoors! We did a few chores and then headed out to the Chatsworth Country Fair. It's a quasi agricultural show which has been going at Chatsworth for a few years now and is very popular. It's heavy on the huntin', shootin', fishin' type stuff and has all the usual trade stands and craft stuff. Very expensive to get in though at £15 so a bit of a rip-off but the diversions are of good quality and there's plenty to see and do so every few years we'll grit our teeth and hand over the readies.

The setting is incomprable - watching the angling demonstration bythe river; or the gun dogs retrieving across the river under the creamy stone bridge with the house in the background; the clay pigeon shooting up on the hill with various follies and hunting lodges behind - beautiful. Of course it rained so the craft stands were rammed and the dog got a bit grumpy with the crowds and the rain but it was a good day.

The Cossack riders were great (not real Russians of course - they all had names like Amy, Tom, Henry and Sebastian so very public school!) but God - they could ride!! They looked so young but they've been doing stunt work in loads of big films and Beeb productions - well impressive. I also liked the dog on the man's shoulders - they were like that for ages with the dog seemingly as interested in the gundog retrieving show as the man!!

Foodwise I spent most of the day seeking out the Derbyshire Smokery stand to buy their creamy smoked mackerel for my first official meal tomorrow night - I was disappointed not to find them until, on our way back to the car, we found another little court of food stands tucked away and there they were - phew! I had been really looking forward to their mackerel - supermarket stuff would not have been half as good. I also found a seriously impressive mushroom supplier and noted where they sell and which Farmers' Markets they go to - didn't buy yesterday as not ready but their stand was amazing.....mmmmm....

I admit to a few free nibbles at various stands but didn't have any major weakening - just plenty of water and black coffee. Hopefully I've learned now that I don't have to stuff my face at these events.

In general, since Wednesday, I've been sticking to the plan but have gone down to 3 packs per day and have substituted one for a small bowl of high fruit, low GI muesli with added blackberries and a very small splash of milk. I know it's not within the plan and have only one bowl left so am not going to buy any more until I'm ready for that stuff within RTM. It was an impulse buy and, combined with the fresh blackberry craving I currently have, was too good to resist!! I've also very slightly loosened the reins in terms of nibbles but haven't had major eats or major carbs since Wednesday night so not too bad. I've kept up the exercise and am ready to start RTM in earnest tomorrow. It's as though the last few days have been a kind of controlled limbo period, a little hiatus, but LL has not been forgotten!!