A proper catch up - and on time too!

I have no idea what happened to the formatting of the last post. I tried to justify it and sort the paragraphs out but Blogger stubbornly refused to play. I wouldn't mind but I typed it in exactly the same way as usual so now I fear that all posts will be odd and randomly formatted.


Hey ho, I'm here posting and that will have to be enough for now.


My absence has not heralded a massive slide from grace although nor has it been caused by so much exercise and virtue that I just didn't have time to get to the computer!!  It's just been busy as I'm sure you lot are too, although you seem to be coping a bit better than me this year.


My weight is sticking at around the 14.7 mark which is a few lbs over last year's total but not many.  I'm not unhappy about that, especially as I am confident that I will be straight back into losing after the festivities are over.  I'm not going mad in the meantime, just not losing and I'm still going to weigh-ins so feel that I've not "gone off the diet" which would necessitate a big effort to "get started again".


It has been a struggle though - so many eating and drinking opportunities - Team Christmas lunch on Tuesday; Golf Club Santa's Scramble lunch (or which more later) on Wednesday; Department Christmas lunch on Friday; Rich's work do on Saturday night; and another works girly Christmas lunch on Monday!!  Just how much turkey can one fattie eat??  Actually I have varied the menus and tried to pick the sensible dessert options so not too bad.  It's saving me a fortune in suppers as I'm hardly eating in the evenings, too full!


Last weekend was lovely - I'm pleased to report that the tree and all decorations are up and look gorgeous.  I went for the chicken tartiflette last Friday evening and it was gorgeous too (though I say so myself).  Rich's brother and his wife had to turn back when coming over from Sheffield due to snow so there was one left over which I sent home with his other brother for his Dad and Stepmum over the weekend.  She had had an operation so I thought it would save her cooking. Lovely and creamy and cheesy (sorry SW!!)


We also managed nearly all the Christmas shopping with the minimum of fuss and actually had a good time in Meadowhell! (Or Meadowhall Shopping Centre as it is known outside the environs of Sheffield)  I think the economic doom and gloom is putting people (or at least annoying people) off shopping because I was able to spend several hours in Meadowhell without wanting to kill anyone....it was a first! 


The football in Oldham was good too - 4000 happy Owls travelling over the Pennines to watch Sheffield Wednesday beat Oldham and cement our second place in the table.  It's by no means secure but we have a teeny tiny cushion over our nearest rivals - Huddersfield who we're playing on Saturday (yikes!) and Sheffield United (say no more).  So we head, nervous but happy, into the Christmas period and just hope that our Bue and White boys can hold on for automatic promotion this year...pleeease!!


This coming weekend is going to be equally busy.  As mentioned above, there is the scary prospect of Huddersfield on Saturday closely followed by Rich's works do.  That is going to be a loooong night as we're being picked up on the coach at 6.30pm and the coach doesn't leave until 1pm.  Much drinking, eating and hopefully dancing too.  I'm looking forward to it but am also hoping that I can find some people to have fun with as the 2 friends of Rich I do know quite well have both gone away for Christmas, coincidentally both to visit family in Bangkok although totally different families!


Sunday we're going to my parents for a pre-Christmas visit.  As we're not going to be with them for Christmas, I wanted to deliver presents and see Dad before.  We're going to stay just before New Year for a couple of night too though!


So - I'd better get on with icing my cake and finishing off my Christmas cards as tonight is my last opportunity!  I hope you're all happy and organised and looking forward to a lovely festive season.