Snow No Show

 The weather forecast said we were going to have heavy snow  all day today - 12cm in the Peak District.  We planned accordingly for a day of indoor chores and sport watching and cancelled a possible day's walk.  Well, it snowed most of the morning but only wet, sleety snow which settled prettily up on the hills outside our window but not on the street outside.  Then even that stopped and turned into icy, slanty rain.  The need for the chores went away too (more of that later) so we've had a bitty day with no real focus. 

We did go out for a 90 minute, cold, wet and muddy walk which was refreshing but hardly scenic.   We were ready for home by the last 20 mintes - my thighs were like ice! My new camera is over a week late from Amazon (!!) so I wasn't tempted to take any pics.  Hence you have some shots I took last Monday when we had (unheralded) proper snow!!

I was working from home so this is our usual lunchtime walking route. 

The snow was fluffy but slightly wet - perfect for snow marbles.  I rubbed oil into their fur in an attempt to prevent the dreaded marbles.  It worked on their back legs which are usually worse than their front but I obviously didn't rub enough into their ears or front paws which were soon balled up good and proper!

Minty scampers up the steps, eager to get to the field at the top.

 I stop for a rest to take a photograph.

The end of the road....someone had cleared two paths in the snow the whole way up to this last house in the village but no further (fair enough).

Shelagh's not happy with her collection of snow marbles...

So, after our walk, a warm bath and some cooking I'm not settled in front of the fire watching the England/Ireland rugby match and waiting for glazed gammon with mashed spuds, braised red cabbage and veggies to be cooked.  I've got to go out later for the quiz which is a bit of a shame - I'd quite like to attach myself to the sofa and have a night in!  But quiz commitments are quiz commitments and questions about trivia will not answer themselves!

I feel as though I've said these next words rather a lot over the last few weeks - I've not had a great week diet wise.  Not bad but not great.  I'm looking at YET ANOTHER STS!!    Aaaaargh!  Do I not listen to myself??  Clearly not.

This is not good enough.  I could easily have a stone off by the summer and fit properly into the lovely clothes which are hanging up in my wardrobe but that weight will not shed itself from my frame.  I need to actively do something to shed it.

So, a food diary next week.  And signing up to a 10km in May with the training which will have to be done for that race.  I could run 10km tomorrow if I wanted but the race I have in mind which I'm being bullied by a pal into running is particularly hilly so WILL need some bespoke training.

My only reservation about the that race (Chatsworth Golden Gates) is that it is linked solely to the Helen's Trust - a local hospice and charity for the terminally ill.  Don't get me wrong - I think it's a wonderful charity and have run for it and donated to it in the past.  But at the moment I want any fund raising I do to be for animal charities - IFAW or Four Paws.  So, before I sign up to the Chatsworth race, I'm going to see if there are any non-affiliated races locally around that time which I could do instead.

It's hardly worth me analysing where I have gone wrong this week but, for the record, I was much better during the week with my meals but drank too much - Richard's birthday on Thursday (lots of red wine); 2 bottles between us on Friday and beer at lunchtime and another 2 bottles between us on Saturday.  It has been ages since we've had 2 bottles on a night in so that is a habit which has to stop. 

I also baked which is not like me.  I made a chocolate biscuit cake for Rich to take in to work on his birthday but then had some time the night before so made a batch of chocolate brownies as well.  Rich took in the brownies (which went down very well) and I thought, great, they're all gone.  Except he brought one back for me AND we now have a batch of delicious dark chocolate biscuit cake haunting the house!  We are being quite good and only having a one piece each per day but really....

Only the no snacking and exercising is saving me from gains. I'm on the edge and must turn back.