Great wedding!

Pics from my friend Angela's wedding. It was a beautiful day and very traditional "English Country Wedding" but not in any way staid or snobby. Classic, I think.


St Oswalds in Collingham. V pretty and the lady vicar was hilarious. Cracked everyone up but sincere and good value too. Top notch singing although we were all a bit worried about the slightly happy clappy hymn at the end - when it started and none of us knew it, it could have been a bit weak but Ange's family produced tambourines to surprise her and then everyone just let go and bellowed it out "Shine, Jesus, Shine". Very funny and heart-warming.

Ange and Richard....obviously!

Nice hotel - most of us were staying there so no faffing around with taxis and residents bar - top marks! Lovely lovely grounds and views, weather not wonderful but it didn't rain so can't complain.

I went with dress number 2 and managed to stretch it over my head swollen with all the compliments. Thank you for your views. It was the right choice for both the weather and the venue although nearly very wrong- one of the women on my table who I spent a lot of time with over the day said that she had been dithering between this dress and the one she eventually chose. It could have been one of those really awkward "2 identical dresses in the same wedding" moments....close call. I will in future take my spare dress just in case. I felt fab in it and didn't even mind that I had forgotten my "pull in your tummy" big pants!!

Ange and our friend Nadine who introduced us. Nadine is one of those people who pulls people together and creates new groups of friends so loads of the people at the wedding who I think of as my friends, I now realise I met through her.

I think think they were getting bored of the endless photo-taking!

All the tables were themed around pop groups. Our table (Take That) was the clearly the best. We were robbed of the quiz crown by Snow Patrol but we destroyed them on the dance floor and in the late drinking stakes (they had an average age of 60 plus though so maybe not something to brag about!).

The bride's brother took this - I can't wait to see his proper photos as he did a pretty good job with my point and shoot with a dodgy battery!!

I know it sounds a bit soppy but there's something about a really good wedding to make you appreciate life. As you can see from the photos I was at my friend Angela's wedding yesterday up near Wetherby and it was a lovely lovely day and now I feel (despite a slow burning hangover) really full of the joys of life.

I've never met Angela's husband but he seemed like a decent chap and it was great to see her so happy. She is one of those people who is always vibrant, funny and full of energy and never more so than on her wedding day. The planning and painstaking work she and Rchard must have put into the day was so obvious, every little detail perfect but it didn't feel stilted or stage-managed despite being, well, stage-managed to the nth degree. It felt like she had done it because she really cared about all their friends and family and wanted everyone to have a wonderful time and share in her joy, not to show off or anything like that.

I would NOT have had the patience but the little extras really were amazing. As a flavour - on the tables each person had a small box of 6 chocolates, each one with a different photo of themselves and Angela and Richard on the front! That's 6x120 chocs - all those photos to be copied, cut out, stuck on, boxes assembled and labelled and then placed with your name place on each table. It exhausts me just thinking about it!

The food gorgeous and the dancing brilliant. Ange changed into trainers (still in her wedding dress) and I don't think I saw her off the dance floor. I did not change into trainers and probably danced nearly as much as Ange so consequently my poor feet feel very hard done by this morning. After the dancing came the drinking and chatting and I'm pleased to report that for the 4th wedding in a row I have been the last (wo)man standing - this time at a respectable 4.30am Left chatting with Ike, an architect from London and a 60 year old brazilian barman from Sao Paulo who was just fantastic. I really hope that his stories about Pele were true but, if he was making them up, then he did a great job!!

So, not quite sure what the point of this post is other than to mark what a great weekend Angela and her family gave us. I think it's also that, as I get older and a little more contemplative, I want to make sure that I really notice and appreciate the good things that happen and the lovely people you meet. And there are so many of both out there. It's so easy to get stuck in your normal routine and not see the fantastic characters and whole-hearted fun surrounding us and I wanted to make sure that I did not do that today. A bit gushy but you know what I mean....

Anyway, all this mushy stuff is not going to get my lawns mowed, floors cleaned or dogs walked so I had better get my hangover moving .....!

Feeling wary and treading water

More pics from my walk with Beth and Peridot. In no particular order.

I kid you not, one of these Rottweilers is actually called Satan! Minty loves picking fights with them and I dread to think what would happen if the gates ever opened!!


It's frustrating trying to get a decent pic of a butterfly - always something in the way and they flap those wings you know - usually just as you press the shutter.

Heavenly Peaks...

Photo credit to Beth. It's nice having someone take shots of me for a change!!

My girls smiling and both posing perfectly for a change. "Hurry up Two Legs!!"

"Bless you my daughters..."

I hope you all had a good Bank Holiday weekend and were able to manage your eating and exercise without undue stress and angst. My friend Natalie visited from London so it was another weekend of walking and sight-seeing. It felt eerily relaxed though. I didn't worry about food or exercise and didn't really think about it too much either.

Now, given that I was warned at the end of filming about my sneaky chimp and how she will learn new ways to derail me, being ultra relaxed around food is cause for concern to me. But, then again, I don't want to borrow trouble either and wasn't it the very point of the show that I learn how to be relaxed around food and exercise and maintain my weight without constant battling?? When do I know that it has worked and start trusting myself?? All I know at the moment, is that the worst thing I could do is become complacent.

The answer to the trust question is probably never. I will always have to keep a weather eye out for my chimp and her devious ways but, hopefully, I can do it with a light touch. Today, I'm having a bad day temptation wise and have been constantly questing food. Think my chimp is cheesed off by the endless rain and bad weather which limits time outside playing and is excited by the fact that I'm working from home. But I've managed to limit the damage to an extra bowl of muesli so, so far not too bad!

Objective measurements have got to be the way forward. At the moment I'm trying to drop some lbs but am happy with a very slow rate of loss. Eventually I will hit a level I wish to maintain and will then just need to hover around that level. I've managed to drop 4lbs in the 6 weeks since filming stopped. That is pretty slow but I really don't care. I'm exercising and enjoying life and still losing. That is enough for me.

So, when I got on the scales this morning after my relaxed week and saw the same weight pop up, I was happy, but slightly unnerved. This can't be "it" can it? I feel that it is but don't want to be too confident in case a few lbs of lard suddenly arrive and attach themselves to my ass as punishment for being so presumptuous! But, tentatively, I can see major changes in the way I deal with food and exercise. They main ones are:

1. Despite the fact that I have had many "excuses" to overeat recently - weddings, guests staying, outings, meals out with friends, stag do, holiday - I haven't taken them all. I have occasionally had a big meal or a drink or an ice-cream but it has been in the context of a generally healthy day and I haven't taken the "holiday" eating to its limit just becuse I have an excuse. I have turned down certain things which I might previously have accepted on the basis of the excuse. For example - over the weekend at an agricultural show with my friend, we had already had a roast pork sandwich and an icecream and later on, Natalie wanted a sausage sandwich too. I got in the queue with her, but when it came to it, just didn't feel hungry enough to justify it or even be interested in it and quite happily turned it down.
   
   
   
2. I listen to my body more to ascertain whether or not I'm hungry. It's still an imperfect art as I think I've overridden the hunger button so many times It's a bit rusty but it does happen occasionally! Like at the weekend, after Natalie had left and I had been for a bike ride, I still didn't feel hungry so, instead of my planned supper, I had a couple of figs and a banana with some natural yoghurt for my tea.
   
   
   
3. Food just isn't as much of a big deal to me. I used to have all sorts of pre-conceived notions about how much food I needed to fill me up properly and how important it was for me not to be hungry or this might trigger over-eating. I have found that I'm happier NOT being paranoid about being hungry. That actually I don't need as much food as I think and that a little bit of hunger is no bad thing.
   
   
   
4. For example, my usual workday lunch used to consist of several components - a sandwich/salad/sushi; fruit; yoghurt and/or bar. I thought that I need it all to stave off hunger and the urge to over-eat. Gradually I have started to eat less at lunch and maybe save the yoghurt for later or the fruit and - taaadaaa - the sky has not fallen in! Sometimes, I just grab a quick, plain sandwich and that'll do. And I find that eating less means I'm less likely to want a biscuit from the tin . Weird. Often the days when I'm too busy to plan and eat sensibly are the days when I feel slimmer and actually see a loss on the scales!
   
   
   
5. I bargain with myself less often. I used to spend ages negotiating with myself (actually with my chimp) but now I'm more decisive. And it's a lot less stressful. I just say "right, I'm going for a bike ride" and it becomes a non-negotiable, even if it rains or I feel tired and it happens (well, nearly always!)

So, on that note - I'm going for a bike ride now. It's been chucking it down all day so it will probaly not be a nice experience but I'm going anyway! Byee!!

Oh, and thanks for your LOVELY comments about my dresses. So embarrassed in case you think I was fishing for compliments. I'm in danger of not wearing either of the dresses as my head has swollen to such a size I won't be able to fit into them! I'll let you know photographically as usual....

Style Council

Knowing that blog readers are paragons of style and taste (he he he) I thought I would set you a challenge. I have a wedding to go to on Saturday. It's a traditional English country wedding - village church followed by posh hotel near Harrogate. I will be attending alone as D is on the rig and I want to look good and do lots of dancing. I have 2 dresses. Do you see where I'm going with this??

Right, first up is a disclaimer about the photoshoot which follows - I know the dresses need ironing and, for the wedding, of course I will do my hair, put on make-up, clean my shoes and accessorise the winning outfit correctly but I didn't have time, okay!! Work with me....sheesh.....

As you can see, my friend Natalie has very kindly taken some pics of me posing shamelessly in both outfits and has managed to get both feet and head in (something no-one managed at the last wedding I went to...) so what do you think??

The first is the Monsoon one I wore to Craig and Angela's wedding and really liked. So, on the positive side, it looks nice and has had an outing and not disgraced itself by getting uncomfortable or crinkled and has proved itself as being good to dance in, not too tight etc etc. On the negative side, I've already worn it once (although there won't be any crossover of guests at the 2 weddings).

(Not the most flattering photo unfortunately, seem to be sticking my tum out - I do have better ones but not full length.)

The second is a new dress from Phase Eight. It's the same style (just a size smaller - get me!) as one I bought earlier in the summer when I went to Nicola's 40th birthday celebration in Leamington Spa and managed to bring everything but my dress! It's very va va voom and I felt good that night too. It's unworn as yet so I feel that I should give it an outing before the summer is over. Or I could take it back and save myself 90 quid....

I'm leaning towards one but not going to tell you which. I also don't promise to go with your choice as myself and Nat and anyone else who visits over the next few days have all been awarded voting rights in this game but I will definitely take your views into account. It's a tricky choice and absolutely nothing is riding on it save my desire to look foxy!!!

Vote now vote now....Banzai!!

More fame....did you feel like this Shauna??

Just noticed that we are on the Sky website too: www.skymedia.co.uk/highlights/lifestyle-and-culture/september-highlights.aspx


A slightly better pic than the one in the Sky mag although Kathryn who is the one in the front would not agree!!

It is making it very real now. I'm glad we're off on holiday so I don't have to worry about it until nearer the time. Of course I will miss the only genuine perk of doing the show (apart from free access to a world renowned psychiatrist and Olympic standard cycling and fitness trainers of course!!) which is an all-expenses trip to London to do the Skyride on 20th September. The other women will be up on the platform doing the warm up routine in front of thousands of cyclists taking part in the race on the Mall. Sounds like fun.

I think Botswana will be better though (tee hee).

It's only now beginning to hit me that loads of people who I hardly know are going to see me on the telly and feel free to make judgements about me based on how a bunch of TV execs decided to cut my footage. feel s alittle precarious to be honest. But I'm not going to worry about that....it's about what I got out of the show, not what I look like on the telly....no, really.........

Pollyanna

I look very clean and shiny here. I think I had just taken my waterproof off so my clothes underneath were reasonably clean. I looked like a muddy urchin by the time I got home - wet through and mudded up to the eyeballs. Had to stand in the kitchen and peel my kit off or would have destroyed the house!

You may have noticed that I tend to be a bit positive. I've been wondering whether this is a good thing (probably) or whether it might stop me facing up to things. Might some of the positivity actually be me not accepting that I have to act/change and putting on a false front?

Now, I'm pretty certain that most of it is genuine positivity but I also think I do sometimes hide behind the "Good News!" rather than facing stuff.

I used to have a friend in Uni (haven't seen her for decades but would like to (mental note - look up Sandra) and she used to say "Why are you always so cheerful?" You can't be happy all the time so some of the time you must be being fake. Why don't you live through the sadness and the depression as well as the happiness?" Or words to that effect. She was a bit moody herself...

I would reply that, of course I'm not always happy but I'd rather, at least with others, put on a brave face because usually that in itself is enough to turn the sadness into something better and, if it is just general low-level sadness/grumpiness/bad mood, why inflict it on everyone else?? If I was genuinely unhappy I would turn to friends of family for help.

So, it's habit I have obviously nurtured for many many years (at least 20).

And overall, it's a good one.

Take this evening for example. I am at that horrid TOTM when your stomach feels like a football and everything hurts. I could have stayed at home and caved, especially given the miserable rainy weather. But instead, knowing I would have difficulty motivating myself to do anything, I arranged to go out mountain bike riding with a mate. The first time we have been out riding together but hopefully not the last.

It was raining when we set off but cleared up after 10 minutes and left us cycling through the mud like 10 years olds. We were out for over an hour and now I feel sore, tired, a bit achy but I have a massive grin on my face. I still have a stomach like a football but I know that I haven't given in to it. And I've done something good for Amy too as she is trying to lose weight and get fit and needs some help herself.

So, I need to watch out for hiding behind the positivity but not forget how much good it brings me. Taking action as opposed to letting things happen passively is nearly always the right thing to do (at least for me).

PS - plug plug

Just spotted myself and the other TV women in the Sky mag (p.17). Looking mean, moody and, it has to be said, pretty fat! I'm thinner than that now.....phew!

Aaaaand breathe....

Photo credit to Peridot - me and Minty about to snog!!

Photo credit to Beth - The beautiful Peak District in all its heathery gorgeousness. Phew!

Beth again - one of the many shots she took trying to capture Minty in her manic mentalism.

Minty somewhat perplexed at having her own personal papparazzo following her around. You'd think she'd be used to it with me but Beth took it to new heights!

See - not just me - another Beth shot of blackberries

It has been a manic few days and I'm happy to realise that I have a quiet week ahead of me. But, having said that, it's been brilliant too. I've really enjoyed all that I've been up to so not moaning about being tired or disorganised at all. Tired and happy....

Last week, I had a trip up to Newcastle on Wednesday. The Mighty Sheffield Wednesday were playing a league fixture away to Newcastle United. Because Toon had been relegated from the Premiership last season this was always going to be a big fixture for us and we were determined to go even though it fell on a midweek evening....typical.

Anyway, it was great, a mixture of: foodie - swanky lunch at Six on the top floor of the Baltic Mill overlooking the Millennium Bridge and Quayside; cultural - wander through pretentious art galleries which were, strangely, thronged with blokes in Sheffield Wednesday shirts (didn't know us Wednesdayites were so arty!); beer-soaked - pre-match drinks at a city centre pub the size of an aircraft hangar full of Geordies in black and white stripey shirts (we were meeting Jim's cousin so were safe although not wearing our colours); architectural - (I'm reaching here) we were sitting at the very top of the relatively new Sir John Hall Stand which is about 10 storeys' high and pretty impressive - could hardly see the players of course, they were like a crowd of multi-coloured ants running around miles below us but there was a wall of glass to our left and you could see the whole of Newcastle spread out beyond the ground; sporting - the game of course - we lost but it was pretty close and we didn't disgrace ourselves; musical - the singing was fab - we only heard the famed Geordie roar once but it sent shivers down my spine and our little band of 2,800 Sheffielders really sang our hearts out; nightlife - post-match drinking and clubbing (the less said the better - not pretty); and finally multi-ethnic - late night curry in the Bigg Market!!

Thursday was a dash back home, walking the dogs and sorting the house out and then back into Sheffield for the U2 concert. They were playing at the Don Valley stadium and me and my friend Vicky had standing tickets in the open air. On the drive into town it was chucking it down! The rain bouncing off the pavements, it could not been wetter. Another friend who was also going to the concert confidently texted me in the middle of this downpour "don't worry - it never rains at U2". How did he know? With an hour to go the rain stopped, the clouds disappeared and the sunshine came out. It was the most beautiful evening I've seen in a long while. That Bono must be paying off the Big Man I reckon...

It was a good gig - I'm not a major U2 fan although like most of their stuff. Not so keen on the recent material but enjoyed everything else. The set was fantastic but I would have liked to have been able to see the stage - if they can build a huge 4 legged set which changes colour every 2 minutes, could they not make the stage 10 foot taller so everyone on the ground could see them?? Still, most uplifting and very slick. The usual crush getting home of course so didn't get back 'til nearly 1am.

Then Friday, leave work early to tidy up the much-neglected house and make up beds etc as being visited by blog pals! Can't have them wading through inch thick dog fur and assorted clutter, who knows what they might say! The visitation was from London dwellers Peridot and Beth so I had had stern words with the Peak District to do its best and not let me down.

It was great - the weather on Saturday was perfect for the planned long walk - cool but sunny and blue-skyed. The heather was blooming and everything looked gorgeous. Though I say so myself I selected a route which had something for everyone and we walked our little socks off - we were out for 7 hours although did stop for drinks, sandwiches and reviving snacks during that time. We also must have burned off several hundred calories in talking alone!! Diet, food, celeb gossip, shopping, fashion - nothing was out of range.

Peri had brought some sort of magic home-cooked doggie treats for Shelagh and Minty and they fell at her feet in slobbering gratitude. Shelagh especially literally quivered with joy when being fed them and spent the time in between prowling the kitchen casting significant looks at the tin! Minty was her usual thuggish self but very sweet and enyoyed, as ever, having a choice of people to jump on and snog.

Beth earned major kudos for running up to Shatton mast on Sunday morning. Through a minor hangover (a little wine and gin was had) she braved the steepest hill in my area "for the challenge"!! I have run up it but not for a while so was incredibly impressed and inspired. When I get over a small bout of inflammation of the heel (plantar fasciitis) I will tackle it again - promise. I was pleased to note though, that, although she did it - which is amazing, she acknowledged that it was an absolute killer. If it had been a breeze, I would have had to kill myself and probably her first!!

We had such a good time that I hardly noticed missing Sheffield Wednesday thumping Scunthorpe 4 nil....4 nil!! I shed barely a tear at missing what is very likely to be our best game of the season....honest..... Peridot very kindly arranged for England to win the Ashes yesterday as a small compensation, which was good of her.

And - in big news - I have finally dropped some actual weight! I have been sticking at 13.1 forever and, despite feeling thinner and fitting into smaller clothes the scales have not budged. Lb on, lb off....grasshopper...etc But, on Saturday morning - 3 off!! Sunday saw another one go but think that was a bit on the optimistic side so today we're back to 12.12!! The relief. Just goes to show that you have to have patience and that a bit of "forgetting" about diet and just living can do wonders.