Wednesday, 14 September 2011
Monday, 12 September 2011
Listen to the wind howl .....
All night the wind has blown and the windows rattled .... the washing has had to be rescued from the line (or rather, from the lawn .... ) as the wind had blown it from the pegs.
The weekend is once again over far too soon, but we did have a fairly productive time, mentally and physically.
Saturday afternoon was spent in the garden, much to DH's disgust ! The wind had already started to blow by the time they came back and he was in a grump ! Undeterred, I insisted we got on with it, and eventually his bad mood got blown away :) Result !!
The greenhouse has been totally stripped down of tomatoes, pots emptied (not yet washed - reminder to self), the fuschia's and yukka have been put into the greenhouse for the Winter.
We had a good result with the yukka ...
My DH inherited a rather sickly yukka about 16yrs ago, and after being pretty brutal with it, it flourished, until last Winter, when the frost unfortunately, pretty much finished it off. In a vain last hope DH cut the tops of it off, and sealed them with wax, 6 months later, and we were about to empty the container and admit defeat, when we noticed that poking from the soil were 2 baby yukka's !!!
So, fingers crossed this is the start of their new lives :)
I want to buy and plant some bulbs for the Spring, but that is likely to not be until next week, I suspect.
Apparently daffodils are good to plant now, with tulips to be planted in November .. the things I learn as I approach my impending birthday (2 more days y'know !)
Sunday was a lazy day, with lots of snuggles with DD, gotta love days like that :) We did wander off to the pool for an hour in the afternoon, and it's amazing how quickly her confidence has grown in just a few "play" sessions with us .... 4yrs of swimming lessons and little progress .... play time and suddenly she's happy diving under water and doing handstands !! I wish my swimming was as good, LOL .... never mind, I managed to get a couple of lengths in, even if DH did tell me that I obviously can't do breaststroke ... sigh, so I suppose I ought to go and google that then !
I really wish I'd had parents who took me swimming, but no .... so apparently self-taught breaststroke at 30, was um, wrong .... I do get to one end of the pool and back, albeit slowly. DH says it's because my legs are wrong, and he's right, I've always wondered what my legs ought to be achieving, as they never seem to be getting me very far.
Another thing to figure out in my 40's !
Maybe I should start one of those 101 things to do in 1001 days, like other's seemingly are doing, and put learning to swim right up at the top ...
The weekend is once again over far too soon, but we did have a fairly productive time, mentally and physically.
Saturday afternoon was spent in the garden, much to DH's disgust ! The wind had already started to blow by the time they came back and he was in a grump ! Undeterred, I insisted we got on with it, and eventually his bad mood got blown away :) Result !!
The greenhouse has been totally stripped down of tomatoes, pots emptied (not yet washed - reminder to self), the fuschia's and yukka have been put into the greenhouse for the Winter.
We had a good result with the yukka ...
My DH inherited a rather sickly yukka about 16yrs ago, and after being pretty brutal with it, it flourished, until last Winter, when the frost unfortunately, pretty much finished it off. In a vain last hope DH cut the tops of it off, and sealed them with wax, 6 months later, and we were about to empty the container and admit defeat, when we noticed that poking from the soil were 2 baby yukka's !!!
So, fingers crossed this is the start of their new lives :)
I want to buy and plant some bulbs for the Spring, but that is likely to not be until next week, I suspect.
Apparently daffodils are good to plant now, with tulips to be planted in November .. the things I learn as I approach my impending birthday (2 more days y'know !)
Sunday was a lazy day, with lots of snuggles with DD, gotta love days like that :) We did wander off to the pool for an hour in the afternoon, and it's amazing how quickly her confidence has grown in just a few "play" sessions with us .... 4yrs of swimming lessons and little progress .... play time and suddenly she's happy diving under water and doing handstands !! I wish my swimming was as good, LOL .... never mind, I managed to get a couple of lengths in, even if DH did tell me that I obviously can't do breaststroke ... sigh, so I suppose I ought to go and google that then !
I really wish I'd had parents who took me swimming, but no .... so apparently self-taught breaststroke at 30, was um, wrong .... I do get to one end of the pool and back, albeit slowly. DH says it's because my legs are wrong, and he's right, I've always wondered what my legs ought to be achieving, as they never seem to be getting me very far.
Another thing to figure out in my 40's !
Maybe I should start one of those 101 things to do in 1001 days, like other's seemingly are doing, and put learning to swim right up at the top ...
Saturday, 10 September 2011
It is the weekend :)
Yesterday, was a truly painful day. A day I literally had to drag myself through, kicking and screaming.
On the plus sides, I managed to:
Clear one pile of paperwork, shred it, and put the contents into the recycling bin
Cooked a proper dinner for DD including fresh meat, veg and tatties
Cooked a proper dinner for DH and I which included fresh meat, veg and tatties
Did the ironing
None of which sounds momentous, but actually given the mode I was running in, it was.
Sometimes it's the small things.
And then I got a good night's sleep with a lie in, life is feeling a little better today.
I am currently "abandoned" in the house (oh, the peace, the quiet :) ), whilst they have gone on their shopping expedition and taking in lunch whilst they're out.
Consequently, I have done .... nada, nothing ....
Until they come back my garden plans are scuppered, as my boots are in the back of the car. But once they are back, I am determined we are going to crack on with it. The sky is blue, temperature "warm", a tad windy, but all in all, a good day to get it sorted.
My weight today, is exactly the same as it was yesterday, which is a little disappointing, afterall I did cook dinner and I didn't snack. Oh well. Perhaps tomorrow I will have some movement.
I fancy making a rhubarb crumble, as there is plenty of it growing in the garden. With lashings of custard. Mmmmm ...... yes, I think so.
Apart from that I have no food plans .... I rather fancy chicken & prawn fajitas, so there ya go, a forming of a plan.
But, for now, I shall drink my coffee, uninterrupted, read a little of my book ... and generally do NOTHING !
(Can you tell, I rarely stop, so it is a little weird for me to do this).
On the plus sides, I managed to:
Clear one pile of paperwork, shred it, and put the contents into the recycling bin
Cooked a proper dinner for DD including fresh meat, veg and tatties
Cooked a proper dinner for DH and I which included fresh meat, veg and tatties
Did the ironing
None of which sounds momentous, but actually given the mode I was running in, it was.
Sometimes it's the small things.
And then I got a good night's sleep with a lie in, life is feeling a little better today.
I am currently "abandoned" in the house (oh, the peace, the quiet :) ), whilst they have gone on their shopping expedition and taking in lunch whilst they're out.
Consequently, I have done .... nada, nothing ....
Until they come back my garden plans are scuppered, as my boots are in the back of the car. But once they are back, I am determined we are going to crack on with it. The sky is blue, temperature "warm", a tad windy, but all in all, a good day to get it sorted.
My weight today, is exactly the same as it was yesterday, which is a little disappointing, afterall I did cook dinner and I didn't snack. Oh well. Perhaps tomorrow I will have some movement.
I fancy making a rhubarb crumble, as there is plenty of it growing in the garden. With lashings of custard. Mmmmm ...... yes, I think so.
Apart from that I have no food plans .... I rather fancy chicken & prawn fajitas, so there ya go, a forming of a plan.
But, for now, I shall drink my coffee, uninterrupted, read a little of my book ... and generally do NOTHING !
(Can you tell, I rarely stop, so it is a little weird for me to do this).
Friday, 9 September 2011
Is it the weekend yet ?
Taking an exceptionally late lunch today, grumpiness is abating :)
Although, I do have the feeling that Winter is starting to come in, what do you mean we haven't had Autumn yet, ok, ok .... so I may be a little previous.
But, today there is a definite chill in the air.
I've resorted to digging out socks and a cardigan, and shutting the window ...
This weekend I think it is time to clear down Summer in the garden, and prepare it for Autumn / Winter ... the time I don't like to venture out of the houses aka October to March !
I harvested all the tomatoes from the greenhouse the other day, what a sad crop they were this year. I started out with such hope for them in March / April time, but they really didn't turn out to be as happy as I had hoped.
On the other hand, my cukes were an abounding success, so we will do those again next year !
My hanging baskets are all but over, so it is time to tear those down, and if I can summon the energy, I may buy some pansies (or whatever it is you buy) for Winter baskets, for a bit of colour.
I also, need to buy some bulbs to plant for the Spring, that is, if I'm not too late already. I can never remember when it is you need to plant bulbs.
I can feel myself mentally wanting to hibernate. This in itself, is not a good thing. This is a thing of depression and sadness. This is something I am at least recognising earlier than normal, and to this end, is something I need to cope with, something I need to put strategies in to place to deal with it.
This needs planning, action and step-by-step .... not the feeling I have currently, which is that it is all too much, requires too much energy, and that bluntly I can't do it, not any of it, nothing at all.
Sorting the garden out, for example, seems to be an overwhelming prospect, whereas in reality, probably won't take that long.
So, I have firmly informed my nearest and dearest that this weekend, WE must sort the garden out. Not me, but WE.
I have done this is in a non-negotiation fashion. As I know that if I have to do it by myself, it will not get done. If I can get the support from those around me, it will get done.
Life is only as hard, as I make it.
Sometimes my need for perfection, makes it too hard. I'm an all or nothing kinda gal.
And when I'm feeling overwhelmed, I tend to be a "nothing" kinda gal. Which unfortunately then impacts on the rest of the household.
It's not that my family won't / don't support me, it's just that without being given the steer, they don't realise that support is required. Mainly because it is normally too late as I don't recognise that it is needed either.
But, I can see it, in the state of my desk, it is overflowing with paperwork, and I'm struggling to care. This is from someone who is fanatically neat and files everything.
I don't know where to start. I don't want to start. I just want it done. But the paperwork is all mine. In some ways it is what is contained within the paperwork, that I am burying my head about.
But, burying my head is not going to alleviate the situation. Just getting on with it, might.
Perhaps a coffee first though ? And then I could check on the washing, or generally find another 1,000 things to procrastinate with.
And then there's the big bag of shoes I've been meaning to sort out for 3 months.
And so it goes on ....
Although, I do have the feeling that Winter is starting to come in, what do you mean we haven't had Autumn yet, ok, ok .... so I may be a little previous.
But, today there is a definite chill in the air.
I've resorted to digging out socks and a cardigan, and shutting the window ...
This weekend I think it is time to clear down Summer in the garden, and prepare it for Autumn / Winter ... the time I don't like to venture out of the houses aka October to March !
I harvested all the tomatoes from the greenhouse the other day, what a sad crop they were this year. I started out with such hope for them in March / April time, but they really didn't turn out to be as happy as I had hoped.
On the other hand, my cukes were an abounding success, so we will do those again next year !
My hanging baskets are all but over, so it is time to tear those down, and if I can summon the energy, I may buy some pansies (or whatever it is you buy) for Winter baskets, for a bit of colour.
I also, need to buy some bulbs to plant for the Spring, that is, if I'm not too late already. I can never remember when it is you need to plant bulbs.
I can feel myself mentally wanting to hibernate. This in itself, is not a good thing. This is a thing of depression and sadness. This is something I am at least recognising earlier than normal, and to this end, is something I need to cope with, something I need to put strategies in to place to deal with it.
This needs planning, action and step-by-step .... not the feeling I have currently, which is that it is all too much, requires too much energy, and that bluntly I can't do it, not any of it, nothing at all.
Sorting the garden out, for example, seems to be an overwhelming prospect, whereas in reality, probably won't take that long.
So, I have firmly informed my nearest and dearest that this weekend, WE must sort the garden out. Not me, but WE.
I have done this is in a non-negotiation fashion. As I know that if I have to do it by myself, it will not get done. If I can get the support from those around me, it will get done.
Life is only as hard, as I make it.
Sometimes my need for perfection, makes it too hard. I'm an all or nothing kinda gal.
And when I'm feeling overwhelmed, I tend to be a "nothing" kinda gal. Which unfortunately then impacts on the rest of the household.
It's not that my family won't / don't support me, it's just that without being given the steer, they don't realise that support is required. Mainly because it is normally too late as I don't recognise that it is needed either.
But, I can see it, in the state of my desk, it is overflowing with paperwork, and I'm struggling to care. This is from someone who is fanatically neat and files everything.
I don't know where to start. I don't want to start. I just want it done. But the paperwork is all mine. In some ways it is what is contained within the paperwork, that I am burying my head about.
But, burying my head is not going to alleviate the situation. Just getting on with it, might.
Perhaps a coffee first though ? And then I could check on the washing, or generally find another 1,000 things to procrastinate with.
And then there's the big bag of shoes I've been meaning to sort out for 3 months.
And so it goes on ....
Warning ..... grumpy
I woke up grumpy, it is not a good look !
I think part of it, is the impending birthday, and the fact that DD has been fretting about presents for me. DD is only 7, she does not have pocket money, she does not have access to the shops unless accompanied. She is 7.
She does have a father, who also doesn't appear to have bought me a present either.
I have had to tell DH now on 2 separate occasions that she is worrying about it, and that he needs to resolve it.
I do not NEED a present from either of them, but I would like to be thought of. Don't we all.
I do not want to have to be organising my husband into sorting out my birthday. It kinda defeats the event really.
Hence, my grumpiness. I will get over it.
Drawing a line __________________________
I went to the gym last night, I did 10 mins on the elliptical, 10 mins on the dreadmill, 2 sets of 12 reps on the chest press, ab crunches, and 5 mins in the sauna.
I need to do more, but I need to get into the habit first.
66 times to form a habit, is an article I read yesterday ... 66 .... OMG ! Ah well, I've done 2 this week so far !
Food wise yesterday, was "ok" :
2 cheese rolls with salad for lunch (no butter)
2 slices of bara brith (with butter) for breakfast / snacks
Dinner of leftover curry, rice and mini naan at 20:30
Wine
Water
Coffee
This morning, I was hungry (that has to be a good sign, right?!) ... so I've had my breakfast of HM muesli (no added sugar) with semi skimmed milk, and 2 coffees.
Not sure on lunch yet, there are a couple of rolls lurking downstairs, so it may be the same as yesterday, and then I need to prep dinner at lunchtime .... some kind of slow cooked pork dish, which DD can have after swimming, I can have whenever, and DH can have after he's been to the gym.
My other aim for today, is to drink the 1.5 litre bottle of water which is sitting, glaring at me !
I think part of it, is the impending birthday, and the fact that DD has been fretting about presents for me. DD is only 7, she does not have pocket money, she does not have access to the shops unless accompanied. She is 7.
She does have a father, who also doesn't appear to have bought me a present either.
I have had to tell DH now on 2 separate occasions that she is worrying about it, and that he needs to resolve it.
I do not NEED a present from either of them, but I would like to be thought of. Don't we all.
I do not want to have to be organising my husband into sorting out my birthday. It kinda defeats the event really.
Hence, my grumpiness. I will get over it.
Drawing a line __________________________
I went to the gym last night, I did 10 mins on the elliptical, 10 mins on the dreadmill, 2 sets of 12 reps on the chest press, ab crunches, and 5 mins in the sauna.
I need to do more, but I need to get into the habit first.
66 times to form a habit, is an article I read yesterday ... 66 .... OMG ! Ah well, I've done 2 this week so far !
Food wise yesterday, was "ok" :
2 cheese rolls with salad for lunch (no butter)
2 slices of bara brith (with butter) for breakfast / snacks
Dinner of leftover curry, rice and mini naan at 20:30
Wine
Water
Coffee
This morning, I was hungry (that has to be a good sign, right?!) ... so I've had my breakfast of HM muesli (no added sugar) with semi skimmed milk, and 2 coffees.
Not sure on lunch yet, there are a couple of rolls lurking downstairs, so it may be the same as yesterday, and then I need to prep dinner at lunchtime .... some kind of slow cooked pork dish, which DD can have after swimming, I can have whenever, and DH can have after he's been to the gym.
My other aim for today, is to drink the 1.5 litre bottle of water which is sitting, glaring at me !
Thursday, 8 September 2011
Musings ....
For years I have read that in order to lose weight, you should not eat after 7pm in the evening, as your body needs to digest the food before you retire to bed.
I've always wondered how on earth in reality people really, really manage to do this .... until I came across another article yesterday, which said, it was assuming that people go to bed at 10pm, and therefore 3hrs before going to bed was the critical time .... not the 7pm !
Well, I barely manage to sit down, let alone eat by 7pm, unless of course, we eat with DD, at 5pm, which means I am always hungry late evening, and when I say late evening, I mean 11pm, as up until now, my average bedtime is between midnight and 1am.
No, flipping wonder, that eating nothing past 7pm wouldn't work for me, LOL ....
Nothing like only being given part of the puzzle is there!
My eating patterns, since I was a teen, have always incorporated me having "supper" late evening. As a teen, it always involved a bowl of cereal.
There are 2 things (I say "2", but in reality I have no idea how many things, "2" just sounded good to start with!)
1. Work backwards with the my timetable for eating
2. Choose wisely
So, if I go to bed at 00:00, then the latest I ought to eat is 21:00.
Which is why we're trying to play with our schedules. For example - gym day:
08:00 get up
11:00 brunch (or breakfast)
15:00 - is therefore the logical gap, for either a snack, or lunch
18:00 - 20:00 - gym (yes, that includes to'ing and fro'ing of an hour)
20:00 dinner
Oh, I don't know .... what do other people do, who actually, y'know - work / live / have children / have spouses / go to the gym ....
It was so much simpler when I was single ..... eat what I want / when I wanted ...
I've always wondered how on earth in reality people really, really manage to do this .... until I came across another article yesterday, which said, it was assuming that people go to bed at 10pm, and therefore 3hrs before going to bed was the critical time .... not the 7pm !
Well, I barely manage to sit down, let alone eat by 7pm, unless of course, we eat with DD, at 5pm, which means I am always hungry late evening, and when I say late evening, I mean 11pm, as up until now, my average bedtime is between midnight and 1am.
No, flipping wonder, that eating nothing past 7pm wouldn't work for me, LOL ....
Nothing like only being given part of the puzzle is there!
My eating patterns, since I was a teen, have always incorporated me having "supper" late evening. As a teen, it always involved a bowl of cereal.
There are 2 things (I say "2", but in reality I have no idea how many things, "2" just sounded good to start with!)
1. Work backwards with the my timetable for eating
2. Choose wisely
So, if I go to bed at 00:00, then the latest I ought to eat is 21:00.
Which is why we're trying to play with our schedules. For example - gym day:
08:00 get up
11:00 brunch (or breakfast)
15:00 - is therefore the logical gap, for either a snack, or lunch
18:00 - 20:00 - gym (yes, that includes to'ing and fro'ing of an hour)
20:00 dinner
Oh, I don't know .... what do other people do, who actually, y'know - work / live / have children / have spouses / go to the gym ....
It was so much simpler when I was single ..... eat what I want / when I wanted ...
Tuesday, 6 September 2011
First day back ...
Well, hello there !
It's been a few days since I was last here and available for comment and chat.
We've been on vacation, and whilst I took a computer, I had no method of accessing the internet.
A fact, which somewhat confused my 7yr old daughter, who has been brought up in the age of being continually internet enabled and wireless ! Imaging the incredulity on her face when attempting to access the internet and "it doesn't work, mummy" !!
Today, is the first day on my final year of doing my accountancy course. With a new set of people, and during the day, rather than the previous two years of doing evening courses. It's a little odd.
Mainly, it's odd, as the college is primarily filled with 16 - 18 yr olds, who are for the most part being paid to study, rather than me who is opting to do this at my impending age (8 days y'know till the grand 4 ... 0 !)
Right, 4 mins till "break time" is over, a break time, where none of them drink coffee .... BIZARRE !
150 mins until college is over for the day, and I'm heading to the gym ... this could be painful !!
I may report back later, if I can still walk, let alone type ...
It's been a few days since I was last here and available for comment and chat.
We've been on vacation, and whilst I took a computer, I had no method of accessing the internet.
A fact, which somewhat confused my 7yr old daughter, who has been brought up in the age of being continually internet enabled and wireless ! Imaging the incredulity on her face when attempting to access the internet and "it doesn't work, mummy" !!
Today, is the first day on my final year of doing my accountancy course. With a new set of people, and during the day, rather than the previous two years of doing evening courses. It's a little odd.
Mainly, it's odd, as the college is primarily filled with 16 - 18 yr olds, who are for the most part being paid to study, rather than me who is opting to do this at my impending age (8 days y'know till the grand 4 ... 0 !)
Right, 4 mins till "break time" is over, a break time, where none of them drink coffee .... BIZARRE !
150 mins until college is over for the day, and I'm heading to the gym ... this could be painful !!
I may report back later, if I can still walk, let alone type ...
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