Consolidation Dukandebut's Trying to Stay the Same Diary

[Maintainer]

I s'pose I am a bit posh... don't like tinned foods... always have a starter... (don't forget my skirt + Reeboks yesterday though!)

 

[dukandebut]

I s'pose I am a bit posh... don't like tinned foods... always have a starter... (don't forget my skirt + Reeboks yesterday though!)

Yes, but I'm sure that your skirt was Chanel from their Couture range and the Reeboks were encrusted with whopping great diamonds.

 

[Maintainer]

they were actually encrusted with mud and dust from my morning rambles... I even managed a humungous hole in my tights too (but fortunately in the foot where it didn't show my big toe poking through!! ooooh please don't tell Vicky!). Back to woolly socks today (nah those little footsies cos it's hot here today and they keep pinging off my foot!!)

 

[dukandebut]

they were actually encrusted with mud and dust from my morning rambles... I even managed a humungous hole in my tights too (but fortunately in the foot where it didn't show my big toe poking through!! ooooh please don't tell Vicky!). Back to woolly socks today (nah those little footsies cos it's hot here today and they keep pinging off my foot!!)

I do hope that you change into something more fitting before eating your aperitif and starter at your candelabra festooned table, Jo!

Blurgh. Boring PP Day today. Still, as I always say, it's worth it if it helps to keep us from putting all of that weight back on again.

PP:

B Yoghurt
L Either chicken slices or turkey rashers (haven't decided which yet) with chive cottage cheese, followed by yoghurt
D Galette made into a tortilla with chicken, coriander and a little red onion, served with a fromage frais and chive dip, followed by crème au chocolat

 

[dukandebut]

I had the most terrible cheese cravings all throughout my PP day yesterday - almost unbearable. I'm so happy that I'll be able to have some today.

Normal PV day today:

B Yoghurt with apple juice
L Butternut squash soup, ham and tomato sandwich, yoghurt
D Galette, homemade burger, homemade ketchup, grilled onions, gherkin and cheese, followed by crème au chocolat

(Edited as I forgot to add my soup.)

 

[robinhood]

You could always try making the cottage cheese (I made with UHT milk and it was a smooth texture - a bit like Boursin and with lots of cracked pepper andt sal and a galette, it went down very well).

Certainly made yesterday's PP day less boring but am so glad there are no meals out this weekend for us (that sounds bad, really) because then I can do PV next week.

 

[jaqys]

Interesting about the cravings DD, for anything in particular or just in general because the day is so constrained?

 

[dukandebut]

You could always try making the cottage cheese (I made with UHT milk and it was a smooth texture - a bit like Boursin and with lots of cracked pepper andt sal and a galette, it went down very well).

Certainly made yesterday's PP day less boring but am so glad there are no meals out this weekend for us (that sounds bad, really) because then I can do PV next week.

I did have some cottage cheese, Laura - although not homemade, which I have no doubt must be much nicer. But nothing beats a bit of strongly flavoured mature Cheddar. :cry:

Still, it's only one day a week so definitely manageable.

I do like the way you're working your PP/PV Light days. Depending on how I get on, I may experiment with that myself on Stab.

 

[dukandebut]

Interesting about the cravings DD, for anything in particular or just in general because the day is so constrained?

I don't mind the PP days too much, jaqys, but they are a little bit boring, especially in comparison with the other lovely, varied days of Conso II.

Normally, I'd expect to experience chocolate cravings, but I almost always get very strong cheese cravings on PP days instead. I have absolutely no idea why this is. Probably just me being weird!

 

[dukandebut]

Great day so far since I've stayed the same with my weight AND it's gala day! The rest of today will involve lots of mad rushing around, so that will have to be my daily exercise.

PV with Gala 1:

B Yoghurt with oatbran, medium glass apple juice
L Butternut squash soup, ham and tomato sandwich
D (Gala) Leek and bacon creamy pasta, followed by homemade chocolate brownie

 

[dukandebut]

Just dashing out, but wanted to oost today's menu.

PV

B Yoghurt with oatbran, medium glass of apple juice
L Not sure yet, but could be cheese, mushroom and spring onion omelette, depending on when I arrive back home
D Braised pork casserole with tenderstem broccoli, followed by crème au chocolat

 

[dukandebut]

Very busy but productive weekend. I think we've now decided what our new bathroom will (hopefully!) look like. I'm very excited, but dreading the mess.

Today is PV with my first carb meal of the week:

B Yoghurt with oatbran and medium glass of apple juice
L Cheese and spring onion toastie, yoghurt
D (Carb 1) Summer pork mince stir-fry with brown basmati rice, followed by crème au chocolat

 

[Maintainer]

Yes... more about the bathroom please!! Having redone ours last year (on strict budget alas), it's something I enjoy talking about!

 

[dukandebut]

Yes... more about the bathroom please!! Having redone ours last year (on strict budget alas), it's something I enjoy talking about!

Well, I've managed to bore the socks off everyone else I know about bathrooms so it can be your turn now, Jo!

My tastes are often a little different to most people's so I wasn't surprised when they were unanimously horrified when I told them I was considering an imitation snakeskin print wall-mounted unit for the basin. (Those who are horrified usually change their minds when they see how good these things look in-situ and then ask me how they can buy one too! )

However, I've since changed my mind and am now going for what I call the "industrial sanctum" look. This will involve some very dramatic dark anthracite with a hint of copper matte metallic tiles on the floor and two opposing walls, with some matching lighter, silver grey matte metallic tiles on the 2 remaining walls. The sanitary ware will be mostly rectangularly-shaped with exposed chrome basin fittings.

It's either going to look spectacularly fabulous or really weird. (I'm hoping for the former, rather than the latter.)

Wish us luck.

So how did yours turn out, Jo? What kind of tiles and fittings did you opt for in the end?

 

[Maintainer]

As you say, it sounds different which is good! I don't think I'd find another looking like mine either, and I expect we're the only ones who'd like ours...

Well... we were on a tight budget (long story), and realised that without a plumber we couldn't move things around and add a shower, and I didn't want to lose the bath so... we bought an asymmetrical bath with wider end where the shower is.

I love it but it's a very cold room!!

Any pictures of how you'd like yours to look? I'll put some of mine here (and don't worry if you don't like it, these things are personal and my "mural" might make some cringe in horror!)

 

[dukandebut]

Thanks so much for posting those lovely pics, Jo!

I love your mirror and shelving set up - very practical and looks good.

We also considered one of those shower baths, but our room is too small really to take one, so our shower will be over a normal-bath instead. We currently have a tiny shower cubicle which will be boarded up until we get the main bathroom next door done - and the space will be incorporated to make a lovely, big wet room instead of the weird-shaped pokey hole it is at the moment.

Whilst the mural isn't really my cup of tea (it's not weird enough! ), I think it's fantastic that you've not been afraid to use some colour. (I'm a big fan of green, too.) So many other bathrooms these days look really smart, but a bit bland for my tastes.

Here are some pics of the two types of tiles we'll be using. Definitely not everyone's idea of what a bathroom should look like, but we were both completely blown away when we saw the dark one used in a room setting.

 

[Maintainer]

Interesting tiles, almost textured? Might it make your bathroom a little dark? We got a good deal on the shower bath but declined the "skirt" which went with it (for a mere £400) and OH built his own and tiled it with the abundance of leftover green tiles we had.

Why so many? Take note in case! In the shop, they told us to note down the number of the tiles we wanted so that they could order them. So we duly noted so many x "verdi", and so many x "blanco", wanting more of the pale colour to have a low green border rather than 50/50. When they arrived, we thought the order was wrong as we had more dark green than pale. "Verdi" was the pale, and "blanco" the dark green believe it or not! Never occurred to me! So we simply ordered extra "verdi" (pale - are you following?!), and used the extra green for boxing in bath and pipework!

We has a few mishaps also with taps - always one little part missing in the box or something you've not thought of which you discover end of day Saturday... grrr!

Are you guys doing it yourselves? We also found by ordering everything from the same DIY place, we could negotiate all prices downwards. Surprisingly so. VAT often disappeared!

 

[dukandebut]

Interesting tiles, almost textured? Might it make your bathroom a little dark? We got a good deal on the shower bath but declined the "skirt" which went with it (for a mere £400) and OH built his own and tiled it with the abundance of leftover green tiles we had.

Why so many? Take note in case! In the shop, they told us to note down the number of the tiles we wanted so that they could order them. So we duly noted so many x "verdi", and so many x "blanco", wanting more of the pale colour to have a low green border rather than 50/50. When they arrived, we thought the order was wrong as we had more dark green than pale. "Verdi" was the pale, and "blanco" the dark green believe it or not! Never occurred to me! So we simply ordered extra "verdi" (pale - are you following?!), and used the extra green for boxing in bath and pipework!

We has a few mishaps also with taps - always one little part missing in the box or something you've not thought of which you discover end of day Saturday... grrr!

Are you guys doing it yourselves? We also found by ordering everything from the same DIY place, we could negotiate all prices downwards. Surprisingly so. VAT often disappeared!

Yes, the bathroom will be a little darker than most bathrooms (although the silvery tiles on two walls should keep it from feeling oppressive), but I want to create a temple-like, inner sanctum feel. In fact, I'd do all 4 walls and the floor in the darker tiles if I thought I could get away with it! (Told you that I have weird tastes. )

Talking of weird, how insane was the colour labelling of your tiles! In all my experience of Latinate languages, I would swear blind that "blanco" should be white and "verdi" sounds like green! I definitely would have made the same mistake.

Anyway, no, we're neither brave nor skilled, nor time-rich enough to DIY re-fitting a bathroom. We hope to finally choose and sign-up with a design and build company today - if the price is right. Then, the stuff will be ordered and work should commence in several weeks' time. (So don't worry if I appear frazzled and at my wits' ends during that time. )

 

[Maintainer]

My OH is skilled at DIY, and I'm VERY talented at wiping sweaty brows and providing regular coffee + biscuits... Why would you be stressed? Someone else is doing all the work! You'll be laughing (until you get to write the final cheque...). Oh you might smell a little too I got quite proficient at washing in the kitchen sink at weekends (not sure OH bothered actually)!

 

[dukandebut]

My OH is skilled at DIY, and I'm VERY talented at wiping sweaty brows and providing regular coffee + biscuits... Why would you be stressed? Someone else is doing all the work! You'll be laughing (until you get to write the final cheque...). Oh you might smell a little too I got quite proficient at washing in the kitchen sink at weekends (not sure OH bothered actually)!

It's the mess and noise which might stress me out - and the thought of a part of my house being ripped to pieces - eek!

But the good news is that we have another bathroom, so I shouldn't get all whiffy. (Although part of one wall of that room will need to be moved, so I might have a day or two of smelliness.)

Am very impressed by your husband! (And, of course, your brow-wiping skills.)