Sorus's Mulled Wine Musings

[OzzieMoz]

@ the boyfriend missing the flight again! He really has a problem doesn't he! I can understand your daughter and you being mad at him, but in some ways I feel quite sorry for him, he must be feeling like a heel and a wimp! I wouldn't be feeling at all sorry for him though if he had done that to my girly, and therein lies the double-standard! Is he definitely an ex now? or is he just in trouble until she sees him again?

You did make me giggle with your extracting a promise from your daughter about complaints, only to have her grumble about Easyjet moments later! I bet you were amused in a wry way too!

Glad you enjoyed your meals out even if you didn't enjoy the after effects, hope your Dad had a good birthevening

You're still 1lb ahead of me so you're in the lead still in spite of your evil ways! My weigh in is tomorrow and judging by this mornings sneakypeek I'm going to sts - pffffffft!

Anyway, I better go write in my diary before I forget! Hope you have a great weekend!

I've just noticed an un-interesting fact which I will share with you ..... because I think you'll find it uninteresting Your % lost is 8.79% and mine is 7.89% - same numbers, different order. Until of course one of us changes weight and ruins everything

 

[Sorus]

Ha! That's not uninteresting! That's interesting! I love stats. I did mention earlier in my diary that I have an inner geek lurking...

Well I can't think of a single interesting thing to write. Oh - apart from a funny story my friend told me in the pub last night. She is having a knee replacement next Monday. She'll be out of action for about 6 weeks. She also had a bit of a bug last week and was in bed for a day. Whilst in bed she heard a knock at the door and a discussion between her son and the delivery man and several bangs and scrapes as whatever it was that was being delivered was being handed over in her (miniscule) hallway.

Her son came up completely bemused. He had forgotten she was having a knee op and was wondering why the NHS had just delivered a commode, Zimmer frame and various other accoutrements to help her shower and get around etc when all she had was a bit of a cold...

I'm making the falafels in the SW mag this afternoon and a curry. The smells wafting into my study are divine.

Still haven't sorted out the hotel side of my daughter coming on holiday with us. Thomas Cook were supposed to be ringing me back but haven't. I've already paid extra for my son having a room to himself so it really shouldn't be that much extra I have to pay. So now I'm thinking can I really be bothered to chase Thomas Cook when I could just sneak her in? Not trying to save money just hate hassle.

The worst that can happen - surely - is that the chamber maid will think my son is a cross dresser with a penchant for fluffy socks.

 

[OzzieMoz]

@ your inner geek ... made me think of an old lady saying to another old lady, "excuse me dear, your petticoat is showing" .... yours would be "excuse me dear, your geek is showing" Hmmm, well it's funny in my head anyway!! That's probably my inner and outer sillyarse showing

I think if I didn't chase up Thomas Cook, I would be worrying about it til the holiday. Part of me says, well you've informed them that your daughter will be there, so it's their issue if they don't get back to you ... but I'd still worry! @ your son's penchant for fluffy socks ... you do realise that now because I've read that I will believe it forever! I'm a simple soul you see!

 

[Sorus]

I've just realised that even though I've lost 16 pounds in total I'm only actually 3 lbs lighter than I was on the 13th December. That's terrible! I'm a disgrace to Slimming World! Not only that, but I have a holiday coming up so there's every chance that on my return I'll actually be heavier than I was on 13th December. Quelle horreur!

Now I've really depressed myself. Especially as last night I went off piste again as we ate out. I really am rubbish at this. Must re-focus on the fact I have lost 16 pounds. Which is better than not having lost 16 pounds. And I have another 16 or so pounds to lose. So I'm kind of at a half way point. I shall think of it as having a little hiatus. A little half way stopping off point to admire the scenery. Then after my holiday it'll be full steam ahead again.

Today I have had:

Brekkie - 2 bacon, 1 Light Choices sausage, 2 eggs, 4 plum tomatoes, one teaspoon HP sauce.

Lunch: Bombay curry (another Britmum recipe - delish), sweet potato and chick pea dahl (my own recipe), falafels (from SW mag) and rice.

For tea I am going to have the rest of the falafels in a wholemeal pitta with one tablespoon sweet chilli sauce and a large salad made with rocket, apple, red onion, cucumber and whatever else I can find. 2 teaspoons Mary Berry dressing on the salad.

The other night I had an M&S Count on Us Raspberry Mousse. It was utterly yum. 4.5 syns though so not something I would eat every day. I also had another night M&S fat free cherry yoghurt. That was gorgeous too at 2.5 syns. I seem to be getting into yoghurts again. I go through phases of loathing them. Think as far as syn free ones go I much prefer the Activia fat free ones to Muller Lights.

Today has been warm and positively Spring like here. So it rather astonished me to overhear in a cafe this morning that just 4 miles up the road cars were being turned back because of snow. Now I know Cornwall has about a thousand micro-climates but that's ridiculous I thought. I looked at my OH and I knew he was thinking the same as me. ie what a load of rubbish. Got in the car and the radio was saying the same thing. Blizzard conditions apparently just 5 miles up the A30. We were jacketless looking up at a pretty much cloudless blue sky and people were sitting on the beach. So, instead of heading home, and because we're saddos and clearly have nothing better to do with our lives we went in search of extreme weather. And yes, completely and utterly unbelievably, just ten mins down the road the countryside was a white out and cars were slithering all over the place. Extraordinary. I wanted to shout out, 'Hey! Get yourselves over to St Ives! It's bloody gorgeous there!' But I didn't....

I shall ring Thomas Cook tomorrow Ozzie! Yes I'm like you - I know I'll worry if I don't sort it out before I go. But part of me was quite looking forward to the challenge of sneaking my daughter in and out of the hotel. All adds to the excitement! See - told you I was a saddo.

 

[OzzieMoz]

Ha! liking your mad weather Sorus, it must have been truly bizarre!

Don't be depressed and feeling down about your weight loss, you're doing brilliantly, in many ways much better than I am and as you know I've mainly been a saint. You've only been doing this for 11 weeks-ish? So you're nearly at an average 1.5lbs a week which is better than me and is a good healthy steady way to lose weight! The other thing is that when you're good, you're really good .... (no, I'm not going to complete the rhyme and say "when you're bad you're horrid!" ) and when you're good, you lose weight. You know you can do it, so don't grumble at yourself, you had a good Christmas, you treated yourself on a special do this week and for your Dad's birthday. That sort of thing doesn't happen regularly, so you're not going to stall regularly. I still think you'll get to target way ahead of this little plodder! So be happy!! Rarrrr!! <--- that's my menacing roar in case you didn't recognise it

 

[OzzieMoz]

As we've both lost 16lbs, thought you would be uninterested to know that we have lost 0.007143 long tons (UK) or in Ancient Rome, it would be 0.2226 centumpondus - marvellous and inspirational eh! .... or not

 

[Sorus]

No!! I could have sworn it was 0.2228 centumpondus I'd lost! God. I'm doing even worse than I thought! I'm bleeding miles away from my 0.4372 centumpondus target. Might as well give up now. *sobs into coco-pops*

 

[Sorus]

I've put on another pound! This is getting ridiculous! I know I've had three meals out this week - which is not ideal - but I'm trying to find a way to live a life here and maintain a healthy weight. I stick to the plan 100% unless I'm having a meal out, and even then I try to be fairly sensible. I'm not changing my lifestyle, cos frankly a life without a meal out once a week is not a life worth living, in my opinion.

So it seems to me that by following the SW plan 95% of the time, and having the odd, fairly sensible meal out, I put on a pound a week. So by my reckoning by the time I get to 60, following this regime, I'll be 47 stone.

Hmmm.

Seriously - I need to look back at my diary and see what I'm doing differently now, compared to when I was having good losses. Because I was eating out then and still losing weight.

One of the things that springs to mind is that I used to have warmed up frozen berries for my 9pm snack. I've got out of that habit and now have yoghurt. Maybe I need to get back to the berries. They are, after all, a speed food.

And maybe I need to reduce my carbs a bit. When I first started in November I was doing mostly red days as that's what I was used to when I did SW ten or so years ago. ie not many carbs. Now I do EE cos I like it but it does mean I'm eating a lot more carbs. Maybe I'll try cutting back. ie just cos I can have rice doesn't mean I have to have it. I'm usually just as happy having a bowl of curry or chilli without rice as with now I think about it so not sure why I even have rice!

Have just walked 8 miles today in thick mud. And negotiated about a hundred stiles. Haven't done an 8 miler for ages. Good fun though - there were about 40 of us. I fell over - twice. Not so much fun! Once while crossing a stream so got soaking wet and the other slithering about on mud on the coastal path. I always seem to fall over on a walk. No one else does. Only me. And always in the most ungainly fashion possible. I've got used to the guffaws and frankly the complete lack of sympathy by now.

By rights I should've lost 3 stone on today's walk alone. But it's pretty much a given that I'll have gained yet another pound by next Tuesday's weigh in. :sigh:

 

[OzzieMoz]

Pah - 3 meals out and you put on a pound, I seem to have put on 2 pounds after one measly slice of chocolate ice-cream log! Seriously though, I think you are doing the right thing looking back to your most successful times. I tend to mix up green days and extra easy days. I don't do red days as they make me hungry - I have no idea why! I'm saving red days for when I really get stuck and then I'll scare my system with a week of them! or something like that!

I love the sound of your walking adventures! I am so jealous and want to come too - believe me, I'd make you look good, I too have trouble staying upright - it wouldn't be so bad if there were alcohol involved, but there isn't!

I think you're right about getting the balance right so that you can enjoy a healthy eating regime whilst still having a regular meal out. Quality of life is important.

To be honest, you've had quite a lot on your plate recently emotionally what with your neighbour and the cat, your daughter's travel dramas and meeting the friend whose child had died. So don't be too hard on yourself. I'm sure this was just a weight blip and that when you refocus you'll start losing again!

I think I was getting a bit lazy and eating too many carbs, so I'm doing a rethink of what I eat too! Together we will do this - united we stand ... and lose and stuff and ting!

.... and now I'm nearly late for getting girly from school

 

[Sorus]

There often is alcohol involved Ozzie! Quite a few walkers take a little hip flask with them and at New Year we have what's known as 'The Trencrom Toddle' which involves rather a lot of mulled wine...

Joining the walking group was one of the best things I've ever done. I walked myself out of a serious clinical depression, met loads of new people, got fitter and fell in love all over again with the Cornish countryside. But best of all I fell in love with my partner while ambling along the country paths and lanes.

As I mentioned before I think, when I first met the man who is now my OH he was the size of a small house. His stomach would arrive a full minute before the rest of him. I thought he was one of the funniest, kindest men I'd ever met but I didn't fancy him one jot. In fact I thought he looked quite repellent. I'm not proud of that fact, and clearly I'm a very shallow person, but sexual attraction is just so bleeding basic. It's either there or it isn't. Nothing you can do about it. And it definitely wasn't.

But I adored him as a friend (I'm a complete sucker for any man that makes me laugh) and eventually persuaded him to join me on a walk. I think he only agreed cos he was scared of me. I told him if he didn't start getting some exercise (he used to drive to work - which was about 300 yards away - I am not making this up) and lose some weight he would keel over in less than ten years' time from a heart attack. And he shouldn't count on me coming to his funeral cos I would be too angry with him.

Seemed to do the trick so off we went. We walked about 2 miles and I have never, ever seen anyone of his age (mid-40s) so seriously unfit. I actually thought he was going to die at one point. And we were walking about half a mile an hour.

Part of my mission was entirely unaltruistic. I was intrigued - nay desperate - to see what he would look like with only one chin. As opposed to 8. Cos I was convinced there was a really attractive person underneath. And if so - jackpot! Really lovely man and fanciable!

So we walked and walked and walked. And fell over a lot and laughed a lot. And fell in love I guess, over the ensuing months. And the chins gradually disappeared. And yes, now he is gorgeous! He still has a way to go, as I do, but there is no comparison to the unfit, morbidly obese man who had no life apart from watching tv and eating 3 tubes of Pringles a night of 2 years ago.

So yes - walking. It is the most fabulous fun. Before I joined a group and used to go walking on my own I used to get fabulously lost at times, despite - ahem - being a pretty hot map reader, though I say so myself. I always seemed to have some sort of adventure.

I've looked back at my food diary and I honestly don't think I'm doing anything significantly different now compared to when I was having good losses. My gut feeling - scuse pun - is that my body is still adjusting after the 2 day fast. I had a feeling that might happen. ie that my body - after starving it - is now hanging on to everything I consume in case I don't eat again for another 48 hours.

Which just goes to show - it really is important to eat decent amounts of good healthy food. Starving yourself never works long term.

Today's food:

Brekkie - 42 gm porridge (HexB and 2.5 syns).

Lunch - big bowl of gorgeous chilli and salad.

Tea - home made beef burger, baked beans and SW chips and ketchup (1 syn). Bowl of chopped fruit.

9pm-ish - either Actvia FF yoghurt or bowl of warmed up frozen berries.

 

[OzzieMoz]

Awwwww, that's a seriously lovely story! :cry: Very heart-warming! Beneath my flippant exterior, I'm an old romantic at heart!

.... and I still want to go walking! Too bloomin' hot round here at the moment, and if we go walking in the rainforests there are too many slithering and biting beasties!

You're probably right about your bodies way of thinking, I guess it's one of those times where patience is required, we'll get there in the end!

 

[Sorus]

We just gotta keep on trucking Ozzie! As you say - we'll get there in the end. That line's probably gonna end up on my epitaph, now I think about it. I've said it often enough.

Here lies Sorus.
RIP.
She got there in the end.​

 

[OzzieMoz]

*ding dong ding dong* Putting out a call for Sorus, could Sorus please report to the diary at once! I repeat, could Sorus please report to the diary *ding dong, ding dong*

As the advert that caused some commotion for Australia said "where the bloody hell are you?"

Hope all is going well for you and yours and that you are being focussed and whatnot.

Catch up with you soon my friend.

 

[Sorus]

Hi Ozzie - I'm still here! Hope you are too. Have just been madly busy finishing off a refurb of a holiday flat. Have got people in at half term (ie next Sat) and I'm going away this Wednesday so everything has to be finished, cleaned, boiler on etc before then.

So have been up to elbows in sealant, wood filler, flat packing. Etc, etc. But now the carpet's down and it's all looking lovely. I rather like the refurbing side of things. It's the day to day running of the business I increasingly hate!

Haven't taken a holiday longer than a week in ten years. And even then nearly every single holiday I've had I get at least one phone call from someone who's not quite sure how to turn the telly on, or who has somehow flooded the loo, or has somehow found a mint imperial down the side of a sofa and wants compensation.

Most of my regular punters are fab, but every year there are just a few that drive me mad. Like the ones who ask 'exactly' how high is the grass in the garden? Exactly how many steps is it down to the beach? Are there any shops and restaurants nearby, when the website clearly states the flats are within a minute's walk of shops, restaurants, beaches. Where does the sun rise in the morning? The temptation to email back, 'generally in the east, even in Cornwall' is almost too much at times.

I'm turning into a grumpy old woman so God willing this'll be my last season. Then someone else can put up with explaining patiently that yes, there is a sea view, as you can clearly see from the massive photo on the front page of the website.

I'm too long in the tooth and jaded to do it anymore!

Dietwise have been my usual. ie a saint at home but a bit of a sinner when I'm out. But as 'out' has just been once this past week (ie last night - romantic dinner a deux for once) I'm hoping I won't have put on too much weight.

Cos let's face it - there's absolutely no chance I'll have actually lost weight, or indeed will ever lose any ever again.

 

[Sorus]

Weigh day today and I've lost 3 and a half pounds! About time too! Haven't done anything particularly different this week to the last couple of weeks when I've gained. Well, not that I can think of. Had the usual meal out Sat night, with wine. Lots of. Kept to plan rest of week.

So I guess it shows what a blunt instrument the scales are - they really are best ignored most of the time. I knew if I just plodded away the scales would probably play ball in the end.

However - I know this 3.5 lb loss is going to be very short lived as I'm away on holiday for a week tomorrow. Won't be weighing in for a fortnight and I'm already dreading that day! But life is for living and holidays are important. I shall enjoy every single minute, and every single morsel that passes my lips and then get right back on track when I get home. At least that's the plan.

My daughter was supposed to have landed at Heathrow yesterday from Thailand. As she hasn't even bothered to contact me I assumed she'd gone straight to her father's who lives in London, as it wasn't worth her coming back to Cornwall for just 2 days. Just rung him and he's not heard a thing from her either! Now I am worried. Can't ring or text her cos she was using her boyfriend's mobile while away and the boyfriend's mother has barred the phone. Can't say I blame her - it's a long story!

She's either being unbelievably thoughtless in not letting me know she's landed and ok or she's in a Thai prison somewhere. Not sure which is more likely.

 

[OzzieMoz]

Oi oi oi !! Where are you?! Am thinking you must be back from holiday by now - so please report in for duty

Hope you had a splendiferously marvellous holiday and will catch up with you sooner or later

 

[Sorus]

Hi Ozzie - thank you for rescuing my diary from down the back of the sofa! Yes, have been back since Friday but have been too lazy to post.

I did indeed have a splendiferous holiday despite torrential rain most days! It has become a bit of a joke in the family now - wherever I go freak weather seems to follow. It has become known as Hurricane Sorus. In fact I'm thinking of renting myself out to drought-ridden countries for a small fee. Within minutes of my arrival in said country I can guarantee they will enjoy record breaking amounts of rainfall. And sub-zero temperatures. For the exact duration of my visit.

But despite the rain it was fab seeing my daughter again and the four of us spent the week laughing. That's what it's all about really, isn't it? And my son didn't suddenly develop a horrible cough or get ill - always my main worry when out of the country.

My OH proposed - again - on Valentine's Day. ie ring found at bottom of wine glass. He then serenaded me with Smack my Bi*ch Up by the Prodigy. I should hasten to add that this has become a bit of a tradition. The Valentine's Day proposal I mean. Neither of us has any interest in marriage!

Looking forward to next year's proposal (am building up a fine collection of seriously hideous rings) however I worry that the challenge of finding an even more romantic song than SMBU is going to be a challenge too far even for my dearest OH. The kids thought it was completely hysterical. Especially as he got on one knee (in crowded dining room) to sing it to me... after hours of practising his scales too... only adding to the expectation...

I ate loads. I'm sorry but it had to be done. Did I make sensible choices? No. I also took my trainers so I could go for a jogette each day but they didn't actually make it out of my suitcase. No one less surprised than me.

Have been back on SW since Friday and my weigh day is Tuesday. So will have to face the awful truth tomorrow. Hoping a couple of days back on SW might hopefully mitigate the worst but not holding my breath.

 

[Sorus]

Oh bum. Have just weighed myself. 4.5 lbs on. And that's after 4 days back on plan! Hey ho. And all that.

Right.

Need to get back in The Zone.

Need to start moving this corpulent body again.

Need to get a serious grip.

Food for today will be:

Br: bacon, eggs, Joe's sausages, tomatoes, HP sauce.
Lunch: left over pasta with mushrooms, courgettes, tomatoes and garlic.
4pm: probably a banana
Tea: not sure but I really fancy BritMum's mustard beef, sweet potatoes and other veg. It was gorgeous last time I made it.
9pm: probably an Activia FF yoghurt. More fruit if I'm hungry.

 

[Sorus]

Fed up. After yesterday's horrific official weigh in of a 4.5lb gain after my holiday I had a sneaky peak at the scales this morning hoping it would be somewhat less today but in fact I've put another pound on! In one day! And sticking 100% to plan too! &%$@! And many other unpublishable expletives...

So my 'getting a grip' isn't quite having the desired effect I was hoping for. Think I need to go back over old diaries and see what I was doing before Christmas when I was getting good losses. I know I was eating a hell of a lot fewer carbs, cos I was following Red, rather than Extra Easy. But I really, really don't want to go back to Red days. Might try cutting out the pototoes, rice and pasta a bit and eating a lot more fruit. Tend to be really good at eating loads of veggies but not very good at eating much fruit.

Whatever. Something needs to change.

 

[OzzieMoz]

As my little menace would say - "oh poodles!". Well I don't believe in that pound - it's a phantom pound which is mocking you for reasons best known to itself, but I wave my fist in muted and somewhat futile rage at that phantom pound - it's days are numbered!

Seriously ... and I do do serious ... sometimes, when it suits, I doubt you really have to change too much. Probably looking back over your diaries for your most successful times is probably a good idea, to see what worked then. What I do know is that when you put your mind to it, the plan works really well for you!

I loved the story of your holiday, sorry the weather was crap, if it makes you feel better, here in paradise it has been piddling down the last few days. I keep getting drenched, my hair is a frizzy mess - I look like one of the hair bear bunch! I wish I were joking! :cry:

What happened with the rooms by the way, did it all get sorted? Maybe you've told me this already and I've forgotten, I do that you know.... did your son have to wear pink fluffy slippers? Even if he didn't, he did in my head!

Anyway, I thought I better poke my nose in as I was having a quick read of the diaries before I shut down the pc for the night and I saw that you had noticed I had gone awol ... so I'm back... which in reference to your OH's serenade reminded me of what I thought my OH would want me to go up the aisle to which was Poison's "Look what the cat dragged in" - we should have done it!

Anyway, I'm wibbling, will be back to update my diary in the morning, until then, it's time for bed - said Zebedee - "Boing!"