The Road Less Travelled

[MinnieMel]

Hi Lynn,

Congrats on becoming a Great Aunt. I am one, too. I used to be merely adequate... but now I am a truly Great Aunt! (Oh wait, in the UK great means big, doesn't it! I want to use the Amerian definition of Great as in Wonderful! hee hee)

Wow, this Kenwood Chef sounds like a Kitchen Aid. I have a 375 watt one, but I friend with 500-something one! I have no idea what for what she needs that much power!

I hope you have a good week.

MM

 

[Lynn_]

Twins! so cute, and doing really well but both very sleepy all the time. Hopefully Becky is home with them now she was just waiting to get the all clear when i saw them today.

Not really counting calories, I tend to eat the same things most days pretty much, so i know if ive had good or bad day.

 

[MinnieMel]

Hi Lynn,

Oh they are soooo sweet. Makes me want grandchildren -- but as DS is only 19 (and rather immature) I can wait.

MM

 

[Aline]

awww, they're lovely

 

[kas getting slimmer]

Gorgeous babies, making me broody lol

 

[MinnieMel]

Morning Great Aunt Lynn,

I hope you have a good day back at work, and on your healthy eating plan. I am looking forward to half spa day (that might be a fun thing to do with your sil).

MM

 

[Lynn_]

I finally got to go to the Ideal Home show today, ive been so looking forward to it. The traffic in London was awful getting to the car park at Earls Court but i finally got parked and got in there. I made a beeline for the upstairs section where all the kitchen housewares are as I was looking for a Kenwood Chef and a set of pans for my neices wedding present. I had planned to stay all day until it closed at 6pm as I love this exhibtion, but had been there an hour when i started to feel ill. My stomach really hurt and I was worried that i would be sick or that the diarhea would kick in again, so i called it quits and went home without spending anything there, except for £18 to park, £13 to get in plus the fuel I used. What a waste lol.

Ive ordered my chef from Comet now, as they had the cheapest offer on the model I wanted and it will be delivered next week. I also bought a Kenwood Ice cream maker from amazon which was a bargain at £24, and a set of half decent Tefal pans for £50. I could have got an ice cream maker attachement for the chef but it was £54. Dont ask me why I need an ice cream maker, I guess I just want to fill up a cupboard with another kitchen item i'll use once lol.

Anyway, ive invited some friends round for dinner next saturday to celebrate Cliffs retirement, so the thing will get used then.

Cliff finishes work on Wednesday. I really do have my concerns about it. For the past 6 years he has buggered off to Wales all week leaving me to my own devices, and now he is going to be home all the time. Its going to be a big adjustment for both of us. Dont get me wrong, I will be glad to have him home, but oh god he snores so bad that I get really bad nights when he is home. Up till now Ive had some respite 3 or 4 nights a week, but im not sure how I will cope now. He gets very defensive if i try to tell him about it. I think the problem is that he is pretty overweight, and maybe if he lost weight he wouldnt snore so much, so im putting him on a diet once he is home. Im not sure what he weighs, but its got to be around the 19st mark (he is 6ft). As our holiday is only 3 months away now he is keen to lose weight anyway. Hopefully it will do the trick.

Ive been buying summer clothes this past week. I got 3 pairs of shorts, same style differnt colours, 4 t shirts with a little sleeve, same style different colours, and 4 strappy t shirts same style different colours. Then it struck me today what im doing.......... and I could kick myself.

It was so ingrained in me that I had to accept what clothes were on offer that fit, regardless of whether i liked them or not, that I just got used to buying several of the same item in different colours so that I had a selection of things to wear. I dont need to do that anymore! Im free to buy what I like now, but it still feels to weird to know there is a choice of shops to go to, and different styles to wear. Those old limitations are gone now, but I still have the old mindset.

I should take them all back and start again lol.

I bought some really pretty flip flops in M&S today
http://www.marksandspencer.com/Mark...sr_1_9&nodeId=547470031&sr=1-9&qid=1301182780

and this was what jolted me into realising what im doing as I was going to buy another pair in another colour as shoes used to be as big a problem for me as clothes were. so I stopped myself, but even so, they are gorgeous, so I might go back and get the other colour lol

 

[kas getting slimmer]

I can totally relate to the finding something you like and buying it in every colour. I have a vest top i liked in 7 colours. Wonder if i will manage to change in the future?!?

That's great that Cliff is getting to retire. Maybe you need to invest in some ear plugs till he looses some weight.

Hope your wee dinner party goes well Lynn

 

[MinnieMel]

Hi Lynn,

Congrats on Cliff's retirement.

I put my DH on the South Beach Diet (and you can use all your kitchen goodies fixing the food for that) on January 2nd. He has lost 30 pounds! He looks fab -- he weighs less now that he has in almost 20 years. His snoring has improved immensely -- he used to wake me up several times a night. Now, not so much. (I had tried earplugs, ipod, special pillows, etc. losing 20 pounds made the difference.)

I have always bought more than one in different colours (even when very thin). Because if it fits and feels good, why not. Even when I was very thin, I did not always like the way things fit, looked or felt. And shoes: comfort is key. If you like the flip flops and they are comfortable -- why not buy others in different colours?

I hope you have a wonderful week and the retirement party goes well.

MM

 

[Lynn_]

10.3 this morning woohoo!!! Ive lost 100lbs!!

Actually, ive been 10.3 since Saturday morning, but didnt want to post it as Ive a tendency to go up a little at weekends. I also had the ridiculous urge to make chocolate brownies, which ive never made before. The recipe filled a big tin and made 18 good sized squares. I had some of course, very chocolately and delicious, fed quite a bit to hubby and gave the rest away. Ive got 2 meals coming up this week, Friday I am going out with the work crowd for indian and Saturday friends are coming for dinner, so fingers crossed that I will still be 10.3 this time next week, probably not lol.

We are going to Spain for a long weekend sometime in April, to see my sister Louise, so I need to have a look at flights and work out how much time I can take off work. I dont have a lot of spare vacation days left free, but might be able to squeeze out 2.

April is going to be pretty busy, Spain for a weekend, my niece's wedding on the 30th, we will no doubt go over to IOW at some point as well, and ive now organised a street party for the royal wedding day! All the neighbours are really keen on the idea so it should be good fun.

My bro Bill is back with his ex. They have had a very odd relationship for many years now. They got married about 15 years ago i think, were together 6 months and then she left and went back to her first hubby. A year later they were back together again, but got divorced still. Then the relationship has seesawed over the years with them together for a year or 2 then she takes off again. Each time Bill is left devastated and we all wonder if this is finally it. Last May she left again after they had a big row and she went to live in Spain for some months, but last week she turned up again and is living back with Bill yet again. Its an indication of how much he loves her that he is prepared to put himself through this wretched mill over and over, but I do have sympathy for her as well. I think long term depression is at the root of her problems, and she looked very strained when i saw her yesterday. Maybe they will never work out their problems , I hope they do as I really like her, and Bill adores her, obviously.

 

[MinnieMel]

10.3 this morning woohoo!!! Ive lost 100lbs!!

Hi Lynn!!! Amazing losses... you've done so well. And, 10.3 is very slim for someone your height.

I am sorry about your brother and his wife -- I agree with you. I hope that she, he, they... get help and work it out. It sounds like it puts everyone through the wringer.

The street party sounds amazing. I wish I had the time and energy to plan something like that (skills, too). I am going to be gone for a big chunk of April and so can't really do something like that.

MM

 

[Lynn_]

Well, I finished March at 10.5! At the end of Feb I was 10.10 when I looked back on my diary, so I shifted 5lb during March, im really pleased with that result, although I did go as low as 10.3 at one point.

Still 10.5 today which is another result as Ive eaten quite a lot this week one way or another. We went out for Indian Wednesday with the family, then I went out for Indian on Friday with the work crowd. Then yesterday we had friends over for dinner. Dont read on unless you dare lol. I made a caremalised onion walnut and blue cheese tart to start with, Massoman beef curry and saffron rice, then a very wicked delicious dessert of a chocolate gateau which involved a layer of chocolate brownie with black cherries in it, a layer of Elizabeth David recipe for chocolate mousse, a layer of whipped cream grated chocolate and chocolate dipped cherries to decorate, served with homemade black cherry ice cream, followed by cheese biscuits and grapes and coffee. And lots of wine as well of course.

As its mothers day today im expecting family to come over, so I shall feed them all the remains of the gateau, but anything left in the fridge when they are gone is going in the bin pronto!

I had a message from Mini to tell me there is a century club icon I can apply to my avatar as I had hit the 100lb lost mark. Well im just below that again as my weight has gone up by 2lbs, so I dont want to use it until I get back to that point again, but it gives me something to focus on this month. Im hoping to finish April with a loss of maybe 3lb overall which should put me at 10.2, but it would be great to hit the 10st mark. Im safely inside my current target of 10.10 now so i think i might reduce that to 10.7 to keep me focussed.

 

[MinnieMel]

OMG Lynn --

I should have heeded your warning. That gateau sounds so lush! Happy Mothers' Day -- and congrats to being eligible (intermittantly or otherwise) for the Century Icon. That is sooo amazing.

I think your 10.7 and the Beck "If you gain 3 pounds, then diet and get them off." Would suit you well. You seem to have good discipline and maintained so well.

I hope you have a good week. How is going having your DH retired? Did his do go well?

MM

 

[Lynn_]

I saw a long pretty black patterned dress in the window of a shop in Sandown on Saturday ( we went to IOW this weekend) and so I went in to try it on. How fabulous is that? I can just walk into a shop and ask them to take the dress off the dummy so i can try it on. I dont think that has ever happened to me before lol. I didnt even have to ask what size it was either. And yes it fitted and I bought it. Another item of clothing i dont need taking up wardrobe space but it will be great for holiday.

Talking of holiday, we have booked flights to Spain for 7th May, going to stay with my sister Louise for a few days. It must be nearly 18 months since i was in Spain last, so really looking forward to that, and of course Tenerife is only 2 and half months away now. Im still aiming to get to 10st for that, but my weight is pretty static at the moment. Its all good though, im eating a bit more at weekends now without blowing up like a balloon, so weight is settling down.

Was good to see FIL Dicky at weekend and also caught up with a friend I thought we had lost touch with after her divorce. I found her on facebook, in fact she had sent a friend request ages ago but because she had changed her surname I didnt realise who it was till recently.

I sold a ton of stuff on ebay this week, mostly clothes, but I also put an old broken tomtom sat nav on as well. It sold for £28! Why on earth would anyone buy a broken tomtom? (why on earth would anyone sell a broken tomtom but thats another story). I was going to chuck it out but as it was free listing last week, I decided i had nothing to lose by listing it.

I finished a depressing book this week, Never Let Me Go. I wish i hadnt started reading it, but the story was quite absorbing although the subject matter was pretty awful. I had no idea what it was about, it just had good write ups on Amazon. But it has left this awful feeling of hopelessness lingering. I need a funny lighthearted 'chick lit' to banish it i think, so any suggestions are welcome.

 

[cactus]

I am not a thin person, I am a fat person trapped in a thin body. Yayyy!!!

lol well done lynn

 

[MinnieMel]

Hi Lynn,

That is a good feeling -- trying on the dress off the display and having it fit!

I heard Maeve Bichy's new book is very good.

Spain in May should be lovely.

I am in Texas visiting with my sister atm. My DD and I flew over on Tuesday and will be here through the 21st. She is on half-term. It is hard to stay on a "programme" in this land of restaurants and super sized portions! But, I am trying to do so.

You sound good, I am glad to read it!

MinnieMel

 

[Lynn_]

Hi Mel! Ive been reading your diary, your trip sounds wonderful!

I sympathise about the food though lol, when i go to Tenerife im packing my bathroom scales too lol. It must be so hard to stay on track while you are on vacation. I was wondering how I would cope if i tried a JUDDD aproach to eating while away, so that I could indulge in some lovely food every other day and make up for it inbetween.

Anyway, have a lovely trip!

 

[MinnieMel]

Hi Lynn,

Don't take your scales if you are flying RyanAir! If you do... you'll lose serious pounds!

I have heard peopel say that Spain is hard for diets because of the rice based dishes and sweet drinks. Ah, but so lovely. I have been to Grand Canaria, but not Tenerife. It is on my "bucket list".

Mel

 

[MinnieMel]

Hi Lynn,

I just wanted to pop in to wish you a wonderful holiday in Spain. I think you picked a good time to go -- it may be sunny here, but it has turned a bit cold.

Mel

 

[Lynn_]

Quite a lot has gone on with me since i last posted here.

We had a street party that I organised for the royal wedding, that was a lot of fun! and went on till 1am. We had such a good time that the neighbours are up for another one, maybe in August.

I went to a big fat gypsy wedding the next day, and wore a lovely dress that my sons bought for me for my birthday in Feb. When I heard about the wedding I saved it for that and it was decidedly loose on me! Not now I imagine though haha.

Ive been studying hard for an exam I had to do for work that my manager has been harrasing me about for 2 years! I passed with 96%! and as a celebratory gift my lovely hubby treated me to a fab camera that I have been hankering after for a while, the Canon 550d. I was so surprised that he said he would buy it for me and absolutely delighted with it!

Last saturday we jetted off to Spain for 5 days to stay with my sister Louise and her hubby and daughter. Had a lovely time there and took in excess of 500 pics! I may upload some later to show off with . We got back early hours Thursday and ive been totally knackered ever since. I hate to think what my weight is, is definately up. Im guessing 10.12, fingers crossed that its less than 11 st but cannot bring myself to get on the scales, but will do tomorrow morning to face the awful truth! I did eat some lovely food while I was away though

Had a Drs. appointment Thursday afternoon, good and possibly not so good news. My bloods are now reading at non diabetic, which is fantastic, although this doesnt mean im not diabetic, that will never go away, but no damage can be done while its so low. Dr was highly delighted with that as was i, however I may have a gyny problem so she is trying to get me into a clinic asap to see whats going on as ive started bleeding despite being well past menopause. Im pretty sure its just hormonal due to the rapid weight loss, and Dr did agree that might be the cause, but need to get it checked out. So hopefully appointment will come through soon.

Had some bad news while I was away in Spain, a long time friend of mine died suddenly and unexpectedly. Ive no idea what was wrong, I saw her just a few weeks ago and the only thing she was complaining about healthwise was pain in her knees. She was admitedly overweight, but had always been pretty fit and active, so its quite shocking that she has died so suddenly.

Tenerife is only 6 weeks away now, so have to get back on the diet and lose these extra lbs for that. All my clothes still fit so im not panicking and in fact the little extra weight has filled my cheeks out a bit which is good news and I was starting to look a bit sunken in my face, but i still need to get ready for the next big holiday!