Tuesday 6 March 2012

WHERE DID FEBRUARY GO ?

Well I dont know where it went, but I know we had some glorious weather, spring bulbs are showing in all their glory. Took mum for a drive to the coast on Thursday last week, stopped at an arts and crafts centre for morning Coffee and was impressed with the easy access for wheelchairs around the units, or I was until we tried to get into the tearooms, lovely paved gradient up to the door, and then a foot high threshold to manoeuver the chair over, what are these people thinking of !!!! Still the coffee was hot and delicious.

Had a wander around the gardens (mistake number 2) no paving here, just grass, which seemed short and firm when entering, but ended up long, boggy and meant a long push uphill to extricate ourselves. I did manage to take a few pics of the lovely snowdrops and aconites, and the large metal sculptures of insects among the flowerbeds, and when I work out how to download them I will share them with you.

Carried on to Roughton for fish and chips (eaten in the car) because again there is no way of getting mum and chair into the restauraunt, but it was still yummy and the weather even better the nearer we got to the coast, I now have a car that smells like a chippie.

Continued to Cromer and stopped at the top of the cliffs to watch the sea for a while, it was crystal clear and so calm , so we fed the remains of our chips to the shitehawks who then decided to screech and bomb the car with poo. Then off along the coast road to Sheringham for afternoon tea with mums youngest sister Shirley, and a good old mardle.

We left at 3.30 and cut cross country home, through all the back roads, weather still glorious and a great day out was had by all .

Talking of stupid ideas that really annoy me, like poor access for disabled people, I discovered an even more stupid idea today, son brought me home a big bag of smarties (my current favourite treat) and guess what? they now come in a resealable bag !!!! perrrleeese what a pointless waste of packaging money, as if I would ever need to do that , its almost as barmy as freezing leftover wine in ice trays for using in stock, it never happens.

Well I have refrained from posting my dieting progress, I admit I was a bit disappointed at staying the same over Christmas, and couldnt really get into it in January, when I lost just 2 pounds but on the positive side it was still a loss, and brought the total up to 24 pounds lost. I went for another weigh in on the 5th March and I was feeling very fat and frumpy, my head is not in a good place at the moment, I seem to be awake all night and then sleep all day (maybe I am turning into a hamster), and I seem to be in constant pain.

I really am missing male company, just for a chat and a tease and a cuddle, I shall be 60 in May, but not prepared to lay down and die quite yet. I have missed another leap year so I missed any chance of doing a bit of proposing, I even thought of broadening my horizons and popping down to the night shelter, but it was a bit cold and rainy.

So 24 pounds off, not bad, and after jumping on the scales on Monday, another 5 pounds off, so 29 total lost, thats just over 2 stone. slow and steady seems the way to go. Blood sugars are down to an amazing 6.9, cholesterol to 3.2 . so alt least the consultants are happy.

Every 2 weeks I get a phone call from mum reminding me that her library books are due back the following week this in itself is not a problem, but invariably mum stays at home and I have to choose the books for her. this is a list of her preferences.

1) all boooks must be of crime gendre, the more gory the better

2) if possible books should be in large print

3) all books must be paperback format, as hardback are too heavy !!!!!!

4) some american crime writers are OK some are crap !!!

5) Dick Francis is a GOD (but she has read all his books several times)

6) Scandinavian crime writers ALL are crap

7) Sue Grafton writes a great thriller, but again mum you have read them all too

8) Autobiographies are OK as long as they are about gays or fat people, and she can't stand
that Jeremy Clarkson bloke

and that my friend is the literary works according to my 83 year old mum, who has opinions on everything, and expresses them louder and louder as the years progress.

more soon I hope xxxxxxx

Saturday 28 January 2012

Hello 2112

Another year gone and a new year almost one month in. I survived christmas, New year, anniversary of the passing of a loved one, and Number one sons birthday, and yes the diet is surviving (just).

I had my first weigh in in January, and was bricking it, but had actually stayed the same, despite the 2 party sized black forest gateau and the array of cheeses we devoured, so I was still quite motivated. Next weigh in is on 9th February, so I am hoping the downward trend will continue at a sensible rate.

Had a follow up appointment at the diabetes centre last week, and my long term blood glucose had reduced from over 14 down to 7.1, so it is offically normal !!!! feedback was excellent, insulin has been reduced further and my longterm plan is to keep reducing it as the weight goes.

Mum continues to fight on, she too had another birthday this month, where she held court for all and sundry. Out came the Hyacinth tea trolley and the bone china tea set (with the blue periwinkles) and muggins here kept the brews flowing.

The weather forecasters are predicting a month of arctic weather to hit us in the next few days, so far we have been quite lucky, obviously it is chilly, well it is winter, but every passing day means spring is closer, and the snowdrops and crocuses will soon be showing themselves in all their glory. Spring and autumn have always been my favourite seasons, I dont like hot and i dont like cold, but love the new growth and colours of those seasons.

So what am I going to do this year? well I have given up hope of finding a man who will put up with me, so I suppose it will be another one of going solo, being a hermit and occasional trips to the coast to watch the world go by, people watching is such a fascinating pastime.

We have the grand national and boat race in april, Wimbledon in June and of course from July the olympics will be on, that takes care of my exercise for the year, as watching them can be so exhausting. I scream through the National (go Onnn my son !) , grunt through the tennis and groan through the Olympics. all very good at burning calories.

I seem to have writers block at the moment, I lie awake at night and think of all the funny things I would like to relay to you, then, when I actually get round to typing my mind goes blank .

I have memories of long gone relatives which warm my heart. My fondest memories are of Auntie Nellie, my nannies twin sister. They were not identical twins, nannie was the pretty one and got married, auntie Nellie was the plain one and went into service. Right up to her death in her 90's she had jet black hair (dyed) in a pudding basin cut, she was 5ft nothing, and looked like Ronnie Corbett. She was a veritable whirlwind, never still, always cleaning or dusting something.

She broke things with gay abandon, and used to stick handles on broken cups with fairy liquid and let it dry till set!!!!! so it was not unusual to get a lap full of hot tea if you drew the wrong cup lol. She had wonderful stories to tell of her growing up years and would tell them to anyone who had the time to listen. She used to come and "do" for us once a week (mainly so mum could ensure she got a decent meal) and I remember one day finding her beating one of my false eyelashes to death with a hearth brush as she had mistaken it for a spider !!! happy days.

I think i may tell more of my disfunctional family at a later date, but had better try and save this as I think a gremlin may be trying to eat it. Hopefully more soon xxxxxx