Another quick update/a few things.

1. This week I did not do a meal plan, and with being off work my diet has completely gone out the window. Tea & biscuits anyone?

2. Because my diet has gone out the window I feel *awful* bloated, lethargic, stomach ache. ... my body hates me being so unhealthy.

3. Darrens Birthday this weekend (along with the long bank holiday weekend) means more excessive/unhealthy food and alcohol consumption.

4. Yesterday we went to Ikea.

5. Ikea (and Primark) should both come with warnings. It is impossible to visit and not spend more than you intended.

6. On the plus side, I saw these lamps in the flesh. much bigger than I imagined. They would not look right in our bedroom so I can stop lusting after them. (though they are still lovely!)

7. We are now the proud owners of new unchipped plates (and bowls, side plates etc)

8. Tonight is taster night at SW. So I need to get baking/creating something tasty (I'll share recipes for whatever I make at a later date!)

9. Its also a Red, White & Blue theme... Do I even have any red, white & blue clothes??

10. I am looking forward to the Royal Wedding tomorrow. I do love a wedding. :)

Happy Thursday. x

The holidays are over...

Hello again. I'm back!
I hope everyone has had a lovely Easter, and if you get the bank holidays off work, a lovely long weekend.

Technically I am still on holiday. I am not back to work until next Tuesday, but Darren was back to work today. It felt very odd him getting up early and going off to work leaving me in bed. While he was working as a builder it was normal. Its surprising how soon you get used to changes. He's been a Postman for around 3 months now, and even though I am not a morning person, I now love our morning routine together.

While he is at work for the next 3 mornings I shall be painting the downstairs bathroom (the green we chose was waaaaay to bright and garish, so its all being painted 'snowdrop' now) trying to declutter the spare room, and working on this here blog. (I know I've been a bit lack lustre with my posts and I'm planning on giving it a bit of an overhaul and get a bit more focussed. I do love this little blog, but I don't want it to become a chore or too much of a drain on my time. Quite simply I just need to streamline how I work, and manage my time better)
Our afternoons for the next 3 days are all pretty filled too. A trip to a garden centre today. A trip to Ikea tomorrow and Thursday will be building  furniture and finally getting the spare room into a workable office/studio space.

I am now going to drag my backside out of bed (yes. I am still under the duvet) grab a little breakfast and bake some mini olive and garlic flatbreads before tackling the painting.

Happy Tuesday.x

Sunday Snapshot

Crikey this is a late post!
Today started out well, a little lie in followed by a quick trip into town (skinny roast hazelnut latte = yum!) and lovely lunch of tortillas and salad.
This afternoon however has mostly been spent dozing on the sofa and feeling rotten. Hence the late (and crappy) photo...
New shoes. Leopard print pumps from Primark. Preeeeeety! :)
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Ohhh Yeah! (aka: Weigh In Result & Meal Plans)

2.5lbs off!! ohh yeah you heard me.

On a side note, I cannot say 'ohh yeah' now without this going through my head.

God I love that movie! haha

Anyway, I'm not quite sure how I lost 2.5lbs. in my opinion my week as more 'treat filled' than last week, and I did minimal exercise.
I am getting my backside back to the gym/body balance etc this week, and I am going to make a conscious effort to drink more water especially when I am working out.

Really hoping I can get 2lbs off next week, as that'll hit my 1stone loss. which would just be awesome!

Here is this weeks meal plans. This week is a minimal grocery shopping week. We do these occasionally to use up stuff thats been in the freezer/pantry for a while. :)

Saturday: Extra Easy - Gym in morning
B: Porridge with Jam or fruit
L: Tortilla squares and salad
D: Fish, chips & mushy peas

Sunday: Extra Easy

B: Porridge with Jam or fruit

L: Tortilla squares, salad, golden rice, pasta salad etc (picnic-y food)

D: Prawn, chicken & chorizo Paella

Monday: Extra Easy - Gym in morning

B: Porridge with Jam or fruit

L: Leftover Paella

D: Pasta with spicy tomato sauce & garlic bread

Tuesday: Green - Body Balance in Evening

B: Mushrooms & beans on toast

L: Leftover pasta & tomato sauce

D: Egg & chips

Wednesday: Extra Easy - Gym in morning

B: Porridge with Jam or fruit

L: Jacket potato, Tuna & salad

D: Buffet/Leftovers! quorn dippers, pizza, sausage, pasta salad, rice salad, tortillas etc

Thursday: Green - SW in evening

B: Eggs & toast

L: leftover bits from last nights buffet style dinner!

D: Darrens Lazy Dinner... Quorn, jacket pot, cheese & sweetcorn

Friday: BANK HOLIDAY!! hoorah! Extra Easy - Gym in the morning

B/L: A Full English for brunch. Sausage, bacon, beans, mushrooms, home made hash browns, tomatoes, eggs, toast. (have I missed anything??)

D: Steak, chips, creamy mushrooms & salad

Happy eating and have a lovely weekend. The weather is supposed to be lovely. :)

xo

I L.O.V.E....

Jelly Belly Beans!! oh yes. I love them.

I swear they are made by magic!

How else do they make a little sweetie taste like buttered popcorn or toasted marshmallow?

One of the guys at work had a bag of them today, and offered me one, which turned into 2, and then 3, and then 5. It was fun playing the 'what flavour is this' game. I was quite good. I guessed Pina Colada almost immediately.
They also always make me think of Harry Potter and Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans, and I do slightly worry I may end up with a snot flavoured one.

I now have yearnings for a giiiiant tub of them, the sofa, a blanket and some movies. so I can sit and play the 'what flavour is this' game all day long.

Such fun!! xx


Edit - Just found out about these!! They scare me (omg there actually IS a snot flavoured one!!) but I know they would send me into absolute fits of laughter psyching myself up to taste them!

Another Edit - For anyone that is reading this and knows me, just a quick reminder that its my birthday in a couple of months, and I love Jelly Belly Beans!
Just sayin' ;)

On the busses

Its been a little quiet on here for the past couple of days, so thought I would post a quick little update.

I had written a post out on Monday, but as it happens I had a killer headache at the time and it turns out I pressed save instead of publish.
And, also as it happens, it was about the spare room makeover and it would have all been irrelevant now as Darrens brother is taking the old sofa off our hands (traded for a bike for Darren. Trading stuff if so much nicer than just cash for everything. I have something you want, you have something I want. Work out a trade! hoorah)

So, whats been happening. We are still down to sharing the one car, and as my little yellow car was at the garage overnight we took the bus to work this morning.

Here we are at the bus stop. Exciting stuff eh. Its been years since I have been on a bus, and seeing as we shall likely be car sharing for a few months, and with the government encouraging people to use public transport I was kind of looking forward to it.
As it turns out, while I was impressed/pleased the bus route had some perfectly timed busses with very few stops, generally it was crap. for the two of us, one way it was almost as much as I spend in petrol for an entire week! Thats one bus journey, one way! and boy was it uncomfortable. haha

Probably sounding like such a spoiled brat, haha. But its not an experience I shall be hoping to re do any time soon.
Anyway, I called the garage and my car is fine. It might make the odd squeak when its cold (sounds like me) but its not doing any harm. Which is good to know.

The raised beds in the garden are coming along nicely now too. Darren has finished the first one, it just needs a second coat of paint, and we shall be starting the second one soon too. Then we just need to do a bit more prep work, get the slabs and we shall be well on the way to having the landscaping in the garden done.
I shall share some pictures soon of how its all coming together.

Happy Wednesday xx

Sunday Snapshot

You can expect a lot of garden related sunday snapshots to be showing up on here. Especially if the weather continues to be as lovely as it has this weekend.

Construction of the raised beds has started. Paint has been purchased. And in a few weeks or so (weather dependant) we shall have a lovely patio area. :)
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Weigh In Result & Meal Plans

Good morning. The sun is shining, the birdies are singing, its Friday, and someone is playing 80s hair rock upstairs in the office. Happy days.

Last night was not such a happy night. I gained half a pound. Gained!! Gutted is an understatement. ok we ate out at the weekend, but I had sorbet at the cinema (much better than nachos, or jelly sweets) and Sunday roast beef at the pub, I even gave Darren my sausage wrapped in bacon from that Sunday roast! and ok, I've not been gym as much, but I've been on the bike instead. Something had obviously gone wrong though so this week I have been given the 'SAS' log (basically I log everything I eat and drink, if it was planned or not, how you feel during the day, everything!) and I started the 'weigh in week' by getting by butt out of bed and going to the gym. (and we found out today they are going to start opening at 6.30 on Mondays and Thursdays too! yay)

With bike rides, gym visits, body balance class, digging the garden and food optimising all week, If I dont get a bloody good loss next week there may be tears... or a tantrum. probably a tantrum.

Anyway, with no further ado, here are the weeks meal plans...


Saturday - Extra Easy - Bike ride & garden digging!
B: fruit salad & yogurt
L: Mug shot & cheese salad
D: Brinner! (sausage, bacon, eggs, beans, mushrooms, tomatoes & toast)

Sunday - Extra Easy - Bike ride & garden digging!

B: fruit salad & yogurt

L: Cheese & ham toastie & salad

D: Slow cooked gammon, Roast BNS, potatoes & veggies

Monday - Extra Easy - Gym in Morning. Bike in evening?

B: Egg & beans on toast

L: Leftover Sunday roast dinner

D: Bacon, tomato & tarragon pasta

Tuesday - Extra Easy - Body Balance after work.

B: Porridge & jam

L: Mug shot & egg salad

D: Fish, SW chips & mushy peas

Wednesday - Green - Gym in morning. Bike in evening?

B: Egg & beans on toast

L: Jacket pot, cheese & salad

D: Pepper & mushroom risotto

Thursday - Green - SW in evening?

B: Porridge & jam

L: Leftover risotto

D: Darrens lazy dinner... Quorn, Jacket pot, cheese, sweetcorn

Friday - Extra Easy - Gym in morning. Bike in evening?

B: Egg & beans on toast

L: Jacket pot, tuna & sweetcorn

D: minted lamb & pepper kebabs with rice.

Happy eating. xxx

The birds are singing

And its a beautiful day out there. The last couple of days we have been able to have the office windows open (needed them open, as soon as the sun hits its like a little greenhouse)

The birds have been tweetering on the branches outside, and everyone seems to be smiling.

One thing it has meant for me, is I have an incredible urge to get out in the garden, have BBQs and go camping!

(both photos from 2009!)

Unfortunately, the garden looks like a building site, and we haven't camped for a couple of years so we need to check the tent (for mould and holes) before we go (by putting it up in the garden!) plus with Darren now working Saturdays we need to plan ahead and book time off for camping weekends.

The forecast for this weekend is good, so hopefully we can get out into the garden, start clearing out the mess, digging out what is needed and get everything prepared for the hard landscaping to begin.

Even just clearing the garden out will mean we can have the odd BBQ without having to perch our plates on a pile of bashed up slabs/hardcore :)
I can see a few trips to the tip/recycling centre on the horizon.

Hopefully though once we have started everything will go smoothly, and in no time at all we shall have a lovely new patio, brick raised beds (have I mentioned our evil clay soil? evil to try and grow anything in!) and a lovely new shed.
The fences and furniture need a lick of paint, and the shed we are planning on painting a nice sky blue & cream. Kinda like this but not as cute or cozy, it'll be a normal functioning shed for storage. I'd love a little summer house retreat like that but in our garden... not gonna happen. (you can see how small it is above) also... how amazing is this? Dear god I would love that shed!

Add some flowers (and veggies, I have plans for a designated veggy growing section) and some gingham cushions for the chairs and I will be one happy little gardener.

xx

Fish Eyes

It can't just be me that thinks passion fruit looks like little fish eyes??
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Lunch at my desk

Thought I'd share a snap of my lunch today, leftover prawn chilli kebabs and rice, banana. Yogurt and passion fruit. Yummy.

I love todays lunch...

Other things I love today are:
- Painkillers
- Diet pepsi
- Mapmyride.com
- Friends talking about getting new pets!
- And my husband. He put up with me when I'm grumpy. Not many people would! Xx

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Sunday Snapshot

This morning I took a little tumble down the stairs.
So I was thinking about sharing a photo of the bruises I have begun to develop, after some consideration I decided its best not to show my arse to all and sundry! :D

Then this afternoon with mine and Darrens families we have been at the cinema (watching Hop) and having sunday dinner at the pub. What a lovely way to spend a Sunday. Now home we are snuggled on the sofa under our quilt... And here I am.

Much more pleasant than my bruised bottom yes! :)
Happy Sunday x
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My weekend so far...

So as I mentioned yesterday, I attempted to ride a bike yesterday for the first time in 17years!

Don't I look just so stylish! haha. The sun was in my eyes too, hence the closed eyes! A couple of things I learnt yesterday... much more sensible to have my hair tied back, it was constantly blowing in my face. and it might be chilly out, but once you start riding that bike you get very warm, very quickly. Layers are good.

The houses in the background behind Darren are where we live, so its litterally at the end of the road, and another street and we are out into the fields.
Anyway, I didnt hurt too much (or so I thought) when I woke, so after the groceries were delivered, and the household chores done I asked Darren if he's like to go on another bike ride, but a proper one this time, not just up and down the same (and relatively level) field/path.

We got ready and got the bikes ready and out the front of the house. This is when I discovered actually, I do hurt. Ouch!! that bike was not comfortable to get back on and my legs did not want to pedal (Even Darren was hurting as its been so long since he'd been on a bike ride!) But we went out to the same field and persevered.
In the first photo of me you can just about make out a viaduct in the background. (the 3rd photo above is zoomed in on the viaduct!) We cicled through the fields (ouch, some parts were bumpy and I half fell off once, I may have bruises!) and down to the viaduct.

We stopped for a moment, trying to see where the new bypass is going to be built (we know one is being built the other side of the viaduct) and I asked Darren if it was still used by trains. To which he replied no. Less than 30seconds later a train trundled over our heads. Looks like it IS still used :)

After that we cycled through the new estate and back home. 1.8miles we mapped it as. So not a long ride, but long for my first proper bike ride I think!!

This afternoon, while Darren was out playing football I decided to relax, have a bit of a pamper and a lovely lunch.

A quick shower with some Soap & Glory goodies (Breakfast scrub, and scub your nose in it) then to bed with a tomato & herb mugshot, cup of tea, juice and huuuge fruit salad (strawberries, pinapple and kiwis. yummy!) an episode of The only way is Essex (which I had not seen until yesterday, words escape me!) and i'm feeling much more rejuvinated and relaxed.

Hope you all have lovely weekends. Tomorrow will be spent with our Mums at the cinema and out for food we think. :)

Weigh In & Meal Plans

Good afternoon. Well, last night when weighing in I stayed the same... again! but again, on the bright side I did not gain!
I have convinced Darren that he should bribe me into tracking and being 100% commited. and hes agreed that if I completely stick to it this week and get a good loss (2lbs or more) he will agree to one, 30minute foot or back rub! I like this idea, get skinny and get massaged!! whoop! haha.

I have also had this afternoon off with Darren, as today we have been together for 6 years! any excuse for some time off! :) We have just got back from a little bike ride. I haven't even attempted to ride a bike for 17 years, and have had a bike in the shed for almost 4 years gathering cobwebs. but I did it. I'll have a proper post about that coming soon.

Here are this weeks meal plans..

Saturday - Extra Easy
Breakfast/Lunch: 'Full English' brunch
Dinner: Those Burgers & chips (One of Hubbys favourite meals now it seems!)

Sunday - Extra Easy - out on bike in afternoon!
B: Fruit salad
L/D: Mothers day lunch out... I am going to go for something like a chicken salad, or gamon steak. No creamy sauces etc.

Monday - Extra Easy - Gym in morning
B: Weetabix & fruit
L: BNS soup & egg salad
D: Prawn & pepper kebabs with rice & thai sweet chilli sauce.

Tuesday - Green - gym or class in evening
B: Egg & beans on toast
L: leftover rice & kebabs
D: Creamy mushroom & pepper risotto

Wednesday - Extra Easy - Gym in morning, class in evening
B: Weetabix/granola & fruit
L: BNS soup & chicken or egg salad
D: Chilli con carne & rice

Thursday - Green - SW in evening
B: Egg, beans, mushrooms on toast
L: Leftover risotto
D: Lazy dinner a'la Darren - Quorn, Jacket pot, cheese & sweetcorn

Friday - Extra Easy - Gym in morning
B: Weetabix/granola & fruit
L: leftover chilli & rice
D: 'diet coke' chicken!

I've got some of my favourite fruit coming in the groceries this week, strawberries, pinapple and passionfruit. and I aso ordered double the amount of frozen raspberries we normally get. so lots of fruit for snacking/desserts, and lots of exercise planned.

Fingers crossed for a good week this time. Happy weekend everyone. xx