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2^nd July 2011

Blogging: Never before have so many people with so little to say said so much to so few.

Normally my memory sucks, I remember very little of my childhood or the past in general, it’s just something I’ve always struggled to recall.  I think it’s because I live so much in the moment and my memory is just so bad, so unless friends or family remind me of things, I rarely remember them.  However yesterday I had a real moment, after singing that Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo song, I then heard mom singing Val Doonicans, O’Rafferty’s Motor which made me smile and think to myself ‘it must be daft song day’, then I started thinking about all the silly songs there are and the one that came to mind immediately was “Zippidy Do Dah”.

WOW that song instantly unlocked a memory for me big time, I remember being  a kid, no idea of my age but I had that song and others on an LP that I’d play over and over again, in my camp/den whatever you want to call it, I’d made my own little space under the stairs with a table and a chair and a curtain to cut everyone else off ;D.  It made me realise some of your ways are already obviously defined because even as I’ve got older I’ve always liked my own little space, I remember mom letting me have the cloakroom (a 6ft x 8ft room) downstairs in our old house, even though by then I think I had my own bedroom, I still liked the idea of ‘an office’ or ‘a den’ I’m not sure which, but now I have my office and I love it, I spend hours in here, it’s my grown up den, it’s always a mess but I know where things are and I always feel calm as soon as I walk in and sit down.  Everybody needs their own space don’t they, unfortunately once you become a wife and/or mother (or husband/father) I appreciate it gets more difficult.

That’s one of the reasons people find it difficult to stick to their diets because they don’t have time to plan, to take care of themselves.

You need to find time for yourself, put yourself first sometimes, if you don’t take care of yourself – you can’t take care of anyone else properly.  If you don’t love yourself, it’s difficult for others to love you.  So think about it, what could you do this weekend for you?  Could you find an hour or even half hour to put yourself first and do something that you either really enjoy or something that you’ve been putting off.  Why not use that hour to plan your week, to cook yourself a delicious recipe or to sit and read your Weight Watchers magazine or a good book.

I had a lovely afternoon yesterday with friends, today I’m having my ‘me time’, I’m gonna spend a few hours in my office, busy doing nothing, I love to potter, it’s taking me over an hour to write this blog because I keep getting distracted!

How about getting a bit of that ‘holiday’ feel I mentioned yesterday, make sangria and sit up the garden with a trashy novel.  Here’s a recipe for the sangria (loads of fab ideas of WW esource – free with your monthly pass);

Red and White Sangria ProPoints® Value: 8 Servings: 8 Preparation Time: 15 min Cooking Time: 0 min Level of Difficulty: Easy

A jug of icy-cold Sangria always puts you in a holiday frame of mind. Let its lively flavour add a bit of fizz to your day.

Ingredients

For the red Sangria:

1 medium Orange, thinly sliced

1 medium Lemon, thinly sliced

150 ml Brandy

750 ml Wine, Red

 600 ml Lemonade, Diet,
1 cinnamon stick
Ice cubes

For the white Sangria:

1 medium Apple, cored and thinly sliced

100 g Strawberries, halved

150 ml Rum, 40% volume, white

 750 ml Wine, White, Dry

600 ml Lemonade, Diet

3 sprig(s) Mint, Fresh,
ice cubes

Instructions

For the red Sangria: put the ice cubes, orange and lemon slices into a large jug. Add the brandy, red wine, lemonade and cinnamon stick. Stir, then serve.

For the white Sangria: put the ice cubes, apple and strawberries into a large jug. Add the rum, white wine, lemonade and mint leaves. Stir, then serve.

Or less alcoholic and less ProPoints.

Fruity Sangria

ProPoints® Value: 2 Servings: 8 Preparation Time: 10 min Cooking Time: 0 min Level of Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

                240 ml Wine, Red

                720 ml Cranberry Juice

                285 g Strawberries, hulled and chopped

                2 medium Apple, cored and chopped

                1/8 teaspoons Cinnamon, or to taste

Instructions

Stir together all ingredients in a large pitcher. Allow to stand for 30 minutes. Place ice in glasses and serve.

Enjoy your day xx