Stop being a whiny bitch!

3rd March 2016

Peace is the result of retraining your mind to process life as it is, rather than as you think it should be. 

Yay, I had a much better night's sleep, no middle aged hot flushes for me like there were the night before I'm glad to say!  I also think it helped that the dog slept in moms room, he's a noisy little dog who snores and scratches and jumps on and off the window sill!

I won't lie, when I got up yesterday to start writing, I just sat and looked at the screen thinking, what do I write when I just feel poo!  I did feel quite low yesterday morning, woke up tired which never helps and so after writing my blog I sat and cried! What's that all about I thought. So I decided to go for that walk because everything you read says getting active improves your mood and getting outside lifts your spirits.  It was half 8 and I had to leave for work at 9, it's my late start on a Wednesday so all was good, I had a bit of time.  The plan was to walk a mile, I got to the end of the street and it started to rain, I'm not talking namby pamby kind of rain, no, I'm talking rain with rage, the stuff that's more like glass and is being thrown down with venom, you know the sort.  The kind that penetrates a waterproof coat mockingly and guarantees you'll have chilblains on your legs when you get back.  So do I turn back or keep going?  I'm already wet, cold and miserable, I'm going to have to dry my hair again now too, so I carry on walking and start crying again, I'm in true 'pity party' mode now, "typical, why does it always happen to me" you've done that too over something silly and ridiculous at some time haven't you - go on admit it!  "life's not fair, all I wanted to do was start to get active and help my weight loss a bit and look at it, it's vile and raining, I'm freezing and everything sucks!" 

I was being super dramatic!  Then I looked round, gave myself an inner kick and said to myself, "Erm, get a grip, it's raining on everyone if you hadn't noticed, not just you!  Today everyone is getting wet.  And life isn't fair for anyone - which makes it fair, it doesn't always happen to you so stop being a whiny bitch and finish your mile!"  And that I did! 

The rest of the day improved greatly, mom and I even managed to fit in a trip to Farm Foods because she'd had a flyer and she wanted the cheap Fairy washing up liquid.  Yeah that was a real bargain, £60+ later, we'd made up our bill in Farm Foods to £25 with 2 for £1 biscuits to use the £2.50 coupon!  We'd been to Aldi and spend another £30 on who know! And a tenner in the pet shop next door, love a bargain don't you!

If I lose weight tomorrow it'll be a little miracle, my meals have been good but there have been bits, like the frazzles I picked up in Farm Foods, I'm putting this week down as the warm up, I won't have gained I'm sure so that's one positive!

Now to make it through today, think I might make and take a sandwich to work with me today.  I've gotta leave at half seven this morning, I finish meetings just after 12, need to drop mom back home and have to be in Dudley for 1 for a meeting that'll run till 3ish, then I've got to be back in Bloxwich for half four for my other meetings, so they'll be no going home inbetween, I'll get home just after half seven tonight, there's a lovely 12 hour day for me to look forward too.  Good job I loves my awesome members, they'll give me enough energy to keep me going.

I need to go buy a kettle and some plastic cups at some point today so we can all have a drink at the meeting tonight, they've stopped serving tea and coffee at the meeting on an evening and we need it!

I'm proper waffling this morning ain't I, I need to shift my backside, got to get both me and mom sorted and ready to roll.

Here's your Smart Point recipe, mmm spag bol, I've not had that for a while and I do have turkey mince in freezer, one for  the weekend I thinks.

Healthy Spaghetti Bolognese

Serves 6, 9SP per serving, 8SP with quorn mince

takes 1 hr 35 mins

A true Italian classic which has been given a healthy makeover with a few simple ingredient swaps. Using succulent turkey, light olive oil and wholewheat spaghetti, makes this a wholesome dish that’s gorgeous.  Swap the turkey mince for quorn and it's a vegetarian recipe.

Ingredients

1 tsp light olive oil (1sp)

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 celery sticks, finely chopped

1 medium courgette, finely diced

400g (13oz) turkey mince (11sp) (quorn mince = 7sp)

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

1 large carrot, grated

600ml (1 pint) beef stock (3 Beef Oxos = 1sp)

150ml (1/4 pint) red wine (optional) (4sp)

1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes

2 bay leaves

300g (10oz) wholewheat spaghetti (28sp)

basil leaves, to serve

Parmesan shavings, to serve (40g - 6sp)

Heat the oil in a large, non-stick, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add the onion, celery and 2 tablespoons water and fry for 5 minutes or until the vegetables have softened. Add the courgette and fry for another 2-3 minutes. Add the mince and garlic and fry for another 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently or until the mince has broken up and is starting to brown. Stir well. Add the grated carrot and 150ml of the beef stock or red wine, if preferred, and simmer for 3-4 minutes.

Then add the tinned tomatoes, 450ml (3/4 pint) beef stock and the bay leaves and bring to the boil. Cover with a lid, turn down the heat to medium-low and leave to simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the lid and cook for another 10-15 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced and thickened to desired consistency.

Cook the spaghetti according to packet instructions, drain and divide between 6 plates. Place a spoonful of Bolognese on top of each plate, scatter with basil leaves and Parmesan shavings.