Freezer Surprise!

Thursday 30th June 2022

Focus on the healthy.

Well the hospital had us in and out before his appointment was due which meant I got to the huddle in good time and he got to go back to bed :) The scan on his belly showed everything was all clear regarding livers, kidneys, spleen etc so now the doctor should refer him to a gastro paediatrician and hopefully we can make some progress.

We had freezer surprise for dinner, he ended up with chicken curry, mine was chicken in gravy, we had it with the broccoli I had in the fridge and a cauliflower cheese from freezer, sorry Aunt Bessie, not impressed with your cauli cheese, the shop home brand one is better.

Now it was freezer surprise because I always forget to mark up leftovers, I know at the time I think, 'oh I'll be able to tell what they are' and to be fair I did guess yesterday so, I'm not far off.

Here's some freezer hacks to help save money at this tough time, firstly a full and well-organised freezer saves energy (and money) as less cold air can escape.  I know when you're skint it's not so easy to keep it full, I've put my cooler blocks in mine, or put a couple of loaves of bread in there.  Next, now this one makes me smile as I didn't know there was such a think but you can freeze leftover wine and then use it in your cooking, it is a good idea.  You can freeze eggs!  Whisk them up into silicone ice cube trays for popping out when it's time to cook.  You can do the same with milk, freeze in ice cubes to pop into your tea or coffee to cool your drink quicker.  Hard cheese like cheddar and parmesan can be grated and stored in freezer bags for up to two months.   

Not one I'm likely to use but a frozen block of butter is easy to grate when you're making pastry, one I am more likely to use is freeze fresh herbs in olive oil or water, ready for adding flavour to soups and stews.  Also as a space saver and for quicker defrosting you can free soups, stews and curries flat in reusable freezer bags.  Why not pop a lolly stick in a pot of yogurt and freeze to make a refreshing yogurt pop.  

A great way to keep the freezer organised is knowing what's in there to start with, keep an inventory and mark things off as you use them - list out all the freezer meals, vegetables, meats, and more that you store in your freezer.

Unlike me, label everything and pack them in smaller portions, this will help you're wallet and your waistline!  I now freeze leftover meat in the gravy so I have a spare portion for another day, I had this idea from Tina and yesterday I loved her for it as I enjoyed my dinner, this is great to do when meats on offer, plus you're only using the oven once.

Right that's me, I need to get ready for work, I managed to sleep 5.45am when himself called me to say good morning, it's rarely I'm still asleep when he does that, thankfully my alarm was set for 6 so I'd been awake and snoozing, can you believe it's Thursday already - he'll be back tomorrow night.

Here's to a great day ahead, I've took honey and mustard chicken out the freezer this morning, another leftover to use, I remembered to write on that one :) we'll have it with rice I think, or maybe I'll get him to try some quinoa.  

Mwah, luv ya 

Love me xx

Very early riser today!

Wednesday 29th June 2022

Remember to smile!

3.35am I woke this morning, lay there listening to the rain for an hour, then admitted defeat and got up!  Thankfully I'm only busy this morning, I can relax later.  But first I'v got to get Aryn out of bed at 7 - wish me luck, he has a hospital appointment at 8.30am, hopefully parking will be easy at that time of the morning, but we shall see, it rarely is.

I've just eaten a sandwich for breakfast because I'm eating leftovers still!  It had cheese and onion sandwich filler in it and cucumber, yeah I know a weird morning choice but it's half six so I've been awake 3 hours so not as weird.  I bought the cheaper sandwich filler and you can tell, it's very runny, more liquid than cheese and onion!

Yesterday we finished the bacon and had a sarnie for brunch around 11, then for dinner we had chicken pie, baked beans and these which were nice and a change from chips, I had them on offer last time I did an Iceland shop.

I loved our huddles yesterday, we're doing our best to keep our prices down to £4 a week and we're trying to help our members by doing the block booking offers which gives them a further reduction (£21 for 6wks, £38 for 12wks) it also gives us the stability of knowing they'll come.

Our members have lost 5,000lb in the 6 months up to 25th June, so in the next 6 months up to Christmas, just imagine the success they could achieve!  This is what makes it all worth while.  

This came up in my Facebook memories this morning; 

A much needed reminder that I refuse to worry about the future because we just don't know what it holds.  Yes the cost of living is ridiculous right now and no one knows how ridiculous it will get but worrying about it won't change it.  My mom was a massive worrier and I truly believe it had a little to do with causing her dementia.  I can handle being skint, I don't want to have to handle having dementia!

Today I will look after my own, I'll make time to relax and I will cook us something delicious using the food we are fortunate to have in the freezer, mmm what to have.  Maybe cauliflower cheese and I'll cook the broccoli and mix it all together, I need to get some extra fibre in Aryn, whether he likes it or not :) 

On that note, I better get myself dressed and then wake the boy up, he'll be thrilled - NOT.

Have a great day, remember to smile.

Mwah, luv ya 

Love me x

How much!

Tuesday 28th June 2022

It's okay to make mistakes.

Early night for me last night and an early morning today, feeling refreshed, managed to sleep better as it wasn't so hot in the night but I did wake at midnight having had a nightmare, thankfully that didn't stop me going back to sleep without it returning.

We ate leftovers yesterday, the chicken wings were consumed then I made a dinner from leftover gravy and broccoli, I found a bit of sweetcorn in the freezer and a box of 2 faggots, a couple of Yorkshires and a packet of mash - sorted.  Aryn had his first taste of faggots and his last, he wasn't impressed and I have to say I didn't enjoy them as much as I usually do, maybe because I microwaved them as usually I cook in the oven. 

The cost of living is becoming ridiculous, I just happened to check old emails from my supermarket shopping and my bisto gravy has gone up 75p in a year and 55p of that since January, it was £3 now it's £3.75, that's just ridiculous, 68p per kg, I'm going to try the home branded one which is 35p per kg then the really cheap on which is 28p per kg, I'll do a taste test as we like gravy in our house!  Well Aryn and I do, himself only has a little bit, weirdo :) 

The cost of living is getting out of control though and our wages aren't rising, I earn a lot less these days, my wages declined steadily for the last few years I worked for WW before I was made redundant, if I'd stayed I would have took an even bigger paycut, I couldn't do it - plus I'd have had to reapply for the role.  Now Elle and I are self employed we earn much less because we opted to make it as cheap for our members as possible because we knew they weren't exactly well off either after covid and the effects of that on so many.  

On a positive I guess if we ain't got no money, we can't afford to buy too much food and weight loss will be a side effect lol.   It is ridiculous though isn't it, petrol, energy costs and food, everything is rising, we shall be living out the freezer this week for sure.  Pie and chips today as I found them in the depths of the freezer yesterday, they need using up.

Here's to as healthy a day as I can, there's another piece of broccoli in the freezer we can add and two corn on the cob, maybe keep the broccoli till tomorrow as we've had it two days running. 

I'm off for my shower, 

Mwah, luv ya 

Love me 

Nom Nom Nom kind of weekend

Monday 27th June 2022
Let's have a great week.

There are leftovers in the fridge I need the child to eat to save me from myself!  Would chicken wings cooked Friday night still be okay for lunch today?  If so I'll have them as I was going to freeze them yesterday but himself said, 'oh I'll eat them later' and he didn't, well he ate a few but there's more lol!

This is why we have leftovers, our afternoon tea on Saturday which we got to eat in the garden as it stopped raining just long enough!  Oh I did enjoy those sandwiches, plus a raspberry turnover and a chocolate eclair, nom nom oh and a glass of prosecco. 

Sunday was a little healthier with a pork dinner, I resisted the crackling and really enjoyed the veggies.  I need to get some carrots, I've not eaten them in a while because Aryn doesn't like them.

Himself pottered a lot with the motorhome all weekend, I pretended to care for all of ten minutes then yesterday decided to sit in the garden and drink the rest of the prosecco.  I've actually been good this weekend where wine was concerned, only had a bit - go me!  

Well if you've been reading these for the last few weeks, you won't be surprised to hear I gained 2lb on Saturday, I didn't get back on track after my crazy weekend so it continued all week and this weekend wasn't much better.  Therefore today, I will reopen my Nutracheck app and get back to practicing what I preach because I'm off to Pembrokeshire next weekend to scatter mom and Alfie's ashes in one of our favourite places, we couldn't afford to buy the house on the beach we stayed in but she can live there forever more in the waves.

Oh complete switch, we watched a lovely film on Saturday night, I'd seen it before but it was just as funny the second time, 'Going in style' Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman and Alan Arkin, good family film, although I couldn't get Aryn to watch it with us, we're boring and so is tv!

Not sure what I'm doing today, himself had to get up at 4am for work, I got up with him to move cars but manage to go back to sleep till half six, those weekends go really quickly but the next one will be here soon and he'll be back.

I suppose I better start by cleaning the kitchen, although I have a couple of episodes of The Split to watch and I've just noticed there's a new series of The Umbrella Academy on Netflix.  There's rain forecast all morning so meh, tv I'm thinking.  I put our meeting notes together Saturday whilst he was playing with his motorhome so I'm already for work. 

Let's have a good day shall we, eat a little healthier, drink a bit of water and enjoy whatever the day brings.

Mwah, 

Luv ya 

Love me xx

 

Tears are good too!

Saturday 25^th June 2022

Shall we have a good day?

I sat in my garden last night and started crying!   I'm still not quite sure if it was hormones (love the menopause), grief (I still miss mom & it's coming up to her birthday soon) or relief (it's been quite a week and I don't think I realised how much I'v been worrying about it or running things over in my head, you know the 'what if's' kind of thing).  Anyway I shed a few tears, nothing major and felt better afterwards, it's good to feel your emotions, I find it therapeutic.  

As the image above says, there are so many beautiful reasons to smile and I can list plenty these days, I've just checked my memories from yesteryear on Facebook and on this day last year, my bro and I were having a drink and burning fence panels in the garden in preparation for him to transform my back garden and boy did he do a great job.  The year before I was sat with mom watching a particularly emotional episode of Station 19 which was about dementia and I'd had to leave the room.  7 years ago she was singing the wrong words to a song in my car and we're having a giggle.  11 years ago, I'm out for lunch with my bestie and her kids and Wills eating the biggest dessert you've ever seen and 14 years ago I was walking Hadrian's Wall for charity.    This all proves things change, wherever you are right now, it will change.  

I'm in a great place, we have things we're dealing with as nobody's life is 'perfect' and if it is, go you, but I'm in a really, really good place.  

This isn't helping my weight loss journey though because I'm no unhappy in my body, don't get me wrong I want to lose weight because I know I'll look better and probably feel better but the payoff for the immediate satisfaction is outweighing the payoff for the long term success.  I need to thing about this a bit more in detail and I will.

I wasn't dreadful yesterday, I ate leftover pizza for breakfast and lunch, then we had chicken wings for tea and I only ate 3 as I wasn't really hungry, oh I had microwaved a handful of leftover wedges and eaten them too, I only had one big glass of wine too, so that's really good for a Friday night.

I've not had the best nights sleep, woke at 2 then struggled to sleep for the rest of the night, got up at half five in the end.  Apparently I was dreaming and making a noise, I do remember the stupid nightmare, which proves I have had lots of stuff going on in my subconscious that I didn't realise was there until I sat crying last night.

Aryn did his second afternoon at school which is awesome, so hopefully we're on a roll now and when it comes to September and the new school year, he'll be okay with it.

We're having afternoon tea today because the one we'd planned got cancelled over the Jubilee weekend and Aryn has never had one, so I'll be nipping to the shop on my way home to buy supplies.  I'll try not to go crazy with what I buy or eat ;) 

On that note, I'll be getting me another cuppa, probably not a great idea when I've got to be weighed this morning, but hey ho, if I manage a stay same it'll be a miracle after the weekend we had last week, then the niceness we've had this week.  It's been a mammoth week in this house and I'm not going to worry about a few pounds, I shall work at doing better every day, stick to my idea of 1/2lb a week and enjoy life because I wasn't able to for many years.

Mwah, luv ya

Love me x

Yesterday was a brilliant day

Friday 24th June 2022

There's more to life than food!

I'm a happy person this morning, we had a very, good day yesterday, Aryn went to his new school for the first time and did the afternoon, we're going back today.  This is just brilliant, it's taken us 6 months to sort but we got there and that's the first hurdle down. 

We did of course celebrate with food, a burger and Mcflurry on the way home and pizza later and I don't care what the scales say on Saturday this was a truly important week, plus we had a wonderful time making memories last weekend and life is damn good.

A busy day ahead, I want to go get a couple of 4.5 tog duvets, plus my wines on double offer again :) so I need to nip and see if they have any left.  Taking Aryn to school it's a 40 minute round trip in good traffic and as he's only there 2.5 hours, I need to decide whether its worth driving back or not, I sat in the car yesterday as initially he was only going for one lesson as an intro but he stayed which was brilliant. 

I am sat here with a big smile on my face, it's a lovely feeling and a huge relief, plus I don't mind sitting in my car for a couple of hours if it means the lad gets some normality back in his life and gets into school.  After years of sitting next to mom doing nothing, I'm good at sitting, I listened to my audio book yesterday and read an article a member had given me, it's a good time to be still as at home you don't do that. At least today it's forecast a little cooler, it was 25 in the car yesterday, thankfully there was a slight breeze through the window, but then I drank a bottle of water and spent the rest of the time desperate for a wee.

We're having wings today, the ones I was going to make yesterday smelt when I opened the packet so I threw them away, just not risking chicken!  I'm going to do a huge batch and freeze the leftovers so they can just be defrosted and microwaved - nice.

Right I need to shower, dress and get my backside moving, today is going to be another great day, himself comes back too, so that's something else for me to look forward too :)

Mwah, luv ya 

Love me xx

Busy busy busy day ahead

Thursday 23rd June 2022

Enjoy your days as best as you can.

Check me out, I walked 3 miles yesterday along the canal path after dropping the car off to have a gearbox service and picking it back up later, it was a hot walk at half three in 25 degrees but I enjoyed it none the less and hopefully it burned a few calories to help work off my meals yesterday.  

I do love eggs on toast so that was what I started my day with, but this weeks chat has make me think about shaking my breakfast up a bit more, natural yogurt, fruit that sort of thing or advocado, breakfast muffins, peanut butter all good healthy food.

Now dinner don't look very appealing but it tasted damn good, leftover beef, fried onions, mushrooms, asparagus, yellow pepper, spinach, pappardelle and red pepper pesto, I used up the open jar in the fridge and the veggies that were about to walk. 

Later when I was tidying the kitchen I found an open jar of pickled silverskin onions and I thought mmm, I fancy some of those so had them with crackers and cheese = nice.

I was very productive yesterday, huddle on the morning, dropped car off, walked home then cleaned my house from top to bottom, thankfully it wasn't bad and didn't take long, I hoovered downstairs but didn't mop, I'll do that Friday morning, give it another quick sweep, I love my tiled floor in this heat.

When I got back from picking car up, I sat in the garden with my feet in a bowl of water because they were sore from the walk, I was so glad I had that pedicure set Vicky had got me, it really soothed my feet, I just need to remember to put the cream on every day to get the dry skin on my heels smoother.

I had an early night because I was falling asleep on the settee, Aryn and I were watching Your Honor, we've planned to watch the last one tonight whilst eating chicken wings - we know how to have a good time!

I've got a busy day, huddles and taking Aryn to school for a lesson this afternoon, or maybe 2 if he's okay, I'm so hoping today goes well, keep everything crossed for me please.

But now, I'm off to marinate my chicken wings ready for later, I might pick up a garlic bread to enjoy with them and maybe corn on the cob, we like a cob we do.

Here's to a great day, 

Mwah, luv ya 

Love me x   

Yesterday was all about the beef!

Wednesday 22nd June 2022

Be the energy you want to attract.

5am and wide awake, first time I woke was 3am and I didn't think I was going to get back to sleep but thankfully I did.

Yesterday I asked our members in our Facebook group for some ideas of what to do with leftover beef, one of the suggestions that got my attention was serve it with fried onions on ciabatta, mmm.  I was planning on beef cobs for lunch, so when I went in the garage to get my cobs I noticed the Ciabatta rolls so I scanned them on the Nutracheck app and WOW 274 calories each, they weren't that big either, square instead of round but about the same as the Warburton slice white cobs I bought which are 146 calories each so I could have 2 of them for almost the same calories and I'm more a visual / quantity girl at the minute!  I need to get to a quality not quantity kind of person again, I'm working on it, honest I am....

 

I really enjoyed my beef and mustard cob with a bag of ready salted crisps.

We then had some more of the beef with baby potatoes in herby butter, yorkie and sweetcorn, oh I have mint sauce with any roast by the way, I like it.

We had as always a great day in the huddles, I spent some time with Aryn watching a bit of tv, he's enjoying 'your honour' which I've already seen but if I can get him out of his room, it's worth it.  Having said that, I can't remember half of what happens, it's not even been a year since it was on and I can't remember,, having said that, last year wasn't exactly easy was it.  The first quarter was hell, the next part was pure grief, but the September started and it suddenly all got really good and it still is, so remember if you're going through hell, keep going, it ends eventually!

I'm thinking pasta today, I have some nice stuff in the cupboard and I might have it with the rest of the beef cut into strips, I've got some mushrooms and onions too, I'll make it up as I go along, I'll have to do Aryn's separately as he doesn't like mushrooms or onions, or maybe he can have something else all-together lol.

Now though, I need to get showered and dressed and ready for the day ahead, got to take my car in for a gearbox service, not sure how long that'll take, whether I'll just pass an hour round the shops in Wednesfield or get a taxi home (or maybe walk) then go back to pick it up later.  But first to our huddle this morning...

I need another cuppa, catch ya tomo, 

Mwah, luv ya 

Love me x

 

Happy Summer Solstice

Tuesday 21st June 2022

Love your life!  Do your best...

No blog yesterday, the day just got away with me, woke up to a beautiful morning on the campsite, most people had gone and we didn't rush to get away, although we were gone not long after 8am.  We drove back stopping to get some breakfast, 500 calories for a Maccy D's bacon and sausage breakfast roll, ouch, it wasn't that great neither, I've just got used to having their double sausage and egg mcmuffin which for an extra 51 calories at least makes you feel like you've eaten something worthwhile.  I was still hungry when I'd finished it, mostly because it didn't hit the spot.

Thankfully it was a lovely day when we got back so I managed to do about 4 or 5 loads of washing and get them all dry.  Domestic goddess or what!

Aryn and I went to look at his new school, I think he's going to be okay there, here's hoping, we're going back Thursday lunchtime for him to start his first lesson.  He loved that they had a therapy dog, I have to say I was quite taken too, I do miss having a dog about the house, Alfie was such a character and you always knew he was there but I don't think I'm ready for another yet.  

On our way home we nipped in Aldi because we wanted to check out the Wagyu beef!  We were contemplating eating out but instead we bought a beef joint and had it with chips, yorkshire pudding, veggies and gravy, blooming delicious it was and there's loads of beef left for today which we'll probably have on cobs today.  Although I could make another dinner with potatoes or mash, we shall see, I'm even thinking beef and pasta.

I had a wonderful weekend, it won't have helped my weight loss I know but it did help to remind me how much I'm loving my life again, it's so nice to not have to be thinking all the time about getting home and how moms going to be, that feeling never wears off you know.  I love waking up early, fully refreshed and sitting with my mug of tea watching the news, it's a lovely, calm way to start my day, especially when the heating is no longer on 30 degrees like it would've been when mom was here.  Don't get me wrong, I miss the pre dementia version of the most wonderful woman that ever was.

Today's the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year, so here's to enjoying the sunshine that's promised and also our huddles. 

Have a great day, 

Mwah, luv ya

Love me x

Sharing Plates!

Sunday 19th June 2022

Focus on being as healthy as you can be.

Oh we had a great day yesterday, after what is always a cracking Saturday morning at the huddle, Aryn and I drove down to meet himself.  Oh what a drive, yeah it was raining and the roads were horrible, but did we laugh.  We car danced and at one point Aryn was making up his own lyrics to some rap tune we'd never heard and I was in tears, he was so funny.  I'ts just so great to see a teenager being 100% himself without concerning himself with what anyone else things!  Don't get me wrong he's not like that all the time but I'll take those moments when they happen.  

Himself got there before us which we didn't expect so we were pleased because he'd already pitched the van up and it was a much better place than I was expecting as he'd pulled in a favour with the Landlord of the pub and he'd said he'd squeeze us in.  Well we ended up with the best spot right by the toilets and pub and we've woke up this morning and the sun is shining.

Aryn and I stopped for food on the motorway and had ChoZen and we had noodles, I had sticky chicken, we both tried Pumpkin croquettes and it was all delicious, it set me back about 800 calories as thankfully they were on the menu board.

We ate at the pub on the evening, Aryn had sausage and mash, I had gammon and chips and himself had steak, we all ended up sharing a bit of each others and I left a bit as I was still full from lunch.   We spent way too many hours drinking but we had a good laugh with a few bikers, and let's say I definitely went over my calories, way too much white wine and finished the night with a couple of baileys. 

 I'm good this morning though thankfully and we've just enjoyed a full cooked breakfast courtesy of the pub, would definitely come here again.

Now to enjoy the day, lots of relaxing I think and lunch booked because it's Fathers Day isn't it.  Enjoy whatever you have planned.

Mwah, luv ya 

Love me 

Crashing cars & pulling teeth!

Saturday 18th June 2022

Some days are just emotional!

Well what can I say, yesterday saw me do this to his car...

I was gutted, this bloody car hates me, that's twice I've knocked it into something, this time a lamppost!  Thankfully he his a calm man and told me not to be upset as it's just metal and plastic.  I was only driving it because the Saab had a 'gearbox malfunction' message on it and I didn't wanna risk breaking down.  I've now took that to this lovely man who's helped me out at short notice a couple of times now.  

the land line doesn't work, if you use him, ring the mobile.

Unfortunately, it wasn't an electric issue so there is something wrong with the gearbox, we've agreed he can do a gearbox service next week to see if that helps, if now, I'm just gonna drive it till it dies as it was a very cheap car bought as a runaround that didn't matter if I reversed it into lampposts, but guess what, I never have!

Anyway enough of cars!  Aryn was really brave at his first trip to the dentist where he had treatment, his last baby tooth removed and one filling.  It's weird sitting watching someone stick needles into the mouth of  someone you care about!

Weigh day today, this is the summary of my week.  On a positive, at least I've tracked absolutely everything 100%.  I resisted KFC whilst Aryn ate his, I did have one wing but seriously, normally I'd eat loads.

As you can see my daily intake of calories is more than it should be over the week, I'm pleased with the rest if I'm honest, my sugar intake is excellent, now to work on getting it down overall.  

Yesterday we enjoyed bbq chicken wings, I had bacon, egg, cherry tomatoes and bread for breakfast.  Once I've eaten the last three slices of bacon this morning, I won't buy any more for a while, that'll help.  Actually if I want to cook it, I need to hurry up cos I've got to go to work in half hour!

Oh I nearly forgot to mention the highlight of my day (Elle don't scroll down or read no more, there feet pics), my lovely friend V treated me to pedicure and manicure set, 

I love my Strictly Professional Facial and Body products (talk to V if you're interested in them, she helped me put together a morning/evening routine that's really made a difference to my skin).

I gave my hands and feet a bath using the products, then followed through with all the others to give my hands and feet a lovely treatment, took an hour out to forget about dentists, car crashes, diets etc, just me and my creams :) 

This was the state of my heals before;

This was the same foot afterwards

I didn't have a foot file but will get one for future use, but I'm pleased with the results after one treatment and I shall use the spray, lotion and cream inbetween my weekly indulgent treatment because I hate it when my heals crack and I stopped biting my nails last year after 50 years of biting them so as you can imagine they need some help1 

Right I need to get on, I want a bacon sarnie to take to work, 

Mwah, luv ya 

Love me xx

Well at least I'm tracking!

Friday 17th June 2022

You're doing great.

It's gonna be a hot one today apparently, it was pretty damn warm yesterday, 25 degrees on my drive home last night but it didn't stop me cooking my dinner.  I'd looked forward to it all day after fancying it for a few days now.  A meal mom used to make, tinned stewing steak with added onions and oxo!  It set me back 700 calories but it was worth it, that also included a slice of bread and butter to mop up what was left in the pan.  

I also tried this houmous which was tasty, but no better than any other houmous out there.

I managed to almost stay within my allowance and that was with a Cornetto and a packet of Dorito's so I'm getting better.  Today I've got the other plate of my stewed steak dinner as Aryn didn't want anything last night, I'll look forward to that again.

I'm going to have eggs, bacon and tomato for breakfast with bread, set me up for the day, then eat the dinner late afternoon and those two meals should do me today, especially with the temperature being ridiculously hot.

It's been an interesting week in our huddles, I love to see lights go on it peoples heads when we give them some information, one more to do tomorrow which I will enjoy again, then I'm off for a couple of nights in the motorhome.

But first Aryn's got the dentist today, poor love has fillings and she's also going to take his last baby tooth out which is stopping another one growing properly. I need to get things sorted to take as himself won't be coming back first, were meeting him there.

Been up since half four again, so I'll have a couple of hours chilling with the news and my laptop, will plan next weeks meeting this morning, then it's done.  As the image above says - what do you need today?  I need some relaxation and sleep later, maybe a bit of fresh air, sit in the garden before the sun comes round later, ooo yeah listen to my book.

Whatever you're up to, enjoy.

Mwah, luv ya 

Love me 

Bloomin bread!

Thursday 16th June 2022

Take care of you...

The best thing I ate yesterday was my bacon and mushroom sandwich I had for breakfast.  We went to Maccy's to try the new Italian burgers, Aryn wasn't keen on his chicken one, he prefers the 99p chicken one!  The Italian stack was good, the tomato sauce on it was a little too much, like a strong, sweet pizza sauce, the bun was good and so were the burgers, but no matter what I have from Maccy's I always wish I'd had a big mac, it can't be beaten in my opinion.

After our morning huddle, Aryn and I went to Monkey Forest at Trentham, a must do if you haven't and right now they have babies there, so cute. 

We didn't stay long because Aryn just can't handle the heat, no idea what I'm going to do with him in the summer if we want to go out for days or away at the weekends! 

My diet didn't improve, I had a cheese sandwich and 2 packets of crisps for my tea, what is going on with me, I need to get my healthy on properly - must try harder!

I started watching 'The Split' yesterday, really enjoying it, I can binge on that now for a bit, easily pleased me.

Here's to a better day, a busy day, seeing lots of lovely members at our 3 huddles.

I will eat better today!  There is broccoli in the fridge I will use up, will go check what we can have with it, I froze the chicken kebabs because they were use by yesterday.  I'm rubbish at meal planning ain't I, I just never know what I'm going to fancy but I do need to work on it for sure and it needs to be done before I shop and fill the freezer full of stuff I don't use quick enough.

Right I've been away since just after 4 thanks to noisy birds, they were making a right noise, crows or something they sounded like but who knows, I'll sleep early tonight hopefully.

Have a great day xx

Mwah, luv ya 

love me 

 

Another day, another 3 meals :)

Wednesday 15th June 2022

The way you speak to yourself matters.

I had a hungry day yesterday, so as you'd guess I went over my allowance.  I did eat well though, good healthy food.  For breakfast I had mackerel on toast, which was delicious even if it did repeat on me throughout the morning.  I didn't get back from dentist till 2.30 and we had an appointment at 3, so we had to cook and eat in that short time!  I knocked this up in 5 minutes, yes 5 short minutes.

Tinned spaghetti warmed on the hob, whilst cooking the micro chips in the microwave and frying my eggs in a pan.  Fast food at it's best and only 344 calories in total. 

It ended up they were running late for our appointment so we ended up having a slice of cake whilst we waited, a slice is supposed to be a 1/6 but we had 1/4 each and it cost me 400 calories but ma'an it was amazing, the last cake left from the tea party we didn't have over the jubilee.  I took the other half for Elle and it got her thumbs up too, Amazing cake if you like lemon curd, even though it's a lime curd cake, or a lemon curse cake as Elle's typo called it - quite apt really.

It was a very successful meeting all round and then I was back to the church for our evening huddle.  We'd already decided we were having wraps for tea and they didn't disappoint, I fried my onions separately because Aryn doesn't like them, how can you not like fried onions!

 

It was a crazy 842 calories for that plate though, 2 wraps 364 calories, 326 calories for the steak then the rest on the veg and oil, it reminded me of why I don't buy wraps very often, they don't fill me up like potatoes or rice would.

Having said that, it's wraps again today because we have four left, I have some chicken kebab things that will go in them.  I have promised Aryn a trip to McDonalds to try the new Italian chicken burger, so I'll be trying the Italian beef stack, that's 648 calories and if I have fries, we're almost at 1,000 calories for lunch and I've just had breakfast which was delicious.  A bacon and mushroom sandwich on 2 slices of 400g loaf 50/50 bread, only 206 calories though.

I'm thinking the wraps might just be for Aryn or wait another day as that's a lot of bread based products for one day and I've noticed I get really hungry soon after eating them.

I've woke up in a good mood, actually I was woke up by himself calling to say good morning, it's rarely I'm not already awake when he calls in a morning but I'd turned over and gone back to sleep - nice.

I'm looking forward to our morning huddle, we'd love to see you.

Then I'm not sure what the rest of our day holds for us, but I know I'll enjoy it, hope you enjoy yours.

Mwah, luv ya 

Love me 

busy day ahead

Tuesday 14th June 2022

Enjoy where you are now.

Busy day ahead, 3 huddles, 1 dentist appointment, 1 school appointment (check me out being a 'mom'/grown up)!  Aryn and I watched an episode of 22 Children on Channel 5 catchup, wow, who in their right mind has 22 kids.  I already felt blessed because my life is so much calmer these days compared to the dementia days, even my work life is slower than it was back when I did 15 meetings a week, I was exhausted a lot of the time back then, now when I sit around, it's because I'm enjoying it not because I'm too tired to move.

I went over my allowance yesterday but at least I tracked it, I had a hungry day and looking at my tracker, I ate way too many carbs and not enough protein!  Today's a fresh day, so I plan to do better, just realised I won't have a lot of time to sort food so I need to be organised, I've fancied the tin of stewing steak that's in my cupboard for days now, I can fry a few onions separately for me because Aryn doesn't like them,. I have frozen peas, so need mash, it has to be mash, I might cheat and run in the Tesco garage to get a ready made pack.

One positive thing about my food yesterday was that I'd fancied sweet and sour chicken with the takeaway Sunday which would have cost me loads of calories so instead I had chicken nuggets yesterday out of my freezer and put a little sweet and sour sauce in a bowl, enjoyed it and saved loads of calories.

I've just realised I have a couple of things in the fridge that need using in the next couple of days so the tinned stewing steak may have to wait!  I'm thinking steak wraps with peppers and onions, maybe a bit of spinach too, there's also Yakitori Chicken Thigh Skewers which I bought because they were half price, they'd go nice in wraps too.  I have a whole packet of wraps that need using so two meals for the two of us over the next couple of days is perfect.  Ooo I do like food :) 

Having said that, I can't decide what to have for my breakfast, so I may not have anything, but then I'm not gonna get back here till almost 3 so that's not very smart is it...  I've got an hour to decide.

Here's to a great day, looks like the suns going to shine.

Mwah, luv ya

Love me x

Loving life and hopefully losing weight

Monday 13th June 2022
Get out of your own way.

I survived the weekend, but better still I really enjoyed it, I managed to eat the same as everyone else (most of the time) and when I didn't it was because I wasn't fussed about what they were having or I wasn't hungry.  

We started our day with this plate of deliciousness, 

Real butter on the toast, streaky bacon, egg and mushrooms, a plate of foods I love, all for 486 calories, the toast is from a 400g seeded loaf.

That meal kept me going until teatime, the boys had some Victoria sponge cake with cream, I'm not fussed by cake, I'd rather have wine so I didn't bother with that.  I'd asked if they wanted a Sunday roast and the reply was, 'no we'll have a takeaway save you cooking and washing up'.  My first thought was 'oh no, I'm trying to lose weight, this won't help', then I thought about it and realised we will have takeaways and it has to be part of life.

Aryn and I shared chow mein and egg fried rice, there was plenty left too, we had a pancake roll and a handful of chips, I've worked it out and it was 712 calories for my plateful and I ended my day on 1904 calories.  

I'm aiming for 1/2lb a week, apparently it's 28 weeks to Christmas so I can lose a stone enjoying my journey, it's better than losing half stone then regaining half stone!

We enjoyed another lazy day yesterday, I really enjoyed my weekend, now to start thinking about what we're going to do next in the motorhome, watched some lovely journeys on youtube, so many possibilities for the summer and the future.

Today though, I've got a meeting chat to put together, a wardrobe of clothes to organise and a spare room to contemplate sorting.  What's on your to do list?

But first another cuppa...

Mwah, luv ya 

Love me x

Come join us this week...