It's all right, I didn't kill myself on Sunday as envisaged. I hit the 29 mark, I survived, I made it through, I'm going to continue with living for a little while longer. After all, I've lost three stone, it'd be a shame to waste it. I'll just have to be old and deal with it like normal people.
To combat the ageing blues, I've started a new (not 'new', exactly, more 'revisited' as I've loved this actor for years anyway) and more than likely short-lived cinematic obsession, it'll probably only last a few weeks. I can't even remember how many Stewart Granger films I've watched over the last three days. At least six. I've had a jolly good time doing it, too!! Did you know - and I certainly didn't, but I love him even more now I do know - his real name is James Stewart, but he had to change his name (he chose a mixture of his surname and his mum's maiden name) to stop him being mixed up with... well... James Stewart, aka my absolute favourite actor of all time! I mean, there is a resemblence, I suppose, they're both tall and a bit gormless-looking!! Good ol' Granger - he's like the David Bowie of cinema, but without heterochromia!! Scaramouche. Get it watched. It's a classic.
I went to a party on Friday night and I wore a dress that I bought from a high street shop. That's right. I walked into Dorothy Perkins. I saw a red dress (it's a constant source of disappointment to my Dad that, although I've been raised a true Evertonian, I love wearing red!). I thought "Oooh, that's pretty!" I saw it was very reasonably priced. I bought it. I tried it on. IT. FITTED. PERFECTLY. Seriously. It's such an achievement I really can't describe how chuffed I was. I might've still looked a mess, but at least I know that I can buy nice clothes on the high street now. I still have a long way to go, I know I do - but it was such a great feeling to go out in public wearing clothing that wasn't from the plus-size range!!
However, having said all that - I've decided to have a week off the diet. Not a going mad and turning into Miss Pacman type week off, but just a week off. It all started on Saturday. My lovely friend Clayre-Louyse and her husband, Adam, have moved near me. This is brilliant. Clayre and I have been friends for about eight years but we've always lived miles and miles away from each other - now she lives a ten minute walk away!! Hooraaayyy!! Anyway, I'd been in work all morning, then gone grocery shopping straight from work and by the time I got to Clayre's at half three, I hadn't eaten anything. I brought her a packet of biscuits (they always help with unpacking), really nice chocolatey ones, and she offered me one with my brew. Normally I'd've said no and been strong, but I hadn't eaten anything all day and I hadn't had a biscuit all year, so I accepted. I instantly thought "Gah, that's it now..." and decided to have a day off. In fact, I had a monumental day off. I went to the pub with my sister, had burger and chips and a pint of beer, followed by a chocolate ice-cream sundae, which had huge chunks of brownies in - and the brownies were still warm!! Oh my goodness! It was indescribably incredible!!
I really haven't had a huge day off like that yet, so I didn't feel too bad. But bank holidays are funny things, and I haven't been able to reign it back in as normal. I've not been spectacularly naughty, I've just not been nearly so strict with myself. So I'm not going to weigh-in tomorrow. A week off won't kill me. I'm still going to get there eventually. It feels like I've taken a bit of pressure off myself, which has to be a good thing. I'll get back on it properly and with a vengeance in the next day or so, I promise. I'm even strongly toying with the idea of joining a gym. Yes, you read that right. A gym. Cross-trainers, rowing machines, all that type of thing. A real live gym!
For those of you who are huge fans of the llamas - fear not! They will be out in fine style on Friday anyway, dancing away like things possessed, as I will be dedicating Friday's blog to a review of Nathan's album, which I received on Saturday morning. I'll tell you all about it then!!
Showing posts with label epic meals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label epic meals. Show all posts
Wednesday, 6 June 2012
Friday, 20 April 2012
Turned Out Nice Again
So. It's all been a bit boring this week, as previously documented. I've still not overeaten. I still can't really be bothered having any treats. Nothing exciting has happened.
I went to Fat Club last night all full of the joys of winter, hunching my shoulders and generally looking and feeling a bit miserable. I didn't feel any thinner, and Bridget the star slimmer (9lbs last week, two stone in two weeks last month. The woman's a lean, mean slimming machine. And she's hilarious!) only lost 1lb. Things weren't really looking good. All I wanted was to lose 1 1/2lbs to get me to the 2 1/2 stone mark, but I felt increasingly conscious that it probably wouldn't happen.
So, imagine my confusion, if you will, when I stepped on the scales and discovered I'd lost a whopping FIVE POUNDS!!!
Shocked? I had to read it six or seven times and then get the lady at the scales to read it for me and to help me out with the maths!!!
Enrique has been up all night working on the llamas' celebratory dance, so without further ado... HIT IT, CHAPS!!!
*dances round the room like a mad eejit, Ted*
So, yes, I got my 2 1/2 stone certificate and (most importantly) shiny sticker. I'm now 3 1/2 lbs away from my 3 stone certificate and shiny sticker. However, last night, for the first time, I also got a Slimmer of the Week certificate and shiny sticker, and a huge bag full of free food for the week. Very exciting. I don't know if it's standard practice in all Slimming World groups, but in our group everyone takes an item of free food (fruit, veg, a packet of super noodles etc) and puts it into a basket and whoever gets Slimmer of the Week takes home the contents of the basket. I'm rubbish because I always forget. I have a terrible memory at the best of times and it's all I can do to remember my book, my member card and my fee!!
I will soon be able to wallpaper my bedroom with my certificates. In fact, eventually, I might just do that in a sort of 'You've done this and it was hard work but you did it and you are NOT going back!' reminder type capacity.
Andrea the Consultant also had reason to celebrate, as she is now officially the top consultant in the North West, beating the Walton-le-Dale group both by the size of the group and the success rate of the club members. So a huge round of applause for Andrea. She's a good egg. It's her two-year anniversary of starting her own group in three weeks, so we're going to have a party at the group in celebration. Exciting!! She asked what I'd done differently this week and I told her it was all my sister's hard work. Joanna is the world's most amazing cook and she makes the most gorgeous Syn-Free meals every night, and usually enough to take some for lunch the next day. But the thing that's changed our entire lives has been the investment in a rice-maker. We've had rice nearly every night, with all sorts of crazy stuff in. It's been amazing. She makes this prawn, chilli, ginger and garlic savoury rice dish which I could happily eat for the rest of my life. Honestly. She's amazing. If you haven't had the pleasure of a meal cooked by the big sister - you're really missing out!!
On another note, today is my last day of working in the office upstairs. My temporary boss bought me a bottle of Midnight Fantasy by Britney Spears (don't laugh. It's awesome. It smells like Skittles! It's no Just Her by Roberto Cavalli, or Black XS for Her by Paco Rabanne, I grant you, but still!!) and a lovely card to say thank you for my help over the last six months, not that I've done a great deal, to be fair, but it was really sweet of them. And they're taking me to the Clog and Billycock for lunch (hands up anyone who didn't know a billycock was a hat! *raises both hands and a leg*) - which is a Northcote restaurant in the Ribble Valley - and it would be simply rude if I went there and didn't completely obliterate my diet!!! They fry the chips in dripping! The steaks are bigger than me! They do home made ice cream... with cream!!!! I'm even going to have beer - I think they do Wainwrights there!!
So, today I will be giving myself a long-awaited day off. I've done pretty well over the last four months and I'm having a proper day off to celebrate. I'll reign it back in like mad for the rest of the week, and I did start off quite well today with a fruit salad and a few mugs of green tea - but this afternoon it will be a diet-free zone. I'm so excited!!!
I've got a rather busy weekend ahead with one thing and another, so join me again on Monday when I'll give you a bit of an update on the weekend and look forward, vaguely confidently, to a hopefully successful weigh-in on Thursday!!
I went to Fat Club last night all full of the joys of winter, hunching my shoulders and generally looking and feeling a bit miserable. I didn't feel any thinner, and Bridget the star slimmer (9lbs last week, two stone in two weeks last month. The woman's a lean, mean slimming machine. And she's hilarious!) only lost 1lb. Things weren't really looking good. All I wanted was to lose 1 1/2lbs to get me to the 2 1/2 stone mark, but I felt increasingly conscious that it probably wouldn't happen.
So, imagine my confusion, if you will, when I stepped on the scales and discovered I'd lost a whopping FIVE POUNDS!!!
Shocked? I had to read it six or seven times and then get the lady at the scales to read it for me and to help me out with the maths!!!
Enrique has been up all night working on the llamas' celebratory dance, so without further ado... HIT IT, CHAPS!!!
*dances round the room like a mad eejit, Ted*
So, yes, I got my 2 1/2 stone certificate and (most importantly) shiny sticker. I'm now 3 1/2 lbs away from my 3 stone certificate and shiny sticker. However, last night, for the first time, I also got a Slimmer of the Week certificate and shiny sticker, and a huge bag full of free food for the week. Very exciting. I don't know if it's standard practice in all Slimming World groups, but in our group everyone takes an item of free food (fruit, veg, a packet of super noodles etc) and puts it into a basket and whoever gets Slimmer of the Week takes home the contents of the basket. I'm rubbish because I always forget. I have a terrible memory at the best of times and it's all I can do to remember my book, my member card and my fee!!
I will soon be able to wallpaper my bedroom with my certificates. In fact, eventually, I might just do that in a sort of 'You've done this and it was hard work but you did it and you are NOT going back!' reminder type capacity.
Andrea the Consultant also had reason to celebrate, as she is now officially the top consultant in the North West, beating the Walton-le-Dale group both by the size of the group and the success rate of the club members. So a huge round of applause for Andrea. She's a good egg. It's her two-year anniversary of starting her own group in three weeks, so we're going to have a party at the group in celebration. Exciting!! She asked what I'd done differently this week and I told her it was all my sister's hard work. Joanna is the world's most amazing cook and she makes the most gorgeous Syn-Free meals every night, and usually enough to take some for lunch the next day. But the thing that's changed our entire lives has been the investment in a rice-maker. We've had rice nearly every night, with all sorts of crazy stuff in. It's been amazing. She makes this prawn, chilli, ginger and garlic savoury rice dish which I could happily eat for the rest of my life. Honestly. She's amazing. If you haven't had the pleasure of a meal cooked by the big sister - you're really missing out!!
On another note, today is my last day of working in the office upstairs. My temporary boss bought me a bottle of Midnight Fantasy by Britney Spears (don't laugh. It's awesome. It smells like Skittles! It's no Just Her by Roberto Cavalli, or Black XS for Her by Paco Rabanne, I grant you, but still!!) and a lovely card to say thank you for my help over the last six months, not that I've done a great deal, to be fair, but it was really sweet of them. And they're taking me to the Clog and Billycock for lunch (hands up anyone who didn't know a billycock was a hat! *raises both hands and a leg*) - which is a Northcote restaurant in the Ribble Valley - and it would be simply rude if I went there and didn't completely obliterate my diet!!! They fry the chips in dripping! The steaks are bigger than me! They do home made ice cream... with cream!!!! I'm even going to have beer - I think they do Wainwrights there!!
So, today I will be giving myself a long-awaited day off. I've done pretty well over the last four months and I'm having a proper day off to celebrate. I'll reign it back in like mad for the rest of the week, and I did start off quite well today with a fruit salad and a few mugs of green tea - but this afternoon it will be a diet-free zone. I'm so excited!!!
I've got a rather busy weekend ahead with one thing and another, so join me again on Monday when I'll give you a bit of an update on the weekend and look forward, vaguely confidently, to a hopefully successful weigh-in on Thursday!!
Sunday, 25 March 2012
Ou est tu allez en vacance?
Oddly, that's one of the first phrases I ever really picked up in French. Which is a bit of a silly thing to say to a complete stranger when you're on your holidays. Although if anyone wants to know how old I am, it's all right, I've got it covered - j'ai onze ans.
So anyway, I'm actually in actual France. I'm not too sure what I expected from this country. I expected French people, definitely. I expected it to be a bit bigger than the UK. So, thus far in the list, all my expectations have been met - and, to a certain extent, exceeded, due to the fact it's huge.
I'm staying with my sister, who has owned two houses out here for the last ten years and lived here for the last four years. This is my first time in France and yes, that does make me a terrible sister. Luckily for me, I have baked brownies and lemon drizzle cake today so I'm possibly nearly on my way to being forgiven by both the sister and The Brother-in-Law (capitalisation is, in this instance, correct, due to him being the definitive article of brothers-in-law and generally one of the most amazing chaps you could ever wish to meet) for having avoided their house like the plague for so many years.
I have often described their abode (as I have been able to piece certain aspects of their life out here together by means of stories from everyone else who's been out here) as 'halfway up a mountain in the middle of nowhere'. To be honest, it was a rather accurate description. I mean, in fairness, you cannot fault the scenery, it's rather incredible. Seven whole days of chilling out surrounded by people I love and something akin to the most beautiful parts of British countryside (think of Pitlochry and the Ribble Valley and the Lake District and Snowdonia all mixed into one and timesed by a hundred) but on a much bigger scale - I mean, it's not a bad life, is it!
I must say, before I go any further, that I am in love with Paris. I briefly passed through the city on my way from one train station to another, but I felt that same tingle of excitement run down my spine and the same, almost overwhelming urge to leap out of the taxi and go off on an adventure as I did the first time I went to London. I must return one day for a proper adventure. Anyone who wishes to volunteer as my partner in crime can apply to the usual address. Seriously. Let's go. It'll be ace.
Speaking of taxis - we made a bit of a faux-pas (see, I'm fluent already) in Paris when getting into a taxi. Those familiar with Paris will probably have already guessed and are laughing at our idiocy, but let me tell you - it was the highlight of my journey!! We had already been on four different trains since 8a.m. (it was 4p.m. French time by the time we got off the train in Paris) and Jo had had a couple of little panic attacks, and we'd shared a table from London to Paris with a pair of hippies who gave hippies a bad name - and not only that, took all the leg room - so by the time we arrived in Paris, my head was done in, Jo's nerves were a wreck, and all I wanted to do was get on the last blasted train and get to Michelle's house. That was the plan.
My very rusty French was the only thing that we had been reliant on, and I was convinced that even I could manage to say to a taxi driver "Le gare Bercy, s'il vous plait." Ha!
I had been pre-warned by Michelle that occasionally, there might be an obnoxious Parisian taxi-driver who would pretend not to understand me as I'd probably still be speaking with an English accent, so imagine my surprise when a silver fox strode purposefully towards the sister and I and asked where we needed to go - in English! You know one of those people who are strikingly good-looking and even though you don't fancy them you feel a bit intimidated by them? He was like that, he looked like a film star. I told him we needed to go to Paris Bercy. He said he'd take us. We agreed a sum of money and off we went. He was possibly THE most polite person I have ever met. He opened the car doors for us, wouldn't let us handle our own bags, I mean, the works. 'Piggin' 'ell, dunno what our Shell's going on about, he's a very nice chap!' I stupidly thought to myself.
It wasn't until we got in we realised we'd actually hired a limo..................
Still. Complimentary drinks and snacks AND soft trad jazz the whole journey - it was worth it. But for future reference, apparently it should only cost between 15 and 20 Euros to get from Paris Nord to Paris Bercy in a taxi. Not 80.
For those of you worried about how I'm coping on The Diet in France, I'm pleased to inform you that everything is still going swimmingly and I've been very good indeed. Apart from yesterday, which was the actual date of Mum and Dad's anniversary. We went to a restaurant for a... I dunno... seventy-six course meal - or at least that's what it still feels like. I noshed like a good'un. And they were so lovely. The next to last course was the cheese course and they brought a trolley laden with all sorts of cheeses - and trust me, it stank to high heaven. I hate cheese, and I couldn't bring myself to even attempt it just to be polite, the sight of it makes me feel a bit poorly - so they brought me a huge fruit platter. I've never liked strawberries until yesterday - they were incredible. I would've munched my way through the lot if it hadn't been for the fact I knew there was one more course to go...
Finally, the dessert trolley arrived. Oh, and I made up there for any cheese I didn't eat earlier on! I really did! Three desserts!! A tarte au citron, which was melt-in-the-mouth fabulous, some sort of caramelly nutty... thing... that I could happily have eaten for the rest of my life - until the chocolate mousse. Holy moly. I can still taste it. Hell's teeth. It was the most amazing thing I've ever had in my life.
I've been very very good apart from that though, and in fact, I'm still quite full from yesterday, although I did manage a mushroom omelette for lunch today. I've been for one monumental walk, and have had huge plans of more, but they just haven't come to fruition yet. Still - I'm not going home until Wednesday so I've got plenty of time for all that sort of thing!!
I shall tell you more about my adventures when I get back. I might be able to update again while I'm over here but don't hold me to that!! There's still tonnes to tell you, such as my amazing discovery in the video cabinet, the discovery of Reggie Perrin and my new Superhero Psychology textbook!!
I got a postcard from the llamas, by the way. They're all having a lovely time and Ricardo thinks he's found a new recruit for the dance troupe... more on that next time!!
So anyway, I'm actually in actual France. I'm not too sure what I expected from this country. I expected French people, definitely. I expected it to be a bit bigger than the UK. So, thus far in the list, all my expectations have been met - and, to a certain extent, exceeded, due to the fact it's huge.
I'm staying with my sister, who has owned two houses out here for the last ten years and lived here for the last four years. This is my first time in France and yes, that does make me a terrible sister. Luckily for me, I have baked brownies and lemon drizzle cake today so I'm possibly nearly on my way to being forgiven by both the sister and The Brother-in-Law (capitalisation is, in this instance, correct, due to him being the definitive article of brothers-in-law and generally one of the most amazing chaps you could ever wish to meet) for having avoided their house like the plague for so many years.
I have often described their abode (as I have been able to piece certain aspects of their life out here together by means of stories from everyone else who's been out here) as 'halfway up a mountain in the middle of nowhere'. To be honest, it was a rather accurate description. I mean, in fairness, you cannot fault the scenery, it's rather incredible. Seven whole days of chilling out surrounded by people I love and something akin to the most beautiful parts of British countryside (think of Pitlochry and the Ribble Valley and the Lake District and Snowdonia all mixed into one and timesed by a hundred) but on a much bigger scale - I mean, it's not a bad life, is it!
I must say, before I go any further, that I am in love with Paris. I briefly passed through the city on my way from one train station to another, but I felt that same tingle of excitement run down my spine and the same, almost overwhelming urge to leap out of the taxi and go off on an adventure as I did the first time I went to London. I must return one day for a proper adventure. Anyone who wishes to volunteer as my partner in crime can apply to the usual address. Seriously. Let's go. It'll be ace.
Speaking of taxis - we made a bit of a faux-pas (see, I'm fluent already) in Paris when getting into a taxi. Those familiar with Paris will probably have already guessed and are laughing at our idiocy, but let me tell you - it was the highlight of my journey!! We had already been on four different trains since 8a.m. (it was 4p.m. French time by the time we got off the train in Paris) and Jo had had a couple of little panic attacks, and we'd shared a table from London to Paris with a pair of hippies who gave hippies a bad name - and not only that, took all the leg room - so by the time we arrived in Paris, my head was done in, Jo's nerves were a wreck, and all I wanted to do was get on the last blasted train and get to Michelle's house. That was the plan.
My very rusty French was the only thing that we had been reliant on, and I was convinced that even I could manage to say to a taxi driver "Le gare Bercy, s'il vous plait." Ha!
I had been pre-warned by Michelle that occasionally, there might be an obnoxious Parisian taxi-driver who would pretend not to understand me as I'd probably still be speaking with an English accent, so imagine my surprise when a silver fox strode purposefully towards the sister and I and asked where we needed to go - in English! You know one of those people who are strikingly good-looking and even though you don't fancy them you feel a bit intimidated by them? He was like that, he looked like a film star. I told him we needed to go to Paris Bercy. He said he'd take us. We agreed a sum of money and off we went. He was possibly THE most polite person I have ever met. He opened the car doors for us, wouldn't let us handle our own bags, I mean, the works. 'Piggin' 'ell, dunno what our Shell's going on about, he's a very nice chap!' I stupidly thought to myself.
It wasn't until we got in we realised we'd actually hired a limo..................
Still. Complimentary drinks and snacks AND soft trad jazz the whole journey - it was worth it. But for future reference, apparently it should only cost between 15 and 20 Euros to get from Paris Nord to Paris Bercy in a taxi. Not 80.
For those of you worried about how I'm coping on The Diet in France, I'm pleased to inform you that everything is still going swimmingly and I've been very good indeed. Apart from yesterday, which was the actual date of Mum and Dad's anniversary. We went to a restaurant for a... I dunno... seventy-six course meal - or at least that's what it still feels like. I noshed like a good'un. And they were so lovely. The next to last course was the cheese course and they brought a trolley laden with all sorts of cheeses - and trust me, it stank to high heaven. I hate cheese, and I couldn't bring myself to even attempt it just to be polite, the sight of it makes me feel a bit poorly - so they brought me a huge fruit platter. I've never liked strawberries until yesterday - they were incredible. I would've munched my way through the lot if it hadn't been for the fact I knew there was one more course to go...
Finally, the dessert trolley arrived. Oh, and I made up there for any cheese I didn't eat earlier on! I really did! Three desserts!! A tarte au citron, which was melt-in-the-mouth fabulous, some sort of caramelly nutty... thing... that I could happily have eaten for the rest of my life - until the chocolate mousse. Holy moly. I can still taste it. Hell's teeth. It was the most amazing thing I've ever had in my life.
I've been very very good apart from that though, and in fact, I'm still quite full from yesterday, although I did manage a mushroom omelette for lunch today. I've been for one monumental walk, and have had huge plans of more, but they just haven't come to fruition yet. Still - I'm not going home until Wednesday so I've got plenty of time for all that sort of thing!!
I shall tell you more about my adventures when I get back. I might be able to update again while I'm over here but don't hold me to that!! There's still tonnes to tell you, such as my amazing discovery in the video cabinet, the discovery of Reggie Perrin and my new Superhero Psychology textbook!!
I got a postcard from the llamas, by the way. They're all having a lovely time and Ricardo thinks he's found a new recruit for the dance troupe... more on that next time!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)