thirteen pounds

I weighed myself yesterday and I have lost another 2 lbs...

...so I only have another 13 lbs to go :)

And I have been able to connect and have a realtime text message chat with my friend in Texas thanks to Whatsapp :)

And its Mothers Day so happy Mothers Day Mum :)

Liebster Award

Yay I have been awarded the Liebster Award from Captain Kirt :)

thanks Kirt

What I like about Kirts blog is that he is honest and writes about his homelife with his daughters and his wife and his job and manages to fit star trek/star wars in it too :)

One of the things that I have to do is write a short essay about someones blog that I like...

...well Im going to go for Eileen and her blog Yet Another Coffee To Go, she writes honestly and candidly about her homelife with her husband and their adorable rescue dog Annie, and the things that they get upto whether good or bad and the friends (mainly with 4 legs) that they meet along the way, and their visits to the park and the beach (when out of season), and showing us the dog friendly cafes that she finds so she can of course have her "coffee to go" :)

She is like a second Mum :) and I have great respect for her and her family because of all the kind things that they do for dogs.

I also have to answer the 10 questions that Kirt has asked...

1- why did you start blogging? it was to write about my diet experiences - I had just lost 4 1/2 stone in wight :)
2 - if you were a time traveler would you go forwards or backwards? oh definitely backwards (but making sure that I didnt effect anything).
3 - what is your idea of a great evening? Getting Evie to bead early and having a nice relaxing time watching tv :)
4 - who would you love to be stuck in a lift with? a tricky one mmmmmmm Gary & George from Australian Masterchef I think
5 - what scares you - I mean really scares you? crossing the road - I got knocked down when I was 20 (and I still hate crossing the road even now).
6 - if you were a cartoon character which one would you be? Bob Goblin from Wallykazan
7 - If you won the lottery (or came into a large sum of money) what would you go out and buy first? a new house with lots of room and a huge garden
8 - When you're in the car alone (if you don't drive then think of a similar circumstance where you're alone with a radio) what would you turn the radio on to? Mark Kermodes Film Review show

9 - star wars or star trek - it has to be star wars

10 - gravy or no gravy - has to be no gravy.

gosh now my questions...

1 - what is your favourite chocolate bar?

2 - what colour eyes have you got?

3 - do you prefer cats or dogs?

4 - drink in or take out?

5 - who is your favourite band?

6 - what colour describes you best?

7 - what is your favourite smell?

8 - describe the cup you drink your first cuppa from?

9 - what do you collect?

10 - what socks are you wearing?

Now I have to do my own nominations (I am supposed to do between 5 and 10 (but I honestly dont follow that many)...

I know that Kirt has already done Eileen (so I wont do her)

The only one who blogs (and doesnt already have an award) is Timothy aka Agent 54 he has a great sense of humour and is totally wacky :)

As I have only nominated one person - if you chose to accept please read the rules (there is a link to the top of the page)

I hope that I have covered everything...

And if anyone else wishes to answer my questions, please feel free to comment :)

all is right again

Yesterday Evie was eating her lunch after we came back from pre-school (she was well enough to go in the end) incidentally Evie was happier about going yesterday when I told her that monkey was going too.

They told me that she still got a bit upset but it seems that she was a bit better yesterday so we will take monkey with her tomorrow too ;o)

Anyway as I was saying Evie was eating her lunch and I saw the postman at the door so I went to look to see what was there - thanks Eileen for the cards ;o) and in there was something from Sky so I opened the envelope and in there was our new sky viewing card so I checked that it was working by putting on Peppa Pig for Evie and so all was well again ;o)

chinese textbook

A while ago now I got a flickr mail asking if it was ok to use this photo, I said that it was ok but could I have the name of it once published so that I could purchase a copy.

I was told that it would only be available to buy in Taiwan but if I gave her my name and address then she would send me a copy ;o)

A couple of weeks ago I got another flickr mail asking for my name and address as the book has now been published ;o)

Yesterday I got the book in the mail ;o)

the front cover of the book

the reference to me

the page with my photo on

my photo

Again thank you Emily for sending me this book ;o)

shorting speakers

Yesterday James wanted to record this radio show, and no sound was coming through the speakers...

...I think that he must have already rebooted the pc five times when he asked "has the pc been ok for you as there is no sound coming out"

I then remembered that there was a hissing sound when I was commenting on Kellys latest post!

And James said "oh, that might have been the speakers shorting out" oooppppssss

James managed to record the show ok as he was able to hear the broadcast through headphones.

I know that im a pain

We were in the post office sending a card to kelly.

There had to be 20 people in front of us, then a lady joined behind me and took exception to me daring to be there (with a buggy) and said very loudly that she was kn her lunch hour and had to be back by 2pm.  So I let her go in front.

Ironically I was served 8 minutes later and I was finished before her.

bobbin hands

For the past few days I have noticed Evie rolling her hands like we do in the song Wind the Bobbin Up ;o)

At least it shows that she really is getting something out of our Library visits ;o)

Happy Halloween everyone and Happy birthday Eileen ;o)

being spotted in Tesco

I had just finished having an afternoon nap yesterday afternoon, and James said to me "come on lets go to the big Tesco" So off we went to the Tesco on Princes Road.

While we were in there we had a look at the toys to see if James could find anything that he could play with, as usual there was nothing there that he deemed cheap enough. I think that he is always secretly hoping to find some HM Armed Forces Night Vision Binoculars marked down to 50p!

I had a look at the clothes to get some pyjamas, I ended up getting a 2XL t-shirt and some bottoms.

Next we hit the cereal aisle...

...I was quite proud of James as he managed to limit himself to just ten boxes as opposed to the fifteen boxes that he bought this morning.

We eventually got to the tills (by way of looking for peanut crackers and rice crackers) and the poor cashier was scanning our purchases and someone comes upto me and says "I should take your photograph" I looked up and it is Andycity63 one of my Flickr contacts.

Blimey O'Reilly it was a good job that I didnt look my normal scruffy self and thank goodness that I had just had my hair done that morning (so didnt posses my normal "witches hair").

Thanks Andy for not saying anything about the large amount of cereal ;o)

LOL it goes to show that if you have internet contacts who live near you then you are bound to bump into them...

...its a small world and an even smaller internet ;o)

seat hogging Samantha

A few days ago I was asked by Joe to take a photo next time I see some seat hogging ...

...this morning I got on the train and saw this great example.

Interestingly enough nobody asked her to move her files so they could sit down (perhaps this was because it was first thing in the morning and the fellow commuters were at their most energetic, had it have been in the evening Im guessing that people would have had a different attitude).

If I didnt have a seat then I would have asked her to move her stuff.

they charged us twice

On Tuesday we went to see Peter Kay at the O2 Arena.

We booked up a hotel (through a hotel booking website) to stay the night so we didnt have to rush back that night and worrying about missing the last train home.

So I booked the hotel and payment was taken...

So we checked into the hotel and they found our reservation ok (which was good).

We got to the O2 Arena at about 5pm ish and were just hanging about drinking coffees and trying to kill time until the show starts (Entertainment Avenue was no more than just restaurants), that was not James idea of entertainment at all!

So we were eventually allowed in and we found our seats (which were really high up).

The support act was Rick Astley he was really good and finished with Never Going to Give You Up which had everyone grooving ;o)

Peter Kay was really good too, apparently (if he was telling the truth and not porkies (Kelly you can translate this from pork pies in that book I sent you ;o)) they were recording the show we saw for the dvd ;o).

He even kindly told us that there was an encore so not to walk out early thinking that it was finished.

Do you know that despite being told that there was an encore loads of people walked out early. The encore was the best part in my opinion ;o)

Anyhow the next morning we went to check out and the receptionist told me that I still had to pay for the room, I said "I think that I have already paid for that " and she said "no, your card was just used for the reservation but no money has been taken"...

...now I was pretty sure that I had already paid and not wanting to cause a scene I paid for our room (again), but when I got into work this morning I checked on my internet banking and sure enough I had already paid (bloody cheek).

So I have e-mailed them (both the hotel and the company I booked the room through) to complain...

...I will let you know what happens.

carrot cake

Me and James were watching Britains Best Dish the other day (I know that it is Eileens favourite show too),and they had a bloke on who was doing a trio of carrot desserts.

James said to me is there anywhere where I could get a decent carrot cake apart from Marks & Spencer...

...so I had a thought and said that perhaps Konditor & Cook might...

With it being the start of the Easter holidays tomorrow I asked James if there was anything nice that he would like me to get for him...

...unsurprisingly he said carrot cake and (not being sure if Konditor & Cook sells carrot cake) I asked what he would like if they didnt sell it and he said a krispy kreme donut, then he said to me are you going to get yourself anything and I said yes a slice of black ginger cake.

So this morning I went into Konditor & Cook and had a look at their cakes and couldnt immediately see any carrot cake, so I asked the lady behind the counter and she said that yes they do do carrot cake (it has crushed hazelnuts in it), she said that she would have to get the cake sliced first if I could wait a couple of minutes.  LOL at least he knows that it is fresh ;o)

So I managed to get him that and I treated myself to a fudge packer brownie ;o)

welcome Andy

Another one of my flickr mates Andy has started reading this here blog, and has even set up a username of Umbongo ;o)

Welcome Andy ;o)

I now have the advert in my head of Um Bongo Um Bongo they drink it in the Congo ;o)

not noticing which side I stand on

Joe did a post yesterday regarding escalator etiquette…

…he asked me (directly I may add) if here in the UK we mirrored our driving side by standing on the left and passing on the right (in The States they stand on the right and pass on the left), I immediately (as fast as my little fingers could type but before my brain got into gear) said no we stand on the right and pass on the left.

Then a couple of hours later (it takes me that long to get my brain working especially after having an Advil PM last night) I then realised that I don’t think we stand on the right after all…

…then a bit later while making the 10 am cup of tea (which I was making at 10.30) it then struck me that no we stand on the left and pass on the right (there are even signs on the escalators saying “keep left”).

LOL its amazing what you don’t notice throughout the day…

Gosh its 2011

Happy New Year ;o)

May 2011 be better than 2010 for all of us...

LOL I am having a last blow out this weekend then will be attempting to stick to 1500 calories per day, so I can go back to being slim and sylph like ;o)

We all know that my 8 week challenge last year went all pear shaped (Kelly Im referring to the third meaning ;o)).

I dont tend to make New Years Resolutions, so at least I cant go moaning at the beginning of March that it all went wrong...

its cold outside baby

It has been COLD...

...this morning it was -3 degrees centigrade - I know to my readers in mega cold places this is just a walk in the park (LOL I have looked at my stats and even have the odd reader from Russia ;o)) - but to us soft Brits it is blooming cold.

In actual fact it was so cold yesterday that we didnt go back into Chelmsford in the afternoon for our (or rather my) third Starbucks Christmas drink!

what I thought of the cruise...

Kelly asked the other day what it felt like being on the ship...

...basically you could feel it moving and when the sea was choppy you could feel it moving a whole lot more. There were quite a few judders too and the staff would joke "it was just a whale"!

Because the ship was huge it want rocking or anything like that, but you could definitely feel it moving (even when lying in bed!).

I dont think that the ship would have enough things to do if we were on a trans atlantic crossing, and I think if we had more than one day at sea at a time it would have done my head in.

The fine dining food was nice and there was always three or four choices - they even had a menu choice with a meal consisting of no more than 800 calories (if you were trying to be good). LOL I purposely didnt go for the healthy option ;o). The restaurant even had different themes some of the nights too. I fully expected to waiting staff to be dressed up in different uniforms, but they werent!

The all you can eat buffet on the other hand had the same food every night and they would change the pasta shapes in the pasta salad to make the uninitiated think that they were eating something different, they did also have most of the food from the fine dining restaurant too. LOL James was put out that I made him "dress nice" when he could easily have had his fillet mignon by the bucket load while wearing his sweat pants.

Talking about James he found an ingenious way of maximising his eating...

...he would go make me go with him to the all you can eat place when it opened at 6.30 (I would sit there reading the next days activities) while he would eat some food, then go back to our cabin at 7.00 to get dressed for dinner, have our dinner in the fine dining place, then if he finished early enough he would try and go back to the all you can eat place until it closed at 9pm.

James was also worried that he thought that the waiting staff were watching him, so he would regularly swap tables (and even eating style) one day he even decided that if we swapped fleeces then he wouldnt look like he was eating so much. I was waiting for him to want to swap clothes completely ;o).

He also found a cafe bar that he could eat some more when the all you can eat place was closed, he would even make me go up to get him more food as he didnt want the staff to think that he was being really greedy.

LOL he even heard that the staff had their own all you can eat buffet, and I swear that he would have sneaked in there if he could have found where it was.

I liked the fact that we got to go to some different places that we would never have seen otherwise, it was just a shame that we were never anywhere long enough to orientate ourselves with our surroundings.

The cruise has definitely made us appreciate our city breaks more...

...would we go back on another cruise? Possibly in a few years time, and only if I booked the non cruise bits (ie getting to/from the hotel from/to the airport and most definitely organising leaving the dock) ourselves.

a toffee nut sprinkles promise

The feedback that I have received (thanks Al & Eileen) has been 100% behind documenting all of my Christmas drinks - and in honesty that was the answer that I wanted ;o)

I had a late night last night as we had a quiz night (as set up by our Accountants), I didnt get home until 11pm. Because I get up mega early I was dead on my feet (even on the best of days I manage to get in by autopilot).

We came 9th out of 20 teams so we didnt do too bad ;o)

Anyhow I went into Starbucks in Houndsditch, and asked for a venti skinny toffee nut latte (this is my other favourite Christmas drink) and the lady doing it said that she was looking for the sprinkles (so I piped up) that the sprinkles were the best part of it, and she said that they end up throwing them away at the end of the year where they dont get used up...

...so I said thats such a waste, and she said that if I come in in January they will give me what they have left ;o)

pole dancing is dangerous

A while ago Alex did a post about vertical ballet...

...on the front cover of this mornings Metro is an article about a lady who got paralysed from a pole dancing fitness class, I would love to give this a try...

...but am now thinking better of it!

I havent read the article properly yet, and will save it for my journey home tonight

cross internet buddies

I already knew about a couple of friends who read both my blog and look/comment on my flickr photos, namely Al & Kelly. Not forgetting family too (before you get all shirty) ;o)

Today one of my flickr buddies Lucydavey75 commented that she reads my blog...

...so hello Lucy ;o)

Veggie nice...

The veggie concoction I had last Monday was really nice...


With my eyes being bigger than my belly (as my Mum would say ;o)) I used far too many vegetables, mind you it certainly made it filling (the sort of thing you could take in a thermos flask to go mountaineering - not that I'm ever likely to try it ;o)).


It ended up being more of a stew...


...all I did was chop up all the vegetables and put them in a saucepan with a can of chopped tomatoes and a small can of kidney beans heated them up and served with potatoes and pasta and basil, many thanks again Another Number for the recipe suggestion.

The question is would I have it again and the answer is...

...yes ;o)

After buying all the apples and grapes last week to juice (incidentally I have decided to limit my juicing to the weekend), I ended up having them chopped up with my other fruit as dessert after my dinner. I am so blooming healthy!

So I hear you ask...

...what has all this healthiness done to your weight?

Well, I weighed myself this morning and I have lost 1 pound.

And I even had a banoffee cheesecake slice last night.

I saw an article in Metro last week that Monster Munch are going to be relaunched back to their old bigger previous size ;o), so while out this morning I bought a packet of the flaming hot ones. Blimey they were lovely.

I was quite disappointed that the pack I bought didnt have the monsters vital statistics on any more. How it used to make me laugh that the monster on my snack liked curry jelly. It always made me wonder what it would taste like ;o).

Thats a thought, Heston Blumenthal could do a Monster Munch inspired menu at the Fat Duck.

I havent bought anything special to do this week as I'm trying to be extra good before our holiday.