Frump to Fab - Onwards and Upwards

Kiwisaver_2

I'll second the votes of confidence in Slimming World, I'm a hungry bird and like my food in spades. I read stuff about people saying you should cut out whole food groups, no carbs, no fat or whatever and my heart just sinks. I would be utterly miserable if I had to follow such a restrictive regime; I love my carbs, rice, bread, potatoes and pasta, I love bacon, dairy products, mayo and cheese yet haven't once felt deprived or miserable about what I am eating (or missing out on) whilst following slimming world ideas these past few weeks. I have not been totally strict as I don't have access to many of the UK brands of foods that are popular items on the Slimming World plan.


I half-heartedly put my hand up to lose seven pounds in seven weeks and never actually thought I would achieve that - I was down by 6.5lbs last weekend and still have two more weeks to go on this little challenge.


The only things I struggled with the very idea of artificial sweeteners and therefore don't bother with that and have used my syns to have some home 'light-weight' desserts or cake at weekends made with proper sugar.


I have some trousers and things that are now hanging off of me and I need to do a bit of wardrobe editing again, since I haven't quite managed to pull off that gangsta rapper look of wearing the crotch of my pants half way down my thighs.


We should soon start seeing signs of spring and I have started to noticed the lighter nights are coming along.

verynewmoneysaver

LL so sorry for your loss. I lost my Mum last month. She did not pass as peacefully as I would have liked although she was on Morphine via a syringe driver. My sister and I were with her at the end though. We are arranging for her ashes to be interred with Dad's in her home town. Take care x

lessonlearned

VNS So sorry to hear about your mum. It is very hArd isn't, especially when they are in pain and discomfort. Hopefully the morphine will have helped a little. You take care of yourself too.

Well today was productive, we registered the death, sorted out all the catering and funeral details. We actually finished earlier than we anticipated so after a little rest we went to the cinema, for DS1's delayed birthday treat. We saw the new Planet of the Apes.

Apart from a few bits and pieces we've more or less sorted everything out for now. I've got a mountain of paperwork but that can wait for a couple of days.

Tomorrow I need to tackle the huge pile of laundry and maybe give myself a mini facial.

Although we've had a lovely day it feels quite autumnal here tonight, soft gentle rain. Good for the garden. .

Still getting plenty of raspberries and now the tomatoes are ripening nicely. I might go blackberrying tomorrow, the hedgerows are loaded.

G'night x

tru

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Morning :hello:[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]I sorted my feet and toenails, then started with the nail varnish. Torquoise something, it looked lovely in the bottle but is actually a far-too-bright gaudy colour you'd buy for a little girl when she wants to play dress-up It looks terrible on my nails. Shame, because I'd done a lovely neat job, lol. I've binned it. [/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]I've treated myself to new mascara and foundation, and some Avon body oil spray.[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]I've rearranged my wardrobe many times, trying to find some sort of system. I think I've cracked it, though I've thought that before and changed my mind a week later While I'd like to still make an effort with clothes on days that I don't go out, I usually end up gardening or in the chicken shed so there's no point in wearing something nice. [/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]All of this is surface stuff I'll concentrate on it for another week or so – hopefully it'll become habit – then start on my insides. My diet is quite good but I'd like to improve it. [/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]I've been doing my leg exercises a few times a day, I was going to do some of my yoga DVD daily too but I tried one session and it was too difficult. I've been concentrating on basic stretches instead, each day trying to go a little bit further than the day before. I can move around a lot faster (for that, read 'normal human speed' lol) and the result is a 2lb weight loss I went to see the osteopath again yesterday, she was pleased with the way I walked in She warned she was going to push harder this time, and she did! She kept asking if I wanted her to stop but although I meant yes, I said no, lol. I was a wreck for the rest of the day, I had a pounding headache, was very thirsty (she warned of this) and ached soooo much. At bedtime I had to push myself up off the chair and mr tru asked if I was OK, I said “No. I think she has actually broken me” I'm sore this morning but feel so much better. I have new (harder) exercises to do now, wish me luck [/FONT]

Floss

Tru, just think of what the new improved (if currently broken!) Tru could achieve - it will all be worth it!

LL, glad to read you have got things sorted for the passing-party. You will all be able to move on a little after that has taken place. I remember after my dad died, my mum had trouble sleeping and she would take a batch of photographs that needing people identifying or some paperwork up to bed with her for when she woke up in the night. She had a 3-task system for each and every day - something "offical", something for the house and something for her. Mind you, the "house" things could have been something like make the bed or wash up her breakfast dish & cup when she was having a not-so-good day!

lessonlearned

Good Morning All

I'm tired but fine.

Floss - ah bless your mum. She had the right approach. I'm finding that you do have to programme in the "energy dips". Both DS1 and I get them in the mid afternoon. DS2 comes home from work and just flops on the sofa with the TV and the cat. We just have to negotiate these slumps. They can be hard when they hit and trouble sleeping can be also be a problem. I'm lucky in that I can programme in plenty of rest breaks - harder for the boys who have to go to work.

Tru - glad to hear that the physio is starting to take effect. It can be hard work and very draining and yes you do have to work through the pain barrier sometimes, but stick with it - it is well worth the torture in the end.

I'm still fielding phone calls and messages. We have meetings with the humanist minister next week and the media guy, but hopefully after that we are more or less done.

I have decided to do my own funeral flowers. No offence to any florists out there but I refuse to spend £££'s on floral arrangements I don't even like.

I was looking at pictures in the florists the other day and I could hear my OH whispering in my ear "How much?????" :rotfl:
(This was the man who tried to haggle over the price of my engagement ring before I told him off for being unromantic).

I don't like to see flowers twisted into unnatural shapes and overly formal arrangements so I'm going for a much softer natural look - think "Hedgerows". I will buy the flowers and make up a simple sheaf myself.

I will get great pleasure from this because it will be my own very personal contribution to the day. And of course the money I save will go "behind the bar" at the wake/passing party. So much more in keeping with my husbands' ethos. He loved entertaining and was always a very generous host. He would much prefer his guests to raise a glass in his memory.

The humanist minister rang me this morning and when I gave him my list of music choices, explaining that they were all either very meaningful to my OH or that they were his actual personal choices, he chuckled away and said that my OH sounded like a real character.

The minister did say that not many coffins were led in to the accompaniment of the James Bond Theme Tune and that he had never heard of anyone saying "Goodbye" to the Archers' Radio Theme either…….

Anyway I've made a start on my personal fabbing. Made a start on the washing - just going to be naughty and use the tumble dryer. There is a mountain of laundry and it looks like rain.

I had a nice little mini facial this morning and will schedule in a manicure later. Next week I need to go shopping for a suitable outfit. I do have something I could wear but I might just lash out and buy a killer outfit in his honour. I shall wear burgundy red rather than black, because it was his favourite colour.

I also need to a do an underwear cull. My bras are a disgrace. I might also lash out on a few new tops and bits and bobs.

I'm off to see my mum this afternoon. I haven't seen her in over 3 weeks. Bless her she is also deteriorating fast. I want to have a couple of mother/daughter sessions with her whilst she still knows me, before the dementia takes her from me.

Same with FIL in Scotland. He's 91 and won't manage the funeral so I want to spend some time with him soon because his dementia is advancing too.

I think there will be a couple more family deaths within the foreseeable future so I want to make sure I get to spend time with them before it is too late.

I guess its just part of the circle of life. I realised with astonishment the other day that the day of the funeral is set for 28th August. It will be just 34 years to the day that OH waltzed into my life. Perfect symmetry.

System

LL your posts make me weep. You have such a way with words, your love for your OH and your dignity and sheer humanity shine through in everything you write.
I do hope you get to see your mum and FIL soon.
Take care.

maddiemay

LL you are getting on so well with the arrangements and making the service so personal to OH and your family, just how it should be IMO. How bittersweet regarding the date too.

When FIL passed on the boys arranged a humanist service for him too, as he was so anti a religious one (although he arranged a lovely Methodist service for MIL as he recognised this was what she wanted). We struggled a lot with the choice of music as he had never been interested, preferring the spoken word on radio and cowboy films on TV:D He was born in 1922 and had served in WW2 and Palestine and did have a soft spot for Vera Lynn, so as the curtains were drawn on the coffin we said our goodbyes to "Wish me luck when we say goodbye", it was so right for him.

A friend who was a dog trainer and competed with dog agility and obedience was taken far too early with Motor Neurone Disease, so it was a very poignant time, but the congregation almost erupted in hysterics as "Who let the dogs out" was played very loudly, he would have loved it.

Prudent

maddiemay wrote: »

A friend who was a dog trainer and competed with dog agility and obedience was taken far too early with Motor Neurone Disease, so it was a very poignant time, but the congregation almost erupted in hysterics as "Who let the dogs out" was played very loudly, he would have loved it.

:rotfl::rotfl: I loved this, thank you!

A few years ago one of the girls in my class died aged 6 ( some of the children I teach have life limiting conditions). She had a humanist funeral full of her favourite songs, at points it was as if she was there. I remembered singing these songs with her in the classroom in the afternoon when she often got tired. Sometimes when I am out for a walk or doing housework I will realise I am humming one of 'her' tunes.

Tru well done on such a lot of progress. My back is very bad just now. Even short walks are painful, so I am beginning to think I should make an appointment to see the physio again.

lessonlearned

Maddie - just loved the Who let the Dogs Out:rotfl: I nearly choked on my tea.

That's just it though there's no such thing as inappropriate music, it's what mattered to the deceased and their family that counts. Same with flowers, clothes, readings etc. My husband had a love of loud Hawaiin style holiday shirts but we did draw the line at that.....:rotfl:

I visited my mum and because she cannot go to the funeral I told her what I was planning. She and I sat singing the James Bond theme and the music from Sharpe. she loved our little sing song and was full of smiles and giggles. I always do my best to make her laugh.

I'm not sure if she really understood the full significance of what I was telling her but it was good to see her laugh. My father then spoilt it all with his crass insensitivity but I won't bore you with the details.

Unfortunately he pushed me too far and I'm afraid I just let rip. I don't lose my temper very often but when I do it's like a volcano has exploded.:o

I was just so angry that he can't even let me grieve in peace and that he spoilt my precious time with my mother. No matter next time I shall just visit her on my own without him.

I know it sounds odd but I really need my mum right now, even if she's not quite the ticket, she's still my mum......

Going to cook a nice diner and then take it easy. The paperwork can wait another day:D