Second Time Lucky

in_need_of_direction

Glad to hear your birthday went well. Enjoy what's left of it.

amycool

Aw thank you so much everyone. It was probably one of my favourite birthdays of recent years as historically something bad always happens (one year I had an horrific virus, another my uncle nearly died - must be the time of year!). But it didn't snow until nearly 3pm so no school closure, I had a nice relaxing bath, I got to play with my new gadget, and I got chocolate. Lots of chocolate.

My calories for yesterday were in the "red" range.

So last night I tracked my sleep for the first time and I felt like it was a bad night's sleep as I woke up multiple times with a headache and I was grinding my teeth. According to the fitbit I was only properly asleep for 4hrs 36mins!!!! I spent nearly 4 hours restless or awake. What I'm wondering is whether it thinks I am restless when OH is shuffling so one night I might sleep in the single bed and see what it says. Hopefully tonight will be better! I have been wondering though how I can get 8-9 hours and still feel like a zombie. I often have sleep paralysis and sleep hallucinations too.

Well, I won't be getting out for a big walk today (other than the school run) as we have a few centimetres of snow, which will soon be slush. There's also a very cold wind.

Did I mention the storm the other night has ripped off a chunk of shed roof felt? So now we have wet snow sat on the bare wood. Doh! Hopefully it won't do any lasting damage before we get a chance to fix it (it's in a weird position so ladders are required.

Yesterday I made a template for the tile design, which I'm happy with, but the actual painting I was not happy with. The only paintbrushes I could find were either too big or cheap kids ones with plastic bristles that really show up on tile. I also didn't mix the colours quite right. So I'm going to try again today. I've found a proper paintbrush but it might be too big - we'll see.

I also need to get the First Direct account paperwork filled in today.

amycool

First Direct stuff posted off

10 tiles painted (might just need another coat on one of them) - it was harder than I expected but I really enjoyed it.

New bedding for the single bed bought so Mum can babysit at some point.

We had lunch out yesterday, which was lovely. I had a starter and a dessert and didn't use the jug of cream that came with it! I'm sticking to not having any food before 12, which should maintain my weight, but if I want to lose a few more pounds I also need to cut back a bit on portions and puddings.

We're having lunch with friends today so I'll start the healthier eating tomorrow.

The weather has been atrocious so I've only hit 10000 steps once, but I am doing more than I would have been.

Still working on the French and German every day and really enjoying it. I think last time I tried I went through the lessons too quickly and it didn't stick. This time I'm revising things every day before learning new thinks. My favourite word at the moment is kaput, which means what it means in English. And Krankenwagen (ambulance).

Today we need to buy tile primer and a bike rack, tomorrow I need to prime the hearth and cut the tiles, then Tuesday lay them.

amycool

I'm just having a little lunch break from laying tiles. I have made a small blunder - it turns out it isn't possible to cut a thin slice off a tile without it breaking so I've had to have an overhang at the edges, which would have looked fine if I had overhung the front. Oh dear. So far I've done the edge of the hearth and one row. One easy row and one fiddly row to go.

I was supposed to clean out the rats today but I doubt I'll get time.

Got the letter from CAMHS and have spoken to the school about an Ed Psych but the SENco is on long term sick so I'll have to wait a while for a meeting.

I've been very good with my calories this week so far, although I did eat 4 Thorntons last night that I really didn't need but it had been a stressful day (DD having a few issues at school)!

I weighed myself yesterday and it said 9 stone 7 so I'm going in the right direction. I made a very healthy "Cottage Pie" which had a bit of Quorn mince but was mostly veg and a very piddling amount of potato on the top.

Right, better get back to work - somehow I had imagined this taking a lot less time...

in_need_of_direction

At least it wasn't four boxes that would have been bad.

amycool

There was a time when I would have easily eaten a box of Thorntons and they had some cake to finish it off, so actually 4-6 chocolates (6 is the most I've had in one sitting!) is good for me.

The fireplace turned out to be a begger to do! The wall behind wasn't flat and when we tried (I say we...) to knock off the bits jutting out, a massive crack appeared! So the result is we have a bump in the plasterboard that surrounds the fire, but I'm confident I can hide it well once it's tiled. Also, the actual fire wasn't at the right level so that had to be raised. And my painted tiles took a beating so will need to be touched up later.

But it is pretty much all done now (just the last bit of tiling to do) and it looks nice. The labour only cost £125 for the shelving and the fireplace, and the fire surround only costing £35, it's much cheaper than if we'd bought one from the shop. I also like that I helped to fit it and did the tiling.

I have been trying to be less lazy the last few days and have been hitting my 10000 steps. I had set my target to 8000 as the average was about 5000! But some little walks with DD and marching in the house have done the trick. I definitely feel fitter already as DD wanted to run into the village and usually I can't keep up with her.

My calories, despite eating a fair bit of chocolate, have been lower than I have used and my jeans are starting to feel looser. The question is whether to buy some size 10 jeans or wait and see if I put the weight back on? I have been a size 10 trouser before, but we're talking 10 years ago.

I have something like a 25 day streak on Duolingo now and I'm making sure I repeat lessons that haven't gone in. Some of the German grammar is utterly baffling me, but hopefully by practising lots it will go in. I've also tried reading a French kids' book and can understand about half of it. ish.

debtfreeoneday

You're doing great by the sounds of it. I'm doing intermittant fasting now, only eating between 10-6 each day, but not restricting myself, lost 2 pounds in 4 days so far!

amycool

debtfreeoneday wrote: »

You're doing great by the sounds of it. I'm doing intermittant fasting now, only eating between 10-6 each day, but not restricting myself, lost 2 pounds in 4 days so far!

It's mad isn't it? I try to eat between 12 and 8 (or 6 if I'm being really good) and I've gone from 10 stone 2 to 9 stone 6! The past few days I've been tracking calories so I have a bigger deficit each day, but I won't do that forever.

debtfreeoneday

I'm hungry in the morning, but waiting till 10 isn't that hard and then I eat with the littlies each night so being done by 6 again isn't an issue. I'm surprised I've not struggled in the evening with wanting to pick as that is my worst time!

amycool

I feel at a bit of a loose end today - various things need doing but can't seem to get going with them.

I need to phone the local karate place today as we've decided to try it for DD. It's on a Saturday morning and has a 4-6 year old group, which sounds fairly non-threatening! £6 for a 45 minute session but you don't have to block book and the first lesson is free. She seems very keen and I'm eager for her to find something she's really good at and enjoys. She's also getting a bit too old for storytime at the library now.

I found out this week that some girls in her class have been quite nasty to her and made her put her snack in the bin so anything to increase her self-confidence is worth a try. As long as she doesn't kick them in the face. :rotfl: I've e-mailed school about it.

We had a fairly laid-back weekend as my niece was projectile vomiting so we cancelled that meet-up! Bought a new pan, and then accidentally bought a bag of M&Ms and ate the whole thing!! Totally regretted it as OH made a lovely risotto that I didn't enjoy at all because I felt so sick. DD also made cakes with grandma and I couldn't have one of those either. Shame on me!

Managed to get to 10,000 steps yesterday with a trip to the park in the snow where DD kept making me run, then I walked around the house for a bit.

I'm waiting for the new shelves for the rats today. They've nibbled the coating off and it was rusting so I've ordered some handmade wooden ones with a steel edge, which will hopefully fit better than the old one and not get destroyed quite so easily.

Also need to put filler along the edge of the fireplace where the wallpaper didn't quite reach and watch Call the Midwife. I haven't watched any telly in the day for ages. I'm tempted to re-watch Taboo as well as it's easy to miss things with all the mumbling and it's always nice to see Tom Hardy, but that might be a little too indulgent.