"Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it."

EssexHebridean

It's all too easy to slip into the thing of convincing yourself that somewhere is "liveable" and so that's good enough. There are circumstances where that's a valuable approach - if clearing debt for example and wanting to make that a priority, or when facing a higher-than-ideal mortgage rate and wanting to deal with that first - but sometimes it's better to crack on and get the things that you know you want to get done, done before prices increase isn't it. we kind of had to wait to get stuff done with the flat because of a combination of those two things, but we're reminding ourselves that we don't need to do that now!

greenbee

Waiting for heat pump report, but it sounds as if he’s going to say the sitting room radiators need replacing. If there isn’t a way round that it’s not happening as that’s just one bit of disruption too much at this stage. And if it means taking up and relaying the floor, the expense will make it impossible anyway. So not feeling hugely optimistic. I’ll have a discussion with him, but pay for the design and then see about a second opinion.

Managed to get up and out for a walk before cat/dog breakfast this morning which is a habit I want to get back into. Ran the septic tank pump, washed up all the cat/dog bowls (automatic feeders still need a good clean), got the dog’s carrots out and checked them over as one was slimy so those have been trimmed and washed, rinsed the beans soaked overnight and bunged them in the IP. Made coffee and opened the blinds and curtains and am now back in bed.

I cooked white coco beans yesterday (need to freeze the bulk of them) and cannellini beans this morning. I’ve also got kidney beans in the freezer, so need to do some blue peas, flamingo peas, Carlin peas, flageolet beans, butter beans, black beans, aduki beans and lentils over the next week so I have a decent variety now I’m having pulses twice a day.

Chicken wings done in SC have cooled and need taking off the bone and putting away. I’ll probably freeze the meat in small portions for salads and either make soup with the stock or let the cats have it.. or both.

Managed to prep supper and cat supper while on a webinar yesterday evening - nice to be get the cat food done without cats yelling and climbing up my legs, so may portion some up later for days when I finished late. Also nice to have a proper meal (and one spare for tomorrow) although it didn’t result in me eating any earlier. It was a version of Rukmini Iyer’s tuna with chermoula, peppers, chickpeas and aubergines with half the tuna to the amount of veg (I find most recipes are ungenerous on the veg front!) as part of my attempt to get protein intake up now that fibre is pretty much sorted. I do, however, need to wean myself off my post-supper snack of 3 medjool dates with 10g of 100% dark choc!

Coffee is almost drunk, so I need to send the email chasing for a date for the pump, the call my mum and do Pilates before looking at work email while walking the dog!

greenbee

Pump is delayed with DHL - was due on 9th apparently and is still with them. Will have to tell Karcher they need to nag as I can’t.

Not-Fatty has worked out that if she repeatedly triggers the light (security camera) on the front door, I will open the door. Maybe I should just get her a cat-height doorbell?

Bit the bullet and weighed myself again this morning - weight is down 1.4kg in a week, so the Pilates, healthy eating, and increased walking seem to be working. As a result I’ve actually set weight loss and body fat reduction goals and will leave the scales out. The 7am reminder will also get me out of bed and dressed and out for a pre-breakfast walk. And the connected scales mean I can’t ignore it.

Walk done, DW on, need to do a quick Pilates session before the landscaper arrives to go over what I want done with the posts again.

KajiKita

Not-Fatty is one canny cat! ❤️😊

Well done on the weight loss. You sound slightly disbelieving…?

Hope you have a good day 😊

KK

greenbee

I knew logically that a. it should work and b. it was working (it's easier to feel the muscle when I'm doing pilates), but I hate the weighing/body fat measuring bit as it's often so slow. The good thing is that it isn't water weight as water as a percentage of body composition is gone up, not down. And the good thing about body composition scales is I can focus on losing body fat - specifically visceral fat - rather than weight.

I ignore the calorie allowance as I don't count calories - I've worked out that fibre and fat stacking are the important things for me to focus on.

rtandon27

Well done with the health goals GP - itsn't it amazing how healthy consious eating has such and enourmous effect!

greenbee

I've also seen the benefits in my energy levels (increasing) and symptoms (decreasing). And it's pretty straightforward:

• One cup of black coffee before midday, otherwise water.
• Midday black coffee, one piece of fruit (2 if small), portion of nuts (2 brazils/10 almonds/6 walnuts etc)
• VAST salad that should include green veg, red/purple veg, seeds, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, sauerkraut, and one portion of pulses
• 3pm coffee, one piece of fruit, maybe a couple of prunes
• Evening snack (and chance to decompress after work/feeding animals) - kimchi, kombucha/water kefir, roasted yellow peas with smoked paprika (bought)
• Supper - as early as possible - ideally lots of cooked veg with a portion of pulses and protein (fish/egg/cheese/meat/tofu); seeds/grains/kefir/yogurt and fruit
• Snack - medjool dates and 100% dark choc

Obviously all this veg takes AGES to eat.

I do need to wean myself off the dates and dark choc as it would close my eating window about half an hour sooner.

TBH by the time I've eaten everything I need to eat to get my fermented foods, pulses, fibre, and plants in, I don't have time/room for anything else!

KajiKita

My coach has been pushing me to eat more protein (aiming for 30g per meal). I’ve just had lunch and it was such a plate full! 😳🤷‍♀️

KK

greenbee

If you get your protein from vegetables, then yes, it can be a big meal :) But the advantage of getting it from vegetables is that generally you increase your fibre intake as well.

I've weeded half of the second asparagus bed (so one garden waste bin is almost full) and take two barrow loads of sticks to the log store. One barrow load of woodchip has made the return journey. I'm now having my 3pm coffee rather later than planned (with two clementines, 3 prunes and some almonds). Visible is warning me that I'm over my energy budget, so I need to think carefully about what to do for the rest of the day.

Given tomorrow's forecast, I'd quite like to go out again, so may take Stinky for a quick walk via the post box (anything I wanted to post will probably disintegrate by the time I get there tomorrow!) and then settle down in front of the fire with a book (after sorting out the laundry). The outside temperature is also dropping quickly as the sun goes down (as is solar generation… but the battery is full), so not really the time for more gardening.

Supper tonight is leftovers from Thursday night - tuna with peppers, onions, aubergines, chickpeas and chermoula. I'll have to cook tomorrow and possibly get something out of the freezer as well to see me through the week. Actually, I'll have to have a proper think as I'm out for supper tomorrow night, so in danger of forgetting to plan and not having anything for Monday!

greenbee

Took Stinky out for a walk via the post box, emptied the DW, closed all the blinds and curtains, fed the ravening hordes (they cats can dispose of 100g of venison faster than Stinky eats his food…). Almost-dry laundry put away, wet laundry hung on heated towel rail, oven turned on to reheat yesterdays food. I've had my kimchi, water kefir, and roasted yellow peas, and have made up seeds/grains/kefir/yogurt/stewed apple for later. And am watching The Night Manager…

I need to check overnight electricity prices and work out whether I can get a load of towels, a mixed wash, and possibly the cleaning cloths done tomorrow. It doesn't look like there will be much sun!

When the utility room is sorted I'm going to keep the old WM to use for pet bedding and cleaning cloths, as it'll mean I can run two loads at a time when there's cheap/free/excess solar electricity. Likewise keeping the old DW as a spare (there's loads of room) will add to the flexibility to wait until there's excess. I'm wondering whether to get a cheap condensing TD for pet bedding so that I can keep mine free of dog and cat hair… I don't need to decide until I know what space there is - it'll just need a space and a socket. It would certainly make life easier in the winter when I'm dealing with so many muddy dog towels and filthy dog beds!

Tomorrow needs to involve submitting the building notice so I can start moving on the work. Not looking forward to it as I suspect it'll take quite a long time.