What a Year.....Climbing Back on the Wagon

mumblingtaff

Thanks Moneywhizz - you're right, I do need to find something else to do. Feeling ok though.

It's finally stopped raining but the back garden us submerged under 3 inches of water.
Been for a 3.5km walk with the dog for 40mins to try to tire him out a bit - he was going stir crazy! 250 cals burned

Whilst waiting for the rain to stop, I tidied the spare bedroom, sorted out the dry cleaning ready to drop off and cleaned the kitchen and put the clean washing away. A couple of jobs ticked off the list at least,

Puppy class is cancelled due to a waterlogged pitch (!!) so am at a loose end this afternoon now. I have a few little jobs I can do in the house to keep me occupied for a while.
Going to have a nice soak in the bath and do a bit of preening too - I need an overhaul.....

Been listening to a new audiobook - The Man Who Didn't Call by Rosie Walsh. It's very good and makes you think about your own behaviour - quite timely

Elnora32

[FONT=&quot]Pleased you had a good trip to Cornwall.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]I’m sure you’ll easily find a new interest / hobby especially as over the next few weeks you have the time to try some different things. I think the fact that you like to be busy will help. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]It’s strange that sometimes when it’s needed you read / meet someone who has a similar experience to you and gives you food for thought. I’m talking generally but I think it’s good that the book is making you think - hope it helps. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Good luck with your list.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Elnora[/FONT]

mumblingtaff

Morning all!
It's stopped raining!!! Was about to invest in an ark! We've had a month's worth of rain in a weekend - it was relentless!
Woken up feeling positive as the sun has come out. Have taken the dog for a 3km walk (he was so excited to be out again, bless him) and then did a 5km run. Felt fairly good considering I haven't been for a week or so.
I always feel so much better after running, if not tired
An added bonus of approx 500 cals burnt this morning.....

Going to shampoo the lounge carpet now it's stopped raining and then clean the microwave and sort some correspondence out.
Will try to make the most of the dry weather - I would like to start on some of the garden jobs but I think the ground is just too wet. I could pop out to get some plants for the pots in the front garden though. I'm sure Lidl and Aldi had some nice looking plants outside the last time I passed. I'm not a gardener (I know literally nothing about it) but I do like it to be neat and tidy. Too wet for mowing today though but I can potter.

mumblingtaff

Feel very proud of myself - have finally sorted all the pots in the front garden with some new plants and they look very colourful and pretty. Only spent £11 too at a little local garden centre that had some real bargains.
The money came out of this week's spending money in my purse so no real outlay.
Just need to cut the front lawn now and it's all sorted. The back garden is still too wet to cut so that will have to wait a day or two.

ETA - grass cut, microwave cleaned and lounge carpet shampooed - a few jobs off the list ticked off

mumblingtaff

Morning all - it's still sunny .... For now. Thunder storms and yet more rain forecast for later today .....
Have tried to make the most of the temporary respite by walking the dog for 3km, then doing a 5km run and finally cutting the back lawn. Knackered now! Have done 10000 steps already today and it's not even 11am yet! Saying that, I did 16000 yesterday so we'll see what the rest of the day brings.

Feeling much less bloated after a few days of being good with food, cutting right back on alcohol and doing some exercise.

Need to hoover and dust downstairs and clean the wooden floors (mucky pup) and then have a good soak in the bath. Am currently what can only be described as minging!

Been watching series 2 of Keeping Faith on iplayer - would highly recommend it. I only have one episode left to go and have thoroughly enjoyed it - reminds me of home in the valleys. Also watched the first episode of the latest series of How to Get Away with Murder on Sky. Seems to be as good as the last couple of series.

Right, better get on with the cleaning and a bath as even the dog is turning his nose up at me!

mumblingtaff

Well, the sunshine didn't last long yesterday....
By early afternoon it was pouring again and it's still raining now getting very fed up of it now.
I've managed to take the dog out for 30 mins this morning for a 2.5 km walk in drizzle in between downpours so at least we've had some fresh air and exercise. He refuses to even go in the garden if it's chucking it down - can't blame him really - and therefore has mad puppy moments of legging it round the house every couple of hours.....really funny to watch. He's bloody lovely.

My legs are a bit stiff this morning (16800 steps yesterday) so might not run today but may go for a swim instead. I haven't been swimming for ages as I had a recurring ear infection for about a year and just got out of the habit of it. I used to swim a couple of times a week and really enjoyed it so will hopefully get back into it. It's just at the local leisure centre on a pay as you go basis - no big gym membership to pay.

I've been pretty good with economising this week so far - no spending at all in shops following the weekly shop apart from some diet coke yesterday. I've also been trying to use up things in the house and so have parted company with a deodorant, shampoo and conditioner, toothpaste, carpet cleaner, bleach and polish and window cleaner. I hopeless at almost finishing things then buying more and starting them so this is a mini triumph for me - quite sad isn't it

Need to pop out for more dog food later - he's having a growth spurt and eating like a pig but will try really hard not to buy anything else.
Think I'll also go through the work wardrobe later on and make a charity shop bag up - trying to find things to do in pouring rain.

I've checked the bank accounts this morning and no surprises there - 2 weeks until pay day. I've had an email to say that my expense claims have been approved so they'll get paid in the next salary.
Going to make a big spaghetti bolognese later to use up mushrooms, tomatoes and onions from the fridge and quorn mince in the freezer. I'll portion it up and freeze it for the new school year. I'm not going to buy anymore food this week as I'm going to Wales to see family on Sunday so can survive on what's in until then.

Finished watching Keeping Faith yesterday (very good), did a couple more How to Get Away with Murder episodes before bed last night and have come to the end of my audiobook whilst walking the dog. Will have a browse for something new to watch and listen to. This rain is doing my head in!!!

mumblingtaff

Have tidied out the work wardrobe in the spare room.
I feel quite embarrassed as I found things I forgot I had including a brand new pair of trousers with the tags on that I hopefully will be able to get into by the time school starts again. I've put aside a fairly big bagful of stuff for the charity shop. I've obviously been very guilty of wearing the same thing over and over again when there's actually a good choice of different suits and dresses. It's probably a combination of laziness, being busy and not thinking and shoes. I don't wear all of my skirt suits because I don't think I have the right shoes to go with them. I stand all day and they need to be comfy, smart and have a heel to look right with skirts. So, the obvious thing to do is to find a pair of shoes that fulfil the brief

I have 4 suits and a jacket that need dry cleaning (will cost a fortune so will have to wait until after payday) and have found a number of tops that have been worn once and could do with a freshen up in the washing machine. I'll probably buy one new suit and a pair of trousers before I go back to add to the arsenal but that's all I really need (plus shoes and odour eating insoles) if I actually wear the clothes I already have.

It's made me more determined to lose some weight as it will be like having a new wardrobe..... I've put on about a stone since starting my new job and need to get a grip. Clothes still fit but some feel uncomfortable and make me self conscious. I've been really good this week with food and exercise and can see a difference in bloatedness so just need to carry it on.

db2016

on the subject of weight loss.

low carb works for a lot of people - have a look at the science behind "keto" on YT.
granted a lot of it at first will be water weight (each carb molecule holds 3 of water, or to look at it another way, every gram of carbs, is joined to 3g of water, taking up space).

mumblingtaff

Thanks db. I've sort of been unconsciously going low carb. No bread, potatoes or pasta and just a tiny bit of rice yesterday. Saying that, I've just made a big spag Bol with quorn mince and a bit of leftover soya mince and wilting veg from the fridge. Will have with a measured amount of pasta later. There's at least two or three good portions for the freezer too.

Have popped out to B&M for puppy food - googled it and it was £1 cheaper than any supermarket - it's just puppy pouches to supplement the dried high quality food from Pets at Home. Spent £6 from my purse so no additional outlay from the bank account but that did include pouches, dental chews and some diet coke.
On the way back, I took the dog for a good walk around the water park as it seemed to had stopped raining for a while - got half way round and got drenched. We had to take refuge in a bird watching look out for 20 mins or so. Got talking to a fisherman doing the same thing who said that the next village over was completely under water!! It's continued to chuck it down ever since.... Will this ever end??

Been thinking about things I can cook to put in the freezer over the next few weeks - have done the spag Bol and am thinking about a bean chilli (I'm a vegetarian), the filling for fajitas (with quorn pieces), and a potato and spinach curry. Maybe something with chickpeas too as I seem to have a few tins in. Any other lowish cal and veggie ideas would be gratefully received

Honeysucklelou2

We had a delicious chick pea, courgette and coconut curry last night. Not sure on the calorie count, but for simplicity of cooking and packed with veg, I was pleasantly surprised