5 months to emerge as a butterfly

benbenandme

So I will do a summarised catch-up
I have one more week before my kids leave school, I'm dreading Friday, saying goodbye to 240 people I've worked with for 5 years is gonna be tough
Today I have walked 12 miles, and within those miles I have hit the 1,000 miles milestone and also the 1010.5 miles milestone which is the halfway mark in the challenge Very happy with that. I want to complete the whole thing by the time we go back to school in September, so I need to do 18,000 steps on average every day until then. Hopefully the weather will pick up soon (finally!) and then I won't mind getting out more. Also work will be quieter after Friday and then I get 6 weeks off in the summer so shouldn't be too big a difficulty to do.
Time for a love-life update ... so the last big update was: ...  I haven't mentioned this on here before but I've developed a stupid crush on one of my neighbours. He moved in when Mr S was here, I clocked him straight away and thought he looked cute, he was newly divorced, similar age to me etc. Anyway, after Mr S left and I began online dating I saw a guy I liked the look of, sent a message asking if he'd like to chat and then realised it was him, living opposite me  I quickly sent another message, saying I'd then realised he was my neighbour ... he replied confirming he was, but nothing further in the way of chat. I replied saying if he wanted to go for a walk let me know (he'd mentioned something about it on his profile and I was doing my Lands End to John O'Groats walk at the time), again he didn't reply  ... anyway, since then I have lost (a lot of) weight, and over time we have got to the point where we chat a bit as neighbours, usually just a friendly wave or hi, occasionally a little more than that. I was then seeing Andy, he was seeing someone for a bit, then I was single again, a week or so later a new lady started arriving at his. He has been seeing her since February, she comes over about once a week, depending on when he has his kids (she hasn't met them yet). I know I need to forget about him but it's really hard when I see him pretty much every day and (I know I'm not imagining this), he definitely clocks me sometimes, this morning for example I'd just got back from the beach (was wearing leggings and fitted top) and he was definitely checking me out. Why do I torture myself, he had the chance and wasn't interested, so why do I keep wanting him?? I think I just want to know if it was because we live too close or if he thinks I'm a minger  It wouldn't work anyway as we live far too close so if it didn't work out it would be very awkward. Anyway, his lady turned up about half an hour ago with a big bag, so I'm guessing she's here for the weekend so that has put me in a grump, which is absolutely bonkers!! I wonder if it is that I'm not actually that keen on him but that he represents the security and reliability I'm after, that I want to feel that happy buzz when someone turns up for the weekend.

Because I know I need to just ignore him and look elsewhere I have been chatting with a few others online, I've got three at the moment; one is 37, newly single and just looking for fun ... the second is a fitness instructor, (46) haven't seen a picture of him yet though, am getting that tonight and will then decide whether to carry on ... the third is someone I saw online, thought looked okay, then saw at the beach one day - was too chicken to speak to him so waited til he showed up again online, anyway he did last night and we matched and were chatting - he is a sports coach (50). We'll see ...

Just to complicate it further  ...  ... the friend that I went for a walk with on Monday was someone that I first met just before I met Andy - we went for a coffee and there was no spark there at all, but we arranged to meet up again for a walk one day. Anyway, since then we have met up several times and he is lovely. Not my type whatsoever and it would never go anywhere as we are so different, but he is a lovely guy, no ego, just nice  It has become more of a friends with benefits arrangement which suits us both fine. He would make a great partner for someone but not me unfortunately (he has never had a job, he lives a rather eco-warrior, hippy type lifestyle, that while appealing isn't what I'm after in a long-term partner). But he is a good friend and will listen to me babble on for hours and is similar to me with the eating / walking stuff that I do. 

So, to recap, I have found a good friend who I wish could be partner material but isn't, I have 3 others that I'm chatting with (but that doesn't mean much at all online), and one neighbour who I want out of my head  
So ... the blonde lady has not been around for a week or two and yesterday the neighbour re-appeared on he online dating sites ... let's see if we match this time
I went to see the original hottie on Monday for the night and had a lovely time  
Abs has gone pretty quiet, although still likes the odd thing I post on facebook but not very chatty. 
The one I recognised at the beach has been chatting and I'm meeting up with him for the first time tonight. 
Let's see how this week goes!!

Blackcats

Great update BenBen but I think I need to read it again to make sure I've kept up with you😍
you sound happy and healthy which is great. 

Happy_Monday

Love living vicariously through you! Can’t wait for the next instalment, I’ve got a good feeling about the neighbour........xxx

Buffythedebtslayer

ooooooooooooooo so exciting! XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

benbenandme

Well ... the one from the beach that I met up with last night was very nice indeed  Very easy on the eye, a Bournemouth season ticket holder!!, very fit and active, more my age (he's 50), and a very nice time was had by all He will very probably be replacing Abs in my list of people to call when I'm free He's another one that is quite happy being single but likes some company now and then with no commitment, which suits me to a tee, and finally one that is a bit more local (about 10 minutes away) and likes the same team as me  
The neighbour still hasn't checked my profile (he's on plenty of fish and tinder), I re-activated my pof account just for that reason. Maybe he'll say something when I see him next, who knows, but right now I'm fine either way. In his bio he has put that he is looking for long-term but will be happy with good company for a walk to the beach and a drink at the pub on the way back etc, well he knows I walk miles, I don't really see why we can't do that, just as mates, but up to him.
So today I am mainly doing housework, the place is pretty clean and tidy but I want to do a deep-clean as I have some friends coming over on friday when it's the start of half-term.
I also booked my second vaccine last night, that is on Thursday this week.
Oh, and when I weighed myself today I have finally got under 10 and a half stone Happy, happy days right now!! 

Drawingaline

Your social life is more active than my teens 😂😂 it's lovely to read about someone getting out and having fun. And congratulations on the weight loss, I really need to get focused, my weight has crept up to an unhealthy level....

benbenandme

So another week gone and that was quite a busy one. It was the final week for my kids, they finished year 11 yesterday, it was a very emotional day, and they spoilt me rotten. I received:

• A bottle of wine
• An engraved pen
• 3 beautiful soy candles
• A large box of Thorntons
• A small box of Thorntons
• 2 boxes of quality street
• A box of Hereos
• A large box of ferrero rocher
• A box of maltesers
• A box of Milk Tray
• A box of Lindor
• A box of mini Green & Blacks bars
• A chocolate bar bouquet
• A hamper containing: £10 costa voucher, bottle of elderflower cordial, 4 bars of Lindt choc, a box of lemon biscuits, a box of shortbread,  box of choc chip cookies, a box of florentines, a box of Monty Bojangles chocolate truffles
• A voucher for champagne afternoon tea for two at a very posh local hotel

I'm absolutely floored by how generous they were, I'm going to miss them loads and loads. Clearly they didn't get the memo that I've given up chocolate though Last night I did have a few drinks and hammered the big box of Thorntons. I couldn't not touch any of it, that seemed ungrateful. It does mean my new years resolution has gone out the window, but I did manage nearly 5 months of no chocolate, sweets, cake or biscuits. 
Today I'm making up for it, I had breakfast then went for a walk along the beach, its beautiful out there today and finally hot! I was walking along and thought "He looks cute" then realised it was abs  I did have my sunglasses on in my defence and was not expecting to see him. We had a lovely walk and chat, he was very complimentary about how toned my legs are getting
Other than that I have seen the new guy during the week and now that it's half-term am hopefully seeing him and the original hottie this week at some point. The only other plans I have for half-term is a day in London, I fancied walking somewhere different for a change and always love London as there is so much to discover, so ds wanted a day on the tube, so we're heading there for a day, he'll ride the tube, I'll walk for miles and miles
Today I want to get another 10,000 steps done (have done 20,000 so far), then will sort the end of month banking and watch the Champions League final tonight. 
 

Drawingaline

Enjoy your London day. I went this weekend and did a fair bit of walking, it was warm. I always forget that it's at least two degrees hotter there than it states. But walked through St James Park which was lovely. 

benbenandme

So tomorrow is London day - I wasn't sure where to go and after a bit of googling came across the Jubilee Greenway walk. It was opened for the Queens Diamond Jubilee in 2012, it is 60km / 37 miles long, and now that I've come across it I feel I have to give it a go I have no idea if I'll manage it or not, its 11 miles longer than the marathon, ds thinks I'm truly bonkers
Off for a bath now and to get my stuff ready, gonna give it my best shot  

beanielou

Enjoy your day  :0