64 lbs lost--whoop!! Whoop!!
The windows are closed tonight--it's cold AND damp :-( I made it to the post office and the bank today, plus I got my nails done and went to the Turkish Baths, where I was warm while I was there... The weather was nice when I went in but went to pot while I was there.
Getting the car tuned up in the morning and then lots of little errands to run. Come on Friday!
Tuesday 31 July 2012
Monday 30 July 2012
30 July 2012
Still hanging in there at 63 lbs lost. But I'm officially on vacation until 13 August--woo hoo! I have a huge list of things to do between now and heading off to Hull on Friday. We're going to check out The Deep--the big aquarium in Hull--before heading to the ferry port. I'll be very busy until then!
I'm just hoping it's warmer in France than it is here... Late July and I don't think it broke 60F today. I'm shivering under a fleece as I write this because I don't want to turn the heat on again. I have a booking at the Harrogate baths tomorrow night, so I know I'll be warm then!
I'm just hoping it's warmer in France than it is here... Late July and I don't think it broke 60F today. I'm shivering under a fleece as I write this because I don't want to turn the heat on again. I have a booking at the Harrogate baths tomorrow night, so I know I'll be warm then!
Friday 27 July 2012
27 July 2012
Still 63 lbs and feeling great! In a week, I'll be on the ferry to Zeebrugges and ready to start my week holiday in France. Looking forward to this.
Busy day at work--somehow managed to work right thru lunch. I love it when that happens!
Still planning the things to do and see in France. So far we've got the D-Day beaches, Bayeux for the tapestry and mass in the cathedral there (probably my absolute favorite cathedral!), Mont St Michel and some just chillin' time.
Busy day at work--somehow managed to work right thru lunch. I love it when that happens!
Still planning the things to do and see in France. So far we've got the D-Day beaches, Bayeux for the tapestry and mass in the cathedral there (probably my absolute favorite cathedral!), Mont St Michel and some just chillin' time.
Thursday 26 July 2012
26 July 2012
Still 63 lbs down but feeling great! First day back to work after a 5-day break and I so did not want to get up this morning. But I survived--and didn't even doze off once :-) Major accomplishment! It's all about setting your goals low enough.
I had a lovely massage after work tonight and now it's bedtime! Zzzzzzz!
I had a lovely massage after work tonight and now it's bedtime! Zzzzzzz!
Wednesday 25 July 2012
25 July 2012
WooHoo!! 63 lbs!! I'm halfway there!!
Today was a great day! Went to my Betty's class--Everyday Delicious--and made some very good stuff. Managed to resist trying the Tunisian Orange Cake and dropped it off at work so it wasn't at home to tempt me. I went by one of the petrol stations in Harrogate and checked my lottery papers--and won L20. Not enough to retire on :-) but still nice to win.
The Betty's class covered whole roast chicken with lemon & rosemary, Greek lamb koftas served with a rich tomato & oregano sauce, Cajun spiced salmon goujons with a tangy vegetable salsa and Tunisian orange cake. The tangy vegetable salsa has fennel--not exactly my idea of a salsa ingredient--but it actually was good. Maybe I'll eventually develop a taste for fennel...
Plus, my blood pressure is looking good (120/65) so she is adjusting my meds. She's putting me on a lighter dose of one of them because a side effect is swelling in the ankles--which is why I have to take a diuritic. Sometimes you have to wonder!
It's an early night tonight since I have a dayshift tomorrow.
Today was a great day! Went to my Betty's class--Everyday Delicious--and made some very good stuff. Managed to resist trying the Tunisian Orange Cake and dropped it off at work so it wasn't at home to tempt me. I went by one of the petrol stations in Harrogate and checked my lottery papers--and won L20. Not enough to retire on :-) but still nice to win.
The Betty's class covered whole roast chicken with lemon & rosemary, Greek lamb koftas served with a rich tomato & oregano sauce, Cajun spiced salmon goujons with a tangy vegetable salsa and Tunisian orange cake. The tangy vegetable salsa has fennel--not exactly my idea of a salsa ingredient--but it actually was good. Maybe I'll eventually develop a taste for fennel...
Plus, my blood pressure is looking good (120/65) so she is adjusting my meds. She's putting me on a lighter dose of one of them because a side effect is swelling in the ankles--which is why I have to take a diuritic. Sometimes you have to wonder!
It's an early night tonight since I have a dayshift tomorrow.
Tuesday 24 July 2012
24 July 2012
Still 62 lbs, although yesterday was a bit of a mish-mash--food-wise--so I can't complain. It's hard to travel for more than a day and stick to the diet, so I'm taking a 'do as little damage as possible' approach, which seems to be working.
And of course, today English Heritage posted a cool picture of Farleigh Hungerford castle on Facebook. It was so close to where I was yesterday! Rats--although it's a good excuse to go back, in case I needed one.
Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean everybody isn't out to get you... I have been living overseas for the better part of 17 years. Seventeen! You would think after all that time, the credit card folks could figure this out--but you would be wrong! Today I got a letter (dated 16 July) saying that had been trying to contact me. Really?! When I finally proved to their satisfaction who I was, he had questions about charges Sunday and today (22 and 24 July, respectively). I guess they just knew they were going to have questions today, so they mailed the letter so I would call them today? Please! The big success today was that the guy agreed it had been going on too long.
I'm off to the Turkish baths for the steam room and a detox massage.
And of course, today English Heritage posted a cool picture of Farleigh Hungerford castle on Facebook. It was so close to where I was yesterday! Rats--although it's a good excuse to go back, in case I needed one.
Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean everybody isn't out to get you... I have been living overseas for the better part of 17 years. Seventeen! You would think after all that time, the credit card folks could figure this out--but you would be wrong! Today I got a letter (dated 16 July) saying that had been trying to contact me. Really?! When I finally proved to their satisfaction who I was, he had questions about charges Sunday and today (22 and 24 July, respectively). I guess they just knew they were going to have questions today, so they mailed the letter so I would call them today? Please! The big success today was that the guy agreed it had been going on too long.
I'm off to the Turkish baths for the steam room and a detox massage.
23 July 2012
Still holding at 62 lbs--yippee!!
These are pictures from the rest of my trip.
These are pictures from the rest of my trip.
The Sea Trout Inn
A view of the pub
Dartmouth Harbor, near St Petrox Church
interior shot of the church
Dartmouth Castle, near St Petrox Church
white horse (chalk figure) near Nunney
Nunney Castle
interior shot of Nunney Castle
entrance to Nunney Castle from bridge over moat
Nunney Castle with its moat
Nunney Castle
Today, I headed off to Dartmouth, where I managed to find St Petrox Church and then to Somerset and Nunney Castle. What a cool castle! When I was there, the castle reminded me a little of Bodiam Castle in Kent, in that it has almost classic 'sand castle' lines, although it looked like the walls were pressed together and the towers stretched higher. When I looked at the English Heritage site later. the castle looks a bit like a Milk Bone dog biscuit :-)
After I finished at Nunney, I had the TomTom plot a route to one of the bases so I could hit the commissary. I wasn't really paying a lot of attention to where I was, so it was a bit of a surprise when I saw a sign for Stonehenge! I knew before I came over here that Stonehenge sits on Salisbury Plain but that didn't really mean anything until the first time I saw it. There is nothing on the plain but Stonehenge! You come up over a little rise and there it is! I wonder if anyone keeps statistics on how many wrecks occur there...
This was a great trip! It will be well worth another drive down there to see more of the castles. I put about 950 miles on the car in 2 days but it was worth it. I need to read a bit about Devon and Cornwall before I go back. I vaguely remember that Lorna Doone is set down there somewhere, I think...
Sunday 22 July 2012
22 July 2012
62 lbs!!! Woo Hoo--almost halfway there!
Today was great! First, I'll post some pictures (not real sure why they're not in the order I posted them
), then talk about the trip and finish with a rant.
It's a 5-1/2 hour drive from North Yorkshire to South Devon--and I left the bad weather behind! It's an absolutely stunning day down here on the English Riviera. I'm not sure if the 'English Riviera' bit is a joke or not--sometimes you just can't tell. But it is pretty country down here and--today at least--the weather is fabulous!
A little while ago, I liked English Heritage on Facebook and occasionally I get pictures of some of their properties in my news feed. Early this past week (or so), they posted a picture of Berry Pomeroy Castle which looked so cool I had to check it out. It's supposedly the setting/inspiration for several Gothic novels. When I put the post code in my TomTom, I found out it was only 5-1/2 hours away; since I had a good break this time, I fugured why not?! It's summertime and we have lots of light. So I made a booking at The Sea Trout Inn (which is actually pretty well sign-posted so it was easy to find) for Sunday night and set off. I had a great drive down and the weather just got nicer and nicer the further south I went.
Berry Pomeroy is supposed to be one of the most haunted castles in England, but today--on a nice sunny day--I didn't feel anything paranormal. Bummer! Although, given what 'good vibes' I was getting, that could almost be paranormal right there. Anyway, it's a great place for a picnic, plus they have a nice tea room right there in case you get a bit peckish and didn't bring your own picnic. I decided to hit Berry Pomeroy on Sunday because the tea room is not open on Mondays, which was nice to know going in. I'm not all that impressed with the English Heritage directions but they didn't steer me wrong for this castle; I didn't get so lucky with my other choices, but that's OK--it's nice enough down here for a return visit.
I've been making a conscious effort to stay away from the news with this latest tragedy in the States, but it's hard. Between the idiots who find it amusing, the arrogant (mostly) white jerks who go on about how bad the Aurora Mall is and the whole gun ownership issue, I'm struggling with this one. The very idea of the news saying the guy had no links to terrorism! By its very definition, this guy is a domestic terrorist! I think he may replace Timothy McVeight as the poster boy for home grown, domestic terrorism. And all the posts on Facebook about 'the Supreme Court has upheld my Amendment #2 right to bear arms'--sheesh! Is this the same Supreme Court who you rag about all the time because of Roe vs Wade? I'm just trying to get this straight. It's not a smorgeous board--you don't get to pick the rulings you like and only support them! I'm actually on board with your right to own a gun--it's assault weapon ownership (and those extra capacity magazines) I have an issue with. At some point--and I hope it's soon--we're all going to have to learn how to respect each other AND our differences! It's our differences that have made us great, not everyone agreeing with a few bigots!
Today was great! First, I'll post some pictures (not real sure why they're not in the order I posted them
), then talk about the trip and finish with a rant.
exterior shot of the Elizabethean manor house
another exterior shot of the Elizabethean manor house, centered on the entrance
Berry Pomeroy Castle, South Devon
Berry Pomeroy Castle with Elizabethean manor house and St Margaret's tower
Adoration of the Magi, a medieval wall painting in the gatehouse
Berry Pomeroy Castle's setting
interior shot of Elizabethean manor house
It's a 5-1/2 hour drive from North Yorkshire to South Devon--and I left the bad weather behind! It's an absolutely stunning day down here on the English Riviera. I'm not sure if the 'English Riviera' bit is a joke or not--sometimes you just can't tell. But it is pretty country down here and--today at least--the weather is fabulous!
A little while ago, I liked English Heritage on Facebook and occasionally I get pictures of some of their properties in my news feed. Early this past week (or so), they posted a picture of Berry Pomeroy Castle which looked so cool I had to check it out. It's supposedly the setting/inspiration for several Gothic novels. When I put the post code in my TomTom, I found out it was only 5-1/2 hours away; since I had a good break this time, I fugured why not?! It's summertime and we have lots of light. So I made a booking at The Sea Trout Inn (which is actually pretty well sign-posted so it was easy to find) for Sunday night and set off. I had a great drive down and the weather just got nicer and nicer the further south I went.
Berry Pomeroy is supposed to be one of the most haunted castles in England, but today--on a nice sunny day--I didn't feel anything paranormal. Bummer! Although, given what 'good vibes' I was getting, that could almost be paranormal right there. Anyway, it's a great place for a picnic, plus they have a nice tea room right there in case you get a bit peckish and didn't bring your own picnic. I decided to hit Berry Pomeroy on Sunday because the tea room is not open on Mondays, which was nice to know going in. I'm not all that impressed with the English Heritage directions but they didn't steer me wrong for this castle; I didn't get so lucky with my other choices, but that's OK--it's nice enough down here for a return visit.
I've been making a conscious effort to stay away from the news with this latest tragedy in the States, but it's hard. Between the idiots who find it amusing, the arrogant (mostly) white jerks who go on about how bad the Aurora Mall is and the whole gun ownership issue, I'm struggling with this one. The very idea of the news saying the guy had no links to terrorism! By its very definition, this guy is a domestic terrorist! I think he may replace Timothy McVeight as the poster boy for home grown, domestic terrorism. And all the posts on Facebook about 'the Supreme Court has upheld my Amendment #2 right to bear arms'--sheesh! Is this the same Supreme Court who you rag about all the time because of Roe vs Wade? I'm just trying to get this straight. It's not a smorgeous board--you don't get to pick the rulings you like and only support them! I'm actually on board with your right to own a gun--it's assault weapon ownership (and those extra capacity magazines) I have an issue with. At some point--and I hope it's soon--we're all going to have to learn how to respect each other AND our differences! It's our differences that have made us great, not everyone agreeing with a few bigots!
Saturday 21 July 2012
21 July 2012
61 lbs! Woo Hoo!!
Another good day at the Crime Writers Festival. I went to 2 sessions today; 1 at noon called "New Blood", moderated by Val McDermot and featuring 4 new authors and the other this evening at 8:30, an interview of Harlan Coben by Laura Lippman. Both were really good!
The "New Blood" panel featured Elizabeth Haynes (Into The Darkest Corner), David Mark (The Dark Winter), Oliver Harris (The Hollow Man) and Kate Rhodes (Crossbones Yard). I was able to get books by all of them except David Mark--they sold all his books early on--which turned out to be the one I would have liked to get most. All 4 sound really interesting, but David Mark's book is set in Hull, so it's close to home. He's a journalist over in Hull and he seemed to be the most interesting of the 4, although they were really were all good. He made a comment about all journalists wanting to be novelists, 'which explains why there is so much creative writing' in the news today :-) Ain't that the truth!?
Harlan Coben and Laura Lippman were both good, too. It was a bit weird hearinng so much 'America' after this much time in England. He's an author I've been meaning to start reading for awhile now, so I picked up one of his books. I'm also going to take a look at what Laura Lippman has written, too.
I'm just staying up long enough to get the last load of laundry in the dryer and then I'm off to bed so I can get an early start for South Devon in the morning. I'll have to keep reminding myself to stay out of the Devonshire Cream Teas ;-) Torture!
Another good day at the Crime Writers Festival. I went to 2 sessions today; 1 at noon called "New Blood", moderated by Val McDermot and featuring 4 new authors and the other this evening at 8:30, an interview of Harlan Coben by Laura Lippman. Both were really good!
The "New Blood" panel featured Elizabeth Haynes (Into The Darkest Corner), David Mark (The Dark Winter), Oliver Harris (The Hollow Man) and Kate Rhodes (Crossbones Yard). I was able to get books by all of them except David Mark--they sold all his books early on--which turned out to be the one I would have liked to get most. All 4 sound really interesting, but David Mark's book is set in Hull, so it's close to home. He's a journalist over in Hull and he seemed to be the most interesting of the 4, although they were really were all good. He made a comment about all journalists wanting to be novelists, 'which explains why there is so much creative writing' in the news today :-) Ain't that the truth!?
Harlan Coben and Laura Lippman were both good, too. It was a bit weird hearinng so much 'America' after this much time in England. He's an author I've been meaning to start reading for awhile now, so I picked up one of his books. I'm also going to take a look at what Laura Lippman has written, too.
I'm just staying up long enough to get the last load of laundry in the dryer and then I'm off to bed so I can get an early start for South Devon in the morning. I'll have to keep reminding myself to stay out of the Devonshire Cream Teas ;-) Torture!
20 July 2012
Still holding at 60 lbs lost--woo hoo!! Technically, I'm adding this entry on Saturday, but I'm calling it Friday because I'll have more to add later :-)
Finished up my class (and it's crappy schedule) and did fairly well (86%) on the test. Amazing how much better I do with someone who actually knows how to teach... Now I'm on break! Went to the first 2 Crime Writers sessions this evening: An interview of Kate Mosse (Labyrinth and others) by Dame Jenni Murray and a 'late night conversation' between Ian Rankin and Peter Robinson, 2 of my favorite British crime writers. Good news on the Scottish crime writing front: Ian Rankin has written a new Rebus novel and it will be out in November! Yippee!
And after much faffing around, I managed to install the TomTom directions to all the English Heritage properties on my TomTom--and get the maps updated. The directions were truly horrible, but I got there in the end. Hopefully this will solve the problem of the TomTom telling me to turn left into a field--thru fence. Sunday will tell...
Finished up my class (and it's crappy schedule) and did fairly well (86%) on the test. Amazing how much better I do with someone who actually knows how to teach... Now I'm on break! Went to the first 2 Crime Writers sessions this evening: An interview of Kate Mosse (Labyrinth and others) by Dame Jenni Murray and a 'late night conversation' between Ian Rankin and Peter Robinson, 2 of my favorite British crime writers. Good news on the Scottish crime writing front: Ian Rankin has written a new Rebus novel and it will be out in November! Yippee!
And after much faffing around, I managed to install the TomTom directions to all the English Heritage properties on my TomTom--and get the maps updated. The directions were truly horrible, but I got there in the end. Hopefully this will solve the problem of the TomTom telling me to turn left into a field--thru fence. Sunday will tell...
Wednesday 18 July 2012
18 July 2012
Life is good! Hanging ing there at 60 lbs, the weather is cooperating and the pork chops are on the grill. It just doesn't get much better! And I've discovered a new place to check out--English Heritage's Berry Pomeroy Castle in Devonshire. The romantic ruins of an Elizabethean castle and the inspiration for many Gothic novels. It's 5.5 hours away but it looks very neat. I love having a new trip to plan!
Tuesday 17 July 2012
17 July 2012
Woo Hoo! Another lb down--for a total of 60 lbs lost! Very impressive!! Today when I was leaving work, I ran into one of the guys I know; he looked at me kind of funny and finally asked, 'Have you...cut your hair...er...lost...?' I told him that yes, I've cut my hair--and colored my hair--and lost 60 lbs! What a great feeling.
I went to the spa baths tonight after work and I feel really good now. All that heat has made my knee very happy. And I made an appointment to go again next week, plus have a massage. Very decadent. They also have a little cafe in there so I had a pot of Raspberry Vanilla Tea while I was finishing cooling off.
I went to the spa baths tonight after work and I feel really good now. All that heat has made my knee very happy. And I made an appointment to go again next week, plus have a massage. Very decadent. They also have a little cafe in there so I had a pot of Raspberry Vanilla Tea while I was finishing cooling off.
Monday 16 July 2012
16 July 2012
Down another lb for a total of 59 lbs lost. Woo Hoo!! Last week of class too, so things just keep getting better. I'm beginning to think I may survive. The rain is getting ready to start again--not surprising since we had rain on St Swithin's Day (15 July), so we have 40 more days of rain to look forward to :-(
Sunday 15 July 2012
15 July 2012
Still holding at 58 lbs. I'm right on schedule with my lazy week-end, which I'm enjoying very much. The weather is looking like it wants to start pouring again real soon, so I fired up the barbie and grilled a small steak and a couple of red onions and had an early dinner. I am completely hooked on grilled red onions right now! They're so good!
One more load of laundry to finish and all my chores will be done, too. I'm practicing setting my expectations low so I'm not disappointed :-) Seriously though, sometimes I think I try to jam too much into my time off--especially on this awful schedule I'm on right now--and I get frustrated when I can't do everything. It was an epiphany last week when I was frustrated and angry with lots of things but I realized I wasn't frustrated with myself--and I was able to stick with the plan! And even though I haven't made much progress this week, I'm not back-sliding. I'm calling that progress!
I'm doing really well on the Dukan Diet--and I guess it's human nature to want to talk about things you're excited about. But some people just don't want to hear about another's success--they just want to complain. If that's what they want, fine--but I'm not going to hang around them anymore! They don't want to fix the problem--they just want to complain! If 90-95% of the world can shove their bums into standard-sized theatre or airline seats, who are these people to insist the world is out of step with them!? Could it be that they just might be out of step with the rest of the world? Hmmm... And why is it OK for them to make negative/hurtful comments--and then get all snarky if you offer a piece of well-meant advice? I think it's time to take a good look at some of the people I hang out with...
This next week-end is the Theakston's Crime Writers Festival. I have tickets for 4 of the events/talks, plus it's right at the start of a 5-day break. Woo Hoo! Crime Writers Festival at the beginning of the break and another Betty's class--Everyday Delicious--at the end. And if it's not raining in the middle, maybe a few picture-taking excursions. Life is good!
One more load of laundry to finish and all my chores will be done, too. I'm practicing setting my expectations low so I'm not disappointed :-) Seriously though, sometimes I think I try to jam too much into my time off--especially on this awful schedule I'm on right now--and I get frustrated when I can't do everything. It was an epiphany last week when I was frustrated and angry with lots of things but I realized I wasn't frustrated with myself--and I was able to stick with the plan! And even though I haven't made much progress this week, I'm not back-sliding. I'm calling that progress!
I'm doing really well on the Dukan Diet--and I guess it's human nature to want to talk about things you're excited about. But some people just don't want to hear about another's success--they just want to complain. If that's what they want, fine--but I'm not going to hang around them anymore! They don't want to fix the problem--they just want to complain! If 90-95% of the world can shove their bums into standard-sized theatre or airline seats, who are these people to insist the world is out of step with them!? Could it be that they just might be out of step with the rest of the world? Hmmm... And why is it OK for them to make negative/hurtful comments--and then get all snarky if you offer a piece of well-meant advice? I think it's time to take a good look at some of the people I hang out with...
This next week-end is the Theakston's Crime Writers Festival. I have tickets for 4 of the events/talks, plus it's right at the start of a 5-day break. Woo Hoo! Crime Writers Festival at the beginning of the break and another Betty's class--Everyday Delicious--at the end. And if it's not raining in the middle, maybe a few picture-taking excursions. Life is good!
Saturday 14 July 2012
14 July 2012
Still 58 lbs. It's a lazy week-end so far, which actually feels pretty good. I guess tomorrow I'll get seious and do some laundry, but for today it was reading and napping--and getting the last of the bookings sorted for the trip to France early next month.
It's the overnight ferry from Hull to Zeebrugge (because the roads on the Continent are better than the roads in the UK), a week in a self-catering cottage between Cherbourg and Bayeux, the Chunnel from Calais to Folkestone and a night at the Mermaid Inn in Rye. Will this finally be the trip that I'm motivated enough for the hike out to Camber Castle?!
Why is it you never see the spelling errors until after you hit the publish button--and then they scream off the page at you?
It's the overnight ferry from Hull to Zeebrugge (because the roads on the Continent are better than the roads in the UK), a week in a self-catering cottage between Cherbourg and Bayeux, the Chunnel from Calais to Folkestone and a night at the Mermaid Inn in Rye. Will this finally be the trip that I'm motivated enough for the hike out to Camber Castle?!
Why is it you never see the spelling errors until after you hit the publish button--and then they scream off the page at you?
Friday 13 July 2012
13 July 2012
Still holding at 58 lbs. Another week of class finished--1 more to go. I'll be very glad when it's all over. Don't know if I passed the exam--and don't much care!
On a more positive note, picked up tickets today for the Hairy Bikers in October at the Royal Hall. And got a couple more tickets to talks at the Crime Writers Festival next week; added Kate Mosse and some new authors to the Ian Rankin/Peter Robinson and Harlen Coben I purchased earlier.
On a more positive note, picked up tickets today for the Hairy Bikers in October at the Royal Hall. And got a couple more tickets to talks at the Crime Writers Festival next week; added Kate Mosse and some new authors to the Ian Rankin/Peter Robinson and Harlen Coben I purchased earlier.
Thursday 12 July 2012
12 July 2012
Plateau! Bummer--still at 58 lbs. Other than that, it was a pretty good day. Got my nails done, got a massage. And I did a bit of extra walking today.
Exam tomorrow then 1 more week of classes before I return to my regular schedule--and not a moment too soon. I really do not enjoy straight days!
It was another beautiful day today. I wonder how much longer the nice weather will last? I'm thinking puffins this week-end if it stays nice...
Exam tomorrow then 1 more week of classes before I return to my regular schedule--and not a moment too soon. I really do not enjoy straight days!
It was another beautiful day today. I wonder how much longer the nice weather will last? I'm thinking puffins this week-end if it stays nice...
Wednesday 11 July 2012
11 July 2012
Progress pictures:
Since I'm at 58 lbs lost, I thought I would update some pictures. Not too much else happened today, although the sun came out and it hasn't rained all day. It's a really nice day even if it is a bit windy.
Since I'm at 58 lbs lost, I thought I would update some pictures. Not too much else happened today, although the sun came out and it hasn't rained all day. It's a really nice day even if it is a bit windy.
Tuesday 10 July 2012
10 July 2012
Another lb, for a total loss of 58 lbs! Woo Hoo! Not really very much going on today. It's still raining, I'm still on day shift and I'm still in class. But more folks seem to noticing that I'm losing weight--so that's always a plus. I'm thinking about getting some new shoes as a treat... That would seriously scare them all at work!
Oh--and I foolishly volunteered to work the 1st 4 hours of someone's shift so I guess I'd better head to work. Wouldn't want to be late!
Oh--and I foolishly volunteered to work the 1st 4 hours of someone's shift so I guess I'd better head to work. Wouldn't want to be late!
Monday 9 July 2012
09 July 2012
Woo Hoo! Down another lb for a total of 57 lost! And my class wasn't awful today, so all-in-all, I'd call today a success! Good things happen when you set your expectations low enough...
I did NOT want to get out of bed this morning! I was so-o-o-o tired. I'm going to try to get to bed early tonight so I can get a bit more sleep--especially since one of my co-workers wants me to cover the first 4 hours of his shift tomorrow night so he can go to the Great Yorkshire Show and still get some sleep.
I was very bored at work this afternoon, so I was adding up rainfall totals since 1 Jan this year and last. [I did warn you I was bored...] Anyway, last year, between 1 Jan and 31 July, we had 13.8 inches of rain' this year, between 1 Jan and this afternoon, we've already had 25.4 inches of rain. June was the wettest since they started keeping records (3+ times the rain of June '11) and this month is shaping up the same.
I did NOT want to get out of bed this morning! I was so-o-o-o tired. I'm going to try to get to bed early tonight so I can get a bit more sleep--especially since one of my co-workers wants me to cover the first 4 hours of his shift tomorrow night so he can go to the Great Yorkshire Show and still get some sleep.
I was very bored at work this afternoon, so I was adding up rainfall totals since 1 Jan this year and last. [I did warn you I was bored...] Anyway, last year, between 1 Jan and 31 July, we had 13.8 inches of rain' this year, between 1 Jan and this afternoon, we've already had 25.4 inches of rain. June was the wettest since they started keeping records (3+ times the rain of June '11) and this month is shaping up the same.
Sunday 8 July 2012
08 July 2012
First the pictures, from Lothian and Fife Scotland:
Saturday, we headed off to Scotland, to have lunch at the Hawes Inn and visit Dunfermline Abbey. We were on the road by 8 am, with an ETA in South Queensferry of 'before noon'. The weather has been dreadful--and Saturday was no exception. We were about 20 minutes out when we came to a complete stop about a mile from the Straiton Junction on the Edinburgh by-pass and the road was closed--with no diversion! And very few people had any idea where they were! I had a vague idea of where we needed to be, so we headed that way. 3 1/2 hours later, we got to the Hawes Inn, which fortunately is that rare beast of a British pub these days and they were serving food all day. So we had lunch (a scallop starter and salmon for lunch for me) and took a few pictures.
Then we headed off to Dunfermline and the abbey, arriving seconds after the last admission at 5 pm. So I played the pitiful card--and because we're both members (I have Historic Scotland and Jeff has English Heritage) so she didn't have to collect any money--and she let us in. There's a lot to see there and well worth another trip. The church had closed early because they'd had 3 weddings on Saturday, but they were still cleaning and (pitiful card again) they let us walk thru so we got to see the memorial brass--and get pictures.
The trip home was slightly less eventful but it was still midnight when we got back. We stopped at the Errington Arms (a pub just outside of Corbridge) and I had salmon (with beetroot instead of potatoes) for dinner. I love beets--and these were really good.
I'm still on my plateau but I'm feeling pretty good about the diet in spite of it. We drove down to Mildenhall and Lakenheath today and got some stuff our commissary doesn't stock. It's still raining but we did have a few sunny patches--and no closed roads.
The Forth Road Bridge on a rainy day.
Swans
The Forth Rail Bridge in the mist.
The Hawes Inn, South Queensferry, Scotland
Dunfermline Abbey Church
Dunfermline Palace ruins
Memorial brass above the tomb of King Robert the Bruce
Cinderella lost her shoe
Saturday, we headed off to Scotland, to have lunch at the Hawes Inn and visit Dunfermline Abbey. We were on the road by 8 am, with an ETA in South Queensferry of 'before noon'. The weather has been dreadful--and Saturday was no exception. We were about 20 minutes out when we came to a complete stop about a mile from the Straiton Junction on the Edinburgh by-pass and the road was closed--with no diversion! And very few people had any idea where they were! I had a vague idea of where we needed to be, so we headed that way. 3 1/2 hours later, we got to the Hawes Inn, which fortunately is that rare beast of a British pub these days and they were serving food all day. So we had lunch (a scallop starter and salmon for lunch for me) and took a few pictures.
Then we headed off to Dunfermline and the abbey, arriving seconds after the last admission at 5 pm. So I played the pitiful card--and because we're both members (I have Historic Scotland and Jeff has English Heritage) so she didn't have to collect any money--and she let us in. There's a lot to see there and well worth another trip. The church had closed early because they'd had 3 weddings on Saturday, but they were still cleaning and (pitiful card again) they let us walk thru so we got to see the memorial brass--and get pictures.
The trip home was slightly less eventful but it was still midnight when we got back. We stopped at the Errington Arms (a pub just outside of Corbridge) and I had salmon (with beetroot instead of potatoes) for dinner. I love beets--and these were really good.
I'm still on my plateau but I'm feeling pretty good about the diet in spite of it. We drove down to Mildenhall and Lakenheath today and got some stuff our commissary doesn't stock. It's still raining but we did have a few sunny patches--and no closed roads.
Friday 6 July 2012
06 July 2012
Another day at 56 lbs. Finished/survived week 1 of the 3-week schedule from hell. We had a test this morning, which according to the schedule was supposed to be in the afternoon. Maybe I passed--maybe I didn't, but it's over and that's all I care about.
I've been bored, frustrated and depressed, although not about the diet, just about things in general. I've actally reached a point (and I hope I stay there, where I realize food is not going to solve my issues). Major step forward!
The weather has been very gloomy. I'm not normally bothered by SAD even in the dead of winter, but this is getting ridiculous! And it's supposed to rain all week-end long.
Tomorrow, we're going up to Dunfermline Abbey, which surprisingly is not under the care of Historic Scotland. Robert the Bruce is buried there. Depending on how much it's raining, we may also stop and see some of the Border Abbeys and maybe Roslyn Chapel, although if it's raining much that place will be as dark as a cave!
I've been bored, frustrated and depressed, although not about the diet, just about things in general. I've actally reached a point (and I hope I stay there, where I realize food is not going to solve my issues). Major step forward!
The weather has been very gloomy. I'm not normally bothered by SAD even in the dead of winter, but this is getting ridiculous! And it's supposed to rain all week-end long.
Tomorrow, we're going up to Dunfermline Abbey, which surprisingly is not under the care of Historic Scotland. Robert the Bruce is buried there. Depending on how much it's raining, we may also stop and see some of the Border Abbeys and maybe Roslyn Chapel, although if it's raining much that place will be as dark as a cave!
Thursday 5 July 2012
05 July 2012
Still at 56 lbs lost. Tht's the only down-side of daily weighings :-( Since today was a PV day, I had the grilled veggies from last night, Pretty tasty!
On a weather-related note, the BBC Met folks say we're going to get a month's worth of rain in the next 2 days. Gee, I hope they've got that wrong!
On a weather-related note, the BBC Met folks say we're going to get a month's worth of rain in the next 2 days. Gee, I hope they've got that wrong!
Wednesday 4 July 2012
04 July 2012
Happy Birthday, America! Many happy returns!
Still sitting at 56 lbs lost--yippee!
I'm sure I will never understand the attraction of working 9-5 (or 8-4:30) Monday-Friday. It's the schedule from hell! I'll take my rotating shift any time over this nonsense. I'm just 3 days into my 3 weeks of this--and I'm wishing my life away.
I needed prawns and eggs for the rest of the week, so I stopped by Sainsbury's on the way home, where I also picked up fresh asparagus, red onions, red peppers and spring onions. Between the rain drops (and what is up with this weather anyway?), I got some charcoal going, chopped up the veggies and put them on to grill. Tomorrow is a PV (protein and veggies) day and I'll have those with some plain fat-free yogurt and my prawns instead of the usual salad. I've been getting tired of the same old expensive veggies from the cafeteria--plus they're not very good quality--so I thought I'd try something different. I think it sounds delish!
My Kindle was abusing me but I've got it fixed. Somehow I managed to quadruple the font size but I found the place to fix it and it's back to normal size. No idea how I got into that menu in the first place but it's fixed now.
Still sitting at 56 lbs lost--yippee!
I'm sure I will never understand the attraction of working 9-5 (or 8-4:30) Monday-Friday. It's the schedule from hell! I'll take my rotating shift any time over this nonsense. I'm just 3 days into my 3 weeks of this--and I'm wishing my life away.
I needed prawns and eggs for the rest of the week, so I stopped by Sainsbury's on the way home, where I also picked up fresh asparagus, red onions, red peppers and spring onions. Between the rain drops (and what is up with this weather anyway?), I got some charcoal going, chopped up the veggies and put them on to grill. Tomorrow is a PV (protein and veggies) day and I'll have those with some plain fat-free yogurt and my prawns instead of the usual salad. I've been getting tired of the same old expensive veggies from the cafeteria--plus they're not very good quality--so I thought I'd try something different. I think it sounds delish!
My Kindle was abusing me but I've got it fixed. Somehow I managed to quadruple the font size but I found the place to fix it and it's back to normal size. No idea how I got into that menu in the first place but it's fixed now.
Tuesday 3 July 2012
03 July 2012
Yippee! Down another lb for a total loss of 56 lbs! 4 stone!, I'm 1/2 stone (or 7 lbs) away from the halfway point.
I'm supposed to be working a 'regular' day (i.e., 8 hours/day, 5 days a week) for the next 3 weeks. Ha! Yesterday, I worked 9 hours; today it was almost 12. Good grief! I usually work 12-hour shifts--and I normally don't mind--but this is silly. The clock in the room we're using is an hout slow--and I can't re-set it. We got started this morning at 8:30 (I'd been at work for 2 hours already) and took 1 break (!) before lunch at noon. I thought I would pop! We went back at 1 and at 5 I finally raised my hand and said "You know that clock is an hour slow and I need a break!" No one moved, so I walked out. At 6 I finally interrupted again and said "You know, I foolishly made plans for tonight..." Finally at 6:15 the instructor said we could go home but I was the only one who left. There's a real fine line between dedication and stupidity!
So now I'm off for sashimi... Very yummy!
I'm supposed to be working a 'regular' day (i.e., 8 hours/day, 5 days a week) for the next 3 weeks. Ha! Yesterday, I worked 9 hours; today it was almost 12. Good grief! I usually work 12-hour shifts--and I normally don't mind--but this is silly. The clock in the room we're using is an hout slow--and I can't re-set it. We got started this morning at 8:30 (I'd been at work for 2 hours already) and took 1 break (!) before lunch at noon. I thought I would pop! We went back at 1 and at 5 I finally raised my hand and said "You know that clock is an hour slow and I need a break!" No one moved, so I walked out. At 6 I finally interrupted again and said "You know, I foolishly made plans for tonight..." Finally at 6:15 the instructor said we could go home but I was the only one who left. There's a real fine line between dedication and stupidity!
So now I'm off for sashimi... Very yummy!
Monday 2 July 2012
02 July 2012
Another good day, although I am sitting on a little plateau right now. Still holding at 55 lbs, lost--which is surely a cause for celebration. The total--not the plateau.
Foxgloves in Scotland
Threave Castle, Dunfries and Galloway
Twelve Apostles Stone Circle, Dunfries and Galloway
Lincluden Collegiate Church, Dunfries and Galloway
Lincluden Collegiate Church, Dunfries and Galloway
Lochmaben Castle ruins, Dunfries and Galloway
Well, here they are--as promised--a few pictures from my day-trip to Dumfries and Galloway yesterday. We left Harrogate around 7:30 am and drove up to Dumfries, with a small stop at McDonald's for brekkie for Jeff and a coffee for me. [I'm happy to report that I've been off fried foods for so long that his breakfast didn't even smell good.] Anyway, we got up to Dumfries around 10:30; we had planned to do the Robert Burns House and the mausoleum but the house didn't open until 2 pm (really--it's the middle of the tourist season) and yesterday was the day they were celebrating Armed Forces Day in the UK and we didn't want to tour in the middle of a church service. Anyway, we went looking for the Globe Inn, but no joy--and I had foolishly forgotten the phone number. I stopped at a petrol station to get directions but everyone had a different way to get there. A nice man finally took pity on me and told me he'd drive over there and we could follow. What a star! We got close and then I had a cup of tea (Jeff had a Guiness) while we waited on them to start serving lunch.
Lunch was very good (roast beef with steamed veggies) and very diet-friendly. Since it was still hours before the Burns House opened, we decided to check out Threave Castle, about 1/2 hour away. Threave Castle was the island stronghold of Archibald the Grim, 3rd earl of Douglas--and chieftain of the Black Douglases. [Tantallon Castle Castle on the east coast near North Berwick was the stronghold of the Red Douglases.] He was known as "the Grim" for his 'fierce countance in battle'--and probably also for his unfortunate habit of hanging folks who displeased him on his doorstep. The only thing remaining is the shell of the keep, although in its day (late 14th century and onward) there would have been a bustling village on the island. The area is also Osprey habitat and it's nesting season, although we didn't see any. There's a boat ride across the Dee (one of the many Rivers Dee in Scotland) and I managed to get in and out without embarassing myself.
After Threave Castle, we went in search of the Twelve Apostles Stone Circle. According to the map, it's near the village of Newbridge, so we headed that way. No joy. We drove thru the village and came to a T-junction. I turned left and we drove for a few miles without spotting anything so we turned around and went back the way we came, going past where we had turned. Probably about 1/8 mile that way, I saw standing stones in a field! We stopped and had a look and we could see what might be gates so we turned around. As we were coming up to the turn, Jeff spotted a boulder that looked like it had a placque, so we got out and had a look. Sure enough, it was the Twelve Apostles Stone Circle, the largest henge in Scotland--and it doesn't even have a proper sign! But it has lots of cows! Now I'm the first to admit I know nothing about cows--but my guess is they were the young ones, not quite ready to be milked. We stopped at one of the gates to get pictures and they were very curious! There was a stile there and Jeff climbed over it but I didn't. The field was a mudhole from all the recent rain, so I got my pictures from the gate.
I had seen the sign for Lincluden Collegiate Church on our way to the henge, so we stopped there on the way back. Beautiful ruins! And the sky was very atmospheric with all the dark clouds, so I was real happy with those. Lastly, we headed over to see the ruins of Lochmaben Castle before we headed home.
I have 3 weeks of straight days, starting today for a class. I've been less-than-impressed with my classes. The guy teaching is very knowledgeable but he has no idea how to teach. I like him--he's a nice guy--but it's a struggle. Too many people here think the way to teach is to ask trick questions--or give you just enough info to lead you down the wrong path. Grrrrr! But this too shall pass... Eventually.
Sunday 1 July 2012
01 July 2012
I'm on a roll! Another lb lost for a TOTAL of 55 lbs! Yippee!
Today was a great day! We had lunch at the Globe Inn, one of Robert Burns' haunts in Dumfries--which gives you an idea of how old the place is since he died in 1796. It was a good lunch; roast beef and steamed veggies--very diet-friendly. After lunch, we headed off to Threave Castle, the Twelve Apostles Stone Circle, Lincluden Collegiate Church and Lochmaben Castle.
We had a bit of trouble finding the Globe Inn and I finally gave up and stopped at a petrol station for directions. Well--everybody had an opinion, most of which depended on me knowing where their favorite landmarks were. A very nice man took pity on me and had us follow him to a good parking place; it turns out the pub is in a pedestrianized area, so basically "you can't get there from here". Lunch was very good! I think tomorrow I'll add some pictures to this but for tonight, I'm pretty tired and I have to work a day shift tomorrow.
I've got my lunch mostly packed and ready to go so now it's time to head to bed. 'Night all...
Today was a great day! We had lunch at the Globe Inn, one of Robert Burns' haunts in Dumfries--which gives you an idea of how old the place is since he died in 1796. It was a good lunch; roast beef and steamed veggies--very diet-friendly. After lunch, we headed off to Threave Castle, the Twelve Apostles Stone Circle, Lincluden Collegiate Church and Lochmaben Castle.
We had a bit of trouble finding the Globe Inn and I finally gave up and stopped at a petrol station for directions. Well--everybody had an opinion, most of which depended on me knowing where their favorite landmarks were. A very nice man took pity on me and had us follow him to a good parking place; it turns out the pub is in a pedestrianized area, so basically "you can't get there from here". Lunch was very good! I think tomorrow I'll add some pictures to this but for tonight, I'm pretty tired and I have to work a day shift tomorrow.
I've got my lunch mostly packed and ready to go so now it's time to head to bed. 'Night all...
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