Good luck on your FD tomorrow. I expect I shall end up doing one also as my appetite has diminished so much but, then, I have a lot of body fat that can be burnt instead. It took a few days to get to this place but it seems like a piece of cake now 😇 Mustn’t speak too soon 😈

Hello Tillergirl

I just got back from my weekly course on a Friday. As it was our last lesson of term our teacher asked
us to “bring in some nibbles” and today is my fast day, so I nipped into M&S and got a couple of savoury things. It wasn’t too bad but I could have done without that ! Anyway, it’s all over now until after Easter, then I’ll do another term.

I got on the scales this morning and had gone up slightly so I’m not quite so ‘gung ho’ as I was but I’m soldiering on (until Mothering Sunday when I will have to eat with the family). Still, could have a lot worse things happening.

Are you doing OK today ?

Hi tillergirl,
Firstly, if you are at the stage of looking at care, may I suggest you look at mha.org.uk ? This is the charitable arm of the Methodist Church and therefore two thirds the price of a commercial home. Although it is Methodist you do NOT have to have religion to go there and it is not pushed. Their homes are very modern and the one my mum was in was brilliant. The funding for all of this is a nightmare, but you can get it successfully if the person needs nursing care and not social care. You just have to be aware of this and fight your corner and go through the assessments, etc. I expect they covered that on your course,
My name will be a clue to the course I am doing ! I’m doing three years Latin at Oxford University Continuing WEducation. I’m two years through it. I did a Certificate in History of Art in 2010. That was 2 years. But in my spare time I love watching Jeremy Kyle ! I also paint a bit, oils usually and portraits. That’s all I am capable of.
What sort of art are you doing ?

Anyway, back to the weight issue ! Yep – keeping a mental picture of me as Daphne is definitely helping me keep in line although today did go to worms a bit. You seem to be getting on top of it so well done. It does get easier doesn’t it? I am looking forward to your Monday result !

I’ve slipped a lot tonight eating stuffed vine leaves (left over from my class, bought them cos I thought they were appropriate) and drinking Pinot Grigio but I figured that I would turn today into something more exciting ! Tomorrow I will be in Daphne mode definitely.

Well, definitely keep MHA In mind for the distant future. Unfortunately dementia only gets worse. Emphatically, you do not have to be a Methodist or even a Christian for MHA, but I hope you never have to go this route. My mum was 90 when she went into a home. It got to the stage where we could not leave her even to go shopping. She did have four happy years there. She would probably have fallen down the stairs here in our house. …… oh dear… I hate to think about it.

The thing I learnt with my mum was never to challenge her memory. Well, I wouldn’t have done that anyway, but my older sister was awful and would ask her ‘test’ questions and this was stupid and cruel and plain uninformed. I’m sure you realise
that already. Actually it’s plain human kindness.

It seems to me that keeping up the art classes is a good thing because as well as loving them, it is also an ‘escape’ and that is a good thing. I only did the History of Art initially because I was looking after my mum, and as a way of making that time also mean something for me.

Yes, it is great that we can still improve with further education. I did Latin at school and loved it but there was never an opportunity to keep it up after
leaving school but this course is great and I am loving it. My lecturer is so enthusiastic – like a big puppy !

All best xx

It’s so good to hear you’ve all had
a lovely day out. How great to have a Carers Group. It’s been nice here too and I spent a bit of time doing some weeding in the garden. Did you make the bread at the farm ? If so, it sounds like a very organised place. It’s great that Ken enjoyed himself too even though he’s not going to remember it. It’s all in the moment isn’t it.

🐐🐐Yep, goats are cute.🐐🐐 One of my grannies used to keep one and then when I was first married our neighbours kept them and I bought our daily milk from them. They do have nice little faces.

I don’t know what it was with my sister really, she just seemed to have no understanding of it at all. I don’t think she realised it could be stressful for mum to be tested. I think it was more to see how bad mum was. I used to nip it in the bud pretty quick. Dementia is a very misunderstood thing, I think, until you have cared for someone with it.

The very best of luck with FD tomorrow. Fasting and being sociable somehow don’t seem to go together. ⚖️Remember you’re weighing on Monday ⚖️ We’re going to our son’s and he and hubby are cooking a roast whilst Cindy and I and the girls sit in front of the log burner 👩‍👩‍👧‍👦 Well, that’s the plan. I expect we’ll play cards or a game later on.

We’re having the builders in on Monday to restore and repoint a stone fireplace so we had to make the room dust proof with sheets of polythene. I think we’ve managed it. I’ve been wanting to get this done for years so I’ll put up with anything ! It’s going to take a week.

Have a good day tomorrow and I will also. 💐

Hi Tillergirl

I’m eagerly awaiting your weigh-in You’re sounding as though you have the fasting technique.
I’m OK with not eating too. It gets easier as it goes along for me.

We had a lovely day yesterday. We ended up watching the football as one of my granddaughters plays in a girls’ team and was keen to watch it. The other one can’t stand it so she cleared up with my hubby and they had a good chat about school and friends, etc. She is very open with him.

When we got home this morning the cats were traumatised as the builder was here and had the big drill going (I hadn’t thought about it upsetting them). They’re OK now that we are here. He said he was very impressed at how we had dustproofed the room. Unfortunately what he is uncovering is a bit disappointing.

Today will be my last fast of March. I have signed up for April. The challenge is such a good idea.

Hello Tillergirl

That’s a good result. I’ve signed up for April also. I don’t see why you shouldn’t lose another three pounds over the next couple of weeks. You seem to be getting back on to 5:2 or 4:3 in your case. I’m not sure what my loss is at the moment because we stayed away last night and I didn’t weigh this morning. I think the April challenge will keep us focussed. 10st 7lbs is the weight I would really like to be. That is what I have as my target on my weight chart.

My daughter in law runs the football team. She founded it with a friend a few years ago and it is improving all the time. They are a village team in the local league.

There seems to be such a need for someone working in your daughter’s field. Another of my daughter in laws works in this area too. She travels around schools advising teachers how to deal with autistic children and helps them with resources.

Anyway, back to us …………………… we’re both doing pretty good. 😇😇

Hi Tillergirl

I’ve had a bad day today. I got a phone call at 12.20 lunchtime saying “where are you ? Have you forgotten me again?” And, yes, of course I had. My girlfriend who I go out with fortnightly was waiting for me to pick her up, with her friend in tow, and I had truly forgotten. I was gardening. So, it was a quick change and I met them at their local pub (a greasy spoon place) for lunch instead of the nice place we were planning to drive to. I had a burger, salad and chips. Didn’t eat the bun or many chips. The bad thing about this is that I confirmed this with her only two days ago and I had totally forgotten; also i had forgotten her the previous fortnight as well!!

I was planning a lean eating day today and it didn’t happen but it was nice to meet her friend who is down from Sheffield.

My three targets would be 11st7lbs, 11st and then 10st7lbs. I haven’t been in the 10’s for years. 25 years I believe. At the moment I am grateful to be under 12 stone. I am 5’6″. Mothers Day put my weight loss in jeopardy. I put on a few pounds. Doesn’t take much for me to do that. Still, I think I will keep to my target which was to be under 12 stone at the end of March.

Tomorrow we have friends coming and they are staying the night so that’s another write-off as far as fasting is concerned. Still, I will make a supreme effort in April.

The builder is doing well. He has had to build up the back of the fireplace and will be rendering it tomorrow. I was prepared for that. It’s going to be behind a wood burner so it will be OK.

All is well here really, I’m just a tiny bit frazzled !

Hi Tillergirl

I just did a post but it went haywire, as though somebody else was writing it ! However, just to say all is well here and hope you are also. Had the hair done. Cross between a Daphne and a sheepdog.

All best

Hi Tillergirl,
I see you lost 3lbs on the challenge so good for you.

I’ve signed up for April as I simply must carry on. My month was funny really as I got to the point where weight was dropping off and had gone down 6lbs and then I increased 4.6 lbs over a couple of days and stayed there. However, having had a taste of that loss, I am determined to get it again.

The trigger that sets me off is socialising. I seem to be able to cope with most things if I am by myself. If I’m with other people then I go along with the flow both in food and drink. I’m not expecting to be doing much in April so I should be OK. We have been invited to 👑 “a certain person’s” 👑 garden party in May so it would be good to do better in April. We have been invited out to lunch today, which is unusual for us but it just so happens he was a chef and he is French ! I think steak tartare is on the menu which is fine but I expect there will be wine and then more wine. It is difficult to refuse wine from a French man.

Good luck to you in the April challenge (and to me also) xx

Hi Tillergirl ,

Yep, that is definitely a new outfit, complete with hat. I’ve been looking around but haven’t found anything yet but I’m sure something will turn up.

My calorie allowance is 1581 and BMR is 1318 on present weights. Will re -input to see what it says. I’ve always said that I need to starve myself to lose weight and I think, with this concept of fasting, that I was pretty near the truth.

We had a very nice lunch with our French friend and English wife. Very civilised. Had to come home by taxi because of wine consumption. I shall be knuckling down tomorrow though.

Going to watch TV now …….. xx

Hi Tillergirl

🌸🌺🌹I’ve been thinking about you and Ken and hope all is well. 🌹🌺🌸

I bet that was nice, getting away from it all including the internet. Glad to hear that Ken is pottering about as well. It seems that you were spoiled too ! You just have to do it sometimes don’t you.

Good luck with the Cardiologist’s Secretary.

I have only gone down about 2lbs so far this month. I’ve been down a lot and then up a bit but I have drank more wine because it has been such lovely weather and we have been outdoors a lot.

Today I shall be tackling weeds that won’t go through digging alone. This year I bought some ‘devil’
weed killer and I’m using
that on them. For years I’ve just relied on digging and weeding and I’ve decided that I need the chemicals for at least one year.

Anyhow, back to the fast. I’m doing one today and then Wednesday and Friday. I hope you will join in again.

All best. 🦆🦆

PS. we have a pair of ducks in the garden. They’ve been here a couple of weeks now. She laid one egg but it was a soft shell.

I put on 3lbs after lunch with the Frenchies but it only took two days to get it off so, yes, I think if it goes on quickly it comes off fast too. I’m sure you’ll do well with three fast days in a row.

We are near the river but we are at the top of the hill and, of course, the river is at the bottom. The ducks fly in every year to eat the frogspawn in the pond. It is a modest pond but they still manage to land on it. Very often a few of them (normally a number of drakes and one she duck) stick around until they have paired off. This year one pair have stayed and she produced that egg. Pete looked it up on the internet and it said this can occur if the duck is immature.

We get quite a lot of wildlife in this garden, which can be entertaining. One day I was walking in with my shopping bags and I heard something so said to hubby ‘ I could swear I heard a peacock calling’. And blow me, there was a male peacock walking down the line of the hedge. It didn’t stay long. Apparently it lives down by the river. I think all these birds move around a lot in the Spring.

🍀Good luck at the GP’s. 🍀

Tillergirl !

What a palaver indeed ! Hopefully, if it is angina, then that can be treated fairly easily I think, but going for the appointment and the tests will be a bit of a trial. Let’s hope you get an appointment soon. Must be very stressful for you because I suppose Ken can’t tell you how he is.

I’m joining you in a FD today. This is my last chance before family stay over tomorrow and the day after and then it all seems to go to pot but, I agree, this warmer weather does help. My appetite seems to lessen in Summer and then ramps up in Winter, but I drink more wine in Summer. I don’t really want it in Winter because it’s too cold. Swings and roundabouts I think.

Yep, the ducks love frogspawn which is a good thing because we have so many 🐸 little frogs 🐸 here. I see them when I am weeding in the borders. It can be a bit of a fright when they jump.

I’m on the downward trend again so I’m hoping I can keep it that way this time. I’m almost down to my lowest again, one more pound to go and then I’m in new territory.

Good wishes for a FD today to you (and to me also) x

I’m still trying to work out what you ate with your celery 😀 Lucky old you. (I know it’s not luck really!)

I went to bed at 7.30 and didn’t get up until about 8.30 this morning. I was still yawning this morning ! I’m functioning now as I’ve had to make beds and vacuum around for family coming, but hubby helps me a lot.

Yesterday I was also trying to compose an objection to a Planning Application that is going on in our town, the deadline being today, so that made me tired also but I did manage to get it in online before I finally collapsed.

Still we’ve got a nice couple of days coming up. It’s brother and sister in laws anniversary today (they are on their way here) so we are taking them out for dinner and then the next day their son and his child are flying in to Heathrow from NZ so we are picking them up and will all spend 24 hours here before SIL and BIL take them down to their home on the south coast. We are a bit of a half way house.

We don’t have any plans for Easter. I was going to buy myself a large Easter egg with icing sugar flowers on but I have decided against it now. I’ll keep it as a fantasy instead.

Maybe the duck will lay me an egg instead 🦆

Hope this finds you all well x