Day 11 – Ireland 🇮🇪 – NFD

So annoying…the site did its usual monthly having to log in thing, (I have it set to remember me) but this time, for the first time in 3 years, I had to put in my password. Which of course what I thought it was was incorrect. So had to get a new password.

Argh such faffing is so annoying.

Welcome back @flourbaby, we missed ya!

Going to my support bubble friend for dinner tonight so taking it easy on the food until then and just having a light lunch of sardines in a wholemeal wrap.

Happy hump day 🐫

Day 11, Emden Germany, NFD
Day 10

I didn’t have time to post yesterday, too busy with dancing, shopping and most of all: knitting. We hung up the winter curtains in the living room, they are a beautiful heavy burgundy cotton velvet, my parents had them made in 1965. They aren’t in a very good condition any more so we take them off in summer to protect them from the sun and now it’s always special when we get them hanging again.

@missybear and @at You’re welcome, for me it’s better to know I have company, it keeps me more accountable, well mostly.

@markie99 I’m not a skilled knitter either. The pink/black scarf became a loop scarf, I didn’t have enough for a longer one. I found lovely wool yesterday, after trying out a small 10×10 cm piece it looked so nice that I decided to knit a dress (I’m not the one for small projects). I tried all afternoon and evening to figure out how many stitches I would need, went from 75 to 60 but it doesn’t look that great so I’m going to make 2 scarves out of the wool. I looked up the basket weave pattern, it looks nice so I’m going to try it on the first scarf.

@betsylee Our insatiable cat can sleep for hours on one of our laps but when he thinks it’s time to eat, he gets up, hops on the table and looks at one of us until we get up and feed him.

@daffodil2010 Beware! If you start knitting, it soon gets addictive but it’s very relaxing and you can’t put anything in your mouth while doing it.

@flourbaby Oh yes, go for Victorian! We lived in a house from 1894 for 10 years. It had very high, painted ceilings, crown moling, murals in some rooms and even a small turret. We sold it before moving to Emden but we still miss the high ceilings. This is a picture of it, ours was the second house on the row with the small round turret.

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roonstra%C3%9Fe_41/43_(Wuppertal)#/media/Datei:Villa,_Roonstrasse_41,_Elberfeld,_Architekten_Haude_&_Metzendorf,_Tafel_29,_Kick_Jahrgang_II.jpg

@bellyblast We hardly had any snow the last 3 winters, I love sitting in front of the window and just look out to see the falling snow.

Pocket list day 11
@northgeorgia

ZBC day 11
@at
@northerndawn
@stitchincarol
@snowflake

DTF day 11
@at

Have a nice day everyone!

Day 11 UK

Just signing in to let you know I am still here. I read the posts everyday and am very pleased for those making progress and of course great sympathy for those struggling.

I feel I am in the the doldrums at the moment, have been for a little while and I it seems to be likely I will stay there. Can’t summon the energy to commit. . Not ill, but just bleagh if you know what I mean.
My mind is just not in the right place. I think lockdown might have something to do with it although I am not badly off, have OH so not solitary, but life just seems to be at a standstill.

On a better note I have made the Christmas cake that @i-hate-lettuce recommended and given it the first feed. OH watched me and said it looked a bit puddingy, if there is such a word, but I think it looks nice and moist. Can’t wait to try it.

Have just bought a Velvetiser which makes the most delicious hot chocolate and am sure that is contributing to my lack of weight loss but honestly it is so moreish and yummy.

A typical November day here, dull and damp, some nice sunshine would be nice.

Will pop in from time to time but a bit like @penz feel I am coasting along until 2021. Stop that thought right now, it is too far ahead and defeatist.

Off to make a hot chocolate ……oh dear…… but it will be my lunch.

TTFN

Day 11 Wisconsin USA OMAD

So far it’s been a good week. Eating well, meeting exercise goals. DH has his second cataract surgery today, otherwise staying close to home as we have been.

@northerndawn, I agree with your comments on the pandemic. We’re trying to follow guidelines because if our pace continues for even two or three more days in WI we will be rationing healthcare as well.

@snowflake56, hope you enjoy making the scarf in basketweave. I’m still knitting along on my blanket. As our weather cools I guess it will keep me warm while I knit :).

@annabelle48, glad to see that you are here.

@stitchincarol, I understand your frustration at not knowing your schedule. Hope that can somehow resolve so you can plan your days accordingly.

@northgeorgia, sorry you are bouncing right now but hang in there and you will soon bounce in the right direction.

Plan for Day 11:
OMAD, avoid sugar and processed foods
Continue steps, yoga and one other class of my own to be determined, maybe tai chi

Good luck to everyone, whichever path you are on.

Pocket list day 11
@northgeorgia
ZBC day 11
@at
@northerndawn
@stitchincarol
@snowflake
@northgeorgia
@markie99
DTF day 11
@at

Day 11 – Rural Nebraska, USA – Fast5

Okay, my discipline, self-control and will-power seem to have all fled. I start out the day with wonderful strength, and by the time I go to bed, I’ve, a-hem, to quote @daffodil2010, “seriously lost the plot”!!! I clearly need to keep busy until the last possible moment to cook supper (so I have no time to snack while I do so, and then begin to crave a beer to go with said snacks), and then have things to take me out of the house as soon as we’re finished eating, because being in the house too long is sabotaging my late-afternoon wavering will power. sigh. That goal of 141 by Christmas is looking a lot more difficult than when I was in the middle of October’s strength!

@songbirdme I happened across a recipe for sheet pan chicken yesterday on Taste of Home’s site (or maybe it was on AllRecipes and was from Taste of Home??) and there was a comment by Songbird with some numbers following…that doesn’t happen to be you, does it? Either way, it made me smile.

@ccco Oh, SUCH a bummer, and you were doing so very well! Hopefully your water fast has helped and you’re able to turn that gain around.

@northerndawn We woke up yesterday to ice on everything…and had many, many branches–many HUGE–on the ground. DH filled the back of his truck with branches first thing before he headed to the office, and took them to the village dump spot for branches. Throughout the morning, we had many more break off with a loud SNAP!! and fall to the ground; by the time he came home for lunch, there were more branches than he’d cleaned up in the first place! It was rather terrifying to hear inside the house, and was also far too cold and icy to try to deal with branches covered in ice (the weight of which is why they broke off and fell in the first place), so he just moved the largest one so he could get up the front porch steps and we’ll deal with them together today or tomorrow, as it gets a bit warmer. It’s a hoar frost out there again today, but the sun is out, so things will melt by afternoon.

@snowflake56 What a glorious house that was you lived in! I’ll bet it was just gorgeous inside! Say, for knitting a dress–or anything, actually–go to ravelry.com and create a (free) membership; there are thousands of patterns on there and you should be able to find a dress pattern in exactly the size yarn you want to use, and then directions to make it easy. The patterns used to all be free, and I’m noticing a trend now to charging for them, but they’re not high prices.

My piano student in Omaha cancelled lessons because he has a bad migraine, so I’m not going to Omaha at all…or perhaps I’ll go today as a way to stay out of the house, LOL! Who knows; it’s clearly another up-in-the-air day! @i-hate-lettuce, I hope your silence is simply because you’re gone to a treatment and not because you feel too awful to post.

Okay, today I’m going to double my efforts to embrace the hunger and celebrate the empty stomach. I will, I will, I will. It’s all good. Truly. It IS.

And so goes my mantra for the day, LOL!

And since it’s Veterans Day here in the USA, thank you for your service to all who have served to keep their countries safe!

Day 11 Oxfordshire, UK CD

Completed my gardening goals yesterday. Now have 4 Michaelmas Daisy plants and probably other bits left behind. The trouble was they were caught up amongst the Sedum which is looking colourful at the moment.
Also met water goal and calories came in at 1092 just below goal of 1100. Forgot to add myself to DTF list though.

Spent the afternoon re-instating my access to various accounts.
(@Daffodil2010 I feel your pain) I’m sure they change my log-in details, its not me forgetting them.

@stitchincarol – I don’t envy you having branches snap off. The garden behind ours had a very old beech tree. Late one night last year, in the pitch black, one of its main branches came down. This was due to being too heavy, but with water. Very frightening at the time. Its left a huge hole in the landscape too.

@annabelle48 – it’s so easy to feel ‘bleagh‘at the moment. The weather, covid, etc. DH & I are quarantining because we have been out of the country, 5 days to go. As the time has gone on I am finding it difficult to get on with things. I made a list before we started and have to force myself to do at least one thing on it each day.

Now I need to move.
Enjoy the rest of the day.

Pocket list day 11
@northgeorgia
@ccco

ZBC day 11
@at
@northerndawn
@stitchincarol
@snowflake
@northgeorgia
@markie99
@ccco

DTF day 11
@at
@ccco
@suki2

Day 11 – Lake District UK – NFD

@stitchincarol – I have treatment 5 days a week, Wednesday is my full day of chemo/radiotherapy, leave home 7.30am get back around 6pm, but feeling OK. But Monday and Tuesday I seem to run out of steam so a bit quiet.

I joined this forum in July last year and the cancer hit in July this, but I really do feel the support from folk here helps me with ‘normality’ – calling in and reading the daily exploits and pretty soon I will be ‘back to normal’ wrestling the ‘Inner Warthog’

Until then I may occasionally be just be sat quiet in the corner 😉

Day 11 USA (Illinois) NFD

Doing okay with temporary dental bridge. I have to be careful with crunchy or sticky items, the dental assistant told me, so no caramel for a while.

@annabelle48 – I think you have given me the perfect Christmas present for DH. He loves hot chocolate but really isn’t fond of making a good cup. Our Keurig is okay for it (fast at least) but not really creamy. The Velvetiser sounds perfect.

@stitchincarol – my comments on AllRecipes would be the full SongBirdMe or GwynneF, my real name. Sheet Pan Chicken sounds delightful, though. I get lots of my recipes from there and Taste of Home too.

Onward and downward.

Day 12 – NSW, AU – CFD

So… after I finished writing yesterday’s entry I had a fail, that block of chocolate was much too tempting and I ended up having 2 rows (an extra 250 calories) and of course broke my fast 2 hours in… so ended up doing 14.5 hour fast instead of a 16.5, oops. The rest of the kebab was eaten, as was the remaining 2/3s of the chocolate block for ‘lunch’ and alongside dinner that put me at 1200 calories, it’s well below my goal weight TDEE (even below my goal weight BMR so even more happy with that!!)

Also going to try and weigh myself tomorrow morning, here’s hoping it’s 96kg or below!!

Day 12 Oxfordshire, UK FD
A sunny day here in Oxfordshire. The rain last night has virtually stripped our red acer of all its leaves. DH & I were standing at the landing window discussing it when someone walked past and took a photo. 🙂
@ihatelettuce – your Wednesday’s really are the ‘hump day’🐫 as @funshipfreddie would say. Keep on keeping on.
I almost feel I should make my days more interesting to keep your spirits up.;-)
Well, yesterday DH decided he would start to knock down a piece of wall/old building at the back of our garden. When we moved in there was a Summer House in the garden and at one end was a fake fireplace. The summer house went years ago as the glass was becoming an issue and wood was rotting. The ‘fireplace’ filled an awkward triangle left by the side and back walls. Progress so far – he’s discovered a large slab of concrete supported by lintels and a cavity filled with what look like old tiles.

Yesterday’s CD became more of a NFD calorie wise but it is what it is.

Pocket list Day 12
@kazoo
@penz
@missybear
@suki2

DTF Day 12
@suki2

ZBC Day 12
@kazoo

Day 12 – USA/GA – NFD

Weigh-in: 235 lbs. (barely). Well, anomalies aside, I’m on the right track again, hoping to be 3 lbs. lighter by the end of the month! Since recording my efforts in 2016, there are only 12 days where I’ve been 235 lbs. or lighter, and this is one of them, so there is still plenty to be proud of!

I’m going to take Wednesday off before the Thanksgiving break (last Thursday and Friday of the month), so I’ve been trying to figure out how to manage this. Thanksgiving this year should just be pared down with not as much food or leftovers, so that’s a plus on the side of keeping the course! I think what I’ll do is shift my Monday FDs to Sundays on the weekends sandwiching Thanksgiving. That will let me fast on Tuesday of Thanksgiving week and leave Wednesday open for cooking and “testing” the food LOL, and getting back on track with a weekend FD. Then I’ll either do a 4:3 the first week of December or just have two days between my FD, just like I used to do when I first started in May.

Checked my TDEE, and I should be at or under 2300 calories a day. That’s something I need to be mindful of, as it’s around 250 calories less than when I first started. That’s half a FD allotment! Actually, it wouldn’t hurt to cut out an entire FD allotment, which would be closer to the TDEE of 200 lbs. Nice. I think I can visualize that. Now to find the hidden calories lurking on NFDs 😉

***

As we pull back into the parking lot of the hotel, Lola opens the glovebox and pulls out a pack of cards. We head back up to the room, trying to be quiet and respectful of the guests who have already turned in for the night. We open the door to our room and flick on the lights. Wesley puts Lola’s “breakfast” chocolate cake into the mini-fridge. Lola clears the small table and takes the deck of cards out of the box, placing the deck in the center. I grab a bottle of water from the mini-fridge and take my seat between Wesley and Lola. “Let’s play a game of Blackjack first,” says Wesley. We end up playing, talking and laughing until midnight surprised us. “I guess we better head to bed if we’re going to see anything of the Overlook tomorrow,” I say. “I’m going to brush my teeth,” Lola announces. “Well, hurry! I want to take a shower tonight so I don’t run out of hot water in the morning!” Wesley calls out. I put the cards back into the box and leave them on the corner of the table. I catch Wesley doing something on his phone, so I decide it is a good time to pull out mine and check my email. Junk mail, junk mail, electric bill due, chain mail, junk mail, that’s it. I put my phone away and walk into the double bedroom. “What time are we getting up in the morning,” Wesley asks. “Probably 7:00. That should give us time to get ready, pack, check-out, and head to the park.” Wesley says, “I’m going to set the alarm on my phone for that time.” I shrug as I had already set the bedside alarm clock for 7. I guess I’m old-fashioned that way. Within 30 minutes everyone has finished getting ready for the night and we close our eyes, awaiting tomorrow’s adventures.

***

Good luck to all on the pocket lists today!

Day 12, Emden Germany, NFD

@bellyblast, @stitchincarol, @penz, @flourbaby Yes, it was a beautiful house to live in but also an absolute money pit. I don’t think we’ll be able to buy another one like that. All the houses in the neighbourhood had interesting quirky things and the nice thing about that neighbourhood was that everyone was interested in renovation work and often had great advice. A lot of houses were demolished until 1972, no-one wanted to live there in those days so they were empty and rotting away. Buying old, dilapidated houses is what we like to do but the house we live in now will be the last one, we’re getting too old for this and after retirement we can’t go on spending lots of money on a house without getting anything out of it after selling it.

@stitchincarol “Okay, my discipline, self-control and will-power seem to have all fled”, that’s me at the moment. My DH took a few days off and we’re enjoying cooking and eating. Will get back on track from next week on, I hope. How scary this breaking off branches thing sounds, I wouldn’t have any rest at all. Thank you for the pattern adress, I’ll have a look later.

@markie99 The basket weave pattern doesn’t work on the wool, it’s color changes from grey to pink,red, lilac, purple, blue and green and then back again so you could barely see the basket weave pattern. I’m now knitting in something called (in Dutch) a patent stitch.

@bellyblast When does the skiing season start?

@kazoo Welcome back!

@suki2 Old tiles sounds very interesting, how old was the summer house? I’d love to have an octagonal summer house but what to do with it? Please keep us updated on the progress!

DH is trying to make waffles, the first one came out tasty but a bit dry. The second one is delicious, no wonder I’m gaining. This afternoon we’re having dirty Martini’s while doing a video chat with Dutch friends.

Pocket list Day 12
@kazoo
@penz
@missybear
@suki2
@flourbaby

DTF Day 12
@suki2
@flourbaby
@at

ZBC Day 12
@kazoo
@flourbaby
@at
@northerndawn
@stitchincarol
@markie99
@snowflake56

Have a nice day everyone!

Day 12 – second post

Oops, @snowflake56, our posts crossed, so I’ll fix the lists, and I’ll include the exercise one that I forgot myself.

Pocket list Day 12
@kazoo
@penz
@missybear
@suki2
@flourbaby
@stitchincarol

DTF Day 12
@suki2
@flourbaby
@at
@stitchincarol

ZBC Day 12
@kazoo
@flourbaby
@at
@northerndawn
@stitchincarol
@markie99
@snowflake56

Exercise 30×5
@stitchincarol

Day 12 UK

Just popping in quickly.
@penz thank you for your encouragement.
@songbird me Hotel Chocolate, which makes the Velvetiser, has an offer on at the moment with a £20 discount. You might like to look at their site. Cheaper than Amazon.

TTFN

USA. Day 12. FD

Just checking in!

Pocket list Day 12
@kazoo
@penz
@missybear
@suki2
@flourbaby
@stitchincarol
@ccco

DTF Day 12
@suki2
@flourbaby
@at
@stitchincarol
@ccco

ZBC Day 12
@kazoo
@flourbaby
@at
@northerndawn
@stitchincarol
@markie99
@snowflake56

Exercise 30×5
@stitchincarol

Day 12 Canada FD

Not enough sleep by any stretch last night so will need to be on watch for grazing today. It’s only 10am and I am yawning:)

@snowflake56 we have some cross country skiing opening tomorrow. The alpine resort is being cautious with the pandemic and waiting until next month. Our cases are jumping up so anything is possible.
@diana123 hope you husbands new treatment becomes easier for you both x

Pocket list Day 12
@kazoo
@penz
@missybear
@suki2
@flourbaby
@stitchincarol
@ccco
@brightonbelle
@bellyblast

DTF Day 12
@suki2
@flourbaby
@at
@stitchincarol
@ccco
@brightonbelle

ZBC Day 12
@kazoo
@flourbaby
@at
@northerndawn
@stitchincarol
@markie99
@snowflake56
@brightonbelle

Exercise 30×5
@stitchincarol
@brightonbelle

Day 13, Emden Germany, FD!

I really need a FD today, my weight is going up too fast. Dance class at 8:30, that’s always a good start of the day.

@i-hate-lettuce I hope this week wasn’t too bad for you and you can enjoy the weekend. Only 2 more week to go.

@diana123 I hope the new treatment will improve your DH’s condition. Aphasia is difficult to deal with, it makes everyone so helpless.

@penz Post FD relief sounds good to me, I hope to have that tomorrow or perhaps even PFDS.

@markie99 I hope your DH’s cataract surgery went well, I also remember how long patients had to stay in hospital after having surgery when I started nursing. Nowadays it’s sometimes scary to see how fast everyone has to go home again.

@stitchincarol Even a tiny victory is a victory!

@bellyblast Everything is so different this year, everything has to be ajusted depending on Covid 19 numbers, they are jumping up here also.

@msfriendly Are you still with us? How are you doing so far?

Pocket list day 13
@msfriendly
@snowflake56

ZBC day 13
@at
@northerndawn
@stitchincarol
@snowflake56

Exercise day 13
@snowflake56 💃

Have a nice day everyone!

Day 13 – Lake district UK -NFD

Good morning everyone

Friday weigh in day, bit different for me as the medics don’t want me to lose weight during treatment. But it’s pretty well unavoidable due to the fact swallowing is a problem! However, the body needs nutrition and between MrsIHL and a supplementary high protein drink, managing to lose slowly!

But another milestone crossed for the first time I’ve broken the 100 kg barrier ….. down to 99.8kg

So since joining the monthly challenges and 5/2 WOL on 26/7/2019 I’m down by a total of 45 lbs or 20.4 Kg and I’m convinced that losing the weight etc has been a massive help through the last few weeks! Great news from yesterdays review with Oncologist with two more weeks to go then starts recovery! She has weighed us up very quickly, between us the consulting room is far from miserable, sometimes it’s about attitude, we ended up laughing like drains (again) the poor nurse who was in with us couldn’t believe it!

Overnight downpours have ‘washed the air clean’ so going for an amble this morning for half an hour blow away the cobwebs, managed a bit in the garden yesterday but had a quick powernap afterwards, energy a bit low, but got on top of gardening jobs early with a bit of forward planning!

Neighbours, we’re lucky to live where we do and have fantastic neighbours. 3 of our closest, who are very much our friends, readily volunteered to help with anything we need. Typically we are very independent, but on this occasion the 3 guys have been providing transport one day a week are doing today and Monday as well, which gives MrsIHL a four day break break over the weekend ready for the finishing straight!

Well blethered my way through that, but thanks for your comments and across T’internet, it’s surprising what spurs yiu on, those of us (and partners) who have health problems. The section of this forum is for ‘Support, chat and encourage’ which it does very nicely indeed!

Take care all

Day 13 Oxfordshire, UK CD
Not a bad 2nd FD this week. I always find the second one harder than the first. Going to try for a CD today and limit the wine.

@ Diana123 thinking of you and your DH
@ihatelettuce – we too have lovely blue skies, such a mood booster at this time of year.
@ Snowflake56 – summer house was probably as old as the house. Built late 1960s. We’re not sure where the tiles have come from, maybe there was an older building on the plot before our house was built. Can’t get to them at the moment DH hasn’t chipped away enough of the top slab.

Day 13 – USA/GA – NFD

Weigh-in: 236 lbs., just a few ounces tipped me over. Kind of a plateau week, but expected that after the very low weigh-in date. Good to be averaging in the mid 230s! Lost 1/2 an inch from my waistline in the past month.

***

The next morning, I get up early, shower, and put on my rugged outdoor wear. Today’s the day we go to the Overlook! At the table, Lola is eating her chocolate cake for breakfast. “Good morning!” I say inquisitively. Lola quickly hides her lips, as if they have betrayed her secret. “You caught me with a mouthful of cake,” she mumbles. “Do you want to finish the rest?” I take a bottle of water from the refrigerator and an apple I brought with me. “No thanks! Maybe Wesley will want it, though.” Lola dusts herself off and heads to the bathroom. “My turn,” she says, closing the door. Wesley stumbles out of the bedroom, buttoning up his shirt. “Good morning,” I say. “Mmrph,” Wesley grumbles. “Cake?” I ask. “Coffee,” Wesley murmurs. I point him in the direction of the coffee machine. Yep, going to be a great day.

***

Good luck to everyone on the pocket lists today!

Day 13 – Rural Nebraska, USA – Fast5

WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THE TIME?? WASN’T IT JUST SEPTEMBER????

Okay, I’ve giving in to reality, LOL! I get that feeling every single day when I type what day of the month it is; time really is flying past.

The gal who agreed to clean for me is coming around 9:30. This house is picked up and put away, the closet project is complete (I had to get the rest of the clothes out of the bedroom, you know), and I’m remembering why I love having a cleaning lady: it forces me to pick up and tidy up in a substantial way instead of the cursory way I typically do. Fingers crossed that this gal cleans well!

Yesterday’s FD was nearly flawless, and I was still 150.0 this morning, so I clearly gained weight from my EE last week, and that weight is clearly not in any hurry to go away and let me back into the 140s.

@diana123 I’m so sorry to hear of your husband’s problems; I hope everything settles smooth soon and that he feels much better!

@brightonbelle How was the Thai Red Curry?

@penz Huge thanks to you for reaching out; I happened across your message just at the moment when my will power was faltering, and thanks to you, I stiffened up and powered through! So here’s my hand reached out to you for your own will-power-strengthening!

@toady YAY for you and getting below 96kg!!

{{{{{{{{{{ @kazoo }}}}}}}}}}

@northerndawn Bummer on the hot water heater, and glad you found a terrific plumber

Okay, time to get dressed and ready to welcome the cleaning lady! Woo-HOOO but I’m delighted!!

Day 13 Canada NFD

Yesterday’s FD was an epic fail. The lack of sleep was to blame and I knew by lunchtime it just wasn’t going to happen. Oh well, today is a new day and I had a fantastic sleep 💤 last night 😊
Fresh snow overnight and DH is out shovelling our path. First cross country ski of the season is on the schedule ❄️

@markie99 enjoy the 🎂celebrations, your grand kiddos sound like they are both great.
@i-hate-lettuce your attitude is amazing and makes me give my head a shake. Love reading your posts
@kazoo I hope you are getting all the support you need, it’s good to hear your spirits are lifting. Take care 🙏
@northerdawn what an ordeal, glad all is sorted out now!

Going to have a controlled few days. Monday is weigh in day right @suki2 and I think I am not going to be where I want 😟 Take care and have a happy day 💪

Day 13 USA (Illinois) NFD

Sunny and cold here in N IL today – invigorating to get up and exercise. Yeah. A Facebook friend had posted squash soup made in the crockpot, so bought an acorn squash and am going to try the recipe tomorrow. Cold weather is so good for soup. https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/229087/roasted-acorn-squash-soup/

@northerndawn – oh so sorry your water heater had to be replaced. Sure sounded like ours just a month or so ago – leaking all over the basement floor. Can’t complain, though, as I calculated that one had lasted nearly 27 years! Good brand (Harvestore) but the new one did require quite a change in piping and venting. We LOVE our local plumber guys, and you’re so right about finding quality workers.

@i-hate-lettuce – still sending hugs and prayers to you.

Onward and downward.

Day 14 – Lake district UK – day 14

Good morning everyone

Amazing what a couple of good nights sleep does! Feeling rather well this morning, but rain might just stop a decent walk. Very mild recently, I might even just have to top the lawns, the grass is still growing, albeit slowly.

However a couple of indoor jobs to do but might have a sneaky brew-day down in ‘the Den’ brewery. I took delivery of some nice new shiny stainless steel kit recently assembled and cleaned ready for use.
Although I can’t drink at the moment I can build up ‘stock’ for a Christmas supply for friends and neighbours.

A decent rugby match on TV yesterday, the Autumn Internationals, Ireland vs Wales. Well done Ireland, excellent first half, plenty of fast play of the ball. They also defended well when Wales started strong in the second half, good entertaining rugby!

I’ve been blethering on about my health recently and I hope others and their families who have ongoing health issues and their families are coping.
Typical bloke, I’m actually quite a private sort of person (bit of a lone wolf) not very good at ‘voicing’ what’s going on, especially health-wise, but have found I can ‘say’ things here and it’s a release of some sorts and have found it really helps?

@bellyblast – Mentioned it last winter, I really envy the idea of cross country skiing, nearest we got was a few years ago in Norway, dog sledding and a snowmobile trip. The dog sledding was brilliant, the scenery fantastic, all the dogs wanted to do was run run and run again! But the snowmobile trip ….. wow.

We were out for a nice long trip out from Alta, we were togged up and had a snowmobile apiece accompanied by a guide, we left the lodge travelling through the forest trails getting higher and higher. Once above the tree line we were on the Finnmark Plateau high up and crystal clear views for miles, just fabulous.
When we reached a high point we stopped and turned the engines off, the total silence and the air so clean, just stunning, a trip of a lifetime!

Well that’s me now going to look in the diary and some ‘photos later.

Take care all