Well, the kitchen is starting well. I got the last bits and pieces out yesterday. Had a phone call about 8pm from kitchen man. The guy who was coming today is at the hospital as his little boy has broken his arm and having it operated on this morning so they won’t be starting til tomorrow. We were supposed to be here for their first day but we have places booked from tomorrow so it will be a mad rush in the morning, talking to
them then a long drive to Dorset. So much for an ultra expensive, no hassle job! Now I keep having to go to the other end of the house for stuff I need but packed away! (Sorry for little boy though). Thought I’d better add that bit. 😂😂. And we have booked a meal out tonight which we didn’t need to now. Still going though! Rant over……

So, it’s exactly four months since I started this, 24lb down. Lowest I have been for years. Nine pounds to target but more after holiday. Know I can lose it again though.

Dave, I would be so excited to see my dog again after two weeks, I love that you love her so much. ❤️❤️
Minols, watch that back. So draining, not being able to get comfy.
HH glad you are going to accept your weight as it is. Life is too short to struggle to keep below what your body wants to do.
Nana, happy 49th anniversary.
Jean, have a good day, and hello to Cakey. Haven’t heard from Kay for a while. Hi if you are reading and lurking!

Will post while I am away to confess sins but perhaps not every day. Keep well all.

So chuffed for you, Mel – the weight, not the kitchen delay!

Just had porridge on the basis that it’s better to eat a little something that’s really satisfying, than go until I’m too depserate to make sensible decisions.

Should be cracking on with some writing this afternoon, but I think I might pop into the Primary school and see how their harvest preparations are going instead. Tough choice…fun kids or funeral writing…no brainer! And the gentle stretch will do me good.

Mx

Afternoon all!
Minols- poor you with your back again 😢, a gentle hug for you. Hope you can find a more comfortable position other than standing all day…harvest festival at school definitely trumps a funeral speech! Hope you stay strong fasting…
Mel- such a shame about the kitchen, & a rush tomorrow- a good reason though. Well done on 24lbs off!! Enjoy the meal out tonight too…
Jean- hope your FD goes quick, is Steve doing any fasting with you? Don’t blame him if not, he’s been through alot!
Nana- hope your parcel comes in time for a walk together. Hope you fasting goes okay too.
Dave- poor Heidi lights left on 😂😂 Good job you can turn them off…Have a goid day & enjoy the music! Oh dear, tight clothes- that would definitely be me after 2 weeks trip! Glad you’re not with Thomas Cook! Lots of poor people stuck…
Kay- hope you’re okay & all went well at the weekend!
Cakey- have you got lots of travelling to do this week?
Out earlyish with Xena to catch the other park dogs- she had a lovely play, spent lots of time chasing a ball. Then took a car load of stuff to the charity shop, & a little bit to the tip. Followed by a food shop, late lunch of salad, fasting as well today.

Jean we are two hours in front so it’s dark here early.The cod and chips were delicious as always.On a par with Whitby.Sat in the street cooking down.I keep saying I will go to the harvest festival at church,but if I did the church would probably fall down on me, I did like it when I was at school.

Hello

Ugh swallowed a bug out on my run. Thought I was choking and now I can hardly speak. Typical as have got a 5 hour meeting tomorrow which I’m running! Will need plenty of water. Wonder how many calories in a bug.

Hope the garden boundaries are resolved soon Jean, so sorry for the upset and worry. Why do people have to be that way.

Hope your back eases Minols – harvest already? I suppose it is end of September. It’s just sort of crept up.

Happy new kitchen week Mel, enjoy the trip and coking back to sparkly new room, that sounds a good way to do it and wow for the 24lbs off – that’s amazing progress.

Safe last day and travels home Dave, hope you’re not with Thomas Cook. So sad, we’ve always gone with them, the staff in our local branch are lovely and couldn’t be more helpful even when we were asking for weird and wonderful combination trips.

We’ve made a start on the garage Hh and made a trip to the tip as well as getting 2 mattresses, a sofa and armchair taken away. It was all the stuff we accumulated when the girls were students and then they didn’t want when they got their own places. I don’t keep much like birthday cards etc, I wish I’d been more organised like that over the years.

Making broccoli soup tonight, Monday is homemade soup night. Off to Edinburgh tomorrow for a couple of days.

Right got my breath back now after my run. It’s not getting easier but at least we are back into the swing of it since summer

Much love

CW

Not going away until Weds Hedgehogs but meeting up with our friends for our usual weekly lunch tomorrow 🍴🍻

Was a great show tonight Michael Jackson, I don’t even like him but the show was brilliant.Lovely HOT FOOD all day today, obviously not at the hotel.Last day tomorrow so not too much to drink because I will be driving 24 hours later.

Morning All..
A very dreary day looks like a test of wet weather gear…🌧🌧🌧

Up early and get things done for lunch, visitors arriving about 11 but would expect them later..Lancashire people no sense of timings!

Nana..
Hope the parcel arrived…hubby cooking very nice Steve used too but now says I am much faster….enjoy your lunch today and good luck on the scales ….

Cakey..
A bug on your run yucky…well done on your clear out I do think it makes you feel good…

Hedgehog..
Pots done for winter very organised..good luck on two more days of fasting…

Dave..
Glad your day went well and you found hot food….enjoy your last day we will have you back tomorrow full time…safe journey..

Kay..
Goodness how busy you have been..well done on a 🥇and a 🥉some good baking….we are in a village too I know how hard it is, we helped with the organisation of our village festival it’s hard and always left to a very few, we gave up after 5 years…so hard not eating baking, I can’t leave it alone it’s about one of my downfalls and 🍷…line drawn for you to get rid of the bloated feeling it will soon go..

Have a good day all…

Jean x

Morning all!
Dave- it’ll be raining when you get home too 😂😂…you’ll soon be hating the cold & wet again! Enjoy your last day.
Kay- well done you with the baking & organising & the walk. Shame not better supported, it does always seem to be the same people as Jean said too. I like a few days 800cals blast helps get back into the swing of eating better!
Jean- enjoy your rainy walks today! And hope all goes well with the visitors…whatever time they come!
Mel- hope the kitchen gets started, & have a safe journey to Dorset.
Minols- how’s your back today? Hope it’s getting easier.
Cakey- safe journey for you too…
Nana- enjoy your day out!
Went out early with Xena to avoid the rain, but we got wet anyway 😂 My favourite boots have a hole I guess- my socks & feet were were filthy on the heels! Silly dog is all lively & hyped up now because I had to dry her, she is weird! Should be dog training in a bit but not sure- the site gets very muddy so even though it’s indoors you still get mucky! Plus I think she’s starting to outgrow the class, & Nick’s going to move a few puppies up soon, so he won’t be able to do anything which pushes the older dogs more, so we’ll see.
Was very naughty & went on the scales; having said I’d have to resign myself to staying the same I have lost a pound!

We fly at 4-55 local time, just got a text saying we will be picked up at 1-55pm.Had lunch in hotel not a clue what it was but I ate it, still lukewarm food, going out tonight for a beautiful meal at the island affair.Denise was going to have soup at lunch but the choice was beetroot soup or cauliflower and yoghurt soup, I wouldn’t touch soup with a bargepole but Denise likes soup.She didn’t have any although she likes beetroot .

I would be safe with battenburg,my son loves it though,my steak has just arrived.

Jean- glad it went well- & the battenberg, I love it too! Although it’s the marzipan I like, might as well buy a slab of that 😂😂. There’s lots of training we can do with Xena, lead walking is work in progress, & learning to pick things up & carry them…
Mel- glad you’ve got there safely, & hope the meal’s good! Enjoy! 🍷🍷
Dave- enjoy yours too!
Mine’s nearly ready, it’s been a good FD.

Evening everyone
Due to our cycleway being closed still we’ve had to use the car to get to the park and ride and catch the guided bus into St Ives for our lunch today so I volunteered to drive 🚗 which has saved me a few calories.
Kay well done a shame not more people took part – we’re lucky in our village that people participate in activities but it’s our age group not the youngsters so I guess they’ll gradually not happen.
Jean parcel never arrived until 7pm but at least it arrived. Husband took over the cooking once he retired as he really enjoys it plus he’s conscious of cooking in the way of 5:2 way of life so I’m more than happy to let him. Love Battenberg cake also really fancy a slice now good job there’s no shops in our village or I’d be off to buy some.
Mel enjoy your meal and 🍷🍷
Hedgehogs our bodies are strange aren’t they I stayed the same when I weighed myself this morning but well done you on losing a pound.
Dave have a safe journey back home.
Am not going to be posting again until my return from Brighton so hope you all have a good rest of the week.
Nana x

Nana- happy anniversary 💝🍸 & Brighton rock 🍭!
Jean- hope the appt goes well, will be thinking of you…
Couple of squares of chocolate waiting for me, last of my calories! Was going to wait until Bakeoff, but will be busy cooking son’s dinner- he got home safely in plenty of time for work- but had a speeding ticket in the post, oops…

Morning all!
Jean- hope all goes okay with the solicitor & they can help you…
Dave- enjoy that chocolate while you can! Hope you have a good journey home!
Hope everyone has a good day…seing my new Homestart family this afternoon. And another 800FD for me.

The pub is Italian, so at dinner they recommend two to three ‘small plates’ each to share, like tapas. Being really hungry we chose three each. Each plate was like a proper main course size! The food was really good but so much. Needless to say we ate most of it. I haven’t had such an Epic Face Stuff for months. Feel fatter already and it has only been two days 🤭🤭. Will cut back tonight. Going to cousin in Wales tomorrow so won’t be so bad food wise then self catering so will have more control. Don’t panic Mel!! (And the food here is lovely). Down to breakfast in a minute after a bad night. We always seem to be by the kitchen extractor fan and they didn’t turn it off last night. I have a real problem with the noise, it seems to cut into my brain somehow.
Right, good journey home Dave. You are going to miss that sun ☀️, but will have Heidi to compensate.
Jean, good luck at the solicitor. Nana, happy holiday. HH thought you were going to ease up a bit on the FDs?
Re parcels, I have a lot delivered (mostly books from amazon) and they just leave them for me round the back. I never stay in for them. I’d never get out 😂😂.

Hi everyone

Back still bad so not sleeping…so hitting the sugary stuff a bit too much – hate that. Really should go protein or porridge all the way!

CW – miss the running a bit…don’t miss the bug-swallowing. How can something so small destroy is so completely!

Jean – really hope the solicitor is helpful.

Mx

Minols have a wee dram, painkiller 😄.Sat in the airport everything gone great so far, should be boarding in the next half hour.Kept my shorts on so will be nippy when I get home.

Evening all!
Jean- this solicitor sounds a bit more helpful, although you’re paying for it! I hope they take this letter seriously!
Dave- you’ll definitely notice the temperature change! Heidi will be so pleased to see you!
Mel- the meal sounds lovely, but good that you’re not there too long 😂 we had a similar large helpings at a Chinese once, so stuffed! Just enjoy yourself & don’t worry, it’ll come off quickly! (I’m trying not to stress about the lack of scale movement, but will keep up being strong & fasting quite a few days until after I wear my posh frock!)
Minols- sorry your back’s still not great- have you seen a chiropractor before, is there anything they can do?
Nana- happy anniversary & hope you’re there safely!
Kay- have you got much work at the moment?
Cakey- hope your week’s okay…
Had a good visit with the family- I feel like I can be useful! Jean- people don’t always click, I’ve only had one family in 5 years who didn’t want the support, they were being pushed into it because there were concerns about neglect. I did hear about one volunteer who kept getting families not want her 😱. She was very posh!
Fasting has gone well, day off tomorrow, buffet at the Homestart AGM! I will not be good!

Welcome back to the wet UK Dave! You’ll soon be wishing for some of that sunshine back! I bet Heidi is so happy that you and Denise are back home now.

Jean, here’s hoping that its money well spent if it makes your neighbour realise whats what. Still frustrating that you are having to pay to state the obvious though!
I said hello to 3 dalys today! They were fantastic, if a bit boisterous! Making me rethink dog breeds again!

Mel, sounds like you are already into your holiday! Enjoy! Just noticed you were in Sherbourne…not far from where we lived in Dorset a few years ago.

Minols, sorry to hear you have hurt your back. I know just how frustrating it is. Hope it soon eases.

HH, hope the new HS family are receptive to the help. Im working permanently at the hotel so Im guaranteed 3/4 days every week. The holiday lets work will be slowing down now. Well done on the pound off! Whens the posh frock do?

CW, hope the trip to Edinburgh went ok.

Cant get my head round fasting at the mo! Going shopping on Friday and it seems like the salad season may be over so going to do some batch cooking soon. Had our first soup this week, definitely a sign of autumn.

I usually struggle a bit this time of year with the change of seasons and increase in the shorter days so going to try and keep busy, although no need this week as Im working 6 days as the other housekeeper has some days off!

X

Morning All…
A walk at our small forest takes about 55 mins to walk..checked the notice board for this canine bug..nothing….quite a few dogs walking so risked it….between showers glorious blue skies..quite funny acorns kept dropping Charlie couldn’t understand it 😂 when he caught a few on his back….Steve managed it too a bit up and down….

I am fasting today, hoping to pull back a bit 😬

Hedgehog..
They have to take notice of the letter as it’s all legal now and nothing can be done or changed..they now have to find a solicitor or prove the fence is in the wrong position and the passageway is shared themselves…we can’t talk to them….hoping they listen or it will go to court…costs to them…

Glad the families are always pleased with your help, you do a grand job…you deserve your service award next week….have you got your full outfit now, shoes, bag etc?

All my bedding dried while walking, iron out shortly….next load in….

Dave..
Glad all went well..you made me laugh we always went to chippy on our home from the airport…not so much now…lovely Heidi was fussy to see you…always nice to be back home….

Kay..
Good you have regular hours now at the hotel..as you say as the season is changing more settled work…

We are so pleased we got Charlie….a very different breed to normal dogs…so pack like, wanting to be with you all the time, sense of humour, playful and full of fun..good walks settle him down….some can be destructive but Charlie isn’t..I think they get bored..long walks!!

I am running my freezer down getting it ready for pre cooked soups, Hungarian goulash, meaty hot food..loads of leaves falling off the trees this morning..

Seeing the surgeon on Wednesday..Steve wants the ‘go ahead’ to drive again…then caravanning 😀..🤞

Well cup of tea time…all going well here……

Jean x

HI Everyone
Amazingly…went out to meet a bunch of young women in a local hostelry last night (they want to learn more about their faith) and something happened to my back and it’s fine! Still a little achey so beign sensible, but had a really good night’s sleep…I am a different woman (obviously still overweight, still short-sighted/tempered/compared to tall people…but a differnt woman, otherwise!)

Just trying to get a load of stuff prepped that I need to get through the next 10 days…and then I am on holiday for 2 whole weeks – yippee!

Mx

Quick update post. Had a phone call last night from the people we were going to stay with in Wales for four nights. Taken ill so we can’t go. So that leaves us in Dorset with four nights until we go to Shropshire and nowhere to stay! Anyway we are now in Lynton in Exmoor National Park. Found a lovely little hotel with good coastal walking. They can do all four nights.

Had a full breakfast without sausage (Jodie had it) and nothing since. No toast either, 😇. Nothing since so ready for dinner!

Minols did you have a wee dram or two,that would explain you back feeling better 😁.Had a full English for tea and it was nice and hot😀.I got a phone call from the bowling club,they won the semi final of the cup while I was in Cyprus so they asked if I can play in the final on Monday.We play the team who slaughtered us a few weeks ago,so I said yes.

Yes it’s nice to have hot food🔥🔥🔥. Watching Poole v Ipswich speedway,come on the Witches,they are winning at Poole.