Hello everyone. First post in quite a few weeks. Ive skimmed through posts only reading a few….not enough hours in the day unfortunately.

I did want to comment on Paula’s post to say im sorry for your family situation. Ive been through the same in the last 12 months and now only have contact with 2 out of approx 20 immediate family members. I know this doesnt apply to all but my motto now is ‘blood doesnt have to mean family’ Family is those who surround you and love you….no matter who they are. I sincerely hope you are travelling ok Paula as i know how stressful it can be.

My Paleo lifestyle is going well. Im relying less on the scales and more on the tape measure and clothes fit. The scales show a few kilos over my goal weight but clothes fit and measurements are the same as my lowest weight last September so im satisfied with that. Im sure once i have a few more weeks/months of paleo under my belt my body will work out its own natural status.

A few weeks ago i made my first batch of sauerkraut with my new fermenting jars. Every day i take a peak under the towel (which keeps the temp stable) to see how it’s going. Might have a taste this weekend as i think it’s 3 or 4 weeks since i made it.

I think OH is getting very close to officially proposing….he’s throwing out hints like you wouldn’t believe. Im so very excited to say the least.

Must go, have an appointment at the hairdressers. Take care everyone x

Hi everyone

Just wanted to say thanks for all the good wishes. Much appreciated, as usual.

Courtney and I are hanging in there and will just see where it takes us in regard to seeing mum. I found the most beautiful photo of my mum taken in maybe the late 50’s early 60’s. Love it.

To the newbies on here – welcome. You cannot get a better bunch of ladies looking out for you and their knowledge 5:2 is astounding. Never fear of asking anything here as someone will have some knowledge of it.

Okay – I am curious – who on here is in Perth, WA?
Paula

Thin, you were impressively succinct yesterday!

Day before fast day for me.

Paula, fingers crossed.

Penguin, the news said the UK was having an Australian summer and lots of info about stopping the roads from melting and other extreme things. Then they finished up by saying it was 31C.
You need to add another 10C before it is an Australian summer. Just saying.

I don’t know about insights Thin – we just stumble on, doing the best we can, and hoping to be kinder to the planet. And don’t get Miss 5 started on plastic straws and how they kill the turtles!

Here’s something that made me laugh – ruefully. I weighed Miss 5 the other week … 18.1 kilos. Never dreaming she would understand, I looked over her head to OH and said ‘I’d like to lose a Miss O’.. Fast forward to a big family lunch at the weekend, when the subject of dieting came up…..and up she piped. ‘Marmar wants to lose 18.1 kilos’. Yikes! I forgot her new prep education has made her much more savvy about letters and numbers.

Thin and Cinque I remember my first trip to England in 1976 when the temps reached the mid-30s for over a fortnight People were sprawled in parks and gardens, in their underwear, basking in the sun and swimming in the ponds! I was really shocked (then again I was very young and naive). Look at these wonderful pics https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/4092496/uk-summer-heatwave-1976/

OK enough reminiscing – I’ve now done an 18 hour fast. It’s FD, and I’m off to have my steamed chicken, which is dull but convenient here at work.

Fabulous memorabilia Lindsay! Incendiary bombs exploding and cricket umpires allowed to remove their jackets for the first time in 99 years! That was my final year of uni and there’s my home town in the first photo! Do you know what struck me about those photos? No overweight people!

I have just returned from a routine screening test at my GP. I couldn’t resist asking to get on his scales and I’m about a kg lighter than my last visit 2 years ago. Which impressed him. My BP is also good and no blood tests were indicated as I am no longer at risk of diabetes and other nasties. And good news for females, we don’t have to repeat that particular screening test for five years now. You’ll know the one.

Loved those VIetnamese restaurants Lindsay, all fresh ingredients and everything served on the side.

Thin you come from Brighton? One of my brothers and SIL were at Sussex Uni, not too far away. We spent many a happy holiday down that way.
and re overweight people – I hadn’t noticed that. But fast forward to the current heat event. Dorset, 2018.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/heatwave-to-rival-the-hot-summer-of-1976-kclwvncpv

@lindsay – you could use some “equal” instead of sugar (I must admit that I don’t particularly like it because of some nasty ingredients, and the only time I use it is for dipping sauce). Yes, fish sauce, fresh lime juice, a bit of chilli and a bit of garlic. Fresh herbs of choice – mint/Vietnamese mint/coriander – any herb you may have, just waiting to be used :-))

Hi everyone

It’s been a tough FD for me today. Its 4pm and I have had about 100 calories. Unfortunately I had a La Zuppa cup a soup which has almost my day’s recommended salt allowance in it. I also had a miso soup made from paste and a piece of turkey cold meat. I think I have blown tomorrow’s salt allowance as well….

I was in a great mindset this morning until my bestie at work told me she had split up with her boyfriend. She was so down in the dumps and wanted to go out for lunch in our break. She knows I am on a FD so asked if I could do one tomorrow instead. I ummed and aaahed only because I know that I won’t do it tomorrow but in the end I said I would. We didn’t actually end up going for lunch (we are now doing that tomorrow) but for some unknown reason I have been really hungry all day.

I really have to plan what I am going to make for dinner as I still want to keep to the 500 calories. I have some cabbage already sliced up so am thinking of doing a yummy cabbage salad maybe with a greek yoghurt dressing and some super lean pork medallions.

Funny thing is at lunch time my bestie and her boy have reconciled already. I think she may have over reacted to something he said and they hadn’t really broken up at all! I am very happy they are ok. I will be even happier when I still manage to complete this FD……hopefully. Fingers crossed

Hope everyone is doing well. Still thinking of the ones who I know are having a tough time at the moment xx

😆 Penguin. People need to toughen up. Those ‘participation’ ribbons at primary school are pathetic. My DD says that she spent 9 years at primary school doing nothing but learning how to make friends. In Australia, it is technically illegal to change a light bulb without the aid of a qualified electrician. These things drive my OH crazy. He re-wired our entire house and later all the wiring for the new addition and then paid a qualified electrician to come and say that he had done it properly.

Lindsay, not Lesley!

Great post Cinque, I read it twice. I like it best when I wake to your daily post. No pressure. Sigh!

I love your friend’s description of school, Cinque. My DD was so fortunate to get into a high school that met her academic needs.

Yes, I suspect there are ‘handy men’ who might make some scary efforts. But thankfully there are people in the world like my OH who have been taking things apart to see how they work since about age 8 and can make or fix just about anything. As you know, he can be very irritating around the kitchen but I am so grateful that he can repair anything from a hearing aid to an aeroplane. It’s a rare day that we get a tradie in.

And ‘routine’! My mantra for making 5:2 work. I don’t let anything get in the way of my fast days once they’re underway. I couldn’t trust myself if I started slipping.

Today we’re going to meet friends for lunch at a winery. A chilly 17C is forecast so thermals are required. Don’t laugh Penguin, I’m serious.

Have a stellar FD Cinque and everyone else who’s fasting. Enjoy your wine and Lindt, Sybs.

Hi everyone

Thanks for the link Cinque. I did make my FD dinner last night but with all the talk about yummy asian dressings I decided to make an asian dressing instead. I didn’t add any sugar but used homemade chilli jam which believe me has plenty of sugar in it. I used lime juice, sesame oil, soy sauce,chilli jam and pickled chillis and grated garlic and ginger. It was amazing.
I used my already cut up cabbage (white and purple), grated carrot, red onion and red capsicum. Also a very small amount of vermicelli rice noodles and then topped with a few salad sprinkles.
I make a big batch of salad sprinkles and keep it in the fridge. It’s sunflower seeds, pepitas, flaked almonds,black and white sesame seeds, all toasted. It just adds a bit of pizazz to salad.

Enjoy your FD Cinque and anyone else on a FD today. Thin and Sybs, enjoy your lunch/dinner out. Hope everyone has a great day x

Hi everyone. Thank you for all of your kind condolences on the passing of my aunt Esther. Cinque, that is such a lovely offer from you, to light a tea candle for her in your beautiful dome. The wake and service is this morning and with the 15 hour time difference, it would be the middle of the night for you. But if you would like to light one in the morning, that would be a lovely idea. I believe she’s looking down from some other dimension, and would be very touched that my friend from the other side of the world was lighting a candle for her. I often talked with her about some of the comments and stories from this forum, so she would know who you are. Although I wasn’t able to fly back there because of lingering health concerns, mainly blood pressure that could spike since I’m a nervous flyer, my sister arrived there yesterday and will keep me apprised of the details.

I also wrote a eulogy which my cousin will read at the service. There were lots of funny stories that she told me from the past and some recent ones that I knew about. They describe what a beautiful person she was both inside and out. And it will give me a way to be there in spirit. And it will hopefully add a light note to such a sad occasion.

I’ve been out of the loop for a few days and am trying to catch up with posts.

Cali, sorry to hear of your loss and that you can’t attend the funeral as you’d with. I think it’s a lovely idea to send a eulogy for your cousin to read. I hope you are able to spend some time remembering happy times with your aunt. I think when we remember people they stay alive in our hearts.

GDSA, congratulation on you imending proposal.

Sounds like everyone else is mostly coping with life and 5:2. I’m doing ok some days.

Cali, I read your post about 7:30am, and lit the candle straight away. It would have been such a beautiful funeral, I bet there there was dear laughter at your stories of your Aunt Esther.

Now I have had three cups of tea, and my lovely morning-after-Fast-Day breakfast, my brain is up to writing, just about.

Glad to have you in the loop LJoyce, but it sounds like you are not able to be as in charge of life as you like. Big kudos for those ok days.
You’ll get back to usual soon, I’m sure. You got though the sustained pressure of the preparation and move with extraordinary discipline, so it is no wonder you are scrambling a bit now. Especially since you don’t have internet yet!
I know you are keeping doing the good things, and you are really good at triaging. Sending best wishes.

Lindsay, thanks for your graciousness. Thin, thanks very much. I love that you enjoy my posts, and I always look forward to yours too.
Mr Thin (and Mr Penguin) should get an honourary proficiency certificate that allows them to do anything. (And Ms LJoyce)! (And you other brilliant ones)

I agree about routine, 5:2 is a fixture in my life now, so even going through some big interruption (like you are LJoyce) just means it is an interruption, and I can then return to 5:2 normalcy.

I hope you were sufficiently rugged up for the winery, Thin, and that the wine was lovely. Ooh I’d love 17C. 13C here today.

Sybs, best wishes for a wonderful celebration for you and your friend on that beautiful Cape Tribulation.
And yes, the exercise info was so good. I often find such information depressing as I am forced to be so sedentary, but there was so much in the program that I can do, and every little bit helps. (She says, already at the computer for 20 minutes without a break.) (I’ll go and put the coffee on.) (Virtuously stretching while I do it 😉 )

Quacka, I want your delicious meal! I think I need to get into pork medallions, I have never had one in my life. But now I want them with an Asian cabbage salad, sugar free dipping sauce and crunchy toppings.

So glad to see your post Arelkade, did you get some nice R&R with your sister? Hoping your brother is as comfortable as possible, and that you are looking after yourself well.

I won’t run out of plastic shopping bags to line my bin for a while, even with my best efforts I have a stack. I reuse them for other things before they get to the stage of being bin liners. But I am soaking and/or rinsing things that go in the bin now, and keeping those plastic, or paper, or cellophane bags (from packets of beans, oats etc) to put those grotty bits and pieces in (like I used to in my older, hippier days). Let’s see how I go. Nice to know that packets of bin liners exist, if I need them.

Oops, time for the next step in coffee making, with added stretches. Bye now, best wishes everyone.

Thin great news from your doctor’s appointment. And you and Cinque should never stop posting. I like your non-PC approach to life Thin, and how you gently reorient us Cinque.
I’ve had a funny couple of days. We went last night to the PowerHouse to see ‘At Last – the story of Etta James’ performed by Vika Bull (from Rockwiz). Amazing show – probably the best I’ve ever seen. The band was wonderful .. trumpets, trombones, great backing singing. I could go on .. and on. My first drink in 13 weeks. One glass of red wine during the first half and then another after interval. And then I got breathalysed on the way home! Of course I was fine – .038 – but it did give me the tremours when I saw the roadblock. Why wasn’t I breathalysed in the 13 weeks alcohol-free? Then I got on my glass scales this morning – and the damned things shattered into a million pieces. The little ones had been playing with a little set of dice, and one had lodged under the scales. Fortunately I saw the weight as they exploded…my 2 glasses of red made no difference at all.
LJ hope you’re doing ok. Sybs how was Cape Trib? Beautiful place.
Arel, Quaka, Calif, JJ. Stay and all others I’ve missed – hope you’re travelling well.

Ariel, I’m so glad you were able to spend time with your family and your brother. I’m realizing that’s so important. We never know what day will be our last. I spoke to my aunt on the phone the Sunday before she passed. I’m glad we always end our conversations with “I love you.” but what other things would I have said if I had known that conversation would be our last? It’s so important to let all our loved ones know how much we care, not just when they’re ill, but every chance we get.

Lindsay, that play about Etta James sounds wonderful. I’ve always loved that song, “At Last” President Obama and Michelle danced to that songg at his first inauguration. Unfortunately it was sung by Beyoncé rather than Etta James. Nobody sings it like Etta.
Sorry to hear about your glass scales shattering. I thought those things were indestructible. Hope in was tempered glass. I laughed when you said you got to see your weight while it was in its final stages!

Thin, what’s unhealthy about Lamb Curry Pie and a glass of wine? That sounds healthy enough to me. Perhaps the calories were a little high but isn’t that why we do 5:2, so we can maintain our weight without feeling deprived and counting calories every day? And your scans prove it, still under 60 and I bet some of that is water weight.

Cinque, thank you for lighting the candle. I told my uncle about it and he was touched. I keep my reusable shopping bags in the trunk of my car. It’s full of them, some sturdy ones that are fabric covered with a plastic material I’ve had for over 5 years. I bring reusables in all stores, even Subway.

Stay, it sounds like you’ve been busy with your daughter’s house extension and family coming and going. A busy time for you!

LJoyce, I hope you get your internet connection straightened out and get yourself back here soon! We miss you and want to hear about all of your adventures with your new home. And 5:2 is much easier when we’re around to hold you accountable!

Good morning SHs,

Arel, I hope you still have more time with your brother. I’m pleased to hear that he is somewhere thst his pain can be properly managed. Just lovely news that you have your dad back home.

Thanks everyone for the concern over my last post, I didn’t mean to worry anyone. I’m just struggling with my health a bit at the moment.
I have a persistent lung infection that the antibiotics are not ckearing up quickly. Because of how this makes me feel I’m not very active, which makes my joints stiffer and more painful. I am also feeling unusually fatigued at the moment ( this is a normal RA symptom, but I can usually manage it better than this).
I have an old habit of consoling myself with food, especially when I don’t leave the house all day. While my FDs are always ok, I can’t say the same for my NFDs – some of them have been one long snack day.

FD today, which is a bit of a relief after 3 NFDs.

Hope you all have nice plans for the weekend.

Good morning.

Stay, your post yesterday came in while I was writing. How busy you are. And what good chooks. Yum for frittata. Your DD will be so glad to get into their home and settled, how lovely to be getting it all ready.
I hope the NO BISCUITS part of your day went well, and best wishes for your lovely dinner this evening.

I am having a surprise fast day today because the evening baby sitting I was going to do on Thursday was changed to today and then to tomorrow.
I’ll fast today and then babysit tomorrow.

Thin, I hope that lamb curry pie was as delicious as it sounds.

I always thought scales took a couple of days to show up how wicked you have been (more proof they are not scientific instruments but roguish imps). Or was that just my scales?

Lindsay how wonderful to see Vika Bull singing Etta James! Just seeing the interviews and clips are so wonderful, the actual concert would be brilliant.
And then that breathalyzing nearly ruining the whole evening! Cruel.
And Oh dear those scales. Who are the roguish imps in your house? 😉

My next door neighbours could not have children, and then Ollie’s sister carried their baby for them. Such a special story. Their little girl is called Etta, and I wonder if it is because of At Last!

Arelkade, I am so glad you had that precious time with your dad and siblings. So poignant. It sounds like your brother is getting the care he should now. And great news that your dad is with you.

Cali, I am glad about the candle.

I usually have those reusable bags in my boot, they have been around in Australia since 2002. I do love the design with a good base and easy to carry and to pack.
There is a lovely bit in ‘Kath and Kim’ (sitcom) where they have a pantry packed up to the ceiling with reusable shopping bags and then when they arrive at the supermarket Kath says “Oh No, I forgot my shopping bags!” And then “Oh well, nevermind, I can buy another one.” There is a lot of that going on at the moment!

LJoyce, so glad to see your post, but also sorry because lots of pain and a persistent lung infection is even harder to deal with than just the mental exhaustion of the last few months. Best wishes http://www.sharanim.com/en/Get-Well-Soon/Get-Well-Soon-White-Flowers.gif

Best wishes all.

2nd post: 6.50pm Saturday

Thank you LJoyce, Thin and Cinque for your kind comments – very much appreciated!

LJoyce – thinking of you and hoping you are feeling a lot better real soon, no fun being so unwell – healing hugs being sent to you 💐.It’s been a very challenging, busy time for you for months. Hope you new home is giving you much pleasure!

Dad hasn’t stopped smiling since he came home on Thursday. He’s looking the best, and now so relaxed – love him dearly!

Hi to all those just checking in and having a read, and also to everyone else – you are all very special people!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend and bye for now!

Haha Penguin. Well, all the UK 5:2ers better join us here!
My sympathy for the parched land and fires and long heatwave though.

I had a good fast day yesterday. Cheers to you Thin and the all the Sunday fasters.

Arelkade it is lovely to think of your happy dad enjoying your home.

Well I’ve got my next go at rye bread on the rise, this time with half rye flour, and I added some yoghurt as I read that rye likes a bit of acid. It has been 24 hours and it hasn’t moved much at all, so now I am worrying the yoghurt might make it go off before it rises. I’ve warmed the oven and put it in to give it a boost.

That’s all my news. Cat’s on my knee. Cup of tea beside me. A little weak sun shining through the tree outside the window. Good morning.

Good morning all.

I fasted yesterday and it was an easy day.
I plan to cook a tomato eggplant & mushroom ragout today. I have soy pasta and wholemeal wheat pasta that I plan to combine to serve with it.
Lung infection is still being persistent – I started the second packet of antibiotics today. My gut bugs are going to hate me.

Cinque I use yoghurt in slow rise bread. If you add enough it can give you a slight sour taste to the final loaf – milder than sourdough. The flavour goes really well in rye bread.

Have a niceSunday everyone.

Welcome home Merry. It seems you’ve been away for ages …. those travel scales sound marvellous!

You were successful Merry! That was a lot of weeks of careful eating. Well done! My travel scales are looking forward to their trip.

Hi Merry. Glad you made it back safely. I don’t know what you did to our weather system whilst you were here but we have had a couple of weeks of hot dry weather and the met office have just told us we will probably have it for all of July!